Situated in the northern most part of Monroe County in Bloomington, Indiana is a place I am very fond of. Honey Creek school is a little one room school house. In second grade I was fortunate to attend this school on a class field trip to learn about what it was like over 100 years ago when children went to school. My actual second grade teacher was a real teacher in this school and she was instrumental in restoring it as a historical site and making it a learning place for children today. My own children went on field trips, camps, and filmed movies here at Honey Creek. Rachel Christy my beloved teacher passed away on May 14, 2008 at the age of 97. I have loved her almost my whole life and I think about her so much. After retirement she wrote children's books such as Wishing on a Star & Other Stories and Clowns Can Cry & Other Stories. At her retirement party in around 1977 we sang her the song Love Me Tender by Elvis Presley...it was her favorite. It was my idea because I loved her so tender.
This is where children still get their drinking water while attending Honey Creek. It is so exciting and fun to be the one to collect the water. I am sure it was drudgery when you actually attended school here. I remember how fun it was dressing up in my bonnet and prairie dress to pump the water.
One swing....but it was actually fun taking turns and pushing my friends. Another fun activity was playing a game where you threw a ball over the school house. It was something like Red Rover Red Rover....but for the life of me I can't remember what Mrs. Christy called it.
Oh yes....now here was a favorite place. I didn't ever use the outhouse, I was too grossed out....but I guess then I really didn't have to go. It is a very authentic place to attend and this is no exception.
The wood shed....because the school is actually heated with a wood stove. During the time the big boys got to chop the wood to heat the school house. Even in the spring months it was chilly in the old school house....but not when the wood stove was good and stoked. Honey Creek is a fabulous place. I love going to visit and it will be a fond memory for years to come. Thank you Rachel Christy for being instrumental in bringing this gem back so we can learn and remember what it was like long ago. I hope you have enjoyed my walk down memory lane and learning about a little history here in Bloomington. Blessings for an artfully creative day.
The wood shed....because the school is actually heated with a wood stove. During the time the big boys got to chop the wood to heat the school house. Even in the spring months it was chilly in the old school house....but not when the wood stove was good and stoked. Honey Creek is a fabulous place. I love going to visit and it will be a fond memory for years to come. Thank you Rachel Christy for being instrumental in bringing this gem back so we can learn and remember what it was like long ago. I hope you have enjoyed my walk down memory lane and learning about a little history here in Bloomington. Blessings for an artfully creative day.
7 comments:
That looks like such a fun place to visit. Isn't it great that some people restore the old buildings for us to explore and learn about today?
We used to have an old log house that was built in the 1800s (I'm really not sure), that was moved from another part of Iowa to a local park. My mom used to take my brother and I out there when she was working on restoring it.
After it was restored I remember lots of outings when they had open houses. It was really cool with 3 rooms on the main floor, the kitchen/eating area, the master bedroom and a common room, and a loft for the children. The place was heated by a wood stove and you had to go get water at the pump outside.
Unfortunately, when I was in high school, some bunch of kids burned it down. I never understood how people could go and vandalize something that obviously meant so much to someone else.
Thank you for sharing your heart, Hope. It sounds like you cared so deeply about Rachel Christy.You have had so many years of loving her and I am gld you got to be there to sing "Love Me Tender." That is so dear! She really left quite a legacy. South Dakota was full of one room school houses when I was done and I never saw one, though many of my friends attended one. They were all torn down...so sad. I am glad it all continued long enough for your children to join this special place. See you oh...so...soon! I finally feel like I got off my stuck place. now I will be REALLY busy!!!
Hugs,
Suz
http://katsuijewelry.blogspot.com
Hope, I want to LIVE there! What a wonderful place. You can tell that there is something magical about it. I loved reading about your teacher and how precious she was to you. I had one of those too. I hope everyone has one!
Thankyou for your thoughtful post Hope. I enjoyed seeing the history and love.... all wrapped up in a pretty little package....just so you, this post! Happy weekend! XO
Hope, I love these photos and your wonderful story. Thank you for sharing with us! I need to go find this place!
XO, Cheryl
Thank you Hope for sharing this beautiful story. How blessed are we. I remember using an out house when visiting my grandmather's farm. They palnted Tube roses all around it and it just smelled so nice. As an adult I realized why they did that. Love this post.
xxx
Marlene
Thank you for sharing these pictures and this backstory. My son is a 2nd grader at Arlington Heights here in Bloomington, and he is going there TODAY! We had fun making him some old fashioned clothing and packing an old fashioned lunch using paper napkins and a burlap bag. He was been so excited about this trip and now I'm really jealous that parents don't get to go. (Just not enough room!)
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