A Big Thank-You to the Carlocks and others

I want to express a great big THANK YOU to Stan and LaNeta Carlock for all the hard work they put in every day in preparation for a future opening of the "Cornerstone Museum", part of which is the nearly finished schoolhouse.  LaNeta told me there are a lot of other people who have helped them, but I know they spend every day working on this huge project and are the "power" behind the dream.

We chatted with LaNeta on Sunday afternoon while she gave us a tour of the schoolhouse and other areas of the property located on the block where Charlie and Lottie Roach used to have their businesses .

Many local people have donated items you can see around the school and the Crabtree Building.  Outside are tractors and antique farm machinery and playground equipment.  Some of the donations include things that will furnish the schoolhouse.

Some of the things being stored until "the time comes" to open, are the old Long Distance phone booth that used to be in the Central Office; buggies and horse drawn plows; upright piano; church pews; horse harnesses; the safe from the Drover's & Trader's Bank; potbellied stoves; many other items that will make a very interesting collection of local memorabilia and history.

The stove in the schoolhouse came from the old light and powerhouse and shows the many hours spent cleaning it up so it looks OLD, but NEW...  Like it probably looked the day it was delivered back in the 1800s.  The wainscoting came from the old Laird school and is being installed piece by piece.  There is a real "blackboard" on the wall and the teacher's desk and chair are sitting in the corner.

Their goal is to have the school complete in time for the Tumbleweed Festival in October.

-- Editor