Summer Campbell-Kern Valley Sun

Winifred Henderson, retired educator of over 30 years paid a visit to the students of South Fork summer camp last week. Henderson shared the history of the South Fork School to the youngsters using her personal recollection of past events. Henderson captured the student's attention with her story of how the bell that currently resides at the South Fork Elementary School came to find its home.

When Henderson was teacher and principal of South Fork Elementary School over 30 years ago, the children were without playground equipment, and thus entertained themselves at recess by digging in the dirt. One day the children uncovered a bell in the dirt. Henderson called for the school's maintenance man to help the students retrieve the bell from its large hole. The students discovered that the bell weighed some 400 pounds. Henderson and other staff assumed that the bell came from the previous South Fork school building that had burned down. The bell was later mounted in front of the school. Some time later a local resident saw the bell sitting outside of the school and stopped to tell Henderson the story of how the bell got buried out front of the school. Rumor has it that a group of boys, years before the new South Fork School had been built, decided to pull a prank in which they planned to take the bell from its tower and place it on the teacher's desk. When the boys freed the bell from its tower they discovered that they had significantly underestimated its weight, and they dropped the bell off the roof. Unable to carry the bell to the teacher's desk they buried it in the schoolyard, only to be discovered generations later. This story was later confirmed by yet another of the group of pranksters.

The kids loved the story of the bell as well as the various other colorful historical renditions that Henderson presented. Henderson also showed the students displays that exhibited pictures of past events at the old South Fork schools. Henderson not only taught and administered South Fork School for nearly 30 years she helped to celebrate the school's 100th birthday. When Henderson first began teaching at South Fork there were three classrooms and she had a class of only eight students. “I saw the school grow from 80 to over 200 and it was built over four times to accommodate population,” explained Henderson.

Since Henderson's retirement in 1978 she has stayed active in the community, she sells lambs to the local FFA students and opens up her farm to the preschoolers.

In addition to the students that attended the story time, a handful of parents came to take part in Henderson's presentation. Along with Henderson's story telling she also answered questions regarding the history of the valley.

Cathy Paradise, a coordinator for the summer camp, was very pleased with Henderson's presentation. “The kids were very attentive, and they brought the teacher out in Henderson,” remarked Paradise.

To show the school's gratitude to Henderson she was honored in a special ceremony that followed the student story time. Paradise led the tribute to Henderson. Paradise spoke of her memories as a south fork student and how influential Henderson's actions have been to the school's success. “You have made a difference in our lives just by being here, praised Paradise. Henderson was presented with a new tree that is to be planted at the South Fork Middle School site in her honor.

Look for the Longtimer featuring Winifred Henderson in next week's issue of the Kern Valley Sun.