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By: Jim Fitzpatrick |
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Email: jim@nunica.com |
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Local Farmer in Polkton Township writes for the Coopersville Observer. |
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Along Brandy Creek By Jim Fitzpatrick
The Coopersville Observer August 9, 2004- - No. 34 |
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The old one room school house has been closed now for about 50 years. Hanchett School still stands there above Brandy Creek up on the high ground along 88th avenue, just south of Cleveland. Old Lyle bought it up after the country kids took up their school'n in town. First the belfry came down. Then he turned it 90 degrees and moved it back from the road a piece. Converted it into a real house, sold it to a family to live in. There have been other owners come and gone over the years since.
Miss Mary Cook taught there years back, near the end of those one room school house days. Kindergarten class, during her first year there, was made up of four boys, Richard, Roger, Carl and Jim. Those four boys moved on up through the grades together til it was time to move on to the big school in Coopersville. Like the other grades too, same kids over the years, all neighbors, sitting at the desks once occupied by two or three generations of their families before them.
Miss Cook lives in the big city to the east these days. She is a much older lady than way back then. Still as quick and witty as ever and the same pleasing personality that we all remember so well. She taught us right and got us off to a good start in life, couldn't have done better! Her memory of every one of us is as clear as ever to this day. She is always so pleased whenever one of her old students stops to visit with her there at Edison Manor. She is one fine lady - and was one of the best teachers ever there at Hanchett School. |
