Grandma Evelyn was blessed in her long relationship with the Schmitze family. I love the fact that Mark and probably all the children of Louis and Stella watched for her and her day to day needs. When Evelyn first returned from Seattle, she lived in the house that looks like a Dutch barn just as Lloyd Awalt mentioned. When the Simmarods moved to Dunseith from Dickenson to be near there father at the San, Grams moved into the wee house west of the Link home formerly rented by the Ray Lake family. This same house became home to the Brodeks and Grams moved again. It was there that I would pin curl Evelyn’s hair every Saturday so she might frou-frou nice for Sunday Mass. If she did not start right in on local history and personalities, I would ask some leading question and the stories spilled forth. Mark probably remembers her residence near the school – she thought her wood cutters and other guardians were directed to her door by St. Michael the Archangel!

Yes, Grandma’s stepfather, Joseph Cartier Lafrance, was a “Rough Rider” a nickname used for the First US Volunteer Cavalry formed by T Roosevelt from western cowboys and NY athletes [TR was a NY National Gaurdsman]. They were an independent lot and quick to learn the elements of war. Roosevelt dressed them in khaki [a first] and equipped them with new Krag-Jorgensen rifles [smokeless powder]. The volunteers assembled in San Antonio, TX 15 May 1898, a May 28th they headed for Tampa Bay, FL. Here Roosevelt had to commandeer an empty coal train to get his 10,000 troopers the 9 miles to the bay and ship transport Yucatan. Because Jos. Lawrence was a bugler, I would think he stayed close to his commander. I know that he was later promoted to the company marching band. There is no doubt that the soldiers saw duty in more than one capacity. After the first engagement ashore, there were 8 dead and 34 wounded June 23. At San Juan River, the Rough Riders pushed regular army forward and themselves to the front of action at Kettle Hill June 30. Roosevelt pushed on to his moment of fame, the charge of San Juan Hill. Only a few Riders followed him and he returned in heavy fire and charged again with full company. The Rough Riders dug in and held there hill for 10+ days. The Spanish surrendered July 17.

Malaria and Yellow Fever hit the troops and Roosevelt was anxious to remove his men from Cuba. On August 7, 1998 they boarded the transport Miami and sailed to Montauk, NY where TR had created Camp Wikoff. All the troopers spent a 6 week Quarantine. The Rough Riders presented Roosevelt with the famous bronze sculpture, “The Bronco” and were mustered out. Mauntauk an the northeaster tip of Long Island is a favorite get-a-way for Ivan and Nora. They brought us there after Shen family cruise to NB, Canada 2008. I visited the Theodore Roosevelt/Rough Rider display at the lighthouse museum, but Camp Wikoff was undergoing refurbishment and closed to the public. Because of Evelyn and Joe Lafrance, all very moving . Some years after the Spanish American War, TR invited all members of the 1st Vol Cav to his ranch at Oyster Bay, Long Island. According to Evelyn, TR called forward Joe Lafrance by name. I do not know if TR and Joe met before or after the Sp Amer War, it is known that Joe was guide and saddle partner for TR when he visited his ranches near Medora and explored the Bad Lands. Joe Lafrance was a school mate of Grover Cleavland in MA.

Many notes from the TR Centennial Website used. Sharron

How well I remember Mr. Lykins teaching us ‘General Business’ in ’64. I remember how he hypothetically had us invest in the stock market and then watch the paper every day to see how our stocks were doing. He told us to invest in two companies to keep from losing everything if one collapsed. I invested in Coca Cola because it was stable and then took a shot at Polaroid because I had read about the new camera that they were coming out with called a ‘Land’ camera.A guy named Land was the actual inventor. It could produce instant pictures as you took them. I remember how the Polaroid stocks appreciated and then divided several times and if I would have actually invested real money, I would have made several thousand dollars in just a few months. One of the other guys went with stocks in Arctic Cat and he also would have done real well.

My typing instructor was Jim Olson. I was relegated to the back row where Big John Boguslawski and I fumbled away on the old black Royal manual typewriters. Gary’s score might have been 52 words but mine was 32 if I remember correctly. When we had typing speed tests, John and I would have a word or two done and we would hear Gwen Grimme’s electric typewriter go ‘ching’ when she hit the end of the first line! I remember how we would cuss under our breath, knowing how far we were dropping behind! Gwen was a wiz at typing and went on to teach at the college level. Several of the girls had real good error free typing speeds, but those of us in the back row were just hoping we would pass! Thanks Gary!

Thanks to Bill Grimme for the link to the draft lottery. I clicked on 1970 and went to July 20, my birthday, and there was the old number I remember so well–187. Some things stick in the mind! I remember Dec. 1, 1969–the day of the drawing for the lottery. I was in class at the Forestry and ran to the student union to watch it on TV. When I got to the door, I met Bruce Keller coming out. I asked him if the lottery deal was on yet? He said, “Yeah, it’s on and I just won the damn thing!” I think his birth date was drawn at number 8, if I remember right. He was in! Thanks Gary!

Dick