In July of 2000, our Historical Society hosted a reunion of Harwinton’s one-room schoolhouse students. The invitations asked for memories to be written so they could be shared by creating a Book of Memories. The memories of these former students offer a priceless firsthand perspective of what school life in Harwinton’s one-room schoolhouses was like. Since the reunion some have passed on, but they have left us with a documented snapshot into our town’s school history.
We have fondest memories of Mrs. Alva Reynolds who was the epitome of classroom teachers. Also, we recall our mother, Adeline Connors, as a substitute teacher. The normally sedate and well-behaved Ken Connors threw a broom on the roof that day, probably to exhibit his independence from his mother. Mom sent Ken up on the roof to retrieve the broom. Score one for the teacher.
By Ken Connors, Larry Connors, & Joy Connors Mojon
-Collecting milkweed pods during WWII to be used in making parachutes for the war effort.
-Also collecting tin foil from gum wrappers and making balls of the foil — our early efforts at recycling, but because of scarcity.
-Taking turns putting the flag up in the morning. A proud moment.
-Upperclassmen having to start the fire in the morning, and all of us helping to move the wood in the cellar or stack it under the storeroom.
-The morning prayer, which also had not become politically incorrect. We, being Catholic, had to be silent for the final part of The Lord’s Prayer.
-Hymns of patriotism. That was the usual music lesson. Those songs were more than just music. We were learning about our country, our beliefs and our history.
-How hard it was to concentrate on our own lower grade lessons, when the really interesting things were being taught to the older kids.
-Holiday celebrations, whether it was Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day. There was always an art lesson, maybe a play, sometimes even refreshments.
One day a bug was caught in my ear. The flapping and buzzing were more than I could tolerate. Mrs. Reynolds left the school with 22 students unattended and drove me home to North Road. Mrs. Reynolds, of course, had to return to her unsupervised class as quickly as possible. My mother called for a doctor’s appointment. She and I started walking to Route 4 to go to Torrington with Tommy Hubbard Sr. on the High School return trip. At some point the bug flew out of my ear.
BY Joy Connors Mojon
-This story points out difficult decisions and challenges that faced a teacher at that time. Mrs. Reynolds was a very caring, compassionate person. She maintained discipline in the classroom and in spite of all of the obstacles and problems that arose in the one-room format, she taught for many years and succeeded in teaching the necessary academics to all 8 grades.
