Wednesday, October 11, 2000
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Wednesday, October 11, 2000 |
| Former schoolmates
had unusual reunion
By CAROLYN CARY Back when Fayette County was mostly rural, school was different for "city" children and "country" children. Schoolmates Ed Travis and Grady Huddleston represent opposite ends of that class distinction. After leaving school, the two friends and their favorite teacher met again, but more on that later. Huddleston, 77, was reared in Shakerag, now Peachtree City. He spent the first seven years of school at Line Creek grade school. The two-room school cost all of $300 to build and had two teachers, sisters Gray Miller and Jesse Miller. One taught four grades in one room and one teacher taught three grades in the other room. The school building is still in existence and is on Huddleston Road, currently housing an equipment rental company. Huddleston had to travel into Fayetteville for high school and, because there were no school buses at that time, you had to find your own ride there. He remembers that an old Model-T car served as their transportation. The owner was paid 10 cents a mile to go back and forth. That's not 10 cents a mile for each student, though. The senior year was only through the 11th grade, with freshmen beginning in the eighth grade. One of Huddleston's favorite teachers was J. R. Colvin, who taught civics and history. He remembers that B. M. Harrison was principal for several years and then Joe DeFoor became principal. The late Mary Jean Burch served as valedictorian for the class of 1939. Because he was a "country" schoolboy, he had to bring his lunch each day, as there were not any lunch rooms. Ed Travis, 78, class of 1940, spent his 11 years in school in the same building. The building now houses the Fayetteville City Hall. Being a "town" schoolboy, he walked home for lunch. He remembers J. R. Colvin as a favorite teacher as well as Elizabeth Garrard, who taught English and Latin. Joe DeFoor served as principal of the high school. He remembers that if DeFoor looked over the top rim of his glasses at you, you had better straighten up. Roughly three fourths of those starting in first grade with him finished with him in high school. They both remember that in the mid-1930s Georgia Gov. Ed Rivers saw that the state provided free school books for the first time, easing the burden on their parents. They also remember a pot belly stove in each room for warmth. Bathrooms were outdoor privies and you brought your own cup with you to draw a drink of water from the well in the school yard. Travis, Huddleston and teacher Colvin met again after graduation. It was at Anzio Beach in Italy, where they were all serving in World War II.
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