Remembering Greensburg's East End School

Apr. 3—GREENSBURG — Sue Feaster did what I hoped several readers would do since I wrote about Karen Armstrong's memories of her years at the West End School; she wrote down her own memories of the East End School and shared them with me.

"Pat, I thought I would give you my memories of the East End School. The school was located about the same area as the Junior High School, across the street from the old gym. It had large trees around the school and the playground. Some of the playground had a cinder area that skinned your knees if you fell down. We played hopscotch, marbles, Red Rover Come Over, skipped rope and played tag. I remember Kenny Parker and I played tag with other kids; we got a little rough and were sent to the principal's office. Burney Lehman was the principal and he also taught sixth-grade. The East End School, when I went there, had grades kindergarten to fifth grade.

"I did not go to kindergarten. My first grade teacher was Mrs. Perry, second grade was Miss Hodson, third grade was Zue Kelly Mitchell (my favorite), fourth grade was Mrs. Lowe, fifth grade was Mrs. McCoy, sixth grade was Burney Lehman. They were all wonderful teachers. We had to walk to the West End School for physical education. Mrs. Frost was our art teacher (I got C's). I don't remember the name of our school nurse, but she was the nurse for all the schools. She would line our classes up at the beginning of school and in the winter, after December break, and shine a blue light on our hair looking for lice!

"I don't remember the janitor's name, but he could take peach pits and carve small baskets.

"In the second grade, we brought dimes to school on Friday and they were given to the teacher who bought war bonds with them. I am sure it took a lot of dimes to fill a card for a war bond.

"There was a small, shallow creek between the gym and the armory building, and after school the boys would go to the creek and get crawdads and chase the girls to scare them. (The important things one remembers!)

"Some of my classmates that I remember include Carolyn (Cleland) Hancock, Ellen Callahan, Xandra Hamilton, Sally Linville, Marilyn AmRhein, Joe Westhafer, Charles Land, Tom Jones, Billy Reddish, Sonny Wheeler, Jerry Lee, Don Haley and others that I can see their faces but just can't remember their names. Maybe someone else has memories of the East End School."

I say a big thank you to Sue, whom I have known since we were pretty youngish. I invite anyone who has memories of a favorite teacher, school or place to share them with the rest of us!

I am writing this on Tuesday and just saw Norman Voiles column in the paper about "Pat, Me and the Daily News." I remember those days. In fact, I even remember when Norm and the band in which he played put their talents to work at the Elks Club that was here at the time.

Thanks again to Sue.

Contact Pat Smith at news@greensburgdailynews.com.