Sandwich, NH Hosts Annual Schoolhouse Picnic
The little white schoolhouse sits by the side of the dirt road where it has withstood 182 New England winters and 728 changes of the seasons. Built in 1825, The Lower Corner School in Sandwich, NH, originally named the John Quincy Adams School and later District #16, survives today as the headquarters of the Sandwich Historical Society and a site for both living and re-living history. Local classes use the schoolhouse today to experience a day in a country school.
On a fair summer day in August, threatened by clouds from a month of violent thunderstorms, a stalwart group of former students met at Lower Corner for their Annual Alumni Picnic to share their stories and their lunches. The fondest memories were undimmed by time, repeated over the years as a testament to the country schoolhouse education they value to this day.
Cora Jo (Vittum) Wills drove all the way from Maine to meet up with her school chums for the 2008 reunion and the stories began to flow! She was a twin, one of eight Vittum children who moved to Sandwich from Oklahoma in the 1930's so her dad could take a job as a "road agent," today's DPW. She clearly remembers her mother packing eight school lunches that often froze solid in the vestibule of the schoolhouse! Cora Jo could point out with certainty the locations of the well, the outhouse and the woodshed and recounted how her sister served as the janitor, carting the wood and water and starting the fire in the woodstove. Three different teachers worked at the school during her eight years at Lower Corner, Miss Cyr, Miss Norton and Miss Vittum, the latter being her own cousin who she doesn't recall with any particular fondness, saying she was a "mean one." She made them put their heads down on the desk, used the ruler for punishment, and shook the stuffings out of them. Cora says she wouldn't miss the annual picnic and is particularly proud of the efforts of alumni and volunteers who work to keep the schoolhouse in repair.
(Photo above left: Janet Bickford, Cora Jo Wills, Joan Cook)
Pat (Forristall) Cook was one of six children in her family who attended the Lower Corner School in the mid 1930's. She distinctly remembers saying the Lord's Prayer each day and the teacher's inspection of the students for cleanliness. They brought their own cups to school for the water jug by this time instead of a common dipper. She spoke of how the "teacher was boss and the children showed respect," and how because you came to school with brothers and sisters, families watched out for each other. With delight in her voice and clarity we can only wish for, Pat recalled memories that most stood out for her. One day the students had deermeat stew that the teacher made on the pot bellied stove, on another, "Ullman's dog got into the schoolhouse and ate the students' lunches!" She related how there was a traveling music teacher, Mr. Musgrove, and a district superintendent of schools who visited about four times a year and once brought a film with him entitled,"All About Beavers." She spoke of learning to square dance in the schoolhouse. (Photo: Alumni and Pat Cook farthest right holding a bag.)
Of all the memories shared, one was of a teacher named Mr. Bigelow, who taught in the schoolhouse after World War II when it was used as a junior high for a short time. Former student, Hubert Atwood, said, "Either he didn't fit or we didn't fit." He had no "way" with the students as he had come from the military and tried to regiment the students with discipline. They quietly rebelled with their antics. They stuffed the chimney to block the smoke and one student, Bobby Nudd, actually SAT on the chimney to smoke Bigelow out of the schoolhouse!
In fact, the most memorable accounts involved pranks! There was and still is a huge boulder down the road a short distance from the schoolhouse where you might see smoke rising from it's top...the boys were out sneaking cigarettes again. Those at the reunion told how a student actually threw 22 shells into the stove and the fireworks began! Or, the boys would smash 22 shells on the boulder. They recalled how students once found pollywogs in their sandwiches at lunchtime, and how boys would shoot off "matchstick" darts..." when Bigelow was there." Boys admitted to drilling a hole in the trap door of the privie where they congregated to take a peek into the girls' side.
It was clear that the students agreed on one thing in particular. Their favorite teacher was Alice Pierce! One former student said, "She made everyone feel like they were the teacher's pet." She decorated the room and drew colorful borders around the blackboard and read to them from Pollyanna, from adventure stories, and poetry. Hubert Atwood said, "She was the best teacher I ever had!"
Others remembered the Christmas program each year, cutting the tree right in the woods, and families donating lights to string on the tree when the school was electrified.
Joan Cook and Janet Bickford, former students of Lower Corner School and members of the Sandwich Historical Society, attended CSAA's 7th Annual Country School Conference in Nashua in 2007 and were gratified to learn just how many people are involved as they are in the preservation of one-room shcoolhouses across the nation.
Joan Cook is the author of a book entitled, "Exposed, Unbanked, Weatherbeaten, Knowledge Box", The Schools of Sandwich, New Hampshire 1802-1950, a beautiful compilation of student memories, vintage photos, and histories of the schools of Sandwich. Copies are available from: Sandwich Historical Society, Maple Street, Center Sandwich,NH 03227. For more information on this book:Exposed, Unbanked, Weatherbeaten, Knowledge Box
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