Memories of My Pal since the 6^th Grade

You may wonder why I used “My Pal Since the 6^th Grade” in the title.It is because that term was first used by my Pal Richard Lee “Dick” Morgan. Last year he sent me a card that on the outside page read “Clean living, pure thoughts, good morals all make for a long life”…when you opened the card inside it said “You’re a goner…Happy Birthday”. He signed the card “your pal since the 6^th grade”. That tells you the kind of friendship we had…a friend who could make me chuckle and enjoy life.

I first met Dick when his family moved in across the street from my family’s home in Dunseith.We were both in the 6^th grade and have been friends ever since.We knew each other so well that we could almost predict what the other was thinking. Letters were exchanged whenever we were not living in the same town or city.That custom began in 1952 while I was a patient in the State Tuberculosis Sanatorium and Dick was a student at the University of North Dakota.This practice ended when he sent his last letter on January 7, 2012 and I sent a return letter on January 19, 2012.Of course we visited, either in person or on the telephone, whenever we could, but letters were our primary means of long distance communication.

Dick was an accomplished actor and published author. However, when I say that I think Dick would want to be remembered as a Proud Family Man, Teacher of History, Storyteller, and Turtle Mountain Boy, I do it with a great deal of knowledge of things that were important to him. Let me elaborate.

Dick was very proud of his Children and Grandchildren and all that they had accomplished in their varied lives.But he was especially proud of his wife Shana, who tolerated his sometimes unusual behavior.She provided thoughtful guidance to him during their many years of marriage. She was especially good to Dick during his last illness. His wish was to never be confined to a hospital or nursing home.Shana honored his wish, even though I am sure, at times, it would have been much easier just to have him admitted to a hospital or hospice. She, with a lot of kindness, nursed him through his last illness in a way that I am sure made Dick feel proud and thankful.

Yes, he enjoyed being a History Teacher…I use the term teacher, rather than professor, even though he taught at the college level.That implies that he had his student’s interests as a primary concern, not a title. He could make history come alive.That goes along with his storytelling.He could make a dull history lesson into an interesting, fascinating and memorable story.He created a love of history in his students at the community colleges where he taught.

A great number of his students became lifelong friends. Over the years he remained in contact, with many of his students, through letters, phone calls and personal visits.Not many teachers are able to say that.

This leads us to his Story telling. He enjoyed dressing up in his Mountain Man regalia. Dressed in his buckskin leathers and with his signature beard, he did look like a mountain man of the western frontier. He wowed his audiences with stories of the Wild West. He had tales of unusual historic happenings that would keep those listening, interested and bring an audience from their seats with cheers and hand clapping.Dick enjoyed telling tales of western history as much as his audience enjoyed listening…

Dick never forgot the area where he grew up. He traveled extensively and had lived in many places across this great country. However it was Dunseith, and the Turtle Mountains that often brought back fond memories…Dick and I spent many a day just hiking, camping, swimming, fishing and hunting in those Turtle Mountains.We liked to be referred to as Turtle Mountain Boys, or in our younger days Turtle Mountain Volunteers, rather than residents of Dunseith.The Mountains, or the Hills as known by the locals, always seemed rather mysterious; heavily wooded, hidden trails, many lakes, abandoned CCC camp, cold water springs, buffalo jumps and beaver ponds. Dick was interested in why the coal mine was abandoned, what caused mineral springs, were there really native artifacts buried in the Indian mound, why the mill was closed and stories of bank robbers and other old timers.It is true that he always said that we grew up in the “Golden Years” of Dunseith, in the foothills of the Turtle Mountains. The mountains were very important in shaping our lives.

Ah…Memoires of a pal since the 6^th grade, gone to the spirit world on January, 24, 2012

Dick, I will always remember you, now and forever…

Your Pal Since the 6^th Grade…Glen I. “Junior” Williams