The "Lonesome Mile"

This blog is dedicated to the fearless leaders who bestowed upon the children of the Nickellton School the knowledge needed to become productive citizens of society, the teachers. Recently I had the privilege of interviewing Mildred Henry-Bragg, the last known teacher of the school still living in the Nickellton Community.  Mrs. Bragg taught for one year from 1941 to 1942.

When asked what she remembered most about the school she recalled her daily trek to school. Mrs. Bragg road her horse to school down the "Lonesome Mile". It was the quickest way to school, a trail only a horse could manage. It was called the "Lonesome Mile" because no one lived on this narrow dirt road. Today the "Lonesome Mile" is marked by a fence that borders Jace Weber's property to the west and James Riplogel and McMichael's property to the east. The "Lonesome Mile" stretches from Hwy M to Oxbow Rd. She would then ride east about a half mile on the dirt road now named Oxbow road. There she would stall her horse in the small red horse barn in back of the school yard for the day, and then ride back home in the evening.

During the year Mrs. Bragg taught school, my Grandpa Willie was the president of the Nickellton School board and Mrs. Mary Loughery was the clerk. Mrs. Loughery was in charge of the finances and would write a check for $50.00 to Mrs. Bragg every month. Today schools have principals for academic leadership and discipline issues, a janitor to make sure the area is clean and safe, a nurse, food service personnel, play ground monitors, teacher assistants, and numerous other position.  Mrs. Bragg took on all those roles. Everyday she would bring in the water and the coal, start the fire, clean and sweep the building, hang the flag, make lesson plans for multiple grades and subjects, and even put on a pot of beans for lunch. She did all this five days a week for $50.00 a month. If someone needed disciplining she would do that too, although she never recalled needing to discipline anyone.

She noted the government did provide a few food commodities, lot of beans and some fresh fruit; however the school did not provide pots for cooking the commodities, nor dishes and utensils for serving the food.  Remember she road a horse to school, so she had to pack a heavy dutch oven pot and enough serving dishes and utensils for seven children in a satchel on the horse. My mom was the food service director for the Elsberry School District. She remembers throwing away many trays of food daily. Mrs. Bragg said, "Well things hadn't changed. The kids never ate the beans, and rarely ate the fruit."

Students pictured with Mrs. Bragg in front of the school porch from left to right are Dolly Krawl-Snow, Leroy Mclin, Genevieve Nickell, Donny Chaney, and Billy Don Loughery.