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Raynard Huglen
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In 1940, my mother, Inga Huglen, moved to Newfolden from Westby, Montana, with her three youngest children: Valborg, who would be a junior in high school, Erling, who would be in third grade, and me, who would be in seventh grade. Our father had died in 1938 and we came here to be near relatives. It was a logical move.
Valborg became a teacher and taught her for 45 years. She is one of the original members of the MCC Wall of Honor. Erling is known for his basketball prowess and is an original member of the Newfolden/MCC Hall of Fame. He was less than 100 points short of being the first player to score 1000 points. And he played when the games were four minutes shorter and there was no three-point shot. When we came to Newfolden, the new school , a WPA project, was being completed. School was late in starting. I believe it didn’t start until early October. We considered the school very nice. A new gym, library, classrooms for the 7th, 8th, and 12th grades and a large assembly room, and there were lockers for all.
There was an inter-com system so announcements could be made to each room simultaneously. I should say that freshmen had their room in the old part and the commercial room and another classroom along with the principal’s office. The superintendent’s office was on that floor, too.
I had only met two of my classmates before school began; Grace Ronholm and Donald Tweet. At that time, Donald spelled his name Tvedt. The school was on the Junior High plan so we had five or six teachers. Miss Mary Keogh (later Tandberg) taught art once a week. She had surplus fruit from the government and passed some out to us. This was likely the beginning of a school lunch program.
In my freshman year there was a big influx of new students from rural schools. There were at least 32 students in my class. Not all of them continued on to graduation at Newfolden. I remember when on Dec 8, 1941, we moved across the hall to hear President Roosevelt declare war on Germany and Japan after that “day of infamy”. Of course, we knew that some from the upper grades at least would be going to war. Three boys from our time would make the supreme sacrifice: Bertil Gustafson, Harlan Engelsrud and Lawrence Folden.
Because of the war some things were curtailed at school. There was no band. There was always basketball, but football (six-man) was eliminated after a two-game season my sophomore year. That year we defeated Strandquist twice. I played halfback, but don’t remember any contributions I made to the victories. Football did not resume for six years, so Erling missed out altogether and he would have been a good one.
In basketball, getting coaches was a problem. In Newfolden our superintendent, Mr Leland, took over for 1944-46. He did the best he could, but it wasn’t good enough. I went out for basketball all four years. There was no B team and so I was someone to play against in practice for the boys who made the team. I lettered my senior year and was what now would be called the sixth man.
Every year there would be a Junior Class play and one by the Seniors. My Junior year one was “The Mummy and the Mumps” and the Senior year was “Professor, How Could You?”. I took part in both. They were in three acts. The musicals presented now every two years are excellent, but I miss those 3-act plays.
I think of all the teachers I had in the six years, some over 20. Each one contributed something to my education. In Sophomore English, my sister Irene was my teacher. I had some apprehension about her teaching in Newfolden. Would the kids be nice to her? But they were and she was well-liked. Actually, she did her practice teaching Newfolden the year before. It was good to have her living at home, if even for a shorter time. Her year of 1943-44 had quite a few days of stormy weather and missed school days.
Our baccalaureate service as Seniors was held on a Sunday morning. That may have been the only time that was done. My pastor, Rev. E.J. Raaum, spoke.
We were 38 graduates, the biggest number at that time, one more that Valborg’s 37 in 1942. We were augmented by eight students from Holt, probably the most ever. Also there was a transfer from Hallock and Lois Swan returned to school after being out for a year.
I am proud of our class of 1946. Not as many went on to college in those days and there was no junior college 20 miles away. Probably only 3 of us got Bachelor degrees. Two were struck down early in life: Archie Edeen and Kenneth “Swede” Larson. But all of our class have been productive citizens, partly due to the education we received at NHS (Newfolden High School).
Valborg became a teacher and taught her for 45 years. She is one of the original members of the MCC Wall of Honor. Erling is known for his basketball prowess and is an original member of the Newfolden/MCC Hall of Fame. He was less than 100 points short of being the first player to score 1000 points. And he played when the games were four minutes shorter and there was no three-point shot. When we came to Newfolden, the new school , a WPA project, was being completed. School was late in starting. I believe it didn’t start until early October. We considered the school very nice. A new gym, library, classrooms for the 7th, 8th, and 12th grades and a large assembly room, and there were lockers for all.
There was an inter-com system so announcements could be made to each room simultaneously. I should say that freshmen had their room in the old part and the commercial room and another classroom along with the principal’s office. The superintendent’s office was on that floor, too.
I had only met two of my classmates before school began; Grace Ronholm and Donald Tweet. At that time, Donald spelled his name Tvedt. The school was on the Junior High plan so we had five or six teachers. Miss Mary Keogh (later Tandberg) taught art once a week. She had surplus fruit from the government and passed some out to us. This was likely the beginning of a school lunch program.
In my freshman year there was a big influx of new students from rural schools. There were at least 32 students in my class. Not all of them continued on to graduation at Newfolden. I remember when on Dec 8, 1941, we moved across the hall to hear President Roosevelt declare war on Germany and Japan after that “day of infamy”. Of course, we knew that some from the upper grades at least would be going to war. Three boys from our time would make the supreme sacrifice: Bertil Gustafson, Harlan Engelsrud and Lawrence Folden.
Because of the war some things were curtailed at school. There was no band. There was always basketball, but football (six-man) was eliminated after a two-game season my sophomore year. That year we defeated Strandquist twice. I played halfback, but don’t remember any contributions I made to the victories. Football did not resume for six years, so Erling missed out altogether and he would have been a good one.
In basketball, getting coaches was a problem. In Newfolden our superintendent, Mr Leland, took over for 1944-46. He did the best he could, but it wasn’t good enough. I went out for basketball all four years. There was no B team and so I was someone to play against in practice for the boys who made the team. I lettered my senior year and was what now would be called the sixth man.
Every year there would be a Junior Class play and one by the Seniors. My Junior year one was “The Mummy and the Mumps” and the Senior year was “Professor, How Could You?”. I took part in both. They were in three acts. The musicals presented now every two years are excellent, but I miss those 3-act plays.
I think of all the teachers I had in the six years, some over 20. Each one contributed something to my education. In Sophomore English, my sister Irene was my teacher. I had some apprehension about her teaching in Newfolden. Would the kids be nice to her? But they were and she was well-liked. Actually, she did her practice teaching Newfolden the year before. It was good to have her living at home, if even for a shorter time. Her year of 1943-44 had quite a few days of stormy weather and missed school days.
Our baccalaureate service as Seniors was held on a Sunday morning. That may have been the only time that was done. My pastor, Rev. E.J. Raaum, spoke.
We were 38 graduates, the biggest number at that time, one more that Valborg’s 37 in 1942. We were augmented by eight students from Holt, probably the most ever. Also there was a transfer from Hallock and Lois Swan returned to school after being out for a year.
I am proud of our class of 1946. Not as many went on to college in those days and there was no junior college 20 miles away. Probably only 3 of us got Bachelor degrees. Two were struck down early in life: Archie Edeen and Kenneth “Swede” Larson. But all of our class have been productive citizens, partly due to the education we received at NHS (Newfolden High School).
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