 Class reunions serve as an endearing American tradition where old friends and classmates gather to review their shared school experiences and cherished (or forgettable) memories. In time, with age and dwindling attendance, these reunions sometimes disappear. Not so with a group of hardy public schoolers who still keep their school's legacy alive. The Iddles School: 98 Years Holding Reunions Submitted by Clare Adkin The Iddles was a rural one-room school founded in 1859. It was certified as District #3, Casco Township, Allegan County, MI. Iddles operated as an independent K-8 school until 1962 when it annexed to Fennville Public Schools. Fennville utilized the school for three more years for grades 2-3. During the summer of 1928, Mary Litts, the daughter of the school’s builder, Thomas Iddles, organized an all-school reunion. From the start past and present students, their families and teachers were invited. Nearly 100 attended the first reunion potluck and its popularity demanded the planning of a second for the following year. And so a tradition began that has never been broken, even during the height of the 2020 Pandemic. The youngest alum is over 65 years old. 32 alumni attended last summer’s 2025 reunion which included Thomas Iddles’ Great-Great-Grandson, Brian Iddles. Jane Ann Nally in 2018 was the last Iddles teacher to attend a reunion. Jane Ann began her teaching career in 1952 at Iddles but could not sign her contract until the start of school, having to wait until she turned 18! Question: Does Iddles have the longest running consecutive year all-school reunion for one-room schools in the United States? Iddles alumni think so! Additional Information: (from the web) Iddles School can trace its beginning back over 140 years. It began in 1859 as a log cabin and was known as Shamley School. It was located on the north side of 109th Street, across from the current location. Supposedly Iddles School took it name from Thomas Iddles who built the log cabin. In 1860-61 Charles Emerson and Jane Brown Woodruff were the teachers. Students included John Marshall, Dora Coppock, Lonson Overhiser, and Albert Overhiser. The log cabin was replaced in 1867 by a frame building. In 1901 the current brick building was constructed. Through many years it housed kindergarten through eighth grade. In 1962 Iddles School was annexed to Fennville Public Schools and was then sold. More information can be found on pages 46-48 of the book: Casco Township-Bounty by the Lake by Jeanne Hallgren.  Seated L-R Linda Stennett Wauchek, LeRoy Hogle, Kay Kuney Brush, Mary Ann Adkin Schlack, Chuck Stennett, Sharon Jerue Kuiper Middle Row L-R LuAnn Rainey Winfrey, April Adkin Wright, Larry Osman, Joanne Dailey McCauslin, Sally Stevens, Dora Lee Ransom Young, Sue Adkin Asher, Rose Ransom Merriweather, Dawn Osman Bronson, Dawn Clark Roose, Renee Kark Wilkinson, Dian Schlack Liepe, Judy Dailey Chatterson, Nora Dailey Drew Back Row L-R Martin Overhiser, Ted Stevens, Clare Adkin, Holly Adkin Wohlfert, Gary Flora (in hat), Robert Osman, Craig Osman, Tim Stennett, Russ Latchaw, Brian Iddles, Dorothy Stennett, Sharon Cope Parrett. Barb Latchaw Perrin attended but was not in the picture.
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 THE DISTRICT SCHOOL By William Ladd Taylor The Youngest Early Country School Learners A reprint from our former CSAA newsletter... By Michael Day, Barkhamsted, CT Here's a word you don't hear anymore: Abecedarian (/ā″bē-sē-dâr′ē-ən/). A teacher in the 19th century would have been very familiar with this word, for it denoted those young students whose immediate task was to learn the alphabet. The term was also occasionally used to denote the person who taught the simplest aspects of literacy. Outside of school, the word carried the connotation of learning by rote the basic elements of a subject in a pre-determined order. Warren Burton, when writing about attending school in 1800 (The District School As It Was) recalled that he was, "three and a half years old when I first entered the old school-house as an abecedarian." In his second year at school, he "looked down upon two or three fresh, slobbering abecedarians with a pride of superiority, greater perhaps than I ever felt again." The word can be traced back to the early 17th century and clearly is it derived from the first four letters of the alphabet. Some writers emphasized this connection in their spelling of the word. Samuel G. Goodrich (who would later achieve great fame in the world of children's literature as "Peter Parley") in his 1856 autobiography described the seating arrangement of the school he attended as a child: "The larger scholars were ranged on the outer sides at their desks; the smaller fry of a-b-c-darians were seated in the center." The term was in common use as late as 1880 when the New England Journal of Education in an article on schoolhouse scheduling recommended that, "abecedarians be called to recite four times a day". It's not clear just when the term went out of fashion, but it was probably when the district schools were consolidated, and kindergarten became a standard feature of modern education. While the term is no longer in everyday parlance, it may still be found in a certain research areas. Modern youngsters love big words, especially those that seem to just roll off the tongue. Next time a group of young visitors comes to your schoolhouse, introduce them the term that might well have described them a century ago: Abecedarian. Picture: The District School by William Ladd Taylor: Abecedarians slouch on steps and benches awaiting their turn at recitation, while older scholars toe the line. Michael Day of Barkhamsted, CT was a regular contributor to our e-newsletter of old, and we thank him again. He also sold print resources for one-room school museums called Clippership Publications, but we hope to hear from him and that he re-opens his business. Help us find Mike Day! I've reached out to the Barkhamsted Historical Society for information on how to contact Mike.  CLICK ON SANTA TO ACCESS THE MHS NEWSLETTER! Santa at the Schoolhouse December 6th-12:00-3:00
Thanks to member Ralph Buglass for keeping his eye open for our Report Card readers. He received the November digital newsletter from the Medford Historical Society in New Jersey and suggested that it is certainly worth sharing for its great ideas. We concur. CSAA member, Pat Alvino, is not only a Trustee and Director of Cross Keys Schoolhouse programs, but a recent recipient of our CSAA Service Award for her many years of dedicated work on behalf of their schoolhouse museum. She continues her work with other MHS activities and this holiday season at Cross Keys promises to be a good one. Just reading Medford's newsletter is inspiring to see a thriving membership actively engaged in all things historical...and fun! MHS President Bill Pflug's Page highlights the Apple Festival, Country Day, Quilt Show and Flea Market, wine tasting, blacksmithing, new Civil War and WWI exhibits, sprucing up the buildings, planning for our nation's Semiquincentennial, the Charlie Zahm Holiday Concert at the Quaker Meeting House, opening the Haines-Tomlinson House as a shuttle stop for the Dickens Festival...and drumroll....Santa at the Schoolhouse! Check out the flyer: apple cider, 19th century decorations on the tree, and a visit with Old St Nick! Free admission. If you're looking to improve your group's communication and participation you'll certainly find inspiration and some great ideas from the Medford Historical Society! |
