The promotional audio describes Bethel College and Seminary campuses, academic and extra-curricular opportunities, and encourages listeners to support Bethel financially.
Contributing Institution:
The History Center, Archives of Bethel University and Converge Worldwide - BGC
Dr. Robert Campion (1923-2017) discusses dentistry in Lake City, Minnesota. He also discusses his business partnership with his father, Dr. Martin Campion (1895-1983), advances in dentistry materials and tools, his family's homes in Lake City, the World War I draft, Dr. Will Mayo, and anecdotes from the end of his father's life.
Robert "Bob" Wallace (1923-2007) presents the history of the foundry in Lake City, Minnesota including its many name changes from H. Gillett and Sons to Gillett & Eaton and eventually to AE Goetz.
Marvin Howatt (1941-), of the Cliff and Coulee Climbers Club, presents the history of snowmobiling in Lake City and Wabasha County, Minnesota. Marvin also discusses snowmobile registration, grant-in-aid funding, trail building, landowner permits, landowner liability, trail signage, trail maintenance, and trail maps.
Marie Ehrenberg was living in hospice care in St. Charles and her last wish was to visit Whitewater State Park. She shares about growing up on a farm in the area and her memories of spending time at the park with her father. 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 May 14, 1982, Alan Phillips provided a brief account of his educational career. Phillips received his undergraduate degree from Knox College in Illinois. Phillips attended the University of Chicago Divinity School for a year before dropping out and joining the army for two years. He then went to Michigan State where he got his master's and doctorate degrees in philosophy. He taught for one year at West Virginia University, and came to St. Cloud State in September 1966. Phillips chronicled how he became involved with the Faculty Association and collective bargaining. He devoted a great deal of time to discussing the election of 1975, a process he calls very difficult. Phillips discussed his opinions on the Inter-Faculty Organization (IFO) joining forces with the Minnesota Education Association (MEA), as well as what he considers to be the biggest differences between the IFO and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). He talked about the strengths and weaknesses of the AAUP and what may have cost it the election. Phillips talked about the effects of the IFO/MEA's victory and how successful collective bargaining in general was for St. Cloud State faculty. He was reluctant to join the IFO after the AAUP was defeated. Phillips believed that more people should be able to join voluntarily, believing that forced membership was not as effective. He believed that collective bargaining was good economically for the faculty, but not been great for local decision-making. Phillips discussed his involvement on the IFO's Academic Affairs Committee. To end, he offered some suggestions for improving the IFO and current collective bargaining situation at St. Cloud State.
This was an interview conducted on February 11, 1990 by Richard Olson. Albert Wedell was born September 29, 1911 in Milaca, Minnesota. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and trained in California. He was assigned to the repair division of the U.S.S. Louisville, on which he served in the Aleutian Islands and the South Pacific. He discussed the armaments of the ship, the conditions aboard, men he met in the crew, and some of the attacks on the ship by Japanese ships and aircraft. While in the Navy, Wedell married Velma Swenson on March 14, 1945, and was honorably discharged on October 27, 1945. After the war, he ran a dairy farm near Milaca for 45 years and served on the Chase Brook School Board, the local telephone and creamery boards, and the county ASCA. Wedell passed away on March 16, 2000 and was buried in Borgholm Cemetery in Bock, Minnesota. He was survived by his wife, two sons, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Of Norwegian descent, Aleck, his father and brother operated the H. Christiansen & Sons dealership started in 1898. His spouse's name was Minnie Wiggins Christensen. Betty (of Betty's Pies just north of Two Harbors, is Aleck Christensen's daughter. The interview was taken at H. Christiansen, Inc. Sporting Goods, in Duluth, Minnesota, by interviewer Barbara W. Sommer.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections
In an oral history, Alec Ruttger discusses how his parents started a resort in Crow Wing County, how he took it over and expanded it, and that his three brothers also got involved in the resort business. As a family, they built up the very well known Ruttger empire of resort locations.
Andrea Richards and Ruth Ann Collins and their families share about their group of divorced women who have created memorable camping traditions each year at Whitewater State Park. 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 April 28, 1982, Andrew Marlow described his family history, as well as his education and experiences at St. Cloud State. Marlow discussed his father, who was a member of the Sisseton Sioux Nation, as well as the story of how his parents met during World War II, marrying, and then moving to St. Paul. He explained his reasons to attend St. Cloud State after he graduated from high school in 1962, where he initially hoped to triple major in mathematics, chemistry, and physics. He later found those subjects too demanding and formed an interest in radio and television, which were only offered through the Speech department. Marlow decided to major in Speech but specialize in radio and television and had a hand in the founding of KVSC in 1967. Marlow chronicled his college career. He discussed professors such as E. Bryce Scott, who taught in the Speech department. He recalled certain things about life in St. Cloud, including students from the Iron Range who called themselves the "Rangers." Marlow explained his reasons for transferring to the University of Minnesota in 1964. He joined the National Guard as a medic to avoid the draft and was court-martialed for refusing to carry a weapon. Marlow returned to St. Cloud State in 1965. He discussed involvement in anti-war demonstrations, including when he and his friends threatened to burn a dog alive with napalm to illustrate its effects. He also included some general thoughts on how the Vietnam War affected the college and the city of St. Cloud. Marlow graduated in 1969. Marlow focused post-college career, including life in International Falls and his employment at the KUOM radio station. Marlow added thoughts about events that caused tension during his time at St. Cloud State, such as when some black students took over President Robert Wick's office. Marlow credited his time at St. Cloud State for forming him into the person he became.
Angie Berg shares about living near Whitewater State Park and spending time at the park with her two children. The Whitewater State Park Oral History project began in 2017 to commemorate the Centennial Anniversary of the State Park.
Arash Shambayati is an Iranian refugee who discovered trout fishing at Whitewater State Park in the 1970s. He shares how the park has changed. The Whitewater State Park Oral History project began in 2017 to commemorate the Centennial Anniversary of the State Park.
Arleigh Schafer (1905-1993) discusses the history of Lakewood Cemetery in Lake City, Minnesota. He also discusses his early life and career in banking and insurance, the Lake City Citizens Bank, the Great Depression, other cemeteries in Lake City, and being secretary of the Lakewood Cemetery Association starting in 1950.
In an oral history conducted by St. Cloud State University Professor of History Calvin (Cal) Gower on January 7, 1986, Arnold Schneider detailed his family and educational background. He was born in 1909. He attended high school in Wisconsin, and after graduation went to work for the Great Northern Railroad in Allouez, Wisconsin. He continued to work for the railroad while he put himself through junior college in Duluth, Minnesota, which he finished in two years. He then attended the Iowa State Teacher's College in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he majored in Business Education. He graduated in 1932. After graduation, he went to Madison, South Dakota, where he taught at Eastern State College. He later worked as Junior Analyst for Merrill Lynch in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and also as an accountant for Ford Motor Company. That variety of work experience, Schneider claimed, made him very versatile and aware of the many different aspects of the business world. After receiving his master's degree from the University of Iowa in 1937, he was offered a position at St. Cloud State to begin a Business Education program. Schneider described how he came to work in Business Education at St. Cloud State. Schneider said that Minnesota had no program to prepare Business teachers until St. Cloud State president George Selke convinced the State University Board to allow St. Cloud to establish one. Schneider was contacted while he was working on his doctorate in Iowa, and jumped at the opportunity to come to St. Cloud. While the program officially began spring semester of 1938, it really took off that following fall. Schneider described the early days of the department, as well as the two other faculty members involved, Clair Dagget and Mary Ferro. Schneider remained in St. Cloud State until 1942, when he joined the Navy. After World War II, he returned the university for a year before obtaining a position at Western Michigan University, where he started a College of Business program. He retired in 1974. Schneider reflected on some of his other experiences, including that of working with World War II veterans. He believed that the GI Bill, which allowed veterans to attend college, had a huge effect on education in the United States. He greatly admired veterans as students, and believed they made his classroom a much more dynamic place than it had been before. He felt that state universities became the ""common man's school."" Schneider also talked about some of St. Cloud State faculty he remembers, such as Clifford Bemis, Herbert Clugston, and Roland Torgerson.
In an oral history conducted by St. Cloud State University Professor of History Calvin (Cal) Gower on March 31, 1982, Arthur Grachek discussed his background, detailed his education, and his return to St. Cloud State University. Grachek graduated from Foley High School in 1958. He chose to attend St. Cloud State University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Speech and Social Studies in 1962 and a master's degree in 1964. He taught at St. John's University in Minnesota, as well as at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where he also received his doctorate. Grachek returned to St. Cloud State University in 1971, where he eventually became very involved in the Inter-Faculty Organization (IFO). He discussed how he became interested in collective bargaining and unions, crediting his family involvement with labor unions. Grachek said Ruth Cadwell, whose house he lived in for five years while attending St. Cloud State University, introduced him to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Grachek chronicled his first years at St. Cloud State and how he became heavily involved with the IFO. He discussed the idea that the IFO needed a political force to accompany it, which is why they found the Minnesota Education Association (MEA), which offered them tremendous support to establish a labor union for St. Cloud State faculty. Grachek described the work he did to educate people about the IFO-MEA, as well as his thoughts on why it was able to achieve victory, despite some initial resistance to the MEA. Grachek described hi ideas about the successes the IFO has achieved at St. Cloud State, including the fringe benefits it helped faculty obtain. He also discussed what he feels are problems with collective bargaining organizations, stating that some small local colleges lose their autonomy, which is something he hoped at the time would be remedied in the future.
Ben Gessner is a Collections Associate for the Minnesota Historical Society. His work focuses on American Indian and Fine Arts Collections. He shares about his work and the process of repatriating artifacts. The Whitewater State Park Oral History project began in 2017 to commemorate the Centennial Anniversary of the State Park.
In an oral history, Bill Van Essen talks about his family's restaurant, Van's Cafe, which was a Brainerd landmark. He also discusses other lone-gone Brainerd restaurants, and how eating out and the business community has evolved.
