Latah County Oral History Collection

Rob Moore: Well, Ben Scotter and Nola Coulson have been farmers all their lives. They hopped over clods behind the foot river and years later rode over the same dirt in a tractor. Their perspective is that of men who have stayed in one place, done the same job and watch the place and the job change. On this tape, they reminisce with each other about the old one room school.

Weather and crop changes, Halloween tricks, hill raising, chivalry. Sneak thieves in prohibition.

Norla Callison: And sugar. We've had lottery winners that we never.

Got to know until Christmas.

Well, one thing we do, we can think about that started early. Like this. Maybe we'll have an early spring with that. That's so. Don't want a phone call for lower rec. It used to. And there's another thing that we used to have that we don't have anymore. We have one a year or two ago. And that's January, whole January.

So when I was a kid, we would get snow needy and people say, oh, I want to get to January and take it off. And it was here to hear a different tack. Yeah, we got that January. I thought we never missed. But we don't get in January. So we have one here. Two, two years ago a small but that's the 1st January.

Oh, we had new. Our winter is a change. I don't know what it cutting off the timber. It changed things cannot. I know back on in Cedar Creek and the crashing country, since they cut the timber off their, if not near frosty in there. And that's the air currents in there. It's it's a lot warmer. But there seasons are changing.

But don't you.

Think the whole thing is changed? I think for.

Us, you can remember years ago when we used to farm reversion, we had to get in the field early in order to get our work done, and we did. We were able to get out there.

Well, we're right there now. Advent. And for my Lord. It took a week or so to get your stuff in any. You got it. That's right. Why? You won't get first base. No resources. Now. We're just about a week now, then set to work. Yeah, we need to let them know. There's about a week and fit to work an inch to dry.

And we worked with horses. It wasn't that way. You know.

With better plow for days.

I remember the spring of 1934. I remember very distinctly out of the spring after we bought our first okay in the fall of 33, and it was a mild winter. And I found this piece of ground had a cross over here in February, and it was a warm and going to have an afternoon going along at North Slope.

I did look down this way and the ground clubs and the ground was covered with cobwebs and a little net there from November.

And it's like going to fall here.

That's right. Just like whole year and then come back and then that's the air before.

Rob Moore: You be plowing that soon in.

Norla Callison: February. I did that year now, and that's the last time I went back in February 1934. And I know you're after about the cat. That's why I know I've got a lot of the fall 33.

That in spring, but I think it was down to pressure from. We went to work in February and we never quit until everything was done. We never had a, you know, didn't have any more bad weather or have any more water at all.

When I was going to school here, I couldn't tell who we are. In 1918. And, you know, no, it was more than one year. When I go in the pool, there, but class near would see you in February and I put you early on that canyon.

Yeah, I.

Went down there, but I know not to have more than one. And a class. A kid did come through out that season in February. Yeah, well, you get the see right now it's April.

Rob Moore: Well, January and February now is usually.

Norla Callison: When when we have.

Rob Moore: More snow.

Norla Callison: The hardest months. Yeah. So I think the whole thing.

How they our water I think our weather pattern has changed.

Yeah. I don't think again I don't know.

Rob Moore: Does that made a difference in the crops that people put in.

Norla Callison: Well yeah. No. We used to be able to grow spring wheat here. We grow real good. Spring break. I don't think you get your money back now. If you tried.

You know, I've tried to get.

A lot of cover water one time, and I can't think of a year. It's any of that. After a month, the cap, the fall of 33. And after that, several years, we had the worst time. Place. Fall wheat. And by going to that after me when I got married, we got married for 34. And my God had that.

She did before we. We literally had to Peter tell you about Rebecca? Yeah. You know, if no one cared.

And 1 or 2 over in the fall of the.

Year. Yeah, well, it was no good at all. And but I got to go over and it turned in and we had a work fresh. And I couldn't dig it out. That's all I had to put in my mouth. Anything. And you know what? I got that right. And it rained and rain and I just couldn't work, couldn't work, couldn't work.

And I finally had quit rain in the last I me and I went over and over here mash up. And I remember I finished up some recorders out and it started to rain. Yeah, it was wet, two wet to really be hidden, but I had to do it. Had to do.

The 50 to.

50. You never forgot that because the fifth day you that I cheated that Confederation week. I guess you could be a good. All right. I see that the Federation. And so I helped me that 40 week. Yeah. No furlough until, you know, 40 weeks on in life. I finished up on a shower, but I can't get here. But it was even before rainbow.

I got a.

Black bring with me and I was brewing, and that was pretty good. Crop crew in the 41. That was. Oh yeah.

Yeah, 41. In the morning I went up and help cut neighbor came freed up here. But it was wrong. 41 and by golly we finished up when we had, we was as soft as Marsh and it didn't taste frankly, chalky just hated chalky. And my mom was beside himself to get cut the morning I went to work one day in the two hours and that would make.

This was number two commander in my field. Yeah, he had the all figured out. Come on. He had. I had the old case. But anyway, we finished up only to get him pretty. And even though I and you know people so let them come by and tracks wasn't me thinking in pulling hard steel wheels. That's right. You talk about pulling hard, you get a book for you.

Thank you for we didn't. You could see every one of them back from the field. And then they were still coming in just about that day.

Rob Moore: About three.

Norla Callison: And it we finished up. It was a shower and that was the last it rained and there was never another criminal court around here. but of course the rest that was was done. Bob didn't ever come back. He was at the mercy of the wind. Yeah, right. But it was not over. I know that.

We, we cut barley about 9.8 acre a mark, but. And I could only get the bulk cans about half full. The front wheel would fly. And if I come from one, it would slide.

And over to you. Take that right out of wet wheat swelled up by that chalky stuff. And by golly, it was wet. It wouldn't hardly.

Run. Yeah. Remember in the days if.

You just one room, I drive, we just swishes going like that, you know.

Rob Moore: Whether we like that wouldn't be worth much to sell, would.

Norla Callison: It? Well, it is more of the hogs. Yeah. And there's no food value in it. After wheat gets wet so many times it takes all the food back out.

Oh, I proud a lot of I was right all right in here. But you know, no, I fed I had a whole bunch of us that were.

You know, just stand around.

Squeal and I just, you know, they didn't do nothing.

You were time you were out there. The old Jimmy at the feeder there or at the fence looking up at you, squealing. There's no food value to it.

There's. You can feed him all you want. And I fed mine and itself fitted and never did run out of it. No no no growth.

No no there's.

No I haven't I have 3 or 4 feral and it's run the feral 31 through the three. And I said one you remember director for Raider board that or died in shortly after that.

Yeah. I don't mother wasn't the.

Right mineral you know. And then if I don't know if I had any I never I've never fed them in that kind of thing before.

That was the same year Jordan Davison had this piece. You over here at Bob's, you know, across the golf.

Yeah.

The corners over there are if you and I owned the Bob corners up, we had them getting served. We had one of the best.

All the town.

Club. I was on an oil field. Oh it was a it hit George. Right Ken. Yeah. Well that was a good week. And it got wet and rain and they crashed and harvested and he had a mr. pig there and you know, he ran pig. You know, we done nothing.

Know there.

And the up before spring they all got sick. You remember. Yeah. And you had pigs dialect fly.

They, they.

Just they just.

Shipped them in there from Montana.

Yeah. They brought in some disease there. And he. If he didn't have one mash and then feed that crappy wheat with no food value and he got disease from them, Montana was mixed in on his pig and he just lost hope like that, like flies.

Rob Moore: But I, I heard from a woman down Genesee that the way that her grandfather saved himself and that what harvest in 1893 was that he turned his his hogs loose in the in the stacks, in the wheat stacks, you know, and that's the only way he managed to make anything out of.

Norla Callison: I have heard of people that turn him out in the field, you know, John, what do you tell your story? He told John there before because that was a good fall later on. Pick up over here. And the fat man ain't big.

No, no no no for the I used that market place to help truck.

Well that's all I had in mind. Well, John used to run his on his wasn't home pack run over the canyons I never.

Yeah, well, I ran out of Crowder and I don't think they didn't 5 pound all fall.

Remember Sam beginning to always turn his page up.

Yeah. Ever. And then just, above the just run. You know what I mean? Well, that's I know they.

Run the red box. Well, yeah.

The the refinery. I tell you, it was a little different. Well, they used to shop for car. The head would all be.

Around the.

Yard, around the shop. But when you come back in a different story.

Well, I'm thinking about fresh water station.

Yeah.

Thank you. Steve. I mean, I know John, Woody and Sam like him. They all they pretty much had their place at all things except when they came in and whatnot. Now, they wouldn't go down in there anyway, but they had the hogs and pick up all the hints.

Yeah. I'm sure you remember how it used to be around the track too long about your head. You know? But yeah, well, the Cumberland River never saw that 104.

And basically, if you were cut, I blind the bottle. Yeah. You would always, if you had got away from you on the ground, you know.

No. Well, hogs had a wonderful time then. George is.

Never happy. Oh, yeah.

And they.

He was they were happy hogs. my weeds getting up again. Can't reach up again.

Oh, yeah. It up today, I wonder. Yeah.

Well, today we heard you. I think it went up $0.02 in 85.

How do you. 522 and point five 2522. Yeah. I mean, I understand, I know we used to have, you know, between Canada and Portland, but we are 20, 21 since we're gonna go a little bit. But more on the free from, you know, the day, you know, $0.36 difference between Canada and Portland. I just can't see how we got that.

All right, I don't know. I'm quite sure the French Mr.. But you the week prices.

Rob Moore: Have never been anything like this before have you. Pardon. We prices have never been anything like this before have they.

Norla Callison: No, no. Well what did they get up there in the world? football.

World. I never got this I know.

Oh no no, no I don't. They get to 100. Did they get to three?

Yeah. I think at home a three.

Dollar we share the highest we ever felt was a dollar or $2. And, I think it was $2 and a quarter, I think 35.

I think it got up around $3. I know the few folks of helped the bargain. Broke the number. Yeah. Broken the help before ours and and they didn't have chance not to turn loose. You just kept a hold on going hold a couple years in the storage and it.

Right in broke. And in the meantime we went down, down, down.

That's right. And storage went up and up.

You know, I was so scared this fall and they were going to break. I fell for 437. But I don't regret it. No. we price. Yeah, sure. But I've still got.

Half of it. I hope that's the first year, we can sell it now, but he he can sell it or not. Take money until after the first. Yeah, he's a watch it all because.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. You know, here about ten days ago, it was down to the 40.

Five.

People in Denver and said, yeah, yeah, but I think it was television. Correct.

I think it was down around 470, 140. Yeah. I don't know. I think broke it off between Portland, you know. And things like that. Right. Legend I was out of school last week and I don't want to say running.

Rob Moore: Yeah.

Norla Callison: But you had that.

Rob Moore: Thing, right? Yeah, I sure have.

Norla Callison: Turned it off. Oh, they were how food labels. We had quite a bit of strategic food. You know, he gave me his cookie. No, no. Keep it. I don't know if you ever thought. And by God, I got a little cellophane bag about that. The 396 or at a grocery store in Vietnam? No.

Who ever heard of. Yeah. Okay. Well, think about how.

Long for this to be here. 45 about, I'm 45. A pound, 2 pound bag of $0.90.

Well, yeah, but that's profit you got, you know, pay for that bag and put them in it.

And I got to put it in the bag in the machine to grab them.

Yeah. Right. And if you take it's a big crack. Our house. The dog.

My grandmother. You think the best thing in Sioux Powder should be for. Well, she could really make good me.

Rob Moore: Did people usually in the early days when they take their crops in and buy them back after they're processed or they process in themselves like peas when they.

Norla Callison: Get another home?

Rob Moore: Yeah.

Norla Callison: It's called onions and stuff like that. We all kept beans in that last all water.

Oh, are you before the reprocess?

Yeah. We got we didn't process and we just kept a few beans at home. I don't know how we didn't buy how.

Rob Moore: How did you clean.

Norla Callison: Them up? Well guess what. I'm do the same meal and take them out and put it down the ground. Well, you know where and when.

everybody do your job at mill.

Oh, have.

Anybody out of town? Military is wrong. State, Grand Bahama and immoral that no right.

Rob Moore: That's right. That's that's like winnowing. That's. It's like that's winnowing when you. Yeah.

Norla Callison: Throw down the regular stream and and.

We're going to do what they can there. And it goes on, the fan goes out and the crap goes out the back end. You know, we used to, used to have dusters treated their own wheat. And everybody got to leave. You know they don't do that. Here. Take it home. Yeah. Rather than mail.

It to your house.

Yeah. Yeah. No we used to lie down in the farmer and everything years ago. We put near come off of the farm. That's right. We had our own milk. Modern cheese and eggs and cured meat, raised their own vegetables and had her own being. broom brooms. And I used to be several dryers on the right here.

Yeah.

Three at one time. Wonder. Yeah. Oh. My job. Oh, Russell.

Oh. Hey, Roger. yeah, I ever. Oh, you're going to remember one this, one this place over here, the George farm. Your grandma came play that that was all opportunities at one time.

Yeah.

Right it out. You know they're out in the open a place. Yeah. At the packing plant there. That apple. Last apples I remember on that over here on this piece of ground walking with in that girl that goes up to where are go in the O'Connor place the fight prisoners up in that cold. Remember on the hill.

Good morning. But there gravity zero three the go to school view. 3 or 4. Three.

Yeah.

And you go by. Then I forget about the kids and I go up and get them out of the door. They want to snap. It's gotta get the whole apple pie.

Rob Moore: Did you both go to school at the schoolhouse that Frankie lives in now?

Norla Callison: Over there? Yeah. Well, not that building.

Is the same place for different.

Yeah, and first for a different one.

You know, a little further down the hill.

Yeah, just about the width of the field. but that's right.

You play baseball on the upper side as you. All right. Ready for it? House. Proud of our brother. Baseball I love you. The fact that you are from Mexico.

Rob Moore: Did you break a few windows that way?

Norla Callison: Oh, out the window on the back. On the back in the window. What is on that arm? And that's my backstop.

Rob Moore: Were there were there quite a few sporting games and things played and played in the school in those days?

Norla Callison: Well, every one of these Rangers had a baseball team.

Yeah. And one time.

And one time. Right. One time. Every time this redheaded baseball bat. Cameron and anyone, not every town, of course.

Rob Moore: Would you go out and play each other?

Norla Callison: Oh, yeah. Play on Sunday afternoon, You play over here, we'll have in the red barn. And me. But they're not flat.

Well, yeah, that was before my time.

But before my time away. Dean told me. Yeah, you played that.

Friend of Wallace?

Yeah, they played right across the road there. George, you got that patch he puts north? Yeah, across the road there between the creek and the highway is. No. Yeah. That was a baseball game. But you stayed on, right? Yeah. Yeah. Well playing baseball afternoon I was more yeah. Wade said I was born playing baseball.

Yeah, I remember, I remember one time in that time I think they played up there.

King they all fall for that.

I'll tell the building I have a.

Georgia garage, y'all.

And I remember one time the car boys came over here from Tech Ridge. Yeah. And I was holding a picture team not far from the picture, and it'd be a little barren. A little bear, her. Yeah, that that perfect cross was.

Right across the street. Yeah, right across from.

All right.

No Harlan.

Ridge.

No. You're not hungry at burger. Okay. Burger. Yeah. It's, it's between Bear Creek and Burger.

Yeah.

Here people are. Ball at the park right now. Yeah. You that's that. I work bridge.

Yeah. They they come over here.

Yeah. I don't cross the face of the house. LeBron said I wanted we can, you know. Yeah, I give him problems or not. you know, I, I'm in there for years and years and years. Last fall one they made I've in the mall for Cunard. What in the food brokerage. You've been as far down as the center.

Yeah. We went down with the saboteur. I said let's go down to and third down again. Oh, Carl, you know what? It must be three miles and they're all down here. Well, by the what? After that, can I favorite down to.

The ground zero.

Level. We go down there and turn around there the gym, house and back there.

Rob Moore: It's been in the these baseball games. There are a lot of competition between the different ridges and in terms of sports and stuff like that.

Norla Callison: Well, I think baseball is on the game.

Playing baseball and baseball is the only game I think right now.

Why baseball? And it doesn't have any bearing in practice. I just got to practice while they play it.

Rob Moore: Well, we one team walk over to another ridge and play there or what?

Norla Callison: Well, usually horseback.

Or.

Even buggy.

Crowded before cars are.

Practically everybody rode horseback Thursday.

Oh, hardly ever.

Happened to having a motorcycle or a car at a horse.

And women, kids go in the back and the young bucks and the baseball players had a horse. The driver family.

Rob Moore: What was it like in the in the, in the one room school did I know like like like when you watch, when you watch a TV show or something about about those days, the kids are always playing tricks, like, you know, slipping a frog in the teacher's desk or something like that. And that kind of stuff happened a lot or was a lot calmer there.

Norla Callison: So I would say there was very little of a record the teacher wanted to have on the back of her head.

The one fan left.

To know that in Denver we had one little girl down there you probably remember that had a buggy whip. She usually, the kid, Well, I remember Sarah.

Sweet. You remember she stayed here? I know she bought it over here at, Yeah.

Yeah.

I remember she had a she had a cut off broomstick. you cut the broom off and had that. Did I tell you how that was a very effective wire? But he he just reach out and remove that thing, and I'm sure one time he took it right side. You have it.

You know what's cool? To a doubt. You know.

What? I heard about.

It, right? She knocked all papers off my desk one time for the whole front. More war. Yeah, yeah, I was just little sweeter. Boy, boy took them,

I bet he was. No one scared? You probably heard a pin drop.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. She sure a good old Frazier to go to work. Yeah. She had a twisted rawhide, Yeah. Twisted rawhide. Whipping boy. I tell you one that came down, it went really well.

Rob Moore: Well, she didn't have any. They didn't have a problem keeping the light. Some of the boys would be really, really old when they went out, you know, 16, 17 around in there.

Norla Callison: we got pictures in here. We've got a picture. Some kid going to school. They looked like young man wearing mustache.

Big, long, flowing like that. Yeah. We got on an old man named George Davison, and, dad, just bald.

And fat on the grill. Hard tackle.

Yeah, those kid real hard on that. And George Basher. Yeah. And they all had big grow then everybody's but grown man.

Rob Moore: Wouldn't you have a hard time keeping that name guys.

Norla Callison: Were they. And, they were all good guy.

Any would know the Backstreet Boys all, I think they all became but proficient in the. Sergeant.

And I think they were.

Yeah. I think you.

Rob Moore: So they must have gotten some pretty good.

Norla Callison: School over there. Those two that I remember, that big arm there were George and Lester back. I want to be more. No, no, no, no.

I think they were. I think 2 or 3 of them.

But I don't know, they play. They lived on the Woody place.

Yeah. I kind.

Of go back.

And,

Rob Moore: What's your name?

Norla Callison: Badger.

Rob Moore: Badger?

Norla Callison: Badger, Basak. Hey.

What? I think one of the boys came back when Peter was still alive and stuff and saw, but I can't remember which one.

Did you see if that was alive, the youngest one would be a hundred years old.

Yeah. They, But they were. One of them was, no. what they call surgeon. the big name in California, I forget,

What I think he left here and went to California.

And, Oh okay. Yeah. They were so good. People came out of school, you know what I mean? educated, you know.

Some ways, I think the kids in the country schools. They get a lot.

I think. I honestly think that it was the worst mistake that they never made or they couldn't follow the school. no. It was the worst respect for them.

And it always got to be less. But anybody had any sense at all. I knew that it couldn't be right.

And, taxes have been nothing but go up route.

Have you heard? they're hiring a teacher. They're hiring a bus driver. And you got a bus? Yeah.

And they're going, you got the main candidate in class.

And everything, and it just can't be cheaper. Really? They ain't good for my country. I know where you went to it. We all went through it. One teacher, Dade grade, and and she didn't have time to spend much time on anybody who would get a few minutes to each clap.

Rob Moore: With the older kids, help out the younger kids sometimes, and.

Norla Callison: All they would pay you depend on their own people getting their own lesson book, but the the kids down the line I for I think the country school had it on the other. Oh I see a kid in the fifth grade. He'd sit there and he'd listen. He did his work, done. Or maybe he just he just let him pick a name.

He's not sure, but he listened and he'd hear the kids in the seventh and eighth grade retired grade everything.

Yeah.

And he you'd hear that before you ever got there. And when he got up there, why would he do a lot of that? You know, that's where I think a lot of the countries who are going to head on the other when they get hit, they look.

Well, you probably remember when, they used to give eighth grade examination.

I took one.

And nine times out of ten, that would be a country school that got the higher grade. Yeah, yeah. kids from country school would come up from the higher grades up.

That were. And I say, how long.

Rob Moore: How long would a teacher usually stay on the country school today? I know, I know, a lot of school teachers came out. The young women and then they married pretty soon were there.

Norla Callison: Well, and it very varied a lot now really, how long would she here? Two years. Two. I thought it was three years.

I had her in fifth and sixth more than level on seventh and eighth.

Well I went to school in the I think two years.

Yeah, I went to the.

You know what Tom green told me when he was down? Milk and free water. Yeah. More or less just in trouble, you know, in the school. And he said the country kids were by far the best kids. The kids became, you know, in the country that have to take control of it. And he said they were the best student, caught in the least trouble.

Well, I think a lot of the kids in the country hadn't yet had something to do.

Well, he said he take them home at night. He should know how well I've.

Worked in response to the other.

Kids. They're running around town. Right, Helen?

Well, you get a candy bar or two. You can get get together down. Do not. Yeah, well, the country kids, they get through school. We don't have school busses. You get on the car, you shouldn't go home. And you haven't had the milk. Some cows. Night. Morning. And he. He had. George, you had something to do. That's right.

Unemployment didn't bother him a because he had things to do. He didn't have time to get in trouble. Of course, on Halloween people out, some clown upset everybody or something like you know what, that that's excusable on Halloween. You know.

Rob Moore: I, I heard about other Halloween tricks, like, like taking apart buggies and things and put them inside the schoolhouse, like, they do that, that kind of stuff out here.

Norla Callison: Yeah. They even put a gallon kind of schoolhouse down here. Well, we'll stay here.

Yeah, you're. If we go back. Yeah. I to tell you a little bit, yeah, I was, I was there wasn't living there, but you heard. Yeah. I don't know about.

Rob Moore: I don't think getting ruined by these ladies.

Norla Callison: That was my. Oh. And she had you drip.

Had one. Right.

Yeah. Yeah.

Rob Moore: Well, seems like most the tricks that people played in those days really were a lot, a lot more fun and a lot less, I mean, yeah, you know, they were more in the people laugh and then the hurt people would.

Norla Callison: I tell you, I think your kid's name names my guy. Really? I think they, really, really enjoyed themselves much, you know, once in a while it took a little bit, but they mostly skated and of course, you know. And then. Then it ended up we go to somebody's house from the party broke up. You know, we we go up to the house and they ask you to.

Rob Moore: This morning when your little kids are.

Norla Callison: With kids going to school right here mode. Oh we're great.

The whole.

I don't think the real little kids never.

First or second grade you.

Lived in. All right.

Because we have kids here named age. I went over here where my 45 year dad. 160. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And you could get up on stage and you could have a pretty nice time escaping or coaching. You know, I left the house in my 50s. I was.

Do you do you remember the Roberto stairs? We used to go across? Now, the thing about a and got a block policy around that block, about like a minute to try set love a bit.

Yeah. You couldn't control it one bit, you know.

Yeah, yeah, I saw it here. Got quite a thrill. yeah.

I know you're definitely right.

Part of the human, toboggan. Remember when we used to ride over on table? Go.

Well, I thought over here, one of the big, pretty adaptive convertible straight off.

used to drift low. Drift up at the top of the hill, 68ft high.

Yeah. Jump rope behind your head.

Yeah. Hold your head another hard. Come down over that thing. And, boy, I'm gonna tell you when you hit the ground.

Really fly.

Yeah. Not that old board. Crack like a rifle to. And, dad, you had to be careful and take your breath away.

Yeah. You came up here.

During that path? Yeah.

Rob Moore: When you started to get older. How did, like, courtship, you know, when you when you were starting to get older and dating and things like that. How did those things work in the country in, in the early days? What, what kind of things that I did.

Norla Callison: I think just took your girl walking.

Yeah, yeah. Here's the cake. Me? okay. Yeah. Are you, you go to church, you know, you always walk down home from church. Yeah, sometimes we talk about it. It is very inviting and key. That's right. They didn't. They didn't hurry it going home, you know, and you had lots of time. And then sleigh ride parties.

You take a big old bobsled and put control in there. Like you never had a foot warmer. But to keep your feet warm, you know, on the blankets or horse by which you know, water washes, you know, the sleigh bells on crossings, you know. And the skinner, he was the driver dressed up and back in there, of course, bundled up like prisoners.

And of course, the boys couldn't let the girls get cold.

Rob Moore: Oh, version. I know.

Norla Callison: I remember one time. What? Troy, I forget how many there were. But I remember nightmare of long shins or etc.. And, coming home, I just had a recurring trick. I want too many ever. But yeah, there were there was enough for a play. Right. Anyway, I can't remember another one for darn for what we went through.

But anyway. Come on. Oh my god. Pretty attractive blond. Crawled out onto the covered boards to sleep and then they married. Said we met two rich and, Bethel girls trip there and the team turned up from.

But I don't know what.

I knew nothing about it. But you can you you.

Were at home. Was that every turn on.

And that and.

One time, Harry and Ernie and I went around the plateau that he'd been out around the plateau or one of the coldest places ever allowed to be.

That's north at far North Way. No. Yeah.

How I know that. Right. Well, we went up there, Harry, and, her you had one pretty good portion, Harry. I don't know, I don't, you know, I come down, you and I went over there. He had a friend when he harnessed up the team and Harry horse and Ernie Lawrence and I went to Randall Park today. Man, it would move you.

I come up near freezing. Yeah. Like I went up there and. And, you know, them sweet gals, you know, intensifying down there. Some rest. We're bringing a little moonshine to you for a crop in. And then I saw him. I think it left them right away. By golly, it got time for us to come home when we weren't home.

Boy, he's been an orphan. I. In broad daylight. And he. You get more. Yeah. And he kept looking like he just knew something would happen to him. Right. And you said it was broad daylight. And then I looked out. And here come early, and I leave my old mare walking home with left the other horses that ought to hurt here.

We come in there. But daylight can probably figure.

Out it would work.

Jack, that's what you'd call young and irresponsible.

Rob Moore: When? When, when a man can decide on a woman he thought he might like to marry. With the courtship take quite a while.

Norla Callison: Hey. Thank you. I tell you. That our, I didn't get married very. I picked up at 28. How old were you, Bob?

I'm going on 32. Yeah, okay.

You remember, the harvest ball is used to evaluate the temple boys had a harvest boy.

Oh, yeah.

More than some men. Some dance. Yeah, they they decorate that whole up. A pumpkin in cornstalk or corn. Shucks. The corn. You know, man. Brother. Remember them? And they made a good ark. Yeah. They were well after they outgrew North. Yeah, they played big time and played them back and forth. Cool places like that in the big hotel.

Yeah, they were, they were talking a man. Brothers were there. And then there was another after man brothers who left here and went into the big circuit. Well, I don't know, call 911 or, you know, a call when you come up here. What you would have the best time down there, you know. And the fall and harvest was all done.

And a big harvest home. And I wonder why I didn't pull out and look at it now, the way the crowd is. William, there they were. It has a lot time.

Very to wander that old temple in the cave in as well, that floor covered with people like. And then before I didn't break down, I don't know, I don't know. They're condemned, I guess.

Well, I think they know they got some steel post in your, down below it. Pretty good. Now.

Rob Moore: I've been hearing something about, after people get gotten married, the neighbor from throw a shivery for him. Did that happen much up here?

Norla Callison: Oh, it never failed.

Oh.

Always that here. We hope you figure on Bond Creek.

Shotguns in the works.

Rob Moore: What what what would a chivalry be? What would people do in a chivalry?

Norla Callison: Oh, just back all the court. I know. You can bet that was about all. oh. What, what it really should have been with music. You know what would you call it?

I'm just kind of hearing their.

Name, but they wanted to share their. Their first to.

Rob Moore: Know was that the night they got married or.

Norla Callison: Well, any night brought them home.

And then they got home. No honeymoon. You know why? the couple always knew they were coming, and they'd have, they have candy bars, you know, and apples and different things for treats, you know, and coffee. And they move in, you know, and crowd were being in. They always wanted to wait until they got in bed. If you could wait, let you go get the game, you know.

And that noise it turns out time, you know, no. Something lasts for two. And every shot you get right beside. Oh, she's right up here like that. Tin cans and stuff. Do you remember that old here you there, that old rig there. Turn to the crank. They call a horse fiddle.

You know.

I, I in the chrome run on a cold rock. And what was. I know you said I think that kept coming. Yeah.

I think it's a baritone.

Said it it I think you are. You want to hang on to that. And I tell you something that will that made the office not. And they turn that thing in the crank and all the thing run on a call and jump from one call.

Gear home run. Don't run.

On there. Get them up. You know, by the out of bed, you know, and even by the menu and all the noise of the main idea to get them up. You know, any set around, you know, visit me candy bar and nap. Have a nice evening there.

I, I didn't I didn't remember my memory for good anymore, but Kyle Anderson told me the other day, you know, when we were shivering, I don't know what are you came or not?

No, I'm having there.

Woody Boyd was there, and. And Kyle, I can't remember who are. But anyway, he knew, we weren't prepared for him. So he came and told me going to get that money. So I went down to the cigar bar and got paid for the shivering took place. So I got the treat like that. Yeah. and we had.

Ice cream, I don't know. And then they said, oh, the people were happy. Oh, some ways I think they're happy. You're happy around happier people got so much I that the they could be happy, but they just got some market and, and I know one day we used to visit a lot more.

Oh have pinnacle party.

Dinner parties, you.

Know, and party.

People go to church in the neighborhood, invite them home for dinner, or we invite somebody who to our place, you know, and people visit and they had parties, you know, and literally you remember you can literally hurt them by going out. You know, you never see your neighbor. You why are you way back in, across the cross, the door, across the fence when you're on one side from he's on the other way where you going to come on down.

Yeah. But actually far as going over to our neighbor to visit and and spend the day and eat dinner with him. Yeah. You can pretty won't hurt us.

Yeah.

It's just people don't. They'll get in the car and drive. Yeah. 50 or 100 miles.

Somebody visit somebody that went out, when the car is convenient.

That's right. But one of my hand horses in the old buggy, or a heck. Well, you didn't get too far away from home.

Rob Moore: Did they? Have those, kitchen sweats out here?

Norla Callison: Oh, yeah. We get the gas in the kitchen. Thank you. Boy, you just left. Oh. Well, you know, I you one guy maybe played, play the in the middle. You know, that's why I call them call a kitchen question on.

Rob Moore: Because I think it's in there as with.

Norla Callison: Well I guess there was in that place. Needs to think in there. We get hot. You know, and they'd get up a working on my, pretty good. Okay. So yeah, whatever I don't know, I don't know. It didn't take so much energy to make people happy. So now you know that it takes a lot to make them happy.

You can have a good time. And kitchens went very well. And in fact, that's about all they ever wore. The man just more me, more hair. Well, you know. No, no, no, I mean, I don't think we've ever tried. Maybe they might put back to that to play the fiddler and I got them that we love. Well. Remember you didn't down to San Diego was over there.

Oh, yeah.

well, I was, you know, for no greenery. And so I can see that was the up there. You. I get to get that money. You feel okay? I can, I can do just for me. I can feel that, you know. Yeah. He's pretty good. Five. Oh, yeah.

Well,

That that was a lot bigger than the kitchen originally. I don't one final answer. Yeah.

I wonder if the old buildings still stand. I think it.

Does. Yeah. Okay. Don't look too bad. Hey, you.

And barn dances at your farm. Different to what I remember. They had a quite a series of barn dances down there were random. And you remember that?

You turn up in the choir. Choir? Quite a dance. There were a lot of them.

Were you there? Not through. No, no, no, I my old I had anyway.

Well, I'm not horrible. I don't know if I had any more for that or. No, it was wrong. I'll tell you who was living there with, Compton, Stewart, Stewart County.

He he was always out to make a colony.

Yeah, he.

He got him turned into a dancer.

Yeah.

You know, he he lived all right. He still live in.

That's.

Did you end up the year?

How about the grow a model?

I need you to teach me. What I eat is a day, but Stewart's alive and mowed the lawn. Yeah. Planted in that summer. He was the one to have him from now. Probably. You know, or anything. we. I believe that, you know, I he lived Avon Lake, the south edge for a quarter lane.

Chanting.

No. Stewart.

Oh, sure. Stewart.

This is. I think it's Hayden. Make this Edgecombe. Yeah. Somebody told me during the last year that they ought to.

Wonder out, about Stewart. Boy, I mean mean. Yeah. He's a pretty nice kid.

Who's a nice kid. I don't know, hardly the last I knew wouldn't even California, but know he's a handsome man. He used to be so mean for me. That good kid. Yeah. I should be fine looking kid. About six foot two inches tall to some kid.

Rob Moore: With whatever we've been parties and things to after, like after they finished. Rationale. One farm or something. When there be a party there to know, to kind of celebrate.

Norla Callison: That they just moved to another farm.

Rob Moore: How many thrash and rigs were there, like on this end of the ridge?

Norla Callison: What was that? How many.

Rob Moore: Thrash and rig.

Norla Callison: Machines were.

One year? There were never more than one year. There was only one. Oh, Chris Mars, remember now the grit before the green got wet. He trashed the whole ridge that year. But the next year that was going to come. The machine were.

Well, then, before the company clean. You remember George Fleming with that? Yeah. All right. Your hero, George, you pray for us, and I'm here now. This morning, ready? Used to cry out and guess what?

But morning. Morning, Mr. Gore. that, the general think.

About who pull up.

They get bigger.

Run over that fresh a time or two for dad. Yeah. That George Clem crash for us several years and then way back a long reason. Says long time ago, Martin Thomas running down.

Martin used to thrash the lower end of the race.

He was the fresh, rough, I remember. Yeah, he fresh for us up there. And by God, he never whistled. Yeah. No, he said that he had a frank machine, not a whistling machine.

Rob Moore: The whistle was a stop work.

Norla Callison: Well, any kind of signal or anything. You know what? Let's start. Not the whistle for noone. And they put a little bit, you know, the Martin there, some guys, you know, a little long road. See somebody pull over for two years. You know Martin said he, he had a year. They were right in their home and that the engine engineer setting just above or where a bomb trailer that happens boom.

I that got on that step on there. And then he was doing the milking him and I give him a shave. I think I knocked about one county and we were doing the milking. Oh, and the guys went from housekeeping and we got to milk milking and to we're going to hear that whistle. And he got up and the little bat and play did what?

No good. I.

I don't know, I ain't got a Martin mother said Martin. He was mother's brother.

Yeah I know was.

Your but daddy giving Harvey clean up on his brother and mother said Martin. Sit there. That big old mustache here. You know, I'm going to drink that. He just sneezes, Norton. But he never got his breakfast. But you said the minute he got to got him. But he went out on where that little mother.

He lowered the. Steve didn't.

Hear. They he invited out. Yeah. Quarter back and wrap the wire around there. Go and yeah, he did. He did very well with anybody but his little.

Yeah. There was most of the time there was two machines on the ridge.

Yeah, yeah, I don't remember. There was only one year that one time. Those three.

Right. One time, the three. That was Chris Meyer and the coffee machine. And then the. That little company read the Perry and.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, I remember that the.

Very one were in Rome that time, a free press that.

Was right at the end of right and then right. The next thing was called Volga River.

That was just before the line come in.

Yeah.

Rob Moore: Went to work that somebody would just go out and buy a thrashing machine. And then, the, the rent it out to, to help pay it off.

Norla Callison: For what? Well, they just bought it and then they went out and cut. And what what the major.

I don't think anybody ever run. But there was a crash.

You know, people hit the people here was good about paying the price. Yeah, some of them would go broke if they didn't have they. All right. People here work.

In a hurry.

They've got people here, you know, they paid the price. Yeah, but, and right before the Columbine, there were three crashes. Yeah, but two company range.

Rob Moore: was company rigs work that you bought in shares on the machine?

Norla Callison: There were six on the road.

Yeah.

It started out by Davidson. And what do you keep? What name? George. You and Frank Robertson there. And, when we quit, he sold our.

Don't or tired.

All right.

Yeah.

And, buyer.

Make him sold. Who? an old family member who had to go to the army. He saw animal and, and Barb. I don't know what he sold or. What are you up there? Ain't no. But anyway. Cliff come up. Yeah, he wound up in the rain, you know, but that the original fish. Yeah. Was one time, and we.

And dad and Frank and George, they were in it all the time. Had a boat that only came back the fall of 16. And, they're never forget that. Granddad and I went to Elk River fishing on the old mackerel and old man Taylor Frazier, a 27 year old man, came pretty good old machine that was. And that old international tractor.

The distinctive hammer.

Yeah.

And the pistons down measurement. Yeah. George, run the supper. And I swear my name. And they got that machine. And while we was an Elk River fish, you know, they all match with a couple. They when we come home know man guy I remember had that face down there. Yeah. When the grade. Yeah. And he had wheat.

Your good piece of wheat. My 58 year. And he prevailed on the boys to throw his wheat while I was coming up. The great. Bring it all up. And then they put it in there and they said the first fresh freshen it up was with that piece on the old guy for, you know, come on up here on retirement.

That was the first boxing two.

That's right, that's right. Yeah. That's what introduced Book Week country Air. Yeah. They all different company man. Praise them. All right. You know, take the whole week.

That was, I think seven.

Yeah. Each each company owner had a bottle wagon and, and all the wheat and they traded, you know, each man, there were six of them each. They had it had a cake and foreign. Come on, you five horsemen on the wagon. And it just run on this farm. Hold it, bulk, you know, and at the end of the year, they they got the wheat so now and had a grand jury set up some like, like, George V was and they figured out what their expenses was.

And how much is going to cost? Each man was assessed that much according to the wheat had, you know, the amount of it here, man. And 2000 most of the wheat would pay more than a man had hay and well hundred. And we figured out all that measure that you get. It could be for.

Sure.

What their expenses was again. But and after that he had five. And then the difference in the moment. Why you know why that we just paid work back and forth.

Rob Moore: Oh in the school a fellow.

Norla Callison: A fellow who had a small crop would, he come out long, remember hauling that truck to get paid for hauling?

He haul more for the other guy, the young Hall Ramsey. Say one guy had to have 15 hours a week. And the neighbor, we had 3000. well when they traded by the could get a little back.

Yeah.

And on the money wagon haul them. Okay. So much for, for a wagon in 1801. Well would say that it was for five all a day. I remember when you got fired. Oh, that was not right. Yeah.

For $4 oh one.

You worked, Well, say, I worked for for a while. The three day whole month. One three day. Well, he he haul for me two and a half days, I away. I have an easy. Yeah. That's the way, it wasn't hard to figure out.

I think for an hour go wages for a man. He in the world the way.

I remember when he got up to find. Oh, Lester Crocker was picking that year, he thought that was all fine. All for a pitcher? Yeah. He pitched well on your final day.

That, that was after things start to pick up.

That's right.

That was watered.

Right.

Rob Moore: You know, in the days before this company machine came in and people traded work around threshing time, was there the people that to take advantage of that or was anybody there were pretty strict with, with their neighbors and I did it or some people it would be difficult. So up with,

Norla Callison: I don't I don't ever remember having trouble with anybody.

Or any people who were all honest. you know, he didn't think we didn't have any.

Up until the time that, Whole old prairie harvest was over here. I put farmer nobody ever locked anything. There was nothing. Never locked up.

You you didn't have to worry about going.

You got anything? You didn't worry. Got no money to cook. If you. But then it started there. Started coming in and. Stealing. Started taking. Right nowadays. And then.

Yeah. Not that time you know there was why you lose a ham or cider to a bacon. You know, things started to move around. Yeah. But the people lived here. The, the old original settlers, you didn't have to worry a thing, but they're just as honest as like me. You'd have to worry about them.

Rob Moore: But I've heard I've heard stories about how, like, in, in, up in the Princeton country when it's like, like, like, say, a ham would disappear or something. So then the people would know who it was. They'd go and take care of themselves. How did it work around here?

Norla Callison: Well, we never did take care of it, but it should have been didn't turn. We knew how. Right?

We knew where to go. And you remember the phone and ham for their phone would follow them? Well, they're on their way. No, I don't mean you never have. No. Yeah. It was right at the time that they would meet Mark again. Who? What? Where where they go to work, and they found the hammer to get it away in a pile where they pile remote up where they'd been making wood, you know, they haven't found it.

Next thing you run home. Pretty good idea where to find, yeah. You got pretty, pretty tired. Pretty pretty,

Rob Moore: Oh. How how did the people try to enforce the law or to enforce, you know, the. Oh, hell, I don't.

Norla Callison: Remember a time we didn't have a sheriff.

Rob Moore: Well, what people do then in case something went wrong, you know, in case, in case there was some sort of a fight or you know.

Norla Callison: We never had any trouble, I.

Never had any trouble.

Or any trouble. No. Well you remember that little break got in the way. Things fell out of the house where George live?

Yeah, that.

You know, he.

Had this trap set for.

Him. I don't know, you know, he, we'd never go in and of local.

Decoration Day, but.

I like working there. And he rigged up a shotgun in there, and, you know, I. Who was. It was town out there with the little walking pile on that face. That dick one.

All, is I don't think there's anybody I would flatten. Meaning.

I don't worry, neighbors. You and I heard the gun.

Well, I heard the gun go off, but I thought the wind was blowing like that, and I thought it blew up and, you know, and come down flat. Yeah, well, I never looked. I just.

Been anyway. When. When we'd never come home that afternoon or when they come home. But the first thing I weighed, he thought I was good out and see how he felt trapped. Were you open the door next to it? Very hurt. You had him there. He couldn't get out. He.

Rob Moore: Oh, well, if the guy already got off, I couldn't.

Norla Callison: Get up for it.

yeah. Set the trap. And the gun went, oh, my God. Closed the door. He couldn't get it over.

Rob Moore: Oh, well, that certainly got off again.

Norla Callison: Well, I'm like you, old enough. Now, find your way to the open door. Yeah. I'm breaking you guys in the dark. Yeah. Brain, is I looking at, what are you doing here in my shoulder?

Rob Moore: What? What did he say?

Norla Callison: I don't know, man. He said quite a bit.

Here, Wake him now. I'm to ask me if I heard that gun go off, and and I scratched my head. What have I told him? No. I should have thought. I heard a board blow off or something.

You heard something? Flapper?

Yeah, I I but you know what? I knew they were wrong.

Yeah.

And it I never the word came upon me. I had a better looking forward not a better looking.

Oh how did hurry get up be. Wait. You got on the other side of the.

When I got over here when.

You was on the roadside.

Well I don't, you.

Know, going.

Back and forth like this.

No, no. You on the other side of the video or you couldn't he.

Yeah.

And he.

He just slipped along the, road there and he knew where it was going.

Like you, he had to go by his place, you see. do you want to walk?

Rob Moore: Well, how are people headed or something like that? I mean, what he you let him go, return over to the sheriff, and I.

Norla Callison: I think we just picked it up.

I think he just opened up a boot shop, and I could go with that. No, he up and.

They didn't have anything at all.

Because the old turkey.

And all here. Yeah. You. Know, at least, you know, there are. No.

We never had troubles like that.

Oh, are you kidding me and stuff like that, I don't.

Know, I make you sick. Know people never had trouble driving anything like that.

Right then.

Sharpener you have.

you got bent hard. Here's a lot better. But you lot there two.

Yeah, I have a few things.

Yeah. I'll give you a good supper tonight. Probably. All right.

And go to bed when you go to bed or back.

Rob Moore: Was there any problem with with, here or down? I heard one time down the valley, though, I saw a cattle rustling, outfit going on there. Ever did not like that that that you heard about?

Norla Callison: I never heard of it. Flannel rustling.

Yeah, I don't I don't I don't never remember any.

Rob Moore: No, I don't remember. It was, it was a pretty, a pretty religious community up here. Do you think in those times,

Norla Callison: About 50.

50 years, about, there used to be two churches. You. Yeah. The chapel.

One on the hill. There was a there were there were two services there.

Rob Moore: That the Catholic church, the Lutheran church.

Norla Callison: Known as region, the Methodist.

Church was built for community church. But the Methodist church over there for that they were let the other people was a church. So they fixed up an old packing up here and over here.

You know, that that was pretty small of that. Oh, small.

No, that was terrible, you know. No. Okay. Well, they should have been old, backwards. And I didn't know it wasn't.

The people built it for a community church.

absolutely. Built for community church. Yeah.