Memories

I was born Jan. 16, 1930 in Camp Crook, South Dakota to George R. and Jessie (Brewer) Townsend, with a 5-year-old brother, Robert.

Camp Crook was an upcoming little community at the time. It had two grocery stores, 2 cafes, 2 garages, and of course, 2 bars.

My dad moved the family to Ekalaka in 1935-36. In 1936 I was in the first grade. We lived in and rented a large apartment in an old, two-story, white building on the southeast side of town (north of the ASCS office now).

Across the hall was a male musician who played for dances. There was a dance in Ekalaka every Saturday night. He also worked at one of the bars. I can’t remember his name, but he was married and had a high school aged daughter at the time.

The third apartment was rented by Francis Strait Sr., his wife and their two children, Bessie and Francis Jr. Francis bought and sold jack rabbits and had a large pile of them.

The building had two large fire escapes and no indoor plumbing. There was a water spigot and a metal tank to wash hands, though.

My first and second grade teacher was Mrs. Gaer. My third and fourth grade teacher was Mrs. Cleveland. I can’t remember my fifth and sixth teacher. Seventh and eighth was Mr. Kenneth Kins - the Mr. on the front of his name was well deserved - as was Mr. William C. Rowley, beloved educator in Carter County for 40 years.

When I was in seventh and eighth grade our class was joined by another boy, Dale McCord. On the night of our eighth grade graduation a couple from Alzada attended the ceremony. After, they loaded Dale and I and our suitcases in their pickup and took us back to Alzada.

They took us to their home where we stayed all night and fed us breakfast the next day.

Then someone else came and picked us up and took us north and west to a ranch owned by Claude Fruit. Dale had worked there the year before and knew how to do things, but I didn’t even know how to milk a cow.

During shearing time, Bill Karianen, a southern neighbor came to help. He asked me if I would like to work for him. My suitcase was packed. Upon arriving at his ranch, I learned that he was married to Bessie McCord and had two little girls.

They had several buildings. One was a large barn with a hay mound. Also in the barn was a stanchion for four milk cows. Bill had been milking them and at that time I learned to milk cows. I also had 20 bum lambs to feed.

Dale McCord continued to work for Claude Fruit. He never attended school after the eighth grade, but eventually joined the U.S. Navy and was placed on the crew for the first atomic submarine, U.S.S. Nautilus. That same submarine was also the first to go under the polar ice cap.

Another couple that worked for Bill and Bessie Karianen was Ray and Pearl McCord and their two little boys. They herded sheep and lived in a sheep wagon.

Memories of memories . . . things have certainly changed!!!