Childhood Photos 1949-1950 5th Grade

 

Childhood Photos 1949-1950 5th Grade

Eileen, Mom, and her three boys: Tommie, Jimmie and Bill (sometimes still Billie!)
Notice the favorite setting for pictures…

 

The second favorite location for photos… Bill and his Mom. Similar dress style, I note.

The grove, off to the north east from the house, behind the chicken houses… a favorite play place.

The Kinnick cousins, Kathleen, Kelton and Karen, were at the farm on a Sunday afternoon. Very common occurrence - Jimmie and I seem to be sticking our tongues out. Not the nicest of photo. Later on I built a ‘cabin’ in the grove, to the right of this photo location. Don’t think any photos survive of it. There were also old farm implements stored here, that made for great climbing around on.
What fun!

Another county fair photo, I’m sure. No way to date this, so here it is!!! ;-)

Star Church young people gathered together for some occasion.

Back Row, left to right, Ann Rees, Dwight Brown, Doyle Gymer, Bill Smith, Dennis Ford, Phil Huffed
Middle Row, left to right, Tom Rees, Charlotte Shirbroun, Donna Grim, Nancy Bolger, ??
Front Row, left to right, ??, Jessie Rees, Marla Williams, Ramona McGee, Wayne Grim

Could make lots of comments, but I’ll leave that up to you, the reader…
Frustrating not to remember those two girls names… help?

Good example of young folks, guys and gals, growing and maturing at different paces…

I did notice how Nancy and I always seemed to stand nearby to one another… pure chance??


See you down the road…  :-)
 

Childhood Images 1948-1949 - 4th Grade

 

Childhood Images 1948-1949 - 4th Grade

This appears to be late in 1948. Notice that Tommy arrived in the spring - we were now 5!

This is aphoto I used on a web page many years ago about Willow #3; here is the caption from that time:

“Notice building and cars and background - Spring 1949
Back row (left to right): Donnabelle Shirbroun, Bernice Pevestorf, Joan Bowman, Beverly Woods, Pat
Thomas, Bill Smith
Middle row: Wilson Thomas, Jim Tolsdorf, Dick Hunter, Judy Tolsdorf, Bob Hunter, Charolette
Shirbroun, Shirley Woods
Front row: Jane Lovell (?)(blonde girl), Gary Hunter on right, in front of Shirley”

Our teacher for 4th, 5th and 6th Grades was Inez Shirbroun, wife of Speedy, the local Coon Rapids Radio repairman, and soon to be Television guru. Since our school sat on a hill, he put up an antenna on Thursday nights and picked up the WOI-TV, Ames, signal from about 60 miles to the east. We got to go watch the Lone Ranger, in black and white, of course, small screen - but it was our first exposure to television. It was a couple of years after that before we were able to have one in our home - and all three channels!!! ;-)

In the meantime, this is what I constructed and played with… inside, on carpet... Lincoln logs made the outline. I created the cars out of plaster of paris, in rubber molds, wheels inserted while wet. I still have a couple of them, somewhere, in a box.

Two different views, outside, that also shows more of the yard around the east side of the house. I was quite into architecture at the time. Constructed each building out of wood. The large 'cattle shed' on the right was modeled after the real one my Dad constructed across the road, south of the barn... looks just like it. Proportions are a 'bit' off from rest of buildings, but... made at different times, for different reasons. By the way, the house was a very modern design, for the times....  ;-)

P.S. Really amazing these photos survived!!! ;-)


See  you down the road… ;-)

Childhood Images 1947-1948 - 3rd Grade

 

Childhood Images 1947-1948 - 3rd Grade

Bill with Whitey - my only dog. He was there for a few years. One day he was no longer there. If my parents knew what became of him, they never told me. Later farm dogs, like Spice, were for the younger boys, not me. For me, there was only Whitey. A second view:

I guess this is where my writing career began. Don’t know when or where it showed up, but it is obviously a story I wrote:

“Bill And The Cows
One day Bill’s father said to Bill “Will you go look after the cows?” Bill said that he would. He went and got his bike and a book. He rode to the top of a hill. He started to read in about 10 minutes he looked to see where the cows were. He fond (sic) that they had gone on down the hill. He hurried and put them in the lot. THE END”

Jesse Shirbroun was the teacher at Willow #3 in my 2nd and 3rd Grade, I believe. This photo appears to be in the Fall of 1947 on an occasion where brother Jimmie was visiting. Here is the teacher and her car, alone:

 

See you down the road… ;-)

Childhood Photos 1946-47 - 2nd Grade

 

Childhood Photos 1946-47 - 2nd Grade

On further examination, I think this is still First Grade, perhaps Spring of 1946, because the lady in back on the right is teacher, Mildred Peverstorf, in center, Pat Thomas, and on the left, Berniece  Peverstorf (sister of teacher). Youngsters from right to left, Jim Tolsdorf, Dick Hunter, Wilson Thomas, Charlotte Shirbroun, Shirley Woods, Billie Smith, Gary Hunter, Robert Hunter and the last two I just don’t recognize at this time. The photo was taken in our front yard, looking north. This is Willow #3, I count 12, so a couple are missing, but we were always a small school in my experience.

Back on track, this is my 7th birthday on July 1, 1946, with Angel Food Cake and tent as primary gift.

This is a marvelous photo of the age, a panoramic view!! I am standing behind the tent, Wilson Thomas is with the dog, that I think is actually the first photo of Whitey… my favorite dog. More on that next time. Brother Jim is standing in front. Fall has arrived. Note the car and all the out building. Neat. Light  pole in the center of the photo and the yard. Prominent in so many photos.

December 4, 1946… another dated photo… love them…an all-time favorite. All my closest friends through these early years. The occasion is the Birthday of Dennis Ford, he was eight years old, a cousin six months older than me; at the Ford farmhouse.
From left, Donna Grim, Nancy Bolger (So Sweet!!!), Kay McLaughlin, Wilson Thomas (back), Tom Rees (front), Billie Smith (back), Dennis Ford, Wayne Grim, cousin David Thomas. What a group!! ;-)

Willow #3 school children along side the school. My guess is spring of 1947. Pat and Beverly in back. Front, from left, Charlotte, Dick, Billie… Wilson Thomas on far right.

Don’t know where to put this one. So here it is!! ;-)

I’m putting this as Jimmie’s third birthday in April 1947. All dressed up!! ;-)

With Kinnick’s at the Harvey Place on the Gladden Road north of Coon Rapids where Grandpa and Grandma Kinnick lived for a few years … this where Uncle Buzz returned from Japan after his army service - in 1947.
From left, back, Karen, Billie, Kathleen
Front, Kelton (approaching 2), Jimmie (3+)
Love those cars and barn in the background!! ;-)


See your down the road! ;-)
 

Childhood Photos 1945-46 - 1st Grade

 

Childhood Photos 1945-46 - 1st Grade

I can’t be sure exactly when this photo was taken, but I’m going to assume 4-County Fair in Coon Rapids, likely in Summer of 1945, and go from there. I just love this photo!! ;-)

Again, this was likely a church related party, in the backyard at our farmhouse. Quite a spread. One of few photos we have of this side of the farmhouse in full.

Billie with first cousins, Kathleen and Karen Kinnick. Interesting background of barn and tractor.

 

Cute photo of brother Jim and I. I do not have an occasion or a date, again. Background interesting again, featuring the garage.

This one features Mom and Jim, again… quite the pose! Again, consider the background, the buildings, the car... as World War II was ending, as well, time-wise! ;-)

When school started in the fall, I had the same teacher, neighbor Mildred Peverstorf. Here is the announcement in the paper:

75 Years Ago - The Coon Rapids Enterprise
August 24, 1945
The three rural schools in Willow township, Greene County, will be taught by Coon Rapids
girls this year. Mildred Pevestorf at No. 3, Etta Scott Fick at No. 4 and Ruth Pfieffer at No. 9.

Jim and I in Winter attire, again, note Barn and Crib behind.

Dad got the “new” - to him - Farmall M - that is Jim with him - I think this was Feb 1946. But, the most important element of this photo is just behind Dad, above the tire... the old front porch was replaced by a wonderful new indoor bathroom... complete with tub and toilet!! Also, a 'front door' that never worked out that way!! ;-) Little things mean a  lot! ;-)

This is likely Bible School, June 1946. Nancy sitting in front of me. I’m second from right, standing, if you cannot tell.  

NOTE: As a reminder, compiling these black and white photos from this era is an exercise for me and my family. I'm sharing it widely, and I hope each of you find it interesting and worth our time to view, but, it is mostly for my gratification. Thank you.

See you down the road... ;-)

Childhood Photos - 1944-45

 

Childhood Photos - 1944-45

Moving ahead, I’ve slid to ‘school-year’ periods. Some photos are dated, which helps. Others, I’ve made my best guess (may be a year or so off). Big thing I’m learning from these exercises is how normal my childhood really was… I was not really isolated on the farm. Our family did all sorts of things. I should have fully realized from Mom’s diaries, but I’m just now “getting it.” Live and learn!

First big change was that a brother, Jim, or Jimmie, at the time, arrived in April of 1944.

Again, I had a birthday angel food cake, that year…5 years old, 1 Jul 1944..

Click on photo to get larger image

After Kindergarten, June 1945 I assume, we had our first Vacation Bible School at the Star Church. Lots of familiar faces, even brother Jimmie on the shoulders of one of the Ford twins, just left of center, back row! Nancy and I are 2nd and 3rd from the left, side by side, for the first time in a photo. Donna Grim is on the left of Nancy, Kay McLaughlin to my right, then Charlotte Shirbroun. Roberta Ford behind Nancy. Moving right, Donna Gymer, Donna Ford, Ford twins, ??, DonnaBelle Shirbroun. Far right, Joan Bowman and Bob Bolger in overalls. Dave Thomas in sweater. Dwight Brown. Many others!! ;-)

Larry Johnson did a nice job of isolating us. Love this image!!! ;-)

Sorensen family gathering at Louise and Rasmus Nielsen home south of Bayard… kids lined up:
Jimmie, Judy, Billy, Marie, Darrell, Winona. 15 July 1945.


See you down the road… ;-)