Reading Little House in the Big Woods

Over at Modern Prairie, we are reading Little House in the Big Woods for our book discussion on February 7th. I have the same book cover, with illustrations by Garth Williams, except that my copy was only $1.50 in the States and $1.70 in Canada (see upper left corner). 

I used to read the Little House series and the Anne of Green Gables series once a year, but since I have taken to blogging, there has been no time for that. I'm often turning books away because I don't have time to read them. 

Have you read Little House in the Big Woods lately? What is your favorite book of the series?

Little House, Long Shadow Book Discussion - Chapters 6 and 7

Finally got back into reading this book and polished it off last week. The last two chapters are titled, "The Little House Books in Public" and "The Little House in American Politics."

In Chapter 6, Fellman discusses the persistent impact Wilder's books have on American culture. From libraries to postage stamps, to school field trips, and even road trips, Laura Ingalls Wilder is a part of our heritage. The books' publisher, originally known as Harper Brothers and now HarperCollins, put forth marketing efforts that build on a base of fans who generate their own Little House products and events.

Something I didn't recall is that after World War II, the U.S. State Department, at the request of General Douglas MacArthur, had The Long Winter translated into German and Japanese as part of the Americanization efforts in postwar rehabilitation.

This chapter also speaks about the tourism, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the numerous events around the country. References to Wilder and her books continue to come up in American life. One book I read last year was titled, Little Blog on the Prairie. Fellman also touches upon voices questioning the meaning of the Little House books or how they apply to modern life and revisits the topic of revisionist history.

Chapter 7 ended up being an excellent chapter. It focused a good deal on Rose Wilder Lane's politics, Ronald Reagan, libertarians, the New Deal, and Progressives. Fellman touches upon "mainstream" values and how they are associated with the Little House books. It was an evenly handled chapter, so I can't complain. The Afterword is a nice wrap up.

In the end, I'm glad I read the book. I didn't enjoy it as much in the beginning, but Fellman approaches her discussion of Wilder's impact on American culture and the Little House books with an analytic, scholarly mind that gives a fair shake to all sides.

You can read my previous thoughts on this book by chapter at:

Part One - http://lauralittlehouseontheprairie.blogspot.com/2012/11/little-house-long-shadow-book-discussion.html

Part Two - http://lauralittlehouseontheprairie.blogspot.com/2012/11/little-house-long-shadow-book.html

Part Three - http://lauralittlehouseontheprairie.blogspot.com/2012/11/little-house-long-shadow-book_10.html

Part Four - http://lauralittlehouseontheprairie.blogspot.com/2012/11/little-house-long-shadow-book_20.html

Part Five – http://lauralittlehouseontheprairie.blogspot.com/2012/12/little-house-long-shadow-book.html

I purchased this book from Amazon. This review/discussion contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Little House, Long Shadow Book Discussion - Chapter 5

After focusing her attention on the Little House books in the classroom, author Anita Clair Fellman turns her attention to readers at home. She quotes many fan letters to Wilder where readers shared how much the Little House books meant to them. She goes on to discuss, like she did in the previous chapter, about activities based upon the books that readers partake in. This chapter goes a bit further, adding in the evolution of the Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder home sites and the annual events dedicated to Wilder's legacy.

This chapter gets into a larger discussion about the Little House on the Prairie television show from the 70s and 80s, its role in renewing interest in the books, and the desire to learn more about the real life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Chapter 5 briefly revisits how Native Americans are portrayed in the books, and how Wilder's books helped create a mythical, romantic idea of the settling of the West. One Native American reader found how Indians were depicted so disturbing that he wouldn't read them to his children, knowing he would need to interrupt the story to provide "editorial asides."

Fellman indicates by examples that non-white readers had a harder time relating to Laura and her family than their white counterparts, and how relating to Laura makes a powerful connection for readers, which creates a special place in their hearts for Wilder's books. This chapter also discusses the appeal of the Little House books to homeschooling families.

As this chapter proves, fans love the books for a variety of reasons.

My thoughts: This is probably my favorite chapter from the book so far. While we owned the entire Little House series, it wasn't until Michael Landon brought Wilder's books to life on the small screen that I had any interest in learning more. And at that time, I preferred the television show to the books. I tried reading Little House on the Prairie and couldn't finish it. As a young adult, I would sit down with the Little House books again, starting at the beginning, and then reading the rest of the books before moving on to Donald Zochert's Laura to learn more about Wilder's real life. This created a life-long curiosity of anything about Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family.

Getting a chance to learn why people love the books was wonderful. I was a bit surprised by how non-white readers viewed them, because in ways, children are similar, so I thought they would connect in some way. Not always so.

Earlier discussions on this book:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Little House, Long Shadow Book Discussion - Chapter 4

Fellman focuses Chapter 4 on how the Little House books have been used in the classroom: the reading of them and the activities based upon them. Through the 1990s, the Little House books were very much a part of the classroom scene in the United States. Changes in curriculum, changes in the textbook publishing industry, and recent government regulations affecting the teaching of reading are cited by Fellman as making the books less ubiquitous in classrooms since 2000, than they were in the previous fifty years.

The author admits it is impossible to make the connection between what children read in school and their beliefs as adults. She hopes to show, however, that the reading of Wilder’s books at school has made “individualist interpretations of the texts possible and appealing.” Because teachers like how these books teach values without preaching, the Little House books are seen as embodying universal truths, and as providing a “valuable introduction to an important chapter of U.S. history.”

One very interesting thing that Fellman mentions is that the acceptance of the books didn’t come out of nowhere, but that conditions were right for the books to make their mark on the educational system as well as in individual homes. We are taken back to the early 20th century, where young people’s leisure reading tastes were formed by experts in literature instead of the children; where children’s services in public libraries and libraries in elementary schools were being introduced; and Macmillan established the first children’s book division in 1918. After WWI, editors of children’s books were appointed at major publishing houses. 

During the Progressive Era, there were efforts to impose standards on what children read for pleasure. “Basal materials, with carefully chosen reading selections keyed to children’s cognitive and social development and accompanied by step-by-step guides for the teacher,” were used from the 1930s into the early 1990s. Schools became an important market share for publishers. The Little House books became a favorite with librarians, teachers, critics, and children as a result. Readers identified with Laura. The books also grew with them. Because of the positive elements in Wilder’s books, experts saw them as appropriate to include in basal readers. In the 1980s and 1990s, basal readers came under attack. Teachers were relying on them too much. So now, teachers were encouraged to get children to read complete books by reading books aloud in class.

Fellman touches upon the discontent with history and social studies texts used in American classrooms. Some teachers support historical fiction to help teach history to students, claiming the need to harness the power of narrative when teaching children. The Little House books are considered, “the best loved of all American historical fiction.” The challenge for some teachers is the books’ depiction of Indians. This brings the discussion back to basal readers and the particular selections from the Little House books that are used. In the end, teachers are important to what students derive from assigned materials. Fellman states there is ample evidence to suggest that “the choices of books that teachers make for their classrooms, access to those books, and the presentation and discussion of them affect the responses expressed by the children.”

My thoughts: As someone who works in publishing, I found a lot of this chapter interesting. It also helped me to understand how education has changed since I was in school, compared to how it is for my children now. Teachers remain influential in what children get out of the books and excerpts they read at school.

Earlier discussions on this book:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Little House, Long Shadow Book Discussion - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Creating the Little House

This chapter starts with Rose's return to Rocky Ridge Farm in 1928. Having spent time in her beloved Albania, she returned to help Laura with her writing, but also to recover from how the political landscape was changing Albania. As a freelance writer, Rose struggled with having to churn out story after story to make a living. Unlike her mother, who had many story ideas, Rose had difficulty coming up with ideas. It appears at this time, she was trying to start over. She wanted to build up her financial reserves so that when she was ready to leave the farm again, she would be free to do it.

Lane put herself into debt to build the English-style stone cottage for her parents to live in--despite Laura's lack of enthusiasm for the idea. The author claims Rose felt, no matter how much she did for her mother, it was never enough. It mentions a recurring dream Laura had about traveling a frightening road in a dark wood, which she interpreted as anxiety about money. According to the author, Laura's fear of doing without affected her relationship with her daughter.

When Lane's investments failed in 1931, her travel plans were thwarted. During the Depression, Laura opted to use her savings to pay off the mortgage on Rocky Ridge, but that also meant the Wilders had no money to retire. Lane resented having to churn out articles and stories to make a living. Neither Laura or Rose saw writing as a way out of their plight. Laura wrote Pioneer Girl during this time. Notations on the manuscript, according to Fellman, indicate Laura expected Rose to edit and embellish the work.

Little House, Long Shadow then goes on to talk about how Pioneer Girl was rejected, but the Wisconsin years turned into a children's book titled, "When Grandma Was A Little Girl," which was accepted for publication by Knopf. This would be picked up by Harper and Brothers after Knopf closed its children's division, and was published in the spring of 1932 as Little House in the Big Woods. Originally thrilled by the book's success, Rose watched her mother achieve public recognition while she was being forgotten by friends, which was hard for her.

Fellman shares much of what we already know about the writing of the books and the difficult relationship between Rose and her mother. It also talks about some of Laura's articles for the Missouri Ruralist on the topic of mother-and-child relations. While Laura didn't believe in whippings, she also didn't believe in displays of affection. By the end of the 19th century, female advice authors, however, would be talking about how a child must in every way be made happy. Rose seems to have accepted this new idea of love and emotional support easier than her mother. The book also talks about how even though Lane wished her mother could go it alone on her books, Rose couldn't pull away, and Laura may not have been confident enough to let her.

Rose completed Let the Hurricane Roar late in 1931. It covered much of the same ground as On the Banks of Plum Creek, but showed Lane's feelings of isolation and her idea that people are pretty much on their own. Not only was this a story about individual courage, it was about the current economic depression: how life is never easy and "our great asset is the valor of the American spirit." Laura, of course, resented Rose using this material without permission, and Rose was crushed by her mother's lack of support.

The book takes a look at how the country is changing at this time. The children's book, The Little Engine That Could, was released in 1930, and illustrated the can do spirit of the Hoover administration. The Wilders had been Democrats for many years, but they didn't like the shift in philosophy that came about with the New Deal. Lane became angry over government farm-relief programs that implied individuals were incapable of handling setbacks on their own. The Wilders couldn't fathom the idea of cutting down so-called crop surpluses. Fellman also mentions how Mansfield was affected by the Depression, and that the town had been struggling even before the crash.

My thoughts:

Why would you build your parents a house and go into debt doing it if they never seemed to want it in the first place? They seemed quite happy in the home Almanzo built. Once Rose left, they moved right back into it.

Why did Laura's success impact Rose in such a way? Was it because Rose struggled to come up with ideas while her mother had plenty of them? Was it just her nature? 

Is it any wonder Laura was upset with Rose over her alleged use of material she planned to use in her children's series? Especially since she didn't ask first.

The Wilders' concern over a shift in political philosophy makes me think of when Ronald Reagan claimed he didn't leave the Democratic party, it left him. As ideology shifted, the Wilders couldn't relate to this desire to have the government step in and assist. No matter how you lean politically, I think we can all relate to how that might happen if a party you believed in started promoting something that went against your grain.

You'll find Part One of this discussion here.

Little House, Long Shadow Book Discussion

I've been reading Little House, Long Shadow: Laura Ingalls Wilder's Impact on American Culture for the last few weeks. It's taking me a while because I am reviewing other books for different blogs, and because the chapters are long.

Chapter 1 - Growing Up in Little Houses


In the Introduction, we learn that author Anita Clair Fellman grew up with the Little House books and read them to her children. At some point, however, she discovered that Rose Wilder Lane was not only a libertarian, but also collaborated with her mother on the books. Instantly, she wonders if some of Rose's ideas made it into those books. As she ponders this, Ronald Reagan is elected president, and she is struck by the "individualist, antigovernment nature of his rhetoric." She is impressed by how Americans respond to it. It also makes her wonder why such anti-state ideas resonated for them, which makes her wonder if the books' appeal has something to do with the vision Reagan was talking about. Could children's books, "by virtue of their content, emotional appeal, ubiquitousness, and iconic status in the culture" help explain a shift in political assumptions by the populace?

There are several more pages to the Introduction, but most of them have to do with how the author approached her research: viewing the Wilder and Lane papers at the Herbert Hoover Museum, looking at books by authors like Ayn Rand, sales of the Little House books, autobiographical and biographical sources, etc.

The first chapter spans a great deal of time. It talks not only about Laura and Rose growing up in their little houses, but also about Caroline and Charles, Mary, and how Laura found herself acting as the older sister once Mary went blind. It mentions Carrie, Grace, and Freddie but only in that they were members of the family and that Mary went to live with Carrie after Ma's death. It talks about the somewhat tense relationship between Laura and Ma, and how Laura was not exactly the "good" daughter. It also discusses how Laura wrote for the Missouri Ruralist and, with Rose's help, broke into the national market. It spends time talking about Laura and Rose's relationship: that Laura always saw her as a child (no matter how old she got), how Rose helped shape her mother as a writer, Rose's feeling that she must take care of her elderly parents and provide for them, etc.

This chapter ends in 1926, with Lane leaving the farm and traveling to Albania once she felt her parents were secure enough. It also mentions that in 1925, Laura was performing research for her autobiography or some form of historical fiction.


My thoughts:

This author isn't the first one to mention a political agenda. Independence and self-reliance were necessary for Laura and her family. It took a lot of courage for any person--male or female, married or single--to move West into a territory they knew little about that was filled with dangers of all kinds. Some authors have claimed Caroline was a racist because she didn't like Indians. Many white settlers saw Indians as a real danger. When the family lived in Kansas, Charles was squatting in Indian territory, and Kansas was already a hot bed of problems without the treaty issues.

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Evening Shadows Fall

That night the horses were comfortable in their stalls with the smoke outside the door. Ellen lay in the grass in the smoke of her smudge. Inside the house there was not one mosquito thanks to the netting on the windows and the screen door.

The family was snug for the night. Grace and Carrie were already in bed when Pa asked Laura for the fiddle. Ma sat in her chair rocking and the moonlight came in through the window and cast its glow on Pa and the fiddle.

Mary and Laura sat and listened. Laura's thoughts went to the fairy ring where the violets grow. Surely the fairies would love the moonlight of tonight. Soon the girls headed to bed with the smaller girls. As she fell asleep, Laura was still thinking of the fairies, the violets and the moonlight as Pa's fiddle played a song about there being "no place like Home".

Synopsis provided by Marilyn

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Mosquitoes

Pa felt that it was time to build a stable for the horses before a severe summer storm came or the colder weather. Laura helped him to build it. Ellen stayed outside though, as he felt that a cow could live just fine outside. But he wanted the horses instide.

The weather got warmer and misquitoes were coming from the Big Slough. Ma didn't like the slough and had wished that they had moved farther away from it. But Pa liked living near the slough. It was filled with good hay that no one else would homestead and it was there for the taking. He was happy to be near it to use. But something had to be done for both man and beast to fix the nasty bugs.

Pa went to the store and bought some netting and some wood. He soon had a new screen door made and hung. Ma put the netting on the windows as well to keep them out of the house at night. For the stock, Pa made a smudge in front of the barn door and another for Ellen to stand in. They were made out of damp grass that would cause a lot of smoke that the misquitoes would not fly through. They all had a more restful night.

Synopsis provided by Marilyn

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Where Violets Grow

Laura ran and ran and looked everywhere while calling for Grace. She felt very
guilty for not watching her baby sister during the tree planting fun that the
family had been having. Ma and Pa's voices were faint as they called for Grace
in the Big Slough. But Laura tried to think of what she would have done as a
little girl, where would she have gone to. Laura didn't think that Grace would
want to go into the high grasses or in the mud of the slough. Grace must have
come this way.

As she continued to run, her sides began to hurt from the heavy breathing. She
came to a stop and ended up at the edge of a little valley. The bank sloped down and at the bottom was
Grace among a sea of violets. Laura climbed down the bank and Grace happily showed her big sister the "sweet" blossoms. Laura gathered Grace into her arms and hugged her as she caught her breath. Then together they headed toward the house.

After leaving Grace with Mary, Laura headed to the slough to let Ma and Pa know that Grace was safe. It was past lunchtime when everyone was together again in the house. Laura described the violet area to Pa and he told her that it was an old buffalo wallow.

After their lunch, at which only Grace was hungry, Pa headed out to finish the tree planting. Ma helped Grace hold her tree as Pa planted it. Inside the house Pa put a nail into the wall and hung the wooden bracket that Ma's china shepherdess always stood on. Both the bracket and the shepherdess were as beautiful as they had been back in the Big Woods. He also put nails over the door for his rifle and a shiny new horseshoe. Laura brought the fiddle and Pa sang a beautiful song about the horseshoe.

The house was a home. It was a tight squeeze but everyone was together and they were finally on their own claim. Pa promised that rooms would be added later on. He would make a little place for a garden and spend time raising hay and cattle. It truly was a happy home.


Synopsis provided by Marilyn

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - The Shanty on the Claim

After the first night in the new house, a new day dawned and promised to be a
busy one. Pa set out with the shovel on his shoulder. He was off to dig a well.
While Mary kept Grace busy, Ma, Laura and Carrie set out to finish unpacking and making the house a home. They pulled everything out of the house. But there
was too much stuff and they were having a problem fitting it all back into place. Pa was back home with a new well dug before the ladies had it figured out. He went off again to build a cover for the top to keep Grace safe.

After trying many different things, the house was finally put in order. Trunks, beds, table, chairs, whatnot and all of the other belongs were finally in place. After dinner Pa and Laura worked on making a window and hanging a front door. They they put tar paper on the outside of the house. Tar paper was not pretty but it kept out the wind from coming in through the cracks in the walls.

At the supper table Ma decided that she needed to do some baking. Pa promised to go to find some firewood from Lake Henry. Laura and Carrie begged to go with Pa. They missed seeing trees. There were no trees to be seen anywhere on the Dakota prairie. Pa assured then that pretty soon there would be plenty of trees because the government was making everyone plant trees on each tree claim. Soon there would be plenty of trees for shade.

Early the next morning Pa headed out to Lake Henry for the load of firewood and Laura took Ellen to drink from the well. She enjoyed her time outside alone. She rolled on the fresh grass until she discovered a grass stain on her dress. Soberly she headed back to the house.

The girls unpacked their pretty belongs and set them on the whatnot to make the room look homey. Ma was just about to put up the shelf for the china shepherdess when she heard Pa outside. He seemed excited and the whole family went out to see what was going on. Pa had a wagon load of little trees. He explained that they were cottonwoods that had grown as seedlings from The Lone Cottonwood that they had seen when they came from Brookings. Carefully he pulled one tree from the wagon.

"This one is for you Caroline, where do you want it? he asked. Ma wanted it right outside the door to provide shade for the house. One by one more trees were planted by each of the family members and those was their special trees. Soon the whole house had a windbreak of cottonwood trees.

"The last tree if for Grace. Send her out to help me plant it Caroline".

But Grace wasn't in the house. They looked around the house and she wasn't there. Where could she be?Soon everyone was running and screaming for Grace. Laura headed for the big slough. She prayed that Grace hadn't gone in there, they would never find her in that tall grass.


Synopsis provided by Marilyn

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Moving Day

It was moving day and every member of the Ingalls family was happy. Ma and Mary were happy that this would be their last move, forever. Laura was happy because she was looking forward to living outside of town. Carrie was happy to see the homestead. Pa was happy to be moving again, anywhere, and Grace sang and was happy because everyone else was happy.

After the breakfast dishes had been washed and dried, Ma packed them into the tub to ride safely in the wagon. Pa had taken the stove and stovepipe, along with the table and chairs and loaded them in as well. He tugged on his beard and decided that he had to make 2 trips to the homestead to get it all there with a place for all of his girls to ride in the wagon. So as he left to unload this trip, Ma and Laura rolled the beds, packed the lamps and prepared for his next load. It was all ready for him when he returned. The last item to be tucked safely into the quilts was the fiddle.

The family climbed into the wagon. They were on their way home. Ma noticed that Laura wasn't wearing her sunbonnet and beckoned her to do so. Laura didn't like wearing her sunbonnet because she couldn't see past the bonnet's sides. Reluctantly she pulled it on and looked straight ahead at the backs of her father's horses who were leading the way.

Carrie noticed a beautiful set of horses in the distance. Pa told her that they were the Wilder boys'. Almanzo was driving and his brother Royal was beside him. The boys had homesteads in the area. Laura looked at the beautiful animals and wondered how much they cost. Pa told her that they must cost nearly $300. That was a lot of money and Laura could only dream of such a matched pair of beauties.

Soon they came to the homestead. Pa had built a rough shack the day before and Ma chuckled at the sight of it. Pa promised that he would finish building it later that day and they would all be moved in soon. There were no windows and no door, but there was a root cellar. It was a very small house, but at least they were there and no one could jump their claim.

By the end of the day, the curtains was put up for the bedrooms, the beds were made and the stove was set in its place. After dinner the family spent the evening enjoying the peace of the open prairie. The stars were twinkling overhead and the frogs in the Big Slough were croaking. Pa asked for the fiddle and played a song. Ma sighed and declared that she would hang the bracket for the china shepherdess as soon as the roof was finished over their heads. When she was safely in her place, it would finally be home.


Synopsis provided by Marilyn

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Living in Town

The surveyors had come back to reclaim their house. The Boasts had gone out to live at their claim, and there was nowhere for the Ingalls family to live except in Pa's unfinished building in town. Carrie and Laura walked to town with Mary between them and Pa's wagon following close behind. Laura felt lonely and scared in a new world with so many people in it.

They came to town and to the building. It was a long building with a door in the front, windows on each side, and a door at the back. Sunlight could be seen coming through the crack in the wall boards and the knotholes. Pa noted to Ma that he had much work to do to finish the building but he thought that they would be warm enough now that spring had come. He would soon put up some siding to fill in the crack in the walls. Ma requested a staircase to the loft but then portioned off some rooms with some sheets so they would have a place to sleep until real walls could be built.

Moving in was completed and night fell. There were streams of light coming from the windows of buildings across the street. Sometimes feet walked along the sidewalk in front of the building. At last the night was silent but Laura felt crowded.

In the morning she awoke to Pa singing and she was surprized to feel snow on her face. Pa came over and told her that there was a foot of snow on the bed. Laura and Mary lay still as Pa dug them out and then watched as the did the same for Carrie and Grace. Then they all hurried to dress by the warm stove. BRRR.

Ma moved the breakfast table close to the stove near Mary's chair. She warmed her shawl and wrapped Grace in it. They swept the snow into the corners of the room. Pa promised to make a partition to keep the heat near the stove. Laura and Carrie helped to hold the boards as he sawed and nailed them.

In a few days the snow was gone and the warm weather returned. Birds flew overhead without stopping on Silver Lake. They didn't like to be near a town full of people, and neither did Laura. She wanted to be out on the prairie with the grasses, the wolves and Pa's fiddle. She asked about moving to the homestead and Pa promised that they would move as soon as he sold this building.

Carrie loved living in town. She would sit by the window and watch the things going on outside it. Sometimes Ma would let her go to visit the little girls across the street but mostly the little girls would come to visit Carrie. Ma would rather keep Carrie at home. One day Ma thought that it would be good practice for Laura to teach school if she taught the little girls. So, when they arrived she sat them down and gave them lessons to learn. At the end of the day Ma invited them to return each day for Laura to teach them more. Every day they came but it became harder for Laura to teach because they fidgeted so much.

One day they didn't come. A crowd had gathered across the street. Ma was anxious until she saw Pa coming towards the house. He came in and told them to prepare to move to the homestead. The crowd had just learned of a murder outside of town. One of the local men had moved out to his homestead and was murdered by claim jumpers. Pa headed out the door again on his way to get a load of lumber and someone to help him build a claim shanty so they could move to it tomorrow. No one would be able to jump their claim.


Synopsis provided by Marilyn

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - The Building Room

Laura was eager to show Pa the sack of almost empty beans hidden in the
pantry. It was now full of money.

"Caroline, what have you girls been up to?" Pa said looking into their smiling faces. The sack held fifteen dollars and twenty fve cents. While Laura and Ma started supper they filled Pa in on what had happened while he was away. But before they were done talking, a wagonload of seven strangers pulled up to the door. Now that Pa was home the strangers could sleep on the floor near the stove. That next morning there was hardly time to talk because there were so many men for breakfast. Laura could hardly keep up with the dishes. By the time she finished, she had to
begin peeling potatoes for dinner. She didn't care, she was helping Ma and Pa get rich.

One morning she saw Pa driving a load of lumber towards the townsite. Ma had told her Pa was putting up a building for them on the townsite. Lots in town were going fast and Pa thought he could make money by putting up a store building. They still had six months before they must build on their homestead. That week the house was filled with steady boarders, men who were building houses on their townsite or on their homestead claim. You could see Main Street growing up from the muddy ground.
Within two weeks on the brown prairie a town had sprung up. New unpainted buildings pushed up thin false fronts, some even two stories high.

The supplies in the Surveyor's house was starting to run out and Ma had to buy supplies in town. They weren't making as much money now, only a few cents profit from every meal sold. One day at the lunch table Laura overheard a man say he was putting up a hotel. His wife was due on the next lumber haul and he expected to be doing business within the week.

As suddenly as the hurry had begun it ended. One evening it was just Pa, Ma and the girls at the table. It was quiet, peaceful and cool. "Laura and I counted up," Ma said. "We made over forty dollars." Laura was hoping they could save it towards sending Mary to college.

Pa said he expected the surveyors to show up any day now and he warned Ma to be ready to move so he could turn the house over to them. That next morning they washed the bedding and started to pack.


Synopsis provided by Lorrie

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Pa's Bet

Mr. Hinz and the two Mr. Hartbornes boarded at the surveyors house, sleeping on the floor in front of the stove. During the afternoons their hammers could be heard pounding on the framework of their new buildings. Pa seemed to have been gone a long time. Ma would not let any more strangers sleep in the house. It was warmer outside and the rest had to sleep in their wagons. Ma still charged twenty five cents for supper and still lots of men came to eat.

Late in the afternoon on the fourth day Pa came home with the news that he had gotten the claim. He told the girls all about his adventure. He said when he got to the land office he couldn't get anywhere near the door because there were that many people. He had to stand in line and wait his turn. Pa said he had to wait for the second day before it would be his turn. When the land office closed on that first day Pa had gone to get some supper at the hotel. It was there that he overheard one man talking about the very piece of land that he had picked out last winter. Soon after Pa finished his supper he made fast tracks back to the land office and settled down on the doorstep to spend the night. He wouldn't be the only one. About forty others soon joined him and next to him was the two fellows he heard talking. By sun up there must have been a couple of hundred men pushing and shoving against him in that line.

Just as the door opened one of the men held Pa back and told the other to get in. As Pa started to fight back another man jumped in to help. It was Mr. Edwards. Pa said he would have never gotten the claim had it not been for him. Edwards just started that fight and as soon as Charles ducked inside the land office he snuck out. It was some time before the crowd quieted down. Pa tried everything to persuade Mr. Edwards to return back to DeSmet with him, but to no avail. But he did send along his greetings.

"Well girls, I've bet Uncle Sam fourteen dollars against a hundred and sixty acres of land, that we can make out to live on the claim for five years. Going to help me win the bet?"

"Yes Pa" came their jubilant response.


Synopsis provided by Lorrie

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Spring Rush

After the hustle and bustle of last night the house was quiet once again. Ma packed a lunch for Pa to eat on the way to Brookins in the morning. Noise outside the window pane alerted them more men had arrived. Five of them to be exact and they were on their way to Huron. Pa knew they had to put them up for the night or they would freeze to death traveling through the night. Ma made them supper and then sent the girls up to bed early with instructions to lock their latched door and not to come down until they were called in the morning.

That next morning they girls laid in bed. Downstairs they heard the strangers talking and the breakfast dishes clatering. At last they finally left, but now it was too late for Pa to set out for Brookins. He would have to go in the morning because he wanted a full day's sun. That night there were more strangers and the next night even more. They felt stuck because they couldn't refuse them shelter. So Ma came up with the idea to charge them twenty five cents a meal and twenty five cents for shelter overnight for man or horse. Every day strangers from Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and even New York gathered around the supper table.

When the last wagon load of men finally left, Ma called the girls downstairs. She told them Pa had left for Brookins before sun-up. Mr. and Mrs. Boast would help keep an eye on things and they would be staying in the house. Ma would sleep upstairs with the girls. That evening they had another wagonload of visiters. The men hadn't finished eating when another wagon brought more men into the house. Again while feeding them a third wagon showed up. Now there were fifteen men. Where on earth would they all sleep? The floor would be crowded. Finally at last they were all fed and the dishes all cleaned. Ma carrying Grace followed the girls upstairs and fastened the hatch door behind them, being sure to lock it into place.

During the night a ruckus downstairs shook the entire house. "It's all right Laura, Mr. Boast is down there," said Ma. Laura soon fell back to sleep. In the morning Ma shook her awake. While the others slept, Laura helped with breakfast. The men got into their boots and Ma and Mrs. Boast hurried breakfast. There weren't enough dishes to feed everyone so Laura had to wash them quickly. At last the men were gone and Ma called up to Mary and then she and Mrs. Boast cooked more breakfast. Laura washed dishes and set the table one final time. Last night's rukus was due to the men bringing bottles and a jug of whisky into the house. With a crowd of fifteen drunks Mr. Boast thought it best to let them fight it out.

That new day brought a man with a load of lumber. He planned to build a store on the townsite. He pleasantly urged Ma to board him while he was building. Next came a man and his son from Sioux Falls. He too brought lumber to build a grocery store. They also begged Ma to board them while they built, to which she agreed.

"If Ingalls doesn't hurry back, we'll have a town here before he comes," said Mr. Boast.


Synopsis provided by Lorrie

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - On the Pilgrim Way

One Sunday evening Pa's fiddle was singing. Outside the door a strong voice sang along. Standing on the other side of the door were two men covered in snow, one of which was Reverend Alden. Everyone was pleasantly surprised, for the last time they saw him was on the banks of Plum Creek.

"And here are my country girls all grown into women!" Reverend Alden's voice bellowed.

Laura was choked up with joy at seeing the Reverend.

"We are glad to see you again sir." Mary's face shone with brightness.

It was then the Reverend noticed the blankness in her eyes. He looked at Ma and then to Mary again. Ma quickly introduced him to Mr. and Mrs. Boast. The Reverend then introduced his young traveling companion as Reverend Scott Stewart. As the two men stood by the stove thawing, the ladies prepared a fine meal. Pa returned from the stable with two more homesteaders, both of whom were on their way back to settle on the Jim River. Reverend Alden said there's a settlement on the Jim, a town called Huron. The Home Missionary Society sent him out to look it over and make it ready to start a church there.

After the men had eaten supper Reverend Alden came into the pantry where Ma and Laura were washing dishes. He thanked Ma and told her how sorry he was for Mary's affliction. Ma said it was God's will and she was thankful that all her children were spared the worse from scarlet fever. He then told Ma about colleges for the blind and a very good one was located right in Iowa. Ma was interested, so Reverend Alden promised to make inquiries. "We can't afford it, but perhaps later if it doesn't cost too much we might somehow manage. I always wanted Mary to have an education."

"We must trust in the Lord to do all things for our best good," he said, and with that they held a short prayer meeting before saying goodnight. Laura knew then and there that she would be glad to work hard and go without anything for herself, so that Mary could go to college. The Boasts soon went home and once again Carrie's bed was placed down near the stove for the tired travelers.

Tucked away upstairs sharing the remaining bed, the girls talked about the blind school Reverend Alden had mentioned. Mary worried about the cost. "Ma knows," Laura whispered and she then promised, "I will study hard, so I can teach school and help."

The following morning the men enjoyed a good hot breakfast, after which the Boasts were invited back over for another preaching service. Pa played the fiddle and they all sang a hymn. As the team and wagon pulled away, Reverend Alden said, "You have had the first church service in this new town." He then promised to be back in the spring to organize a church.

"What's the name of the town that's going to be here?" Carrie asked.

"It's DeSmet, named for a french priest who came out here pioneering in the early days," Pa answered as they headed back into the warm house.

Pa knew with two homesteaders here already he had better make tracks for Brookins tomorrow morning come rain or shine.


Synopsis provided by Lorrie

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion - Happy Winter Days

Day after day the Christmas feeling lasted. Each day after her chores were done Mrs. Boast would come and spend time with the girls. Thus far they were having a warm winter season and Mrs. Boast invited them all to her house for New Year's dinner.

Laura showed up early to help Mrs. Boast rearrange the furniture to make room for everyone in the small shanty. The table sat in the center of the house, one corner almost touching the stove. Mrs. Boast sat there and served the food from its hot top. First there was oyster soup and with this soup she served oyster crackers. The girls had never seen nor tasted anything so good. Next came hot buscuits with honey and dried raspberry sauce. Followed up by a dishpan full of tender salty popcorn. All of which was served on Mrs. Boast's pretty dishes on top of her brand new tablecloth.

"It's a good beginning for 1880," Pa declared. "If this is a sample of Dakota winter, we're all lucky we came west."

Mr. Boast agreed and mentioned he was thankful he had his claim already filed. He only wished the same for Charles. During the upcoming week Pa too would have his claim filed. He figured he'd set out in the morning for the land office in Brookins. That night a wind full of snow was blowing and Ma worried about Charles leaving.

Mrs. Boast would come over almost daily during those winter days and played in the snow with the girls. Late one afternoon she took Laura to her house and gave her a tall stack of newspapers that she'd brought with her from Iowa. When Laura read them all, she could return them and take more back with her. Mary was excited when Laura plopped them into her lap. They couldn't wait for the supper work to be done so Laura could read. Seems neither could Ma. "Never mind the work Laura, read us a story." While Laura read, Ma and Carrie got supper ready. She read stories of a dwarf and caves and where a beautiful lady became lost in the cave. At the most exciting part Laura read the words "To be continued". They scrambled to find the paper with the end to their story. It was a story that continued on and on through the whole stack of newspapers.

On stormy days Mrs. Boast brought her sewing and knitting. One day she told them about whatnots. She taught Pa how to make and adjoin three shelves, each with three corners and of various sizes. All were then pieced together to fit snugly into the corner of the room. When Pa finished the one he was working on for Ma, the women cut pasteboard and made scalloped edges to place on them for a trim. Pa then carefully painted the whole whatnot, Ma just loved it.

Ma and Mrs. Boast talked about homesteads. Mrs. Boast had brought with her enough seed for two gardens, Ma need not worry about seeds. Every evening Pa also played the fiddle and the Boasts sang. Laura had never been so happy. For some reason she was the happiest of all when they were all singing.


Synopsis provided by Lorrie

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion--Merry Christmas

Laura quickly dressed and hurried downstairs to help Ma with breakfast, but Mrs. Boast was already there helping her. "Merry Christmas," they both said as Laura glanced at the Christmas table. Each table setting was placed as usual, but on the bottoms of the plates were packages of all different sizes. "You see Laura, we didn't hang our stockings last night," Ma said, "so we will take our presents off the table at breakfast."

Laura went back upstairs and told Mary and Carrie about the Christmas table. "We can't have presents," Mary worried. "There isn't anything for Mr. and Mrs Boast!"

"Ma will fix it," Laura answered. She then took Ma's present, hidden in Mary's box and held it behind her back as they headed downstairs. She quickly placed it on Ma's plate and noticed there was a little package on Mr. Boast's plate and another on Mrs. Boast's plate.

It wasn't long before the men came back into the house from doing the morning chores. They were all so happy in the warmth, full of good smells from the cooking and in the presence of good company. Mrs. Boast got to open her present first since she was company. In her package Laura recognized Ma's best Sunday handkerchief. Mrs. Boast was delighted. So was Mr. Boast; his present was the wrist-lets that Ma had knitted for Pa. Pa loved his socks and he admired the necktie Laura had made for him. Ma then unwrapped her apron and complimented the girls on their sewing and stitches. She was even more surprised when she found a new Sunday best handkerchief tucked away in it's pocket.

They then all admired Mary's bed shoes and Carrie loved her red, white, and blue mittens. Then Laura opened her package. Inside was an apron made out of the same calico as Ma's. Each didn't know the other was making an apron for the other and although Mary and Carrie helped make both of them they kept it their little secret. Then came the best part of all, Ma put the blue coat on Grace and pulled the swan's down hood over Grace's golden hair. She looked beautiful, but Ma took it off her right away as she didn't want Grace to be spoiled with all the attention. There was still one more package at each of the girl's plates. They quickly unwrapped them and found a pink cheesecloth bag full of Christmas candy, a present from the Boasts.

Christmas breakfast consisted of golden fried mush, hot biscuits, fried potatoes codfish gravy and a dish full of dried applesauce. After they were done eating, Pa and Mr. Boast went to get the bobsled, which was still stuck in the Big Slough. The girls cleaned up the house while the women washed the dishes and started preparing for dinner. With such good company the morning flew right by.

When the men returned with the bobsled, dinner was almost ready. They cleaned up and everybody took their places around the dinner table. The table once again looked beautiful. There was roasted rabbit, bread and onion stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, johnny cakes, hot biscuits and cucumber pickles. After their meal, Ma surprised everyone and brought a dried apple pie from the pantry.

When clean up was done, Laura and Mrs. Boast put on their outer gear and trudged through the snow to a tiny nearby house. Pa, Mr. and Mrs Boast, and Laura set all of the Boast's possessions inside and helped set up house. Then they all headed back to the surveyor's house for the remainder of the day. While the men played checkers Mrs. Boast had one more surprise. She made them all fresh popped corn. They all sat around eating and talking and laughing till chore time and supper time and the time Pa would play his fiddle.

"Every Christmas is better than the Christmas before," Laura thought. "I guess it must be because I'm growing up."


Synopsis provided by Lorrie

By the Shores of Silver Lake Book Discussion -- Christmas Eve

It snowed all day. "Well it's going to be a white Christmas," Pa smiled. The surveyors house was full of secrets. Mary knitted socks for Pa's Christmas present and Laura made him a neck tie. Together in the attic she and Carrie made an apron for Ma and Mary stitched a fine piece of muslin to make a handkerchief to tuck in its pocket.

From an old blanket Ma cut bed shoes for Mary; Laura made one and Carrie made the other. And every morning while Carrie made her bed in the attic, Laura and Mary knitted as fast as they could a pair of gloves for her. Grace's present was the most beautiful and they all worked on it together. From a swan's skin Ma cut a little hood. She then sewed every stitch on the hood herself because of the delicate hide. Laura and Carrie pieced out the lining and Ma sewed it in its place. Then out of one of Ma's old woolen cloth dresses she cut a little coat. Laura and Carrie sewed the seams and Mary sewed it's hem. Ma then added soft swan's down to the bottom and to the cuff of each arm. The coat was as blue as Grace's eyes. They were anxiously waiting for tomorrow morning to come.

Pa had gone hunting earlier and brought home a big jack rabbit. It was now skinned and cleaned and hanging frozen in the lean-to. It would be roasted tomorrow for Christmas dinner. That evening snuggled in the warm house they settled in for a bowl of hot cornmeal mush.

At supper they talked about other Christmases. Tucked away upstairs was Charlotte from the Christmas in the Big Woods. The tin cups from Indian Territory were now gone, but the thought of them made them think of Mr. Edwards and they wondered where he had ended up. "Wherever he is let's hope he's as lucky as we are," Pa said. They then talked about the Christmas when Pa got lost in the blizzard for three days and nights. Only to find out he was no more then a hundred yards from the house. Mary's favorite Christmas was the Sunday school Christmas tree. They all decided this would be the best Christmas yet because Carrie was older and they now had Grace.

When supper was finished Pa went and got his fiddle. He played while everybody sang. Through the music and the roaring storm outside, Mary could hear the faint holler of a man's voice. Ma started up "Charles! Who on earth?"

Synopsis provided by Lorrie

By the Shores of Lake Book Discussion --Pa Find the Homestead

After breakfast Pa took his gun and set out to look for those wolves. It was past noon before he returned and he was late for dinner. Ma kept his food warm in the oven. Stomping the snow from his boots he hung his gun back up over the door and then washed his face and hands. He apologized for being late and mentioned he had traveled further then he intended. Pa figured he traveled better then ten miles tracking those wolves. He went across the lake and found the tracks that the girls had made last night. On the high ground Pa discovered a wolves' den.

"Girls there were two big buffalo wolves at that den last night," Pa told them. He also mentioned it was an old den and they'd likely been living there for some years, but they hadn't been there this past winter. "They only took shelter there last night and from the time they left it this morning they never stopped. I followed them far enough to be sure I couldn't get a shot at them. They left for good," he assured them all. Laura was glad they got away.

"That isn't all Caroline," Pa announced. "I've got some news. I've found our homestead".

"Oh where Pa?" Laura, Mary and Carrie asked.

"It lies south of where the lake joins Big Slough. There's a rise in the prairie that will make a nice place to build. On the quarter section there's upland, hay and plow land lying to the south and good grazing on all of it. It's near a townsite too, so the girls can go to school". Ma was glad. "It's a funny thing, I'd been looking around the country for months and had it not been for chasing those wolves I likely wouldn't have come across it at all. I'll get out to Brookings and file on that claim next spring," Pa promised.


Synopsis provided by Lorrie