Mom's Haydenville Schoolhouse

"We used to play ball right over there."

Mom and her cousin RoseMary reminisce in front of their old schoolhouse in Haydenville. Mom frequently talks about the school she attended as a child near Madison.  It is located about 5 miles west of Madison and you have to walk into a pasture to see it.  RoseMary is mom's cousin that we met in NYC last summer and when Mom found out that RoseMary was home visiting her parents this week, we decided to go see her and spend the day touring her old stomping grounds.

RoseMary and Mom pose in front of the old store that stood near the schoolhouse.
Here's the view from the porch on the school.  It was used in its later years as a home but the outside remained unchanged.  It would have been nice to be able to look inside but the doors were locked and windows blocked.  The school had a classroom, cloakroom and a library.

Here's a photo of the inside of the school on display at the La Qui Parle County museum in Madison.  On the left, mom is the 4th seat.  RoseMary is right behind her.  Our aunt Jeanette is right behind RoseMary. In the row to the right our aunt Susan is in the third seat in the striped shirt and at the very back of that row is our aunt Mary.   RoseMary's sister Margaret is in the front of the middle row.  If you click on this photo you can see them in greater detail.  

RoseMary scanned the actual photo and will be sending me a copy.  Let me know if you are interested in having it.

Their teacher was Mrs. Alicia Ewing.  Note the screen rolled up in the ceiling.  I'll post a photo later that shows the screen on display at the museum.  This was used for performances at school.  I wonder if it was a backdrop or curtain.