I grew up on the Rice County, Kansas farmstead established by my mother’s grandparents. My dad bought the farm from my great-grandparents when I was about three years old and I lived there till the day I went off to college. It’s the only childhood home I remember and it was the best childhood possible. I didn’t attend kindergarten, but when it was time to go to elementary school, I only had to look out the south bedroom window of our farmhouse to see Fairplay Grade School where I would attend from first through sixth grades. The charming two-room school closed the following year and I had to go into town for junior high and high school.
But what wonderful years spent at Fairplay. There were six kids in my class: Kay, Denise, Randy, Roger, Terry, and me. We started in the Little Room, and in fourth grade, we graduated to the Big Room. Both classrooms had windows that looked out over tree-lined country roads and acres of farm land, mostly wheat fields. My dad owned the 80 acres behind the school and it wasn’t unusual to be able to wave at him on his tractor while we played at recess.
Both rooms had well-stocked libraries that, next to my mom’s influence, are probably the reason for my career as a writer.
I was so thrilled to see that the library shelves remain in each of the classrooms. I could recite many of the titles that once sat on those shelves, and I’m sure I read every one (except the Hardy Boys series…those were clearly ONLY for boys!)
Fairplay was turned into a family home after it closed, and a few weeks ago, my sisters and I made the drive to attend an all-school reunion. The family who now lives in the schoolhouse was kind enough to open their home for a tour. Oh, what memories flooded back, and what fun we had connecting with old friends. I think the most common comment heard as almost fifty Fairplay alumni stood in front of the school and looked down the hill where we played King on the Mountain nearly every recess: “I remember that hill being SO much steeper!”
Here are just a few of the photos from our wonderful day.
This was the first view we had of “our” school as we drove into the large yard of what is now a wonderful family home.
The main hallway where we filed in each day in a quiet and orderly fashion. Girls’ cloakroom and restroom (now the family kitchen) was on the right, boys’ on the left (the bathroom in the current home).
Memorabilia was on display including this school bus sign. My mom drove a “school bus” for many years, attaching signs like this to the front and back of our car each morning before picking up neighbor kids and driving them to school.
My sisters are still some of my favorite “playmates” and it was such fun to share the day with them. Alas, our brother had to work that day.
It was neat to see that the home was decorated with a schoolhouse motif and many of the original features were left in place.
This is the hill that we all remembered as being SO huge and steep…we Kansas kids thought we really were playing on a “mountain.”
The family’s living room was the “Little Room” where I spent grades 1-4. I was sitting right in front of where the fireplace is now on November 22, 1963, when the Big Room teacher slid open the curtain that divided the two rooms, stood about where that tree is now, and somberly told us that our president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy , had been shot. Our mothers came to pick us up early that day, as the nation went into mourning.
Not only were these girls schoolmates, but also church friends, and almost all of our dads were farmers in the community.
What are your favorite memories of your elementary school years? Do you still keep in touch with any of your classmates from those years?
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What wonderful memories.
They really are! I give that wonderful experience a lot of credit for the happiness I enjoy today!
That was very interesting! I’ve seen churches turned into family homes but this was the first schoolhouse for me. I live in the same city I grew up in so I see classmates all the time, especially at the hospital where I work as a receptionist.
It was amazing how much they DIDN’T have to change to turn the school into a family home. You are blessed to still be in touch with childhood classmates, Gail. I’m glad to have stayed in touch with many, but I rarely see them.
Isn’t it funny to see childhood things (like the hill) through adult eyes? I still keep in touch through facebook with my closest elementary school friend. She and I lived on the same street and our moms had been friends since before we were born. 🙂
I bet your moms are so happy you became friends and stayed in touch! When I was pregnant with our youngest daughter (an “oops” baby…her siblings were 14, 10 and 8 when she was born!) I ran into another pregnant woman every day when I went walking in our neighborhood. We didn’t know each other, but compared notes each day as we passed on the sidewalk. Our babies were born 3 days apart, and they grew up to be best friends and that “baby” was a bridesmaid in my daughter’s wedding two years ago, and they continue to be dear friends across the miles. I LOVE stories like that!
Deb, this was such a terrific post. I didn’t attend a little two room school, but the memories are much the same.
You make me feel OLD, Robin, that *I* attended a two-room school when you didn’t! I bet your MOM (who I remember you thought rode in covered wagons! LOL!) attended a two-room school! 😉
LOL! Nope. Not a two room school for my mom either. Although the schools she attended weren’t huge, they were larger than that. I remember the one she attended that was a large, three story Victorian with turrets. The outside walls were gray stone. It was later turned into a private home too, and I was sad when they tore it down.
Love this post, Deb. What lovely memories you must have from your school years. I attended a small school as well–although not as small as yours!! I think we might have had nine-twelve in our classes. Thanks for sharing.
Kansas small-town or country schools knew how to make readers—and writers—of their students, didn’t they, Debbie! 🙂
Great School Memories Deb! Your photos are” living” proof of that .:)
How wonderful that the present owners have kept things in context with your old school. I’m sure your reunion was tops!
I attended an all girls school from Reception to Matriculation (13 years in total) but I can still remember the building that I was in, called Hudd House. It was so named after Lady Hudd who also lived in her family home which later became our school. Hudd House was set apart from the “Big School” as we littlies used to call it but Hudd House comprised of three rooms namely Elves, Fairies and Brownies. Oh joy when I graduated to Brrownies! It meant that we would soon be in the Big School (beginning at Form 1, now known as year 3)
However our three school rooms changed into two and we became known as Preppies and Transition. We had to wear pinnies to keep our school uniforms clean and we all had to have a rest in our sleeping bags while our teachers read to us. “Quiet Time” at it’s best.LOl
Some of our favourite games were hopscotch, skippy,(no not the kangaroo) a long rope with one person turning it at each end and we’d all run in and start skipping, especially doing Pepper which was a great achievement Lol
We also queued up for a ride on the rocking horse which was very similar in appearance to the ones Judy wrote about in her book” The Caousel..:)
Ah yes…fond memories indeed!..
Thank you for an enjoyable Post, Deb.:)
We skipped rope and played hopscotch too! Also, a game called Four Square, which involved bouncing a ball to other players in four squares of the sidewalk. But the favorite was King on the Mountain.
Hardy Boys aren’t just for boys! (Though I remember avoiding them until I had finished all the Nancy Drew & Trixie Belden series…)
LOL! I think I did try a Hardy Boys book once, but it didn’t hold a candle to Nancy Drew! I did read some of the Bobbsey Twins!
As always enjoyed walking down memory lane with you.
Thanks for walking with me, Meredith…and everyone! It was fun “going back in time” to my grade school days!
Gosh you look too young for a two room school house. How wonderful! Ok what grade were you in when the Pres. was shot? I remember that day in the city. Always in the city until I had my kids and went to the country and let kids grow up like that. I got all excited one year when I was in the city when they dug up our street into dirt and I felt like I was in the country.LOL. My daughters have little “farms” on their half acres and homeschool their kids still in the same area.
I wish I could remember kindergarten because I was in Germany. The school year of Kennedy’s shooting was one of the worst memories because I went to 3 different states and 4 different schools that year. I sat crying on the playground at the last one. My dad retired from the military and I got to graduate from high school there. Wonderful memories. My writing memory was in 6th grade. I wrote my first book- a romance- all of 36 pages during the reading hour. Wish I still had it. And yes Nancy Drew and foursquare…my hubby and I were laughing the other day about one potato, two potato.
I was 8 years old, so I must have been in 3rd grade. My dad went to 14 different schools in his 12 years before college. I think that would be so hard. I can understand why you cried, Sandy!
And I’ll bet he loved waving at you in the schoolroom! My husband went through what your dad did. It is a blessing to have stability.
Loved your post and photos, Deb! 🙂 Such special, priceless memories.
I grew up in a small town where the Atlanta Airport is located (we stood in our front yard and easily watched planes taxiing
down the runway!). My school was 1st through 7th grades, and at the end of my 7th grade year the airport was expanding so our neighborhood was “bought out” and we moved to a different city and county for my high school years (8-12). My 6th grade teacher was a big motivator for my becoming a teacher (and thankfully I was able to see her and tell her that after my teaching career began). 🙂
Now my 2-story red brick school building has been turned into loft condos, and I’m so thankful that same building remains standing.
Thank you for sharing a peek into your childhood (and reminding me of some wonderful memories of my own).
Hugs from Georgia, Patti Jo
p.s. Thanks to Facebook, I’ve reconnected with some friends from my elementary school!! 😉
Sounds like you have lots of great memories and lots of connections from your childhood, Patty Jo. Including those condos! I love Facebook for connecting with old friends and meeting new! Glad WE have that connection!