1935 German Letter

This is a letter of three pages all in German.  It is from some Hospital in Hillsboro, Kansas, where the family was from.  Handwritten on one page it says "paid."  I have to assume it was a bill or something.  It is postmarked 1935.  I'm guessing this was soon after they arrived in California during the dustbowl.  It is addressed to Grandpa on "N" Ave.  This is an address I have never seen before.
But, the interesting thing is that Grandpa (John B. Dick) signed the letter and it is addressed to Grandpa.  (John B. Dick)  What the heck!

From Grandpa to Grandpa

This is a letter that I don't understand at all.  I almost hate to touch it I think it is so wonderful, but I don't understand it.  It is dated December 6, 1935.  It is in German.  It is addressed to John B. Dick, but it is signed by John B. Dick as well.  The postmark is Hillsboro, Kansas.  What the heck.  Grandpa is writing to himself in Reedley from Hillsboro?  I don't get it.  Anyway the envelope says Salem Deaconess Hospital in Hillsboro.  Was Grandpa in the hospital?  Who knows.  Also, and this is only a guess, this would have been about the time they moved to California from Kansas.  (Dustbowl time.)  I just don't know, but what a beautiful letter to have.

Mennonite Aid

I find these two items very interesting.  I have several receipts like the one above and several letters like this one.  As far as I can tell, this was almost like a health insurance plan.  At this point in time the cost for a family was $24.00 per quarter.  I hage no idea what that covered.  One interesting point in one of the letters was that they asked, "In order to complete our records and give further consideration to the problem of retarded children in the home, we would like those of you who have retarded children in your homes to write us . . . " They ask for information about that.  One other interesting item in these documents was that they were addressed to Reverend John B. Dick.  Yes, grandpa was a reverend.  As I understand it was was quite an orator and spoke a great deal about fire and brimstone.  The only problem was that his orating was all in German.  When he got to California and there was no further use for German Speaking Ministers, Grandpa was out of a job.  Because of this and other factors, Grandpa spent most of his adult life as a farm laborer.  You would not call him migrant because he figured out a way to become skilled enough to find work most of the year so he did not have to move.  But, man did he work hard.

A Flaming Letter

This is a note from somebody named Flaming.  It is written to my Grandmother who she calls Aunt Helen.  Pretty newsy and not very interesting.  I assume Grandpa had died by now because she mentions that Grandma must miss Uncle John.  I can't read the signature which is the person's first name.  One other interesting thing is the mention of Corn, Oklahoma.  This is the name of a town than I heard once in a while and I think it is where Olga's husband Bud was from.  (Olga is my Dad's sister.)  One other thing.  Flaming is a very common name in the Mennonite community and among our relatives.  However, I always thought it was spelled Fleming.  Would have lost a lot of money on that one.

Grandpa's Water Assessment Bill

This is pretty self-explanatory.  It is an assessment for the water district.  What I find interesting about it is that there are two bills and each one is an assessment for two lots.  Aha, I think I got it.  Grandpa and Grandma owned two pieces of property in Reedley.  I assume each lot was actually two lots.  Oh, never mind.  What you might like to know is that they lived on Kleinsasser Avenue.  Kleinsasser is a find Mennonite name.  However, I guess they got tired of the hassle of the long name and the street is now called Klein Avenue.  I've always sort of resented that they did that, but then I don't know anything about why they did it.  By the way, I have the envelope this came in.  The stamp was four cents.

Dad's Application

This is a letter of application that my Dad wrote to the Madison Elementary School District for District Superintendent.  I copied all three pages because I find it so fascination.  (By the way, Dad got the job.)  First, are the typos.  There are several.  Second, he states that he thinks it's a waste of time to send a set of professional papers.  He thinks it is much more useful to talk directly to the people.  Third, he says, if you would like to talk to any of my references, I'm sure you can find their numbers in the phone directory.  Oh, the arrogance of the man.

Schurz, Nevada

During the school year 1968-1969 I was the principal and 7th and 8th grade teacher in Schurz Nevada.  This was the Walker River Piaute Indian Reservation, but the school was not operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but was under the auspices of the Mineral County Public Schools.  I also on occassion was the bus driver.  Oh, the stories I could tell about that year.  I was drinking pretty heavily during that year which made for some interesting happenings.  I was with my second wife, Linda, during this year.  When we first came there, we arrived with a bassett hound which was very pregnant.  On the very night that we arrived at our new home which was a teacherage on the school grounds, that hound decided to deliver.  Now, I had prepared for this eventuality by reading all I could get my hands on about what to do do help in the delivery of a littler of dogs.  I can't remember the hound's name, but she delivered 10 puppies, all still-born.  Well, my reading told me exactly what to do.  I'm not kidding.  I was up all night and with a great deal of work and sweat morning came with 10 healthy bassett puppies.  I had literally brought all ten of them back from the dead.  Of course, we had promised 3-4 of them to friends, but the remainder when to Indian families.  Now, when you are in abject poverty, the last thing you can take care of is a dog.  To this day, I am sure if you went to Schurz you would see the influence of my puppies which became strays and went about seeing to it that all future generation of dogs in Schurz would be influenced by that mamma bassett hound.  There's lots more about Schurz, but that will have to wait for another day or I will nevery finish this project.

Natividad Multipurpose Room

In 1979, I got a job in Salinas as an Elementary School Principal.  That first year I actually had two schools, Natividad and Soberanes Schools.  Natividad about 600 kids and Soberanes about 200.  I think it was a year after I got there, it may have been two, the decision was made to close Soberanes and bring all the kids to Natividad.  Natividad did not have a multipurpose room.  This is a picture of me on the left, my PTA president, a school board member and Bill Pollard the Superintendent.  This picture was taken at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Multipurpose Room.  Maybe about 1980 or 1981.  I'll just leave it at that.  No, I won't.  A word about my Natividad experience . . . both Joshua and Jodi attended Natividad when I became principal.  I think I was there six years.  Those six years along with the last six years of my career at Monterey Park School, were the happiest of my administrative career.  About that time (maybe) the musical Camelot came on the scene.  Some of us at that school and me thought of this time as our Camelot.

Hilltop Drive

These are three rather uninteresting items from about 1963.  Mom and Dad bought a home at the end of Azusa Blvd in Azusa, California.  The street was actually Hilltop Drive.  I assume that was about when Dad started teaching at Cal State and I know mother got a job teaching somewhere in an elementary school.  I think the house was brand new when they bought it.  It was really a nice house.  I think I stayed in this house the summer I took a class from my Dad.  This was also the house they were living in when Dad told Mother he was leaving her.  He had gotten a job at UNLV and was on his way.  Me, the good codependent that I was, or maybe I was just a nice guy trying to help, I'm not sure which, tried to intervene.  I said to Mother and Dad I would be willing to sort of act as moderator/councelor if they wanted to talk it over.  I think Mother said she would, but Dad was adamant.  It was all over as far as he was concerned and he went off to Nevada.

Dad's Letter

This is a handwritten letter from my Dad to me.  It had no date so it could have been anytime after I left home in 1957.  I am going to type here what it says:
"My Very Wonderful Son,
      I felt so low when you left I just had to go upstairs and write a letter.  This sounds very unmanly, but I felt so much like putting my arms around you and kissing you like I used to do when you were a little boy.  My, how I loved you, and I love you no less now.  Somehow I have a very difficult time showing my affection.  It seems so effeminate.  No one seemed to "make" over you when you left you must have felt as if no one cared.  Well, you must also know that you mean everything to all of us.  I am always so proud of you when you come to my classes.  I always talk about you to everyone.  I know how grandpa must have felt about me.
    Well, your tears drew mine and I just had to write.  If I don't quit and mail it now, I may not mail it at all.
Dad
Not sure what this all meant.  It seems pretty important, but I'm not exactly sure why.  I think I'll just let it be.  I do think he was teaching education classes at Cal State Los Angeles at the time which would have meant, I think, that I probably was teaching in Hyampom or Porterville in about the early 1960's.

Feather River Camp

Around 1969, when I had left Schurz, Nevada, we (I) decided to open a kid's camp.  Somehow, I don't remember how, and I don't remember his name, I met a man who owned one of those old resorts  in the Feather River Canyon about 20 miles up the canyon from Oroville.  This place had maybe 10 cabins, a bit meeting hall, a large kitchen and several out-buildings.  Perfect for a camp.  It was situated in some of the most beautiful mountain terrain I have ever seen.  I just remembered it also had a large bar-b-que area for large parties.  It was about a hundred yards above the actual Feather River and had a magnificent waterfall about 100 feet high.  So, I leased the facilities from this guy who had not idea what to do with the place and he was a little fascinated by the possibility I was attempting.  Now, you must understand, I had less that 0 dollars.  We were deep in debt.  But, that never stopped me before.  I had some stationary made up with a logo we produced.  I put an ad in the SF Chronicle.  I was expecting to have elementary aged children, rather we ended up for a year with five high-school aged kids with some social and emotional problems.  There was a bus that picked them up for the ride to Oroville High School.  The problem was they did not want to ride the bus the hour or so it took to get to school, so I took them and picked them up every day in my 1955 Chevy.  The drive was rather treacherous over a couple of miles of dirt, mountain road above pretty steep cliffs.  Then, 15 miles or so on paved Feather River Canyon Road.  (I'm sure that's not the name, but I can't remember what the road was actually called.)  No problem, right!  Wrong!  It was one of those times when my alcoholism should have landed me in jail or worse.  You see, I would drop the kids off at school and then go on to Chico where I owned a series of units that I rented out.  I would spend the day working on those units.  No problem right!  Wrong.  I would drink the whole time and arrive in the afternoon half-drunk to drive the kids home over that same dangerous road.  One of those times I am totally not proud of, but that I cannot change.  God was looking out for me and for those kids because we made it through the school year without mishap.
There is a lot more I could write about this experience, but I will only tell you that in spite of myself, and with the help of my partner, I think we did some really nice things for those kids and we got a lot of positive feedback from their parents.  We did not have enough money to continue so the whole thing only lasted one winter and we were off to someplace else.  Maybe Riverside.  But more later . . .
I think this was the beginnings of a letter we were to send out to prospective clients or an ad.  Not sure which.  If you click on it you can see what it says I think.  I notice it was titled "Feather River Camp."  This must have been early in the planning, because the name we eventually decided on was "Camp Mayaro" which was the name of the original resort.

Yet More Baby Book

Above is a newspaper clipping of Connie.  Written in is 18 Years old.  The picture just below is a picture of Connie with another young woman.  The Caption says "Sopranos."  "Miss Nancy Schmid, left is the University's co-ed band sponsor, and Miss Constance Stahlmeyer is at the right."  Then there are a series of four baby pictures of Connie.  On the back of each one it says the same thing, 

 "6 1/2 months -- 329 Pearson Drive, Ashville, N. C."  And, this ends Connie's Baby Book.  There is nothing more in the book

More Connie Baby Book

More Baby Book.  First picture is a program of a Dance program called Cinderella in Danceland.  It is presented by the pupils of Miss Ruth Schnittger at the Norwood Library on Thursday July 12, 1923 at 7:45 P.M.  It says that Corrine Claire Stollmaier plays the pat of Baby Solo Dance.  The second picture is a newspaper clipping with the headline, "Is Youngest Solo Dancer."  I will let you read the article.  However, the writing on the side as well as I can make out is:  "This picture appeared in the Times Star and the story explains the reason."  "At age 3, Nov. 15, 1923, Corrine appeared at the Elk's Bazaar and danced for a few friends . . . "  (Can't read the rest.)  "This picture appeared in the something times Star and is an article telling of her appearance at the Norwood Library."  "She received beautiful flowers."

The Third picture below is a newspaper article headlined, "Art Gravure Section."  The caption says," Juvenile Dolo Dancer.  Corinne Claire Stollmaier, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Stollmaier, East Walnut Hills, city."  

Then below in cursive as well as I can read it says:  "At age 2 1/2 years.  She made her first appearance at a recital given by Miss Ruth Schnittger.  Recital was given at Norwood Library.  Her performance was very successful and she was greatly applauded and much adored.  Her Brother Arthur acted as usher.  Corrine was presented with flowers.  Her Daddy  was the proudest man in the audience."

The last picture in this section is really a couple put together.  Just let me say that Connie danced and gave several recitations during a recital presented by her teacher  Miss Arbutus McvQueety at the Hyde Park Masonic Hall.  Tickets were 25 cents.

Connie's Baby Book

I have this photo album which appears to be Connie's baby book, maybe started and maintained by her Mother.  Up above is the first page.  Here's what I can read here:  Corine Claire was born on July 25, 1919.  Her eyes were blue.  Her first teeth came in at 3 1/2 months.  She "creeps" at 7 months.  She stands alone at 13 months and walks first at 15 months on October 31, 1921.  Her first words among others were dada and bath.  She was born on a Sunday at 7:40 P.M. at Bethisda Hospital.  Her father, Arthur Stollmaier autographed one of the documents on this page.She was 7 3/4 lbs, 19" long.  At 2 months she weighed 8 1/4 pounds, at 3 months 15 lbs.  The picture at the bottom right hand of the first page is Connie at age 15 months.



Below is a page of pictures.  Above right I have to believe is a picture her Connie in her Father's arms.  Middle left is a picture labeled 2 1/2 years.  Middle right is a picture with what seems to be a patriotic theme in front of the house.  I think the handwritten caption is "Decoration Day, 1924."  Bottem left is a car.  Handwritten very lightly is "1923."  Bottom left are two boys, both seem to be labeled 16 years.  One is  "Brother Arthur."  The other I can't read.  I think it is a name.  Anybody know?  The picture below right says:   "Her first Dancing Teacher."  The caption under the picture says, "Miss Ruth Schnittger,  Clifton, city, is a pretty little dancer prominent in amateur circles."

A Thought or Two

Recently I have attended a great Rock Concert (Aerosmith), a wonderful play (Into the Woods), and a couple of good movies.  It seems that whenever I am given the gift to see genius or wonderful art, I get inspired myself.  I once again think in grandiose terms of the good I can bring to the world.  (I often thought this way when I was still drinking.)  I try to no longer think this way, but sometimes it happens.  So, then, I think, what great thing can I bring to the world?  I could write.  Of course, that's it!  I shall write a great novel.  Have you ever tried that?  Not with my skill levels.  Ok, how about getting an agent in SF and doing some great theatrical work.  Nope, don't think I'm that good.  So, finally, I get to the point that maybe the best thing I can do is stay right size and simply continue with this thing I've got going here.  Maybe that's the best thing I could do for those around me.  So, here I am again, determined to continue with this project.  I hope it's something that you might enjoy.
Rollie

Play for Camp

I guess I was the author of this one act play.  I would bet I wrote it for camp at which I was working . . . Camp Trinity on the Bar 717 Ranch in Hayfork, California, near Hyampom.
An Old Man narrates and then uses several songs for kids to sing, "What I First Came to this Land." and "This Land is Your Land."  It's about 5 pages long and not in good shape.
Not very good I'm afraid, but it got done.

Mother's Music Composition Book

 This is a music composition book that Mother used.  She wrote in it sort of at the height of her illness.  Mother wrote a lot during that time and I am sorry to say that much of it is lost.  However, I treasure what we do have.  I am going to give you the words to a couple of songs in the notebook here.  

"Can You Look Me In The Eye"

Can you look me in the eye as I send my boy to die for you?
He said "Mama I'll be back."
And he bore a heavy pack for all , for you.
You have freedom to rebel because someone went thru hell.
Gave his live to guard it well for you
Can you look me in the eye as I send my boy to die for you
He said "Mama I'll be back"
And he bore a heravy pack all you.

I saw a man the other day
His face smiled like a wreath
It didn't seem to matter much
That he had no teeth.

I just wanted to tell you how excited I am that I have discovered a way to dictate what I want to say.   It is going to speed up the process terrifically.  I am very excited. I'm not going to put a picture here. I'm just going to leave the words. This afternoon I'll get back to putting more items in the blog. I'm going to post this now and see how it works.

Alice Rovinsky

This is a beautifully preserved Holiday Magazine from December, 1967.  Nothing else to say about it.
Actually, I am coming back to this magazine.  There is a lot more here than meets the eye.  In fact, I could not scan the entire front cover of the magazine.  If you will look just below the O, you will see an L and remnants of an E.  That Says "Israel, A Special Issue."  I remember now where we got this magazine and why we have it.  The Badanes had a relative named Alice Rovinsky.  She lived in Palm Springs.  I'm not sure how she was related, maybe Jeanne knows.  Anyway, we learned about her when Joshua was about 1 year old and we went to visit her.  We did that a couple of times and had lunch.  She loved Joshua.  We had the feeling that she did not have many human contacts so we tried to stay in touch.  We learned that she was an artist of some renown.  She was best know in Palm Springs with her art-work spoofing the rich in Palm Springs.  Well, we went to see her one day unannounced and there was a coroner's tape across her door.  She had died.  And, it seemed she had no relatives and nobody to care about her passing.  Well, we did what we could to find someone.  I'm a little fuzzy about what we did.  Jeanne, please help out.  But, we did decide that since she had no relatives who were going to come to her house, that we would go in and see what we could see.  What we saw was a woman living obviously very sparsely.  Amost no worldly things except her art.  Well, we took it.  We still have it.  I have packaged it up, not as carefully as I should have, but more carefully than anybody else was going to.
Well, Jeanne pointed out the Israel words on this magazine.  I'm sure Alice was of the Jewish persuasion.  But, here's the interesting thing, when I opened the magazine just now, out flopped a bunch of her art work.  And, some other art work she had obviously collected from somewhere.  I'm going to post all of those here now.  I hope you will enjoy them as much as we do.  (By the way, I contacted the Palm Springs Life Magazine recently to tell her I had this art work.  I also contacted a Palm Springs Museum and none of them were at all interested in what I had.)
Now that I have uploaded all of these, it is obvious that Alice tore out her pictures from the magazine Palm Springs Life.  It is also evident that she had a permanent place in each edition of the magazine.  I can't even tell you what a treasure I think we have here.
The first picture is from a collection from the Desert Southwest.  I think if you click on the pictures they will become large enough for you to read the captions below the cartoons.
I actually have two more pages that I am not going to post.  You get the idea.  I also have decided that since these pictures were so well preserved in the pages of this Holiday Magazine that is where I will keep them from now on.  I consider them treasures.

This is taken from the palm springs life dated 1969.

This is an actual original that Alice did not finish.  What a treasure.  The caption that you can partly read says, "She's second from the end in the thrid row.  Hasn't she a beautiful voice?"

This was taken from the Magazine in 1969.

 This magazine is dated September 1970.

 This is simply a picture of some desert wildflowers.

 Dated December, 1970.

 From the magazine dated September, 1969.

 October, 1969.

 November, 1969.

 Dated May, 1969.

April, 1969.

 Summer, 1968.

 Summer, 1968.

 September, 1970.

 February, 1969.

 This is very sweet.  This is a letter to the editors of the Magazine published in a Comment: section.  Here's what it says:
"Anybody Seen Alice?
    Teitelbaum's cartoons in your June magazine are very amusing, but I missed Rovinsky's Palm Springs.  Has Mr. Rovinsky flown the coop?'
                                            Jack Lederman
                                            Washington, D.C."
The Ed. Note:  "He's a she.  Her name is Alice.  We'd clip her wings if she attempted flight.  See pages 148-149."
Is that lovely or what!

Another art piece I guess Alice liked.