MONROE - Jim Carter always keeps a baseball glove, ball and running shoes in his car with him. His golfing and fishing items are in the trunk. The 85-year-old says he just never knows when someone might ask him to do something.
After surrounding himself with children in the Blanchardville area for his career, the lifelong athlete is still finding ways to enjoy life and discover more gifts he has to give.
Carter was raised on a farm in Lead Mine, an unincorporated community in New Diggings. His father and grandfather milked cows on the farm with no electricity or running water. The farm belonged to his great-grandfather and was purchased around 1830 when Lafayette County was first settled.
Carter had four younger siblings who all attended Lead Mine Country School. He says he enjoyed the schoolhouse with three rooms and recalls pumping water outside at the well and bringing it in to the stove that stood in the center of the room.
By the time Carter was 6, the family moved off the farm into Lead Mine, but he still made the half-mile trek to the country school through eighth grade. Lead Mine offered little to do but had a tavern and a store in those days. Carter would often find himself playing with neighbors and friends.
"In Lead Mine, sports were all we did," he said.
Both sides of Carter's family were miners, and eventually, his father, grandfather and uncle opened their own mine during the war.
He attended Benton High School, walking to school his freshman and sophomore year with neighbors and siblings. He has many memories of finding adventure along the way.
While he was in high school, Carter loved baseball and excelled at it. A coach from Darlington took him and his father to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to meet the baseball coach there, who offered him a scholarship. After his high school graduation in 1950, the third baseman headed to Madison for academics and athletics.
Carter said he had never heard of physical education since Benton didn't offer it, but a professor at the college talked him into majoring in it. Among 14,000 students at the time, he said he found it easy to meet people as an athlete. He played baseball all four years.
He received his undergraduate degree from UW-Madison in 1954 and then had an opportunity to play minor league baseball in Texas for the Temple Eagles. Although the team wasn't great, Carter was happy to play the sport he loved. He planned to stay for two years but was committed to the Army through an ROTC program.
"It wasn't anything I didn't expect," he said of his time in the Army. After basic training, he went to Germany with his unit from 1955-57. Although the Korean War had ended, he says he still spent his days in the field practicing wartime maneuvers and cleaning equipment.
He was happy to see parts of the world and to be making money, much more than he had in the minor leagues. But after two years in the Army, he got out, thinking he might still have a shot at playing baseball again.
At 25, Carter said his professional baseball days were over.
Carter began working part-time as a physical education teacher at an elementary school in Middleton while he went back to UW-Madison to earn his master's degree. The job was different than what the athlete and soldier was used to, but once he adjusted he said he liked teaching and the students.
A friend introduced him to his wife, Idain, who was originally from Hollandale. After the two were married, Carter's father contacted him and said someone had called from Alaska, wondering if he wanted a teaching job there. He said his name had gotten out from paperwork he filled out after his undergraduate degree. In 1959, the newlywed couple took their teaching degrees and made their way to Palmer, Alaska.
"It had a small town, farming feel to it," Carter said. "We got a $900 raise to go there. We thought we were rich."
Carter taught junior high physical education, social studies, art and coached basketball. Idain taught first grade. They stayed for five years, enjoying the pleasant, peaceful community. Eventually, they moved back to be closer to family, making their home in Blanchardville, a community they're still part of today.
Carter started teaching physical education to every grade in Blanchardville, making the job tough with no breaks his first couple years. He says he became inventive and saw success quickly within the school. Although he thought of moving on, he says his family was growing, and they had settled in by then.
"Blanchardville has been a wonderful community," he said. "We've had a wonderful life there."
Eventually, Carter became the principal at Blanchardville. As the years passed, he turned 60 and felt a calling to move on. He took a job as the principal at Holy Rosary Catholic School for five years before he retired.
"It was a much different atmosphere," Carter said. "Life was peaceful at Holy Rosary. I was the principal and I taught. It was a nice way to end my career."
Although he retired in 1997, Carter isn't one to sit around. He soon met John Taylor, in Darlington, who grows and sells tomatoes. He began working for him, doing a little of everything, and stayed for 18 years. He retired again in 2015.
Carter still wasn't ready to sit around and found a need to keep busy. He began researching his family and Idain's family history. He's now published books on each sides of their families. He then also began researching and writing about topics he knew and published four books: "The History of Lead Mine," "The History of Benton," "The History of Baseball" and "The History of Mining."
He isn't sure where he was given the gift of writing, but Carter says conducting interviews and researching was an enjoyable experience. The books are for sale in a variety of places, including several local courthouses and historical societies. All of the books include several photos.
Carter never stopped playing the sport he loved, and baseball was a longtime part of his life on different teams until he was well into his 70s. He ran marathons while in his late 60s for about six years, completing his first one alongside his son. He would often participate in races all over and loved incorporating travel. He even completed the Dublin Marathon in Ireland.
"It was really fun to travel with it," he said.
He and Idain have enjoyed much travel through the years, and have been to Ireland, England and Belgium, to name a few places. They still enjoy day trips to antique stores and visiting their four sons and two grandchildren. They love to catch bands and have a wonderful social life, he said. He also still attends the annual Lead Mine reunion. And, of course, he still loves a game of catch, fishing and golfing with neighbors and friends whenever he feels the urge.
"Blanchardville is a nice, rural community," Carter said. "We've been content there just as much as anywhere."
After surrounding himself with children in the Blanchardville area for his career, the lifelong athlete is still finding ways to enjoy life and discover more gifts he has to give.
Carter was raised on a farm in Lead Mine, an unincorporated community in New Diggings. His father and grandfather milked cows on the farm with no electricity or running water. The farm belonged to his great-grandfather and was purchased around 1830 when Lafayette County was first settled.
Carter had four younger siblings who all attended Lead Mine Country School. He says he enjoyed the schoolhouse with three rooms and recalls pumping water outside at the well and bringing it in to the stove that stood in the center of the room.
By the time Carter was 6, the family moved off the farm into Lead Mine, but he still made the half-mile trek to the country school through eighth grade. Lead Mine offered little to do but had a tavern and a store in those days. Carter would often find himself playing with neighbors and friends.
"In Lead Mine, sports were all we did," he said.
Both sides of Carter's family were miners, and eventually, his father, grandfather and uncle opened their own mine during the war.
He attended Benton High School, walking to school his freshman and sophomore year with neighbors and siblings. He has many memories of finding adventure along the way.
While he was in high school, Carter loved baseball and excelled at it. A coach from Darlington took him and his father to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to meet the baseball coach there, who offered him a scholarship. After his high school graduation in 1950, the third baseman headed to Madison for academics and athletics.
Carter said he had never heard of physical education since Benton didn't offer it, but a professor at the college talked him into majoring in it. Among 14,000 students at the time, he said he found it easy to meet people as an athlete. He played baseball all four years.
He received his undergraduate degree from UW-Madison in 1954 and then had an opportunity to play minor league baseball in Texas for the Temple Eagles. Although the team wasn't great, Carter was happy to play the sport he loved. He planned to stay for two years but was committed to the Army through an ROTC program.
"It wasn't anything I didn't expect," he said of his time in the Army. After basic training, he went to Germany with his unit from 1955-57. Although the Korean War had ended, he says he still spent his days in the field practicing wartime maneuvers and cleaning equipment.
He was happy to see parts of the world and to be making money, much more than he had in the minor leagues. But after two years in the Army, he got out, thinking he might still have a shot at playing baseball again.
At 25, Carter said his professional baseball days were over.
Carter began working part-time as a physical education teacher at an elementary school in Middleton while he went back to UW-Madison to earn his master's degree. The job was different than what the athlete and soldier was used to, but once he adjusted he said he liked teaching and the students.
A friend introduced him to his wife, Idain, who was originally from Hollandale. After the two were married, Carter's father contacted him and said someone had called from Alaska, wondering if he wanted a teaching job there. He said his name had gotten out from paperwork he filled out after his undergraduate degree. In 1959, the newlywed couple took their teaching degrees and made their way to Palmer, Alaska.
"It had a small town, farming feel to it," Carter said. "We got a $900 raise to go there. We thought we were rich."
Carter taught junior high physical education, social studies, art and coached basketball. Idain taught first grade. They stayed for five years, enjoying the pleasant, peaceful community. Eventually, they moved back to be closer to family, making their home in Blanchardville, a community they're still part of today.
Carter started teaching physical education to every grade in Blanchardville, making the job tough with no breaks his first couple years. He says he became inventive and saw success quickly within the school. Although he thought of moving on, he says his family was growing, and they had settled in by then.
"Blanchardville has been a wonderful community," he said. "We've had a wonderful life there."
Eventually, Carter became the principal at Blanchardville. As the years passed, he turned 60 and felt a calling to move on. He took a job as the principal at Holy Rosary Catholic School for five years before he retired.
"It was a much different atmosphere," Carter said. "Life was peaceful at Holy Rosary. I was the principal and I taught. It was a nice way to end my career."
Although he retired in 1997, Carter isn't one to sit around. He soon met John Taylor, in Darlington, who grows and sells tomatoes. He began working for him, doing a little of everything, and stayed for 18 years. He retired again in 2015.
Carter still wasn't ready to sit around and found a need to keep busy. He began researching his family and Idain's family history. He's now published books on each sides of their families. He then also began researching and writing about topics he knew and published four books: "The History of Lead Mine," "The History of Benton," "The History of Baseball" and "The History of Mining."
He isn't sure where he was given the gift of writing, but Carter says conducting interviews and researching was an enjoyable experience. The books are for sale in a variety of places, including several local courthouses and historical societies. All of the books include several photos.
Carter never stopped playing the sport he loved, and baseball was a longtime part of his life on different teams until he was well into his 70s. He ran marathons while in his late 60s for about six years, completing his first one alongside his son. He would often participate in races all over and loved incorporating travel. He even completed the Dublin Marathon in Ireland.
"It was really fun to travel with it," he said.
He and Idain have enjoyed much travel through the years, and have been to Ireland, England and Belgium, to name a few places. They still enjoy day trips to antique stores and visiting their four sons and two grandchildren. They love to catch bands and have a wonderful social life, he said. He also still attends the annual Lead Mine reunion. And, of course, he still loves a game of catch, fishing and golfing with neighbors and friends whenever he feels the urge.
"Blanchardville is a nice, rural community," Carter said. "We've been content there just as much as anywhere."