Feature Article on Children's Home.
Topic: DOWNTOWN/BUILDINGS
By L.C. "Lefty" Bevans in August, 1999
MY LIFE AT THE SHELBY COUNTY CHILDREN'S HOME, 1937-1945...Pg 2 |
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| We went to a
two-story school at the Home until it was closed at the end of the 1939 school year. It
was later converted into living quarters for an employee. The school building was torn
down in February 1965. Mrs. Elizabeth Dodds was the teacher for the first four grades. Mr.
Max Michael had the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Beginning in 1940 we went to
the Orange Township School on U.S. Route 25 south of Sidney, then to Sidney High School
for the last four grades. Mr. and Mrs. James Gilliespie took over the Home in 1940. They made a lot of changes. The older boys were allowed to go to the show on Saturday night (if not in the "doghouse"). The boys and girls could go out with their family on Sunday, once a month. Also we could go to the church of our choice in Sidney on Sunday. We farmed the land with horses until 1940 when we got our first tractor. That year we also got a new Farmhand, Clarence Trisler and Laundress, Mrs. Keplinger. When I was in the Home, punishment was the same as in a private home – extra chores, privileges taken away, or use of the razor strap, depending on the offense. At Christmas time we got so much fruit and candy that Mr. and Mrs. "Chesty" Berger decided to save their gift until summer when they gave us a day of swimming roller skating, boat riding, and bicycle riding at Orchard Island as our present. The Board of Trustees gave each of us one big present. We would write down three things that we wanted, such as a sled, pocket watch, roller skates, or skis. If your sled was broken you asked for a new one. We took the old broken sled apart and used it to fix up other ones, so that everyone had a good sled. |
The author, "Lefty" Bevans, resided at the Children’s Home from 1937-1945. |
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