REFLECTIONS - PAGE 4
February 22, 1967, Washington's Birthday
SOME OF MY EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, & PERHAPS POLITICAL OR BUSINESS SIDE OF LIFE.
As I have mentioned before, I started my school days at the Hamrick School
House, one and one-half mile East of here. T. P. Hamrick was my teacher. That
was Shafter Hamrick's father. His wife is still living at 91 years old.
The next year I went to a one room building up at Double Springs Church
just West of the old frame church building, just North of the present church
auditorium. We had three or four months each year.
I went to the first Free School till I was about 17 years old. Then I
went to a subscription school at Boiling Springs in an old frame building
supposed to have a chimney at each end, but never got but one built. I have a
picture of it here somewhere. Prof. Bert Bridges taught the school. This was
about 1898. My Father went to school to Prof. Bridges at one time.
I took a Business Course at Shelby in a frame building called The College
for Girls. It did not run many years. It was located where the City Hall now
stands. This was about 1900. The teacher was Prof. Plonk. He married Mr.
Wiley Pruitt's daughter. Then soon after, he got gone. I never heard of him
no more.
I never did keep books for anyone except myself. I took a 12-weeks winter
course at the A & M College at Raleigh in 1906. There were only 3 or 4
buildings there at that time. I don't know how many now. It is one of the
State Universities now.
Your Mama never went to school much, 2 or 3 months in a year and then
missed 1 or 2 whole years. Now she is a better scholar than I am. She has
read lots. (self-made.) Some of the children went to college but I noticed
they would call on Mama to tell them what a word meant, etc.
We had no GRADES at the time we went to school in the county except in
Shelby and Kings Mountain. Belwood and Lawndale had some good schools at about
that time, before old Boiling Springs Denominational High School began in 1907.
My Father was the first one named on the Board of Trustees of the School. He
was one of 4 or 5 of the Trustees that when they were put on they were put back
on next year and every year till they passed on to the beyond. One was J. H.
Quinn, E. B. Hamrick, W. W. Washburn, Kings Mountain Association. Johnny
Edwards and I believe, Jake Alexander, from the Sandy Run association.
A LITTLE MORE WRITTEN APRIL 13TH. 1967
One of my Neighbors who lived to be 97 years old, told me this Story,
which happened between 1826 & 1839. My Great, Great Grandfather passed from
this Life in 1826, leaving my Great, Great, Grandmother with some of their 17
children, some Colored people, also some Horses, Cattle, etc. A Cart made to
ride on, with wheels sawed off of a large Tree, with holes cut in the center of
the wheel, so it would go on the pole which went under the cart, for the Axel.
After her husband was gone, she drove two horses to this Cart, and went
from her Home, near Beaver Dam creek, a distance of 3 or 4 miles, to Sandy Run
Church for preaching services, and wore her husband's hat.
MY FIRST MEMORY OF WAGONS
We had what we called a log wagon, made of Hickory timber, The wheels had
a hub, and spokes, running from the hub to a much larger rim. We had to use
Pine Tar on the Spindles for a lubrication.
PINE TAR
We used Pine Tar, made from rich pine timber that was found in the
Original Forest timber land.
My Father hired a colored man to help with the Farm work, and work at the
Saw Mill.
This colored man would work all day at the Saw Mill, and then after supper
(you now call dinner) He would go through the woods, to rich pine timber, that
had fallen.
He got that rich timber, and cut it about 16 ins. long, and split it right
fine, set it up, in a roundshape on the side of a gully, then he would cover it
up thoroughly with green pine bows, then put some coals of fire right in the
middle, on top where he had left an opening, of the green pine brows, then set
the pine afire, then he would cover the coals with green pine brows, with about
6 ins. of dirt, then he would fix a trench on the side of the gully, to let the
Tar run into a bucket or pot.
YESTERYEAR in CLEVELAND COUNTY, NC
PAGE 5 - REFLECTIONS OF JOE C. WASHBURN
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