Growing Up in Williamsport, Ohio

Williamsport School
 
Williamsport School was located on the entire block that faced Route 22. It was a stately building. It was built in 1905 which was the year my Dad was born. It was built mostly of brick and stone blocks. It had a double door main front entrance and a couple of side entrances.  The side entrances led to the basement and second floor. The basement contained the boiler room, the cafeteria, some classrooms, recreation rooms and the restrooms. The main office was by the front entrance on the first floor as were the first, second and third grade classrooms, hall and auditorium. The front part of the upstairs contained grades four through the eight. A hall led to the back of the school where the Freshman through Senior classrooms were located.
 
The school was surrounded by green grass with the playground, baseball diamonds, a sidewalk and entrance on the front of it. At recess, many of us “walked around the block” or played on the playground swings, etc. At that time, our only gym was the Pavilion which was a block away and adjacent to the Parish House. When the new gym was built on the side of the school circa 1953, it afforded us with many more athletic and social opportunities.
 
Some of our teachers (Mrs. Bernice Hulse specifically) insisted that we play softball during our recesses and/or lunch time. My arms were always spindly, so softball was not my forte. When I was younger, in order to improve, I often played softball at recess with friends. My game improved a little but I ended up being a south paw in order for that to happen.

The school was good for a lot of things besides readin’, ritin’ and ‘rithmetic. : )

©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2020
Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck