By Cara L. Dempski
DOWNING — Edwin and Ardyce James have a long history with the Glenwood City School District.
In addition to attending Glenwood City High School through the fall semester of his junior year, Eddy and Ardy James’ five children, Greg, Londa, Steve, Pam, and Sue, attended Glenwood City Schools, and Eddy served on the school board for 30 years.
[emember_protect] In fact, his service on the board is how he eventually wound up with his high school diploma.
Edwin and Ardyce James are the grand marshals for the 2017 Rustic Lore Days “Hilltopper Celebration.” The weekend festival in Glenwood City coincides this year with an all-school reunion nearly two years in the making. Celebration organizers are expecting a much larger attendance for Rustic Lore this year due to the many people returning for the reunion.
Eddy and Ardy both believe they were chosen because of Eddy’s close ties to the school district.
Eddy’s story
Edwin James was born in the Connorsville area, but his family moved to the Glenwood City area township of Springfield when he was approximately one year old. He grew up there on a farm with seven siblings.
Eddy initially attended Cranetown Country School until the teacher was killed in a car accident. He and his siblings then attended Downing School until moving up to the high school in Glenwood City.
The young student attended GCHS until the spring semester of his junior year, when his father started suffering from serious health issues. Eddy stayed home to run the family farm, and in 1952 was drafted into the United States Army for two years.
“After basic training, I was sent to Korea,” he said. “Right to the front lines to replace casualties, immediately involved in deadly fighting.”
James was awarded the bronze star for his bravery, and returned to the United States in 1954.
All he wanted to do after his return was to put the prior two years behind him, marry, and settle down on the family dairy farm to raise his family.
He married Ardyce Schutz of Boyceville in October 1954, and the two still live on his family farm.
That fall, Eddy took several farming classes for veterans held at the high school at night, and later completed a correspondence course, and graduated from the National Institute of Meat Packing. He accepted a position at the Bloomer Livestock Buying Station in Glenwood City to help bolster the family’s income.
He later purchased the business and moved it to his family farm before closing it and retiring nearly two decades ago.
Despite not completing his high school education as a young man, Eddy earned his diploma in 2003 after 30 years of service to the Glenwood City School Board, 11 of which he served as president. The diploma was presented under 2001 Wisconsin Act 98 (Student Veterans’ Diploma).
Ardy’s story
Ardyce Schutz was born in the Dunn County Town of Stanton, near Boyceville, and attended the Granger Country School before heading to, and graduating from Boyceville High School.
She grew up on a small dairy farm with three sisters.
“Since I had no brothers, I was Dad’s boy,” Ardyce laughed. “I always loved the outdoors and helping my father with chores, or doing farm, tractor and field work, and gardening.”
Ardy took a position with Dunn County Electric as an assistant bookkeeper after high school, and met Eddy while employed there. She continued to work for the company until the couple’s eldest child, Greg, was born and she opted to become a stay-at-home mother.
James enjoyed bookkeeping. She did kept all the farm records, served as financial secretary at the family’s church, was treasurer for the Town of Stanton, and worked as secretary and bookkeeper for Eddy’s Livestock Service after he bought the business.
Later in life, she worked as a waitress and cook at Midway Cafe in Glenwood City, then Perkins in Menomonie. She also spent many summers cooking at youth Bible camps, something which filled the couple’s passion for working with young people.
The Jameses
Eddy and Ardy James have always been interested in the lives of the community’s youth, and served for many years as leaders for their church youth group. Eddy indicated it was their involvement with young people through church that sparked his interest in serving on the school board.
“Naturally, I wanted to provide an excellent, high-quality education to prepare them (local children) for life, meeting the needs of each individual student,” he said.
Living in the Downing area, it was school and jobs that drew the James’ to Glenwood City; and, it was school that drew the family to Rustic Lore activities.
“From the time we had children in high school band, the Rustic Lore activities were a highlight of our fall,” Ardy explained. “We had children in the marching band for many years, and were big supporters of the GC band program.”
While Ardy describes herself as more of a “behind the scenes” person who is uncomfortable with the limelight, Eddy drove a horse and buggy in many Rustic Lore parades to advertise his livestock business, Midway Cafe, or even in support of small dairy farmers, the local police, and fire departments.
Even though Ardyce does not like being the center of attention, the couple both professed they are looking forward to the weekend because of the number of people they will see who have not been back “home” to Glenwood City in many years.
Edwin and Ardyce James will lead the Grand Parade down Main Street at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon. [/emember_protect]
