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Joyce Johnson

Member Rara Avis

since 2001-03-10

Posts 9912
Washington State

0 posted 2006-10-22 12:26 PM

Last Chance Survivor

It stands on the historic hill,
Survivor of its kind;
This abandoned one room building
Where memories are enshrined.
The bell last rang to call them in,
Near eighty years ago;
The eager-to-learn children,
The unwilling and the slow.

There are but very few of them
Who are still alive today;
Most lying in their dreamless sleep
In a plot across the way.
This sturdy little building
Has weathered every storm
Since last they gathered by the stove,
Well stoked to keep them warm.

But time will surely take its toll
On this relic of the past
Unless heroic measures
Insure that it will last.
Years ago some former students met
To save the little school
Where they first learned the alphabet
And were taught the golden rule.

Because of them this treasure
Still stands for us today.
With them all gone, none left to care
If it simply slips away.
Once lost, this piece of history
Can never be replaced.
Nothing left but graves of pioneers
To record the trials they faced.

Joyce 10/22/06

Marge Tindal

Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-06

Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores

1 posted 2006-10-22 02:07 PM

Joyce~
I am an 'old buildings' softie ... and it just does my heart soooooooooooo good to see one preserved !!!

'If' you have a photo ... email it to me, I would LOVE to see it~

Such rich imagery in your thoughts~
*Huglets*
~*Marge*~

~*The sound of a kiss is not as strong as that of a cannon, but it's echo endures much longer*~
Email - noles1@totcon.com

Joyce Johnson

Member Rara Avis

since 2001-03-10

Posts 9912
Washington State

2 posted 2006-10-22 04:07 PM

I'll take one, Marge. My husband and his siblings as well as his father before him all went to this school. I have been in an association trying to protect it since that group I mentioned in the poem. One man and myself, neither of us students there are the two surviving members of this group. The people who own it have refused to honor the wishes of the man who owned it at the time and neglected to will it to us and it went to greedy realtives who want the land it stands on. We had put a new roof on it and foundation under it, before they stopped us. Joyce

shatteredsilver
Member

since 2005-03-31

Posts 63
middle of nowhere

3 posted 2006-10-23 12:45 PM

What a lovely job of creating a clear picture of a place.

I have an affection for these buildings too. There is one near where I live that got lucky and taken care of.

Juju
Member Elite

since 2003-12-29

Posts 3429
In your dreams

4 posted 2006-10-23 01:32 AM

This kind of reminds me of the old school house(100 years ago). I was told after years(50) it was changed in to a town council meeting place and was fixed up. Now its a feed storage place.

-Juju

-Juju

-"So you found a girl
Who thinks really deep thougts
What's so amazing about really deep thoughts " Silient all these Years, Tori Amos

junemac
Senior Member

since 2003-04-24

Posts 1005
uk

5 posted 2006-10-23 06:23 AM

Hello Joyce, Wow this is so full of passion and i hope the building stays forever. We tear far too many of these wonderful places down these days
Hugs June xxx

Joyce Johnson

Member Rara Avis

since 2001-03-10

Posts 9912
Washington State

6 posted 2006-10-23 11:05 AM

What a suprise to hear from you Junemac. Where have you been? Love, Joyce

Trillium

Member Patricius

since 2001-03-09

Posts 12098
Idaho, USA

7 posted 2006-10-23 06:48 PM

Dear Joyce: It is so sad when these historic old places are torn down. I do hope you will be successful in saving the school building. I went to a one-room country school for a year, in 4th grade and I have so many great memories of that time,

Love
Betty Lou

Betty Lou Hebert

junemac
Senior Member

since 2003-04-24

Posts 1005
uk

8 posted 2006-10-24 04:05 AM

Hi Joyce, You wouldnt believe me if i told you lol. Such a lot of goings on this year has kept me away so much. Even my poetry has suffered and i have written so few. There are one or two though and i will post them little by little
Hugs June xxx

BrokenWinged_Angel
Junior Member

since 2005-12-17

Posts 29

9 posted 2006-10-27 04:12 PM

Beautifully written Joyce, as usual.

I may have been gone for awhile, but I still remember your heartfelt words. This poems touching since I've long held a fascination with old buildings and the stories they could tell.

~BWA~

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