January 22, 1953

This Article Appeared In The Times

But Was Not Actually Titled Cal’s Column

Transcribed by Janette West Grimes

Texas Letter

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Dear Editor:

The cut you brought out last week of "Antioch" school [Galen] taught by John C. Price in 1900 brings glad and sad memories to me. Glad, for in the nineties with teachers such as Jack and Nuck Tucker, Moody Freeman, Tom Tucker, Tom Dotson, John Holland, Kay Heeter, and J. C. Price there were twenty or thirty of us who did enjoy the school as well as the play down there. Sad, for after more than half a century most of the faces shown can live only in the memories of the rest of us. Modesty or illness kept me away the day the picture was made, but a brother and two sisters were there. With but a few doubtful ones, I am able from the small print [treasured by all who see it, I am sure] to name for your readers those pictured.

In the cut page one, bottom, MCT of Jan. 1, 1953. On back row reading from left are: Lizzie Swindle, Able ["Little Abe"] Freeman, Bertie May Marsh [married B. Buie Tucker], Henry East, Varney Celsor, Jimmy Celsor, Professor Price, Buie Tucker, Wesley H. Cook, Newt Gentry, Benton Archer, Nancy Ellen Driver, Quinnie Celsor, and Milton Shaw [man looking up and to his left]. The hat of Mr. Gentry, local blacksmith, can be seen in full in my copy of the picture.

In front of the back row and back of the front row are faces in irregular order, left to right, as follows: Abe Cook's daughter [?], Laura Tucker, Nellie East [Dr. Patty East's daughter], Virgie Cook [sister of W. H. Cook], a young lady I do not recall, John Holland, holding his little baby girl, Joe West, Lester Driver, Scott girl [front of Lester], Elmer East [son of Dr. East], Sam Marsh [to Elmer's left] with Robert Archer in front of them [Elmer and Sam], two of Robert's left I do not identify but may be daughter and son of Billy Driver. The others can be counted with the front row.

Front, left to right, are: Uncle Jesse Talmon [Dr. East's father-in-law, who lived on Long Fork, was a Civil War veteran, walked on knees fron gun-shot], Stella Cook [daughter of E. G. Cook, of Eason on White Oak where our family and that of D. H. Knight lived], Milton Shaw's daughter, Hise Marsh [brother of other Marsh school children], next boy is perhaps a Cook and brother of first girl in second row [left end], next boy is perhaps a Cook and brother to first girl in second row [left end]; next with head down, Jimmy D. Freeman, Vester Bohanan, Lena Marsh, girl I do not recognize, Miles West, Swindle or Scott girl, Gracie May Freeman, Denola Freeman, Hallie Ann Freeman, Edgar Bohanan, "Boss" Tucker, Jimmy Tucker, Wick Freeman, Emma Tucker, Mary Freeman, Webb Archer, and perhaps a Hagan boy. Some readers can verify some of my suggestions and can clarify some where I am in doubt.

The house faced the road and the west, toward the road that leads toward the creek road for White Oak. Some years ago a new house was built out near Uncle [Preacher] Buie's and Johnny Freeman's homes, up the ridge road past where we sometimes played marbles in the dusty road. The old house shown was bought by "Boss" Tucker and is used as a storage for feed. In history, reading, arithmetic, spelling, geography, industry, and behavior I should gladly compare these pupils with any in your county today. In spite of poor English at home we learned at school what is correct and knew the reason.

This school was perhaps in the spring of 1900. It seems that Jesse, Phoebe, and Eva Bell Knight should have been there if a fall school. Ocia, Dudley, and Ben Driver should have been there, unless it was a special session of school [subscription], for the Knights came with me and Hassie, Wick, and Nola, up through the woods to Milton Shaw's home just below Antioch where we came into the ridge road. Then there should have been in the fall school Sallie Ann Sailor, Wade, Dudley, and Henry Roark, Luther Holland, and several Swindle and Scott, children from down the ridge. Up the ridge we should have had Henry Bray and his sister, Brownie Tucker and Bessie. There would have been some Austins, Simpsons and others in a fall term.

The back row in the picture represents a select and ambitious group of young folks for so small a school, and I am glad to report that a number of them have more than " made good." Most of the parents of children then were poor, industrious, pious and ambitious for their children. Every fall, school was dismissed while we attended revival services in the local church. Some of this number did not enjoy, but the general influence was probably helpful to balance the mischief that always cropped out. How all of us yet living would enjoy visiting school there today! Though I am an alumnus of half a dozen colleges and universities from Yale to Texas, I should enjoy more a day with pupils of old Antioch than of any other place on earth. I should like to hear from any old student who reads these lines.

Webb Freeman,

Box 680

Commerce, Texas