Jackson Township School held its 14th annual reunion Oct. 29. There was a very good turn out of former students and friends. One former teacher, Mary Alice Kaiser, was in attendance.

The person honored as the oldest student who had attended Jackson School was Lawrence Porter. Porter has been to every Jackson School reunion except for one. He is a very interesting man. His ancestors have lived in Jackson Township, Rush County since 1831. Porter was born in 1917 on a farm near Sexton. He started school in the Henderson School and then moved to the new Jackson School in 1924/1925 during the second grade. He has a great memory and he can remember when the new school was opened and the day the students carried their books and school things from the old school to the new school. Even the desks from the old school were moved into the new school building.

Porter has many fond memories of his time at Jackson School. He remembers riding a school bus pulled by horses. Chic Myers was principal of Jackson School at this time and gave Porter a paddling for throwing a snowball at a car and also for getting into a fight.

Porter attended Sexton Christian Church as a child, but has attended Hannegan Church since a teen-ager. He moved to a farm in Union Township until he married Marge Bundy in 1948. She has been gone 12 years. They had four children: Steve, Jon, Tracy and Martyne. All of their children also attended Jackson Township School.

Lawrence Porter has lived in Jackson Township most of his life. He has many wonderful memories and stories about Jackson Township School and life in Jackson Township. He enjoys life and still has a twinkle in his eye, so if you want to reminisce with him come join him on Saturday nights at the dances in Raleigh, or better still, join us at the next Jackson Township School reunion. The reunions are held on the last Sunday in October at the Jackson Community Building that stands where the Jackson School once proudly stood.