Cousin Peter Ten Kley theorized that most of his aunts and uncles never attended school much beyond the 4th grade as on the farm, the 10 children were needed for chores and work as soon as they were old enough to be helpful. Quite a few of the schools in the rural areas where they lived were taught exclusively in Dutch, so these siblings of my great-grandmother would have learned much of their English as adolescents or in adulthood.
For Peter Winkel's part, he and his siblings were taught in school as well, and at home by their mother. From Peter's brief memoir: "Mother taught us how to read Holland faster than we were learning English. Other children didn't learn so fast ... always talked Holland at home." And this: "Went to school, middle of 7th grade, 12 years old. When I was 13 or 14 I went to work on a farm as a hired man." One can assume the same of his brothers Dick and George.
Here is a link Schools (iagenweb.org) that outlines school days in Sioux Center and its surrounding communities in much more thorough detail. I examined the photos at the end of the article very closely, as the photo of the little girls posing for a performance photo is very likely of my grandma's sister Dorothy's classmates and likely playmates. Dorothy was 9 years old in 1920. Later, Dorothy was a member of her high school’s Glee Club.
While in High School, Dorothy Winkel signed an anti-bootlegging Statement and Petition - "The following names were handed in too late to appear in the regular list of signers to the “Statement and Petition” on Page 6, of this issue … list includes Dorothy Winkel" - Nov 23, 1927
I found a decent number of photos and citations in the LeMars, Iowa yearbook detailing great-uncle Dick's high school activities. Dave appears in only one of those, standing next to his brother in the Boy's Patrol group (think today's crossing guards). Other groups Dick is found in include boy's basketball, Letter Club, Commercial Club and Boy's Glee Club.
The school days of my Grandma were related to me as a time when she had her dominant left hand tied behind her back, a nefarious but all too common occurrence in those days. I have delighted, and perhaps she did too, that the "punishment" didn't take, and she remained left-handed all her days. I am left-handed as well, as are a few cousins. Grandma was also a member of the East High girl's basketball team.
I have little more information about Grandma's school days except that she was in a play "America the Beautiful", playing an angel at East High school. She was also a member of the school's Latin Society, Philomelian Latina Societas, and inducted into the National Honor Society.
From top, Dorothy, Margaret (Grandma) and group photo with Dick and Dave.
There is also the following anecdote:
The (Winkel) children have entered school here (LeMars) for the fall term, two of them being in high school. - Alton Democrat Sept 16, 1927
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