SEVIER COUNTY SCHOOLS

My father, Tom Jones Sr. told me that when he was a small boy the school that he attended was located on a small mound, on the east bank of the Rolling Fork River, at the lower end of Buzzards Roost . Tom never mentioned any of his brothers or sisters attending this school. Possible Aunt Ida and Uncle John because of their age being near Tom's could have attended here, and as far as I know none of my father's brothers or sisters completed school. I have been to the location of the old school many times while hunting years ago but it has been cut over and changed so much till I couldn't recognize it now. Mrs Onie Dodd was his teacher at the time. He could at that time see the building, even though it was more than a mile to school. Mrs. Dodd did not have a bell so she would take a stick and beat on the wall about ten minutes before class would start. Tom could hear that, and he would then run to school. This school only had eight grades and one teacher. I don't know about any others but Uncle Bud, could not read or write.

When I started to school in 1933 the school was located between VanderVoort and Altena Avenue and North 3r. and North 4th. Street. I was not ready to start school. it took away from my play time.

When I started to school Arkansas schools had 13 grades. It had a Primary and grades one through 12. I went through all 13. If you were smart enough you would pass from Primary to 2nd. grade. Dumb ones likde me had to go to first grade.

You Had to live one and a half miles from school to ride the bus. Therefore every one in our end of town walked. They seemed to change this rule every change of the moon. When it was in effect every one south of the Union Community walked to school.

My first day at school was a nightmare. When I left for school that morning my mother gave a brown grocery bag with a sandwich in it. She told me it was for my dinner. Well when the bell rang at noon the teacher told all the children it was lunch time.

Well me being a country boy I had no idea what lunch was. All I had ever heard was dinner. Well I struck out for the house. When I walked in my mother wanted to know why I was home. Well when I told her she explained to me what lunch was. Come as quite a shock to me. She then sent me back to school.

We studied the 3 R�s at school. Readin Writin and Ritametic.

My first teacher was a Miss Smith. She later married Hyder Schull. She was a good teacher.

When you did something wrong the teacher would make you stand in the hall. Standing in the hall was no problem, but it was embarrassing.


TOMMY JONES