In the fall of 1986, Wanda Woods Cox (later Byerley), a former teacher at Pine Grove Elementary, a school with grades first through eighth, organized a reunion of former students and teachers.
Since the school was located close to the county line, students attended from Anderson and Union County. Most walked to school. Many of the early students went home for lunch.
Pie suppers were held to fund the lunch program along with gallon jars of fruits and vegetables donated by the families of students. As the enrollment dwindled, children brought their lunch or returned home. Sometimes “Mrs. Cox” warmed pinto beans and made hot chocolate. Recreation was baseball and basketball games along with Crack the Whip, jump rope, tug-o’-war. And other games created by the students.
The following account is from Mrs. Cox, who wrote about the event in 1986, and some 35 years later is sharing the story.
Pine Grovers Have Happy Reunion
October 25, 1986, will long be remembered by the former students and teachers of the little one-room school located near the Anderson-Union County line. Students who arrived from out of state were Howard Bailey, Garrison Bridges, Wanda Bridges and Betty Bridges. They all thought it was worth the time and effort to see all of their former classmates. Clifford Tudor and Howard Bailey, class of 1939-1940, were the oldest former students. Everett Lynn Cox and Evelyn Bailey represented the youngest class of 1959-1960.
Everyone enjoyed the country cookin’ prepared by Norma Jones, Morna Woods, Kate Ray, Charlotte Cox and Mallie (Grissom) Miller. Geraldine Hunley, Mamie Bailey, Kate Ray and Charlotte Cox brought a variety of delicious desserts. Several seventh and eighth grade students from Big Ridge Elementary dressed in hillbilly style to help serve.
Following the meal, the more than 150 attendees moved to the gymnasium where Paris Archer welcomed them with the “true facts” and memories of the early days of Pine Grove. Students of Terry Boling of Big Ridge Elementary opened the program with a devotion, pledge to the American Flag and the songs America and Rocky Top. William (Bill) P. Whited, the local 4th District school board member, welcomed the visitors with a comparison of past and present schools.
Next was David F. Coppock, Superintendent of Union County Schools, who reminded Jerry Cox of all the ballgames that were played between Pine Grove Elementary and Arevalo Elementary so many years ago. He also related how Dale Hunley, father of Gene, Edgar, Bernice and Maxine, drove the school bus so he no longer had to walk to school as he had done for his first three years. Coppock stayed throughout the program and presented the diplomas during “graduation.”
Mr. Archer, along with Mrs. Cox recognized various attendees. They honored the parents of former Pine Grove Students. Then various students honored the teachers with flowers and letters. Mary Troxler Ambrose, one of the earliest teachers of Pine Grove, was represented by Wayne Hubbs who brought a lovely picture of Mary which was placed in her chair along with flowers. Mr. Hubbs also gave a short history of graduations at Pine Grove. Next to Mary’s chair was a letter from another teacher, Wanda Fielden, who moved to Florida. Madre Fielden Maples occupied the third chair. As she was introduced, she rang her school bell and called the roll of her former students just as she had done so many years ago. Her students answered, “present.” She noted that three of her former students had passed away and honored their memory with a moment of silence.
A beautiful red flower lay in the fourth chair in memory of Zadie Campbell, another much beloved teacher. Another teacher, Marie Rutherford Kidwell, was honored and shared many of her happiest memories of Pine Grove.
Ella Mae Woods Bise and Edward (Jay) Cox introduced Lola Hubbs and shared stories of her excellent instruction and the famous “turtle team.” One of the remaining teacher chairs held a red flower in memory of Clifton Harrison, who was not only a fine teacher but also became the chairman of the school board. A letter from Paul Woods, who resides in Oregon and one of Mr. Harrison’s students, paid tribute to his memory as an educator and family friend.
Jimmy Woods recognized Wanda Woods Cox, one of the last teachers of Pine Grove. Mr. Woods recalled many of the active and exciting lessons in her class. The “turnip patch kids” presented her with a turnip, to everyone’s enjoyment. Charles Warwick introduced Margaret Johnson and noted the tremendous effort she made to keep all of her students interested in learning.
At the conclusion of the teacher recognitions, Ernest Maples sprang a surprise pie supper on the group. Everyone, especially the men, began to bid on the pies. Of course, since it was a surprise pie supper, Moon Pies replaced the real ones. But that did not dampen the bidding and the pies “made” by Margie Walls, Thelma Brooks, Dorothy Bridges and Samantha Butcher were the “best” (moon) pies of the reunion.
The program included a pretty girl contest and an ugly man contest. Ella Mae Woods, Polly Shope and Charlotte Bailey worked the crowd to secure votes. The ugly man contest was impossible to settle so Hubert Wilson, Clifton Smith and Paris Archer all received a knife to whittle off the “ugly.”
Lastly, graduation time arrived. The ceremony began with all of the girls receiving a red carnation from Flowers by Dot. The boys were given homecoming pins. The red carpet was unrolled and Superintendent David Coppock presented each former student with a diploma.
Three couples graduated together: Geraldine (Bailey) and Edgar Hunley, Loueva (Williams) and Jerome Woods, Patsy (Shope) and Esco Bailey. Everette Wayne Cox and his son Everett Lynn Cox held the honor of two generations of Pine Grove students graduating together. In addition to the other gifts, the graduates left with pencils, napkins, pictures and many happy memories of the Pine Grove Reunion of 1986.
Student Memories of Pine Grove
During the reunion, former students wrote their memories of Pine Grove. Mrs. Cox collected them and put them in a notebook. Here are some of those memories in their own words.
Lucy Graham: When Wanda Cox was [the] teacher, I went home for lunch. When I got back I couldn't find the other kids. They were all over the hill in Troy Bailey’s turnip patch. Everyone got a spanking but me.
Marglee Williams: I remember the nicest playhouses under the pine trees with moss furniture. We always had good lunch when Mrs. Wolfenbarger was the cook.
Clifford Smith: Cutting down the flagpole to whittle on in winter.
Thelma Brooks Cox: I remember the picnic madre gave us down at the ballfield. It was the first time I ate Treet lunch meat.
Clifford Woods: We had a Christmas program and I sang “White Christmas” and “The First Noel.” I remember Naoma Cooper came to the program and afterwards said, “I think we've got us a Bing Crosby here.” I liked Naoma.
Ed Smith: I remember getting warmed by a pot belly stove.
Randel Williams: Walking to school. Everyone drinking water out of a bucket with the same dipper.
Dorothy Bridges Godette: I remember me and Thelma Brooks carrying water in buckets from Wilson’s Spring and their dog scaring us.
Julia Wilson: I remember our music hour. The record player was cranked up and we listened to songs by Stephen Foster.
Betty Ruth Bridges: I remember when I was running and playing and fell on a desk and cut my face above my eye. Everyone gathered around me with such concern. They laid me on a bench and doctored me with cool wet cloths.
Mary Butcher: We played ball a lot. Bernice Hunley and I got a whippin’ for smoking. Her brother Edgar told on us.
Aline Nichols Monday: Carrying water from Stella Wilson's spring.
Jerry Cox: Loved the pie suppers.
George Wilkerson: I remember it was a one room school with an outside toilet.
Marion Butcher: The mysterious diappearance of the flag pole.
Loueva Williams Woods: Beans and potato cake sandwiches, biscuits and jelly, playing drop the handkerchief, the Bible Lady.
Audrey Graham Alley: Cowboys and Indians played in the pines. The tomato juice the teacher gave us.
Lenna Nichols Hubbs: When we caught the old chicken in the school yard and dressed it in a bonnet and dress and put it in the (school) play.
Edgar & Gerldine: We went to school together. We fought and courted. Then we married.
Margaret Raley: I remember Wanda making hot chocolate on the stove. She would fix it in a big dish pan.
Dorothy: I remember when they cut the pine trees at school. All of us at school would gather the brush and make tunnels and playhouses out of the brush.
Edward Cox: The little school was white and had large windows. We had two doors, one on the east and one on the west, two large closets, a kitchen and a tin roof. There was a library table, blackboard and a pot belly stove.
Wanda Bridges: When we used to play ante over and kick the can and throw the ball over the schoolhouse to the team on the other side.
John Verlin Cabage (interviewed): Enjoyable. Paris Archer built the fires in two pot belly stoves. We played tag at recess. Lunch of pinto beans and buttermilk cornbread. My teachers Madre Maples and Miss Trexler who only had one arm but it did not slow her down. Paris’s mom and dad who became my parents when mine passed. Marion Butcher, Polly Shope, Paris and many, many friends.
Madre Maples (teacher): The Hot Lunch Program - The sweet smell of hot muffins we had on our morning breaks baked by Mrs. Betty Wolfenbarger. Putting up the flagpole and how the children respected raising the flag. The little library in the corner, ringing the bell, the pie suppers, walking to and from school and the children most of all. I will always love them.
Vina Archer (parent of Paris, Cardon, Betty Jo and Horace): Paris was the janitor and made the fire so it would be warm for the teacher. He got $4 for his work. One cold morning Verlin ran away and his sister brought him back. He would ride a horse to get fresh milk for his mother. Madre Fielden was dating Brent Maples. My son Horace said to Mr. Maples, “You're not going to take my teacher are you?” They had an Easter Egg Hunt and Horace found the prize egg.
Teachers Remembered
Mary Troxler, Wanda Fielden, Madre Maples, Zadie Campbell, Marie Kidwell, Lola Hubbs, Clifton Harrison, Wanda Woods Cox and Margaret Johnson.
Students in Attendance
Carson Archer, Horace Archer, Paris Archer, Leola Bailey, Howard Bailey, Geraldine Bailey, L. E. Bailey, Evalyn Bailey, Imogene Brooks, Thelma Brooks, Betty Bridges, Garrison Bridges, Dorothy Bridges, Wanda Bridges, Willard Butcher, Marion Butcher, Sammie Butcher, John Verlin Cabage, Everett Cox, Edward (Jay) Cox, Jerry Cox, Shirley Cox, Lynn Cox, Audrey Graham, Dorothy Graham, Lucy Graham, Margaret Graham, Buck Hutchison, Judy Hutchison, Wayne Hubbs, Bernice Hunley, Edgar Hunley, Eugene Hunley, Maxine Hunley, Lenna Nichols, Aline Nichols, Julia Nichols, Margaret Raley, Polly Shope, Clifton Smith, Ed Smith, Herman Smith, John Henry Turner, Audrey Tudor, Cliff Tudor, Barbara Wilson, Herbert Wilson, Brenda Wilson, Linda Wilson, Paul Wilson, Marglee (Margie) Williams, Beulah Williams, Loueva Williams, Randel Williams, Pauline Wilkerson, Richard Wilkerson, Charles Warwick, Clifford Woods, Gerald Woods, Harold Woods, Jerome Woods, Jimmy Woods, Steve Woods, Ella Mae Woods and Mary Helen Woods.
Pine Grove Elementary school closed its doors in the spring of 1960. Margaret Johnson was the last teacher. Elwood Koontz purchased the building soon after it closed. In 1963, Clifford Rene Woods, father of Wanda Cox, purchased the building, lowered the ceilings and remodeled the school into a house where he and his family lived for about three years. The building is still in use as a home today.
Big Ridge Elementary School opened in 1960-1961 as the consolidated school assigned to receive Pine Grove students. Central View, Hickory Valley, Arevalo and part of Burkhart were also included in the consolidation.