Beebetown Town School Strongsville District #8 Miss Maud Evans
early 20th century
Beebetown Town School Strongsville District #8 Miss Maud Evans
early 20th century
Five hundred people gathered on the school grounds Saturday, July 28, to celebrate the centennial of the first settlement at Beebetown.
The oldest person present was Drias Tillotson, who is 88 years old, and the oldest lady was Mrs. Ellen Newton, 86 years old, and there were probably a couple dozen past the age of 70 in attendance. The youngest boy present was Ernest John Smith, aged five months, 15 days, and Miss Wilma Pebbles, nine months, 15 days, was the youngest girl present.
Martial music was furnished throughout the day by Goldwood's band, of Hinckley. A fine program was rendered as follows: Address of Welcome by the President, Charles Newton; response by Rev. Edmond Tompkins, of Norwalk; duet by Prof. and Mrs. Unnewehr, of Berea; history, Addie Clement; duet by the Poots sisters; "Geography song," led by A. E. Clement; address by Rev. Charles H. Searles. Mr. Searles compared the mode of traveling 100 years ago by horseback to the up-to-date make of auto and airplane, mentioning one family who were on the road three days traveling from Cleveland to Hinckley by ox team, and now "we just think Cleveland and we are there." He also told how the hum of the spinning wheel had sung him to sleep many times.
Rev. Mr. Wood, of Columbia, Rev. O. T. Swigart, of Perrysville, and Rev. Anna Eastwood, of Dodgeville, also gave short talks.
OLD TEACHERS BACK
It was voted to hold a reunion next year and the last year's officers were re-elected as follows: Charles Newton, president; A. E. Clement, Vice-president; Beulah Todd, secretary; Emma May, corresponding secretary; Harold Schnell, treasurer. Five of the past teachers were present, viz., Newman Van Deusen, Hinckley, who taught the last term in "the little old red school house" in 1872-3; Mrs. Louisa Bolles of Brunswick, who taught three years beginning 1903; Mrs. Maude Evans of Brunswick, from 1906-1910; Miss Irene Evans, of Berea, 1913-1914; Miss Florence Smith, 1920-1921.
The relic room was one of the greatest attractions, some of the most unique features of which were a Bible which was purchased by Solomon Finney Feb. 19, 1766, and given to his sweetheart, Miss Tamar June, who was born in 1746. They were married in 1774. The wedding coat of Lucius Frisbie, who was married in 1825, also the coat worn by Richard Clement in the British army in 1830.
Spinning wheels, candle molds, brass candle-sticks, bed warmers, wooden and tin lanterns. One little boy was asked if he knew what they were and he immediately answered, "Yes, that is a lantern like Moses Cleveland carries in his pictures." A dozen or more lady's bonnets, including the old poke-bonnet, also the implements used in making the straw hats, hoop skirts, old laces and many beautiful as well as odd coverlets. Guns and swords of all descriptions, also bullets and bullet molds, ox yokes, Confederate money and several collections of Indian relics. The school house was filled with these relics of the past. One man was heard to remark that the display was even better than the Western Reserve Museum. An empty whiskey bottle labeled "Good Old Times" had its place in the exhibits.
FOUR GENERATION PICTURES
Many photos of "old-timers" caused many a hearty laugh. A four-generation picture of Juliet Brandow, Ella Sheerlein, Edna Plants, and Ruth Plants was made interesting by the fact that each of the four was born and now live on the same farm.
A young (?) couple garbed in high silk hat, broad-cloth coat, hoop-skirts and dolman, carrying a gun and lantern were married by Rev. Mr. Searles, the groom promising to cut all the wood and kindling, the bride promising to get up and start the fire and bake the biscuits three times a day. The groom promised to give the parson two bushels of potatoes and a pig for tying the knot.
Three hundred and twenty-five men, women and children partook of a fried chicken dinner which caused the ladies many hours of hard work, being repaid only by seeing the happy meeting of old friends, who had not met for many years. The rain of the night before had laid the dust and cooled the atmosphere and "Old Sol" kindly veiled his face, making it an ideal picnic day. Newman VanDeusen, of Hinckley, was on hand with a refreshment stand kept everybody sweet.
Taken from the Medina County Gazette, Tuesday, July 31, 1923
Beebetown school, built 1874