Many of my previous posts have mentioned Kellond School. That's because Kellond is the first place I remember as my home. So, it was a special day to return to my old stomping grounds and be given a personal tour of the school building by one of my former students. More about him later! I will say that his grandparents were very special people to me when I was a little girl. So many stories. So many memories.
As with most of my posts, there are ulterior motives, in no specific order, for spending time writing stories and posting pictures . . .
1) I use them as references for making future travel plans, but mainly it just helps me remember where I've been.
2) I write them for my daughters so they have a bit of an insight into my childhood, 'thusly' helping them understand why I am the way I am.
3) When the urge hits me, I create lesson plans. There's always that teachable moment even if no one is listening.
4) Because living and traveling with Hans can be more than just an adventure, blogging about his antics gives me a platform to vent. You will notice he has his very own 'category' over there on the right side bar called Anode Man Adventures.
5) etc.
While being given the tour of the Kellond School Building and the area around it, Hans and I took turns making videos. I will post one or two with each post and share my memories of living there for over ten years years.
First, we'll start with information on this link from Wikipedia about KELLOND.
I made the videos for my girls to see so I could show them where I lived when I was about two years old until eleven years old. So, when you hear me mention Granddad and Grandmother, I'm talking about my mom and dad. Mom was the teacher for first through fourth grades in what was known as The Little Room. She was fondly referred to by her students as 'Miss Bertha.' In the first few years, Mr. Lonnie Killian was the teacher for the fifth through eighth grades in what was knows as The Big Room. Later, Mr. Charles Bolin was the Big Room teacher.
Interest about this place was piqued when several photos of students were posted on a Facebook site called Antlers Pushmataha History.
There are, of course, stories about why the town is called Antlers and why the county is named Pushmataha. There is, of course, always a story to be told.
Lots of questions were asked about what the place looks like now. So, the objective of this post and the ones to follow is to show those former students, their children, and grandchildren what Kellond looks like these days.
Probably the most asked question was about the 'rock wall' which surrounded the playground and teacherage on the north and west sides. (*Teacherage? Think Parsonage !)
There is no telling how many students walked and played on that rock wall. Or how many were pushed off that rock wall. To ease everyone's mind, YES, the rock wall is still standing. Mostly.
Other words that come to mind other than the rock wall . . . goat heads, and sand burrs, and then eventually . . . Bermuda grass . . .
Kellond as it looked in 1955.
Middle: Photos of Miss Bertha in the school auditorium taken at the Christmas program.
Bottom: Miss Bertha at the *teacherage and one of her school pictures.
*teacherage: house provided for a teacher by a school usually located close to the school building
