Memories in writing from: Patricia Ann Loner Herren

   

I started  to Newtown in 1948 and attended there my first seven years of school and so did my brothers Eugene, Herschel and Ronnie Loner.

 

I believe my first grade teacher was  Mrs. Mae Jones or either Miss Myrtle Alexander. The new  section of the school had not been added at that time. I think I was in the  5th or 6TH grade when that was added. I remember the 1st year of school  my two older brothers rode the bus. but they had to walk about a mile or so to the corner of Holcombe Bridge and  Old Alabama to catch  the bus.  Hubert Reeves owned his bus and it was not State funded. Therefore he charged 25 cents a week for 1 child to ride the bus. Later the state funded the buses and Paul Long began driving.  We only had 2 buses 1st through 12th grade and they would drop us off at school and take 8th through 12th to Milton High School in Alpharetta. They were the only bus drivers we ever had to take us to school until we finished school. It was exciting to ride the bus to school and visit all our friends. Our communities were small, so everyone knew each other .  

 

 I was in about the 6th grade when they added the new section  of the school. We had  no inside plumbing and we had two water fountains outside the school coming from the old well house out behind the school. There were two bathrooms with an old  building in between them. I  believe it was the wood shed.

 

 In 1945 my oldest brother remembers playing ball on the ball field and used an old battling stick that our Moms used on wash days as their ball bats. The time he was there the newer section had not been added. 

 

Our heat was from the old pot bellied stove in the middle of the room. Mr and Mrs. Scott were  our custodians at that time and when we arrived at school, they made sure each room was very warm and cozy. They worked there all the time I was at Newtown Elementary.

 

We were less fortunate to buy lunch everyday so we could chose to work a few hours a week to pay for a lunch that day. I remember how wonderful the  peanut butter coolies were that Mrs. Blake  and her lunch staff cooked. The food we  had was just like Mom cooked , so good , so the extra work in the cafeteria was a treat to just have a few extra cookies. We also had a Lunch worker named Mrs. Lawson.  

 

Every year we had a  county school nurse Mrs. Pinky Mansell  take care of us, she gave many shots to a lot of us kids  in school. She was not popular with the kids. The smell of rubbing alcohol meant a shot was close by.

 

Oh and the rolling Dental Mobile was a killer. I  dreaded to see  it roll into the school yard. They always seemed to take me and Marvin Fouts from our class. Our parents gave them permission to fix our  teeth. It was a luxury for them but  a killer for us kids.

 

Field trips were not popular for us at school due to money shortage. Most of our parents did farm work and could not afford a lot of extra money for us to spend.  We could pay $3 dollars and go two times to the  Symphony Orchestra in Atlanta. This was a nice treat. Then in September when the Southern Fair came to Atlanta, our bus driver Hubert would charge you about $2 dollars to ride the bus and spend all day at the  fair. I was 13 and had never been to a  big fair. It was really neat.  Our school was always out for this special day when we all went to the Fair. 

 

When the new section was added they elected fire 

marshal patrols and school patrols, as the school was bigger and we began to get a few more children.  Being a  fire marshal was like a fire drill today at school. We were responsible to help get the kids to a safe location and check for those maybe left in a room. I was so excited  to be chosen  from my class. At the end of the year, we got to  ride the train to Washington D.C. We joined with  hundreds of kids in a parade downtown Washington DC. We stayed in a hotel and would be gone for 3 or 4 days at our parents expense. Those of us that could not afford to go would have someone would donate money. That was in deed a high light of my elementary years.  I was able to go thanks to my sweet uncle that paid my way. I think it was about $50.00 dollars to go.  We wore white skirts and blue blouses  and marched in this huge parade. The ride on the train, which was all night, was such a wonderful experience for a little country girl from a   family that had so little. There were probably 8 of us that went from our school . 

 

Teachers that I recall at the school are: Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Alexander, Mrs.Bagley, Mrs. Maddox, Mrs. White, and Miss Van Dusseldrof. The only sub we had lived behind our school, Mrs. Grace Chamblee. I believe Mrs. Smith was my first principal but not real sure.

 

Newtown Elementary held many wonderful Memories. I did not enjoy leaving my comfort zone at our small school and going to a large school like Milton. Lots of special people made an impact on my life from that little school. I  wanted to be a teacher but began working and retired in Transportation with Gwinnett County Schools System with 39 years. I know all the  sweet folks in our little Elementary School made a lasting impact on my life to work with children.  

 

Patricia Ann Loner ( Herren)