REVERIES...By Edna Foley
MY TEACHING YEARS
By Edna Foley, R.R. 3, Farmington

     The next two years I taught at Pleasant Mound near Bonne Terre. This was a nice school with plenty of playground. The youngsters were a nice bunch and came regularly. They played well also. The main game in the spring was marbles. The girls found something else to play. The school was interrupted by the flu. That was the year they had it bad. School was closed and I went around to call on my sick pupils. One family all had it but one boy, who looked after the family. They were glad to see me as most people were afraid to come in.

     The war ended the first year and school was closed that day and we joined the rest of the folks and marched until our feet ached, but everybody was happy.

      The two years passed quickly and the next two years were spent in the adjoining district. This school was by a lonely road. There was a church house by the school but it was closed. This was a farming community and lots of them had left their farms. There was a nearby spring where we got our water. I had a long walk to this school; down a hill through the woods, then up a hill in the woods, then an open field that got muddy. I wore boots and kept a pair of shoes at school.

     I had a lovely place to board--a large farm house with lots of room. I usually went home on week ends, but one week when I stayed over I got dinner for the boys as their parents were not at home. Their mother had baked pies the day before and there was a ham I could use. Three more boys drifted in so I had quite a bunch. One of the boys helped me. He said, "Make lots of gravy." So I fried ham and made gravy. This with potatoes, butter, honey, and milk made a good meal, and I didn't mind it.

     One Saturday one of the boys asked me if I wanted to go with him to look at some cattle across the river. We had to ford the river with our horses and the water came up to our stirrups. I didn't care too much for that.

     After two years here I decided I would quit teaching and work at something else. If you didn't work during the summer you spent all of your money, as teachers weren't paid too much. So I went to work at the Presbyterian Home.

     Years later I taught one term of school. I was married and liked to stay at home. This school couldn't find a teacher but wanted to keep their school so I told them I'd teach. I boarded in the district from Monday until Friday. The school house was freshly painted and they had playground equipment and room to play ball, too. They also had a beautiful flag which was flown every day except on rainy ones. These youngsters were not too eager to study so had to be prodded.

     The hours were full; the little ones had interesting books. We would gather around a nice table and have our science lessons, mostly talk. I encouraged the youngsters to bring things to put on the table.

     I enjoyed that year but was glad when it was over and I returned to being a housewife--the job I liked best. Children are wonderful to work with but I think there comes a time to quit.

Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Wed. June 2, 1971.