Rural Youth Culture of the 1950s & 1960s

Year: 1949

Homemakers Club was a mainstay in rural farm life. Although the year is 1949, Homemakers was a part of my mother’s and family’s life into the 1950s and beyond. The names are below the picture. Grandma Swenson is Anna Swenson. She is holding Jerry Swenson.

Year: 1952

This is either John or Carol Swenson in a baby bouncer. What’s interesting is that the bouncer is pre-child safety laws. That’s why big rocks are holding it down.

Years: 1951-1952

Names, from left: Jerry, John, and Lois Swenson

Winters were snowy and presented big challenges.

Year: 1952

Snow removal in the 1950s. Orten and Jerry Swenson.

Year: 1952

From left: John Swenson, Anna Swenson, Minnie, and Ralph Berg (Minnie is Anna’s sister.) Oscar Swenson, Orten Swenson (back to camera).

Family picnic in Sibley State Park. The bowl in the middle of the picnic blanket is still in the family.

Year: 1953

Carol Swenson

Year: 1954

Jerry Swenson. Country School photo, includes desk, etc. Different than traditional photos in public schools.

Year: 1956

Swimming, a favorite summer activity.

Front, from left, Jerry Swenson, John Swenson

Year: 1957

Carol and Paul Swenson. (Paul born April 2, 1957)

Year: 1957

John (cowboy hat was a favorite) and Carol; the infant is Paul.

Year: 1957

Cousin’s wedding shower.

Year: 1958

Carol Swenson, first-grade school picture. When we first moved to the farm we now own, it was 1957. I was 5 years old. At first, we attended a one-room country school in the Benson School District. Because we had land in the Murdock School District and the school bus went by our front door, my mother petitioned for us to be admitted to the Murdock School District. She succeeded, and we hopped onto the bus to Murdock Public School later that fall. My two older brothers and I all sat in one of the front seats. I’m still called the “new girl” by my classmates 68 years later.

Year: 1959

The Swenson Family Home under construction. Like many others in the 1950s, my father constructed most of our family home. The design and construction incorporated the latest advances. Father worked on the house during the wintertime, when farming tasks were less demanding. Started around 1957, the house wasn’t fully finished until my brother Paul’s graduation from high school in 1975… Paul was born in 1957. In the meantime, the family lived in the basement. Eventually, when the bedrooms upstairs were finished, we would brave the cold and scary middle floor and dash to our bedrooms and the electric blankets that kept us warm.

Year: 1959

Easter: Lois and Paul Swenson. My mother was an amazing seamstress. She made practically all our clothes, as well as hers and shirts for my father.

Year: 1960

Sunday Dinner at “Monte Grandma’s”. My maternal grandmother is Madge Williams Holzer. She lived in Montevideo. To distinguish her from my father’s mother, we called her Monte Grandma.

Year: 1960

Jerry Swenson. 7th Grade. Murdock Public School.

Year: 1962

Jerry Swenson (my oldest) off to camp. I am assuming that “camp” is Bible Camp, but I could be wrong. We looked forward to Bible Camp (1 week) each summer…a time to be on our own, meet new kids, experience something different.

Year: 1962

Jerry Swenson, 9th Grade initiation. I don’t remember going through initiation, but it was all in good fun.

Year: 1962

Carol Swenson, 5th Grade

Year: roughly 1962

Christmas morning in the basement. Carol and Paul Swenson.

Year: 1963

Oscar and Anna Swenson by their home. My paternal grandparents, who always lived on the homestead as my parents. The house in the background was moved from the farm my father rented about 10 miles south of the farm we now own. Their house was improved when it was moved in 1957.

Year: 1963

From left: Jerry Swenson, Orten Swenson, Lois Swenson, Madge Holzer, Anna Swenson, Anna Swenson, Carol Swenson, Paul Swenson.

Family Dinner in the basement. The same bowl is featured as the picnic photo at Sibley State Park.

Year: 1963

From left: Karl Swenson, Carol Swenson, Paul Swenson

Carol’s 11th Birthday. A photo that is typical of many sibling birthdays.

Year: 1965

From left: Carol, Karl, and Paul. The fireplace and Christmas stockings brightened many Christmases.

Year: 1965

From left: Orten Swenson, Lois Swenson, Karl Swenson.

Year: 1966

From left: Paul Swenson, John Swenson, Carol Swenson, Jerry Swenson, Karl Swenson

Anna Swenson with grandchildren.