Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-08-12

homecoming at zion, SUNDAY.
Mr.. and Mrs Jones of Columbus
are visiting at the G.. w. Jadwin
home
Betty Lou Finley, Jack King and
Daphne Ketcham have recovered
from chickenpox.
Mr.. and Mrs. Herman King went
to GAINESVILLE, Sunday, to see their
little grandson, Dean Patterson,
who has been in the hospital the
past two weeks suffering with
broken leg. He is getting along as
well as could be expected
Chester Tharp returned to his
work in Columbus, Sunday, after
spending a week at his home here
Leslie Timberman is quite i'll with
sciatic rheumatism.
HOMECOMING AT ROCK HOLLOW
On August End was held the first
Homecoming at Rock Hollow schoo!
house since the discontinuance Of
this rural school four years age.
Since the days of the pioneer set
tiers, this spot has been renowned
for natural scenery, unparalleled by
few if any other schools in Morgan
county. Rocky as in days of yore,
and nestled serenely in deep hol-
low. The result of the great glacie-
is quite evident. Many huge bould
ers were deposited in the fields ad-
joining the school grounds which
has always afforded an ideal place
for the children to play and has
made the teaching of the glacial Pc
riod, that of rasping, digging, car
rying, and dumping, an easy one
AS child / always felt this was the
dumping ground" of the great
glacier. The high wooded slope
south and west, north and east, ver-
dant fields through which a stream
winds and rewinds, and the famous
"Nigger Dem nearby, which afforded
a safe hiding place for the black
man as he fed north and to freedom,
and the level school grounds, COM
prising over an acre of ground, adds
still more to its beauty; and from
the friendly walls of the Rock Hol-
low school have gone out more
teachers than from any other one
school west of the Muskingum river.
From an early hour on the morn
ing of Aug. End, the bell in the
steeple rang out it's clear notes,
and residents Of the vicinity, former
pupils from far and near, assembled
because of the spirit of interest and
the sentiment connected with the
school. Atty ]. D. Davis, Colun,-
bus, who taught the first term in
the present building during the win
f0x, 4 -
date was considered strictly modern
and up-to date, was present ana
gave very interesting talk Other
teachers present were DR.. C. " Dav-
is, Pennsville; B. H. Martin, Zanes-
Vile; Hettie Campbell Woodward
Chesterhill, and Mrs. Jennie Potts
Parsons, Ringgold. Pupils from
distance attended as follows: A. H.
Campbell, Cleveland; Carl Kirk
bride, Springfield; Roscoe Smith,
Columbus; John Lees, Cadiz; Wayne
Blackburn, Gallipolis; Guy Williams,
Steubenville; Mary Stump Parsons
and son, Willie, GAINESVILLE; George
Stump and Chloie Williams Brown,
Crooksville; Mr.. and Mrs Lewis
Davis, Philo; Ernest Kirkbride,
Mary Campbell Hambel, Dora Van
horn Gardner, Glouster; George
Perry, Vesta Miller Best, Bessie
Miller Abel, Hobart Miller, Elma
Wooley McElfresh, Evelyn Wooley
McInturf, Pennsville; Jesse Kirk
bride, Hattie Campbell Woodward,
Mary Harrison Beard and Mary
Kirkbride Nolan, Chesterhill; Allie
Earles, Portersville The oldest pu
pills present were ''Aunt Helen Bak-
er"-83,. and Daniel L. Davis, 70,
Glouster; Malinda Christmas, 81
and Emma Armstrong, 70, Ringgold,
the four latter having attended
school in the first building erected
for school purposes Oog building),
Mrs. Eliza Vanhorn, 50, not for
mer pupil but has resided within
the environs of the school for more
than half century.
The reputation of the good peo-
pie Of this vicinity for their hos
pitality and as masters Of the cul-
mary art, was still quite evident
apd a sumptuous repast was enjoyed
at the noon hour.
Following a period of visiting and
the renewing of old acquaintance,
A. H. Campbell called the assem-
blage to order and the following pro
gram was presented: Group sing
ing, led by DR.. and Mrs. C. V. Davis;
talks by Atty Davis, B. H. Martin
and Mrs. Hattie McVicar; poem
Forty Years Ago." read by A. II.
Campbell; duet, Kirkbride sisters;
recitation, Ronnie Wooley; calling
the roll of 19O7-OS, Hettie Wood
ward; paper written and a poem
composed by Carl GLADDEN., former
teacher, read by Chloie Brown; vo
cal and instrumental music, by
Francis Kirkbride, Frank Kirkbride
and sisters. Following the program,
plans were discussed to form the
Rock Hollow association to hold the
building and grounds for a future
community center, each or as many
former pupils as desire, to have an
interest. The school house and
grounds We're purchased by Hettie
Woodward last January when the
Union Homer school board sold all
rural school houses in the town
ships except those in dispute rela-
tive to the reverting of the grounds
to former land owners.
At a late hour in the afternoon
the crowd dispersed, feeling that it |
was day of real pleasure. and the
sentiment, the associations, and the
memories of this one-outsanding
school, seemed to have developed a |
stronger affection for this spot in
the heart of each person present.
The writer hopes to be able to |
submit for publication in next |
weeks county papers complete |
list Of all teachers having taught in
this school since the erection OF the |
Il li,,o .srrx.x 4 ~ YIY