School Memories: Helen (Adcox) Schurter

I hope everyone reading this does a better job of labeling photos so those of us seventy or eighty years later can figure out who the family member in the picture actually is. I don't have a year for this great image, I don't have any idea why they are all dressed as they are but this photo was a post card. Names on the back of the picture were in the same order as I type them below. Maybe a family member will stumble upon this site and contact me.
9/1/17 update: I made a "comment" about this but not sure how many will read it so I decided to edit the post: Skip and Phyllis Stuber believe that the front row starting on left side is Yeatman Adcox and then moving to the right across; back row starting on left side is "Baptist" Bennie Miller and moving to the right across. Those of you with additional information/corrections please comment. The Stuber's had no idea why the picture was taken.

Bennie Miller                                              Yeatman Adcox
Leonard Unsicker                                        Francis Mc ?
Charles Riley                                               Russell Becker
Ellsworth Ioder                                            Carl Hoffman
Raymond Hodgson                                      Kenneth Moss
Hiram Roher                                                Vernon Pflederer
Robert Koch                                                 Homer Hampton

Dec. 1, 1937  "Dear Helen, Remember me little, remember me big, remember me as a little pig. Your T.C.h.S. classmate, Audrey Humpfrey"

Dec. 1, 1937 "Dear Helen, Poor ink, poor pen, can't think, Amen! Your freshman classmate, Louise Bodie"

Dec. 1, 1937 "Dear Helen, With love to one of the nicest of my classmates.  Jean Patterson"

Dec. 7, 1937 "Dear Helen:  In your chimney of fortune, count me as a brick.  A friend, Ana Lee Benson"

December 3, 1937 "Dear Helen: On this pretty page of white, I will sign my name for spite. Your schoolmate at T.C.H.S., Doris Powell"

"Dear Helen, As you slide down the banister of life, remember me as a splinter in your "career." Your friend, Jim Weeks"

April 30, 1938 "Dear Helen, When you get old and cannot see, put on your specks and think of me.  Your sister, Imo"

December 7, 1937 "Dear Helen, Forget me not, forget me never. Till the Golden Sun Sets forever.  Your friend, Dixie Mae Benson"

Dec. 1, 1937 "Dear Helen, "Monkey, monkey climbed a tree, pull his tail and think of me. Yours till camels swim on the Sahara Desert. Your Schoolday friend, Dorothy Bertsch"

Dec. 7, 1937 "Dear Helen: When the golden sun is setting, and your mind from care is free, when of others you are thinking, won't you sometimes think of me? Remember the good times we had in school. (if any)  Your school pal, Marilynn Weeks"

Relocation Exploration

 Rapid City

 Ellsworth AFB

 the "sisters" at Devil's Tower

 Mammoth Site, Hot Springs

 last 2 were from SE Oregon camping

 Yellowstone NP

 Last 3 (K C photos) from Custer SP

 Spearfish Canyon

 Devil's Tower

 Pactola Res.

 Mt. Rushmore

 Rapid City Park

 Wyoming

 local hike

 Journey Museum

 Badlands NP

 last 2 from our eclipse trip to Wyoming

Oh, the places you'll go in less than 6 months! What a beautiful area of the country! We have been blessed with visitors and the health to get out and go.

August 26 - September 1, 1948

August 26, 1948  "On Vacation! Went to Continental Divide and then to Red Lake. Saw a lot of Indians and a large saw mill."

August 27:  "Started for home this morning. Visited Itasca State Park on the way home. Stayed at Rochester, Minn. all night. Visited Helen & Connie Herman. Helen was leaving for home in the morning. We ate supper at the 'Covered Wagon,'" more on the restaurant  http://www.postbulletin.com/flashback-pappases-got-their-start-in-covered-wagon-cafe/article_fbd9c94f-116d-59d1-ad89-27d8ae2d87d7.html

August 28: "Got home late this evening. Had a good trip."

August 29: "Stayed around home after dinner. Was at Rockholds for dinner. Jimmy got scratched by dog, took him to the doctor. Went to Grandma Adcox's for the evening."

August 30: "Went to Pekin this morning, took Charles to dentist. Went to farm after I got home. We went to look for corn dump all over country. Got home about 8:30 this evening."

(I believe the corn dump was used to haul the corn back to the crib. Any other ideas are welcome.)

August 31: "Went to farm early this morning. Took some parts to Delavan to get them welded. Hauled manure all afternoon, was pretty hot. Picked bushel of peaches this evening. Vic & Grandma were here this evening."

September 1: "Went to farm this morning. Hauled manure most of day. Went to look for corn dump. Got home about 9 o'clock."

School Memories, Helen (Adcox) Schurter

Year of this picture is unknown, a young Helen Adcox is the 6th student from the left in row 2.

Again the year of this picture is unknown, Yeat Adcox, brother to Helen, is the 4th student from the left in row 1. Note said that this picture was not at a Tremont, IL school.

A pattern emerges, no year on this picture AND subject isn't identified by location. Harriet Adcox,  sister of Helen is in the second row sixth from left. This is not a Tremont, IL school or so the note on the picture said.

August 19 - 25, 1948 "Up North"

 Carol, 1952 Minnesota trip

 beginning of Mississippi, Ervin Kahler, Carol, Charles, Helen and Henry    fishing trip, year unknown

For our family (prior to me) going "up north" was a common phrase that the family understood and were excited about. That fishing trip to Bemidji, MN was a break from the Illinois summer heat and a chance to eat fresh fried fish for a week. I was taken on one of these trips (that I can remember), we shared a cabin with the McMullens and Neil invited his cousin, Don Pflederer along. Interesting fact, years later I would marry a Stuber who is related to Don. Don had a morning paper route so he was up every morning by 5:00 and out on the dock fishing. Enjoy this change of pace from the normal journals I've recorded thus far.

August 19: "Went to farm late this morning. Worked around home all day. Dad and Dan went to fair. We are leaving tonight on a weeks fishing trip to Jess Kinmans at Bemidji, Minn."

August 20: "Got to Bemidji at 6 o'clock. Had a good trip but was very tired."

August 21: "ON VACATION  Went into town." Helen wrote, "Ervin and Henry caught enough fish for our meal."

August 22: "ON VACATION" Helen wrote, "Henry and Ervin and I went out fishing. We caught 43 fish. I caught a smaller Northern. Had a hard rain and storm tonight. Fellows went fishing after it was clear."

August 23: "ON VACATION" Helen wrote, "Henry and I went fishing, caught about 25 fish. Clarence Schmidgall's from Morton visited Kahler's. Enjoyed meeting them. Ate dinner at their cabin." Note from Rich: I actually met the great-granddaughter of Clarence while working in the Morton High School Library. 

August 24: "ON VACATION"

August 25: "ON VACATION"  Helen wrote, "Went into town shopping with Edna (Kahler)."

toys   .25

soda's  .50

socks  .39

book  .10

supper  1.55

overalls  2.39

dolls  1.98

School Memories: Helen (Adcox) Schurter

1939 Adcox sisters: Mertie, Imo, Harriet and Helen

June 15, 1938  "May you be happy, may you be blessed, and live in a neat little cottage with the one you love Best.  From your best goofy Pal, Mick"

May 27, 1937  "Dear Helen, Sweet are the flowers that bloom by the brook, but sweeter is the one that owns this book.  Your classmate, Verla Schmidt"

November 24, 1937   "Dear Helen, You are 2 sweet 2 be 4 gotten.  Shirley Hicks"

Dec. 1, 1937  "Dear Helen:  I shall always remember you as a quite (quiet) little girl that didn't have much to say, but was smart in her school studies. She always made friends with anyone and was always kind & loving.  Your pal forever, Margaret Van Buren"

Dec. 1, 1937  "Dear Helen, Remember the good times we had throughout T.C.H.S. Let's hope that our friendship shall always hold throughout our life. May success and happiness always be your motto.  Your T.C.H.S. friend, June Vanburen"  (note, I'm thinking these last two are related but they sure didn't sign their last names the same)

Dec. 1, 1937  "Dear Helen: Two little Negroes set out one night, to fly to Yale on the tail of a kite. The tail string broke, and down they fell. Now don't get excited and don't get pale, because they both went to Harvard instead of to Yale. Let's hope that you get to go to one of these colleges but not the way they did.  Your T.C.H.S. friend, Lola Mae Woerner  P.S. I hope that you remain as smart if not smarter than you are now." 

Aug. 18, 1939  "Dear Helen, 

If        you

you    will   me

read    see   love

up       that  you

and     I       if

down  love you

Your friend, Verla Paine  (note, I enter these in the order they appear in the journal, no date adjustments are made)

August 12 - 18, 1948

1947 Ford

                                                                               Schurter children - 1959

August 12: "Got up early this morning. Done chores, then went to timber to get sweet corn for women to can. Started threshing about 1:30. Finished about 5:30. Had 2 loads of oats to unload at Eicher's tomorrow."

August 13: "Went to farm early this morning. Did chores, then unloaded oats I had on wagon. Took Connells wagon home. Came to town after dinner, mowed our lawn, went back to farm around 4:30 to get some sweet corn and check electric fence. Dad & gang got home from fishing trip. Helped clean fish, then moved back home."

August 14: "Got up late this morning. Went to farm around 8 o'clock. Picked some peaches and dug potatoes. Went to Morton after dinner. Took Jess up to get his car. Came home through Tremont to get groceries. Came home early. Went to Pekin this evening."

August 15: "Got up late this morning. Went out to Rockholds before dinner. They are going to keep the kids while we go fishing. Was up to Grandma Adcox's for the evening. Got home early, was a very fine day."

August 16: "Went to farm early this morning. Worked around all morning. Checked fence, got sweet corn, also picked up rest of oats shocks in timber. Worked on manure spreader all afternoon. Painted it & greased some. Went to Kahler's in evening."

August 17: " Went to Bill Scott's to make hay all day. Put up 1030 bales clover hay. Was very warm. Looked like rain this evening. Came home about seven o'clock."

August 18: "Went to farm late this morning. Had to mail eggs for Louise. Hauled manure most of day and worked on spreader. Came home early this evening. Went to Green Valley to get fishing equipment, as we are leaving for fishing trip."

School Memories: Helen continued

Continuing on in the "My School Day" book of quotations from early years of Helen's education.

Feb. 11, 1935  "Dear Helen, I have certainly enjoyed having had you as one of my pupils. I shall always have pleasant memories of the little girl with the sweet disposition."  Imo Stegner (teacher)

Feb. 11, 1935  "Dear Helen, I hope that when we get big and tall that we will be friends as we are now and I also hope that nothing will break our friendship."  Dorothy Helleman

Feb. 14, 1935  "1 2 3 4 5 6 7  that's how many neva's baby's in heaven; none of them are mine, but you are mine; so be my Valentine."  Louise Bodie   (note from Rich, hard to make out "neva's" in the writing but there was history around the idea of naming a child "Nevaeh" which is "heaven" spelled backwards. Someone else may know more about this quote)

Feb. 18, 1935  Dear Helen, Roses are red, violets are blue, angles (should be "angel's") in heaven are singing for you."  Your friend, Wylma

Jan. 2, 1933  Dear Helen- When you are married and your old man gets cross, come over to my house and eat applesauce."  Your sister, Harriet

"When you get married and live on the farm, send me a watermelon as long as your arm." Yours Sincerely, Margaret VanBuren

Feb. 12, 1935  "Dear Helen:  See a monkey in a tree, pull his tail and think of me."  Your classmate, Ella Marie

"A ring is round and has no end; so is my love for you dear friend."  Dorothy Bertsch

Last entry on the back page of this small booklet was:

Helen Virginia Adcox   Nov. 3, 1923  Tremont, Ill. Have always lived in Tremont.

Cecil Carlyle Adcox   March 18, 1911  Redmon, Ill. moved to Tremont in 1920.

August 5 - 11, 1948

Helen Adcox, 1936

In an earlier post I talked about "binders." This link will give you a good idea of how the binder worked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ekJFOxUhy4

August 5: "Got up early this morning and worked around home all morning. Went to Coddingtons to thresh early noon. Got all his oats threshed, but only about half his wheat threshed. Got home late this evening."

August 6: "Got up early this morning. Done chores around home, then went threshing around nine o'clock. Got done at Coddington's by noon. I loaded a load of bundles at Luick's before dinner. Stayed there for dinner. Got done threshing at Luick's about 4:00. Went to Eicher's and threshed 10 acres of oats yet this evening. I got home at 8 o'clock. Went to Peoria to get Mom."

August 7: "Got up early this morning. Got ready to thresh at Dan's. Loaded a load of bundles before dinner. Started early noon, was pretty wet. Got all done but 3 loads of bundles, it was too wet. Got home about 6:30. Done chores then went up to Ervin Kahlers for the evening. Bill Schurter's were there."

August 8: "Got up rather late this morning. did chores, then went to timber to see if cows were all rite. Layed around most of day. did chores early, and went to Dan's for evening."

August 9: "Got up early this morning. Did chores, and started to turn oats. Cows were in corn, had to fix fence. Went threshing early Monday noon at Schmidt's. Didn't get home till seven o'clock. Helen finished turning oats shocks."

August 10: "Got up early this morning. Dan went through bridge with load of dirt on truck. Wasshn't hurt much. Finished threshing at Schmidt's and Dan's. Started at our place at 3 o'clock threshed till 6:30."

August 11: "Got up early this morning. Done chores, put cows in timber. Then turned oats shocks so we could thresh. Got 1 load loaded before dinner. Then started after dinner, but it rained about 2:30. Went to fair at Lincoln this evening, Dan's went along."

sweeper & attach.   17.85

fair   1.90

gro   1.39

School Memories - Helen

Following quotations were taken as written from a small book called, "My School Day Autobiography." Dates are provided where the writer included one.

"Do you love me? Do you not? I love you, no matter what."  Madeline Woerner

December 31, 1932  "Dear Helen:  Roses are red; violets are blue; sugar is sweet, and so are you."  Marjorie Riley

March 11, 1933  "Dear Helen: When you're married and I'm an old maid, I'll bet you a dollar you'll be willing to trade."  Evelyn Bailey  (note said Evelyn lived in Lincoln, IL)

September 30, 1934  "Dear Niece: My love for you will never fail as long as pussy has a tail. But when her tail is off gone my love for you will still hang on."  Aunt Helen (note from Rich, I have no idea who this "aunt" was.)

These two notes were found on page after the above 1934 post.

Mr. Roy R. Reeter hurt in auto wreck Dec. 25, 1932.  Passed away Dec. 28, 1932.

Ellis Bayston died December 20, 1935 in Tremont. Age 19, senior at Tremont High School.

December 25, 1932 "Dear Helen: We are writing the gospel a chapter each day, by the deeds that we do, by the words that we say. People read what we write whether faithless or true, say, what is the gospel according to you?"  Mrs. Schaefer

January 1, 1933  "Helen: When you are old and cannot see, put on your speckies and think of me."  Daddy

July 12, 1933  "Dear Helen; When you are married your baby gets cross, come over to my house and feed it applesauce. Yours till hairpins get sick on permanent waves." Your sister, Imo

Feb. 6, 1935  "Dear Helen, I love you little, I love you big, I love you like a little pig."  Yours Sincerely, June VanBuren

Feb. 14, 1935  "Dear Helen: When you get married and have two twins, don't come over to my house for safety pins."  Your classmate, Audrey Humfrey

Jan. 2, 1932  "Dear Helen: Times are hard and boys are plenty, don't get married until you are twenty."  Your friend, Lenna  (note from Rich, Helen didn't quite follow this advice, she graduated from high school on a Friday night and married Henry on Saturday in 1941. Interesting history note that by 1932 the "Great Depression" was into year 3.)

Feb. 23, 1935  "Look out for your toes they might get tangle(d) up and down you go."  "Liza" your Brother....(not sure if this was Vic or Yeat or Carlyle)