File:1937 - Letter from Eugene Hinderer to Clara Hinderer and Ralph.jpg

<references/> Tappen, ND September 16, 1937

Dear Clara and Ralph,

Your letter received at about the time of my birthday. Thanks for the congratulations. I am of the opinion that yours is today, at least soon, or it has been; anyhow, I return the congratulations. I had a church wedding at Streeter today. Diekie Schwecke from Gibbon, MN, who formerly was a member of mine. Was up for the wedding also. Prof. Bliefernicht wanted to stop here this summer on his way back from the Big Horn Mountains. Lo and behold, he missed Tappen, when he was at Crystal Springs, he noticed he had passed, and so kept on going. He used to say in the class room: “Er sieht den wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht<ref>He does not see the forest for the trees</ref>. He doesn’t recognize towns, because of the buildings or something like that.

I sure would have been tickled, had he stopped in. As to Malinda’s letters and cards with which I have been showered recently or of late, I have a feeling that she stretches everything beyond the stretch. I have no knowledge of the fact that I offered $25.00 to send Dad to you. I did offer Elsa between $4-$5 per month for keeping Dad, but I have made no offer of definise seem to anyone since.

Dad’s check must be $20.00 per month. $5 dollars from each Hinderer kid would be $50.00, then old age pension ($15. Also see:<ref>WELS Sem on Old Age Pension</ref>) on top of that if it can be gotten, would pay a total sum of $85.00, nice wages. But Malinda says: anyone should have $100-$125 for that job. That says, somewhere, somehow, someone is underpaid.

I have not promised to have her to Minnesota. I make no trips this year. Last report is that she and E.P are going to make trip by car this fall sometime. I got the car paid for, but I have bills to pay that I let go to pay for car, so I’m still on the grindstone and plenty tuff. Only one wise stunt I pulled in my life, and that was last June, I asked congregation to buy my coal, which resolution they passed. Next Sunday the coal money is come in. Five envelopes have already returned.

We had a fair garden. We have about 60 quarts of pickles, some beets the cutworms missed, about 8 quarts, swiss chard, and some cabbage and about one bushel of tomatoes.

About a week ago our grasshoppers disappeared, maybe they went east to MN, would the people in MN be surprised. I’d like to hear them is such a thing happened. A pest of ND coming to MN to get something to eat. We have all the hay we want here. Crops averaged about 1 1/2 bushels per acre. Some had some very good corn, some didn’t have anything. The cut worms<ref>Cutworms</ref> simply cleaned out the fields. The grasshoppers would not have been so bad, but the cut worms were fearful.

I planted most all my garden three times, and couldn’t fill the cutworms. Potatoes, I have swell ones. I shall have enough for over winter and to plant again. The new potatoes are selling for 50 cents a bushel. Trucked in from Fargo and there they run to 22 bushels an acre. My Mission fest for in Tappen wasn’t so good this year-$79.55. I’m short $12 from last year, but I have been getting salary fairly well since Jan 1st.

I hear Bode from Balason has call to Zieland. Zeeland has been calling since May first, ever since Rev. Baer left to Rockford, MN.

(continued Sept 23)

Rev. Koehler from St. Luke’s Milwaukee was here from Thursday 16 to 22. He seems to be a nice chap. Told me that I had been on list for a congregation near Milwaukee, but Gilbert Schaller <ref>Graduated from Sem in 1935 in same class as Roland Scheele</ref> took care of calling and since he didn’t have a call he told the congregation to call him. These stunts have been pulled before. And they always seem to get by with it.

I sure was surprised to hear my name was mentioned in WI. How it got there is more than I know. So far I have not put myself on the calling list; maybe someone heard that I had some good points and they wanted that kind of stuff at Milwaukee. Anyway, I’m not ??? on my own belly now.

We had a rain this morning and I hope we get lots more. My trees grew wonderfully well this summer and good moisture this fall will give them a good start.

Have been digging my potatoes in between time. I’ve got some very good looking spuds. Not so many under a hill, but what is there is very good. Will have enough for myself and plenty to plant next spring.

Tappen seems to be growing. Houses are being repaired, more people are moving in, three new homes sprung up and I hear there will soon be another church, “die Evangelischen” are giving a chicken dinner to raise money to move a church in. Once they were going to buy the vacant lots right East of me, but I gave them a turn.

A week before, I saw to it that a lady in congregation bought them and now they are almost property of my congregation; and this lady said, I could do with these lots what I wanted. Well I have potato patch over there which shall start to dig pretty soon.

Now I shall close. Will be at our Fall Conference Oct. 5-7 soon and expect to hear plenty.

We are having fun with Paul Albrecht again. We told Mission Board to draw up a Call for his teacher, since Synod subsidizes teachers. Paul Albrecht draws his own, and signs it, and not the congregation. Yesterday chairman of the School Committee had meeting with him. I belong to School Committee, so I should hear something pretty soon.

Love, Eugene and Family

<references/>

source: Clara Hinderer collection