Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 5

 

Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 5

Members of the Fourth Grade in 1929

“MOTTO

Dare To Be True

COLORS

Orange and Green

FLOWER

Honeysuckle”


On the right side of the image:

“Class Role

Lester Brown ……..   “Gus”

Jerald Johnston …… “Tuffy”

William Johnston …   “Billy”

Wesley Thomas …..   “Sonny”

Junior Grim ………… “Ginger”

Esther Fick …………. “Es”

Bethene Smith ……… “Betty”

Fern Brown ………….  “Sis”

Marion Thomas …….. “Smoke”

“Fourth Grade Class History

William Johnston, Junior Grim, Fern Brown and Marian Thomas started to school Sept. 7, 1925.
We were the first class to start in the new schoolhouse and the school was standardized that year too.
Clara Christy has been our only teacher.
Wesley Thomas started the next year and caught up to us.
Lester Brown, Jerald Johnston, Esther Fick and Bethene Smith are with us now.
 - William Johnson, Junior Grim, Fern Brown, Marian Thomas

Lester Brown and Fen Brown are younger siblings of Arley Brown.
Wesley Thomas is the younger brother of Ruth and Dorothy Thomas.
Between Smith is the younger sister of Pete and Maxine Smith.
Marion Thomas is the younger sister of  Helen and Beth Thomas.

There were apparently no third grade students; the right side says: SECOND GRADE

Second Graders on Playground Equipment

“MOTTO

All Work and No Play Makes Jake a Dull Boy

Colors

Violet and pink

Flower

Violet”

On the right side of this image:

“Class Roll

Howard Fick …….    “Hoddy”

Arnold Dobson ….    “Brother”

Marion Johnston …  “Bub”

Mildred Fick ………  “Millie””

“Second Grade Class History

There was only on in this class the first year. Arnold Dobson and Marion Johnston came in the next year. Howard Fick entered the class this spring.
Miss Christy has been our only teacher.
All of us in this class are good friends.
 - Second Grade

Right side of this image: “FIRST GRADE” - to come in Part 6…


Families are Forever! ;-)


 

Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 4

 

Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 4

Arley Brown, Maxine Smith, Helen Thomas

“MOTTO

Climb

COLORS

Blue and White

FLOWER

Bluebell”

The right side of the image says:

“Class Roll

Arley Brown…. “Squeak”

Maxine Smith … “Max”

Helen Thomas … “Tim””

Note that Arley Brown made appearances in several classes over the years. Same person, working on his father’s farm.
Max, of course, is younger sister of Pete, daughter of William Smith.
Helen Thomas, daughter of Charles Thomas, was a 1st cousin of Ruth Thomas (Bolger). They lived a half mile to the east of The Star School, on the south side of the road.

Sixth Grade Class History

Bethene Smith, Lester Brown, Mary Raygor and Helen Thomas started to school in September 1923. Mary Raygor moved away the following spring. Maxine Smith came into our class the next year. Since then, Clarence and Dorthy Fick were members of the class but dropped out. Arlen Brown joined us in the fifth grade.
- Helen Thomas

FIFTH GRADE

“MOTTO

“Be Swift to Hear; Slow to Speak”

COLORS

Pink and White

FLOWER

Apple Blossom”


On the right side of the image:

“Class Roll

Clarence Fick………”Pick”

Dorthy Fick…………”Dort”

Irene Lucht,,,,,,,,,,,,,, “Lunch”

Dorothy Thomas …. “Dotty”

Beth Thomas ……… “Jeff””

Dorothy Thomas was younger sister of Ruth.
Beth Thomas was younger sister of Helen.
They were also 1st cousins, of course.

“Fifth Grade Class History

Our class started in 1924. There were two originals - Dorothy and Beth Thomas. The others who have been in our class and dropped out are - Jeannette Doran, Lester Brown, Bethene Smith, Evelyn Hilgenberg, Esther Fick and Jerald Johnston. Dorthy and Clarence Fick entered our class in 1928. There were five  of us now Clarence Fick, Dorthy Fick, Irene Lucht, Dorothy Thomas and Beth Thomas.
 - Beth Thomas

On the right side, it says: FOURTH GRADE

Continued next time, in Part 5


See you down the road… ;-)

Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 3

 

Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 3

As Promised: The lone Eighth Grader - “LeVerne Smith - “Pete””

Photo obviously take of him back on the farm.

The right side of the image includes:

“MOTTO
Work

COLORS
Rose and Gray

FLOWER
Red Rose”

These next two pages are all writing… on the left:

“Eighth Grade Class History

In the fall of 1920 Arley Brown and Carl Raygor started to school. LeVerne Smith, coming from Union No.6, entered the class in September 1921. In the spring of 1922 one member dropped out - another the following spring. This left LeVerne alone in the class. It has remained so up to the present time.
- LeVerne Smith”

On the right:

“Class Prophesy

I had been in Europe for sometime and had not heard much about the sports of U.S. When I boarded the steamer bound for home, I picked up a sports sheet of a newspaper. I was astonished when I read across the top of the page - “LeVerne Smith is Champion Batter for this Season.” Reading farther down on the page I learned that he had made fifty home runs and that his batting helped the Des Moines Giants very much in winning the National Championship.
I was pleased to know he had made a success of his favorite sport. I recalled how well he liked to play baseball at recess and noon when we went to the Star School together. I laughed to myself as I also recalled how he used to pull my hair and stick his pencil in the back of my neck when we were in primary grades - which usually resulted in my turning around and slapping his face.
- Ruth Thomas”

The left side of the next image has a poem…

’Tis Evening

The sun is setting in the west,
The birdies are going to rest;
Flowers are nodding their dainty heads,
Children are being tucked in their beds;
For ———— ’tis evening.
- Ruth Thomas”

The right side simply says: SEVENTH GRADE

We won’t keep you waiting this time…

On the right side, it says:

“Class Roll

Ethel Johnston - “Sis”

Ruth Thomas - “Ruthie””

On the left side:

 

Ruth is sitting in the swing, with Ethel beside her, with the glasses.

“MOTTO
 Work hard; pray hard; play hard.
-Herbert Hoover

COLORS
Gold and White

Flower
Daisy”

Next comes, on the left:

“Seventh Grade Class History

In the year of 1922 when this class first started there were two members - Maxine Smith and Ruth Thomas. One dropped out in the year of 1923. Clydola Oliver entered the class that same spring.
Arlen Brown came into the class in the first grade.
Maureen Doran joined the class in 1925. Clydola Oliver moved away that spring. Ethel Johnston came from Churn, Iowa, and took her place.
Maureen Doran left the class and entered the Annunciation School in Coon Rapids in the winter of 1926. One more dropped out the following spring.
Maureen Doran came back again in the sixth grade.
When school started in Sept. 1928 Ruth Thomas and Ethel Johnston were the only ones in the seventh grad and are at the present time.
- Ethel Johnston”

The right side of the page says “SIXTH GRADE” but we’ll stop here for Part 3

See you down the road… ;-)

 

Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 2

 

Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 2

Part 2 begins with “A History of the School” and two neat photos. The top photo is the school, of course.

Click to see larger version

The bottom photo has all 28 students lined up at the rear of the school (the school faced to the east, toward the road.) (A road also ran along the north side of the school, the Star Church being right across that road from the school.)

I can identify my Dad, Pete Smith, sitting right in the middle of the class. I believe Ruth Thomas is just to the right of him, as we look at the photo. We’ll get a better look at most of the students in later photos.

“A History of Our School

The first schoolhouse which was built in 1882 burned in March 1924. The following summer a new building was erected. It was much more modern, with a basement, furnace and separate cloakrooms.
In 1925 through the cooperation of the patrons and under the supervision of Clara Christy our school became standardized. With our state money we have purchased a great many things for the school, such as - shades, oil stove, pictures, Kindergarten table, chairs, playground slide, as well as numberous (sic) other equipment and supplies.
The schoolroom, size 24 ft. x 24 ft. has a window space of 126 sq. ft. on the south, 88 sq. ft. of blackboard, bulletin board 8 ft. x 4 ft., storage cupboard, library and lunch cupboard.
The basement has a furnace room, kitchenette, manual training shop and play room.
- Ruth Thomas”

The next pages simply say “DIRECTOR William Smith” with his photo.

This photo was taken on the south side of his farmhouse. My grandfather, William Smith.

The left side of the next image features the Editors of The Star, with a photo of them:

“STAR
Edited and published by
the teacher, sixth, seventh and eight grades.
First S.S. Annual”

NOTE: It does say "First Star School Annual" - wonder if there are more out there for 1930 and later?

In the photo, back row, from left: Ruth Thomas, Clara Christy, Pete Smith, Arley Brown;
front row, from left, Maxine Smith, Ethel Johnson, Helen Thomas ( we’ll see them in grade photos)

Below the photo is the list of Editor names:

“Editors
Clara Christy
LeVerne Smith
Ethel Johnston
Ruth Thomas
Arlen Brown
Maxine Smith
Helen Thomas”

The right side of the image says, “EIGHTH GRADE” - but we need to turn the page to see him!

Next time, in Part 3


Families are Forever! ;-)

Ancestor Artifact - 29 The Star - Part 1

 

Ancestor Artifact

29 The Star - Part 1

This is a powerful Ancestor Artifact for me and my family as well as for many others in the Star Community a few miles north of Coon Rapids, Iowa, where I grew up… on several levels.

This 33 interior page booklet was prepared under the director of the teacher, Miss Clara Christy, by the members of the upper grades at the one-room Star School. My Dad, Pete (Leverne) Smith, was the only member of the eighth grade class that year. Ruth Thomas (Bolger), Nancy's Mom, was a year behind him and wrote much of the best material in the booklet. Both of their siblings are featured throughout the booklet along with the many other community student members. Pete’s father, William Smith (whom I was named after), was the Director of the School that year. Among many other things we will discover as we share these pages is that there is an extensive ‘alumni’ section, mentioning the others who had ‘graduated’ from the Star School in years past. And, of course, this is the same school where my wife and her siblings attended in later years as well. There are many contemporary photos…

The first page with writing is: “Our Slogan - We Are the Twinkle of the Star”

The next page has a “Dedication:
In appreciation of faithful and sincere cooperation, we dedicate this “Star” to the patrons of the Star district. The Editors”

These next two pages are devoted to “Clara Christy - Instructor” and a ‘Twenty-third Psalm’ focused on their feelings for her:

“Miss Christy is our teacher, We shall not want another.
She leadeth us through the pages of our books, She bringeth us knowledge, for our diploma’s sake.
Yea, though we walk into our classes We shall fear no E’s for she is with us.
Her questions discomfort us.
She prepareth an examination for us in the presence of our ignorance.
She annoiteth our papers with red marks; Our grades runneth low.
Surely, ignorance and failure shall follow us all the days of our life.
And we shall dwell in this old schoolhouse forever. - Arley Brown"

Arley Brown was the oldest son of Roy and Agnes (Rabuck) Brown. Arley was the grandson of Anna (Wilson) Brown. The Roy Brown farmstead was diagonally across the corner northeast of the Star School.

Closer view:

Clara Christy also had an older sister Josephine who taught in local area schools for many years. They were daughters of John and Maggie Christy of Coon Rapids, Iowa.

Families are Forever! ;-)
 

 

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Smith Men and Women - 24 Aug 1941

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday

Smith Men and Women

24 Aug 1941

A 1941 Smith family gathering at the Smith 'Homeplace' - occasion was visit from Nebraska of Charles and Elsie (Smith) Grapes. She was sister of William Emanuel Smith, my grandfather (he had died a couple of years before). Another sister, Lena (Smith) Brown, who lived in nearby Scranton, Iowa, was there as well.

Women: Maxine holding daughter, Judy, Elsie, Lena, Eileen (my Mom), LVene, Irene, Betty (Bethene).

Men: Orrin Hilgenberg (Maxine), me (little Billie, age 2+) and my Dad, Leverne (better known as Pete), Charles Grapes, Willard (still single then), Verle Thomas (LVene).

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Tombstone Tuesday - Henry and Anna WILSON BROWN

Henry and Anna WILSON BROWN

Anna L. WILSON (1872-1940) was the oldest daughter of Norman and Mary OFFILL WILSON. Anna married Henry E. BROWN (1865-1939) and they lived their lives on a farm in the Star Community north of Coon Rapids, in Union Township, Carroll Co, Iowa. They are buried in the Coon Rapids, IA, Cementery.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - John Brown Kin

This week I am recommending a very interesting blog:
John Brown Kin - the entry that caught my attention was:
http://johnbrownkin.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html

It is not only a family site, but the subject is one of great interest, both positive and negative, in the Kansas/Missouri area where I have lived in the past 15 + years.

I followed with interest the development of the Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area, which crosses our two state borders. The Civil War was largely fought, again, in words, over the last ten+ years in getting to where we are today. John Brown is a hero to many in Kansas - he appears in a huge mural in the State Capital. He is the worst of scoundrels to folks from Missouri... along with a long list of others. Many were surprised how heated were the feelings that still existed as the Freedom's Frontier committees discussions moved forward to new understandings by all of those involved.

Thank you, Alice, for a great genealogy blog!

Families are Forever! ;-)