Grandpa had done alot of research about where his children would get the best education during these very tough times and he found School of the Ozarks. It is still located in Hollister Missouri, but now is a 4 year college.
Thelma was the first to go and truly excelled, to this day her name is still on the Honor Roll Fountain. Then came Willis, followed shortly there after by my Mom. She said that following in her siblings footsteps was difficult because they both had made a reputation at the school.
S of O always held a very special place in my parents hearts for that is where they met. They both say that that S of O saved their lives.
Mom found out that she was really a good basketball player and volleyball player. By making the teams, it gave her opportunities to travel to other schools. Daddy caught her eye very early on and since S of O was a working High School, she volunteered early on to iron Daddy's shirts. Daddy came from a very dysfunctional family(Grandma divorced several times), but she always found ways for him have nice clothes. Mom said she always spent extra time working on his shirts.
At S of O they lived through years of the Depression and Mom always talked about how cold they were when they worked hours in the canning factory canning tomatoes. Daddy always worked on the school newspaper and worked the printing press for the yearbook.
All four years they flirted with one another, but were always dating other people - they were really good friends.
Winn had to wait until there was an opening at S of O for another Powell - they had rules about how many siblings could be there at the same time. I think Aunt Winnie and Mom were only there one or two years together.
Mom and Dad both graduated in 1936 and Dad went to St.Louis to work and Mom went up to Michigan to work as a Nanny for a family....how they got together is another story at another time. But for now~ know that their ashes are scattered atop Inspiration Point at S of O in Hollister MO, the place where this beautiful love began.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
daddy quit school before he graduated. didn't know they were cremated. i have a crematemation policy.will thanks for the stories and pictures.
i think uncle truman went to s of o to. aunt betty went to school here and was a school teacher for a while. don't think uncle floyd went to high school at all may be wrong.
you mention how smart grandpa was .he could add figures as fast as you gave them to him, 65823 +92714 and so forth , maybe 10 figures down , he could do that all day and get the sum before i wrote down the no. i really think he was the smartest person i ever knew. helen has a daughter who she says is as good at math but helen never knew grandpa
don't think from what my daddy said willis reptuation was all that good, i think he got in trouble a lot, did you know the kids would walk home from s of o to visit, dad said it wasn't that far as the crow flies, across the fields.
I followed your parents, my
father, and others to S of O.
I picked the College over
one in Arkansas that had given
me a full tuition scholarship.
We were so poor; I was afraid to
go to a school where kids had
lots of money. At S of O when
I went you still could not have a car. All the kids were "like me"
just poor kids wanting to go to
college to do better. I left there after 2 years and came south
to AR Tech. I am still here.
I worked at the Rose O Neill Tea House as my first job. I think we
had to work 16 hours a week as
tuition and we carried 12 hours of
classes. You had to take Bible courses. I cherish my "OLd Testiment" class and the ancient sage who taught it.
Thank you again for sharing some of
you heart with us!
I loved reading this story. I did not know any of this info.....I am anxiously waiting for the next one. Thanks so much for sharing!
Post a Comment