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This section includes Linden, Central and Taylor Schools
LINDEN SCHOOL MEMORIES
This postcard was sent in by Ann Rhein Alusup,1953,
By Mary Virginia Scrutchfield Hutton, Sheridan, Wyoming, class of 1948
I entered Linden
School as a first grade, mid term, student in January of 1935. There was no kindergarten at that time. My first grade teacher was Miss Walkenhurst. She was a beautiful young lady in her mid
twenties and she died of cancer the next year. My second grade teacher was Ruth Kent, who went on to be principal of Highland Park school while my sons were students there. Second half of second grade was Catherine
Schille, who later taught at Coffeen school. My third grade teacher was Ruth Justis. She was a good friend of Willard Doan and his wife. She often went to their house across from the school for lunch and perhaps a
toddy. She came back smelling like whiskey. In the fourth grade I had Bess McAully. Fifth grade was Nell Larson and sixth was Evelyn Chambers. The principal was Miss Wunch who had flaming red hair and was
rumored to have a rubber hose for misbehaving students. Imagine my surprise when she turned up one fall with dowdy gray hair. I remember Ruth Aldrich coming periodically to teach PE and a few times she brought Irene
Schlottman with her. Mr Wright came for boys PE.
I remember the cement slabs on either side of the steps where all of the girls played jacks. The boys played marbles on the sand behind
the school. Do any of you remember those terrible iodine tablets they made us take to avoid goiters? I found a place to hide mine in my desk and never took any. Everyone had a homemade sled which was
nothing more than a small box with tin on the runners to get down the wonderful Linden hill. I still have mine but I donŐt fit it anymore. They built the steps while I was a student there.
I roller skated to and from school in the springtime from our home on Big Horn Avenue . Thurmond was a gravel street but it had cement sidewalks. It is a wonder how we got up and down the hill
on skates. We left our skates in the cloak room which was off of the classroom and skated back uphill after school. All of us had continually skinned knees with mercurochrome on them.
Most of us girls had to wear garter belts and long brown stockings. We hated them and would take off the garter belts and roll down the stockings as soon as we were out of our mothersŐ sight. We
always wore dresses to school. I donŐt remember wearing pants or shorts during my entire 12 years in Sheridan schools.
Even though there was a small kitchen or milk room there were no cafeteria
facilities at Linden so we went home for lunch every day, rain or shine. A few of the kids who came from out in the country or on the edge of town brought a sack lunch. I donŐt remember ever getting a ride to or from
school.
Bill Edwards, Gillette, WY, SHS '62, bill@vcn.com
Linden School Memories
I have been
reading these for some time and this is the first I've felt I could contribute to. I attended Linden school from 1949-1956 which by that time did include kindergarten. Ms. Wunch was still principal there and had long since lost her
flaming red hair if she ever really had it in the first place, and she even then was rumored to keep The Rubber Hose limber and ready.
I don't know who first made the sleds but Mr. Speed (Ralph, I think), the custodian, was the
custom sled maker, and to my recollection he was the first person I ever saw use a bandsaw. I lusted after one ever after and finally bought mine a year ago. Making lots of stuff with it as a hobby, but so far no sleds. I believe
that because of those sleds a disproportionate number of Linden School alums have serious lower back problems. No doubt because some of us were known to have ridden those sleds the entire length of the wooden stairs on mornings
after new snow had fallen. I suspect those sleds were also a factor in my father's success as a dentist.
There is probably some significance to the fact that I can remember the name of the sled maker but not the names of any of
my teachers there except for Mr. Millard Merideth who came to Linden, I think in 1955. He is significant in that I had heard of male teachers by then but until I saw one I never really believed there was such a thing
Don Lenoard: 1935 LeonardD0N@aol.com
Sun, 2 Jul 2000 13:01:51 EDT
Subject: Re: Linden School Memories, mid 30s
Hi,
The sleds were great but unfortunately I could not fit on those little one seaters now. Where are all the marble players? Haven't heard from any of them.
LINDEN SCHOOL 6th Grade,Linden School, 1946,
submitted by Ann Rhein Alsup
Robert Hylton:I read the stories, and must say that I was in that
orchestra, happily tootling on my second hand trumpet, under the stairs at the west end of Linden,as I remember it. I think we started playing in the 4th grade, and played for coming in from recess or lunch.Also, I remember that
the Pledge of Allegiance in assembly included, but not audibly,"liberty and Miss
Justis for all".I also remember being a midyear (with a November birthday),who eventually had to do that summer school to be switched. My
mother sometimes substituted in Miss Unthank's first grade, and I felt that I had fewer privileges than the other kids. She did have an equitable approach! Keep up the good work: The page becomes better and better!!
Staff:
Principal:
Miss Hilda Wunch
Teachers:
Miss Carol Madsen,
Miss Unthank
Ella Sue Mattson
2nd grade:
Blanche Giltner
3d grade:
Miss McKay
Blanche Giltner ???
4th grade:
Mrs Kirby
Miss Bess McCauley,
Ruth Justis
5th grade:
Helen Smith
Miss Wunch
6th grade:
Mrs. Doris Engstrom
Miss Hilda Wunch
Grade not known:
Miss Justice
Reading:
Miss Kay Luth
Gym:
Mr Web Wright
Mr. Bernard Wright
Ruth Kent
Orchestra:
Mr. Becker
Janitor:
Mr. Guy Speed
This is Barbara Bentley: 1953
I think I can remember all my teachers from
Linden. First grade was Carol Madsen, 2nd Miss Giltner, 3rd, Miss
McKay, 4th Mrs. Kirby, 5th Miss Wunsch and 6th Mrs. Engstrom.
Somewhere around first grade I had Miss Kay Luth for reading.
From: Lolly Kelso Jolly, 1950
Some more Linden teachers not previously mentioned from Lolly
Jolley"
Miss Unthank in first grade.
Ruth Kent in the classroom and again later for PE
Miss Bess McCauley, 4th grade
And a couple of anecdotes about teachers.Miss Kent joined the Peace Corps after retiring and her job included training native women somewhere in Africa to be midwives.Miss Justice joined the
WACs during my year in her room; that is the point at which I knew the Germans and Japenese would lose the war.She was
formidable.Miss McCauley had both my sister Jean and my brother Bob,about 6 years apart; she one day asked
my mother if Bob had been adopted as he was no where near the student Jean was.My mother never got over that.Also, Miss Bess McCauley lived in an apartment over the Lotus Cafe.And finally, Mrs. Doris Engstrom had a daughter in my
grade named Joanna or
Johanna.
Mrs. Engstrom was the first single-head-of-household that I ever heard of.
From:"Mary Alice Wright Gunderson" 1953
Hi--I may have missed some messags re: the Linden
School teachers.First Grade--Ella Sue Mattson---joined the WACS, or else this teacher is one who replaced another first grade teacher I
had.Any clues? I entered the mid-year program--still 5--in January.
Had half of first
grade, then went on till 6th grade and they stopped the program. Boy we were we mad to have to go to school in the summer that year, right before entering dear old Central School!
Grade 2--Blanche Giltner--neat lady, and good friend of my parents (Bernard
and Leah Wright)
Grade 3--Ruth Kent--sweetheart
Grade 4--There was a Ruth Justis, or possible Jestus--real crabby.Kids said
she once "killed a
turtle." Smashed it flat with her fist..
Grade 5--Helen SMith--another kind wonderful soul
Grade 6--Hilda--"I've Got a Rubber Hose" Wunsch--intimidating looking but really an old
softy.
Who could forget the grade school orchestra which sometimes played as we marched in and up the stairs...or Marie Young Avery's Christmas "chalk talks" down in the main
area outside the
auditorium. Remember the day Fred Bingheimer had his leg broken, a really serious break.Was
playing pile-on football with Scotty, the Christy twins--Gary and Gale?--someof the others.You could hear that awful sound of the bone
cracking. He and I talked about that at the 1993 reunion...
More later---I'll have a crack at Central School
Mary Alice Gunderson
From Bing Brouilette
Several people have mentioned Linden School.I went through
grades 1 to6 at Linden school. The first day of school I became friends with Scotty Scott.I can still remember how much fun we used to have on Linden Hill. I still have a little sled that we made especially for that hill. It has
just enough room to sit on and you hold your feet out in front of you and go down the
hill.John Pierson and I used to get big cardboard boxes andĘslide down the hill also. I lived up on top of the hill and was in a neighborhood
with Dave Cormany, Beth and Ann Garbutt, Mildred Rusell,John Pierson.Not too far down the street from me was another group of friends, Louie Galloway, Leicester Davis,Bob and Don Carroll and Larry Yonkee. Sledding
on Linden Hill:
Remember that it was the Brouillette Rockette that was retired as the fastest Linden Sled ever! Made by my grandfather out of a hardwood packing caseand with stainless steel runners. Another page in the
episode of "How did we ever survive"?
From Ginny Booth Core,1955
You're right, I don't either.But no child should spend a whole year being afraid to speak or talk. I cried for days when I found out I was going
to have her for my teacher.
From: Weldon V Brouillette .1951
Naw. In fact, I don't know of anyone who actually ever saw the legendary"rubber hose".It just went with the myth of "Hilda, the Gestapo
Woman".With her imposing size and appearance she
never had to smack a kid. A slight frown would freeze anybody with even a guilty conscience in terror!I often wonder if she were really as large as she looked or if it was
just because we were so
much closer to the ground. My mother had been a student of hers back in the Dark Ages and Dear Old Mom never once said anything that would havedispelled the rumor. Sally could probably put the stories to
rest because she used to visit the two old ladies (the Wunch sisters) when they lived across
the road and said they were nice!
Linden School,about 1948,
submitted by Ann Rhein Alsup
Ann Rhein Alsup wrote
Hi Everyone-- Mr. Speed built my sled and like Ginny,, I remember saving my $1.00 to pay him.I also remember playing jacks and sitting on that cold cement and hoping Miss Wunch wouldn't come ringing
that darn bell until we finished the game.I still like jacks and get mine out once a year but my main problem now is getting back up off the floor.
Here is a Brooks St.story I discussed with Ginny today. Champions had that
block-long cement wall covered with vines. Those horrible big, green worms lived on them.We used to pick them off and put them in the street then cover them with newspapers and circle with our bikes.The first one to ride
over
was so brave--I don't remember who it was, I was just a screamer. My family is very worried about me--I get up and read my e-mail before the sports page now!
These are Hill School Teachers in the 40's.
L-R, Miss Weimlich, Miss Waldeen, Miss Nelson,Marilyn Edwards Bilyeu had heer in Hill School in 1949),
Miss Shidei (my home room teacher)
Miss Alderson
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Dershi Brodford McDevitt: 1960
i
More on Linden School. Do you remember that the right side of the steps was a
safe zone, and the left side (if the boys could drag you over there) was where the snowball fights took place. If you ever were lured over there, you could get
your face washed with snow, be pummeled with snowballs etc.
My most memorable experience had to do with those steps. By the time we
were there, parts of the side support had rotted out. Teddy George dared me to go under the steps at the top one day at recess, and--of course-- I did. Once
under them, I couldn't turn around and back out and I was stuck crawling on my stomach, under the steps praying for another break in the side support
so I could emerge. Recess got over, and everyone was afraid to tell Miss MCKay (one of my favorite teachers ever) that I was missing. I finally did find a
way out and came dragging in, soaked to the bone, and in big trouble.
I was so glad to be out, I didn't care if I was in trouble.
Also, I remember numerous "probably concussions" as we fell backwards
sking down the icy trails and cold-cocked ourselves on the head. It seems to me that we, girls, had to wear dresses to school even in the winter, and most of
my life was spent with one or the other of those tie-in-the-back sashes being torn off in some skirmish on that hill. What an amazing place
to play! dershie bridgford mcdevitt
Mary Alice (Wright) Gunderson wrote:
Maybe some of you remember these:Mrs. Millard--Reading;Ruth Bish--for years I remembered where the potholders and burned match sticks were supposed to
go, in the ideal kitchen.Burke White--Taught shop Martha Wylund--History Joy Sprague--English Ivadell Swindler -who had an apartment at our house!--taught
music in all the grade schools plus Jr.High. Kids were always asking me,"does she wear a wig?"Answer was no........ Ruth Aldrich--Taught girls'PE. Had been
an outstanding woman athlete--sadly, before there was much women could even dare to do...no,the 50's were not a great time for everyone.Bernard Wright--my dad--taught boy's PE and some math,also There must be more,but
can't think right now.? Somebody else?
Christy Ann (Smith) Watenpaugh added:
Miss Bish at Central was something too. Never could figure out how it could be
so important to know which spoon went in which drawer. Now it seems more interesting, when we can't remember where they are in our own homes.I met her too in later years in Sheridan, and she was so happy to have an old student
remember her.
Clara (Blakeman) Lehman wrote:
Ruth Bish:Mary Alice noted she remembered for years where the potholders and burned matchsticks went.I don't remember that.I remembered where the
measuring cups and utensils such as spoons, spatulas,etc. went.But burned matchsticks? Where did we put them????? I also remember we learned to make
Eggs Ala Goldenrod. In sewing, we beginners had to make a "sampler" with all kinds of different stitches. It took me forever and never was very good - stitches
too big, uneven, etc. After that our first project on the sewing machine was an apron.Then a blouse. My blouse turned out to be 3 sizes too big.I don't remember what grades I got in home-ec,but I doubt that they were very
good!Martha Wylund--History One of her daughters had a baby within a few hours of one of mine. Her grandchild weighed over 10 lbs. and looked at least three months old compared to the other babies in the nursery. Joy
Sprague--English A very good teacher. Ruth Aldrich--Taught girls' PE. Remember the kickball and dodgeball games?
Barbara Perrin taught art at Central.Told me I was too slow,too messy, and just
not talented enough for her classes. It was a long time before I darkened the doorway of another art class. Certainly none in high school!Does anyone remember the name of our 7th grade Geography teacher.I remember drawing a
map of South America, putting in all the countries, their capital cities,the main rivers and mountains,and listing their chief exports. Who was teaching me all
Principal:Mr. Willard Beck
Lolly Kelso Jolley:
I cannot believe that any listing of our Hill School teachers would not start with Faye Alderson and her dog Suzie/Susie.I am sure that I was in her homeroom.I
can remember being introduced to Astronomy from her, but do not believe 8th graders would have had a whole year of Astronomy. Probably General Science,or maybe she made up her own curriculum.
Christy Ann Smith Watenpaugh wrote---
My husband Phil had Fay Alderson as a teacher but I never did. He remembers her having a kitten in her drawer at school and opening it during class to feed it
and talking to it.Fun Williams, Math--always frowning.I remember her many dark suits,but always worn with seamed nylons and black and white saddle shoes.Willard Beck--Principal and Civics. The most outstanding memory I have
in regard to Civics is his paddling of a kid named David Heide. We sat back in the room and heard all the whacks coming from his office, somebody whispering "Omigod..
Mary Alice Wright Gunderson, 1953 wrote
My aunt, Virginia Wright--sister in law of Bernard and his brother Wilbur--taught Social Studies. She had a long teaching career--became a counselor, then
principal.After retirement she served on the school board and later in the Wyo. Legislature for two terms,I believe. We lost her in 1995--just a month before my
mother's death.English--a teacher whose name escapes. Had the reputation of being able to teach parts of speech and diagramming to a post...I can see her, and remember her always opening those huge windows with a hook.(Have to
call the Alzheimers hot-line phone, to get her name.) Taught me
all the finest points of grammar I would ever need in my free-lance writing career.
Clara Blakeman Lehman adds: No need to call the hot-line. Her name was Anne Nelson.Reading--another reddish-haired teacher. We did "Evangeline,"which I
loved. "Lady of the Lake," and all of the romantic writers.That was the year they were building the high school gym, and I remember how the dozers and cranes
and every kind of machine was there,rumbling all day long.Doris Rhine[Ed. Note:I think she means here that Doris Rhine was the reddish-haired reading teacher].They had the same PE teachers as 7th grade.
Boy, all the memories are flooding back. No wonder I don't get anything done here at home. I am going to send some of these E-mails printed off to Mary Geroe cause I know she will enjoy them too.The English teacher I remember at
Hill School was Miss Nelson.She was very strict but you remembered what she taught you.Remember Mr. Lamont at Hill School and High School?[Ed. Note: He taught Music.]
Clara Blakeman Lehman contributed:
Anne Nelson was an excellent English teacher. I agree with Mary Alice that she taught us all the finest points of grammar we would ever need,for speaking or
writing. She taught them so well I still remember most of them. Also,I can still diagram a sentence pretty well,which she also drilled us in.I enjoyed her classes
very much.I had three very good English teachers in a row: Joy Sprague in 7th, Anne Nelson in 8th, and Rose Norberg at SHS in 9th.Due to the three of them, I
think I retain more course content from English classes than all the rest of the subjects put together.
Milt Cunningham wrote:
Grace McDonough!! Sobriquets: Old Lady Mac (the gentlest);the War Horse;
The Storm; The Battleaxe. Those are all I remember,but if boys were wrestling, and someone saw her coming--"Here comes The Storm,"and that stopped it
immediately until she was out of sight. She had taught the parents of some of my friends, and that goes back a long ways. She hated kids, especially boys, and always had a pet in each class--a girl who could do no wrong. My father
thought she had been in love with a railroader.In the 1800Ős railroad people were looked down on, and her father nixed the romance.I don't know how my father knew--just gossip I think.May not be true..
Ginny Booth Core wrote:
My Dad went to high school at Hill School. Graduated in about '24 or '25
Jim Bilyeu wrote:
Central School brought Willard
Beck, "Scoop" Shovlain, Mrs. Millard, Mrs. Wylund, Burk White, Ruth
Aldrich,Ivadelle Swindler, Virginia Wright, and my favorite, Bernard Wright. Miss Longwith had the Special Ed. students.My class ('56,) was the first to stay at
Central for the 8th grade also.I think the earlier classes "burned out" the Hill School teachers, and they couldn't take it any more!>
From Bing Brouilette.
Jim mentioned teacher,Scoop Shovlain. Scoop and his 2nd wife, Nancy, were friends and neighbors of ours here in Yuma. Scoop died a year ago after going
into the hospital for a little "corrective surgery" to help with a breathing problem.
Reflections & Comments from Ed Hartman
Mary Alice,I remember Mrs. Millard from the 6 & 7th grades at Linden &
Central.She lived just down the street
from me on Smith Street. She tutored me in reading. ThatŐs what held me back in the 6th grade.I was in the last class of mid year students in Sheridan
WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT TAYLOR SCHOOL? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
TAYLOR SCHOOL
Jim Bilyeu,1956, I feel obligated to try and offset
this "Linden" conspiracy! Four years at dear old John S. Taylor instilled
some loyalty! I'm overreacting, course.I know several of you also went to Taylor.Of course, Marilyn was a Linden kid.I remember
Mrs. Kirby, Mrs. Rhinehart, Mrs. McLennan, Mrs. McArthy. (I think she traveled
from school to school teaching art), and Dick Hall started
there when I was in 6th.It seems like the Special Ed. students moved to Hill School at thetime we went to Central but I can't remember for sure.
From Clara Blakeman
Taylor School - 6th grade teachers were Mrs. Ruth McCarty or
McCarthy, and Mrs. Mortz. I moved into town during the 5th grade & don't
remember who my teacher was that year. Prior to that , all my schooling was in country schools.Our Taylor principal was Vivian Elarth.She was pretty old then,
gray-haired, etc., but I remember her as being very nice. Of course,we were all good kids - not like those ornery ones at Linden - so we
didn't need a mean principal.Carved in the stone over the main door entrance at
Taylor School was
the motto:"Enter Here To Learn - Go Out To Serve".
Classmates: Delmer Bobbitt, Wilfred Catterall,Ę Russell Davis, Gale
Debski, Donna Doyle, Jack Hale, Edna Hayward, David Heide,Ę Bobby
Herden,Wanda Ives, Roger Jensen,ĘBillie Rae Manning, Ted Manz, Matt Michels,
Leona Mae Reavis, Howard Reed, Louis Sandoval, Annabelle Shipley, Joann Skaar, Lois "Chuchy" Takach,Helen Urmson, Larry Wallace, Norman
Wilkerson,Billy Woolston,Leonard Dowdell also went to Taylor in 5th Grade, but must have been in the other section of 6th grade.
The above was our 6th grade class.