•Part 1
"There are two kinds of teachers: the kind that fill you with so much quail shot that you can't move, and the kind that just gives you a little prod behind and you jump to the skies."
---- Robert Frost, American poet
Before launching into the limelight a local teacher who was the latter and not the former, I wish to acknowledge the late Ella Dorethea "Dody" Bankston McGehee of Angleton, Texas, who wrote the pretty piece. Born on March 6, 1934, she was the daughter of Rodney Bankston (1889-1965) and wife Stella Stewart Bankston (1890-1967). The youngest of six children, Dody grew up on a dairy farm in Franklinton and graduated from Franklinton High School in 1952. Among her siblings who predeceased her were Julius Harold Bankston, Sr., Lucille Bankston Graves, Joseph Jewel Bankston, and Thomas Alvin "Tommy" Bankston.
Dody married Rodney Allen McGehee (1935-2011) of Bogalusa, and the young couple relocated to Brazoria County, Texas, living there the rest of their lives. Passing away on April 26, 2013, at age seventy-nine, Ms. Dody was buried in Colonial Cemetery in Brazoria, Texas, but not before publishing a beautiful remembrance of her teacher Neva Wood Foil in "The Era-Leader," her hometown newspaper, in June of 1989.
I would imagine some area residents remain who remember Ms. Neva. It was Andy Rooney who said, "Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives." And with the recent start of school, September is the perfect time to reminisce.
Neva Wood Foil (1894 - 1980) was born on September 22, 1894. She married David Iverson "Bud" Foil, the son of David Ferdinand Foil (1855-1932) and Althea Theresa "Tressie" Bateman Foil (1857 - 1933) in 1922. A veteran of the Great War, Bud was a farmer, living a few miles north of Franklinton. And he died doing what he loved. The chairman of the Fair committee in charge of the community farm exhibits, Bud expired on October 10, 1951, at the Fair in the midst of fair going locals who were admiring all the agricultural exhibits. As an aside, these very exhibits were a favorite of my grandfather Thomas Colter "T. C." Brumfield (1893-1981), a local farmer also known as "Bud" and a regular fairgoer who attended the very first Washington Parish Fair in 1911. I'd bet dollars to donuts Pa-Pa knew Mr. Bud Foil.
Having set the stage, I shall relay, without delay, the remarkable writing of Dody Bankston McGehee. She reflected on the beauty and benefit of a Washington Parish education with beloved teacher Neva Wood Foil, as follows:
"A tall stately woman, well dressed and groomed to perfection, greeted me as I entered the little one-room schoolhouse in September 1940.
This was my first day away from Mom and Dad. I was a scared little girl of six-blond hair, blue eyes and lots of freckles across my nose. Before the day was over, I had cried most of the freckles away.
Mrs. Neva, as we all called her, assured me over and over I would be alright and would be back home with Mom and Dad before dark. I was still confused, though. But, as time went by, I got over the fear and began to look forward to the hours spent in the little one room school.
There were approximately twenty students in grades one through four. Mrs. Neva would teach each grade separately. While other grades were put busy on their lessons or projects she would move from grade to grade teaching reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic.
During this time she would also be cooking our noon meal on an old pot-bellied stove. Sometimes she would bring homemade biscuits in a basket covered with a pretty cup towel to keep them warm and fresh.
At lunch time, she sent us all out to the hand pump to wash our hands, then she appointed two helpers for the serving of our meal. The blessing was asked and we ate at our desks. Manners and proper eating habits were taught during this time. After we had finished eating, the two helpers assigned for that day helped her dry and put away dishes. Two other helpers were assigned to sweep the floor and dust erasers while the rest of us went out to play.
Once a week we all shared a story which she read from one of our library books. The library was also in this same big room. It had a table and folding chairs and approximately eighty-five books of some very good fiction, wildlife and adventure.
Every Friday afternoon we were taught about the Bible. This was called our Sunbeam Class. She taught us songs like 'Jesus Loves Me,' 'Jesus Loves the Little Children,' and many more.
Once every three months a community meeting was held and everyone was invited. All parents and neighbors packed into the little one-room school to plan activities and find out the latest on school happenings and projects ahead.
The Washington Parish Free Fair was a 'goodie' for the Bickham School it was called. All the folks in the Hayes Creek community would join together and enter vegetables and things they had grown-jars of canned goods and handmade items. Our booth always looked pretty and almost always won a ribbon. This made us proud."
Stay tuned next week as Ms. Dody Bankston McGehee's description of Neva Wood Foil and education in the 1940s in Washington Parish continues.
