I want to visit with you about something serious, but first I have to tell something funny. Last week I dialed the number of the fella at Compeer that we had federal crop insurance with for the ‘25 crop year. Well, I THOUGHT I had dialed the number.
“Hello?” “Bill, this is Sharon Chenoweth. Are you OK? You sound kind of hoarse” “Yes, I’m OK. I may be a little hoarse this morning...I haven’t talked much.”
So I went on. “Bill, can I make an appointment to report the ‘25 yields?” He asked, “Who is this?” I repeated my name, and repeated why I was calling. Silence. Then the voice on the other end said, “Lady,I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Then I looked at the number I had written down, and realized I made a 3 look like an 8, and had a complete stranger on the line. I started laughing and said, “I’m sorry. I dialed the wrong number.” We had a good laugh and he graciously said, “Oh, that’s OK.”
Now, for the serious part of this visit. First of all, if you get a chance, go to the Western Illinois Museum and see Millie Sorrells’ display of quilts and wall hangings. Be a part of the 100 people that saw them last Saturday. They will be on display through February 17. They are beautiful! They are unbelievable! She is a true artist, and a very humble, generous person to share the display with us. I thank the museum and Millie.
I just read that in May the museum will have a display of 50 images about early history “related to Oakwood Cemetery.” On May 9 John Hallwas will dedicate the display. One of the topics will be “Leading Educators of Western.”
That brought to mind that the early educators were long before Western. They were the families that taught their children at home, and then developed schools. The one room country school was an important part of education, and I was lucky to have been a student in one.
When I searched the internet for McDonough County rural schools, it said there were 1,379 in the county. Now, that can’t be right. I’ve got an old atlas that lists schools in each township, and I’m going to do some more research.
I can visualize what my school looked like: windows were on south and east side, concrete steps led up to the front door that had a small porch overhang, the two outdoor toilets were west of the school, the well was in front of the school, and there were “rails” on the north side of the school yard that we did all kinds of “gymnastics.”
The steps not only led to the door, but were used to pound the erasers to get the dust out of them (a privilege), and then they led the path to the well (that had to be pumped dry every summer before school started so that fresh water came into the well...another privilege was to take a bucket and bring fresh water to the building for drinking).
If any of you have memories of your school, I would love to read them. This may get me started to write the history of the one I attended. I have the old records dating back into the 1890’s that listed the students, teachers, and the teacher’s prediction of how the student was doing.
It was a part of our heritage/history that we need to remember. OK. I’m through for this week.
Sharon Chenoweth is a resident and farmer of McDonough County. Her column focuses on rural life and will be featured every other week in the Community News Brief Friday Edition.
