Interviewer: Cassie Ptacek Typed by: Marlena Fongthian Sept. 26, 1934 Believes there was a doctor School 1 room school house 10-12 kids Play fox and goose Slid on ice Taught basics Liked to paint Really enjoyed reading School had a book shelf Never had homework Comfortable room for students Commodities Played games Reading & spelling contests Spelling bees Claude White - First grade teacher - favorite Older woman whom she didn't like Marie Klettke - a teacher Parents married in 1932, Marjorie b. 1934 In the winter, would take a sled 1 1/2 miles, often walked Encouraged to go to HS
Stayed with grandparents for 2 years She was very shy, hard to make friends Loved BB games, was on the cheering squad Liked the chorus Liked music Took Algebra Teacher would buy a malted milk if you got 100 on final Too tall to dance Made some friends from Fredonia English teacher taught all 4 years Superintendent taught math 400 kids in school Started with 43 Graduated with 27 (class size) Went on to college in Ellendale Became a teacher Family Dad was an inventive person Worked it out so he could drive tractor from binder Dad taught himself to play violin and clarinet Played in bands Mother did housework, had a garden, did canning Mom & Marjorie set up shocks Close to her dad They teased each other Mother, more short tempered, scolding, not very emotional
Very stoic In 1936-1937 - threshed two fields Hardly anything Had enough food on hand to cope Youngest brother born 1944 Paternal grandparents helped a lot, came over to help butcher 1 mile away Maternal also close Sometimes stayed with some of the younger aunts Grandfather Strong and tall Carried her into trees to see a Mulberry tree Grandmother Very dear person Always had cookies & fruit Quiet Raised 8 kids Ruth A younger aunt 2nd youngest 2 sons & 2 daughters Marjorie was oldest cousin on that side Maternal grandparents Quieter, more stern Grandpa always gave them $.50
Stayed with them for Confirmation school Very close to Uncle George & his wife & their 2 boys Played cops & robbers Had big family gatherings with father's side Christmas always connected with church Never did much on 4th Got a watermelon Easter Church on Easter Sunday morning Would spend time with Uncle George Dyed some eggs Thanksgiving At grandparents Potluck Valentine's Day at school Exchange Valentines Birthdays - cake & homemade ice cream Dad would chop ice off of the lake Cooked custard Put in a container inside layers of salt & ice Turn it until she couldn't, then others would help Liked all flavors Dad loved ice cream, so had it a lot 2 brothers Erwin - 2 years younger Dwayne - 10 years younger
Had a good sense of humor Didn't really connect until they were older Got along well Surprised at pregnancy 4-H club softball team Played cops and robbers Cousin Shirley came Made mud pies Took eggs from hen house For the pies Just got a scolding Mother was the disciplinarian Play Card games, checkers with Dad (always won) Played with paper dolls Cut them out of catalogs Played with cats Would catch little ducks They would pick at teeth Dad loved to fish Mom would cook them right there Very good Go to gulches to pick berries Usually chokecherries Made jelly Food
Goose Fry goose skins Like chips Goose grease sandwiches Butchering Grandparents would come over early Use hot water to get hair off Cut into pieces Canned sausage Put ground meat together Pepper & salt Mixed with hands Garlic Nobody liked headcheese Took meat to meat locker in town Had crocks for sauerkraut Drinking usually for themselves Rare occasions House Built when parents were married 2 bedrooms Had an indoor bathroom Had a wind charger for light, radio Liked green hornet, Ma Perkins Liked detective stories Brother & Marjorie liked it a lot
Coal furnace in the basement Couldn't keep house cool in summer Always spoke English at home Every other Sunday had relatives Played whist Had a pump Must've had running water From basement cistern Mom did laundry Cook stove in basement Wringer washer Made her own soap Lard & lye & water Baths Usually Saturdays No sharing of bath water in a tub Never told too often to brush teeth Had a tooth swell Had to go to Dentist Pulled tooth Had to have it replaced Visited a doctor only when necessary Peroxide went on every cut 7th grade -- went to an optometrist Got glasses Amazing
In 8th grade, went to Confirmation school, stayed with grandparents Got scraped playing tag Grandma put tallow on cuts and wrapped them up Weren't healing Everything was festering Church Went every Sunday Always had Sunday School Confirmed in Merricourt Confirmation school Had to memorize verses Like a test Had dinner together Had meals together at Church all the time Sunday school - in German, in the early years Men & women sat separately Children sat up front No restrictions Never questioned religious beliefs There was a 7th Day Adventist Church trying to convert people Raised Congregational Chores Had to get the eggs - some of the hens picked at her Had to feed poultry, pigs Fed them skim milk w/ ground feed Had to gather corn cobs for basement stove, also cut wood
Had to hoe in the garden Had a lot of trees - for wind protection Liked feeding the pigs Didn't like picking veggies Had to dust, mop, especially on Saturdays Mom staked hay 12 miles to Kulm But never felt isolated Tractors, mowers, binders, plow Eventually brought a combine home Threshing Three families worked together Traveled between farms 3-4 bundles Lots of food Helped prepare, carried the lunch Coffee cake or sandwich and water Set table, wash dishes Enjoyed the prairie Summers wild and windy Spring favorite All the new life Dad trapped muskrats