Gary – you might want to send this on – perhaps some of the class of ’73
will recall it.
To Ardys Bakken Horner, former 8th Grade Teacher to the class of ’73:
Yes, I remember well the rat incident in 8th grade English class.
Actually, when I saw your message a couple of days ago, I told that story
to my wife and daughters and we all had a good chuckle. I wondered then
if you remembered the incident and your email today confirmed it.
Do you remember who “accidently” slightly ripped his book page that day
and came up to your desk to ask for some tape to fix it? Some of us boys
(about four of us) just happened to know what was in your tape drawer that
afternoon. I was a bit anxious about the potential outcome of following
through with “the plan” that day, but we were all well rewarded when you
opened the drawer, saw the rat, then simultaneously shrieked in wide-eyed
terror, jumped about three feet into the air and somehow made it past me
and out the door before touching the floor again. You were absolutely
awesome!!
If my memory is accurate the rest of the class time that day seemed a tad
bit strained for some of us. I always wondered if you ever found out who
was involved with that rat. Thanks for all you did for us and for all you
put up with. Our sentence structure and punctuation may not be perfect,
but we owe our ability to communicate to you and a select few others who
patiently gave of your time and effort to help us learn.
I have great memories of growing up in Dunseith.
Dean Stickland (73)
Olympia, WA
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Gary, Mom remembers the accident. She remembers that they were coming home from Dunseith, with salt blocks in the back seat on the floor, and Ray falling on one and getting a bloody nose. The accident happened just east of the Willow Lake School house,(sounds like the same area where the accident with Mr. Parrill happened)! Anyway, Mom said that Dad was pretty much off the road when they met and still got side-swiped!!!!
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Evon, Your mother is absolutely correct with what I remember happening. Your dad could see us coming and drove as far as he could off the road to avoid getting hit. My dad must have had his blinders on that day. I remember the impact as being pretty solid. Ray would have been about 1 year old at the time. I think he was born in 1952. You realize this accident happened about 55 years ago. Good memories of the not so good. Gary
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Dear Gary,
I am sure we all can remember things that we did as children that when we look back on them today we simply shake our heads and say “Whatever made us believe we could do that!”
I remember when we were kids they would shoot the fourth of July fireworks from the top of the gravel pit. All the people would park their cars in our pasture and watch the display.
One year when I was in about the third grade and my brother Bill was in the first grade, we got it into our heads that we could put on our own fireworks display. The day after the fourth we climbed up on the gravel pit and gathered up all the left overs from the display. We had a lot of fireworks! Bill, Allen Rubachi and I each were loaded down with loot. We carried it down to our barn. At the barn we dumped all the powder out of the fireworks onto an old door in the hayloft of the barn.
We talked about what a beautiful fireworks show we were going to see once we lit the powder on fire. We were imagining all the beautiful colors and the great booming sounds we would hear.
It was a pretty breezy day and we were having a difficult time lighting the match and getting our fireworks lit. Finally it was decided that Allen would shield the fireworks from the wind with his hands and arms while we lit the fire. The match touched the pile of powder and everything just exploded! Fire was everywhere! Allen went screaming and running home. I ran to get my Mother to call the fire department. I wasn’t sure where Bill was.
Bill ran for a pail to put out the fire. His problem was the pail he found had a hole in it. Bill never gave up, he was still running from the water trough to the fire with his leaky bucket when the fire department showed up. The barn was saved, partly because of Bills leaky bucket.
Allen had blistered his hands, arms and face. Since Allen hauled the wood for his families cook stove which he now couldn’t do, our Dad decided that as part of our punishment Bill and I would now carry the wood that Allen couldn’t carry. Allen healed with no scars, Bill and I learned the difference between fireworks and gun powder. I think that Bill must have had some natural instinct for fighting fires because he was the fire chief in Rolla for many years.
Bonnie Awalt Houle Class of 56 Written with Bills permission as long as I didn’t make him look to bad!
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From Paul Grossman (70):
REPLY: SHARON/BEV. Sharon – brother Pete lives in Hazen and he works in Montana as a coal miner – He and his wife Julie have three grown kids and two young granddaughters- Life has been very busy for them.I will say Hi for you. Parrell is a States attorney and lives in Bismarck- They have 3 kids.
Bev: So nice to hear from you- Did you really think we would not catch you- you gals were always so much fun to chase. May Day was great practice for later in life, Pat , my wife was faster than me – we have two great boys- Life has been good and we are all getting older- I remember having lots of fun with you and your brother and sisters. One can move away but as I said before – new friends are fun to have but old friends are ALWAYS to KEEP. Say Hi to All Paul
Reply : Mark , Dave , Dick Hey guys those cars were lots for fun but the old car i remember was one Dick had – an old 4 door – he would drive us younger kids around hours on end- we thought we were kings on the hill when we went riding with Dick. Dick and that old car made us feel special. As I got older I keep that memory close and I would carry it on . I think I can still feel just what they felt when i would pull up in my 1968 -428 – Mustang Cobra Jet – we would RIDE. Dick thanks for being there when us younger guys needed a boost. I spend alot of my spare time hunting old car for friends Paul
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Hello all, Because of our geographical location, some of us were blessed to have known some of the first generation, called pioneers. Henry Hagen was one, he produced a son, Clarence, that probably would be called a hero if we knew what he did in WWII. Earl Fassett and Wilmar Fassett, the old guard they were. Henry and Earl had a look about them that said, “all is well”.
Grandma Randina Evans had a twinkle in her eye and chuckle. She traded her lady like clothes off for the blue bib overalls and five buckle overshoes and loved every minute of working outside. She was at her best when she had Nellie and Squirrley on the hay rake raking hay. I washed the cream separater with her every day in the winter, she was always singing or whistling. She lost children, sent sons to the wrong division in WWII. I know that many pioneers were of this quality.
Then came the Brokow’s greatest generation, our parents. They survived the great depression, went to war or to work and I mean they worked, and they let us work too. I never have seen a man or kid that worked too hard, I have seen some women that did. The first generation had a great spirit without the use of props that came on the scene. They did not need fancy cars, jewelry, clothes or foofoo water. Second generation was about the same. I forgot about Grandma’s chopper mitts. Thirty below zero, you would see her swing her arms and slap those mitts against her body, rosy cheeks and a twinkle in her eye.
Keep the history coming, sure do enjoy reading it. Gary Metcalfe
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From Bev Morinville Azure (72):
Dick, love the pic’s and loved u remembered to roll up those pants . How cool must have been a fun night.
to all my classmates of 72 ” YOU ALL ROCK” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 72 still is a close class when i got cancer they took a donation and got a tv and raffled it off and clarence and I recieved over 800 dollars to help with gas to and from Minot for my radaition. I am blessed to have such wonderful classmates that have always shown people so much love. so I would like to thank everyone who took a chance on the TV . Loretta Wall happen to win wtg Loretta all that good karma is coming back to u. i love all u guys thanks for the prayers and help. love bev
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Pictures from Dick Johnson (68):
Gary and Friends
Here are some pictures from 1960 that you might find
interesting. They are of a mock wedding skit for some womens
group. It is in the basement of the Stone Church. The reluctant
bride is Randi Fuchs and I am the groom. The judge is none
other than the Honorable Terry “Lars” Halvorson! I wonder if
Lars missed his calling!! I don’t remember what the purpose of
this skit was, but I know we really weren’t given a choice, as
I recall!! The ladies are Dorothy Fassett [back row], Vida
Hiatt,?, Myrtle Olson, Julia Hiatt, Mrs. Grimme [back row],
Mrs. Bogus and Bernadette, maybe Mabel Boardman, ?, ?,.. I
don’t think the marriage lasted until the lunch was done!
Thanks Gary!
Dick
