The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older.
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Aug. 26, 1943.
(Lars Larson of Hardwick continues his story from last week.)
There were no public schools at that time, and the education the children did get was obtained from classes conducted in the homes. School was held one week in each home, and the Norwegian language was used exclusively until the public schools came into being. One of her teachers, she recalls, was Christopher Helgeson.
Her father went to Sibley the first year or two he was here to have their wheat ground into flour. Trips were made to Mud Creek, near where the present town of Hills is now located by ox-team and lumber wagon. A hard plank across the wagon box was the only seat.
“Thinking back,” says Mrs. Larson, “I don’t see how they could pull through in those days. But in spite of the hardships, I can’t remember that we ever went hungry.”
When she was about 16, she worked as a maid in Luverne for one of the bankers. Her salary was $1.50 per week, and that sum was hard-earned. On wash days, she would get up at 3 a.m. and rub all the clothes clean on a wash board. In the winter time, when there was no rain water, she would melt snow and ice to obtain soft water to do the washing. In addition she did the housework, cleaning, baking, and other tasks to earn her meager salary.
Although the country was “quite civilized” when her parents moved here, there were times that Indians were seen in this section of the country. Most of them were trappers and had their trap lines along the Rock river. Although they never did any harm, they often came to the homes to beg something to eat, and as a rule, they were never refused by the frightened housewives.
Mr. and Mrs. Larson have two children, the Misses Inga and Helen Larson, both of whom live at home.
Mr. Larson has one brother, Nels Larson, Luverne, and one sister, Mrs. Harold Sambo, of Willmar, living. There were six boys and four girls in the family at one time.
Mrs. Larson has only one brother, Ben Roen, of Vienna township, who is living. The family once numbered eight children, and Mrs. Larson and Mr. Roen are the two youngest.
Mr. and Mrs. Larson are members of Our Savior’s Lutheran church here, having joined after they moved here in 1920. However, when they lived on the farm, they were members of the Blue Mound Lutheran church, and Mr. Larson served as church treasurer for many years.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.