2/19/2008

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From Janice Leonard Workman (56) – Mrs. Conroy, history & Memories:

Hi Gary and all, Conroy’s came to Dunseith about 1948 or 1949 when the class of 56 was in 5th grade.  Mrs. Conroy taught 5th and 6th grad in the old white building, top floor, east side.  She was a wonderful teacher and one of things that we did in art class was to paint on glass.  What fun that was.  Don was in the 5th grade and a new person in school.  In the other room upstairs was Mrs. Agnes Berg.  She had 7th and 8th grade.  Then things changed and when we were in 8th grade, we were in the dungeon (basement) with Miss Berg and Miss Beulah Shurr’s freshmen English was right across the hall.  These rooms later became the cafeteria (the first ever).  Then the year we got out of the basement and out of the white building altogether.  There was a room built over the bleachers of the gym and that was where the typing class was.  The stage in the gym was a science class of some kind and Mr. Conroy’s office was in a little and I really mean little room off the stage and served also as the library.  When the new high school was built in 1954/55 we were really “top notch.”   High school was really a fun, fun time!!  Another teacher that we “broke in” was our home economics teacher, can’t think of her name, but she came my senior year.  She taught us to knit socks and we did some (great??) cooking.  I think we did some sewing too.  This was her first year teaching, I’m not sure if she came back the second year or not, I think she was pregnant when she left.  Better close now.  Janice Leonard Workman

 

From Ron Longie (65) – Mrs. Conroy:

Gary,

When I read Dick Johnson’s memories of Mrs Conroy , my grey matter came to life and all these memories of Mrs Conroy came flooding in. I could not catch on to multiplication at all, so Mrs Conroy had me stay after school and learn this brain cramper, if anyone remembers the “OLD WHITE SCHOOL” and her classroom you will surely remember the size of the blackboards ! maybe having all the blackboards filled with multiplication from top to bottom, and side to side just intimidated the heck out of me, it took a few nights but I got it and have been eternally grateful to her ever since. Dick my Mom still has the buffalo I made in Mrs Conroy’s class, I wonder how many of the class of “65” can remember making their Buffalo?.

 

From Diane Larson Sjol (70) – Memories & Mrs Conroy: 
 
Deb (Morinville) and all,
do you remember wax lips and pink bubblegum in white paper and coke�
floats from the drug store?  Remember when we used to go to the�
Crystal cafe with your dog Tuffy and just walk in the back door.  I�
can’t smell garbage burning to this day wthout thinking of Dunseith�
and those garbage cans burning garbage…I remember how I used to run�
past the jail when going to your house so the “prisoners” who were�
looking out of the window with bars wouldn’t see or get me!  I�
remember dead cougars in front of the gas station when someone shot�
one up in the hills.  Even though we moved all over the world with my�
dad in the Army, my best memories are from Mrs. Conroy.  And Don…I�
remember the bean bags and multiplication tables too.  I also remember�
sitting on the floor playing jacks at recess…and Crystal Fassett�
reading more books than me when we had a reading contest!! Fun and�
wonderful times….hey what about those wonderful date bars at the�
bakery?
 
Diane, Were you able to make it down to Santa Fe, NM last month to help your cousin Colette Hosmer celebrate her Birthday? Gary
 
 
 
From Warren Anderson (65) – History & Memories: 
 
Hi, Gary and all DHS
 
George and Minnie Alvin where our neighbors to the north of our farm and when they moved into town dad rented his quarter of land for many years until Duane Peterson bought it.  I remember my mother and dad driving the horses in the winter time going over to their farm and playing cards.  Us kids would have to stay home because they never had any young children left at home.  Our older cousin would baby sit us.  Once Minnie had the creamery mother always took the cream there, she said, “Minnie would always give us a little more than the Bottineau creamery.”——Who knows the truth of that one?  Mother would say at times that their boy was so cute.  Does anyone know if he is still alive? I do not remember him.  The 2nd year after they had moved to town dad hid in the old house and shot 3 deer eating in the yard.  It was on a moon-lit night in December.  There must have been some good grasses in the yard.
 
And yes, Ely Demery, he was my mothers first cuz but she would jokingly say she never claimed him because he was to mean.  Must have been before my time because I never saw him fight or get kicked out of a bar.  He was one of the last old cowboys from the bush that far north.  He used to help my father in threshing time when I was real young.  If one could get the song about him, I would love to get a copy.
 
Gary, we did miss out on a lot not attending Dunseith yearly in our School grades but isn’t it nice we did survive with the education we did receive.  My 3rd grade we did have 3 different teachers and I feel it was a grade that I really fell behind.  Enough for now classmate—Warren 65
 
 
 
From Bob Hosmer (56) – School play memories: 
 
Gary,
 
I remember this play (Desperate Ambrose).  It was done at least two nights and maybe more.  I went twice as a youngster, but what was memorable to me was one scene that Dick Morgan and Donna Sunderland played that was different on the second night and Dick had to ablib to cover a bit of mistake.  He went over to the couch where Donna was sitting and was to pick her up and carry her off somewhere, which he did the first night.  The second night he had difficulty lifting her off the couch and stumbled around.  The next thing he did was turn to the audience and say “She’s heavier than she looks, isn’t she.” Everyone laughed at that line and the play went on as before.
 
Bob Hosmer
 
 
 
 
From Gary Metcalfe (57) – History & Memories: 
 
Yes, music does make a difference.  I can’t imagine my great pal and working partner, Ole Bursinger without his fiddle.  He had the ambition and compassion, but the music made the hard work and muddy roads tolerable.
Rabbit City Lake around the 1920’s, about a mile plus NE of the Bailey place, had the Metcalfe’s on the north side and the Evans on the south and Poitra’s all around.  Old Frank Poitra was a fiddle man.  Metcalfe’s had their own fiddler, Charlie and Grandma Rose called square dances.  Emil played guitar, all of the kids sang solo when called upon.  Old Lucky Metcalfe, I never heard him sing until the later years when they all came back from Seattle.  He had a great bass voice and came out with old friends.  One verse I remember was “all down my take of life I find nothing goes right it seems. You’ll always be a pal of mine, though it may only be in dreams.  Old friends are always the best you know, new friends you can find every day, but there is nothing so dear to this old heart as the old friends of yesterday”.
They did not call Bing, “Bing” for no reason either. Ole Evans song was, “The Preacher and The Bear”.  Martin Evans you could hear him sing and yodel for a mile and Edna was a yodeler too.  By the way, my dad married one of those Evans girls and they sang together.  Grandma Evans sang me lots of songs in Norwegian.�
They also wore out a couple pair of boxing gloves every winter.  I wonder if Leona showed her boxing skills to those town boys when she moved to town, probably not!  No, they were not bored.  By the way, Bonnie, your mom’s folks must have been neighbors as Walter and Charlie Anderson were regulars at these athletic and musical ongoing events.
In the summer their diving board was Brustos, Grandpa Evans old red bull, probably until he caught them.  In the winter they had a wagon wheel frozen in the ice with ropes on it and some ice skates (get it?) Ward Anthony called it a whirley gig!!  Gary
 
 
 
From Marge Landsverk Fish (57) – KC Sine and Memories: 
 
Hi Gary and All,              
     K.C.Sine lived across the alley from us.  One day he came over and was very upset as his wife was unresponsive.  My mother (Minnie Landsverk) ran over and they got Marge Sine  out of the house and walking in the fresh air.  It was carbon monoxide poisening.  K.C always gave my mother credit for saving her.  My mother was always cool in a emergency.
 
     My dad had a model T ford pickup when I was in grade school .  He hauled wood in it.  We lived only a half block so. of the school  and my dad would drive by and I would be embarrassed like kids are.  I wish I had it now!
 
Marlene( Kraft) Armentrout and I took it out for a ride on the town one Sun. when my folks were gone.
When they got home my dad found us.  That was one of the few times when I saw his Norwegian temper really riled  up.  We did’nt do it again.
 
     We continue to have really bad weather in Wi., ever since Thanksgiving.  We have had rain, ice and snow the last 2 days.  Lots and lots of snow.  We usually don’t get much.  They do a good job of clearing
which really helps.
 
     I know spring will come soon, after all the robins come back in Feb. They may need coats.”
 
                                                                         Sincerly,
                                                                               Marge (landsverk) Fish
P.S
I remember Miss Harchenco?’
She was a excellent music teacher. I  Iearned a lot from her.
 
 
 
 
From Susan Fassett (65) – KC Sine: 
 
This is the bottom half of a calendar that was in my parents’ things.�
KC and Margie Sine lived next door to the south of my Grandpa (WILMAR)
and Grandma(KATE) Fassett and mother bought several things when they had
their auction.  KC always called my sisters and I the Fassett “boys”.�
He loved to tease us.I always loved going in to KC’s store because he had so much  stuff
crammed in there.  He also always handed us a piece of “penny” candy.�
Can you believe that you could  buy something with a penny?

We also got a 50 cent a week allowance, which I always used for a movie
and popcorn and pop and had enough money left over to buy some reading
material at the drugstore i.e comic books or 25 cent books.

We also went to Minnie Alvin’s cream station with Grandma Goodie, as
Minnie and George Alvin were neighbors of the Amundson’s (my great
grandparents) when they lived in the hills.  Everyone seemed like family
to me and many were.

What wonderful memories we all have.  Keep them coming. 

Love, hugs and prayers,    Susan

 
 
From Dick Johnson (68) – KC Sine: 
 
Gary and all DHSI found the pictures of K.C. Sine’s pickup that I mentioned in
another message. This is the one K.C. used to pick up and
deliver around the area. Most of the older of us will probably
remember it. Martin Peterson owns it now and it runs just as
well as it looks! As you can see, both pictures were taken in
Dunseith parades. Thanks Gary for passing it on!

Dick Johnson