Armstrong Springs’ Old One-room Schoolhouse

The following was written by Juanita Bogard Steadman, who said it was based on memories of Redus School at Armstrong Springs where most of the Armstrong children attended. The school was named for the family that donated the land where it was located. White County Historical Society member Mildred Staerkel says her mother particularly remembered a Redus School teacher named Henry Neal who married one of his older students.

It’s an old-fashioned story
And one I must tell
‘bout an old one-room schoolhouse
And its loud-clanging bell
That summoned the children
All during the week
And Christians on Sunday
Their solace to seek!
At the edge of the village
Near a forest it stood,
It was covered with ivy
And built out of wood,
It housed an old organ
And a pot-bellied stove,
All the kids and the teachers
I remember with love!
The old-fashioned wellhouse
That stood near the school
Was latticed and shaded
And delightfully cool;
The grass-covered schoolground
Where wildflowers bloomed
Permeated the air
With their fragrant perfume!
We’d play games of baseball
Or farmer-in-the-dell
And then get so thirsty
We’d run for the well,
Crowd ‘round the old bucket,
See who could be first
To drink the cool water
Satisfying his thirst!
I remember small fellows
Climbing the trees
And girls with long pigtails
Whom the boys liked to tease,
The many fine programs
And good spelling bees,
Santa Clauses at Christmas
And huge Christmas trees!
Each Wednesday night
The old bell would ring
Calling us all
Back together again
Carrying lanterns
To make the road light
While we trudged through the darkness
On Prayer Meetin’ night!
We’d play the old organ
And loudly would sing
‘til the old schoolhouse rafters
Would literally ring;
When the meeting was over
We’d talk, laugh and such
For we all liked being
Together so much.
All Day Singings” in summer
From morning ‘til night
Ice cream suppers, pie suppers,
A lovers’ delight,
The many “Revivals” that came
Just before “Fall” –
The old one-room schoolhouse
Has sheltered them all.
Now the loud-clanging school bell
Will call us no more
To the old one-room schoolhouse
As in days gone before,
And the cool latticed wellhouse
Where we’d pass time away
Was caught in a windstorm
And all blown away!
I will always remember
The happiness there
Of weekdays in learning
And Sundays in prayer,
And never a place
Will I love quite as well
As the old one-room schoolhouse
And its loud-clanging bell!