Shared experiences with Al part 1
shared experiences with Al part 2
by Dan Goering
Alvin J. Goering was born June 6, 1918, and died September 16, 1939. When Al was born, he augmented the family size to two boys and two girls.
As an introduction to experiences Al shared with me, let me start by saying that this 1996 reunion is being held on the very grounds that Al said he slept on, back in the summer of about 1937. Frieda may be better informed as to the year. Al claimed that he used his bible for a pillow while at camp here. I don’t know if there wasn’t room in the cabin or if it was so hot he chose to sleep outside. He raved about having learned the game of tennis during his time at camp.
Going back now to the period when the family had the illnesses of scarlet fever and measles. It seems Al just couldn’t leave those ice skates alone. He spent a lot of time trying to master figure skating and told us how he had mastered skating backwards. None of use had ever tried it. Of course he overdid this activity so soon after the other illnesses and came down with a heavy case of rheumatic fever, leaving him with a serious valve disorder in his heart. This condition today might possibly be treated, but then he had to live with it and did not want to discipline himself as he should have, which, I am sure shortened his life.
Al was quite the dreamer. He speculated how high he could jump — if on the moon. He was very interested in lighter than air craft; but also on the possible implementation of a large tube for a coast to coast vehicle travel by creating a vacuum in that tube so that after an acceleration cycle, it could just coast to the next stop.
The possibility of the move from the Moundridge farm to the Canton farm was already under consideration, at the time of Mother’s death. Also the marriage plans for Walt and Della were pretty much set in the spring of 1936. Al was chosen as best man for the wedding. He got well initiated to that task as they had a flat tire on the way to the church (the church where Della and family attended.)
In the sales agreement Dad had made on the farm, certain tillage was needed to be completed in the southwest quarter, just across from where John P. lived. After all other items had been moved to Canton, several teams of mules and harnesses etc. were kept back to accomplish that tillage, as well as to finally transport two loads of prairie hay to Canton. I got the assignment of helping Al with that final chore of driving these two loads of hay to Canton. One August morning we set out, driving our team of mules east a mile and a half, then north until we got to John and Cora’s place about noon time. Dad had arranged with them for us to water the mules as well as fix ourselves some lunch, which Dad had provided for us and placed in their refrigerator. No one was at home when we made the stop, so we helped ourselves and then continued on. The remainder of the 20 plus mule drive was still ahead, with the intense summer sun bearing down really making it tough on the mules and drivers.
The route from Moundridge to Canton:
I recall we finally passed a gas pipeline pumping station, then later crossed 50 Highway and continued north another mile before turning east towards Canton. We got somewhere just a bit east of Archie Livly’s place, when one of the mules gave completely out and lay down in the road, harness and all. We could not get him back up. Al stayed with the rig and let them rest. I walked on home and informed Dad of our predicament. Dad then went to the scene, was successful in rousing the mule and they finished getting the last of the hay to the Canton farm.
Despite the impairment Al suffered due to the heart disease, he continued to work hard and, yes, play hard against the doctors advice. In preparation for this family move, Dad had traded the old Nash for a 1935 Ford sedan and then purchased yet another one of the same year, only this was a deluxe (whereas the first one was a “standard” model). Al took a liking to the standard model and bought an after-market radio and installed it himself. At that time not many cars had radios and none had air conditioning. When Christmas came, Al also mounted a miniature Christmas tree on the dash, complete with tiny lights. That reminds me of the time we were returning from the Eden program, this wintry moonlit night with the roadbeds all covered with packed snow. Al just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to demonstrate his driving abilities. Approaching a mile intersection, he executed a 360 degree spin just for the thrill of it! You have to admit, he didn’t end up in the ditch.
Getting back to farm work, this one year, the fields were quite wet at harvest time. We repeatedly had to unhitch the tractor, position it on firmer ground, attach a log chain and pull the combine out of the mud. Well, this experience prompted Al to suggest the idea of applying power from the combine engine to drive wheels–thus a self propelled combine. Al’s idea never got further consideration from us, but, a man from South America got the same idea and developed it. This Mr. Tom Carol came to promote his invention, because of the terrible abuse horses suffered in pulling the combine in the high altitude hills of South America. He sold his idea to Massey-Harris Co. – thus the harvest brigade was born toward the end of world War II as the government favored Massey with sheet steel, etc., since this was a terrific labor saving device and a boon to food production. As things happened after the war, I took a job with Massey-Harris, becoming sub-branch manager in Enid, Oklahoma. At that station in the company, I was honored to host this Mr. Tom Carol, who brought a fleet of experimental units to Enid for improvement tests. He contracted acreage to cut at no charge, for area farmers around Enid. This was quite an experience for me.
Coming back to Canton and Al’s heart condition. Dad arranged for a business college course at Wichita Business College so that Al might be prepared to get a job, perhaps in office work. To Dad’s disappointment, Al did not stay in school long enough for that strategy to work out. His failure to use the credits Dad had purchased at the college is the reason I attended there, taking a stenographic course. I didn’t excel there either (as you would know from my handwriting), but I did use up the paid credits and the transcripts from that class did help me attain a responsible position in the farm implement field. Furthermore, it placed me in the area where I attended the Lorraine Avenue Church and experienced many wonderful activities.
Al came back to Canton and worked some as a mechanic, in town for a car dealer. He also farmed some and somehow, I don’t know how or where, met Esther Schmidt and married her. I was selected to be his best man for that occasion. Al like dramatics and he decorated the church basement in the theme of a ranch scene with a top-rail and all, for the reception. Apparently Al and Esther planned not to have children, since he suffered with the heart ailment.
As Al got sicker and sicker, he was taken to the hospital in Halstead. Our neighbor, Mr. Wain, came by and drove family members to the hospital so that we might be nearby that day at least. I think Walt donated blood for a transfusion which strengthened Al for a while. Ultimately, of course, Dad brought Al home, placed him in his bed on the first floor corner room, where Dr. Johns from Canton could attend to him periodically, It was in that room that Al died.
I’m sorry that while on our bus tour four years ago, no one mentioned during the tour of the house, that the Memorial Service was held right there in the Parlor of that house.
These are just a few of the things, both good and bad, that I remember about Brother Al.
Sincerely,
Dan
From the archives of Dan & Grace