An educational trip down Memory Lane — the story of Magnolia-Swaney

MCNABB — It took two old schools to make one new and great school.

The story of Magnolia-Swaney High Schools starts with the residents of Magnolia, who started their school system in 1870. Their high school was added in 1912. In the meantime, neighbors to one side, McNabb was putting their school system together about the same time, with John Swaney High School being established in 1902.

Both schools worked hard and served their area residents, however in 1948, economics dictated the McNabb and Magnolia districts consolidate along with their residents. The new arrangement had (depending on year and enrollment) kindergarten through fourth grade in McNabb, fifth through eighth grade in Magnolia and the combined ninth- through 12th-graders at the new Magnolia-Swaney High School on the former John Swaney campus in rural McNabb.

The mascot for the school was the pirate. School colors were blue and gold. The strong basketball tradition which started in both schools gained when the student population was combined. Basketball was one of the main sports the new school offered. The school won two district titles in that sport. Other sports included baseball and cheerleading.

The school had other activities such as National Honor Society, Student Council, French Club, student librarians and for the literary minded the Treasure Chest represented the yearbook and the M-S Headliner represented newspaper. Two very big and active clubs for the time included Future Homemakers of America (FHA) and Future Farmers of America (FFA)

In the area of fine arts, there was a girls’ ensemble and a boys’ quartet as well as a mixed chorus. The school had a band and twirlers too.

Each year the junior class put on a play. There were dances including a Sadie Hawkins, snowball and homecoming.

Daily school life had students moving from the old north building to the south building for classes each day, even in the dead of winter. The gymnasium was in the south building and not very tall or wide compared to gyms of today. Stories abound during basketball season of balls getting stuck in the ceiling during games.

The lunch experience was another unique one at Magnolia-Swaney. All students had to bring their own cold lunch until the 1964-65 school year. At the start of the next school year, ground was broken on the new building, the current Putnam County Junior High School, which offered a hot lunch to students.

“It was very unusual, but when the new building was built, it was quite something to go over to a third building to have a hot lunch,” Cyndy Marshall Carr said. Carr is a 1966 graduate of Magnolia-Swaney and a local McNabb resident.

Being rural, the campus had a full-time caretaker. Married couple Truman and MaryJane Combes lived in a small home on campus. Truman was the head custodian and bus driver, while MaryJane was a cafeteria cook at the school.

However the county of Putnam eventually faced another educational budget challenge, and it was finally decided the three schools of the time; Hennepin, Hopkins and Magnolia-Swaney would consolidate. The three schools consolidated in 1966.