I can remember a time during confirmation school around the sixth or seventh grade we would have to walk all the way to school and do our chores before school. If I were running late due to being behind on my chores, I would run to school seven miles, five of which were through the woods. The school was a small one-room school located in Oak Grove, Missouri. I would cut back all of the weeds in order to create a path to walk on with Cleopha, Lolly, and Naomi. I remembers cutting holes in the barbwire and wrapping them with gunnysacks so the barbwire did not tear their clothing. The children were expected to attend no matter what the weather was like and even during the winter the girls still wore dresses. Cleopha, Beatrice, and Lolly later walked this path to school and across the creek in 2011. I also remembers a time when the creek was frozen. I saw a minnow in the creek, so I ran jumping onto the frozen creek with one foot on the creek and the other on the creek bank. The foot on the frozen creek fell through causing me to hit the ice with my bottom. Once I arrived home, my pant leg was frozen dry to my leg.
walking
Things I remember about Theresa & Adolph Sommerer… by Aunt Sis (part 6)
Adolph, my Dad, took Elizabeth and to school my first day. I was too young but it was 3 miles, Theresa & Adolph thought I should go with Elizabeth her first year at East Union. (Though she had been to Kindergarten the year before in Jefferson City.) So I was 4 1/2 almost walking all that way to keep my sister from being alone.
But to my surprise, one time a year or so after I was sure God had me there to protect her… that was a bit scary but something we would do like telling each other to “LOOK OUT” there’s a big snake in the road, so we would keep our distance and throw rocks till they would slither away. The big time was a fall day when she felt bad, had a headache and stomach ache and had to set down beside the road a while, then we thought we better hurry on, but “she decided” we would go back the way we came from school. That’s the way home, she said. I knew better and tried everything I knew to set her straight, BUT NO! So we started walking back toward school and I was sure it was up to God, as I had to stay with her.
Then we heard a team of horses and a wagon! Thank the Lord, it was Fred Sommerer. The young fellow, pretty smart, figured out the situation quick and told us to get in the wagon. WHEE! was I glad, but Elizabeth wouldn’t get in and she got angry and cried. Fred tied the horses reins and jumped down and put her under his arm like a sack of wheat with her legs and arms flailing then he took us the last 2 miles home. Soon as Theresa heard the story she called Dr. Hill and he told mom what to do as Elizabeth was delirious and coming down with the flu. Dr. Hill came out that night and she was soon well. Boy, don’t tell me the Lord won’t hear your call for Help, HE WILL HEAR!