3. Homecoming and First Teaching Experience: Meeting Barbara and the Lives and Enterprises That Ensued

Barbara met me at Camp Stoneman and it was a wonderful reunion.  Her Uncle who was a retired officer of some rank and who lived in the area, had enough pull to arrange on base housing for the few days of processing. Formalities with the Army completed by mid June 1954 and Barbara and I started our new life.  Barbara had traded our college Plymouth for new Pontiac and we headed back to the U of I to complete the Master's Degree.  The GI Bill and many odd jobs made it possible and of course I was looking for a teaching job for the next school year. 

Rubins, Idaho, was where I found my first teaching job.  Rubins was located on the Camas Prairie off the main highway, and the town consisted of a grain elevator, railroad spur, a church and a school.  High school enrollment was less than 50 students, and my teaching assignment included a variety of subjects including Algebra, General Science, Wood Shop etc . This was 1954-55 school year, my salary was $3500, and of course I drove school bus to make a little extra money. 

Vicki was born on the fifth of March, 1955. The whole town knew what was happening and  took care of Diane, while Barbara and I made the fifty mile run to the Cottonwood Hospital for the delivery.  To compound the situation we were in the middle of a blizzard. We knew the storm was coming and had prepared in every way we could.  I had put on the tire chains and kept the engine warm so the car would start.  We got to the Hospital in time and the delivery went well.  A day or so had lapsed and we were faced with getting home over a road that had not been plowed.  We got stuck once but were able to get back on the road and make it home.   

Our neighbors had taken care of us, the oil stove that we used for heating had not frozen up and Diane had been well cared for.  The community had been supportive and neighbors were kind, but one winter in such a remote location left something to be desired, so we started looking for another job.  Barbara and I  had agreed on advice from my Father who had been Superintendent in several schools, that we would stay at least two years in a job before moving on.   We were offered a position at Spangle, Washington, fifteen miles south of Spokane.  This violated our 2 year pledge but it was more money, a student body of 150 and better location.  I had to recertify in Washington but teaching basically the  same subjects.  

Spangle was a good school and we got along well.   We rented an old two story house about two blocks from the school and next door to the railroad tracks. It was drafty and again heated by an oil stove.  We had permission from the landlord to paint and modify as we saw fit to make the place livable. Both the children had colds during the winter months and we had at least one down with pneumonia the second winter.  We kept the road well used between Spangle and Cheney  for Doctor appointments  and classes that I was taking for certification.   An older woman who lived in a nice house up the road from us befriended Barbara, kept track of  our condition, and offered help when needed.  Barbara stayed in touch with that Lady for several years after we left Spangle.  

     

Early in the second year I started looking for a new position and we got an offer from Fortuna, California.  Barbara and I thought that this would be a great opportunity  with an upscale School system and chances to live in an ocean environment.

We left Spangle with some regrets, leaving behind some good friends and a good working situation. Several years later we were invited back for a class reunion.  The die was cast  and we rented  a U-haul van,  loaded up our household, and headed for California. 

Frank