~ Hidden Timber, South Dakota
1936: Will went to Mission to road meeting, for all the neighbor-men want to get the road graded from Valentine state line to Bert Roundy’s, Highway No. 18.
1943: This is May Day, and for so many days there been strong winds from the south, southeast and northwest, and dusty, and it gets real chilly at times, so that we have to have a fire in the heater. This is Kate Smith’s birthday, radio entertainer. I sewed on Will’s nighties.
1945: We came to Mission, had dinner, then took our things to Episcopal Church basement. First Will got coupons from O.P.A. to get extra help, sugar, Red and Blue stamps. I stayed in the basement for Will was to meet road board and make application for A.A.A. program for 1945. He then went home to look at cattle and see that the calves were in the barn and fed, also the chickens, for we have 31 little ones with hens in west side of coop, he then came back to Mission to get me, for I stayed to help.
The Senior-Junior Banquet was for 4 girls and 4 boys that serve, a Mr. Peterson, Supt. Mr. Todd, coach, a Mrs. Anderson, another teacher, Mrs. June Geitner and 51 high school graduates, and including juniors. Gowns long and flowing for girls, boys in just nice suits. We served mashed potatoes, furnished by Clara Anderson, cooked by her with Mrs. Mosher’s help at her home, mashed by electric mixer at Boarding School kitchen and maybe they were cooked there, I don’t know. They brought them in time for the banquet. The rest of us got dishes of corn, coffee, creamed chicken, whipped creamed for pies (apple), fixed cheese slices for pies, pickles in dishes, rolls gotten at Hoffine Bakery, put cocktail in glasses, also lime Jello on plates on lettuce leaves to let junior girls put on tables. They, with Mrs. Geitner, decorated tables with flowers, candles, nut cups with peanuts, both salted and chocolate covered, and place cards.
After cocktails, the servers gathered dishes. We had to wash spoons and saucers for the next course of creamed chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, Jello, rolls, cream, coffee, butter. The cream and butter were on the table, the rest on a plate. Only a few took coffee, the rest drank water. They made speeches and toasts but I never heard any, as I was busy putting rolls on each serving. Mrs. Sazama took up chicken. Mrs. Anderson, the potatoes. Mrs. Tate, corn, but when she got coffee, Mrs. Dowd put corn on plates, and Mrs. Sells helped Mrs. Tate with coffee. Mrs. Fox put plates at serving window, and Mrs. Lein started to wash dishes, then Mrs. Tate and Mrs. Sells helped her. We had to have spoons, forks and saucers for the pie plates that were used on the table, as there were not enough dishes for all courses.
After all the students and teachers left, we ate at the banquet tables. Mr. Lein and Whitcher were the only 2 men. Little Jerry Harvey and Dickie Lein only small children until Dickie Fox and Shirley Sazama came in evening. In trying to get a roll off of Mrs. Sazama’s plate, Will upset a pitcher of water and nearly spoiled Mrs. Gee’s supper.
All around a nice banquet. We brought Mrs. Tate home, got here near midnight and it was chilly, but we retired without a fire.