This past Friday, students of the Meadow Valley School, several miles southwest of New Glarus, gathered for a reunion in their old school house. Like many other small one-room country schools that dotted the Wisconsin landscape for more than a century, state regulations forced these schools to close and integrate into the larger area public schools in 1962.

Despite having been closed for more than half a century, the ties to these schools remain strong. These schools were much more than just a place for rural children to get an education. They also served as a social center for the surrounding area, forming a very strong sense of community in one of the best examples of the true meaning of the word community.

The gathering brought with it photos of much earlier classes of children who attended the school, dating back to the pre-Depression era. As the former students looked over the photos, discussions broke out, "whatever happened to him after they left the area, what's her married name," and many other questions and speculations of where those earlier students spent the balance of their lives.

This year Caryl Wheeler Owen, formerly of Wisconsin Public Radio, was on hand to interview and record the numerous students' stories of their school days at Meadow Valley School.

One very special guest also attended, Darlene Lancaster of Monroe. Lancaster was the last teacher in the school. Teaching here was Lancaster's first teaching job after graduating from Green County Teachers College in Monroe. She continued to teach in other schools for seven years.

Meadow Valley School is now owned by Nan and Bob Rudd, who have graciously allowed the former students to return the past two years to relive their youthful days, if only for a few hours.