We have been learning about Verlane and Lois Willard growing up with their three sisters on their farm in Sodus Township, Lyon County.

Beyond their extended family and church community the other, major social experience in the Willard girls’ lives involved attending their country school. Verlane explained how she began school early.

“My country school days began at the age of five. My older sister, Iva, refused to go another year by herself unless I went too. I was ready to go and was ready to run home after school. Iva made me walk with her. She was three years older, so what she said went! Our school was District 84 in Sodus Township, 1 mile from our home farm. Our teacher, Oma Johnson, arrived early to pump water from the well and filled the cooler in a small room off the classroom. She started the heater in the winter. On really cold days we would gather around the heater for lessons, still wearing our coats.”

Verlane identified her first grade classmates and those in the two, next-higher grades.

“There were five of us in the first grade; Betty DeCrock, Myna Dilly, Jim Herbert, Ronnie Wendshuh, and I. Sheldon Schultz and Gene Paul VanNevel were a grade ahead of us and then my sister Iva and Bernice VanLoken.”

She explained how her grade-level classmates changed from year to year and younger students came to school.

“Our big class of five only lasted a year as Ronnie went to Russell and Betty moved, as did Myrna. So, it was just Jim and I through third grade and then he went to the Balaton school. Jim Blomme started a year after me. Then my sister, Fern, started with Darwin Schultz and the next year my sister, Lois, and Dick DeBaer started school. My youngest sister, Frances, started school the next year with Angie DeBaer and Diane Schultz.”

The Willard sisters described the student population of District 84 when they attended it.

(Verlane) “There weren’t too many of us. I would say eight to 12. (Lois) When I went there it was Jim Freriech, Diane Schultz, Darwin (Schultz), Angie DeBaer, myself, Dick DeBaer. (Verlane) Don’t forget your sister, Fran. (Lois) So, there were seven.”

Verlane and Lois described the layout of the District 84 school.

(Verlane) There were steps and an entryway at the top. It was a single door going in and ahead of you was the school room. As you came in, to your right was the boys’ cloakroom and then on the other side was the girls’ cloakroom. (Lois) We had indoor plumbing. (Verlane) [Bathrooms] were right in the cloakrooms. (Lois) The girls had theirs and the guys had theirs. (Verlane) We’d hang our coats and the bathrooms were next to them. When I was in 1st grade, one girl was a little on the mean side and I wasn’t used to that. I knew once I got in the cloak room bathroom, I was safe (Verlane chuckled) because she couldn’t come across the door way.”

Verlane continued the tour of their country school.

“The (oil burner) heater sat next to the girls’ cloakroom. The rest of the classroom was the desks and the chalkboard on the far wall. The teacher’s desk was at the front of the room.

Verlane and Lois outlined a normal school day during their early elementary years.

(Verlane) “We started at 9 a.m. Mornings started with the ‘Pledge of Allegiance,” followed by songs from our golden songbook. We sang patriotic songs as well as others we chose (three or four songs). When World War II was going on I remember us having a small flag and singing ‘Soldier Boy, Soldier Boy,’ leading a parade all around the desks. Then each class had its turn on reading, spelling, arithmetic, science, and geography. (Lois) You had to sit with your classmates. (Verlane) She’d call them over by grades. Otherwise, you’d be reading a book to learn how to read. (Lois) We’d go over to a round table, and she would sit there and teach us. (Verlane) Either that or we had spelling words or math that we’d write on the chalkboard. She was a really good teacher. (Lois) We were excused at 4 p.m.”

Lunch is always important to students and country school kids were no different.

(Verlane) We carried our lunch boxes from home. (Lois) [It was] homemade bread. (Verlane) In later years there was a new heater with a flat top and we could bring wieners or potatoes. They would bake on top of the heater so we could have a hot lunch.”

The Willard sisters recalled that winter weather brought new transportation arrangements. They recalled one winter storm in particular, before Lois and her younger sister, Fran, were old enough to attend school.

(Lois) “Dad harnessed the horses and took them on the wagon. He wrapped them in wool blankets. Fran and I wanted to go and about froze to death before we got home. (Verlane) We about froze when we got to school and they had to go back. (Lois laughed) We’d never do that again.”

Verlane explained that later years brought a more practical solution to winter transport to school.

“During winter our mailman brought the mail at 9a.m. and gave us a ride the mile to school. We would always greet him, ‘Good morning, Mr. Shipee,’ and when he let us out at school, ‘Thank you, Mr. Shipee.’ We never spoke a word in between.’

The sisters’ school days included highlights and special events that lingered in their memories.

©2026 William D. Palmer.