Interesting info. This is a cool old photo.

Can you imagine the excitement these children felt when they saw the school train pull into their settlement, and knowing that tomorrow morning they would attend school and perhaps read a lesson or story they had started during the last visit, but the train's schedule had required it to move on before they finished? I can imagine their anticipation as they waited for weeks, maybe months, for the School Train to return. I can see the children running alongside the train and waving at the School Master as the train arrived. There's an untold story here.

I had no knowledge of old cars being used for schools. makes sense for sure. thanks for sharing it

What you can't hear is the heavy metal music blasting over the PA speaker system. Most of them seem to be raising their arms and heads up and down to the rock beat, but I see one or two who are going to get an F, lol... ;)

lol... the only heavy metal beat they could hear was their dads outside wielding sledgehammers as iron rail stakes were pounded into place. I'm sure it was a rhythmic beat though.

Wonderful slice of social history

You have enlightened me no end with this picture. What a tremendous idea! Efficient too! No Caretaker, minimal upkeep! Healthy vibrant informed children! Job well done.

Very Interesting info. This is a cool old photo,like it a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1.

Wow! Cool!

I may have liked school if I was in a train?

this is the same era that let you pay the postage and mail your kids across the country!

Versions of this lasted longer than people know. I've got a photo of myself with a railroad invoice pinned to my chest. I was sent as rail cargo from North Carolina to California when I was four years old. I sat in the mail car with the conductor. I remember watching him lean out with a long hooked pole and grab bags of mail off special hooks on the side of the track as the train passed. The conductor didn't really do a very good job watching me either. I was playing on the platform between the cars, with the ground speeding by beneath me. I recall the conductor walking past me and saying, 'you shouldn't play here', but he didn't stop me and I continued to play. I slept on big bags of mail and ate sandwiches wrapped in newspaper the conductor brought me. When I arrived in California, my father hadn't arrived at the station yet. I was left on the platform and told to stay there until someone came and got me. I'd never seen my father before and had no idea what he looked like. I went with the first person that said, come on, kid, let's go.

cool historic photo.

I really had no idea, but it seems like a very logical solution for those kids. I'll bet it was quite the event for them!

I would have probably hid in the bushes.... LOL I hated school when I was a grade-school kid.. Long story... 😉

Interesting history and a fine memorable photo! Great works!

I really like how you wove history into your tale (the train-classroom in the last chapter). And that you used what I assume is a real image of the classes you describe in your description. I had no idea of that history. (I'd been near the Hudson Bay, and saw houses on stilts, and a few rr cars sitting out in the distance...have no idea if they were classrooms, but it was such a remote location!) And I read your personal history above, and it's just fascinating. You must've had a most unusual life---I mean I never had any experience like yours. (That experience is right out of a Depression era tale.) And thank you btw, for your comment about your musical experiences (in your reply to one of my comments): Loved that story, and how you were caught, but the teacher wound up assisting you. Great childhood tale. I can see where you get some of your inspiration from. Fine piece of history here...