Letters

In January of 2009, I started writing letters to my grandma and asking her for stories about her life growing up. This is in part because I think she got married around my age..but she never got to that part in her life. My letters to her were always about my classes and friends in college, and now hers are also about the events she attends in her retired community. She apologized many times in her letters that she is old and can not always remember stories from so far back, but she had quite a few so I don't press her for more.

Anyway, her stories are sweet so I thought I'd share a few here, in her own words. Write to your grandparents. It's fun and they get so exci

ted.

Left to right = my maternal grandmother, Aunt Gerry (Gerry is my mom's youngest sister), me=I look to be about 3 years old, my dad, my mother.

Since I look about 3 years old - this would be summer of 1937 = my dad died Sept. 1937.

Photo taken Bowdle, SD at grandparent's home.

Dear Aly,

You wanted to know what my life was like in my era.

You may already know I was born in 1934 in South Dakota. I was born in Eureka but we lived in Greenway, SD and now the only thing you see in Greenway is cellar doors. The town has disappeared - too small to stay alive.

My father died when I was 3 years old - making it necessary for my mother and me to move to Bowdle, SD to live with my grandparents while my mother trained for a job as a telephone operator. When I was 5 years old (1939) the telephone co. offered my mother a job in McIntosh, SD. The telephone switchboard was in a home where we lived and had to be serviced 24 hours a day - but it didn't matter as there was nothing to do in McIntosh - population then about 300.

South Dakota then, and I'm sure over the entire US was very innocent, safe and poor. The "Great Depression" ended in 1931 or 1932 and people were still very much affected by it - at least in the Dakotas. In 1941 my Aunt Gerry (mother's youngest sister) came to live with us while she finished her junior and senior years in high school. When that happened our house became a gathering place for her friends and life in McIntosh was not so boring. She was quite popular - and there was always someone to play Monopoly with me. Every year the town would block off two blocks for snow sledding - and we lived on the corner of the second block - so I spent many days on the sled.

At least once every summer I was allowed to ride the train alone to visit my grandparents - about 90 miles away - but it took about 6 hours. My mother put me on the train, told the conductor to "look out for me" and not let me off. He gave me a feather duster and told me to dust the car - that kept me busy. My grandparents were always there to meet me.

...

By 1943 we decided we had enough of snow and cold weather - and Aunt Gerry had graduated from high school - so we decided to move to Lodi, CA. My grandparents and a sister and a brother of my mom had already moved to Calif.

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School in McIntosh - a two story brick building 1-12. I went there 1st thru 3rd grade - and a high school student was responsible for every grade school student - this was necessary especially during winter storms. World War II started in 1941 and once in a great while an airplane would fly over the town - because it was so rare, teachers would allow kids to run to the windows or even outside.

Dear Aly,

On the days I feel there might be a letter from you I practically run (imagine that) to the mailbox [across the street and 3 houses down].

...

McIntosh, SD: Whenever a telephone call would come in to the telephone switchboard (remember-we lived in the telephone office) to someone in town that didn't have a home phone - I would get 25 cents to run to their home to come to our home/office to receive the call. This, however, did not happen too often.

There was a movie theatre right next to our home, so I would often go on Saturday afternoons, and it was usually a cowboy (western) movie. I would run in and out to go home - probably for the bathroom or snack - but I don't ever remember having to pay. Then at night I would lay in bed, hear the music and voices from the theatre, and remember the movie all over again.

If you were to go to McIntosh today (I did in 1990) it would look pretty much the same as when we left in 1943. I remember it to be like any town of "Little House on the Prairie" era. Very isolated, no events, no excitement, but my nicest memories of growing up are from my McIntosh days.

When my mother, Aunt Gerry, and I decided to move to Calif. my mom had a box built to ship all our belongings. The box was probably 4' x 4' x 4' and took about a month to arrive in Lodi - by train. I can still remember going through it as we needed something - like clothes. But mostly I remember my mom's wedding dress. At the time she married my dad (early 1930s) the trend was pastel wedding gowns - so my mom's was very pale green - like celery green.

When we moved to Lodi - we came out by train - and since it was during World War II the train was very crowded. We were very lucky to have a seat - but I remember several women having to sit in the ladies room. It took us about 3 days to arrive in Lodi.

Fortunately my mom was able to transfer to the telephone company in Lodi - as a telephone operator - but since we lived with my grandparents - and did not have a car - she had a long way to walk every day. Again, since it was wartime, finding a place to live was impossible - but, we did find a (one) "room" with hot plate privileges - and share a bathroom with other tenants. The only good thing, she had only 3 blocks to walk to work. Eventually (about 6 months) we found an apartment - 2 rooms. We had an ice box (not a refrigerator) that the ice man came once a week with a block of ice - that went into the top of the box. Every day we had to empty the tray at the bottom of the ice box, and if we forgot - then you'd walk into the kitchen with cold water all over the floor and feet. Woe! that's a quick wake up.

We arrived in Lodi June 6, 1943 - and I would spend most of my time at my grandparent's. My Grandma was the sweetest lady I knew and I later realized she was my best friend. She died when I was 14 years old. We would always sing while she was washing dishes and I was drying dishes. She was artistic in her own way. Often in the summer we would have watermelon - and she would carve small animals out of the watermelon rind. She didn't speak English much - my mom's intent was that I'd learn to speak German by staying with them - but it did not happen.

Back to McIntosh again - in our home/office we had the siren for fires and war warnings. I have no idea why anyone thought that McIntosh would be a target for a bomb. But in the 4 years we lived there - we never had to sound the alarm - not even for a fire.

One time when my mom and I were on the train to my grandparent's home - while the train had not yet pulled out of the McIntosh station - one of us remembered that we had forgotten to pack the belts to all of my mom's dresses. The conductor held up the train while I ran home, got the belts, and back on the train. We lived only about a block and a half away. This was/is typical of SD people = helping any way they could.

Dear Aly,

....

You mentioned Cinderella - I've never been interested in "fantasy" and I blame that on the fact that McIntosh did not have a library - and we couldn't afford to buy books - though McIntosh didn't even have a store to buy such things. It was probably when I was in 6th grade that I went into a library. Sad, huh! South Dakota lacked good teachers. A teacher would get his/her teaching credentials in only 2 years school after high school graduation.

We moved to Lodi when I was in the 4th grade - so I went to public school for the 4th and 5th grade. The Lutheran Church opened a school so I went there for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. There were only 7 kids in my class - and 4 grades in our room. 1st thru 4th grade in another room. Believe it or not - I feel I got a good education at that school. But - of the seven in my class - only 2 others and myself went to Lodi Union High School - and we entered the freshman class of about 300 kids - those kids probably knew most of them for their entire 8 years of grammar school. Lodi was - and still is very status conscious - and since I lived on the wrong side of the tracks - could not wear the "name brand" sweaters that most had - I was really not included or accepted in their circle. It was for that reason - a number of years before I went there - the school adopted a girls uniform code - which every year after that the girls voted it in.

The uniform was black, navy or white skirt, and any type sweater or blouse. After four years you got pretty tired of black or navy skirt - but - when I started my banking job right after graduation - the first thing I bought was a black skirt.

So now that I've told you a little bit about Lodi - you can see why I was happier in South Dakota. Also, while I loved my grandpa, I did not like living with him. He was very "old world" and this meant I did not want to bring friends over - no music, etc.

....

Back to McIntosh (with my story) just to give you an idea of how little it had to offer. As I told you - no library, no hospital, only 1 doctor, 1 dentist, 1 grocery store, 1 barber shop, 1 weekly newspaper, 1 small hotel.

One 2 story brick building that was 1-12 grades school. What was common in those days - kids from nearby farming communities would spend the whole week in town - at the hotel - and their parents would take them back to the farm for the weekends - if the weather was good enough to get them. Now this was only high school girls - boys needed to help at the farm. We knew 2 sisters that had this arrangement at the hotel - they had a hot plate - and every night their dinner was "creamed corn and bread." I don't mean to give the impression that the hotel was filled with high school girls - probably never more than 2 or 3 at a time - some girls were housed in McIntosh homes, but even that was a very small number.

"May Day" was fun. The day before May 1st, my mom - and no doubt other moms too - would make little baskets about the size of a coffee mug. My mom would use crepe paper or fabric - and sew these little baskets - sometimes with ribbon too. The baskets would be filled with candy or cookies. I would take a basket to a friend's home, knock on the door, leave the basket and run. The friend would try to catch me. This may have been an old Russian custom - as much of the Dakotas are people or descendants of "Germans from Russia," as were we. My grandparents were both born in Russia. "Katherine the Great" allowed Germans to come to Russia to homestead there. My grandparents were both born there - near the Black Sea - and both came to America with their families while they were very young. I once asked my grandpa why they chose South Dakota to live and farm - he said "because that was where the train ended."

Dear Aly,

....

Your last letter asked how old I was when I got married. I was 20 1/2 - married 12-18-54.

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My grandmother - if you recall I mentioned was my best friend - and a woman who I never heard complain (and she has good reason to complain as my grandfather liked to drink). She was a wonderful cook - and baked great things. She had a wood burning cook stove - not with an automatic thermostat like stoves are today. I believe I told you in an earlier letter that my grandparents had "inside plumbing" when they moved into town - meaning an inside toilet too - but I talked to Martha today and learned that the "outhouse" was necessary in town - and that meant taking baths in a wash tub - and heating the water on the stove. She says that meant not always fresh water after each person's bath - ugh! I'm thinking that grandma's happiest day was when they moved to Calif. and she had indoor plumbing. She liked gardening and always had a vegetable garden - some flowers too.

Dear Aly,

....

I've been trying to think of more stories - and not sure if I've already written about these.

When I was about 4 years old - and we were still living with my grandparents while my mom was being trained for a job - my Aunt Martha (you've met her) was about 17 or 18 and whenever her boyfriend would come to pick her up for a date - I would get in his car and would not leave. I wanted to go with them. Now who would want a 4 year old while on a date - so I would "hold out" until he gave me money. At that time - in about 1938 I think - he would give me 5 cents and I thought that was pretty fair. In a year or two they married - probably to save him from giving me money.

Now I'm moving along to about 1944 - I am 10 years old and living in Lodi, CA. I spent most summer days with my grandparents while my mom worked. My grandfather invited me to go with him on an errand. Now that meant he would buy me a soda (in those days it was called Pop) and then it was always grape, orange or root beer. My dilemma was this: did I want the pop so much - or risk my life riding with him. He was a poor driver. He always felt he had the right of way at every intersection. Well - the pop always won out - I would ride along - and hold my breath at every intersection.

My grandmother was the sweetest, loving person - never complaining. I wish you could have met her. She died a very painful death (of cancer) when I was 14.