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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 December 30 2013- - No. 120 |
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Not long ago as the leaves on the hardwoods turned from summer’s green to the brilliant colors of autumn, a local fellow stopped his pick-up truck near the intersection of Leonard Road and 88th Ave. He couldn’t resist the idea of having a look around the old abandoned South Evergreen one room school house tucked in among the maples and surrounding underbrush. The small structure, he thought, feels lonely and forlorn. An unknown teacher held classes inside for the last time over 50 years ago. No laughing and screaming children in the school yard for a very long time. There is a sag in the roof. Years ago, someone, in the night, removed the bell from the belfry on peak of the roof above the front door.
As he meandered around the property, his imagination drifted back to his own one room school days at another country school much like this one. Then Doug arrived; as he was passing by on his ATV, decided to stop and share the memories of his attendance at this very school. As they walked and talked, the stories surfaced from Doug’s memory. They pawed around in the fallen leaves, just as Doug and his childhood buddies had done, to expose the brass survey marker at the Northwest corner of the property. It was still there, glistening in the late evening sunlight – stamped with the words: 250 dollar fine for disturbing this marker. That phrase scarred the heck out of those little kids back then; out of fear that they might disturb it in some way, according to Doug.
The initials carved in the siding of the school building led to more stories. Then the one about the outhouses before running water was hooked up to the school. The guy with the truck told Doug that he was going to write down these stories, have them written up in the local paper one by one over the next few issues. Doug only smiled, looked at his watch, and said, “we’re both going to be late for supper if we don’t head for home soon”. They both agreed that the old school house needed to be saved, preserved; along with the memories of those who went to school there. |
