Notes from Louise Jacobs Crawley...
Cedarville Class of 1937
Northup's corner - sledding - cars
I remember that in the winter when there was snow on the ground, (this would be in the 1920's) that families would congregate at Northup's corner. Every family would have brought their sled, and for an hour or two (until the kids got cold) we coasted down Grinnell Road hill.
Northup's Corner was at the junction of Clifton and Grinnell roads. If you went North, you went downhill and toward Yellow Springs. This is where we coasted. At the corner if you went south, you went to Corry School.
At that time, there weren't enough automobiles to worry about. Plus, it took great courage, and sometimes strength to get a Model T out in the snow, let alone go up a hill! Remember. these automobiles were open-air jobs.
The first car I can remember was a "touring car" - a Model T with front and back seats, three pedals, brake, clutch, and reverse and a crank for starting the motor. It was an open-air thing, but it did have curtains that you buttoned on to the main frame. The curtains had small squares of isinglass so you could see out. Isinglass must have been the forerunner of plastic, because as I remember, it was possible to see thru it.
The next car I remember had glass windows!!! But you didn't roll them up and down -- there was a broad strap that operated the up and down bit. I never could work them even if I pulled with all my strength.
I learned to drive in a green 1928 Pontiac. I suppose I was about 12 or 13 when Cletis and I were allowed to begin to learn. Neither of us could reach the pedals, so we propped the driver's seat up with sticks of firewood. Of course at that time there were no rules or laws about age and no driver license required.
About 1935 the Terraplane was manufactured and we had one of those. Don't think they were on the market very long at all.
After 1935, car manufacturing seemed to take off and new models came out every year with new gadgets. Even during the depression, people managed to drive their cars. Gasoline was 5 gallons for a dollar.
My Dad had a threshing machine which was moved by and operated by a steam engine. Around the first of July, when the wheat was ripe it was time for the threshing ring to start operating.
Corry School
I believe that the one-room schools of the past were the glue that held the community together.
I remember Corry School vividly. It was located on the stretch of Grinnell Road, between Clifton road and Wilburforce-Clifton road, a one-room brick building surrounded by trees, a pump for water, and an outside toilet on each side, one for the boys and one for the girls.
When the bell was rung by pulling on a rope, we lined up outside and then marched in to the "cloakroom" one for the boys to the right, and one for the girls to the left. This is where we left our outside clothing, boots, etc. and where in cold weather, your snowy boots never got warm. Neither did your coat, hat or mittens.
Inside were the desks, bolted down to the floor in rows. Somewhere among the desks stood a huge (to a six-year old) stove for heat. There was a raised platform for the "Teacher" and a "recitation bench" for classes.
The teacher was a lovely person, young, probably her first year of teaching. Her husband was a student at Antioch. Mrs. Thorson drove a Model T coupe, and I remember her telling us that in order to save brakes, when going down hill, she used the reverse pedal!!!!
Mrs. Thorson introduced us to the simple act of bringing soup for our lunches which we were then allowed to put on the top of this big stove to heat. Presto, hot lunches!!!
We walked to school, rain or shine. In fact, Corry school was very similar to the one in Illinois that I taught in 20 years later. There was no playground equipment at all. We played "Ante-over" and circle games like "Fill Up the Gap", and when we had to stay inside because of weather, then we did the singing games such as "Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley grow".
Thank goodness, we were taught to read by "sound out the word" which of course was phonics, and which I believe is the only way to teach reading. The "Look-Say" method introduced in the 40's was a real bummer. I always bootlegged phonics in teaching reading, and just never told my principal about it.
Cedarville High School Dances
I do remember that our class (1937) was the first to have a school dance. We petitioned for it and believe me the board and faculty took their time (months) to finally say yes. There were many, many rules. After that, the school orchestra, where I was first chair violinist, was allowed to have a DANCE BAND !!!!!
At that time Yellow Springs (Bryan High) developed a dance band and it would play for our dances and the Cedarville band would play for their dances. We thought we were the greatest thing going!!!!
"The Women's Walk" - Yellow Springs
Do you remember where the railroad track ran parallel to Antioch? The tracks have been removed and the space is now taken up with a bike path. Part of the bike path is called "The Women's Walk". A group of Y.S. women planted flowers and laid tile, installed benches and in general made the area known as the handwork of Y.S. women. There is a very attractive metal sculpture of a huge bunch of flowers -- it is much taller than I, and very colorful.