Forest Hills School

It was the mid 50s and I was now old enough to go to school. My first grade teacher was Miss Spillman and it was her first year teaching. To say the least we did not see hit it off well. I don't know who she thought she was trying to tell me what I could or would do, but she wasn't my mama and I made up my mind I was not going to let her win the contest of wills. As a result of this attitude I got to know Miss Katherine Bissett Von Glahn (31 October 1894 - 4 July 1981) very well that first year. By the way

L to R: Miss Moody,
Miss Von Glahn, Mrs Emma Neuer

Miss Von Glahn was the school principle and her office was up a flight of stairs in the old and main part of the school building. She retired in 1957, wonder if dealing with me might have had something to do with her retiring? I could get there in my sleep and blindfolded by the end of the first month of school. As a result of this contest of wills I stayed in trouble, but that hard headed teacher never broke me or my will. I considered that a victory, but I know you have heard the saying "Win the battle and lose the war" well the following year was spent in Mrs. Brogden's class. Mrs. Brogden was a very good first grade teacher. I enjoyed my second year of school and my second year in the first grade in her class. We always started the day by saying the 23 Psalm and the pledge to the flag. You could do that back then.

Forest Hills was named after the community that it was built in back in the 1920's or 30's I think. There was the main and older building which was a two story building and the newer one story building that was on the back. The newer building was for the first and second grades and the older housed the third through sixth grades and the library, auditorium and old cafeteria. The new section also had a cafeteria that was bright and had lots of windows and was connected to the old cafeteria by what looked like a garage door. The old cafeteria was in what had been the basement of the main building and was dark and directly under the auditorium. Always liked it best, because that is where the big kids got to eat.

We lived little over a mile from the school and I got to walk to and from school every day (you could do that back then). Right behind the school was Spofford Mill an old cotton mill and each morning it would blown the mill whistle at 8 AM and you would know it was time to quit playing along the way to school and hurry on to school so as not to be late.

Forest Hills Elementary 1950

Back then you had things like mill whistles and Civil Defense sirens that let you know what time it was and that the world was still safe. Each morning at 8 AM the Mill whistle would blow so you new it was time to start work and on Saturday the Civil Defense Siren would blow at noon so you knew it was lunch and then Sunday there was always church bells. At night there was the light from the airport that revolved like a lighthouse but it was first white and then green and it could be seen for miles not like the weak beacon they have today that can hardly be seen at the airport.

At recess I would sometime sneak off the play ground into the woods beside the school and spent the entire recess looking at the stones in the old Delgado Graveyard that made me feel like Tom Sawyer. Then after school when it was warm I would sometimes stop to play in the creek before going on home. Back then your parents didn't worry if you were a little late getting home, they knew that you were probably playing along the way or stopped at Mrs. Bell's Store for a 5 cent Coke and a piece of penny candy. By the way those York Peppermint Paddies you pay a quarter for, was penny candy.