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Memories of Golde Dicks Markham (1996) Golde Markham Dicks 74/125

Not too much later, the Mason Consolidated School was built at Mason City due
south of Lake City—still farther away from our home. We had heard rumors that a bus

would take us to and from that school, and we jumped with glee. Then we heard it was true.
We were so happy—and even the parents-—when that bus with a homemade body
rolled up on the first morning of the school term. What a sight! And who do you suppose
was driving the bus? None other than Grandpa Tyre. You would fall over dead if that bus

drove up today to take your children to school.
Grandpa Tyre built the body for that bus. It had three long benches that reached from
the front of the cab body to the rear end—one down each side and one down the middle. It

was the most crude thing imaginable, but it got us to school and back. It sure beat walking!
The water system in the new Mason school was a deep well pump located in front of
the building over a fence. The fence had six-foot-long steps built up over the fence. We
walked up the steps until we got to the top of the fence, then down the steps to the ground

on the other side. If we had to wash our hands or get a drink of water, we went in pairs. We
had to take the long pump handle and pump it up and down to get the water to flow while
the other one washed his hands or got a drink of water. Then we would exchange places and

do the same favor for our partner.
This is when the teachers got a little more conscious of sanitation, I guess. They had
all of the students take their own private drinking cups. Some students had little ice cream
cone-shaped tin cups that folded up into the size of a powder compact. Most residents

discontinued using water buckets and water dippers that so many others used. They become
more aware of germs and how they could be spread.
We had a good girls’ basketball team and a good boys’ team at Mason. Trammell

Dicks, Pa’s youngest brother, was the star player on his team. He was a pro. Even though he
is my uncle, I am six years older than he is. Trammell is the only one in Pa’s family who is
still living; he’s 82 years old1.1 played on the girls’ team. I was NOT a pro.

The school put on school plays. The one I remember best was called “Mrs. Tubbs,”
and I played the part of Mrs. Tubbs. The cast went around to several other schools and
performed this play—we always had a full house.

At the sound of the early morning bell each day, students and teachers lined up at the
front door steps and marched into the auditorium for chapel. Mabie Jones and I alternated
playing marches on the school piano as everyone walked in. Students volunteered to read a
short scripture. It made them feel happy to be able to participate and share in this devotion.

Students, parents, and teachers were all in collective agreement about having our morning
chapel service. I imagine back then if certain persons would have objected to our little chapel
service, they would have been pretty quickly ostracized.

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