"The Spencer Finns"
by Lydia Ahola Mackie is an excellent resource for information on the early Finnish settlers in the Spencer area. As Mrs. Mackie states in the preface:

"This booklet is the result of a talk concerning the Finnish residents of this area that I was asked to give at a meeting of the Spencer Historical Society. It was suggested that the considerable material collected for the address might be of interest to a larger audience if enlarged and published under the sponsorship of the Spencer Historical Society.

"Much of the material for this account was given by the descendants of the first Finnish families to arrive in the Spencer area. As the daughter of one of these families, my own early recollections of life on a farm in Crumtown are included in this booklet.

"A brief record is given of most of the families who settled in Spencer during the fifteen years after the arrival of the Pelto family in 1911. A few later exceptions are included.

"Hopefully this booklet will help show the motivation that first brought the Finnish people to this community, the "sisu " or inner fortitude that helped them overcome the difficulties in their new surroundings and the contributions they have made to the economy and improvement of this community."

The following excerpt is quoted from the section on the Finns of Crumtown and South Danby.

"In 1921 Andrew and Liisa Kannus and children Henry, Andrew, John, Hilda, Matt, Hugo and Wilho moved to a farm on the VanWoert Road. They came from Palmer, Michigan, where Mr. Kannus had worked in the iron mines as well as operating a family farm. The repairs needed on the buildings of their new home, which had been vacant for some time, were soon made with the help of the older sons. Not long after they had settled on their farm, their widowed daughter, Olga Rissanen, with her small children Reino, Bruno and Irene arrived at the farm from Michigan. The children remained on the farm while Olga went to work in New York City to help support her children.

"With so many children in the Kannus family and on nearby farms, the Kannus home became one of the gathering places for the area young people. A wind-up phonograph with records of current, popular dance tunes as well as Finnish folk dances provided music for dancing. Mr and Mrs. Kannus were a patient and pleasant couple who always made the young people feel welcome. Few of them owned cars so they had to walk to their destination and after an evening of dancing, walk back home again. The early morning call of "Nouse nyt, maitomies tulee" (Get up now, the milkman is coming), came all too soon for the tired youth who had to help with the milking."

From the Finger Lakes Finns newsletter - February 2001.

 

BOOK REVIEW
by Jim Loomis [©2001]

Sauna, Sisu & Sibelius for Business People: A Survival Guide to Finnish, by Maija Dahlgren and Marja Nurmelin, with Illustrations by Christel Rönns: Yrityskirjat OY, Finland; 2000. ISBN 952-9660-18-9.

This is a book of amusing illustrations and anecdotes, intended to provide insight to Finnish character. At just over 130 pages this is not a weighty tome in either sense, and some of the images are caricature and generality. Yet, there is a treasure of valuable information in very humorous and digestable form.

There are nearly as many colorful illustrations as pages, and in most instances the illustrator has captured and deftly enhanced the sense of the text. There are a few passages that could have benefited from reference to a map.

The translation, by Nils Dahlgren, is very readable, with only a few puzzling words. Unfortunately, Sauna, Sisu & Sibelius takes little advantage of opportunities to include Finnish terminology that could be useful. While clearly not a language guide, it would seem suitable to include a pronounciation key and more common terms in the context of the anecdotes. Plainly, this would have enhanced the value of the book at no cost to humor or readability.

Sauna, Sisu & Sibelius is an enjoyable read and contains enough useful information to relieve the guilt of having such a good time. It also provides the reader stories to ask bona fide Finns about.

BOOK REVIEW
by Jim Loomis [©2000]

Karelia: A Finnish-American Couple in Stalin's Russia, 1934-1941, by Lawrence and Sylvia Hokkanen, with Anita Middleton (Pen and Ink drawings also by Anita Middleton): North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc., 1991 (PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302, USA). ISBN 0-87839-065-0.

This book is much more than a collection of anecdotes. The Hokkanens have created a very readable, interesting and thought- provoking narrative of their experiences. There is a substantial historical preface provided by Alexis Pogorelskin, Ph.D. (University of Minnesota, Duluth), which should not be overlooked. I found the preface provided an essential context for the stories that followed.

The book design allows both of the authors to tell the stories alternately in their own words. Except for the forward, there is no attempt to merge their individual narratives. Instead, the story progresses chronologically, alternating between Sylvia and Lawrence. Lawrence uses his Finnish given name, Lauri, in the narrative of the book. Similarly, Anita Middleton's husband's parents' Finnish surname was Muttilainen, which was changed to Middleton at immigration. Despite the inclusion of a very clear map, I had difficulty with some of the geographical references and found myself resorting to other resources to locate place names.

While not simplistic, the writing is clear, direct, and easy to read. There are many tense and spellbinding moments and there are tragic incidents, but the tone is hopeful. There are also heartwarming accounts of hardworking young people working together and of their ingenuity and resourcefulness. In the end, I was rewarded with a great story and a better understanding of Karelian Fever and related aspects of Finnish-American life. Designed by Corinne A. Dwyer, the illustrations by Anita Middleton, the photographs, and one outline map work well to support the stories. The selection of paper, typeface, photo transfer, sizing, and binding are all first rate. North Star Press did a very high quality job with this book.

Everyone who has an interest in this subject should make a point of reading Karelia. Once you have read the historical preface, I think you will find it irresistible to read the rest of the story. This is a much better book than I expected and I recommend it heartily.

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