The White Oak school

[Davey Do]

There was a rural  one room schoolhouse which stood on the side of the valley, about a mile from where I grew up and now reside. This Summer, I did some relatively intensive research into its history totaling about 125 pages of narrative, drawings, and other images.

I showed my work to the head librarian of the local genealogical/historical library and she requested a copy of my work, which is now part of the Illinois Room.

Recently, I got back into digital art, mostly making GIFs, when I thought I might do some on the White Oak school.  The school in theses GIFs is not the actual White Oak school, but it does, from memory, bear a striking resemblance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Davey Do]

One of the greatest thrills of my life is finding an art project where I can fully immerse myself. Discovering the rich history of something close to my  life, my home, and my history in which I can express through my art is nirvana.

 

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Great stuff, Davey! I am glad to hear your work has been accepted into the Illinois Room. COOL BEANS!

[Davey Do]

Thank you, No Stars. Also thanks to @toomuchbaloney for becoming a member of Artis, and @Tweety and @sirIfor the support!

A visualization of times past inspired this GIF:

 

That's about a 7 mile trek across that page, too. Something which I can now only visualize!

[toomuchbaloney]

It's maybe because I'm old and local/regional history is often more colorful than people recall.  

I remember years ago, The Waltons had an episode where the sister's learned that their "Daddy" had been charged with treason against the confederacy and they nearly died from horror and shame...TREASON.  The history also revealed that the good doctor was charged for treating union soldiers and recovering them at his farm or something and the war ended before anything was done about it.  Something like that.  

We have an elementary school up here in the interior that was named for an early homesteader who, somehow, made a name for himself decades ago.  It was discovered in the past 15 years or so that the fellow was a rapist pedophile. Fortunately, the criminal's last name is also an animal familiar to children and is their mascot, so the school didn't change the name, they changed the honor.

History is cool and important. 

[Davey Do]

toomuchbaloney said:

It's maybe because I'm old and local/regional history is often more colorful than people recall.  

History is cool and important. 

Oh, Jeez, TMB, you got that right!

I stumbled on a small file on the White Oak school at the local genealogical /historical library while assisting my niece on some family history and thought I'd do a little research, and wow,  the stuff I found!

I'm talking heroics in 1929, finding a dead body in the creek in 1904,  one farmer shooting at another in the 30's, and the stellar actions of a black man who moved out here, bought land in the 1890s, and the descendants live here to this day! There are several names on the 1872 plat map whose descendants still own the land!

I could go on and on and on. Local history is more colorful than most people recall!

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Davey Do said:

Thank you, No Stars. Also thanks to @toomuchbaloney for becoming a member of Artis, and @Tweety and @sirIfor the support!

A visualization of times past inspired this GIF:

 

That's about a 7 mile trek across that page, too. Something which I can now only visualize!

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