USA > Minnesota > Mower County > The history of Mower County, Minnesota : illustrated > Part 30
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Era Club. The Era Club, whose members are of the opinion that the name is more attractive than "The Woman Suffrage" club, is devoted to politieal equality. It was founded by Miss Laura Gregg, of Kansas, national organizer, ten years ago. Miss Gregg was accompanied to Austin and other points by Rev. Ida C. Hultin. The women of all the Austin churches were invited to attend and meetings were held in the afternoon and evening in an edifice sinee used as a Christian Science church. Mrs. Boostrom was elected president when the club was formed and
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served in the executive capacity seven years. Mrs. John D. Smith is now serving as president. . The club has entertained the state suffrage convention twice in its history and its influence is wide.
A prominent member is Mrs. Lizzie Catherwood, through whose efforts the local end of the organization was brought to a successful issue ten years ago. At the monthly meetings, held throughout the year at the homes of members, the attendance is notably large, particularly at the evening meetings. Lawyers, ministers, teachers and newspaper writers have addressed the meetings from time to time and the influence of the suffragists is brought to bear on all visitors. The club membership numbers 157. Its aim is to create interest in political equality for women and it takes a part in all efforts to advance the interests of women and children. It has invariably sent delegates to the state convention, and occasionally to the national convention.
Esperanto Club. The Esperanto Club has been organized several years and has numbered a considerable membership. Dr. F. E. Daigneau, who was instrumental in the organization of the club, and who has been president since it was organized, has re- ceived a preliminary diploma and advanced diploma, and is first vice-president of the American Esperanto Association. Consider- able foreign correspondence has been the result of the study of this universal language.
The Duodecim. The Duodecim Society is composed of young men in and graduates from our high school. The object is good fellowship, self-improvement and development along the lines of debate and extemporary speaking. The society was organized in 1903 and is limited to a working membership of twelve. The alumni members are formed into an honorary society, which numbers fifty. The society meets every other week and renders a program consisting of two or three papers on some up-to-date topie and a debate.
An elaborate annual banquet is one of the features of the year's work.
The Knights of the Round Table have an organization similar in many ways to the Duodecim, dating from 1909. They were organized for the development of the young men mentally, morally and socially. Their membership is limited to thirteen. An annual banquet is a club feature.
The Stoddard Club. The Stoddard Club was organized in 1906, Mrs. P. II. Friend being one of the prime movers. Since its organization it has been engaged in the reading of the Stoddard Lectures. The elub meets every other Thursday at the home of some one of the members. Two readers are appointed for each meeting and a round table of current events form a part of the
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program of each meeting. The club has given to the publie library a set of the Stoddard Leetures and a copy of Zona Gale's Pelleas and Etarre. The membership is not limited. Mrs. W. Il. Albertson is president and Mrs. J. L. Mitchell, treasurer.
St. Augustine's Reading Circle. St. Augustine's Reading Circle is a society of women composed of members of St. Augus- tine's Catholic Church, who have organized for the purpose of study especially connected with their faith. They were organ- ized as a club in February, 1907, with Mrs. T. H. Pridham the first president. Their work consists of a study of Stoddard's Lee- tures, and at present the study of the gospel of St. John and the saeraments and commandments of the church. The circle meets the second Thursday of the month for study and is at present under the leadership of Mrs. J. Z. Rogers as president. There were fourteen charter members and the membership has been limited to that number.
Ladies of the Hospital. In October, 1908, a number of ladies under the leadership of Mrs. R. S. Holmes organized an auxiliary to the St. Olaf Hospital Association. The original membership was seventeen; it is now 100. Few if any societies in our eity have accomplished as much as the Ladies of the Hospital. During the year they have done the necessary sewing for the hospital, hemming sheets, pillow eases and towels, etc. "They have fur- nished neatly and completely a room in the hospital. They have purchased a wheeled chair, to lighten the work of the nurses. They have contributed an annual gift of jellies and eanned goods to the hospital. Through their efforts and leadership a fine am- bulance, costing nearly $1,000, was purchased and presented to the eity, a place provided for its housing and the society has undertaken keeping it in repair. The objeet of the society is to further the good work of the hospital and to assist the nurses in their labor. Mrs. R. S. Holmes is president.
Austin High School Alumni Association. The father of the Alumni Association is L. N. MeWhorter. It was through his de- sire to have an organization that would be helpful from a social standpoint in keeping the interest in the high school and also through his energy that the association was organized. During the summer of 1894 he made a house to house canvas of the graduates. Later a meeting was held in the assembly room of the high school, at which time a constitution modeled after the con- stitution of the General Alumni Association of Minneapolis was presented and adopted.
The organization meeting was held in the high school assem- bly room, July 13, 1894, with forty-three charter members. The first annual meeting was held at the Evergreen Farm, in the summer of 1895. All graduates of the Austin High School and
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their spouses are eligible to membership. An annual publication, the Altruist, is issued. The presidents of the association have been : 1895, A. O. Dinsmoor; 1896, L. M. MeWhorter; 1897, Wini- fred Ober Reed; 1898, Gertrude Ellis Skinner; 1899, Ida Eccel- ston French; 1900, Ada Morgan Crane; 1901, Ida Smith Decker; 1902, Etta Barnes Decker; 1903, F. W. Greenman; 1904, George E. Anderson; 1905, Fred C. Ulmer; 1906, Cecil Freeman; 1907, Wallace Gregson; 1908, Thaddeus Thompson; 1909, Chester Johnson ; 1910, Ralph Crane; 1911, J. N. Nicholsen.
Birthday Club. The club in Austin which has had perhaps the most unique and clever social programs, and which is distinc- tively social in its function, is the Birthday Club, founded in 1903 at the home of Mrs. A. M. Smith. The membership is prae- tically composed of young married people and the programs and meetings occur at irregular intervals, depending upon the circum- stanees, the main one of which is the birthday date of the indi- vidual member.
The Civil Improvement League has done much toward beauti- fying the city, planting flowers in waste places, cleaning up alleys and promoting civic pride. Mrs. Flora Conner and Mrs. W. C. Holmes were instrumental in its formation. It was fostered by the Commercial Club, and encouraged by the work of the State Federation of Women's Clubs. The league was organized in 1910.
Sunshine Association. Early in September of 1907, in response to a suggestion made by Mrs. John H. Skinner, the Y. W. C. A. undertook the distribution of elothing and other necessities to the needy. This work had long been done by the Herald, but it was felt that closer supervision was needed. Mrs. J. E. Robin- son, then secretary of the Y. W. C. A., willingly added this to her other duties. The Ladies' Relief Society of Austin was invited to hold its meetings in the rooms. This had been for many years a splendid organization of representative women, who had gener- ously ministered to the needs of the poor and unfortunate. Owing to illness, death or removal from the city only three members of the organization were active at this time, and the working force was composed almost entirely of new members. At the annual meeting in April, 1908, it was decided to change the name of the society to the Sunshine Association of Austin, to incorporate and to engage a general secretary. This was done at small expense.
The society has about fifty members. Meetings for work are held Thursday afternoons from October to June, although many women who wish to help a good work along visit the rooms on other afternoons, where Flora Johnson, the secretary, always has work for willing hands.
O. H. HEGGE, M. D.
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A vast amount of work has been done by this organization. Many comforters have been made and distributed, thousands of garments, new and partly worn, have been passed on, and dozens of complete outfits for infants have been made and given to des- titute mothers. During the cold months an average of 200 gar- ments a month are passed on by charitable persons through the agency of the society. An average of ten calls a weck is made by the visiting committee. Every cry of distress that comes to the ears of a Sunshiner is quickly investigated and relief always given to helpless women and little children. The association has been enabled to do this work by financial contributions from the Elks, Masons, Eagles, Christian Endeavorers of the Congre- gational church, a lecture by Rev. J. F. Budlong and generous gifts from other friends too numerous to mention. Last June the Herald generously offered the society rooms rent free, and the Sunshine headquarters are now in the Herald building. At the present time Mrs. C. L. West is president; Mrs. George Sutton, vice-president ; Mrs. P. A. Reilly, secretary; Mrs. W. R. Terry, treasurer; and Miss Flora Johnson, general secretary of the organization. Too much credit cannot be given Mrs. C. L. West for her work in this capacity. Energetic, capable and self-sacrific- ing, she has labored in every good canse which has solicited her attention, and her name is beloved in the many households which she has benefited.
St. Olav Hospital and Training School. St. Olav Hospital and Training School is an outgrowth of a private hospital conducted by Drs. Hegge & Hegge, in some rented rooms over the Daily Register office in Austin, Minn. Owing to the rapid growth and steadily increasing practice of these physicians, it soon became ap- parent that a hospital should be established in Austin on a more permanent basis, and Dr. O. H. Hegge accordingly went to the annual meeting of the United Lutheran Church, assembled at St. Paul, Minn., in June, 1896, and spoke before the convention of Lutheran clergymen about his plan of having a hospital organ- ized in Austin. This meeting, however, could not be prevailed upon to take any direct interest in the establishment of this hos- pital; but a special meeting of some of the local clergymen and some of the interested laymen was called, and Dr. Hegge did not give up his efforts until the Austin Hospital Association was formed and incorporated under the laws of the state of Minne- sota. The first board of directors was elected the 5th day of June, 1896, as follows : Rev. J. Mueller Eggen, Lyle, Minn., presi- dent; Rev. S. O. Rondestvedt, Grand Meadow, Minn., vice- president ; Rev. E. T. Rogne, Austin, Minn., secretary and treas- urer. P. K. Everson, Hustad, Towa ; L. F. Clausen, Austin, Minn.,
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and Dr. O. H. Hlegge, Austin, Minn., were the other members of the board of directors.
The Austin Hospital Association, as the corporation was called, immediately acquired sufficient ground at 916 Lansing avenue for the hospital and training school. Lena Nelson, a Lutheran deaconess from Minneapolis, was called as sister in charge, and Drs. O. H. and C. A. Hegge constituted the regular hospital staff, although the hospital also opened its doors to all regular physi- cians and surgeons in Austin and vicinity. The hospital is located in the best residence district in Austin, overlooking the banks of the Red Cedar, about half a mile from the business center, and removed from the noise, dust and smoke of the factories and railways.
St. Olav Hospital proved a success from the start, and in 1910 it was necessary to build a large addition, as more room was needed both for the patients and for the training school. At this time two new operating rooms with complete surgical equipment were also added, as well as a fine new ambulance, which was donated by the ladies of Austin.
The Corporation. The general purpose of this corporation, according to the articles of incorporation, "shall be the owning, erecting, maintaining and conducting a public hospital for the medical and surgical care and treatment of persons afflicted with disease, admitted as patients therein, and to do and perform all the business ineident and necessary to the successful operation of a public hospital. The corporation is organized for benevolent purposes and not for profit, and shall, when able to do so, care for and nurse worthy poor patients admitted into the hospital free of charge. The location of said hospital shall be in the city of Austin, in the county of Mower, in the state of Minnesota."
Membership. A. "The voting members of this association shall be members of any Lutheran church who shall have paid a membership fee of $5 and an annual fee of $1. No member shall have more than one vote. B. Lutheran clergymen in and about the city of Austin, Minn., shall be honorary members of this cor- poration, but may become voting members by paying the fees as prescribed in the by-laws."
The board of directors of the Austin Hospital Association in 1911 are: Rev. J. A. E. Naess, Austin, Minn., president ; Rev. E. O. Hofstad, Hayfield, vice-president ; W. R. Earl, Austin, Minn., secretary; Gust. Schleuder, Austin, Min., treasurer; Rev. O. Johnson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., and Seymour Johnson, Austin. Minn. Mr. Johnson has for several years been active manager of the hospital, and under his careful and economical business management the institution has greatly prospered.
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C. A. HEGGE, M. D.
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AUSTIN SCHOOLS.
The first public school in Austin was organized in the summer of 1856. It was taught by Maria Vaughan in a log house which was afterward occupied by Ormanzo Allen for a dwelling. It stood on the north side of Water street, where James Anderson's dwelling was afterward erected. The following winter, school was held in a frame dwelling, remodeled for the purpose, on Maple street, southeast of where the Fleck house (occupied by the McCulloch Printing Company) now stands. Sarah Bemis was the teacher. The third term of school was taught in the same place by Kate Conkey. The next move was made to the old "Head- quarters" in a room which on Sundays was used for church services. This school was taught by a young man named Saxon. About this time Mr. Pike taught in the Hunt & Bassford building across from the court house. "Headquarters" was the place of holding school till 1866, when the first school house was erected on the present site of the Public library. It was a one-story, two- room brick building costing $2,750. It was later used by the Methodist church, and still later used again for school purposes. It was removed to make room for our fine Carnegie library build- ing. After the fire of 1890, Marian Miller, now Mrs. E. H. Sterling, had 103 first primary pupils in one of the rooms of this school house. Superintendent Fitch suggested that as the weather was too warm to need a fire, the children might be put in the stove. W. T. Mandeville taught the first school therein, com- mencing in February, 1866. In 1868 the school was first graded into departments. Other teachers in this building during the early years were Mr. Otis and daughter, and Miss Davidson.
In 1869 it was found necessary to provide more school room, and a fine three-story brick structure was erected on the block now occupied by the Franklin high school. It was built by D. J. Tubbs, one of Austin's pioneers, at a cost of $35,000. It was not completed till 1870. September 12, 1870, Mr. Tubbs, while at work, fell two stories, breaking two ribs. The first teachers in this building were Horace L. Strong, superintendent, Misses E. L. Eastman, Eva D. Sherbondy, Julia Hobart, Ella Cook, and Loi Cook. It was here that the high school was organized by Superin- tendent E. Bigelow, and where superintendents taught who have since achieved success-James J. Dow, superintendent of the State School for the Blind, at Faribault; Judge W. W. Keysor, professor in the law school of Washington University. St. Louis, Mo .; A. W. Rankin, professor in the University of Minnesota. and George B. Aiton, state high school inspector. This okl his- toric building was burned April 28, 1890. The fire broke out at
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8 o'clock in the morning, before the teachers and pupils had reached the building.
The present Franklin high school was built immediately on the same site and was opened March, 1891. It was remodeled in 1907 and is one of the best buildings in the state.
The following ward schools have been built: Lincoln school, in the third word, in 1887. First it was a four-room building. In 1893 two rooms were added, and in 1907 two rooms more. This school house was burned early in the morning of January 8, 1909. A beautiful eight-room brick building was erected on the same site and fitted up with the latest and best school house equipment.
The Whittier, a two-room school at the south bridge, was built in 1893.
The Webster, a one-room school east of the Milwaukee tracks, was opened in 1891.
The Sumner, a four-room brick school in the north part of the city, was erected in 1894.
The Washington, a four-room brick school, was erected in 1907. It is across the road from the high school building, and the entire basement is occupied by the high school gymnasium, with shower baths and dressing rooms. It is heated from the high school plant.
The Franklin, Lincoln, Sumner and Washington schools have fan ventilation. The Washington building is unique in that the heating coils and fan are located in the attie, the warm fresh air being blown down instead of up, as is usually done. The build- ings are all in first-class condition and great care is taken to keep them clean and sanitary.
The people of Austin have always taken great pride in their school and have not been satisfied with anything but the best. The first class to graduate from the high school was in 1877. It con- sisted of two members, Rose E. Litchfield and Olie Crane. A class has graduated each year with the exception of 1885. The total number to receive diplomas, including the class of 1911, is 621- 448 girls and 173 boys. There is a noticeable increase in the per- centage of boys in the classes during the last few years, although the elass of 1882 was all boys-Frederick R. Clow, Adelbert O. Dinsmoor and Eugene B. Summy. Many have attained distinc- tion. The leading men and women of Austin are numbered among the alumni. A large number have finished their education in higher institutions of learning and are successful in the various professional and business lines.
The High School Alumni Association is a "live wire." Among other up-to-date enterprises, The Altruist deserves special men- tion. The tenth issue (June, 1910) is before me. It is a twenty- five-page annual edited by Estella Slaven, Daisy Maxwell, Helen
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Banfield and Wallace Gregeson. It contains history, reminiscence, wit, and humor which every alumnus will enjoy and appreciate more and more as the years roll by. The alumni association is doing much to form and keep alive school spirit and interest.
The school curricula embrace the latest in educational thought. Courses are offered to meet any demand, whether in academic or industrial lines. Athletics and gymnasium work is encouraged for the purpose of developing manly and womanly qualities and physical health and vigor. From "Milestones of the Austin High School," in The Altruist, I quote: 1881, the first laboratory started; 1888, first juniors' reception to seniors; 1894, alumni association organized, organization of the first football team (Mr. Selleck organizer), the introduction of music into the high school curriculum; 1895, first alumni banquet; 1896-7, organization of the first baseball team; 1903, first eighth grade commencement year; 1906, introduction of manual training; 1907, remodeling of interior of high school; 1908, domestic science finds a place in the course ; 1909, a high school gymnasium opened, forge work began, pottery work introduced, Alumni Athletic Association formed.
In 1909 the Columbus Parochial School was opened in a beauti- ful new building, with an enrollment of about 240 pupils. In September last a high school class of about twenty-five was formed.
Our public school enrollment the present year is 1,264, 263 being in the high school. Thirty-eight teachers are employed. The school board members are: H. A. Avery, president; C. I. Johnson, clerk; Alex S. Campbell, treasurer; Joseph Keenan. C. H. Deeker and George Hirsh.
Following is a list of superintendents: Horace L. Strong, about 1869-1874 ; James J. Dow, 1874-1875 ; E. Bigelow, 1874-1879 ; W. W. Keysor, 1879-1881; A. W. Rankin, 1881-1884; II. L. Gibson, 1884-1885; George B. Aiton, 1885-1886; E. T. Fitch, 1886-1891 ; W. E. Aul, 1891-1892; W. F. F. Selleck, 1892-1901; Andrew Nelson, 1901-1906; George A. Franklin, 1906.
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA NORMAL COLLEGE.
A recent writer has said that the story of the Southern Minne- sota Normal College reads like a romance. The first conception of such an institution took root when one of its founders was denied the privilege of going to school because of not having the necessary means of paying his tuition.
Immediately after this refusal he walked down and out of the registration room of one of Illinois' educational institutions, and, pausing a moment on the sidewalk, shook his fist at the president's window and said: "I will have an institution some day where any boy or any girl can go to school. no matter how poor and no matter what is the stage of their advancement." This determi-
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nation finally resulted in the founding of the Southern Minnesota Normal College and Austin School of Commerce.
In 1896, Charles R. Boostrom made a trip to Minnesota to determine upon a location for the school, visiting Crookston, Red Wing, Kenyon, Detroit and other promising cities. Upon this trip he met Dr. E. M. Shelde, who was at that time conducting a private normal school at Kenyon, Minn. Professor Boostrom became acquainted with Dr. Shelde partly through correspond- ence and partly through a mutual friend, O. G. Jackman.
On March 16, 1897, Dr. Shelde, Charles R. Boostrom and O. G. Jaekman met at Kenyon, Minn., and drew up articles of agree- ment to incorporate and found a school somewhere within the boundary of the state. The next morning, March 17, found them in Austin, ready to lay their proposition before the city council. The late Frank I. Crane, who was at that time mayor of Austin, immediately called a meeting of the city council and of the citi- zens, to hear the proposition to be made. Professor Boostrom was chosen to set forth the purposes of the institution to be founded, as follows: To provide an institution, first, for those poor in money put rich in intellect, and whose early education had been neglected. Second, for teachers who had had little time to prepare for teaching and who desired to raise the grade of their certificate. Third, for those who desired a thorough business and shorthand education, and, in fact, anyone, no matter how young or how old, how rich or how poor, who desired the foundations of an education.
Very little was asked from the city except that five acres of land should be provided as a suitable location for the future place and that the school should be given quarters rent free for one year.
Twenty years ago the schools were not good in the North- west. The settlers were poor and unable to send their children a long distance to school. As a result, throughout the Northwest there are many adults who possess merely the rudiments of an English education. The founders of Austin's independent normal school had the idea of building up the large institution by pro- viding adult classes in common school branches for the class.
The following committee was appointed by Mayor F. I. Crane to complete arrangements with the institution : Gus Schleuder, Dr. II. A. Avery, E. W. Doer, George Hirsh and Ira Padden.
The citizens of Austin readily saw that such an institution, properly and carefully managed, would become a great factor in the development of their town, and provided temporary quar- ters, in what had been the old Fleck house, for the new school. Meager indeed were the equipments, and perhaps only a score
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