Interviewer: Cassie Ptacek Typed by: Marlena Fongthian Born north of Zap April 19, 1932 No doctors Midwife Hard to give birth Remember living on the farm N. of Zap during the depression Milking cows Made own cheese Eating pigeons Rice with pigeons Family Has two younger sisters Alice Entze - b. Dec. 16, 1933 Delphine Traxel - b. March 20, 1936 School When she went to first grade, Aunt was her teacher No fire over the weekend at school 1 1/2 miles to school 1 room school house W/outhouse - 3 'R's Had to do quite a bit of memorizing was fair Being together with the other kids Played Hickory Dickory Dock
Played w/sticks Fox & goose Played some games Then everyone went back Weren't supposed to speak German Brought peanut butter & honey, brought sausage, cookies Biggest problem was getting there Was from the first grade to the 8th = 25-30 kids 1st grade teacher was Shirley's Aunt Stayed w/them Was fun having the teachers stay Had school Christmas programs Sang, put on plays Had religious Christmas songs Got noisy sometimes It was very important to Mother to get education Hated town life, so quit HS Maternal Grandparents Came from Russia Into Quebec Daughter was ill, so they didn't let them into the US Grandfather trusted a guy w/their belongings The guy stole them Came to Zap Mother born Were very poor, built a sod house, had to haul water 2 miles on a stone boat
John & Matilda Middlested used to help Grandma cook for threshers Grandma died young Lived 40 miles away Liked staying w/them Grandma couldn't speak English well, but liked politics Really listened to the news Grandpa was kind, a good person, and hard working Built a new house Was really nice They were Lutheran Paternal Grandparents Grandma died when she was 8, heart Grandma's funeral was in a rural church north of Zap Grandchildren carried flowers Grandpa died when she was 10 Died of cancer Used to give them a bad time because of their mother's background They lived on the farm where Shirley was born Had a wake at the house for the children Doesn't remember Grandfathers Were Germans Got along w/them well Grandfather remarried a very nice person, got sick, so she cared for him until he passed away (Magdalina Traxel) Aunts & Uncles
Aunt Frieda - Shirley's sponsor Ella (Mom's sister) was the 1st grade teacher Didn't know the rest well Knew dad's side better Visited them often on Sundays Spent a lot of time w/uncle Pete Girls that were her age Played cards, visited, no tvs Radio - listened to a lot of music Ellen Weigum - a cousin, a favorite A little older than Shirley Helped her at school Got together often Now it's either weddings or funerals Father Kept them busy No boys in the family, so had to help him Ernest - b. north of Zap - April 28, 1909 Was a farmer Could be strict Got along fine Could handle things well Died at home Heart attack Was 52 years old Mother
Everyone had to work very hard Had to pick cow chips to heat with Everyone had to pitch in Agatha Middlestadt - b. North of Zap - Feb. 9, 1909 Very caring person Expressed more emotion than dad Lived with Shirley for 7.5 years before death Got close Died at a nursing home in Killdeer Sometimes it wasn't easy Met through one of Mother's cousins The one that was her godfather Dad was the stricter one Mom influenced life more 3 girls Shirley was the oldest Younger sister had a lot of problems (nervous breakdown) Other one was sick as well Closest to Alice Would go riding on an old white mare Go sledding Did a lot of sewing & crocheting & embroidering Mother taught them Dollies, pillowcases, quilts, clothes Recycle Mother's sister's clothes Did have some store bought clothes
Not often for new clothes; got shoes when they needed them Ordered a lot of things through catalogues No telephone Earlier had one - 3 long, short Family always had a Model A car, later a Ford of some kind - 1950 used the horses a lot at that times Parents had a 32 volt wind charger Batteries in the basement Changed it a lot Everyone got wash machines, a deep freeze Chores Water, coal, & milk Feed calves Wash dishes Always like to work with cattle Had 30 cows 15-19 for milk Had chickens, pigs Had to be the farm hand Spent most of the time outside Remembers cultivating, driving the tractor Had a lot of hired help In the winter, had to clean the barn Farm 1st one - an old house, cold Dad would put manure around the house for insulation
Heat with coal Had a barn for milking, a chicken coop Still mostly In 1940 moved North of Golden Valley A better house & a better barn North of Golden Valley Bigger bedrooms 3 girls shared a room, one room was for hired help Kitchen, living room & a hall Had a coal stove, later, basement was dug out Sewing machine Weren't very good roads, just trails Felt isolated 1949 - roads were blocked Brought mail via airplanes Roads were very bad Grew wheat, oats, barley, & corn Cultivated, bindering, shocking, haul hay Helped during threshing Was about 12 Most of the equipment was horse drawn About 1/2 mile to closest neighbor Visit in winter No tension about town people Town kids had an attitude about farm kids Called stinky farm men hay shakers
Positive: getting to be outside Didn't have running water/electricity Environment Didn't know any better Winter was cold - often snowed in Spring was busy Calves being born, getting chicks Helped w/planting garden - big garden, lots of canning Grew potatoes, vegetables, corn Summer was very busy Hoeing, haying Hauling hay Shocking Fall was busy till everything was in & taken care of Spring was favorite because winter was over Food Baked bread, cakes, cookies If things flopped, took it to the neighbors Ate knoephla, strudel (favorites) Mom was the cook Anyone who was around had to help Canning was in the basement Sauerkraut Cut it up, salt it Made ice cream in the winter Milk, cream & eggs
Freeze it Hand crank Made it whenever No alcohol Butchering Several couples got together Killed pigs Clean the intestines Women did that Cutting & grinding meat Made pork sausage Salt, pepper & garlic then smoke it Head cheese, liver sausage Butchered chickens, also Didn't butcher beef, it was too expensive Laundry Carry the water in & out Hang the clothes out, even in the winter Hoped for a nice day Made soap w/lard & lye Mixed together, then put in a box & cut Made nice white soap Baths 1 time a week All shared, youngest to oldest Always a water shortage
Doesn't remember brushing teeth There were doctors in Beulah, Hazen, & Bismarck Only went when necessary Went when she had her tonsils out Home remedies Vicks & a bowl of hot water to inhale No dentist, no optometrist Religion Very important Went every Sunday they could Missouri Lutheran - St. John's Lutheran (Wittenberg) N of Zap Was a nice big building, very nice Was torn down and sold Women on one side, men on the other, children in front German Services Had Bible School for about 4 weeks Was always fun Christmas programs Learned in German until late 1940's Taught English Was confirmed in English & German Thought it was unfair 12 in confirmation class Learned a lot of Bible verses, commandments "Lord, take my hand & lead me" - song
Confirmation ceremony was scary Had meals at the parent's place Invited people over Invited the extended family On Sundays, usually visiting Never questioned Lots of restrictions Weren't supposed to drink or smoke Not problems w/other faiths Holidays Christmas Favorite Always went to church Christmas eve Got gifts from santa Got dolls, new dresses Oranges A real treat Don't waste Didn't really get together much No tree Easter Went to church Lots of church 4 days Didn't believe in an Easter Bunny
Dyed eggs Mix dye w/water 4th of July Didn't really celebrate it Didn't usually celebrate other holidays Birthdays Cake & ice cream Not many gifts No visitors Dirty Thirties Everyone struggled Those on the farm were in better shape Had own milk & eggs Ate a lot of flour foods Doesn't remember dust storms very well Doesn't remember grasshopper swarms WPA A dam built by the WPA Dad wasn't eligible to work Had too many assets Even on the land he owned CCCs Some friends went to work Things were tough for everyone Not good crops WWII
Neighbors were drafted into the service Remembers rationing. a little, not much Doesn't really remember the day of Pearl Harbor Teen years Listen to the radio a lot Saturday nights, went to town Shows at Zap Liked westerns Went to dances Mostly at Zap Was 16 when she started dating Went to town for dances or a show Had to be home by 12:00 Went to school w/raymond (her husband) Married in rural church mentioned before on Oct. 1, 1950 Reception in Golden Valley Tipped the car There was no snow Uncle Married in German No honeymoon Was a fun evening Did a lot of dancing Conclusions Stressful Mother was sick a lot
Had to help out a lot Mother had goiter surgery Sick a lot Happiest Getting together with cousins Adventurous None