I was opening the mail from the morning walk to the mailbox. A letter came inviting us to the 50th anniversary of my college graduation from Winona State University. It didn’t seem possible that about fifty years ago I was nervously having my first job interview in that big old school house in Heron Lake, MN. My husband to be, Dan, was sitting outside waiting for me, hoping that I would get the job as we were to be married soon and would live near Brewster. By the time I came back out to join him, I was carrying my first teaching contract of a whopping $ 6,000 dollars for the year. I could hardly contain my excitement! I had wanted to be a teacher since the second grade, and now it was becoming a reality.
That led me to thinking about Ruby and Barb, two gals that I taught with in my first teaching job. I began my teaching career there in the fourth grade classroom, with Ruby on one side in the fifth grade, and Barb on the other side in the third grade. We worked together for two school years, and they were both so much fun and great mentors to me just starting out. My classroom that first year was actually an old hallway, with doors on both ends. The windows were high up, and the back of our room led to the high school part of the building.
In my second year of teaching in Heron Lake, the elementary classes moved into the new school building just down the street. Every student carried their belongings and books to the new school in big paper sacks as we marched down the street together in classes. The kids were so excited to have a brand new room, and a school with a swimming pool! The school was bright and beautiful, and they were so proud to be part of something so special.
While Ruby, Barb, and I were co-workers, we took graduate college classes at Mankato State University together, driving there after school for evening classes. We had quite a system. Each week one of us would drive, one would bring the food, and one would get to “rest”. Ha! And we all got to laugh!! So many memories of those little trips back and forth. We shared life, happiness, sorrows, worries, and became an intimate support system for each other.
As I sorted the mail on the cupboard that day, I spotted the ripening bananas. Ruby came to mind again, as I still make her delicious banana cake. It is so moist, and one of the things we loved when it was her turn to bring the “food”! If you have an abundance of ripe bananas at your house like I do quite often, you may like to try it. Maybe it will bring some happy memories your way!
Banana Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13 cake pan.
Mix the following ingredients together until well blended. Bake for 30 minutes.
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
3 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
2 eggs
1 cup sour milk (or if you use sour cream, omit the shortening)
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
I like to frost this cake with cream cheese frosting, but any white frosting would be good.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat the following together until smooth and creamy:
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. cream cheese
About 4 cups powdered sugar
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