MEADOW BRANCH SCHOOL
(Also known as "Tickrow")
Kinmundy Township, Marion County, Illinois
Meadow Branch School was located in Kinmundy Township section 30 on the road now called “Hoard Lane”. The building is no longer standing.
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Dolores (Ford) Mobley – Dolores@ford-mobley.com
208 Joan Dr.; Divernon, IL 62530; (217) 625-7527
or
Gladys (Corrie) See – gsee49@yahoo.com
408 S. Washington St.; Kinmundy, IL 62854; (618) 547-7731
Teachers from MEADOW BRANCH School - District #26 (Kinmundy twp.)
(Also known was “Tickrow” School)
(According to "The Kinmundy Express" on Oct. 11, 1951, an article was included about the original records of the local school districts, the districts were established in 1872. In the first records available from 1877, it states that in Kinmundy twp., Meadow Branch School was originally district #4, and was later changed to district #26.)
(Fall 1877) Ada B. Skilling ($22)
(1878) Gussie Brown ($20)
(1890) Jake McCarty
(1903-04) Maude Bayliss ($30)
(1905) Harry Craig
(1906) Ransom McCarty
(1907) Ransom McCarty
(1908-09) Mrs. Maggie (Pearson) Eagan
(1911-12) Miss Carrie See
(1914-15) Alvin Chandler
(1915-16) Elizabeth Purcell
(1918-19) Bessie Chance
(1919-20) Mrs. Aumiller
(1920-21) Rochelle Inman
(1921-22) Rochelle (Inman) Baker
(1922-23) Mrs. Delsie Malone (Delsie (Knight) Malone Ford)
(1923-24) Mrs. Delsie Malone (Delsie (Knight) Malone Ford)
(1924-25) Mary E. Miner
(1926-27) Ruby Miller
(1927-28) Mrs. Lester Sturm
(1928-29) Miss Vivian DeWeese
(1929-30) Miss Vivian DeWeese
(1930-31) Edith B. Hines
(1931-32) Edith B. Hines
(1932-33) Edith B. Hines
(1933-34) Miss Irene Ayers
(1934-35) Rex Gammon
(1935-36) Rex Gammon
(1936-37) Rex Gammon
(1937-38) Mrs. Ruby Linton
(1938-39) Mrs. Ruby Linton
(1939-40) Mrs. Ruby Linton
(1940-41) Miss June Johnson
(1941-42) Miss Mary Evelyn Johnson (later married Lee Cummins)
(Nov. 6, 1941) The school children and teacher, Miss Evelyn JOHNSON, are happy with their new radio, purchased recently.
(1942-43) Mrs. Rada G. Caldwell (Rada (Garrett) Caldwell Ford)
(1943-44) Will L. Green
(1944-45) Will L. Green
(1945-46) Mrs. Susie Malone
(1946-47) Mrs. Susie P. Malone
(1947-48) Roy Mulvany
Sept. 2, 1948: There will be no school at Meadow Branch this term due to a shortage of pupils. Some of our pupils will attend the Kinmundy Grade School, and some will go to Alma.
Aug. 30, 1951: The Kinmundy Grade School district No. 25 was enlarged considerably yesterday when Miss Margaret West, County Superintendent of Schools, dissolved districts 19 (Young), 21 (Sherman), 22 (Shanghai), and 26 (Meadow Branch).
(The above information was gathered from "The Kinmundy Express" articles, school photos, Marion County school directories, and memory writeups.)
Meadow Branch School District
Contributed by Mrs. Laurelie L. Reddy, Box 728, Orion, Ill. 61273
The Meadow Branch School History was written by my mother and appeared in “The Kinmundy Express” issue of Thursday, Oct. 6, 1962. At that time my parents were living in Wilmington. Dad retired in 1962 and in 1965, they moved to Alma, Ill. Mother died 7 February 1977. After she was back in Marion county, she was active in the Meadow Branch Reunions, which I believe is still having meetings.
The first Meadow Branch School was located about half way between Alma and Kinmundy, Ill. This school is known to have been a log cabin. It was very small, probably about 16 feet square, and the logs were put together with wooden pegs. The desks and seats were puncheon. Long poles were split in half and the rounded sides of the poles were notched and grooved on either end. The poles were then fastened to two flat poles. These poles were about 30 inches wide. When enough poles had been added, with the flat sides up, a table top was completed. The top was placed on two saw horses, or a stand made of poles. The benches were similarly made and place don lower stands. The floor was also constructed in this way.
There was an opening in one side wall which served as a window. All of the children sat around the long table, placed in front of the window, to study their lessons. The first method of teaching was called the “blab school”, so named because all of the pupils studied outloud.
The school room was heated with a fireplace. The older boys cut the wood for the fireplace during the noon hour.
This little log house was built on a cleared acreage belonging to Barney Howell, who was my great-uncle. Although there isn’t any remaining landmark, the building site of the original school is known to have been near the boundary line of the Hammen Timber and the Sam Doll land, which was just across the road.
A small creek, or ravine, was nearby, and I was told the school was named Meadow Branch for that reason. In later years, a family moved into this district. Several of their 12 children attended this school. The older boys in the family referred to the school as “Tick Row” and it also became known by this unusual title.
We were told by Mr. Jake McCarty that his wife, the former Etta Marshall, attended Meadow Branch when in the third grade, during the year of 1879, which was 81 years ago. Her father, Mr. Early Marshall, and Mr. James Rennie, were directors at that time. The identity of the third director and the teacher is not known. Mr. Jake McCarty later married Miss Etta Marshall and two of their sons and some of their grandchildren attended this school.
Later a family by the name of Taylor lived in this vicinity. Their children also attended this school. One daughter, Effis Taylor, who later married Charlie Johnson, attended Meadow Branch in the year 1890. Mr. Jake McCarty was her teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson lived in this district and all seven of their children and several of their grandchildren attended this school. One granddaughter, Mrs. William Fulton, also taught in this school. Mrs. Johnson became a widow a number of years ago. She later married Mr. Pat Butts and still resides one mile west of Kinmundy. Thus making three generations of two pioneer families.
Near the close of the nineteenth century, school was discontinued in the log cabin. A new building site was chosen about two miles northwest of the former location, and about one-half mile southwest of the Kinmundy-Patoka road. An acre of ground was contributed by Mr. Early Marshall. A frame school house was built. This building was larger and better constructed. It had more windows and was heated by a large pot-bellied stove. Meadow Branch was indeed progressing!!
My brother, Xon Nichols, and I started to school in this new building in 1908. Mrs. Maggie (Pearson) Eagan was the teacher. In the back of the room was a long shelf for our lunch pails. Underneath the shelf was a row of hooks for our coats and caps. Nearby on a small table was a large keg with a faucet. This was filled with water each morning. On the first day of school, a shiny tin cup sat beneath the keg. We all drank from the same cup. By the time school ended in the spring, the cup was very rusty. A few years later, each pupil carried an individual drinking cut in their lunch pail. These were collapsible.
The teacher taught six grades each term. One year, the sixth and eighth grades were listed, and the following year the fifth and seventh grades were taught. Our school term lasted only six months. The early teachers boarded or lived in with the pupils’ parents. As a young lady, Mrs. Eunice (Wham) Maulding taught Meadow Branch School, when wages were very low, her salary was $13 per month.
When a class was called, the pupils called went to the front of the room and sat in a row on a seat called the recitation bench. They returned to their own seat when their class period was ended.
The school ground was a play ground for the younger pupils. But the surrounding pastures, “Meadows” and “Branches” were the play grounds for the older pupils to play such games as “Run, Sheep, Run”, “Wave”, and baseball. These games were played in the fall. An apple orchard, just a mile behind the school, was scoured for apples after harvesting time..
When the first heavy snow fell, the meadow in front of the school was for our “Fox and Goose” game. The school children would form a line, with a large boy as a leader, and start running in a circle in the snow. The circle was divided into eight large wedges, and when finished looked for the world like a huge lemon meringue pie. It would then be ready to start playing.
About a half mile north of the school was a long hill. This was our coasting hill. We “sledded” during the noon hour, and it was amazing how we could not hear the bell when afternoon classes were called, especially when the teacher came half way thru the pasture ringing her desk bell!!! Sometimes two or three younger classes were finished before we returned to the school house.
Later the pot-bellied stove gave way to a furnace which sat in a back corner of the room. One of the older boys came to school early to act as janitor, for a small monthly salary.
School continued in this school house for several years. Pupils starting their education there have entered almost every occupation. Many of our boys served in the armed forces of several wars.
About ten years ago the school was consolidated into the Kinmundy-Alma School District. The school house and ground were sold. A new modern country home stands where the little country school used to be.
Now all that remains are our annual school reunions which meet the first Saturday in August, our happy memories of carefree school days, and sadder memories of classmates and teachers who have since passed away.
Mrs. Rhea S. Shreffler
R. 2; Box 7, 66A
Wilmington, Ill.
The first Meadow Branch School was located in Section 32, Kinmundy Township; the second location was Section 30 in Kinmundy Township.
“Footprints in Marion County” - Marion Co. IL Genealogical & Historical Society
Vol. VI; Summer 1981; No. 1; P. 44-45
Meadow Branch School; Kinmundy twp.
Submitted by Agnes (Hines) Clesson - Sept. 2, 1986
(One Room School Memorial – Archives - Salem, IL)
Much of the following information was attained from my sister, Florence Shreffler; she is 89 years old, and to the best of our knowledge, is the oldest living person who attended Meadow Branch. She remembers going to school with Alvin Chandler, and she thinks it was in 1910. We have pictures when she and some of my brothers were in school at Meadow Branch, and Maggie Pearson was the teacher. One picture following that in 1914 when Maude Baylis was teacher.
There were nine children in our family, and all attended school at Meadow Branch. I was the youngest of our family and finished grade school in 1928. Our family was represented every year for 18 years at Meadow Branch, and our sister, Edith, started teaching at Meadow Branch. Later our brother Otis’ three children also attended school there. I believe the Nachman family had children in school there for the same years as our family thru 1928.
Meadow Branch was consolidated with Alma-Kinmundy school, and the last year of school at Tick Row, as it was commonly called, was in 1948.
Our brother, Carl, had wanted for several years to have a school reunion for those who were left. This was accomplished in 1957 through his efforts. The school reunion has been held every year since its inception, the first Saturday in August. Each year there is a decrease in the number of former pupils, but hopefully, it can be carried on for several more years.
There are six teachers who are living at this time who taught at Meadow Branch. Three attended the reunion this year (1986); Wilma Boughers, Ruby Linton, and Rada Ford. Ruby Sullens, Mary Miner Morrow and Evelyn Johnson Cummins are still living but were not present.
The school house was purchased by the Hord family and has since been remodeled into a home for the family.
One of my most vivid memories is watching the teacher in winter time prepare hot chocolate on the stove which used to heat the building. The hot chocolate was for all the pupils. In hot weather we stood in line at the well where there was a pump (one tin cup was used by all) and the cold water was exceptionally good.
One of the favorite games was baseball; we used a board for a bat and a ball made of tightly wrapped string. In the winter when we had snow, Fox and Goose was our favorite. Black Man, Drop the Hankerchief, Andy Over (using the coal shed for this game where there were no windows to be broken), Charades, I think we called it New York, New York, and of course the ever popular game of Hide and Seek. A great many of the rules of the games were made by the players.
Each fall a pie supper was held to make money to buy necessities - perhaps a new globe of the world, song books, or what ever was needed.
Christmas was looked forward to for many weeks. There was always a Christmas tree, a program by the pupils, Santa Claus, a treat from the teacher, and a week’s vacation. We had never heard of an Easter vacation, but looked forward to the last day of school when the parents came, and a picnic was the order of the day.
I’m sure we didn’t have a lot of the things that city schools had, but we learned to “make do” with what we had, and it was a valuable lesson for all of us.
From stories we hear at school reunions, there are many happy memories of good old Tick Row.
Attachment
List of attendees
Following is a list of some of the older residents and members of their families who attended school at Meadow Branch:
Mr. & Mrs. Alonzo Baylis - Parents of Merle, Reindl, Lois, and Lorraine. Alonzo was a director for many years.
Tennie Nichols Baylis - Mother of Xelpho and Dorothy.
Mr. & Mrs. Bill Caldwell - Parents of Carl, Gladys, Frances, Pearl, Georgia, and Bill.
Mr. & Mrs. Sam Doll - Parents of Theoron, Leslie, Cecil, Nona, Mable, Ruby, and Ethel.
Mr. & Mrs. Fred Foster - Parents of Lulu, William, and Paul.
Mr. & Mrs. Ed Gregory - Parents of Opal, Leo and Clessie Fitzpatrick. (Ed was their step-father.)
Blanche Nichols Hiestand - Mother of Bill and Peggy.
Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Hines - Parents of Otis, Florence, Carl, Loyd, Elizabeth, Gail, John, Edith, and Agnes.
Melvin was a director for many years, and Edith started her teaching career at Meadow Branch.
Mr. & Mrs. Otis Hines - Parents of Roy, Ruth and Marion.
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Johnson - Parents of Forrest, Frank, Ellis, Amy, Elva, Leo, and Loren.
Charlie was a school director for many years, and his granddaughter, Evelyn Johnson Cummins, taught school at Meadow Branch.
Mr. & Mrs. Forest Johnson - Parents of Evelyn, Marjorie, Nelda, and Forest Fern.
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Johnson - Parents of Charles and Robert.
Mr. & Mrs. George Lenhart - Parents of Nita and Freida.
Mr. & Mrs. Early Marshall - Parents of Etta McCarty and Ira Marshall.
Both taught school at Meadow Branch, and Ira was a school director for many years.
Mr. & Mrs. Ira Marshall - Parents of Ruth, Virgil, Robert and Catherine
(continued)
Mr. & Mrs. Jake McCarty - Parents of Mary, Helen, Marshall, Burdette, Kenneth, Glenn, and Velva.
Mr. & Mrs. Thurman McCulley - Parents of John William and Dorothy.
John William was recently recognized as owning farm land which had been in the family for a century.
Mr. & Mrs. Mike Nachman - Parents of Katie, Tony, Stanley, and Julian (Yulie), Mary, Sophia, Florence, and Anna.
Mr. & Mrs. Monroe Nelson - Parents of Gula, Thelma and Wilma
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Nichols - Parents of Ruby, Rhea, Opal, Xon, Blanche, and Tennie.
Mr. & Mrs. Wesley Robb - Parents of Mildred and Harold.
Mr. & Mrs. John Saunders - Parents of Walter, Minnie, Mary, and Warren.
Mr. & Mrs. Charles See - Parents of Charles, Frederick and John.
Mr. & Mrs. Lester Sturm - Parents of Leonard. Mrs. Sturm taught school in Meadow Branch.
Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Sturm - Parents of Lucy and one other girl. (I’ve forgotten name.)
Mr. & Mrs. William Wantland - Parents of Douglas, Martin, Erma, and Lloyd.
Mr. & Mrs. Walter Warren - Parents of Bennie and Marion.
Mr. & Mrs. William McWilliams - Parents of Myrtle, Henry, and William.
Mr. & Mrs. Columbus Williams – Parents of Forrest, Alva, Loren, Pearl, Eva, Yada, Lena, Louie, Lottie, Gayle, and Nettie.
(Were not in District #26, but due to high waters, their children were unable to get to the school in their district, and they attended school at Meadow Branch.)
Mr. & Mrs. Roy Williams - Parents of Jack, Claude, Clyde, Chloris, Alfleeta, Jean, and Bill.
Mr. & Mrs. Young - Grandparents of Howard Charlton.
Teachers:
Alvin Chandler
Maggie Pierson
Jake McCarty
Etta Marshall McCarty (substitute)
Harry Craig – 1905
Ransom McCarty – 1906 & 1907
Etta Spencer Rorr
Dwight Day
Carrie See
Maude Baylis
Bessie Chance Aumiller
Beth Purcell Rainey
Delsie Malone Ford
Bill Green
Nellie McClure
Lucy Sturm
Irene Ayres (Dix) – 1 term
Rochelle Inman Baker
Vivian DeWeese Johnson
Ruby Miller Sullens
Edith Hines Jones – 3 terms
Rex Gammon – 3 terms
Ruby Linton
Rada Caldwell
Susie Malone
Evelyn Johnson Cummins
Roy Mulvaney
Older Residents
Melvin Hines
Charles Johnson
Early Marshall
Alonzo Bayliss
Fred Young
William McWilliams
George Lenhart
Ira Marshall
Thurman McCulley
Wesley F. Robb
Frank Johnson
Ellis Johnson
John McIntosh
Ed Gregory
Billy Calwell
Andrew Nichols
Mike Nochman
Eulie Nochman (a son)
Cyrus Oregon
Otis Hines and Lloyd Hines (sons of Melvin Hines)
William Saddler
Walter Schoonover
Fred Chance
Max Metcalf (?)
Walter Warren
|
Names of Trustees (Town 4, Range 3) |
Names of Directors at Meadow Branch School (#26) |
|
|
1877-1878 |
I.W. Robb, Richard E. Shelton, William R. Hubbard |
Early Marshall, Henry W. See, William Organ |
|
1915-1916 |
C.W. Hanna, H.W. See Jr., J.R. Jones; R.C. Robb - Twp. Treas. |
C.M. Johnson, W.L. McWilliams, Melvin Hines |
|
1918-1919 |
J.R. Jones – President; C.W. Hanna – Clerk; W.H. Gray; R.C. Robb – Treasurer |
Chas. See, C.M. Johnson, Melvin Hines |
|
1920-1921 |
W.H. Gray – President; J.E. Craig – Clerk; C.W. Hanna; R.C. Robb – Treasurer |
C.M. Johnson, Florence Marshall, Chas. See |
|
1922-1923 |
C.W. Hanna – President; J.E. Craig – Clerk; J.A. Baylis; F.E. Jones – Treasurer |
C.M. Johnson, Florence H. Marshall, Walter Warren |
|
1923-1924 |
J.E. Craig – President; J.A. Baylis – Clerk; S. Jones; F.E. Jones – Treasurer |
C.M. Johnson, Mrs. Lora Bayliss, Fred Foster |
|
1926-1927 |
J.A. Baylis – President; I.D. Ingram – Clerk; S.W. Jones; F.E. Jones - Treasurer |
Thurman McCullough, Mrs. Lora Baylis, Ira Marshall |
|
1928-1929 |
J.E. Craig – President; J.A. Baylis, S.W. Jones, F.E. Jones – Treasurer |
W.L. McWilliams, Mrs. Lora Baylis, Leonard Sturm |
|
1930-1931 |
J.E. Craig – President, J.A. Baylis, S.W. Jones, F.E. Jones - Treasurer |
T.A. McCullough, Wes Robb, Ira Marshall |
|
1931-1932 |
J.E. Craig, J.A. Baylis, S.W. Jones; F.E. Jones – Treas. |
Wes Robb, Ira Marshall, Thurman McCulley |
|
1932-1933 |
S.W. Jones, J.E. Craig, J.A. Baylis; F.E. Jones – Treas. |
Ira Marshall, W.F. Robb, Forrest Johnson |
|
1933-1934 |
S.W. Jones, J.E. Craig, W.F. Harvey; F.E. Jones – Treas. |
Ira Marshall, W.F. Robb, Forrest Johnson |
|
1934-1935 |
S.W. Jones, J.E. Craig, W.F. Harvey, F.E. Jones – Treas. |
Ira Marshall, T.A. McCulley, Forrest Johnson |
|
1935-1936 |
S.W. Jones – President; J.E. Craig; W.F. Harvey; F.E. Jones – Twp. Treasurer |
Ira Marshall – President; Thurman McCulley – Clerk; Forrest Johnson |
|
1936-1937 |
S.W. Jones – President; J.E. Craig; W.F. Harvey; F.E. Jones – Twp. Treasurer |
Ira Marshall – President; Forrest Johnson – Clerk; T.A. McCulley |
|
1937-1938 |
W.F. Harvey – President; Geo. Cole; Frank Johnson; F.E. Jones – Twp. Treasurer |
Ira Marshall – President; Forrest Johnson – Clerk; Walter Warren |
|
1938-1939 |
W.F. Harvey – President; Frank Johnston, Geo. Cole; J. Norris Vallow – Twp. Treas. |
Ira Marshall – President; Forrest Johnson – Clerk; Walter Warren |
|
1939-1940 |
Frank Johnson – President; George Cole, William R. Doolen; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treas. |
Walter Warren – President; Forrest Johnson – Clerk; Walter Rippy |
|
1940-1941 |
Frank Johnson – President; George Cole, W.R. Doolen; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treas. |
Otis Hines – President; Forrest Johnson – Clerk; Ira Marshall |
|
1941-1942 |
Frank Johnson – President; W.R. Doolen; J.N. Vallow - Treasurer |
Otis Hines – President; Ira Marshall – Clerk; Loren Johnson |
|
1942-1943 |
Frank Johnson – President; W.R. Doolen; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treasurer |
Otis Hines – President; Ira Marshall – Clerk; Loren Johnson |
|
1943-1944 |
Frank Johnson – President; W.R. Doolen; J. Fletcher Cole; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treasurer |
T.A. McCulley – President; Fred R. Chance – Clerk; Ira Marshall |
|
1944-1945 |
Frank Johnson – President; W.R. Doolen; J. Fletcher Cole; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treasurer |
T.A. McCulley – President; Donald West – Clerk; Ira Marshall |
|
1945-1946 |
Frank Johnson – President; Fletcher Cole; G.C. Doolen; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treasurer |
Fred Chance – President; Donald West – Clerk; T.A. McCulley |
|
1946-1947 |
Frank Johnson – President; Fletcher Cole; G.C. Doolen; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treasurer |
William J. McWilliams – President; Robert G. Marshall – Clerk; Loyd Hines |
|
1947-1948 |
Frank Johnson – President; G.C. Doolen; Dwight Ingram; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treasurer |
Loyd Hines – President; Robert G. Marshall – Clerk; Leonard Mulvaney |
|
1948-1949 |
Frank Johnson – President; G.C. Doolen; Dwight Ingram; J.N. Vallow – Twp. Treasurer |
Loyd Hines – President; Robert G. Marshall – Clerk; Leonard Mulvaney |
|
1949-1950 |
G.C.. Doolen – President; Dwight Ingram; T.A. McCulley; J.N. Vallow – Treasurer |
Loyd O. Hines – President; Robert G. Marshall – Clerk; Leonard Mulvaney |
|
1950-1951 |
G.C.. Doolen – President; Dwight Ingram; T.A. McCulley; J.N. Vallow – Treasurer |
Lloyd O. Hines – President; Robert G. Marshall – Clerk; Leonard Mulvaney |
(The above information was gathered from Marion County school directories.)
Meadow Branch School; Kinmundy twp., Marion Co., IL; Feb. 13, 1912; Miss Carrie See, teacher
Meadow Branch School; Kinmundy twp., Marion Co., IL; Feb. 27, 1913
Meadow Branch School; Kinmundy twp., Marion Co., IL; March 3, 1914
Meadow Branch School; Kinmundy twp., Marion Co., IL; 1919-1920; Mrs. Aumilller - teacher
Meadow Branch School; Kinmundy twp., Marion Co., IL; 1919-1920; Mrs. Aumilller - teacher (close-up)
