Happy birthday Donna Halvorson Krim (DHS ’77): Sartell, MN
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Spit wad/eraser throwing
Reply from Bob Lykins (Teacher): Hutto, TX
Gary,Regarding Dennis Dubois’ soulful confession pertaining to Mr. Grossman. Why am I not surprised -:)
R. Lykins
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Cursive Writing
Reply from Bob Lykins (Teacher): Hutto, TX
Gary,Interesting response from Keith Pladson regarding cursive writing and it’s decline. This didn’t start with computers, texting and emails. It began many years ago in the mid 1970s and a “new” process in teaching writing in the elementary schools called the Denailian(sp) Process. It started by teaching the students to print in such a way that later, the teachers would be able to teach the students to simply connect the lines and, vola, cursive writing. The trouble was, someone forgot to connect the lines for the teachers and many students slipped through the cracks not learning to connect those lines. Being secondary oriented, I did not realize this until my oldest son, at the age of 13 and while on Okinawa, had to sign his named on an official document. He did not know how to make the cursive “J” for his middle initial and had to look to his younger sister’s signature for her middle initial “J” and copied it. It was then that I began to seriously question the wisdom of this approach to writing. I did not realize how widespread this loss of an art form had become until just two days ago when working with my youngest son (a student in a German school) on some offical American documents he must complete and he signed his name by printing it. I said, “Noooo! It must be cursive.” He told me he did not know how to write cursive. He told me everybody in his school (Gymnasium school which is an academic, college prep school) writes by printing. Yet, 6 years ago, he signed his American passport in cursive. Obviously, this decline is widespread and not just limited to one country, grade level, or culture. I place the blame in two areas, the failure of our education system to address, head-on, this situation and the area of electronic communication that is dumming down the art of writing with “lol” and “bmfd.” Not that the later letters signify any artful form of writing. It may be that, given the march of “progress,” we may have to say Auf Wiedersehen to the art of cursive writing in world society. It won’t be the first thing we have said goodby to. Merry Christmas everybody and a Happy new Year! Or as they say here in Deutchland, “Frohe Weinachten und gottes Neu Year!”
Bob Lykins
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Cursive Writing
Reply from Sybil Johnson: Chippewa Falls, WI.
Yes, cursive writing is becoming very rare. I even find myself doing less and less letter writing. However, I do find when I read, I take notes from what I’m writing, just like I did in school. When we give way to the electronic age, we take alot from those we love; for we no longer take the time to communicate with them. I have many tablets packed with notes of numerous subjects, including my family geneology.
I’m not one to email, unless I absolutely have to; because most of the time, my emails dont get through to the person I’m emailing.
Thank you,
Sybil Johnson
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Face book capture
Trish Larson Clayburgh (’73): Certificate of Recognition
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Posting from Lee Stickland (’64): Dickinson, ND
Gary & BERNADETTE
I remain quite quiet here in SW ND; where the wind is sure to blow, daily.
I forward the attached link below, being certain of YOUR conscientious attention and editing skills
of each item that OUR classmates provide. YOU will recall that I held this beautiful
girl when she was but a small armful. My son, and his family are friend with the family
and they share weekends together. I was not formerly aware of Avielle’s paintings; seeing
them certainly pulled at my heart and found their own place there.
The death of Avielle was very hard for my grandson, SAM; he immediately began to cry.
He did not understand death but he sensed a separation and he was already missing Avielle
as they were best of friends.
It could be interpreted that my last phrase(s) is belated but I feel it is good to keep such tragic occasions and remaining circumstances in perspective.
Jen and Jeremy are certainly putting their best foot forward as they search for WHY.
Happy 35 ! and counting. LEE s
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Blog posted on January 7, 2008
01/07/2008
Reply from Bonnie Awalt (56):
Good Morning Gary,
In regard to the mention of the Lake Sisters of Dunseith. They were Esther and Dolly Lake, fabulous cooks, they babysat for us when our Mother had surgery. Esther could be kind of gruff but had a heart of gold. The Lake Sisters made a point of coming over to Grandma Anderson’s every Wednesday afternoon for coffee along with Mrs. Grimmie and Irene Stickland. Grandma so looked forward to Wednesdays. Grandma Anderson still had the wood stove for cooking and was getting along in age and had trouble cooking on the wood stove so My Mother (Gertrude Awalt) would bake every Wednesday Morning so Grandma would have fresh treats when the Ladies came for coffee.
My Dad (John Awalt) decided that Grandma Anderson needed running water, and a gas stove for cooking in her home. He went over to start the job and Grandma stopped him at the door. There was no way she was going to allow him to have water running through her wall and gas into her house. She claimed she would never get a good nights sleep again if he put that stuff in her home. No matter how much my parents talked Grandma would not give in, so until the day she passed on she had the wood stove and no running water in the house.
Bonnie Awalt Houle (56)
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Message from Peggy Wurgler Axtman (71): Peggy is Joan & Dave’s younger sister. Peggy lives in Kent Washington.
What a nice surprise to talk with you by phone. Thanks for including me on the list and thanks for doing all the work! I will look through my things I’ve saved from my Dunseith years and see if there is anything ‘worthy’ of sharing with others. Have a good 2008!
Warm Regards from the Pacific NW,
Peggy
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Reply from LeaRae Parrill Espe (67):
All my friends think around Bottineau think I know all the family connections around here, but I am becoming so much more enlighted by these emails. My brother Clark’s widow is Nora Birkland Parrill. Nora is the daughter of Ena Hiatt and Norman Birkland. Jimmy Birkland and Eleanor Birkland Dubois are siblings of Norman. Recently LeRoy Birkland has moved back to Bottineau and has a lovely home across from the Catholic Church. Until the recent death of Mrs. Berg, I didn’t realize the connection of Lynette Hamel Dubois and Neola and Jim Kofoid. (Cousin’s to Lynette’s mother, right?) I had Lynette in school and enjoyed her working as a student librarian for me. She married my sister -in- law Nora Birkland Parrill’s cousin, Wade Birkland. So these family tree branches go around and around. Thankfully, no one prunes family trees!
Nora’s mother is the second youngest Hiatt in the family of Nettie Peterson (Jack) and Leola Lagerquist-I think that is the George and Eva Hiatt branch. There about 10 children in that family, but most of them moved from the Dunseith area.
LeaRae Espe
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LeaRae, I’d like to add that Dennis Dubois (63) is Wade’s uncle. I think most of us from the classes of the early to mid 60′s remember Dennis and he being the great basket ball player that he was. I talked to Dennis several weeks ago. He lives in Minneapolis. He does not have email, but he sure loves to hear about all this Dunseith stuff. I suggested he should get email and he did not disagree. His phone number is 763-755-4144. He’s still the same friendly Dennis with lots of conversation. I know Dennis would dearly love to hear from any of you. Gary Stokes (65)
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Memories from Gary Metcalfe (56):
My first recollection of Dunseith was in 1946 when my family returned to ND from Seattle, after the war. We came in on old hwy. 5 north of town, very hot day, flies buzzing in the barber shop, screen doors squeeking. My dad, Jim Metcalfe talking to the barber about old times, Ed Leonard sitting on the end stool in the restraunt he and Edna had. I think it was called the Peace Garden Cafe. Up the street in front of the Red Owl store, Native American Elder sitting on the sidewalk, and the only name I remember is Long Shanks Talking about the old Indians, Joe Morinville had the corner on humor with the Indian ladies. I do not know what he told them in their language, but they would laugh until tears came down their their face.. They absolutely loved Joe. Across the street old Casey Sime had everybody laughing on that side.
By the way, an add on to the ice cream story,,when soft ice cream first came out, I heard one Indian lady say to another, “just because we are Indians, they give it to us cold”.
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Reply from Sandy Lopez (64): Sandy is one of the folks that came from Cuba.
Gary:
I found the e-mail that you referenced and pasted a portion of it below:
….Does anyone remember the Cubans that came to Dunseith during the 60′s We had a girl in our class named Angelina Parlady. Her Dad was a doctor up and the San, I think. Would be nice to find them, too
Deb Morinville Marmon ’70
Unfortunately, I don’t have any information about Angelina and I don’t really remember her.
Although I don’t have much recollection of most of these commentaries on the e-mails, I have continued to read them for any thread of connection with my Dunseith experiences. You are continuing to do a great job with this very time demanding mission. Thank you and I hope that all of you have a great 2008.
Sandy
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Email address change for Brenda Hoffman (68): Please update your files with Brenda’s new email address.
Should be the final change today! Am moving from MSN account to Gmail. Same long address but end piece is now gmail.com:NEW EMAIL
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Bill Grimme (65), This is a wonderful link. I’ve added it to my favorites. I’m currently playing songs from 1965 and when Bernadette heard them, she said, “Where did you get those nice songs”. Of coarse she wanted this link on her computer too. Gary Stokes (65)
Gary,
This is a really neat website. Check it out. May be a candidate for a class share sometime in the future.
Bill
This is a Jukebox; but it is no ordinary jukebox. It will play all of your favorite songs from 1951 through 1982. Each year has a scroll or drop down box that shows all the great songs for that year. Most years have over 40 songs. There is even a section at the bottom that allows you to listen to show tunes, TV show themes, Doo Wop and several others. This is pretty neat….and it is free. Read the rest of this and then click on the site at the bottom.Once you click on a song it will play and when it finishes it automatically plays the next song in the list and continues until it has played all the songs. ; This is really cool!!!
It has a volume control which you should use in conjunction with your computers volume control.
One of the best features is that it will play in the background. That means you can be doing other computer work on a different screen.