West End News: August 30

For a couple of days this week, the pace of the summer tourism slowed down and all West End residents took a collective deep breath.  I had lunch at a local restaurant and the staff was commenting that it was slow that day.  Looking around, I thought that in any other restaurant, it would have been considered a busy day.  All things are relative.  Of course, the few slow days before the Labor Day weekend are just an illusion, blown out of the water by the slightly crazy holiday weekend.  We'll have to wait for the sales tax figures to confirm it, but it feels like this was one of the busiest July and August seasons in many years.
 
My mom, Mary Alice Hansen, was going through some old boxes recently and came across my kindergarten and first grade report cards - or "growth records" as they were called in the late 1950s.  I was relieved to see that my growth back then was satisfactory to my teachers.  They both described me as "cooperative and well groomed."  My kindergarten teacher, Miss Pedersen, wrote a nice little paragraph about my interest in music. She noted that my singing was enthusiastic and on key.  She added that I was particularly interested in listening to music.  I guess it's true what they say about everything you need to know you learned in kindergarten.
 
My first grade teacher was named Miss Eich and she was well into her 70's when she taught me in 1959.  I distinctly remember her telling us that she started teaching when she was 18 years old.  That meant that she started teaching right at the beginning of the 20th century.  Back then you could get a teaching job with a high school diploma.  She was an excellent teacher, commanded the absolute respect of her students and had high expectations.  Her methods were definitely old school, but effective.  I wasn't exactly scared of her, but I made sure to never get on her bad side.
 
The reason I bring all this up is that a customer came in this week and in the course of chatting, we discovered that she too had been taught by Miss Eich at Endion School in Duluth, although several years earlier than I.  I ran to my mailbox to retrieve my old report card and we reveled in the nostalgia of seeing Miss Eich's beautiful, flowing cursive again after all these years.  We both were slightly shocked to see her first name, Estelle, because we never would have dreamed that she actually had a first name.  She was, and always will be, Miss Eich to us.  It is a testament to good teachers everywhere that we both remember her so clearly and favorably more than 50 years later.
 
The construction projects at Birch Grove School and Community Center are progressing nicely.  Although much work remains, the basic elements are now clear.  Next week, the HOBBITs invade Birch Grove to start construction of the community, wood fired bread-baking oven.  If you are passing by, stop in and take a look at all the progress.
 
Mark your calendar now for the Cross River Heritage Center's wine and beer tasting gala on Thursday, September 20, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.  Also keep in mind the upcoming program titled: Lutsen Lumbering: Hall and Lyght Family Lumbering Operations, on Saturday, September 29 at 1:30 pm.  This should be a fascinating presentation on two of Lutsen's most respected pioneer families.  Both sound like a lot of fun and details can be had by calling Suzanne at 663-7706.
 
Finally, you can catch Arnold Alanen speaking about his book "Finns of Minnesota" at the Silver Bay Public library on Tuesday, September 4 at 6 p.m.  The talk will highlight the the culture of Minnesota Finnish Americans, including their history of cooperative ventures, political involvement and, of course, saunas.  The program is free and sponsored by the Friends of the Silver Bay Public Library.  Maybe the whole audience can adjourn to one of the fine local saunas after the show!