History of Dry Flat School

Letters to Santa - 1948

In 1948 letters were written to Santa by the students at Dry Flat.  Fortunately, Doris Cottrell had saved her copies and shared them here.

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The Dry Flat Newspaper - 1954

In 1954 Elzan Vincent put out a little newspaper called The Dry Flat News.  It had interesting tidbits about what was going on in the neighborhood.

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Poems

REMEMBERING by Ethyle Cummins

BACK AT THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE by Winona Teater

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Reunion - 1990

The first Dry Flat reunion was held at the Russell community building in 1990.

Back row: Ivan Reynolds, Ronald Bennett, Calvin Allard

Front row: Doris Cottrell, Elazn Vincent, Dianne Vincent, Helen Sager

Back row: Linda Allard, Doris Cottrell, Barbara Sibert, Marilyn Nickell, Linda Buttz

Front row: Frank Myers, Jake Vincent, Louise Wright, Dianne Vincent

Teachers

Marlene Stevenson, Louise Wright, Icel Matsler, Pauline Vincent, Ethyl Cummins, Juanita Kendall Miller, Helen Sager

Frank, Linda, Calvin, Jake

Doris, Mrs. Cummins, Dianne, Elzan 

Barbara, Mrs. Wright, Frank, Mrs. Cummins, Marilyn 

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Reunion - 2010

The second Dry Flat reunion was held at the Mitchells just one mile West of the old school building on June 18, 2010.  This is the farmstead where Harley and Vera Bennett and their sons Harold, Ronald, and Doyle lived. Following them was Wayne and Ethyle Cummins and their daughters Karen and Sharon. 

Back row: Doris Cottrell, Joyce McVey, Frank Myers, Jake Vincent

Middle row: Carolyn McVey, Linda Buttz, Betty Gillman, Jeanette Brawdy, Elzan Vincent

Front row: Ted Shrader, Pauline Vincent, Dianne Vincent, Phyllis Jackson

Newspaper report

Dry Flat Reunion

Friends and students of the Dry Flat one room country school in Wright Township, Wayne County met on June 18 at Harold and Dianne Mitchell’s.  Included in the activities were a trip down to the old school house on hayracks pulled by vintage tractors, a recitation recounting special memories by Frank Myers, a slide presentation of past times by Jake Vincent, and much visiting and reminiscing. 

The students signing the Big Chief Tablet were: Doris Cottrell Christensen, Frank Myers, Ted Shrader, Rex McAninch, Joyce McVey Schumann, Carolyn McVey Schumann, Daryl Cox, Raymond Cox, Betty Gillman Grismore, Jeanette Brawdy Schreck, Jacob Vincent, Richard E. McDonald, Pauline Barker Vincent, Linda Buttz Johnson, Elzan Vincent McMurry, Phyllis Jackson Jelsma, and Dianne Vincent Mitchell.  Two teachers from the past attended, Pauline Barker Vincent and Marlene Davis Stevenson.

Many other family, friends, and neighbors joined in the festivities bringing the total attendance to 50.

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Reunion - 2015

41 people signed the Big Chief tablet at the Dry Flat / Rabbit Hill Country School reunion

on Saturday, August 8, 2015.  The gathering was held at the Mitchell home just down the

road from the old Dry Flat school house.  Only one former teacher, Dale Cottrell, was

present who taught at Rabbit Hill in 1946 and 1947.  A pot luck meal was enjoyed at

noon followed by presentations by Frank Myers and Jake Vincent.  Many memories were

shared and old acquaintances renewed.  Those in attendance were Dale Cottrell, Linda

(Cottrell) and Larry Chase, Jacob and Marilyn Vincent, Ron and Doris (Cottrell)

Christensen, Louise (Savage) and Darrell Schumaker, Elizabeth (Savage) and Larry

Abbott, Sarah (Larson) Kitzman, Joyce (Cottrell) Thomas, Tim Savage, Melila (Kastner)

Law, Linda (Larson) Senecaut, Betty (Gillman) and Melvin Grismore,  Lloyd Major,

Frank Myers, Linda (Buttz) Johnson, Bernerd, Adria, and Kendra Kastner, Barbara

(Sibert) and Bob Chase, Joyce (McVey) Schumann, Carolyn (McVey) Schumann, Joyce

(Murray) Marsh, Maxine Murray, Debbie (Ellis) Kingsbury, Lorraine (Larson) Forkner,

Sue (Ellis) Clem, Bob Alexander, Garry Empey, Pat (Kelso) Jenkins, Gerald Kelso,

Elzan (Vincent) and Roger McMurry, Dianne (Vincent) and Harold Mitchell. 



Those attending from Dry Flat:  First row, from left - Louise (Savage) Schumaker, Doris (Cottrell) Christensen, Carolyn (McVey) Schumann, Joyce (McVey) Schumann, Betty (Gillman) Grismore and Barbara (Sibert) Chase. Second row, from left - Elizabeth (Savage) Abbott, Gerald Kelso, Pat Kelso, Elzan (Vincent) McMurry, Linda (Buttz) Johnson, Dianne (Vincent) Mitchell, Jacob Vincent and Frank Myers. Joyce (Murray) Marsh was present but left before the picture was taken. 



Those attending from Rabbit Hill: First row, from left - Dale Cottrell (teacher), Louise (Savage) Schumaker, Joyce (Cottrell) Thomas, Bernerd Kastner, Melila (Kastner) Law, Barbara (Sibert) Chase and Lorraine (Larson) Forkner.  Second row, from left -,Robert Alexander, Linda (Cottrell) Chase, Elizabeth (Savage) Abbott, Lloyd Major, Sarah (Larson) Kitzman, Linda (Larson) Senecaut, Sue (Ellis) Clem and Tim Savage.

Miscellaneous pictures:

(Thanks to Elzan Vincent McMurry for the pictures)

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