Coal Mine School (1961-1963)

My grandson Jeremy called me this morning at 6:15 AM. He needed help with his homework (because he'd put if off until the last minute just like his mother used to do). He wanted to interview me about my elementary school. I told him about the big one I went to in Granger Wyoming for grades 5 through 8. It had four rooms, with 2 classes per room and a total of 30 students from grades 1 through 8.

After I hung up, I thought I should have told him about my 3rd and 4th grade school near Bill Wyoming (1961-1963). The school was called Coal Mine School, because it was located near a coal mine. My Dad (Jeremy's great-grandfather) was the teacher for myself and the other 8 students in the school. He was also the principal, bus driver, football coach, custodian, subject specialist, school nurse and lunch/recess supervisor.

The school had two rooms... a classroom and a closet. It was heated by a coal stove (surprise!) which I usually had to stoke. It had a boys and a girls outhouse, so it was very cold in the winter. We didn't go to the bathroom unless we REALLY had to. It also had a big yard with a merry-go-round, and a couple of swings. There was no telephone at the school. No such thing as cell phones then.

In the morning we would go to the school and light the coal stove so it would be warm when school started. My Dad and I would then go pick up 4 of the students in the school bus (my Dad's 1957 Chevy station wagon). They lived on nearby ranches. We also had to pack our lunches since there were no school lunches. At the end of the day we'd take the 4 students home, then go back to the school. My Dad would grade papers while I swept the floor and cleaned the school up. Come to think of it, I never got paid for doing his custodial job. After that we'd go to our little trailer (about a mile away next to the coal mine). The trailer had a living room, kitchen and bedroom. We'd stay there Monday through Thursday nights, then go back home to Douglas Wyoming, where my Mom, brother and sisters lived, for the weekends.

We did a lot of fun and interesting projects in school. Mr. Polson (Dad) was very good at Math and Geography, but not too good at English. He liked to read to us, and we used to do school plays. We learned a lot because we had to listen to lessons for the older students. I was the fasted student in the school at doing the multiplication tables.

The most interesting thing I remember was when my friend Jakey Jacobs and I were surfing down a steep hill behind the school. We had old boards that we used as surf boards. It was a lot of fun until Jakey fell and got a huge 5 inch sliver in his bum (Ouch!). My Dad had to take it out and treat the wound.

It was a real fun school to go to. Can you tell from the picture which one I am? How about Mr. Polson.? I'm in the right row, second from the front. The one with the smirk!