I received a letter from Grandpa shortly after my graduation in 1987. Luckily he saved his draft of the letter. Grandma found it after he passed in a box of keepsakes. Grandma said in her letter, "you may have kept the original that he sent to you, but in case you haven't, I thought you want to have this one, I love you, Grandma Margie".
It read as follows...
"Dear Charlie:
Quite some time ago I received a most wonderful letter from you. That letter was one of the most gratifying letters I have ever received. Charlie, I sincerely appreciated your thoughts about me that you express in your letter.
May I express some thoughts about you and some suggestions for you that may help you in your life? Charlie, you possess a wonderful personality. You have a ____ (word illegible) personality. It shines from your face. It will win for you many friends in life. your friendliness to all people is a trait that few of us possess. Your quick wit and fast retorts will be an asset throughout your life. You should find success in whatever field you decided to follow.
I do have a few suggestions for you to follow down the road ahead. Always stay close to your mother and father. Let them help you as you go through life. I suggest that you follow my father's only religions, "Do unto others that which you would have them do unto you". Be careful in forming your friends. Be sure they are honest, faithful and true. Lookout for those who would lead you into unlawful acts. Do not let temptation lure you into the use of any drugs. Make a decision to be and honest law abiding citizen.
Follow these suggestions along with finding the right mate will assure you a happy and productive life. Charlie, I am looking forward to many pleasant experiences that I will have with you as we both progress through life. It will be a pleasure to watch you as you progress through a successful and happy life.
Your sincere Grandfather,
Chas E. Ward"
The Adjustment Years
The Great Depression
Beginning in June 1932 many different course marked the progress of my life. It was the time of life where all of us had to make adult decisions for the first time. Manhood was taking over boyhood. We had to seriously look at ourselves and hopefully make the proper decisions that would make for a happy life from now until life’s conclusion. Those decisions meant gaining our manhood, our occupation, our marriage, our family and the course in life that we would take. Some of these decisions, as always, would come by planning while others would be by accident or by the will of God. To me these adjustment years covered a span of years, 1932 to 1938.
As the Weber College years ended I still had hopes of completing the four years of college. The basic problem of that hope was money. In 1932 there was, of course, the deepening of the great depression. For me to go to college meant I had to get work to earn money for away from home college costs. There were so many married men out of work that it was almost impossible to be employed. The nation’s cry, to all employers was hire the married man first. That left us single fellows unemployed.
As Weber College life neared its end Prof. Leland Monson had proposed a way of making some money for college expenses. There were a number of woolen mills in the northern Utah area. These mills manufactured ladies and men’s clothing. They produced woolen material that was made into shirts, blouses, coats, skirts, pants, etc. Most of their products were sold by door to door contact by individual salesmen. Prof. Monson had in the last few years taken Weber students into the Northwest, Washington and Oregon, and supervised them in learning to sell woolens door to door. In years past Prof. Monson and his sales crew had been very successful. As I have already written, I was completely sold on Lealand Monson. I really loved him. He was magnificent as an English teacher. I agreed to try the sales route. In addition to myself there was Leland’s brother Vern Monson, Orland Fox, Marion Penrod, and Wray Glenn. Shortly after the end of school we left in Leland Monson’s car for Yakima, Wash. This site location was selected because it was lumber country where everyone loved woolen goods. We arrived at Yakima after two days of driving. Leland had set us up in a rooming house which carried a very low rate. He had also made arrangements for us to eat our meals there as long as they were of the cold variety. This was done to save money. Money was something that we had little of. That evening we had a review of how we were to house-to-house sell our woolens out of display cases and catalogs.
The next morning Leland took us into a residential area and outlined what area we would each cover. I walked up to my first house; knocked on the door and waited. A man came to the door. I explained that I was selling woolen goods and could I show them to him. In a polite way he said no and added that he was unemployed and unable to purchase anything. All morning I knocked on doors and met more than ninety percent men; unemployed men. Afternoon brought the same results. At our report meeting that evening everyone has the same story. The next day brought the same results except that I did sell a lady a jacket for her husband.
We were looking dead on at the depression. Leland said let us try one more day and if the results are the same we’ll return to Ogden. One day later we packed our bags for home. W had spent what little we had started with. When I returned to Ogden I was dead broke. The venture told, like we had never been told before, how bad the great depression really was. It made me more grateful to know that my father was still employed at Wheelwright Const. Co.
The first day after returning to Ogden I made my rounds visiting the 12th Street gang. With the exception of Jack Hilton, June Forsha and Ivan Hardy, I found them all unemployed.
Even with the difficulties of obtaining employment the summer of 1932 held some interesting events. With nothing to do, I had the opportunity to visit with my cousin Edwin Myers in Salt Lake City. We had become, over the years, good friends as well as relatives. Edwin did not have the quick wit nor the fast tongue that was more like a Ward; quiet and reserved. We were alike. We enjoyed the same things. We enjoyed visiting and discussing politics, world affairs, the depression and its effect on the youth of the nation, and the negative outlook for the future of America’s youth. We, the youth, were becoming depressed over the effects of the depression. All we could see ahead was social and financial chaos. In our minds we could not vision any recovery of prosperity which would open the doors for the youth. One thing I always remembered about Edwin: Always after these dark pictures we would paint, he would say, “Our country has had many problems in the past and solved them. We, given time, will solve them again.” I never fogot those words. Edwin did not live to see the end of the depression.
Even with the pessimism that existed towards the future we young near-men had many enjoyable periods. After my return from woolen selling in the state of Washington, I found myself totally broke. But as usual something good shows up. One evening Andy Isakson came to my home with great news. His brother E.J. had another school contract. He had some work for Andy, Herb and I. He was building an addition to the Madison Elementary School. We needed the work. The work did not last long but while we were working an incident happened that made us feel that some are thinking of the youth. One day while the three of us were grading the floor inside the building we saw four men approaching. We recognized them as school officials. E.J. was standing with his foreman outside the building. The four men walked up to E.J. and after passing formalities we heard one of them say to E.J., “Eric, you have three un-married young men working here. You, as well as us, know that your contract calls for you to employ only married men. We are here to ask you to dismiss the three young men.” Without hesitation E.J. replied, “Gentlemen those three youths are the men of tomorrow. The want to go to school. I refuse to dismiss them If you insist I will then forfeit the contract. They are going to work.” Little more was said. The men left and we kept working. E.J.’s action raised our spirits for a better future.
Our work on the Madison school came to an end after three weeks. We were unemployed again. Being without work meant being around home with nothing to do. One thing that I did was listen to my sister practice the piano. She was now twelve years old. She had been taking lessons for a year. In that short period of time she had become a fairly good pianist. She was so good that I enjoyed listening to her play. I loved to sit on the porch while she played music that I enjoyed.
By now, July, cherries were ripe. We were back to Frank Moores picking cherries at two cents per lb. Some days we could pick 100 lbs. of Lamberts which meant $2.00. That was better than nothing. We now had a little spending money. We could go to a picture show. We could go the Carl Lancaster’s hamburger shop and get a hamburger for five cents. While there we could get a shot in the optimistic arm listening to Carl tell us how good the economy was. How good the future would be. He was right for he became a millionaire; not in hamburgers but in parking lots and terraces.
Beginning in June 1932 many different course marked the progress of my life. It was the time of life where all of us had to make adult decisions for the first time. Manhood was taking over boyhood. We had to seriously look at ourselves and hopefully make the proper decisions that would make for a happy life from now until life’s conclusion. Those decisions meant gaining our manhood, our occupation, our marriage, our family and the course in life that we would take. Some of these decisions, as always, would come by planning while others would be by accident or by the will of God. To me these adjustment years covered a span of years, 1932 to 1938.
As the Weber College years ended I still had hopes of completing the four years of college. The basic problem of that hope was money. In 1932 there was, of course, the deepening of the great depression. For me to go to college meant I had to get work to earn money for away from home college costs. There were so many married men out of work that it was almost impossible to be employed. The nation’s cry, to all employers was hire the married man first. That left us single fellows unemployed.
As Weber College life neared its end Prof. Leland Monson had proposed a way of making some money for college expenses. There were a number of woolen mills in the northern Utah area. These mills manufactured ladies and men’s clothing. They produced woolen material that was made into shirts, blouses, coats, skirts, pants, etc. Most of their products were sold by door to door contact by individual salesmen. Prof. Monson had in the last few years taken Weber students into the Northwest, Washington and Oregon, and supervised them in learning to sell woolens door to door. In years past Prof. Monson and his sales crew had been very successful. As I have already written, I was completely sold on Lealand Monson. I really loved him. He was magnificent as an English teacher. I agreed to try the sales route. In addition to myself there was Leland’s brother Vern Monson, Orland Fox, Marion Penrod, and Wray Glenn. Shortly after the end of school we left in Leland Monson’s car for Yakima, Wash. This site location was selected because it was lumber country where everyone loved woolen goods. We arrived at Yakima after two days of driving. Leland had set us up in a rooming house which carried a very low rate. He had also made arrangements for us to eat our meals there as long as they were of the cold variety. This was done to save money. Money was something that we had little of. That evening we had a review of how we were to house-to-house sell our woolens out of display cases and catalogs.
The next morning Leland took us into a residential area and outlined what area we would each cover. I walked up to my first house; knocked on the door and waited. A man came to the door. I explained that I was selling woolen goods and could I show them to him. In a polite way he said no and added that he was unemployed and unable to purchase anything. All morning I knocked on doors and met more than ninety percent men; unemployed men. Afternoon brought the same results. At our report meeting that evening everyone has the same story. The next day brought the same results except that I did sell a lady a jacket for her husband.
We were looking dead on at the depression. Leland said let us try one more day and if the results are the same we’ll return to Ogden. One day later we packed our bags for home. W had spent what little we had started with. When I returned to Ogden I was dead broke. The venture told, like we had never been told before, how bad the great depression really was. It made me more grateful to know that my father was still employed at Wheelwright Const. Co.
The first day after returning to Ogden I made my rounds visiting the 12th Street gang. With the exception of Jack Hilton, June Forsha and Ivan Hardy, I found them all unemployed.
Even with the difficulties of obtaining employment the summer of 1932 held some interesting events. With nothing to do, I had the opportunity to visit with my cousin Edwin Myers in Salt Lake City. We had become, over the years, good friends as well as relatives. Edwin did not have the quick wit nor the fast tongue that was more like a Ward; quiet and reserved. We were alike. We enjoyed the same things. We enjoyed visiting and discussing politics, world affairs, the depression and its effect on the youth of the nation, and the negative outlook for the future of America’s youth. We, the youth, were becoming depressed over the effects of the depression. All we could see ahead was social and financial chaos. In our minds we could not vision any recovery of prosperity which would open the doors for the youth. One thing I always remembered about Edwin: Always after these dark pictures we would paint, he would say, “Our country has had many problems in the past and solved them. We, given time, will solve them again.” I never fogot those words. Edwin did not live to see the end of the depression.
Even with the pessimism that existed towards the future we young near-men had many enjoyable periods. After my return from woolen selling in the state of Washington, I found myself totally broke. But as usual something good shows up. One evening Andy Isakson came to my home with great news. His brother E.J. had another school contract. He had some work for Andy, Herb and I. He was building an addition to the Madison Elementary School. We needed the work. The work did not last long but while we were working an incident happened that made us feel that some are thinking of the youth. One day while the three of us were grading the floor inside the building we saw four men approaching. We recognized them as school officials. E.J. was standing with his foreman outside the building. The four men walked up to E.J. and after passing formalities we heard one of them say to E.J., “Eric, you have three un-married young men working here. You, as well as us, know that your contract calls for you to employ only married men. We are here to ask you to dismiss the three young men.” Without hesitation E.J. replied, “Gentlemen those three youths are the men of tomorrow. The want to go to school. I refuse to dismiss them If you insist I will then forfeit the contract. They are going to work.” Little more was said. The men left and we kept working. E.J.’s action raised our spirits for a better future.
Our work on the Madison school came to an end after three weeks. We were unemployed again. Being without work meant being around home with nothing to do. One thing that I did was listen to my sister practice the piano. She was now twelve years old. She had been taking lessons for a year. In that short period of time she had become a fairly good pianist. She was so good that I enjoyed listening to her play. I loved to sit on the porch while she played music that I enjoyed.
By now, July, cherries were ripe. We were back to Frank Moores picking cherries at two cents per lb. Some days we could pick 100 lbs. of Lamberts which meant $2.00. That was better than nothing. We now had a little spending money. We could go to a picture show. We could go the Carl Lancaster’s hamburger shop and get a hamburger for five cents. While there we could get a shot in the optimistic arm listening to Carl tell us how good the economy was. How good the future would be. He was right for he became a millionaire; not in hamburgers but in parking lots and terraces.
Yellowstone - Bear Story
One morning while doing my garden weeding chore, Lester Douglas and Ivan Hardy drove in our driveway. They ahd come to present a plan for a trip to Yellowstone. I had told them so often about my first trip that they were itching to go themselves. Their plan was to take Ivan Hardy’s hard top Dodge coupe. We would build a seat on the trunk, which was flat. On that seat two would ride on the outside. Three others would ride in the single seat. The five would be made up with Andy Isakson, Joe McCracken, Charlie Ward, Les Douglas and Ivan Hardy. Ike Hardy was working for the U.S. Postal department hauling mail from the Ogden Railroad depot to the post office and from the post office to the depot. In 1932 all mail was moved nation-wide by train. The railroads had special mail cars on all trains and also some trains were only mail trains. Ike had vacation time and wanted uys five to go to Yellowstone. We all wanted to go. We calculated that by raiding our mothers kitchen and the family garden we could make the trip on not more than ten dollars each. All we would have to buy would be small amounts of food and the gasoline. We would sleep out under the stars.
We allotted ten days for the trip. We left early one morning; getting as far as Rexburg, Idaho by dark, some 250 miles. We drove at a break-neck speed of 35 miles per hour. In Rexburg we found the public park, then we proceeded to do what we did at each and every new stop on the trip. We tore down the seat on the trunk which was our bedding. From the trunk we took our cooking utensils . We carried a small amount of wood for a fire to cook our food. That came out and some of the food came out for our dinner and breakfast. That night in the dark we cooked our dinner. After dinner again in the dark, we made up our beds on the ground.
Next morning after breakfast we put all the food and utensils back in the trunk. Re-build the trunk seat and took off for Yellowstone. We visited West Yellowstone; then on to Old Faithful. They had heard my fishing stories of Yellowstone River so often that we kept on going until we reached the Dragon Geyser located on the Yellowstone River. There we camped for four days. We were the only ones camped at the dragon Geyser. In fact the entire Yellowstone Park was nearly empty of tourists. The depression was at its deepest point. Very few tourists were traveling. We almost had the park to ourselves. Actually it seemed that there were more bears than people. Upon our arrival at dragons Mouth we hurriedly unpacked the car. Then we raced each other getting ready to fish. Not all of us had the proper flys for the Yellowstone native. I had procured an ample supply which I passed out to those who had failed to bring any. I spent about fifteen minutes explaining how to cast and work the fly in the moving water of the Yellowstone. Then, as if a black bear were chasing us, we raced to the river. Some of us went upstream, some down. Though fishing on that first venture was fantastic two of the crowd returned to camp without fish. Ivan Hardy and Joe McCracken had never fished, they had to learn how and where to throw the fly. I took them downstream for a lesson. In less than an hour they were catching fish. During that first day we caught so many fish that we decided to take fish home for our parents. Realizing that they may spoil a decision was made to wrap them in towels and in blankets in a dry condition. Once wrapped we placed them under the car. The fish saved fro travel were the fish caught on the third day at Dragon Mouth.
On the fourth day we decided to go fishing for the first two hours; then pack up and go to see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. I was the first to return to our camp. Upon doing so I saw a big black bear trying to get under the car to steal our fish. Thoughts raced through my mind on a plan to stop him. I remembered that in on of our food boxes was a can of sardines. Maybe if I opened the can he would decide that the smell of sardines was better than that of trout. He paid no attention to me as I went through the box locating the sardines. Using the opener fastened tot the can I began to open the sardines. The second that the key broke open the can releasing the odor the bear raised his head and started for me and the can. I knew that before he could eat the sardines I had to complete opening the can. Working on the opener, I started around the car with the bear following. As soon as I had the can opened I threw it to the bear. He became totally engrossed in its content. I rushed to get the trout from under the car and placed them inside the car. The bear was still licking the sardine can. I grabbed my fishing pole and headed for the river. When I returned the bear was gone. The fish were saved. I’ve told my two Yellowstone bear stories so many times that I have them memorized. That afternoon the five of us packed up and moved on to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
We allotted ten days for the trip. We left early one morning; getting as far as Rexburg, Idaho by dark, some 250 miles. We drove at a break-neck speed of 35 miles per hour. In Rexburg we found the public park, then we proceeded to do what we did at each and every new stop on the trip. We tore down the seat on the trunk which was our bedding. From the trunk we took our cooking utensils . We carried a small amount of wood for a fire to cook our food. That came out and some of the food came out for our dinner and breakfast. That night in the dark we cooked our dinner. After dinner again in the dark, we made up our beds on the ground.
Next morning after breakfast we put all the food and utensils back in the trunk. Re-build the trunk seat and took off for Yellowstone. We visited West Yellowstone; then on to Old Faithful. They had heard my fishing stories of Yellowstone River so often that we kept on going until we reached the Dragon Geyser located on the Yellowstone River. There we camped for four days. We were the only ones camped at the dragon Geyser. In fact the entire Yellowstone Park was nearly empty of tourists. The depression was at its deepest point. Very few tourists were traveling. We almost had the park to ourselves. Actually it seemed that there were more bears than people. Upon our arrival at dragons Mouth we hurriedly unpacked the car. Then we raced each other getting ready to fish. Not all of us had the proper flys for the Yellowstone native. I had procured an ample supply which I passed out to those who had failed to bring any. I spent about fifteen minutes explaining how to cast and work the fly in the moving water of the Yellowstone. Then, as if a black bear were chasing us, we raced to the river. Some of us went upstream, some down. Though fishing on that first venture was fantastic two of the crowd returned to camp without fish. Ivan Hardy and Joe McCracken had never fished, they had to learn how and where to throw the fly. I took them downstream for a lesson. In less than an hour they were catching fish. During that first day we caught so many fish that we decided to take fish home for our parents. Realizing that they may spoil a decision was made to wrap them in towels and in blankets in a dry condition. Once wrapped we placed them under the car. The fish saved fro travel were the fish caught on the third day at Dragon Mouth.
On the fourth day we decided to go fishing for the first two hours; then pack up and go to see the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. I was the first to return to our camp. Upon doing so I saw a big black bear trying to get under the car to steal our fish. Thoughts raced through my mind on a plan to stop him. I remembered that in on of our food boxes was a can of sardines. Maybe if I opened the can he would decide that the smell of sardines was better than that of trout. He paid no attention to me as I went through the box locating the sardines. Using the opener fastened tot the can I began to open the sardines. The second that the key broke open the can releasing the odor the bear raised his head and started for me and the can. I knew that before he could eat the sardines I had to complete opening the can. Working on the opener, I started around the car with the bear following. As soon as I had the can opened I threw it to the bear. He became totally engrossed in its content. I rushed to get the trout from under the car and placed them inside the car. The bear was still licking the sardine can. I grabbed my fishing pole and headed for the river. When I returned the bear was gone. The fish were saved. I’ve told my two Yellowstone bear stories so many times that I have them memorized. That afternoon the five of us packed up and moved on to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Yellowstone - A Great Journey
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was responsible for the name Yellowstone National Park. Mother nature had placed a high plateau of earthly material with a beautiful color of yellow in it. She also provided a river to cut a massive canyon through that mountainous area. That river not only cut a canyon but also developed two white clear waterfalls. The first sight of that beauty of nature is awesome. The five of us were so impressed that we spent the rest of the day gawking at its wonder. We hiked to the bottom of lower falls. We pitched camp at the visitors park; prepared our dinner; rolled out our bedding; sand a few songs and then crawled in a bed on the ground. All thankful for the day’s grand ending.
The next day saw us at Mammoth Hot Springs. Mammoth never impressed me but it mad a hit for Andy Isakson and Les Douglas. They hiked most of the area looking and talking about how those terraces were built by water alone. Mammoth would be the end of our Yellowstone Trip. The next day would begin the return trip to Ogden. I enjoyed my first Yellowstone trip with Dick [illegible] (Weese?) but this trip, with my 12th Street friends, was the best of all my visits to Yellowstone Park.
As we left Yellowstone we thought we would have an uneventful trip home. That was not the case. Up to this point we had experienced zero car trouble. On the return trip we decided to go by the way of Malad instead of Logan. Just outside of Malad pavement ended and gravel took its place. In less than ten miles we had a flat tire. We had no spare, so it meant jacking up the wheel, removing the tire, patching the tube and replacing the wheel. Now that is not a bad condition once, but as we traveled on we continued to have flat tires. How many? We never could remember. One thing we do remember. We had so many flats that we wore out our hand pump and on the last flat we had to stop a car and borrow a pump. Fortunately we came back on pavement and that ended the flat tire epidemic.
The Yellowstone venture was an outstanding part of all of our lives. The enjoyment as the repeated stories told by all of us over the next many years. It was a great trip. What made the Yellowstone trip so outstanding was the combination of the participants.
Each one had a different personality. Each had situations and problems. For instance Ivan Hardy was of a serious nature. He had a certain wit that was dry and you wanted to listen closely to his responses since they always carried a message. Joe McCracken was the wit of the crowd. He always was able to come up with a joke about everything. Les Douglas was the doer. Never did Les remain quiet. He started the fire; put the fire out with water; got the wood; cleaned the camp; did the dishes. All of this with a certain amount of glee. Andy Isakson was the pessimist. He was always afraid something would go wrong; the car wouldn’t start; the fish wouldn’t bite; it would rain that night; we wouldn’t have enough food. Charlie Ward was the authoritative type. He wanted to tell everyone what to do next; where to go next; how long would we stay; who would pack the car; get the wood; cook the fish.
We never had a serious argument. Everything that we did seemed to be done with eagerness and with total agreement. Campfire evenings had their gaiety, with song and laughter. They also had their serous side as we viewed our future lives. Little did we know what life was about to bring to each of us. Nor did we know when or where life would come to an early end or would stretch into old age. As always it was good to not
The next day saw us at Mammoth Hot Springs. Mammoth never impressed me but it mad a hit for Andy Isakson and Les Douglas. They hiked most of the area looking and talking about how those terraces were built by water alone. Mammoth would be the end of our Yellowstone Trip. The next day would begin the return trip to Ogden. I enjoyed my first Yellowstone trip with Dick [illegible] (Weese?) but this trip, with my 12th Street friends, was the best of all my visits to Yellowstone Park.
As we left Yellowstone we thought we would have an uneventful trip home. That was not the case. Up to this point we had experienced zero car trouble. On the return trip we decided to go by the way of Malad instead of Logan. Just outside of Malad pavement ended and gravel took its place. In less than ten miles we had a flat tire. We had no spare, so it meant jacking up the wheel, removing the tire, patching the tube and replacing the wheel. Now that is not a bad condition once, but as we traveled on we continued to have flat tires. How many? We never could remember. One thing we do remember. We had so many flats that we wore out our hand pump and on the last flat we had to stop a car and borrow a pump. Fortunately we came back on pavement and that ended the flat tire epidemic.
The Yellowstone venture was an outstanding part of all of our lives. The enjoyment as the repeated stories told by all of us over the next many years. It was a great trip. What made the Yellowstone trip so outstanding was the combination of the participants.
Each one had a different personality. Each had situations and problems. For instance Ivan Hardy was of a serious nature. He had a certain wit that was dry and you wanted to listen closely to his responses since they always carried a message. Joe McCracken was the wit of the crowd. He always was able to come up with a joke about everything. Les Douglas was the doer. Never did Les remain quiet. He started the fire; put the fire out with water; got the wood; cleaned the camp; did the dishes. All of this with a certain amount of glee. Andy Isakson was the pessimist. He was always afraid something would go wrong; the car wouldn’t start; the fish wouldn’t bite; it would rain that night; we wouldn’t have enough food. Charlie Ward was the authoritative type. He wanted to tell everyone what to do next; where to go next; how long would we stay; who would pack the car; get the wood; cook the fish.
We never had a serious argument. Everything that we did seemed to be done with eagerness and with total agreement. Campfire evenings had their gaiety, with song and laughter. They also had their serous side as we viewed our future lives. Little did we know what life was about to bring to each of us. Nor did we know when or where life would come to an early end or would stretch into old age. As always it was good to not
A Legal Man
The Yellowstone venture consumed ten days. Upon returning to your home, everything has a better look than when you left. Your mother, your sister and father are fresher, younger and more beautiful. They seem to have been changed some. The house, yard, and living quarters have inviting appearance. What is happening is that your home environment is telling you what a wonderful home you have. And after ten days of your own cooking and on the ground sleeping you know that you have the best at your home.
In less than five days the feeling of unemployment again consumed us. All except Ivan Hardy who was back hauling mail. It was now a know fact that college in 1933 was impossible. Our only chance for more money was picking peaches at Ben Lomond. One great event of 1932 that soon captured my attention was the presidential election. Roosevelt, the democrat versus Hoover, the republican. It was the first election that I would cast a vote. I would be twenty one on September 28, 1932. Though I took no active part in the campaign, I became interested in the proceedings. Roosevelt and the democrats were presenting their programs to cure the depression. I went to public meetings, listened intently to the issues on the radio and spent a great deal of time reading t news paper and magazine articles about the problems and issues confronting the nation. At heart I became, at least, a Roosevelt democrat. I knew, by the first of September that, Roosevelt and the democrats would win the election in November. Supporters of Hoover would have a hard time if the favored him in front of me. At age twenty one I was ready and willing to vocally support my views. It mattered not who they were, young or old, I would openly present my views against theirs. I was not argumentative. The explanation and understanding of issues was what I was looking for.
September 28th, my birthday, was the most important day yet in my life. I was now a legal man. Now I had the right to vote. There were many things that were first for a 21 year old. As I remember neither my mother or father made much to do about it. It was just another birthday. I am sure that I received some family presents. A shirt, pair of sox or some other piece of clothing. My mother baked a cake and maybe may some ice cream. That night some of the 12th Streeters got together and sang happy birthday. All in all just another day.
As the time drew near to the presidential election I found that I would vote at the Garr residence across the street from out home. That was where 12th Streeter Arnie had lived. One day seeing Mrs. Garr on her porch I wandered over and informed her that I would be voter come November. During our conversation she told me it was her responsibility to staff the district election headquarters. She asked me if I was a Democrat. I told her I would be voting Democratic. She then asked me if I would like to b e the Democratic Judge at the district. I did not hesitate. I accepted the immediately. Later I found that I would receive $2.00 pay for my services.
Election Day was the first Tuesday of November. The polls opened at 7:00 am and closed at 7:00 pm. The staff met the day before to orient themselves as to their duty. My duty was to watch the voting procedure and protect the rights of the Democratic voters. From the time the polls opened until they closed there was not a single error made on either Democratic or Republican side. After the polls closed the counters took over to count the votes. In 1931 there were no automatic counters. It had to be done by hand with the only aid an adding machine, which wasn’t electric. Within an hour after the polls closed we were all counters. We did not complete counting until well after midnight. The result was overwhelming victory for the democrats. The same result came from all over the country. It was now the responsibility of the Democrats o put an end to the great depression.
In less than five days the feeling of unemployment again consumed us. All except Ivan Hardy who was back hauling mail. It was now a know fact that college in 1933 was impossible. Our only chance for more money was picking peaches at Ben Lomond. One great event of 1932 that soon captured my attention was the presidential election. Roosevelt, the democrat versus Hoover, the republican. It was the first election that I would cast a vote. I would be twenty one on September 28, 1932. Though I took no active part in the campaign, I became interested in the proceedings. Roosevelt and the democrats were presenting their programs to cure the depression. I went to public meetings, listened intently to the issues on the radio and spent a great deal of time reading t news paper and magazine articles about the problems and issues confronting the nation. At heart I became, at least, a Roosevelt democrat. I knew, by the first of September that, Roosevelt and the democrats would win the election in November. Supporters of Hoover would have a hard time if the favored him in front of me. At age twenty one I was ready and willing to vocally support my views. It mattered not who they were, young or old, I would openly present my views against theirs. I was not argumentative. The explanation and understanding of issues was what I was looking for.
September 28th, my birthday, was the most important day yet in my life. I was now a legal man. Now I had the right to vote. There were many things that were first for a 21 year old. As I remember neither my mother or father made much to do about it. It was just another birthday. I am sure that I received some family presents. A shirt, pair of sox or some other piece of clothing. My mother baked a cake and maybe may some ice cream. That night some of the 12th Streeters got together and sang happy birthday. All in all just another day.
As the time drew near to the presidential election I found that I would vote at the Garr residence across the street from out home. That was where 12th Streeter Arnie had lived. One day seeing Mrs. Garr on her porch I wandered over and informed her that I would be voter come November. During our conversation she told me it was her responsibility to staff the district election headquarters. She asked me if I was a Democrat. I told her I would be voting Democratic. She then asked me if I would like to b e the Democratic Judge at the district. I did not hesitate. I accepted the immediately. Later I found that I would receive $2.00 pay for my services.
Election Day was the first Tuesday of November. The polls opened at 7:00 am and closed at 7:00 pm. The staff met the day before to orient themselves as to their duty. My duty was to watch the voting procedure and protect the rights of the Democratic voters. From the time the polls opened until they closed there was not a single error made on either Democratic or Republican side. After the polls closed the counters took over to count the votes. In 1931 there were no automatic counters. It had to be done by hand with the only aid an adding machine, which wasn’t electric. Within an hour after the polls closed we were all counters. We did not complete counting until well after midnight. The result was overwhelming victory for the democrats. The same result came from all over the country. It was now the responsibility of the Democrats o put an end to the great depression.
Waiting for Roosevelt
In 1932 a new winning president to wait four months before being sworn in and taking office. Roosevelt had told us what he wanted to do but we had to wait for him to do it. The winter of 1932 – 33 was a bleak one for the young men being without work and also without funds for college. A great deal of out daylight time was spent reading books, listening to the radio, shoveling snow when it snowed or playing cards. The 12th Streeters played many hours of cards in John Purdy’s basement. The Purdy’s had a furnace in the basement. We would sit by that furnace by the hour playing rummy, hearts or pinochle pitch. The few who had formed the tobacco habit would light a cigarette and blow the smoke into the furnace. John’s father milt , a staunch L.D.S member would have whaled the daylights out of all us had he caught any of us smoking in his home. His son John was one with the habit.
Doxy Stone, Jack Hilton and I were playing M. Men basketball for the 21st Ward. Doxey and I wore also being cast in three act plays that the L.D.S Mutual program sponsored. Evenings were not difficult but the daytime was a long drag.
In the spring of 1933 the nation’s economy was at its lowest level. Franklin Roosevelt was now our president. Both houses were Democratic Majority. The New Deal was beginning to go into action. In quick order programs were enacted and placed into operation. The W.P.A. was born; designed to put unemployed men to work building needed roads, sewer, water systems, parks, etc. Each employed W.P.A. man would work five days a month and receive about $40.00 dollars per month. It was better than nothing. The C.C.C. program was enacted. It was designed to take the unemployed youth off the street. Sent him into the mountains and deserts to build roads, parks and other facilities for the use of the American public. Each C.C.C. boy would receive $30.00 and board and room per month. The 12th Street gang was represented by June Forsha, Herbie Isakson, Les Douglas and Dave Purdy. I did not enlist because I was at wheelwright Construction Employed working with my father at the gravel plant. Another work making program was the P.W.A. It was designed to build large technical projects which required considerable engineering and planning and that needed to be built by qualified contractors. Of course it was primarily designed to put people back to work. Employees if possible had to be married men. Another program had to do with the farmer. The Roosevelt administration enacted a program to pay the farmer for not raising pigs, sheep, hay, grain and other products. In other words an outright dole. The action alone was the beginning of Franklin Roosevelt’s efforts to change me from a Democrat to a Republican.
Doxy Stone, Jack Hilton and I were playing M. Men basketball for the 21st Ward. Doxey and I wore also being cast in three act plays that the L.D.S Mutual program sponsored. Evenings were not difficult but the daytime was a long drag.
In the spring of 1933 the nation’s economy was at its lowest level. Franklin Roosevelt was now our president. Both houses were Democratic Majority. The New Deal was beginning to go into action. In quick order programs were enacted and placed into operation. The W.P.A. was born; designed to put unemployed men to work building needed roads, sewer, water systems, parks, etc. Each employed W.P.A. man would work five days a month and receive about $40.00 dollars per month. It was better than nothing. The C.C.C. program was enacted. It was designed to take the unemployed youth off the street. Sent him into the mountains and deserts to build roads, parks and other facilities for the use of the American public. Each C.C.C. boy would receive $30.00 and board and room per month. The 12th Street gang was represented by June Forsha, Herbie Isakson, Les Douglas and Dave Purdy. I did not enlist because I was at wheelwright Construction Employed working with my father at the gravel plant. Another work making program was the P.W.A. It was designed to build large technical projects which required considerable engineering and planning and that needed to be built by qualified contractors. Of course it was primarily designed to put people back to work. Employees if possible had to be married men. Another program had to do with the farmer. The Roosevelt administration enacted a program to pay the farmer for not raising pigs, sheep, hay, grain and other products. In other words an outright dole. The action alone was the beginning of Franklin Roosevelt’s efforts to change me from a Democrat to a Republican.
Hyrum Dam - Finding Work
During that early spring of 1922 employment at the Ward home was more than satisfactory. My father was steadily employed. In fact my father was never unemployed during the depression. Though the sand and gravel business was almost to a standstill, he was still the wheelwright plant manager. Through the country’s new deal programs sand and gravel were being used in all make work projects. When the plant did operate I had the good fortune to have some part time employment. Harold, now married, was getting part time work at wheelwright. When I was not working I spent my daytime hours seeking employment. In that effort I met Bob Holmes a construction superintendent for the Ord Bundy Construction Co. And through Bob Holmes I met his son Ray. Ray like all of us singe men, was another unemployed citizen. It was through Ray that I became acquainted with the procedure of seeking employment at the US Federal employment office in Ogden. Ray and I found that the office listed the work position open on all P.W.A projects in Utah. Anyone could apply for any of those positions. In making your applications you stated your qualifications and experience. As a singe man your only chance of employment was that a married man had not applied.
One day Ray Holmes and I saw a new listing for employees to be hired at the new Hyrum Dam in Hyrum Utah. As we studied that list we came upon the listing of scale men. The listing asked for two scale men. Both Ray and I had experienced operating overhead scales, weighing sand and gravel for large concrete mixers. We both thought we had a chance for these positions. We both felt that no married man would apply for these open jobs. We filed our application s and we were right. We were both notified that employment was ours. We were told to report to the J.A. Terteling Construction Co. at Hyrum Utah. Hyrum was in Cache Valley, about twenty miles south of Logan, Utah. At that time the Utah Idaho central electrical railway passed through Hyrum on its route from Ogden. The next day after our notification Ray and I were on our way to Hyrum. We both carried with us one small suitcase which with what we had on our bodies, constituted all the clothes we both possessed. All except the suit my parents gave me from high school graduation.
On arriving at the Hyrum Rail Station we were told, by the station master that a Terteling truck would be by for their mail and that we could ride the four miles it him to the project site. When we arrived at the the site we were directed to a temporary wooden building that had a sign on it, Office. To a man behind a counter we presented our employment papers. He processed us by having us fill out some papers. After reviewing the papers he told us we would be housed in the tent village and that meals would be available at the company kitchen. We were escorted to the tent village and found that we would be in a tent with two others. The tent was canvas, mounted on a wood frame with a wood floor. The papers given us at the office informed us that the cost of housing was $10.00 per month; Meals were $1.00 per day and those costs would be deducted form our pay. Our pay sale would $.50 per hour or $4.00 per day.
That evening we met the other tent occupants. They were heavy duty truck drivers. Both were in their fifties, which to us put them in the older class. At six PM we heard the dinner bell and by the following the truck drivers we found the mess hall. It also was a canvassed covered building with wood floor. There were about eight long tables with chairs seating eight to the table. At one end of the building were the food trays. We lined up and selected from trays the food we desired. The food was fair but certainly not a class with my mothers.
Returning to the housing quarters we spent the evening getting acquainted with our roommates and became somewhat oriented with what stage the dam construction was in. In total there were approximately ninety men working on the project. That included superintendents, foreman, steam shovel operator, cat operators, truck drivers, steel workers, carpenters, surveyors, engineers and laborers. Ray and I were the new scale men.
The first morning after arriving we expected someone to delegate us to our workstation. But no one showed to tell us anything. By noon still no one. We went to lunch and still no one said a word to use. After lunch I told Ray I was going to the office and inquire as to when we would placed into employment. The man in the office hardly knew of our existence. He told us he would inquire about work starting time. The day passed and we went to dinner and still no one said anything about work.
One day Ray Holmes and I saw a new listing for employees to be hired at the new Hyrum Dam in Hyrum Utah. As we studied that list we came upon the listing of scale men. The listing asked for two scale men. Both Ray and I had experienced operating overhead scales, weighing sand and gravel for large concrete mixers. We both thought we had a chance for these positions. We both felt that no married man would apply for these open jobs. We filed our application s and we were right. We were both notified that employment was ours. We were told to report to the J.A. Terteling Construction Co. at Hyrum Utah. Hyrum was in Cache Valley, about twenty miles south of Logan, Utah. At that time the Utah Idaho central electrical railway passed through Hyrum on its route from Ogden. The next day after our notification Ray and I were on our way to Hyrum. We both carried with us one small suitcase which with what we had on our bodies, constituted all the clothes we both possessed. All except the suit my parents gave me from high school graduation.
On arriving at the Hyrum Rail Station we were told, by the station master that a Terteling truck would be by for their mail and that we could ride the four miles it him to the project site. When we arrived at the the site we were directed to a temporary wooden building that had a sign on it, Office. To a man behind a counter we presented our employment papers. He processed us by having us fill out some papers. After reviewing the papers he told us we would be housed in the tent village and that meals would be available at the company kitchen. We were escorted to the tent village and found that we would be in a tent with two others. The tent was canvas, mounted on a wood frame with a wood floor. The papers given us at the office informed us that the cost of housing was $10.00 per month; Meals were $1.00 per day and those costs would be deducted form our pay. Our pay sale would $.50 per hour or $4.00 per day.
That evening we met the other tent occupants. They were heavy duty truck drivers. Both were in their fifties, which to us put them in the older class. At six PM we heard the dinner bell and by the following the truck drivers we found the mess hall. It also was a canvassed covered building with wood floor. There were about eight long tables with chairs seating eight to the table. At one end of the building were the food trays. We lined up and selected from trays the food we desired. The food was fair but certainly not a class with my mothers.
Returning to the housing quarters we spent the evening getting acquainted with our roommates and became somewhat oriented with what stage the dam construction was in. In total there were approximately ninety men working on the project. That included superintendents, foreman, steam shovel operator, cat operators, truck drivers, steel workers, carpenters, surveyors, engineers and laborers. Ray and I were the new scale men.
The first morning after arriving we expected someone to delegate us to our workstation. But no one showed to tell us anything. By noon still no one. We went to lunch and still no one said a word to use. After lunch I told Ray I was going to the office and inquire as to when we would placed into employment. The man in the office hardly knew of our existence. He told us he would inquire about work starting time. The day passed and we went to dinner and still no one said anything about work.
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