North Dakota School for the Deaf Society

By Mavis Gonshorowski

For the Greenbush Tribune

 

On Thursday afternoons, Edith Melby (McAllen, NDSD '28) eagerly awaits the visit of a very special young friend, Mason Johnson.

 

Their conversation is ever so quiet. You see, both Edith and Mason are hearing and speech impaired. Signing with the speed and movement of butterfly wings, their facial expressions clearly show they treasure their friendship bond.

 

Edith is an almost 97-year-old resident of the Greenbush Community Nursing Home, which is a department of Roseau Area Hospital and Homes. Born in Minneapolis, she was stricken at the age of two with German measles and scarlet fever, leaving her imapired. At the age of four, she moved with her family to Minot, ND.

 

Edith clearly remembers the day her mother took her to a school for the deaf at Devils Lake, N.D. She was only seven. Never explaining to Edith that she would be left there or why, her mother turned and walked away. Bewildered and frightened, Edith went running to catch her. "Why are you leaving me here?" thoughts raced through her mind. Three boys carried her back to the school. The school superintendent took Edith home to be with him and his family that day and tried to explain what was going on. Throughout her time spent there, Edith was able to make trips home for visits on holidays, traveling by train. She graduated from the school in 1928.

 

Edith smiles when she tells of she and her husband Ingman meeting at a picnic for the deaf in Fargo. It was "love at first sight" she signs. They enjoyed 39 years of marriage.

 

The Melbys lived on a farm close to Badger, Minn., in later years moving into Greenbush. It was there at the Former M & Q Cafe that Edith washed dishes...for 10 years!

 

Her eyes saddened at the mention of their children. Jane passed away several years ago. Following James's passing last year, Edith took up residence at the nursing home. Currently struggling with macular degeneration, which has caused the loss of sight in her left eye, she is very concerned about retaining sight in her right eye.

 

Who couldn't help but love sweet little young-at-heart Edith!

 

Most Thursday afternoons, a volunteer group of school students, "Kandy Kids," pays visits to the nursing home residents. Among this group is a bubbly, cute-as-a-bug, Mason Johnson.

 

Mason lives in Middle River, Minn., with his parents, Tammy and Delroy, and sister Megan. In the second grade at Greenbush-Middle River School, his homeroom teacher is Gail Holmes. Also working with Mason and fellow students - who are deaf and hard of hearing - two to three times a week to help them adapt curriculum to meet their needs, are Karen Dvergsten and Michelle Janicke. Char Kappes is Mason's very valuable interpreter. Char also works with the other students teaching them to sign.

 

"This is wonderful for Mason's sake," stated Tammy. "His fellow students always make sure he is looked after. We are so happy to have Mason educated here."

 

Karen Dvergsten kindly came to interpret for us during our visit. Courtney Evans, a student who is also learning sign language, joined us.

 

Born 16 weeks prematurely, Mason weighed 1 pound, 6 ounces. Because of extreme immaturity, he suffered profound hearing loss. Not until six  years of age was he properly diagnosed. Mason began learning sign language at the age of two, being taught by Deb Davidson, Early Education Childhood teacher.

 

Was it difficult to cope with his impairments?

 

"No," Tammy said, "because of the numerous medical problems Mason experienced, we still have so much to be thankful for."

 

Mason was fitted with proper hearing aides 2 1/2 years ago. His hearing is minimal in a one-to-one conversation, providing there is no outside disruptive noise.

 

Tammy and Delroy have taken signing lessons. They say, "Because of Mason, we are grateful for having met so many wonderful people."

 

Last fall, while visiting Delroy's late uncle, Ed Stromlund at the Nursing Home, MASON FOUND EDITH! Talk about finding a "diamond in the rough!" If he could, Mason would visit Edith every day. "She's a wonderful grandmother," he signs. Now the Johnson family visits Delroy's aunt, Gladys Rud. You can just about guess where you will Mason Johnson!

 

Leaving the nursing home, I was counting my blessings and thinking about Edith and Mason ... "About the time  you feel life has handed you a bowl full of pits,  you meet someone who has received a much larger portion. It's what you choose to do with them that counts."

 

This story is reprinted here with permission of the New River Record.

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