Note:  In this essay, Iva summarizes her formal education and the circumstances that affected her ability to attend.  In total, she had 34.5 months of school (as opposed to the 108 months that a traditional 9 months x 12 years education would yield).  She only attended a full year in first grade; from fourth grade onward she never attended more than 4 out of 9 months of a school year.

By Iva Moore Tucker, handwritten, 2 pages

In 1923 I started in the 1st grade in a 1 room school on the JA Ranch. I had my 8th birthday in Nov. after starting in Sept. I completed a full term of 9 mo.

In 1924 I began that term in the 2nd grade at Clarendon taking time out for chicken pox (6 weeks) and left in April with about 6 mo of school to move to Antelope Flat. 1925. On Aug 13th Eva was born and Mom & us kids were in Wheeler at Dad’s sister’s and by the time we got home & Dad got a horse for me to ride to school I didn’t get started until Oct. I was in 3rd grade. I attended school there until April 1926 (6 mo) at which time we moved to what we called the north plains. It was 4 miles to school. About Jan or Feb or 1927 Mom & kids moved to near Lakeview about 30 miles south of Clarendon to attend a country school called Bethel. We had been in school a week or two when Eva took the scarlet fever and we were quarantined for 6 weeks. Dad decided that by the time the rest of us finished with the fever school would be out so he took us back home. That summer we left the farm and made a trip to Colorado and back to Wheeler in Sept where we picked cotton until after Xmas. Frank was born this Oct. I was 11 years old. After Xmas 1928 we went to Lakeview again to Uncle Othal’s and then to Lubbock and out to Amhurst. We began school there in March. 3 mo. That summer we moved to near Levelland (Me in 4th grade) and I started school that fall in 5th. Went 6 weeks and stopped to pick cotton. Started back to school in likely Feb (4 mo) of 1929. That fall we didn’t begin school but picked cotton instead. We didn’t go at all that term. I began that (next) fall 1930 in the 6th grade. Went 4 or 6 weeks & was out to pick cotton. After Xmas we moved south of Levelland for a few weeks and then to Bula for a few weeks and then to Lakeview again and started to school at Bethel. (6th). I stayed with Grandma. 1931) that fall we picked cotton and the moved into Uncle Othals house and after Xmas 1932 we moved to Abernathy so didn’t go to school at all in fall of 1931 and spring 1932. In fall of 1932 we moved to Sudan and picked cotton. In fall of 1933 I started to school in Sudan in 8th grade & went 6 weeks and out to pick cotton and didn’t go back afer Xmas in 1934. In April we moved to McMurty’s. I met Cecil in Sept & married in Jan.
1st grade 9 Mo
2nd grade 6 Mo
3rd grade 6 Mo
4th grade 2 Weeks
4th grade 3 Mo
5th grade 6 Weeks
5th grade 4 mo
6th grade 4 Mo
8th grade 6 week