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Show — THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 14 Volume IV, Issue VIII August 1, 2001 Do I Need A Old School Houses in Liberty Note: Information obtained from a booklet entitled, “A History of Ogden Valley,” and “Echoes of the Past, Liberty Ward.” In the early days, the children in the community of Liberty were either sent to Eden to school or a teacher came to the home and taught them. Sindy Garrett would go to some of the homes to teach the children to read, unless their own parents were able to teach and had the books. Books were very few and hard to get in those days. School in Liberty was held at first in the old granary or room fixed up by old Jim Ferrin at his place down below the Campbell and Richard Ferrin places. All the schoolteachers, up to and including Molly and Rose Heninger, through 18861887, taught the children there. When the snow became too deep, the school at Ferrin’s was closed and the kids had to go on bobsleds all the way to Eden to school. In 1883 when Mary Ellen Marshall, and in 1892-1893 a new one-room frame house was erected for the cost of about eleven hundred dollars. It was dedicated on December 4, 1892. The first graduating class of 1892-1893 graduated under teacher R. N. Ames. In this one-room school, all eight grades met together. Ten years later in 1902, another room was built on the north side. And an additional teacher was hired. This was more convenient for the teachers and students. The schoolhouse had two cloakrooms and a bell in the tower. There was also a pot-bellied stove in each room. As with the original schoolhouse, all church activities, school, and social functions were held in the building. In 1915, a four-room modern brick school was erected, just about a block east of the old school house, on four acres purchased from the Walter Lindsay homestead. It boasted modern facilities, such as steam heat, hot and cold water and toilets for the students, instead of outside privies. At first there were three teachers. In 1918 four teachers were hired. In 1921, because of declining the eldest daughter of John Marshall, enrollment, the number of teachers went back down to three. By 1935, only two teachers taught at the school for the nine grades taught. This schoolhouse was located just east of the school bus garages, and west | reached the age of six, and was old enough to attend school, John began a campaign to get a school started in Liberty. He called the citizens together and converted them to the idea. John was appointed to meet with Louis F. Moench, Weber County Superintendent, citing state law that said that if five children were of school age, they could demand a teacher. At first Superintendent Moench laughed at John, but after much persuasion on Mr. Marshall’s part, Liberty was given permission to have a school. John Marshall donated one acre of land for the new school. By about 1887 or 1888, the Eden peo- ple had planned, and built a new school. In 1884, the people of Liberty bought the old school for $5.00, tore it down, moved the logs to Liberty and reassembled it. Mary Holmes served as the school’s first teachers in this crude, one room building. The building was twenty-six by twenty- two feet, and i1t had the distinction of a shingled roof, which was very rare time. John Marshall gave an acre ground for the log schoolhouse. ground was on the northeast corner at that of his This of his . farm, which was located in the center of town. Molly Heninger and Rose, her sister from Eden, were also among those early schoolteachers in Liberty. Molly would ride her horse from Eden to Liberty either on Sunday evening or early Monday morning. She would stay during the week with the Marshalls, and return to Eden Friday after school. Additional early schoolteachers in Liberty include Naomi Fifield, Henry T. ~ Chard, Alma Card, Edward Davis, R. N. Ames, Fred Briscoe, John Rawson, David Dean, Charles McLaughlin, Rilen Cain, and George W. Dale. In 1887, there were about 55 primary age children in Liberty. For years, this log one-room building served as a gathering place for the community, in addition to serving as a school. It was dedicated and used as a church meeting house. A wood-burning stove heated the crude building. Later, the log room was moved about 1 1/2 miles farther north, of Delbert Bishop’s home on River Drive. C. J. Humphries of Ogden was awarded the contract to build the brick schoolhouse for $9,315. Halverson Brothers were awarded the plumbing contract for $697. In 1915-1917, Mrs. Naomi Sterns and other teachers helped the school purchase a p1ano and some beautiful pictures. Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Neal in 1920-1923 raised money for three tables and a victrola. During the years 1927 to 1928, the teachers helped the students raise money for the swings, giant slides, chinning bars, teeters and a volleyball court. After 1935, grades seven, eight, and nine were bussed to Huntsville school. , Prior to the fall of 1935, the school- house was remodeled. The upstairs were combined into recreation room. A stage was small modern kitchen located stage. Hallways were made two rooms one large, built with a behind the downstairs Children would bring their lunches to school in small, lard buckets or in sacks. A few would have the real store dinner pails. The lunches would consist of sandwiches, school day special—peanut butter or jam. If anyone had an orange tucked in their lunch pail, how lucky they were! An apple, cookie, or piece of cake was also a rare treat. Sometimes sandwiches -would be traded at lunchtime, and maybe an apple or two for an orange. How happy the schoolboys and girls were when a hot bowl of soup with soda crackers was served at noon for three cents a bowl. The Liberty women who were hired would make the soup in their homes and bring it to school steaming hot. Mrs. Margaret Whiteley and Mrs. Christina Lindsay were two of the Liberty ladies who did this. There were also others from time to time. They would bring the soup on hand drawn sleighs in the wintertime. These two dear ladies often gave the soup free to some of the larger families who found it hard to pay all the time. The soup was served in large soup bowls. We all remember how delicious that homemade soup was. , Later, through the Federal Lunch Program, a hot school lunch program was added. How well we remember the first cook at the Liberty School. She was Mrs. Sarah Rhodes Shaw—an excellent cook. All the meals were so delicious. The lunch tables were set on the stage; and the school children were seated around the two large tables. It was just like one large family. The blessing on ‘the food was said either by the teacheror one of the students before eating the hot, appetizing meal. Wouldn’t it be nice te step outside on a beautiful morning in Liberty and hear the bell in the old school tower ring just once more? Just, maybe, if you listened, you could hear the laughter of the children’s voices at recess on the town square as they engage in their favorite sport of baseball. Some of the children would be sneaking over to Uncle Will’s store with a penny or two for candy. Girls would be jumping rope or playing ball, too. Those were the dear, old school to enter the restrooms from inside, and the two lower rooms were used for class- rooms. Grades one through three were in the east room, and grades four through six were in the west room. At one point the seventh, eight, and ninth grades were bused to Huntsville School. Only one teacher was hired to teach the first five grades in 1947 because, again, of a decrease in the pupil population. The sixth grade joined the older children at Huntsville. The enrollment at this time was just nineteen pupils. Finally, in 1950, the Liberty School was closed, when all Liberty children were then sent to the Huntsville school under a consolidation program, and the old Liberty school bell was stilled forever. Many fond memories can be recalled about these school days in Liberty. Transportation to school was difficult before the school buses came into existence. Some children would walk miles to attend school. In bitter, cold winter weather, many of the small children and older students would arrive at school with their hands and feet half frozen. Some of the parents would bring their children to school in sleighs during the cold winter months. Other children rode horses. Later local people of the town were hired through Weber County School Board to transport the pupils to school. ‘First, they were taken by horse drawn conveyances and then by motor driven buses with all the modern conveniences. Tetanus Shot? (NAPSA)-As spring weather rolls in, shoes and socks start coming off. Floods often occur across the country from heavy spring showers and melting snow. The good weather also kicks off the season to travel abroad. What do all these things have in common, besides occurring in the spring? They pose a threat for tetanus infection. You may already be aware that stepping on a rusty nail or a puncture wound could cause a tetanus infection, a bacteri- al disease that affects the nervous system and 1s often fatal. What you may not know is that tetanus bacteria can also enter the body even through a tiny pinprick, a scratch from an animal, splinters, bug bites and even burns that break the skin. “Your best defense against tetanus is vaccination,” said Kathleen Clem, MD, of the American College of Emergency Physicians.” Although vaccination has made this disease uncommon in the United States, too many people, especially infants and the elderly, still die from tetanus.” Tetanus vaccination is one of the recommended childhood immunizations and should begin during infancy. In most parts of the United States, tetanus immunization is required before starting school. The first time you are vaccinated, you will receive a series of five shots spread out over several months. Generally, children start vaccination at two months.of age, and the shots are usu- ally completed by age five. After those first series of shots, you should receive a booster shot every ten years. , If you step on a nail or suffer a wound that is deep and dirty, and haven’t had a tetanus shot in the past ten years, you need help fast. Seek medical attention immediately and rinse the wound with tap water. Do not cleanse with soap or apply antiseptic to a deep wound. Besides a tetanus shot, your doctor may also give you an injection of something called tetanus immune globulin, which acts fast to prevent infection. There is a small window of opportunity for the tetanus immune globulin to work, so don’t delay seeking medical care. Be aware of the first signs of tetanus infection. Also known as lockjaw, tetanus causes stiffness of the neck, diffi- Last Liberty Brick Schoolhouse. days in our town. Such beautiful memories will always be a part of us. culty swallowing, rigidity of abdominal muscles, spasms, sweating and fever. Symptoms usually begin eight days after the infection, but occur anywhere within three days to three weeks. “It 1s important to keep an immuniza- tion record for everyone in the family,” said Dr. Clem. “One of the main reasons people die from this disease is because they didn’t realize their vaccination had expired.” To obtain a free Immunization Record form, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Immunization Record Form, ACEP, 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 325, Washington, D.C. 20037. 4% | ADVENTURE Full Service Travel Agency Specialist in Hawaii, Mexico, Disney, Cruises, Golf Packages. - Open daily, weekends & - evenings. Call Jane Olson 745-2807 | |