A Group at Swan School Reunion From left to right: Frank Chandler, Sue Gill DeLong, James Chandler, Frank Williams, Frank Seaton, Peter Wilson, Mace Rowe, Wm. Chandler, Nancy Miller Jaggar, Ethel Heibner

Another Group Left to right are: James Chandler, Mace Rowe, Frank Chandler, Nan Miller Jaggar, Wm. Chandler, Maggie Kelly Seymour, Linnie Williams Duke, Mayme Chandler Kelly, Ethel Head Heibner, Sue Gill DeLong

 

Talks and Letters

     During the reunion August 7, short talks were made by visiting pupils and former teachers. Peter Wilson opened the school in the morning. Miss Mae Gau, Henry county superintendent of schools spoke briefly. Letters were received from Emma Bonar Nichols Chamberlain and Blance Knickerbocker Parrott. Peter Wilson remarked that in his class of 47 pupils there were 25 in the first reader.

"The Country School"

     Excerpts from the above poem was sent in by Mrs. James Chandler.

     Many think the little red school house
     Doesn't do much for the children of men,
     We cannot quite agree with them
      For what we have seen proof again and again.

     A large number of our learned men
     Like to talk of the little school house days;
     They seem to think it did its part well
     In teaching them wisdom's ways.

     There is a freedom about the rural school
     Which is not found in any other
     And when it comes to competitive scholarship
     The country boy holds his own with his city brother.

     Large schools have their complete equipment
     With instructors that are fine and good;
     There is also splendid training for life being given
     In the little school house at the edge of the wood.

Paper Read on Lincoln at Swan Reunion

     Lincoln historians and biographers disagree whether Abe Lincoln ever taught school. But here is authentic proof that he did and also an incident which has never been published about his experiences as a school teacher.
    My grandmother Nancy Hanks Miller, was a cousin of Abraham Lincoln's mother, and both bore the immortal name "Nancy Hanks." My grandparents made the trip from Kentucky to Illinois with the Lincoln family in early days.
     "Abe" Lincoln fenced my grandparents land in Illinois. He split rails to pay for jeans for his pants and grandmother wove the goods and made his pants. She surprised him by making a coat too, which she rolled inside his pants. When he unrolled them the coat fell out, then he said, "I will split more rails for you, for that."
     He also had typhoid fever while at grandmother's and she took care of him. He later studied law while there.
     Our aunt had a dress bought from Lincoln when he peddled goods. He drove one horse and wagon.
     Our mother, Lucetta Miller Chandler told one incident recounted by her brother, Charles, which has perhaps never been told in any Lincoln biography which is of value as it shows something of his character. "Brother  Charley went to school to Abe Lincoln.
     The boys, most of them older than Charley, and some hardly younger than the new teacher, himself planned to initiate their new schoolmaster. Charley was chosen as the captain, because the lads thought if any punishment were meted out Miller would suffer least on the grounds of relationship, also that he boarded at their home. The boys planned to lock their new teacher out until he treated them or promised a treat.
     Lincoln came to the school expecting nothing out of the ordinary. He found the schoolhouse locked and could not force it.

Down Chimney

     The boys inside informed the new teacher he could come in if he would promise a treat the next day. Lincoln made no answer. A noise was heard and down came a lanky, soot-begrimmed form through the chimney, but no promise of treat.
     Lincoln grappled with the pupils who surrounded him, but they were too many for the teacher. They carried him, kicking and struggling, to the creek a short distance away. A ducking was attempted to bring the new teacher to time.
     Lincoln fought against the heavy odds and it was not until the very brink of the waters edge was reached that he informed the pupils he would treat the next day.
     Lincoln kept his word and Charley said, no teacher and his pupils got along any better than "Cousin Abe and us boys." The boys all liked the homey Kentuckian and especially did they his spunk and gameness. Charley always looked up to Lincoln as his ideal as a young man and never had any occasion to regret the selection of that ideal.
     The qualities then shown by Lincoln, the country school teacher, of gentleness combined with self-determination, my mother believed were later demonstrated by him as president.
     Lincoln's rank as one of the greatest figures of American history has been exalted with the passage of years mother believed for she said, "We didn't think much about it when I was a girl."
     Mother was the youngest of 13 children and was born after the family moved to Des Moines county Iowa in 1835 on a farm near Pleasant Grove, afterwards called Millersburg. She was the first white girl born in Pleasant Grove township, Des Moines county, Iowa, one hundred and four years ago this June, 1940.
     I remember her saying to me, "stir around as though you were going for fire." Then she explained that sometimes their fire would go out and she would go to the neighbors to borrow fire and as badly as she wanted to stay awhile she would rush back home with the coals of fire. Do we realize the value of a match?
     Grandmother played a vital part in Lincoln's life by weaving material and making his clothes, not by machine but by hand; also nursing him through the typhoid fever; but she believed in applying the verse of Scripture. Mathew 6:3, which says, "But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." But now I am grateful for this opportunity to voice a word of praise for those pioneers who have gone on before us and paved the way for us.
     They did not have automobiles, radios, telephones, daily newspapers, mail delivery, running water in their houses, sewing machines, pressure cookers, electricity, which furnishes so many conveniences, beside 1001 things, which we have today but they had many sterling qualities which we need to emulate and to show our gratitude by living up to the standard of the Golden Rule. "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."
     By Mrs. Mary Chandler Kelly (better known as May Nau.).
     This information was given me today by Mrs. Alpha Gill McFarland, who was born May 27, 1866.
     She says brother Joe Gill, born March 20, 1853, went to school in the present school building.
     She feels sure the same school building was built before 1867.
          Mayme C. Kelly

Teachers Present

     Among the teachers present in addition to Peter Wilson, who taught school there 60 years ago, were: Maggie Kelly Seymour, Phyllis Wagner, R.A. Parrott, Mrs. W.J. Riepe, Mrs. Jennie Bonar Chandler, Lotta I. Neu.

Visiting Pupils

     James Chandler, Petty Jean Heibner, Wm. Chandler, Stephen Williams, Linnie Williams Duke, Flossie Williams Bolick, Frank H. Seaton, Wm. Hebner, Naomi Williams, Velma Williams Wagner, Robert Wagner, Stanley Wagner, Gilbert Wagner, Ralph Heibner, Russell, Wendell and Naomi Williams, George W. Grinstead, Nancy Miller Jaggar, Mayme Chandler Kelly, Frank Chandler, Sue Gill DeLong, Kate M. Philpott Welch, Ethel Head Heibner, Fay Grinstead Riepe, Frank B. Williams, Lenore Hutchinson Rowe, Guy New, Merton Williams, Ora Hutchinson Williams, Mason Rowe.

Friends at Reunion

     Mrs. Frank Chandler, Birdie B. Mathews, E. Mae Grau, Mrs. Ida Wilson, Mrs. Fred Wagner, Mary Parrott, W.A. Heibner, T.L. Turley, Mr. and Mrs. Ed L. Mix, Belle C. Chandler, Mrs. and Mrs. Frank Johnston, Mrs. Thelma Baker, Mrs. Nellie Williams, Mrs. Wilma Grinstead, Edward Grinstead, Helen Medefesser, L.L. Medefesser, E.E. Wessel, Clinton Bolick, J.W. Duke, Georgetta Duke, Mrs. Ralph Heibner, J.W. Grinstead, Myrtle Gaines, Claude Gaines, Mrs. Corliss Williams, Mrs. J.W. Grinstead, Stella Grinstead, Marion Bonar, Rollin Bonar.