LilLilLilLil

Adventures

Country School

(Cute little fella on far right

LilLilLilLil’’’’ Henry’s Henry’s Henry’s Henry’s

Adventures

in the in the in the in the

Country School (Outhouses and gophers)

Cute little fella on far right, 1st row)

Part One

Henry was now six years old and

and in just two days he would go to school.

Over 50 years ago, a lot of children who lived on farms like

the city but went to what were called “Country Schools”. These schools were

buildings out in the countryside, usually just one room and everybody

no matter how old they were, did

Henry’s parents, Ralph and Dorothy, had let

they would have to take their other lazy children to school even thou

Monday and down the stair steps he flew to get ready for his first day of school. He had a brand

new pair of blue overalls to wear.

on and tightened his homemade cowhide belt

Soon he crawled into his dad’s old black Ford and off the whole

family went.

when his mom introduced him to his teacher, Mis

Henry

getting used to her a little bit, he asked her, “

when He was a boy?”

and did not answer.

It did not take Henry long to get used to school. He found that most of the teacher’s time was

spent with the older kids, including his brothers and sisters. They seemed awfully dense and it

took them a long time to get through their lessons each day.

and was as excited as a little calf on ice. Today was Saturday

would go to school.

Over 50 years ago, a lot of children who lived on farms like Henry did, did not go to schools in

the city but went to what were called “Country Schools”. These schools were normally

, usually just one room and everybody who went to that school,

no matter how old they were, did their studies in that one room with just one teacher for all.

parents, Ralph and Dorothy, had let Henry ride along to the school itself many times as

they would have to take their other lazy children to school even though it was only a short walk

of about a mile and a half away from the farm.

(Just some of Henry's lazy older brothers and sisters. Doris,

Doreen, Don and Lyle)

But Henry’s brothers and sisters were awfully spoiled and

made their mom and dad take them to school every day.

When Henry went to school, he thought, he would offer to

walk so his parents did not have to take time out of their

busy and demanding day to drive him.

When Sunday night came, Henry had a hard time sleeping

because he was so excited about going to school on

Monday morning.

But before he knew it, his eyes opened up early on

Monday and down the stair steps he flew to get ready for his first day of school. He had a brand

ir of blue overalls to wear. Henry loved the stiffness of the Levi material

on and tightened his homemade cowhide belt.

Soon he crawled into his dad’s old black Ford and off the whole

family went. Henry was a very shy fellow and held back at first

when his mom introduced him to his teacher, Miss Ella Sch

Henry could not believe how old Miss Schleuter looked. After

getting used to her a little bit, he asked her, “Did you know God

when He was a boy?” Miss Schleuter did not think that was funny

and did not answer.

ng to get used to school. He found that most of the teacher’s time was

spent with the older kids, including his brothers and sisters. They seemed awfully dense and it

took them a long time to get through their lessons each day.

was as excited as a little calf on ice. Today was Saturday

did, did not go to schools in

normally small

who went to that school,

their studies in that one room with just one teacher for all.

ride along to the school itself many times as

gh it was only a short walk

of about a mile and a half away from the farm.

brothers and sisters. Doris,

brothers and sisters were awfully spoiled and

made their mom and dad take them to school every day.

went to school, he thought, he would offer to

walk so his parents did not have to take time out of their

had a hard time sleeping

because he was so excited about going to school on

ut before he knew it, his eyes opened up early on

Monday and down the stair steps he flew to get ready for his first day of school. He had a brand

as he put them

Soon he crawled into his dad’s old black Ford and off the whole

was a very shy fellow and held back at first

s Ella Schleuter.

euter looked. After

Did you know God

euter did not think that was funny

ng to get used to school. He found that most of the teacher’s time was

spent with the older kids, including his brothers and sisters. They seemed awfully dense and it

Henry, on the other hand, just breezed through his daily lessons, often scanning the pictures in

just a few minutes. After he was done, he leaned hard on his elbow and tried to look like he was

studying as he daydreamed. These were very important skills to learn and he was to us

often in the next 15 years.

There were two times during the day that

lunch time.

In the back of the school there stood a huge round wood

When the temperatures outside were cool, Miss Sch

in the morning and then put a huge pot of cocoa on the top to gently warm it

up for the children to use at lunch time.

When Henry knew there was going to be cocoa at lunch, he would ask his

mother to make either peanut butter sandwiches or f

them in the cocoa at noon.

He thought that was just as good as the wine his older brothers

would drink out of the other boy’

lunch.

The other time of the school day that

recess. If all of the children were good and obedient, they could go

out to recess twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

Henry soon found out that recess was a wild time, a time when the older boys would do things

they would get into trouble for many times.

The country school did not have any running water. All the water the children drank, came from

an old pump. Therefore, the scho

When the children had to go to the bathroo

was two small “outhouses” away from the school

building itself.

Each of these outhouses had a wooden bench with

two holes in it that served as toilets and a door that

latched from the inside.

If you moved close to the outhouse and

the cracks.

One of the outhouses was for the girls and one was for the boys. No one ever bothered the boy’s

outhouse but the girls lived in constant terror whenever they would use theirs.

just breezed through his daily lessons, often scanning the pictures in

just a few minutes. After he was done, he leaned hard on his elbow and tried to look like he was

studying as he daydreamed. These were very important skills to learn and he was to us

There were two times during the day that Henry really loved. The first was

In the back of the school there stood a huge round wood and co

hen the temperatures outside were cool, Miss Schleuter would s

in the morning and then put a huge pot of cocoa on the top to gently warm it

up for the children to use at lunch time.

knew there was going to be cocoa at lunch, he would ask his

mother to make either peanut butter sandwiches or fried cheese sandwiches so he could dunk

e thought that was just as good as the wine his older brothers

’s thermos’s and have with their

The other time of the school day that Henry really loved was

recess. If all of the children were good and obedient, they could go

out to recess twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

soon found out that recess was a wild time, a time when the older boys would do things

to trouble for many times.

The country school did not have any running water. All the water the children drank, came from

an old pump. Therefore, the school did not contain any indoor bathrooms.

When the children had to go to the bathroom, there

was two small “outhouses” away from the school

building itself.

Each of these outhouses had a wooden bench with

two holes in it that served as toilets and a door that

latched from the inside.

moved close to the outhouse and squinted your eyes hard, you could see people through

One of the outhouses was for the girls and one was for the boys. No one ever bothered the boy’s

outhouse but the girls lived in constant terror whenever they would use theirs.

just breezed through his daily lessons, often scanning the pictures in

just a few minutes. After he was done, he leaned hard on his elbow and tried to look like he was

studying as he daydreamed. These were very important skills to learn and he was to use them

really loved. The first was

and coal stove.

euter would start the fire

in the morning and then put a huge pot of cocoa on the top to gently warm it

knew there was going to be cocoa at lunch, he would ask his

ried cheese sandwiches so he could dunk

soon found out that recess was a wild time, a time when the older boys would do things

The country school did not have any running water. All the water the children drank, came from

hard, you could see people through

One of the outhouses was for the girls and one was for the boys. No one ever bothered the boy’s

Lyle and Don, Henry’s older brothers, led a pack of

girl’s outhouse whenever they saw an unsuspecting girl run to use the bathroom.

Once the girl had sufficient time

back of the outhouse and then pound on the house and yell. Every once in a while a terrified girl

would stumble out of the outhouse still adjusting her skirt in a frantic effort to get away from the

chaos.

To create even more fear, the boys would tell the girls that they were

to tip over the outhouse just to see what would happen when there was a

girl inside.

Needless to say, the farm girls suffered from bathroom problems that

lasted well into their adult lives.

The boys sometimes would pick on each other also, running

the door and jerking on it to see if they could catch one of their friends

“sitting” there.

However, not everything Henry’s brothers and their gang did was

naughty. Henry’s favorite experiences came when someone would

shout, “Let’s make the gophers swim!”

Henry soon found out this really did not mean the older boys were teaching the gophers how to

swim. Instead, here’s what happened.

Two boys would run to the pump and fill two pails of water. The other boys would find a hole

that they had seen a gopher run down into very recently. Two boys would grab baseball bats and

all the other boys would gather around with great excitement.

One by one, the two pails of water were poured down the gopher hole and

on lucky days, a poor unsuspectin

hole to avoid drowning. But his bad luck was just beginning.

The two boys with the bats would swing wildly at

him to gopher heaven. Sometimes the boys were too excited and the gopher would escape and

immediately a scrambling chase would ensue.

The gopher would go one way, then another in an effort to

get away. Sometimes the boys wi

other boys in their excitement.

But soon enough, most gophers would meet an untimely

family tree would end.

rothers, led a pack of feral farm boys that would sneak up on the

girl’s outhouse whenever they saw an unsuspecting girl run to use the bathroom.

Once the girl had sufficient time inside to get vulnerable, the boys would quietly run up to the

d then pound on the house and yell. Every once in a while a terrified girl

would stumble out of the outhouse still adjusting her skirt in a frantic effort to get away from the

To create even more fear, the boys would tell the girls that they were going

to tip over the outhouse just to see what would happen when there was a

Needless to say, the farm girls suffered from bathroom problems that

The boys sometimes would pick on each other also, running quietly up to

the door and jerking on it to see if they could catch one of their friends

owever, not everything Henry’s brothers and their gang did was

favorite experiences came when someone would

e gophers swim!”

soon found out this really did not mean the older boys were teaching the gophers how to

swim. Instead, here’s what happened.

Two boys would run to the pump and fill two pails of water. The other boys would find a hole

had seen a gopher run down into very recently. Two boys would grab baseball bats and

all the other boys would gather around with great excitement.

One by one, the two pails of water were poured down the gopher hole and

on lucky days, a poor unsuspecting gopher would “swim” to the top of the

hole to avoid drowning. But his bad luck was just beginning.

The two boys with the bats would swing wildly at the gopher, trying to send

him to gopher heaven. Sometimes the boys were too excited and the gopher would escape and

immediately a scrambling chase would ensue.

The gopher would go one way, then another in an effort to

get away. Sometimes the boys with the bats would hit the

other boys in their excitement.

But soon enough, most gophers would meet an untimely demise and their

farm boys that would sneak up on the

girl’s outhouse whenever they saw an unsuspecting girl run to use the bathroom.

to get vulnerable, the boys would quietly run up to the

d then pound on the house and yell. Every once in a while a terrified girl

would stumble out of the outhouse still adjusting her skirt in a frantic effort to get away from the

soon found out this really did not mean the older boys were teaching the gophers how to

Two boys would run to the pump and fill two pails of water. The other boys would find a hole

had seen a gopher run down into very recently. Two boys would grab baseball bats and

One by one, the two pails of water were poured down the gopher hole and

g gopher would “swim” to the top of the

hole to avoid drowning. But his bad luck was just beginning.

the gopher, trying to send

him to gopher heaven. Sometimes the boys were too excited and the gopher would escape and

What were the girls doing when all this took place? They would stand up

by the school and scream and ac

Little by little that year,

gopher chaser himself. However, he did not know that there were more troubles just ahead, not

only for his ornery brothers, but also for himself!

Stay tuned for part two!

hat were the girls doing when all this took place? They would stand up

by the school and scream and act disgusted. Girls.

Little by little that year, Henry developed from a shy, red-haired b

gopher chaser himself. However, he did not know that there were more troubles just ahead, not

only for his ornery brothers, but also for himself!

hat were the girls doing when all this took place? They would stand up

haired boy into a

gopher chaser himself. However, he did not know that there were more troubles just ahead, not