Excuse Me!

That hardly counts as a book report!
It was simply an interview with the author and John Herdan can only get half-credit because all he did was forward it.
After I finish it, I will be getting with Bev, who has emailed me and we will come up with a review. Since both she and I were at St. Mary's at the time, we have first-hand experience.
Lest you thing I am malingering, I have read Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bojahlian -- which I recommend highly. Also read three books by Jon Katz about his midlife move to upstate New York. Also recommended.
And I am now working on Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (translated by Anne Born from the original Norwegian) -- and that doesn't count the couple of trash novels interspersed for variety.
Lorlee
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Ok, Lorlee, we'll continue to wait for your co-review of Stanley James. You've set a high bar, we await with breathless anticipation your bouquets and brickbats. My sister, Solveig, has already read Out Stealing Horses, gift-mailed from Norway to California by our Norwegian cousin's wife, Hilda. Solveig says it is an excellent book, well-translated and retaining the poetic tone of the original work. Other Rolfsrud Norwegians have added their plaudits to hers. Not sure what a bohunk from Forada can add to that, but go ahead. TB

At last, our review of 'Stanley James'

Two months ago, Lorlee Bartos and Bev Roers were assigned to write a book report on Clyde Henry's novel. It was thought that this fellow JHS grad might have something to share with all of us. Turns out, we were right.
Unfortunately, Lorlee and Bev didn't get their book report completed in a timely fashion, so John Herdan kindly submitted the following piece which appeared in the EchoPress this week.
Our thanks to John. -- Lorlee and Bev, you may be excused, but you must receive Incompletes and a Tardy.
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You can't judge a book by its cover
Jo Colvin
Alexandria Echo Press
- 02/27/2009
When Clyde Henry was a kid he was told he wouldn’t amount to much. He was told that college wasn’t a place for people like him. He was called dumb. He was called a retard.
Clyde Henry proved everyone wrong. It turns out he was brilliant. He could draw house plans and create models of buildings. He had a knack for theoretical mathematics. He was an artist.
But those talents were overlooked because of his problem with words. He couldn’t read them. He couldn’t spell them. He even had a hard time speaking them.
“I couldn’t at all catch on to the phonics,” he explained. “I wasn’t reading and I wasn’t spelling. When I tried to pronounce words I would say them wrong. Even today I have to kind of think ahead of time if I’m going to say something.”
So whatever happened to that misunderstood child who had a terrible stutter? What happened to that precocious little boy to whom words were the greatest mystery of life?
He wrote a book.
A room with no view
Now a resident of Ohio, Henry was born and raised in Alexandria. In 2nd grade he was sent to St. Mary’s Catholic School, which had opened that year. There he was placed in what was called the “special needs room.”
“It was sort of an interesting room,” he recalled. “I’m not sure to this day how the kids were determined to be there. It seemed like it was all the ‘rejects,’ – physical problems, kids who were heavy, those with learning difficulties.
“I assume I was there because I wasn’t reading and I wasn’t spelling,” he surmised.
Henry repeated 2nd grade and attended St. Mary’s through grade 6. It wasn’t the happiest time.
“I would say that I did not enjoy it at all,” Henry said with a laugh, recalling stories of life in the “room,” which gave him a dim view of the future.
In 6th grade he had a brief shining moment when he was put in a gifted math class.
“That was the one thing I looked so forward to,” he said.
But it was short-lived. Because he couldn’t complete his spelling, he was permanently barred from attending the math class. Ditto for his art and science classes, two other glimmers of hope.
“Everything I enjoyed doing, I couldn’t do because of my handicap,” he lamented. “They told me I couldn’t have art or science because I needed to work on my spelling.”
When Henry went to 7th grade at Central Junior High School, someone finally realized that he didn’t need punishment, he needed help. And he got a diagnosis.
A speech therapist put him through a battery of tests and discovered that he had an audio-perception issue.
“It was fantastic,” he said of finally having an explanation for his learning problem.
But his fragile young psyche had already been convinced he was no good and he had developed a lack of interest in school. His reputation as a “troublemaker” carried into junior and senior high school and his grades suffered.
During a session with a high school counselor he was told he shouldn’t bother thinking about college – that he should be a punch card operator.
But Henry didn’t listen. Before graduating from Jefferson High School in 1969, he took the ACT and scored high enough to get accepted into college.
Proving them wrong
A funny thing happened when Clyde Henry went to St. Cloud State University.
He excelled.
On his first report card he got straight As. He made it to the dean’s list semester after semester. And he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in art education.
For two years he taught K-12 art in the Dominican Republic. When he returned to the U.S., he founded The Learning Tree, a school that met the needs of newborn to school-age children. The school mainstreamed all children, despite their handicaps.
It was when he and his wife, Janet, moved to Ohio that a talent he had discovered when he was a discouraged little boy became his life’s work.
“I remember as a kid saying, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to be an architect,’ ” he reminisced.
The lad who had been so good at drawing houses went back to school and earned a master of architecture degree. He soon became a partner in an architectural firm, and later, started his own firm.
Despite what everyone said, Clyde Henry amounted to much more than something.
He was a success.
The book
While getting words correct on paper was still difficult for Henry, with the help of an assistant who perused his communications for mistakes, he could always tell a great story.
After a trip to Alexandria in 2005 for a class reunion, he was moved to write a book.
For two years he worked on the story in his spare time. Having achieved professional success, in 2007 he retired to devote himself to the book, his family and volunteering.
In December 2008, published author was added to Henry’s list of accolades when Stanley James was released.
Stanley James is the story of learning disabled children attending a Catholic school in the 1950s. The entire novel takes place in Alexandria, with references to actual settings, businesses and landmarks. While it is based loosely on Henry’s own experiences, Stanley James is fiction.
“It’s a collage of bits and pieces of stories,” he said, explaining that some of the stories happened to him, friends, family and others. “I arranged these scraps of truth into what I hope is a larger truth.”
Lessons learned
With the publication of Stanley James, Henry achieved yet another goal that no one ever thought possible. He describes his latest venture as “freeing” and, despite his struggles in school, doesn’t look back at those years with regret or anger.
“It has given me a life perspective,” he said. “You can’t look back and say it was awful. You can look back and say, ‘That was an experience I learned something from.’ ”
And if nothing else, he hopes that Stanley James will teach a lesson that goes beyond any classroom – acceptance.“I hope the world has changed since the time the story took place,” Henry concluded. “I hope that Stanley James will make people more sensitive to what might be occurring around them and the courage to act when necessary.”

Daryll Phelps' father dies

Glade C. Phelps, 81, Alexandria, owner of Ace Hardware in Alexandria and Long Prairie, died February 3, 2009.
Glade was born January 9, 1928 in Hibbing. He graduated from Duluth Central High School and attended the University of Minnesota Duluth.
On June 6, 1947, Glade was united in marriage to Linnea Bloom in Duluth. After their marriage the couple moved to Washington. During this time he worked for Sears in a management position in Seattle, Olympia, Coeur D’alene, Idaho and Bellingham, Washington. The family then moved to Alexandria as Glade wanted to own and operate his own hardware store. His hands-on management style was the key to his success, which expanded to owning two more stores in Long Prairie and Glenwood.
Glade was an accomplished musician and had his own band in his younger years in which his wife played too. Glade served on the board of directors for United Hardware, was secretary-treasurer for Selective TV, and was a member of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and Rotary.
He is survived by his wife, Linnea; son, Daryll and wife, Sandra Phelps of Plymouth; two daughters, Cherilee and husband, Merle Brockopp of Sartell, Rocqulyn and husband, Michael Gustafson of Lake Carlos; five grandchildren, Christy Vierzba, Kevynn Phelps, Melinda Tamm, Riley Gustafson and Tanner Gustafson; two great-grandchildren, Jack and Gage Vierzba; brother, Ronald Phelps of Glenview, IL; sister, Darlyn and husband, Steve Romagnolo of Staten Island, NY.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Bruce.
Funeral services were held February 6 at Anderson Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Greg Billberg officiating.
Pallbearers were Riley Gustafson, Tanner Gustafson, Jay Vierzba, Derek Tamm, Gage Vierzba and Jack Vierzba.
Burial was at Carlos Prairie Cemetery.
Arrangements are with Anderson Funeral Home

Obituary for Dr. Geiser

A beloved doctor well-known to most every Boomer to graduate from Jefferson High School was put to rest today.

Peter Michael Geiser was born on March 16, 1920 in New England, ND, the son of Peter and Barbara (Bernauer) Geiser.
Peter graduated valedictorian in May of 1938 from St. Mary’s High School in New England, ND. He graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1943 with a bachelor of arts and bachelor of science in medicine. He received his M.D. degree from Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest College in Winston Salem, NC in 1944.
Peter served his internship and residency at St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis, where he met Dorothy E. Reichel. They were united in marriage on April 13, 1946. Peter was enlisted in the United States Army from 1943 to 1947 as a captain in the Medical Corps. In 1948 Peter and Dorothy moved to Alexandria, where Peter began working at the Alexandria Clinic.
He retired in 1985 after delivering thousands of babies in his 37 years at the Alexandria Clinic.
Peter was a kind and loving husband, father and grandfather. He loved his family and the time he spent with them at his lake home on Lake L’Homme Dieu. He loved to hunt, fish and play golf. He made numerous trips to Canada with his fishing buddies and started wood-crafting after his retirement.
Throughout his life Peter belonged to a number of different organizations, including the Minnesota Medical Association, American Academy of Family Practice, American Medical Association, Knights of Columbus, Elks, American Legion and the Alexandria Golf Club.
He will be missed by those who knew and loved him.
Dr. Peter M. Geiser died on Friday, February 6, 2009 at Knute Nelson in Alexandria at the age of 88 years.
He is survived by his son, Michael and Lynda Geiser of Cottage Grove; daughter, Elizabeth and Daniel Rust of Crookston; grandchildren, Geoffrey and Jenni Geiser of Woodbury, Lisa and Jeff Godwin of Elbow Lake, Jason Rust of Eden Prairie, Matthew Rust of St. Paul, Jessica and Jason Menge of Edina; great-grandchildren, Greta and Lydia Geiser of Woodbury, Madeline and Aidan Godwin of Elbow Lake; sister, Dorothy Koffler of Searcy, AK; sister-in-law, Mary Jane Geiser of Taft, CA; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Dorothy; brothers, Joseph, John, and Adie; and sister Helen.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with the Reverend Steve Binsfeld officiating. Entombment was in the St. Mary’s Catholic Mausoleum in Alexandria.
Casket bearers were Geoffrey Geiser, Jason Rust, Matthew Rust, Jeff Godwin, Jason Menge, Rick Holt and Kirby Holt.
Honorary casket bearers were Lisa Godwin, Jessica Menge, Dr. William Heegaard, Don Krueger, Roger Perry and Chris McCabe.
Memorials are preferred to the American Lung Association or the American Heart Association.

(Obit from Echo-Press)

Minnesota, Hail to Thee

Arizona flat out caught up with Minnesota in the weather news this morning, exactly matching its temperature (36 degrees), humidity and dewpoint.

And, for good measure, a rare snowstorm blanketed parts of the state, even in warm, dry Tucson, where so many Minnesotans have fled to avoid (gulp) Minnesota weather.

The Trailboss snapped these photos this morning on his daily walk to the fitness center, where again he hopes to lose poundage gained over too many Minnesota winters.

Read Cub Reporter Tom Obert's lament, below, on the disturbing, warming Minnesota conditions and check out the trailboss's entire Tucson Snow 2009 album by clicking on this: http://picasaweb.google.com/Rolfsrud/TucsonSnow2009?feat=directlink

(The trailboss did eventually make it to the fitness center and completed his routine, all the while admiring the snow.)

Let's talk about the weather. . .

Tom Obert writes:
Weary Alexandrians yearn for the sanity of winter days with 20 below temperatures with bright, sunny skies and no wind!"
Yesterday, we awoke to temperatures above freezing (for only the 2nd time in a month and a half) - with lots of wind and drizzle. I attempted to go out for my mall walk - I slid through the first stop sign and slid past my first left turn. With great difficulty, I turned around and returned home. Once home again I learned schools were closed. The locals hunkered down for a day of gloomy, slushie, yuckie, dreary, crappy, meltie winter weather - we just aren't used to it!
Last night, we had a Central Lakes Concert Association concert. It was still warm and drizzly. When we got to the parking lot, we thought we had the wrong night. Hardly anyone was there. It was weather related - people weren't going to venture out in that weather, give them a good blizzard instead! So, the smallest crowd we've ever seen at a CLCA concert enjoyed Joe Trio anyway - their YouTube performance of Black Dog Rondo was their first song.
During their second song, a gentleman loudly collapsed out of his chair - the concert was put on hold while we all awaited the ambulance. Unfortunately, when they put the gentleman on the stretcher, I recognized him as a fellow mall walker. Fortunately, as they wheeled him out, he was conscious and appeared to be OK. Just a continuation of a strange day in which we heard the hospital had to deal with FOUR broken hips as a result of falls on the slippery outside.
It's senior night for the girls' hockey team tonight. It's still warm and drizzly out there. Uh-oh!!

Mike's father dies

Dr. Peter M. Geiser, 88, of Alexandria died Friday, February 6, 2009 at Knute Nelson. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held tomorrow, February 11 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 10 a.m. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10 at the Anderson Funeral Home with parish prayers at 6 p.m. and one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Arrangements are with Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria; www.andersonfuneral.net.