I spent my first 7-8 years growing up in the Easton School District and around their activities. There are numberous things I remember from that time that I will give some recollections about.
Grade School
Easton Grade School did not have kindergarten so I entered the first grade with Miss Corbin as my teacher. She was a disciplinarian and the principal of the school. You had to tow the line with her. My classroom was up the stairs and to the left. Everyday before school, if the weather was decent, we played bombardment on the concrete just in front of the school. It was 1st grade through 6th grade playing together. I don’t know how it started but everyday this 6th grade girl tried to get me out. I could always manage to catch her thrown ball. All I remember was she was a minister’s daughter. That would have been in the 58-59 school year.
The only time I remember EVER getting in trouble in school was in the 2nd grade. I had Jane Pottorf as my teacher and the room was up the stairs and to the right. This particular day we were practicing for our Christmas program at the high school on the stage. Our class was backstage and Randy Phelps and I were horsing around and I pushed him. He fell into the backdrop and it almost feel over. Miss Corbin marched over and asked what happened and I told her. She proceeded to give me two swats on my butt and that was the end of things. Boy, that could have been a real issue if I knocked the scenery over.
I made myself very aggravagted one day which was Halloween. I didn’t want anyone to know who I was in costume and kids wore them to school. This day I was able to get to school without many knowing it was me. Classmates kept asking who I was so Ben Walters started chasing me. I was the only one in that class that was faster than he was. He didn’t catch me and quickly announced, “that’s is Tom Knuppel because I can’t catch him.” I was irritated at myself for not thinking about that first.
BUS
This is not a big story but I can remember something that would not “fly” in today’s world. Riding the school bus after school was not a fun experience as we were the last ones to get off. We lived on a farm about 2.5 miles from Easton and about a mile from Knuppel’s station. so what we did was get off the bus at the corner of Rt. 10 and Lowers’ Road and walked home. Four of us did that. right down the side of Rt 10 to our house which was about a mile and a half from our house. We got home a good 20 minutes before the bus would have let us off. I was about 7 yrs old, Lyle was 12, John was 14 and Jane was probably 17 years old. We did that everyday. Sometimes we would get a ride home from Carol Kreiling who was drive home from her teaching job in Mason City. Try getting off the bus anywhere but your stop nowadays!
Easton Merchants Softball
My brother Bill played summer softball for the Easton Merchants. They played in Peoria once a week at the Proctor Center. I would try to find a way to the game as many times as possible. Once I was at Knuppel’s station (I had walked there) when I remembered they played that night. I went to the stop sign at the corner of Rt 10 and Rt 136 and waited for them to pull up to the stop. When the car came to the stop (with six large adults in it) Bill told me they didn’t have any room for me as the car was full but somebody said let him go, We’ll make room. I felt special. Some of the players I recollect are Ron Trimpe as pitcher, Zeke Pottorf was the catcher, Jim Trimpe at first, dont recall second base, Tub Pottorf at shortstop and Bill Trimpe at third base. I know my borther, Bill Knuppel played center field but the rest of the outfield escapes me. Bim Estes was on the team and also pitched and was, in my recollection, the most fun of the team (he hailed from Canton). Some of the tougher teams in this league were the She-Kat Club and Palmer House. In the area they had a little general store on the corner about a block away and…. here I was about 6-7-8 years old walking down there by myself getting a sno-cone. Life appeared simpler in this days and very little reason to be afraid.
Living on the Farm
I have several stories from the farm that I think I will leave for another time. Along with that will be a story or two about going to Easton High School basketball games in 1957 and a mention or two of the local restaurant called Kep’s. Also, Kenneth Kramer and Dr. Yero get a mention in the next part.
OTHER BLOG POSTS:
“Oh Well, I Will Strike Her Out Anyway”
What Were Our Parents Thinking?