School Days in Mendon ~ Index

Agnes Jensen Sorensen

My earliest recollections of the school in Mendon are that we attended the school in the jailhouse; there were so many children that the rock schoolhouse would not hold us, so they took the small children over to the jailhouse just south of the rock building. I was a beginner; next my schooling took me to the little room in the red brick schoolhouse in 1899. My teacher was Stella Egbert. She was a splendid teacher.

After being promoted to the middle room in the rock part, Peter Larsen was my teacher as I advanced, leaving the rock house to attend school in the big room of the red brick house. Alfred G. White was my teacher and the principal of the school for a few years. I might add that I think he missed his calling, and should have been a bouncer in a nightclub or saloon.

My next teacher, and last one in Mendon was Jesse T. Reese, one of the finest and best teachers who ever graced the teaching profession.

My mother, Mary Baker Jensen taught school in Mendon when she was eighteen years old and in Hyrum at the age of nineteen. My sister Lillian Jensen taught school in Mendon under David Winn 1916-1917 with Marie B., Adelia Lemmon and David Winn 1917-1918 with Lillian Jensen and then under Preston Maughan 1918-1919 with Lillian Jensen and Jennie Richards.

My father Jens Jensen served as trustee of the Mendon School. My grandfather George W. Baker served two terms as a trustee also. Maggie Muir contributed the names of her teachers and the years they taught. Emma Baker Sorensen, 1901-1902; Miss Cole; 1902-1903; Rachel Parker Sorensen, 1903-1904; Leroy Reese, 1904-1905; Eva Williamson, 1905-1906; Emer Richards, 1906-1907; Herbert H. Thompson, 1907-1909; Charles E. Embley, 1909-1910. Principals: Alfred G. White; Jesse T. Reese; Herbert H. Thompson and Charles E. Embley.

Agnes Jensen Sorensen

Alice Smith Stauffer

I, Alice Smith, started school in 1917 in the red brick schoolhouse in Mendon, Utah. The statements I make here are some of the memories of the happy times and the precious associations with the people mentioned.

The entrance to the schoolyard through the revolving gate. The little room first and second grade. Jennie Richards the teacher. The opening of school each morning with her expressive reading of a chapter of the Wizard of Oz. Her method of teaching how to tell the time of day by a large clock drawn of the blackboard with paper hands on it. The middle room third, fourth and fifth grades. Adelia Lemmon, teacher of third grade a small woman with glasses that clipped on the bridge of her nose. A very thorough teacher, introducing me into the world of study as times tables.

Miss Hughes, (Gladys Hughes Nelson) teacher of fourth and fifth grades. Further I went into the world of study. Memorizing, Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree, and The Wreck of the Hesperus. Making paper flowers with Fern Buist for school plays, trips to Gitten's Lake, gathering wild flowers, games of Danish ball played in the southwest corner of the school lot. Ginny, games played in front of the schoolhouse, my favorite pastime.

Eventually the installation of modern pluming provided one inside girl room. When weather permitted, running and walking approximately nine blocks for noon lunch at home. Walking through the church square after school with a special friend, Fawn Stauffer who later became one of my favorite sisters-in-law. Big room, sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Henry G. Hughes the teacher. Memorizing the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and the Gettysburg Address Watching him write exams on the blackboard with his right hand until it tired then changing to his left hand which he used equally as well. Hotly contested marble games which were played on the south side of the rock part of the building. Girls gathering around the piano at recess to hear Edna Sorensen play, a talent she gave so generously.

When the classes were settled down to study, seeing him relax with his feet perched high on the desk and with the pen point reversed in the holder, proceed to remove excess wax from his ears. Speed tests in reading, speed tests in addition. Being chosen to clean out the library to get out of an afternoon of schoolwork. His standing by your desk very quietly and without saying a word, conveying to you the message that you better shape up. Cleaning blackboard erasers on the iron grill in front of the school house and making the job last as long as possible. The bell on the door that Mr. Hughes would ring, morning, noon, recess and late afternoon, to collect and release the thundering head.

One of my most happy and exciting memories was when Henry G. Hughes called me to be valedictorian of my class. The exercises were held in the old rock chapel, on the church square in May 1925. The rock chapel has long since gone the way of old buildings. The graduates were Fern Buist, Veda Sorensen, Melba Sorensen, Artice Bird, Grace Reid, Luetta Hiibner, Ivan Barrett, Martell Larsen and myself (Alice Smith). As a tribute to our teachers some of whom aren't with us (1965) and especially to Henry G. Hughes who was our principal as well as our teacher. My husband, Henry C. Stauffer, (Ree) and I feel that the following lines written by Annie Pike Greenwood are appropriate…

Alice Smith Stauffer

Clifford John Stauffer

I remember the red brick schoolhouse in Mendon, located across the street, west of the L.D.S. Church. In 1919, I was age ten and the schoolhouse age twenty. The grass and weeds in the schoolyard had succumbed to the heavy foot traffic it was exposed to. There was only gravel and topsoil. The hardwood floors in the halls and classrooms were oiled and clean at the start of the day. The classrooms were large and adequate with a teacher's desk at the front and center of the room. Windows on one side of the room, a blackboard across the front and the student desks arranged in neat straight rows. The large pot bellied stoves were located in the corner of the room. The stoves were equipped with large guards to protect the children from getting burned.

The old part of the building was built of rock located back of the newer red brick portion. I came into this room as a strange timed third grader. This room housed the third, fourth and fifth grades. Gladys Hughes (Nelson) was the teacher for these three grades. She spent her time with one grade while the other two studied. We had singing time and prayer together. Miss Hughes was kind and sympathetic, but firm in discipline. Miss Olive Sorensen taught the first and second grades in the room to the front and north. Mr. Henry G. Hughes taught the sixth, seventh and eighth grades in the front and south room. The red brick part of the building was built in 1899. Before school, at recess, noon and after school we played games on the large school lot. Henry G. Hughes often played with us; this always added spice to the game. We had a ball diamond for spring and summer use. During the winter months we had ice-skating and sleight riding. One year we had an ambitious project to build a skating pond. We got teams and scrapers and built the pond then we turned a stream of water in. This failed because the pond would not hold the water due to seepage. We were very disappointed at this failure. I have many fond memories of this schoolhouse, its teachers and my friends.

In conclusion, I will describe the Mendon School as it looked to a boy of ten in 1919. The building sat on the west side of the street, a neat painted, four foot picked fence with a turnstile gate separated the school lot form the street. The school was about fifty-feet from the street, a wide cement walk carried the foot traffic to the bottom of the steps. There were about twelve steps to the double front doors. Above this the steeple and belfry. A wide main hall led directly to the old rock building, the home of the third, and fourth, and fifth grades. The first and second grades were to the right and the awesome, sixth, seventh and eights grades on the left. West of the upper grade room was a small library only large enough for the books and about two students to stand. All this conveyed a feeling of security and balance to a small boy.

In 1965 the words of Whittier apply. Still sets the schoolhouse by the road, a ragged beggar sunning. Locked between the graying temples are childhood memories of this red brick schoolhouse that I will always cherish.

Clifford John Stauffer

Lizzie Stumpf Barrett

Not many years after the Pioneers settled Mendon, Ralph Forster and his associates in the Ward Sunday school hit upon the idea of celebrating May Day. This was around 1866 and Mendon has had a May Day festival ever since. Professor Alma N. Sorensen said, The settlers were so happy when spring came, as the winters were long and cold. When people lived in log cabins they had to express their feelings by getting out, as spring was most welcome. Some of the maidens went to the foothills and picked wild flowers, then came and danced upon the green. They said, Why not celebrate the May Day with a Maypole dance and crowning the queen. Seny Sorensen Richards was that queen.

In early days the boys would have to help their fathers on the farm till late in the fall then as soon as the land could be plowed and planted in the spring the boys were kept out of school to help with the farm work. The only education they would get was in the winter months. There were a lot of big boys in the lower grades with the younger children. So these boys were often called Knot Heads or Bullies. They would try to bully the lady teacher and she would often call in the principal to take care of them. The big bell in the belfry would ring at eight-thirty a.m. telling all to get ready for school and then at nine o'clock to start school. The winters were cold and the children wore warm home knit stockings. The fathers would come in sleighs and pick up their own children and any others who wanted a ride. We sometimes wore a sort of veil over our faces and knitted scarf over our heads. I don't know about overshoes at this early date, but I am sure they wore something on their feet to keep them dry. We did wear two or more petticoats and woolen coats too.

When it was time for recess a triangle would sound and we would all march to the music out, and then the triangle would sound to go in. Alfred G. White would play the music. Mud was deep around the schoolhouse and Oscar Barrett and some other boys would haul straw and scatter it around to keep it out of the inside. Some remember roasting potatoes in the pot bellied stove. On Washington's Birthday there was nearly always lots of snow on the ground and the school would go sleigh riding. The boys would hitch their horses to the sleighs and a sleigh ride to Wellsville and back.

Some kids didn't know their right foot from their left foot in marching into the room. They would all be lined up outside. They were to start with their right foot. The teacher was John Anderson from Lewiston, he told them to call right foot, hay foot and the left straw foot. The marching was more uniform after this. Hay-foot, straw-foot…

Lizzie Stumpf Barrett

L.K. Wood

It was the spring of 1892. My twin brother and I had just passed our sixth birthday the previous April 24^th. Our oldest sister Millie assisted by Ella Bird drug us along to school. We bawled and didn't want to go. Lila Johnsen, a beautiful girl in her teens was the teacher. Miss Johnsen boarded with Emerine Bird. She taught us in the west room of old rock building. The next teacher was Mercy Baker, taught us the second, third grade. Miss Baker stood at door at the close of school and kissed each child as they passed out. I dodged her one night and she came to mother about it. Mercy who taught us a song for close of school Teacher dear, good night, good night etc. Mercy allowed me to draw a picture of George Washington on the black board. It was a very close likeness. She told the children not to mar it. It stayed on the black board all winter.

The next teacher was Stella Egbert. The rock schoolhouse became so crowded Miss Egbert taught the fourth and fifth grades in the city hall or jail. I enjoyed those terms thoroughly. We had a program every Friday afternoon. I can remember Wanney George singing Jesse James. Miss Egbert gave a prize to the ones that never whispered. I won the prize. We were allowed to write notes and write on our slates. She had a favorite pupil, Jim Buist. We called him teachers pet. We studied from Sheldon's Language book and from New Franklin Fourth Reader.

The next teacher was Peter Larsen. He taught in the west room of the old rock building. He taught the fifth and sixth grades. Every morning Pete opened the school by prayer as was required by all teachers. After which he taught us songs such as "Tenting to Night," and "Our Country's Call" and "America." Pete allowed us to draw and exact picture of Old Betsy the Russell ten horsepower engine that had come to Mendon. We had a spelling match or program every Friday afternoon. I recited after putting on Pete's coat and hat in the hallway. Pete played ball with us at recess and other games at night.

We three– Lonn, Elmer Hancock and I would go to Pete's home at night and he would help us get our lessons. After which Winter Pearmain apples would be passed. At recess I went to see Sister Rowe to hear her tell about the prophet Joseph and another reason for my visit, she gave me a big Pearmain apple.

My (twin) brother Lonn and I used to cut through lots to get to school. Lallises', Forsters' and August Hardy's. By the way, August Hardy was the janitor at school. The trustees were Alex Richards, Robert Sweeten and Jens Jensen. One day they came in to set up a stove as the old one had burned out. They set up during school. The years at Pete's school was in the latter 1890's as the new brick part was completed in 1899. I enjoyed my schooling at Pete's school all through.

Regretted the graduation from the sixth grade and to enter Jesse T. Reece's to start on seventh grade. Although Jess was a good teacher and allowed me the privilege to draw a threshing machine on the board. The teacher told the students to leave it on board. Just as I got it completed a girl took the erasure and took a swatch through it. I've hated that girl ever since.

I always had an intense interest for threshing machinery. At recess I crawled in Alex Richards and Bassett's barn where Old Betsy and the thresher were housed for the winter. Just got back before the recess bell rang. Enjoyed my schooling at Mr. Reese's. He was a good teacher. He too had spelling matches and program on Friday afternoon. I spelled the school down once. I liked spelling, arithmetic, geography and reading. I was very poor in language. Got through the seventh grade and into eighth, never did graduate from eighth grade. We were kept out of school to work on the farm, both fall and spring. So we only got the winter course.

During our district school days Alfred G. White was the principal for a while. He gave some of the boys a course in carpentry. We carried boards to work with, but found out the teacher was taking the lumber down to his home he was building.

1906 and 1907 I took the winter course at the A.C. collage. Majored in machinist, art work and military drill. Went back and forth on the railroad, and walked from Logan railroad depot to the A.C. college. My brother Lonn, Elmer Hancock and I finally rented batching quarters up near the college and some of us got La Grippe (blue) and the quarters were broken up. I quite enjoyed my college work.

Professor Pulley was the teacher in machinist. Miss Holmgreen was the teacher in art. Captain Piffy in military drill. Professor Robinson was our teacher in geography. I acquired some of the fundamentals of the course and have put them into practice since. I took missionary course at B.Y. Collage in 1909 under Professor Linsford in the winter of 1909. It came in very useful during my mission following that. While in the army of World War I, in emergency I was required to teach a class in geometry. It was good practice. During the depression of the 1940's after War II, I was requested to teach a class in farm machinery at our home here. I was asked by President Clarke to be a special consultant of the "Museum of Farm Machinery." The position, which I held as a staff member for four years. During that time I was given a plane trip to Montpelier, Ohio and continued on to by motorcar to Henry Ford's museum at Dearborn Michigan The purpose of the trip was to acquire information for the Museum at the U.S.U. I enjoyed the four thousand mile trip on plane. Met many dignitaries and highly educated people both on the trip and at the U.S.U. Had a class of boys to teach in the museum, both American and foreign students. The four years was quite enjoyable and educational. So this constitutes my schooling, which is very limited.

Mendon School, brick part built in 1899.

L.K. Wood

Marvel Hancock Bartlett

About 1901, according to Marvel Hancock (Bartlett), she attended school in the old red schoolhouse. She says my first teacher was Emma Baker (Sorensen) of Petersboro. Every morning we had exercises. Then she would put A, B, C, D and E letters on our desks and we would have to put corn on them. That is the way we learned the alphabet.

Next teacher was Rachel Parker (Sorensen) of Wellsville. We had singing practice every morning, then recite our lessons and practice writing. When I got into the next grade, Jennie Richards was the teacher. There were so many kiddies they could only go one-half day. I started to go to the Presbyterian Church school when I was in the third grade. Clara Huber (Larsen) was the teacher. We sang every morning, then had our Bible class, then our lessons for the day. I didn't go there very long as mothers people objected to me going to a Presbyterian Church school.

Eva Williamson was my next teacher. She was from Wellsville. We all remember her because of the big Red Nose. She taught us some new songs. Once in a while the old songs, but she said the old songs were in the past. She was a teacher that liked you to memorize all the poems in the book, such as "The Village Blacksmith," Barefoot Boy with Cheeks of Tan" and many others. She knew how to keep you busy. Then Emer Richards of Mendon became teacher in the middle room. We of course went through our lessons, sang. Then out of a clear blue sky, our pot bellied stove would blow up and explode and the chimney would fall down. Such a mess, soot all over the room. We would leave and come back the next day. This happened about every week for awhile until they found out what was causing the trouble. A few of our young boys had to explain at the court that was held.

Peter Larsen was my fifth grade teacher as near as I can remember. He liked to sing, so we had singing practice every morning. One of his favorite songs was "Camping Tonight on the Old Camp Ground." We went through our class work. He also had to hold court, over some misdemeanor once in a while. Next in line was Herbert H. Thompson of Clarkston, Utah. He was a very good teacher. In his room, the big room sixth, seventh and eights grades, there was a piano, so every morning we sang. I could play a little so I used to play for the boys and girls to sing, also for them to march out of the room, when school was out. Of course we had all our studies to do besides.

Charles E. Embley was the next teacher in the big room. He was from Price, Utah. He wanted to be a little different from the other teachers. You had to march just right and sing just right; if you didn't march like soldiers you were put in the "awkward squad" marching group. Those who didn't help with the music by singing and if you could play the piano and wouldn't play, would be put in the marching group until you did help. He had another marching group who performed with broomsticks both boys and girls took part in that, but you had to be just right. He took us to perform for Logan schools. When we took the tests for graduation from the eighth grade, we took them at Nibley Hall (B.Y.C.) at Logan. You had to be up to par or you didn't graduate. Everything had to be done the best we could do. The next year Embley went to the Hyrum school. Here is a list of the ones who were in Embley's school when I graduated. Melvina Baker; Vera Larsen; May Baker; Dottie Hill; Olive Sorensen; Maggie Muir; Hazel Muir; Nellie Bartlett; Chauncy Sorensen; Jay Whitney; Jesse W. Walker; Lynn Longstroth and Verl Shelton.

Marvel Hancock Bartlett

Maxine Stauffer Sorensen

My first experience at the Mendon district school was in 1920 when I entered as a first grade student. Ada Plowman (Walker) was the first grade teacher succeeded the next year by Olive Sorensen (Hughes). We remember the old brick structure with the belfry, complete with bats and tree bugs. We can still see the carved initials in the red bricks, the old grate where we scraped our laced shoes, and pounded the dust off the erasers. The back part of the building where the third, fourth, and fifth, grades held forth, was constructed of rocks.

The bathroom fixtures were outside about one-half block west of the schoolhouse. One labeled "Boys" and the other "Girls." The other teachers during the period from 1920 to 1928, as I remember were Gladys Hughes (Nelson) third, fourth and fifth. Her brother Henry G. Hughes, principal and teacher of the sixth, seventh and eighth grades.

I can still remember the Good morning to you, good morning to you, we're all in our places with sun shining faces. Oh, this is the way to start a new day. We sang it every morning. The big stoves that were in the corner of each room, either kept us too warm or too cold. Each stove was surrounded by a metal guard. I can still see the design on the shield. The rooms were circled on all available sides by blackboards; we were allowed to stencil designs in borders on these blackboards, always appropriate to the season.

Then the time came when new lavatories were built inside the building. Modern pluming and all. That was a great convenience. How well we remember our beloved teacher and principal Henry G. Hughes. He was a specialist on discipline. We all respected him and his ruler. Each year the school would put on a play. We went to the old rock show house to rehearse. Some of my fondest memories are around these productions, April Fools' Day was always a day to sluff school and go to the hills. The teachers expected it and were never disappointed. The day came when we won a Victorola by having the most O.K. Teeth and Health Contest in Cache County. One with a big wooden horn. At recess we would clear the aisles and dance, dance, dance to, "She Was Just a Sailor's Sweet Heart," "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue," and etc. Other favorite recess recreations were games, marbles, skip the rope, pomp pomp, pull away, poison rag, etc. We had good teachers. I remember the long multiplication problems, which Mr. Hughes gave us. He also introduced the speed and comprehension tests in reading, spelling and arithmetic. These tests were not used by the school system for some years after. We didn't appreciate it at the time, but it was good practice in preparing us for high school. We had spelling bees, or matches, which were fun as well as a good way to learn.

The janitors were Brother John Ladle and his wife (Susanna) and daughters, Mabel and Clella. They always kept the place spotless. Perhaps we didn't learn as much or as rapidly as do the students today, but what we learned stayed with us in our fond memories, these were happy days. Graduation from the eighth grade was the greatest event. It was held at night in the (yellow brick) church house. Valedictories, program, flowers, new clothes and all, no other could equal it!

Maxine Stauffer Sorensen

Nellie Bartlett Hancock

As I remember I was quite thrilled to be six years old and starting to school in 1900. My friends across the street had started the year before and had warned me of the pitfalls and told me of the glories, which I found were less glorious.

My first teacher was Miss Emma Baker (Sorensen), who I learned to like very much, however she must of felt faint at heart when she first looked at that room full of pupils, every seat filled, some with two in a seat, so she had her sister, Mercy helping her at least for awhile.

We furnished our own paper and pencils at that time and now standing out in my mind is a small red covered tablet that my mother had been given by a traveling medicine man who came to our home peddling his wares, the cover of which was filled with advertisements about the merits of Done's Kidney pills. It being such a handy little book to carry, I had taken it to school and was writing in it when Miss Emma took it and held it up before all the school to see my scribbling, somewhat to my embarrassment on my first day at school. Almost before I knew it, I had caught the scarlet fever from a boy who sat in front of me and so was absent for some time.

After two years in this school, my parents sent me to the Presbyterian school, where students were fewer and personal instruction greater. Miss Christy and Miss Huber (Larsen) were my teachers there. I learned a few scriptures in the Bible for which I earned books and had many advantages. This school closed in two years and so I again went back to the district school. By this time 1904 I was in the fifth grade. Miss Eva Williamson was my teacher and I had a few unpleasant adjustments to make.

My next teacher was Mr. Herbert H. Thompson an easy going congenial fellow who taught the sixth, seventh and eight grades and spent much of his time trying to get the old coal stove with a high tin guard around it perking sufficiently to make the large high ceiling room comfortable, most things were so uncomfortable including the rest room, which was a block away. But by now school classes began to be more interesting to me and I enjoyed my friends Gladys, and the Bird and Baker kids and others.

My next teacher was Charles E. Embley a nervous type who didn't hesitate a minute to let you know what he thought and became quite irritated after giving the eight grade two days to memorize This is the ship of Pearl, which Poets fain, Sails the unshadowed Maine and so on, and only a few students knew it when he called class, I knew it quite well. I remember and gave it talking so fast that he said he didn't understand a word, May gave it to his liking as she seemed to be one of his favorites and Jay sat and wiggled his ears.

By now the kids were growing up and friends became friendlier. Olive (Sorensen) had joined the crowd and proved to be a perfect friend to me, her home was the center for parties of school kids, and our friendships have lasted throughout our lives.

Nellie Bartlett Hancock