Opdyke 1971-1972
From here forward I am not recording absences or items related to
school.
Monday, Sept. 6,
1971 – Labor Day no school. Yesterday
was Lathrop Reunion.
Friday, Oct. 18,
1971 – TGIF. Trixie took her mother to
the hospital yesterday evening
Thursday, Oct. 12,
1971 – Trixie wrecked our car.
Wednesday, Jan. 5,
1972 – Today is Suellyn’s eighth birthday.
It is cold and snow on the ground.
Thursday, Jan. 6,
1972 – Our cistern pump at home was frozen up this morning and maybe torn up.
Tuesday, Jan. 11,
1972 – I was absent. Sick as a dead
horse with the flu.
Tuesday, Jan. 25,
1972 – Larry Epperson’s wife died.
Wednesday, Feb. 16,
1972 – I got a call this morning that David Hatch wouldn’t be here because he
is sick. I drove the car and knocked a
hole in the gas tank. The gas was
running out in a flood when I got to school this morning. I apparently drug and tore a hole in it when
I went through the detour at I-64 because it is so bad and rutted out.
Monday, Feb. 21,
1972 – Suellyn was sick yesterday and she is sick this morning. Trixie is taking her to the Doctor this
morning.
Tuesday, Feb. 29,
1972 – When I got home tonight Trixie had the woods and field afire behind our
house. I grabbed the shovel from the
corn bin and fought fire for an hour and a half. Bernard and then Jim came to help us. I wore blood blisters on my hands and burned
my forehead. It was really warm but
windy today. On the St. Louis radio
station they announced it got up to 83° I think. The end of another month, 3 more to go. I hope I can survive it in fairly good shape.
Monday, March 20,
1972 – Ruby [(Gurley) (Barr)] Musteen’s husband Bert died and we went to his
funeral over the week-end. Quite a trip.
Wednesday, April 19,
1972 – I am worn and tired out and the day hasn’t started. I have a class tonight and an exam.
Thursday, April 20,
1972 – They are suppose to land on the
moon today. I had a test last night in a
course I am taking. I think I flunked it
and Trixie made a 100.
Monday, May 1, 1972
– Here it is Monday again, already. I wasn’t ready for it to come. But I guess I never am. But it came a little earlier this time. We are on Daylight Savings Time now.
Wednesday, May 31,
1972 – Yesterday my cows got out on Merrel Neff and he was all mad, called
Trixie.
No journal found for Opdyke 1972-1973
Opdyke 1973-1974
Thursday, Sept. 20,
1973 – I was sick yesterday. I went home
as soon after school as I could and went to bed took aspirins and penicillin
pills. I hope I can make it through the
day. PTA tonight. I don’t think I will be able to make it.
Monday, Sept. 24,
1973 – I have been sick all week-end went to the doctor Sat. taking medicine
feel some better today. Something wrong
with truck making funny noise.
Thursday, Sept. 27,
1973 – It is raining this morning. We
went last night to see Everett Kittle at the funeral home. Sparky Adams called yesterday mad because he
had not received his pay for fixing garage door.
Monday, Oct. 1, 1973
– George Schell died Saturday evening 74 years old. His funeral will be Tuesday. Trixie called this morning and said Lea Neff
said our cows were out.
Tuesday, Dec. 4,
1973 – Today is my 37th birthday.
What have I done with my life? 20
years left? It is blowing and raining
and is suppose to snow tonight or tomorrow.
Thursday, Dec. 20,
1973 – No school today big snow storm 8 inches and drifting.
Friday, December 21,
1973 – Today is the last day before Christmas vacation. I was on the road over an hour this morning
getting to school. I started through the
country and got scared and turned around and went back through Wayne City and
Mt. Vernon. The roads were really
bad. I could drive only 25 to 30
mph. There were 2 big semi trailer
trucks turned over in the ditches between Mt. Vernon and Opdyke.
Monday, January 7,
1974 – The country changed to daylight savings time yesterday. It is just getting daylight now at 7:55.
Tuesday, January 8,
1974 – It is raining, sleeting & freezing this morning. I like to have never gotten to school this
morning because my truck’s choke or accelerator was stuck and I could not get
it unstuck. I had quite a time,
terrible.
Monday, January 21,
1974 – I did not go to school today because I have the flu and have had it all
week-end. Had fever I could not get rid
off [sic]. Really felt awful. Glands on both side of neck swelled and
hurt. Still do. It worries me but afraid if I go to the
doctor he would want me to go to the hospital and the insurance would not want
to pay for it.
Monday, March 11,
1974 – Trixie’s Grandfather [Henry Erkman] died yesterday morning around 7 a.m.
Virge McCrill had gone to get Henry for breakfast and found him lying on his
bed dead.
Tuesday, March 12,
1974 – Henry’s funeral today at 2:30
Tuesday, April 16,
1974 – School commences again!! Over our
vacation a man, Johnnie Butler, of Dahlgren was killed in Opdyke when his car
hit head on with a Semi on the curve.
Tuesday, May 7, 1974
– Trixie is to take 6 of my 7 hogs to market today. Keeping one to butcher.
Opdyke 1974-1975
Monday, Sept. 23,
1974 – My truck tore up on the way to school this morning.
Monday, Oct. 7, 1974
– We went to see Fredia [sic] Porter in the Evansville Hospital yesterday. I am about dead today. I didn’t know if [it] was the trip yesterday
or the Board Meeting tomorrow night. My
left jaw has a big knot and is really sore.
Can hardly touch it.
Monday, Nov. 11,
1984 – No school today Veterans’ Day. I
was sick Friday all day. I had Trixie
call the doctor and I went to the doctor as soon as I could get [home] from
school. He gave me a shot, on the way
home I started getting sicker. I
had Trixie to pull over to the side of the road. I was as sick as I ever have been in my
life. I thought I was going to pass out. I was sick all week-end. Great.
I got around some yesterday. We
came to school and got the coke machine and to Fairfield and bought some gates
for the barn.
Tuesday, Dec. 17,
1974 – Trixie brought me to school this morning. I left my truck home for Bernard to take a
couple of calves to market for me.
Mon.-Friday – Wed.,
Dec. 23 – Jan. 1 – no school, Christmas vacation, Great!!! Spent a week in Georgia & Alabama.
Friday, Jan. 24,
1975 – Ivan Holler called me last night and told me that Phil Utley’s father
had died from a heart attack.
Thursday, Feb. 20,
1975 – I am back again today although I don’t know if I can last all day. Stephen is sick today with the flu. I think I must have a touch of it with my
ulcer.
Thursday, Feb. 27,
1975 – I had a good night and feel pretty good this morning. My family is suppose to go to McLeansboro
tonight to watch Wayne City play McLeansboro in H.S. Regional Tournament. I have a cow missing. I suppose she is somewhere having a calf but
I looked all over our farm last evening and did not find her.
Monday, March 3,
1975 – Bernard took my truck and took my big steer to the Mt. Vernon Sale Barn
today.
Tuesday, March 4, 1975
– After I got home from school I took my only pig to Barnard’s Sale Barn. She will be sold today.
Wednesday, March 5,
1975 – My calf weighed only 980 lbs. and brought $30.15 a hundred. My pig weighed 280 and brought 36.75 a
hundred. I thought my calf should have
weighed a lot more than not. We went to
Norris City last night to see Wayne City play Vienna in the Sectional Wayne
City won. I am tired today. We are suppose to have a Admin. meeting
tomorrow and I thought it was today. Now
I am all dressed up and no where to go.
Thursday, April 3,
1975 – Lowell Porter, Eshmal’s father died yesterday evening. We are going to the funeral home tonight.
Friday, April 11,
1975 – Trixie’s birthday
Thursday, April 24,
1975 – It rained over 4 inches yesterday & last night. I liked to have not gotten to school this
morning. I had to come up on 64 and
around. Last night I was sawing an old
long in two and used a steel fence post to pry it up so the saw would not pinch
then I let it fly and it hit me in the face.
Awful! Melvin Wise from New Hope
called me and said Albert Miller did not think I was fully qualified to be
Supt. of New Hope School because they had twelve teachers and I do not have a
master’s degree that was on my mind when I let the fence post hit me in the
face.
Monday, May 26, 1975
– My stomach is cramping something awful!
I got app. ten acres of corn planted Sat. It rained yesterday morning. It is a lot cooler today. Mom & George were out for dinner yester
Betty & Eshmal & family, Jim [Lathrop] & Ira Hood after dinner stayed until
10 o’clock PM.
Tuesday, May 27,
1975 – It is cool and nice this morning.
I hope it stays nice all day.
Wednesday, May 28,
1975 – I am suppose to get a pony from Les Kemp today after school.
Opdyke 1975-1976
Thursday, Nov. 6,
1975 – Mrs. Wheeler died at 2:30 this morning.
I left school around 9:30.
Friday, Nov. 7, 1975
– Mrs. Wheeler’s funeral will be Saturday at 1 o’clock.
Thursday, Dec. 4,
1975 – Today is my birthday. I do not
feel very well today. I have had
something every night this week. ballgames, classes, meeting last night at Wayne City on
Building a new Building lasted until 10:30.
My right jaw is swelled up and is hurting. We have a ballgame tonight and Friday.
Monday, Dec. 8, 1975
– Trixie brought me to school this morning.
Bernard is to take my truck and take my big black white faced heifer to
market.
Thursday, Dec. 11,
1975 – I am back at school but not really feeling up to par. Trixie stayed home today, flu.
Wednesday, Jan. 21,
1976 – Trixie & I drove to Kaskaskia College last night and sat through the
first night of a math course.
Monday, May 10, 1976
– I planted my 9 acres of corn Saturday.
The earliest I ever planted. But
of course everybody else has already planted.
Wednesday, May 12,
1976 – I fell today playing ball and twisted my right leg in the knee.
Thursday, May 13,
1976 – Final exam tonight in my History Class at Rend Lake College. My leg is sorer today than it was
yesterday. It hurts when I walk and I
can not run.
Friday, May 14, 1976
– We got a nice & much needed shower last night. Bernard called last night and said Rufus
Lathrop died and thought the funeral would be Sat.
Opdyke 1976-1977
Monday, Oct. 11,
1976 – No school today, Columbus Day.
The lift on my tractor tore up Sat.
I did get the Smith place disked [sic] ready for wheat. Howard Shelton drilled the Smith place
today. I took my red stag to
market. He weighed 1160 lbs. brought
only 29¢. I sowed the cleared off ditch
in fescue.
Tuesday, Oct. 12,
1976 – Trixie is going to try and take my 2 black steers to market today. The calves weighed 1910 lbs. @ 34 ½ ¢ a lb.
Ave. 955 lb.s
Monday, Dec. 6, 1976
– It is cloudy today. Is suppose to
rain, snow and turn colder. Sat. was my
birthday. I was 40 yrs. old. Sun. Bonnie & Ivan, Barbara & Bob
[Bolton], mom & George [Lewis] were out for dinner.
Sat. Dorothy [Utley] called and
last night Bob [Lathrop] called. My big
old cow brought up a little bull calf Sunday.
Monday, Dec. 20,
1976 – I saw app. 100 geese landing in a field south of Barbara Capp’s house
this morning. The kids say they have
been seeing lots of them in the fields.
Wednesday, Jan. 5,
1977 – Suellyn’s Birthday
Thursday, Jan. 6,
1977 – Trixie called this morning said she ran the car into the ditch.
Monday, May 23, 1977
– George Lewis died Saturday morning app. 8:15.
His funeral will be today at 2 o’clock Golhson [sic] Funeral Home
McLeansboro. I took off school at 12:30.
Opdyke 1977-1978
Monday, Oct. 17,
1977 – Trixie & Stephen disked [sic] the wheat ground.
Tuesday, Oct. 18,
1977 – Trixie and Howard Shelton planted our wheat today.
Thursday, Nov. 10,
1977 – I went to Evansville yesterday after school. We bought Fredia [sic] & Lyman’s car for
Stephen, $1475.
Monday, Dec. 5, 1977
– Yesterday I was 41 years old – Trixie turned my birthday offering in at
Sunday School and they made a big deal of it.
They even sang Happy Birthday to me at Church last night.
Thursday, Jan. 5,
1978 – Suellyn’s Birthday today.
Friday, Jan. 13,
1978 – Snow about 2 inches. Trixie took
Stephen yesterday and signed up to go to school at Kaskaskia. He became sick vomiting in the night.
Tues. &
Wednesday, Jan. 17 & 18, 1978 – No school today. We got about 12 inches of snow. Wed. morning: it was 5° this morning, 30%
chance of snow today 50% tonight.
Schools closed all over Southern Illinois.
Thursday, Jan. 19,
1978 – On the way home from school today the snow was blowing across the road
so badly that I could not see through it.
I got to the county line and the road was not cleared so I turned around
and went back to Hwy. 64 and by the time I got to the Starvation corner the
road was blowing shut. It took me an
hour to get home.
Thurs. & Fri.,
1-26 & 27 – 78 – No school blowing drifting snow. Wednesday evening afternoon Trixie
called me and said that Stephen had locked his car keys in his car at Kaskaskia
College. It was blowing snow and snowing
so badly that it took me nearly an hour to get home. Trixie called Kaskaskia and Neal Lewis trying
to see about Stephen so that would not have to drive up there because the
weather and roads were so bad. But we
did not get anything accomplished so we started out about 6 PM and got there
about 8 PM. The driving was so bad that we
left his car and started home. Many
places were so bad that we could not see the road at all. We just drove by guess. Going south of Wayne City we ran into snow
drifts and blowing snow that we had to turn back to Wayne City and we were
lucky even to get back. We stayed with
Glen Jackson all night Wednesday night all day and night Thursday. Finally got home Friday. I also lost my billfold Wednesday night. Did not find it until Thursday afternoon when
I went out to get into the car it was under the car. I thought I had lost it for good. Suellyn went down to Lea and Merrell Neff’s
on a snow mobile.
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 1978 – I am still sick – slipped into the ditch on the way to school this morning.
Thursday, April 6,
1978 – Raymond Lathrop died this morning around 1 AM
Monday, April 10,
1978 – Today is Trixie’s 38th birthday.
Thursday, May 4,
1978 – Today is Mom’s birthday – 66th I think.
Opdyke 1978-1977
Monday, Nov. 27,
1978 – I saw a deer this morning on the way to school by Wilton’s. Hundreds & hundreds – probably thousands
of geese landed in Ellis Roane’s corn field just north of the school
today. Mom called me today crying. Does not know what to do about house, car
will not start, etc., etc. I went down after school, took her car but [put it] in
our barn. Chuck [Downey] came down got it
started.
Wednesday, Nov. 29,
1978 – Mom called me today talked for an hour crying – Bonnie had been down
last night. Mom wants to see a lawyer change
the place in her name, etc. etc. sick, can’t sleep, can’t eat.
Thursday, 11-30-1978
– Dean Parker cleaned out our pond yesterday.
Hundreds of geese are feeding in Roane’s field again today.
Monday, Dec. 4, 1978
– Today is my birthday. I did not even
realize it until I got to school and wrote the date down. No one at home said.
Monday, Dec. 11,
1978 – No school today, icy roads. 6:10
AM It is icy – roads are slicker today than they were Friday. Wayne City is not having school today. I haven’t heard about our school yet. 6:15 I just heard on the radio that we would
have no school today. 11:30 Trixie,
Suellyn and I went up Scrub Hill to sled on the icy roads – On the way up we
saw Bobby Barbee’s truck loaded with beans in the ditch at Forrest’s Corner –
almost turned over. On the way down the
hill I hit a melted off patch and the sled flipped me twisting my leg under me
and hurting my ankle and the bone just below the knee, also my left shoulder –
The doctor x-rayed it and said I had a separate[d] clavicle. It is very sore and so is my leg. I can hardly walk.
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 1978 – We are having school today, but are running the buses an hour late. I am staying home today trying to recuperate.
Thursday, Dec. 14, 1978 – I came close to getting killed this morning on the way to school. Paul Seidel drove out from the Oak Grove Road at Vershel Shaw’s just as I was coming around the corner. His windows were all frosted up, he did not even slow up. I did not notice him until he whizzed right along side of me and across in front of me. He has already put one school principal out of working order. A couple of years ago he hit Bluford Supt.
Friday, Jan. 5, 1979
– It snowed last night and is snowing now and is suppose to snow all day. Suellyn’s 15th birthday
today. It snowed all day. We dismissed at 2 PM.
Monday, January 8,
1979 – It was and is 2° below zero this morning. Barbara Bolton is in the hospital – mom called
yesterday talked to Stephen. Glen
Talbert fell Friday on the snow & ice breaking his ankle – we went to see
him Saturday in the hospital.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1979
– Jim called last night said Barbara was out of the hospital.
Wednesday, Jan. 10,
1979 – It was 5° below last night - 3° below now.
Mon., Tues. &
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 27, 28, 1979 – No school today. Early Sunday morning rain
turned to ice breaking tree limbs, television antennas and towers and
electrical lines and poles. Our power went
off at 6:50 AM Sunday. Did not come back
on until about 2:35 Tuesday afternoon.
It got down to 11° degrees Monday night.
We stayed all night at Bonnie & Ivan’s because we had no heat. It got down to 38° in our house. Snow and blowing winds – covered the roads
Sunday night. We walked down to Bernard’s
and it was difficult getting back home.
Wednesday – I got a call from Pinckneyville’s principal wanting us to
hold the Sectional Tournament which was scheduled for their school Monday night
and they could not have it because of the weather. I told them we would try to have it Thurs.
& Fri. nights. I got a call from
Irene Bennett that Kathy Talbert got killed in a car wreck this morning over by
Bluford. I could not believe it but it
is true. She was riding to work with
Dereth Bullock – car skidded on the icy road and was hit or slid into a pick-up
truck. Kathy was killed instantly and
the Bullock girl is in serious condition.
Trixie is to sing at Kathy’s funeral which is to be in the church Friday
morning. Thurs. – we played the first
game in the Tournament was beaten by 5 points 37 to 32. Following our game we went to the Funeral
Home. It still seems unreal – unbelievable
that Kathy could be dead. Our hope is
that she lives in heaven forever. She
had hundreds of baskets of flowers. Phil
Talbert flew home from California.
People all over are talking about Kathy and are torn up over her
death. Several stores are to close
during the funeral.
Friday, March 2,
1979 – I am taking ½ day Personal day to go to Kathy’s funeral.
Friday, March 9,
1979 – Jerry Kissner was killed yesterday evening in a chain saw accident. He was 30 years old.
Tuesday, March 13, 1979 – Trixie is to take my white faced heifer to market today. It is raining.
Thursday, March 15,
1979 – Ernie Richardson died today. A
train hit and killed a young couple in Bluford this morning 29 & 27 years
old.
Thursday, March 22,
1979 – Spring busted out all over and so did my cows. In the wheat all night. Bull & Holstein bull steer gone this
morning.
Friday, March 23, 1979 – Trixie called and said Coleman Isaacs died.
Thursday, April 26,
1979 – Mr. [Darrell] Mitchell sick today.
Could not get a sub. Jim Lathrop
said he would come but the front wheel on his truck fell off on the way over so
he called and said he could not make it.
Monday, April 30, 1979
– Trixie took a hog for us and one for Donnie Hayes to be butchered today. Donnie’s weighed 275 lbs. Ours weighed 280 lbs. I did not think they would weigh that much.
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