Bericht
door Mieke » 22-02-2015 21:25
Hierbij en artikel over een brief die Laura heeft geschreven.
Laura Ingalls Wilder letter donated to museum
Jun 23rd, 2010 by Craig Wenzel.
From the October 23, 2007 Wessington Springs True Dakotan
Written by Duke Wenzel – True Dakotan Editor -
Laura Ingalls Wilder story layout – Craig Wenzel
The story of how a 56-year old letter from famed children’s author Laura Ingalls Wilder recently came to the Jerauld County museum.
Evelyn Spencer's school picture - Sefrna School 1951
Country school teacher Evelyn Spencer was teaching at the Sefrna one-room school, north of Crow Lake, in 1950 and 1951. She, like many of the teachers in the United States, used the “Little House on the Prairie” series of books in the students’ studies.
The students at Sefrna School enjoyed these books and through them came to know almost everything about Pa and Ma Ingalls and their family, who homesteaded near De Smet.
Author's letter is an important piece of history in the Jerauld County Museum. Jerauld County Heritage Center volunteer Evelyn Weaver (left) accepted a letter written by Laura Ingalls Wilder from Margaret Schmidt (right) on October of 2007. Mrs. Schmidt had kept the letter for her sister, Evelyn Spencer, who received it 56 years ago while a teacher at the Sefrna School, north of Crow Lake. The letter was sent to Mrs. Spencer and her country school students in response to a letter they had sent to the famous author in 1951. For the present, the letter is filed and preserved in the museum's valut and only displayed for special occasions. A photo copy of the letter is on permanent display at the Museum in Wessington Springs.
Mrs. Spencer’s first through eighth graders in 1951 were Harold Barber, Ward Barber, Janice Marquardt, Dennis and Lewis Spencer (Evelyn’s sons), Lila Barber, Connie Boesen and Donna Marquardt.
The students and their teacher learned of Laura’s birthday and decided to not just send her a card but send the 84-year-old author a letter to her home in Mansfield, MO. In that letter, the children spoke fondly of her family and late husband Almanzo. They ended the letter saying “We love you, Laura Ingalls Wilder.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder
“Your praise of my family and of Almanzo brought tears to my eyes for, as you may know, I am the only one left of them all.”
What the children got in return was more than just a note of thanks. After a few weeks, they received a two-page letter in which Laura poured out her heart to them.
The letter from the children’s hero came in February of 1951. In it, Laura thanked the school for their “birthday remembrance but more for your kind letter.”
The letter continues, “Your praise of my family and of Almanzo brought tears to my eyes for, as you may know, I am the only one left of them all.”
She speaks proudly of her daughter who lives far away. “We have only one child, Rose Wilder Lane, whose home is in Connecticut. You may know of her for she is a writer. Your friend, the librarian, may be able to give you some of her books: “Let the Hurricane Roar” or “Tree Land”. Her latest book, “The Discovery of Freedom” is very interesting.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder goes on, “I have written nothing since Golden Years. After all, I am 84, and one gets tired. If Mr. Wilder were still with me, I might try again, but it seems as though the spring were broken.”
She goes on to tell of her family: “Sister Mary lived at home after she graduated from college. She lived a very happy and useful life with her books, her music, and doing the work she learned at college.”Over the word “at”, Mrs. Spencer and the students found a water stain that nearly faded out the word. They all figured it was a teardrop from Laura as she told of her family.
The letter goes on about Mary. “She was active in church and Sunday School.”
The letter continues, “Carrie married and went to live in the Black Hills near Mt. Rushmore. Grace married a farmer and lived near Manchester. They had no children and as I have no grandchildren, our branch of the Ingalls family will end.”Yours sincerely,
Laura Ingalls Wilder
A final note reads, “Pa’s fiddle and his and Ma’s pictures are in the museum at Pierre State Historical Society.”
Kids at the Sefrna School near Crow Lake lined up for this photograph with Supt. of Schools Earl C. Gregory in 1951. The students sent a letter to famed author Laura Ingalls Wilder that prompted a reply that has become a Jerauld County treasure. They are, back row, Harold Barber, Ward Barber, Janice Marquardt, Earl Gregory; front: Dennis Spencer, Lila Barber, Connie Boesen, Donna Marquardt and Lewis Spencer. Evelyn Spencer, their teacher, took the picture in commemoration of a tree planting on the school grounds.
The letter was kept by teacher Evelyn Spencer for the next half century until she gave it to her sister, Margaret Schmidt for safe keeping when she went into the Weskota Manor/Avera nursing home a few years back.
The sisters always knew the priceless letter would eventually go to the Jerauld County Heritage Center for future generations to look at and enjoy. That day came on Friday, October 5, 2007, the day they both decided to make the presentation.
The official presentation went to museum volunteer Evelyn Weaver who appropriately was also a country school teacher for many years.
The Sefrna School started out as the old Crow Lake School, then Hazzard until all of the little schools in Crow Lake District consolidated into Crow Lake Central. The Sefrna School eventually was moved to Aurora County to the Johnson Brothers farm.
The eight Sefrna school students grew up and spread out all over the state and nation. Of the eight, Ward Barber, an eighth grader in 1951, still lives in Wessington Springs.
But, wherever they went, they took with them the exciting memory of receiving a letter from perhaps the most famous children’s writers in the world.
“I am glad you and your pupils love me and your love is whole heartedly returned.”
Yours sincerely,
Laura Ingalls Wilder
A final note reads, “Pa’s fiddle and his and Ma’s pictures are in the museum at Pierre State Historical Society.”The letter was kept by teacher Evelyn Spencer for the next half century until she gave it to her sister, Margaret Schmidt for safe keeping when she went into the Weskota Manor/Avera nursing home a few years back.
Laura Ingalls Wilder's letter page one
The sisters always knew the priceless letter would eventually go to the Jerauld County Heritage Center for future generations to look at and enjoy. That day came on Friday, October 5, 2007, the day they both decided to make the presentation.
The official presentation went to museum volunteer Evelyn Weaver who appropriately was also a country school teacher for many years.
The Sefrna School started out as the old Crow Lake School, then Hazzard until all of the little schools in Crow Lake District consolidated into Crow Lake Central. The Sefrna School eventually was moved to Aurora
Page two of Laura Ingalls Wilder's letter to Jerauld County students in 1951
County to the Johnson Brothers farm.
The eight Sefrna school students grew up and spread out all over the state and nation. Of the eight, Ward Barber, an eighth grader in 1951, still lives in Wessington Springs.
But, wherever they went, they took with them the exciting memory of receiving a letter from perhaps the most famous children’s writers in the world.
