Schoolhouse Memories

Biography, Classroom Help, Informative, Just For Fun

Written by Reese Whitaker and Emma Swan

It is Sunday and I am busy preparing dinner for my family. It is a tradition we hold dear to our hearts, as the whole family gathers for dinner every Sunday after church. Today is a bit different, though; my great-grandkids have asked to interview me about my childhood.

The door opens and my tiny house is filled with the joyous sounds of children. I have two boys and a daughter visiting, along with their families. My only granddaughter, Elizabeth, has three gorgeous kids. The twins, Grace and Brooke, are doing a research paper about East Tennessee. They have chosen to write about my experiences as a student attending the Greenbrier Schoolhouse. I cherish this opportunity, eager to pass my enthusiasm for history on to their generation.

The sounds of their voices filled the room as soon as they trotted into the kitchen. I couldn’t help but smile as they talked about their project. At times, it’s hard for me to imagine how much the world has changed since I attended school. I’ve seen the invention of numerous items, lived through wars, visited every state in the country, and traveled to other parts of the world. Through the years, I’ve lived in various areas of the Southeast, but nowhere felt like home until I returned here.

Today I’ve chosen a typical Southern meal to prepare for the family: fried chicken, pinto beans, and cornbread, along with fresh veggies from the garden. The smells and tastes of this simple meal have my mind drifting to the past, and memories flow through me like fog flowing with a stream.

My eighty-seven years seem to be catching up to me, and I sit down at the table while my daughter, Lucy, takes over the cooking duties. She brings me a cup of tea and I try to gather my thoughts about what I would like to pass on to my grandchildren. I want them to know how different our lives were back then but also to know how very blessed we were. (more…)

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Learning Facts the Easy Way

Classroom Help, Informative, Just For Fun

Written by Nancy Radke

“Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant  . . .” (Ecclesiastes 11:9, NASB). Only one student? Students of all ages and abilities? No problem. Use teaching games! Games fulfill the need for motivation, repetition, discipline, and reward and enable your kids to remember facts they would otherwise consider too dull or difficult to learn. (more…)

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The Intrigue of RMS Titanic

Classroom Help, Informative

Written by Paula Moldenhauer

Why are we drawn to stories about the RMS Titanic?1 Its sinking is one of the greatest tragedies of its time. Yet instead of only whispered grief, there remains fascination with everything Titanic, even one hundred years later.

Perhaps we’re drawn to Titanic’s riches. The largest moveable object built by man, she was dubbed one of the greatest achievements of her time. While only 20 percent of London had electricity, this ship was electric from bow to stern. The Titanic’s breathtaking opulence included carved oak staircases, chandeliers, and beautiful crystal. Passengers enjoyed a heated saltwater pool, Turkish baths, lavish lounges, a library, and even a gymnasium boasting an electric camel. The collective assets of her passengers totaled over $600 million. To secure a first-class suite on Titanic, passengers paid as much as $4,350 for the journey—equivalent to an estimated $100,000 in today’s economy.

But Titanic wasn’t the only fancy ship of her day. She had two sister ships, the RMS Olympic, who had a long and illustrious career, and the Britannic, whose intended purpose was interrupted by World War I, during which she served as a hospital ship instead. Many pictures touting the magnificence of the Titanic were actually pictures of Olympic, since most of the pictures taken of Titanic accompanied her to the bottom of the Atlantic. (more…)

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