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Home > Archives > Northwest Minnesota Historical Center > ORAL_INTERVIEWS

Oral Interviews

 
This collection consists of oral interviews of prominent people from northwest Minnesota. Some of these interviews are a part of the Heritage Education Commission's Regional Oral History Project.
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  • Oral Interview of Roy L. Anderson by Roy L. Anderson

    Oral Interview of Roy L. Anderson

    Roy L. Anderson

    Roy L. Anderson reflects on his years at the Fergus Falls State Hospital, including such topics as changing attitudes towards mental health therapy and psychiatric help, and the expansion of the mental health program in Minnesota. He speaks of his early years as a groundbreaker in Minnesota in modern psychiatric therapy. He also mentions his plans for retirement in December of 1983.

  • Oral Interview of Alvin Arneson by Alvin Arneson

    Oral Interview of Alvin Arneson

    Alvin Arneson

    Interview with Alvin Arneson on schools and farming during the 1920s and 1930s, and his involvement in progressive politics in North Dakota and Minnesota.

  • Oral Interview of Robert Badal by Robert Badal

    Oral Interview of Robert Badal

    Robert Badal

    Interview of former Dean of Arts and Humanities at Moorhead State University.

  • Oral Interview of Joseph A. Belgum by Joseph A. Belgum

    Oral Interview of Joseph A. Belgum

    Joseph A. Belgum

    Joseph A. Belgum discusses the attitudes of pastors and the Lutheran Church towards counseling and psychiatry in the 1930s and 1940s, including how this led to his attending the School of Social Work at Columbia University in New York. Belgum also tells how the Lutheran Social Services in Fargo developed and describes the agency’s relations with Children’s Village. He also describes the development of training programs for prison and mental health hospital chaplains. Belgum also mentions the North Dakota House of Mercy, settling refugees, and his involvement in the Model Cities program in Fargo, which included low cost housing for poor people. He also discusses attitude changes in social workers, the problems connected with social work, and how people’s attitudes have changed towards social problems.

  • Oral Interview of John Bloom by John Bloom

    Oral Interview of John Bloom

    John Bloom

    John Bloom discusses the conditions at Fergus Falls State Hospital from the 1950s to 1983. Topics include the population of the institution, and methods such as shock treatment, lobotomies, and drug treatment. He also talks about the growth of social services and the role of the social worker.

  • Oral Interview of Darrell A. Burkland by Darrell A. Burkland

    Oral Interview of Darrell A. Burkland

    Darrell A. Burkland

    Darrell Burkland describes the historic changes and developments of social work: the hiring practices, educational requirements and programs, change of attitude by the community towards mental illness and alcoholism, and the growing importance of legislation regarding social work.

  • Oral Interview of Roland Dille by Roland Dille

    Oral Interview of Roland Dille

    Roland Dille

    Dr. Dille discusses career, family, and Moorhead State University.

  • Oral Interview of William Dosland by William Dosland

    Oral Interview of William Dosland

    William Dosland

    Interview of William Dosland as part of the Heritage Education Committee's Oral History Project.

  • Oral Interview of Doris Eastman by Doris Eastman

    Oral Interview of Doris Eastman

    Doris Eastman

    Doris Eastman was born in Alexander, ND in 1916. She was employed by the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead from 1934-1979. She became women’s editor at the newspaper in 1959. After retiring, she stayed busy working at the Episcopal Church and Clay County Historical Society. The interview relates the importance of Wayne Peterson in her career, as well as her husband, Ed, who also worked for the Forum. She tells about the days of the Forum in Fargo as well as working for the Moorhead Daily News.

  • Oral Interview of Allen and Ruth Erickson by Allen Erickson and Ruth Erickson

    Oral Interview of Allen and Ruth Erickson

    Allen Erickson and Ruth Erickson

    Allen Erickson and his wife Ruth discuss their experience while students at Moorhead State during the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. They talk about classes, instructors, and conditions at Moorhead State during that time. Dr. Erickson also discusses his duties as a faculty member in the Departments of English and Speech.

  • Oral Interview of Raymond Gesell by Raymond Gesell

    Oral Interview of Raymond Gesell

    Raymond Gesell

    The interview deals with Mr. Gesell’s life as a Minnesota State Legislator (1945-1949). He discusses many aspects of his political life including information relative to Old Age Assistance and appropriations for state colleges.

    Mr. Gesell, a grandson of Randolph Probstfield, was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on March 19, 1896, and came to the Red River Valley in 1916. He inherited the Probstfield Farm. He died on February 15, 1981.

  • Oral Interview of Viena Hendrickson by Viena Johnson Hendrickson

    Oral Interview of Viena Hendrickson

    Viena Johnson Hendrickson

    Viena Hendrickson discussed her parent’s involvement with the socialist and workers’ movements among the Finns of northern Minnesota. She described their political and social organizations. Hendrickson also talked about her own involvement in the Socialist and Farmer-Labor parties and the latter’s eventual union with the Democratic Party. She described how women became involved in politics, especially in the Farmer-Labor Women’s Federation, and then shared her impressions of Eugene Debs, Floyd B. Olson, Elmer Benson, Henry Shipstead, Harold Stassen and Hubert Humphrey. Finally, Hendrickson discussed red baiting in the 1940s and 1950s, isolationism and her views on the United Nations.

  • Oral Interview of John M. Jenkins by John M. Jenkins

    Oral Interview of John M. Jenkins

    John M. Jenkins

    John M. Jenkins, a counselor, teacher, and administrator at Moorhead State, discusses the changes caused by World War II and the effects of the returning veterans after the war on the Moorhead State Campus: its curriculum, its faculty, and its changing emphasis towards the Liberal Arts. He also relates some of his experiences with present and past faculty and administrators, such as President O.W. Snarr, Virginia Grantham, Flora Frick, and Maude Wenck.

  • Oral Interview of Edgar Johnson by Edgar J. Johnson

    Oral Interview of Edgar Johnson

    Edgar J. Johnson

    Edgar J. Johnson discusses German prisoners of war who worked for him from 1944-1945. He also talks about his feelings towards them, their reactions to Minnesota, and the type of work they did.

  • Oral Interview of Lenora Isaacson Johnson by Lenora Johnson

    Oral Interview of Lenora Isaacson Johnson

    Lenora Johnson

    Lenora Johnson discusses Norman County schools and other aspects of rural life in the 1930s.

  • Oral Interview of Karen Kivi by Karen Kivi

    Oral Interview of Karen Kivi

    Karen Kivi

    Oral Interview of former librarian, associate professor at Moorhead State University. The interview concerns the Finnish community and culture in Minnesota and the Great Depression.

  • Oral Interview of Manny Marget by Manny Marget

    Oral Interview of Manny Marget

    Manny Marget

    Interview with Manny Marget, primarily on radio broadcasting in the Red River Valley.

  • Oral Interview of Thomas McGrath by Thomas McGrath

    Oral Interview of Thomas McGrath

    Thomas McGrath

    This interview deals with Thomas McGrath’s involvement in the Communist Party.

  • Oral interview of Henry Nycklemoe by Henry Nycklemoe

    Oral interview of Henry Nycklemoe

    Henry Nycklemoe

    Nycklemoe was a Farmer-Laborite, a judge and state legislator (1955-1957). Discusses his opposition to World War II, his service in military, navy and participating World War I and his involvement in politics. The interview was conducted in 1973 by Timothy Madigan.

  • Oral Interview of Karl Nygard by Karl Emil Nygard

    Oral Interview of Karl Nygard

    Karl Emil Nygard

    Interview with Karl Nygard, the first Communist mayor of the United States, in Crosby, Minnesota.

  • Oral Interview of Byron and Irene (Iverson) Ogren by Byron Ogren and Irene Iverson Ogren

    Oral Interview of Byron and Irene (Iverson) Ogren

    Byron Ogren and Irene Iverson Ogren

    This interview deals with the Ogrens' life on their farm in the 1930s and 1940s in the Red River Valley.

  • Oral Interview of Russell O. Parta by Russell O. Parta

    Oral Interview of Russell O. Parta

    Russell O. Parta

    Russell O. Parta, publisher of a Finnish-language newspaper in New York Mills, Minnesota, discusses the Finnish immigrant experience in Minnesota, including European history, churches and social activities, and radical politics.

  • Oral Interview of Daniel L. Preston by Daniel L. Preston

    Oral Interview of Daniel L. Preston

    Daniel L. Preston

    Daniel L. Preston talks about early music programs and groups at Moorhead State, the male choruses that he directed, and the recognition these groups received regionally and nationally. He also discusses his philosophy and techniques in the teaching of vocal music.

  • Oral Interview of Lois Selberg by Lois Selberg

    Oral Interview of Lois Selberg

    Lois Selberg

    Selberg describes her background including being a student at Moorhead State. She comments on student culture and changes from the 1960s to the 1980s. She recalls her various positions at Moorhead State University. She recounts the history of Project E-Quality and recruitment of black students to the university.

  • Oral Interview of Lawrence Sherman by Lawrence Sherman

    Oral Interview of Lawrence Sherman

    Lawrence Sherman

    Lawrence Sherman describes the work he did as president of the Farm Bureau and also his seventeen years of work with the Farm Extension Board. He discusses the crops he grew (corn, wheat, and barley), and his production records for Holstein cows and how he accomplished them. His milk production was 15,000 pounds of milk and 500 pounds of fat, when the average ten was 1,200 pounds of milk and 350-400 pounds of fat. He attributes his success to the use of fertilizers to increase the nutritional value of the hay, and describes the early days of fertilizer use in the 1930s. He also describes how he met his wife and her career, his relationship with the Farmer’s Union, and his experiences with cooperatives.

 
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