Going to School

I was about four years and 8 monts old when I Started to School.  And it Seemed as If I would get Blamed for Some things[.] and the teacher Believed In whipping and I was the only one In the Starting grade[.]  It seemed that She whipped me more than My share. I was to young for any other grades. of Course the teacher didnt have time to Spend on me just one pupil.  So I didnt get my Lessons or Remember Due to the fact I was to young to figure them out for my Self[.]  They put a Child In the primer In those days to start with. 

When we were out playing Sometimes the others would Blame Something on me and I would get whipped for what ever it was.  it So happened that I grew to Dislike School in my first year[.]  When I got home at nite If I had got punished at School my Brother Frank would tell mother and I would get punished again

The next year we had Different teacher and I Begain to Learn as I liked that teacher[.] But that Summer and fall I had Typhoyid Fever and didnt get to Start at the Begaining of the term.  So I only got a few mouths of School under that teacher  I went to School there until the winter that I was Seven years old.  Then Dad Bought a place at Cedar Rapids Nebr But Befor we moved to Cedar Rapids we had the measels mumps chicken pox and pink eye.  So I didnt get to spend to much of that winter In School[.] that was the winter of 1906 and 1907.  Our grade had a good teacher that year and all the children Seemed to like her[.]  I Cant Say about my Brothers Room as he was older and ahead of me a couple of Grades.  The next year we had a teacher that didnt Seem to Be as good as the other teacher we had the year Befor[.] 

The Boy's of that School Liked to have fist Fights and the teacher's tryed to Keep them From fighting.  My mother always told me If She ever heard of me fighting She would Give me a Whipping when I got home from School And She wasnt fooling about it.  my Brother always Seen to it that She heard about the fight If I had one and the Kids picking on me.  I didn’t want to fight and would Begg the Kids not to fight[.]  We had a Neighbor that heard about the Kids picking on me So he Started to come By the School[.]  This man was a Black Smigh By trade[.]  his name was Billie Barttlet[.] he was also Directior on the School Board[.]  he had his Blacksmith Shop in town he also liked me.  he started to come By the School and Stick Around where he could See things.  he would at the Recesses noon and at Evening when School was getting out[.]  In that way he learned what was going on. 

One Evening just as School was out a Boy about 4 year's older than I picked on me and I Begged him not to pick on me as I would get whipped when I got home for fighting.  The Black Smith had come By about that time and heard me say I didnt want to fight as I would get whipped when I got home[.]  Mr Barttlet call me By name and said you whipp that Kid or I give you a whipping my self.  I was more afraid of him I guess than I was the kid and I did whipp the older Kid In the fight[.]  I never had anymore trouble or fights in that School. 

The Black Smigh walked home with me and questioned me about getting punished at home[.]  I told I would get punished when I got home so he went home with to talk with Dad and mother[.]  Dad was working In the yard when we got home and we went to him and he ask me what happened[.]  I told him I didnt want to fight Because I would get punished when I come home and my Brother always found out about it and told on me[.]  The Black_Smith or Mr Barttlet to[ld] dad that I had told him the truth that he had heard it all.  told Dad that he made me fight as he was tired of Seeing those Larger and older Kids picking on me and Beating me up Because. I wouldnt fight and he that [thought?] that I should be let to take care of myself and for them not punish me[.]  mother come down to where we were and heard part of what was said and and she was going punish me anyway[.] But Dad ask her If She had Been whipping for fighting at School When I would come home crying Because the Kids had Beat me up. the Black Smith Said he would See to that the teacher would take care of theose Larger and older Boys[.] The next morning he was at the School talking to the teacher and professor.  I do not know what was Said, But I got along fine with the teacher and the children the Rest of the year of 1907 and 1908.

My teacher was married During the Xmas vacation Betten [between] Dec 1908 and Jan 1 of 1909 and didnt come Back to teach School after xmas.  We had new teacher.  At about the same time a new Boy come to School In our Room, It Seemed as If the Boy was a friend of the teachers or apet or perhaps Some Relation I do not Know[.] how ever he would Lie about the other Boys and girls and get them In trouble with the teacher.  The teacher put me to Set with this Boy as In theose days they had Double seats and Desks In the Schools and he Lied about me on Several occasions and the Boys would wait for him to go home from School at night and give him a Beating for Lieing about them[.]  The Black smith noticed the Kids Beating up on him.  So he made it a point be out where he could walk home with us children that went that way and he told us if there was anymore of it to Let him Know and he would Straighten things out[.]  one day he lied about me and the teacher Decided She was going whip me[.]  She used a split Rubber hose and one of the other teachers had it.  When She went to get the hose I picked up my Lunch pail and jacket. And went to the Back window that was open and jumped out and Started home[.]  It just happened that Mr Barttlet was going home from the Shop as he had a Lot of Stock and Started his chore early So he Kept a man that was Black Smith In the Shop. he Saw me jump out of the window[.] I come down to the Road where he was[.]  he ask me what the trouble was[.] he told me to go on home But to Be Back to School Monday as this was Friday this happened.  Monday morning when I come to School we had a new teacher and the Boy was also gone  I Never Knew where the Boy went or the teacher or what happed[.] I can only guess[.] But found out from the otaher Children that Mr Barttlet had also Been asking them about things around School.

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My father Sold that place at Cedar Rapids [in 1909]. he Bought another place farthe from town and I went to a country School there[.] It was Said to be a Hard School to handle.  But when I Went there It didnt have any Older Boys going there[,] that is Boy's over 15 or 16 years old Like Some School's did.  the oldest of them were about 14 year's old[.]  The teacher was a Neighbor girl or young lady But She had a temper.  But was a good teacher[.] I Always Liked her[.] But she Lost the School She taught the year Befor.  Because she was Supposed to have Whipped a Boy and Caused him to Die.  But I Couldnt ever Belive that She Did.  unless it was a fit of temper.  And I will explain my Reason for Believing that She didnt.  We had a Little German Boy Start to School there, It was his first year.  In theose year the old German's taught their Children the German Langue first Befor they did the American or English Langue[.] And this Boy was haveing a Rather hard time to Learn the English or American term's.of the Langue[.] So Some of the German Boys would tell him Something In German and tell him it met Something else and get him in trouble[.]  So he_would have to Stay in at School, or Loose his Recess or noon And the teacher was getting tired of haveing to Keep him In.  this day some of the Boys told him that one of the little girls he played with and that was In his Class had ask him to Kiss her, and that he Should and he Did, the Little girl went In and told the teacher.  and the teacher of cours was Angrey and was going to punish him and I took his part and told her it wasnt his fault[.] I also told She should punish Some of the older one that put him up to Such things. But she was angrey[.] Nothing would do But I had to go to get a stick for her out In the Coal shed[.] I did But I brought one In that to Long and to Large to whipp a child with.  Just to Stall for time So She wouldnt whipp so hard.  I also Insisted that She find who put him up to do it and punish them.  Then She told me to go get a Stick And I did.  I took my Knife and Cut Rings around it So it would Break If she used it very hard, and still argued that she Shouldnt whipp this Boy that she should punish the older ones.  then She sent me for a Swich to which I Brought back to her.  By that time she had Begain to See a Light.  But I still aske her not to punish the Boy and told her I would Rather Be whipped than he.  But that I wasnt to Blame either that some of the olders were.  She said Very well then she would whipp me Instead and I had my Jacket on and she sure Dusted it But that was one whipping that didnt hurt.  That evening She ask me to Ride home from school with her And I did She ask me why I took his part Like I did and I told that it wasnt his fault that the other German Boys were telling him things In German met something else In English and that was what had happened this day.  And I also told her that She Souldnt punish befor She found out who was to Blame for sure.

We had a Family In that School that were quakers they had four children two of them were older than I.  A boy and a girl and two smaller Girls But they were Both younger than I as I was about ten years old at that time.  I went to that School for about 3 years and liked it fine and also my teacher.  this teacher went to School for a while.  then she took position a principle of the Shools at Fullerton Nebr And was there for quite a number of year's[.]

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(note in margin: about 1920 or 192l)  I had chance to take Father up to albion and Cedar Rapids Nebr And I told Father I would Like to take a Drive to the old home place there and Stop at Joe Kings place and Visit with Mr & Mrs King and Father Said he also would like to.  It was Mr Kings Step Daughter that was the teacher[.] her name was not King But Herald[.] they Said her Given name was Zoe Herald[.] and It just So happened that Miss Herald was at home and we all had a lovely visit and Real nice Dinner[.] after that my old teacher and I washed and took care of the Dishes then we went for a walk over the farm and had real visit[.] She apoluised for whipping me that time and said that she had Learned a lesson to get to Bottom of thing's Befor she punished any one again[.] And said she had Never whipped another child[.] and I told her that I should make an appolagy also[,] that I had put Board In side of my trousers under my jacket and she Dusted that and we both had a good laugh.  I was about 20 year old at that time.  An I was given the understanding that She was principle at the high school In Fullerton Nebr For a number year after wards.

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In 1912 I went to School at Distric No 28 Northeast of North Bend Nebr[.]

(At top of page and in left margin:  After we moved to north Bend I had to Stay out of School help around the farm…[.] when I did go to School would have to take my Little Sister and Sometimes I would have to carry her at Least part of the way and wade snow up to my knee's[.])

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My older Brother and I didnt get to go to School Like we wanted to[.]  How ever they Did Send my older Brother to Fremont Normal School for a while [when he was 15] But I Never got that chance[.]  I was 13 year old when the folk started to keep me out of School[.]  And I never got Back to School again until I was 20 or 21 year's old[.]  I was 13 year's old and In the 7^th Grade when they Kept me out of School to help on the farm.  And when I did go Back to School In the Winter of 1920 and 21 At Midland Collage[,] I had to put myself through the Short Course that I took there[,] And it was hard going.