Robert McAdam (the younger) - Teacher 1940

Janet McAdam Waning had a brother named Robert McAdam.  She also had a nephew, Robert Wallson McAdam - the son of Thomas McAdam and Marie Elizabeth Sorenson.  This post details what I know about Robert Wallson McAdam - honestly not all that much!  

Robert W. McAdam was born 1 March 1902 in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. The above photograph is him as a young school boy.  He took up the family profession and in the 1930 census is a teacher in Dexter Township, Mower County, Minnesota - boarding with a local family there.

  

 I do not think that he ever married - I cannot tell for sure as I have not ordered his death certificate.  He died 15 July 1997 at the age of 95 in Hawley, Clay County, MN.  He is buried with his parents in the Catholic Cemetary in Blooming Prairie, MN.   

We do have a letter he wrote to his Aunt "Nat" in January of 1940.  It gives us some taste of his personality, and some insight into the struggles and demands of a teacher in rural Minnesota. Blue footnotes provide additional details re people mentioned in the letter. 

"Blooming Pra., Minn.

Jan. 21, 1940

Dear 'Nat',

Old King Winter seems to have caught up with us at last.  Last week it was below nearly all the time; Thursday morning over 20 degrees below.

I still drive back and forth to my school.  I make 33 miles everyday.  I bought a 1939 (new) Dodge last April and have over 19,000 miles on it now.

Last summer in August I made a 8,000 mile trip with some friends with me.  We were in nine states.  We drove to the Black Hills, then through Wyoming to Montana.

We drove along the south side of Montana through Hardin, Billings, Livingston, Bozeman to Belgrade.  We stayed there with relations of these people with me.  The mountains were so pretty there.  I thought of you when I stopped in Livingston.  Didn't you live near there once?  Wasn't Wilsall near Livingston?

We went from Belgrade directly to the Park and entered Yellowstone from West Yellowstone entrance.  We saw the Fountain Paint Pots, several geysers including Old Faithful. I took lots of pictures both movie and still, of the bears, geysers, falls, lake.

I certainly enjoyed the Park alot.  I suppose you saw it when you lived at Wilsall.  From there we drove south and west through Grand Teton Nat. Park.

I understand that if I would go into or out of the Park on the Cody or Red Lodge-Cook City Road I would see some marvelous scenery enroute.

Thank you so much for those walnuts.  Agnes (1) brought us some for Christmas.  They were lovely indeed.  Hope I get out to Oregon some time and see you.  I hear you're supposed to be a grandma soon (2).  What a fortunate grandchild!

It seems so long since you were here (1935).  Just think, Agnes has called on us three times this last fall.  Isn't that remarkable? (3)

Don't I use some foxy stationery? (4) Well, it fills the bill.  You're probably glad if I write on anything, just so I write.

My school year is half way through.  Four and a half months more and I'll be out again. (A bird out of a cage).  Did you ever feel captive when you were teaching school?  I sort of like this school better than the one I had in '35, '36 , and '37.

The children aren't so snotty here as they were in Dist. 42.  This one is Dist. 37.

I had my Christmas program on Wed. Dec. 20 and let out on the 22nd.  Had a stage, Santa Claus and everything.  Had quite a crowd too.  I don't care much about Christmas programs but if you're a teacher that's one thing you can't get out of very well.

I can't think of anything else to write and I supposed Sophia(5) has either written or else told you everything in the news line when she made her trip last fall.  She covered a lot of territory in a few days.   

I should have let Sophia take my movie camera with her, gave her a few rolls and let her film all the relatives.  Wouldn't it be swell to see you in a small movie?

It didn't dawn on me until too late or I would have tried to show her how to operate such a camera (they are a little bit complicated to load until you catch on) and she could have brought back pictures of you, Ella, etc and Aunt Mary , Cousin Robert(6) etc if she had gotten around to them all.

I hope you come back east some time again.  Supposed Oregon is warm now while Minn. is cold.  Well, good bye and say hello to Jimmy, his wife, and Willard.

Lill (7) got alot of holly from aunt Ella in Oregon.  All of us got a spray of it.  I thought the leaves had points on them but this species doesn't seem to fall in that category.

Good bye,

Robert

The folks as well as myself are feeling pretty good now."

FOOTNOTES:

1 Agnes McAdam Ingvalson -  a younger sister of Janet McAdam Waning.

2 Barbara Ann Waning was born 12 February 1940 - the first Waning grandchild - an anticipated event!

3 Janet McAdam Waning returned to Blooming Prairie,MN in October 1935 to attend the funeral of her older sister, Margaret McAdam.  It was the last time she ever visited her family home.  

4 Foxy stationery in lined composition paper - something a teacher would have easy access to.

5 Sophia - Sophia Ingvalson McAdam - the widow of Janet McAdam Waning's brother, Robert McAdam.  Yes we recycle names in this family!

6 Refers to several family members:

Ella McAdam Caufield - a younger sister of Janet McAdam Waning.  She lived in Tillamook and then the Portland area.  Had two sons Waldo and Jack Caufield - our grandfather was reasonably close to those two cousins.  

Aunt Mary - Mary McAdam Emert - oldest 1/2 sister of Janet McAdam Waning.  Lived in Ohio and then moved to Los Angeles.

Cousin Robert - Mary's son Robert Emmert (yes he changed spelling of the last name from Emert to Emmert) - also in L.A.

7 Lill - Lillian McAdam Gillette - daughter of Thomas McAdam and older sister of Robert W. McAdam.