View From The Bridge 2/9/11

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
by Muncie
2/9/11

WEATHER
I was taught as a youngster…”If you can’t say anything good, then don’t say anything at all.” Enough said! However, if one cannot talk about the weather, what is there to talk about?

CITY COUNCIL
I have not been able to attend a Council meeting since the one that gave me the opportunity to be the first resident of Fort Benton to have a tour of the new facility. That was due to the weather and today (Monday) I can see out of the window by my computer that it is not going to happen again tonight. Just wanted the Mayor, Councilmen, Councilwomen, Patty, and Mimi that I miss them. I can only keep up by Tim’s reports on the meetings.

“Phil” said that we were going to have an early spring. That means that in six weeks I can walk to the Council Meetings. That is the good news. The bad news is that it looks as though it is going to be a long six weeks.

VETERANS PHOTOS
I have accumulated about a dozen more photo/bios in the last month. I am planning to return to the Research Center tomorrow, (Tuesday the 8th,) but all depends on the weather. After these latest photos have been scanned and framed, we will move on to starting the3 bios. I really appreciate offers of assistance and I will call on you when the time comes. Now, there is nothing pending and my very able assistant Betty, (maiden name Conn,) has carried on in my absence.

By the way, when Betty volunteered to help with the project, I wrote in the View that she would be leaving in March. She wanted to be sure that I would add to that statement, that she would not be long in WA. She would return immediately to stay for a very long time (we hope.)

I received a great phone call last week from Tom Sorkness who now lives in Wyndmoor, PA. He had mailed a photo and bio of his father to me and he wanted to be sure that I had received them. We chatted for a long while about Fort Benton, his attended Fort Benton High School, and his friends that included the Morger kids. When our conversation was ending, I asked what he did in PA. He said he was a teacher and when I asked what he taught…he said HISTORY. That made me so proud even though I do not know this young man. Of course, you must know that anyone interested in history counts many brownie points with me.

I will repeat what I just put in the View a few weeks ago. “A People Without a History is Like the Wind in the Buffalo Grass.” Author unknown. I will also repeat…parents and grandparents…tell your children stories of your childhood, the places you lived, how you lived, stories about your parents, grandparents, and perhaps even great-grandparents. Tell them everything you know about everything. An even better idea would be to record their stories. Sometimes in repeating stories, important dates, and facts are lost in translation.

Perhaps the children and grandchildren are not interested at this time to listen to your stories. However, when they get into their 50’s and 60’s, they will suddenly want to know where they came from and whom they came from.

Who know’s? I may have been a Hungarian Princess if only my grandmother were here today to tell me. My parents and grandparents did not talk to us about our ancestors and even the few stories I had heard were contradictory.

I spoke with my maternal grandmother one day about her brothers and sisters. I wanted to know in what order the siblings were born and when they were born. After my grandmother passed, a first cousin once removed, compared notes with me and very few of the dates coincided. Now I will never know.

I did know that my grandfather was killed after WWI on his way home after discharge. A sniper shot him when he left the train at a station for a cigarette. It was not until I was in my 70’s that I had an opportunity to go to Europe. My Sweetheart, Wally, wanted to do two things in Europe. He wanted to go to Switzerland to find his great grandfather’s birthplace and he wanted to go to Normandy. It was at Normandy with all the historical documents to be viewed, that I realized that my grandfather fought with the Germans and the Russians. The three powers were Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary. What a shock that was to me. There are many other things that I know about my maternal grandparents but I know nothing about my paternal grandparents.

I know that I have gone on and on about this but I would hope that my story will arouse your interest in your own history and before it is too late. Please let me know if this helps you on your road to discovery.

LABELS FOR EDUCATION
Have you turned in your Labels for Education yet? The deadline for this year is February 18th. However, keep on collecting for the next collection period. Each label is worth $.10.

So far, for this period collection, the Kiddos have collected 2,000 labels. That earns them an ice cream sundae with one topping. For each 1,000 labels collected they earn another scoop of ice cream and another topping. What a deal. Karen Giles and Wendy Bird will be serving the treats on March 4th.

I was, also advised, to call Jeanette Nelson at the High School Superintendents office to check out how the money was spent. Jeanette said that the $902.00 that was recently received has not yet been spent. The monies can only be spent on items that benefit the children. When it is decided where to spend the funds, Jeanette will put an article in the River Press telling what was purchased. It could be for books for the library or it could be something for the playground. Watch for her reports.

SO LONG FOR NOW
Remember Valentine’s Day next Monday the 14th. There will be a Bake and Book Sale at the Library. Pie Day at the Golden Age is on the 18th. Because President’s Day is on the 21st, perhaps there will be a few Cherry Pies. Won’t that be fun! The “Pie Bakers” had many pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving, I requested rhubarb another time, and if I remember correctly, there have been rhubarb pies ever since. I will settle for cherry this month if you can possibly arrange it. I hope that the “Pie Bakers” do not think I ask too much.

Keep thinking about spring and God bless our Servicemen and Servicewomen. GOD BLESS AMERICA.