A chapter from “An Artist’s Story,” the life story Lee wrote in his eighties. In his words, as he wrote them.
This all took place at Johnson School when we lived on Brewer Rd. The school had been redone and brought up to date and reopened just in time for Kenny and Rod to begin their first school years.
The teacher was young and just starting her career as a “country school teacher“, her name was Lois Hosie. She had the right temperament to be an excellent teacher. Her interest in each child in her class was very intense. She knew a great deal about teaching but her first concern was for each child and that was what made her a special teacher. Most of her class consisted of 20 to 25 students. This little schoolhouse needed more windows so the kids raised some money and the parents helped out and these big windows went in and what a wonderful improvement. The view to the west along Brewer Rd. was mostly green because it looked out on the Torry Woods and in the fall when the leaves turned the bright yellow and reds it was hard to concentrate on schoolwork. The children wanted to be outside and they had a big swing and slide and a ball field with lots of space.
Lois Hosie always said that if she ever needed help she could count on the mothers. Cookies, cakes and often a dinner or two were there, just for the asking.
Long after these children had graduated and Lois retired from teaching I painted a picture of this little school called “Johnson School” and on the back I put a picture of the 21 kids in her class including Kenny and Rod. You may be interested in the note that she sent me. She and Cal, her husband, have lived in Fla. for many years now. We were a lot younger back then and she was an important part of the lives of all her children as well as their parents.
Letter from Lois Hosie:
Transcription
Original spelling preserved; [brackets] mark uncertain or editorial readings.
Wednesday, May 29th — Dear Lee and Lois, We arrived home at 9:30 PM and there on the front porch were “years of memories”! You must know that I cried with “love not saddness” as I looked at Johnson School & then when I turned it over and saw that refreshing group of children it was suddenly like a “flashback” — all the thoughts & remarks that came back to me as I went from one face to another. I so appreciate the painting and the pictures that you gave up, to give to me. You will thrill at the pleasure that the gift brought to me.
Thank you for naming the children, there were 4 that I did not recall. I loved the little pictures of the slide & the children hugging & loving THE DOG! Of the picture that included “my little black Chevie” at the side of the school behind the puppets — Oh, how I remember some of the projects thanks to the wonderful Mom’s who always had ideas & material, etc. to help us out. Those big windows! that every one worked to earn money for, so that we could have giant screens to cover them… some first grader said “I’ve never seen such big screens”. We were all so happy that the bees & flies wouldn’t bother us. Then there was the front porch… I wish that I had made a tape of all the conversations that took place as the children arrived and took “their own special place” around the front door before the 1st bell rang… when they would line up in the now “old traditional” boys & girls line… and how when we walked in, we come from the interesting (?) out door smells to the smell of ammonia! (one bottle a day poured into the toilets). Once inside we seemed to teach one another. Each one in there had so much to offer the rest of us. I remember well some of the science experiments that Kenny did for us. How the children looked up to him and appreciated all his knowledge, to the little first graders who loved the older children.
Love you and God Bless you. Lois Hosie — & Cal, too.
[Printed at the foot of the stationery: Inspiration House — South Windsor, Conn.]
