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Left: The Hominy Festival was held in March at Lee School, a small country school in
Lawrence County near Fishing Creek Chapel. This one was held in 1950 or 1951.
In the first picture the students dressed in old-time clothes are greeting the
guests at the school’s front doors. The doors led into a hall where coats, caps
and boots were kept. It opened into the three rooms of the school. Two were
used as classrooms. Grades 1 through 4 were taught in Room 1 by Mrs. Nettie
Brumfield, whose parents, uncles, aunts, she herself and all of her children
attended Lee School. In Room 2, grades 5 through 8 were taught by Mr. Clarence
Phipps. The Hominy Festival was held in Room 3, a multipurpose room used for
storage, special occasions and a play room on rainy and showy days. The
students are left to right Betty King, Iris Wright Jones, Katie Mayden Deckard
and Fay Wright Denzler. Fay’s two piece dress had been saved by relatives and
probably dated back to the late 1800’s. The school motto “Do the best you can
with what you have wherever you are.” was prominently displayed for all to
see. Right: The third room of the school is being used for the festival. Students decorated
this room and the other two with pictures and posters displayed in the windows.
The tables used for the luncheon were also decorated and name cards were made
for each student. Lunch, consisting of ham, hominy, greens, corn pone and dried
apple pie, was provided by the mothers. After this feast, the guests were
entertained by the students who sang songs, recited poems and read articles
written for the festival. The main event was a “chicken reel,” a dance taught
them by a visiting music and art teacher. This dance was similar to a square
dance. Notice the antiques and old pictures in the background. They were
brought in by the students. Students pictured are Karon Chastain Wingard, Elmer Porter,
Iris Wright, Elden Holsapple, Betty King, Harry Porter, Betty Mundy, Gretchen
Reynolds, Fay Wright, Katie Mayden Deckard, Gary Chastain, Keith Chastain, Joe Steven,
Josh Brumfield and others. Heat in all three rooms was provided by a pot- bellied stoves
in the middle of the room. One can see such a stove in the picture. All three
rooms had an elevated area in the front where the teacher’s desk was located.
This section was surrounded by chalk boards. It was here that students often
had contests such as spelling bees and cyphering contests. In Mrs. Brumfield’s
room an additional motto was placed on the center blackboard “Do Right”.
Students were responsible for helping keep the school neat, clean and warm.
Boys went to the coal shed located at the rear of the school for buckets of coal
and all students cleaned erasers, wiped black boards, swept floors and washed
decks. If a teacher was absent, students filled in. Students from the upper
grades taught the younger students and if a teacher was absent, the students
carried on. Several of the students ultimately became teachers and many credit
their early teaching experience as being the inspiration for their chosen
career. No discipline problems and no rebellions! There was a pump in front of
the school and each student provided his/her own drinking cup. Lunches were
brought to school and on really special occasions, a mother might bring in some
food. A treat for the students was Mrs. Brumfield putting a big pot of beans on
top of the stove and allowing them to share the hot food if the students had the
proper utensils. ...Fay Wright Denzler Girl in the middle row, 2nd from left – Fay Wright
Denzler |