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Uncle Rhoder's memories of Barclay School by Rhoder Smith

SCHOOL DAY MEMORIES


BY: RHODER SMITH

Date, Unknown (*ABT. 1920)

At the old Barclay School, where we learn the golden rule
We learn to read and how to write, how to wrestle and to fight.
We learn to cipher and to spell, and a lot of things I would not tell.
The Jennings boys so timid and so sly, Everett and Enoch both good fellows too.
They always done unto others, as you have them do unto you.
Rhoder and Vernie Smith: there wasn't anything they wouldn't do,
They would even smoke and chew.
There's Leo and Arthur, both were Paynes indeed,
When it came to fighting, Arthur took the lead.
There was Omer Hicks, as swift as any steed;
He's now a minister of the gospel and sower of the seed.
There was Bert and Delmar, Bill and Oree (?),
All were Bishops full of vim, sons of Alley and of Jim.
Homer Davison, a happy go lucky lad,
Lived near Corkery but later moved to Plad.
There was Roy and Troy Jennings, who lived down the hill,
They crossed the creek were the papas grew and always got a fill.
There was the Allen twins, Pete and Dick,
When it came to mischief, they were pretty slick;
So identical they were, it broke the teachers heart,
Because when one of them done something wrong, he couldn't tell them apart.
There was another bunch of Paynes, Loyd, Floyd, and Joe;
The sons of Josie and Frank,
They came to school right down the river bank.
There was the Collier boys, Roscoe, Royal, and Glen, and Delmar makes four.
Roscoe was a clever lad, and never very late,
He is now an employee of the state.
Royal was a lovely guy, he always made me sore,
He would eat the rubber from your pencil, and always cry for more!
The Bradshaw boys, Sam, Forest, Luther, Henry and Ola,
Sons of Gertie and of Heck,
Every time I wrestled Sam, he almost broke my neck!
At recess time we played shinny, it was almost a sin;
For when we got on the other fellows side, he'd crack you in the shin.
There was Fred Prater, the son of Mike and Sis,
I can never forget the time we walked to Ha Hatonka just to get a kiss.
I must never forget the Looney boys, Richard and Leonard, always on the hop;
When it came time to play, they were hard to stop.
Now the boys I have mentioned total thirty-one;
And when we all got together we had lots of fun.
Teacher Ola Maddux, brave and stern, called our classes in their turn;
Walked the floor from front to rear, occasionally he would pull our ear;
He had patience plenty to spar, but he never would pull our hair.
Anyone who might know him, please take my advice:
Never try to cheat him, for when it come to figures, he uses the head device.
And for him his teaching is over, is now owner of a big grocery store.
The girls in our school, there must of been a score,
Almost every family had from one to four!
You can roam the world around, no nicer girls can be found;
Some were large, some were small, some were short and some were tall;
Some wore shoes while some wore none at all;
They studied hard, they played the same, trying hard to win the game.
Those days are gone, I'm sorry to say,
But I hope to meet all my playmates on the great judgment day.
Sincerely,..................RHODER SMITH

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