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Henry M. Harren was born in Albany, Minnesota in 1922. He attended the University of Idaho and St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and then served in World War II. After his military service he was an editor and publisher in Albany, Minnesota. He served in the Minnesota state Senate from 1955-1961 and 1963-1969. During his years in office, he served on a number of Senate committee, among them being: Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs (chairman, 1969-1970); Elections and Reapportionment; Game and Fish; Labor; Rules and Legislative Expense; Finance; Public Welfare; and Agriculture. He also served on the Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Resource Commission (MORCC) and was appointed as its first chairman. Harren was married and had six children.

SCSU faculty member

Harry H. Goehring was born to George and Elizabeth (Melius) Goehring in Loyal, Wisconsin, ca. 1907. He graduated from Loyal High School in Clark County, Wisconsin in 1925. He received a bachelor's degree from the Wisconsin State University (1929), master's degree from the University of Wisconsin (1932), and his Ph.D. from the University of North Dakota (1955).

Goehring joined the faculty at St. Cloud State in 1946, teaching ornithology and zoology. He would later teach in Biology and retired in 1971. He is best known studying bats thta lived in a Mississippi River sewer near campus and was nicknamed St. Cloud State's "Batman". In addition, Goehring developed a biology course for prospective elementary teachers. Goehring’s personal research included the discovery of two rare rhino mice in St. Cloud as well as a bat that survived sub-zero temperatures lower than had been previously believed.

Goehring married Thelma Keefer and they had three daughters - Donna, Dixie, and Dawn. Goehring passed away on April 15, 1997 in Concord, New Hampshire, at the age of 89.

Retired SCSU faculty member

Hubert Irey Gibson was born in Mason, Illinois, on December 21, 1906, the eldest of seven children.

As a child, Hubert enjoyed writing, dreaming one day to become an author. Not sure that he could make a living solely as an author, he eventually decided to be a lawyer who was a writer. In 1928, Hubert moved to Chicago to attend law school. While in school, he found employment as a law clerk. Unfortunately, as the Great Depression descended upon the country, Hubert found himself with a growing family and no job.

While Hubert’s wife, the former Frances Lauk, found steady work as a stenographer and typist, Hubert was unable to land employment. Frances suggested that Hubert gain skills that were in demand, such as typing and shorthand. He listened – Hubert attended night classes at a business college and soon acquired those skills.

Those newly learned secretarial skills lead Hubert to his job with Sinclair and Lloyd Lewis in the fall of 1933. Chicago Daily News drama critic Lloyd Lewis, who was reported at the time to be writing a play with a famous author, gave Hubert a job as secretary. Hubert then lived temporarily with Sinclair Lewis at the Sherry Hotel in Chicago, preparing draft after draft of The Jayhawker (which was then called “The Skedaddler” or “The Glory Hole”). While transcribing the manuscripts for Sinclair and Lloyd Lewis, Hubert was often called upon to act out many sequences in the play.

After his employment with Sinclair and Lloyd Lewis ended, Hubert was hired by Firestone Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio, as personal secretary to Harvey Firestone, Sr., and his son
Harvey Firestone, Jr. He also served with the Firestone chairman John W. Thomas and executive vice-president J. E. Trainer. Hubert eventually became manager of Plant 1 in Akron. In 1954, Hubert became general manager of Firestone’s Guided Missile Division in South Gate, California.

In 1966, Hubert retired to Arkansas. Frances died in 1970, while he passed away on April 16, 1996. They are both buried in Akron, Ohio.

Hubert and Frances married in 1929 and had three children: Doris, Barbara, and David.

George F. Coan, born in 1870, had a studio in St. Cloud at least during the 1920s.

Retired SCSU faculty member

Organized on November 3, 1905 by St. Cloud State faculty member Isabel Lawrence, Gamma Sigma Sigma was originally known as the Story Teller’s Club. Its purpose as a literary society for women to develop literary powers and improve ability to tell stories. The club aimed to broaden culture through reading and discussion, promote friendship, and develop character.

In 1953, the Story Teller’s Club changed its name to Sigma Theta Chi. In April 1959, Sigma Theta Chi pledged to Gamma Sigma Sigma, a national service sorority. In March 1960, the name officially changed to Gamma Sigma Sigma, whose purpose was to "assemble St. Cloud State College women in the spirit of service to humanity." The last reference of Gamma Sigma Sigma was in academic year 1972/73 relating to their work with a blood drive.

Joanne is a noted American author.

Retired SCSU faculty member

SCSU alum and retired administrator

The writings of “John Fischer,” pseudonym, represents a collaboration between Ruel E. Fischmann and Joanne Fluke, husband and wife.

Ruel E. Fischmann was born on July 3, 1939 and passed away on January 7, 2013. He lived in Granada Hills, California.

Fischmann received both his bachelor of arts (1961) and master of arts (1967) degrees from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA). After graduation, Fischmann landed a faculty position in Philosophy at St. Cloud State College (later University) in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

In 1984, Fischmann left St. Cloud State to pursue a career as a television writer.

Joanne Fluke was born in 1943 to Cliff and Esther Gibson. Fluke grew up in Swanville, Minnesota, graduating from Swanville High School in 1960. After attending St. Cloud State, Fluke graduated from California State University at San Bernardino.

They have one son, John Fluke.

Faculty Wives and Women organization was formed in 1947 by Mrs. D. S. Brainard, wife of the St. Cloud State president Dudley Brainard, and three other faculty wives, Mrs. C.E. Daggett, Mrs. P.G. Rawland, and Mrs. J.E. Talbot. The organization was originally called the Faculty Wives Club but changed their names at a later date to include unmarried female faculty. The organization is mainly a social group designed to create community within the female members and spouses of the St. Cloud campus faculty. The club is currently still active as of 2022.

Part of Finance and Administration

Retired SCSU faculty member

The St. Cloud Museum of Man was incorporated in 1973 as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Minnesota. Although the museum was located on the campus of St. Cloud State University, the museum was legally and financially separate from the school. The Articles of Incorporation stated that the purpose of the museum was for scientific, educational, and archival purposes, including study, research, teaching, instruction, and the preservation of all aspects of culture.

The name of the museum was changed from the St. Cloud Museum of Man to the Evelyn Payne Hatcher Museum of Anthropology in 1979.

Evelyn Payne Hatcher was one of the founders of the museum. According to her obituary, her parents were renowned early 20th century painters whose impressionistic works focused on tribal people, culture, symbols, and landscapes of the American West and Southwest. Hatcher made it her mission to make sure that their legacy lived on.

The museum worked closely with the anthropology department on campus. Many students did volunteer work, helping set up exhibits and accessioning and deaccessioning artifacts. Many of the museum's exhibits and lectures focused on Native American and Asian cultures.

The dissolution of the Evelyn Payne Hatcher Museum of Anthropology occurred in 1996.

Affirmative Action is defined as an active efforts to improve employment or educational opportunities for minority groups and women. Affirmative action began as a government solution to remedy the effects of long-standing discrimination against suchy groups and consisted of policies, program,s and procedures that give limited preferences to iminorities and women in job hiring, admission to institutions of higher education, and other social benefits. The typical criteria for affairmative action are race, disability, gender, ethnic origin, and age.

The Minnesota State College system began its affirmative action program in the spring of 1972 and campuses were required to participate. At St. Cloud State, Howard Russell served as a consultant to start and develop an affirmative action program. The program was revised in the spring of 1974 by the Minnesota governor's executive order 76. The order required at individual state agenices, among many things, appointment of an executive staff membr as equal opportunity officer as well as an appointment of a campus-wide affirmative action committee.

Though John Tomlinson was appointed as affirmative action officer, James Kitchen was soon given that role. According to the records in the office of president, there were no positions available for a full-time affirmative action officer and also felt that a teaching position was not appropriate. Instead, an assignment was made for an affirmative action officer on a part-time basis of a qualified individual and given some of the responsiblities that were held by Howard Russell. The position would eventually became a full-time appointment.

The position was intially part of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Beginning in 1991/92, Affirmative Action reported to the office of the president and continues to do so today.

Names:

Affirmative Action: 1974 - 2010

Equity and Affirmative Action: 2010 - 2020+

Affirmative Action Officers:

April 1974 - June 1974: John Tomlinson (who was also VP for Academic Affairs)

July 1974 - July 1976: James Kitchen (who was also Minority Culture Center director)

July 1976 - November 1976: Robert Becker (acting)

November 1976 - June 1977: Patricia Darrah (who was also Minority Culture Center director)

July 1977 - September 1977: Robert Becker (acting)

September 1977 - 1982/83: Barb Grachek

1983/84: Robert Becker (acting)

1984/85: Barb Grachek

1985/86: Mil Voelker (acting)

1986/87 - 1989/90: Mil Voelker

1990/91: Caroline Boureston (acting)

1991/92 - 1993/94: Jill Ciliberto

1994/95 - 1996/97: Debra Carlson

1997/98 - May 2002: Laurel Allen

January 2003 - July 2003: Aly Xiong (interim)

2003/04? - 2005/06: Ann Zemek de Dominguez (interim)

April 2006 - 2008/09: Susan Moss

January 2010 - present: Ellyn Bartges

Courses in English composition and literature have been taught at St. Cloud State since its founding as the Third State Normal School in 1869, forming a core part of the early curriculum, and have grown into an active department within the College of Liberal Arts.

Chairpersons:

Howard H. Russell: 1967-1972

James K. Gottshall: 1972-1987

Michael Connaughton: 1987-1988

Marcia Summers: 1988-1989 (interim)

Richard Dillman: 1989-1995

Robert Inkster: 1995-1999

Suellen Rundquist: 1999-2004

Robert Inkster: 2004-2008

Raymond Philipott: 2008-2011

Robert Inkster: 2011-2012 (interim)

Richard Dillman:2012-2013 (interim)

Glenn Davis: 2013-2015

?: 2015-2018

Judith Dorn and Judith Kilborn: 2018-2019 (co-chairs)

William J. Ellingson was an Art faculty member at St. Cloud State University from 1963 to 1993. Born in Forrestberg, South Dakota on March 29, 1933, Ellingson received BFA from the Minneapolis School of Art in 1960 and his MFA from the University of Iowa in 1963.

Born on August 31, 1933, Kenneth Cox graduated from East Stroudsburg University in 1955 with a B.S. degree in health and physical education. He later received his Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction. Cox served in the U.S. military from 1955 to 1956. In 1956 Summer games in Melbourne, Australia, he was part of the U.S. Olympic wrestling team.

Cox coached wrestling for 25 years, four of which were spent at St. Cloud State. Ken Cox coached the SCSU wrestling team from 1963 through 1967. During his St. Cloud State career, Cox coached the Olympic-bound Hazewinkel twins, Dave and Jim, accompanying them to their 1964 Olympic Trial in New York City. Cox saw the completion of Halenbeck Hall in 1965 and hosted the NAIA championships there in 1966. Throughout his entire coaching career, Cox coached 16 NAIA All-Americans, three Olympians, eight national champions, and numerous NCAA All-Americans. He passed away on February 5, 2022 at the age of 88.

Ida Kay Compton was born on June 14, 1917 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. While a graduate student at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts in 1947, she met Sinclair Lewis.  Lewis had recently moved to Williamstown from Duluth, Minnesota.

Compton, who was known as Ida Kay, wrote a book review on Lewis' 1947 novel, Kingsblood Royal, and was summoned by Lewis to his farm, Thorvale.  Here began a friendship that lasted until Lewis' death in 1951.

Ida married Williams College chemistry faulty member Charles Compton in 1953.

Her career included stints at the University of Chicago Press and Time, Inc.

Ida passed away on September 22, 1985 in Bradenton, Florida.

John T. Clawson, Minnesota state legislator from District 19A  (1975-1980) and District 19B (1981-1984), was born August 7, 1945 in St. Paul, Minnesota. His family, of Danish lineage from the Lincoln Co-Tyler area, moved around Minnesota until settling in Bloomington, Minnesota. His great-grandfather, J. T. Clawson, was elected Superintendent of Schools in Lincoln Co. around the turn of the century. His paternal grandfather was appointed as the Minnesota House of Representatives Sergeant at Arms in the mid 1950's by Senator Joseph Vonheim of Tyler, Minnesota.

After finishing at Bloomington High School in 1963, Clawson attended Augsburg College in Minneapolis, majoring in Latin and Greek. He graduated in 1967, and began attending Northwestern Theological Seminary in St. Paul. Upon graduation in 1971, Clawson accepted a "two-point" parish in Harris, Minnesota, which included the First Lutheran of Harris and Calvary Lutheran in Stanchfield, and served in this capacity until 1974. In 1974 he was also hired as pastoral consultant to Hazelden, a rehabilitation center in Center City, Minnesota.

Clawson's interest in politics had its roots in his early appreciation of history and world affairs, as well as college activism at the seminary in the late 1960's. Labelling himself both Conservative and Republican, he attended his first Republican Caucus in 1972. Upon sensing the local party to be more "reactionary ideologues" than they were politically conservative, Clawson caucused with the DFL party in 1974. Clawson endorsed and won the 1974 state representative race over incumbent Republican Mike Olmstead with a 52% of the vote. In the Minnesota House he was appointed to the Judiciary, Local and Urban Affairs, and the Health and Welfare Committees. One of the major pieces of legislation he co-authored involved the reorganization of the Minnesota court system. Clawson won as the incumbent in 1976, and became involved in the House Orientation Committee and in creating the Department of Economic Security. Clawson was re-elected in 1978, 1980, and 1982.

Clawson was married to Susan Luetje from Red Wing in 1968. They had two daughters together, Jennifer and Amanda. He was remarried around 1987 to Christine Halvorson, and then again around 1999 to Annette Roth.

The student-run Chronicle has been published continuously since 1924 at St. Cloud State.

Chi Sigma Chi was an honorary fraternity for industrial arts majors and minors. The fraternity organized on campus in the winter of 1948. The purpose of the fraternity was to develop professional spirit, fellowship, and a better understanding of the opportunities and problems of industrial arts teachers in an industrial democracy. One of the notable activities the club sponsored was evening industrial hobby classes for adults. The last mention of Chi Sigma Chi was September 1978 in the Chronicle.

There are mentions of "Chi Sigma Chi" in the Chronicle prior to 1948, however the Chronicle notes this version of Chi Sigma Chi is "completely divorced" from its name sake.

The Central Minnesota Historical Assembly was a free association of historical societies, in the Central Minnesota area, joined together in a interest for mutual aid and assistance. Counties included: Aitkin, Benton, Big Stone, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Isanti, Kandiyohi, Kanabec, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pine, Pope, Renville, Sherburne, Stearns, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Wadena, Wright, and Yellow Medicine.

The association's goals were to establish working relationships between members and to establish rapid exchange of information and channels of communication between members. The association met about once a year to discuss business, hear reports, and to assist members in their local programs.

During the 1980/90s, participation in the association began to wane and attempts to revitalize the program were unsuccessful. The association was officially disbanded in 1996.

Student organizations have long played a role on the campus of St. Cloud State University. The University Archives has Student Activity Council (SAC) minutes going back to the 1950s. The purpose of the SAC was to budget and provide to organizations which enhanced the cultural, recreational, and/or intellectual life at the University. SAC also prepared policies for the organizations to follow and abide by. It was followed by the Center for Student Organizations and Leadership Development.

The Center for Student Organizations and Leadership Development (CSOLD) was developed in 2004/2005 as a resource for student organizations, leadership programs, fraternities and sororities, and service and service-learning opportunities.

The mission of the Center for Student Organizations and Leadership Development (CSOLD) was to inspire, challenge, and connect students through organization involvement, service, and leadership exploration. The office was a resource to students in the following areas: student organizations, leadership programs, fraternities and sororities, and service and service-learning opportunities.

CSOLD had been a resource to over 250 student organizations in a variety of categories including academics, sports clubs, religious and spiritual, and political and social concerns. CSOLD coordinated events for student organizations, including officer and advisor training and the annual Mainstreet student organization fair.

CSOLD programs included leadership exploration, education, training, and development experiences in many different formats. Leadership programs included Workshops on Demand, the Excellence in Leadership Award program, and “What Color is Your Personality”™ workshops..

Fraternities and Sororities were supported through the CSOLD office. The learning community was an experience that challenged each fraternity and sorority member to commit him/herself to living to a higher standard. Members of fraternities and sororities could be found doing community service in neighborhoods near St. Cloud State University, volunteering at local events or organizing philanthropic activities to benefit local/national causes, research, and social issues.

On July 11, 2011, CSOLD and the University Programming Office (UPB) merged to become the Department of Campus Development.

As part of the Department of Economics, the Center for Economic Education was established in 1964 to assist K-12 teachers by providing high-quality curriculum materials and workshops. As of 2023, the Center still exists.

In February 1963, the Department of Business Education and Office Administration orgainzed and hosted the Winter Institute. In 1968, the Center for Economic Education was responsible for planning and hosting the Winter Institute.

The Winter Institute was last held in February 2020.

When the Third State Normal School opened in September 1869, a campus laboratory (or model) school opened as well. It contained 70 children. The primary mission of St. Cloud State was to train young men and women to teach in Minnesota public schools. Here students watched St. Cloud State's faculty, as master teachers, teach children typically from kindergarten to eighth grade. The students were often children of St. Cloud State employees who lived nearby.

With the close of World War II in 1945, St. Cloud State began to offer education beyond teacher training. By 1975, St. Cloud State became a university with teacher training as part of its overall curriculum - and that teaching continues today.

In May 1983, the campus laboratory school closed. It was the last Minnesota State University campus laboratory school. Many in the community and on campus objected to the closing.

The purpose of the Camera Kraft Club was to teach the fundamentals of photography and to develop an appreciation of nature and art. The first mention of the club was in the 1923 Talahi yearbook while the last mention was in the 1954 Talahi yearbook.

Dr. Julius C. Buscher, M.D. was born in Germany in 1891 and served as a medical officer in the German Army in World War I. Dr. Buscher studied medicine at the Universities of Kiel and Heidelberg in Germany. He was the author of several medical publication and other writings. He came to the United States in 1924 and in 1925 his wife Elsbeth joined him from Germany. Dr. Buscher practiced medicine in Minneapolis and Albany before moving to St. Cloud in 1929. He worked at the St. Cloud Hospital until 1949, when he joined the Veterans Hospital staff. He retired on November 30, 1964.

Dr. Buscher was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church, St. Mary’s Physician Guild, and the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons and Minnesota Psychiatric Society. He was also affiliated with the American, Minnesota, and Stearns-Benton Medical Associations. Julius Buscher died at his home on August 8, 1965. He was survived by his wife, an adopted son Walter, and two grandsons.

Andrew A. Brown was born in Norway in 1841. Brown served in the U.S. Civil War from 1861 to 1863, achieving the rank of Captain. He married his wife Christine and had five children: Anna, Fenna, Ida, Flora, Albert. Andrew served in the Minnesota state Senate for District 39 from 1879 to 1881. He and his family resided in Alexandria, Minnesota until 1909, when they moved to the State of Washington. Andrew died in 1912 and his wife in 1938.

Virginia was born on October 5, 1921 to Dudley and Merl Brainard. She was the oldest of five children that included Constance (1924-2000), Eleanor (1926-2001), Charles (1929- ), and Edward (Ned) (1931- ). Dudley was a faculty member and, later, St. Cloud State president from 1943 to 1947.

After one year at St. Cloud State Teachers College, Virginia attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. She graduated in 1943.

After graduation in 1943, Virginia worked at the Clinton Daily Herald. She eventually made her way to the Minneapolis Tribune. From 1962 to 1989 she served as executive director of the Ramsey County Historical Society in St. Paul. Here she founded the Society’s quarterly magazine, Ramsey County History, in 1964. She was author of many magazine articles and fifteen books in the field of state and local history.

On April 22, 1950, Virginia married Richard Kunz in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They had two children: Susan and David. Richard passed away in 1978. Virginia died on January 7, 2005 at the age of 84.

St. Cloud State acting president from 1943 to 1947 as well as History faculty member.