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Pelto School Memories
I was born and raised in the Brocket, ND area in 1960. I went to kindergarten at Whitman, ND...one of very few students. I then attended Pelto for a couple of years where a Mrs. Johnson was my teacher. There was one other boy in my grade...Ricky Hodek. It was a one-room schoolhouse with cafeteria, gym, stage, and area to eat. Our recess was outside. Ricky and I used to have a fun time trying to get the badger out of its hole by throwing rocks and sticks down it. We were successful once and just barely made it to the merry-go-round in time. We heard the "snuffing" noise at our heels. We would ice skate on a frozen pond. Go to the bathroom in the "outhouse." I remember being overjoyed at my turn ringing the bell for everyone to come in to school. I think the rope pulled me right off my feet! I realize Pelto is a swamp now and was demolished. Anyone know where that bell is? My dad used to tell us stories of Pelto, too. He was born in 1935. We used to love our gasman - Hank Butler, because he would have a roll of Lifesavers for us on his route. He always wore blue striped overalls, like a train engineer. Our mail man would deliver our grandma's baby ducks and geese. We would quickly throw the cover off and pick the blace duckling out of the center. The ugly duckling would be our "pet." The only one not to face the chopping block. I remember families gathering together during harvest time to help one another out with their crops. Grandma and us girls would get the meals ready for the "men in the field." We would drive out there and serve them sandwiches and kool-aid. Once in awhile, the same families would again gather for butchering of livestock. We made our own bohemian shorts, jiternice, and pastries I only know how to pronounce...like "rollheecks" and "kolaches." My favorite were the poppyseed ones. I used to like to break the poppyseed heads off the plants and shake them. I only did that once though, grandma gave me the green switch for that. We used to rob her ground cherry plants blind, too. Grandpa used to take us crow hunting with his shotgun. I think he got a big kick out of the "kick" it gave us when we fired it! We loved to go to town...Brocket...for pop out of the bottle machine. My favorite was strawberry. We always got candy out of the big glass jars, too. We attended church at Lomice. Sometimes went to dances at Bechyne. Yes, I am of Czech origin. 100% to be exact! There are so many great memories of living on that farm and growing up so close to neighbors. People don't experience that closeness anymore. I miss that. I am 36 years old now...my students at school can't believe I used to heat my bath water up with a round donut (after hauling it from the well.), or using an outdoor toilet, not having a colored television or video game system. We played 500 with a bat and ball and tag games. Our first snowmobile was an old Ski-doo with a pull behind. Share your memories with me, please!
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