Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Bluff City News

As we enter the month of May we find things in this neck of the woods going along quite smoothly. As I write this on Sunday I know of no bad sickness to report. Gardens are growing, fruit trees are putting on fruit, and everyone is enjoying the nice weather the last few days. People are going about their business as usual and some folks are doing a little fishing. Everyone who wanted a turkey has probably got one by now. Just don't try to figure how much per pound it cost, or it might scare you.

The next big event in these parts will be homecoming day at Bluff City next Sunday May 7. Some of the folks raised in these parts will return home much like the swallows that return to Capistrano each year. People will eat too much, but it should be an enjoyable time for all. Cemetery business meetings will be held in the afternoon.

This Saturday, May 6, will also be the time for a reunion of those who attended Bluff City School. This will be in Prescott at the Hale Community Room and all former students are invited to attend.

The old school at Bluff City was an important institution in this area

and was going strong about 1913 and continuing until consolidation with Prescott in 1951. In those early days there were literary societies, reading circles and debating clubs. The school was the focal point of the community, with plays, music shows, and other entertainment, which provided some diversion from the hard farm work of those days.

An example of this was in 1934, when the Stamps Melody Boys Quartet held a concert at the school sponsored by the PTA. Several plays were presented the same year including one called Spooky Tavern.' Cast members were Ashley DeWoody, Aline McKelvy, Lela Gillespie, Bobby Faye Cummings, Elaine Dunn, Ruby Robinson, Herbert Knight, Glen Gillespie, Woodrow Black, Cleo Wynn and Selma Nichols. Guess who played the part of the ghost woman.

Students in those days did many things that schools these days would not even consider.

In 1940 the Bluff City lunch project was called the model for the

state. Over 1,750 jars of vegetables were canned. The school garden furnished food for the school and 250 pounds of turnips and 1,000 heads of cabbage were given to the needy. The jars were donated by the women of the community. How do you suppose a project like this would

go over these days?

Have a good time at the school reunion and consider yourself fortunate to have once attended Bluff City School.