Dear Laurie,
I'm wondering if Nadine's story isn't much like mine.
My mother had a small store in American Falls, Idaho. My father was living six miles out on the ranch.
Mother took in garden stuff from all the farmers and I had to peddle them out, in the town -- not a tree nor a rose nor a green thing in it.
Little by little I was losing my sight and maybe my mind. It was a terrible time for me. I walked a mile out of town to get Mrs. [?]igler to come quick. The baby was coming!
When the baby came she was a little "doll" but I was fast losing my sight in that hot little desert town. When Annalee was a month old my mother took me down to North Ogden to grandma's and left me for grandma to raise me. She took a wagon load of north Ogden fruit and left me down there. It was almost time for school to start but I had drops put in my eyes so I could see again.
I was lonesome and almost blind and afraid of everything when grandma had to go to hot springs and deliver another baby.
School started and I could find my way round. I had read everything with squinted eyes. I started. "Fifth grade" was highest grade in American Falls so i tried it.
The master caught me copying from the little boy next to me so next time I copied from a little boy on the other side. The teacher caught me, and shook me very hard. I cried and went home to grandma's. She was gone, there was no one to play with. I heard only a bull bellowing up by the graveyard. Finally Mrs Zimmerman saw me from her place. She said, "What are you crying for." I answered, "Quince Blaylock shook me." "What did he shake you for?" "I copied." I don't know anything about arithmetic -- not anything! She said, if you will take care of Pauline, I will tell you about arithmetic and I can get my apples peeled.
What a wonderful teacher she was! I listened to the magic of ten fingers and ten toes, how numbers began, add, subtract multiply and divide.
It opened up a new world for me. I'll always bless that good neighbor. I didn't say "fiveteen" anymore. I loved numbers. Grandma took me to fast meeting. Bishop Ward administered to me and said "I command you to see." Gradually I sneaked back to school with Ines Dean[?]. I kept going. When no one else knew where a city was -- I did. I prayed, I ran, gradually I showed them I could jump over a chair back. I was happy. Before Christmas I was promoted into the big room, eighth grade in Arithmetic.
Most of the time grandma was gone. Some times I was hungry. I was very little but people took me in all winter. I graduated from the eighth next May and had filled all their books with drawings. I was promised .25 a piece but only a few got it paid, but I "graduated" in a lovely white dress in May. I always thanked my Heavenly Father and good sister Zimmerman for my sight and bringing me back to life and love and desire to do good. This life is a great experience. May our Heavenly father bless dear little Nadine to live! to see! to think! and happiness will come gradually. You'll hardly know when. I bless you to live, darling, live!
Grandma
I'm wondering if Nadine's story isn't much like mine.
My mother had a small store in American Falls, Idaho. My father was living six miles out on the ranch.
Mother took in garden stuff from all the farmers and I had to peddle them out, in the town -- not a tree nor a rose nor a green thing in it.
Little by little I was losing my sight and maybe my mind. It was a terrible time for me. I walked a mile out of town to get Mrs. [?]igler to come quick. The baby was coming!
When the baby came she was a little "doll" but I was fast losing my sight in that hot little desert town. When Annalee was a month old my mother took me down to North Ogden to grandma's and left me for grandma to raise me. She took a wagon load of north Ogden fruit and left me down there. It was almost time for school to start but I had drops put in my eyes so I could see again.
I was lonesome and almost blind and afraid of everything when grandma had to go to hot springs and deliver another baby.
School started and I could find my way round. I had read everything with squinted eyes. I started. "Fifth grade" was highest grade in American Falls so i tried it.
The master caught me copying from the little boy next to me so next time I copied from a little boy on the other side. The teacher caught me, and shook me very hard. I cried and went home to grandma's. She was gone, there was no one to play with. I heard only a bull bellowing up by the graveyard. Finally Mrs Zimmerman saw me from her place. She said, "What are you crying for." I answered, "Quince Blaylock shook me." "What did he shake you for?" "I copied." I don't know anything about arithmetic -- not anything! She said, if you will take care of Pauline, I will tell you about arithmetic and I can get my apples peeled.
What a wonderful teacher she was! I listened to the magic of ten fingers and ten toes, how numbers began, add, subtract multiply and divide.
It opened up a new world for me. I'll always bless that good neighbor. I didn't say "fiveteen" anymore. I loved numbers. Grandma took me to fast meeting. Bishop Ward administered to me and said "I command you to see." Gradually I sneaked back to school with Ines Dean[?]. I kept going. When no one else knew where a city was -- I did. I prayed, I ran, gradually I showed them I could jump over a chair back. I was happy. Before Christmas I was promoted into the big room, eighth grade in Arithmetic.
Most of the time grandma was gone. Some times I was hungry. I was very little but people took me in all winter. I graduated from the eighth next May and had filled all their books with drawings. I was promised .25 a piece but only a few got it paid, but I "graduated" in a lovely white dress in May. I always thanked my Heavenly Father and good sister Zimmerman for my sight and bringing me back to life and love and desire to do good. This life is a great experience. May our Heavenly father bless dear little Nadine to live! to see! to think! and happiness will come gradually. You'll hardly know when. I bless you to live, darling, live!
Grandma
This letter is a little treasure trove of information and insight into the Kohlhepp children's childhood. I'll call out items throughout the letter to consider:
(a) Nadine -- this is my aunt, Nadine Eastwood, who had very poor health when first born and as a kid. Apparently, she was really struggling, which made Minerva draw the comparison.
(b) Parents spread apart -- It mentions Ella running a store, and Fred out on the ranch. To make ends meet it appears they did not work together (and sometimes live together) that often.
(c) We see the kids were often sent to work to contribute to the home's funds. It was a poor life.
(d) The town without a green thing in it is clearly very dusty and sunny. It's not clear what caused the poor eyesight condition.
(e) Minerva goes a mile out on her own to get help for the birth of her mother's next child, Annalee. This means that Minerva was 10 at the time (turning 11 the following month). I assume the woman she looked for was a midwife.
(f) With her failing eyesight, it appears that Minerva was too much for Ella to take care of. This was the 6th living sibling. She is dropped off with Minerva Wade to be raised.
(g) It shows how a lot of times, Minerva did not get attention and she was forced to be independent. Minerva Wade is out as a midwife delivering children, and a 11 year old girl is often left by herself.
(h) Minerva sounds clearly behind on arithmetic. Her educated parents do not have the time to teach their own daughter in these matters.
(i) Joys of physical violence in schools. Could be interesting to look up Quince.
(j) Who is the Mrs. Zimmerman referenced here?
(k) I bet the Bishop Ward here is the James Ward from the other article, whose wife Harriett had passed away.
(l) We see her already entrepreneurial with her art. Drawing art in other kids books for a quarter.
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