| Ginger LaRocque Poitra’s (65) new email address.
From Deb Morinville Marmon (70): Hi Gary, The current discussion about our military has jogged a lot of memories. I was in high school in the late 60′s and the Viet Nam war was the nightly discussion at our supper table most of the time. Both my parents hated the war but always made the distinction that it wasn’t fair to treat our troops disrespectfully when they returned home. They had both been through WWII and Mom’s brother, Art, was in the Pacific in the Army. It was so different for the men returning from Viet Nam. Instead of coming home in groups they trickled in one or two at a time, leaving them at the mercy of citizens who mistreated them and who held them mistakenly responsible. Most of those troops were drafted not volunteers but they went and did their duty. THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!! Another memory I have is before school was out in May we always had a Memorial Day program at the City Hall. Us grade school kids sang songs like “My Country ‘Tis Of Thee” “God Bless America” and other patriotic songs. There was a parade and we were taught in school that when the American flag passes by the males removed their hats and everyone stood at attention. If you attend a parade now look to see how often that is done by the young adults and kids. Sadly it doesn’t happen as much. The older people still do and the veterans are the best. They not only stand but they also salute. We have lost so much when it comes to teaching our kids about these things. Teachers out there don’t get your dander’s up, I’m not pointing fingers at any of you. We all have the responsibility to teach each generation about patriotism and love and duty for our wonderful country! We have so much to be thankful for and we owe it to our military and their families. Deb Morinville Marmon 70
Sharon Longie Dana (73):
Picture provided by Neola Kofoid Garbe: |
Neola, for all of us from the Rolette/Bottineau county areas, this is a very
familiar and beautiful remembrance. I remember these sunrises well, on #5.
For those of you around the Bottineau area, the Name Doris Kessler is Familiar.
She is the former owner of the Bowling Alley currently owned by her son Tom, so
it is still in the family. Doris continues to be a very active civil affairs member of
the Bottineau community.
The mornings before each of my parents funerals, Dad in 2000 and Mom in 2004,
We, along with many family members, went to the Bowling Alley for Breakfast. We filled
up 5 or 6 tables. When we went to pay the bill, Doris said everyone’s breakfast is
on me. She paid for everyone. For many years prior to my parents deaths, they ate
every evening meal at the Bowling Alley. Often times on week ends they would eat
all 3 meals there. During the week they ate their noon meals at the Bottineau
Senior Center. Gary
From Ele Dietrich Slyter (69):
I thought maybe your readers would enjoy this one–I sure did. Ele
Those who grew up in small towns will laugh
when they read this.
Those who didn’t will be in disbelief and
won’t understand how true it is.
1) You can name everyone you graduated with.
2) You know what 4-H means.
3) You went to parties at a pasture, barn,
gravel pit, or in the middle of a dirt road. On Monday you
could always tell who was at the party because of the scratches
on their legs from running through the woods when the party was
busted. (See #6.)
4) You used to ‘drag’ Main
5) Most people went by a nickname…
6) You scheduled parties around the schedules
of different police officers, because you knew which ones would
bust you and which ones wouldn’t.
7) You could never buy cigarettes because all
the store clerks knew how old you were (and if you were old
enough, they’d tell your parents anyhow.) Besides, where
would
you get the money?
8) When you did find somebody old enough and
brave enough to buy cigarettes, you still had to go out into the
country and drive on back roads to smoke them.
9) You knew which section of the ditch you
would find the beer your buyer dropped off.
10) It was cool to date somebody from the
neighboring town.
11) The whole school went to the same party
after graduation.
12) You didn’t give directions by street
names but rather by references. Turn by Nelson’s house, go 2
blocks to Anderson’s, and it’s four houses left of the
track
field.
13) The golf course had only 9 holes.
14) You couldn’t help but date a
friend’s ex-
boyfriend/girlfriend.
15) Your car stayed filthy because of the
dirt roads, and you will never own a dark vehicle for this
reason.
16) The town next to you was
considered ‘trashy’ or ‘snooty,’ but was actually
just like your
town.
17) You referred to anyone with a house newer
then 1950 as the ‘rich’ people.
18) The people in the ‘big city’
dressed
funny, and then you picked up the trend 2 years later.
19) Anyone you wanted could be found at the
local gas station or the dairybar.
20) You saw at least one friend a week
driving a tractor through town or one of your friends driving a
grain truck to school occasionally.
21) The gym teacher suggested you haul hay
for the summer to get stronger.
22) Directions were given using THE stop
light as a reference.
23) When you decided to walk somewhere for
exercise, 5 people would pull over and ask if you wanted a ride.
24) Your teachers called you by your older
siblings’ names.
25) Your teachers remembered when they taught
your parents.
26) You could charge at any local store or
write checks without any ID.
27) There was no McDonalds.
28) The closest mall was over an hour away.
29) It was normal to see an old man riding
through town on a riding lawn mower.
30) You’ve pee’d in a cornfield.
31) You laughed your butt off reading this
because you know it is true, and you forward it to everyone who
may have lived in a small town.
I would not have wanted to have been raised
any other way!!!!
Tough times don’t last… Tough people do