At age eighty-three, Mrs. Mildred Heifort discusses a variety of topics related to her home business as a seamstress, including needlework, spinning, natural dyes, needle weaving, wall hangings, lamp shapes, and the collecting, repairing and dressing of dolls. Mrs. Heifort is the creator of the Red River Historical Dolls, a major collection of dolls with historic and ethnic costumes, now a part of the Clay County Historical Society collection.
Millie MacLeod grew up near Larimore, ND. Mrs. MacLeod has been Vice-President and President of the National Board of Directors within the Camp Fire Girls organization. She discusses its history, goals, and activities.
Morris Lanning was born August 27, 1944 in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Lanning is vice president of Student Affairs at Concordia College. Mr. Lanning was elected mayor of Moorhead in 1980. Mr. Lanning discusses his background in politics, motivation for running, and what he hopes to accomplish as mayor. He is the first mayor to serve a four-year term.
Dr. Dovre reflects upon his career at Concordia College since joining the faculty in 1963, with emphasis upon his years as President of Concordia. He also remarks on the connections between Concordia College and the Fargo-Moorhead community.
Born 1911, Paul Euren has worked as a city salesman for Fairmon Foods Co. He also operated the Ben Franklin store and a lauderette-dry cleaning establishment in Moorhead. He was a city Alderman, a past exalted ruler at the Fargo Elks Club, and a past chairman on the Salvation Army Advisory Board. He also describes how his grandparents left Sweden and Germany to seek land in the U.S. in 1880.
Paul Eidbo was born in Boden, North Dakota in 1927 and graduated from Concordia College (1946-1949). He gives the background of Eastgate Industries Inc., started in 1916, which he manages. A family corporation, he tells of the processes involved in the raising, extracting, and marketing of honey. Also, included is a background of his civic political activities.
Phyllis Thysell was born and raised in South Dakota. Mrs. Thysell was instrumental in the development of the Red River Arts Center, which later became the Plains Art Museum. She discusses her involvement in various community arts groups.
Richard Szeitz, born in Hungary, is professor and chair of the Art Department at Moorhead State University. He discusses his life in Hungary, his move to the United States, the Art Department at MSU, and art involvement locally.
Mr. Ray Stordahl was born in Minnesota in 1926. Stordahl reflects on his years in Moorhead government, including his service on the City Charter Commission and Public Service Commission, and his years as mayor, 1964-1972.
Reinhold Utke was born and raised in the Enderlin, ND area. Student life at Moorhead State during the depression of the 1930's is the main topic of this interview. Mr. Utke talks about his decision to attend Moorhead State, financing his education, and student living conditions. Social activities, chapel, and student organizations, such as Alpha Epsilon, are also covered.
Mrs. Rhoda Hansen teaches English at Fargo North High School. She discusses her involvement in the Moorhead State University theatre program which her husband directs, Dr. Delmar J. Hansen. She discusses how she became involved with the theatre programs, the role she sees theatre playing in the community, and some of the problems the students and program have encountered.
Robert Feder, grandson of Max Goldberg, discusses his childhood growing up in Fargo, ND. Mr. Feder, presently a lawyer in Fargo. He discusses his Jewish religion, as well as Jewish involvement in the Fargo-Moorhead community.
Robert Howe discusses the history and operation of the Fairmont Foods Company in Moorhead completed in 1924 where he was an engineer. The company received the Navy E. Award in December 1943. During WWII, dried eggs were sent overseas to our servicemen. They hired 300 women to candle and break eggs. The Fairmont Foods Company building is now Fairmont East � a retirement home.
Roger Hamilton discusses his career in journalism as a local newspaper writer, and his activities as the director of public relations at Moorhead State College (later Moorhead State University) from 1962 to 1981. His reflections include much on the history of the college newspapers, the MiSTiC and the Advocate.
Mrs. Ruth Munn describes nursing in the 1920s and early 1930s. Her discussion covers training at St. John's Hospital in Fargo, costs, living and working conditions, and early salaries.
Sally Hilleboe Adelson, the first woman in the Fargo-Moorhead area to have her own television show, discusses her involvement with television talk shows. Most of her shows were community based shows. She also did talk shows geared to women in the home and consumer problems.
Sara Nordlie McCormick was born in Minneapolis, MN on November 2, 1918. A member of the Moorhead Altrusa organization since 1962, McCormick describes the activities of Altrusa, including social service, fund raising and special projects. She was employed as a social worker by Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota, Cass County Children�s Center of Fargo, Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota and Independent School District #152 of Moorhead. She retired in 1981.
Stan Cowan was involved in the communications field in Moorhead and Fargo from 1921 until 1967. He started the business section of the Forum in 1949, which he continued for 17 years. He held an interest in aviation and saw Hector Airport instituted. He was the first president of local PTA, active in Trinity Church and other civic organizations.
Ted Larson, Assistant Professor of Speech/Director of Critical Film Studies, has been teaching at MSU since 1968. He is also the managing director for the Straw Hat Players. Mr. Larson discusses his family background and how this background influences his career. He also evaluates some major films.
Thornley F. Wells was born in Cando, North Dakota on July 20, 1901. He came to Moorhead in 1932 to set up a business of his own. Wells reflects upon his many years in Moorhead government, including service as an alderman and as mayor. He also discusses his terms of office as a member of Clay Country Board of Commissioners.
Dr. Duane Thysell was born in Hawley, Minnesota in 1908. Dr. Thysell reminiscences about his 48 year career in medicine in Hawley and Moorhead between 1934 and 1981. He focuses on the activities of a rural medical practice, and how these changed over time.
Vilgard (Daehlin) Sorgen spent her early years in China as the daughter of missionaries. She came to Moorhead in 1927 to enroll at Concordia College and graduated in 1931. Mrs. Sorgen discusses her early life in China and the role she and her husband played in the establishment of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Moorhead in 1952.
In an oral history, Wayne Curtis tells about the livlihoods of his family and himself, and a story about the peculiar owner of a hotel where his family was forced to live for a period of time.
Wayne Ingersoll was born in 1945 in Texas. Mr. Ingersoll was elected mayor of Moorhead in 1978. He discusses his political background, duties as mayor, and issues with which he was confronted. Mr. Ingersoll has taught 7th, 8th, and 9th grade levels for eighteen years.
