Hornbine School Committee Celebrates Frances Magan Jones’ Birthday

Recently, during one of our open house Sundays, The Hornbine School Committee celebrated Frances Magan Jones’ ninety- fourth birthday!

She has lived in the neighborhood most of her life. Frances attended the school from 1927 – 1932 and has been sharing her school memories to visiting classes in recent years. The reader can visit with Frances during any of our 2nd and 4th Sunday open houses.

Eighty nine years ago Frances Magan Jones’ older brother Clarence started first grade at the Hornbine School. He was the only student who walked home for lunch. The other pupils lived too far away to walk home at noon.

Frances was five and too young to attend school. She was left at home and missed the company of her brother. She was determined to attend school with her older brother Clarence and pestered her mother, Mary Magan, into asking the superintendent of schools to allow her to attend the Hornbine School. It was decided to admit Frances on a trial basis.

Not only did Frances complete her first grade work in the fall, but she also finished the 2nd grade in the spring. As a result, Frances entered 3rd grade at the age of six!

Frances says she was the teacher’s pet and helped instruct other students, including her brother. After attending the Bark Street School in Swansea for her 7th & 8th grade years, she enrolled in the Joseph Case High School. Frances went on to graduate from high school at the age of 16 which was extremely rare at the time!

The Hornbine School will be open to the public the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month during August and September from 2-4 p.m. The Hornbine School is located at the corner of Hornbine Road and Baker Street in Rehoboth.