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These general oral histories were conducted from 1973 to 1993 predominantly in the late 1970s.  25 of the interviews are centered on the three cities of St. Cloud, Waite Park, and Sauk Rapids, while the remaining interviews are from communities north and east of that region.  Three interviews are from communities west of Duluth.

The people interviewed represent a wide spectrum of occupations including business owners in a variety of fields and farmers.  Journalists, teachers, musicians, peace officers, and medical care givers are also interviewed.  Each interviewee shares experiences from the early 1900s to the time of their interview and all discuss the changes to their community that they have seen in that time.  Many discuss how their parents or grandparents migrated to the United States and then to St. Cloud area, as well as giving family experiences in the area.  Experiences during the world wars, both at home and in the services, are provided, particularly economic effects on agriculture and manufacturing.  In some, experiences with the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression are also referenced.

Brief biographical and interview notes are given for all participants.  Date of birth and death were given when known using the oral histories, St. Cloud Times obituaries, Google search, or Findagrave.com.

Some interviews were actually transcribed. The typewritten transcripts were keyed into a Word document but have not been checked against the audio. Past experiences has suggested that the transcripts may not be complete. In the meantime, the transcripts are available here as PDFs.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/2/ [15728]

Biographical Information: Myron R. Allen (December 23, 1901-May 12, 1993), was born in Pine County, Minnesota. He lived in Pine City early in life. After attending the University of Minnesota in 1927, he settled in Aitkin, Minnesota. His wife was Edna May Allen. Allen served on the board of directors of the R.P. Allen Company, the General Minnesota Utilities Company and Minnesota Investors Corporations. His father, Reuben P. Allen, was the pioneer who formed the R.P. Allen Company.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on July 18, 1975, Allen discussed the history of Eastern Minnesota Power Company, General Minnesota Utilities, and R. P. Allen Company that served Minnesota farms and the general development of electrical power in Central Minnesota. Allen was formerly associated with these power companies and several other affiliated firms. All of the firms were engaged in the construction, financing, and operation of electric power lines and service in a wide area of east and north central Minnesota. The interview primarily concerned the operation financing of the companies, with comments regarding the Allen family, local history, and the effect of the Depression on the electric utilities generally.

Interviewed by James Fogerty

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/26/ [16063]

Biographical Information: Clifton Beaulieu was born on April 13, 1909, in Browns Valley, Minnesota. He spent most of his youth in Browns Valley before moving to St. Cloud with his family after high school graduation. Clifton originally attended St. Cloud State to teach, but thereafter switched to business school. He ultimately worked as a musician following his graduation, starting around the Great Depression in 1929. Aside from his vocational pursuits, Clifton also found time to start a family with his wife Evelyn who he married on July 4, 1942. They had two sons and two daughters. Clifton passed away on October 30,1979.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 26, 1979, Clifton Beaulieu recounted his personal and professional life, including his experiences with major historical events like the Great Depression and the Prohibition era. Beaulieu noted that he was originally born in Browns Valley, Minnesota in 1909, but eventually moved with his family to St. Cloud after graduating from high school in his hometown. Here he graduated from St. Cloud State and worked as a musician. Beaulieu affirmed that life during the Depression was never easy, but that he generally made enough to get by as a musician, while his economic fortunes gradually improved with the end of Prohibition in 1933. Aside from his career as a musician, Beaulieu also noted that he briefly served in the U.S. Army between 1942 and 1944 (albeit without seeing combat overseas), and that after the war, he helped manage the Fairgrounds Ballroom in St. Cloud until 1950. Aside from his work, Beaulieu also elaborated a bit upon his family life, discussing his marriage to his wife Evelyn in 1942, and the couple’s four children.

Interview conducted by John LeDoux and Al Nielsen

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/3/ [13653]

Biographical Information: Angeline Mesenburg Beaver (August 13, 1907-April 15, 1984) was a lifelong resident of St. Cloud. She married Lynwood Beaver in 1934 - he passed away in 1975. She was active in St. John’s Episcopal Church and a member of St. Anne’s Altar Guild, American Red Cross, 20th Century Club and Stearns County Historical Society. In 1927, Beaver graduated from St. Cloud State University. Both are buried together in St. Cloud’s North Star cemetery.

Transcript Summary: Beaver described her family history in St. Cloud, particularly on the Southeast side. That family history included her husband who worked for Holes-Webway for 46 years, as well as her father Frank who was from Luxembourg and her mother Mary Rau who was from Canada. Her father worked at the St. Cloud Reformatory, while her mother attended St. Cloud State and taught afterwards. Beaver also went to St. Cloud State’s lab school and post-secondary program and taught in girls’ schools in Benton County, Popple Creek, Albany and St. Cloud. More generally, Beaver discussed and reflected on how the town of St. Cloud, especially the east side of the city, changed drastically and grew its population in the following years. She mentioned shopping and stores in downtown St. Cloud and attending the St. John’s Episcopal Church. In addition, Beaver chronicled her husband Lynwood’s career at Holes-Webway, including its many locations in the St. Cloud area. She also touched on his service during World War II as well as her own volunteer service to help the war effort.

Interviewed by Cal Cower and John LeDoux

Biographical Information: At the time of this interview, Linda Bellows was an attorney in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Here she worked as a law clerk for the Hennepin County district court based out of the city of Minneapolis.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on April 17, 1993, Linda Bellows described her career within the Minnesotan legal system, as well as various qualities of it that she admired or believed could be improved upon. Bellows noted that she had always possessed an interest in practicing law from a young age, and that after attending three years of law school (in addition to four years of undergraduate work in the discipline of philosophy), she successfully passed the Minnesota bar exam. Following this, she spent eight years working as an attorney before transitioning to the role of law clerk within the Hennepin County district court. She preferred working within the court because it allocated her a greater variety of tasks and greater access to all corners of the legal system. Although Bellows noted that she enjoyed her work, she also expressed frustration with certain aspects of the legal system, including frequent shortages of staff, a lack of adequate funding and other resources, and increasingly large caseloads for attorneys to manage.

Interview conducted by Meg Dols

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/4/ [15724]

Biographical Information: Elsie Harrington Berg (November 14, 1907-2000) was born in Swatara, Minnesota. While she was in Iowa, Berg worked for the Sheaffer pen factory. She was married on June 25, 1930 to Fred Berg and lived and farmed in Swatara, Minnesota, where they had five sons, Fred, Ed, Gene, Calvin, Kenneth and two daughters, Catherine and Cora.

Transcript Summary: Berg discussed her family history in Swatara, Minnesota, in Aitkin County, in the early 1900s. Her father worked various jobs, including at a lumber camp, a plow shop and as a farmer. Growing up in the early 1900s, Elsie described walking to school with the other kids in town, along with walking almost everywhere with no vehicle. Berg also discussed the general history of other families that lived in the Swatara area. Along with general history of the area, she briefly discussed natural disasters during her lifetime. Berg reflected on how much the area and country has changed throughout the years. She described how she wrote poetry that was published.

Interviewed by James Robak

County Commisioner, Sauk Rapids, MN. through the 1930s and 1940s. Done for the Benton County Historical Society

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/5/ [15729]

Biographical Information: Bertha Rodeman Brenny (Aug 5, 1906 – May 26, 2001) was born in Graham Township, Benton County Minnesota to Frank and Matilda Walz Rodeman. Bertha attended both St. Cloud State and University of Minnesota where she received her teaching degrees. She was a teacher for 37 years and taught in schools in Foley and Pierz, Minnesota. During her life, Bertha was involved in many churches and institutions in the area, including Gilman Knights of Columbus, Gilman Christian Mothers, Benton County Teachers Association, and 4-H. In 1930, Bertha married Peter Brenny Sr. Peter passed away in 1979. Bertha’s sister, Emma Rodeman (Aug 13, 1908 – November 30, 1989), was born in Mayhew Lake Township, Benton County, Minnesota. She graduated from St. Cloud State in 1947 with a two year degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in 1953. Like her sister Bertha, Emma taught in Minnesota public district schools.

Transcript Summary: In two interviews conducted on July 23 and August 2, 1973 Bertha and Emma Rodeman discussed their experiences of methods of schooling and education both as teachers and pupils as well as the changes in school systems through the 1900s. They recalled how German was the only language they knew until starting school and how they were first introduced to the English language through the alphabet and arithmetic. The sisters described how they went to school with no paper or pencils, no indoor bathrooms, no running water, and how stoves heated classrooms. They also recall how they did not have well equipped libraries until they got to high school at St. Ben’s. They chronicled their time at St. Cloud State, including the Old Main building. Bertha and Emma described public school teaching careers. They talked about the ways education materials were first introduced to students and how textbooks were required by the state during the time as well as supplementary materials consisting of notebooks, pencils, crayons, maps and dictionaries. Bertha remembered during 1950s and 1960s they had film strip machines, recorders, telephones and even overhead projectors equipped in schools.

Interviewed by Thomas Raiche

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/27/ [16065]

Biographical Information: Earl Bukowski was born on November 11, 1919, in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. Bukowski spent most of his life in Sauk Rapids working as a baker, initially starting out as an assistant to his uncle at 11 years of age. Bukowski ultimately purchased the bakery as an adult. Aside from his primary career as a baker, Bukowski also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He supported his community as a volunteer firefighter, a member of the Sauk Rapids Chamber of Commerce, and a justice of the peace, among other roles. Bukowski passed away on May 2, 1999, survived by his wife, four children, ten grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 27, 1978, Earl Bukowski recounted his life as a resident of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. Bukowski noted that he started working in his uncle’s bakery at age 11, in order to help support his family during the Great Depression, and that (with the exception of roughly two years of service during World War II) he continued to bake, eventually purchasing his uncle’s bakery in 1957. Aside from his work as a baker, Bukowski also discussed how he volunteered to support the community of Sauk Rapids in a variety of other ways, including as a firefighter, member of the local chamber of commerce, and as a justice of the peace, among other activities. Additionally, Bukowski spoke about his family, noting that he was married on May 1, 1941. He and his wife raised four children together.

Interview conducted by John LeDoux and Mark Stone

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/6/ [13654]

Biographical Information: Jerome Burnett was born on September 28, 1926 in St. Cloud to Samuel and Mary Burnett. He attended school in the St. Cloud area, graduating from St. Cloud Cathedral in 1944. After graduation, he joined Marines and served during WW II until 1946. Jerome married to Mildred V. Johnson on June 6, 1950 in St. Cloud. He was an employee and an active union worker for many companies in Minnesota including DeZurik Company, Franklin Manufacturing, Cook and Son Manufacturing. He was also a candidate for the House of Representatives in 1964 and the grand lodge representative for the International Association of Machinists. During his He also served as a labor representative for the governor’s Indian Affairs committee, a member and president of St. Cloud Equal Rights Commission, and a member of St. Cloud Mayor’s tax advisory committee among many others. Jerome passed away on May 15, 2006.

Transcript Summary: In interviews conducted on December 30, 1977, and July 15 1986, Jerome talked about his life in St. Cloud, his professional career attached to many manufacturing companies in Minnesota, and services as a Marine during World War II. He recalled becoming a union member for the Machinists Union and Teamster Union in 1944. He served as an officer, on committees, chairman, vice-president and president for many of the unions he worked for. Jerome discussed how between the 1940s and 1960s that workers were more actively participating in union matters as opposed to today. He talked about the unions that were in St. Cloud including those for granite, railroad, and the building trades.

Interviewed by Calvin Gower and John LeDoux

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/28/ [16066]

Biographical Information: Alice Ziegler Carley and (Ralph) Deane Fischer were both residents of the town of Brook Park, Minnesota. Carley was originally born in Brook Park, but left the community in 1922 to pursue marriage and employment as the (alongside her husband) owner of a telephone company, before she ultimately returned to Brook Park in 1946. Fischer was not originally from Brook Park, but moved into the town in 1915, after which he spent time working as a farmer, construction worker, member of the town school board. He worked ultimately as the town’s postmaster for 21 years, retiring in the mid-1970s. Carley, who was born in 1903, died in 1981 while Fischer, who was born in 1910, died in 2003.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on December 19, 1980, Alice Ziegler Carley and Deane Fischer discussed the history of the town of Brook Park, Minnesota. Carley and Fischer noted that the community was originally called Pokegama, but that its name was changed to Brook Park (named for a creek in close proximity to the town) after much of it was destroyed in the Great Hinckley Fire of 1894. Carley and Fischer said that much of their youth was spent in Brook Park in which the town experienced a great deal of economic and population growth, right up until the start of the Great Depression in 1929. Nevertheless, they also affirmed that the Depression contributed to a decline in the town’s fortunes, from which it has since never fully recovered. Carley and Fischer affirmed that much of this also stemmed from a lack of recreational activities and professional work for young people within Brook Park that caused many of them (including their own children) to move out of town and live elsewhere.

Interview conducted by Calvin Gower and Alan Nielsen

Biographical Information: Helen C. Carter was born on December 29, 1891, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Carter attended Carleton College for three years and earned a bachelor’s in education. She also attended St. Cloud State and graduated in 1913, where she earned a graduate diploma in teaching. Carter worked for nearly 40 years as an educator at several schools throughout Minnesota between 1919 and 1956, where she taught a variety of subjects, including English, Latin, history, civics, and music. Carter passed away on October 12, 1983.

Transcript Summary: In a pair of interviews conducted on October 5 and 12, 1977, Helen C. Carter discussed her life as an educator within Minnesota. Carter noted that she was born and raised in St. Cloud, where she later she graduated from St. Cloud State in 1931, in addition to three years of studying at Carleton in pursuit of her B. A. in education. Carter also spoke about her nearly 40 year-long tenure (1919-1956) as an educator, in which she recounted working at several schools throughout Minnesota, primarily including St. Cloud Tech High School, and recalled teaching a myriad of different subjects, including history, English, Latin, music, and civics. Lastly, Carter affirmed that she enjoyed her work as an educator, and particularly enjoyed working with high school juniors.

Interview conducted by Calvin Gower

There is no audio.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/8/ [13655]

Biographical Information: Reuben Dahlstrom was born on December 1, 1902 in Milaca, Minnesota, to Carl John and Augusta Jonsson Dahlstrom. He married Bonna Valentine Wilkes on July 24, 1927. Reuben worked for his father, who was a Milaca shoemaker, and later partnered with Dahlstrom, Helman and Berg Pontiac Garage and Dealership. He began his own auto body repair shop in 1942 in Milaca and worked there until his 1976 retirement. Reuben was a member of many religious institutions including First Church of Christ Scientists and Zurah Shrine Temples in Minneapolis. He was also an active member of Milaca Historical Society and an honorary member of the Milaca Alumni Band. Ruben passed away on December 30, 1999. With wife Bonna, they had four children: David, Peter, John, and James. Bonna Wilkes Dahlstrom was born in Milaca, Minnesota on February 14, 1906 to A.C and Josephine Simon Wilkes. Bonna worked at Mille Lacs County Auditor’s office while also assisting her husband in the family business. She was an active member of Milaca Historical Society, Civic Club, Order of Eastern Star, and First Church of Christ Scientist. Bonna passed away on February 26, 1999.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on February 13, 1978, Reuben and Bonna discussed about their family backgrounds, ancestry, and livelihood. She recounted where their grandparents and parents came from and how they first moved to the Milaca area when it was still a young developing town. Bonna said that her grandparents from her fathers’ side came from New York and her mother’s side came from France, settling in Sunrise near the St. Croix River. Reuben discussed that his parents emigrated from Sweden during the 1890s and he recalled his dad saying that he first came to Milaca in an old pump hand car. He also remembered that his parents could not speak any English at the time. Reuben recalled his childhood being brought up in Milaca and how he and his brothers had to work for his father in his shoe shop. After high school graduation, Reuben explained how he got into automobile business, later owning his own automobile business. He discussed different types of cars they had in 1900s like the 1907 Ford, Imperial, Underslung car and how they were all open cars which were not driven much during winters. Most of the cars as he said were chain drive automobiles. He then recalled the Great Depression and how it affected society during the time, especially in Milaca. Reuben also discussed business during World War II and when the shop was sold to be part of a vocational school.

Interviewed by Cal Gower and John LeDoux.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/35/ [16067]

Biographical Information: Charles Fournier Dare was born on September 9, 1922, in Elk River, Minnesota. Throughout his life, Dare was closely involved in the newspaper business, attending the School of Journalism in Dunwoody in 1950 before taking over as the publisher and editor of the Sherburne County Star (a newspaper originally created by Dare’s grandfather in 1875 that was later passed on to his father in 1916). Dare also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Dare married Sally Brainard and they raised a daughter Jenny Sue. Dare ultimately passed away on December 15, 2008, at the age of 86.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on May 13, 1981, Charles Dare discussed his family and details of his career as a journalist. Dare noted that although he originally aspired to be a mechanic, he ultimately pursued journalism to assist his father with the family’s newspaper Sherburne County Star. At the time of the interview, Dare said the nature of this work shifted over time. Dare credited developments like the growth of suburbs and people’s increased reliance on cars to make long commutes to workplaces elsewhere (such as in Minneapolis and St. Paul) with eroding the local sense of community in towns like Elk River. As such, Dare maintained that these changes contributed to a decline in people’s interest in local affairs. Most were more interested in news relating to “corny” matters like sports and national politics.

Interview conducted by Cal Gower and John Urke

Biographical Information: Kenneth E. Dickinson was the former chief of police for the city of Waite Park, Minnesota. Following four years of service in the U.S. Air Force, he became a police officer in 1970, a position that he held until his retirement in 1999.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on February 26, 1992, Kenneth E. Dickinson discussed his time as a police officer in the city of Waite Park, as well as broad changes within the profession that took place over the course of his career. Dickinson noted that since he began working as a police officer in 1970, new educational standards had been enacted throughout Minnesota, requiring prospective officers to achieve two to four years of college education before entering the field. Likewise, Dickinson also noted that the introduction of many pieces of new technology helped ease law enforcement, including fax machines and more advanced breathalyzers for example. Dickinson affirmed that working in law enforcement was not always easy or pleasant. Yet he enjoyed his job and found it meaningful, asserting that he originally became a police officer in order to help out and protect his community.

Pharmacist and city council member, Foley, MN. Done for the Benton County Historical Society

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/7/ [15726]

Biographical Information: Harold L. Fisher was born on February 25, 1905 in Saint Joseph, Missouri, to Joseph C. Fisher and Minnie Gertrude Seley. His maternal grandparents and great grandparents were originally from Pennsylvania. And his paternal grandparents were from Prague, Bohemia. He married Mabel Johanna Hansen on September 25, 1934. He was a former postmaster (1950-1970) and mayor (1971-1977?) of Royalton, Minnesota. Fisher was involved in the St. Paul Lutheran Church, 4-H, Lutheran Senior Citizens’ Home, St. Otto’s Home and St. Mary’s Villa. He also authored a book entitled The Land Called Morrison, as well as a history of the Royalton post office. With wife Mabel, Fisher had four children – Joan, Bill, Tom, and Conrad. Fisher passed away on December 25, 1984 and is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Royalton, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on March 31, 1978, Harold Fisher discussed his ancestors, especially how his maternal grandparents came from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by traveling the Erie Canal, Chicago, and then Iowa. They were farmers with 160 acres of land and he talks about how they planted corn it all by hand with their children. And he also mentioned that his paternal grandparents were originally from Prague, Bohemia and came to Iowa during 1856. Fisher discussed his parents and how they moved to Missouri (where he was born), then coming to Minnesota. Harold took pride being born in St. Joseph, Missouri as it was where the Pony Express first started in 1860s. His family bought lands in Rice, Minnesota where they farmed corn. Fisher then recalled how he had to give up those farm lands and many of his assets to the Federal Land Bank during the Great Depression in 1930s. He vividly remembered World War I when 24 year old brother went to serve. Fisher recalled how he wished he was older so he could have joined too. He was the postmaster and mail carrier for Royalton during 1950s and became mayor in 1971. Fisher described how he became interested in history and writing, authoring books entitled History of 100 Years in the Post Office, The Platter River Settlement, and The Land called Morrison. He also talked about the populations and ethnicities around Royalton area and its development as well as the history of Morrison County and its first European settlers. He also touched on local churches, Prohibition, and the effects of the Great Depression. on Royalton.

Interviewed by John LeDoux. Includes two newspaper clippings.

Former mayor of Rice, MN with significant community and business involvement. Discusses farming and business issues of 1930s and 1940s. Done for the Benton County Historical Society

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/30/ [16069]

Biographical Information: Ethel Goven was born near New Ulm Minnesota on September 22, 1897, and moved to St. Cloud with her husband John in 1924, where she resided for the next 59 years. Gen Flanagan was born in Minneapolis in June 1914, and came to St. Cloud in 1942 with her husband who was a serviceman killed during World War II. Gloria Laughlin, alongside Goven and Flanagan, was a member of St. Cloud’s Reading Room Society, and later became president of the organization.

Transcript Summary: In two interviews conducted on March 3 and May 1, 1984, Ethel Goven, Gen Flanagan, and Gloria Laughlin spoke about their lives in St. Cloud and their time as members of St. Cloud’s Reading Room Society. Goven, Flanagan, and Laughlin said that the Reading Room Society was the oldest club for women in Minnesota’s history, as it existed for 119 years at the time of the interview. They asserted that the organization was the “epitome of social life in St. Cloud,” and that aside from holding regular meetings with its core of 55 “active” and additional, typically older “life members,” it also frequently hosted events like dinners and ballroom socials. Additionally, Goven, Flanagan, and Laughlin mentioned that the group maintained close ties with a multitude of other local institutions, such as the St. Cloud Public Library and St. Cloud State University, and that the latter’s President Isabel Lawrence and Dr. Philip Halenbeck were closely associated with the Reading Room Society, among other prominent individuals.

Interview conducted by Cal Gower

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/36/ [16070]

Biographical Information: Charles Luverne Grafft was born in Watertown, South Dakota, on July 27, 1927, and moved to St. Cloud Minnesota with his family in 1939. Grafft served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He returned to Minnesota and pursued a career in law enforcement, first as a justice of the peace, later as the Waite Park Police Chief (1971-1979), and lastly as the Stearns County sheriff (1979-1991). Aside from his work in law enforcement, Grafft volunteered with the Boys Scouts, St. Cloud Amateur Radio Club, and American Red Cross. Grafft and his wife Lorraine were married on February 17, 1947, and raised four children together: Joseph, Peggy, Jean, and Richard. Grafft passed away on February 24, 2003, at the age of 75.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on February 27, 1992, Charlie Grafft discussed his life in the St. Cloud area, much of which was spent working within the field of law enforcement. Grafft noted that he was originally just a part-time volunteer with local law enforcement, but eventually worked his way up to the position of Waite Park police chief in 1971 and was later elected as the Stearns County sheriff in 1979, a position that he held until his retirement in 1991. Grafft also spoke about many of the challenges of working in law enforcement, highlighting his own experiences of dealing with shortages of funding for his department, and in receiving little guidance on how to train officers and educate them to properly enforce the law. On the whole, Grafft affirmed that law enforcement institutions in the St. Cloud area were (at the time of this interview) presently in much better shape than when his career started, but also emphasized issues like corruption, drug dealing, and gang membership among young people, would be increasingly challenging and costly for law enforcement to grapple with in the future.

Interview conducted by Kevin Schafer

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/1/ [15538]

Biographical Information: Charles Graham was born in 1929 in Peru, Illinois. In the 1800s, Graham's ancestors emigrated from Ireland to the United States. His family farmed in Illinois, where Graham grew up. After graduating from LaSalle-Peru Township High School and attending one year at a local junior college, Graham attended the University of Illinois to pursue political science. He received his bachelor's degree in 1950, master's degree in 1951, and Ph.D. in 1955. Graham received invaluable experience before heading to Wisconsin State College in 1954, where he taught until 1963. During this time he also took a year off to work as a legislative assistant to US Senator William Proxmire, who was elected in 1957 to replace Joseph McCarthy. Upon leaving River Falls in 1963, he accepted a position as Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wisconsin State College in Whitewater. Graham stayed at Whitewater until 1971 when he was named St. Cloud State president. Graham then served as St. Cloud State president until 1981 to become the president of Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He passed away December 23, 2016 and survived by wife Bonnie and three sons.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted November 5, 1992, Charles Graham talked about his career in academic administration. After graduating in 1955 with a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Illinois, Graham worked for the Navy Department in Washington, D.C. He subsequently moved to higher education, first as the Social Sciences Department chair at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and then dean of Arts and Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He was appointed president at St. Cloud State University in 1971. He described his ten years at St. Cloud State as a time of consolidation rather than rapid enrollment growth. St. Cloud State was still transforming from a teachers’ college to a comprehensive university. Graham recalled the faculty forming a union and how that changed administration/faculty relations. His tenure came toward the end of years of student unrest over civil rights and the Vietnam War but he found student behavior to be responsible and respectful. Graham described St. Cloud State’s reputation as a party school and the competition for resources with sister system school Mankato State University. Graham praised St. Cloud Mayor Al Loehr for supporting the university and for generally good relations with the community.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/9/ [15537]

Biographical Information: Ann Paulson Graves was born on April 28, 1894 in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Frank and Ingrid Paulson. Attending a teachers college within the St. Paul school district, Ann taught in an elementary school for 10 years. In 1925, she married Stewart Graves in St. Paul. They moved to St. Cloud in the early 1930s after spending some time in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. She was an active member of many women’s’ organizations including Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, American Association of University Women, and League of Women Voters, as well as the St. Cloud Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Ann and Stewart had three children – Ruth, Carlton, and Irving. She died on February 26, 1985 and is buried in St. Cloud’s North Star Cemetery.

Carlton Graves was born May 4, 1929 in St. Cloud to Stewart and Ann Paulson Graves. He received his Bachelors’ of Arts degree in 1951 and his doctorate degree in veterinary medicine in 1959, both from the University of Minnesota. He worked at the University of Minnesota and later moved to Graves family farm in Rice, Minnesota, where he worked as a veterinarian. He was a member of the St. Cloud Unitarian Fellowship and Religious Society of Friends. Carlton married Brenda Ott Lakes in 1989. He died on December 23, 1999 at the age of 70.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on December 6, 1984, Ann Graves talked about her parents, how they moved to Minnesota from Sweden and about her education in the St. Paul school district normal School system where she got her teaching degree and, later, genealogy of the family. She then taught for 10 years in Smith School in St. Paul. Ann recalled how she met her husband Stewart at a New Year’s Party in 1925 and married right after. She discussed her involvement in the peace movement where she was also the president for some time during 1930s, which was influenced by her husband’s experience as a soldier in France during World War I. Ann recounted the activities of the various peace movements in St. Cloud, including during World War II. Ann touched upon the Unitarianism religion. She recalled when the first Unitarian Church was opened in St. Cloud. Ann mentioned how her husband first became a Unitarian and how they practiced it for the rest of their lives.

Interview by Cal Gower

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/10/ [15733]

Biographical Information: Lee (Lena) Hagen was born January 7, 1913 in Flora, North Dakota to Albert and Belinda (Lamen) Myhro. Lee was trained as a nurse in the early 1930s. In 1941, she was hired by the St. Cloud Hospital as a staff nurse in the surgical unit. During her 30 years at the St. Cloud Hospital, Lee served as a staff nurse, nurse supervisor, nursing teacher, assistant director and director of nursing services at St. Cloud Hospital. In 1937, Lee married Ralph Hagen. They had two children – Judy and Andrew. Ralph passed away in 1968 and she later married Lee Boyum. She died on January 23, 2000 and buried in North Star Cemetery in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted by Thomas Raiche on July 30, 1973, Lee (Lena) Hagen talked about her career as a nurse practitioner. She recounted her experiences throughout the years starting from 1930s, identifying the differences she saw in the nursing to the present. She described her time as a staff nurse, night supervisor, and then director and assistant director of nursing services during her 30 years at the St. Cloud Hospital. She has also taught in the nursing school and discussed the different types of nursing degrees during the 1930s and to the present. Lee also talked about the many improvements the St. Cloud Hospital has had during the years.

Interview by Thomas Raiche

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/11/ [13661]

Biographical Information: Marcellus Hall was born August 24, 1901 in St. Cloud to Mathew and Anna (Volz) Hall. He married Laura Icyleen Morris on June 27, 1929. Marcellus lived all his life in St. Cloud and worked as an officer of Mathew Hall Lumber Co. until his retirement in 1966. He then opened his own company named Hall Building Materials in Albany. Marcellus was a prominent member of religious councils like Knights of Columbus. On June 27, 1929, Marcellus married Laura Icyleen Morris and five children – Yvonne, Richard, Donald, Robert, and Jerome. He died on December 26, 1998 while visiting his daughter Yvonne in St. Louis, Missouri, and buried in St. Cloud’s Calvary Cemetery.

Laura Icyleen Morris Hall was born in February 11, 1903 in Douglas County, Minnesota to Louis and Henrietta (Flesch) Morris. She graduated from St. Cloud State Teacher’s College in 1922 and taught for seven years at schools in Princeton, Foley, Napa and Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was an active member of many religious councils and other St. Cloud area organizations including Daughters of Isabella and the Cub Scouts. Icyleen died on December 19, 1995 and buried in St. Cloud’s Calvary Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 16, 1977, Marcellus Hall talked about his family and ancestry. He said that his mother was born and raised in St. Cloud while his father was from Germany and moved to the United States when he was around 18 years old in the early 1880s. He discussed how his father started the Mathew Lumber Co. in 1889 in St. Cloud. Beginning in 1918, Marcellus worked at the lumber company, selling it in 1965 with his brothers who were partners. He discussed the lumber business in in the St. Cloud area during the first half of the 20th century, especially the effect of the Depression and World War II. He recounted how they were also engaged in coal business in St. Cloud and remembered supplying coal to St. Cloud State. Icyleen Hall discussed her family and about her own legal name and the baptized name. She recalled how her parents came to Minnesota to farm. Icyleen graduated St. Cloud State College in 1922 and taught as a teacher in many places including Princeton, Foley, and Minneapolis. She recalled how she first met Marcellus at a dance in the Shoemaker Hall.

Interview by Cal Gower and James Robak

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/12/ [15727]

Biographical Information: Burton C. Hanauer was born on May 29, 1923 in Albany, Minnesota to Bernard and Ida (Markus) Hanauer. He graduated Albany High School and Northwest Institute where he specialized in medical technology. He was a World War II Navy veteran and later was also employed as a medical technician at St. Cloud VA Medical Center. Burton was an active member of Avon Lions Club, Knights of Columbus Council, Boy Scouts, and the St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. He also served the Avon City Council. Burton was also the inventor of the “Football Yard Mark” which is used in high school, college, and professional levels of football. He married Janet Clair Bloms on January 21, 1947 and they had three children – Ginny, Karen, and Tom. Burton died on April 15, 1997 at the age of 73 and buried at St. Benedict’s Parish Cemetery in Avon, Minnesota

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on September 28, 1977 Burton discussed his family background, including both sides of his family. His father, Bernard, first started the Hanauer Machine Works in Albany, Minnesota, in 1930 that built farming wagons. Later he and his brother Al bought the company from their father and further developed it and expanded it to Avon. He discussed how the initially expanded the business, what they manufactured (mostly for other manufacturers), their employees, and how the business is currently functioning. He also touched on the growth of the city of Avon over time. Burton also talked about the many religious and social organizations that he was an active member of the Boy Scouts of America, American Legion, and many more.

Interview by Calvin Gower and John LeDoux.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/13/ [13656]

Biographical Information: Pierre Theodore Hansen was born on August 22, 1921 in Rockville, Minnesota, to Harry and Mary (Krebsbach) Hansen. He attended grade school in Rockville, as well as Central High School and Tech High School in St. Cloud. He married Joyce Kane in 1945 and they had seven children – Pierre, Patrick, Michael, Mary Jo, Candy, Daniel, and Eileen. Pierre died on May 21, 2005 at the age of 83 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Rockville.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on March 29, 1978, Pierre Hansen described his childhood, his family background and history. Both he and his father were born in Rockville, Minnesota, while his grandfather was from Luxembourg and came to the US when he was 8 years. Pierre recounted how his great grandfather first came to Illinois and then later moved to Midwest. He proudly mentioned how his great grandfather served for Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars. Pierre discussed how his family got in to farming and how they slowly developed the family farm. Pierre recalled how farming tasks were done by hand including planting, and harvesting. He remembered the effects of the Great Depression that nearly closed down the family farm but found other ways to make money, including selling beer at dances in their barn. He further talked about his own family with his seven children. Pierre described the development of Rockville and how it expanded from a smaller town to be double in size. Hansen compared farming during 1930s until now and felt that he lived through the most interesting era of farming.

Interviewed by Calvin Gower and John LeDoux

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/17/ [13657]

Biographical Information: Clarence J. Hedblom was born on May 2, 1902, in Calumet Michigan, where he resided for the first six years of his life, then moved with his family to Freedhem, Minnesota. Hedblom attended grade school in Freedhem but dropped out after completing 8th grade. Afterwards he studied at the University of Minnesota’s School of Agriculture. He later worked simultaneously as an auctioneer, insurance agent, and dairy farmer. Alongside his wife Gertrude Swanson, Hedblom raised two daughters and later welcomed two granddaughters. He passed on June 17, 1989 and buried in the Freedhem Lutheran Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on May 15, 1978, Clarence Hedblom discussed his life, the lives of his family members and neighbors, and the history of the communities that he resided in during his life. Hedblom noted the importance of his Swedish heritage, stating that he was raised in a bilingual English and Swedish speaking household by his American mother and Swedish immigrant father. Likewise, Hedblom acknowledged the predominantly Swedish background of many of Freedhem’s original inhabitants, but also noted how the demographics of the town gradually changed over time, as it experienced an influx of German and Polish people throughout much of the early 20th century. Hedblom also emphasized the difficulty of living through the tumultuous years of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, and that American participation in World War II helped to spur economic recovery, both in small communities like Freedhem and throughout the country in its entirety.

Interview conducted by Cal Gower and John LeDoux

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/14/ [15539]

Biographical Information: Leonard George Heim was born on February 16, 1931 in St. Cloud to John A. and Hildegard (Mick) Heim. He co-owned and operated Heim Milling in St. Cloud for 49 years. He retired in 1998. Heim served on the Le Sauk Township Planning Commission. Len was a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He passed away on September 3, 2016 at the age of 85. Heim is buried in St. Cloud’s Calvary Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on July 31, 1978, Leonard described his family background and their family business, which eventually became Heim Milling. He talked about his grandfather’s farm and family homestead in Sunset Park, as well as how he initially purchased the mill in 1900. Heim’s father John purchased the mill from his grandfather in 1941 just days before the Pearl Harbor attack. He remembered his family home near the mill and how the river was central to his childhood. During the interview, Heim also discussed how the Great Depression affected the mill. Heim discussed in detail about the milling, flour, and soybean industries in Minnesota and how they functioned. In addition, he further discussed how flour and other flour food products were exported to Europe and how shipping around the United States was done. He described how water power was used at the mill and then shifted to diesel and electric power.

Interview conducted by Mark Stone

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/15/ [13658]

Biographical Information: George Robert Herberger was born on September 12, 1904 in Osakis Minnesota. He attended high school in Hollywood, California and graduated in 1922. And then attended Hibbing Junior College and University of Minnesota. He was also the founder of Herberger department stores in St. Cloud as well as the president and chairman of the board for Butler Brothers. He was a philanthropist who funded and developed many organizations including Salvation Army Herberger Center and Phoenix Symphony Association. In 1934, he married Katherine Kierland and they had three children: Gary, Judd, and Gail. He passed away on February 2, 1999, at the age of 94 and buried in Camelback Cemetery in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on October 23, 1973, Herberger discussed his family background and how his grand parents and parents first settled in Minnesota. He recalled how he started working in his father’s department store in Osakis, Minnesota, learning about the retail industry and business at a young age. In 1922, Herberger graduated high school in Hollywood, California. He discussed how he and his father came to back to St. Cloud and bought the inventory from a dry goods store company and opened up a small department store during the 1930s, gradually building up their retail business. Herberger’s gradually expanded to other cities in the upper Midwest. After World War II, Herberger’s continued to grow but his role in the company shifted. He moved to Chicago and became president and chairman of the board for Butler Brothers, the nation’s largest wholesaler. By the time of this interview, Herberger’s was sold to key people within the company and he no longer held any stock, though he was still involved in the business. In 1950, Herberger and his family moved to Arizona and invested in land for development of homes and businesses, as well as establishing water companies. He described his involvement in civic activities, including the symphony and creation of city parks. Herberger touched on his involvement with the Republican Party politics.

Interviewed by Calvin Gower

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/18/ [15540]

Biographical Information: Ariel Whipple Holes was born on November 4, 1903 in Minneapolis Minnesota, and lived in a variety of different locations throughout the United States, before moving to St. Cloud at the age of 19. She attended St. Cloud State University but never graduated, and briefly worked as a school teacher before meeting her future husband Wilber Holes. They married on February 29, 1925. The couple had four children together. Ariel and Wilber owned their own business (Holes-Webway), and both played an active role in developing St. Cloud throughout the mid-20th century. This included the expansion of the St. Cloud State campus and the construction of local infrastructure, among other endeavors. Ariel outlived her husband (who died on August 9, 1970) and passed away on February 3, 1989. She is buried in North Star Cemetery in St. Cloud.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 22, 1978, Ariel Whipple Holes discussed her life, that of her late husband Wilber Warren Holes, and as residents of the St. Cloud area. She frequently discussed the business ventures of her husband, who worked in a variety of different professions, including at a granite company, in advertisement, the military, and eventually as a business owner. She also spoke at length about the challenges that the Holes family experienced during the Great Depression, such as a sharp decline in their income and purchasing power in the 1930s and the loss of four of their eight children due to miscarriages. However, Ariel also emphasized the couple’s interest in supporting their community with St. Cloud State and the local chamber of commerce. Through this work, she and Wilber helped to finance projects like the construction of new bridges and expansion of the St. Cloud State University campus.

Interview conducted by John LeDoux and Mark Stone

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/19/ [16071]

Biographical Information: Alvin Jensen was born in St. Louis Park. Minnesota, on June 2, 1908. In 1915, Alvin’s parents, who were Danish immigrants, moved to a dairy farm in Askov, Minnesota. Marie Jensen was born in Askov, Minnesota, on October 15, 1910, to an American father and Danish mother, and initially worked as an office worker in a local nursery, before she married Alvin in 1931 and worked on the family farm. The couple had no children. Marie passed away in 1999 and Alvin died in 2004. Both were buried in the Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery in Askov.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on October 28, 1980, Alvin and Marie Jensen discussed details of their lives, the history of Askov, and the Danish cultural heritage of its townspeople. Alvin and Marie noted that like many of the other inhabitants of Askov, most of their forebearers originally hailed from Denmark, and that the large population of Danish settlers in their community prompted its name to be changed from Partridge to the Danish-sounding name of Askov in 1908. They also noted the prevalence of Danish cultural customs, festivals (such as Constitution Day on June 5), and the widespread use of the Danish language during their youth. However, the Jensens also affirmed that the town’s unique cultural identity largely withered away after the 1930s because of the onset of the Great Depression and World War II. These events prompted the gradual decline in the town’s economic prosperity, as it negatively impacted many local cooperatives and forced many local families (and especially younger people) to relocate elsewhere.

Interview Conducted by Calvin Gower and Alan Nielsen

Biographical Information: Dorein Johnson was an adjunct professor with a master of science in criminal justice administration, who also worked as a correction security case worker at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud during the 1980s and 1990s.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on April 15, 1993, Dorein Johnson discussed her career as a correction security case worker at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud throughout much of the 1980s and early 1990s. She noted that this facility and line of work were traditionally occupied exclusively by men. This began to change in 1977 after the Minnesota Correctional Facility hired its first women workers to staff observation towers. In this same respect, Johnson affirmed that while not all of the male staff were initially pleased by the hiring of women, such attitudes throughout the facility and the corrections system as a whole have become less commonplace over time, just as new opportunities for women workers and the number of positions occupied by women have increased in tandem. Additionally, Johnson noted that while working as a corrections officer can be very tedious and emotionally taxing at times, she believed the profession to be fulfilling overall, and took pride in the fact that multiple inmates that she has worked with over the years were able to “do a complete 180 degree switch” and better themselves through academic/vocational programs.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/21/ [13659]

Biographical Information: Randolph Johnson was born on September 6, 1908, in Cambridge, Minnesota. At the time of Johnson’s birth, Cambridge was largely comprised of Swedish immigrant families, including his own parents, with families that migrated from Sweden to the United States during the late 19th century. Johnson spent most of his life living and working in Cambridge. Here he worked primarily as a farmer and frequently helped to research/write several books detailing the history of Cambridge. Johnson passed away on March 11, 1990, and buried in the Cambridge Lutheran Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on April 27, 1978, Randolph Johnson spoke about his life in the town of Cambridge, his family, and some of the town’s general history, including its experiences with the Great Depression, Dust Bowl, and World War II. Johnson noted that much of his life was spent working on farmland, initially for his father (who also served as the sheriff of Cambridge for multiple decades) and later for himself. Johnson noted that during his youth, Cambridge was largely comprised of Swedish Protestant families (including his own), but that its population began to increasingly diversify following the end of World War II. Likewise, much of Johnson’s interview accounts for other changes to Cambridge during and after the 1940s. This included the initial adoption of phone lines, the growth of its population and schools, and the increasing mechanization of local agriculture (with the addition of more trucks and tractors). While he didn’t view these changes in a negative light, Johnson lamented that Cambridge’s expansion did serve in some respects to weaken the traditionally tight-knit nature of its community, in which everyone knew and frequently interacted with their neighbors and the rest of the community at large.

Interview conducted by John LeDoux

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/22/ [15732]

Biographical Information: Donald Keller was born on July 28, 1900, and Hanna Keller (formerly Skuza) was born on February 8, 1901. Donald and Hanna each lived in a variety of locations throughout the United States and worked in a variety of different professions during their youth, but did not become a couple until August 27, 1939 (after Hanna’s first husband passed away in 1936). After marrying, the couple permanently resided in Sauk Rapids, where Hanna worked as a homemaker and bartender while Donald worked as the manager of the Municipal Liquor Store until 1962. Donald passed away on December 18, 1987, and Hanna passed away on December 30, 1994. They were survived by Hanna’s daughters Genevieve and Audrey, 10 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on August 6, 1973, Donald and Hanna Keller discuss various details pertaining to their lives, as well as some of the broader history of the Sauk Rapids area. Much of the interview contrasted the couple’s relatively difficult living situations in the early 1900s with those of Americans in the 1970s, in which they noted that (even prior to beginning of The Great Depression in 1929) economic conditions in Sauk Rapids were largely lackluster. It was not until World War II that revitalized the area’s fortunes. The couple also provided commentary on events like World War I and World War II, the former of which Donald was drafted into in 1918 (although the war ended before he arrived in Europe). Hanna’s son Arnold served in World War II where he was killed in action in October 1944. Additionally, both Donald and Hanna also spoke extensively about the different professions that they worked in throughout their lives - restaurant owner and liquor store owner for Hanna, along with iron miner, bartender, and farmer for Donald, among others.

Interview conducted by Thomas Raiche

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/20/ [13660]

Biographical Information: Jerry Kigin was born in Lake Crystal, Minnesota, on February 7, 1921. After graduating from high school in Mankato, he originally intended to become an educator, attending the Mankato Teacher’s College from 1938 to 1940, but switched his profession to banking that same year (interrupted by a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps that lasted from 1942 to 1946). Kigin originally “worked his way up from the bottom” at the Mankato National Citizen’s Bank before moving to St. Cloud in 1948. Here he ultimately achieved the position of Northwestern Bank and Trust Company president. In addition to his activities as a banker, Kigin volunteered much of his spare time to various civic organizations within the St. Cloud area. Here he assisted groups like St. Cloud Opportunities in purchasing and renovating properties for use as public parks and helping the Downtown Association facilitate the construction of the Crossroads Center Mall, among other endeavors. Kigin passed away at the age of 76 on August 6, 1997, and was survived by his wife Marjorie, their seven children (five sons and two daughters), and their fifteen grandchildren. He was buried at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Transcript Summary:

In an interview conducted on March 24, 1977, Jerry Kigin discussed his life in Minnesota, particularly his profession as a banker and his role as a community volunteer with multiple organizations in St. Cloud. Kigin noted that he never originally expected to become a banker, as he previously studied to become an educator and served as a Marine during World War II and worked in finance to fund his college education. However, he realized quickly that he enjoyed working in finance. He started as a messenger at the Mankato National Citizen’s Bank and worked his way up to become the Northwestern Bank and Trust Company president in St. Cloud. He held this position between 1955 and 1979. Additionally, Kigin also discussed his work as a volunteer with a myriad of organizations throughout St. Cloud, including the local school board and the Civic Music Association, along with numerous other initiatives to benefit the city of St. Cloud and its people.

Interview conducted by James Robak.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/29/ [15730]

Biographical Information: Frank Kolbinger was born in Becker, Minnesota, on April 5, 1918. Frank’s early years were largely spent attending school and working on his family’s farm (located a few miles east of Becker), before he enlisted as a soldier during World War II. Upon the conclusion of his military service, Frank returned home to Becker, where he worked as a general store owner and later as the town’s postmaster for multiple years. Kolbinger passed away on March 4, 1977 at the age of 58. He was survived by his wife Agnes, three daughters, and eight grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 27, 1973, Frank Kolbinger discussed his life within Becker, Minnesota. Much of Frank’s interview touched on his childhood and adolescent years during the Great Depression, where he emphasized various differences in living conditions between his life then and at the time of the interview. Frank noted that during the Great Depression, his family frequently faced problems like a lack of running water, electricity, and refrigeration, while machines like snowplows and school buses that made getting to school easier were only rarely present (if at all) within Becker at the time. Additionally, Frank also discussed some of the different jobs that he worked during his adult life, including during World War II where he landed in France on D-Day, and his later positions as a general store owner and the postmaster of Becker.

Interview conducted by Thomas Przybilla

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/23/ [16073]

Biographical Information: Linus Koopmeiners was born on July 13, 1939, in Freeport, Minnesota. Koopmeiners moved to the St. Cloud area in 1959, where he began work as an apprentice welder and machinist with the Gran-A-Stone Company. Here he eventually achieved the position of general manager in the company by 1969. During this time, Koopmeiners also started a family with his wife Marina and raised six children: Scott, Daniel, Kelly, Kurt, Stephanie, and Terry. Koopmeiners passed away on June 14, 2015 at the age of 75.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on July 12, 1978, Linus Koopmeiners discussed his life within the St. Cloud area, including about his job and family. Koopmeiners noted that he originally moved to St. Cloud from Freeport in 1959, and began working at the Gran-A-Stone Company as an apprentice welder and machinist, helping produce “building trades,” such as fireplace components. Koopmeiners also acknowledged his success with the company (in which he worked his way up to the position of general manager in 1969), attributing it to a mixture of luck and, even more so, hard work. Aside from his work, Koopmeiner’s also discussed information pertaining to his family, including his parent’s German roots and as a parent alongside his wife Marina to their six children.

Interview conducted by Mark Stone

Founder, Okay Insurance and Loan Agency and community leader including the Chamber of Commerce, Sauk Rapids, MN. Discusses community and business growth of the city. Done for the Benton County Historical Society

Biographical Information: Albert C. Lebrun was a probation officer and parole agent with the state of Minnesota. He started in this line of work as a guard at a corrections facility in September of 1969, before acquiring a BA in Sociology at Minnesota State University in Mankato. After acquiring his degree (a perquisite to becoming a probation officer), Lebrun became a caseworker in corrections, a position which he continued to work in throughout the 1990s (including during the time of this interview, from May 13, 1993).

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on May 13, 1993, Albert C. Lebrun discussed his role as a probation officer and parole agent within corrections facilities administered by the state of Minnesota. Lebrun stated that he originally began working in corrections in September of 1969 as a guard, but later became a caseworker after acquiring a BA in Sociology from Minnesota State University in Mankato. Lebrun noted that in his time as a caseworker, several negative developments had gradually become more commonplace, including more widespread privatizations of facilities/resources, growing caseloads, and higher rates of violent crimes committed by juveniles, among other matters. Nevertheless, he also expressed enthusiasm for his job, noting that it paid well, that more opportunities for women workers in corrections had steadily opened up since the 1970s, and that above all else, his position gave him a unique and rewarding opportunity to help others change their lives for the better.

Interview conducted by Calvin Miller