My father Harold D. Callaway and his brothers and sisters
were all taught in a one room school house. His sisters attended the Irish
Hills school circa 1920 while in the late 1920's Harold along with his older
brother Woody and Bill attended the Stowe School house located on O'Connor Lane
in San Luis Obispo. Their Schoolmarm was Mrs. Stone. Here is a picture of the
class circa 1929 as well as a few of Harold's recollections:
(In the picture above is Woodrow Callaway, leftmost figure,
back row; Bill Callaway, rightmost figure back row; Jerry Shipsey, leftmost
figure, front row; Harold Callaway, second from the left, front row)
The Stowe School, on O'Connor Lane, was about 1 ½ miles,from
our house and we would walk to school everyday. Howard Williams rode a
donkey to school. His family lived on the O'Connor ranch and worked for the
O’Connors. Sometimes, we would take a bunch of carrots and tie them to a stick
and hold them in front of the donkey, so that he would move forward.
Howard would give me a ride home back to 'This Old House' that is now a
restaurant located on Foothill Boulevard.
Mrs. Stone was our teacher. She taught phonics
(poetry) and this was the first time we learned the line, “Jack be nimble Jack
be quick. Jack jump over the candle stick.” We also learned many poems like
Longfellow's Village Blacksmith:
Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.
The first thing in the morning was math. Followed by
spelling, reading and history. I was a very poor speller but the rest of the
subjects were very easy for me. In the 5th grade we had to write a history of
the U.S.A. starting from the landing of the Pilgrims.We learned many songs
as well. In the mornings Mrs. Stone played a pump organ while we sang the
anthems of the day.
Each student brought a carrot, onion or a potato to
class to which was put in a pot that sat on the wood fire stove. Mrs.
Stone added in a few spices and by lunch we'd all have a delicious stew to eat!
Sometimes during lunch she read out loud a few pages of the Classics. She
read us chapters from the Count of Monte Cristo or The Tale of the Green Knight
from the Legends of King Arthur. Tales like that of Sir Launfal rang true to me
and conjured up visions of the grail’s quest. I pondered these stories in a
deep way and what it meant to give a helping hand every now and then. I
remember one especially that of Sir Launfal- while the grail quest he met
on the road a naked wretch of a leper begging for a little food. Revolted by
the sick creature, he pushed the old man away, Then taking pity he threw
him his cloak. Later in a dream, the Lord revealed himself as the leaper who
beseeched the knight for help. The dream voiced:
Its not what we give, but what we share,--
For the gift without the giver is bare;
Who gives himself with his alms feeds three,
For the gift without the giver is bare;
Who gives himself with his alms feeds three,
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me."
Some of the students who attended the school with me were
Bill and Woodrow Callaway, Jerry Shipsey, Anita Salmina, Norman Alberti,
Maxine Alberti, Howard Williams, Herbi Williams, Francis Nunes, John Nunes and
the Jespersen Twins.
Mr. Jespersen was the school trustee. Mr Byrd was the
superintendent of schools. He would come once a year and give us a state test.
Our score was always 3-4 grades higher than any other school. One of the
reasons we progressed so fast is that each class level always heard the lesson
above it. By the time you graduated to the next grade you already knew the
lesson!
