“I was a resident at the Boys Ranch when there was only one building and a barn. The year was approximately 1960. Mr. Fuller was the director and Bill and Helen Stock, and Ed and Vi Goodfellow were house parents.”

Duane said one of the young men he was friends with at the Ranch literally saved his life in 1960 by pulling him out of the river after he fell through the ice.

Duane and his “hero” had a trap line one winter that ran for about six or seven miles along the river.

“We mostly caught muskrats—50 cents each for a good one, if I remember right,” Duane said. “But once in a while, we’d get really lucky and catch a fox.

“I think we made about $75 that winter, but our trapping was cut short when I fell through the ice! I’m certain I would not have been able to get out by myself, but [my friend] grabbed a fence rail and was able to reach me and pull me out. It was only a couple miles back to the ranch, but at about five [degrees] below, you can imagine the shape I was in by the time we made it back!”

Duane said he was so happy to have a tub of hot water to thaw out. Yet, the incident did cause some changes at the Ranch.

“The house parents rightfully decided two 14-year-old boys had no business running a trap line in a North Dakota winter,” Duane said.

“I’d really like to touch base with anybody who was there at that time and find out how the years have treated them,” said Duane. Duane’s email is: djdickhauswyo@hotmail.com.

Story from Duane J. Dickhaus, used with permission.