Last month the Remembering Rogers column featured Grace Hill, an educator who began teaching in 1946 and continued until she retired from the Rogers school system in 1981. Hill spoke to the Rogers History Club on May 19, 2011, and was introduced by one of her former students, John Wayne Ford. She told about her childhood in Kansas, how she became a teacher in Springdale, and fell in love with a man from Rogers. Hill recalled how Birch Kirksey hired her in 1946 as a sixth-grade teacher at Central Ward Elementary, and then teaching at the new Southside Elementary in 1951. Here is the rest of her talk, edited for clarity and space:
Recently, I interviewed Betsey Robinson-Harold about growing up in Rogers in the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. She is very sharp and has an amazing memory a veritable bank of information about Rogers.
Recently, I interviewed Betsey Robinson-Harold about growing up in Rogers in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. She is very sharp and has an amazing memory a veritable bank of information about Rogers.
For many years, local citizens met at Gary Townzen's barber shop in Rogers to talk about a variety of topics, including history as they remembered it and some even came in for a haircut. So, of course, I did much of my research there when working on my first book about Rogers. In late 2009, Gary and I decided that these memories from senior citizens needed to be recorded and preserved for future generations. We worked with the Rogers Historical Museum and organized a club, whose purpose was to have a speaker or speakers present a program once a month on any subject, as long as it was about Rogers history. It was recommended that the program last from 30 minutes to an hour, and it could be a talk and/or have pictures, slides, artifacts or any other enhancements that the speaker desired.
For many years, local citizens met at Gary Townzen's barber shop in Rogers to talk about a variety of topics, including history as they remembered it and some even came in for a haircut. So, of course, I did much of my research there when working on my first book about Rogers. In late 2009, Gary and I decided that these memories from senior citizens needed to be recorded and preserved for future generations. We worked with the Rogers Historical Museum and organized a club, whose purpose was to have a speaker or speakers present a program once a month on any subject, as long as it was about Rogers history. It was recommended that the program last from 30 minutes to an hour, and it could be a talk and/or have pictures, slides, artifacts or any other enhancements that the speaker desired.