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When I was a boy a long time ago everything was confusing of course. I had to learn so much stuff in what seemed to be a very short time. I was not born with information in my head, I had no “IQ” at that time so it took a couple of years to learn everything from scratch. I don’t recall much before I was 5 years old, except for a couple of minor incidents when I began finding playmates. I began playing with toy cars at that time with my friends. Maybe that started my interest in car collecting that I continue to this day. During High School I played basketball and I played center because I was 6’3” tall. I enjoyed that, and during my senior year I took up telegraphy because I was looking forward toward a future profession. During my school years and until I hired out to the Soo line I worked for local farmers which were about the only jobs available. I remember the wages were $1 dollar a day or 5 bucks for a six day week. Occasionally I worked with two other men making hay. During the drought, hay from the dry slough was the only feed available. Well, as I grew up I also grew mentally of course and I put that to work by leaning my new profession. I was fascinated with telegraphy, so I spent afternoons and evenings at the Depot learning the ins and outs of that job. Unemployment at that time was quite high and the Soo Line did not need new employees, so I waited about two years on their waiting list before I was called to work. I was hired as a temporary relief agent and I was sent to various locations where the agent was sick, on vacation or for some other reason. The drought years had been in full swing at that time, and jobs were scarce but I worked at the Soo Line job until I was inducted into the army where I spent the next two years. I then decided the Soo Line was a good company, but their union did not support promotions, so I decided to not return to the Soo Line, and joined our Family Bank instead, where I could work to promote Brooten and our area. As you know, Brooten was originally a Norwegian town. It had been settled by people from Norway ever since the mid 1860’s and they settled there because they had a common language which created a friendly atmosphere. In fact the old Brooten telephone directory for 20years listed about 20 Nelsons then a family name Nieuenhuis moved in to change that. The settlement east and north of us was settled by the Germans, and the Irish gathered together from Padua to Sedan. It took a few years before they learned English and integrated. Now you only occasionally hear those languages spoken, and we have become one American. The Irish used a form of English, and adapted to English readily. My friend Ole says, “Many Americans can speak three languages. English, Norwegian and Profanity”, but Norwegian’s do not use the Lords name in vain when they swear. They use the name of the Devil instead. We have the nicest group of people working at the bank right now. They are intelligent young ladies, and we have one Brand new young man, and of course Old faithful Byron and Dave, who is the TOP DOG. I am involved with the board of directors but mostly as a decoration and maybe a few suggestions. But we are a good group here to serve you and help you. Right Dave?
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