I came to Big Piney in 1923. Then I taught school for three years, 2 years in the country and one year in the city school in Big Piney. In that year they would not accept married teachers and that year I got married. Then when my last baby was born they needed teachers so badly that I started teaching again for 8 years. That time I had a band, the very first band in Big Piney.
When I started teaching, the schools were made out of logs. The second school I taught in was a lot like that but they had lunches. They would take food and put it in the ashes to cook.
When I went to school my mother was a teacher and she taught me. We learned Spelling, Arithmetic, Reading, History, Geography, and Music. I enjoyed Music.
The weather seemed a lot worse because we didn’t have transportation. I did not live in town until I was in High School. The rest of the time I lived in the country with my mother. My father died when I was very young.

Interviewed by Jennifer Gaston