This image was on the cover of The Commercial Appeal August 15, 1971. I think I have the original article somewhere, when I find it, I will update this blog post! Others have mentioned that a similar photo was posted in the Rural Arkansas Magazine! I have tried to find it on the web, but the archives ask for payment, so I will continue to search through what I have!

Pictured are Reta Ruff, Margie (Susie), Elona, and Randy McCutcheon. Same pictured in the image below.

They traveled to the Snowball school. Randy, Susie, and Reta all graduated from Snowball School. It closed when Elona was in 9th grade! She went to school at Witts Springs after that and graduated one year early. Andy went to Snowball until it closed and then also transferred to Witts Springs. They rode the bus for a while to Witts Springs. The bus stayed at Richland and the driver (Wilford Yancy) would come down and get it them drive it to Witts Springs. Once Yancey retired Eddie Hendrix then took over the route, he was a bus driver and student! Guess the bus was not the typical bus we see today but a Jeep Cherokee, they may have also had a Wagoneer for a while. (Time out, I need to google this!) It was painted yellow and went well! I have heard it even had school bus written on it! So, they didn’t nessicarly ride the “short” bus! (lol) Once Eddie graduated, I will have to find out what happened!

Upon further questioning this is what I was told! Son Hendrix drove it for several years after Eddie, then Donna Ruff drove it until moving from Richland. Then possible a Sanders, haven’t found the first name. But I guess he had several children and lived on the Snowball side of McCutcheon Gap (Point Peter). Possibly Reta Ruff drove after that, for about five years, Andy was already graduated at that point!

Again- anytime I look at old information or pictures I imagine how life was then! Riding to school on horseback. Junior Hendrix had a barn where what I call the “mailboxes” or close to, they would put the horses in the barn there and ride in vehicle on out to Snowball! My grandpa Armon would leave hay there so that the horses could eat while waiting for school to be out! Then when school was out back over the mountain and horseback to home! I am sure if the creek up uncrossable by horseback they had plenty of things to do at the farm! Not like now days where they send the packets of schoolwork home, or the chrome books! In which case, I do try and complete them with my kids! However, I am a firm believer that some of the best lessons in life aren’t taught in school!

The horse on the right was Lightening, Susie’s horse, word has it Lightening like to rear up with her dad rode him! Susie rode him without that! Susie got him from her uncle Bruce, apparently, he was the one to who taught him to rear up. When the creek was super doper big, they rode their daddy’s horse Queen. Queen was mostly blind, not sure when she went blind; I am finding out more and more with each person I talk with. When the saddle horses were ridden across the creek, they would saddle them up. When the work horses were rode, they just threw a blanket on them and held on! Elona recalls her dad (Armon) saying “don’t look down at that water, your head will swim, you will get dizzy and drown”!

The blaze face horse was named Bill, that was the one Reta Ruff was riding! Randy said that Tiny (Reta) and Susie swan their horses all the time! So, they were familiar with the water!

T.J. was another horse on the farm, word has it he was hard to break to lead! Andy used to sneak around and work with T.J, was able to saddle him and throw a sack of feed onto him, then led him around. Andy’s dad said if you can break him, you can have him! Andy led him down to the far end of the field, his dad sitting on the porch, and he rode him back to the house! Andy also mentioned being a prankster! Ha, guess grandpa Armon was going to sell T.J. and when I think may have be J.C. (not sure if it was the great uncle J.C. or not) came to look at him, Andy would have him rear up! Grandpa Armon caught on quickly!

Andy recalled a time crossing with Randy, Elona, and him. The horse they were riding stubbled, and Andy tumbled off, and possibly Elona. Randy was able to reach down and grab Andy. Elona made it, not sure if they were close to the shore or what. There used to be a rock that set out at the gate, that was how Elona was able to get onto the horses! Great Grandpa Sumner placed the rock by the road so the grands could get on their horses at the gate! Apparently, Ms. Queen was a beast to crawl up on! My parents have the rock at their house now! Apparently, Queen was big enough for at least three kids could crawl upon! When I was a kid, we would also use whatever we could to crawl on! Most of the time a truck tailgate would work fine! Or anything a horse could get up to and make it easier! We also let the horses drink when they wanted!

As luck would have it, if it was cold your britches legs would be frozen after crossing the creek in the winter! You would let your horse “water” when you crossed the creek!

Time in 1970 was much different than what we experience today!

Randy started to school when he was 5, graduated when he was 16! Top of his class, of two! Pam Taylor ( Yancey) had already transferred to Marshall, along with Gail Jones, and others undisclosed to me.. It was just Don J Switzer and Randy to graduate from Snowball that year! Don’t ask how Randy was determined to be the top, it’s still not completely disclosed!

Apparently in PE class they played checkers with Bennie White (teacher), I guess Ben was Donnie Whites brother! (No wonder we can outrun him, (Randy)!) Heard the principal, Joe Stewart, liked to play checkers as well!

Who is Peggy Adams? Heard she may have some stories on Don J and Randy! Guess she had a kid named Cole, taught at Marshall until she retired?! Don J and Randy thought the world of her… they were just mean and needed a paddling! Might have mixed once and Randy may have called “foul ball”….. I bet they needed their arse busted!

Moore Lee…… anyone ever have her as a teacher? Or Moorelye….This may be a Dateline story.

There was another teacher at Snowball, who always brought a thermos of chocolate milk. Word has it, someone put a laxative in his milk. (Randy? Bill Daniels?) And who would lock the bathroom door? Gees, senior prank days are not what they used to be! These Snowball kids would have been in Alternative School or expelled now days!

More about Richland Creek. I have been looking to see where Richland Creek starts! I know where it ends, it flows into the Buffalo National River at Woolum access! It’s one cool place to swim, meaning the water is much cooler there! Richland Creek has many springs running into it, and it the perfect place to cool down!

Richland Creek is located in Newton and Searcy counties. I am most familiar with the Eula crossing and the Richland Campground area. I grew up swimming and camping at both, it was easy to do since we lived very close! Fastforward 20 plus years and it has become a must see for those who love the wilderness and waterfalls. Looking at http://www.rivers.gov is says under classification/mileage that is total of 16.5 mile! I know many people love to kayak it when the water is flowing well!

The above picture is where Dry Creek runs into the Richland Creek! This is Richland Creek you are looking at; Dry Creek is to the right of the image!

The picture below is of the Eula crossing.

You can find a postcard for one of these images at The Snowball General Store!

Just a reminder, these stories are based on what each person I talk with recalls!

Until next time, love and hugs- Cassie