Grandma Gaikowski wrote this story about her years growing up – from her birth to her high school years. Her grandson, Greg Sass, read at her wake on January 25, 2002. At the meal after her funeral, Greg read the story again as requested, for those that had not heard it. It provides just a little glimpse at Grandma’s early years.

Growing Up

I was born on a cold December day in 1907. It happened to be Friday the 13th. The day that a lot of people shy away from. It was five and a half miles northwest of Castlewood, SD in Hamlin county. I was the youngest of eleven children. My oldest brother was 23 years older than I. My mother, Anna Wilker Jutting, was 42 years old, and my father, John Jutting, was 52 years old, at the time of my birth. So you can understand I never knew my parents as young people. To me, they were always old.

We lived on a hill, and the Sioux River ran through our land, a short distance from the buildings, which were built on top of the hill. It was a great place to have fun in wintertime – coasting, tobogganing, and skating on the river. In summer, we went boat riding and spent lots of time fishing, and we caught perch, bullhead, and a fish we called shinners. Mother would clean these shinners (they had lots of bones) and put them in a crock jar with catsup, mustard and onion and spices and bake them. It was sardines to us and oh so good.

When it was time for school, we walked two and a half miles to a country school. By cutting through the neighbors yard, it made it about two miles. I went to this country school until November of the 4th grade. Our family was the only ones in school, so the board decided to close the school because the teacher didn’t pass her teachers examination. Then we went to Castlewood School. We drove horses and had a homemade school bus that Dad had built. Later on, Earl was about 15, but not through the 8th grade yet, Dad was hired to drive a bigger bus and a nine-mile route. We left home about 7 AM and had to stop and pick up students all the way.

When I got through the 8th grade, I wanted to go to high school, but my parents needed me home to herd cows. By then, Earl was old enough to take a man’s place in the field. I wanted to go to high school so bad, I pleaded and pleaded to find a way. A new doctor had come to Castlewood, and wanted some one to help with their housework. I finally got the job and worked for my board and room, and got to go to high school.

Castlewood was a small town and they already had two doctors, so the Christensen’s wanted to move to Toronto, a small neighboring town. They wanted to take me along, to continue working for my board and room, but my parents would not let me go, so I had to find another place to work. It was a family with four small kids. But I still got to continue going to high school. I was there for the remainder of my freshman year and continued the next year until spring. Then the Cass family decided to go farming. So I finished my sophomore year staying with Elsie Teschler, a friend.

In summer, I was at home helping my mother with gardening, etc. When August came, Mrs. Jim Preston came to the farm and asked if I could work for her until school started. Then I could continue to stay with them and go to school. In August her parents from New York were coming to visit her and family. They only had one daughter Hazel about twelve years old at the time. She paid me well while her parents from New York were visiting them. Lucky I knew how to cook and clean house. They ate out some but preferred home cooking. She raised Airdale dogs and had sometimes 40 or 50 males and puppies. I had to cook big vats of oatmeal every morning for the dogs. But she fed them after the oatmeal was cool enough.

The parents left and school started. She paid me $2.00 a week, besides board and room. So I was lucky. I had enough money for all my clothes. Summer came and mom needed me at home to help her. Mrs. Preston always had hired help, so when I left, she hired a girl in town, and so I lost my good job. But mom needed help too, so it was my fate.

When school started in fall, my senior year, I paid board and room and had an easy year. I again stayed with Elsie Teschler. She lived with her grandmother Erhke, who was old and couldn’t be alone. I had plenty of time to study, and had better grades than when I stayed at Prestons. Then, I’d get up at 5 am and study for an hour, before I had to go and cook dog food and clean the house, before I went to school.

It was in my senior year that a Medicine Show came to Castlewood. They had a program every evening and something to go to – so Elsie and I went. Well, this is the time I won the gold pen and pencil set that I have. Someone put my name up, I think it was my brother Jake. They gave votes to any one who bought something at the show. The one with the most votes in the weeks time, won the gold pen and pencil set. Low and behold, when the weeks show was over, I had the most votes and won the gold pen and pencil set. I’m sure Brother Jake was buying shave cream, etc., more than he needed, and giving his votes to me. I was a little embarrassed, when my name was called as the winner. I had to walk up on stage, for the presentation.