Early last week while driving on the Pittston By-Pass we drove by Yatesville Bus Company and there on the lot was a long row of attention getting gleaming yellow school buses parked side by side. They appeared to be a phalanx ready and waiting each with a specific destination. On September 2 throughout the valley an imaginary school bus master shouted “Let the Buses Roll” and one by one those mighty yellow vehicles took to the roads. Thus commenced the 2009-2010 school year.

My thoughts went back to 1940 when school buses were in the future but not ours. School began with the ringing of a large metal bell that was heard throughout the neighborhood. It was the time when children attended the neighborhood schools: Jefferson School and Fort Pittston School in North Pittston; Lincoln Elementary center city; Cleveland, Roosevelt and Garfield schools serviced the children of South Pittston. Children in the Oregon section of Pittston attended three schools before entering junior high school. Grades 1 through 4 attended the Cleveland School then transferred to the Roosevelt school for grades 5th and 6th and the 7th and 8th grades were completed in the Garfield School.

The main method of getting to school was on foot. We walked in the rain many times without umbrellas. Snow posed no problem with school closings therefore “Snow Days” were not on the calendar. We walked in 2 inches of snow or 2 feet of snow. Whatever Mother Nature happened to deposit was of no consequence.

In June of 1944, a mishap occurred, Pittston High School located on the top of William Street facing Defoe Street caved in due to a mine subsidence. I recall the incident clearly. My brother Joe was studying for a final exam when he heard the news. Throwing his book in the air, he exclaimed, “I don’t have to do this anymore.” When the 1944-45 school year began it was in half day sessions for all the students in the Pittston District. Morning sessions began at 8:00 a.m. until noon and afternoon sessions were scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. For a brief period double grades were taught in one classroom with a sheet used as a divider.

School life was quite different in the neighborhood. Students walked unafraid. The weather determined when to arrive. On cold days you arrived at school a few minutes early to await the ringing of the bell. Students were not permitted in the building prior to school. When the bell loudly clanged students lined up according to grade orderly, quietly and proceeded to their classroom. If coats, boots, sweaters or jackets were worn it was into the cloakroom to hang outerwear on a hook and still quietly walk to the classroom and took an assigned seat. There was a decorum of respect and obedience.

Disciplinary problems were at a minimum. What the teacher said was law.

Misbehavior was settled with a wooden ruler. That was not the end of it. Should your parents hear of the incident the punishment at home was more severe.

We prayed in those days. First the salute to the flag followed with a prayer. It was natural and beautiful. No thought of prayer being unconstitutional. When did we get so smart?

Subjects taught were the basic reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and spelling. A special teacher, Miss Donnelly, came once a week to teach penmanship with the push-pulls and ovals. She taught us how to hold a pencil properly, where to position the paper and to correct any child writing with the left hand. Mr. Shebby was the gym teacher who came weekly weather permitting and it was in the playground that we did jumping jacks and other exercises. Miss Barrett was the Art teacher who came to the classroom with art projects. She was very talented and I loved watching her draw.

School supplies were not plentiful. We were given a tablet and pencil each quarter. Books were to be treated gently for they were not the newest editions. When received at the beginning of the year we were instructed to cover them. The materials selected were a brown paper bag, left over wallpaper or oil cloth that was good for the whole year. At the end of the school year we went from page to page erasing any pencil or smudge marks preparing the book for the next year’s class.

Workbooks were also distributed at the beginning of the school year but were not permitted to be written in.

In our early school years, America was engaged in the Second World War. We were very conscious of the war. It was talked about in our homes, prayed for in the churches, and we were taught and sang all the patriotic songs in school. One day a week was called Stamp Day. The students bought a war stamp for 10 cents which was placed in a war bond book. When the book was filled it totaled $18.75 the cost of a war bond. We were so proud supporting our country.

School schedules returned to normal in 1948 when all the repairs were completed. For a time it was undecided if the school would be renovated or torn down. I was entering freshman year when we were back to full days. Now we were walking from the Oregon section of Pittston to center city and up that steep William Street hill. Talk about physical fitness? We left home with a lunch bag in hand for there was no cafeteria. Lunch was eaten in the classroom with no supervision for now we were young adults. Weather permitting you ate and ran out of the school building into the school yard.

Although, I never rode a school bus during my school years I had the privilege of doing so with my classmates of Pittston High Class of 1952 on the occasion of our 50th Anniversary Class Reunion. We boarded the yellow school bus at Pittston Area High School in Yatesville full of chatter, laughter and school spirit. Our destination was the former Pittston High, our Alma Mater, for a final tour to relive school day memories of the ringing of the school bell.

About the Author

$author.title covers $author.covers for the Times Leader. Reach them at $author.phone or $author.email.

Archives

Cemetery stones fascinating

All in a day, and then some

School bells ringin’; buses rollin’

More than just a farmers’ market

Make it happen!

It’s only a number

Aunt Rose’s words of wisdom

Claudia’s message

Women’s History Month

Et tu, St. Rocco’s