Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Eck
(Originally published in the January 20, 1982 issue of
The Shopping News)
The View From Lincoln Independent
- Die Saegmiehl
Yaahre zerick waar en Saegmiehl in unser Nochberschaft. Es waar in em Fry sei Busch. Es waar en schmaal, lang Gebei mit em Traeck newe draa. Uff dem Traeck waar en gleeni Kaer uff Redder. Sie hot der Traeck nooch gfaahre, wann mer sie gschowe hot. Sie hen als Beem gsaegt datt, not sie fatt gfaahre in Trucks.
Carl Brubaker, Grade 8
Years ago there was a sawmill in our neighborhood. It was in Fry’s woods. It was a long, narrow building with a track next to it. On the track was a small carriage on wheels. It ran along the track when one pushed it. They used to saw trees there, then drive them away in trucks.
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- Der Schnitt
Mir hen en Seesaw un mir hen als gegliche schpiele uff ihn. Dann mol ee Daag waare mir am Schpiele uff ihn. Mir waare am Gschpass hawwe. Not bin ich nunner gfalle uff die Mitt vun der Seesaw. Es hot mei Kopp uffgschlagge. Es waar en Schnitt bis nei uff der Gnoche. Ich hab not zu der Dokder geh misse fer es zuhaehe. Not is es zugheelt. Es dien ken Haar waxe datt meh.
Arlene Leid, Grade 8
We have a seesaw and we used to like to play on it. Then one day we were playing on it. We were having fun. Then I fell down on the middle of the seesaw. It knocked my head open. It was a cut into the bone. I had to go to the doctor to have it sewed up. Then it healed. No hair grows there any more.
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- Varnish fer Hunnich
Mol eemol wu ich baut in der dritt Grade waar, hot die Schulmeschdern verzeelt wie ihre Memm sie gsaat hot fer geh Hunnich hole fer uff die Pannekuche duh. Mei Schulmeschdern waar en Schtoribuch am Lese un hot net geh welle. Dann is sie mol gange un hot en Grug (pitcher) grickt un is in der Keller gange un hot ihre Schtoribuch mitgnumme. Not hot sie es raus gleert un hot des Schtoribuch glese die same Zeit. Not hot sie der Grug nuffgnumme un hot’s uff der Disch gsetzt.
Wu des Middaag grischt (ready) waar, sin sie anneghockt. Not hot ihre Daed deel Hunnich uff sei Pannekuche geduh un hot mol gesse. Uff eemol hot er schier gekotzt. Er hot gsaat: “Des is ken Hunnich!”
Mei Schulmeschdern hot gsaat, ihre Memm hot sie mol gfrogt, wu sie der Hunnich grickt hot? Dann sin sie gange gucke. Un glei hen sie gsehne as sie der Varnish grickt hot fer der Hunnich.
Sie hot gsaat, sell hot sie glannt fer net lese, wann sie schaffe sett!
Erma Martin, Grade 8
Once when I was in third grade, our teacher related how her mother had told her to go fetch honey to put on the pancakes. My teacher was reading a storybook and didn’t want to go for honey. Finally she went, got a pitcher for the honey, went into the cellar and took her book along. She poured it out and read her book at the same time. Then she took the pitcher upstairs and set it on the table.
When the noon meal was ready, they sat to the table. Her father poured some honey on his pancakes and began to eat. All of a sudden he almost threw up. He said: “This is no honey!”
My teacher said, her mother quickly asked her where she had found the honey? Then they went looking. And soon they saw that she had taken varnish for honey.
She said, that experience taught her not to read when she should be working!
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- Wann mei Daed sei Aarm verbroche hot
Wu mei Daed en gleener Bu waar, hot sei Daed gsaat, er muss der Gaarde bluge. Er hot der Esel gyuust as wild waar. Mei Daed is uff ihn gegraddelt un der Esel hot gebockt. Sie hen mei Daed zum Hospital gnumme fer en Caest druff griege. Er waar about zwelf odder dreiseh Yaahre alt.
Norma Leid, Grade 5
When my dad was a small boy, his father said he must plow the garden. He used the mule that was wild. My dad crawled onto his back and the mule bucked him off. They took my father to the hospital to have a cast placed on his injury. He was about 12 or 13 years old.
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- Die Grundsau
Eemol hot der Daed gsaat zu uns, as wu er noch daheem waar, sin sie gange un hen en rechdi Grundsau gschtofft un hen sie in die Fensroi gschtellt. Not is der Daed un e Deel vun der annre verschteckelt naegscht bei.
Wu ihr Bruder heem kumme is, hen die annre gsaat, as en Grundsau draus in der Fensroi is. Der Bruder Paul is anne gange, hot die Grundsau gsehne un hot sie e paar Mol gschosse. Awwer die Grundsau hot sich net verreegt. Endlich hot der Paul gsehne as des en Trick waar. Mei, wie hen die Buwe glacht!
Francis Shirk, Grade 5
Once dad told us that when he was still at home that they went and took a real groundhog, stuffed it and placed it in a fence row. Then dad and some of the others hid themselves nearby.
When their brother came home, the others told him that there was a groundhog out in the fence row. Brother Paul went to the place, saw the groundhog and shot at it several times. But the groundhog didn’t bulge. Finally Paul saw that it was a trick. My, how the boys laughed about that!
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On December 9, 1981, Naomi Hurst, the teacher of the upper grades in the Lincoln Independent School near Martindale, sent us an envelope bulging with Dutch stories written by her pupils in grades five through eight, and the following letter:
“Here is a collection of stories composed by the students. This is not a new experience for these children as last year we published a school newspaper with a part called ‘Das Deitsch Eck.’”
“We hope you will find these stories interesting to read. I’m sure the children will watch The Shopping News more carefully from now on as we all get it in this area. Some of them clipped your (three) bear story a few weeks ago. They find it easier to read since we have German classes in school.”
In later columns we plan to print additional reports from Lincoln Independent, where over a half a century ago my own mother taught. We are most grateful to Naomi Hurst and to her pupils for honoring this column with delightful stories. Is it possible that we will hear from other schools in The Shopping News area, where German is taught? Have any other schools produced school newspapers with their own “Deitsch Eck?” We’d very much like to see these newspapers.
We salute the Lincoln Independenters!!!
January 20, 1982
Es Bischli-Gnippli