Eastern's on-campus one-room schoolhouse, to be known as the Cheney Normal School Heritage Center, will be home to an education museum as well as a gathering place for campus-wide forums, seminars and receptions. The historic structure continues to be restored with the help of donations of money, time and historic furnishings. But the need for help continues. A fund-raising campaign is underway, and we encourage alumni to participate at whatever level of assistance they can. Also, the museum is in need of historic items to "authenticate" the look of its interior. Here are the items needed:

• flag with 48 or 46 stars
• pictures of Washington and Lincoln
• apple boxes
• flour sacks
• wash basin
• slates (individual student)
• wall slates
• teacher desk
• instructional materials
• old chalk
• audio tapes of one-room schoolhouse memories
• rags or cheesecloth
• dunce hat
• high stool
• pull-down maps from 1890-1937
• ink wells and bottles
• pot belly stove
• educational charts
• school bell
• lead pencils
• books (reference & text)
• mannequin dressed as school teacher
• child mannequins in period clothing
• needle and bobbin
• piano
• newspapers and magazines of era
• Sears Roebuck catalogue
• Big Chief writing tablets
• world globe - 1890-1937
• water buckets
• water dippers
• syrup cans
• lard buckets
• Ray's Arithmetic
• McGuffy Eclectic Readers/Spellers
• coat hooks
• lanterns
• children's caps, coats & boots
• books of maps
• paddle

If you (or anyone you know) can help by donating any of these items, call Judy Rogers at (509) 359-6963 or email to: Judith.Rogers@mail.ewu.edu

Recollections of Mary Mauro

"It was delicious!" recalled Mary Mauro, remembering her days teaching in one room schoolhouses. "If I had to choose between teaching in city or country schools – I'd choose the one room schoolhouse experience in a minute – every teacher should have that wonderful opportunity."

Mary was born in Spokane in 1906 and was educated in Catholic schools. Only after receiving her certificate from Cheney Normal/Eastern Washington College of Education, was she able to secure a job in the Spokane school system. She retired from Spokane's Roosevelt Elementary School in 1972.

The professional freedom and creativity is what Mary remembers most fondly. That, and the children.

"Looking back on my career, it was like having dessert first," said Mary of her days teaching in the rural Buckeye, Foothills, Colbert and Chattaroy schools. "The children were upbeat, honest and sincere – they didn't know any different – and generally wanted to please the teacher."