PART IGOLDEN VALLEY

THE OLD TIME SPELLING SCHOOL

O worthy friends, at last we’ve met again;I feel that we have met in days before;And hope as gladly now as we did then,To contemplate some things in days of yore;In those days when our parents still were young,And we in youth around the school house swung.It won’t take long—a fleet winged hour or two—So, let us raise the curtain of the past,And bring again those good old days to view,Which are long fled in years that sped too fast;Let us together take a pleasant tripOn mem’ry’s wings for kind companionship.In those good times of years long, long agoWere many hardships, that we should forget;But still, among these troubles, toils, and woe,Were sunny spots that will delight us yet.And one of those affected by this ruleIs the old time rollicking spelling school.The young folks of today would scarcely guessTheir fathers and their mothers, in those times,Could stand for hours the stern onslaught and stressOf stubborn words, in long contending lines—Arranged around the dingy school house wallTo see who was the speller best of all.The country school was then the favorite nook—A kind of home spun university—Where old and young their worth in spelling bookExhibited in a friendly rivalry.And those of later times, of course, don’t knowWhat they without these sports sadly forego.Those spelling schools did more in their plain waysFor all young folks, than now is done for few,In costly schools, in these progressive days—And they were common once. West of the Blue,There were five districts that were wont to meetIn contest in this most delightful feat.Blue Valley and Deer Creek lay to the north;Each one a ready, lusty vanquisher;And smiling Prairie Gem lay to the south;Raemer Creek on the west, now Herkimer;And Pleasant Ridge, my rural alma mater,In midst of all, and just a trifle greater.When corn was husked and hard farm work was done,The winter evenings long and restless grew;Then country folks would long for that blithe funThat they before from the quaint school house drew.Some teachers then with pupils did contriveTo hold a spelling school among the five.And these were founts of pleasure, sparkling, sweet,To which the neighboring schools invited were.The purpose was in spelling them to beat;And therein lay the honors striven for.For those events the spelling book was learnedComplete, and bowls of midnight oil were burned.’Twas wont for parents to pronounce at homeWords by the pages to their children then;Until McGuffey’s text by heart was known—By the whole household, even the hired men.No wonder that we heard old settlers tell:“In those wise days people knew how to spell.”The district that would entertain the restOf schools, gratis prepared a play program—Of songs and declamations, the very best,And dialogs in which much laughter ran.Herein, no doubt, young Thespians took partWho through hearty encore obtained their start.Those spelling bees! O, with what rare delight,For weeks ahead we them anticipated!They were the magnets of those winter nights;No storm or cold them e’er obliterated.When those glad nights came, countless faces beamedIn country school houses where bright lights gleamed.Altho ’twas long ago, still I recallThe happy crowds within those temples wee;And marvel how they could contain them all;But they were all on hand, and so were we.In an old adage you know it is told:“Many gentle sheep go in a small fold.”The old time songs were with much pleasure fraught,When by gray-haired sires or sweet maidens sung;The dialogs oft bursts of laughter brought,As actors new their characters well flung.And ne’er did foot lights play house Booths enfireAs wild applause did our young stars inspire.No scroll of Prairie Gem would be completeThat not of Mrs. Jeffry’s actors told;Or Cottrell’s pupils invincible and sweet,That oft at bay contending lines did hold:For Golden Valley, where these districts lay,Well knew these folks could ably spell and play.This part could boast of sturdy families;Yet modestly these bore their worthy lots:Stauffachers, Guises, Brennans, Babbisches,Murphys, Armstrongs, Yaussis, Jeffrys and Otts;Pachas and Trienens, Seematters and Dow;And others that I have forgotten now.And Herkimer should ever brightly shineFor blithe savants: Carbott and McConnaughey;No school house feast could glow without their chime—Their choral gems and jocund roundelay.And over many snowy miles we’d swingTo hear these two declaim, debate, or sing.Its violin players were hard to beat:Whoe’er heard Clark Stewart play “The Mocking Bird”At spelling schools, they heard a heavenly treat:To be enraptured was but to have heard.Here, likewise, too, held voluptuous swayThe Schumacher dulcet stringed orchestra.This district had its great families too:The Runkles, Schumachers and Dorfeners;Niemanns, Emmerts, Kellers, Hickeys and True,Lyndes, Amelunxens, Koenekes, Raemers—Most, pioneers who in the sixties came,And helped the prairie’s wild frontier to tame.And Deer Creek! fairest district of the dell!If spelled with “a” instead of “e” no seerCould have objected: here did truly dwellA hundred pretty girls for ev’ry deer.And all could laugh and spell and sing and play,So that the coldest heart turned glad and gay.Among the worthy families were, Schmidlers,And Cockerills, and Watsons, Travelutes;McKees and Severns, Koppeses, and Winklers;Sedlaceks, Tatlocks, Websters, Keys and Lutz—And teachers great like Shaner, Prichard, Barbour,Charley Travelute and Lizzie Mohrbacher.Blue Valley too, still famous from its grange,Held many wizards of the spelling book;And hence we always tho’t it something strangeIf in such contests they no honors took:The Rogers, Cottrells, Fultons and Blackmars,Had lasses that could spell to beat the stars.In songs and plays they also were real good;Their literary parts were out of sight:We ne’er went to their fettas but we stoodChuckful of irrepressible delight.And their forensic sons were known to fame;Their laurels sprang from many a wordy game.The story of this vale would lose its sheenHere to withhold the names these tales arouse;As Butler, Benson, Schultz, Mayhew and Green,Herring, McNulty, Spealman, Bull and Howes:And they all strove most earnestly, at least,To make the West twice as great as the East.And Pleasant Ridge, the heart of this quintette,Embowered in a vale that always gaveA hearty welcome to the neighboring set,Likewise to worth and wisdom, strong and brave—Modestly it gave the gauntlet and took,Of friend and foe in bout in spelling book.Often its sons and daughters bravely stoodIn neighboring schools of the prairie white,Defending their record envied and good,And win or lose, put up a stubborn fight.Altho they lost sometimes a spelling fray,More often were bedecked with laurels gay.It too had singers fine; they were replete;Song was spontaneous as to glad bird:Their voices blended charmingly and sweet:’Twas joy to hear them, but grief when not heard.The Tarvins were singers; like them no other;Mattie and Sally, Lewis and their mother.It also had school masters, great and good,Whose memory the pupils will e’er bless;Who’re wise and kind and childhood understood,And worshipped for meekness and gentleness:Miss Kister, Thomas Randolph and John King,Frank Paul, Pierce Hickey and F. D. Joslyn.Of all our teachers tho’, Gallaher was king:He taught us how to carol, like the birds;His “Ring, Then Ring Ye Light Fairy Bells” will ringIn my ears long as I recall those words.He was a singing master; were there moreIn rural schools to-day, the country o’er.Concerning disputants, we had them too:Fair Prairie Gem might flaunt Hiner and Guise;But these two Haynes full well our Websters knew—George Tarvin, Edwin Neal—for, surely twice,The two won in debates to th’ others once;And Golden Valley’s speakers shunned no chance.We also had good spellers in this valley;But our hope and strength depended on these three—Kind Peter Kerschen, Emma Kister, SallyTarvin—these were our shining galaxy.Victory that by them could not be wrought,We knew it had been very dearly bought.Some hardy families besides the onesNamed, lived within this district’s charming dells—Links, Koppeses, Parishes, Warringtons,Behrens, Ottos, Heisters, Talbots, Hunts, Hartwells—And they all strove as ardent as they couldTo keep its name unsullied, fair and good.The people of these country districts, five,Were pioneers who in the far years came.It was their sterling worth that kept aliveThe steady progress on this cheerless plain,And changed it from a bluestem coyote wardInto the fields and gardens of the Lord.These people were no better and no worseThan those of other rural communitiesOf which God built many. He knew their forceIn moving this world’s plain activities;And ’tho oft used as theme for jests and jokesThey e’er have been, still are, the cream of folks.Some names of these, no doubt, I have forgot;And hence, they do not here within appear:For time and toil the keenest mind will blot;Yet so, for each left out, I shed a tear.Those names, I’m sure, would help to grace these rhymesAnd garnish this fond tale of former times.

O worthy friends, at last we’ve met again;

I feel that we have met in days before;

And hope as gladly now as we did then,

To contemplate some things in days of yore;

In those days when our parents still were young,

And we in youth around the school house swung.

It won’t take long—a fleet winged hour or two—So, let us raise the curtain of the past,And bring again those good old days to view,Which are long fled in years that sped too fast;Let us together take a pleasant tripOn mem’ry’s wings for kind companionship.

It won’t take long—a fleet winged hour or two—

So, let us raise the curtain of the past,

And bring again those good old days to view,

Which are long fled in years that sped too fast;

Let us together take a pleasant trip

On mem’ry’s wings for kind companionship.

In those good times of years long, long agoWere many hardships, that we should forget;But still, among these troubles, toils, and woe,Were sunny spots that will delight us yet.And one of those affected by this ruleIs the old time rollicking spelling school.

In those good times of years long, long ago

Were many hardships, that we should forget;

But still, among these troubles, toils, and woe,

Were sunny spots that will delight us yet.

And one of those affected by this rule

Is the old time rollicking spelling school.

The young folks of today would scarcely guessTheir fathers and their mothers, in those times,Could stand for hours the stern onslaught and stressOf stubborn words, in long contending lines—Arranged around the dingy school house wallTo see who was the speller best of all.

The young folks of today would scarcely guess

Their fathers and their mothers, in those times,

Could stand for hours the stern onslaught and stress

Of stubborn words, in long contending lines—

Arranged around the dingy school house wall

To see who was the speller best of all.

The country school was then the favorite nook—A kind of home spun university—Where old and young their worth in spelling bookExhibited in a friendly rivalry.And those of later times, of course, don’t knowWhat they without these sports sadly forego.

The country school was then the favorite nook—

A kind of home spun university—

Where old and young their worth in spelling book

Exhibited in a friendly rivalry.

And those of later times, of course, don’t know

What they without these sports sadly forego.

Those spelling schools did more in their plain waysFor all young folks, than now is done for few,In costly schools, in these progressive days—And they were common once. West of the Blue,There were five districts that were wont to meetIn contest in this most delightful feat.

Those spelling schools did more in their plain ways

For all young folks, than now is done for few,

In costly schools, in these progressive days—

And they were common once. West of the Blue,

There were five districts that were wont to meet

In contest in this most delightful feat.

Blue Valley and Deer Creek lay to the north;Each one a ready, lusty vanquisher;And smiling Prairie Gem lay to the south;Raemer Creek on the west, now Herkimer;And Pleasant Ridge, my rural alma mater,In midst of all, and just a trifle greater.

Blue Valley and Deer Creek lay to the north;

Each one a ready, lusty vanquisher;

And smiling Prairie Gem lay to the south;

Raemer Creek on the west, now Herkimer;

And Pleasant Ridge, my rural alma mater,

In midst of all, and just a trifle greater.

When corn was husked and hard farm work was done,The winter evenings long and restless grew;Then country folks would long for that blithe funThat they before from the quaint school house drew.Some teachers then with pupils did contriveTo hold a spelling school among the five.

When corn was husked and hard farm work was done,

The winter evenings long and restless grew;

Then country folks would long for that blithe fun

That they before from the quaint school house drew.

Some teachers then with pupils did contrive

To hold a spelling school among the five.

And these were founts of pleasure, sparkling, sweet,To which the neighboring schools invited were.The purpose was in spelling them to beat;And therein lay the honors striven for.For those events the spelling book was learnedComplete, and bowls of midnight oil were burned.

And these were founts of pleasure, sparkling, sweet,

To which the neighboring schools invited were.

The purpose was in spelling them to beat;

And therein lay the honors striven for.

For those events the spelling book was learned

Complete, and bowls of midnight oil were burned.

’Twas wont for parents to pronounce at homeWords by the pages to their children then;Until McGuffey’s text by heart was known—By the whole household, even the hired men.No wonder that we heard old settlers tell:“In those wise days people knew how to spell.”

’Twas wont for parents to pronounce at home

Words by the pages to their children then;

Until McGuffey’s text by heart was known—

By the whole household, even the hired men.

No wonder that we heard old settlers tell:

“In those wise days people knew how to spell.”

The district that would entertain the restOf schools, gratis prepared a play program—Of songs and declamations, the very best,And dialogs in which much laughter ran.Herein, no doubt, young Thespians took partWho through hearty encore obtained their start.

The district that would entertain the rest

Of schools, gratis prepared a play program—

Of songs and declamations, the very best,

And dialogs in which much laughter ran.

Herein, no doubt, young Thespians took part

Who through hearty encore obtained their start.

Those spelling bees! O, with what rare delight,For weeks ahead we them anticipated!They were the magnets of those winter nights;No storm or cold them e’er obliterated.When those glad nights came, countless faces beamedIn country school houses where bright lights gleamed.

Those spelling bees! O, with what rare delight,

For weeks ahead we them anticipated!

They were the magnets of those winter nights;

No storm or cold them e’er obliterated.

When those glad nights came, countless faces beamed

In country school houses where bright lights gleamed.

Altho ’twas long ago, still I recallThe happy crowds within those temples wee;And marvel how they could contain them all;But they were all on hand, and so were we.In an old adage you know it is told:“Many gentle sheep go in a small fold.”

Altho ’twas long ago, still I recall

The happy crowds within those temples wee;

And marvel how they could contain them all;

But they were all on hand, and so were we.

In an old adage you know it is told:

“Many gentle sheep go in a small fold.”

The old time songs were with much pleasure fraught,When by gray-haired sires or sweet maidens sung;The dialogs oft bursts of laughter brought,As actors new their characters well flung.And ne’er did foot lights play house Booths enfireAs wild applause did our young stars inspire.

The old time songs were with much pleasure fraught,

When by gray-haired sires or sweet maidens sung;

The dialogs oft bursts of laughter brought,

As actors new their characters well flung.

And ne’er did foot lights play house Booths enfire

As wild applause did our young stars inspire.

No scroll of Prairie Gem would be completeThat not of Mrs. Jeffry’s actors told;Or Cottrell’s pupils invincible and sweet,That oft at bay contending lines did hold:For Golden Valley, where these districts lay,Well knew these folks could ably spell and play.

No scroll of Prairie Gem would be complete

That not of Mrs. Jeffry’s actors told;

Or Cottrell’s pupils invincible and sweet,

That oft at bay contending lines did hold:

For Golden Valley, where these districts lay,

Well knew these folks could ably spell and play.

This part could boast of sturdy families;Yet modestly these bore their worthy lots:Stauffachers, Guises, Brennans, Babbisches,Murphys, Armstrongs, Yaussis, Jeffrys and Otts;Pachas and Trienens, Seematters and Dow;And others that I have forgotten now.

This part could boast of sturdy families;

Yet modestly these bore their worthy lots:

Stauffachers, Guises, Brennans, Babbisches,

Murphys, Armstrongs, Yaussis, Jeffrys and Otts;

Pachas and Trienens, Seematters and Dow;

And others that I have forgotten now.

And Herkimer should ever brightly shineFor blithe savants: Carbott and McConnaughey;No school house feast could glow without their chime—Their choral gems and jocund roundelay.And over many snowy miles we’d swingTo hear these two declaim, debate, or sing.

And Herkimer should ever brightly shine

For blithe savants: Carbott and McConnaughey;

No school house feast could glow without their chime—

Their choral gems and jocund roundelay.

And over many snowy miles we’d swing

To hear these two declaim, debate, or sing.

Its violin players were hard to beat:Whoe’er heard Clark Stewart play “The Mocking Bird”At spelling schools, they heard a heavenly treat:To be enraptured was but to have heard.Here, likewise, too, held voluptuous swayThe Schumacher dulcet stringed orchestra.

Its violin players were hard to beat:

Whoe’er heard Clark Stewart play “The Mocking Bird”

At spelling schools, they heard a heavenly treat:

To be enraptured was but to have heard.

Here, likewise, too, held voluptuous sway

The Schumacher dulcet stringed orchestra.

This district had its great families too:The Runkles, Schumachers and Dorfeners;Niemanns, Emmerts, Kellers, Hickeys and True,Lyndes, Amelunxens, Koenekes, Raemers—Most, pioneers who in the sixties came,And helped the prairie’s wild frontier to tame.

This district had its great families too:

The Runkles, Schumachers and Dorfeners;

Niemanns, Emmerts, Kellers, Hickeys and True,

Lyndes, Amelunxens, Koenekes, Raemers—

Most, pioneers who in the sixties came,

And helped the prairie’s wild frontier to tame.

And Deer Creek! fairest district of the dell!If spelled with “a” instead of “e” no seerCould have objected: here did truly dwellA hundred pretty girls for ev’ry deer.And all could laugh and spell and sing and play,So that the coldest heart turned glad and gay.

And Deer Creek! fairest district of the dell!

If spelled with “a” instead of “e” no seer

Could have objected: here did truly dwell

A hundred pretty girls for ev’ry deer.

And all could laugh and spell and sing and play,

So that the coldest heart turned glad and gay.

Among the worthy families were, Schmidlers,And Cockerills, and Watsons, Travelutes;McKees and Severns, Koppeses, and Winklers;Sedlaceks, Tatlocks, Websters, Keys and Lutz—And teachers great like Shaner, Prichard, Barbour,Charley Travelute and Lizzie Mohrbacher.

Among the worthy families were, Schmidlers,

And Cockerills, and Watsons, Travelutes;

McKees and Severns, Koppeses, and Winklers;

Sedlaceks, Tatlocks, Websters, Keys and Lutz—

And teachers great like Shaner, Prichard, Barbour,

Charley Travelute and Lizzie Mohrbacher.

Blue Valley too, still famous from its grange,Held many wizards of the spelling book;And hence we always tho’t it something strangeIf in such contests they no honors took:The Rogers, Cottrells, Fultons and Blackmars,Had lasses that could spell to beat the stars.

Blue Valley too, still famous from its grange,

Held many wizards of the spelling book;

And hence we always tho’t it something strange

If in such contests they no honors took:

The Rogers, Cottrells, Fultons and Blackmars,

Had lasses that could spell to beat the stars.

In songs and plays they also were real good;Their literary parts were out of sight:We ne’er went to their fettas but we stoodChuckful of irrepressible delight.And their forensic sons were known to fame;Their laurels sprang from many a wordy game.

In songs and plays they also were real good;

Their literary parts were out of sight:

We ne’er went to their fettas but we stood

Chuckful of irrepressible delight.

And their forensic sons were known to fame;

Their laurels sprang from many a wordy game.

The story of this vale would lose its sheenHere to withhold the names these tales arouse;As Butler, Benson, Schultz, Mayhew and Green,Herring, McNulty, Spealman, Bull and Howes:And they all strove most earnestly, at least,To make the West twice as great as the East.

The story of this vale would lose its sheen

Here to withhold the names these tales arouse;

As Butler, Benson, Schultz, Mayhew and Green,

Herring, McNulty, Spealman, Bull and Howes:

And they all strove most earnestly, at least,

To make the West twice as great as the East.

And Pleasant Ridge, the heart of this quintette,Embowered in a vale that always gaveA hearty welcome to the neighboring set,Likewise to worth and wisdom, strong and brave—Modestly it gave the gauntlet and took,Of friend and foe in bout in spelling book.

And Pleasant Ridge, the heart of this quintette,

Embowered in a vale that always gave

A hearty welcome to the neighboring set,

Likewise to worth and wisdom, strong and brave—

Modestly it gave the gauntlet and took,

Of friend and foe in bout in spelling book.

Often its sons and daughters bravely stoodIn neighboring schools of the prairie white,Defending their record envied and good,And win or lose, put up a stubborn fight.Altho they lost sometimes a spelling fray,More often were bedecked with laurels gay.

Often its sons and daughters bravely stood

In neighboring schools of the prairie white,

Defending their record envied and good,

And win or lose, put up a stubborn fight.

Altho they lost sometimes a spelling fray,

More often were bedecked with laurels gay.

It too had singers fine; they were replete;Song was spontaneous as to glad bird:Their voices blended charmingly and sweet:’Twas joy to hear them, but grief when not heard.The Tarvins were singers; like them no other;Mattie and Sally, Lewis and their mother.

It too had singers fine; they were replete;

Song was spontaneous as to glad bird:

Their voices blended charmingly and sweet:

’Twas joy to hear them, but grief when not heard.

The Tarvins were singers; like them no other;

Mattie and Sally, Lewis and their mother.

It also had school masters, great and good,Whose memory the pupils will e’er bless;Who’re wise and kind and childhood understood,And worshipped for meekness and gentleness:Miss Kister, Thomas Randolph and John King,Frank Paul, Pierce Hickey and F. D. Joslyn.

It also had school masters, great and good,

Whose memory the pupils will e’er bless;

Who’re wise and kind and childhood understood,

And worshipped for meekness and gentleness:

Miss Kister, Thomas Randolph and John King,

Frank Paul, Pierce Hickey and F. D. Joslyn.

Of all our teachers tho’, Gallaher was king:He taught us how to carol, like the birds;His “Ring, Then Ring Ye Light Fairy Bells” will ringIn my ears long as I recall those words.He was a singing master; were there moreIn rural schools to-day, the country o’er.

Of all our teachers tho’, Gallaher was king:

He taught us how to carol, like the birds;

His “Ring, Then Ring Ye Light Fairy Bells” will ring

In my ears long as I recall those words.

He was a singing master; were there more

In rural schools to-day, the country o’er.

Concerning disputants, we had them too:Fair Prairie Gem might flaunt Hiner and Guise;But these two Haynes full well our Websters knew—George Tarvin, Edwin Neal—for, surely twice,The two won in debates to th’ others once;And Golden Valley’s speakers shunned no chance.

Concerning disputants, we had them too:

Fair Prairie Gem might flaunt Hiner and Guise;

But these two Haynes full well our Websters knew—

George Tarvin, Edwin Neal—for, surely twice,

The two won in debates to th’ others once;

And Golden Valley’s speakers shunned no chance.

We also had good spellers in this valley;But our hope and strength depended on these three—Kind Peter Kerschen, Emma Kister, SallyTarvin—these were our shining galaxy.Victory that by them could not be wrought,We knew it had been very dearly bought.

We also had good spellers in this valley;

But our hope and strength depended on these three—

Kind Peter Kerschen, Emma Kister, Sally

Tarvin—these were our shining galaxy.

Victory that by them could not be wrought,

We knew it had been very dearly bought.

Some hardy families besides the onesNamed, lived within this district’s charming dells—Links, Koppeses, Parishes, Warringtons,Behrens, Ottos, Heisters, Talbots, Hunts, Hartwells—And they all strove as ardent as they couldTo keep its name unsullied, fair and good.

Some hardy families besides the ones

Named, lived within this district’s charming dells—

Links, Koppeses, Parishes, Warringtons,

Behrens, Ottos, Heisters, Talbots, Hunts, Hartwells—

And they all strove as ardent as they could

To keep its name unsullied, fair and good.

The people of these country districts, five,Were pioneers who in the far years came.It was their sterling worth that kept aliveThe steady progress on this cheerless plain,And changed it from a bluestem coyote wardInto the fields and gardens of the Lord.

The people of these country districts, five,

Were pioneers who in the far years came.

It was their sterling worth that kept alive

The steady progress on this cheerless plain,

And changed it from a bluestem coyote ward

Into the fields and gardens of the Lord.

These people were no better and no worseThan those of other rural communitiesOf which God built many. He knew their forceIn moving this world’s plain activities;And ’tho oft used as theme for jests and jokesThey e’er have been, still are, the cream of folks.

These people were no better and no worse

Than those of other rural communities

Of which God built many. He knew their force

In moving this world’s plain activities;

And ’tho oft used as theme for jests and jokes

They e’er have been, still are, the cream of folks.

Some names of these, no doubt, I have forgot;And hence, they do not here within appear:For time and toil the keenest mind will blot;Yet so, for each left out, I shed a tear.Those names, I’m sure, would help to grace these rhymesAnd garnish this fond tale of former times.

Some names of these, no doubt, I have forgot;

And hence, they do not here within appear:

For time and toil the keenest mind will blot;

Yet so, for each left out, I shed a tear.

Those names, I’m sure, would help to grace these rhymes

And garnish this fond tale of former times.

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