I went to school in a one-room school

'Twas 1931  It was so long ago

Mrs. Callahan was my teacher

The seats were desks all in a row.

There was another little girl

Her name?  Anna Jean who had blond hair

She lived behind me on Charles Rd.

Our homemade dresses we had too wear.

All thru grade school days at Bayles

We always had to take our lunch

In paper bags or newspaper wrapped

Sometimes at recess, we would munch.

"Red Rover, Red Rover, Let Anna Jean come over"

Was a game the upper grades would play

Would you believe we did jump rope?

And on the monkey bars and trapeze, we'd sway.

Bayles had no bathroom: but they had

Ourdoor privies where two-holers were

In wintertime, you'd feel a cooooool breeze

Let me tell you, you'd hurry, yes, sir.

My memory says it was colder back then

Than it is in modern times of today

It seemed we had more ice and snow

Out in the cold, we'd slide and play.

Mesquite started a school bus route

The year before we started hi-school

It came right by both our homes

To ride the bus, you obeyed the rule.

Hugh Lawrence was our driver's name

A good bus driver he had to be

No rowdy stuff, did Hugh allow

He'd caution you:  Best hear his plan.

Hugh had a little grade school daughter

"Hope Lawrence" was her name

Sometimes on pretty afternoons

She'd ride our bus: close to dad she'd remain.

One afternoon, Hope rode our bus, but

She could not understand just why

Anna Jean departed one place and I another

I had an excuse, but I will not lie.

I told Hope, I lived with my father

Was quite confusing for such a little girl

With her mother, Anna Jean lived

We're not twins!   It left Hope in a whirl.

Let us make a long story short

We were in the Class of '42

The two little girls finally grew up

What occurred next, I'll leave you no clue.

We've had our 50-Plus Reunion

Got to say "Hi" to Hope once again

Hope remembered we two so well

Talked of old memories that still remain.

Now, that we are getting old

The "Golden Years" are creeping fast

We'll always be young kids at heart

With loads of memories of years gone past.

Bessie MelVina Carathers

October 31, 2000