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1948 picture of a school in White County Arkansas. Kensett Arkansas School.

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

 FOUND!

NEAT OLD PICTURE OF A SCHOOL DATED 1948.

 

School in White County

It is a neat old building that has the location and the date on the back.  It was in one of those little wood frames that someone a few years back had used to frame old copies of pictures and had them for sale at some store.  Mother-in-law found one with a picture of her husband's father and brothers lined up on a board.  I have blogged it.

She was able to buy one for each family member.  I found one of the ruins of Judsonia from the tornado in 1952 and have also blogged it.  This one shows a school and I think we need to see if any of the Sleuths know where it was. 

Show All Comments
Anonymous
Anita Fuller

Let me be the first Searcy Sleuth to say.....don't have a clue!   But having said that, I'm guessing Beebe.   I can say with certainty it is NOT Griffithville or Letona.

Jun 23, 2011 01:26 AM
#1
Anonymous
Debbie Wantulok

Ms. Anita...you are really funny!

That is a really neat photo Ms. Barbara...I'm going to have to make sure I keep up with the comments on this one.

Jun 23, 2011 02:17 AM
#2
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Godmother,

After a sputtering spring and summer, so far, it is now strawberry shortcake time up here and I is celebrating.

Godson

Jun 23, 2011 02:33 AM
Anonymous
Jim Bohannon

Barbara,  The photo appears to be the old Russell School Building in Russell, Arkansas. Am I correct?

Jun 23, 2011 06:36 AM
#4
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita, wrong.

Debbie, Anita is a real tart!!

Mary, wrong.  I didn't say it was a High School, did I?

Nutsy, spare me the strawberry suit.  You play right into Mr. Charles's insults with that awful outfit.

Jim, wrong.

Jun 23, 2011 09:33 AM
Anonymous
former Searcian

kinda looks like the Rose Bud school

Jun 23, 2011 12:09 PM
#6
Anonymous
Anita Fuller

Morris School for Boys?

Jun 24, 2011 01:29 AM
#7
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Former Searcian and Searcy Sleuths, guess I have to tell you what the picture said.  It is the 1948 school at Kensett or so the back of the picture was labeled!  It is surprising to me how large the schools were for the small towns. Review the school at Higginson blog. 

But it should be no surprise to me since I grew up in Coolidge GA where the school was long and one story.  First graders went in one end and about 12 years later walked out on the other end.  In the middle was the auditorium where music was taught by a teacher getting up front and leading the group in singing.  I wonder now if music was a required subject and that was the way it was taught.

 

Jun 24, 2011 01:35 AM
Don Thompson
Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

Barbara, is this what your's looks like? This one was sold on eBay for 99 cents March 24, 2011.

It was described as 1948 Kensett Arkansas school framed photograph b/w

 

Kensett School 1948 Front & Back

Jun 24, 2011 02:38 AM
Anonymous
Anita Fuller

Good job, Don and Barbara.  Sure fooled me.  Who would have thought KENSETT would have such a school?  Wonder how long it stood?  In l948 I was l2 yrs. old so might have seen it, as we would go to Kensett to "meet the train".....relatives coming from Memphis mainly.

Jun 24, 2011 02:42 AM
#10
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Don, guess who paid that vast amount for that picture!!!  Me, little old me!!  Your are one foxy sleuth and found it.  I should have waited a little longer to reveal the location.  Come to think of it, Kensett may have been more up-to-date than Searcy at the time since the train seemed to be stopping there and picking up passengers. 

Jun 24, 2011 02:48 AM
Tom Braatz Waukesha County Real Estate 262-377-1459
Coldwell Banker - Oconomowoc, WI
Waukesha County Realtor Real Estate agent. SOLD!

Barbara

What a charming old school and that photo is priceless. I went to a similar old school in Waukesha Wisconsin

Jun 27, 2011 06:43 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Tom, what a nice comment.  Thanks!

Jun 29, 2011 02:19 PM
Anonymous
Sherry Person

I spoke with Bunny Burnley the other day and she told me that she went to school in this building in Kensett.  It was the only school........1st thru 12th grade.  It blew away in the Judsonia tornado of 1952.  After that the children went to school in the Kensett churches.  Then they built a one story school that is still there now.  The first grade was on one end and the 12th grade on the other end.  She laughed and said they started on one end and graduated on the other end.

Jun 30, 2011 02:38 AM
#14
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Sherry!!  At last we found someone who remembers this school and actually attended it!!  I elevate you to top Searcy Sleuth for the week!!  It was also news to learn that it was blown away by the Judsonia tornado of '52.  Sounds as if they built a replica of the school that I attended where I went in one end and out the other and it took 12 years to walk down that hallway.  Thanks!!!

Jun 30, 2011 03:11 AM
Anonymous
Billy Butler

Hi Barbara, lucky me I found this site.   I attented school in this building first through fifth grade. My teachers were; first grade-Mrs. White, second grade- Mrs. Emde, third grade- Mrs. Douglas. fourth grade- Mrs. Huddleston, fifth grade-Mrs. Brewer.  The principle's name was Mr. Harris.   The first grade was to the right of the picture, first floor.  The top floor was for the junior and senior high students.  The desk were large enough for two students to share.    The building was heated by steam radiators and the boiler was fired by coal. A man by the name of Mr. Bailey took care of this and also was the school's only janitor. We carried our lunch pails or paid twenty cents to eat in the lunch room, ( which was a converted Army Barracks)  and we came in from recess when the tescher would ring one of those old wooden handle bells. (of which I'm lucky to have one)  The tornado in 1952 did a lot of damage to the outside of the building and it had to be torn down. I had my sixth and seventh year classes in the old gym until the new school was finished, I then attened school in the new building and graduated in 1959.   I would like to have a picture of the old school building. (lots of great memories)

Thanks for the site,  Billy Butler        You know my wife, Jan Butler (Joyner)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 23, 2011 10:55 AM
#16
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Billy, you have a fantastic memory to remember all the early teachers.  I can't do that at all.  And it does sound as if your memories of that school are very pleasant ones.  You must have been one happy kid and I know you are happy now being married to the lady who made my hair look the best it ever did in my life.  She was the best hairdresser in Searcy when I arrived on the scene in the late 60's.

Now we know what happened to the building and know that the tornado that hit Judsonia also damaged Kensett.  Thanks so much for finding the blog and telling us about the building.

Nov 23, 2011 12:39 PM
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