Dr. Alma Moore Freeland - READIN'  WRITIN' AND 'RITHMETIC - Smith County, TX

Contributed by Dr. Alma Moore Freeland
Submitted by East Texas Genealogical Society
P. O. Box 6967, Tyler, TX 75711

Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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Memories of School Days in Tyler and Some Smith County Schools
1898-1951
By Alma Moore Freeland (1904-1991)

A copy of this book is in the Tyler Public Library.  Permission
has been given by Jerry Moore, nephew, to publish articles from
this book in the Smith County TXGenWeb Archives.

A Half Century and More of Remembrances of School Days 

In the Fall of 1952 when I joined the faculty of the College of 
Education of The University of Texas at Austin, my first personal task 
was to look for a house so I could establish a new home. I was tired 
of living in apartments during the past year's tenure with the Texas 
Education Agency. 

When I bought what was to be the house of my dreams for the next 
twenty-six years, my friends were puzzled because it was located 
across the street from a new junior high school.

"It will be a noisy nuisance--cars, kids, and bells," they said. I 
just smiled; thinking of how comfortable and happy I expected to be 
in my lovely new home. How were these new colleagues and friends to 
know that I had lived all my life in the shadow of a schoolhouse; 
that my food, clothes, and education had been provided on a school 
teacher's salary--my father's or my own? How were they to know that 
a school bell was music to my ears--a sort of security blanket for 
the "aching years"--when I was separated from my family after 
leaving home and when I faced other personal losses? The truth is 
I was just hoping the new school building was equipped with the 
Eureka Program Clock System invented by my father, John R. Moore, 
when he was superintendent of the Winona School in 1913. 

Now for the first time in my life I can hear no school bells! I 
forgot to tell the real estate agents about that prerequisite when 
I returned to Tyler.  Eventually, however, as many of the readers 
of this story already know, one reaches that period in life when 
memories can substitute remarkably well for the real things. So it 
is now for me--I find it very satisfying and pleasant to recall 
the memories of long ago school days--my own and those I learned 
about from my parents, other relatives and friends. (A little 
secret is in order now: I have two of Papa's Eureka Clocks; and 
best of all I have the handbell both of us used when we taught--
many years apart--in the Starrville School. It was the subject 
of the story I wrote for Chronicles -Winter 1977, Val. 16, No. 2 
"Papa Rang the Bell." Once in a while I ring it ever so lightly--
just for old times' sake.) 

In assessing my school-related childhood memories, I find the earliest 
to be associated with a little doggerel--song which will likely bring 
smiles to many of you: 

School days, school days-- 
Dear old golden rule days. 

Readin' and writin' and 'rithmetic 
Taught to the tune of a hickory stick, 

You were my Queen in calico-- 
I was your bashful barefoot beau; 

And you wrote on my slate, 
"I love you, Joe" 

When we were a couple of kids. 

                     By Will Cobb and Gus Edwards 

Note: From Folksinger Workbook: compiled by Fred and Irwin 
      Silber. Oak Publications, N.Y. Division Embassy Music 
      Corporation, 1973, p. 248 In Tyler Public Library, 
      call No.784 si32f. 

In the following pages I have presented stories and illustrative 
material for Tyler and several Smith County Schools covering the 
period 1898-1951. The schools are those with which members of the 
John R. and Lola Hill Moore Family were associated as parents, 
teachers and/or students. They include the Troup, Omen, Starrville, 
Whitehouse, Tatum, Winona, and Tyler School Systems. The Tatum 
School in Rusk County is included for sentimental reasons--it was 
where I started to school. 

The stories are not in perfect chronological sequence. There is 
therefore considerable overlapping and duplication of time and 
events. I suggest that each school's story be considered a complete 
unit--a story within itself over a period of time.