Scottsville School Fourth Grade Class, 1940-1941

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The 1940-1941 fourth grade class at Scottsville School contained 29 students taught by Margaret Hall Hamilton, a much-beloved teacher shown at right.; Mrs. Hamilton attended Harrisonburg State Teachers College (now James Madison University) where she attained a teaching certificate at age 19.; Later Mrs. Hamilton obtained her Bachelors Degree in Education and a Master of Education Reading Specialist Degree at the University of Virginia. Her Scottsville students remember Mrs. Hamilton as a loving and most positive leader, who taught them to excel in their studies.; She made a scrapbook of photos and memories of her fourth grade students' school year in 1940-1941 which included the following poem she wrote for her students:

Going Home Again
by Margaret Hall Hamilton

Who says, "You can't go home again?"
You can if waiting there are friends,
Friends who remember how it used to be,
Who see things the way you tend to see
And accept change as a growth, a part of moving on.

Who says, "You can't go home, you can't go back?"
You can if you see change as natural, not attack.
On familiar scenes, familiar ways and places,
If you accept the changes on familiar faces
As a phase of growth, a part of moving on.

Some things remain constant, they never change,
Holding us close is the same mountain range,
The little creek babbles as it did of yore,
The birds chirp and sing as they did before,
Content with any change, a part of moving on.

The church stands firm on the same familiar ground,
The wide green lawn, big trees standing round
Invite us to sit, reminisce and share
Life's joys and sorrows with those who care
And understand change, a part of moving on.

As strong as those trees standing here on the hill,
Is our loyalty to Prize Hill, as we come home still,
To be held in her arms, to be nurtured and loved.
To strengthen bonds with each other, God's gift from above,
Good things remain constant, a part of moving on.

In her fourth grade scrapbook page, Mrs. Hamilton included the above individual photos of each of her students with the below list of student names retyped here for clarity. If any of our readers can identify the photos of the girl and boy in the fifth row, please e-mail us that information at [email protected]:

First row (left to right):
(1) Bobby Adcock; (2) Lewis Bishop; (3) Mary Lee Goode; (4) Frances Goodman; (5) Pauline Goodman; (6) Ruby Holt;

Second row (left to right):; (7) Myrtle 'Bubbles' Johnson; (8) Martha Key; (9) Minnie Kidd; (10) James Layne; (11) Martin Layne; (12) Peggy Londeree;

Third row (left to right):; (13) Susie Meadows; (14) Ranny Moulton; (15) Oscar Northern; (16) Lud Nicholas; (17) Ann Paulett; (18) Kathleen Phillips;

Fourth row (left to right):; (19) Garland Ripley; (20) Nelson Ripley; (21) Marie Scott; (22) Charlie Scott; (23) Edna Tapscott; (24) Herbert Wheeler;

Fifth row (left to right):; (25) (Unknown) Ripley; (26) Lewis Melton; (27) Unknown; (28) Jake Williams; (29) Bertha Sipe.;