By Ruth Koehler

Special to the Dispatch

Spending my first six school years in a country school is what I did…not so much by choice but because it was the only way. I became an adult before I realized what a plus it was to have attended District 271 in Butler Township, Ottertail County. Many vivid memories remain.

Skiing in winter: I recall clearing off the skis sometimes more than once during my one mile trip to school. Warmer conditions caused the ice to build up under my boots – the skis were homemade and only had a leather strap across my boot to hold them on. I used no poles, just moved my hips to push me forward. Often, it was bitter cold. (Recollection of one morning my mother coming upstairs to announce “No school today…it’s 40 below.” Yay, even though I loved school, this was great news as I snuggled under my heavy quilts.)

Upon arriving at the schoolhouse, removing my feet from the stirrups, then running my woolen mittened hands along the bottoms to clear off any ice and snow. The skis should then be smooth for my trip home. Next, placing them upright against the schoolhouse wall. Before walking into the school coat room, stomping my boots to clear the bottoms of snow. Walking into the coat room and noticing the smell of wet and drying coats and snow pants. Students were milling around, sharing their adventures of the morning or the night before. My goal was to get my items ready before the teacher rang her desk bell signaling the start of the day and the flag pledge.

Barb, my bestie friend, sometimes stayed overnight at my house, so we skied home together. Have you ever tried skiing with two people on the same skis? Barb placed her feet behind mine and hung onto me from behind, trying to match the rhythm of my legs with hers. We fell more than once, laughing until we were breathless. Realizing we’d never get home that way, she partly walked where the snow wasn’t so deep. Memories of close friends remain forever.

Remembering the school room as being warm and inviting. Ms. Tolppi had long been there, feeding the wood stove and carrying water into the room. The older boys were given duties to help with the chores needing more strength.

Discipline could be a problem with so many age groups. Each grade would sit patiently waiting until its class was called to come forward. By being a good listener, one could learn all kinds of things by the time one’s class was called. I have fond memories of reading most of the books on the shelves, and then picking up the encyclopedias. I would peruse the pages, reading the articles which interested me and enjoying the pictures. 

To this day I have a pristine set with which I don’t wish to part. Wikipedia is also used, but nothing compares to occasionally holding the precious book and reading from it.

Regarding discipline, teachers sometimes used methods deemed unlawful today. One time an older boy did several actions showing disrespect and the teacher asked him to place his hands on the desk, after which she rapped a ruler across his fingers…not lightly, but with some force. Kenny undoubtedly held this in his memory forever, as I did having only witnessed it! However, for the most part, students were well behaved and enjoyed the learning and interactions.

We even got to see a little courting going on between our teacher and her beau whom she later married. Orin would sometimes be waiting for Miss Walgren after school, and we students would watch in awe, quietly giggling as we kept our eyes and ears open.

Our superintendent, Ms. Louise Stonedahl, would come around periodically to observe the teacher’s performance. We were told the day before she came to try to be doing exactly what we were told during this time. Sometimes she brought a school board member, Mr. Hemphill, along to also check on the books and teaching methods.

I had three teachers during my six grades at District 271: Ms. Egelseder, Ms. Dorothy Walgren, and Ms. Beatrice Tolppi. Ms. Tolppi lived about a mile away, the other two boarded in the house behind our school where the Redetzkes resided. My school memories remain very positive as I believe those years gave me a good background academically, plus they taught me how to get along with others. Perhaps I became stronger and not so vulnerable to bullying. In my opinion, students benefit from playing and learning around all age groups. Splitting up grades during these early years and isolating them doesn’t help in getting along and understanding each other.

Ms. Tolppi had been Minnesota State Spelling Champion. While our teacher, she always stressed good spelling and took our school’s students to spelling contests in the spring. These were held at other schools and we probably got there through various parents’ rides. We always looked forward to these events.

Spelling has always come easily for me probably because of this background, and partly because I paid attention since English was my second language. I could speak some English when I started school at age 6, however, my older brother knew only Finnish when he started. As he picked English up at school, I learned from him.

During recess, we played several games, one being Burnout. In this game, one person had to guard the goal while the other side tried to touch the goal to earn a point. One time I was guarding the goal when Duane, a very fast and large boy, came charging toward me to touch the goal as I had my arm out to tag him out. The next thing I knew I was flying up in the air and crashing down, soon aware of the pain in my shoulder. Such a scary time with no technology, no way to get help. However, somehow my parents were alerted, came and took me to Sebeka, where Dr. Parker revealed my collar bone was cracked. Kindly, he explained why they wouldn’t set it but I would instead wear a sling for several weeks. This sling was a large dish towel tied behind my neck, and, as the bone healed, I was to start lifting heavier objects such as a one gallon syrup can. It seemed to take forever, but the bone healed very nicely, and I haven’t had any trouble with it.

Playtime was also spent making forts from branches along the wooded edge of the schoolyard. We were in a couple of different groups, probably by age and it became sort of a competition. We learned to wrap smaller pliable branches around larger ones to create a fort having a rounded ceiling. We could actually crawl inside and pretend the fort was our house. This was a good example of getting along together and working. I don’t recall arguments or fights, although there were obviously leaders and followers in the groups. A fun memory.

One memory I regret: The older students were helping the teacher clean out the closet shelves one day. Suddenly the teacher held up a workbook “Eddie Barkes…” Of course that was my dad, however, I was too shy to raise my hand to ask if I could take it home to him. Amazing he had attended the same school as me and his workbook was still there! In fact, Dad had told me of going to school one day barefoot (as many did then) and running home all the way since it had snowed and he had no shoes! Thinking how he would have treasured that workbook!

We would have a picnic celebrating the last day of school. Our parents would come and it would be a big deal. One year this event took place on June 1st, and large snowflakes came down as we went outside for our group picture. Parents would bring a potluck dish to share, and they would visit while the kids played softball.

Putting on a school play was probably the highlight of the year. In my mind’s eye, it was an elaborate production. In hindsight, I realize the curtain was probably and old donated sheet strung on a wire to slide easily back and forth. The stage was also homemade and could be stored from year to year, ready for the next masterpiece theater. Somehow the students always seemed to perform well enough to receive resounding applause on completion, even with a standing ovation! Of course, this was mostly due to the patience and skill of that year’s teacher.

Pie socials were also a fun part of our school days. Parents would bring a home baked pie in a basket, and a caller would get bids on each pie. The winning bidder would sit with the baker of the pie and eat it while they visited.

We also had talent contests, sometimes held in other school buildings. A few miles away we were at another school on a very cold night for an exciting talent content. My parents must have been worried about driving when it was so cold. My best friend Barb and I sang a duet…”Lonely Little Robin.” I can still picture it. I wore long brown stockings under my dress and I was envious of Barb since she wore white stockings. We held hands behind our backs as we sang our hearts out. We won second place, $3, and that $1.50 was exciting for each of us.

There are other vivid memories of country school: I would sometimes meander while walking slowly during the mile stretch home. One day as I walked through the woods toward my house, I could actually smell my mom’s chocolate pudding…she made the best chocolate pudding, and its delicious smell was wafting through the screened porch window. 

The other memory wasn’t quite as pleasant. I had somehow dropped my thermos during that day at school and I wasn’t looking forward to telling Mom it had broken. As I came through the woods toward the house, Mom happened to be outside and saw me approaching. She had an uncanny gift of reading my face (even when I was an adult). “What’s wrong?” she asked. I burst out crying and told her I had accidentally broken the thermos. To my surprise, she wasn’t very upset. My lesson learned here was to tell the truth regardless of the outcome.

My sixth grade year was my last in District 271, as the school closed due to consolidation. I had happy memories of those school years, as they gave me a solid background for my upper grades.

District 271 students circa 1954. My sister Martha far left in back, me in far left front, my bestie friend Barb far right front.

We had the privilege of choosing Sebeka or New New York Mills school districts since our home was on the dividing line between both. School board members of both districts drove out to our house on different days and asked what our choice would be. My sister and I both wanted New York Mills so that became our choice. Since brother Ray had already attended Sebeka school, he chose to complete high school there.