USA > Minnesota > Renville County > The history of Renville County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 74
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Soon after this, both the state legislature and the national Congress were approached for funds to establish a park. Con- gress was asked for $40,000, but owing to the number of such demands, no action was taken in the matter.
For a time there was little better success in the state legis- lature, though Col. Hopkins presented himself at St. Paul. filled with patriotic fervor, and well equipped with historie data and convincing arguments.
From that time to this, every session of the legislature has been importuned by Col. Hopkins personally or by his friends, and marvelous results have been achieved.
It was in 1895 that the legislature made its first appropria- tion, the purpose at that time being the purchase of the five aeres of land already mentioned and the erection of a monument. The matter was to be in charge of a commission.
On October 15, 1899. the Fort Ridgely National Park and
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Historical Association was organized for the establishment of an enlarged park.
The first directors of this society were: Hon. Chas. E. Flan- dreau, who was in command of the forees that defended New Ulm against the Indians in August, 1862: Lient. T. J. Sheehan, who was in command at Fort Ridgely in the nine days' siege and two days' battle at about the same time: A. G. Stoddard. E. F. Sell, M. D. Brown and C. II. Hopkins, Fairfax, and Dr. J. W. B. Welcome, of Sleepy Eye.
Efforts were again put forth by this society to try and get the national government to take it in hand and another bill was introduced in both houses to appropriate forty thousand dollars and establish a national park, the same to be in charge of the war department.
Charles H. Nixon represented Renville county in the Senate at that session, and Gunerus Peterson in the house, and they are deserving of mueh credit for the tangible results accom- plished.
Judge Charles Flandreau, in command at New Ulm at the time of the outbreak, was made chairman of the commission. Associated with him were Lieut. Col. Sheehan, commander at the fort in 1862; C. H. Hopkins, of Fairfax; Maj. Powell, of Red- wood Falls, and Messrs. Ives, Anderson and Stone, of St. Peter. The work of looking after the affairs at the fort and loeating the monument was in the hands of the Fairfax man. Major R. I. Holeombe, of St. Paul. an historian of note, was secured by the commission to furnish historieal data and act as clerk.
The monument was started in the summer of 1895 and com- pleted in the fall of 1896, being located on the exact spot where the flag pole stood at the old fort in 1862. Mr. Hopkins and Col. Sheehan seleeted the design and the inscriptions. The com- mission served withont pay and everything was done with the least possible expense to the state.
President Hon. Chas. E. Flandrean was kept in Washington some two months one session to try to get it through, but as before, on account of there being so many similar bills asked it was a bar to all, and any hopes for getting national aid was given np, and the society concluded that as long as this historie spot had formed and had taken so important part in the early history of the state of Minnesota. it would be proper and a priv- ilege for her to continue to enlarge and beautify the site of old historie Fort Ridgely, and Col. C. H. Hopkins, who was the see- retary, was delegated to try at the different sessions of the fol- lowing legislatures to get additional measures passed. but was unsuccessful. until his son. Hon. Frank Hopkins, was elected to the house in 1911 and 1912, who, with the assistance of Repre- sentative N. J. Holmberg, in the house and Hon. Frank Murray,
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Hon. Frank Clague and Hon. Henry Benson in the Senate were successful in getting an appropriation to purchase the eighty- aere traet that includes the site of old Ft. Ridgely. Special praise is due Henry Benson. On the last day of session the Ft. Ridgely bill was far down on the calendar. There was no chance of its being reached before the close of the session. But Mr. Benson, under a special privilege motion, got the bill before the Senate and it was passed. Otherwise it would have passed into oblivion with no action taken on it.
In the session of 1912 and 1913, they were successful in get- ting an appropriation to purchase the other eighty-aere traet which includes the old National Cemetery, where Capt. Marsh, Interpreter Quinn and twenty-five other soldiers are buried that were killed in the battle and ambush at the lower Sioux Agency ferry in August, 1862, and also other historic points of interest. This traet, originally owned by B. II. Randall, had passed out of the possession of Rev. P. H. Ronglie.
This society has one hundred and fifty-two members from all over the state and nation, and as the years go by, will in- erease in membership and in influence and will be the great force that will continue to upbuild and perpetuate this most his- torie spot to posterity.
Its present officers arc HIon. D. S. Hall, president; Hon. Chas. H. Nixon, vice-president ; Col. C. H. Hopkins, secretary and treas- urer; Richard R. Pfefferle, William Pfaender, Jacob Klossner, Joseph A. Ochs, of New Ulin; William Wichman, of Morton, and Gustav A. Rieke, of Fairfax, and Alexander Russell, of West New- ton, are the seven directors. The membership fee is $5.00 for life, no assessments; application can be made to any of its officers.
At its meeting of 1915 it was voted to change the name from the Fort Ridgely National Park to the Fort Ridgely State Park, and members will get a beautiful certificate to frame and hang up in their homes which contains perfect pictures of Hon. Chas. E. Flandreau, Col. T. J. Sheehan, Old Fort Ridgely as it was in 1862, and a pietnre of the monument.
At the legislative session of 1915 an appropriation was made to make improvements which have been done the past summer. The iron fence has been moved from the five-aere traet and used in fencing the Fort Ridgely cemetery from the State Park.
The private dwelling house has also been moved from the parade grounds to down near the amphitheatre, where publie exercises are held, and it has been repainted and repaired. The foundation under the house was taken from the eellar that had been originally built under the private house and the stones were a part of the old Fort Ridgely garrison ; there has been a cellar made near the house where it is now located, that also having
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been made out of stone from the old garrison. There is also a new grandstand being erected of all cement and steel in the amphitheatre, which will last for all time.
Now it is Col. Hopkins' ambition to get an appropriation to «rect a dam across the Fort Ridgely Creek valley near the Min- nesota river bottoms, thereby creating an artificial lake, which will be some three-fourths of a mile long and something like 100 rods wide. It successful, and he probably will be, his ef- forts will make this historic spot the most popular and most beautiful park for the public to come to for their summer out- ing, thereby confirming the saying of the park's father. uttered many years ago, in which he said that one standing on the site of old Fort Ridgely, looking down the beautiful Minnesota val- ley. is led to exclaim that nature must have foreseen the great events that would transpire here. and the needs of the unborn generations for a breathing place and lavished her charms ac- cordingly.
Fort Ridgely is located about six miles south of Fairfax.
The annual memorial services held on the Sunday nearest to May 30, are fast becoming an event of state importance. Thou- sauds of people flock to the celebration from near and distant points, prominent speakers inenleate lessons of patriotism. and inspiration is gathered for the future by considering the heroic events of the past.
Col. Hopkins is of the belief that in time the park may be used as a drilling and training point. Nature has here made an ideal place for such a purpose. The old parade grounds offer unlimited room for countless military maneuvers, the bottoms and bluffs offer a safe opportunity for artillery practice, while the bluffs give an ideal place for training for the infantry and cavalry in charge formations. It is a suitable distance from Ft. Snelling and only a brief walk from the thriving village of Fairfax with its excellent railroad facilities. Should modern con- ditions tend to create a demand for the training of our youth in military tacties and camp life. the state may find that its in- vestment at Ft. Ridgely has far more than a sentimental and recreational value.
The park now embraces practically 160 acres. The cemetery association owns about five acres. The cemetery association has deeded to the state the spot where stand the monuments to Cap- tain Marsh and his men, to Mrs. Eliza Muller and to the faith- ful Chippewas, as well as the land on the slope of the bluff, which was originally a part of the cemetery, but from which the bodies have now been removed to another part of the cemetery.
The new grandstand is located in a small ravine, and the beautifully sloping sides of the ravine form a natural amphi- theatre for the accommodation of almost countless people.
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Near the cemetery there stands a church, suitable either for funerals or for religious services and other purposes. This church originally stood across the river in the township of Lone Tree Lake, in Brown county, but many years ago was taken down and moved to its present location. For many years a regular organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church was maintained therein, but the building is now under no church jurisdiction.
Following is a copy of the inscriptions on the monument erected by the state of Minnesota, in September, 1896, on tlie former site of Ft. Ridgely, pursuant to Chapter 375, Laws of Minnesota, 1895:
IN MEMORY OF THE FALLEN; IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIVING; AND FOR THE EMULATION OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.
Erected A. D. 1896, by the state of Minnesota, to preserve the site of Ft. Ridgely, a United States military post established in 1853, and especially to perpetuate the names and commemorate the heroism of the soldiers and citizens of the state, who suc- cessfully defended the fort during nine days of siege and in- vestment, August 18-27, 1862, and who gallantly resisted two formidable and protracted assaults upon it, made August 20 and 22, 1862, by a vastly superior force of Sioux Indians under com- mand of Little Crow and other noted Indian leaders and warriors.
August 18, 1862, the Sioux Indians of the Upper Minnesota river, in violation of their treaties, broke into open rebellion. and within a few days thereafter massacred about one thousand citizens in the southwestern part of the state, and destroyed property of the value of millions of dollars. Many men, women and children fled to Ft. Ridgely and were under its protection during the siege. The successful defense of the fort by its gar- rison, consisting of parts of Companies B and C, Fifth Regiment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, the "Renville Rangers," and citi- zens and refugees, was very largely instrumental in saving other portions of Minnesota from ravage and devastation, and greatly contributed to the ultimate defeat of the Indians and their ex- pulsion from the state.
During the entire siege of Ft. Ridgely, the garrison was skill- fully commanded by Lieut. Timothy J. Sheehan of Company C. Fifth Regiment, Minnesota Infantry. He was ably assisted by Lient. Norman K. Culver, Company B, of the same regiment, act- ing post quartermaster and commissary in charge of detaeliments ; Lieut. Thos. P. Gere, Company B, Fifth Minnesota Infantry, in command of the portion of his company present (Capt. John F. Marsh and twenty-three men of that company, and Peter Quinn, U. S. Interpreter, having been killed by the Indians at Redwood
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Ferry, August 18, 1862) ; Lieut. James Gorman, in command of the Renville Rangers ; Hon. Benj. H. Randall, in charge of armed citizens: Ordnance Sergeant John Jones, of the Regular Army, in general charge of the artillery, with Sergt. James G. MeGrew, Company B, Fifth Minnesota Infantry, and Mr. John C. Whipple, each in charge of a gun. Dr. Alfred Muller, post surgeon. The names of the other defenders of the fort appear elsewhere on this monument.
Co. B, 5th Minnesota Infantry.
First lieutenant, N. K. Culver, post quartermaster and com- missarv.
Second lieutenant, Thos. P. Gere, commanding.
Sergeants, Jas. G. MeGrew, A. C. Ellis, Jno F. Bishop.
Corporals, W. E. Winslow, T. D. Huntley, C. H. Ilawley, Michael Pfremer, Arthur MeAllister, Allen Smith, J. C. MeLean ; drummer, Chas. M. Culver : wagoner. Elias lloyt.
Privates-Geo. M. Annis, Jas. M. Atkins, Chas. H. Baker, Chas. Beecher, Win. II. Blodgett, Christ Boyer, John Brennan, H. M. Carr, W. H. H. Chase, James Dunn, Caleb Elphee, A. J. Fauver, J. W. Foster, Columbia French, Ambrose Gardner, Wm. Good (w'd), W. B. Hutchinson, L. W. Ives, J. W. Lester, Isaac Lindsey, Henry Martin, J. L. McGill (w'd), John McGowan, J. M. Munday, Jas. Murray, E. F. Nehrhood, Thos. Parsley, W. J. Perrington, H. F. Pray, Antoine Rebenski, Heber Robinson, An- drew Rufridge (w'd), Lauren Scripture, John Serfling, R. J. Spornitz (w'd), Sam'} Steward, Wm. I. Sturgis, Wm. A. Suther- land, Ole Svendson, M. J. Tanner, J. F. Taylor, J. A. Underwood, Stephen Van Buren, Eli Wait, O. G. Wall. A. W. Williamson, MI. II. Wilson.
Co. C, 5th Minnesota Infantry.
First lieutenant, T. J. Shechan, commanding, wounded. Sergeants, John P. Ilieks, F. A. Blackmer (w'd), John C. Ross. Corporals, M. A. Chamberlain, V. C. Butler, Wm. Young, Den- nis Porter (w'd).
Privates-S. P. Beighley, E. D. Brooks, I. M. Brown, J. L. Bullock, Chas. E. Chapel, Zachariah Chute, L. II. Decker, Chas. Dills, Chas. II. Dills, Daniel Dills, S. W. Dogan, L. A. Eggleston, Halvor Elefson, Martin Ellingson, C. J. Grandy, Mark M. Greer (killed). J. P. Green, A. K. Grout, Andrew Gulbranson, Peter E. Harris (w'd), Philo llenry, James llonan, D. N. Hunt. L. C. Jones. N. I. Lowthian, A. J. Imther (w'd), John Malachy. John McCall, Orlando MeFall, F. M. MeReynokls, J. HI. Mead, J. B. Miller, Dennis Morean, Peter Nisson, Andrew Peterson, J. M. Rice, Chas. A. Rose, B. F. Ross, Edward Roth, C. O. Russell, W. S. Russell, Isaac Shortledge (w'd), Josiah Weakley, G. H. Wig- gins. JJ. M. Ybright. James Young.
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Renville Rangers.
First lieutenant, James Gorman, commanding (wounded). Sergeants, Theophile Richter, John MeCole, Warren Carey. Corporals, Louis Arner, Dieudonne Sylvestre, Roufer Burger. Privates - Urgel Amiot, Joseph Auge, Geo. Bakerman, Roeque Berthiaume, Ed. Bibeau, John Bourcier, Pierre Boyer, Sam'l Brunnelle, David Carpenter, Antoine Chose, Geo. Dagenais, Fred Denzer, Henry Denzer, Alexis Demerce, Francois Demeree, Carlton Dickinson, James Delaney, Louis Demeule, Joseph Fortier (w 'd), B. H. Goodell, R. L. Hobaek, Geo. La Batte, Fred La Croix, Joseph La Tour, Cyprian Le Claire (w'd), Medard Lucier, Moses Mireau, Theophile Morlin, A. B. Murch, Ernest Paul, Henry Pflaume, Henry Pierce, Joseph Pereau Thos. T. Quinn, Magloire Robidoux, Chas. Robert, Joseph Robinette (w'd), Francois Stay.
Armed Citizens.
B. Il. Randall (commanding), Wm. Anderson, Robt. Baker (killed), Werner Boeseh, Louis Brisbois, Wm. Butler, Clement Cardinal, M. A. Dailey, J. W. De Camp, Frank Diepolder, Henry Diepolder, Alfred Dufrene, J. C. Fenske (w'd), Jo. Jack Frazer, T. J. Galbraith, E. A. C. Hatch, Patrick Heffron, Geo. P. Ilieks, Keran Horan, John Hose, Joseph Koehler, Louis La Croix, James B. Magner, John Magner, Oliver Martelle, Pierre Martelle, John Meyer, John Nairn, Dennis O'Shea, Joseph Overbaugh, B. F. Pratt, J. C. Ramsey, John Resoft, Adam Rieke, August Ricke, Geo. Rieke. Heinrich Rieke (died), Victor Rieke, Louis Robert, Lonis Sharon, Chris. Schlumberger, Gustav Stafford, Joshua Sweet, Louis Thiele, Nikolas Thinnes, Onesime Vanasse (killed), A. 1. Van Voorhes, John Walter, J. C. Whipple, C. G. Wykoff, Xavier Zollner.
A number of women cheerfully and bravely assisted in the defense of the fort. The following named rendered especially valuable services: Anna Boesch, Kenney Bradford, Elizabeth M. Dunn, Margaret King Hern, Mary A. Heffron, Eliza Muller, Ju- liette MeAllister, Mary D. Overbaugh, Agnes Overbaugh, Julia Peterson, Mrs. E. Picard, Mrs. E. Pereau, Wilhelmina Randall, Valencia J. Reynolds, Mary Rieke, Mrs. R. Schmahl, Mrs. Speneer, Julia Sweet, Emily J. West.
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CHAPTER XXVIH.
URBAN SCHOOLS.
Story of the Growth of the Educational System in Renville Coun- ty's City and Village Schools-High School Courses-Asso- ciated Schools-Domestic Science-Manual Training-Agri- culture.
Renville county has eight high schools, located at Fairfax, Franklin, Morton, Sacred Heart, Renville. Olivia. Bird Island and Hector. There are graded schools in Buffalo Lake and Danube.
Renville Public Schools. The origin and growth of the publie schools of Distriet 33. of Renville, is typical of the settlement and development of the prairie country in this section of the state.
Distriet 33 was organized in the year 1872. During the greater part of the first seven years in the district, there was no regular school building, but the few pupils then in the country were gathered in some of the homes of the settlers and instructed there. The house of Tom Foster, which is at present a part of the residence on the L. D. Barnard farm just south of Renville city limits, was used as a school house. Lettie Spicer was the first teacher in the district. Other teachers of the period were: Edith Brooks, now Mrs. Silas Wilcox of New London, N. D., and Eliz- abeth Gordon, now Mrs. Henry Crooks of Bertha. Minnesota. From the time of the organization of the district till the first building was erected, Sergeant John Smith, a veteran of the Civil War and one of the earliest settlers in this section, was chairman of the school board. In 1879, when the C. M. & St. P. came through the region, the village of Renville was started and the first school building in the corporation was a small frame building erected on the site of the present village hall. After two years of school, this building became too small and an addi- tion was built on the west of the original building, doubling its size. The building as it then stood still remains on the same site and is used as the headquarters of the Renville City Fire Depart- ment. This building satisfied the requirements of the district until 1888. Lysander Hough was the first principal of the two- roomed building and he served until 1886 when M. J. Dowling, who was later an editor of the Renville Star Farmer, member and speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and now President of the Olivia (Minnesota) State Bank, accepted the position.
In 1888, the accommodations of this building having become too small, a four-room wood building was ereeted on the site of the present building. During the interval of transfer from the old building to the new, the older one came to be known as "Mary
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Munson's College" from the fact that Mary Munson tanght a part of the school, the primary department, there.
The school was placed on the state graded school list in 1888 under the principalship of M. J. Dowling. Three departments were maintained during this period, the fourth room being used as a lodge room. L. D. Barnes followed Mr. Dowling as principal for one year and was in turn succeeded by Abbie Webster, under whom the first class graduated from a four-year high school course, in 1892. The two graduates that year were H. B. Brooks, now editing a paper in Chinook. Montana, and Samnel Pederson, who is now preaching in Stanton, N. D.
William Barnum became principal in 1894 and on June 28. of the same year, the school building was utterly destroyed by a tornado. On the JJuly 16 following the citizens of the district voted bonds to build a two-story brick structure, which is the north part of the present building. On March 16, 1901. bonds were voted for the ereetion of the large addition which completed the building as it now stands. In the same year the district was made an independent distriet.
The present building is a substantial brick building, 65 feet by 142 feet, two stories high with a full sized basement. This build- ing contains twenty-four rooms in actual use as assembly rooms, class rooms, libraries, laboratories, kitchen, dining room, sewing room, shops and offices. Besides these there are two modern toilet rooms, furnace room, coal room and a storage room in the base- ment.
The building is situated on Cottonwood street and at the end of and facing Hazel street toward the west. It is situated in grounds nearly three aeres in area which were laid out accord- ing to the plans of a landscape architeet and planted with trees and shrubbery. There is no more beautiful school yard in Minne- sota than this. The grounds are equipped for play apparatus also.
In 1896, under the superintendency of I. A. Thorson, who is now President of the Northwestern School Supply Company of Minneapolis, the school was placed on the accredited list of state high schools. Following Mr. Thorson, who served from 1895 to 1899, the list of superintendents is as follows: 1899-1901, R. H. Burns, later an attorney and law partner of Governor W. S. Hammond, and now deceased ; 1901-1903, J. W. Heekert, now pro- fessor of modern languages at Oxford University, Ohio; 1903- 1908, Geo. A. Hanson, now sales manager, N. W. School Supply Co., Minneapolis; 1908-1912, J. B. Hagen, at present Superintend- ent of City Schools, Detroit, Minnesota ; 1912-1916, present super- intendent, L. J. Farmer.
In common with other schools all over the country, the Ren- ville Schools prospered and grew with the needs of their com- munity. This has already been indieated in the faets relating to
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the various school houses. Besides that the schools, aided lib- erally by state money, supported well by local taxation and wisely administered by the local Board of Education, have been success- ful whether measured by the satisfaction they have given the parents, the success with which its graduates have met, or by com- parison with other schools.
Some of the school records were lost in the tornado which destroyed the building in 1894 and, therefore, we cannot state how many pupils have been afforded a common school education by these schools. But, with the elose of the present school year (1915-1916) no less than one hundred ninety-five students will have graduated from the high school. While as yet none of these graduates have gained fame, they all maintain a good average of citizenship. Fully twenty-five per cent of the gradu- ates became teachers after graduation and at least two of these are now superintendents of publie school systems in Minnesota, Supt. G. G. Kottke ( '04) of Hayfield, Minnesota, and Supt. H. D. Spaulding ( 'OS) of Lester Prairie, Minnesota. Richard Molenaar of the class of 1906 is principal of Petersburg Consolidated School, Jackson County, Minnesota.
The financial growth of the institution has been interesting. In the year ending 1880, the first year for which there is a treas- urer's report preserved, the total disbursements were $386.97; in 1898 the total disbursements amounted to $7,000. and in 1915, the last school year, they were $18,811.48. In 1880, the apportionment money received from the state fund was only $31.50. in 1898 it was $896.93 and in 1915, $1,753.75. In 1880 no special state aid was received by the district, in 1898 the state aid was $400 and in 1915 it amounted to a total of $5,000. In 1880, the amount of special sehool tax raised was $262.68, in 1898 it was $5.171.62 and in 1915 this tax was $9,786.08. In 1898 the rate of special school tax was twenty-three mills, in 1915, 18 mills. In 1898, it cost $38 a day to run the school through the term and last year it cost $104 a day. In 1898 upon the basis of total disbursements and number of pupils enrolled, the cost per pupil was $22, while in 1915 upon the same basis the cost was $34 per pupil. According to the report of the U. S. Commissioner of Education for 1913, the average cost per pupil throughout the United States was $38.31.
The total value of the school building, grounds, and equip- ment, based upon a complete inventory taken in the school year 1913-14, which took into consideration the original cost and de- preciation, was $47,888. The actual present value, however, on the basis of what it would cost to duplicate the plant and equip- gustana College, at Rock Island, Ill., taking up a business course ment, would not be less than $75,000.
The Renville Schools have in the past always kept paee with
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the educational growth in the state and nation. The remarkable change which has taken place in the local school during the past ten years is typical of the changes going on in education else- where. Up to about 1905, the schools of the county followed the old style eurrienhim which was based on college entrance require- ments. This purpose was then well served and that policy pro- duced the great men of the former and present times. But re- spouding to publie sentiment, the schools assumed a radical change in character.
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