SCHOOLS OF YESTERYEAR
Brockway School Memories, Part 1
by Janis Stein

Join me as I describe the interior of Brockway School and reminisce about one little boy's journey to school riding his tricycle.

Brockway School, also known as Sand Beach No. 8, was located in section three of Sand Beach Township on Klug Road, one-half mile south of Rapson Road or one-half mile north of Section Line. According to the school's limestone plaque, Brockway School originated in 1883, though the land was not deeded to the district until 1885.

Brockway School stood on the west side of Klug Road on a parcel about one-half acre in size. In a photograph taken as long ago as the late 1890s or early 1900s, 20 students posed with snowballs ready to be thrown. Girls dressed in their winter finery, complete with long dresses, leggings, long scarves, hats and gloves, looked as eager to play as the boys.

The white schoolhouse had two windows on both the north and south sides of the building, and during the early 1920s, the teacher's desk was located on the east end of the school just inside the entry. Blackboards were positioned on the east end of the school as well, and an aisle serving as a walk way ran from the front of the school all the way to the back where a lean-to wood shed was attached to the school. A door led into the wood shed, and there was a window on the west wall as well. The windows were equipped with shades and quite frequently the west window shade was pulled to prevent any distractions. About five rows of desks stood on either side of the aisle; single seats were positioned in front, and a number of double-seaters were located in the back.

In the early days, the old black, pot-bellied furnace stood in the northwest corner of the schoolhouse, and the library could be found just east of the furnace along the north wall. As decades changed, so did the layout of the interior of the school. In the 1940s, the teacher's desk was located in the northwest corner of the school, with blackboards positioned around it along the north and west walls.

The piano, which was an asset any schoolhouse was pleased to have on hand, stood along the north wall, and rather than the northwest corner as in previous decades, the stove was located in the northeast corner of the room. Over the years, volunteers would come in before school to light the stove, and for a time during the 1940s, Mr. Petzel took care of the task.

Likewise in the 1940s, a bookcase, which served as the school's library, was stationed along the south wall toward the west end of the school, and a set of maps could also be found along the west wall. Among many other topics, one young man studied with enthusiasm how the foundation of the Brooklyn Bridge was dug.

The interior of the school was a creamy ivory, and numerous gas lanterns hung from the ceiling since electricity at Brockway was nonexistent. For safety purposes, a fire extinguisher hung on the wall. This unique tear drop shaped container was filled with a red fluid and rested in a holder. In the event of a fire, the extinguisher would be removed from its holder and thrown into the fire.

During the 1920s, the voices of about 30 children could be heard in Brockway's schoolyard at recess. Along with baseball, Ante I Over, skipping rope, Pump, Pump Pull Away and Tag were popular games. Wintertime fun included throwing snowballs, and in the warmer months of the 1940s, Brockway's students waited patiently to take their turn swinging on their one and only swing, which hung from a tree. Duck on the Rock was also a great game played in the 1920s and was almost guaranteed to improve every ballplayer's aim. In this game, a small rock was placed atop a big one and, standing about 30 feet away, players would take aim and throw a rock at the smaller rock in an attempt to knock it to the ground.

A fence encompassed three sides of the half-acre parcel, and in preparation of each new school year, someone from the district would be hired to cut the grass in the school yard using a tractor and hay mower. The children played many a ball game on the diamond just north of the school, and on one occasion during the 1940s, one of the students swore during a heated softball game. Profanity was simply not tolerated; all of the students in the near vicinity were hauled into the school, and they promptly received a lecture. The teacher demanded to know who the villain was and, since no one confessed and no one told on the fellow to blame, about ten students had their mouths washed out with soap in an attempt to clean up the language. One young man clearly remembers the brand: Lifeboy. So strong was the soap, 60 years later he can still taste the memory!

During the 1920s, Elsie Whitcel, Ruth Steinhorse and Jean McClennan (Surnames may be spelled incorrectly.) all taught the children of Brockway. Much to the enjoyment of the children, Ms. McClennan would go outside and play with the children during recess. Also during the 1920s, the boys thoroughly enjoyed challenging each other in a game of horseshoes. Perhaps because of the potential danger involved, this game was soon taken away, much to the disappointment of many of the boys.

Students in the 1920s quickly ate their bread and butter sandwiches before running out to play during the noon hour. Other children brought a little lard, setting their container on the old black stove in the morning so by lunchtime it was warm and softened to make quite a nice spread.

During the 1940s, students carried their lunches in paper sacks, square dinner pails or Kero syrup pails. The contents often included peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, apples, canned blackberries, homemade bread, churned butter and perhaps a cookie for dessert. The children occasionally ate outside if the weather permitted, but more frequently they ate indoors.

Many children played in the nearby woods during the noon hour, where they had loads of fun. The only problem was when the teacher rang the bell, some of the students didn't quite make it back to the schoolhouse as promptly as the teacher required. Delinquents who were five minutes late returning to the classroom knew in advance the consequence they would face. Each late student had to stick out their hand, which was promptly slapped with a ruler by the teacher. One would think the smart blow would be enough of a reminder not to dally, but for a few students the extra five minutes was well worth the sting!

Other punishments dished out for infractions like whispering to someone in his seat were not quite as severe. Those students caught chatting when they weren't supposed to be were required to go up to the blackboard and draw a circle on it. They were then told to put their nose in the center of the circle and instructed not to move!

The children had plenty of fun traveling to and from school and often helped each other along the way. One lad always saved time by cutting through the woods. Holding his younger cousin's hand to help her along, he noticed her lunch had fallen right out of its box. Without hesitation, he quickly scooped it up again and not a tear was shed.

Another little boy made the half-mile walk alongside the teacher, since she boarded just across the road from his home. The same little boy during his first year of school during the mid-1930s rode his tricycle to school with his teacher walking next to him. Imagine the patience she must have had while she waited for those little legs to go around and around and around!

During the 1920s, one lad either walked or rode his bicycle on his half-mile route to school. As boredom set in, and it often did, a few of the students would open a few mailboxes along the way, and then run as fast as they could to the schoolhouse. Residents would follow in hot pursuit and tell the teacher what the pranksters had pulled. Though Elsie Whitcel (Surname may be spelled incorrectly.) was tiny in stature, she was a teacher who could be one tough lady when provoked, and the students more often than not wished they had left the mailboxes alone!

Be sure to look for this column in next month's issue as Brockway students continue to reminisce about their good ol' days.

If you would like to see your schoolhouse featured in this series and are willing to share your experiences, please e-mail Janis at janis@lakeshoreguardian.com or write to Janis at The Lakeshore Guardian, 9697 Purdy Rd., Harbor Beach, MI 48441.

© 2006 Janis Stein