De Smet, 1881-1882
It's springtime on the Ingalls homestead, 1881. The
family is busy with cleaning and planting; the
place begins to look like a farm. Laura and Pa
both take jobs in town, Pa at carpentering and
Laura doing hand-sewing for Mrs. White at Clancy's
Drygoods. The extra income will help to send Mary
to the College for the Blind in the fall!
At the end of the summer, Ma and Pa take Mary to
Iowa to enroll in college. Soon afterward, the family
moves back into Pa's building in town, snug for
the winter. Laura and Carrie return to school;
Miss Wilder is the new and often unpopular teacher
that term.
The town of De Smet is bustling this winter. There
are no raging blizzards and there is plenty of
food and fuel. The residents turn their attention
to church services, literaries, parties, and other
events held during the winter months. Through all
the festivities, Laura tries to study, since she
hopes to earn a teaching certificate as soon as
she turns sixteen in order to help with Mary's college
expenses.
The following summer is barely mentioned, then
back to town for another winter. There is a new
teacher this fall, Mr. Owen, a young but fair and
honest teacher. Again, the town plans social
events for the winter months. Following a week of
revivals, Mr. Owen plans for a school exhibition.
Laura is to have an important part; she and
classmate Ida Wright are to recite the whole of
American History from memory. Her splendid job
brings her an unexpected visitor, with a most
surprising result.
Little Town on the Prairie was published in
1941. While working on The Long Winter in
early 1939, Laura Ingalls Wilder also plotted out
what she envisioned as the last book in her
series. It was to be called Prairie Girl
and would tell the story of events during the
calendar year after the hard winter of 1880-1881,
ending with Laura Ingalls earning a teaching
certificate in addition to becoming engaged to be
married. Wilder soon realized that she had too
much material to include in just one volume, and
an additional book was planned. Some of the events
which historically occurred during the timeframe
of These Happy Golden Years were included
in Little Town on the Prairie.
