Home from School
From the time I was in the 6th
grade until I graduated from high school at the end of the
11th grade I went to school on the high school campus.
There were not many high school students during this time
and by using the old vocational building all elementary
students in the Fayetteville area were housed on the high
school campus.
I always enjoyed my trip to and from school each day. I
usually walked but occasionally I rode my bicycle. I never
liked to take my bicycle on campus for it was difficult to
keep other students from riding it, and I was always afraid
they would break it.
Jimmy and Kathleen Boyd lived in the house just east of the
school. They were good friends of my family and let me
leave my bicycle in their car garage during school time.
My walk home in the afternoon was my favorite. Just getting
out of school was a refreshing feeling and I’m sure this
gave my walk home special meaning. I thought I might recall
one of these walks with the hope it might bring back a
memory or two for you.
As I left the Boyd’s going toward town, I passed the
Jackson home place. It was a large house where the Davies
family, Bill Jackson, and the mother Mrs. John M. Jackson
lived. Mr. Davies was an officer with the Georgia State
Patrol. Mrs. Davies was a Jackson, Bill’s sister. They were
often sitting on their front porch as I passed by.
Col. Culpepper, his wife and one for their daughters lived
in the next house. It was a grand house with a large front
porch. The yard was fenced with large flat stones about
three feet high, just high enough to provide a good place
to sit for a short rest.
Next was Arthur Matthews’ house. He and his wife lived
there. Mrs. Matthews was a graceful, loving person. She
made you feel good with her bright smile. We would
sometimes buy milk from her. Her house was always clean as
a whistle and I can remember the clean smell of the kitchen
when Mother sent me for milk.
The last house on this street was Miss Roxie Blalock’s. She
was in her 90’s and lived alone. The sidewalk in front of
her house was sandy and she kept it swept with a homemade
broom made of broom sage. She sometimes cautioned me about
riding my bicycle. She said she was afraid I’d fall off,
but I think she didn’t like anyone making tracks in her
freshly swept sidewalk.
For many years when we lived next to Mr. Tom Nations, I
made a right hand turn at this point. I passed Mrs. Jenny
Farrar’s, Mr. Cap Travis’, Mr. Buck Murphy’s, and Dr.
Busey’s houses. There was a line of oak trees in front of
Mr. Travis’ and Dr. Busey’s houses. Dr. Busey painted the
trunks of his trees white. When Hwy. 85 was paved these
trees were removed .
Later when I was in high school we moved to Railroad Street
(now Jeff Davis) and my route home changed after passing
Miss Roxie’s. I now cut across the Courthouse Square to the
Burkes Hotel. I then continued, passing Mr. Hill Redwine’s
house, an apartment house, the Hightower house, two houses
whose occupants I can’t remember, the Rivers house (later
City Hall), and a row of markets and stores.
Finally I arrived at Railroad Street. I then passed the
Harp’s house where Hoss Harp, Mayor of Fayetteville, his
brother Russ, and his sister Mary Harp lived.
Next was Mr. Bill Howell’s family. Jimmy Howell was a
classmate and a friend of mine. The last house before mine
was Bill Holt’s house.
This trip took about forty-five minutes. Mother and Daddy
both worked, so I had some time by myself until they got
home. I was not a “ latchkey” child because we didn’t have
a key.