Stevens County

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  Rita and Dean Schuster Interview, 1995

  Rita Schuster and Dean Schuster

  In this interview, Rita and Dean Schuster reminisces about the early days of television. Mr. Schuster was born in Stevens County, MN on February 6, 1927 and Mrs. Schuster was born on May 11, 1928. They purchased their first television in 1955.

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  Earl Scribner Interview, ca. 1976

  Earl Scribner

  Earl Scribner was 74 years old. His parents settled in Stevens County in 1895.

  In this interview, Earl Scribner talks about the depression and the drought that occurred in 1933, 1934 and 1935. He also talks about his different types of jobs he had and being the only saw sharpener in Morris at the time of the interview.

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  Agnes Searle Interview, 1995

  Agnes Searle

  In this interview, Agnes Searle reminisces about the early days of television. Mrs. Searle was born in Steven County, MN in 1925. Her first television was purchased in 1955.

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  Margaret Sherman Interview, 1975

  Margaret Sherman

  Ms. Sherman was born in 1912 and graduated from the Minnesota School of Public Health. During the course of her career in public health nursing she worked with the Minneapolis Community Health Service in Stevens County. For the 15 years prior to the interview, she had worked in Wadena County.

  In this interview, Ms. Sherman discusses the attitudes of Stevens County residents towards public health, some of her duties as a public health nurse, and what happened in Stevens County after she left her position in 1958.

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  Charlie Simpson Interview, 1995

  Charlie Simpson

  In this interview, Charlie Simpson reminisces about the early days of television. Mr. Simpson lived on a farm seven miles West of Donley when he and his wife purchased their first television in 1953.

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  Charlotte Skrien Interview, ca. 1978

  Charlotte Skrien

  Charlotte Skrien was 87 years old and lived in Morris. Her grandparents came to the United States from Norway.

  In this interview, Charlotte relates some stories about her grandparents' and mother's trip from Norway to the United States. She also discusses childhood deaths and diseases, as well as medical care during that time. She talks about her son, who played football with the University of Minnesota Gophers.

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  William Sloneker Interview, ca. 1979

  William Sloneker

  William Sloneker was originally born in Illinois, but moved to Minnesota as an infant. William lived in Hancock at the time of the interview and was 91 years old. He grew up on a farm and farmed throughout Stevens County. He retired from farming in 1948 and moved to Fairmont, Minnesota for a few years before moving to Hancock.

  In this interview, William Sloneker recalls early forms of power on farms in Minnesota and South Dakota using horses and artesian well water pressure. There is some mention of farming in the "dirty thirties."

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  Warren Smith Interview, 1981

  Warren Smith

  Warren Smith was the Morris City Finance Director.

  In this interview, Warren Smith discusses the Morris Taxi Service (1945-1981). He discusses the goals of mass transit in Morris and the different mass transit systems offered in Morris compared to the old taxi services. He also talks about the funding needed to keep the transit system running and his views on the future of the system.

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  Lois Sommer Interview, 1995

  Lois Sommer

  In this interview, Lois Sommer reminisces about the early days of television. Mrs. Sommer was born in Douglas, North Dakota in 1920 and move to Steven's County in 1942. She bought her first television in 1957.

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  Amy Spaulding Interview, ca. 1975

  Amy Spaulding

  Amy Spaulding was 83 years old and was born in Iowa. She moved to Chokio area at 10 years old. She attended country schools and taught for a year before marriage. She was a 4H group leader, Sunday school teacher, and superintendent. She was a charter member of "Country Girls", a homemakers group. She reflects on a farm wife's experiences then and now.

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  Art Splitstoser Interview, ca. 1977

  Art Splitstoser

  Art Splitstoser was 74 years old and was a lifetime resident of Morris. Art owned a meat market for many years, and his father also was a butcher.

  In this interview, Art discusses some of the changes in processing and in pricing that have occurred through the years in butchering and the meat industry.

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  Bonnie Stahler Interview, 1976

  Bonnie Stahler

  In this interview, Bonnie Stahler discusses sports in high school before and during the depression, primarily focusing on girl's basketball.

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  Dr. John Stock Interview, 1975

  John F. Stock

  Dr. Stock was born in Alexandria, Minnesota on February 9, 1947. He attended the University of Minnesota Morris for three years majoring in biology and the University of Minnesota Medical School for four years. After completing his internship, Dr. Stock came to Morris to become a general practitioner in 1972. He was very active in procuring new doctors to the area.

  In this interview, Dr. Stock discusses problems in area medical care in Stevens County and the City of Morris. He discusses how the community became aware of the problems and what has been done in the past four or five years to remedy these issues, particularly what has been done in connection with the Doctor Procurement Committee.

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  Zola Stohldorf Interview, ca. 1977

  Zola Stohldorf

  Zola Stohldorf was born in Haddam, Kansas in 1893.She moved to Minnesota in March 1914 when she became engaged.

  In this interview, Zola discusses farm life in Kansas. She discusses travelling by covered wagon as a child to Nebraska. She talks about farming in Minnesota as a newly-married couple. She discusses a bad hailstorm that destroyed their crop and the blizzards in the area. She mentions the first radio their family had and all the moving around that her family did. She talks about Morris when she first moved to the area.

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  Hazel and Arnold Strand Interview, 1995

  Hazel Strand and Arnold Strand

  In this interview, Hazel and Arnold Strand reminisces about the early days of television. Mr. Strand was born in Stevens County, MN on September 17, 1912 and Mrs. Strand was born on December 31, 1915. They purchased their first television about 1956.

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  L.O. Strand Interview, ca. 1979

  L. O. Strand

  L.O. Strand was 87 years old and was born in Terrace, Minnesota. His parents were from Norway. He lived in Donnelly, Minnesota for most of his life.

  In this interview, L.O. discusses his schooling, farming, the cyclone of 1916, road construction, and some of the positions he held including county commissioner, member of the PCA board and member of the creamery board. He talks about the Kongsvinger Cemetery in Donnelly and his record keeping of the graves in the cemetery. Finally, he discusses his recent trip to Norway.

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  Luther Sunquist Interview, ca. 1976

  Luther Sunquist

  Luther Sunquist was 83 years old and was born in Nebraska. He was forced to support himself at age 12 and worked as a hired hand. He came to Morris in 1913. He worked construction and built some of the WCSA buildings. He worked 44 years for Home Builders.

  In this interview, Luther Sunquist discusses his time as a hired agricultural hand. He discusses the Corn and Alfalfa Show in Morris. He reflects on his various jobs and experiences.

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  Fred Swanson Interview, 1990

  Fred Swanson

  In this interview, Fred Swanson discusses his experiences as a soldier during World War I. He discusses his training at Camp Grant, fighting in the Argonne Forest, and living in Germany for a few months after the armistice. He talks about the artillery, the people who were left homeless by the bombing and his return to the United States.

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  Marion Thielke Interview, 1995

  Marion Thielke

  In this interview, Marion Thielke reminisces about the early days of television. Mrs. Thielke was born in Hornton Township in Stevens County on September 4, 1930. Her parents purchased their first television set in 1954 from Morris Radio and Television.

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  Otto Thurmer Interview, 1978

  Otto Thurmer

  Otto Thurmer was born in 1904 in Jackson, Minnesota. He lived in Morris from 1922 onward. He learned carpentry from his uncle when he was 15 years old and worked as a carpenter since then with short periods of working on farms also.

  In this interview, Otto Thurmer discusses various aspects of construction carpentry from the 1920s to the time of the interview. He discusses tools, materials, methods of construction, composition of construction crews with degree of specialization, and other topics.

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  Otto Thurmer Interview, ca. 1977

  Otto Thurmer

  Otto Thurmer was 72 years old and resided in Morris. He was born in Jackson, Minnesota and grew up on a farm.

  In this interview, he discusses his career in carpentry. He also relates his experiences in professional wrestling.

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  Bob Treischel Interview, ca. 1975

  Bob Treischel

  Bob Treischel was born in Oklahoma and he was 86 years old. He and his family moved to Morris where his father operated Morris Steam Laundry. He began farming outside of Morris in 1916 and also served in the Alberta Post Office from 1946-1963. He also talks some about hunting, fishing, and trapping in West-Central Minnesota.

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  Walter Trost Interview, 1979

  Walter Trost

  In this interview, Walter Trost discusses life and attitudes during World War II. Mr. Trost lived in Donnelly, MN during World War II and worked as a butcher.

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  Walter Trost Interview, ca. 1976

  Walter Trost

  Walter Trost was 85 years old and was born north of Chokio. His grandfather homesteaded there. He farmed for a while, then became a butcher, and later worked for the Donnelly Creamery. He then opened a cabinet making shop. He was a mandolin player who played in a local group at social functions.

  In this interview, he talks about his farm life and the Chokio area as he remembers it. He discusses prairie fires and their prevention. He talks about playing the mandolin with a local group and the types of music they played. He discusses the various jobs he worked over the years, in particular the cabinetmaking shop and woodworking.

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  Anne Stewart Uehling Interview, 1981

  Anne Stewart Uehling

  Anne Stewart Uehling was a homemaker and writer-educator. She helped to organize and was a charter member of the League of Women Voters' Morris chapter. She was also its president during 1981.

  In this interview, Anne Stewart Uehling gives a short history of the League in Morris (1970-1981) along with a description of the major projects the League had been involved in during the past decade. Included in these projects were the Education Survey and the Survey on the Economic Status of Women in Morris. Anne Stewart Uehling also discussed men's role in the League as well as the present status of the League in Morris.