One of the earliest school buses in Mt. Holly. Back in 1920 this mule-drawn vehicle, referred to as the wagon, was driven each school day to Hague by Jessie Fagan. Riding the school bus had its compensations. For instance, jumping out of the rear, running ahead of the mules and shouting back to Capt. Jessie to hurry up and catch up with the students, was fun for the kids of the time.
Time marched on and Capt. Jessie's son, Charles, became responsible for the bus route that transported children from Kinsale and Tidwells to Cople,Charlie Fagan poses in 1929 by his brand new Chevrolet truck which he had converted himself into a school bus. A canvas top, with flap in the rear for bad weather provided shelter for two rows of seats secured to either side of the trucks body. Little children were relegated to an unattached bench between them. On Thursday in 1947 Charlie Fagan didn't feel so well, but he completed both of his scheduled trips only to die later.
This is Roy Fagan, Charles' son just before he retired in June (1967) after 20 years of driving his own bus for the county school board. His retirement marked the end of an era in local school history.
