End of School Year Picnic Photo: Apps Family Collection

 End of School Year Picnic       Photo: Apps Family Collection

The end of the school year picnic at our country school was the highlight of the year for both the students and their parents.  The school year usually ended about the time when the farmers in the neighborhood had their oat and corn crops in and just before haying season started.  So, the end of the school year picnic was well attended by the families of the students.

Everyone brought a dish to pass, called a potluck today, plus their own sandwiches and silverware.  The school board bought a couple of two-and-a-half-gallon metal tubs of ice-cream, encased in huge insulated containers to keep the ice-cream from melting. The event began with a huge meal, all laid out on planks on sawhorses—the same ones that were used for the school Christmas program stage.  The boards were covered with the mothers’ tablecloths.   

After the meal, the teacher spoke for a bit, thanking everyone for coming.  She especially thanked the parents for  their support during the school year.  “I couldn’t have made it through the year without all of your help,” she said.  And she was right.  For everyone did help out, from building the fire in the woodstove at the school, to making sure that the children did their homework.  The teacher then introduced the eighth graders who had successfully passed the county-wide tests, and were eligible to start high school.

The highlight of the day was the softball game between the students and their fathers.  I remember those games so well.  It was one of the few times I saw my dad play—he mostly worked all the time.  We students usually won the game, as we had been playing softball since the snow melted back in March.  We had played all the nearby country schools, so our softball skills were well tuned.  Occasionally a father would hit a long ball over the fence and into the country road.  But that was rare.

With the school year over, we said goodbye to everyone, and headed home.  Now the never ended summer work began..

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: For those of us who experienced them, fond memories of the end of school year picnic remain with us forever.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS:

To learn more about the  happenings at a country school, see my book ONE ROOM COUNTRY SCHOOLS. You can buy my books at your local bookstore. order online from bookshop.org, or purchase from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering, or contact the librarian: barnard@wildroselibrary.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby, visit Dregne’s.  and look at their great selection of my books. Order a book from them by calling 1-877-634-4414. They will be happy to help you.  If you live in northcentral Wisconsin, stop at the Janke bookstore in Wausau (phone 715-845-9648).  They have a large selection of my books.