Memories of the small county schools are fading as the number of fans dwindle over time. However, one former elementary school principal from Clinton County, Reta Williams, is working to preserve the memories of more than 700 small schools that were swallowed up during the school consolidation era in Indiana.
Williams is asking for help to complete a new book that will include information on the small schools that once peppered the entire state.
“I have always loved local history,” Williams said. “I want to help preserve the history of Indiana small town schools because they were so important to our state and how people grew up.”
The Michigantown High School graduate grew up hearing the stories of people in her hometown and is a reason why she is taking on her new project.
“I grew up in a general store in Michigantown and my mother would always tell stories about people in Clinton County,” Williams said. “She had a box of old photos, and I would pick one and hold it up and my mother always knew a story about the person. The memories of those times are precious to me.”
Williams, who grew up watching the Michigantown Ganders play high school basketball, knows each small school owns basketball memories. She heard all the stories about the Ganders from her parents.
“My parents were Michigantown grads in the 1940’s and I heard the stories about their days and especially the basketball games,” Williams said.
Her memories are why she is attempting to gather the names of each school fight song including the lyrics. She also is wanting information on the school colors and mascot.
Williams, who said she is a Michigantown Gander, wrote a book a few years ago entitled “Gone, But Not Forgotten.” The contents include information on the nine Clinton County small schools. As word got out about the book many people gave her information. She even made more precious memories collecting the information.
“I had three Kirklin cheerleaders, all in their 80’s, sitting in my living room singing their fight song,” Williams said. “Kirklin had an original song so there was no music or words written down. The only way I was going to get the song was to have someone sing it. We had a lot of fun that day.”
Collecting the Kirklin song also encouraged Williams to have all the fight songs recorded by the Clinton Central High School choir which is on a C.D. that comes with the book she wrote.
Williams worked at the Frankfort Public Library in the Local History and Genealogy Department after retiring from her 35 years in education. She was able to learn about and use resources she used to compile her school information. Today, she said to collect more than 700 small schools’ information, she needs the help of people from across Indiana to become her number one resource.
Williams said she does not have any Montgomery County schools in her inventory at this time but knows there are people willing to submit the information.
Williams is asking for help locating information on Alamo, Bowers, Coal Creek, Darlington, Ladoga, Linden, New Market, New Richmond, New Ross, Waveland and Waynetown.
She can be reached by phone at 765-414-4388, by email at retawms@hotmail.com or at P.O. Box 2, Michigantown, IN 46057.
