Sixth Reader Class 50 Years Old

Unknown Forney Newspaper
1939

The boys of the sixth reader class of fifty years ago got together Monday at the grammar school to have their pictures made. According to the bunch, there were home girls in that class, but rather than admit their ages, these little girls of long ago would not join the boys.

‘Twas back in the old north Forney Public school, when Professor E.C. Lewis was principal and Miss Dora Bledsoe was teacher, that this lively group learned the three R’s, and looked forward to Friday afternoon – for the customary spelling bee, essay contest and outbursts of oratory. Football was introduced in Forney in those days. Walter Adams who is planning a celebration for the group, told of the boys being sent to the Post Office early one morning to get the first football that had been ordered. It was 3:00 o’clock when the boys delivered the ball at the school. Forney had had her first exhibition of the new game in the meantime.

The members of the class in reminiscing told of Judge Tom Ridgell of Dallas, one of the old gang who spent much time practicing on “Friends, Romans and Countrymen.” John McKellar was not much of an orator they said, but “he delivered the good.” Jeff Ball never dreamed that his daughter would be teaching in the Forney schools on their golden anniversary. Believe it or not, Bud Bowles named for the famous Julius Caesar, took elocution to those days. Tom Pinson supposed to have been in the second reader, was made an honorary member of the Sixth Reader grade, Van Hatley, named for president Van Buren, celebrated the occasion Monday by having the barber given him a Buren style of whiskers.

Oscar and Frank Lewis excelled in spelling and arithmetic. Mr. Adams said he had already had experience in the printing office at that age, and had thus acquired some political aspirations.

1889 Sixth Year Readers