Willard Long Ago--by Ann Suda

Willard, Hendren Twp., Clark Co., Wisconsin

Some of the first people to come over from Slovenia to Willard came in 1905.  My great-grandparents came from Slovenia to Willard in 1910.  There my grandpa, Walter Hribar, and grandma, Clara Router, were born.  My grandpa was a contry boy and my grandma was a town girl.  My grandpa went to McKinley School and my grandma went to Willard School.  At recess they played fox and geese and criket.

Some of the chores at home were feeding rabbits and chickens, picking eggs, ironing milking cows by hand, and carrying wood.

Some of the stores and buildings in Willard were the Zallar's Store, Grist Mill, Post Office, and the Land Office.  There was also a railroad track that ran through Willard.

One thing that I think is cool is that Willard used to have a baseball team.  It started in the fall of 1927 or 1928.  Can you imagine buying a uniform for $3.50 and shoes for $2.98?  Wow!  Their playing field was usually cow pastures.  My grandpa played baseball in Willard and he was a pitcher.

Life in Willard was hard work.  You had to build your own house and work extra hard at your job.  But I suppose there was always time to have fun.

This is a story my grandpa told me.  Just before a train went by he would put a nail on the track then he would go hide.  After it went by he would go look and it would be as flat as a pancake.

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