Even
as his children grew older, they
still clamored for the tales from
this small town in the middle of
Illinois -- tales about businesses
that no longer existed and neighbors
who knew everyone in town and looked
out for one another. As adults, the
Detmers kids told their dad that he
should write down the tales of life
in Emden so there would be a record
for them and their children.
After first dismissing the idea,
Bill began in 2006 to make notes
that would eventually take the shape
of a 150-page book filled with his
remembrances and photos. After
setting the project aside for a few
years, he finally put the finishing
touches on his autobiography of life
growing up in Emden.
Published earlier this year, the
book titled "Be Careful Crossing the
Hard Road" has been so successful
that it is scheduled for a third
printing. No one is more surprised
at the book's success than the
author.
Born in 1940, the youngest of
seven children, Detmers grew up in
quintessential small-town America,
where the people of Emden shopped in
their own community and knew
everyone in town.
Detmers' father came to the small
town from Germany at age 18, an
immigrant after World War I. He was
sponsored by a cousin already living
in town. He spoke no English when he
arrived, but through hard work and
diligence, he became a successful
painter and paperhanger.
The elder Detmers attended high
school and took English classes.
There he met his future wife. They
married and had seven children, of
whom Bill was the youngest.
With a twinkle in his eye, Bill
likes to tell of the times in his
adulthood when his diminutive mother
would reach up to pinch his cheek
and say, "You're still my baby."
Detmers' mom and dad were married
on June 22, and all seven of their
children were married on the same
date.
Growing up in the good old days,
as Detmers calls them, in the 1940s
and 1950s, life in small-town Emden
was centered on family, friends and
community.
Detmers' father had his painting
business in Emden and surrounding
communities, but he always bought
his business supplies in Emden. He
believed in supporting his community
and neighbors.
Bill Detmers went to grade school
in Emden and to high school in
Hartsburg. The small classes in
school made for a close relationship
between the students. They hung out
together and came up with ways to
entertain themselves. This was a
time before television and the
myriad ways that people can
entertain themselves today.
The kids played games and even
constructed their own toys. Detmers'
book shows how to make homemade
kites and a device called a rubber
gun made of scraps from the local
lumberyard.
Bill said, "We were recycling
before it became popular, taking
anything that was scrap and turning
it into something to play with."
After World War II, there were
several major ways that Emdenites
entertained themselves. One was the
radio.
Detmers remembers that at his
home there was one large console
radio and several small ones. The
console was used only on special
occasions when the whole family
would gather 'round for an important
program. They would listen to the
"Lone Ranger," Lamont Cranston as
The Shadow ("Who knows what evil
lurks in the hearts of men? The
Shadow knows!"), "Fibber McGee and
Molly," and "Sky King."
The Emden Community House, which
still stands, was the venue where
the community could gather for
special events. The annual March of
Dimes fundraiser was held there.
Movies were shown on Wednesdays
and Saturdays. Kids paid 12 cents
for admission and adults paid 25
cents. The upstairs auditorium was
always filled.
The Community House also served
as the grade school gymnasium where
basketball games were played. The
grade school band also used it to
practice and for concerts. It was
used for school plays as well.
Detmers was on stage for several
school presentations.
[to
top of second column]
|
He says, "In eighth grade there
were 10 kids in my class, maybe 70
or 80 kids in the whole Emden Grade
School."
These fellow classmates became
friends for life, even after they
moved away from town. Detmers is
still in close contact with two
classmates who now live
out-of-state. His high school class
just had its 55th reunion.
When he was old enough, Detmers
had a paper route in town. This
brought him into contact with
everyone, traveling as he did to
every part of the small community to
deliver the paper. His newspaper
customers became close friends.
He remembers: "One woman on my
route always cooked a ham for her
family on the weekends. The
following week I could always count
on a delicious ham sandwich awaiting
me when I delivered the paper."
One other customer always had a
refreshing glass of lemonade waiting
for him when he delivered the paper
during the summer.
Detmers recalls walking into the
home of a homebound person on his
route and handing over the paper,
not just leaving it on the front
porch. He had learned at a young age
his father's example of personally
supporting the people in his
community.
Being a neighbor meant something
special then, although the residents
of Emden would probably not have
recognized that as unique, just
normal behavior toward the others in
their town.
After grade school, Bill began to
travel by bus to Hartsburg High
School. There he met a young woman
who would have a profound impact on
his life.
Bill and his high school
sweetheart, Diane, were married in
1959 and have three children: two
daughters who live in Georgia and a
son who lives in Bloomington.
After high school, Detmers worked
for a time at the Emden Zephyr gas
station, one of four places to fill
up in the community. There were also
two auto dealerships and two grocery
stores.
He eventually found work at the
Stetson China factory in Lincoln,
and then in 1961 began a career at
State Farm in Bloomington, retiring
after 35 years. Bill and Diane's
three children also have careers at
State Farm.
Bill and Diane eventually left
his beloved hometown and moved to
Normal. About this time, life in
Emden began to change. Bill
attributes the change to the
increased mobility brought about by
the new highways and almost
universal ownership of cars.
Emdenites began to travel to Lincoln
to the newer grocery stores, which
had lower prices and greater
selection than the Emden grocery
stores. Those are gone now, along
with the car dealerships and four
gas stations.
But that heyday of small-town
Emden will live forever in Bill
Detmers' book, "Be Careful Crossing
the Hard Road." He did some of the
research for the book at the Logan
County Genealogical & Historical
Society, where he and Diane
volunteer each week.
Oh, and the title of the book?
Well, there is another story.
During Detmers' childhood in
Emden, there was a spur road that
ran through the center of Emden,
connecting Illinois 121 and 136. It
is officially named Lincoln Street,
but everyone just called it Main
Street or "the hard road" back
during Bill's childhood. When
Detmers' mother asked him to run to
the grocery store for something she
needed, she would always call after
him: "Be careful crossing the hard
road."
Now that the book is finished,
how does Bill feel about it? In his
words, "it is humbling." He
explained: "I never thought it would
be anything -- just a book for my
kids so that they could have a sense
of what my childhood was like. But,
people are interested in it. It
gives me a good feeling."
Bill Detmers' book tells a story
of small-town America during his
childhood. When asked about his
childhood and life since, he smiles
and says, "Life was good, life is
good!"
[By CURT FOX]
|