Find part 1 of this series here: McNaull family stories, part one
In the early days of Cloyd “Junior” McNaull’s life, he looked forward to going to Brytes one-room schoolhouse with his older siblings. In the autumn of 1937, at the ripe old age of 5, he was happy to begin his education.
The school building was 1 1/4 mile from the McNaull farm, and on temperate weather days Junior and his cousin Earl would either walk or ride a bike. In case of inclement weather, Junior’s father would drive them. Junior recalls that by the time he was in second grade, a school bus was available, but it was never taken on nice days. The boys preferred walking or bicycling.
Moherman Hill, a fairly long incline, made smooth sailing getting to school. Heading home at the end of the day, Earl would run up the hill and watch for cars, and Junior would zig-zag up that steep hill, making the pedaling a bit easier. He was too proud to walk a bike up that hill.
A potbelly wood stove, the kindling chopped and ready thanks to the older boys in the school, provided the heat, with the youngest students seated closest to it.
Light was provided by coal oil lamps on the walls. Two boys would be chosen (“and it was an honor to be chosen,” Junior explained) to take a bucket to the Smith farm. A walk down a dirt road to a spring provided fresh drinking water, carried back by the boys, then placed on a table with a post for the tin cup used by all.
The school had two outdoor toilets. Seeking permission for a trip to the outhouse, students were taught to raise their hand, with either one finger up, or two, indicating their business. This provided the teacher with a general idea how long a student might be gone. Each Halloween, the boys upset the toilets for fun, until Junior’s father intervened in 1938. “Dad dug two holes beside each toilet and put locust posts in and bolted the toilet to the posts,” Junior explained.
There was a push to do away with one-room schools during this time, an idea that concerned most families. Junior told of the importance of community club gatherings in each rural neighborhood.
“There were 17 one-room schoolhouses in Montgomery Township, nearly all built in the 1870s,” he said. Community clubs were a way for families of each of those schools to stay in touch with one another, meeting in a different home each month.
“Community clubs were important, a social gathering that helped people form bonds and connect. There was no TV, not even radio in the very early days, and we looked forward to it each month,” Junior explained.
“We feared one large school would change all that.” A vote to build Montgomery School passed on its second vote, and all 11 one-room schoolhouses would close. In 1939, Bryte School was sold to a retired teacher who converted it into a residence, which still stands today.
The clock brought this delightful visit to an end long before I wanted it to, as the busy McNaulls had another place to go. The notes I jotted provide a treasure trove from the sparkling conversation of the day, and my heart is full of gratitude.
Next week: Junior’s farm chores and catching Sunday dinner.
