Dallman, Martha

Biographical Information: Martha Dallman was born on March 20, 1904 in New Ulm, Minnesota. Both her parents were of German descent, and her mother migrated to Minnesota from Germany when she was 19. Her father was a minister for a German Evangelical Church, and later a minister for the United Church of Christ. He eventually gained a position at a church in St. Cloud at what is now Peace United Church of Christ. Martha chose to attend the St. Cloud State since it was close and she always wanted to teach. After graduating from the university in 1922, she taught in Tower for three years before attending the University of Minnesota for her master's degree. She accepted a job as a 5th grade Supervisor Critic in Winona, Minnesota, during which time she began work on her doctorate. After receiving her doctorate, she taught at several universities, including the University of Chicago, Wesleyan University in Ohio, and the University of Delaware. At the age of 78 she worked as a volunteer at Tiny Woods School in Mississippi, in charge of the reading lab. She also helped write several textbooks on teaching reading methods.

Transcript Summary: Dallman detailed her family history and upbringing, as well as her educational background. Here she discussed her father's work as a minister for the United Church of Christ, and how that affected her life and decisions. Her father, whose parents came from Germany, preached in German at first, but eventually transitioned to English as the younger generations could not understand German. Dallman also described her motivation to attend the St. Cloud State, based on both its proximity to her home as well as her desire to be a teacher.

Dallman discussed her time at St. Cloud State. Dallman described the teachers she admired, including Evelyn Pribble and President Joseph Brown, who she says was very personal with the students. She reflected on the fact that her strict father would not allow her to participate in any evening activities, which led her to feel that she missed out on some things. Dallman mentioned the rise in tuition when the school become St. Cloud State Teacher's College. Here she also discussed the fact that if a woman was married, it was much more difficult to find or keep a teaching job.

Dallman addressed the social activities she participated in at St. Cloud State, including the Avon Literary Society. She also discussed her life after leaving the Normal School, which led her to different teaching jobs in Minnesota. After earning her master’s and doctorate degrees, Dallman received several different teaching positions all over the country, from Chicago to Alaska. Dallman also discussed how her time at the St. Cloud State prepared her for a lifetime of teaching. Comparing the university to colleges today, she claimed that during her time at St. Cloud State, college was more of the exception than the rule. She believed today that going to college does not necessarily mean students are interested in studying and gaining knowledge.

In her release form, Dallman stated the oral history could be accessible "...if used with discretion and without identification of names". Thus the transcript can only be used in University Archives.