This interview contains some outdated information as the research discussed has since been updated. Dr. Jefferson is a retired Winona State University ecology professor and amateur historian. She shared memories how she became interested in researching early abolitionists in the Winona area and what she's discovered about the possible connections to the Underground Railroad in southeast Minnesota.
In this interview, Cathy Colby talks about attending Wilson Campus School, the activities she was involved in, and what she has done since Wilson closed in 1977. This oral history interview was conducted as part of the Wilson Campus School Oral History Project conducted by the Southern Minnesota Historical Center at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Wilson Campus School was a lab school for the college.
Contributing Institution:
University Archives and Southern Minnesota Historical Center, Memorial Library, Minnesota State University, Mankato
In an oral history conducted by Daniel Lewis on May 18, 1991, Charles Arnold discussed his experience as a baker and typist in the United States Air Force during World War II. Raised in Preston, Minnesota, he was drafted into the Army in 1941, but enlisted in the Air Force and became a baker. In this interview, Arnold described day to day life living and working in the Matagorda Island Air Force Base in Texas. In 1945, Arnold was transferred to Fresno, California to attend typist school. In addition, he discussed his thoughts and feelings about his time in the Air Force and the several military bases he served on. In 1944, Arnold married his wife, Audrey, and had six children. Lastly, Arnold discussed life after the Air Force, becoming a farmer and raising his children. He died on December 9, 2009.
Schroeder Area Historical Society, Schroeder, Minnesota
Date Created:
1999-10-20
Description:
The oral history of Charles "Chuck" Magney describes Naniboujou history, his father Judge Clarence Reinhold Magney (father of Minnesota State Parks), Erie Mining Company, Finland, Minnesota, Radar Station, Cathedral of Pines Camp, Caribou Lake, Cook County, Minnesota, canoeing and fishing in the 1940s and 1950s.
In an oral history conducted by St. Cloud State University Professor of History Calvin (Cal) Gower on July 22, 1981, Charles Graham discussed his family background and his educational history. He shared an anecdote about an ancestor who fought at the Battle of Waterloo. Graham discussed his college career and the internship he obtained in Washington, D.C., which gave him valuable political experience and sparked his interest in administration. Graham chronicled his years teaching in Wisconsin, including at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and at Whitewater, as well as his time working with Wisconsin senator William Proxmire. He detailed his impressions of Whitewater, a town he described as tumultuous and heavily affected by the turmoil of the 1960s. Graham touched on his appointment to a New Mexico college that he eventually turned down. The appointment was controversial since Graham was not of Spanish origin in a community that was almost entirely Spanish. He saw St. Cloud State as a change of scenery as well as a good step for his career. Graham discussed his presidency at St. Cloud State (serving from 1971 to 1981), the changes he implemented, and general observations about the faculty and students. He focused on the advent of collective bargaining, discussing how it affected the faculty. Graham also gave attention to his goal to develop and polish more career-oriented programs outside of teaching. He also discussed his attempts to make students more internationally aware, as well as his goal to unify the campus physically after the rapid expansion of campus during the 1960s. Graham discussed the idea of consolidation, meaning he had attempted to take all these new programs that had been added to improve the academic quality to benefit the students.
Charles Loggins was the first African American District Conservationist in Minnesota. In this interview he shares about his work with the Soil Conservation Service and working with farmers in Winona County. The Whitewater State Park Oral History project began in 2017 to commemorate the Centennial Anniversary of the State Park.
In an oral history conducted by St. Cloud State University Professor of History Calvin (Cal) Gower on January 28, 1980, Charles Martin described his early life. He was born in 1909 in Randall, Minnesota. His mother died in 1922, and he was an only child, so he and his father lived together until he graduated high school in Little Falls in 1927. Martin spoke of his decision to attend college to become a teacher. He shared several anecdotes about his time there, including how he met and became friends with St. Cloud State president George Selke, as well as his friendship with Miss Evelyn Pribble. He also recalled how his devotion to school plays and his job at the Royal Cafe distracted him from his studies and eventually made him sick, forcing him to miss a year of school. Martin mentioned the struggles he had returning to school during a time of such financial hardship. He recounted the story of how he was able to obtain a position directing school plays at the school, which allowed him to stay and receive his bachelor's degree in 1932. Martin chronicled his post-St. Cloud State life, as well as how terrified he was to student teach. He recalled the difficulty in obtaining work after graduation, but that he eventually found a good position in Sauk Rapids and, later, in Little Falls.
In an oral history, Charles Warnberg, a former sheriff of Crow Wing County, talks about the the old jail/sheriff's residence, the state of law enforcement when he was in office, and some the crimes that were committed.
Chester Judd was born on Apr 2, 1916 and served as a first lieutenant in the Air Force during World War II. . He was stationed in England from September 1944 to late 1945 and was a B-17 copilot on 35 missions. Judd described camp life, including food and lodging, and explains how the planes were organized for actual missions. He described several combat experiences and how pilots and crew dealt with the strain, particularly flying his final mission. He returned to the United States and flew C-47 cargo planes to transport wounded veterans to hospitals across the country. After the war he became a farmer. He died on November 15, 1995.
Born in 1924 in Athens, Greece, Chris Effrem came to the United States in the early 1950s. He was a millwork designer and wood carver in Minneapolis, completing over 100,000 carvings for churches. He worked at the University of Minnesota, Aaron Carlson Company, and several furniture and millwork companies before opening his own shop and school, teaching over 5000 students.
Christopher Tormundsen was of Norwegian descent. His spouse was Mateld Smith Tormondsen. Mr. Tormondsen was 90 years old at the time of this interview. The interviewed was taken at Mr. Tormondsen's home a mile and a half north of Tofte, Minnesota, by interviewer Barbara W. Sommer.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
In an oral history conducted by St. Cloud State University Professor of History Calvin (Cal) Gower on January 28, 1987, Clair Dagget discussed his educational and family background. He was born in Wisconsin in 1909. His family farmed in Omro, Wisconsin, where Dagget graduated from high school in 1927. Dagget then attended college in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where he received a bachelor's degree in Commercial Education, which would today be called Business Education. He detailed some roadblocks he encountered in his education due to family issues and accreditation problems between Iowa and Wisconsin universities. After stints teaching high school in Menominee and Kenosha, Wisconsin, Dagget pursued a master's degree at the University of Iowa. Dagget arrived at St. Cloud State University in 1939. He discussed his arrival to St. Cloud and his early years teaching at the university. Dagget detailed how small the Business Department initially was with only three faculty. In addition, he discussed his time in the Air Force during World War II, and how the G.I. Bill allowed him to obtain his doctorate when he returned from service. Dagget taught many veterans after his return, who were older than most students. Dagget focused on the changes at St. Cloud State, and in his own department, experienced during his 35 years at the university. For example, the Business department grew from three faculty to 50 at the time of the interview. Here, Dagget also discussed the different St. Cloud State presidents and their administration. He claimed that president George Budd discouraged university employees' involvement in downtown social clubs because Budd desired to be the sole connection between downtown and St. Cloud State. Dagget retired in 1974.
In an oral interview conducted by David Overy on September 4, 1992, Clair A. Dziuk discussed his experiences in the construction of the Alcan Highway, from 1941 to 1943. Dziuk was born April 5, 1907 in Benton County, Minnesota, where he was raised. In this interview Dziuk describes the day to day life of building the Alcan Highway, from working with Canadians and the Army, camp life, and the wildlife of Canada.
In this interview, Claire Faust talks about the changes he observed at Wilson Campus School from 1962-1977, different students that went through Wilson, and what he did after his time at Wilson. This oral history interview was conducted as part of the Wilson Campus School Oral History Project conducted by the Southern Minnesota Historical Center at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Wilson Campus School was a lab school for the college.
Contributing Institution:
University Archives and Southern Minnesota Historical Center, Memorial Library, Minnesota State University, Mankato
This interview was conducted on December 7, 1989 by Nancy Baker. Clara Schrom Gruber was born in Albany, Minnesota, on July 3, 1921. After graduating high school in 1939, she enrolled in St. Cloud Hospital nurses training at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley, Kansas, finishing in 1942. In June 1943, Gruber entered the United States Army Nurse Corps as a first lieutenant. Gruber helped establish two general hospitals, one outside of London, the other near Glasgow, Scotland, where wounded soldiers were evacuated directly from the war zone. In addition to her nursing responsibilities Gruber described the German and Italian prisoners of war who were housed next to the hospital in Glasgow. Upon discharge from the Army in December 1945, Gruber returned to St. Cloud and worked as a private nurse at the St. Cloud Hospital. In 1946, she married Roland Gruber, a paratrooper during World War II, and they raised five children. She worked as a registered nurse at the St. Cloud VA Hospital from 1967 until she retired in 1981. In this interview Gruber also discussed her nurses training at the St. Cloud Hospital and being encouraged to enlist by one of the doctors, the benefits of having served, and life after returning to St. Cloud. Gruber passed away on July 5, 2002.
In an oral history conducted by David H. Overy on June 3, 1991, Claude Menzhuber discussed his experiences both in combat and post-war as a combat engineer and supply sergeant in the European Theater during World War II. Born and raised in Minnesota, Menzhuber was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942. In this interview, Menzhuber described his training experiences as a combat engineer, both in basic and combat, as well as participating in the invasion of Sicily. He described the civilian's attitudes towards the American soldiers and briefly his conversations with German solider prisoners of war. Lastly, Menzhuber discussed his feelings about the Vietnam War and Desert Storm. He married his wife, Marian, in 1943 and they had two children, Carole and Lowell. Menzhuber was born on May 12, 1909, in Spring Hill, Minnesota, and passed away on March 21, 2005, in Sartell, Minnesota.
Clem Miller was born on May 5, 1922 in Duluth, MN. He joined the Minnesota National Guard in 1939 and was inducted into the Army in 1941. He and his unit, the 125th Field Artillery in the 34th Infantry Division, were sent to the European theater, and he saw action in North Africa and Italy. Miller directed artillery fire on the battlefield as a surveyor had a wide variety of combat experiences including artillery barrages, air raids, sniper fire, minefields, and friendly fire. In North Africa he patrolled the battlefield after the Allied victory and guarded POWs. In Italy, he served with the 100th Infantry Division and the 92nd Infantry (segregated units of Japanese Americans and African Americans, respectively). Throughout the interview, Miller gave his opinions on the quality of American troops as well as the German and Italian soldiers, their respective armaments, and the civilians he encountered. Miller wrote about his military experiences in a book entitled Some Things You Never Forget. He died on August 27, 2008 in Hermantown, MN.
Schroeder Area Historical Society, Schroeder, Minnesota
Date Created:
1999-08-12
Description:
The oral history of Clifford Smith describes cabin life on the North Shore of Lake Superior, Schroeder, Minnesota, 4th of July celebration, home-made ice cream and the history of Shining Rocks Cabins, Schroeder, Minnesota.
In an oral history conducted by Kris Wiggs on September 27, 1992, Clifton L. Gawtry discussed his experience as a flight instructor for the United States Navy during World War II. Gawtry was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on September 29, 1923. In 1941, after graduating high school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he enlisted in the United States Navy in the V-5 program. After various flight schools for eighteen months, Gawtry became a flight instructor in Jacksonville and Pensacola, Florida. Gawtry recounted his experiences and comments on various aspects of flight and flight instruction. In 1944, he married his wife, Alice, and had four children. From 1949 to 1963, Gawtry served in a reserve squadron until he retired. He died on April 2, 2000 at the age of 76.
Dr. Hyman is a history professor at Winona State University and author of the book, "Dakota Women's Work: Creativity, Culture, & Exile." She shared memories her pathway to becoming a history professor and how she became interested in the traditional arts and crafts of Dakota women.
Connee Mayeron-Cowles (1949 - ) grew up in Saint Louis Park, studied pottery at the University of Minnesota under Curt Hoard and Warren MacKenzie, and was a co-founder of the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour. In this interview, Mayeron-Cowles discusses her childhood; ceramics education; her introduction to the pottery community in Minnesota; and her thoughts on the past, present and future of the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour. This interview was conducted by local oral historian and PhD Candidate from the University of Minnesota Anduin Wilhide. ""A Measure of the Earth: An Oral History of the Potters of the St. Croix River Valley"" explores the anomalous community of potters in Eastern Minnesota who host an annual cooperative tour for participating ceramic artists from around the world. This annual three-day event attracts art enthusiasts from across the country. Together the project's ten oral history interviews, representing diverse perspectives from within the local pottery community, tell the story of how, from the 1950s to today, Minnesota�s St. Croix River Valley has developed into a major center for pottery, and a destination for thousands nationally.
Lorntsen, Conrad, tape 1, side2, narrator. He was of Norwegian descent. His spouse Fern Williams Lorntsen was present throughout the interview. Mr. Lorntsen is retired. He was interviewed at Mr. Lorntsen's home in Beaver Bay, Minnesota, by interviewer Barbara W. Sommer.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
Dan Keyler is a retired Toxicologist for Hennepin County Medical Center and an expert on timber rattlesnake venom. He shares about his pathway to becoming fascinated by rattlesnakes and some of the common misconceptions about these snakes. The Whitewater State Park Oral History project began in 2017 to commemorate the Centennial Anniversary of the State Park.
