06/26/2009

Reunion question from Bob Hosmer (56): Lynnwood, WA
 
Gary,
 
As always, I appreciate the effort you put in to coordinating all this correspondence. Don’t know how you keep it all straight.
 
Just a question about which Best Western Hotel in Seattle we are meeting at for the dinner and gathering on July 24th. There are about four of them not far from Seattle Center and about another four in the Seattle area. You may have already mentioned that in an earlier mailing, but can’t find it in my Dunseith folder at the moment.
 
Thanks for everything,
 
Bob Hosmer, WA Chaplain
Marketplace Chaplains USA
Cell: 425-299-0928
Email:

Website:
www.MChapUSA.com
Bob, We are having our reunion at the Best Western Executive Inn located on Taylor Ave. I have posted a picture with the space needle in the back ground. As you can see, the Best Western Executive Inn is very close to the Space Needle. I have also listed our (Bill & mine) point of contact at the Best Western. Feel free to call Jan for any direct questions you may have. She is a super friendly lady with ND roots. Gary
 

Jan Peterson-Gross

Director of Catering

Best Western Executive Inn


200 Taylor Avenue North

Seattle, WA 98109

(206) 674-6614

 
Reply from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND
 
Gary and Friends,

First, I can’t take the credit for announcing the Bottineau
Quasi-centennial parade–it was very well done by Les Halvorson and
Dwane Getzlaff. Diane saw me setting up the sound system for the south
stage for the ‘music on main’ so it’s easily understood why she thought
it was me. I doubt that I could do it even half as well as Les and Dwane!

Allen—the show and shine car show is Sunday, August 2 at the Peace
Garden. This is our 30th annual show and is being held in conjunction
with an art show in the lodge. I understand Colette Hosmer will be one
of the exhibitors. Our group, ‘Highway 43’ has also been asked to play
music in the other room of the lodge during the shows. There is no
entrance fee for the car show and no judging as it was in the old days,
just come and park and leave when you want. Lots less work for those of
us setting it up! Hope you can make it. Yes, I’m afraid ‘Swearin’ Jack
Smith left us a couple years ago. The show hasn’t been the same without
Jack and Bud Anderson from Rolla. They were the core we built around!
Thanks Gary!

Dick, Les Halvorson does a mighty fine job of announcing. In conjunction with teaching in the Newberg area and being an auctioneer with his auctioneering business, he has been a radio announcer for years with the Bottineau radio station too. Les is married to Myra Henning from the class of 72. Her parents were previous owners of the Gamble store in Dunseith. Les was also a teacher at Dunseith high school in the 70’s. Les and Myra have lived directly across the street from my brother Darrel (Bud) and Debby on Vera street in Bottineau for years. Their daughter, her name has slipped my mind at the moment, replaced Pat (Mrs. John) Frykman when she retired several years ago as the head librarian at the city/county library in Bottineau. Les & Myra, we’d love to have a picture of you guys too.
 
 
Message/Picture from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND
Folks, I was rushed yesterday and failed to see the attached picture that Dick included with this message, so I am reposting with picture. If you folks send me a message with an attachment and I fail to post, please let me know. I will never ever not post an attachment without letting the sender know. To be honest, that has seldom happened, but I’d never do that just the same. The same is true for messages that you send that you don’t see posted. I will, without fail, get back to the sender if I decide not to post. If you don’t see a message posted and I have not gotten back to you, that means that I have not gotten the message or I have missed it. These are my self imposed rules that I will never deviate from. Gary
 
Gary and Friends,

The last week of August, 1968 five of us guys decided to take a trip
to the Black Hills in South Dakota. We borrowed my dad’s pickup, a
topper from Manvil Sebelius, a tent from Harvey Halvorson ( I think ?)
and took off ! The crew included Rich Campbell, Greg Grimme, John Bogus,
Tim Hill, and me. We drove through to the Black Hills and got to a
campground in the middle of the night, much to the dismay of those who
were already there trying to sleep. It was raining so it took some
gasoline to start our campfire! A Canadian came over and asked if we
were alright? We couldn’t get the stakes in the ground on one side of
the tent but found out why the next morning—that side was sitting on
the road! We did have a great time together and went to most of the
sites of interest around the Black Hills. We hit the dog races in Rapid
City and some low life dive in Ft. Pierre where we were lucky to have
survived. It was our last bash together before we all went our separate
ways to college and beyond. I wouldn’t trade the memories of that trip
together for anything! Thanks Gary!

Dick

Those in the pictures: John Bogus with the multi colored shirt, Rich
Campbell with the block of wood, Greg Grimme with the hat on, and Tim
Hill with the ‘ I think we made it ‘ look!

 
 
 

Reply from Gary Metcalfe (57): moniesue@yahoo.com Forsyth, MO

 

Hello all, Neither of the two pictures we have seen on the blog did justice to Mr. Jerstad. He was old school, Navy, boxer, very clean cut and had a hard time with the aroma some of the farm boys brought to school in the morning, but I think he tried to reserve good hygiene to himself. A cool guy with a neat wife.

 

Mr. Conroy was the guy who said, “get to work or do you want to be a $10 a day ditch digger all of your life!” He also commanded a lot of respect.

 

The blog has enhanced memories of days gone by. I feel so privileged to have known old settlers, the world’s greatest generation and also generations thereafter. Too bad that we have almost lost the romance of the 30’s and 40’s. Dunseith had the diversity that not many communities had in the area. For instance, I can only remember one Native American who sat in front of the Red Owl on Saturdays, her name was Long Shanks. Minerva Standing Chief and Daisy One Side may have been there as well. The foot hills were burned every spring and the Sundance always had an aura about it.

 

Johnny Hill was the right age to be entertained by the Saturday night battles, so he had a better handle on what really happened, after all when you are only 8 years old it is hard to really see what is going on. But, some of the best entertainment Dunseith had to offer was toward the end of the 40’s. What with four bars in full swing. \

 

It was good to see that Betsy Thiefoe got away and made a good life for herself in California. And Janice Striker, by the way her Uncle Elmer Striker was in the west when we got there in ’39. Also his older brother Bill. My dad talked about William Striker having a real estate office in Seattle and was a poet of sorts. That’s when Seattle had only three digit phone numbers. It is going to be great to revisit some of the houses we lived in, especially the big house on Spruce and Yessler Way, where many ND people stopped and some rented rooms. I remember my dad leaving for Juneau to run a plastering job and came back with lots of stories. We will be going to Juneau next month on the cruise. Thanks. Gary Metcalfe

 
 
 
Reply from Sybil Johnson:great_grandma2007@live.com Cheyenne, WY
 
How I remember those hamburgers at Dale’s. They were large enough to feed a family and they were so good. Alot of the people
mentioned in various emails, I dont know personally, but I do remember when “PA” or Bernice talk about them. Happy July 4th, everyone. Sybil Johnson(
great_grandma2007@live.com)
 
 
 
Reply from Mark Schimetz (70): mschimetz@msn.com Rolette, ND
 
From 1958, I remember the old School House, there was a gym in the basement as well as a boiler room that doubled as a locker room, and said boiler room attached to the south and the east addition from the Old School house basement. I expect my interest in mechanical devises along with friends John and Danny Boguslawski got me the tour of this area. The Gym was also used as a music room , the teacher was Don Darling ? From the Old School house there was a hallway to the newer south wing, and in that area was the men’s bathroom and the trophies and photos of previous years, Which was always a stall in my getting back to the classroom. At that early age these guys were like superheroes to me. Then down the short railed steps heading south right past the principles office, Quickly as the door was always open and back to classroom. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think the kitchen was in the west side of the old school house, but I don’t exactly remember how we got there.
 
I had the 3rd and 4th grades in the Old School House, First and Second were in the East addition newly added.
Mark, you have jarred my memory. What you described is right on with what I remember about that old school and the south addition. Up until now my memory was a bit fuzzy, but you have revived all that. I was having a hard time recalling the physical layout of the old school until you mentioned that hall way between the old school and the new addition. I had totally forgotten about that cold hall way. That was the missing link. That hallway was mighty cold on -40F days. Yes the principles office was at the bottom of the steps, in the south addition, on the left (East) side of the hallway. The class rooms were located, down the hallway, to the left just past the Principles office. The new gym, used for a study hall, was to the right. I spent my first year of HS in these buildings before the new High School was built. I’m not sure what year the south addition was built. It was there when I started HS in 1961. As a freshman, I remember always being seated in the area to the left (north) side of the gym for our study halls. I think they had us grouped by classes starting with the freshman to the left and the seniors to the extreme right next to the south windows. I remember Connie Fauske, a senior at the time, being in one of my study halls, sitting next to the windows. I remember well, Phyllis McKay sitting across the aisle and several desks up from me in that study hall. I remember her turning around to chat with me, when Mr. Grossman wasn’t looking. For me, being a country boy fresh out of country school and new to the city school, being noticed and talked to by Phyllis was a highlight.
 

DHS Sophomore Class of 1945 (Class of 47)

 

First row; Eleanor Awalt, Lola Striker, Patty Mc Atee, Laverne Schick, Shirley Wentland, Doris Schneider, Darraine Habberstad, Jennine Watkins

Second row: Donna Aitchison, Alice Goodsell, Janice Striker, Delores Hiatt, Luella Halvorson, Mildred Brennan, Jean Metcalfe, Velma Brennan, Lorraine Christianson, Gloria Plante, Minnie Knox

Third row: Leo Murray, Leonard Stickland, Raymond Haagenson, Harvey Halvorson, Darrell Fassett, Dee Nelson, Wayne Molgard, Allison Fiske, Darald Dion, Llyle McDermott, Miss V. Marie Nesting, Advisor

 
 
 
Previously posted with message (89) 5-1-08

Message/picture from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND

 

Gary and Friends

The attached picture was taken in 1959, at what I believe was Grandma
Anderson’s birthday party. She was the mother of Gertrude Awalt and
Charlie and Walter Anderson, and spent the last part of her life living
in a small house in Awalt’s backyard. I used to walk over to her house
and she would give me cookies and milk. If I remember right, she had a
wood cookstove that she baked in and cooked on. This picture shows a
group of neighbor ladies with her in front and center. It has been a
very long time but I am quite sure this is Grandma Anderson, if not
please correct me, or if I have anyone else wrong please feel free to
send the right name. I am doing this from memory as there are no names
on the picture. Thanks again Gary!

The ladies L_R:
Standing—Irene Teal, Dorothy Egbert, Rose Kalk, Thelma Johnson, Joyce
Evans, Marie Allard, Marie Thompson, Lela Cota {nearly hidden},Joy
Nordquist, Arla Millang, Bernice Johnson, Agnes Berg, and Aggie Nicholas.
Seated— Beatrice Olson, Grandma Anderson, and Myrtle Olson.