Marion Gunderson Art (and the Farmer's Daughter)

This post is a result of a communication thread on the “Rolfe Community School” Facebook page. There is a lot of educational and entertaining information on that Facebook page. If you are interested in historical tidbits (and even some current) about Rolfe, Iowa, if you have not already done so, I encourage you to join the “Rolfe Community School” Facebook group.

Earlier today there was a query on the Facebook page about Cora Lighter pans. In response to the query I posted a photo of Cora Lighter, a sister to my grandmother DeElda, who is also in the photo.

Clicking on any of the photos below will enlarge them. Clicking a second time will enlarge even further.

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This is the photo I posted earlier today in response to a query on Facebook about the history of Cora Lighter pans. Cora Lighter was my great-aunt on my dad’s side. This photo is of L to R: DeElda Lighter Gunderson (my paternal grandmother), Cora Lighter (sister to DeElda), ? , and Jen Bowen. The three named ladies were from Rolfe. The hotel, in which I assume this photo was taken, opened in 1927. Cora Lighter died in 1951. This photo was in a cardstock frame with an outer cover. That cover is shown in the next photo. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

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Since this was the cover for the photo at the top of this post, I am led to think that picture of the four women was taken at The Stevens Hotel in Chicago. My oldest sister, Clara, saw the photo of the four women and commented about it on Facebook. Her comment* is immediately below. (Click on image to enlarge.)

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Clara said this about Jen’s fox stole, “When I enlarged the photo of these four women dining in Chicago, I noticed Jen Bowen was wearing her fox stole (complete with head), which she let me wear for our senior (1960) class play. I played Angela Boyd, Eve’s (Pam Jordan Wolfe) ‘domineering, wealthy aunt.’ The 1960 RAM devotes a page to this play. In one of the pictures, I’m wearing the fox stole. By the way, Jen Bowen sang in the Presbyterian church choir for many years.”

Information about the Stevens Hotel, which opened in 1927, is here.

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When Clara saw the photo at the top of this post of the four women, she realized that Jen Bowen (in that photo) was wearing a fox stole. (You have to click on that photo to enlarge it to see the stole’s furry detail.) In the lower right photo of this RHS 1960 yearbook page, you can see Clara sitting on a chair in the background. You can barely tell that she is wearing a stole … Jen Bowen’s! (Click on image twice to see to Clara.)

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In response to Clara’s FB comment, Sally (Webb) Kish commented*, “I loved Jen Bowen. She had such a happy spirit. I sang in the choir with her many times.”

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Well, lookie here! This stole includes three fox heads! And, the fox feet, as well!!!!! I just happened to have this in a closet. (Click on this photo TWICE to see the beady little eyes and toenails!)

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And, here’s the head at the end, squeezed to open the mouth so, with the stole around a woman’s neck, it could clasp to the other end of the stole so it wouldn’t slip off the woman. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

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Here is the same stole as in the previous two photos, plus another stole which does not have any feet or head attached. However, it DOES have a label that says, “Stevens’ — Chas. A. Stevens & Co. . . Chicago”! (Click on photo to enlarge.)

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This is the label on the stole pictured in the previous photo … the one without the heads or feet. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

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Information about the Chas. A. Stevens department stores is here.

Now, who knows if the Stevens family that owned the hotel had any connection to the Stevens family that owned the department store in Chicago. At first I was so excited because I figured they MUST be connected somehow. I mean, Jen was at the Stevens Hotel with my grandmother and great-aunt, she was wearing a Stevens stole, and I have a Stevens stole. What more proof do we need that there is a definite connection?!!!!! ; )

Sigh … Obviously we don’t know for sure if there was a connection. But, researching did help me have more insight to Chicago and the Great Depression, knowing the Stevens hotel opened in 1927 … terrible timing with the Crash of ’29 looming.

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*Sally and Clara gave permission for their comments to be included here.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

I’ve been looking through a ton of digital scan files trying to locate what seems to be a needle in a haystack. However, I did run across this gem. I think it is appropriate to post today as the midwest’s weather stays crazy-cold in April.

When Bill was a little boy, he made this (pictured below) official weather forecaster. I guess his weather-predicting talent started way back then. To this day, people from all over call him to pick his brain about short- and long-range forecasts.

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Bill made this when he was a little boy. (Click on image to enlarge.)

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On the back side of the burrometer is Bill’s signature. He must have just started learning how to write cursively!

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(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s  blog’s home page.)

Before I post more regarding the 1976 Des Moines Register article about Rolfe that received national attention, here is information regarding the:

July 13, 2013, Rolfe Alumni Reunion (www.rolfealumnireunion.com) and the

July 12-14, 2013, Rolfe, Iowa, sesquicentennial.

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Today my oldest sister Clara posted on Facebook the following two entries.

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The flyer to which she refers may be downloaded here.

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This next screen shot tells about the web site for the alumni reunion. Not only does the site present info about the reunion, it also includes dozens of links to information, photos and videos regarding this July’s sesquicentennial events, fundraisers (from which most anyone associated with Rolfe can benefit), and the town of Rolfe in general.

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I will be tending to the Barr Art Exhibit on early Saturday of the weekend. But … I want to be EVERYWHERE! It all sounds so much fun and interesting. Not just for people who have been around the block a few times, but literally for kids of all ages. Starting the Saturday with the 5K walk/run sounds sweet!

I am especially looking forward to the Cemetery Walk taking place at noon on Sunday, July 14. The one-room school program at Streit Memorial Park on Sunday is also important to me; my dad attended that school (the one now at the park) in the 1920s when it was still in the country.

Saturday night’s rodeo sounds like an action-packed evening with something for everyone, even for someone like me who doesn’t wear boots and hasn’t been to a rodeo in decades.

On a side note about the rodeo, apparently the lights at the rodeo (formerly the football field) currently are not functional. The rodeo group’s fundraiser this year focuses on the lights, once again, becoming functional. Details are at the FAQ page of the reunion web site.

Mention of those lights makes me think of crisp fall evenings. The cadence of the RHS marching band before the game and at half time. Someone from the crowd hollering, “Put Lumpy back in!” And, Harold Calligan announcing the game.

Two other fundraisers* especially near and dear to me are:

1) tax-deductible contributions to help keep the RAMS Event Center (what remains of the school) a viable community facility and

2) helping the VFW women raise funds for replacing worn flags at the cemetery. Both of these causes are addressed at the reunion web site.

I digress.

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A little bit about the Rolfe Community School Facebook group is here in this next screen shot. As of today, the group has 112 members.

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*Of course, having prints of Mother’s watercolors available to help raise funds for the library is also very near and dear to my heart.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)