"Grandma, for our final examination in grammar we are to write a story
about old times. I wonder if you and Grandpa wouldn't help me by telling me some
interesting things you did when you were young?"
"I think we can help
you. I'm sure it will be interesting for us to recall the old days. What shall
we talk about first?" asked Grandma, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
"Perhaps I'd better begin by telling you how old we are."
"I was born on
a farm in November, 1857, about four miles from where you now live.
"Your Grandpa was born on a little farm at Northville, in July. 1853."
"Grandpa, do you remember how Northville was in those days?"
"Yes;
Northville was a little inland village consisting of a blacksmith shop, wagon
shop, post office and general store. It was also a stopping place for the
stagecoach going between Ottawa and Sycamore."
"Do you remember any
interesting people of Northville?"
"Let me see," said Grandpa,
scratching his head. "John Tyrell was the blacksmith who ironed the wagons after
Frank Rogers, the wagon maker, had made the wooden parts. The wagons were then
taken to Newark to be painted."
"Northville also had a schoolhouse in
which spelling bees, singing-school and Sunday services were held."
"What did you do at spelling bees?"
"Spelling bees were held in first
one school and then another. The principal schools were Northville, Callagan and
Dewey, the one which you now attend. The spelling bees were held by the young
folks. Sides would be chosen. They would then line up against the walls, facing
one another. The visiting teacher would pronounce the words for the first
spelldown. Then sides were chosen again and the home teacher would pronounce the
words. No prizes were given. After the spelldown they would visit awhile, then
go home."
"What did they do at singing schools — just sing?"
"No; people went to singing schools for regular singing lessons, which lasted
about an hour. A singing school term lasted about twelve weeks. It cost about
five dollars a term. We attended once a week. At the end of the term a concert
was given and the singing master received all the proceeds. Jack Mills, of
Earlville, was singing master. He used a tuning fork to sound the first note of
a scale or song. After the lessons were over the rest of the evening was spent
in visiting."
It was just about this time that Grandma chuckled and
looked teasingly at Grandpa, "I must tell you a joke on Grandpa," she said,
laughing. "Talking of singing school and visiting reminds me of it. One evening
during the lesson Grandpa and Miss Humm became so interested in their
conversation that they never noticed when the singing stopped. Mr. Mills said,
'When those two stop their visiting we will go on with our lesson.' Their
conversation stopped immediately."
"In one of our pioneer stories we
read about husking bees. Did you have them when you were young?"
"Yes,
we held our husking bees at the Brunson farm," Grandpa said. "About twenty young
men and boys went to husk the standing corn. Mrs. Brunson served dinner. At
night they would all hurry home for chores and supper, dress in their Sunday
clothes, get their girls and hurry back to the Brunson home to 'trip the light
fantastic' until the small hours of morning. At midnight they were treated to an
oyster supper by Mrs. Brunson."
"Mr. Brunson used to have an artificial
fish pond, too," Grandma said. "He used to stock this pond with fish from his
own fish hatchery."
"I remember George Townsend, a neighbor of
Brunson's, who used to make good, thick sorgum molasses for the small charge of
one dollar a fifty gallon barrel," Grandpa said. "The farmers used to raise the
cane."
"Didn't you ever go to school?"
"School? You can just bet
we did!" exclaimed Grandma. "We had two terms a year. The summer term started
after corn planting was done. The winter school term started after corn husking
was done. A new teacher was usually hired for each term.
"During the
winter that Leroy McKinley taught the Callagan school there were about sixty in
attendance. One day a boy between the age of twenty-one and twenty-two did some
misdeed on the playground that the schoolmaster happened to see. He said
nothing, but when the bell rang he stepped back inside the doorway as usual.
When this young man came through the door Mr. McKinley grabbed him by the
collar, turned him over a desk and gave him a good spanking with the fire
shovel.
"The children were afraid of this teacher because he was strict,
and perhaps they dreaded the fire shovel, too!"
"I think I heard you say
something about a church. Do you remember about that?"
"Yes; it was a
Methodist church, built north of the schoolhouse. It was built by a Mr. Farnell
when I was about sixteen years of age. It was a large two-story building. The
services were held upstairs, while the basement was used for social activities.
It was the center for all social affairs. Debates, concerts and plays were held
every week, and each activity was largely attended. The preacher received large
donations. He was boarded first at one home, then another. This church was sold
and torn down about fifteen years ago.
"Abe White was an apprentice in
Frank Rogers' wagon shop. He was an active member of the church. Later he became
a noted man in the Methodist Rock River conference."
"Oh, dear," said
Grandma, glancing at the old-fashioned clock, "see how late it is!"
"I
hope you can make a good story from what we have told you," Grandpa said.
"I'll do the best I can, and thank vou both for helping me — it's been so
interesting that the time has flown."
Extracted 08 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from Stories of Pioneer Days in La Salle County, Illinois, by Grammar Grade Pupils, published in 1932, page 42.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
 |
Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
