USA > Minnesota > Rice County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 15
USA > Minnesota > Steele County > History of Rice and Steele counties, Minnesota, Vol. II > Part 15
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CHAPTER XXII.
PILLSBURY ACADEMY.
Location and Importance-Its Existence as the Minnesota Academy-Gifts of George A. Pillsbury-Buildings-Ob- ject-Societies-Officers-Biographies.
Pillsbury Academy ranks well with the preparatory schools of this part of the country, and furnishes an important feature of Owatonna life. The site of the academy is in the southeastern part of the city, on a gentle elevation, commanding a fine view of the city and surrounding country. The grounds, well shaded with noble trees, include ten acres, the natural beauty of which is enhanced by smooth shaven lawns and graceful curving walks and driveways. A finely graded campus of several acres ad- jacent to the buildings furnishes opportunity for out-of-door sports.
Pillsbury Academy was founded by the Minnesota Baptist State Convention, and opened its doors for the reception of stu- dents in September, 1877, under the name of Minnesota Acad- emy. In 1885, George A. Pillsbury began to take a vital interest in the institution and made to it the first of a series of liberal gifts. In recognition of Mr. Pillsbury's generosity and as a token of esteem to him the name of the institution was changed to Pillsbury Academy by a unanimous vote of the Baptist State Convention in October, 1886. From 1885 to 1892 Mr. Pillsbury gave to the school, one after another, Pillsbury hall, the Academy building, Music hall, the Drill hall and the Central heating plant. Besides clearing the school of its debts on account of current expenses several times, Mr. Pillsbury bequeathed to it a generous fund by the terms of his will. This fund can be used as an endowment only. These facts indicate that it is eminently proper that the institution should bear the name of its chief benefactor. In 1900 Wm. H. Kelly, of Owatonna, by a generous offer, started the movement for a boys' dormitory. Other liberal friends throughout the state aided the movement, and in 1904 the new building was completed and ready for occupancy. By unanimous vote of the Baptist State Convention in October, 1905, this building was named Kelly hall, in honor of Mr. Kelly. The heating plant has recently been enlarged, and a Corliss engine and dynamo installed. At the present time, Pillsbury Academy
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has seven finely equipped buildings, which so far as the purpose for which they are designed is concerned, will bear comparison with buildings of any similar institution in the Northwest.
The object of the school is to furnish the very best of second- ary education under academic conditions, and to meet fully the demands of young people who have a clear educational purpose in going away to school. Scholastically the school aims to maintain a maximum preparatory course of study which will fit its graduates to enter the freshman class of any American col- lege or scientific school, and to afford facilities for the study of music, art and elocution under teachers of the best training and experience. The scholastic object is not allowed to overshadow a purpose to develop sound moral character as a basis for future usefulness. That these objects may be realized, only such teachers are employed as have had the most generous training and will exert a positive Christian influence and so are them- selves an expression of the high educational and moral ideas they seek to inculcate.
The buildings of Pillsbury Academy, seven in number, arc, with one exception, comparatively new. They are commodious, in good condition, well equipped for their special purposes, and no expense has been spared to make them perfect from a sanitary standpoint.
The Academy building was erected in 1889, and is the gift of the late Hon. George A. Pillsbury, whose name the academy bears. It is one hundred and twenty-two feet long, and three stories high above the basement, with a tower one hundred and forty-four feet high. It contains recitation rooms, reference library and reading-room, offices, laboratories, manual training shop, study-room, chapel, and a spacious auditorium, seating about five hundred people.
Pillsbury hall, the girls' dormitory, also a gift of Mr. Pills- bury, was built in 1886. It is one hundred and twenty-eight fect long, and has three stories above the basement. It is heated by hot water and lighted by electricity, and contains parlors, con- veniently arranged suites of rooms, lavatories, assembly room, and dining hall.
The Music hall is a two-story brick structure, forty by eighty feet. It was likewise built by Mr. Pillsbury in 1892. The archi- tecture is Grecian, and the classic beauty of the facade, with its four massive Ionic columns, adds much to the beauty of the campus. The building contains a fire-proof library room, and ample accommodations for the music departments, teaching rooms, practice rooms, and hall for private recitals.
Kelly hall, the boys' dormitory, has been occupied but six years. It is a brick structure, one hundred and sixty feet long.
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forty feet wide, and has three stories and dormer above the basement. It is equipped with all modern conveniences and im- provements, having, in addition to the living rooms, a large recep- tion room, a commodious hospital, and a large locker-room, with shower and tub baths adjacent. All rooms are supplied with steam heat and electric light. It affords accommodations for eighty boys, besides suites of rooms for four teachers.
The combined gymnasium and drill hall has a clear floor space of one hundred and ten by sixty-five feet. It has just been re- fitted at considerable expense and supplied with light and heat from the central plant. It affords the best of facilities for indoor recreation, such as basket ball, baseball and roller skating.
A central heating and lighting plant furnishes heat and electric light to all the buildings. The plant has recently been enlarged, the entire system changed to the vacuum system, an extra boiler added, and a fire engine and dynamo installed.
The old Academy building, erected in 1876, is used as a drill hall and recreation building for the girls.
The students maintain active branches of Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations. These organizations aid greatly in preserving a high moral and religious standard in the school life and furnish a rallying point for those who wish to do active Christian work. Two active literary societies, the Corvus Club and the Philomathian Society, are maintained by the boys of the academy. These give the best of opportunity for practice in debating, essay writing and parliamentary usage. The girls maintain the Qui Vive Literary Society. These organi- zations hold meetings bi-weekly on Friday evenings. A monthly paper, the "Alphian," is published by the students of the acad- emy and offers opportunity for any member of the school to bring into print such compositions as are thought worthy of publication. The school paper is under the supervision of the instructor in English. A school orchestra, under the direction of a member of the faculty, affords opportunity for regular prac- tice in the use of a large number of musical instruments. The orchestra is frequently called upon to furnish music at school entertainments. The Athletic Association includes all of the students and teachers of the academy. Through its officers and board of control it takes charge of all the athletic interests of the school.
The board of trustees of the school consists of the following gentlemen : Edward M. Van Duzee, president ; B. B. Townsend, secretary ; Hon. W. R. Kinyon, treasurer. Term expires in 1910: L. S. Gillette, Minneapolis; E. M. Van Duzee, St. Paul; G. M. Palmer, Mankato; S. S. Green, Owatonna; D. D. Smith. St. Paul; C. W. Sawyer, Minneapolis. Term expires in 1911 :
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Rev. L. A. Crandall, D. D., Minneapolis; W. C. Roberts, M. D., Owatonna ; Hon. W. R. Kinyon, Owatonna; A. F. Gale, Minne- apolis; B. B. Townsend, Minneapolis; E. J. Longyear, Minne- apolis. Term expires in 1912: Uriah Roraback, Minneapolis; Frank C. Nickels, Minneapolis: S. C. Briggs. West Concord ; L. C. Woodman, Owatonna; Chas. Jefts, Owatonna; Frank K. Pratt, Minneapolis.
The principal of the school is Milo B. Price, Ph. D., of whose scholastic attainments the school catalogue gives the following resume: A. B., Denison University, 1892. Post-graduate work, University of Chicago, 1892-1893. Student of history and philology, University of Leipzig, 1893-1896. Ph. D., Leipzig, 1896. Instructor, modern languages, St. Mark's School, South- boro, Mass .. 1896-1897. Instructor, modern languages, The Wor- cester Academy, Worcester, Mass., 1897-1898. Master in his- tory, Worcester Academy, 1898-1901. Master in history, Wil- liam Penn Charter School, Philadelphia, Pa., 1901-1904. Prin- cipal, Pillsbury Academy, 1904.
Joshua L. Ingraham, A. M., has been a most important factor in the life of the school. He has been connected with the follow- ing institutions of learning: A. B. Colby College, 1880. A. M., Colby, 1883. Instructor in mathematics, The Worcester Acad- emy, Worcester, Mass., 1880-1882. Principal, Pillsbury Acad- emy, 1883-1889. Instructor in mathematics, Pillsbury Academy, 1889-1895. Special study, University of Chicago, summer, 1896. Instructor in Greek and Latin, Pillsbury Academy, 1895.
CHAPTER XXIII
ELLENDALE VILLAGE
Location and Advantages-Origin-Business and Government- Fire Department-Cornet Band-Churches-Fraternal So- cieties-Creamery-Elevators-Schools-Beaver Lake .- By C. C. Campbell.
Ellendale is situated in the southern part of Steele county on the Rock Island Railway, about midway between Owatonna, the county seat, and Albert Lea, in Freebom county, being six- teen miles from the former and fifteen and one-half from the latter. The village is steadily growing in size and at present contains a population of about 400. The surrounding country is one of the most beautiful and productive agricultural regions in the world. It is gently rolling in contour and was originally covered with a dense growth of timber, principally oak. Most of this has long since been cleared away, leaving an occasional grove or small forest which dot the lanscape in every direction. These, as seen from the eminence on which Ellendale is located, together with the varicolored fields of grain and an occasional glimpse of the gables and windmill spires of prosperous farm- steads, in the summer season form a scene of beauty to delight the eye of the artist and a picture of wealth and plenty which immediately arrests and holds the attention of the practical man of affairs. Ellendale is located on high ground, giving excellent opportunity for drainage. It has a very complete system of waterworks and an adequate system of sewerage will be an im- provement of the near future. The water supply is obtained from deep wells which penetrate bedrock and furnish an abun- cant and pure supply, free from all danger of contamination.
The village boasts of a handsome and commodious brick school building erected during the summer of 1910 at a cost of of $12,000. It maintains four church organizations. Among the business houses are three general stores, one clothing and shoe store, drug store, furniture store and undertaking establishment, novelty store, bank, two hotels, restaurant, two barber shops, harness shop, millinery store, meat market. two lumber yards, three livery stables, two blacksmith and machine shops, two grain elevators and a creamery, the latter one of the largest in
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the state. A weekly paper, The Ellendale Eagle, is published.
A meeting of the officials of the B., C. R. & N. Ry. Co., which was pushing its way north with Minneapolis as the objective point, was held at Cedar Rapids, Ia., in August, 1900, to consider the location of stations on the thirty-two miles of line between Albert Lea and Owatonna, Minn. The problem presented many features for difference of opinion. Present at this meeting were C. J. Ives, president ; Robert Williams, vice president and gen- eral manager; H. F. White, chief engineer; T. H. Simmons, general freight agent ; Thos. H. Brown, right-of-way and town- site agent, and a few subordinate officers.
Some favored two and some favored three towns as being necessary to properly take care of the business on this thirty-two miles of road. President Ives said, "Let us have one good town with territory sufficient to build up a commercial center where farmers may not only sell their products, but find stores with large, up-to-date stocks of goods ; then the farmer will take pride in his town and the benefit will become mutual." The meeting adjourned without definite orders, but directed the townsite agent, Mr. Brown, to use his judgment in locations on the line. On August 13, 1900, Mr. Brown met Hon. Geo. E. Sloan and Mr. O. H. Opsahl, who resided near the proposed location. The honest, frank and able manner in which Mr. Sloan presented the advantages of the location quite convinced him, so Ellendale was located and platted and, as intended, has become an im- portant marketing and distributing center.
The name was given in memory of Mrs. C. J. Ives, who died a few years previous to this time. She was the laboring man's friend. She seemed to know every section man and every brake- man on the road and her many acts of tender, thoughtful kind- ness endeared her to the hundreds of employes. Her maiden name was Ellen Dale, so this beautiful, prosperous village will perpetuate the memory of that good woman.
Through Mr. Brown the railroad townsite company pur- chased a quarter section of land of the estate of Elling Ellingson. The townsite was laid out as quickly as possible, and R. J. Dobell, a resident of Iowa, was employed to take charge as local agent and also to organize a bank composed of local investors and a number of Cedar Rapids capitalists, some of whom were officers of the railway and townsite companies. Mr. Dobell com- menced operations with characteristic energy and by fall had the bank organized and doing business. A small building 16x18 in size was purchased in the country and moved to the rear of the bank lot. Here the bank commenced business and here also the books of the townsite company were first opened. In the meantime the present building was being erected on the front
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end of the lot and as soon as completed the cramped quarters in the little building were gladly exchanged for the more commo- dious ones which it afforded.
The new bank building was not only the first substantial building in the town; it was the center of activity thereafter, the alma mater of the community. Within its walls many business enterprises were nourished from weakness to self- reliant strength. When there was a dearth of buildings in the new town, its doors were open and there was always room for one more beneath its roof. Thus it housed many homeless ven- tures until more suitable quarters could be found and on occasion even served as a sleeping apartment for those who otherwise would have been doomed to a night out.
In the spring of 1901, before the frost was out of the ground, building operations commenced in earnest. About the first struc- tures to be erected were Frank Randall's livery barn, Thomas & Grow's hardware store, now owned by Jensen & Miller, and A. M. Lerberg's general store. Other buildings followed in quick succession and by fall what the year before was only a stubble field, had been transformed into the business street of a good sized village. Since then the growth of the village has been slow, but continuous, each year seeing some new business enter- prise added and new dwelling erected.
The present business houses are : E. M. Thompson, furniture and undertaking; W. B. Wardwell, druggist; Ober Mercantile Co., general merchandise ; Jensen & Miller, hardware dealers and machinists; C. M. Nelson, novelty store; Security State Bank ; A. M. Lerberg, general merchandise ; E. H. Stout, hotel ; Western Elevator Co., dealers in grain and coal, Jas. E. Lageson, mana- ger ; Laird Norton Yards, lumber and coal, Lars Hetland, mana- ger ; Farmers' Elevator Co., grain and feed, Geo. Stearns, mana- ger ; Ellendale Lumber Co., lumber and coal, Andrew Gregerson, manager; Rasmus Laursen, blacksmith; C. A. Odell, hotel; O'Malley & Carroll, saloon ; Ellendale Mercantile Co., general merchandise, John Lageson, Albert Lageson, A. A. Berg, props .; Stearns & Lageson, hardware; Martin Anderson, meat market ; N. C. Nelson, saloon ; Henry Ellingson, barber shop ; Ellingson Bros., clothing and shoes; Emma Ellingson & Co., restaurant ; Lena D. Nelson, milliner; E. H. Gulbrandson, hardware; Mc- Farland & Finch, livery barn; Ellis & Lundahl, blacksmiths; WV. G. Bragg, livery; Jas. Larson, livery ; Ellingson Bros., har- ness shop.
J. W. Andrist was the first physician, locating in Ellendale in 1901 with the first influx of settlers. In a few years he built up a large practice which he sold in October, 1908, to Dr. E. Q. Ertel, who has since covered the field. There is no mean tribute
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to the sanitary conditions in the village as well as the climate of this part of Minnesota in the fact that this large territory has been covered in a satisfactory manner by one physician dur- ing the nine years intervening between the establishment of Ellendale and the writing of this sketch. Since leaving here Dr. Andrist has established a practice at Owatonna.
The postoffice was moved from Cooleyville, a small cross- roads village, which has been built up around the then Berlin & Summit, now Ellendale creamery. This hamlet was about a half mile east of Ellendale and with the establishment of the new town its business houses removed to the more attractive loca- tion. 11. A. Midje was the postmaster. having his offce in the general store of Midje & Lageson, of which he was the senior member. This firm erected a fine brick structure in Ellendale and transferred their business there, and in May, 1901, the government authorized the removal of the postoffice, and it was re-established at Ellendale. The office was a registration office while located in Cooleyville, but it was not until October, 1901. some time after its removal to Ellendale. that it was designated as a money order office and the first money order was written October 12. 1901. Mr. Midje occupied the office of postmaster until the summer of 1909, when he resigned and C. C. Campbell, the present incumbent, received the appointment, assuming the duties of his office August 8.
The village of Ellendale was incorporated in 1901, by author- ity of an election held on August 15, at which forty-five votes were cast, forty-two being in favor of incorporation and three in the negative. The first election of village officers was held August 27 following, which resulted in the election of D. J. Sul- livan, mayor ; J. F. Hake. Frank Kycek, John Ellingson, council- men; E. M. Thompson, recorder: R. J. Dobell, treasurer ; J. C. Hemingway and B. S. Ellis, justices of the peace ; F. R. Randall, constable : W. A. Gahagan, street commissioner.
On October 25 several farmers whose lands had been in- cluded in the corporate limits of the village started suit to annul the corporation, hoping in the case that re-incorporation should be necessary, to have their lands set out. The plaintiffs were Nels Thompson, Henry Norby, Morris Patterson, Edward John- son, Nels Ohnstad and Elsie Brynestad. The case dragged along until the summer of 1903, when an understanding was arrived at and it was dropped. Since the incorporation of the village the office of mayor has been filled as follows: D. J. Sullivan, 1901- 1902; R. J. Dobell, 1903 ; H. L. Dolge, 1904 ; C. C. Campbell, 1905- 1906; D. J. Sullivan, 1907; J. W. Andrist, 1908; E. E. Ellingson, 1909-1910. The present officers are E. E. Ellingson, mayor ; A. P. Hanson, E. Q. Ertel, Theo. Jensen, councilmen : C. R. Torger-
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son, recorder ; B. S. Ellis, treasurer ; G. B. Stearns, justice of the peace ; M. A. McFarland, Wm. Bragg, constables; Chris Wal- bom, street commissioner.
During the various administrations many improvements have been accomplished. Notable among these is the building of a system of good roads and streets, the establishment of a system of waterworks and the laying of cement walks, curbing and gut- ters. Miles of new roads have been built, involving the expendi- ture of thousands of dollars for grading and gravel. In the middle of May, 1903, the council made a contract with the National Construction Co., of South Bend, Ind., to install a sys- tem of waterworks, contingent on the successful issue of an election to be held on July 31 to authorize the bonding of the village for the payment of the same. The proposition carried in favor of bonding, by a large majority, the bonds were floated and the waterworks were in operation by the time cold weather set in. The system is very complete and satisfactory both as to fire protection and domestic use. Fire hydrants have been placed on all the principal corners and there is hardly a building in the village not within reach of at least one line of hose. The system is what is known as pneumatic, the storage tank being on the ground under cover of the pumping station and the water is forced through the mains by air pressure. It is entirely adequate for every need and economical in operation.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The Ellendale Fire Department was organized at a meeting held May 13, 1904, the first officers being L. F. Burnes, chairman ; E. J. Quinn, chief ; F. R. Randall, assistant chief; E. H. Stout, warden ; Th. Christensen, secretary. The department is equipped with hose cart, hook and ladder and other necessary parapher- nalia. Regular meetings are held and the effciency of the con- pany has several times been practically demonstrated. The present officers are: E. H. Stout, chairman ; E. M. Thompson, chief : Albert Lageson, assistant chief ; C. R. Langdon, warden ; Erick Ellingson, secretary and treasurer.
ELLENDALE CORNET BAND.
The Ellendale Cornet Band was organized during the early days of the town and has continued with a number of changes of membership and organization to the present time. During the whole period it has been under the leadership of Mr. A. S. Lar- sen, an experienced cornet player and efficient instructor, to whose patient and painstaking work the success of the organiza- tion may be attributed. The present officers are A. S. Larson,
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leader ; C. C. Campbell, manager ; C. M. Nelson, secretary ; C. R. Torgerson, treasurer.
CHURCHES.
Norwegian Lutheran .- The Berlin Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregation was organized in 1869. Some ten or twelve families having settled here a few years previously, joined the organization. The first officers cannot be stated, but a constitution was adopted and the Rev. E. Wulfsberg, of Freeborn, was called as pastor, accepted the call and held his introductory service March 9, 1870. Rev. Wulfsberg served the congregation until March 5, 1873, when the present pastor, O. A. Mellby, was installed, and has ever since served as such. A piece of land was soon bought for a cemetery and thereon a church building was erected in 1877, but on account of the poor circumstances of the members of the society, stood unfinished until 1886, when it was completed and dedicated by Rev. L. M. Biorn, of Zumbrota, June 30. By the cyclone of June 15, 1892, this church was entirely swept away and scattered over the sur- rounding prairie. It was a hard blow to the little congregation, but not despairing, at a meeting held July 11 the same year, it was unanimously resolved to commence the erection of a larger and better house of worship and immediately went to work, raised the necessary funds and let the contract for such a struc- ture to Mr. Tolsrud, of Lake Mills, Iowa. The work was com- pleted to the general satisfaction of the congregation, and the new church was solemnly dedicated by Rev. L. M. Biorn, July 15, 1893. with the assistance of several other pastors. Including a fine bell and pipe organ the building cost about $5,000. Besides this, by the effort of some influential members, a large vacated school house has been recently bought and placed on a fine lot in the village of Ellendale to be used for parochial and Sunday school and other religious meetings, at a cost of some $600. The congregation, very small at the beginning, has had a steady growth, until at present it has about 300 members. The present officers are: L. J. Brynestad, secretary ; A. Muri, trustee and treasurer; N. Norby, Gilbert Thorson, trustees. The congrega- tion has a flourishing women's society working for missionary and charitable purposes, and a young people's society with re- ligions and literary program. The congregation is a member of The United Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
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