McLain, Alice (1913 - 2004); McCourt, Mabel (1907 - 1993)
Date Created:
1977-03-11
Description:
Oral history of Mabel McCourt and Alice McLain, interviewed by Tom Imes. Alice and Mabel, sisters who grew up in and near Williams, Minnesota in the early 20th century, homesteading with their family, diseases and medicine, and life particularly in the 1920s and 1930s.
Interview with Arlys Fittje Springer, Concordia College class of 1959, from Zephyrhills, Florida, in 1981. Mrs. Fittje-Springer, a graduate of one of Concordia's first women classes, talks about, among other things, how she ended up attending Concordia, working in the school's library, her professors, doing babysitting to pay for school, gym classes, dorm life and dorm rules, learning to read music and the music lessons at school, evening devotions and mandatory chapel, air raid drills, the quality of her education, and the 'placement service' for church teachers. This interview was conducted by librarian Margaret Horn (at Concordia from 1956-1987) during a summer sabbatical, and was made possible in part by a grant from Aid Association for Lutherans (now 'Thrivent').
Interview with Delbert Roth, Concordia College class of 1952, from Conover, North Carolina, in 1981. Pastor Roth talks about, among other things, transferring from a Lutheran school in Nebraska to Concordia in St. Paul in part because he needed to work during school, traveling to St. Paul and back home via train, memorable professors he had, stores on campus, being in an oratory competition, participation in sports, being made to work in the campus kitchen for smoking, rolling shot puts down the dormitory halls, choir activities including student direction of, church activities and services in the city, how the girls brought 'social life' to the campus in 1951, positive impressions of Concordia staff and the Christian people he met in the upper Midwest. This interview was conducted by librarian Margaret Horn (at Concordia from 1956-1987) during a summer sabbatical, and was made possible in part by a grant from Aid Association for Lutherans (now 'Thrivent').
Interview with Donald Kurtzahn, Concordia College's High School class of 1952, from Atlanta, Georgia,, in 1981. Mr. Kurtzahn talks about, among other things, his desire to be a pastor in junior high school, working to put himself through the high school, the food service, playing pranks on professors, playing on the first Concordia football and hockey teams, avoiding hazing by virtue of being a bigger kid and athlete, classmates marrying one another, losing a classmate to a car accident, having parties with friends, cutting classes, being paddled, getting a super education at Concordia and what he did with that education. This interview was conducted by librarian Margaret Horn (at Concordia from 1956-1987) during a summer sabbatical, and was made possible in part by a grant from Aid Association for Lutherans (now 'Thrivent').
Interview with Howard Patten, Concordia College class of 1956, from Conover, North Carolina, in 1981. Pastor Patten talks about, among other things, his upbringing in the small Scandinavian-dominated town of Roseau, where he was one of the few Missouri-Synod (German) Lutherans. He also discusses being a green northern Minnesota boy at Concordia, how he decided on the train ride to St. Paul to be a pastor instead of a doctor, learning about how dancing was sinful, falling asleep in class due to working so hard, his great Greek teacher Fred 'Quickie' Wahlers, how girls helped 'civilize' the campus, his disappointments with teachers and fellow students, his being student body president and his own rebellious streak, being told by the school's president William A. Poehler to attend the worship services he was skipping, Poehler's intellect and imposing presence, organizing a dance at Como Park and attending dances at the University of Minnesota (not permitted at Concordia), hearing really
There are two interviews on this tape. The first is of Ingvald Jensen and his wife and the second is of Percy Williams, both interviewed by Tom Imes. The Jensen's interview focuses on their lives in Wabanica, Minnesota and across the river in Rainy River, Canada. Percy's interview focuses on his life in the early years of Baudette, Minnesota.
Oral history of Ole Olson interviewed by Florence Ferrier. Ole's wife Alice is also part of the interview but the majority of the interview focuses on Ole's life. Ole talks about his life being born in Sweden and moving to Lake of the Woods County with a focus on the areas of Peppermint Creek and Carp. Ole discusses farming, various jobs he held around the county, and his family.
