, 1925-02-05
"REMINISCENCES
BY OLD-TIMER,
j. F. HEAGNEY

Rawlins this year and after looking
it over and reading the article in re-
gard to same it brings to my mind
and will bring to the minds of many
of your older readers the school in
RawIins from about 1874 to 1888 or
Whereabouts,
In one of my former letters l told
you about our first school in the old
log building IN the south side of the
tracks and which we all called the
old court house.
1t was used for court purposes, for
entertainments and for a jail. or any
thing else hat might come up.
We, as "kids," sat on Benches in
this school and l must say tina 1t
was very tiresome work not only for
us but for our teacher, Mr.. kirk.
But there were not many scholars in
Rawlins at hat time and of course
we did the best we could under the
circumstances and as Wyoming was
new we were lucky to have a school
and teacher.
1t might be we'll to recall to some
of the older residents of Rawlins at
his time the names of a few of the
scholars of the early days and of
the first and second schools. Among
thcLl "tic. Dop' Oohh' FhiiNc Wv
Bill Granger (Finlay); Mary, Dan
and Jno. Healy; Jno. Bill and Annie
Heagney; Boyd and Joe Kirk and
Mrs. L. C. Miller. Frank Spafford,
Mark O'Brien, Roy Bailey, John
Hickey. JEANNE Nolan. Lillian and
Sylvia Heath, Birdie O'Neill, Alice
Fannie and Chas. Sullivan, Frank
and Sarah Thompson. Herbert O'Neill
"Truxie" Blake, Effie and Mary Fow-
Ter and l guess | had better ring off
for | know your space is too valuable
to give over to the memories or hal
fluctuations of an old man.
Coming back to earth | will say
that I have often wondered how us
old timers would have acted if we
had had the same chances and same
schools they have now and nave had
for several years past.
The boy or girl who does not take
full advantage of the schools now
and the great opportunities they Of
fer will surely regret it. When l
went to school Cup to 1889 we had
no gymnasium. no auditorium, no
class plays, no drills and you might
say mo anything except speaking
on Friday afternoons and about once
a year we gave a public entertain
ment or exhibition at which a few
of the boys and girls would speak,
sing. etc, and it was almost imposs-
ible to get some of us boys to learn
speeches or songs and deliver them
at these entertainments. The girls
were not so bad, but the boys on Fri
day afternoons and entertainments
were very conspicuous by their alb
sence.
have often wished since those
days that | had spoken n little piece
or sung a song every time l was
asked. for this reason. There are
none of us but who like to attend
banquets. entertainments, etc. and
we cannot always attend these func-
lions without at some time being
asked to speak and II we are not
prepared to do 1t so 1t becomes very
embarrassing, not only to us but to
the company.
II You are a member of different
lodges or societies you have seen this
happen and where one man or
oma could get up and make an
interesting talk there would be sew
eral who could not say a word. Al
though called upon to do so. The
best way 10 overcome this. to my
mind. is TO commence while you are
in school and take part in all kinds
OF debates. speaking or entertaining
and as you grow older the lessons
will remain with you and will ave
you much suspense and embarrass-
ment at times.
In the old court house school we
had one OF the few organs in Raw
Inns and several OF the girls could
play this organ and every time we
had a chance that organ was in use.
Especially ut recess, JEANNE Nolan
was the orRanist most OF the time
and the popular song with US was
Gathering up the Shells from the
Shore" and / will say that those
were the happiest days OF all. Maud
although the shells were a long way
from Rawlins.
Our second school was on the
north side OF the tracks and was
Just north OF the Presbyterian
church. ct may be there yet. but
not occupied as a SCHOOL,. II was
a long building (frame) and made
two large rooms. but by lowering n
glass partition In the center It was
made into n room. but this was
only done on special occasions such
rs entertainments. etc.
But. say. folks. W. were the proud
est bunch OF kids" In the L.. s. A.
when We took up our studies In that
new building. II was built at an ex-
pense OF n few hundred dollars but
served the purpose for several years.
until the school on the hill was built.
but now II takes many thousands OF
dollars TO build nn up-to-datc school
house.
There used to be a rock that pro-
trudcd through the ground In the
street between the Presbyterian
church and the school house almost
.. foot) and at our times Charles
Johnson drove a dray team and In