Smyrna times., 1932-07-13

Oak-hill owes many thing to thee.
Be-speak of things you've paid to know,
Your eyes more dim, your step more slow,
Than they were sixty years ago
You've learned life's lessons well we see,
Oak-hill, owes many things to thee.
So Garman as we part to-day,
We hope we've brighter made your way,
You are our guests, we welcome you;
Where ere you go, what ere you do,
Let it be said where ere you be.
Oak-hill owes many things to thee.
M. w. Cannon.
James w. LattOmus Presides
The program was then turned
over to the Garman classes. Mr..
James w. Lattomus, lawyer, of
Wilmington, who had attended
both Garman and Oak Hill Schools,
was the chairman for Garman. He
introduced Mrs. c. Wister Thomp-
som of Vineland, N. j., formerly
Miss Annie Griffith, a teacher at
Garman. Mrs. Thompson related
her experiences as teacher Of Gar
man. She spoke Of the joys and
the hardships. The joys, however,
outnumbered the sorrows and she
felt that a kind Providence had
guided her to the school. Mrs.
Thompson said, There are many
things to her said in favor of the
one-room school. Some Of the
country's best citizens came from
such a school. There was some
thing worthwhile instilled at Gar
man otherwise the desire to have
reunion would not have been
born" Mrs. thompson closing
sentences were mo education de-
serves the name unless it teaches
thought, the thought Of the soul.
The fear of the Lord is the begin
ming Of wisdom" The next speak
er was Mrs. r. NJ Hannum of
LansdoWne, Pa, who also taught
school at Garman when she was
Miss Ida Kersey. Mrs. Hannum
spoke of the little log school and
its furnishing. She recalled the
wooden water bucket from which
they all drank, using the same tin
cup. The water had been carried
from nearby stream. The
grounds were kept clean by the
children who used brooms made
from twigs. Mrs. Hannum, in de-
scribing the times, said, Those
children were real. They were not
afraid of mental or physical work.
Whatever material was at hand
they made use of, thus showing the
real pioneer spirit"
Letter From j. l.. Boots, Nebraska
James L. Lattomus delighted the
gathering by reading letter from
J. L. Boots, who now lives in the
State of Nebraska. Mr.. Boots was
former pupil of Garman School.
He is 85 years old and left this
vicinity in company with two com
panions, when he was seventeen
years old. Mr.. Boots states in his
letter that while they were cross
ing the plains in OK carts they were
attacked by Indians and one of
their companions was killed. The
other companion, Skaggs by name,
Joined party to fight the Indians
to get revenge for the death of his
comrade and was responsible for
more than one Indian biting the
dust" Mr.. Boots letter was very
and greatly appreciated
by the members.
Mrs. Benz. BedweII, KentOn, Talks
Mrs. Benjamin Bedwell Of Ken
ton, represented the Garman schol-
ars. Mrs. Bedwell gave a very in
teresting description of the school.
She said, IF close my eyes 1 can
see as plainly as day old Garman
School. 1t was made of logs. /
can see the shiny old benches and
the rows Of high desks. The
benches were made of oak planks,
10 inches wide, with sharpened
sticks for legs. They had no backs
and person had to be pretty long
legged if his feet touched the
floor. The floor was made of slabs
with the smooth side turned up.
There was an old stove in the cen
ter of the room and you burned
in the front and froze in the rear"
Mrs. Bedwell said that while they
had fun and gained knowledge in
their school, she was glad that the
children of to-day have so many
more advantages for greater joys
and greater knowledge.
Traces Local History of Delaney's
Mr.. James w. Lattomus then
traced the settlement of the vicin-
ity from the time that the grant |
of land was given to a Mr.. Dulany
by the king of England. The grant
was subdivided into smaller grants.
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