Wear Asafetida At School Reunion...

from grandma graces' book
newspaper cliping
excerpts

Wear Asafetida At School Reunion As A Reminder Of the Olden Days
Aug. 8 1964
School days were lived all over when 93 former pupils of Stephens School met Sat. in Crowder Park for a reunion.
It is not wose to press the age question too far but most of those present remembered when asafetida was worn on the neck to ward off diseases. Those who were brave enough to admit they had ever worn it were forced to wear a little bag attached to name cards.
After a big basket dinner was enjoyed all listened to a short history of the Stephens School read by Della Pilcher Drown.
"In the early years Fox Creek Township had only four school districts: Brown, Bolton, Wooderson, and Stephens. The latter was named for an old settler, Jesse Stephens. The ground was bought from a Mr. Maxwell for a price of $50.
"Several years later a new district was formed by taking one mile off Wooderson and one mile off Stephens. This caused a big wrangle. Feelings were so hot that the district came to be called Battle Creek.
"Alice Ray, now Mrs. Linthacum who lives in Bethany at the Crestview Rest Home, walked two and one-half miles to teach at Stephens in the year of 1888 and through the five following years. During this time the school house was moved two miles south to its present location. Many years later this house burned. A new building was erected in its place which was abandoned when the district consolidated with the Brimson and Gilman schools.
former pupils, teachers, and friends attending were: (I just listed relatives...deb)
Mr and Mrs James Maxwell and Verma McCullough, Trenton
Leland Maxwell, Marsha Maxwell, and Eva Maxwell, of Marshall