This page contains scanned images of the Acorns news bulletins/pamphlets Mr. Adamson created and printed several times a
year from the basement of the office building, also more "Good
Reading". If you
have any of these pamphlets to submit for scanning or can send me your own
scanned images of them, please let me know at texasbonny@yahoo.com
It will be greatly appreciated by all! Also, the "years"
mentioned for some of these Acorns are as close as I could make. If you
see one that you know its definite year is something other than what I have, please let me know and I
can change
it. Thanks
"Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow"
I received a letter from Mr.
Adamson today, 12/22/00, and immediately wanted to share excerpts with
you. It applies to all of us under his
tenure. I don't think he will mind me sharing it with you.
" ....Thought you may be
interested in knowing that the slogan "Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns
Grow" is a corruption of a line from a poem that states ' Tall Oaks,
Etc.' but frequently the kids at BOS would ask me 'does that mean we are
little nuts?' and that gave me opportunity to advance my philosophy of child
care to them or anyone who would listen. So I would often give a little
speech!
'Yep, it could be! Have you ever thought about the potential of an
acorn? It, too, is a nut but there is no limit to what it can do and
become. Take that acorn, nourish it and look what happens, a big and
mighty Oak tree...one that enhances the whole universe with its ability to
give off oxygen for you to breathe...it goes further than that. It grows
to a mighty tree giving sustenance to the birds of the air and the squirrels
on the ground...it gives cooling shade to all who wish to rest in it's
shadow...it grows tall and mighty like the many that are growing in our back
yard that give untold beauty to the landscape...but it does not stop there...a
Woodsman comes along and cuts it (dead) but it still gives because the
Sawmiller comes and makes boards and planks...and the Builder comes along and
makes a home out of it for a family where they are warm, safe and happy...and
their boys and girls go out from there happy, productive citizens, glorifying
God and serving others.
AND IT ALL COMES FROM THAT LITTLE ACORN!!!
Mrs. A and I came to BOS with all that in mind...to nourish all the boys
and girls coming to us at BOS by loving them, encouraging them toward a better
life and development of their potential. Sorry to say: It didn't work
with everyone...to our eternal regret. But neither does it work
with every acorn that falls to the ground. Some lie there, rot or eaten
by vermin, or dry up or wash away in the gutters...do you recognize the
reference to the story Jesus told about the 'Sower'???'
So, it was my ambition to rescue every acorn...nourish it so that it could and
would develop and accomplish it's potential. I daily thank God that it
worked with you and most of all the boys and girls over the years. You
have proved it and are making a great effort to carry it on in recognition of
the Alumni of BOS. I rejoice with you at every one of them that respond
to your efforts....."
Thank you,
Mr. and Mrs. Adamson
The
"Acorns" write home
When Bonny Oaks commemorated it's 50th Anniversary in 1944, during
World War II, many of our brothers and sisters were serving in the Armed Forces. Below
is a page taken from the 50th Anniversary booklet of their letters writing home - their "home" was Bonny
Oaks. More letters from our Servicemen are in the Alumni Association
responses below.
In the spring of 1944, Eleanor Benning (Davis), alumnus and
later staff member, first mentioned her idea of an Alumni Association, to be comprised of former students. Here are some of the letters she received
regarding an Alumni Association back in 1944. Letters came from around the
world as many of the alumni were serving during World War II at the time.
Eleanor Benning (Davis), alumni, wrote "A Real Home" , below,
which is also included in Bonny Oaks' 50th Anniversary booklet. Eleanor
and other Bonny Oaks girls are pictured behind the 1935 Peach Crop.
CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE PRESS ARTICLE
Saturday, December 29, 2001
Thank you, Susan Pierce - Staff Writer, for doing such a nice article about
the website.
Letter to the Editor
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ABOUT BONNY OAKS
Click here to view the newspaper articles
from 1910 through 1940's
Click
here to view the newspaper articles from 1950 through 1960's
Click
here to view the newspaper articles from 1970's to the Present
If you have any newspaper articles about Bonny Oaks, please send them,
or a good copy of the article, to
the website so we can all read them.
Email to texasbonny@yahoo.com
Click here
to view January 2, 2011 Newspaper Reprint Summary about Bonny Oaks School
THE UNITED STATES CENSUS
Below are the names of all residents
who were living at Bonny Oaks when
the U.S. Census was taken for the years:
1900
1910
1920
The U.S. Census records on population, collected every ten (10) years, is only
released to the public once 72 years have passed since it was taken.
We have a great start here since Bonny Oaks was started in 1896, the first
census taken at Bonny Oaks was in 1900.
Thank you, James Ellis, for working on this idea with me at the library in
Chattanooga, Mar 2002.
DID
YOU KNOW?
"Just a touch of trivia found in some of the
ACORNS below"
1.
Who first started the Library Fund for the boys and girls? The year was
1953, and first donations were by Sears, Roebuck and Co. of Chattanooga, the
Auxiliary of the Moose Club, the Beta Group of the Pi Beta Phi Book Club of UC,
and the Hiener Printing Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
2.
The Chattanooga Pilot Club donated, among a host of other things, the RCA-400,
sound, movie projector! Remember all the fun we had watching movies in the
office building basement? David Shell provided the movies.
3.
Did you go on the Washington trip in 1954, 1955? The Chattanooga Bar
Association, under direction of Attorney and Grand Jury Foreman, James Van
Cleave, sponsored it! Is he still around for you to thank him?
4.
The beautiful altar set at the Chapel? It was donated by the Chattanooga
Pilot Club too.
5.
Parakeets? There were 21 of them owned by the kids, thanks to Lester
Reardon of East Ridge, he raised parakeets.
6.
The Clinic's name: Will Shepherd Memorial Clinic - remodeled in 1955 by
the Civitans.
7.
The "Sign" out by the road (pictured on Home Page) was erected in
1955.
8.
Remember the one birthday present you were "guaranteed" to get?
It came from a Chattanooga Civitan Club member's own pocket and was personally
delivered by the member. They were fantastic to us! Once such
present led to the idea of building our swimming pool (Mr. Coleman was the
member), read about it in the 1956 Acorns.
9.
Visitation Day was the first Sunday of each month, from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M.
10.
In 1954, Mr. Adamson was President of the Tennessee Association of Child-Caring
institutions.
11.
The Bonny Oaks flag was a United States Flag given to us by Tennessee Senator
Estes Kefauver and his aide, Jimmy Deakins. ("I can still remember
trying to learn how to spell his name for the Washington trip
question".) The flag had originally flown over our Nations Capital in
Washington, D.C.
12.
Sunday Chapel always started at 2:30 P.M.
13.
1954 - Kay's Ice Cream sent over two hundred dozen Popsicles!!!
14.
There are pictures of Bonny Oaks School on Page 30 in Hiener's Pictoral history
"CHATTANOOGA, YESTERDAY AND TODAY". Do you have the book?
I can't find it anywhere, so far.
UPDATE:
The book was been located on the Barnes & Noble
Bookstore's website. I contacted the owner, Mr. Ed Treverton, and he so
kindly, swiftly sent us a copy of the two pictures of Bonny Oaks on Page
30. If you buy rare books or are even in one of the pictures, it would be
wonderful to own a piece of Bonny Oaks history plus a book containing thousands
of pictures of Chattanooga. And a wonderful way to show Mr. Treverton our
appreciation.
Chattanooga, Yesterday and Today - Volume II
Bonny Oaks Pictures from Page 30
The book is out of print and listed under "Rare Books"
Price: $200.00 for the four volume set.
The E.N. Treverton Company
is located in Asheville, North Carolina
Email: e.treverton@worldnet.att.net
115 Cisco Road
Asheville, North Carolina 28805
Fax: 828-298-2222
15.
"Remember the boys and girls of The Bonny Oaks School in your
Will!" (How many times have we seen those words?) God Bless
Them, they did!
16.
1958 and 1961 Washington D.C. trip sponsored by Civitan member, J. Chalmer
Harper (I went in 1961).
17. A
few attended activities mentioned and pictured in different Acorns: skating,
movies, opera, Grand Ole Opr'y, Golden Gloves, Roller Derby, wrestling, church
camps, scout activities, ball games, circus, Holiday on Ice, fairs, concerts,
minstrel, theatre, carnivals, egg hunts, rodeo, Marine Band Concert, Halloween,
Christmas parties, swimming, band, piano, chorus, nature field trips, watermelon
cuts.........
18.
The bus was called the "Be Happy" bus in 1956.
19.
In 1958, mention was made of "waiting for the newly designed flag including
Alaska to come".
20.
The beautiful ante bellum home (Superintendent's House to us) was built in 1854
by a wealthy land owner, Jarrett G. Dent, and was accepted for listing by the
National Register of Historic Places. Research experts say the house is
the only relatively pure example of Greek Revival architecture in Hamilton
County. It was just purchased in March 2001 by the Chattanooga Church (our
Chapel) and will be undergoing renovation to restore to it's original
state. It will be used for Sunday classes and events.
The Acorns - 1951
The Acorns - 1952
The Acorns - 1953
The Acorns - 1954
The Acorns - 1955
The Acorns - 1956
The Acorns - 1957
The Acorns - 1958
The Acorns - 1959
The Acorns - 1960
The Acorns - 1961
The Acorns - 1962
The Acorns - 1963
The Acorns - 1965
The Acorns - 1966
The Acorns - 1967
The Acorns - 1968
The Acorns - 1970
The Acorns - Late 1970's
The Acorns - 1972
The Acorns - 1980
The Acorns - 1981
Hagan Day - June 3, 1956 - By Proclamation
Mrs. William S. Keese, Sr. - Service of Commemoration
"Mother of Bonny Oaks School" - 1959
Easter Sunrise Service at Bonny Oaks - 4/10/1966
Half-Century Club Picnic - 1980's (?)
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