Schools in Mano or near Mano

Eastfork School, 1938 - Near Mano From the photo files of Gary Ball and Darla Ball Marbut 1st Row L-R:  --?-- Stephenson, Zelma Periman, Dollie Channel, ---?---, Orville Periman. 2nd Row: Billie Gene Channel, Ralph Stevenson, Edward Periman, Alvin Periman, Ova Coatney, Edith Stever Prier (teacher) 3rd Row, Marzelle Edie, Lonnie Channel, Chloe Stephenson, ---?---.   If you know who the ones are with the question marks, please let me know and I'll pass the message on to Gary and Darla.

This story was published in the Sept/Oct 1987, story in "The Ozarks Mountaineer, pages 52-54, written by Ollie Antle Thorsell.

"The one room country school was in its heyday when I traveled the long way from Exeter to Mano, Mo., to begin my career as a teacher. The stock market crash of 1929 had not yet occurred, and Lindbergh would fly the Atlantic the next year.

I was 17 years old.

I boarded with Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Aldridge who were affectionately called Uncle Harvey and Aunt Anna. I walked a mile and a half to school. My salary was $60 per month and I paid the Aldridges $15 a month of it for room and board.  During those late summer days while it was still hot, I wore a sunbonnet and a dress a little too long in the hope that the people would not know how young I was.  How well I succeeded is questionable.

There was only one road into the Mano community. After leaving the well-traveled roads near Cassville, the Mano road turned down a long winding hill. Everybody talked about "the hill." The problem was in meeting someone for there were only about two places wide enough where vehicles could meet. There was an unwritten law that the person going downhill would back up and let the one going uphill pass because automobiles didn't have brakes safe enough to back downhill.  Going home on Fridays, I was always glad when I got past the hill.

The schoolhouse was typical of its day. It had a wood stove in the center of the room, two-passenger seats in rows fastened to the floor, and a good slate blackboard. One thing was different in that building; it had a large hewn cedar log in the center that probably supported the ceiling or the roof. I never knew why it was necessary. But it was fun for the larger students sitting in the back of the room to hide behind and enjoy bits of mischief.

There were 28 students. They were bright, eager to learn and cooperative.  As I walked to school, the children would join me as I came to their house or mailbox. The first mailbox belonged to Grant Aldridge, and his two little boys, Lester and Estel, would be waiting or coming down the hill. I must have looked like the Pied Piper, as I passed the church and the store to reach the school.

One weekend I went to Eagle Rock to visit my former classmate, Mary Yarnall, also from Exeter and teaching her first year. (Research Note: She later married Ilus Ball)  I was to ride the mail car back to Mano on Monday.  While I was there it rained and we had to wait until the stream ran down enough to cross.  I sat in the back seat of the Model T and held the mail sack up out of the water -- but we made it!

When I arrived at school, a resourceful student, Eunice Holman, had the classes in progress just as if I had been there all along. (She later was principal of the Cassville Elementary School. The Eunice Thomas Elementary School is named for her.)

Several students who were in the Mano school became well known teachers in Barry County. Some of them were Madge, Maxine and Iola Holman, all sisters of Eunice. Alma Holman Fogg, perhaps a distant cousin, taught for many years in Cassville.

Three Stever sisters became teachers. They were Velma, Wilma and Edith.  I remember visiting in their home on White River. They lived with their grandparents.  I think it was Mr. and Mrs. George Stever. They had a contraption that operated on a pulley which let the water bucket down the steep hill to the spring where it tripped, filled and could then be pulled back up the hill.  I loved operating it, so they had lots of fresh water while I was there.

I visited another Stever family. The boy's name was Ermal. I remember his grandmother who lived in the home. She was a delightful lady who told me about the families and the history of the community.

Sometime during the year, I was invited to visit nearly all the homes of my students. Once I went home with Beatrice Brock.  Her father was a good hunter and he promised me we would have a nice fat possum. We did, and it was really good along with sweet potatoes.

There was a family named Williamson who lived down back of the school. The whole family had a bad case of food poisoning and called Dr. Newman to come. This was the one we called Old Dr. Newman.  He was the father of Dr George Newman who had the hospital in the old LeCompte house in Cassville.

There was to be a charivari about three miles up the creek that night and I had planned to attend, but Dr. Newman changed that. He stopped at the schoolhouse as he left the Williamson's place and told me (he didn't ask) that I was not going to the charivari; I was to spend the night at Williamsons.

"Mr. Williamson thinks he can give the medicine, but if he can't, you are to do it.  It won't hurt you one bit to stay up all night and go to school tomorrow. You are young and strong, and you are Jim Antle's daughter," he said.

Old Dr. Newman did two things on that call.  He brought this family through a serious illness and he taught me to put duty ahead of pleasure - something I have practiced through life.

The sound of the fiddle music and the din of the charivari carried down the creek. I could hear it, but I was glad I was not there, but was doing what the doctor said I should be doing. Along after midnight, Uncle Harvey and Aunt Anna came and insisted that I got home and let her take over.

Toward the end of the school year, a woman named Mrs. Campbell came into the community and wanted to hold a revival meeting. The deacons would not allow a woman to preach in their church, so it was decided that she could hold her meeting in the schoolhouse.  The church would lend her the pump organ. I was delighted. Now I would have music in my last day program. Joyfully I taught the students the songs I wanted in my programs. All of them were quick to learn and we made the schoolhouse ring with singing every day.

One day, during the time we had the organ, as classes were in session, the door burst open and in walked a little man carrying a flour sack.  He marched straight up the center aisle to me and said, "I hear you can read music."  "Yes."  "I hear you got the music to "Over the Waves".  "Yes"  He took a fiddle out of the flour sack and rosined his bow, then said, "I want to hear you play it."  I sat down at the organ and started to play. "No! No!" he objected.  "Not that way, play only the right hand."   I played.  He had the fiddle under his chin all the while nodding his head and lightly tapping his foot in time to the music.  When I finished, he said, "Play it again." This time he sawed softly through the piece until near the end, then he said, "Stop, right there. Go over that part again."  I did. Two or three times we played the troublesome part. "All right now, play with both hands," he said.

We played and the rich melody poured from his fiddle, every note perfect all the way through. Then he put his fiddle carefully into the flour sack, gave a little bow and said, "Thank you, ma'm."

He walked down the aisle and out the door. All the while the children sat still and watched. "Who was he?" I asked.

Someone said they thought his name was Shrum and that he lived over on the other side of the mountain.  Some days later, Uncle Harvey Aldridge made inquiry and learned that some fiddlers had disagreed on a certain passage in that tune. To settle the argument they sent the man over to Mano where the teacher had the music written down.  They would accept the written music as the correct way to play that tune.

Mrs. Campbell had her little son with her. He was in the fifth or sixth grade, a studious boy. The revival was well attended and the meetings were still going on when school was out.

One day during that time, I was busy in the building when suddenly I became aware of complete silence on the playground.  Now anyone who has ever worked with children know silence means trouble.  I went outside and heard them down in the ravine off the playground where the Corps of Engineers had placed markers to show how high the water would rise when the dam would be built.

There they were, all seated on stones playing revival and listening intently to the preacher exhorting them to come forward. And who was the preacher?  My girl with all that leadership, Eunice Holman.

The end was coming for the Mano community as it had always existed.  Even the Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Meadows had a radio and everyone went to visit them to hear what was coming in "over the air".  My new permanent that I got when I was to the Teacher's Meeting in Springfield didn't wash out. The next year the ladies in the community went to Cassville and got permanents at the new beauty shop that had now gone in.

Shortly after I was there, the long-planned new road was built. In time the school bus followed and the little school was no more.

I went back in 1958 and took a picture of the lonely old schoolhouse. I went again 1978, but the roads had changed and I could find neither the schoolhouse nor any trace of the Mano community.  Whether anything is left, I do not know. Even the six-year-olds of that time would now be senior citizens past 65.

Still the Mano community remains in my memory as I recall families named Aldridge, Brock, Meadows, Stever, Williamson, Munday, Holman, Mrs. Cisco who had the store, Mrs. Campbell and the Reverend Norman McNabb who held a revival at the church.

Ollie A. Trolinger-Thorsell taught school at Exeter, lived in Cassville, and taught and began her writing career when she moved to California in 1952."
 

Darla Marbut's Note:  Edith Stever Prier Davis loaned this article and the above photo of the Mano to me. She is mentioned above in the story. Her sister, Velma married Lawrence Willard and Wilma married Ray Skelton, a Haddock descendant.  Edith and Wilma lived at Eagle Rock during their adult lives.

***

April Term Petit Jury - Circuit Court: J. H. Aldridge and A. M. Farwell [Roaring River] Cassville Republican, Weekly Paper, Thursday, Feb 17, 1898

Eagle Rock News: Died Sunday night at ten o'clock, Mrs. Harry Aldridge of Mano. Her remains were interred Monday at four o'clock at the Edie Graveyard. She was a faithful mother and loving wife and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. July 27, 1899, Thursday, Cassville Republican, Weekly Paper, Cassville, Barry Co., MO

February 24, 1906, Cassville Democrat, Saturday, Barry Co., MO: J. H. Aldridge of Mano, Roaring River Twp., was born where he resides.

November 13, 1909, Saturday, Cassville Democrat, Barry Co., MO - November Grand Jury - Short Biography of the Member of the Jury: James Harvey Aldridge of near Mano, Roaring River township, was born March 1, 1869, where he resides. Has been married twice; first November 13, 1887 to Miss Martha Wise, who died July 22, 1897. Was married to Miss Anna A. Sparks of Golden, April 13, 1901. Has five children by first marriage and one son dead. He is a farmer and is getting along nicely. He is a member of the Baptist Church and a Republican in politics.

In 1909 a plat book and map was printed. In Township 22, Range 26, which was given as the area - Mano, Berryville Road. These families were listed: Burris, Skelton families, J. C. Bradford, Hadlaw, J. H. Aldridge, Wm Edie, Carlin, Timmons, Ed Chappell.
 

Rock Creek News: Mrs. Anna Aldridge went to Cassville one day last week to have her eyes treated. November 23, 1911, Thursday, Cassville Republican, Barry Co., MO
 

Aldridge - Holman: Ellis Aldridge and Miss Ethel Holman, both of near Mano, were married Sunday morning at ten o'clock at the home of the bride's parents in the presence of their many friends and relatives. Rev. Smallwood performed the ceremony. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Aldridge of Barry County and is one of Barry County's successful farmers. The bride who is the daughter of Judge and Mrs. E. B. Holman is one of that community's popular young women with a large number of friends and admirers. They will reside on a farm near Mano. The REPUBLICAN joins their many friends in wishing them a happy and prosperous wedded life. November 14, 1912, Thursday, Cassville Republican, Barry Co., MO

Mano News: Ellis Aldridge, son of J. H. Aldridge, returned home from Idaho where he has been for some time. July 18, 1912, Thursday, Cassville Republican, Barry Co., MO

Rock Creek News: Mrs. Matt Poyner visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Aldridge, last week. July 17, 1913, Thursday, Cassville Republican, Barry Co., MO 

Mano News: Grant Aldridge and Miss Ona Holman spent Sunday with Floyd Easley and wife. November 5, 1914, Thursday, Cassville Republican, Barry Co., MO

Rock Creek News: J. H. Aldridge and wife are visiting a daughter in Oklahoma. November 26, 1914, Thursday, Cassville Republican, Barry Co., MO

Mano News: J. H. Aldridge and E. B. Brock of this place and J.C. Whittington, E. Couch and Albert Farewell of Eagle Rock attended I.O.O.F. Lodge at Cassville Friday night. March 25, 1915, Thursday, Cassville Republican, Barry Co., MO

State Historical Society of MO was the source of the above newspaper items.

***

1 James Harvey Aldridge b: March 01, 1869 in Mano, Barry Co., Missouri d: in Mano, Barry Co., Missouri Burial: Edie Cemetery, Barry Co., MO +Martha C. Wise b: 1869 m: November 13, 1887 in Barry Co., MO d: July 22, 1899 in Barry Co., Missouri Burial: Edie Cemetery, Barry Co., MO

2 Nora K. Aldridge b: October 1888 in Mano, Barry Co., MO +Matt Poyner b: Abt. 1888

2 Samuel Ellis Aldridge b: November 1890 in Mano, Barry Co., MO d: 1951 in Mano, Barry Co., MO Burial: Mano Cemetery, Mano, Barry Co., MO +Ethel M. Holman b: June 26, 1892 in Barry Co., Missouri m: November 10, 1912 in Mano, Barry Co., MO d: August 20, 1926 in Mano, Barry Co., MO Burial: Mano Cemetery, Mano, Barry Co., MO

2 Grant Monroe Aldridge b: November 17, 1892 in Mano, Barry Co., Missouri d: August 15, 1974 in Barry Co., Missouri  +Verga Narcissus Reed b: January 22, 1901 in Barry Co., Missouri m: January 22, 1921 in Baltimore Co., MD d: in Springfield, Greene Co., Missouri Burial: Maplewood Cemetery, Exeter, Barry Co., MO

2 Edward Fuston Aldridge b: July 1897 in Mano, Barry Co., MO

2 Aldridge b: in Mano, Barry Co., MO d: Bef. 1900 in Mano, Barry Co., MO

*2nd Wife of James Harvey Aldridge:  +Anna A. Sparks b: 1874 in Golden, Barry Co., MO m: April 13, 1901 in Barry Co., MO d: in Mano, Barry Co., Missouri Burial: Edie Cemetery, Barry Co., MO

1870 Barry Co., MO, Roaring River Twp.

9. J. M. Aldrich, farmer, age 34, NC, white, male
Matilda, age 39, TN, white, female
Martha, age 15, MO, white, female
Kisiah, age 13, MO, white, female
Phebe, age 10, MO, white, female
Eunica, age 8, MO, white, female
Rachel, age 5, MO, white, female
James, age 1, MO, twin, white, male
Mary, age 1, MO, twin, white, female

1880 Roaring River Twp., Barry Co., MO
3-3. James Aldridge, Self, M, Male, White, 45, NC, Farmer, NC, NC
Matilda Aldridge, Wife, M, Female, White, 49, TN, Keeping House, NC, NC
Lisabeth Aldridge, Dau, S, Female, White, 20, MO, At Home, NC, TN
Emma Aldridge, Dau, S, Female, White, 18, MO, At Home, NC, TN
Hary Aldridge, Son, S, Male, White, 11, MO, At Home, NC, TN

In 1900, Matilda Aldridge, James Harvey Aldridge's mother was living with him. She reported that she was a widow, born Oct 1830, age 69, in TN, with NC born parents. She had given birth to 8 children and had 5 living children. James H. Aldridge was listed as head of household, age 39, born March 1869, farmer, widower, born in Missouri. His father was born in NC and his mother in TN. Children were given as Nora K., age 11, born in MO, Oct 1888; Samuel E., Nov 1890, age 9, born in MO; Monroe G., age 7, born Nov 1892, in MO; Edward F., Aug 1897, age 2, born in MO [Should be July 1897, because his mother died July 27, 1897] 1900; Census: Roaring River, Barry, Missouri; Roll: T623 838; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 13.

Photo from the files of Sue Easley Hutton, taken in the early 1900's of Harvey and Annie Aldridge.