"HILDA's GOLDEN HERITAGE" book, 1974 —
I drew my first breath and let go with my first lusty howl in the wee hours of October 14, 1921 in the Medicine Hat General Hospital. The proud parents, I hope, were Mr. and Mrs. John Murschell of Hilda. I never found out much about my infanthood. Nobody ever said I was a homely baby, but at the same time, nobody ever said I was a cute baby. About the closest thing to a compliment I ever got was that I was healthy and big.
My boyhood was rather a lonely one, being the only child until I was eight years old. I had to turn for companionship to my dogs, Bob and Rover. This is probably why I grew up to be such a lover of dogs, and had so many other pets over the years. Also why I learned at an early age, that the most dependable helping hand was the one at the end of your own arm.
I suppose most children have their favorite childhood stories ranging anywhere from Goldilocks
and The Three Bears to Robin Hood. Mine were the ones about Pat and Mike. I was especially fascinated by the one about Pat and Mike and Mustard.
The school I attended was Maple Tree, a country school about three miles from where I lived. I got there either by buggy, sleigh or horseback and many, many were the times I walked. Discipline was quite different in those days. If you broke a school rule or didn't keep up with your studies the chances were better than fifty fifty that you got the strap. Discipline, of course, varied from teacher to teacher. My worst year was when I got the strap nine times. However, that was a long way from the record. I remember one boy who must have come very close to trebling that. I quit school after I finished Grade X. School often seemed like such a drag in those days. However now when I think back those were some of the happiest and carefree times of my life.
When I finally became a teenager it was right smack in the middle of the dirty thirties. Teenagers today would find those times hard to believe. Very few people could afford to drive a car. Wherever you went it was with horses. Buggy in summer and sleigh in winter. There were only a few tractors around and those who owned them used them as little as possible. Russian thistle, cut and stacked green, was all you fed cattle for years. What little straw there was, was saved for horses so you could work your land with them. Even so, they got their share of Russian Thistle too. All things taken into account though, I consider myself lucky to have grown up during that time. We weren't faced with all the temptations that today's teenagers are. By that, I mean high powered cars, alcohol and narcotics, and also an abundance of spending money. I give a lot of credit to the teenagers of today, that can toe the line with all this going on.
There were a lot of dances in those days, mostly in the country schools. There was always somebody around who could play a fiddle or an accordion. These hardy souls often played for five hours for a dollar or two. The dance ticket was usually thirty-five cents and ladies brought lunch. It was real cheap entertainment that was enjoyed tremendously by everyone. Those years passed much too quickly and before long I was in my twenties. Today when I look and think back, I can see a lot of sense in the old saying, "Youth is such a precious thing, too bad it has to be wasted on kids".
I decided, as most boys who grew up on farms did, to make farming my life career. It is a hazardous and often a discouraging occupation but the freedom and independence associated with it, is very rewarding indeed.
On October 17th, 1943 I married Clara Scheifele. Our marriage has been blessed two sons; Dexter and Warren.
Autobiography by Max
==============================
I drew my first breath and let go with my first lusty howl in the wee hours of October 14, 1921 in the Medicine Hat General Hospital. The proud parents, I hope, were Mr. and Mrs. John Murschell of Hilda. I never found out much about my infanthood. Nobody ever said I was a homely baby, but at the same time, nobody ever said I was a cute baby. About the closest thing to a compliment I ever got was that I was healthy and big.
My boyhood was rather a lonely one, being the only child until I was eight years old. I had to turn for companionship to my dogs, Bob and Rover. This is probably why I grew up to be such a lover of dogs, and had so many other pets over the years. Also why I learned at an early age, that the most dependable helping hand was the one at the end of your own arm.
I suppose most children have their favorite childhood stories ranging anywhere from Goldilocks
and The Three Bears to Robin Hood. Mine were the ones about Pat and Mike. I was especially fascinated by the one about Pat and Mike and Mustard.
The school I attended was Maple Tree, a country school about three miles from where I lived. I got there either by buggy, sleigh or horseback and many, many were the times I walked. Discipline was quite different in those days. If you broke a school rule or didn't keep up with your studies the chances were better than fifty fifty that you got the strap. Discipline, of course, varied from teacher to teacher. My worst year was when I got the strap nine times. However, that was a long way from the record. I remember one boy who must have come very close to trebling that. I quit school after I finished Grade X. School often seemed like such a drag in those days. However now when I think back those were some of the happiest and carefree times of my life.
When I finally became a teenager it was right smack in the middle of the dirty thirties. Teenagers today would find those times hard to believe. Very few people could afford to drive a car. Wherever you went it was with horses. Buggy in summer and sleigh in winter. There were only a few tractors around and those who owned them used them as little as possible. Russian thistle, cut and stacked green, was all you fed cattle for years. What little straw there was, was saved for horses so you could work your land with them. Even so, they got their share of Russian Thistle too. All things taken into account though, I consider myself lucky to have grown up during that time. We weren't faced with all the temptations that today's teenagers are. By that, I mean high powered cars, alcohol and narcotics, and also an abundance of spending money. I give a lot of credit to the teenagers of today, that can toe the line with all this going on.
There were a lot of dances in those days, mostly in the country schools. There was always somebody around who could play a fiddle or an accordion. These hardy souls often played for five hours for a dollar or two. The dance ticket was usually thirty-five cents and ladies brought lunch. It was real cheap entertainment that was enjoyed tremendously by everyone. Those years passed much too quickly and before long I was in my twenties. Today when I look and think back, I can see a lot of sense in the old saying, "Youth is such a precious thing, too bad it has to be wasted on kids".
I decided, as most boys who grew up on farms did, to make farming my life career. It is a hazardous and often a discouraging occupation but the freedom and independence associated with it, is very rewarding indeed.
On October 17th, 1943 I married Clara Scheifele. Our marriage has been blessed two sons; Dexter and Warren.
Autobiography by Max
==============================
"HILDA's GOLDEN HERITAGE" book, 1974 —
I drew my first breath and let go with my first lusty howl in the wee hours of October 14, 1921 in the Medicine Hat General Hospital. The proud parents, I hope, were Mr. and Mrs. John Murschell of Hilda. I never found out much about my infanthood. Nobody ever said I was a homely baby, but at the same time, nobody ever said I was a cute baby. About the closest thing to a compliment I ever got was that I was healthy and big.
My boyhood was rather a lonely one, being the only child until I was eight years old. I had to turn for companionship to my dogs, Bob and Rover. This is probably why I grew up to be such a lover of dogs, and had so many other pets over the years. Also why I learned at an early age, that the most dependable helping hand was the one at the end of your own arm.
I suppose most children have their favorite childhood stories ranging anywhere from Goldilocks
and The Three Bears to Robin Hood. Mine were the ones about Pat and Mike. I was especially fascinated by the one about Pat and Mike and Mustard.
The school I attended was Maple Tree, a country school about three miles from where I lived. I got there either by buggy, sleigh or horseback and many, many were the times I walked. Discipline was quite different in those days. If you broke a school rule or didn't keep up with your studies the chances were better than fifty fifty that you got the strap. Discipline, of course, varied from teacher to teacher. My worst year was when I got the strap nine times. However, that was a long way from the record. I remember one boy who must have come very close to trebling that. I quit school after I finished Grade X. School often seemed like such a drag in those days. However now when I think back those were some of the happiest and carefree times of my life.
When I finally became a teenager it was right smack in the middle of the dirty thirties. Teenagers today would find those times hard to believe. Very few people could afford to drive a car. Wherever you went it was with horses. Buggy in summer and sleigh in winter. There were only a few tractors around and those who owned them used them as little as possible. Russian thistle, cut and stacked green, was all you fed cattle for years. What little straw there was, was saved for horses so you could work your land with them. Even so, they got their share of Russian Thistle too. All things taken into account though, I consider myself lucky to have grown up during that time. We weren't faced with all the temptations that today's teenagers are. By that, I mean high powered cars, alcohol and narcotics, and also an abundance of spending money. I give a lot of credit to the teenagers of today, that can toe the line with all this going on.
There were a lot of dances in those days, mostly in the country schools. There was always somebody around who could play a fiddle or an accordion. These hardy souls often played for five hours for a dollar or two. The dance ticket was usually thirty-five cents and ladies brought lunch. It was real cheap entertainment that was enjoyed tremendously by everyone. Those years passed much too quickly and before long I was in my twenties. Today when I look and think back, I can see a lot of sense in the old saying, "Youth is such a precious thing, too bad it has to be wasted on kids".
I decided, as most boys who grew up on farms did, to make farming my life career. It is a hazardous and often a discouraging occupation but the freedom and independence associated with it, is very rewarding indeed.
On October 17th, 1943 I married Clara Scheifele. Our marriage has been blessed two sons; Dexter and Warren.
Autobiography by Max
==============================
I drew my first breath and let go with my first lusty howl in the wee hours of October 14, 1921 in the Medicine Hat General Hospital. The proud parents, I hope, were Mr. and Mrs. John Murschell of Hilda. I never found out much about my infanthood. Nobody ever said I was a homely baby, but at the same time, nobody ever said I was a cute baby. About the closest thing to a compliment I ever got was that I was healthy and big.
My boyhood was rather a lonely one, being the only child until I was eight years old. I had to turn for companionship to my dogs, Bob and Rover. This is probably why I grew up to be such a lover of dogs, and had so many other pets over the years. Also why I learned at an early age, that the most dependable helping hand was the one at the end of your own arm.
I suppose most children have their favorite childhood stories ranging anywhere from Goldilocks
and The Three Bears to Robin Hood. Mine were the ones about Pat and Mike. I was especially fascinated by the one about Pat and Mike and Mustard.
The school I attended was Maple Tree, a country school about three miles from where I lived. I got there either by buggy, sleigh or horseback and many, many were the times I walked. Discipline was quite different in those days. If you broke a school rule or didn't keep up with your studies the chances were better than fifty fifty that you got the strap. Discipline, of course, varied from teacher to teacher. My worst year was when I got the strap nine times. However, that was a long way from the record. I remember one boy who must have come very close to trebling that. I quit school after I finished Grade X. School often seemed like such a drag in those days. However now when I think back those were some of the happiest and carefree times of my life.
When I finally became a teenager it was right smack in the middle of the dirty thirties. Teenagers today would find those times hard to believe. Very few people could afford to drive a car. Wherever you went it was with horses. Buggy in summer and sleigh in winter. There were only a few tractors around and those who owned them used them as little as possible. Russian thistle, cut and stacked green, was all you fed cattle for years. What little straw there was, was saved for horses so you could work your land with them. Even so, they got their share of Russian Thistle too. All things taken into account though, I consider myself lucky to have grown up during that time. We weren't faced with all the temptations that today's teenagers are. By that, I mean high powered cars, alcohol and narcotics, and also an abundance of spending money. I give a lot of credit to the teenagers of today, that can toe the line with all this going on.
There were a lot of dances in those days, mostly in the country schools. There was always somebody around who could play a fiddle or an accordion. These hardy souls often played for five hours for a dollar or two. The dance ticket was usually thirty-five cents and ladies brought lunch. It was real cheap entertainment that was enjoyed tremendously by everyone. Those years passed much too quickly and before long I was in my twenties. Today when I look and think back, I can see a lot of sense in the old saying, "Youth is such a precious thing, too bad it has to be wasted on kids".
I decided, as most boys who grew up on farms did, to make farming my life career. It is a hazardous and often a discouraging occupation but the freedom and independence associated with it, is very rewarding indeed.
On October 17th, 1943 I married Clara Scheifele. Our marriage has been blessed two sons; Dexter and Warren.
Autobiography by Max
==============================
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