From: Schaller, Grant County, ND
16 May 1920

Valued Staats-Anzeiger!

The sowing activities among the farmers are approaching the end. Although one has been busy with the agricultural work since 24 March, one could progress only slowly because one was hindered by snow and rain time and time again.

A mistake must have infiltrated the report by Mr. Isidor Hinz. There it is mentioned that Rochus Ternes had died. That should have been Zachäus Ternes, the son of Rochus. The boy was 16 years old.

I was reading in a report by Mr. Georg Black how he was complaining about our schools. Unfortunately, in this respect there is much to be desired. During the winter, school vacations are in effect. In spring when children could be of some help to their parents, the kids have to be sent to school and if they don’t go, then the parents will be heavily fined. This is what has happened here recently. The Sheriff arrived and arrested five men in the field, taking them to town and away from plow, sowing-machine and the harrow. Each one of them was fined $17 because they had not sent their kids to school. Afterwards, they were allowed to return home on foot. For some this amounted to 4 miles and others up to 8 miles.

On 4 March, Lorenz, my brother’s 18 year old son left his parental home with horse and saddle. 15-year-old Raimund Tischmak ran away from home on 3 May. Ever since the age of 4 he had stayed at his uncle’s, Reinhold Tischmak’s home. When they wanted to wake him up that morning his bed was empty. This is what happens when one does not want to work and the other does not want to cook.

I also greet the correspondent “A Farmer”. One cannot tell where he may be at the time. Sometimes he is in Krasna, then in Emmental, and then again by the Gugelnik. (Note: the Gugelnik is a river near Krasna.) However, all of this does not matter. Just keep on writing diligently to the Staats-Anzeiger. I also greet all friends in Krasna and Emmental and also Mr. Romuald Dirk. My wife is the daughter of Jakob Dirk, the brother of Mr. Romuald Dirk.

The weather is currently opportune and we also have sufficient moisture in the ground. The spring seedlings are growing well. However the rye fields have to be re-seeded because only 10 % of the original seeding had germinated.

I thank the newspaper editor very much for the scissors, which I have received.

Korbinian Kahl