Enamored Senses

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The Daily Post
Aug 30, 2017
DAILY PROMPT
Enamored
Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

Enamored Senses

Let your senses become enamored with that beautiful sea of blue. The delicate, tiny little blossoms, dance in the wind, held up by a strong and hardy straw. Separate the tow from that straw. Spin the fiber into a strong thread. Now you are ready to make a tablecloth fit for a King.

You might make fine stationery that you could use to write love sonnets to your sweetheart. Fancy cigarette paper is made from flax straw, you can roll your favorite smoking product, sit back and watch the flax grow every year.

There was a time when for mile after mile, all you saw was beautiful blue flax blossoms in this part of the world. That has all changed, hunger and progress made way for corn and soybeans. It was a quieter time, a quieter people who watched over the wonder crop we know as flax. Health food stores sell flax in many forms.

Drying flax in preparation for harvest was a fairly risky business if you bundled it in grain shocks you were much safer. Dry flax that is getting close to harvest, is very light. Many a farmer had the flax crop ready to harvest only to find it was gone after a windy night. The wind blew it away. That would be one reason to switch to corn and soybeans.

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Synchronize My Gastric Juices

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DAILY PROMPT

Synchronize

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

Synchronize My Gastric Juices

Have you talked to someone lately, maybe over the phone or even across the table from each other, you usually try to synchronize the conversation. It seems to help, if one is talking about herding pigs, it helps that the other one talks about herding pigs, you’re sort of on the same wavelength and you can communicate better. I would call that synchronizing a conversation.

Years ago it would probably start off with a lady sitting up straight at a switchboard, her hair done up in a tight bun, pencil behind one ear. She asks, “Number, please? Then, plugs you into the switchboard. You were ready to synchronize conversation with the person on the other end and possibly others. Yes Mable, “I know”, “she had a boy.” “How did you know,” Oh? “party line”.

I think our nation might be ready for a whole new field of study on how to synchronize conversation between two people. We should be able to converse easily between two to start with, at least when only one language is involved. Something has happened, it seems to be generational. We have one group of people talking the same language but it is almost impossible to understand by the other. Possibly the older group of people lack good hearing. This could get to be a problem, at least until all the older ones kick the bucket.

I had a message on my answering machine the other day and I played it, at first I thought it was a foreign language but it wasn’t. I played it again with hardly any difference. I played it four times trying to at least get the telephone number. I had no idea what the message was. I could not even tell what the phone number was from the message. I tried to synchronize the message by breaking it down into parts but that did not work. I had a list of who I thought might have tried to call me and I started to call a few numbers and I tracked it down. I suggested the receptionist might consider slowing her talking down a little.

Evidently, some of the younger folks have a problem understanding my language. After a doctor visit my wife and I stopped at McDonald’s the other day to get a quick burger from the drive-up window. I placed my order 2 times and “I asked the girl inside if she was sure she had it right.” She said, “She did” but it wasn’t right. Evidently, there were other cars having the same problem because several were waiting in a line out by the street for someone to bring out their food to them. The poor manager was trying to re-synchronize all of the messed up orders, he had a very, terrified look on his face.

There is another big, very expensive thing to synchronize, that is our financial system. Wall Street kings have their own magical means when it comes to transferring money from Cayman Island or Swiss bank accounts and getting it to the proper place to buy a few trillion stocks on a second’s notice, no one really knows or seems to care if the money got synchronized in time or not but the stocks change hands and the world goes on.

The high flying, Financial Wizards want to put multiple credit cards and debit cards in every young person’s hands. They want them to have every opportunity and every possible way to use them, from cell phones to telephones, to just about anything you can imagine. I guess wrist watches now too. They want all the Young Folks to have these easy, handy, financial instruments and then synchronize their accounts accordingly, so they have funds in their accounts to handle all transactions, whether it might be on the internet or at a drive-up window or a thousand other places. Can you imagine the overdraft and late charge fees? That borders on criminal!

I was dozing off in that drive-up lane last week, my wife would wake me up saying, it’s time to move up Dear. I would move the car about ten feet and we would wait some more. I’m glad I didn’t see how long we were sitting in that drive-up lane because I have a tendency to start boiling over, the car does the same thing too.

The vehicle in front of us finally got to the pay window. I told my wife, she’s handing her cell phone to the cashier in the restaurant. She would stick her phone in the window, the worker inside would scan the phone, they did this to three more times. The girl in the car would type something on her phone and stick it back in the restaurant window, she would scan it again. This went on far too long. Evidently, the young lady couldn’t transfer funds to synchronize her accounts. She finally got out her purse and paid with cash.

This is a true story. I have always said truth is much Stranger Than Fiction. The young lady evidently did not know how to synchronize her different accounts yet. I can visualize the day coming, the drive up will scan your eyeball, you take your hamburger and milkshake and ride off in a driverless car. Thinking I will not be here to watch or be a witness to that, WRONG probably next year. I can still synchronize my right and my left shoe.

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Lake Norden High School Class of 1926

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LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN

A Word to Patrons and Parents

At the west end of Main Street stands the new public high school building, the stateliest structure of all that grace our fair little city. It is ample evidence of the faith that you, the good citizens of Lake Norden, have in popular education. As patrons and parents it is only right therefore that you should know how we, teachers and pupils, are keeping faith with you, and what we may do further in cooperation with the Board of Education to make this institution all it ought to be. We do it with the more eagerness because we know desirable standards cannot be attained to, the best results of school work cannot be secured unless parents and people in general in the community are aware of some of the aims and objectives set by the state for a four-year accredited high school and are willing to assist in gaining them. For a better understanding of the schools and their problems, there is no agency like that of a Parent-Teacher Association. We take this opportunity to extend an invitation to all who are interested in the welfare of the youth of our community to meet with us and take part in the work of the local association. There you will have an opportunity to meet the teachers of your children, to get their point of view and to give them yours. As a teacher begins to appreciate the thought and care, you have given, the hopes and aims you have, your success of failure in the home life, there will be more sympathetic understanding, more intelligent cooperation on the part of the school. You will perhaps also come to understand the State requirements, the course of study, a little better. It is not altogether reasonable to expect pupils who have spent only a few months in high school to be authorities on what a high school ought to be. No doubt they give you their opinion of changes that ought to be made. Their opinion may change too with the years as ours has. We are not expecting anything unreasonable, but what boys and girls can generally do elsewhere throughout the Northwest our boys and girls, descendAnts from the most hardy races from Northern Europe, ought to be able to do. It is negligent on the part of parents to send a pupil to school and not make any inquiry as to how the child succeeds during the school year. The monthly report card does not state the whole story. It does not say anything about how your children spend their evenings when school is not in session. It is your business to know, It is not

LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN

enough in our day that we examine the teacher’s license to teach. What about the license on the automobile that the careless young folks from distant communities hire for an hour of amusement? If our young folks are to meet and mingle with them it would be wise to know what they stand for. It is not enough that the best of textbooks are provided in the school; parents ought to know what kind of magazines and books the children read during leisure hours as well. The need for watchfulness along these lines may ap-ply to only a very few at present, but from experience we know there is often a leveling down to the youth who has no home influence to assist him rather than vice versa. It is the duty not only of every parent and guardian but of every good citizen to help create such an environment as will help the young folks to go right. If we who are older seek only the gratification of pleasure and material prosperity, showing A hap-py-go-lucky lack of concern for the welfare of youth and righteousness, some day we shall suf-fer for it. We thank you for the opportunity that has been ours this year, and we trust as your children now return to you that they have made reasonable progress, even such as may count in wisdom and in favor with God and men. We deem it a priv-ilege to be your co-workers in the highest inter-ests of the school. May the institution flourish and become a still greater factor for good in this community than it has been in the past. We are eager to meet the needs for high school training if possible, not only of Lake Norden but of all its surrounding districts and shall work. towards that goal.

Rules of Sportsmanship 1.—Show courtesy to your opponents—be gen-tlemen and ladies and treat opponents as such. 2.—Play the game according to the spirit of the rules—play fair. 3.—Abide by the decision of the referee with-out remarks or heckling. 4.—Be courageous losers but do not give up when the score goes against you. Play your best to the end—have grit. 5.—Be a modest winner. Do not boast of vic-tories or “rub it in.” Cheer your opponents—ap-plaud good plays on both teams. Take pride in upholding the good spirit of your school.

Late to bed and late to class—these are the students that never pass.

LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN

Improvements in tile Scaolastiec Organization

Although our educational program must ever adapt itself to changing ,Conditions in general andl local needs in particular, whatever is of per-manent value ought to be kept. Be it in program or policy, radical changes overnight seldom build pp anything worthwhile in the community. We have had, and have, plenty of frills and fads in education in our day. The interest in these is fast fading however and the general trend seems to be towards the practical things, towards thor-oughness in essentials rather than a smattering of everything that an extravagant people may chance to clamor for. Our efforts during the year have, for that reason, been mainly directed to-ward strengthening the courses already offered instead of adding new ones. We have tried to raise the scholarship, to fortify ourselves where it was found we were weakest. Because of these developments some changes, which we shall briefly mention, had to be made in organization. To make the recess periods more profitable to all, to teach games and to fix responsibility for what takes place on the play grounds, a member of the faculty in the grades was assigned to playground duties for a week out every school month. To insure better order in the different parts of the school building, and in pass-ing to and from rooms, a teacher has been placed on hall duty for such periods as needed. A permanent record of each pupil’s scholarship, even in the grades, is required by the State. A card system showing such record and other desired in-formation has been installed this year. The Board of Education has also purchased a safe where all valuable papers and records of school work may be kept. As nothing perhaps contributes so much to good class work as a well-planned lesson, lesson plan books have been put into use in the grades. The daily programs, too, have been changed so as to give more time to the more essential studies. Monthly reports of grades, formerly sent to the County Superintendent’s office, are now checked with the papers upon which they are based, here at the office. This enables the superintendent to see, without giving special tests, what kind of work both teacher and pupil are doing. Our high school library has been moved into the Assembly Room where it is available at all times.

LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN

The books have been classified and catalogued. Fiction for outside reading in the English courses has almost been doubled in number. a ic-tionaries for the high school have also chased. A system for checking out 1ibr on a student’s indivival card has been devised. Our Board of Education decided early this year to adopt free text books in the high school for the coming five year period. The leading texts were carefully examined to find out which ones were best fitted to our needs and the State course of study before any selections were made. As a re-sult Lake Norden has one of the Most up-to-date and Vest text lists to be found in any high school. Bookmen and others in a position to know have commented favorably on our text book adaptions. Where ever any marked deficiency has been found in a high school student’s preparatory sub-jects, we have tried to remedy the condition as much as possible by review classes. Much work of this nature has had to be done in grammar apd arithmetic, for instance. Special classes have also been conducted in the, high school in spelling and penmanship. As thoroughness of preparation in the common branches before one enters high school enables the pupil to benefit to a much greater extent from the high school course, it is hoped that all con-cerned will strive to that end.

In order to be healthy a person must be ath-letic. One might argue that a person is athletic because he is healthy in the first place and at-tribute his health to some other cause but never-theless the two go hand-in-hand and where one takes the lead the other usually follows. Alice Burkshardt, judged the healthiest girl in the United States, 95.7 per cent perfect, plays tennis, and basket ball, swims, rides horseback, and works on the farm, and these according to her are responsible for her health. This proves the importance of school athletics in health building for girls. George Cuskaden, in the same contest was judged the healthiest boy in the United States and is 97.7 per cent perfect. George was a mem-ber of his high school basket ball team and base-ball teams, and ran on the track team.

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Basket ball has taken marked strides forward during the past year in the Lake Norden High School. The student body have shown more in-terest than heretofore and the people about town are giving their support. The boys’ team this year was made up of prac tically all new material with the exception of George Larson who had had two years experi-ence. The boys were all young and small and this of course was a great handicap to them against heavier and more rangy opponents. George Larson was elected captain early in the season and was Lake Norden’s stellar player in many of their games. Being handicapped by size and experience the boys were not ,able to turn in a majority of wins but gave a good account of themselves in all games played. Most of them were lost by small knargins. Worth mentioning here is the fact that they were able to turn in a win over the much cel-ebrated Hayti five on the hatter’s home court. The game was hard fought and close throughout as is indicated by the score: 12 to 11. The team was at its best at this time. Clarence Anderson played opposite George Larson at forward; Robert Rich-ardson held the pivote position; and Carl Tulson and August Hurmi guarded.. Alvin Tuohino, Ver-ner Frantz, Ray Berg and Marvin, Ellsworth were on the bench. Captain Larson is the only one we lose this year by graduation so we look forward to a much stronger and more seasoned team next year.

Early in the year a girl’s team was doubtful due to the lack of candidates for the squad but toward the ‘end of the year more girls became in-terested in the sport and we expect many new prodigies to push the regulars for their berths next year. Thelma Kangas captained the girls team and Florence Hanson was their manager. The girls team put in a successful season win-ning the majority of their games. The team play and shooting improved wonderfully during’ the year and all indications point to a team of high calibre next year. The girls went into the finals at the county tournament held at Bryant by de-feating Estelline for the third time in the year The final game with Hayti was a thriller and was nobody’s game until the final whistle which caught Hayti on the long end of a 25 to 18 count. The girls also lose just one player. Elmi Juntti graduates and leaves one guard position vacant. Alice Juso, Harriet Tulson, and Aune Aho were the offensive trio and Thelma Kangas, Ruth Lee, and Elmi Juntti carried the brunt of the defense. Florence Hanson and Eleanor Kangas were subs. Clara, S. Goplin coached the girls and was as-sisted by Russell J. Bignall the latter part of the year. Russell J. Bignall coached the boys. Lake Norden has adopted a plan of awarding letters and honorary sweaters according to the percentage of games played. The seniors will. re-ceive sweaters and the under-classmen will re-ceive letters. George L4rson and Elmi Juntti received honorary sweaters this year. The fol-lowing received letters: Aune Aho, Clarence An-derson, Florence Hanson, August Hurmi, Alice Juso, Thelma K,a,ngas, Ruth Lee, Robert Richard-son, Harriet Tulson, Carl Tulson and Alvin Tuo-hino.

LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN

Lake Norden Welcomes You

A goodly number have already signified their intention of entering Lake Norden High in Sep-ember. Will you be among them? The opportunity is yours to study at home in a fully accredited tour-your high school. Here you may Tend your high school years with those who later n life will be your neighbors and associates. The Lake Norden High School is better equipped than ever to offer a strong general course. Such commercial subjects as can be taught to an advantage n a smaller high school are offered at Lake Norden. This department is also now well establish-KI and in charge of a teacher of actual business experience. Among the extra curricular- activities o be stressed next year arb: – Dramatics, Public ;peaking, Debate, Music And Physical Education. f possible a Glee Club will be organized. Much ►f the work along literary lines will be carried In through the literary society of our school. I believe there will be a great opportunity for service and success knocking at the door of the routh of the Northwest. When the call comes, vill you be ready to Answer? A high school course will enable you to respond in a creditable manner. You have ,perhaps read of $10,000 positions seeking men. Do you, like many, think it is a matter of only “good luck,” “good fortune,” o be elected to such positions? If you should in-Luire, you will find that, the so-called “good fortune” came to the successful candidate because he [ad prepared to do the service the position called or. Preparation is the only thing that will enable you to hear the call of opportunity and give you he courage to answer. A person’s opportunity 3 equal, to his preparation. If unprepared Society not likely to offer him an opportunity. Another thing is certain: whether you decide to espare further for your life work or not, you Till have to compete, no matter what line you nter, with young folks who have prepared. While a high school education may not then al-lays place you in a position of marked advantage, the lack of such training is sure to place ou in a position of marked disadvantage. In fact eighth grade graduates are barred from entering pon many lines of work that formerly were open ) them. Why not call at the Superintendent’s office then in town and talk the matter over. We shall e glad to do everything we can to help you ,ar-Inge for a course at Lake Norden.

The Class 0f 1926

FLORENCE HANSON “Molly” —Sunny disposition and an ever ready smile. Complet-ed her last two years of nigh school work here. Class Secretary during her Junior year ; President during Sen-ior year. Business Manager Girls Basket Ball Team.

ANNA WAHALA “Annie”—In-dustry and ability in a rare combination. Completed four years of High School here. An asset to the Class. Treas-urer in Junior year and se-lected Salutatorian.

CHESTER BERGERSON “Check” —Like gravity he has the power of attraction! Com-pleted four years of High School work here. Was twice Class President—in his Soph-omore and Junior years.

Elmi Juntti A genial disposition and an entertaining line of chatter! Completed her entire High School course in Lake Norden. Played guard on the Girls Basket Ball team Awarded sweater and mono-gram during Senior year.

EINAR SVARVARI “Li/tit/RS”— A personality all his own. Completed four years of High School work here. An active member and has held a class office every year. Se-lected Valedictorian in Sen-ior year.

‘ESTHER TILLBERG — Charm, Wisdom, Grace. What more could be desired? Esther enrolled here during the last semester of her Senior year. Attended at Sioux Falls pre-vious to that. A good student and an active Class member.

GEORGE LARSON “Lars” — A quiet, unassuming boy ; but woks are deceiving! Com-pleted four years of High schccl work here. Active in athletics. Two years Cap-tain Boys Basket Ball team. Awarded sweater and mon-ogram in Senior year.

FLORENCE HENDRICKSON “Flo” —The only way to have friends is to be one! Flor-ence combleted the last year of her high school course in Lake Norden after attending at Estelline the first three years.

LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN
EN ROLLM ENT
SENIORS Chester Bergerson Florence Hanson Florence Hendrickson Elmi Juntti George Larson Fern Stark Einar Svarvari Esther Tillberg Anna Wahala
JUNIORS Minnie Fedt Alice Juso Gibson Larson Ruth Lee Robert Richardson Lila Stolpe Carl Tulson Thelma Tuohino
SOPHOMORES —Aune Aho -Clarence Anderson William Antonen -Raymond Berg Marvin Ellsworth Verner Frantz Ernest Geranen Florence Jacobson Edward Johnston Thelma Kangas Ellen Savela Mildred Stolpe Ralph Swanson. Harriet Tulson Alvin Tuohino Ellen Wayrynen
FRESHMEN Lawrence Bergerson Alice Hedblad August Hurmi Eleanor Kangas Earl Kaski Otto Olson Laila Pietila Myrtle Svarvari
LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN
Value of a High. School Education
What may be expected from a high school graduate? Benefits derived from taking a high school course, same as any other, vary ; neverthe-less there are some things that all graduates ought to gain in a more or less marked degree. First of all, I think a high school graduate ought to be able to be able to reason fairly well. Ability to think straight is perhaps the one great objective sought. We do not mean here by Think-ing the mere training of the intellect with a view to insight. The old book says. “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he”—continues he to be. We cannot think very long without some emotional element entering into our thought life ; in fact, we are guided to greater extent by our emotions than pure intellect. It is therefore essential that our emotional nature be trained. In our day, when there is so little outward restraint brought to bear on the teen-age child, it is the more essen-tial that an inward control, an emotional balance, should be established. In training to think, then, there must also be the training of the emotions and the will. It is a known fact that the smaller schools have and are the more likely to develop independent thinkers of this type. This was fully proved dur-ing the World war. In fact it has been admitted by educational leaders that a smaller institution can outstrip a larger in quality of work so long as it concentrates on a proper program. The danger in a smaller institution is in that of divid-ing its efforts, scattering its energy Along too many lines. Secondly, I think a high school ought to and does enlarge one’s capacity for enjoyment of life. “Understanding is a well spring of joy to him that has it.” A person may make money without much academic training, but such a, person would not have any interests outside of making money. When such a person plans to retire what has he to look forward to? There can be, should be, no leisure unless one has prepared for it. Of course it is not absolutely necessary to attend school in order to acquire some of the ends sought in education. There are persons of such rare faculty of mind that they have accomplished without any guides what others gained in school. One may even learn to make shoes by himself,

LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN

ENROLLM ENT

SENIORS Chester Bergerson Florence Hanson Florence Hendrickson Elmi Juntti George Larson Fern Stark Einar Svarvari Esther Tillberg Anna Wahala

JUNIORS Minnie Fedt Alice Juso Gibson Larson Ruth Lee Robert Richardson Lila Stolpe Carl Tulson Thelma Tuohino

SOPHOMORES —Aune Aho -Clarence Anderson William Antonen -Raymond Berg Marvin Ellsworth Verner Frantz Ernest Geranen Florence Jacobson Edward Johnston Thelma Kangas Ellen Savela Mildred Stolpe Ralph Swanson. Harriet Tulson Alvin Tuohino Ellen Wayrynen

FRESHMEN Lawrence Bergerson Alice Hedblad August Hurmi Eleanor Kangas Earl Kaski Otto Olson Laila Pietila Myrtle Svarvari

LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN

Value of a High. School Education

What may be expected from a high school graduate? Benefits derived from taking a high school course, same as any other, vary ; neverthe-less there are some things that all graduates ought to gain in a more or less marked degree. First of all, I think a high school graduate ought to be able to be able to reason fairly well. Ability to think straight is perhaps the one great objective sought. We do not mean here by Think-ing the mere training of the intellect with a view to insight. The old book says. “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he”—continues he to be. We cannot think very long without some emotional element entering into our thought life ; in fact, we are guided to greater extent by our emotions than pure intellect. It is therefore essential that our emotional nature be trained. In our day, when there is so little outward restraint brought to bear on the teen-age child, it is the more essen-tial that an inward control, an emotional balance, should be established. In training to think, then, there must also be the training of the emotions and the will. It is a known fact that the smaller schools have and are the more likely to develop independent thinkers of this type. This was fully proved dur-ing the World war. In fact it has been admitted by educational leaders that a smaller institution can outstrip a larger in quality of work so long as it concentrates on a proper program. The danger in a smaller institution is in that of divid-ing its efforts, scattering its energy Along too many lines. Secondly, I think a high school ought to and does enlarge one’s capacity for enjoyment of life. “Understanding is a well spring of joy to him that has it.” A person may make money without much academic training, but such a, person would not have any interests outside of making money. When such a person plans to retire what has he to look forward to? There can be, should be, no leisure unless one has prepared for it. Of course it is not absolutely necessary to attend school in order to acquire some of the ends sought in education. There are persons of such rare faculty of mind that they have accomplished without any guides what others gained in school. One may even learn to make shoes by himself,

for instance. A teacher, however, may enable the same person to do better, and master the trade with more economy of time. If one campares the salaries of high school graduates with those of eight grade graduates, the value of a high school course becomes ap-parant. No lesser an authority than a former Commissioner of Education states that “while a common school education increases the earning capacity of an individual 50 per cent, a high education increases it 100 per cent. A careful survey has shown that a high school education is worth as much to a farmer as a $6000.00 note at five precent interest.” What is more important, education makes for leadership, as it gives personal power. In every community, club and society leaders are needed. Other things being equal, the person with an ed-ucation will be given the position of leadership. This for no other reason than that he has larger interests- more developed powers, the attention and confidence of himself and others. To quote Van Dyke: “The power to see clearly, imagine vividly, to think independently, to will nobly, is his. The true end of education is creative, in being’ not in -,ettincr, in developing one’s powers and. faculties.” It is in the development of char-acter that education has its greatest possibilities. The only real wealth in a community after all is that of true manhood, of nobility, of integrity, of square dealing of hopefulness cheerfulness, the fear and love of God, and goodwill toward fellow rr en.

Education is the making of better life, mentally, morally, socially, and physically. Ptiysical edu-cation is an effective means of accomplishing this so can well be included in the school curriculum. Next year we expect to teach Physical Education to both boys and girls as a regular school course. This will give opportunity to all to t4e part in some physical activity. Heretofore only the select were given this opportunity as basket ball was all that was offered. If athletics are to be regarded as a, means of promoting physical development, health, standards of square dealing, good sports-manship, and clean, alert minds, then the many rather than the few must be reached.

LAKE NORDEN HIGH SCHOOL BULLETIN

The Stuff That Counts

The test of a man is the fight he makes, The grit that he daily shows; The way he stands on his feet and takes Fate’s numerous bumps and blows. A coward can smile when there’s naught to fear, When nothing his progress bars, But it takes a man to stand up and cheer, While some other fellow stars.

It isn’t the victory after all, But the fight that a brother makes; The man, who, driven, against the wall, Still stands up erect and takes The blows of fate with his head held high, Bleeding, and bruised, and pale, Is the man who will win in the by and by For he isn’t afraid to fail.

It’s the bumps you get, and the jolts you get, And the shock that your courage stands, The hours of sorrow and ruin regret, The prize that escapes the hands, That test your mettle and prove your worth, It isn’t the blows you deal, But the blows you take on the good old’ earth, That shows if your stuff is real. —The Three Partners.

“When the One Great Scorer comes, To write against, your name. He writes—not that you won or lost But how you played the game.” —Charles A. Lee.

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Steam Threshing Rig

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This threshing machine is being operated with the power from a steam engine. There were very few other tractors at that time. This grain threshing is being done on the Olof Person Farm near Lake John, in South Dakota, USA. Through the license plate on the car, I managed to trace the year to 1912. This is a very good picture of an old-time threshing rig. The bundles were all being hauled with horses.

You can see by the basket size they had a good coffee break, usually one at mid-morning, then a heavy noon meal and lunch, coffee again in mid-afternoon. The lady with the lunch basket no doubt brought the person with the camera out to the field.

I think most of the people in the picture are from the Person family, any help identifying them would be appreciated. I zoomed in on two that I think might be Erik Grape and Charlie Wayrynen.

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The Olaf Person Family

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Olaf Person Family

Olof Person was born on December 15th, 1853 at Gunarskog, Sweden. It 1876 he immigrated to America and lived in Goodhue County, Minnesota. He later came to Dakota and settled on the east shore of Lake John. Throughout his lifetime, He was very proud of that land. In 1880 Olaf wrote to his parents and brother Andrew and invited them to join him. Andrew also farmed in Hamlin County for over 60 years.

Olof married Emma Olson, daughter of Olof Christensen on November 21, 1881, at Watertown. She also was a Swedish immigrant born June 8th, 1857 at Iville, Bohuslan, Sweden. She immigrated to America in 1880 with her father and two sisters. Anna and Josephine. Her Mother had died in Sweden and the family came to America to join Emma’s Brothers.

Olof and Charlie Johnson would drive as much as 50 miles with horse and buggy to get a minister on occasions. The family would provide lodging and transportation for them.

The Person family suffered much tragedy in the Years 1903 to 1905, with the experience of 5 deaths. Fredolph, son of Olof died in 1903. In 1904 Andrew Person lost his wife Ophelia and baby daughter Edla. In 1905 Andrew and Olof’s mother Brita died in March and Olof’s wife Emma died the following day.

It was Olof Person’s dream to build a new building for the Old Swedish Covenant Church as soon as he arrived in the Dakota territory. If you believe that there is a Creator and also an evil one, or the devil you would almost have to think Olof was being tested in the early nineteen hundreds with family tragedies. The Bible talks about Job being tested, he did not waiver he did not lose his faith, neither did Olof Person.

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Evangelical Covenant Church of Lake Norden South Dakota U.S.A.

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This picture shows the dedication of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Lake Norden, South Dakota, U.S.A. in 1903. It sat 2 miles east and one mile south of Lake Norden South Dakota. The church was built on Olaf Person’s property near Lake John. Olof Person and his family were very instrumental in building the church from the start.

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This was probably a lake side service or baptism after the church had been moved.

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These pictures show the church after it was moved into the town of Lake Norden, these pictures were taken around 1915 after the church had been added onto.
I have another post that describes the moving of the church, with the two steam engines, from the country into town. My Grandfather Charles Wayrynen was one of the steam engine operators and the other one was Louie Hendrickson. The moving of the church is described in a previous post, ‘Evangelical Covenant Church’ that can be found in my archives. It also shows A picture of the new church building that is built on one level.

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The Knutson Farm

 

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The Knutson Farm

This Old House sat empty throughout most of the 1960’s. Most of the windows had been broken out and vandals damage things inside of the house. With the house being open for so long, birds, skunks, and raccoons made it their living quarters.

The only running water that was ever in this house was from a hand operated cistern pump in the pantry. The water was pumped from the cistern for washing dishes, taking baths etc. Cisterns usually had to be cleaned about once a year to get bugs, mice, and frogs cleaned out. That is if a person wanted the water to be relatively clean. The drinking water came from a 118 foot deep well a couple hundred yards from the house. The place was wired for electricity in 1947, with a 60 AMP service.

My wife and I purchased the property in 1975. We gave a shotgun eviction notice to the skunks, raccoons, and other critters. Then we proceeded to start repairing all the broken window and everything else, so it seemed. I soon became a proficient glass cutter.

The heavy duty electric wires running overhead from the electric pole to the house had been stolen and sold for scrap copper. My first order of business was to hire an electrician to run a new service wire to the house. I needed the electricity for tools to use in my repairing. That whole process became a very educational experience for me, for all of us. There were only a half dozen trees in the yard, mostly Boxelders, I planted many trees.

There was no bathroom in the house since there had never been running water. Our daughters had their first experience at using an outside bathroom. They did not like baring their bottoms to the outdoor elements, not at all. I promised a bathroom would be the first project.

We didn’t even have an outside toilet, a falling down old barn became our first toilet area. I rescued an outside toilet that someone had recently taken to the dumping ground. I proudly brought that old toilet home on my boat trailer, that must have been a sight to behold. The neighbors watching the city slicker coming down the road with an out-house on his boat trailer.

One of the next things done was to clean the cistern out thoroughly and have a load of fresh water brought in. I installed a pressure water pump in the basement and started my first plumbing experience with plastic pipe and fittings. That all went very well to my surprise. In a very short time, we had our own bathroom, we could poop in the house like the people from the city. That big day was happily celebrated by the girls!

In the 1980’s I added a front porch to the house, the South Wall of the porch was an 8′ by 8′ solar collector. It produced a lot of cheap heat, the only cost was the original materials and the electricity for a bathroom exhaust fan to push the air through it. A few years later I added a 4′ by 8′ solar collector to the south side of the house and a 4′ by 6′ collector on the South kitchen wall. We heated the house with wood when I was able to cut wood, we also had a propane heater for night use and when the solar panels weren’t working. The place didn’t look really neat to those passing by, but we were seeking lower living costs over looks.

We continued to improve that old house inside and out for most of the years we lived there. It became our home, a very special home, we had a lot of ‘Sweat Equity’ invested in it. We purchased the place to start with for a very low price. It was our investment, you might say, a real fixer upper. That might be putting it mildly.

We lived there until 2015 when my health deteriorated to the point we had to sell the place and move into an apartment. That was a very sad day for all of us. The people who bought the place were tickled to death to have an old house and they moved in immediately without having to go through any fixing or repairs.

The newer version of the Old Knutson Farm.

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Extreme Therapy

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DAILY PROMPT
Ooze
Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt

Extreme Therapy

Child, what on Earth are we going to do with that foot of yours? How long ago did you cut it on that old rusty wire in the hog yard? Has it been over 3 weeks? It keeps getting worse, ooze is all over it, and seems to be spreading! I can’t see how you can walk on it. That is a very large wound. I told you, you have to keep it clean. We will try soaking it again in some Epsom salt water, just a few more times.

If your foot is not better within a week your daddy will have to go into town and talk to the doctor about getting some maggots. We can find maggots around here but they have to be specially cleaned maggots to put on your foot. I know you sure don’t want to wear any maggot patch on your foot with school starting and all. We can wrap it up so nobody can see the little critters. Mom, that sounds just awful!

I think this is the last resort, we have to do it if we want to or not. We can’t be having you losing a foot, not at your age. The maggots will live on the ooze as it comes out and hopefully, your foot will heal back to normal. Keep it up mom and I will puke.

Maggot therapy is a type of biotherapy involving the introduction of live disinfected maggots fly larvae into the non-healing skin and soft tissue wound(s) of a human or animal for the purpose of cleaning out the necrotic dead tissue within a wound debridement and disinfection.

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