I wrote this on the anniversary of the first year without her. I think of her and miss her everyday.
Patsy...
Sister slipped away
But I hear her still
Cigarette cough laugh
Oh, a bitter pill!
How could bitter
Be so sweet
Cutting a rip
In the heart so deep.
Out of the strong
Came the sweet
Out of the sadness
Came the deep.
Out of poverty
Came pure gold
A life worth rejoicing,
And being retold!
B. Renfroe November 28, 2015
Patsy started to school at Sunny Lane, AR. September 1944. Her Grandfather cut a path through the pasture marking her way so she could walk to the little school. If anyone went with her that first day, it was Grandpa. Her mother was in the last days of pregnancy with our brother, Clayton, and her father was across the Pacific Ocean from her.
I could not find Sister's post about Grandpa cutting the path, but she wrote about it. I did find this about her going to first grade and staying with Grandma and Grandpa near Sunny Lane, Ar.
From Patsy--
I have read for pleasure ever since I learned to read the printed word and it has afforded me more pleasure than anything else in my life. I started to school at Sunny Lane while mother, Richard and me went to stay with my Powell grandparents awaiting the birth of my brother. I noticed that my grandfather read every evening and I could see that he enjoyed reading. I decided this was something I wanted to do. The school had a few books that we could take home so I picked out this very pretty book about Peter Rabbit to take home. I told grandpa "I brought you a book to read" and he said give it to me and I will read it to you. We only lived there about 6 weeks and then went back to Denver.
Patsy, Momma, Richard and Clayton returned to the rented house in Denver, AR. when baby Clayton was about 6 weeks old. Cleo Jackson was Patsy's first teacher at Denver. This school was likely only a rock's throw from where Patsy lived and she could walk there in a minute or so. She and brother Richard were inseparable. It was hard for her to go along to school without him, but her cousin, Jimmy Powell, was in the same grade and that likely gave her security.
From Patsy
Jimmy Powell and I started to school at Denver together. Our teacher was Cleo Jackson. We were issued spelling books and told to learn the first assignment. I looked at the book and couldn't make heads or tails out of the words. I suppose Jimmy was in the same situation. The next day Cleo called on me to spell my words and I couldn't, neither could Jimmy . Cleo took us up on the stage and whipped us with a belt in front of the school. I always felt that Cleo was wrong to do that because he had failed to show us what we were suppose to do. (From Betty: Patsy had no one to ask for help. Our mother would have been no help at all.)
Wayne Darby was in Patsy's class at Denver.
From Patsy
In the obit of Wayne Darby it was stated that he made the best of the hand that was dealt him. This was not idle talk, I went to school with Wayne at Denver and he was afflicted in his mental ability somewhat. I don't know what the term might have been for his aliment but he had learning problems and like the families did in my youth the family gathered around him, protecting him and giving him all of the best that they were able to provide.
More from Patsy
I went to schoo at Denver 2 years and began to learn to read. The books were Dick and Jane books.
When Daddy came home from the WWII, he bought the farm on Dry Creek and Patsy went to school at Coin, AR. Her teacher there was Auburn Green. By this time, Richard and Patsy both went to school. They had a long walk across the fields to get to school. I would guess at least 2 miles and maybe almost 3 miles.
Below Coin School, probably Patsy and Richard's first year here. Patsy was likely in the second grade and Richard first, but Patsy could have been two years ahead of Richard because he had a late birthday. Richard Powell is the first little boy on the right of this picture in the first row. Patsy is in the second row, with a bow in her hair, second from right. This photo would be of the entire classes at Coin, 1st through 8th grades. Auburn Green is on the left back row, but only shows partly in the picture.
My father despised Mr. Green. Patsy explained why to me. She broke her arm, just a little 7 year old child. Mr. Green had a car, but he made Patsy walk home in pain. Daddy never had a good word for him after that.
Back Row: Joy Smothers, Virginia Molder, Emma Molder, Dale Molder, Cecil Rogers, Emily Faye Horn
Middle Row: ( this one zigzags but you should be able to follow) Roger Molder, Russell Molder faced covered by boy in front, Leon Magness shorter boy, Burton Plott blond boy, maybe Buddy Fry shorter boy, Freddie Mae Smothers girl in white, little blond girl maybe Patsy Powell, dark headed boy maybe Gene Davidson mouth covered by boy in front, ??boy lighter hair combed to side, Loyce Magness
Front Row: James Smothers, ? maybe Buddy Fry, maybe Harold Dean Christian ??, Larry Molder, Loy Allen Magness, Richard Powell
From Patsy
Then Daddy moved us to the the farm on Dry Creek, we went to school at Coin, Auburn Green was my teacher and that year I got my first hard back reader. It was a book about boys and girls in different lands. I took that reader home and read it from cover to cover the first week-end. In that day we were assigned certain times to study our subjects. We were supposed to read our lesson and I was doing something else. Mr. Green scolded me for not studying my lesson. I told him I had read it already. He ask how much have you read and I said all of the book. He went to the last story in the book which was about Laplanders in Newfoundland and asked me to tell him about what I read. I did.
From Patsy (as time passed punctuation was work and Patsy discovered is she used all caps, it was easier to make her Blog post. I am leaving this in all caps just like she had it).
AFTER THE WAR DADDY BOUGHT THE FARM ON DRY CREEK THAT FLETA CALLS HOME NOW. I WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND MY BROTHER RICHARD WAS 7 YEARS YOUNG. FOR 2 YEARS WE WERE GOING TO SCHOOL AT COIN AR. AND HAD TO WALK 2 MILES AND A HALF EACH WAY.
WE WENT TO SCHOOL COME RAIN OR SHINE. SNOW WAS NOT CONSIDERED A REASON FOR NOT GOING TO SCHOOL. WE HAD TO CROSS DRY CREEK AND DADDY CUT A TREE AND FELL IT ACROSS THE CREEK AND THIS WAS OUR FOOT BRIDGE.
WE CARRIED OUR LUNCH IN TWO KARO SYRUP BUCKETS . DADDY PUNCHED HOLES IN THE LID TO STOP SWEATING OF OUR EGG SANDWICH. MOTHER MASHED A BOILED EGG EACH MORNING ADDED CREAM, SALT AND PEPPER AND THEN SPREAD THE EGG MIXTURE ON A SLICE OF LIGHT BREAD TOPPED THIS WITH ANOTHER SLICE OF BREAD AND THIS WAS OUR LUNCH. WE USED THE TERM "LIGHT BREAD " FOR BREAD PURCHASED AT THE STORE.
ONE FROSTY MORNING WHILE CROSSING THE FOOT BRIDGE OVER THE CREEK,
RICHARD DROPPED HIS PAIL INTO THE WATER. WE SCAMPERED OVER THE BRIDGE AND RACED DOWN THE CREEK TO THE SHOALS TO GET RICHARD'S LUNCH. HE WADED IN AND SAVED HIS LUNCH BUT NOW HIS FEET WERE WET AND THE HOLES IN THE PAIL HAD LET CREEK WATER IN HIS SANDWICH SO WE WENT HOME.
IT IS STRANGE BUT WE CONSIDERED THAT WE WERE A UNIT AND IF ONE COULDN'T GO TO THE SCHOOL THE OTHER COULDN'T GO. DADDY CONSIDERED US A UNIT ALSO BECAUSE I RECEIVED AS MUCH SCOLDING AS RICHARD DID FOR DROPPING THE LUNCH PAIL.
AfTER THAT, DADDY WENT TO TOWN AND BOUGHT US RUBBER FOOT WEAR TO GO OVER OUR SHOES. THESE GALOSHES CAME UP ABOVE OUR ANKLES.
THE VERY FIRST DAY IT HAD RAINED WE START OFF AND RICHARD IS WADING EVERY MUD PUDDLE THAT WAS IN THE DIRT ROAD. MUCH TO MY DISGUST. I WOULD SAY DON'T WADE THE MUD PUDDLE. SLOSH, SLOSH! WENT RICHARD. DOWN, AROUND MY UNCLE'S HOUSE WE CAME TO A VERY BIG PUDDLE. I AM SAYING DON'T WADE THAT WATER. RICHARD SAID IT OK I HAVE MY GALOSHES ON . IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PUDDLE THE WATER CAME TO RICHARDS MID-CALF. BACK TO THE HOUSE WE GO AND WE WERE INTO MORE TALKING TO FROM DADDY.
More from Patsy
The photo of the girl with peter pan collar is me and the boy on the front row right is Richard, I remember dad asking Richard why he was standing like that? The next photo 46-47 is the year I broke my arm and stayed home for 3 months. I didn't do well in the Coin school. Everyone was related or had gone to school there since they started and some how I was always an outsider. I was glad when daddy got us transferred to Douglas School. We didn't get a copy of this Coin School photo. No money.
Below is Coin School 1946. Patsy had a broken arm and missed several months of that grade. Richard is on the bottom row, second from the right. Auburn Green is on the top row, right! Patsy was in the third grade but not present on picture day. She would say, "we did not get this picture; no money." She was blunt, straight to the point.
Coin School Days 1946-1947
Left to Right
Top Row: Opal Bell, Carroll Swor, Loyce Magness, Leon Magness, Freddie Mae Smothers, Foy Horn, Janet Molder and teacher Auburn Green
Second Row: Cecil Rogers, ___ Klaus, Ronnie Bell, Marylin Swor, Russell Molder, Virginia Molder (Gweldolyn Klaudt ?)
Third Row: Max Bell, ___Klaus, Loy Allen Magness, Roger Molder, Emily Faye Horn, Dean Bell (Ruby Klaudt ?)
Fourth Row: Harold Dean Christian, Robert Addington, James Smothers, Larry Molder, Burton Plott, "Buddy" Nelson Fry, Richard Powell, Eddie Addington
When Patsy was in the 4th grade, Daddy got Richard and Patsy transferred to Douglas School. This was too far to walk. If there was not bus, I have no idea how they got that far. She went to Douglas School until she 8th grade. The School was 1-8 grades. Clayton and Fleta went here also. I started to school in 1956. Douglas School was no more. I did not attend as they closed it and sent all the children to Green Forest.
When we started to the Douglas school, I was in the 4th grade. Mary Teeter was my teacher. She told us she was going to read from a book every day to us. She started reading Tom Sawyer to us that day and I enjoyed the story. Mrs. Teeter went back on her word and didn't read to us the next day. I asked her when she was going to read the book, Tom Sawyer again and she said I don't have time here is the book you read it. I told her I couldn't read it. She told me to just try and if you want to know a word I will tell you. I read that book before the day was over and I have been reading ever since. I feel very sorry for people who have never known the pleasure of reading.
Here Patsy writes about the school at Ozark, Ar.
Betty wants me to tell about the school of the Ozarks and the year I spent there.
Richard dropped out of school in the 8th grade but I went to school at Green Forest in the 8th grade, The truth was it was hard for us to leave the Douglas school and go to town. In the 9th grade
I had no cloths to wear, I had one dress and it was not made of very good material. after a few weeks I just didn't go back to school.
We had a Bible teacher in our community. Miss Fern and after a while she came to see Daddy and she had found this school at Ozark Arkansas called the Ozark bible school. She contacted the school and they agreed to take me. Daddy didn't have a car that would make trip so Carl Bishop took me and Daddy there in June 1954.
As I look back on that time I am sure some people thought that I had a baby while I was gone but nothing was father from the truth. We were so poor we didn't have clothes or enough food to eat. That Year I went to bible classes every day as well as my regular classes.
The couple in this photo were friends of mine at the school and I have been blessed to fine them again after all these years.
The school was located on top of a mountain that over looked the Arkansas river.
There were 2 groups of believers in the school , one was sort of led by Mr. Levine and they were sort of holy roller Then there was Mr. Kaylor, he had been a missionary in India and retired.and less of the Pentecostal type. I was in his group when we studied the Bible. They let us pick what group we wanted to be in. We had several people who had retired and lived there and taught classes. One lady was Margaret Fields she was the daughter of the actor named W. C. Fields. Her brother lived in Chicago and he and she had inherited their father's money.
I look back on that year with joy. I had lots to eat and cloths to wear and it was a great place to be in that time of my life. Patsy June 2012
When Patsy returned and enrolled in Green Forest High School, she still had three years there I believe. She graduated in 1957.
Sister had a thirst for knowledge. She continued to learn all her life. When she was over 65, she bought a computer and learned to use it and type. She was sort of a recluse, an individual different from others. She was my oldest sister, a true blessing to me.
