By Edward Master
When this cold weather pops up, sweeps in, whatever, it stirs up some memories, some of which I could do without thank you very much.
When I was still a government employee in Boyers and not too concerned about a government shutdown, I would periodically chat with coworker Jim Oliphant, an ex-classmate at ACV schools, about our days at the Parker Junior High School. We often commiserated about our walks about the campus, especially after the “mansion” went toast in the eighth grade. Our almost general conclusion was “How did we learn anything?”
When the boiler blew in the mansion, my homeroom moved to the original grade school on Ludlow St.
We trekked down Seward, turned right onto Cooper, across the gully and onto Ludlow. A new elementary building had been built at the site where the Parker Personal Care facility now sits. I believe there were some sixth graders still in the old school.
The gym sat at the corner of Seward and Cooper. No wonder it was called a bandbox. It was very, very small. For protection/safety there was a mat on the wall under the east basket. Likewise, a mat was on the stage under the west basket. Our music class that was on the stage was moved to the elementary school on the hill post mansion.
Betty Shoup’s homeroom (8-1, mine) moved to the first floor of the ‘old’ elementary. We packed up in the morning and off we went—wind, snow, shine. Oddly enough, I don’t remember having to avoid snowballs all that often. Of course, that may have been due to Principal John Pager’s board of education. I believe Pager moved to a boys school dean position before I entered ninth grade, meaning he took his freshman daughter Pam with him. The new school was in the Midwest I believe. Never saw nor heard from Pam Pager again.
We didn’t have backpacks in those days. There were maybe a few book bags at best. We lugged around our books and they got wet (and heavy) in the rain. Actually, the books were always heavy, rain or no rain.
The two main buildings were the wood shop and the home-ec rooms, and a few classrooms. No wonder ACV consolidated from Parker, Emlenton, and St. Petersburg schools.
Perryville still had an elementary school and Foxburg had a sixth grade until a new school appeared. I really don’t miss the steps at the Foxburg turn.
We had Quonset huts, two rows of three. We wore overcoats for warmth since we went outside to change classes. Our cafeteria was in the southside row of huts; we waited in the rain until we could be served. Judy Gallagher’s reading class followed my lunch in the same room. Later, I followed up with Tony Grenek’s English class and then Daryl Davis’ reading class.
In ninth grade, Gerald Dunkle’s science class was in the far west of the north huts. That was my freshman homeroom, too. The mansion fire may have helped push the eventual merger along. I know East Brady was then the only bandbox gym for just a few years.
Now, what’s next. A-C and Union combine for a girls basketball team. Football does the same for boys. I believe golf is included in a co-op, too. The population just isn’t there anymore. Even Clarion was forced to consolidate with Clarion-Limestone and North Clarion.
So that’s the tale. I can’t imagine doing what we did just to go to school, but so it was. We lived it and survived and thrived.
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