Provided photo Pictured is Bonnie Davis with her brother Clyde on their Lynd farm circa 1942 when she was about 7 years old.

We have begun learning about Bonnie Jean (Madden) Davis, whose life journey began on a rural Lynd farm. Her journey took her away for years before returning her to a career teaching kindergarten in the Marshall Public Schools. Her life on the family farm helped prepare her for all that followed. The farm, its animals, her parents, and her younger siblings all shared in shaping her life. She had chores from a young age and as she grew older and her family grew, Bonnie’s responsibilities also grew.

Her brother, Clyde, joined the family in November 1940, and Chuck arrived three years later. Bonnie remembered assuming child care responsibilities.

“My parents belonged to two or three card clubs. I was the oldest, so it was my job to watch the brothers when they were at card club. In those days it was important that they had a card tally for recording your scores and they always had a napkin to go with the seasons. When Mom and Dad came home, I already had my brothers in bed. That napkin and the card tally was my pay. (Bonnie chuckled) So, I have a box in the storeroom full of those napkins.”

The Maddens attended the local Methodist church. Bonnie shared fond memories of summer church programs.

“Every summer Miss Smith came with her big vehicle. The back seat held all kinds of things to do. She was the first who told me a story and would stick (little story objects) on the flannel board. Oh, I thought that was so neat! Beginning the first day she came, we began to memorize things for the program on Sunday. She would go to other, little churches and have Bible school for them, too. My mother was a good cook. So, of course, she invited Miss Smith out for an evening meal. That was also the first time I saw Negroes because they came to sing at our church and, of course, my mother had them out for a meal.”

Bonnie described the additional work her parents assigned her as she grew older.

“I was in charge of mowing our fair-sized lawn. I also helped my mother with ironing, doing dishes, preparing food, and dusting. I hated that job. (Bonnie chuckled) I couldn’t iron the best clothes, but I’d iron the clothes that weren’t special. I helped with scrubbing the floor. She was a neat freak, so there was always a lot to do in the house.”

Her mother was the family disciplinarian, while her father showed them how to do farm chores. His instruction didn’t always take with Bonnie, though, particularly when it came to operating the tractor.

“I wasn’t good at it. I was driving once when he was on the oats swather. I put the clutch in too fast and he fell off. Oh, I was scared! He was okay. He was just disgusted that I couldn’t keep it straight. I would weave when driving. He asked, ‘Why can’t you drive tractor like your cousin Cletus?’ I said, ‘Because I’m not a boy.’ (Bonnie laughed) Poor Dad! He was happy when the boys were old enough.”

She was more successful with other fieldwork.

“As I got older my jobs involved walking beans to pull cockleburs and mustard. I didn’t mind it and (Dad) praised my work. Picking rock was another hard job, but it was good exercise and a good way to get tanned.”

Bonnie remembered her mom often combined her work with socializing with neighbor women.

“We had a lot of company. The neighbor lady, Ruth Fromme, would come down and they’d be laughing, but she still managed to get all her work done. Ruth was a good seamstress and helped my mother make feed sack skirts for me or other things from the feed sacks. Or maybe my mother had an older dress or coat and they’d make me one out of that. I remember they were laughing and having a good time. I remember people coming for quilting bees and for lefse parties. There was one neighbor lady with no children. The night she was there she flipped the lefse up to the ceiling. (Bonnie chuckled) She was a hoot!”

Bonnie’s parents worked hard, but there were treasured times of play and adventure as well.

“In the winter we’d play Canasta, Monopoly, or other card games. We’d also go outside and make snow forts. In the summer my dad and I loved to go to Camden. Sometimes after the work was done, we’d drive through Camden State Park and back home again. Later on, we did a lot of weekend picnics at Camden. There was an aunt who would sometimes come and take us kids down to Camden. I also took mid-morning swimming lessons there. It was extremely cold. The little picnics we had didn’t have to be fancy. I just enjoyed being outside.”

Bonnie described another favorite “downtime” activity.

“Homemade ice cream! There were eggs, cream and sugar, and a little bit of milk and vanilla. You got that ready in a silver container with a lid and that went inside a wooden container. Then you started layering ice, salt, more ice, and more salt (around that silver container) all the way to the top. Then you’d turn the handle. It was easy at first, but Dad said we had to turn it until you couldn’t turn it anymore. Then it was really hard, (Bonnie laughed) but it was really good!”

Once Bonnie turned 6 years old, she began her formal education at the local country school.

©2026 William D. Palmer.