Dahlquist, Ruth

https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/stc:7402#/kaltura_audio

Biographical Information: Ruth Dahlquist was born on January 18, 1898, in Stewart, Minnesota, about an 65 miles southwest of Minneapolis. Her maiden name was Senescall, and her ancestry was Swedish, German, and English. The town of Stewart, where she grew up, was a German community where German was still frequently spoken. Dahlquist always wanted to be a teacher, so attending St. Cloud State was the natural thing to do. After graduating in 1917, she found teaching jobs in Buffalo Lake and Hutchinson, Minnesota as well as Wyoming, before settling in LaPorte, Indiana, where she taught for 19 years. In 1946, Dahlquist married, and her husband passed away in 1955. She then taught in Michigan for 10 years before retiring.

Transcript Summary: Dahlquist described her family history and what inspired her to become a teacher. She talked about her ancestry, having English relatives on her father's side, as well as growing up in a largely German community. She also mentions that she had always wanted to be a teacher, and since so many girls from Stewart, Minnesota attended St. Cloud Normal School for that purpose, it seemed like the natural thing to do.

Dahlquist chronicled her time at St. Cloud State. She detailed what life was like in the dormitories. She claimed the teachers were very strict, so strict she was surprised. She discussed the two different St. Cloud State presidents she encountered, Isabel Lawrence and Joseph Brown. Brown, Dahlquist stated, was freer with the students and brought more modern ideas to the school. Dahlquist described several other teachers and their personalities, interests, and teaching styles. In addition, she explained what she and her friends would do during their time off, and also discussed the literary societies they were involved in, which, though not sororities, had many similarities to them.

Finally, Dahlquist's discussed her experiences after leaving St. Cloud State, including her marriage in 1946. She addressed such issues as World War I, which the U.S. became involved in during her time at the St. Cloud State. Dahlquist claimed that many students were shocked, and that the war was a controversial topic. She reflected on her experiences at St. Cloud State as a whole, and thanked the institution for being so severe and strict with her, as it provided her with a strong foundation that helped guide her for the entirety of her teaching career.