My first school year

On the first day of school in 1919, I was not 5 years old yet, but I remember daddy picking me up in the car. I had gotten my clothes all dirty. And I got scolded.

Vada Sapp was the teacher that year and the other students that I remember were May Smith, LethaBelle Sheeder, Sylvia Freemyer and myself and part of the year was Louise Gunderman.

Louise Gunderman came to stay with us for a while to walk with me to school. She was there also to finish the year at our school. Her family had moved from the Kirshmer place to that Rouselle house. The Kirshsmer name was later on, it was the Crabtree place my first home where Ethel and I were born and the place where Aunt Mary homesteaded. At the first part of the year May Smith walked up the draw with me to and from school. Fido met us at the bend. I would put my hand on his back and walk home that way. Every day Fido would watch the road and meet me at the right time. May must have had to walk at least four miles. In later years I mentioned in this too her, but I don’t know if she remembered it too.

--Alice (Crabtree) Gregory