The Frontier Kid

Now I was 5 ½ years of age and had to start school. I recall there was a ditch full of water in front of the house. My parents had bought me a new pair of boots which I had to test out in the ditch, of course. I ended up with both boots full of water and this was on my way to my first day of school – my mother didn't appreciate that at all. Anyway, she took me in the house, changed my clothes and boots, and off to school we went. We arrived and she talked with the teacher and I was assigned a desk and my mother left. In ten or fifteen minutes, I saw my chance, and run out the door and all the way home. You can imagine the reception I got at home. Anyway, a few good whacks on the butt and back to school I went. This time I must have stayed. I don't recall any more whacks right away.

Our house was directly across the road from the United Brethren Church. Every Sunday, my mother and I went to Sunday School. She would always make sure I was in there on Christmas, Easter and any other special service that happened along. You can imagine how I felt missing the hunting and fishing trips my Dad went on. He always took me when I was available.

We lived in this house for two years then moved to a farm my folks had bought three quarters of a mile north of Frontier. That changed the school situation. I then went to a rural school called the Fuller School which was about one half mile north of the farm. This was 1926. I was 8 years old. At this age, I was a full-bloomed hunter and trapper. I remember one time in particular I run my trap line in the fall on my way to school. This particular morning I had caught a skunk and not wanting to leave it where I didn't have control, I took it to school and put it in the woodshed, which was a big mistake. The teacher, Helen Snyder, rapped me on the rear with a ruler and sent me home where I got more raps for smelling like a skunk.