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Sandi Gorin's Kentucky Research Tips - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

• CHRISTMAS AT DEER CREEK SCHOOL
  A historical look in fiction of how it used to be ...
  
  Patience Marie Goodman wondered if her parents had chosen the wrong name for her! It was one day before the annual Christmas program at Deer Creek School in central Kentucky and patience was not her virtue right now. “Miss Patience” had been teacher here for three years now and was dearly loved by her 10 some students. She thought “10 some” as students came and left depending on the season. She loved those children dearly though. They came in all sizes, from good farm homes, an almost even mixture of boys and girls.
  
  The youngest, Sally May was barely tall enough to see amongst the older students; she had just turned six and was a star pupil in first grade. Tommy towered over the other students; at eighteen, he was still in school since he had to miss so much to help out at home. His father had been hurt in an accident when his farm wagon overturned and Tommy needed to be the man of the house and take over many of his father’s chores.
  
  Lucinda was 12 and had long blonde hair which was always neatly combed back into long pigtails – to the delight of any boy who sat behind her! Beth, age 8, was so shy but little by little had begun to open up and participate in school activities. She was being raised by her grandparents who respected quiet in their home and Beth was never able to run and tear like other girls her age. Bobby was the impish one at age 10; if trouble was to be had, Miss Patience knew who to look for. Oh, he wasn’t a bad boy; he was one of a family of ten children and turned to pranks to gain attention.
  
  Johnnie was just a typical boy – well behaved and helpful. He was 15 and his voice ranged from high soprano to base as he spoke, of which he was very embarrassed! Mary and Susan were 17 year old twins and Tommy had really taken a liking to both of them. They dressed identically, wore their hair the same and giggled every time the teacher got them mixed up.
  
  Elizabeth, called Lizzie, age 7, was very close to Sally May since they were so nearly the same age. She held Sally May’s hand during recess and they sat together at recess telling each other stories. Robert, who always went by Robbie, was 15, the same age as Johnnie, and they loved to play “big boy” games when it was nice enough to play outside on recess – “andy over”, “kick the stick”, and everyone wanted Robbie and Johnnie on their team when “Red Rover” was played.
  
  The last student was a special child. Georgeann (called Georgie) who was deaf. There were no special schools close by that her parents could afford but Miss Patience and the students watched out for her. She was a smart girl and the other children learned how to use their own type of sign language to help her learn her student. At 10 years of age she had shown a great aptitude for her studies and Miss Patience spent as much extra time as she could tutoring her.
  
  Nestled near Deer Creek, Kentucky, the little school house was a place of happiness. Miss Patience was a mere 21 herself, single of course since female teachers had to sign a pledge that they would always behave modestly, remain single, not have male visitors to the school when she was there alone and set a good example to the children. She had started teaching when she was 18 and was still just slightly older than her oldest students. And, she loved teaching. Oh, the pay was almost nothing and the work was hard – especially now when it was almost Christmas.
  
  The normally well-behaved children had been so excited this week. It was difficult to get everyone to calm down long enough to do the studies. She had promised them that as soon as recitations were over they would begin decorating their school room. The children immediately filed to their seats – the youngest students in the front rows with progressively older students filling in the rows behind. All the children were expected to be quiet and respectful while the younger children recited their work to the teacher. But, occasionally, a giggle, a whisper, a stirring could be heard from someplace in the back of the room.
  
  Miss Patience’s mind did wander a little bit while listening to the recitations; her mind awhirl with everything that must be done to prepare for the grand Christmas party on Christmas evening. All the parents and grandparents would be there, even some friends and neighbors and the room would be crowded every inch. Everyone wanted to see their darling boy or girl perform! She also kept a glance out the window; the skies were darkening too early today and that always meant a heavy snow was coming.
  
  Finally, the last row of students had finished their lessons and Miss Patience sent them all outside for a few minutes of fresh air to run off some steam. She put the oldest students in charge of watching the younger ones as a few snow flurries began to drift lazily to the ground. She thought that she might have to send everyone home a little early in case the little flakes turned into a lot of flakes! Sam Perkins arrived, pulling a wagon full of wood for the pot bellied stove with plenty to last through Christmas Eve. He hauled them over by the side of the schoolhouse and carried large arms full inside and stacked in the corner. When he was finished, it was time to bring the children back inside to start the decorating.
  
  It was time! The first order of business was to make a stage. Miss Patience had brought two large quilts from home and with the help of the tallest boys, they were fastened to the ceiling. Now the “performers” would have a place to get into “costume” and step out to put on their “act.” Sally May’s parents had brought a large pine tree from their farm and all the children helped drag it inside to put in the corner of the class room. Oh, it was a little crooked, but Miss Patience found a piece of rope and hooked it around the tree, tying it to a peg on the wall. Out of a big box hidden behind her desk, she pulled out red, green and white crepe paper rolls and divided them among the children. For the next half hour, everyone was twirling the rolls as they were unwound and fastening them across the room as high as they could reach. A golden paper bell was unfurled – a surprise for the children that Miss Patience had bought for them. The bell was hung from the ceiling Then using what paper they could find that had patterns on it, the children created Christmas decorations that hung from the tree. Candles were tied on the strongest branches, only to be lit when the program began so they could be watched carefully. Some of the students had found large pine cones, some had brought holly braches with the bright red berries gleaming. Elizabeth’s mother had provided thread and popcorn and soon popcorn garlands were strung along the tree branches. Tommy’s mother had found some old glass ornaments left over from the days when they had lived in the city and Miss Patience carefully hung them where they couldn’t be knocked down. The final touch came when the “artists” in the class drew winter scenes on the blackboard – snowmen, a Santa, pine trees, a manger scene .. it looked most majestic!
  
  Finally it was time to dismiss the children for the day and the snow continued to coat the landscape. Some of the children had a mile or more to walk so she hurried them out of the door before it became dark. Johnny had a horse tied up behind the school in a small lean-to shed and he took Sally May with him as they lived as neighbors. Tommy walked; Beth and Elizabeth waited for their parents to come in the farm wagon. When it was obvious the snow was getting deeper, their parents loaded up the rest of the children and they took off giggling while wiping snowflakes off their noses.
  
  Christmas Eve arrived brisk and white; likely there was a good 6 inches of snow on the ground. Miss Patience wasn’t sure how many would be able to make it to the Christmas pageant but after she finally made it to school herself; she got the stove going. School had been dismissed for the day and she now stood by the door waiting to greet students, family and friends. It didn’t take long before she heard the wagons start to roll in and Beth’s grandparents had arrived in a sleigh! Oh, how everyone loved that! Before long, the room was teeming with people and giggling, nervous students. Many of the women had backed cakes or pies and cookies to be shared after the program.
  
  At the appointed time, the festivities began. First there was a Christmas play in which all of the students participated; the story of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. Oh Sally May was a little large to play a baby but no one had remembered to bring a doll. Tommy, as Joseph looked so serious; he had practiced and practiced and he didn’t have to say a word! Mary was dear Georgie who just glowed with joy. The shepherds were Lucinda, Beth and Johnnie and the wise men (who really didn’t get there until later in the story) were Mary, Susan and Elizabeth. That left Robert – he held the star in the east up in the air! The parents were thrilled with the performance, of course, and clapped for a long time.
  
  Then one by one, each child came forward and read a poem, or sang