The Story of Andy Kjearsgaard
For me, school was enjoyable and challenging. The challenge was getting there. It was in Dickson, four miles away. Nobody likes walking that distance twice a day.
Riding Bareback
If Dad didn't need the horses, we (all four of us) could ride one to school. Usually that just happened in the winter and May was the horse we normally took. My older brother Arne was in control and sat up front. Elsie and Kirsti sat in the middle. I took the rear position. When siblings are at close quarters, arguments arise. When Arne got mad at me, he'd spur the horse into high gear and roll me off the end. End of argument.
Forty Below
Should we go to school today? was never asked in our house. Kjearsgaards did not miss school. Bad weather made no difference––we went anyway. One particularly frigid winter day, we noticed there was no smoke from the school chimney when we rode into the schoolyard. The school was closed. No one else showed up, not even the teacher.
We went to the Dickson Store to warm up. Then we climbed onto May's back, huddled down and headed for home. Our bodies stayed warm enough and we sat on our hands to keep them warm. But our dangling feet were nearly frozen solid by the time we got home.
How did Mom and Dad dare send us into weather like that?
Riding in Comfort
When he could afford it, Dad got a one-horse buggy and a homemade cutter so we could drive to school year round. We fed May at noon and if we forgot her bag of oats, look out! It was easy explaining our neglect to May. But just try explaining to Dad!
Adapted from the 1994 Heritage Book,with permission from the Federation of Danish Associations in Canada
Teaser:
• School in the summer holidays? Seems like torture to Andy
