Bobby Pigeon:

Reply from Colette Hosmer (64): Santa Fe, NM

My sister, Jan (four years ahead of me in school) “went steady” with Bobby Pigeon for a few years. I possessed all the adoration of a younger sister and thought Bobby was the coolest guy imaginable. Dick is right, Bobby was “cool” twenty years before the Fonz. Anyone know where he is now?

Thanks, Colette

Colette, We have a Robert Pigeon, living in Columbia, SC on our distribution that graduated in 1957. Is this the same gentleman? Gary

Hot Lunch progam – Mrs. Knutson & Stella Schmitz:

Reply from LeaRae Parrill Espe (67): Bottineau, ND.

I believe the “Hot Lunch” Program was started in Dunseith the fall of 1955 with Mrs. Knutson as the first cook. This was my first grade year and we did have to bring our lunch for a couple of weeks in September before the program got rolling. As far as I know she didn’t have any helpers at first, but eventually Mabel Aamodt was hired to help especially with desserts. I remember the teachers helping dish up food. I remember the 100 pound bags of potatoes sitting in that little kitchen and I believe Mrs. Knutson peeled the potatoes and kept them in water overnight. For some reason I remember the scene of mom (Mildred Parrill) and I down in the kitchen and Mrs. Knutson sitting there peeling. Now that I think about it, I suppose she would go down and visit in Norwegian as that was mom’s first language.

This was also my mother’s first year of teaching in town and she had 37 of us in first grade. The second grade class had only a little over 20 students. I wonder how many ate hot lunch.

Mrs. Knutson moved back to Norway in 1966. All of her children still lived there. I don’t know if she cooked up to the time she left. She was a great cook and was replaced by an even greater cook Stella Schmitz. We Dunseith kids and teachers didn’t know how good we had it until we tasted hot lunch in other places. Example: You should have seen Deverde Nicklaus (who taught math in Bottineau after he taught in Dunseith)- he just shook his head in disbelief. He said the two best cooks were his wife (He had to say that!) and Stella.

By the way, the price was 20 cents a meal and remained at that price until at least 1975.

Basement Cafeteria – Reply to Ron Longie:

From Sharon Longie Dana (73):MIssoula MT.

I remember that basement cafeteria……its where I got chocolate milk for the first time. You took me to my first day of school there. You probably don’t remember that Ronnie. I do it was a big day for me, my older cousin took me to school.

Sharon Longie Dana (73)

Paper Route – Doc Stickland:

Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND.

Gary and Friends,

Thanks to all the folks for commenting on the last few entries. It
really helps when those who know the details write in and fill in the
blanks. In Lee Stickland’s posting he made mention of he and his
brothers doing the paper route. I remember it well. Darrell, or ‘Doc’ as
we called him, had the job of delivering the Minot Daily News. One time
I mentioned that I wouldn’t mind having a paper route to make a few
bucks. Doc was quite the businessman. I guess he actually introduced me
to the world of subcontracting. He said that the route was actually in
his name but that the Minot Daily allowed him to have a substitute so he
would let me run the route and I could get the dollar a day payment for
delivering. That’s correct one (1) dollar a day. I did it for a long
time until one of our other buddies told me Doc got $1.50 a day! He was
getting $.50 for holding the contract, so to speak. That’s business!
Even for 12 year olds, it was a smart move. I bet Doc did well in his
future business ventures! The only real added benefit was that sometimes
the person who dropped off the papers at the post office miscounted and
had up to three extra papers. These were ours to sell for a dime each. I
figured out how and where to get the best price out of these extras. I
would go into the bars–Woodford’s, Corner Bar, or the Garden Tap and
ask the guys at the bar if they would like to buy a paper to help me
out? Lots of times they would say, “Sure kid” and throw me a quarter or
more. That was the gravy! Most times though they had the right number of
papers and we got no gravy! Live and learn! Thanks Gary!

Dick

Brodecks Family:

Reply from LeaRae Parrill Espe (67): Bottineau, ND.

Toni Morinville mentioned Brodecks. Yvonne Brodeck started first grade with me in 1955. I believe it was Mrs. Conroy who stopped into the room the first day and said to mom , “Oh, you have twins!” about Yvonne and I. Yvonne’s dad was the editor of the Dunseith Journal which would naturally include taking pictures for the paper. Brodecks moved to Rugby part way through that school year. I believe Mr. Brodeck went to work for Frank Hornstein at the Rugby paper. I wonder how long they stayed in Rugby and what has happened to them since. Were there other children in the Brodeck family? Were they in Dunseith very long? Who remembers?

Was that the end of the Dunseith Journal? My mother said that when she was in HS a fellow by the name of Ardis Bailey ran the paper. He married one of their favorite teachers, Miss Hannah Jevne after mom’s sophomore year. They moved to Hazen. This Bailey was not related to the other Baileys from Dunseith as far as mom knows.

Turtle Mountain Country School Reunion:

Posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottineau & Minot, ND.

Gary,

I think you’ve mentioned the Turtle Mountain Country School Reunion; here’s a clipping about it from today’s Minot Daily. I’m sending this to my Bottineau list/Kramer list/Brudwick list/other lists, too. As you know, many of my relatives (Brudwick’s/Kofoid’s/Haakenson’s/others) attended country schools in the Turtle Mts.

Neola

This is another great reuion that I’d dearly love to attend. Linda sent this to me earlier for posting too. Linda will be picking up Orvin Hagen on her way to this reunion too.

Linda, Can you tell us what all is included with the $42 registration fee? Thanks, Gary

Corner Bar Fire:

Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND.

Gary and Friends,

Looking at the picture postcard of Main street stirs so many
memories it’s amazing. I remember the night the Corner Bar burned. Henry
LaCroix had owned and run the bar for many years. When it burned though,
I think Orlan Fuchs was the owner. He was the manager for sure, I do
know that. Dad got me up real early to go up to the Crystal Cafe for
breakfast so we could head up here to the farm to work. When we got up
on Main street we could see the commotion down by the bar so drove on
down a block to see what was up. The building was still standing but was
completely gutted by the fire. Orlan was inside looking around and
trying to see what was left. As we were standing just inside the front
door, I noticed a $20 bill on the floor. We looked further and found
more money scattered between the till and the front door. It was all
black from the smoke but was still recognizable as bills. They figured
that someone had entered through the plank covered opening in the
sidewalk on the north side of the building and then left through the
front door. The plank covered opening was there for unloading kegs and
other heavy things, according to Orlan. I never heard if it was ever
determined if the fire was a cover up for a burglary or not, but it sure
looked that way! I would have to take a wild guess as to when this was
because I really don’t remember the year. Probably mid to late 60s, but
that is just a guess. Maybe someone else has a date on this fire. Thanks
Gary!

Dick

Bottineau Lutheran church Class of 58 confirmation picture:

Posted by Neola Kofoid Garbe: Bottineau & Minot, ND.

Gary,

I happened to see this picture and thought your readers might enjoy seeing it. Two of Abe Nelson’s daughters (EdnaMae and Vonnie) are in the picture, as is your cousin, Jean Hanson. I KNEW you wouldn’t recognize Jean if I didn’t mention her. Ha!

I should have been in this confirmation class, but I attended a few classes at the beginning of confirmation and then quit. I was confirmed with the Class of ’58.

Marlys Nelson was a cousin of EdnaMae/Vonnie. She was Lloyd Nelson’s sister. As you know, Lloyd owned a grocery store in Bottineau for many years. Marlys passed away many years ago.

Neola

Neola, Our readers know many of these folks. My first cousin and also the Morinville siblings first cousin, Jean Pladson, is pretty well know thru out the area. Yes, I would have recognized Jean in a heart beat in this photo. I’ll never forget the time that Jean visited our house shortly after she and Duane were married. Mom’s cousin and her husband from Niagara had stopped in for a visit on one of their Sunday drives when Jean came. When Jean was in the kitchen visiting with the ladies, Richard, Mom’s cousin’s husband, make the comment that Jean was one of the prettiest gals he had ever seen with her beautiful blond hair and blue eyes. I think her bubbly and friendly personality added a lot to the equation too. Jean was quite young when Duane swept her of her feet. Gary

Back row: EdnaMae Nelson, Loueen Brandvold, Jean Hanson, Vonnie Nelson,

Lynne Bergman, Marlys Nelson

Front row: Bob Vinje, Leonell Grimestad, Peter Lilligard, Dennis Monson, Pastor Estrem

Another old picture. 

Back row: Jean Pladson, Miss Vikan, Beverly Lemieux

Front row: Marlys Nelson, EdnaMae Nelson, Neola Kofoid, Margaret Wicken.

I seem to have made sure I had enough room! LOL!

Neola