Escapees July-August 2022

skp stops

New London is in the northeast part of Texas, about 30 minutes east of Tyler. It’s primarily a farming commu nity, and about 1,000 call it home. There is a granite monument on New London’s main street. Around the inside of the base are the individual names of those who died that March day. There is also a small museum across the street from the monument. The museum is fi lled with photos, and visitors can view several informative videos, but what makes a visit especially moving, are the artifacts one sees, many that belonged to the children and teachers who died that day: A pocketknife, a purse, clothes and books. There’s a photo of a girl’s baseball team taken earlier that day. Everyone is smiling. The coach and four of the girls died. Several others were seriously injured. An investigation determined that a gas leak had built in the crawl space under the school. When the shop teacher turned on a sander, a spark triggered the powerful explosion. A new school was built on the site, and it opened in 1939. It is still being used today. Some good did come out of the tragedy. As a result, a malodorant is now added to all-natural gas in the U.S. Before 1937, none was added to what is a naturally odorless, colorless gas. That’s why no one in the school was aware of the gas build-up in the crawl space. So, because of the added odor, the fact that you sometimes smell rotten eggs is a good thing.

I knew nothing about this event until I read about it in a Texas guidebook. As a parent and former substitute teacher, I felt a need to visit the site. I also visited a nearby cemetery where 87 of the children, including Hazel with the haunting eyes, is laid to rest. Here’s a link to the museum. There is also a video on the site you can watch: http://nlsd.net/Museum.htm Marty Johnson #149331

GUIDELINES FOR SKP STOPS SUBMISSIONS Material for each issue will be selected based on location and the migration of seasonal travel. Submissions of 300 to 500 words are ideal. Due to limited space, submissions will be edited. High-resolution photos are included on a space-available basis. Include the name of the photographer and anyone in the photo. HELPFUL HINTS Share unique and o ff -the-beaten-path RV travel destinations. Keep submissions brief and include only pertinent information. Include the best season to visit the destination. Include information on RV parking and accessibility. Send submissions to Escapees Magazine, 100 Rainbow Drive, Livingston, TX 77351, or to editor@escapees.com.

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July/August 2022 ESCAPEES Magazine