Memories of my Mom by Charlotte

 (Mildred Left, and Vivian)

Mildred Nelson Sandberg.  -

Mildred had four brothers just older than she and she likes to play outside with them.  She liked to drive horses and drove the horse (Ole Prince) and buggy to town for her piano lessons at age 13.  She also drove a horse to plant corn and to cultivate corn and she loved it.

 

 Mildred is the 2nd from the left

She and all 9 girls in her family had six weeks of piano lessons.but she excelled in it and had more.

Her family was unusual in their neighborhood, because they  received a newspaper and each of the 16 children could go to  high school, if they wanted.  Now the neighbors felt that both of those expenses were a waste of money.

Mom worked as a waitress  and as a sitter for the local Dr.'s wife  evenings and summers while she was in high school to save money for college.The summer she graduated there was a bank crash and she lost most of her savings. Her sister,Ina, who was teaching and had a Master's degree in Home Economics from Columbia University , said she would pay tuition for two years at South Dakota State and Mom studied public school music and elementary education.

Next she taught 4th grade and music to the whole school and directed an operetta in Avon SD.

Then she and her sister,June,  moved to Minneapolis .  They lived together in Dunwoody Hall  for girls and Mom worked as a maid while attending McPhail School of Music and studying piano.  

She had a senior recital  one evening with a violinist as her guest artist.  Her mother and sister, Vivian took the train to Minneapolis to attend.

Later she worked as a maid  in Minneapolis for the family of a vice-president of Pillsbury flour.

She taught  music at our country school for a few years.

As a widow, she determined to pay for missions as much as possible and began teaching piano at home.  

She once ran for the school board in Gettysburg,but did not win.  In my personal opinion, it's because she did not campaign and went to Utah for the summer.  She had been asked to run by a committee.

She was an active member of the American Association of University Woman.  

Later received an Associate Degree from BYU and served as an ordinance worker in the Provo temple.

She believed in education and hard work and the Gospel.  

She often said,"Every girl should work and have her own money and buy anew outfit every month, if she wants before she gets married.  Then she will be a good manager when she is married."