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November mornings in Bodie are always bone chilling cold and
hostile. It’s the kind of cold that takes your breath away as it
freezes your cheeks when you step outside. If Miss Nagle had her
choice, she’d be back home in
Arizona
where November mornings bring chirping birds and new flowers
blooming. She missed the pleasant days of her childhood. For now,
she would have to stay in Bodie until her contract expired. It would
be two years before she could think of leaving. Bodie needed a
teacher and she needed the job. The first time she laid eyes on the
old mining town was in July. She had been accepted to interview for
the teaching job and took the long trip out to meet with the Mono
County School Board. It had been a pleasant experience, the people
were nice and she found Bodie a unique atmosphere. There were so
many young teachers available that jobs were few and far between.
She was elated when the school board had accepted her on the spot.
She looked forward in going back home and telling her family about
her successful trip and returning with her belongings before the
school year was to begin. As she left Bodie that July day, she
admired the hills
surrounding the town. They were carpeted with beautiful green grass
and flowering sage. The deep blue sky accented the small clusters of
quake and aspen trees that shimmered in the sun. The air was
dry, warm and welcoming. That was all a distant memory this morning.
Her thin fingers were numb as she fumbled for the key to the
schoolhouse door. It was expected of her to arrive early and start a
fire in the stove that heated the one room school. As she scrunched
paper into balls and carefully stacked the kindling on top, her
thoughts drifted to the day before. She was hoping that her students
would be settled down after yesterdays shenanigans. Another prank that
disrupted the class. She couldn’t remember how many there had been
this month, too many for certain. Yesterday it took nearly an hour to
settle back into the lesson. The students giggled and fidgeted until she
finally got angry enough to threaten extra study. She’d had just about
enough of these Bodie boys and their tomfoolery. She picked up the
matches that she guarded in her desk and struck one and confidently lit
the paper under the wood. Snapping and crackling, the fire grew within
the belly of the stove, she closed and latched the steel door. With that
chore done, her thoughts turned to the days lessons.
She walked to the front of the room and started to write on the
chalkboard. She didn’t notice that behind her, a steady stream of
thick black smoke was escaping from the stove. Lost in her thoughts that
seemed to wander from reading and math lessons to warm comfortable
evenings in
Arizona
to misbehaving little boys. Her sense of smell warned her that all was
not right. As she turned around quickly, the chalk slipped from her hand
and rolled away. The sight took her by surprise and her instinct was to
run. The ugly thick smoke hurled itself into the room clinging to the
fresh air, filling it with the harsh stench of burning oil and rags.
Realizing that this was quite possibly the result of
another prank from these Bodie hooligans, her jaw set tight with
anger as she quickly stomped to the broom closet where the fire
extinguisher was stored. Dark, smelly smoke continued to roll into the
room. In a rush, she opened the closet door, her eyes didn’t see what
she heard, but knew immediately that her day was about to get worse.
The squeals came from a pair of piglets that had been locked in
the closet overnight, and now with all the excitement, they were ready
to make an escape. As the pair leaped for freedom toward the open door
where a shocked and surprised Miss Nagle stood, the piglets couldn’t
jump clear the bucket of red paint strategically placed
inside the closet doorway. The first little piggy plunged into
the bucket and sent a wave of red paint onto Miss Nagle’s cream
colored dress. With a blood curdling scream from the horrified teacher,
the second piggy took flight only to land beside the first with his hind
feet in the bucket causing it to tip and spill over her new boots.
Freedom at last, wet, red and slippery, they ran like wild children,
squealing all the way.
Miss Nagle reached for the extinguisher and was thankful that it
was where it should be. Turning, cautious
not to slip in the trail of red paint, she made her way back through the
smoke filled classroom. She opened the stove door and quickly doused the
fire. The smoke billowing an awful gray, she began opening windows
letting the foul fumes out and the cold fresh air in.
Now for the red piglets. Following the painted trials around the
room, she found them frightened and huddled together in the far corner.
She scooped them up gently, tucking one under each arm and headed toward
the door.
The clock on the wall chimed eight times; school was to begin.
She opened the door and set the red darlings outside on the stoop where
they quickly scurried away. As
she slowly stood up it was evident to her students that this could be a very bad day. Miss Nagle calmly straightened
herself and said nothing. The silence was deafening. The guilty boys
started to squirm. There she stood, her beautiful hair resembled a birds
nest after a strong eastern wind, black soot streaked her face and
marked her petite hands, red paint smeared her cotton dress, her new
boots most certainly ruined. And yet, she stood there with a quite smile
as the students stared in disbelief.
Miss Nagle declared a holiday right then and there. This holiday
would be for girls only. She called it “Girls Day Out.” The boys on
the other hand would have a special assignment. While the girls would
enjoy hot cocoa and cake at Miss Nagle’s home, the boys would stay and
wash the ceiling, the walls and the floor of the schoolhouse. There was
some grumbling among the boys, but not much. Miss Nagle did not lower
the switch over anyone, nor did she raise her voice or send any nasty
letters home to the parents. Because of this, she earned the respect
from the Bodie boys who tried so hard to “scare off another one.”
The remainder of Miss Nagle’s teaching term was uneventful. She won
the hearts of all of her students and would later recall that her time
in Bodie was the most challenging, rewarding and memorable.
While the boys worked hard cleaning up the mess, they all agreed
it was the best prank ever pulled at school.
Heck, we’re still talking about it.
Based on a true story told to the author
by Bobby Bell. This story took place sometime in the early 1920's.
Names have been changed for privacy.
Bobby
Bell was born in 1914 in the gold and silver town of
Bodie
. He followed his Grandfather and
Father’s footsteps becoming a successful miner and mill operator.
Bobby lived in his beloved Bodie for nearly fifty years where he mined
the rich tunnels in Bodie Bluff. In 1962, the State of
California
purchased the town and is now
Bodie
State
Historic
Park
. Bobby’s knowledge of the town
was of great importance to preserve the facts for future generations to
enjoy and learn about its awesome past. In his golden years he enjoyed
frequent visits to Bodie and to
the delight of the Park’s visitors and staff, he would tell of the
good old days. Bobby Bell was loved by many and will be remembered
fondly by all of his stories left behind,
Bobby
died
January 9, 2003
. He rests in peace in Bodie.
We
miss him.
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| Terri
Geissinger, aka "Bodie Terri", leads a tour at Bodie
State Historic Park. (Photo by Martin Cole) |
Terri Geissinger is an
Eastern Sierra resident and often works as an interpreter at Bodie State
Historic Park. She also leads historic tours in the Bodie area. Visit
her Website at: www.terrishistorictours.com
or click on the link to the left for more information.
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