OCR Text |
Show THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 12 April 1, 2006 cont. from page 11 dark blue with bright orange trimming. Mother said it looked just fine on me and she asked me to be very careful and not get it dirty. At recess next day, we went out to play. The game was RingAround-The-Rosie. We formed a circle, joined hands, and went round and round. | didn’t have a left hand, so the kid grabbed my sweater sleeve. Centrifugal force expanded the circle. In a few minutes, the left sleeve of this sweater was ten feet long. I shouted for him to let go of my sweater but in the heat of the game, he could not hear or didn’t care. I released the hand of the kid on my right, sat down and gave a great tug on the sleeve. The kid, who was now about twelve feet from me, let go of the sleeve. The sweater was ruined. Who wants a sweater with a sleeve twelve feet long? I confronted my mother with the sleeve wrappe several times around my waist. She was cross with me, but when I explained to her how it happened and reminded her that Ring-Around-The-Rosie was a part of the curriculum. She smiled at me as she examined it more carefully and finally said she thought she could fix it. She cut the sleeves out of it and made me a very nice vest. She said, “I don’t think they can stretch the sleeve now.” The school was about two and a half miles from our home. When the weather was good, we usually walked. But in winter time, or when the weather was inclement, my father, along with other neighbors, took turns driving us to school in a wagon or, in winter, a sleigh. The bottom of the sleigh was always covered with clean hay or straw and was warm. At times, in the spring or fall, we were allowed to travel in style with Old Nell hitched to the buggy. My sisters rode in the seat and my brother and I stood up in the back. My sister Gertrude was the driver and general supervisor of the operation. My father kept a pile of baled hay at the blacksmith shop for the mare to eat during the day. ne cold blustery day in March, we were riding to school in an open wagon. We, about twenty kids from Stringtown, were sitting or leaning against the side of the wagon box. The right front wheel of the wagon suddenly dropped into a chuckhole and the shock caused the right side of the wagon box to collapse. Most of the kids lit in the road on their head or shoulders. I was leaning against the left side on the wagon and did not take the tumble. Seymore Fackrell, who was opposite me on the right side, later told me that he did not fall } Tahal Toten Lo thaied Baran him. We were very best friends for several years. After lunch, we played games. We liked to play cowboys and round up imaginary cattle. We wrestled in the autumn leaves that covered the school yard. It didn’t matter who the winner was, it was playing the game that was fun. Having a friend, especially a friend who was as large as Chub, was a great comfort to me. Many of my fears disappeared as Chub and I wandered at will OVeT | t | d. d hall our right to do so. There were two or three boys who didn’t like me and they took great delight in tripping me or shoving me. One of their favorite tricks worked like this: boy A would come up and start talking to me, boy B would get on his hands and knees behind me, boy A would then give me a shove. Over I would go, landing on my head or shoulders. That night, I told mother about it and, as usual, her counsel was good. She said, “You must not let anyone pick on you. The more you cry, the better they like it. I think maybe a bloody nose would solve the problem.” “T’m afraid that it would be my nose that bled.” I said. “I think maybe you could get in a couple of good licks and that might just solve the problem,” she said. A couple of days later, I put the plan into operation. Boy A came up to me, all smiles, and started to talk to me. I knew what was coming and prepared myself. Out of the corner of my eye I saw boy B on hands and knees behind me. Just as boy A moved his hands to give me a shove, I hit him on the nose with what I later learned was an uppercut. The blood flew and so did boys A and B. They ran for the irrigation ditch and put cold packs on boy A’s nose and neck. This strategy worked well on kids my own age. What IT needed now was something to take care of the large bullies. I had two traits that when put together, made a lethal weapon. I could run fast and I was very agile. The strategy called for my victim to chase me. In the heat of the chase, I would watch the victim out of the corner of my eye and just as he would reach out to grab me, I would suddenly drop to the ground in a crouching position. The victim, unable to stop, would trip over me and go flying into the dust. I sent one bully flying head first into the canal—much to the delight of my friend, Chub. One autumn, just before school, my mother bought me the most beautiful sweater I had ever seen. It was a slip on sweater, very much in style; a a a him in the wagon. This, I do not remember. All of {a = = Ex = = Your Winter Ski Chalet. Three Family Ski Resorts. All One Hour from Salt Lake! oe the kids, save one, picked themselves up unhurt. Mable Jordon, a blue eyed little girl of about ten, did not move. The driver, Ray Thompson, gently picked her up and carried her to a nearby farmhouse. My sister, Beulah, was sent on to the school to inform the officials of the accident. The rest of us walked the remaining mile to school. At school, we learned that the doctor had pronounced Mabel dead at the scene. No one felt like going to school, so we were dismissed and walked sadly home. While death never struck our family directly, its shadow crossed our path several times. When Maude and I were in Jr. High school, we were shocked and saddened by the death of Nina Thompson. She was helping us thin beets when e ill. She was taken to the hospital where the doctor operated on her for appendicitis. Even in 1923, there was little danger of death in an appendectomy but this time, something went wrong. Mina was found dead in her bed the next morning. It seemed unbelievable to us that someone with such zest for life could be so happy and full of life one day and cold and stiff in death the next. She was Maude’s best friend. The two were almost inseparable. The two of them made up the debating team in our school. Until he moved to California, Mina’s brother and I were best friends. The four of us often went places together and always had a good time. I always remember with sadness, that beautiful girl with long red hair, mistas: hi d +, al + lips. We loved her very much and for a long time, we cried when we thought of her. Another young girl who worked for us in the beets and beans died at an early age. Her name was Havelin Thompson. Her father Earl later married my sister Beulah. The Thompson family contracted Scarlet Fever. For a week, they were all very sick, then the fever broke and all recovered except Havelin. The fever clung to her, and several days later she died. We missed her very much as she was witty and full of fun and made our workday lighter with her good humor. LAGal My baby 1, +n 4} sister : QI f 6 } | | 1922. The spring | cold and we (the kids) developed what we thought were symptoms of the common cold. Doctor Shields, the Valley doctor, was called and confirmed our belief that we were suffering from colds. The medicine he gave us did not seem to help. Florence, especially, worsened and developed a high fever and a sever cough. My parents were very worried and called the regular family doctor—Dr. Ezra Rich. In a matter of minutes, the doctor diagnosed the disease as diphtheria. He gave us all the diphtheria antitoxin and told mother he thought the older children would be alright but with this little one, he shook his head, “I don’t know.” Florence’s temperature was high and she seemed to have trouble getting air into her lungs. The doctor was very worried about her and told mother “If she is not better by mid afternoon, call me. It is possible we will have to operate. By mid afternoon, she was no better. Phlegm was accumulating in her throat and her breathing was labored. Mother called the doctor and reported that sister was worse. She concluded her remarks with, “please hurry.” Forty-five minutes later, Dr. Rich, accompanied by the surgeon, Dr. Pugmire, entered the room. Dr. Rich took one look at the Follow Signs from Wolf Creek Club House One Mile East to Trappers Ridge Models Open Daily Except Sunday =. AWatts Enterprises Community Kevin Watts Architects wu I I I %, : =e y AB Close to Snowbasin, Powder Mountain and Nordic Valley Ski Resorts : wmobiling Trails Ee d th You'll like the results and save money. Start Saving Now $20 We do it all. Guaranteed Quality, Guaranteed OFF with this coupon Expires April 15, 2006 www.rentmeisterplumbing.com val HI SD.H | ARPER .D.c. > AIDVAINCEDWIECHNIQUES MA'SSAGESIHERARY4 ——— e-AUTO ACCIDENTS °SPORTS INJURIES *CORRECTIVE CARE °*WALK-INS WELCOME 801-272-7111 / www.trappersridge.com qm last trachea and released the pressure. A cup of mucus was ejected from the trachea and lungs. A silver tube was then inserted through which she would breathe for the next several days. Her breathing soon returned to normal and she was again able to smile. Upon leaving, the doctor told my parents, “There is a great danger of infection here, so ou must I ined with her for at least a week.” My father drove to town and returned with the nurse, a Miss Spencer. Miss Spencer was indeed a jewel. She cared for Florence day and night. She slept on a cot next to the patient. At the slightest whimper, the nurse was awake and caring for our sister. There were no complications. Because of the good food and the love she received, plus the professional care provided by Miss Spencer, Florence was once more the happy, carefree little-girl that we loved so much. As the years went by, I became more acclidto schol life. It d i ing friends and by the time I was in Jr. High school, I had several good buddies. I liked to play baseball and in time developed a few of the skills needed to play the game. I was rewarded by my efforts by being called upon to pitch several games for the team. I played basketball for Eden Jr. High school in the Weber County League. Our team won the championship by beating the Plain City team in the final game. We won the game by ascore of 12 to 14. The year was 1923 and 1924. I still have the pennant that was awarded to our school at an award assembly. Eden High School: Rah, rah, rah! the early years of the 20th century, most people believed that if you finished the 8th grade and had a working knowledge of basic skills you were well prepared to face the world. By the 1920's, people were demanding better educational programs for their children. In 1920, the Eden school was remodeled. A new room was added to I he ninth grade. Beulah was among the first group to finish the ninth grade. Beulah and Gertrude continued their education at the Sacred Heart Academy, graduating in 1923 and 1924. In 1924, another grade was added to the Eden School. Both Maude and I completed the 10th grade in the spring of 1925. People were now demanding a high school education for their children. Weber County had no high school so the Weber County Board of Education made arrangements for the county students to attend Ogden High school. Maude and I rode the streetcar from the Eden Station to 24th and Washington Blvd. and walked to the Ogden High school located on 25th and Monroe Blvd. Our day started with a walk of about | mile from our home to the station, and ended with a walk of five blocks to the high school. Next year, 1926-1927, the new Weber County high school opened its doors to all Weber County students. Maude and I followed the lead of our older sisters and graduated in May of 1927. Maude had the honor of being elected vice president of the student body. We were members of the first graduating class of Weber County high school. Try our plumbing service aD ee Se eis ” 801-205-7111 ine breathir 1g her will have to operate.” He table and prepared her for sterilized his instruments The patient seemed to be at Wolf Creek Resort Ogden Valley — Bob Whitney Marketed by Watts Group patient and said, “We placed Florence on the surgery. Dr. Pugmire and washed his hands. TMCS BOK LOCATED IN EDEN, NORTH OF, VALLEY MARKET,: 2580 LCL NorTH, Hwy,i62 90-21-10 VESZry DAYS A Rentmeister Plumber, Inc. SCHOOL |