This is at the orchard up north....when we passed through there the way the tree loomed over it caught my eye.
Then I isolated the outhouse with the tree, and it seemed even more massive. Or maybe it is just that the outhouse seems so insignificant. Notice how the tree, outhouse, and light pole all lean one way while the house and the young trees in the background don't lean at all. If I remember correctly the trees are staked so they can't lean.**************
I remember our grade school had an outhouse for boys on one corner of the school ground and the girls was on the other corner. I always remembered the teachers waited till recess was over before they went to the bathroom, and to the best of my memories, that happened very few times. Can you imagine walking down a dirt path in dress shoes and dress clothes? I think the two that lived there close by would sometimes run home.
My brother and I were talking about our teachers, and wondering if getting assigned to our school was looked forward to or if it was almost a disgrace, or some sort of punishment. At least two of the teachers lived within a mile or two of school, so it might have really been an appealing position for them. Also, even with each teacher teaching two grades, our classes were small...very small. I think, with the exception maybe of a time or two when a student came and left, our class always had the same 10 students in it. I should have ask my other friends before writing this, maybe I am forgetting someone.
In our 7th & 8th grade, we had the principal as our teacher. I never felt like he enjoyed us at all. And I really don't think he had a clue about what went on in class. When we had to read out loud, some of the boys in the grade above us would reach over and cover the page of one of my friends till she could not see what she was reading. He would tell her such words as 'the' and 'this' or 'her' and 'him'....and never look up. And this for an A student! Everyone in class could read those words....not once did he look up to see what was going on.
We had a basketball court, but could only take one basketball out. Or one softball, or one volleyball. But there was a big metal locker that was full of basketballs, footballs, and I don't know what else. The principal would not let us have a football...I think my friend and I ask for one one time. His reply was no touch ball.
Yet we used the volleyball in what we called 'keep-away,' and sometimes the whole gang of us would end up in a big pile fighting for the ball. We could not have played any rougher if we had had a football.
We played all games unsupervised...yet very seldom was there an argument. And I don't ever remember there being a serious argument. We might fuss a bit over whether someone was out or safe, but went on and played. When we were young, my best friend and I played ball with the older boys. We had to get permission from that same principal mentioned above...his words were 'no crying.'
We had times when we played jump rope, red rover, tag, Mother may I, hide and seek, etc...or swung on the swings. When they were up...I think part of the time they were taken down for some reason. We would swing in those swings just as high as we could and bale out...I don't know how we didn't end up crippled as much as we jumped out of those swings. But as far as I know, it never hurt any of us.
These are just a few of my thoughts when I see an outhouse...who would ever think that an old outhouse could evoke such memories?
