Born in Turialva, Costa Rica, in 1927 - studied and became a minister in Mexico City - worked as a missionary in Central America - received an assignment in Philadelphia, where he worked for several years - called to work in 1973 with Spanish-speaking people in Minneapolis, including some Mexican families. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: History of the Primera Iglesia Bautista in Minneapolis - religious and social activities and social services at the church - the need to maintain Spanish in that church - hopes of church members, including continued parishioner growth and construction of a church building of its own. COMMENTS ON INTERVIEW: In Spanish.
Philip C. Ahn was born in Korea in 1928 to a family of third-generation Christians. His father owned a jewelry business, and his mother was a deaconess in the Presbyterian Church. When Korea was partitioned after World War II, Ahn's parents feared that the Communist government in North Korea would not look favorably on businessmen and Christians, and the family fled to South Korea. They arrived in Seoul at the height of postwar chaos and unemployment. At age 18, however, with five years of high school English, Ahn got a job as interpreter at the U.S. embassy. He also enrolled at a pharmacy school which later became part of the National University in Seoul, and he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in 1949. During this period a good friend, Young Pai, who was a student at Macalester College in St. Paul, urged Ahn to join him in Minnesota to continue his studies. Ahn was eager to do so and took the government examinations required for study abroad in 1949. He passed the examinations but did not have the necessary financial resources. With the onset of the Korean War and the arrival of United Nations troops, however, the demand for translators and interpreters increased, and from 1950 to 1951 Ahn worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army's 17th Regiment. In 1951 he joined the Korean Army and served as a lieutenant in the liaison corps, where he was an interpreter for the Korean Military Advisory Group, a group of American advisors. In 1953, at the end of the war, Ahn left Korea and enrolled at Macalester College just as Young Pai was leaving. Ahn majored in biology and chemistry and graduated in 1957. He took a job in Austin, Minnesota, as a junior scientist at the Hormel Institute of the University of Minnesota Graduate School. While in Austin Ahn married Betty Engel, also a graduate of Macalester College. Ahn stayed in Austin from 1957 to 1960 and then became an assistant scientist at the U of M Medical School in Minneapolis, where he worked as a physiological chemist from 1960 to 1962, a period in which the basic analysis of nutrition and heart disease was being launched. In 1962 he transferred to the nutrition division of the Home Economics Department on the St. Paul campus, where he worked as a lipid chemist. In the early 1970s Ahn became an associate scientist in the newly established Department of Food Science and Nutrition of the College of Home Economics and College of Agriculture. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Ahn discusses his family background and early experience in Korea during the post-World War II and Korean War periods - the close-knit group of Korean students at Macalester during the 1950s - interracial marriages - difficulties of childrearing in American society - Korean wives of American servicemen who have settled in Minnesota - and the history of the Korean churches in the Twin Cities area. Ahn provides valuable information on the early Korean students at Macalester College during the 1950s, who were the first significant group of Koreans to arrive in the state, many of whom remained as permanent residents. He also contributes useful insight into the acculturation of those who intermarried.
Aerial view of Duluth harbor, waterfront, canal park and Minnesota Point to about Sixteenth Street at the far right. At the far left on the waterfront are the Huron Portland Cement silos. This property would become LaFarge corporation property.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
In an oral history given on February 13, 1975, Ruth M. Alexander relates her family history, her experiences as a teacher, and dealing with rationing during World War II.
Sister Engracia was born in Mexico in 1947 and assigned to St. Mary's College in Winona in 1966. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Her childhood in Mexico - her three years of religious training - her apostolate in the United States, mostly in Minnesota as a Lasallian Sister of Guadalupe. COMMENTS ON INTERVIEW: In Spanish.
The main interest of this interview was Ms. Alvo's organization of Mi Cultura, a bilingual and bicultural day care center for children in St. Paul. Subjects discussed include: Mi Cultura Day Care Center - the human resources to be found in St. Paul's West Side community.
Anaya was born in New Mexico in 1927 and moved to St. Paul with his family in 1939. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: His role in organizing the St. Paul chapter of the American G.I. Forum - and his work with Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Credit Union, with Brown and Bigelow, and since 1973 with the Metropolitan Economic Development Association, a private organization providing services to minority businesses.
Biographical Information: Anderson was President, board of directors of Cooperative Power Association. He was a farmer in Litchfield, Meeker County. Subjects discussed: Background. Impact of powerline on the area. Structure of Meeker Cooperative Light and CPA. Relationship of CPA with UPA. Mid-Continent Area Power Pool. Events leading to the Powerline project. Choice of a DC line vs. a AC line. Determining the need for more power. Opposition to the line-anticipating; reaction to; meeting with leaders. Financing the project. Vandalism and the subsequent costs. Effectiveness of hearing process. Being grandfathered out of siting process. Health and safety issues. Science court. Lawsuits. Use of security guards. Handling of controversy by the media. Government Accounting Office study. Future needs for energy. Impact of controversy on future powerlines. Mankato line. Establishment of and reaction to Rural Electrification Administration.
In an oral history, Herb Anderson describes his family coming to Crow Wing County from Sweden experiences he had as a youngster, encounters his famly had with Indians, his parents starting a resort, and general information about the area in the early part of the 20th century.
V. Elving Anderson lecture recorded during Founders Week, February 1-5, 1971. Note: The written transcript which accompanies this audio recording varies from the audio file. This written transcript is the basic text of the sermon; but slight variances in speech patterns and language will be found in the audio recording.
This issue is preceeded by Volume 4, Number 7 - October 1974 and succeeded by Volume 3, Number 2 - 1975. NorTec News was a staff publication (by faculty and staff, for faculty and staff) that was published from December 1972 to December 1975. It included campus news and happenings, as well as new staff, program director lists, and employee birthdays and anniversaries. Hennepin Technical College began as Suburban Hennepin County Area Vocational Technical Centers - District 287 in 1972. Through the years the name was changed to Hennepin Technical Center, Hennepin Technical Institute, and currently Hennepin Technical College.
This issue is preceeded by Volume 3, Number 6 - September 1974 and succeeded by Volume 3, Number 1 - 1975. NorTec News was a staff publication (by faculty and staff, for faculty and staff) that was published from December 1972 to December 1975. It included campus news and happenings, as well as new staff, program director lists, and employee birthdays and anniversaries. Hennepin Technical College began as Suburban Hennepin County Area Vocational Technical Centers - District 287 in 1972. Through the years the name was changed to Hennepin Technical Center, Hennepin Technical Institute, and currently Hennepin Technical College.
This issue is preceeded by Volume 3, Number 1 - 1975 and succeeded by Volume 3, Number 3 - 1975. NorTec News was a staff publication (by faculty and staff, for faculty and staff) that was published from December 1972 to December 1975. It included campus news and happenings, as well as new staff, program director lists, and employee birthdays and anniversaries. Hennepin Technical College began as Suburban Hennepin County Area Vocational Technical Centers - District 287 in 1972. Through the years the name was changed to Hennepin Technical Center, Hennepin Technical Institute, and currently Hennepin Technical College.
Biographical Information: Anderson was manager for Agralite Cooperative in Benson, Swift County. Subjects discussed: Role as manager for Agralite Cooperative; function and structure of Agralite as a cooperative; how cooperatives have planned for future power needs. Cooperative Power Association, United Power Association and the Cooperative-United project-involvement with Mid-Continent Area Power Pool; planning of plant; determining need for plant; communication problems between planners and farmers; controversy over Cooperative-United transmission line. CPA-board vs. representatives of cooperatives; public relations. Feasibility of building underground plant. Health and safety issues. Obtaining easements. Future impact of the powerline controversy.
Belen S. Andrada was born in the Philippines in 1926 and came to the United States in 1956 to continue her studies. In 1957 she married Benigno Andrada in Minnesota. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Her family in the Philippines - the importance of her family - her reasons for coming to the United States - her reactions to living in Minnesota - and prejudice against her as a Filipino.
Benigno Andrada came to Minnesota from the Philippines in 1928 at the age of 16. His first job was as a waiter at the Minneapolis Athletic Club. In 1930 he married a Norwegian-American woman, and they had three sons. His wife died in 1956, and in 1957 he married his second wife, Belen, a Filipino woman. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: In the first interview, Mr. Andrada discusses his adjustment to life in Minnesota, his family, his jobs and the Filipino community in the Twin Cities. In the second interview he tells about the Philippine Echo newspaper, work during the depression and World War II, Filipinos who worked on the farms near Albert Lea and Chaska, Minnesota and his return trip to the Philippines in 1966.
Cristeta Andrada, a daughter of Benigno and Belen Andrada of Richfield, Minnesota, was born in 1964. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Growing up as a second-generation Filipino - the importance of family and the Filipino community in the Twin Cities - and discrimination. COMMENTS ON INTERVIEW: Andrada's sister Marietta was also interviewed for this oral history project.
Marietta Andrada, a daughter of Benigno and Belen Andrada of Richfield, Minnesota, was born in 1958. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Growing up as a second-generation Filipino - the importance of family and the Filipino community in the Twin Cities - and discrimination. COMMENTS ON INTERVIEW: Andrada's sister Cristeta was also interviewed for this oral history project.
Virgil Andrada was born in Minnesota in 1933, the son of Benigno and Thina Andrada. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Mr. Andrada's father is Filipino and his mother is Norwegian. He discusses growing up in the Twin Cities with the influence of the two cultures, his family and discrimination against the Filipinos.
