VOLUME 38 NUMBER 1

•TORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN Here is portrayed a lazy-hazy autumnal landscape, on the threshold of winter, drenched, no doubt, with the pungent odor of Indian summer's ivoodsmoke. This is one of thousands of glorious pastoral scenes well- known and well-loved in Wisconsin. The sea and the mountain states have their admirers, too, but if you were ON THE COVER: asked to choose the loveliest spot on earth, would you not reply: ^'Make mine Wisconsin"? This picture, taken by Richard Vesey, Madison, was given honorable mention in the Society's Photographic Competition, 1950. It is Simpson's Valley, northeast of Richland Center, in southwestern Wisconsin.

The WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY is published by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 816 State Street, Madison 6, Wisconsin. Distributed to members as part of their dues (Annual Membership, $4.00; Contributing, $10; Business and Professional, $25: Life, $100; Sustaining, $100 or more annually). Yearly subscription, $4.00; single numbers, $1.00. As of July 1, 1954, introductory offer for NEW members only. Annual dues $1.00, Magazine subscription $3.00. Communications should be addressed to the editor. The Society does not assume responsibility for statements made by contributors. Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Madison, Wisconsin, under the act of August 24, 1912. Copyright 1954 by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Paid for in part by the Maria L. and Simeon Mills Editorial Fund and by the George B. Burrows Fund. PERMISSION—Wisconsin newspapers may reprint any article appearing in the Wisconsin Magazine of History provided the story carries the following credit line: Reprinted from the State Historical Society's Wisconsin Magazine of History for [insert the season and year which appears on the Magazine^.

PHOTO CREDITS—Cover picture supplied by Richard Vesey, Madison; Nipo T. Strong- heart as Medicine Priest, by Inter-Americana Research Institute, Nipo Strongheart, Director; on location, Nipo Strongheart at camera, by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Corporation; conversing in Indian dialect for production of "The Outriders," by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Corporation; Indian sign language coaching for "Across the Wide Missouri," by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Corporation; Indians portraying ancestors in "Canyon Passage," by Walter Wanger Productions, Universal Studio; Nipo Strongheart "Meet the Authors" page, from a group discussing "Black Gold," by Allied Artists Studios; crowd in front of Ringling Barnum Circus tent, by Trimpey Estate, Baraboo; complimentary circus ticket, by Sverre 0. Braathen, Madison; George Hall's Wagon Show, by Mrs. Frank Hall, Evansville: Old Station at Mineral Point, bv E. W. Grant, Milwaukee. VOLUME 38 NUMBER 1

PUBLISHED BY THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN « AUTUMN, 1954

Editor: CLIFFORD L. LORD Managing Editor: LILLIAN KRUEGER

CONTENTS

The History of the Mineral Point and Northern Railway Company (Part 1) PAUL S. NADLER 3

History in Hollywood NiPO T. STRONGHEART 10

Convention Memoir of a Wisconsin Delegate Introduction by PALMER H. BOEGER 17

The Educators' Debt to Lyman Copeland Draper JOHN GUY FOWLKES 29

Suffragettes on the Stump: Letter from the Political Equality League of Wisconsin, 1912 Introduction by KENNETH W. DUCKETT 31

FEATURES: Meet the Authors 2 Pandora's Box 27 Smoke Rings 7 Sincerely Yours 35 The Collector 20 Readers' Choice 37 Circuit Rider 24 Accessions 61 meet the authors

PAUL S. NADLER, New York City, re­ teaching assistant at the University of ceived his master's degree in history Connecticut, and was later an assist­ at the University of Wisconsin in the ant at the University of Wisconsin. summer of 1953. His thesis subject Mr. Nadler began service in the sum­ was "Abandoned Railroads in Wis­ mer of 1953, attended master gunner consin." His interest in railroads be­ school, and has been put in charge of gan at an early age, and it was natu­ service schools and information and ral for his hobby to develop into his education for the 26th AAA Group, field of study. In 1951-52 he was a at Fort Lawton, Washington.

NIPO T. STRONGHEART, LOS Angeles, Indians for service during World was born on the Yakima Indian Res­ War I, and after the war lectured for ervation, Washington, May 15, 1891. Lyceum and Chautauqua circuits. He was educated at a reservation Strongheart founded the Inter-Amer­ school and at Carlisle Indian School. icana Research Institute and the Am­ When the Lubin Film Company pro­ erican Indian Arts Academy. Through duced "The White Chief" at Carlisle, these agencies, and as technical ad­ with Indians participating, Strong- visor to movie producers, he has pro­ heart was asked to become interpreter vided authoritative research on and technical advisor. He recruited the American Indians.

Though a native of Iowa, FAY BRAA­ their vacation following the Big Top THEN has long been a resident of along the Sawdust Trail. Their hobby Madison. A graduate of the Univer­ has led to speech-making and the sity of Wisconsin, she taught school showing of color slides which Mr. for several years and then married Braathen takes from time to time. Attorney Sverre 0. Braathen, a cir­ When the circus museum at White cus fan. She has since become a dyed- Tops looks its shining best, Mrs. Braa­ in-the-wool collector of circusiana. then takes over another fascinating Every summer the Braathens spend hobby: her flower garden.

DR. JOHN GUY FOWLKES, a Missouri- dena, Fort Worth, and other cities. an, joined the staff of the University Among his contributions to his field of Wisconsin in 1922 and since 1947 are several textbooks, a group of has been Dean of the School of Edu­ charts entitled "Democracy at Work," cation and Director of the Summer and numerous bulletins of the Bureau Session. He has been a member of of Educational Research. Dr. Fowlkes the Mississippi and Virginia State recently left the University for India Educational Survey staffs, and direc­ to serve as advisor to the Ministry of tor of surveys at Kansas City, Pasa­ Education for a two-year period. Along the Pecatonica and over the hills to the mine fields, twenty-six miles of railroad track brought prosperity to Iowa County. Although trains and tracks are gone from the landscape, enjoy this story of a railroad dream-come-true.

iSM The Old St. Paul Railroad Station at Mineral Point in 1898. The Offices of the Mineral Point & Northern Railroad Were Opened on the Second Floor When Its Road Construction Was Begun.

The History of the Mineral Point and Northern Railway Company (Part I) bif Paul $. Nadler

The abandonment of a railroad is a common Then the railroad wins permission to aban­ procedure: first there is the slow decay of the don, and the last train is run. The track is equipment of the line, and the daily or thrice- removed, the bridges torn down, and the sta­ weekly train carries less and less cars until tions razed or converted into homes and barns. there are just the locomotive, tender, combina­ All that remains is the right of way, growing tion baggage-passenger car, and sometimes, new wild grasses and brush, for even Nature but not always, a box car. helps to eradicate the memory. Then the owners of the railroad ask for per­ But there is a memory. There were reasons mission to abandon operations, and a hearing why the line was built, and there were build­ is held. The railroad has its last day of glory, ers and planners who never thought that this as people who seldom or never patronized the would be the end of their dreams. The rail­ line tell the officials how important it is to the road influenced the lives of the people it community. Some really expect to use the served, and the people affected the railroad. service again, sometime; some use it now to a The history of an abandoned railroad is the slight extent and dislike the idea of the expense story of social and economic change. It is its abandonment will cost them. Others come also the story of the dreams and acts of men and complain simply because they dislike to and communities to whom this now neglected see the change. Maybe the railroad reminds strip of land had once represented ''the enter­ them of the past and better days. ing upon a new era^

Before the Civil War, Mineral Point had been principal product.^ Mining never completely the center of the Iowa County mining and died, for during the Civil War zinc deposits smelting district. The city had developed with had been discovered in the area, and these the successful exploitation of the lead ore of were worked for the next thirty years.^ In the southwest Wisconsin. By 1862, however, this latter half of the nineteeenth century small ill- ore supply had been exhausted, and Mineral ^Workers of the Writers' Program of the Works Point and the surrounding area became agri­ Projects Administration in the State of Wisconsin, "Mineral Point Guide Book" (Unpublished, 1941), cultural districts, with dairy cattle as the 227. nUd., 228. WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

equipped mines, lacking pumps and steam laundry, a creamery, and a paper and pulp powered engines, usually earned enough to mill."^ It was symbolic of the fever that struck sustain the two or three partners operating the community that a paper and pulp mill the mine, and little more.-^ was built in an area with a scarcity of timber. A change took place in 1882, however, when The boom ended with the Panic of 1893, and local people invested $35,000 in the Mineral these new enterprises were forced to contract Point Zinc Company. Prior to this Mineral their operations or to close down altogether. Point had been only a shipping center for ore Zinc mining and agriculture suffered less that was destined for the processing plants at heavily, and these two activities sustained the La Salle, Illinois.^ Now Mineral Point had its city. Mineral Point began to realize that its own oxide plant, and the "dry bone" or car­ future would be in mining and agriculture bonate ore of southwest Wisconsin could be rather than diversified industry.^ manufactured into zinc oxide, a basic in­ The New Jersey Zinc Corporation, a firm gredient of paint.^ People scoured the country­ engaged in zinc operations throughout the side, and brought zinc into Mineral Point from United States, bought the Mineral Point Zinc Grant, Lafayette, and Iowa counties. Much of Company in 1897. The company was now able the ore came from the villages of Linden and to expand its oxide plant, increase its holdings Highland, north of the city. of mineral land, and established a sulphuric The Mineral Point Zinc Company pros­ acid plant in the building that had housed the pered, and in 1883 three brothers, David B., ill-fated paper and pulp mill.^ Steady growth William A., and Thomas D. Jones, bought the of the zinc industry in southwest Wisconsin company and increased its capital to $400,000. continued until 1904 when a rise in the price They began to contract for ore from as far of zinc caused a large increase in the number away as the upper Mississippi River valley of mines in the area, the establishment of and New Mexico Territory to provide enough seven small mills in Iowa County for the con­ "dry bone" to supplement that garnered by centration of ore, and the installation of new the crude Wisconsin operations. By 1891 the roasters and separators by the Mineral Point Mineral Point Zinc Company was the largest Zinc Company.^^ It was also in 1904 that the plant of its kind in the United States.^ Mineral Point and Northern Railway was The resulting boom caused the construction financed and constructed. of a woolen mill, a foundry, two breweries, There had been agitation for a railroad ex­ two cigar factories, a bottling works, a steam tending from Mineral Point to the zinc fields north of the city for twenty-five or thirty 'Ibid. 'Ibid. years.^^ At both Highland and Linden large ^Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-781, deposits of "black jack" ore were available. "Hearing of May 10, 1911, at Madison, Wisconsin, in the case of Mineral Point Zinc Co. v. Chicago and The "dry bone" carbonate ore was rapidly be­ Northwestern Railway Company; Chicago, Milwau­ ing exhausted in southwest Wisconsin, and the kee, and St. Paul Railway Company; and Mineral miners were therefore turning to this "black Point and Northern Railway Company"' (Unpub­ lished), 2. This and all other dockets of the Railroad jack," which had a considerably lower per­ Commission are available at the commission's offices centage of zinc than the "dry bone" did. Since in Madison, Wisconsin. far more ore was needed to produce a ton of 'Writers' Program, "Mineral Point," 233. zinc metal spelter from this lower quality ore, the transportation costs from the mine to the

'Ibid., 237. Zinc Works, Mineral Point. Before 1910 'Ibid., 239. ^A sulphuric acid plant was established, as the ore contained a high percentage of sulphur which could be extracted. '"Writers' Program, "Mineral Point," 248. "Interstate Commerce Commission Finance Docket 7820, "Return to questionnaire on Abandonment of Mineral Point and Northern Railway Company" (Un­ published), 2. This and all other I.C.C. dockets are available at the Wisconsin Railroad Commission offices.

.^.«:%i. :>-, RAILROADS OF THE ZING REGION OF WISGONSIN SCALE MILES 0 I 2

PLATTEVILLE ®

RAILROADS MINERAL POINT a NORTHERN I I II |l CHICAGO a NORTH WESTERN 44-*>4 CHICAGO,MILWAUKEE a ST. PAUL^^-H" THE MINERAL POINT a NORTHERN RAILROAD OPERATED FROM 1904 THROUGH EARLY 1930. ELMO ®' -TO ^CHICAGO, JANESVILLE. AND MILWAUKEE

CUBA©^ TO GALENA DRAWN BY WM.DAVIS WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

processing plant became a major factor in villages to Mineral Point, and the North production costs.^- A railroad connecting these Western had refused. The officers of the North two villages with Mineral Point would make Western realized that such a line would hurt mining operations in these "black jack" dis­ their revenues. Ore now transported by their tricts economically possible. The townspeople line to Madison and points beyond would be at Highland and Linden had long hoped for carried only to Mineral Point instead. As for the construction of such a line. Further agita­ the shipment of the finished ore, it was more tion for a railroad came from the farmers of than likely that the St. Paul Road would be the area who foresaw the conveniences that a given the traffic, for its line went directly nearby line could provide for cattle and dairy from Mineral Point to the Chicago market.^^ produce shipments. The St. Paul Road, on the other hand, would There were already two railroads in the not construct a railroad from Mineral Point southwest Wisconsin zinc region: the Chicago, north to these two villages, as there seemed Milwaukee, and St. Paul, and the Chicago and to be an agreement between the railroads not North Western. The St. Paul Road ran directly to interfere with each other's territories.^^ The south from Mineral Point, connected with a people of Highland and Linden slowly came spur track from Platteville, and continued to realize that if their railroad were to be southeast to Janesville and Chicago. This line built, it would have to be financed locally. touched the area of heavy zinc mining onlv at In 1899, therefore, the Mineral Point and Platteville, but it provided the orginal outlet Northern Railway had been incorporated to for the products of the Mineral Point Zinc construct a line from Mineral Point, which Company. The North Western route lay di­ had a population of 2,991, to the northern zinc rectly through the zinc fields. Its tracks from district and the villages of Highland and Galena, Illinois, ran north, passing Platteville Linden, which contained 913 and 543 people and turning east through Cobb and Edmund respectively.^^ By 1903 a small bit of grading to Madison. Neither line provided service had been done, but the lack of funds stopped close enough to Highland or Linden to make all progress until 1904 when the railway "black jack" mining practicable. made a concerted effort for local investment A railroad from the northern zinc fields to in the enterprise. Mineral Point would cross the east-west tracks Three men had purchased the stock of the of the North Western. As a result, ore mined company organized in 1899, and these men along the North Western tracks could be sent led the attempt to interest the citizens of the directly to Mineral Point for processing rather two communities. The leading planner was than to Eastern plants. This possibility, how­ Charles W. Mcllhon, a vice-president of the ever, had been the reason why the railroad First National Bank of Mineral Point, and a had not been constructed, for the people of successful mine operator. William Amberg, a Highland and Linden had asked the Chicago resident of Chicago who had been born in and North Western to build a line from those Mineral Point, had invested profits from his wholesale stationery business in the enter­ ^"Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-781, prise, for he felt that the Mineral Point and "Hearing May, 1911 .. . Mineral Point Zinc Co.," 5. Northern would be a profitable venture. The third stockholder was Donald Morrill, who was described by the Linden Southwest Wis­ consin as "a lawyer of high repute with that Zinc Works, Mineral Point, After 1912 business sagacity that is the birthright of every son of Scottish ancestors."^^ (Continued on page 47) '''Ibid., p. M9. ']Ibid., p. M8. ^T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Return to question­ naire . . . Northern Railway Company," 8. The char­ ter also included the right to construct to Edmund, Cobb, and Dodgeville. ^^Linden Southwest W^isconsin, Jan. 27, 1904.

^^^^^te^v:^^^^> .^^^^^^ ^r^Ze%u'

Have you noticed all the books we have been publishing this year? Beginning in Jan­ uary we launched the Draper Centennial with Curator Hesseltine's Pioneer's Mission, the biography of our distinguished founding fa­ people, the older programs—library, research, ther. In May it was Merrill's life of one of museum, archives, publications—move for­ Wisconsin's most noted Democrats, William ward with increased momentum. Freeman Vilas—Senator, Cabinet member, Each quarter this Draper Centennial benefactor of the University. In June at the Year we seem to have at least one conven­ State Bankers Association Convention we un­ tion on which to report. This time, it is our veiled Theodore Andersen's Century of Bank­ own Annual Convention, held in Madison, ing in Wisconsin, the second Everest Prize June 24-26. The proceedings were formally volume. Now comes our own Alice Smith's and effectively opened by Governor Kohler. epic biography of James Duane Doty, the col­ Emil Frautschi then gave a delightful talk on orful, scheming, effective operator, the typical "Old Madison." President Fred of the Uni­ figure of many sections of our American fron­ versity was present during the entire session tier, the territorial governor of both Wiscon­ and made a few remarks at the close of Mr. sin and Utah. Frautschi's talk. The Friday luncheon was Coming shortly will be the biographies of the Annual June Meeting of our Women's Matthew Hale Carpenter by Bruce Thompson Auxiliary. Chairman Koch introduced the and that of Moses Strong by Kenneth Duckett novelty of two-minute reports from the com­ of our staff. In the offing are the papers given mittee chairmen, encompassing a well-rounded at the symposium Founders' Day and Alice and stimulating resume of the Auxiliary's Smith's dinner address, being edited by Don work. Then came the address by Lucius Bryan McNeil, under the title "The American Col­ Dabney, distinguished collector of Americana lector" ; the symposium at the Mississippi Val­ from Vicksburg, Mississippi. Dr. Dabney's ley Historical Association meetings on "The interest in collecting was initially aroused by College and the Community," edited by Cura­ reading of Draper's work, and no feature of tor Stevens; the symposium on "The Indian the convention was more appropriate or more in Modern America" presented at our own fully appreciated by those present than the Annual Convention and edited by Dr. David tribute paid by this noted disciple to his fa­ A. Baerreis; and a digest of the discussions mous preceptor. In the afternoon came a of problems facing historical societies held at remarkable symposium on "The Indian in the recent Institute and Convention of the Modern America," sponsored by the Rocke­ American Association for State and Local feller Foundation. Presided over by Kent History. FitzGerald of the Minneapolis regional office This is a publication program unparalleled of the Office of Indian Affairs, the panel con­ in the history of the Society. Too much credit sisted of Dean E. Adamson Hoebel of the cannot be given our book publication division University of Utah, Professor Milton Barnett under the indefatigable Miss Appel. It is of the University of Wisconsin, and Dr. Wil- again indicative of the calibre of our staff and lard Beatty, former chief of the Office of of the well-rounded nature of our program. Indian Education in the Department of the While much sound and fury develops over our Interior. Unable to come at the last moment very significant drive to take history to the was Dr. John Collier, former chief of the WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

Office of Indian Affairs. Despite the suffocat­ Miss Fola La Follette, daughter and biogra­ ing atmosphere under the glass skylights on pher of the former Senator. The collection was our fourth floor, the discussion ranged far and accepted for the Society and the public by wide. George Keith, acting head of the De­ President Everest, who presented Miss La Fol­ partment of Public Welfare; Victor Kimball lette with an Award of Merit for the biogra­ of the Department of Public Instruction; and phy of her father, chosen by the Awards William Platz, an Assistant Attorney General, Committee as the most important book in Wis­ representing departments intimately concerned consin history published during the year with the impending termination of federal 1953-54. The feature of the concluding dinner supervision of the Menominee in Wisconsin, program was a debate on "La Follette Liber­ brought a note of immediacy to the discus­ alism—In Retrospect." This program was sion. The universal feeling expressed by the conducted by Town Meeting of the Air, and two hundred or so who stuck out the swelter­ was nationally broadcast the following Tues­ ing afternoon was that it was the most sig­ day night over the ABC stations regularly nificant program the Society had presented in carrying this feature. Chosen by Town Meet­ their memory. ing for the panel were Senator Wayne Morse At the annual banquet, a record number of (Tndep.,-Ore.) and Professor Peter Viereck, eleven awards were presented to individuals, Pulitzer prizewinning historian from Mt. Hol- newspapers, county and other societies for yoke College, Mt. Holyoke, Massachusetts. significant contributions to Wisconsin history. Attendance ranged from approximately 100 In addition a special award was presented to for the opening session to 350 for the con­ Mr. Dabney in recognition of his services to cluding dinner. The Auxiliary contributed to all interested in the American heritage by pre­ the success of the convention not only by serving such a rich collection of manuscripts, staging a very successful luncheon, but by con­ imprints, and postal specialties. The junior tributing hostesses and flowers to the dinners historians of Wisconsin High School, Madison, and the Saturday breakfast. under Karen Falk Johnson and Robert K. Skouge, presented a radio script on the life Membership figures continue to advance of Lyman Copeland Draper, and Professor in three major categories. Dollar members, Fred Harvey Harrington, chairman of the as this is written (prior to the Caravan), are history department of the University of Wis­ coming in satisfactorily and about as expected consin, spoke on "The Role of Wisconsin in —relatively slowly until the big drive gets World Affairs." under way late in September. At the same Saturday morning started off with a break­ time, an unusual number of four-dollar mem­ fast reunion on the Union Terrace, facing berships are coming in. It is too early to be Lake Mendota, in honor of former members sure of any trends, but at this writing it looks of the staff. Ten special guests turned up for as though everybody was right—those who the occasion, headed by Dr. Milo M. Quaife, thought we would get a lot of doflar members former superintendent, who gave a delightful and those who thought a lot of those ap­ series of reminiscences after the breakfast, and proached for dollar memberships would come Iva Welsh, cataloguer for forty-eight years across with four-dollar subscriptions. Certainly who retired in 1944. Then came the business those of us on the staff who have been solicit­ meeting on the outdoor balcony of the Linion ing some doflar memberships to get the feel Theater. Luncheon speaker was Major Gen­ of the special offering have had the experience eral Carl Gray, who charmed his large audi­ several times of talking one dollar and having ence with his stories of railroad experiences the candidate respond by saying he wanted in the United States and abroad, the latter the Magazine too! Meanwhile, the lithographed when he was in charge of railroad transporta­ newsletter. Then and Now, which replaces the tion in the European Theater in World War 11. mimeographed What's Going On! has made Following the General's talk, the ceremonial its debut. We honestly hope that every mem­ opening of the papers of Robert M. La Follette, ber is going to get us at least one new member Sr., highlighted the afternoon. The presenta­ each month from now through next June 30. tion for the La Follette family was made by If this works out, we will have most of the SMOKE RINGS

adult population of the State signed up before mechanization of the fire engine; Ole Evin- the end of the fiscal year. But even if a few rude's perfection of the outboard motor; Oscar of you slip up once in a while, if most of you Zerk's development of the lubricating process will do this job, you will put your state society marketed by Alemite; A. P. Warner's speed­ in position to really do its job of taking history ometer, house trailer, and electric brake—these to the people. That's what we are here to do. are well-known to many people, but they are That's what we want to do. Give us a hand. only a beginning. Several years ago we ran a survey of the Patent Office reports to pick One of the important features of the out Wisconsin inventors. The list reached Draper Centennial Year has been the summer mammoth proportions. session of the University of Wisconsin, which I have always been interested in the story this year in honor of Lyman Draper was de­ behind the invention—the story of the man voted to the topic "Wisconsin Reappraises the who made the invention, who he was, what his Frontier." Many special courses were given, background was, how he came to interest especially by the history department, on vari­ himself in solving the particular problem call­ ous frontiers of history. A very special fea­ ing for that particular invention, and how he ture was the series of special lectures by profited—if profit he did—from his work. distinguished academicians brought to the Again it becomes the story of individuals, campus. Curator Wyman was called to the who like the individuals who adapted the in­ campus for the summer session and gave one vention to mechanized production, like the of these lectures. Curator Jim Dan Hill gave individuals whose capital made possible the another and very provocative lecture. Topics mass production of the invention, like the in­ ranged from "The Frontier in Hispanic dividuals whose advertising skill put the prod­ America" to "If Turner had looked North uct across to the consumer, have helped shape when he wrote about the West." It is hoped the course of our economic history, have con­ that a projected book, to be edited by Curator tributed greatly to the history of their com­ Wyman and Professor Kroeber, wifl eventuate. munities. Surely it would have a wide reading public So little of this Wisconsin story is known among our members. that this year we have assigned one of our This special theme for the Draper Centen­ Draper Assistants, Robert Carlberg, to the nial Year summer session was the idea of task of ferreting out more information on Wis­ Professors Hesseltine and Reynolds of the De­ consin inventors. You will see evidences of partment of History. It was cordially adopted his work in our newsletter from time to time, by the summer school administration, headed and perhaps someday in this Magazine too. by Dean John Guy Fowlkes. A number of de­ He is breaking virgin ground; the crops partments in addition to the history depart­ should be lush indeed. ment adopted the idea, gave special courses on frontier art, oratory, drama, and speech. We welcome this major addition to the Draper Centennial observance by our youth­ ful sister on the Hill, and congratulate its staff both on a provocative theme and a successful meeting of the challenge it entailed.

American ingenuity has had more than its fair share of representation in Wisconsin. The roll of our inventors is long and promi­ nent, yet only a small portion has won wide public recognition. John Appleby's mechani­ cal knotter for the twine binder which helped mechanize grain harvesting; Christopher Latham Sholes's invention of the typewriter; Stephen Babcock's milk tester; Peter Pirsch's Ever wonder how much historical re­ search goes into a Hollywood movie? Nipo T, Strongheart, life member of the Society and of the Yakima Nation, takes us on location to tell the inside story. Read on. . . .

Nipo T. Strongheart, a Medicine Priest iri the Dreamer Society of the Yakima Nation

History in Hollywood' by Nipo T. Strongheart

The art of Motion Picture production is "Make-believe." Just another movie! unique, it is a great and very wonderful In­ This however is not true in all instances, stitution. It is a world within itself, self for there are numerous well versed and dis- sufficient and quite independent, capable of cernable people like yourself who feel and influencing the trends and minds of people strongly uphold their convictions that, "the­ individuafly and collectively. The motion pic­ ory" may be alright, providing that it is based ture is a great exponent in education, enter­ on facts, at least, some good logic. There is tainment, pathos and oft-times becomes a some truth in perversion, and so, we insist mediator between Nations either for the bet­ on facts that we may know the truth and we terment of understanding and good-will, or resent being mislead or misinformed on any as a provoker of hearts, minds and tendencies subject, especially when we are well versed in human behavior. However, all is well on the Historic and Ethnic culture of a people. that ends well! The misrepresentation offends our intelligence An individual, or a collective group wit­ and sense of pride which creates a rebellious nessing a motion picture has but one inter­ tendency in our serene nature, and so. We do est, primarily entertainment, or, sometimes as something about it! an "escape", to absent one-self from other The offices of Studio Executives are at thoughts. It all counts up as a means of re­ various times flooded with letters of protests laxation, free from the realities in life which against these misrepresentations or misinter­ at times are or may be disturbing, thus the pretations; and rightly so! There are or may "Movie" temporarily provides a "life" of be a few in the industry who would disregard make believe. "Right or Wrong", it is only a these protests, the majority of legitimate pro­ ducers and directors as well as the top "Stars" ^Readers will find that the style of this sketch is not uniform. Editing consisted of checking the proper heed this warning, they benefit by these criti­ names for accuracy. All other copy is printed as the cisms because it is constructive and logical, author composed it. It was thought that complete it is Ethical, after all—The public is the Box editing would destroy the unique recital of the author's experiences—EDITORS. Office!

10 STRONGHEART : HISTORY IN HOLLYWOOD

The Major Studios have established a Re­ grounds for atmosphere and some of the search Department to avoid such sad errors, Indian boys and girls to participate in the the research department being in charge of a action of the picture, THE WHITE CHIEF capable Research Director and an efficient based on the book, Belden's, White Chief. staff, charged with the duties and responsi­ Most of the boys and girls were direct from bility of, "Digging up the Dead", to provide their Reservations, the English language was Live material for writers, producers, directors, new and difficult for them, they were timid, casting directors, the wardrobe and props de­ however they were quite curious about the partments, the make-up and hair dressing, the Big Black Box that makes shadows. Brigadier construction and arts. Even the Publicity De­ General, Richard H. Pratt, Founder and Su­ partment sometimes lets down the bars on perintendent of Carlisle informed the Director, the, "freedom of the press" and reluctantly "there is a "Mixed-blood" Indian boy from consults the Research Director or a member the Northwest who could interpret, orally or of the staff. Some of the lesser important by "Sign-talk", after much explanation and branches also depend on the research depart­ inducement I fefl victim to the job, to per­ ment for guidance in their particular field of suade the boys and girls to participate in the endeavor. It is a clearing house! In my way movie, to inform the Director on customs and of expression it is as a Great Benevolent mannerism of the Indian people so that the Mother who would exert every effort to have actor could do justice to the part. The Di­ and keep her family happy! and, usually gets rector would inform me as to what he wanted the blame for some error committed by some the actor to do, and it was my lot to make be­ careless studio worker. lieve that I was the actor. This was my intro­ duction into the movies, and directly after Most of the Studio Research Departments the Lubin Co. left the Carlisle grounds, the have jurisdiction in engaging scientific people news got around, even in those infant days, as Technical Advisors, to help lift the burden and the Vitagraph Co. from Brooklyn came while on the set or location. People in the to Carlisle, and History repeated itself and field of Science, Industry, the Arts, the Clergy, NIPO fefl an innocent victim, and liked it! Legislation and Jurisprudence, the Military and Police, the Social and Fraternal organiza­ tions. The most important of all is PHILOLOGY In 1915, the late Mr. David Belasco, Dean and ETHNOLOGY and allied subjects. Here is of the Theatre was preparing a stage produc­ where yours truly comes in,—When ? he is tion. THE HEART OF WETONA, an Indian story called. Here I wish to acknowledge the cour­ based on an outbreak of difficulty between tesies granted me by some of the Research the Indians and a Government Agent. Mr. Departments, and my sincere appreciation and Belasco wanted authenticity. He communi­ gratitude to them for their efforts in service cated with some of the authorities in Okla- to their studios and the Technical advisors as a mutual benefit. My Forty Eight (48) years in the field of A Scene from "The Outriders'' with Joel McCrea Mounted; Nipo T. Strongheart at the Camera {beside Indian Sign), Historical Ethnological studies afforded me Directing the Indian Players in Their Native Language. many great experiences, happy, and some heart-breaking incidents, and some were quite amusing. Afl a part of Life as an experience for the future. Here or in the great beyond. Rendering a service to our fellow man. It might be well to outline several of recent productions on which it was my privilege to render technical service. I shall not delve too far into the past, only to, merely mention my very first motion picture assignment in 1905, while at the famous "Carlisle Indian School". The Lubin Film Co. of Philadelphia, Penn­ sylvania, came to Carlisle to use the school

•^^^k^^mr- v^^^^^fcw WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954 homa where by chance or Providence, NiPO own people at Studio expense and a salary was there among the very people where the to the good. It was a happy reunion at Home. actual incident occurred in 1910. In the Kiowa The Studio wanted only eight or ten Indians and Comanche Country. NiPO was well ac­ for the job. I had Fifty Indians sign up. quainted with the full story of the outbreak, My assignment was a multiple one, and it and he was shanghai'd into the production kept on multiplying each day. To select and for a triple purpose, to advise Mr. Belasco on engage the Indians. To house and supervise the true story, playing the part of NIPO the them. To guard them against bootleggers. To MEDICINE MAN, and to come out on the stage translate the script dialogue into the Indian between the acts and recite to the audience a language of the Rogue River and Klamath portion of the true story, the why and where­ People, and to coach the studio actors to learn fore. The Whole affair was a great game of their lines in Indian to converse with the publicity, Nipo was the scapegoat, they re­ Chief. Here is where I had several most in­ ferred to him as Technical Director. teresting experiences. First of all, A Klamath Many of the Movie Companies in that re­ Indian Mother objected to her two boys to gion fell victim to the publicity stunt, anything work in the movie. She told me in her own that was good enough for Mr. Belasco, was language, that when she sees a Movie and how exceptionally good enough for the Movies, the people kifl one another it made her cry and they have gone into making Indian pic­ inside, and she did not want her two boys to tures, or something about and with Indians. be killed in the movie. I explained to her that The Edison Company, The Solax, the Imp. the killing is all "Make-believe" that only false Famous Players, The Fox, and numerous bullets are used, and the actors make believe others became Indian Concious. and for a they die, and when the camera stops the actors long long time Nipo was the busiest and ac­ come up. I had to prove this to her by taking tive person in Moviedom. her on the location and watch the actors in action. She was satisfied that it is all a false Now, let us look into the past several years. kifling, she said to me, Nipo, allright, I am In 1945 Mr. Walter Wanger, producer for willing that my two boys play Wild Indian. Universal Pictures was in preparation on a Only, you watch that no body put a real bullet picture to be based on the History of the in the gun. She remained to see her two boys Oregon Trail, called. CANYON PASSAGE. The work with Dana Andrews and Susan Hay- Studio had sent two of their men, a Unit ward. She was very proud of her boys being manager and an assistant director up into Movie Stars. Oregon to engage eight or ten Indians for One of the other experiences on this pro­ foreground atmosphere. Either the approach duction was to coach Mr. Andy Devine to or the proposition was not right, the men and speak several lines in "Chinook". We had the Indian Agent were unsuccessful to per­ considerable difficulty with him to pronounce suade the Indians into the job. The Studio the words, and he would forget his lines. I men returned to the studio without Indians took the liberty in suggesting to Mr. Jacques or Indian atmosphere. Miss Grant, Head of Tourneur, the Director, that it is not neces­ the research department suggested to the Pro­ sary that he speak all these words, only two ducer, why not send an Indian into Indian words would suffice, Is-KuM O'KoKE, (take country! the question was Whom shall they this) Mr. Tourneur agreed, and after much send? study, we photographed and Mr. Devine came Nipo was out of employment, searching for out with, ESKIMO COOK. The Indians had a a re-search position. Who said that prayers good laugh and so did every one else, and for are not answered? Some guiding Spirit whis­ the next several weeks the by-word was— pered, and lead me to Universal City. Miss Hello, You Eskimo Cook! However the pic­ Grant on learning that I am a native of Oregon ture was a great success and opened with a and Washington phoned the production man­ premier in Portland, Oregon, and I had the ager and an interview was set up for us right privilege and joy in staging the pageant and there and then. No time was lost in inducing the same Indians that worked in the picture, me to go up into Home country to visit my and thirty Yakimas in addition participated

12 STRONGHEART : HISTORY IN HOLLYWOOD under the complete charge of the Technical distance phone, and by the telegraph. I con­ Advisor Nipo. sulted the files of the Kentucky Derby Associa­ BLACK GOLD was a very unusual and de­ tion, after much search and sweat, I finally lightful assignment. No War Paint, no feath­ gathered the necessary material for the script ers, no tomahawks, no Indian language, no writer, then to hold sessions with Mr. Anthony costumes nor anything else that would indi­ Quinn to convey to him the traits and charac­ cate that it was an Indian story, except for teristics of Charlie Hoots, and Mr. Quinn, in the name of Charlie Eagle, and his wife Sara his inimitable artistry portrayed the man as Eagle. Played by Mr. Anthony Quinn and "Charlie Eagle", a loveable character, who his wife Catherine DeMille. Two of the nicest loved his horse more than his home. Here is people it was ever my privilege to work with. a picture that touched the hearts of every They are my friends to this day. spectator. The Producer received a citation This assignment came about in a most of merit on the picture Black Gold as a thor­ strange manner. The Producer, the Late Mr. oughbred. The Technical researcher and ad­ Jeoffrey Bernard called me in at the Allied visor received several weeks salary of Umpty Artists Studio. Inquiring as to whether I Dollars per week and his name on screen knew a man by the name of HOOTS. My only credit. The greatest compensation I had was reply was that the name was somewhat fa­ the comment by the Producer and director, miliar to me, but do not recaU ever meeting A Job Wefl Done! the man. That was the end of our interview. Several days later I was called back into the The same Studio then assigned me to an­ producer's office. Mr. Bernard told me that other production, YouNG DANIEL BOONE. he is preparing a script to be called, "BLACK Again I had to search in the dark for mate­ GOLD". He asked whether I had any informa­ rial which was none-existant. The Susque­ tion on the subject. My reply was, "that there hanna Indian Language. An extinct group were three books by that title, one on the coal who resided in what is now Pennsylvania. It mines in England. One on the Oil fields in is too lengthy a story to recite as to how and Oklahoma, and one about a "Horse that was where I found the material. The main job named Black Gold" a race horse that won the was to find it! It was a day and night task sum of One Hundred and Ten Thousand until I had it complete and constructed the ($110,000). The horse won a race running linguistic root and we had a picture in Sus­ with a broken leg and feU dead on the track, quehanna language. The costuming of the and was buried there at New Orleans, and a British and Hessian Army officers. The Indian Monument is standing to his glory. That horse village, the stockade, the fight historically re­ belonged to a Mr. Charlie Hoots who died produced, and even the part of "BUNDLING". in 1924." On top of all this the Producer insisted that Mr. Bernard fell into his chair and shouted I play the part of the "War Chief" afl my out, "That is EXACTLY what I wanted to dialogue was in Susquehanna. I bit my tongue know". The job is your's as my Technical Di­ several times and survived. rector for this picture. Mr. Bernard then in­ formed me, that he had interviewed another THE OUTRIDERS for Metro Goldwin Mayer man for the job, who told him that he is a per­ with Mr. Joel Mc Crea, and Miss Arlene Dahl sonal friend and companion of Mr. Hoots. was another great and pleasant experience, The Producer ordered the man to get to and some dissapointment with one of the out of the studio and stay out! players. The studio Research Department Di­ My assignment was to trace the Biography rectress, Miss Dorothy Luke. A Lady of great of Mr. Hoots, there was no published mate­ knowledge and wisdom, coupled with a gra- rial on Mr. Hoots. Here is where the fun be­ ciousness that is the envy of many a woman. gun in order to trace the biography of a Man Miss Luke called me into her office, inquiring I had to trace the History of a Horse. I inter­ as to the route traveled by fur traders in the viewed people in Oklahoma, people who knew Indian country, between Santa Fe and Saint him or of him. Louis in 1865-66, and, in particular, the I corresponded with other people by long tribal groups encountered in that region. On

13 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

mapping out three distinct routes and tribal The gentleman who was to have played the groups, we chose the Santa Fe trail. On re­ part of the Pawnee War Chief had consider­ ceiving my assignment and script my first able difficulty in learning and memorizing his duties were the translations of Apache and Pawnee dialogue. He was photographed mov­ Pawnee. The two definite tribes the story ing his lips as though he was talking and the would refer to. and here is where I was Technical Man fell heir to the job of speaking somewhat "up a tree". I did not know the the lines and recorded. The two were syn­ Apache language, but I do know the Shoshone. chronized and no one in the audience would The root language is the same, the dialects know the difference. On the strength of this are different. I contacted an Apache family I was given a part in the picture as an old and paid them a week's salary out of my own, Apache house servant to greet the Gentleman to help me translate into Apache proper, and Mc Crea as he calls at the casa of the Spanish to coach me in the proper pronounciation and Grande, Mr. Ramon Novarro Who turned to know it by memory, so that in turn I may tables on me. Mr. Novarro insisted that my transmit it to the actors in their part. When part as the house man should be spoken in it came to the scenes, the Director suddenly two languages, greet the guests in English, decided that we would not use the Apache and address my employer in Spanish accord­ language at afl. Because, there is a fight and ing to custom. Mr. Novarro was my instruc­ no time for talk. The Apache language was tor and we were even! It was fun and above out! The Pawnee, Yes! There was a scene afl quite educational! Mr. Mc Crea was the between Mr. Joel Mc Crea and the Pawnee recipient of several letters from members of War Chief conversing in PAWNEE. During the Pawnee people complimenting him on his 1910-11-12 Nipo was a young trick and fancy Pawnee language, and wondered as to whether rider with the "Two BILL" Wild West show, Mc Crea was part Pawnee? William Fredrick Cody (Buffalo Bifl) and Major Gordon Liflie, (Pawnee Bill). Major THE PAINTED HILLS, M.G.M. was made in Liflie was my favorite as he was with most the High Sierra Mountains at Sonora. This of the people especially with the Indian and was an in between picture, that is, I was as­ in particular with the Pawnees. He was their signed to another picture and while we were White Chief. Here among the Pawnees three in preparation I was a "Loan-out" from one seasons enabled me to learn the Pawnee Lan­ producer to another for one week only. I was guage, and I remembered enough to make flown up into the Sierras to arrange with the good conversation and pass it on to Mr. Joel MiwOK Indian people to set up an Indian Mc Crea who was very adept in learning it viflage, and for the MlWOKS to participate. properly and has done a marvelous job of it. This was not easy! I had to explain the fufl story and why it was to be made? and what some of the scenes were to be, that in one Filmed at Authentic Sites in Colorado, ''Across the Wide scene, two Indian children find a sick dog Missouri' Makes Extensive Use of the Indian Sign Lan­ near the river and bring it into camp. The guage. Here Nipo T. Strongheart Is Coaching (1. to r.) Ricardo Montalban, Clark Gable, and John Hodiak. Indian Doctor (Medecine Man) is to cure the dog, by herbs, roots and a Heahng Song. The Miwoks had a good laugh at the idea and said, "The White People are crazy!, but that was alright with them. If the White Man wants to be crazy the "Miwoks" will help him do that". The village was set up in typical manner. The peaks of Sierras pierced the sky in the background, it was a beautiful set. The healing ceremony was conducted. The dog, (Lassie) being a good actor responded to every instruction, got well, and as an expres­ sion of appreciation, the dog kissed the hand of the Medecine Man. The Miwoks right there

j£!' % STRONGHEART : HISTORY IN HOLLYWOOD and then put in a claim for the dog, that off his boots and throw them at you. If he Lassie is now belonging to the "Miwoks". The likes a person he is in; if not, better stay out! Indian children found him, the Indian Doctor That is "Wild Bifl Wellman", One of the most cured him, and the dog kissed the hand of the esteemed Directors in the "Motion picture Medecine Man. That makes Lassie a member industry". He has my respect! of the Miwoks. The Technical Advisor had to Now, you have an introduction to my "Di­ be quite technical in this instance, explaining rector". You may well know how particular everything to both sides, and persuaded the and carefull the man is about his work, and Unit Manager to provide a "big feast" for the the work that any one has to do for him. A Miwoks. The picture was completed in ex- person has to be a walking Encylopaedia to ceflent order, with the satisfaction that LASSIE have Mr. Wellman's confidence and respect. be a friend of the Miwoks, but the property Mr. Wellman himself being a great student in and Star of Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Literary and Scientific subjects, and a Philos­ The Painted hills reafly has a good moral, ophy all his own! That is what makes Mr. good relationship between the Indians and Wellman the Great Director that he is! the White People. The Indian children and the Mr. Wellman asked a direct question. Indian parts were played by Indian People, "What do you know about Indians"? my and In Indian language and a real healing answer was in the form of a question. "What song and proper ceremony, and Lassie was the is about Indians that you would like to know? better Dog from it! Here I shall claim a little What is the subject?. There was a dead silence credit for having rendered a good service. for a few moments. Mr. Wellman came toward me, and asked, "Do you know the Nez Perce? ACROSS THE WIDE MISSOURI, M.G.M. A Do you know the Shoshone? Do you know the picture that every person should see! This Blackfeet?. My answer was, that I am well assignment is my pride and pleasure. Made acquainted with these people. I lived among in 1950 and I stiff dream about it! I go to them. I have many friends among them and see it when-ever it is convenient. It refreshes no enemies. Mr. Wellman, pardon me, it is my joy and contentment. It is The One Pic­ "Blackfoot!" ture that I have worked the hardest, had more It was explained to me that this picture is grief and some of the most difficult tasks and to be a Star studed production, with 10 famous responsibilities that I have had in many years. Stars and a number of featured players. All The Research department called me in. Miss of the group would have to learn to speak one Dorothy Luke warned me that I was slated of the three languages. Three distinct groups, for ACROSS THE WIDE MISSOURI, providing, three separate Indian villages. The sets, cos­ that I could meet the test by the Producer tuming, props, make-up and hair-dress. The and the Director. An interview was set up. Language and mannerism of each of these On entering the offices of, Mr. Robert Sisk. the Producer, a very gentle man who offered me to be seated. On seating, I discovered Joel McCrea, Nipo T. Strongheart, and Apache John two arrows pointing at me. They were the Are Here Conversing in Indian Dialect in Prepara­ Eyes of the Director. Who is affectionately tion for a Scene in the Production, ''The Outriders." known to the industry as, "WILD BILL WELL- MAN". When this gentleman looks at you from the corner of his eyes you fall right through the concrete pavement and come out some place "Down under", and when he has any­ thing to say and mean it you don't come out at any place! a person is "Dead and Buried" right on the spot! BUT, that is only in his look and his word, his heart and spirit is gentle and compassionate. He will give away his hat and shirt, he will take off his coat and put it on some one else, and he will take WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

three tribal groups would have to be depicted. Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studio lot. My Secre­ All this would be my direct responsibility and tary answering the phones and making nota­ that all this would have to be ready when tions. Some of the cast did not want to wait wanted, not tomorrow, but right now when their turn, or to be seen attending school, so wanted and asked for it on the spot. There I had to go to the homes of the players dur­ will be no time to lose! ing the evenings to accomodate them. I was This was a great challenge and I accepted it! going in circles for a period of seven weeks Mr. Sisk, the Producer gave me the script, on in preparation with the cast. This was only one condition, that certain important speeches a part of the assignment. I had the various and some dialogue would have to be translated departments to work with, making sketches and ready within three days. This was on Fri­ and models for the construction and sets de­ day at noon, the script must be ready Monday partment. Wardrobe and Props. Make-up and morning for some of the cast to begin their Hair-dress. The Art and Drape Departments. studies in the Indian dialogue for a "test", Then, MUSIC. The Indian Songs, Chants, and photography and recording. I was assigned Games. All a part of the duties and responsi­ to an office. A dressing and rehearsal room. bilities of a Technical Advisor. All of these My JOB started, Friday-Saturday and Sunday items must be supervised and inspected and became One Continuous day for me, working then approved by the Technical man and rec­ straight through. In three days I became three ommend the results to the Producer and Di­ Years older and on Monday morning I had rector prior to the starting date of production, the appearance of having been some place or leaving for location. There must NOT be over the week-end. My script was ready. I any slip-up on any of these items, there is no was introduced to the prospective Leading way and not time to do it on location away Lady, and we were told to be ready on Wed­ from the studio. It must be ready on time. nesday morning, at 10:a.m. for a "test". The One rigid arrangement was set up. I had Lady would have to KNOW her Indian dialogue for two scenes. One a gentle woman, the other to keep an accurate record of the players les­ a Volcano with all the fire and Fury! sons, the hour studied and what particular lines of dialogue learned, and which dialogue On Wednesday morning the "test" was to still in process of learning. This was done for be made. The TEST is the Test! it either makes the purpose of knowing as to whom the re­ or breaks! The Lady had learned her Indian sponsibility and blame may be placed in the Dialogue, the test was made, and it was, N.G. event that a Player did not learn his lines. "There was Lots of Smoke but no Fire!" Each day for One full hour a session with the There were four other prospective Leading Director to check up on the progress made in Ladies, and eleven men testing for certain all departments including the cast. Then came parts. I had my assignment to coach each one the day! Mr. Wellman insisted on a full day "in Indian Language" and in "Sign Talk". session with him at his office, to go over the Not an easy task for one person to coach an entire script and check it for time and foot­ entire cast when time is so short. age. Some of the speeches were too long, The Cast was set up, and now that we know some lacking in seconds according to the "stop "Who is Who", Mr. Clark Gable, Mr. John watch". Nipo had to read the speeches in Hodiak, Mr. Jack Holt, Mr. Adolphe Menjou, Native language so that he could gauge the Mr. J. Carrol Naish, Mr. Ricardo Montalban, time and sound. We cut here, add there, and Mr. James Whitmore, and a list of featured revise some of the dialogue for contrast and players and, above afl else. The Lady, Maria have a choice of phrases, idioms, expressions, Elena Marques from MEXICO. Each one were intonations and inflections, and combine some to learn their parts to be spoken in one of the of the dialogue with "Sign Talk". The session three tribal languages. Each one of the cast was over, and we had a new script. "School was assigned a certain hour of the day to all over again"!, to learn the new version. I come to my office and rehearsal room. I don't heard whispers, comments and expressions know to this day, whether my offices were, a from members of the cast that I would not "Kindergarten" or a "University Philology Class" room. It was the busiest offices on the {Continued on page 41)

16 Convention Memoir of a Wisconsin Delegate With Introduction and Notes by Palmer H. Boeger^

publican Party organization before the elec­ tions of 1854. Generally throughout the Northern states, both in 1854 and 1855, fusion lere a Wll Ol itepublican Party history combinations of Whigs, Free-Soilers, Know is recorded by a delegate who attended Nothings, and bolting Democrats had backed the Pittsburgh Convention in 1856. So slates of anti-Nebraska candidates. They co­ earnest was Calvin C. Bayley's mission operated without party unity. Often they did that he writes: ^'I sold a piece of land not use the name "Republican." In 1854 the and went." anti-Nebraska men elected majorities to the legislatures of several New England and Northwestern states, and sent a number of their spokesmen to Congress. But after the Democratic resurgence in the elections of 1855 In the cold, snowy month of February, 1856, practical politicians knew that they could not a group of Wisconsin politicians invaded Pitts­ win without organizing on a single platform burgh, Pennsylvania, to attend an informal all groups opposed to the administration. By political convention. The five-man Wisconsin 1856 most of the Northern states had Repub­ delegation included Charles Durkee, Wyman lican Party organizations. Finally on January Spooner, Israel Love, David Jones, and Calvin 17, 1856, after much consultation among anti- C. Bayley. They were Free-Soilers, opposed to Nebraska men, a group representing the Re­ the extension of slavery. Durkee was a U.S. publican organizations of nine states signed Senator. The five delegates were to meet with a circular letter which summoned the Pitts­ representatives from other states to explore burgh Convention. the possibility of organizing a new national Immediately after their arrival at Pittsburgh political party pledged to oppose the further the restless delegates proceeded to organize extension of slavery. for business. About 300 men were present. No In 1856 political conditions in the Northern one was quite sure of the number, for no list states offered an exceptional opportunity for of names was kept. In the evening before the a new party. Sectional issues had defeated the opening of the Convention the leaders called Whigs in the election of 1852. Men believed a preliminary meeting at the Monongahela that the Whig Party was dead. Dissolution left Hotel to discuss a program for the two-day its former voting power without a political session. Confusion reigned, causing concern mooring. Early in 1853 the Kansas-Nebraska among those who hoped for unity. Individual Bill again stirred the embers of the slavery is­ delegates differed in their political back­ sue, and the fierce fires quickly rent the Know grounds. They lacked a unity of purpose. The Nothings and Democrats alike. The opponents greater number were newcomers to politics. of the bill, mainly politicians and editors, At the evening meeting the delegates present formed a maze of local "anti-Nebraska" agreed that one man from each state repre­ groups, which had in common their deter­ sented should constitute a committee to pre­ mination to oppose the extension of slavery pare a program for the Convention.^ in the territories. ^Charles W. Johnson, ed., Proceedings of the First In Wisconsin a number of Free-Soilers and Three Republican National Conventions of 1856, "anti-Nebraska" men had formed a state Re- 1860, and 1864, including Proceedings of the Ante­ cedent National Convention Held at Pittsburgh in ^Palmer H. Boeger received his Ph.D. degree in February, 1856, as Reported by Horace Greeley the History Department at the University of Wiscon­ (Minneapolis, 1893), 7-8; Andrew W. Crandafl, The sin in 1953. For several years he was on the Extension Early History of the Republican Party, 1854-56 staff of the University and since the fall of 1953 has (Boston, 1930), 59-60; Gordon S. P. Kleeberg, The been teaching in the History Department, East Cen­ Formation of the Republican Party as a National tral State College, Ada, Oklahoma.—EDITORS. Political Organization (New York, 1911), 29-30.

17 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

The program arranged by the committee members. Israel Love and Charles Durkee entailed frequent delays and clashes of opin­ sat for Wisconsin on these committees.'* ions. Instructed to meet at eight o'clock in The main business dispatched for the day, the morning the committee with difficulty the delegates turned to speech making. Most gathered seven members. At eleven o'clock of what was then said was not of a nature to the disorganized delegates gathered at LaFay- further unity in so heterogeneous a body. ette Hall for the first general session. The Cincinnati's German-born Charles Reemelin Rev. Owen Lovejoy prayed, as prearranged. led off with a blast at Know Nothingism. The He asked the Supreme Being to give President words stung the North Americans present in Pierce a new vision or to remove him from the hall. The speeches of Giddings, George W. office. To the Abolitionists present the name Julian of Indiana, and Preston King of New Lovejoy was an inspiration, for it recalled York were less critical of the Americans, but the murder of his brother by a mob at Alton, scarcely satisfactory to the conservative men. Illinois. Horace Greeley then told the crowded Late in the afternoon, fearing that some mod­ assemblage that Washington friends of the erate men might be alienated by the speeches, convention counselled caution and modera­ the leaders of the Convention agreed to hear tion in the interests of harmony. The radical Delegate D. Ripley. The "saw-log man" from Joshua Giddings retorted that Washington was New Jersey ignored the real purpose of the not the place to look for counsel. He intro­ Convention. The humor of his rambling speech duced again the fiery Lovejoy, who assailed was such a diversion from the serious busi­ the Pierce administration, and denounced the ness of the preceding hours that it restored interference of the Missouri border ruffians general harmony and good will among the in Kansas. Lovejoy was ready "to shoot in diverse elements present.^ God's name." The aged Francis Preston Blair When the session resumed the next morn­ of Maryland then offered a paper as the plat­ ing the committees were not ready to report. form of the Southern delegates. He thought The delegates talked away most of the fore­ the sole solution for the country's difficulties noon. The words of the speakers constituted was a return to the Compromise of 1850. The an arraignment of slavery and slaveholders. extreme anti-Nebraska men, numerously rep­ Someone read an impassioned note from Cas- resented at Pittsburgh, believed that he mis­ sius Clay. Clay's communication called for understood the spirit and purpose of the Con­ political courage in facing the slaveholding vention. After the selection of a committee on oligarchy, and the delegates received it with organization, the Convention recessed.^ thunderous applause. Burroughs of New York During the afternoon the delegates first then reminded the more enthusiastic that they agreed to the selection of two important com­ must be prudent. The establishment of a large mittees. The first group, consisting of one party required concessions to many groups.^ representative from each state, was instructed At midday George W. Julian reported for to draw up an address and resolutions for the committee on organization. The sessions possible adoption as a platform by the Con­ of the committee, held in another room of the vention. In view of the determination to or­ hotel, had been stormy. Julian read the names ganize a national party the appointment of of eighteen delegates who were to serve as a the committee on national organization was standing National Executive Committee, in­ a part of the main business of the assembly. cluding Wisconsin's Wyman Spooner. Other The decision of the Convention was to include delegates might be added from states and one delegate from each state on the commit­ territories not represented among the pro­ tee. There was a widespread fear that the posed committeemen. The report called for a work of both committees would be hampered Republican Party nominating convention to by sharp differences of opinion among the be held at Philadelphia on June 17. Republi-

^Ibid., 30-32; Johnson, Proceedings, 8; George W. ^Kleeberg, Formation of Republican Party . . . , 32. Julian, "The First Republican National Convention," ^Johnson, Proceedings . . . , 9; Crandall, History of in American Historical Review, 55:315-17. David Republican Party . . . , 60; Julian, ". . . Republican Jones represented Wisconsin on the committee on National Convention," 319. organization. Hbid., 319-20; Johnson, 9-10.

18 BOEGER : CONVENTION MEMOIR

cans everywhere must perfect their state party Illinois, a young man from Kansas and others, machinery before that date. After some dis­ all on their way to the Convention. Civil War cussion on the floor, the assembled delegates was then raging in Kansas, and the papers, completed the main business of the conven­ as usual, were filled with conflicting accounts tion by adopting the committee's report.^ of events there transpiring, and I was pleased to get reliable information. Thus far there had been a surprising degree Mr. Lovejoy seemed highly gratified that of harmony and spirit in the Convention. force was being met by force. I took occasion Serious divisions of opinion had erupted in to suggest to him that he was a recognized the committees, and now spilled onto the floor Embassador of the Prince of Peace and that of the convention over the report of the com­ I was sorry to find him so belligerent. He said mittee on address and resolutions. The chair­ he was confident that if they saw that our man of the group, Abijah Mann of New York, men were not frightened by their bluster they read for two hours, presenting a platform of would become as lamblike as they had been in principles and purposes for the Republican the case of Potter of Wisconsin, of Wade and Party. The delegates heard that Henry J. Ray­ Giddings of Ohio, or of Burlingame of New mond of the New York Times was the main York. I told him I feared that war was in­ evitable, but that I prefer that our men would author. Mann concluded with three resolu­ submit to every indignity until our party had tions. These placed the party on record the control of the government, and we should squarely against the further extension of slav­ be fighting, if fight we must, to support law­ ery, and restated the Free-Soiler's assertion ful government, and not as rebels against it. that Congress had the constitutional right to On the evening before the Convention, a exclude the institution from the territories. number of delegates met in one of the parlors Immediately a sharp debate threatened. But of the Monongahela House, wishing to get the anti-slavery faction was in control of the matters in greater readiness for the next day; Convention, and the dissident speakers could but every movement in that direction was ob­ not obtain the recognition of the chair. The jected to on the ground that it would be re­ report of the committee was declared adopted garded as an attempt to forestall the action of the Convention, and it was concluded to unanimously. Late in the afternoon the Con­ give up the evening to speech-making. As a vention adjourned, the objectives of the lead­ large number were called for, but so little ers accomplished.^ concentration upon any name as to secure a Thirty years after the Pittsburgh conven­ response, I ventured to suggest that, as we tion Calvin C. Bayley recorded his reminis­ were all anxious for reliable information from cences of the memorable occasion. Bayley Kansas, and, as I felt indebted for such in­ had gone to the meeting at the invitation of formation to a young man from that state the state's Free-Soil organization. Neither he whom I had met on the cars, I would move nor any of his fellow delegates from Wiscon­ that he be invited to address us. By a unani­ sin played a conspicuous role in the proceed­ mous vote he was so invited, but instead of simply relating incidents of Kansas, as he had ings, but the infant Republican organization done to me, he "let off" a speech which he had of Wisconsin did not go unrepresented at written out and committed to memory, which Pittsburgh. The following is Bayley's account would have been less inappropriate in a back­ of what he saw and remembered of his three woods debating society than to such an audi­ days at the convention. ence; and as he went on to tell with what "perfect contempt" he—a boy of nineteen— The Free Soil Representatives of Madison, looked down upon some of our most noted fearing that Wisconsin would not be repre­ public men at Washington, whom he named, sented at the Mass Convention at Pittsburgh, I felt ashamed of having introduced him, that appointed delegates to attend it. Being one so I thought I could sympathize with the man appointed I sold a piece of land and went. On who said that in a like situation he searched the floor for a knot hole through which he the way to Pittsburgh I fell in company with could crawl down out of sight. Should this Gov. Bingham of Michigan, Mr. Lovejoy from meet the eye of the young man, I doubt not Ibid. that he feels as much mortified at having ^Ibid., 11; Kleeberg, Formation of Republican Party . . . , 32. {Continued on page 50)

19 Circus paraphernalia? Where is its hid­ ing place? Guideposts to nooks and corners, to near and far places are con­ veniently placed for you. Here you will find the trails that lead to glittering circus-land.

Beginning a Wisconsin Circus Collection by Faye 0* Braathen

Wisconsin is known as the mother of circuses tents collected that we may preserve the because more circuses have taken to the road histories of George Hall, Vanderburg, and from our towns than from those of any other Wintermute. The old sheds at Darlington and state. Circuses fill a very real cultural need Delavan, Wonewoc and Watertown should be in our society. Circuses are the one form of searched for relics of early-day circus ventures amusement that have never required a censor. that engrossed the interest and absorbed the Today they must compete with movies and energies of their citizens. T-V, radio and rodeo, but in the first 150 The question is often asked how we came years of our nation's existence circus day had to collect circusiana. It seems to have been only two rivals—Christmas and July Fourth. the natural outgrowth of our enjoyment of With Wisconsin the hub of circusdom, it is the circus as a wholesome form of amuse­ altogether fitting that we Badgers bestir our­ ment and of our interest in its origins and selves and garner the relics of this phase of evolution through the years of our nation's our history before Time's ever-busy fingers history. The collecting of the source material scatter them to the winds of Forgetfulness. of circus history has been one of the more Children of the future will thrill to the ac­ interesting phases of our many faceted hobby. counts of Wisconsin's early circus kings if we Prior to 1930 a few books concerning circus preserve for them the source material from and a few programs of shows we had seen which stories can be recounted. What lad of seemed sufficient. The first real impetus to the future will fail lo rejoice in the exploits building a circus collection was given us by of Wifliam C. Coup, the founder of the that immortal flying trapeze artist, the incom­ Barnum and Bailey Circus, who lived in and parable Alfredo Codona. He was among the is buried in Delavan if we save for him the guests in our home, the White Tops, in 1932. evidences of that man's genius? What boy He gave us several photographs of Ringling of tomorrow will not become engrossed in the artists, scenes of glamorous spectacles in fabulous tales of five brothers of Baraboo who Madison Square Garden, and the like. We had made the entertainment world ring to the these framed in circus red, and so proud were name Ringling if the records of their hard­ we of them that we drove to Baraboo to seek ships, their strivings, their dreams, and their out the owner of the old Ringling winter victories are made a part of our country's quarters and there learn if possibly there re­ history. The life stories of those four cousins mained any mementoes of the days when cir­ of the Ringlings, the Gollmar brothers, form cus anvils rang out on Water Street, and circus another saga which deserves to be salvaged bands echoed among the river bluffs. from attic and basement before it is too late. Imagine our delight when we discovered The trunks of old troupers in Evansville and the owner to be that gracious gentleman. Whitewater should be sought and their con­ Judge Andro. He was as pleased to find

20 BRAATHEN I WISCONSIN CIRCUS COLLECTION someone seeking circus relics as we were to country, a lively correspondence grew up be­ find that many items stifl remained in the tween us. A coflector in Spokane had an extra old winter quarter buildings. He was as 1901 route book; we had an extra one for eager for us to take them as we were to ob­ 1897. A trade ensued. A fan in San Antonio tain them. His previous efforts to persuade was just beginning a collection of circus let­ someone, anyone, to relieve him of these items terheads. We had duplicate copies of many. that he might convert the buildings to other He had some lithographs which taxed his uses had ended in failure. His fellow towns­ limited storage space. An exchange of letters men were too inured to the activities and ap­ established the relative values of ornate letter­ purtenances of circus winter quarters to be heads and colorful lithographs, and another enticed into fifling their homes with such trade was effected. Wrapping paper and twine "junk." So during the weeks before our ad­ were at a premium for some years, as the vent upon the scene, the good judge had had fine art of properly wrapping and maihng carloads of the "stuff" burned on the river packages ranging in size from ordinary en­ front. Fortunately most of the records of the velopes to those barely within parcel post reg­ circus were still intact. ulations was learned. What fun it was to see During this foray we loaded our car several the gaps in our route book collection fifl in! times with old route books, advertising book­ Today White Tops contains what is beHeved lets, press books, lithographs, handbills, tick­ to be the largest circus route coflection extant. ets, correspondence, and the like. These still What delight was derived from watching our form the heart of our collection which today letterhead coflection, both circus and per­ ranks among the best in the country. former, grow into one that would require sev­ Among other relics Judge Andro tendered eral spacious showcases to display. The scores us was the old desk which had ridden the rails for circus music became items of interest, and on circus trains for many seasons. This we at today there hang on the wafl of one of first declined. Later we decided to build a our museum rooms several such scores auto­ room in our home to accommodate this desk graphed by the composers. A request for and the hundreds of items garnered from such mementoes is usually honored. Baraboo. Thereupon we made arrangements When our hobby became known, we found to have the desk carted to White Tops. Judge ourselves on the mailing list of a book col­ Andro made good use of that dray, and when lectors catalog. Through this medium we it arrived at our home it was loaded with such learned of various circus collections—usually articles as an old queen's throne taken from a part of some estate which had been bought a parade wagon, a jump-up board used by a by antique dealers. A goodly number of these bareback rider of another day, bale rings was acquired at varying prices. The anticipa­ from the big top, and numerous other items. tion of the arrival and the opening of such We spent many happy hours of arduous labor purchases is akin to that of the six-year-old removing the encrusted dust of long storage beneath the tree on Christmas morning. We and restoring the splendor of velvets, the glit­ ter of brass studs, and the gilt of woods to that queen's throne. The desk has become Holiday Folks Wait at the Main Tent of of especial interest to lovers of antiques even Ringling Bitrnum Circus. IQ22 Season, though they may never have seen a circus performance. It appears to be a first cousin of the Van Dyke desk described in the 1952 summer issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History. When it was found that our collection con­ tained more than one copy of many of the items we had rescued from the old Baraboo winter quarters, a new phase of coflecting opened up. We became traders. Since the coflectors of circusiana are numerous in this WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954 have always felt amply rewarded for these the Ringling-Barnum tent which burned so gambles, for such they are. tragically in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1944. The trunks of old troupers have proven a The tiny bell lost from an elephant's wardrobe lucrative source of photographs, route cards, now hangs suspended from the glamorous pa­ route books, letterheads, and so on. These rade wagon wheel that forms the chandelier often have come into our possession in most for the circus room at White Tops. A piece of unexpected ways—a casual conversation with hide from an elephant that turned killer and a chance acquaintance who recalls the fact had to be killed became ours through the that his grandfather's or his uncle's trunk still thoughtfulness of one of our C.F.A. friends. stands in the attic fufl of such "old stuff." The pair of shoes Carla Waflenda wore the Occasionally the owner is glad to be rid of it; very first time she walked the high wire, at sometimes he is proud to donate it to a collec­ the age of just-past-two, is ours because her tion where he knows it will be valued and pre­ world-famous mother, Helen, thought of us served; again the collector pays good cash that night as she kissed her beautiful star-to- for it. Without doubt many such trunks and be daughter and tucked her safely into bed. boxes still lie cached in basement and attic, A wax flower blossoms in our circus room garage and barn around the country. The because a midget clown recognized the distaff trouper gathers these mementoes of his circus half of this collecting team as he tendered his days through the years; dreams over them bouquet-gag and would not "fool" a friend, during long winter months; stores them in so left the flower in our possession. One of some relative's attic or barn; passes to the our most prized possessions is a picture pre­ "last lot," and the trunk of "memories" gath­ sented to us by Alfredo Codona. It consists ers webs and dust through more years. These of the three favorite photographs of his be­ should be sought out and preserved; they loved wife, the immortal Lillian Leitzel, which form an important part of circus history. he had re-photographed following her tragic During the years of collecting, not a few death in a fall in Copenhagen, Denmark. The of our colleagues have passed away, and we circus room is filled with such gifts as these, have been fortunate enough to acquire their each a "conversation piece" when good fans collections. An extremely large acquaintance­ foregather here. ship among circus folk, all over the world, An important segment of our collection is has resulted in increasing the items of cir­ about 25,000 pictures and photographs, dat­ cusiana at White Tops, including a creditable ing back to 1850. These have come from the coflection of foreign circus programs, heralds, trunks of old troupers, circus press agents, lithographs, and the like. One of the more bookstores, and so on. Some have been gifts; interesting articles that came from a trouper but we have purchased many, usually for is a charred remnant of a floor board from nominal sums. We have taken several thou­ sands of these with our own camera, including Employee Identification 6,000 color slides, coflected on our trips along the sawdust trails since 1941. These have been l-\tit'^ttn0 Bros. H«^*iWitum ^ Batby shared with groups of people all over southern COMBINED SHOWS

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN ENGAGEMENT Complimentary Ticket 1924 _^, / 7/ n^lj 446 s£)/\/UyO_.-, r7d/yM/d7a7t Employee

. Department WRLO'S GREAf EST SHOWS This tickeicket gocAgcKW tor identification purposepurp s ONLY arul MUST be presenteted at *-'ourth„..^*"'ourth„..Av'eaue>!oo' r when entering building. m^ J^/ "'-^^r^^ *

ISSUED BY

22 Wisconsin during the "off season." This me­ dium outranks all others in capturing the glitter and glamor that is circus. You may ask: "Is it feasible to begin a cir­ cus collection?" Our answer would be, "Yes," but there are one or two qualifications. If you live in a state remote from circus activities which has never had a circus winter quarters, you would find it difficult to acquire any con­ siderable amount of material. Difficult, but not impossible, providing you have sufficient interest to pursue the hobby, as the following George W. Hall's Wagon Show about 1911, collector has demonstrated. Moving Across the Summer Countryside. There lives in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, a man of modest financial means who has been sufficiently inspired to override all obstacles graphs and window cards, programs and in his pursuit of circusiana. He has garnered tickets, and heralds and pictures. And don't a truly remarkable collection of valuable items overlook the columns of the newspapers (big dating back at least a century. His display and small) and of such magazines as The Bill of Tom Thumb articles alone made us wide- Board and The New York Clipper. We have eyed with wonder when we saw it during our copied every circus display ad., press notice, circus trip through his Province last summer. review, and news item in the one-hundred- Canada has never had a circus of its own. year-old newspaper collection housed in our This man does not possess unlimited financial State Historical Library. If you wifl foflow the means. Despite these circumstances he has papers and the magazines, you will find in assembled a collection of circusiana which these rich mines of circus information. might well be the envy of any museum. Of course the more you know of the back­ If you are fortunate enough to live in Wis­ ground and history of the items you accumu­ consin, you have but to exercise your imagi­ late, the more interest they will hold for you nation, write the necessary letters, make ex­ and the more value they will possess in a cursions to villages and homes where you have museum later. The circus world is a romantic reason to suspect "hidden treasure," increase one, fifled with color and pageantry, deeds of your knowledge of circuses, past and present, daring and acts of heroism, adventure and and a delightful hobby can be yours. excitement. Once you begin to study its past If your storage space is limited, don't go and enjoy its present you wifl be dreaming of in for calliopes and parade wagons but con­ its future, and coflecting circusiana wifl be­ tent yourself with route cards and route books, come an itch of more than the proverbial press books and advertising booklets, litho- seven years' duration. END

Annual Book Prize The Institute of Early American History to 1776. The prize is $500, and afl types and Culture at Williamsburg, Virginia, of work except fiction are eligible. The announces that the competition is now next award will be made in May, 1955. open for books published since January Books eligible for the prize should be 1, 1954, in the field of early American submitted to the Director, Institute of history and culture. This field embraces Early American History and Culture, Box all phases of American history to about 1298, Williamsburg, Virginia, at any 1815, including the borderlands of the time after this announcement is made British North American colonies and but cannot be accepted later than Janu­ the British colonies in the West Indies ary 15, 1955.

23 by Don hAcNeil

It was fun this fall when many of the na­ sity on "The Role of Businessmen in Ameri­ tion's circuit riders visited us here in Madi­ can History." This marked the second time in son. Instead of visiting, we were visited. The three months we played host to the national occasion was the fourteenth Annual Meeting network show. They were here in June for our of the American Association for State and Lo­ Annual Meeting and returned once again in cal History, held in conjunction with our fifth September for a program which went out to Annual Institute on Local History. Directors, 335 ABC stations the following Tuesday. Dr. fieldmen and museum curators from through­ Mitchell criticized the businessmen—especial­ out the country gathered to discuss the prob­ ly of the nineteenth century—as "robber bar­ lems which confront us all. Four of our own ons," and maintained that the trend is now local society people presented one of the lunch­ toward more and more governmental creation eon programs. of business enterprise. Dr. Overton, on the Devoted to the theme, "Ideas in Conflict," other hand, while acknowledging certain nine­ the convention provided material for many a teenth century excesses and wastes, defended hot-stove session around the nation's histori­ the American businessmen as powerful per­ cal societies in the months to come. sonalities working within the limitations of Two men, formerly with the oral history their environment and as the men who had project at Columbia University, Owen Bom­ forged modern-day America. bard of the Ford Archives Oral History Sec­ Next day a group of historical society di­ tion and Frank Hill, collaborating with Allan rectors tackled the question of: "State and Nevins on the history of the Ford Company, Local Societies; Competitors or Cooperators?" took the affirmative side of the question: "Is This session( like most of the convention) was Oral History Really Worthwhile?" Vaughn marked by spirited audience reaction, in Bornet of the Commonwealth Club of San which majority opinion clearly favored the Francisco and Fred Shannon of the Univer­ sort of cooperation we have here in Wisconsin. sity of Iflinois pointed out the shortcomings of At noon, four of our own local society lead­ the tape recording and reminiscence as his­ ers outlined their programs, each stressing a torical evidence. It was a sprightly session. different point. Charlie Starkweather of the That evening our Society officially pub­ Dodge County Historical Society told of the lished Miss Alice E. Smith's biography, James community-wide interest aroused over their Duane Doty, at a reception in her honor. From museum in the old railroad depot in Beaver there delegates moved into Tripp Commons Dam. Fred Olson, president of the Milwau­ in the Memorial Union where Town Meeting kee County Historical Society, told of the of the Air tape recorded a debate between problems facing a large urban society and Broadus Mitchell of Rutgers University and stressed the value of a good publication for Richard C. Overton of Northwestern Univer­ members. Clifford Swanson of Stevens Point

24 CIRCUIT RIDER

emphasized the broad program which his main talk at our Institute last year, took on Portage County Historical Society was under­ Dean Louis Hacker of Columbia University taking and detailed some of the conclusions and Arthur Bestor of the University of Ifli­ they had made during their two years of ex­ nois in debating the question: "Is Local His­ istence. Tony Wise of Hayward wound up the tory Really Important?" In many respects program with his presentation on the Sawyer this was the liveliest and most rewarding meet­ County Historical program. Tony listed the ing of the entire three days. many ways in which the Society had helped The Association met in the same building the community—by developing the library, by and at the same time as the American Orni­ doing research for.the county and municipal thological Union. We wore blue name cards; governments, and by affording a common they wore white. During the meetings we bond of interest among young people to make noticed several of our "bird watcher" friends them want to live and build in Sawyer County. attending our sessions. At the close of the con­ By this time delegates were warming to the vention one of the ornithologists came into our theme, "Ideas in Conflict" and, even though Society and said he had sneaked into a few of the program was forging ahead on what one our sessions and had found them the livelier might call a tight schedule, there was plenty and more interesting. He wanted to know of enthusiasm for the afternoon discussion something more about us and our work. centering around the subject: "An Indus­ trialist Asks a Question: Are We Really Last year 31 radio study groups com­ Spreading the American Heritage?" Glen prised the network of study clubs around the Rork, former president of Northern States State which met once a month to hear the ra­ Power Company in Eau Claire and former dio lectures on Wisconsin history over the curator of our Society, propounded the ques­ tion in highly literate fashion. Most of the state FM network. This year the format will panel members, including directors of the Ne­ be the same but instead of the history of Wis­ braska, Ohio, Montana, and New Jersey His­ consin the subject will be ethnic contributions torical Societies, conceded the point—with to Wisconsin. As noted in the last issue (Sum­ reservations—that we were not doing every­ mer, 1954) Bifl Schereck has traveled over the thing we could to spread our Heritage. State the last few months tape recording remi­ niscences, music, festivals, and celebrations of After the business meeting, Dr. David H. various nationality groups. He has put them Stevens, curator of our Society, gave his much-heralded address on "Books." It lived together into a series of half-hour broadcasts up to expectations as the speaker hurled at his­ —each one devoted to a single ethnic group, torical societies the challenge of their respon­ its origins, its reasons for coming here, and sibilities as creators and custodians of manu­ its contributions to our development. Broad­ script and printed materials. casts on the Cornish, Irish, German, and other We had planned afl activities of the conven­ Wisconsin ethnic groups will be offered. tion to take place in a comfortable atmos­ The radio series began September 21, with phere. The Play Circle and Tripp Commons the history of the Poles in Wisconsin, to our in the Memorial Union, sites of all our pro­ listening groups the first and third Tuesdays grams, were air-conditioned. We didn't want of each month over the state FM network. We our friends around the nation to be caught in would like, in addition to our study groups Madison's muggy September weather. We formed last year, to add more listening groups. were sure that by Friday night a moonlight The procedure is easy. A local society or an boat ride would attract afl delegates. Then interested party organizes the group inter­ came the only tragedy of the three-day con­ ested in the serious study of Wisconsin his­ clave. We had to cancel the boat ride. It was tory, arranges for a meeting place, obtains difficult even for us to grasp the situation, but the use of an FM radio, and calls the meeting the truth was that it was cold in Madison. for the first and third Tuesdays of each month Saturday morning K. Ross Toole of the at 7:30 P.M., the time of the broadcast. After Montana Historical Society and S. K. Stevens, listening to the half-hour show, the members state historian of Pennsylvania, who gave the of the study group discuss the impact of ethnic

25 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954 groups on their own locality as related to the Under these minimum requirements, said events narrated in the radio show. Discussion the committee, a local society should: leaders can be rotated each meeting. (1) Have some form of organized society activity monthly. Our $1.00 membership campaign this (2) Have a total membership of 1 percent of the population of the county and an active membership year has an added attraction for local histori­ of at least twenty people. cal societies. During the Draper Centennial (3) Provide housing for: a. Historical records; Year we are offering a bonus to local societies b. Museum; c. Meetings. (4) Engage in a historical records and museum for every $1.00 or $4.00 membership they sell. collecting program. We have asked local societies to be our agents {?)) Have an active research program. in their counties, and so far about twenty of (6) Have a publication program. (7) Mark historic sites. them have responded. As both the local and (8) See to it that libraries have good local history state societies are serving the same ends, here sections. is an opportunity to further the cause of his­ (9) Promote the teaching of local history in the grade and high schools. tory on both the local and state levels. Local (10) Endorse, encourage, and cooperate fully with societies are encouraged to make it a joint cam­ the local school superintendent to insure the success paign for membership in both state and local of the State Society's Junior History Program. (11) Encourage the commemoration and proper ob­ societies. Our monthly printed historical pam­ servance of special historical events. phlet, Then and Now, is sent to every $1.00 (12) Secure from county and local governments member. In addition he receives the Pro­ appropriations for County Historians and historical projects. ceedings and the right to participate in all (13) Cooperate with other local societies and the Society events. He is a full-fledged member State Society on regional and state projects. of the State Society. We hope that the new We hope the set of standards will tend to member's initial exposure to the State Society encourage the further development of worth­ will lead him to subscribe to the Magazine, while county society activities. and join the work of local societies. The bonus proposed enables a local society Another of our fair-haired colleagues to build either its treasury or libraries of the has moved on in historical circles and in this county. Its members will retain 20 percent of case has foflowed Mr. Greeley's advice, "Go any membership dues in the State Society West." On September 1 Tom Vaughan, direc­ which they collect or will have a choice of tor of the Rock County Historical Society books published by the Society depending since January, 1953, became director of the upon the number they sell. If your society is Oregon Historical Society. Tom's record as interested in adding to its cash balance or de­ curator of the Lincoln-Tallman House in veloping its local libraries, write us for the Janesville and director of the County Histori­ bonus schedule. cal Society was highlighted by his intensive membership campaign of last year. The Rock About a year a^o our Board established a County Society membership soared from about joint committee on state and local society re­ 900 members to 2,200, making it the largest lationships, and the first fruits of the commit­ local society in the State and ranking it with tee's deliberations are now available in mimeo­ the largest in the nation. We wish Tom luck graphed form. The committee formulated a in his new capacity as director of the Oregon set of standards and objectives for local so­ Historical Society. cieties. Many local societies are already tak­ The Rock County Society chose as Tom's ing steps to broaden their program to include successor, a young Ph.D. from the University the entire thirteen objectives. of California, Wayne Fuller. Wayne did his Tony Wise, president of the Sawyer County doctoral thesis on the history of rural free Historical Society, headed the committee delivery in the U.S. and comes recommended which included M. K. Hobbs of Grant County, highly by colleagues in California. We look George Hall of Oconto County. Eugene Hatch forward to working with Wayne, and hope of Fond du Lac County. Warren Jenkins of that our many friends around the State will Portage County, Fred Olson of Milwaukee come to know him and like him—as we have County, and Tom Vaughan of Rock County. in the brief time he has been on the job. END

26 tures, or type of burial, and usually does not keep an adequate record of what he does find. Generally, an Indian mound contains an Indian or, perhaps, several of them, for the mounds were buifl to house the bodies of the deceased. Sometimes, rehcs purposely placed with the body give clues to the identity of the group responsible for the building of the mound. The professional archaeologist, through train­ ing and experience, knows what to look for and uses methods of excavation which wifl reveal these things in a meaningful manner. He recognizes that his digging also results in the destruction of the record of the past as contained in the site so he makes an adequate record of his findings in the form of notes, You Ask, What's in an drawings, and photographs. Frequently, he has to use the knowledge and methods avail­ Indian Mound?'' able to him to recover and restore fragmentary and half-disintegrated remains. The statement During a part of the prehistoric period last­ is often heard: "The bones were so badly de­ ing about 2,000 years at least 4 different In­ composed they crumbled to dust when exposed dian cultures built mounds in Wisconsin. A to the air." Proper technique might have pre­ few years ago there were 11,600 mounds by served them. actual count in the State, and many others To meet this situation the Wisconsin that were either unnoticed or had been pre­ Archaeological Survey, a cooperative venture viously destroyed. Conservative estimates run on the part of the professional archaeologists in the neighborhood of 15,000 for the total and interested institutions—the Green Bay, number, a figure far above that which can be Manitowoc, Milwaukee, and Oshkosh Muse­ claimed by any other state, but one which is ums; Beloit and Lawrence Colleges; Wiscon- rapidly declining. Many mounds have been destroyed by farming activity, the buflding of roads, and the other changes in the landscape Excavation, June, 1954, of Effigy caused by the advance of civilization. The de­ Mound, Otter Type, Dodge County, Now Obliterated by a Highway. struction continues with ever increasing rate through the use of the powerful machines of the push-button era. The only way to determine what is in an Indian mound and to find out why it was built, by whom, and when, is to excavate it using methods which wifl properly reveal its contents. The artifacts and information thus obtained are the only means by which the prehistoric past can be reconstructed. The dig­ ging in mounds by inexperienced or careless persons, often motivated merely by the desire to add specimens to their cabinets, is a condi­ tion no less damaging than that of the plow, the bulldozer, or the power shovel. A large factor in finding things in mounds is knowing what to look for. The relic collector looking only for specimens does not notice details of mound construction, internal fea­

27 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954 sin Conservation Department; University of ple who didn't even read them but used the Wisconsin; and the State Historical Society— pages to paper the walls of their houses. And has as one of its major objectives the salvag­ no citizen should evade the responsibility of ing of information and material from mounds reporting his knowledge of Indian sites of afl and other Indian sites that are in danger of kinds, especially those likely to be destroyed, destruction. When this organization is noti­ to the Wisconsin Archaeological Survey. The fied of the impending destruction of a site, many students of localized history throughout proper measures can be taken to insure against Wisconsin can best help with the preservation the complete loss of valuable information. The and, where needed, with the recovery of ar­ main problem, however, is that all too often chaeological remains by acting as the "eyes the Survey is never notified or learns about it and ears" of the professional archaeologists after it is too late. whose jobs in colleges and museums prevent If we could use again a time-tested analogy, them from being in constant close touch with the Indian mounds and other sites might be every part of the State, but who are organized compared to the books in a library. No good to act cooperatively when emergencies arise. citizen would stand by without notifying the Forms for the reporting of Indian sites are fire department while the library burned nor available on request at the State Historical would he stand for the theft of books by peo­ Society Museum, 816 State Street, Madison. W.L.W.

Thanksgiving—1872 Diamond Jubilee of Light In this land of liberty we should be When America this year celebrates the thankful three hundred and sixty-five Diamond Jubilee of Light, the eyes of days in the year. Let us be glad that as the civilized world will focus on the sim­ a nation we are blessed; that our lines ple laboratory in the late Henry Ford's are cast in pleasant places; and, as to­ Greenfield Village in which Thomas Edi­ morrow has been named as Thanksgiv­ son performed the miracle of electric ing Day by the President and Governor, let us be three hundred and sixty-five light. times more thankful than on any other Edison's famous Menlo Park labora­ day. Looking back at our history, how tory and compound were restored in many reasons we have to be grateful; Greenfield Village to their precise ap­ looking to the future how much there pearance at the time of the invention in is to inspire us with hope. In the old 1879. Originally located near West Or­ country there are ancient and bad sys­ ange, New Jersey, and brought to the tems; there is much want; there are Village a quarter of a century ago, endless evils; but in America every man has a fair chance. Circumstances Menlo Park is a group of eight build­ may be against him; but the law, the ings where Edison perfected his most system of government is not, and cannot significant contributions to civiliza­ be while the people control affairs. Let tion. . . . us be thankful that the people rule, and A life-size, historic diorama in the wisely; that we have peace and prosper­ Museum will trace the story of light ity; that our fields and mines have been from primitive times through today. . . . productive; that labor has been re­ Coincident with the 75th anniversary of warded, and that we are a happy, united light [October 21] is the 25th anniver­ people, with good appetite for our Thanksgiving dinners. sary of The Henry Ford Museum and —From Madison, Wisconsin State Greenfield Village. . . . Journal, Nov. 27. 1872. —From History News, March, 1954.

28 The Educators' Debt to Lyman Copeland Draper by John Guy fowlkes

are honoring today. He did not seem to ex­ pect that things would happen merely by al­ In his address, given at the Society's lowing nature to take its course. Neither, Founders' Day luncheon last January, apparently, did Draper expect the rewards of Dean Fowlkes of the University of Wis­ labor without the sweat of labor. Distance and consin depicted Draper as a persevering hours were not recognized as impediments to individual who wrought mightily. His his path of achievement. Seldom did this man endless industry resulted in a rich indulge himself to the luxury of despondence. bequest to latter-day educators. Neither did he spend his time in rejoicing over victories won nor triumphs gained. In terse and somewhat common parlance, Draper was a man "who sawed wood." As Hesseltine says: "He was not an original thinker, but A report of the contributions of Lyman Cope­ he was an energetic and skillful innovator—a land Draper must draw heavily upon the re­ veritable Johnny Appleseed of culture—bring­ cent scholarly and exhaustive study of Draper ing to the frontier the lore and the learning by Wifliam B. Hesseltine, entitled Pioneer's of the East and of the ages, and asking only Mission.^ It is interesting to observe, after a the reward of kindly recognition and acclaim." rather thorough search, that nowhere in Pio­ The broad religious and deep spiritual life neer's Mission does Hesseltine refer to Draper of Draper is revealed in many ways. Certainly as an educator. Neither title, "educator" or he must have remembered constantly the ad­ "professor," adequately describes this indi­ monition: "Let us not be weary in well doing vidual. But this fact in no way detracts from for in due season we shall reap if we faint nor belittles the debt which education and not." Also, he must have cherished the thesis: educators, especially in Wisconsin, owe to "Shew me thy faith without thy works and Lyman Copeland Draper. I will shew thee my faith by my works . . . faith without works is dead." Draper per­ Some Personal Characteristics—There are sisted, pursued, and continued actively in many tangents that might be followed and recognizing that the saga of mankind, particu­ numerous facets which might be scratched in larly the story of those intrepid souls who un­ examining Draper's inheritance to educators. dauntedly braved heretofore unexplored fronts Four personal characteristics of Draper, so provides an inexhaustible source of text mate­ strikingly revealed by Hesseltine, which well rial in all realms and for all learners. might receive the close attention of all edu­ cators, are: industriousness, perseverence, for­ Draper's whole life symbolized fortitude titude, and evangelism. and endurance. Handicapped physically, both as to size and strength (he was of small phy­ The indictment of laziness does not seem to sique, and subject to severe migraine head­ have been brought against the man whom we aches, his physical reserve was small which, ^Pioneer's Mission, the Story of Lyman Copeland together with his extreme intensity of purpose, Draper was published by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin (Madison, 1954). Grateful and respect­ brought on writers' cramp to such an extent ful acknowledgment is made to the efforts of the au­ that often he had to stop his work). Troubled thor, William B. Hesseltine. by anxiety and apprehension, this man truly All quotations in the above address, except when otherwise indicated, are taken from the Hesseltine proved that "he could take it." volume or from the Scriptures. Bitterness and enmity were not character­ Two Annual Reports of the State Department of Public Instruction in Wisconsin, prepared and writ­ istic of this scholar extraordinary. As one ten by Draper himself for the years 1858 and 1859, reads the story of Draper, an impression is and C. E. Patzer's Public Education in Wisconsin gained that he was truly concerned over, but (Madison, 1924) were valuable references in the preparation of this address. not bothered with, disagreement in opinion

29 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954 and conviction on important matters. The bi­ for documents, and for remembered traditions ographer notes that he had an ingratiating a joy." Also, admirably, this fondness for col­ manner and this characteristic combined with lecting and searching for facts was bulwarked his enthusiasm for his subject brought him by an exacting demand for accuracy, revealed success. Old men and children alike talked in Hesseltine's statement: "The articles, rev­ to him eagerly. Although he carefully copied erential in tone, revealed a prosaic devotion any story told to him, sometimes he jotted in to factual accuracy." his notebook the reminder that some old pio­ Draper's conception of education had no neer's tale was to be taken with many grains boundaries. Although his personal consuming of allowance. interest was focused on definitely established Draper might well be termed a "John the loci, his ideas of, and ideals for, education Baptist," with respect to the history of our were broad rather than narrow. This man rec­ pioneers and especially with reference to Wis­ ognized the high importance of the social as consin. He truly preached his gospel to afl well as the intellectual aspects of one's edu­ men both far and near, but as he preached cation. he also wrought mightily. He helped his­ Draper might be said to have had a real torians; he helped librarians; he helped his "nose" for the requirements of a good educa­ church; he practiced what he preached. tion. Indeed his sense of rare discrimination concerning what really constitutes a good edu­ Some Intellectual Characteristics—To the eter­ cation evidenced itself in his early years, and nal benefit of succeeding generations, what a certainly seems to have been one of the major fortunate circumstance it was that the per­ factors which prompted his distinctive contri­ sonal characteristics of Draper, fused as they bution. Concerning Draper's point of view, were into an unconquerable spirit, could call concept or philosophy of education, Hessel­ into play the array of intellectual qualities tine reports and observes as foflows: "For which he also possessed. Some of the more more than two years—until November, 1836 striking intellectual traits of Draper were —^Lyman Draper remained at Granvifle. these: He was constantly on the prowl for the Latin, Greek, and a little arithmetic made up truth. In Hesseltine's terms: "Coflecting, how­ his formal course of study. He did well enough ever, was a habit, and the search for facts. at them, but they never excited his interest." The author observes further: "Without quite realizing it, and certainly without formu­ Author Hesseltine (left), with Dr. Lyman lating it, Lyman Draper was in revolt against Butterfield, the Latter a Guest Speaker an educational system which relied solely upon at the Society's Founders' Day Meeting. the study of the classics to the neglect of the American heritage." "Much more interesting to young Draper than the curriculum were the associations Granville College made possible. . . . With these new friends he spent long hours in the bull sessions where students educate one an­ other in philosophy, sex, and religion," writes Hesseltine. Draper's literary society experiences are also related: Even before religion began to transform him Lyman Draper had found a new and absorbing activity. Prior to his arrival in Granville a group of students had organized a literary society to discuss something more current than classical myths and more in­ teresting than Latin syntax. The young so- {Continued on page 52)

30 Something new came to hamlet and crossroad when fiery women orators spread the gospel of woman suffrage as the 1912 general election approached. What do you think of their campaign­ ing techniques?

Txpical Suffrage Campaign Scene, 19J2

Suffragettes on the Stump Letter from the Political Equality League of Wisconsin, 1912^ With Introduction and Notes by Kenneth W. Duckett^

After speaking in the rain at a Madison street vember 5, 1912. As soon as Governor Francis meeting Miss Ada James's shoes were "sop­ McGovern signed the bfll, the officers of the ping wet" and her ankle-length skirts were Political Equaflty League began organizing soaked nearly to her knees, but the president county suffrage groups. The officers, for the of the Political Equality League of Wisconsin most part, were uninitiated amateurs in politi­ brushed aside her friends' solicitations with cal affairs, but what they lacked in skifl and the boast: "I am cocksure that you can't kill experience they more than made up in imagi­ a suffragette." It is true that during the 1912 nation and enthusiasm. Early in their attempts campaign to give Wisconsin women the right to organize the counties they concluded that to vote few suffragettes became martyrs to their strongest opposition came from the their cause, but many bore their fufl share women themselves, the "prigs in petticoats" of indignities and hardships.^ who felt that "womenly women" should not be In 1911 the State Legislature had voted to concerned with politics. After deciding that submit the question of woman suffrage to the more than staid polite little speeches would electorate at the next general election on No- be necessary to startle their disinterested sisters out of their complacency, the officers of ^The Ada James Papers, in possession of the Stale Historical Society of Wisconsin, contain the complete the League embarked upon a campaign de­ correspondence files of the Political Equality League liberately patterned on the spectacular appeal of Wisconsin which reveal the details of its hard- of the circus sideshow.^ fought but unsuccessful campaign in 1912. ^Mr. Duckett received his B.A. degree at the Uni­ As in the circus, the parade played its part versity of Denver in 1950 and his M.S. in history at in the suffragist's strategy. In the larger Wisconsin in 1951. Presently he is on the staff of the cities smart-stepping brass bands and lines of Society's Museum and plans to make historical so­ ciety work his profession.—EDITORS. marching women attracted crowds who read 'Ada James to Mrs. B. C. Gudden, Sept. 21, 1912, such slogans on the banners as: Ada James Papers. All letters cited hereafter are from the James Papers for the year 1912. Mother mends my socks and shirts, For a more complete treatment of the 1912 cam­ Mother mends my coat; paign and the woman suffrage movement in Wiscon­ Mebbe she could mend some laws, sin, of which it was a part, see Theodora W. You- If she had the vote. mans, "How Wisconsin Women Won the Ballot," Wisconsin Magazine of History, 5:3-32; and a series The suffragettes did not peddle pink lemonade, of four feature articles by Mary Elizabeth Hussong in but they did have vendors who sold cold but- the Milwaukee Journal, Dec. 21, 28, 1924 and Jan. 4, 11, 1925. ^Milwaukee Journal, Dec. 28, 1924.

31 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

a display booth to demonstrate a "vacuum washing machine" which the League sold on a commission basis to raise funds. The Mil­ waukee State Fair, however, offered the / League its best chance for publicity. The stel­ lar attraction of the fair. Miss Ruth Law, billed as the only woman flyer in the world, .* consented to drop suffragette leaflets as she stunted over the crowd. The day set for Miss Law's flight was so windy that her companion stunt pilot, Lincoln Beachey, refused to let her take off, but since he was also a suffragist, he agreed to shower the fair crowd with cam­ termilk along the line of march, while others paign literature.^ passed out literature and sold large yeflow bal­ By airplane and by boat—colorful but lim­ loons emblazoned with "Votes for Woman" in ited methods—the suffragettes carried their red letters. The members of the League not message to some of the people, but it was by only used circus techniques, they used the automobile tours that they reached the voters circus itself to publicize their crusade. When in Wisconsin's many hamlets and at the cross­ Buffalo Bill's Wild West Circus came to Green Bay, they persuaded the famous scout to carry roads. In 1912 it was considered quite daring a suffragist banner as he and his troupe of for a group of women to travel alone by car Indians and Western stars paraded down the about the countryside, and, as a concession main street.^ to public opinion, men chauffeured the first Throughout the summer and fall of 1912 tours. Later, as campaign funds dwindled almost anywhere a crowd gathered the suf­ and expenses mounted, the women began to fragette speakers were on hand. A group of drive their own cars. In the letter printed them on the launch "Mary E." cruised fifty below Crystal Eastman Benedict, campaign miles up the Wolf River and stopped to speak manager of the Political Equality League, in­ for equal rights at every available landing. structed a suffragist worker how to organize In the vaudeville theaters captive audiences an automobile tour.^ viewed a two-reel "photoplay" entitled "Votes for Women," and music-lovers at the night July 12, 1912 band concerts in the park were entertained by Mrs. C. W. Steele,^ suffragettes who played instrumental solos, Whitewater, Wis. whistled, and pleaded their cause. They spoke Dear Mrs. Steele: before labor union conventions, businessmen's I certainly am proud of the Whitewater clubs, anywhere they could get a hearing, but League. The way you all stiffened up under it was the county fairs which gave them their that rebuff and found yourselves stronger than best opportunity to be heard.^ ever as a result of it was perfectly splendid On the fair's busiest day the Political Equal­ ity League tried to schedule a well-known ^Milwaukee Journal, Jan. 11, 1925. speaker such as Mrs. Belle La Follette, and The washing machine, "a simple funnel shaped throughout the remainder of the festivities it affair which by a very easy motion sucks the dirt out of clothing," was manufactured by a Los Angeles firm maintained a rest tent for women where the to sell for $3.50. Flora Gaspen to Dr. J. Alden Bliss, suffragettes passed out literature and sold Sept. 9. campaign buttons. At some fairs they set up Tn some sections of the State there was a very strong sentiment against both the automobile tours 'La Crosse Tribune, Aug. 27, 1912; Mrs. P. M. and street meetings. See Zona Gale to Ada James, Clark to Crystal E. Benedict, June 27; Maud [Mrs. July 5. Rex McCreery] to Ada James, July 23. ^One of Whitewater's leading suffragettes, Mrs. ^Youmans, "How Wisconsin Women Won the Bal­ Charles W. Steele, was the wife of a Civil War vet­ lot," 21; La Crosse Tribune, Aug. 26, 1912; Cather­ eran. Captain Steele, retired farmer and shoe vaQr- ine W. McCullough to Crystal E. Benedict, June 3. chsini. Wisconsin Necrology, \5'.\2\,\2^.

32 DUCKETT : SUFFRAGETTES ON THE STUMP

poles and every available place also. If you could get a cornet or some musical instru­ ment to travel up and down with the machine, it would be even better.^^ After advertising yourselves thus in a thorough way, the party would go to the hotel and eat their supper and rest a little while and then they would find their crowd assembled around the ma­ chine. After trying many ways of conducting an automobile tour this seems to be the most successful. To do one big town a day get up Campaigning at Cooperstown your own meeting by advertising yourselves the way the circus does with its parade. This avoids depending on newspaper advertise­ and now how beautifully it has come out.^^^ ments, etc. for drawing a crowd. 1 am sure Miss King will be equal to the occa­ Besides holding the meeting our girls were sion, and that you will have a fine time to­ able to form a little committee in each town morrow night.^^ through their canvassing in the afternoon and Now Miss James and I have been discussing your letter and have decided to make this sug­ gestion very strongly to your Whitewater or­ ganization. We advise you to keep Miss King I intend to vote for Woman Suffrage Nov. 5, 1912, right on for four or five days and organize with an automobile with her help, and that of your local speakers. I will tell you exactly Address 'yvr^St If you are with us, please fill o h how we have done it in Milwaukee this week THE POLITICAL EQUALITY LEAGl5 because I think you can follow the same plan. 518 Colby-Abbot Bldg., 445 Milwaukee St. Milwaukee, W; We have borrowed a different automobile •Wc want to remind^11 our friends ju/)bcforaeleclon.// J cXT^ /) I every day and made one big town every night. The machine with two speakers and three or four good lively workers would start out about 2 o'clock or any time to reach the destination Teddy Says, ''Yes'' by 4. The machine would be decorated with a great big Votes for Women banner and two or three little flags. It would be driven up to get a good many voters' pledges signed in and down the streets of the town a great many the crowd at night.^^ If you can do this, times so that everybody in town would have especially if you can leave a little responsible committee it makes the trip eminently worth a chance to see it. Then afl the workers in while. the machine and speakers, would get out and Now if you can get the machine for all day each take a different street and leave a dodger and your workers are equal to a long trip, like the enclosed at every house, speaking with you can start out at ten or eleven and take the women also, and urging her to come and in the smaller towns at noon, but speaking in bring her men folks. They would have time to the afternoon when the men are all at work tack up dodgers in stores and on telegraph doesn't seem to me of much use. ^"At first the Whitewater city council would not per­ Now don't you think you could borrow auto­ mit the suffragettes to hold a street meeting, but after mobiles enough to do your county in this way the women had aired the situation in the newspapers and had pointed out that the merchants might profit ^^One county solved the problem quite nicely when from a large crowd down town on Saturday night, the they found a young lady who was both "a cornettist council reversed its decision. Mrs. C. W. Steele to and a graduate from an automobile college so she can Crystal E. Benedict, July 6, and to Ada James, July act as chauffeur." Ada James to Rose McL. Seifort, 9; Whitewater Gazette, July 4, 11, 1912. July 19. ^^Bertha Pratt King, president of a girl's prepara­ ^^The Political Equality League asked everyone who tory school, the King Crawford Classical School in intended to vote for woman suffrage to sign a pledge Terre Haute, Indiana, was "loaned" to Wisconsin by card. As a publicity stunt the League officers sent a the Ohio suffragettes for whom she had been cam­ card to Theodore Roosevelt, candidate for President paigning. At the Whitewater meeting, one of her first in 1912 on the Bull Moose ticket. See illustration. in the State, she drew an audience of approximately The card is filed in the Ada James Papers for No­ 2,000 people. Whitewater Gazette, July 11, 18, 1912. vember 4.

33 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

next week, or at least to touch the towns that rent a car, except, of course, having the have no organization? No doubt you could dodgers printed. These are very cheap and rent a machine for a day or two to fifl in if very important. you needed it and pay for it out of coflec- I am glad you are looking forward toward tions taken on the trip. Miss Henderson^^ county organization. It would be a good idea should surely go with Miss King and speak to get Sharon, Elkhorn, Lake Geneva, and also, and as many more of you as could get Whitewater representatives to meet and divide in the machine should go along to do the work. up the work of the County and perhaps to If you can foflow this plan just keep Miss appoint County officers. I am sure we could King as long as you need her. If not, drop send Miss Curtis.^'^ Miss Judd^" has been mar­ me a line and we will be glad to get her back ried and left us. Miss Curtis is way out in of course or to send her somewhere else.^^ the western part of the State and may be Your plan of speaking at the band concerts obliged to stay there for some time, but we is splendid and if you run out of speakers we can surely send you someone who will be will send someone. equal to the task whenever you need her if To be very definite in regard to the expenses you can give us a few days warning. of the auto trip, I would come back to your I believe the canvassing blanks and pledge headquarters every night. I believe you can cards and literature you ordered have been reach every point in your county in this way. sent. Then there is no expense unless you have to With best wishes for your work, Cordially yours, ^'Bertha Henderson was a teacher at the White­ water Normal School. The city attorney, who was also Crystal Eastman Benedict a member of the Board of Regents at Whitewater Campaign Manager. Normal, objected to any of the teachers participating in political meetings, but Miss Henderson ignored his ^•^Alice B. Curtis was a teacher at Milwaukee Nor­ wishes and spoke for the Political Equality League. mal School who worked throughout the campaign as ^"Miss King drew "one of the very largest suffrage a county organizer at a salary of $100 per month. She audiences" ever assembled in Wisconsin at her meet­ was one of the few suffragettes on a salary. Minutes ing in Whitewater, and she had similar successes else­ of the Advisory Council, February 2. where, but she stayed in the State only two weeks. ^'Mabel Madelyn Judd, former head of the History She soon had difficulties with the officers of the and English departments at Richland Center high League who felt she wanted "to be carried on a chip," school, quit her job at the end of the term in 1911 to and that she lacked the spirit to do a thorough job. act as state organizer for^ the Political Equality Crystal E. Benedict to Mrs. C. W. Steele, July 17; League. The Woman's Journal (Boston: July 29, Ada James to Mrs. Rex McCreery, July 17. 1911), 42:240. END

Lamination Process Restores Manuscripts and Documents A discussion of the lamination process The statement is made that "the pres­ used by the State of North Carolina De­ ent process of lamination has generally partment of Archives and History ap­ replaced the old silking process former­ pears in Carolina Comments of May, ly used by many archival agencies." 1954. By this method the department Among the institutions that have has restored some 25.000 pages of manu­ adopted this type of equipment are the script records during the past four years. Archives Division of the Virginia State Recently it has begun to restore some of Library, Richmond; the Archives Com­ the records in the Secretary of State's mission of Dover, Delaware; the Hall office, among which is "the manuscript of Records, Annapolis, Maryland; the Constitution of North Carolina . . ." Department of Archives and History, At­ This complicated process is explained lanta, Georgia; the Library of Congress as follows: "First, the document ... is (its Map Division using a large lamina- thoroughly cleaned and pressed, and tor, specially designed for maps), Wash­ then passed through two chemical solu­ ington D.C.; the Federal Bureau of In­ tions to neutralize the paper's acidity— vestigation, Washington, D.C; the Ten­ the quality that makes it brittle. Next nessee State Library and Archives, a sheet of cellulose acetate is placed on Nashville; the South Carolina Archives each side of the document, with long Department, Columbia; and the U.S. fibre tissue over the acetate." Heat and Army Map Service, Washington, D.C, pressure then weld these together. and several foreign institutions.

34 faces I can see plain as anything but whose names escape me.—There's something al­ lowed, I suppose to students working their "^1is>**^' way. Anyway, it seems that the first consterna­ tion I caused the other inhabitants was in opening a window in "my" room (between Dr. Schafer's and Miss Nunns's) all by my­ self, when, so it was sort of indicated to me afterwards, this wasn't done except with Miss Nunns's permission. On top of that I was gen­ erally breezy. Your letter is quite the pleasantest invita­ tion of its kind to come in quite a long time. Makes a person feel it would be fun to attend that breakfast even if not a soul remembered one. I used never to fail to call on Dr. Schafer "Hello" to Ex-Staffers when I got to Madison, and his instant, "Well, ... I was indeed a member of the staff Clara!" with both hands outstretched is a nice of the Wisconsin Historical Society my first thing to remember, as is also his inviting me year out of college and, under the tutelage to stay on after graduation. . . . of Miss Mabel C Weeks, spent half my time CLARA LEISER calendaring the Virginia Papers. Even at this Youth of All Nations, Inc. late date I feel I recognize Draper's hand­ New York writing: in fact I recently came upon some transcripts in our collection which he might have made. Woudn't that be news. . . . The Society's Manuscripts Praised Please accept my congratulations on the Before leaving this hospitable and cooper­ centennial celebration and my greetings and ative place of labor [Historical Society Li­ good wishes to my former colleagues, particu­ brary], I have tried to reach you by telephone larly Miss Weeks and Mr. Quaife. . . . to tell you what assuredly you already know MARGUERITE G. PEASE very well—(1) that the staff has been very University of Illinois efficient and very pleasant; (2) that your treasures are of the real stuff of history; (3) It is nice to be remembered as a former that / much appreciate the splendid coopera­ staff member, and I should like nothing better tion which you, and your staff, have extended than to join the group at breakfast and the to this wandering historian. Centennial programs. Instead, I shall be in Here I have spent four and one-half of the Santa Barbara attending a Conference of the most strenuous days I of late have filled with American Symphony Orchestra League. work. I leave with some seventy-five notations We have in Pasadena one of the finest Civic from the Potter and Howe collections; nota­ Symphony Orchestras in the country, for tions which scarcely mention Sherman, but which I have been privileged to work as board which vividly portray events of which that member, president, and now executive direc­ uncommunicative gentleman was a part. tor. . . . I only wish that more historical societies CORA BARTLETT YOUNG showed an equal earnestness in collecting the Pasadena Civic Music Association manuscripts of the persons concerned in the matters of which I write. It seems to me, as I frequently have remarked to other histori­ I'm a little harder to dislodge than when ans, that the Historical Society of Wisconsin I used to make quite un-library-like commo­ is pre-eminent in this respect. . . . tions afl the way between Dr. Schafer's room and the farthest windows on Park Street where JEANNETTE P. NICHOLS the Park girls sat and two other women whose University of Pennsylvania

35 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

Doughnuts an' Friedcakes and deserves. credit for factual and notable I feel bound, for I am of a kindred spirit, history. to make "chat" about your Smoke Rings, Au­ Your clientele on the Historymobile were tumn 1953, Wisconsin Magazine of History. very kind and courteous and should be com­ I also mourn "the decline and fall" of the mended for their attitude. "doughnut" and its better-half the "fried- HAROLD W. BANNENBERG cake," direct descendant of that twisted deli­ Carleton School cacy the back-easterner calls a "cruller." Milwaukee Fond in my memory and far more forgot­ ten is that great breakfast food the sour-milk Our class enjoyed the trip through the His­ biscuit, and let us not forget the simple white torymobile. The exhibits displayed were very sugar cookie, that no commercial baker can educational, interesting, and descriptive. It duplicate. Some people's children say we now gave us a better understanding of our past. eat better—"bouloony!"—Why even that isn't We wish to thank you for coming to the Carle- as good as it "yor'st-to-be!" ton School. We are planning a trip to the State Histori­ South Wayne WILLIAM DEETZ cal Society in Madison. . . . We hope to learn more about Wisconsin History. "Uncle Harry" Dankoler Writes Carleton School ARLENE WALKER I take the opportunity of writing you and Milwaukee thanking you for your excellent comments on my Letter No. 24, and the writeup in the issue Pioneer's Mission Reviewed of Vol. 37, No. 2 of the Wisconsin Magazine of History. Not now being a member of the I wish you could have heard the wonderful Wis. His. Soc. I am enclosing a check for book review we had at our last meeting. A $10 for renewal. . . . former history teacher, Mrs. Karl Doege, gave the review of Pioneer^s Mission. We had It may interest you to learn that the Mil­ a guest night and everyone enjoyed it and waukee Press Club of which I am one of three learned much about our Historical Library charter members of 65 years ago voted me a and Museum as well as of Lyman Copeland Life Membership, and Charles C Benson, Draper. club manager, suggested that I stop off on my way home so the members could entertain me. Marshfield NELLIE BOHN KAMPS Sturgeon Bay HARRY E. DANKOLER Junior Historians Comment on "The Presence The Bears' Grass Badger Club looks for­ of Our Past" ward with interest to receiving the Badger History. We are extremely grateful for your kind­ We have participated in the foflowing ac­ ness in permitting us to show your film "The tivities during this school term. We visited Presence of Our Past." It attracted favorable the Marathon Paper Corporation, the John­ comment and got us off to a good start in dis­ son Monument quarry and works, and Rib cussing the problem of stimulating greater Mountain at Wausau. Besides oral interview­ interest in historical activities. . . . ing of older residents in the district, display­ GEORGE L. ANDERSON ing Wisconsin material, and playing location University of Kansas games in which we located places named by our classmates, we also do research work on Historymobile Teaches Notable History topics of special interest to the group. The Historymobile is another step in the Badger History has been very important great progress of the Society. Some impor­ to us in learning about our state's history, in­ tant facts in Wisconsin's history were known dustries, parks, and places of special interest. by the students, but your Society has knitted JANE MESSERSCHMIDT them together, into a sequential story. Each Bears'" Grass School case was displayed in an interesting manner Augusta

36 readers' choice

GENERAL HISTORY astray as, for example, when he asserts that about 1910 sectarian fission in Protestantism The Great Frontier. By WALTER PRESCOTT slowed down. The major shortcomings are, WEBB. (Houghton Mifflin Company, Bos­ however, conceptual. Webb has not disposed ton, 1952. Pp. xiii, 434. $5.00.) of many concepts that we have thought im­ The theme of this book is that the expan­ portant in understanding modern society. sion of Europe following the discoveries of What about nationalism or class conscious­ the Western hemisphere and Australasia ness? caused the changes in social and economic in­ To assert that the fundamental shifts in stitutions that have taken place since 1500. values that took place between 1500 and 1900 The author thus seeks to apply to all Western and the massive accumulation of knowledge culture an approximate corollary to the front­ since the Renaissance can be correlated with ier hypothesis that Frederick Jackson Turner geographic expansion is indeed bold. For so applied to American society. breathtaking a thesis possibly better substan­ Mr. Webb's elaborations and applications of tiation is available. his theory are so numerous and varied that Oherlin College THOMAS LEDUC they cannot be fully summarized here. Two main theses are advanced. Webb sees the pe­ riod since Columbus as one of economic boom, The China Tangle: the American Effort in that is, of spectacular and often speculative China from Pearl Harbor to the Marshall expansion of capital facilities. Opportunities Mission. By HERBERT FEIS. (Princeton created by this boom so completely liberated University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, individuals from prevailing restrictions as in­ 1953. Pp. X, 445. $6.00.) deed to dissolve existing social, political, and To say that our China policy from 1941 to religious institutions. Individualism sup­ 1946 was disappointing, both to us and to the planted hierarchic and feudal concepts. In Nationalist Chinese, is a gross understatement. turn, with the end of the boom came the res­ The question is how and why so little was ac­ toration of organic controls; individualism complished when so much had been expected. was only an interlude. The other main thesis, For some Americans today the answer is as as I understand it, is that the vast accessions easy as it is sinister: Communists and Commu­ of space available for human exploitation and nist sympathizers in the State Department occupation—the "Great Frontier" were intrin­ were to blame. Now Herbert Feis presents a sically important. Implicit is the idea that the detailed and well documented narrative which, discoveries were adventitious. Some histor­ without arguing against or even mentioning ians prefer to believe that the critical element the conspiracy thesis, thoroughly disposes was the capacity of Europe to exploit the dis­ of it. coveries in the sixteenth century as it had not During the war our policy makers faced in been in the eleventh. China a veritable "tangle" of dilemmas. One The central hypothesis of this book is not was the problem of getting adequate forces susceptible of final proof or disproof. The so­ and supplies into the Chinese theater when ciologist would say that the question is not other theaters, the Pacific as well as the Euro­ operational. Historians are notoriously con­ pean, had insatiable prior demands and when servative in their ways of thinking and they the Japanese controlled the Chinese ports. An­ have not shown much enthusiasm for the other was the question how to handle the omi­ Webb thesis since its original unveiling in nous internecine conflict between Chiang Kai- Harpers Magazine (October, 1951). What­ Shek and the Communists, how to put sub­ ever its merits, it seems to this reviewer in­ stance into the traditional American slogan adequately defended by the author. His eco­ of "integrity" for China without, on the one nomics is defective and his knowledge of Euro­ hand, giving the country to Communism, or, pean history faulty. Even at home he goes on the other, risking an early war with Russia.

37 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

Though Feis excuses neither the Yalta agree­ ter 38, the account of La Follette's Seamen's ment nor the widely held wartime view that Law. As long ago as 1840, Richard Henry the Chinese revolutionaries were simply "agra­ Dana had pointed out the need for awakening rians," wholly independent of the Stalinist in­ social consciousness to the plight of the seamen ternational, he does imply, by his emphasis in the introduction to his book, Tivo Years on the complexity of the American task, that Before the Mast, a Personal Narrative of Life no one is to be blamed too much for bungling at Sea: "There has been of late years a great it. deal of attention directed toward common sea­ He declines to deal with the really basic men. . . . Yet . . . there has not been a book issue in the China story, though it is implicit written, professing to give their life and ex­ in the opening sentences of his book. "Our periences, by one who has been of them, and fufl induction into the last World War fol­ can know what their life really is. A voice lowed our refusal to let China fend for itself," from the forecastle has hardly been heard." he writes. "We had rejected all proposals Three quarters of a century later, in 1915, which would have allowed Japan to remain the La Follette's Seamen Act became law. The in China and Manchuria." Should we have friendship of Bob La Follette and Andrew rejected all these proposals? The strategy of Furuseth, President of the Seamen's Union, the war planners, both before and after Pearl begun in December 1909, culminated in that Harbor, looked to engaging Germany first act of 1915, setting free the American sea­ while a holding action only was to be applied men. Read the description of Furuseth in La against Japan. Should not our diplomacy have Follette's words, (p. 521-22), to see how conformed to our strategy in 1941 ? This ques­ much alike as fighters against human wrongs tion the author does not even raise on his these two men were. "Beaten again and again, concluding pages where he discusses "the like all leaders who win final victories, he was causes and reasons for the failure of our only stimulated to better fighting by defeat." effort." The quotations from La Follette's speeches in RICHARD N. CURRENT the Senate giving the arguments for the bifl University of Illinois show his power, his own study of history, and his use of the facts Furuseth had furnished Robert M. La Follette, June 14, 1855-June him from his long fife as a seaman. La Fol­ 18, 1925. Chapters 1-26 by Belle Case lette and Furuseth, working together became La Foflette and Chapters 27-72 by Fola the voice from the forecastle. La Follette. In two volumes. (Macmillan We are absorbed in the drama of facts well Company, New York, 1953. Pp. xxi, told in La Foflette's continual search for truth 1305. Illustrations. $15.) on which to base action. No wonder he chose Reading the biography of Robert M. La Fol­ the words: "And ye shall know the truth and lette and living through the great epoch of the truth shall make you free," as the motto American history of his life span, learning under the masthead of La Follette's Magazine to know his work and his deeds, his family and now of its successor The Progressive. and his friends, it reveals itself to us as a Belle Case La Follette and Fola La Follette great immortal achievement. Once begun we in writing La Follette's biography followed continue in the grip of a drama of life, tragic his fearless sifting and winnowing. Compan­ and triumphant. The facts of his life convince ions of husband and father, they demonstrate us—through defeat and calumny he main­ their unity with him in this biography, begun tained his faith and integrity. La Follette did by his wife and carried to 1910, continued prevail. Through knowing the life of a noble after her death by his daughter, Fola La Fol­ courageous soul, we of the generations follow­ lette Middleton, in a labor of years of careful ing him feel an increase within us of courage study, documentation, and of personal inter­ and the will toward truth and the good life. views with friends and contemporaries. Both Throughout this biography we hear La writers were fortunate in the primary source Follette's voice as the voice in the forecasde. material they had available, for as Fola said: He was not only of the people, born of a pio­ "My father was a hoarder of correspondence neering family in Primrose Township, Wis­ and documents." They had, too, the collabora­ consin, in 1855; he had genius for entering tion of Bob, Jr., of Phil and the other mem­ into the life of his fellow men, for fighting for bers of the family. On this basis, in narrative, the rights of the many against the encroach­ chronological form they have written not only ments of the powerful few. No chapter in the the biography of a man, but of a family and biography demonstrates this better than chap­ of its friends which becomes a history of pro-

38 READERS CHOICE

gressive politics and statesmanship of the relevant to present day issues: "War is a ter­ years from the last third of the nineteenth ribly destructive force, even beyond the limits century through the first quarter of the twen­ of the battle-front and the war zones. Its in­ tieth. They were fortunate in their friends, fluence involves the whole community. It and the friendships made continued through warps men's judgment, distorts the true stand­ life except in the tragic instances when La ard of patriotism, breeds distrust and suspi­ Follette's stand against entrance in World cion among neighbors, inflames passions, en­ War I caused breaks which in some instances courages violence, develops abuse of power, never healed. The way in which he and his tyrannizes over men and women even in the friends worked together is vividly told: Gil­ purely social relations of life, and terrifies bert E. Roe and his wife, L^ncle Gil and whole communities into the most abject sur­ Aunt Netha to the family, Louis D. Brandeis render of every right which is the heritage of and La Follette were life long collaborators. free government." Charles H. Crownhart, Lincoln Steffens, Her­ There is great objective honesty in the nar­ man Ekern, Samuel Harper, John Bascom, rative. The account of the La Follette speech Charles Van Hise, John R. Commons, Eliza­ at the Periodical Publishers Association din­ beth Glendower Evans, William T. Rawleigh, ner in Philadelphia, February 2, 1912, is told Tom Johnson, Zona Gale, George W. Norris— with all its tragic consequences. But La Fol­ it is unfair in this brief review to single out lette fought on, undespairing and invincible just a few of the friends who worked together to his triumphant reelection in 1922, to his with La Follette. They are all brought to life campaign as an Independent Progressive can­ in vivid description. didate in 1924. On the publication of La Follette's autobi­ The epilogue describes briefly the memorial ography, Charles A. Beard wrote him that he services held June 20, 1926, in the United would certainly make his students in Politics States Senate, in the House of Representatives read it for in it they will find the inner history February 20, 1927, and the unveiling on of the Progressive Movement, (p. 472). This April 25, 1929, of the marble statue of Rob­ biography as well is essential to all students ert M. La Follette by Jo Davidson in Statu­ of the political, economic, and social history ary Hall in the Capitol in Washington. of his era. Here we have the story of the Dr. A. E. Hayden in his farewell tribute Progressive Movement in Wisconsin, its rise said: "We shall remember him as the em­ in the early Granger Movement, the reforms battled prophet of the new democracy, a de­ carried through during La Follette's adminis­ mocracy directed by intelligence and organ­ tration as governor and during the following ized to guarantee an opportunity for full and legislative sessions—the Wisconsin first laws, beautiful life to every child of man. . . . We the law for direct primary nominations in must say farewell. . . . We may do more. We 1903, railroad regulation, taxation reform, may give him earthly immortality in our lives. conservation of natural resources, mothers' The old enemies against which he fought still pensions, workmen's insurance—the 1912 con­ are in the field; the causes which he cham­ vention and election. La Follette's leadership pioned still call for battling, heroic hearts. of the Progressives in Congress, his filibuster . . . The future democracy of which he against the Armed Ship bill, his stand against dreamed still is to win . . ." (p. 1172-1173) our entrance into World War I, his trium­ La Follette expressed his faith in the com­ phant reelection in 1922, his campaign as an ing generations in the concluding paragraph Independent Progressive candidate in 1924. of his Autobiography: "There never was a And for ready reference all students will ap­ higher call to greater service than in this pro­ preciate the excellent index. tracted fight for social justice. I believe, with The invaluable quotations in the two vol­ increasing depth of conviction, that we will umes make the reader wish for supplemen­ in our day, meet our responsibility with fear­ tary volumes giving complete texts of speech­ lessness and faith; that we will reclaim and es, addresses, and correspondence. To under­ preserve for our children not only the form, stand why the entire La Follette family but the spirit of our free institutions. And in worked for woman suffrage, read his state­ our children must we rest our hope for the ment in presenting the Wisconsin petitions, ultimate democracy." (p. 478-79). His letter to Justice James E. May we act in that faith that a voice from Kerwin, written in January, 1918, gives con­ the forecastle will continue to be heard. vincing arguments for his stand on World IRMA E. HOCHSTEIN War I and includes a paragraph especially American University

39 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

The Era of Good Feeling. By GEORGE DANGER- search for data, historical data, from which FIELD (Harcourt, Brace and Company, he can derive insight and meaningful infor­ New York, 1952. Pp. xiv, 525. Notes, mation. Hence the seven chapters headed, bibliography, index, $6.00.) "The Legacy of Israel," "The Romantic Glory There are two general kinds of historical of Classical Greece," "The Rise of Christiani­ writing: the one narrates, endeavors to recon­ ty," "The Rise of Rome," "The Birth of West­ struct past events as they were; the other, ern Civilization," "Holy Russia, Byzantine once referred to as "philosophical history," and Marxist," and "The Timely East." Each does not try to portray, but analyzes and at­ of these chapters is a delight, and a delight in tempts to find general causes. A combination its own unique way. The author's skill in of these two kinds of history is ideal, and piercing to the marrow of the culture under George Dangerfield has come very close to the consideration, his ability to see and to report ideal. He has made an admirable synthesis of in a balanced, detached manner upon the all of the scholarship—the "philosophical his­ essence of the culture, and his stout-hearted tory"—on the period covering the adminis­ modernity, which permits him humility in the trations of Madison, Monroe, and Adams, and presence of past greatness without allowing yet has created a vivid narrative of swiftly him slavishly or submissively to grant to that moving scenes. past all the merit, combine to make him a The title of the book is unfortunate for two most instructive writer. reasons. It tends to perpetuate a myth which A student of literature, Muller puts the the author is laboring to dispel. The era, if the books of the historians to work. The histor­ period may be called that, was one of almost ians write the specialized treatises but Mufler anything but "good feelings." Also, the title has lined them up, done something with them, suggests that this is a complete history of an drawn out a doctrine from them. We histor­ era. It is not. It is the political and diplo­ ians become steeped in historicity (the grim matic history of the United States between the search for verified historical findings for years 1815 and 1828. The author writes with their own scientific sake) but in this volume one foot in London and the other in Washing­ the English professor, accustomed to deal in ton, and takes sweeping glances at the rest of "values," shows what can be done by concen­ the United States from this vantage point. The trating upon the "values" of the cuflures ex­ social and idealogical history of this impor­ amined. tant "transition period from Jeffersonian to Muller knows well his Spengler, Toynbee, Jacksonian democracy" is a gap that has yet and Kroeber (surprisingly he does not men­ to be filled. tion Flinders Petrie). These authors he has Aside from his contribution of a good syn­ sharpened his wits upon but he does his own thesis for a badly neglected period, George thinking. For him (in contrast to the great Dangerfield has brifliantly characterized fig­ German theorists) there is no deterministic ures that have long been colorless in our his­ answer. The salvation that our societies may torical annals. For instance, he drew James win through to, will be authored by ourselves, Monroe not as a man with a driving ambi­ or wifl not be made at all. tion for political power, but as a man who One bit may be quoted from the final page "longed to be useful, conspicuously useful." of the book, the closing passage from his "Con­ This book is political history at its broadest clusion: The Uses of the Future": and best. "If afl the great societies have died, none is DAVID D. VAN TASSEL really dead. Their peoples have vanished, as University of Texas all men must, but first they enriched the great tradition of high, enduring values. Like The Uses of the Past: Profiles of Former So­ Burckhardt we might be heartened as well as sobered by the thought that we shall vanish cieties. By HERBERT J. MULLER. (Oxford University Press, New York, 1952. Pp. into the same darkness, and live on in the 382. $5.00.) same tradition. We might be freed from the Professor Muller is distinctly conscious vanity of grandiose hopes, as of petty con­ that ours is a time of crisis. It is out of such cerns." a state of mind that his book emerges, for he These few sentences give an idea of the conceives of it as bringing a credo by which steadfast, independent quality of the author's to live in an era of tumult and convulsion. thinking. This is a book to read and reread, This is a rich, thought-provoking volume. to pick up and savor and ponder, to enjoy Professor Muller travels far afield in his {Continued on page 54)

40 STRONGHEART : HISTORY IN HOLLYWOOD

HISTORY IN HOLLYWOOD rector would accept the suggestion, or tell the {Continued from page 16) Technical Advisor to go and sit down some repeat. Although, some of the words are place, "will call you when wanted". This I quoted in the Bible. have done once for another Director; they couldn't find me for the rest of the day. That Leaving for location up in Colorado. Usu­ was a CURE for "go sit down some" place! ally, when a large cast such as in ACROSS THE WIDE MISSOURI, the director cafls for a com­ Eight weeks on location in Colorado at plete rehearsal of the most important scenes, 11000 feet altitude was not easy. Rise at a full day is devoted to it several days prior 5 a.m. Breakfast, then the day begins with the to departure for location, in the event that a Wardrobe men and women to see that all is change should be necessary. We had one in in order, then the Make-up and the Hairdress, this case. A new man had to be cast and tested the Props, then depart by auto and bus, or for a certain part. I was given two hours time Horse-back for the shooting locations. Mr. to coach the man for his "test". While the Weflman always likes to start at 8:30 a.m. test was rehearsed before the camera, Nipo promptly, and all sets, players, horses, wagons concealed himself in back of a "set wing" near or whatever else that has to be in the scene the camera facing the actor, so that I could must be there on time, and READY, or Else! prompt him in his speech and sign talk. The One hour for Lunch, and There we go again, Director caught me in the act, and he nick­ and so until the Sun has shed his last beam named me "The Watch-dog". The publicity of light. Back to camp. Wash-up, Dinner and department made an issue of it and that tale to bed, but not for the Director and his Staff, stuck to me a long time after that. It is pub­ the Assistant Director, the Camera Man and licised in the Press Book of the Film Ex­ the Technical Advisor. A two hour session, changes. the work done this day, the line-up for to­ On Location in Durango, Colorado. We morrow, weather permitting. If rain or snow brought up from the Dakotas One Hundred then what? Sometimes a Unit Manager would Sioux Indian People. Men women and chil­ pay the compliment to the Technical Man by dren for a typical Indian village scene. We asking him as to what the weather is going transformed the Sioux into Blackfoot, Sho­ to be like tomorrow or next day. shone and Nez Perce. Some of the older peo­ The completed work of ACROSS THE WIDE ple did not quite approve of it while the MISSOURI became an ear-mark for every mem­ younger generation thought it great fun and ber of the Staff, Cast and Crew. One of the had plenty of it. The entire location area be­ most beautiful pictures in Technicolor. The came an enormous Reservation, Tepees all Gorgeous scenes in all their glory is indeed over the country. Sweat Houses, meat drying worthy of an eye! The particular pride and racks, smoke houses. Council Lodge. Medi­ joy which is mine is the detail in authenticity cine Lodge, stick games, horse racing, town on the entire. The Three seperate and distinct cryer. Here at this point Nipo fell heir to Indian villages, that Are Right and Look the part of the Town Cryer, the actor engaged Right, the Costumes of the men women and for the part could not memorize three long children are correct in detail, except the "lead­ announcements in Indian Language, so Mr. ing lady" in her travel clothes. Just a little Wellman said, "You're it!" and by that he too much "Day Light on the subject". The told me I had to do it! wedding gown is beautiful and in keeping During the shooting of scenes the Techni­ with tribal custom. "The Leading Lady", cal Advisor is to be seen but not heard! He Maria Elena Marques imported from Mexico answers when called and he had better be City is a beautiful woman. It was my privi­ right there with a direct answer to whatever lege to work with her every day for fourteen question. Nipo dared to take certain liberties weeks in coaching her to speak the Indian during pre-scene rehearsals to inform the di­ Language all through her part. No English rector of certain errors in speech or sign talk, words at all, and this we had to work through or that of some depiction of character. Nipo an English Spanish Interpretor. This was the had to have a definite, or at least a reasonable great task, to, first of all, translate the English reason for correction. Some times the Di­ dialogue into Indian Language, then explain it

41 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954 to the interpretor in English, the Interpretor bers of the hunting party were Navajo In­ would then explain the words and phrases to dians from New Mexico, and Mr. Robert the Lady in Spanish, what the Indian words Taylor who had to learn a few lines in UTE. mean in English as to the equivalent in The signals, the implements and other para­ Spanish. There were long speeches in the phernalia. The most unpleasant part of the part, some calm and some as though a vol­ job was being up at Kanab, Utah, dust bowl cano had broken loose. The sign talk, and location. We walked, worked, ate and slept then, came the "DEATH CHANT" and the in the dust and grime. I have heard the ex­ "LULLABY". All this was part of the assign­ pression of "Desert Rats". All of us looked the ment of Nipo—the Technical Advisor. In ad­ part without benefit of Make-up. The Indian dition to the Leading Lady there were numer­ group and myself were on location only ten ous other featured players and Stars, who's days, while the rest of the Unit had to endure "part" in the picture was completely in Indian it for eight weeks. 200 women to ride wagons, Language and Sign Talk. All was well, and buckboards, saddles or walk. This was the While I have taken on some additional gray test for real troupers! it was a Movie job. hairs on this assignment I am Happy and and Wild Bill Wellman was our Boss; we Most Proud of this assignment, ACROSS THE worked and we liked it, above all else. We WIDE MISSOURI. I sincerely wish and hope liked our Boss. He is a Grand Person! for more such assignments. LONE STAR, an M.G.M. Production with W^ESTWARD THE WOMEN, with Mr. Robert Mr. Clark Gable. Again it was my sincere Taylor, an M.G.M. production Mr. William pleasure in the association ^vith Mr. Gable, Wellman, Director. Here was the surprise first in the ACROSS THE WIDE IMISSOURI and of my life time. Mr. Wellman, the Director now in LONE STAR, the story of TEXAS and of. ACROSS THE WIDE MISSOURI, asked for my SAM HOUSTON. This was my mildest of all return on his new picture. On entering his assignments. No Fights, No War, just a little office, Mr. Weflman greeted me with His bit of "Fire Works" and a few arrows. The favorite "Salutation", then said, "I shouldn't important scenes for Technical supervision have you on this picture. You made a bunch was the Tribal Council with Sam Houston of Indians out of us on the last picture! I'fl which was in Indian Language. "KO-SHA-TA, put you to work on one condition, that you or CHO-SHA-TA, and CA-SHA-TA". A group learn to have a sense of humor"! I looked at almost unknown and practically forgotton peo­ myself in the Wall mirror and said, "I do look ple, who were most loyal and staunch friends somewhat as though I belong in a Museum". of Sam Houston, they followed him from the All the "Mummies" that were in his office at Alabama country into Texas that they may be the time suddenly came to life and burst out of service to him as scouts and soldiers. In in laughter, I was signed for the assignment. 1928-1929, while on a Lyceum lecture tour The usual routine of costuming, props. Make­ for the DIXIE Lyceum Bureau of Dallas, Texas, up and hair-dress for the Indians. No Indian it was my privilege to meet with the remnant Village, no ceremonial, no fights, only a big of this group of KO-SHA-TA people, about 90 scare! There was a scene where the Wagon souls as the survivors of a great people. They Train meets up with a band of UTE hunting lived in a swamp land near Lewiston, Texas. party. One of the Emigrants yefls out "In­ During my lectures I instigated a campaign dians" and every body reaches for guns. The among the School children to write letters to UTE hunting chief signals "Sign of Peace", their State Legislature urging an adequate talks with his group in UTE, then sends a run­ appropriation to provide high grounds for the ner over to the wagon master to inform him. Ko-sha-ta people, and to establish them in The UTES are not on the War Path. The tech­ agriculture. The children themselves raised nical work on this was, the UTE Language to more than Twenty Five Thousand Dollars, be taught to the Hunting Chief, played by a ($25000.00) toward this fund and bought live "Sioux" Indian gentleman, Mr. John War stock for the Ko-sha-ta people and placed them Eagle a very intelligent man and conscientious on higher grounds. It was an obligation on in his portrayal of character. The other mem­ the part of Texas by Sam Houston's promise

42 STRONGHEART : HISTORY IN HOLLYWOOD

that the REPUBLIC would take care of them of the history of my MOTHER'S People, the for services rendered. YAKIMA NATION. Mr. DeMille assigned a Unit This my experience with the KO-SHA-TA Manager to go with me up into the YAKIMA people enabled me to render a double service. country. There we held several days council First of afl to the KO-SHA-TA people and the with the "Yakima Nation" and the Chiefs State of Texas in fulfillment of an obligation, consented to the story of the YAKIMAS. and the establishment of goodwifl. Secondly The story was completed and Titled BRAVE- my services to Metro Goldwyn Mayer for the HEART. At that time there was a canine movie picture that Characterized them. The original star whom I knew when Oscar was a pup, script called for a scene with the Apache, and who became acquainted with the sound of by introducing this bit of history to the atten­ Strongheart and responded to the sound each tion of the Producer, the Studio accepted the time he would hear it when I called at the change, and the only error was, that the actor home of his master, and trainer. Oscar the who played the part of Sam Houston had Pup adopted and aquired the name STRONG- learned his dialogue from the original script HEART. Wefl, Nipo T. Strongheart was not a made a slip of the tongue and said, "Apache" member of the Tail Waggers Society, so one during his portrayel of the part, and it was of us had to yield. Mr. DeMifle was not mak­ so recorded on the film. They did not want ing a dog picture so came the change of title to retake the scene just because of one word, to BRAVEHEART. Which in Indian thought it is an expensive process, to retake that scene means the same. would have cost over $1000.00. The heart of Now, to come to the point is, that in the Nipo was buried 12 feet under ground, I wept picture BRAVEHEART, MR. TYRONE POWER, SR. inside of "myself", not because of the wrong portrayed the part of the YAKIMA CHIEF. His word, but the Wrong "Tribal People"! Who son Braveheart played by ROD LA ROQUE was should have had the recognition were the my part life career. Nipo himself had a triple KO-SHA-TA. Remember them! assignment, Coflaborator, Technical Advisor and MEDICINE MAN. Afl three jobs combined PONY SOLDIER. Please listen to this story, into one for the total sum of "Umpty Doflars" it is worth it! Speaking of History repeating per week, for a period of Six months from the itself, here is one for the book! The Studio writing to completion, and four weeks on tour Executives recognized the value of it and with MR. TYRONE POWER, SR. have publicised it all over the country through In 1952. (27 years lapse) Our Contempo­ their press syndicate, with a large photograph rary TYRONE POWER whom I wefl remember of MR. TYRONE POWER and NIPO T. STRONG- as the Handsome and Heart winning young HEART looking at each other as though two man in his father's time is now the Handsome long lost brothers. One of the Headlines read, "Like Father Like Son". Another headhne read, "Nipo was younger then". Now the A Group of Indians Portraying Their Ancestors in the Story! Universal Technicolor Picture, ''Canyon Passage." They Receive Instructions from Director Jacques Tourneur, In 1925. Mr. Cecil B. DeMille. a Gentleman Translated by Technical Advisor Strongheart. of whom a great deal is heard of, but very few people KNOW the Man. It was my privilege to have had the association and friendship and to render a service to Mr. DeMille. He as­ signed me to the coflaboration with Miss Mary O'Hara, the wefl known writer to create a Movie story something to do with Indians. We had no Title, no plot, not even an idea. Just make a Movie out of the air. We Did! Mr. DeMifle suggested that we cafl it, "STRONG- HEART" my contract read that I consent to the use of my name and a bit of my own life career as a basis for the story, a great deal WISCONSLN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954 and Heart Winning Gentleman all by himself errors in the geographical locations of the has warmed my heart in the joy of the asso­ Indian Tribes, at first I thought that it may be ciation with him in his great picture, PoNY alright, for the Indian people have been moved SOLDIER. It is a unique way as how this about so many times, that may be another came about. change has come about unbeknown to me. I In February 1952. The 20th Century Fox thought that I knew the various places and Studio Location Department after several in­ peoples, I lived among them, I know their terviews with other prospective Technical Ad­ tribal government, and still have correspond­ visors, NIPO was called in. An interview was ence with many of the tribesmen. Now this is set up with the Producer, Mr. Samuel Engel, something new and I had better check up. I and Director Mr. Joseph Newman. There were have taken the liberty in calling on one of the questions, many of them; and the answers, most important departments. RESEARCH ! just and a lengthy display of Press notes and to inquire as to where some people acquired other Documentary material on my activities certain information. This was a risk! among the Indian People, the question came 20th Century Fox Studios have one of the up as to the CREE of Canada, and the North­ largest Research Departments in the "motion west Mounted Police. picture industry". In charge of and Super­ In 1921-22-23. Nipo was on a Lyceum vised by. Miss Frances Richardson. A Lovely and Chautauqua Lecture tour for the Do­ and Admirable Lady, like one out of a picture minion Chautauquas throughout the Western book. A beautiful person who wins your ad­ Provinces. It was then my privilege to meet miration and respect at first glance. Miss Richardson and Nipo had a lengthy discussion with the various tribes in that region. The on the subject to our mutual understanding Bloods, Piegans, Sarsis and Stonies, Assini- and agreement. The Research Department staff boin and "Cree" and Sioux of Canada. I had provided the proper information, but some­ occasion to intercede for some of the tribes body else had certain own ideas. The Pro­ with the Dominion Government. The News duction Department already had a staff of papers of Canada, CALGARY, EDMONTON, SAS­ Art Department designers making up models, KATOON, REGINA, and numerous other cities the construction department having started press carried big headline articles on my rais­ on the miniatures of the sets, the Wardrobe ing a lot of smoke in Canada about the cir­ and props preparing, all according to the cumstances and conditions amongst the Indian script. Now, comes NIPO with a 24 page re­ People of the Dominion, also my several inter­ port, comments and suggestions pertaining to views with the Premiers of the Provinces on the INDIANS and the MOUNTIES. I submitted the subject, INDIANS. There were no further the report to the Location Department Execu­ questions and the assignment was granted me. tive for his review of the report before sub­ On the remark of my association with Tyrone mitting it to the Producer. The Gentleman Power's Father, and presented a photograph came up with a sigh, "OH, GOLLY" ! What are of Mr. Power and Myself together, as Chief, you going to do with this? and Medicine Man The Producer, Mr. Engel The 24 page report was sent up to the offices said, "We have a Medicine Man in this pic­ of the Producer, Mr. Engel. a copy of it to ture, and You are it! That is one player "cast" the Director, Mr. Newman. There was nothing whom we would not have to coach, and it else for me to do but wait in my office for would be great publicity and of public inter­ developments. For the next three days I heard est that Nipo worked with two generations all sorts of whispers from various departments, in one family. With "Father and Son" in a the news got around and people were saying similar capacity, or rather identical assign­ things, "That fellow Strongheart stuck his ment." It was so ordered! neck out", "He got his finger in hot water." The script was written by an excellent "He is in for it"! All these whispers began writer, story good for both, Indian and White. creeping, then walking until it was afl over But, when it came to the CREES Nipo scratched the Studio lot. Then came the Crucial Hour! up some of the pages. 152 pages to digest and A Studio messenger came to my office and come up with a report. Somebody made some softly announced, as though she was scared

44 STRONGHEART : HISTORY IN HOLLYWOOD to say it, "The Boss wants to see you! Right the script was ordered to be rewritten in ac­ now"! In studio language that means only cordance with the 24 pages of comments and one thing. I packed my brief case, my hat, suggestions. While the iron was hot, Nipo while my Adam's Apple was in my mouth and struck another blow. Suggesting a character­ swallowed it several times while enroute from ization which was not in the script. Being my office to the offices of the Boss. All along that the script would have to be rewritten the way there were eyes looking and following in places we may just as well include this me. I felt the presence of an Ice Man directly new character to good advantage. in back of me. I managed to reach the offices A Character which is seldom if ever seen of the Producer. The secretary looked at me in a Movie where Indians are concerned. An in a manner that a Mortician would look at Old old Lady who's wisdom would be re­ a prospective client. I was ready for it! spected in a Tribal Council. Her wisdom and On entering the office of Mr. Engel, there oratory would solve a great problem. There was also Mr. Newman the Director. The Pro­ was a "problem" in the script, to settle a duction Manager, and the Unit Manager. (A dispute between the CREES and "Mounted Unit Manager is a person credited with the Police". The four Wise Men saw the light, Intelligence and Authority to instruct every but it had to go to the top office. Mr. Engel department where to spend the dollars and himself took the proposition to Mr. Darryl how to save the dimes.) All four executives, Zanuck, the Supreme Tribunal of 20th Century their eyes focused on me as though I had com­ Fox. The Old old Indian Lady is in the pic­ mitted an unforgivable crime. The idea of a ture. She is a loveable character—Grandma hired technical man to have the ego to tell Reynolds, as White Moon of the Crees. Studio Executives as to what is wrong with I walked back to my office, and a messenger their script. These were my thoughts. I was carried my brief case for me. Many of the ready for anything that they may say. A eyes that foflowed me to the office of the Boss, thought came to me of an incident in my watched me going back to my office, this time young boyhood while attending the Indian I carried my hat under my arm. I was as­ School. We had a disciplinarian who always signed to a new and better office with secre­ took on to himself the great joy and authority tarial service, to set appointments with heads to scold and threaten the boys. One day he of the various departments. Wardrobe, props, approached a small boy and he scolded and construction, make-up. Art department and yefled at him. The little boy looked at the "Miniatures", special effects, the music de­ big husky policeman and said to him, "You partment, all had to come to my new office four times my big, all the same, me have no for consultation Nipo had to go to some of scare for you"! I remembered that, even the departments to make sketches and dia­ though it is now more than fifty years ago. grams for the large encampment, the tepees, This gave me considerable courage and I travois, packs, lances and coup sticks, drums braced up and ready to let come what may. and tom toms, songs and chants and the I WAS WRONG in my thoughts and anticipa­ funeral dirge. All this and heaven too. I had tion. Definitely Wrong! to coach the principals in some of the Indian Mr. Engel said, "Mr. Strongheart, Please dialogue and sign talk. Four full weeks to be seated". Strongheart felt like a punctured have all in order and ready for location. It tire, slowly sunk in a chair and again swal­ was ready on time, and Nipo was dizzy. lowed my Adam's apple which nearly strangled The Month of March found us in the wind me. I managed to keep my head up, and swept Oak Creek Canyon country near Se- finally said. Thank You Sir! The Session dona, Arizona. Beautiful country with great lasted from 10:30 a.m. until nearly two, variation in the weather. One day it was Hot, 2:p.m. without stopping for luncheon. Going the next morning the entire area was com­ over the entire script comparing with my notes pletely buried under the snow. The good old of comments and suggestions. Questions as to Sol would come out and we were in mud up Why this and that and what would be gained to our knees. That Arizona red clay that is or benefitted. On presenting my explanations, better than any tobbagon slide ever built by there was a huddle between the four men and man. Not even a Studio Special Effects Man

45 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN. 1954 could compete with it. The Trucks, Genera­ monial, it brings tears into your eyes and tors, autos and Cranes were stafled in the mud. touches your heart strings. Should you be The schedule was 4 weeks on location and we interested to find out as to whether your were there Eight (8) long weeks. Rain, Snow, heart is still ticking, here is your chance of Sleet, Hail, Mud Thunder and lightning nearly a lifetime without having to consult a physi­ every day, and at 7000 feet altitude. It was not cian or a heart specialist. This picture will so bad for the cast, on such days there was no be "good Medicine" for your heart and spirit. work for them, they stayed at the Lodge, but I wish to express my sincere appreciation the Staff and Crew had to get things done, we of and gratefulness for the open heartedness had over three hundred people on location and clarity of minds of the three Great Men and it cost the studio $20,000.00 per day while who made this picture possible. Mr. Darryl on location. Nipo had his tribulations too, Zanuck, Head of 20th Century Fox, Mr. we had 175 Navajos, 25 Hopis, and Ten Samuel Engel, Producer, and Mr. Joseph New­ Apaches from the low lands in Arizona and man, Director of PONY SOLDIER. Mr. Tyrone New Mexico, A desert people, and to bring Power who has done a marvelous work in de­ them up into the High mountains into the picting as to what ONE MAN ALONE could ac­ snow and mud that was too much for them, complish when his purpose is honorable and and I had to keep them in good mood and deeds justifiable. I am sincerely grateful for remain on the job. It was not an easy task the privilege and happiness that has been mine to keep these three tribal groups under such in knowing these four gentlemen. It has helped conditions. I moved out of the lodge and me in being somewhat of a better man. moved in with them in their special encamp­ ment and keep them in good humor and on Since PONY SOLDIER, I had as my assign­ the job when needed. We had to be up at ments. BURNING ARROW for Warner Bros. 5: a.m. for make up and costuming, breakfast TAKE THE HIGH ROAD for Metro Goldwyn and on to the shooting locations. To take in­ Mayer, and currently on the great Musical, structions from the Director and convey it to ROSE MARIE again, Indians and Mounties. the Indians and have them carry out these actions. It was not easy to have them under­ Now, NIPO would greatly appreciate that stand as to why some of the scenes had to be some person become Technical advisor for done over several times. The question came up Nipo and inform him on the subject of many times.—Why doesn't the White man STRONGHEART, WISCONSIN. This town name learn to do a thing right the first time, they is listed on the Chicago North Western be­ are supposed to be educated, and because of tween Ashland and Rhinelander. Nipo would the white man's "mistakes" the Indians have like to know how this town got its name, and to do things over and over again many times. whether there are any towns people by the There was a scene where the Indians set fire name of Strongheart. I may have some long to a covered wagon and surround it, all in lost relatives some where in the good State the middle of a mountain stream, the water of Wisconsin. I traveled all through the State was cold, and they were stripped to the breech on the Redpath Lyceum Circuit in the late cloth and moccasins and a desert people shiv­ twenties lecturing on the subject, INDIANS, ered as never before. Nipo had the job to and have many good friends in the State with keep these people happy and stay on the job. whom I have correspondence to this day. One of the inducements was, that they were Would like to hear about it, and until we well cared for other wise, plenty of good food, meet again, as much as they wanted, no limitations, we KLA-HOW-YAH NIKA TIL-LI-CUM brought in some movies for them to see sev­ HI-AS KLOSHE! eral times during the week, and all was well. NEE-HAH-POUW TACH-NUM The Job was completed, the Big Council, the CHTU-TUN-NAH^ enormous encampment, the Mirage, the long END march back to the reservation, the big fight "Lines 1 and 2 translated from the Chinook, mean with the Long Knives. The death scene of the "Greetings my very dear good friends"; lines 3 and litde Indian boy, the death chant and cere­ 4 translated from the Yakima Language, mean "Nipo T. Strongheart"—EDITORS.

46 NADLER : MINERAL POINT AND NORTHERN RAILWAY

MINERAL POINT RAILWAY Linden on the Chicago and North Western, {Continued from page 6) was anxious to be the terminus of this railroad to the Linden and Highland zinc region.^^ The citizens of the two villages were asked On June 30, 1904, the Linden news column to invest in the railway by subscribing to the of the Tribune reported that Mineral Point company's five-year 5 percent bonds which had virtually lost the railway by refusing to were to be secured by a first mortgage on help it in construction over the hills. Linden, the line. The directors hoped that each com­ furthermore, was not too unhappy about this, munity would subscribe to the extent of as a longer trip and a higher fare to get to $25,000.^^ The drive for investment was aided Mineral Point would mean that more business by such headlines in the local papers as "It's would remain in Linden.^^ Up to Linden. Reach for it and We Can Have Evidently this was a ruse on the part of a Railroad. Refuse it and We are Lost!"^^ Linden people to gain more support for their As a result, local contributions at Highland line in Mineral Point, for nothing was ever reached $25,000 while Linden invested to the mentioned again about a change of terminus, extent of $18,000. At a meeting on April 14, and instead of constructing over the hills, an 1904, the citizens presented their investments alternative route was developed. Directly south and the railway deposited its construction of Linden was the valley of the East Peca­ bond for $50,000 at the First National Bank tonica River, which snaked its way southward, of Mineral Point to be held in escrow.^^ passing a point four miles south of Mineral Soon after the people had deposited their Point where the Chicago, MilwaukeCj and St. funds and the railroad had posted its bond, Paul tracks closely paralleled. Hence a low the Chicago and North Western Railway grade route was available from Linden to that changed its mind and offered to build the point, and the Milwaukee had already con­ desired line. But the barn had been un­ structed a line over the hills from the East locked and the horse had been stolen. As a Pecatonica River into Mineral Point. The result of the North Western's delay, the Min­ Mineral Point and Northern could build its eral Point and Northern Railway became an tracks in this valley if it could gain permis­ independent line rather than a branch of a sion from the St. Paul Road to use its tracks major system.^° from the vafley into Mineral Point. The St. The first plan for the construction of the Paul was amenable to the plan, realizing Mineral Point and Northern proposed a direct that if it helped the Mineral Point and route along a ridge from Highland to Linden, Northern to complete its line, the ore from and from Linden southeasterly into Mineral the mines along the North Western would Point. The terrain from Linden to Mineral come to Mineral Point to be processed, and Point, however, was hilly, and the extreme the St. Paul would most likely gain the ship­ grades and large viaduct necessary for this ment of the processed ore.^* A trackage right direct route were considered too costly for arrangement then resulted, under which the the capital available to the line. Thus the rail­ Mineral Point and Northern could operate its road's directors suggested that the city of trains over the St. Paul tracks from the valley Mineral Point supply the funds for the direct into Mineral Point. The Mineral Point and right of way and that the citizens of Mineral Northern was to pay an annual fee for this Point invest in the line.^^ Mineral Point, how­ privilege based upon the number of cars that ever, was apathetic in supplying funds. On it transported over this four-mile stretch.^^ the other hand, Dodgeville, which was east of The Mineral Point and Northern Railway 'Ubid. was now ready for construction. Its own line ''Ibid. would begin four miles south of Mineral Point ^°The funds were to he held hy this third party, the bank, until the railroad had completed construction. ''Ibid. ^"Wisconsin Railroad Commission Docket R-3668, ''Ibid., June 30, 1904. "Request to Make Linden a Non-Agency Station Re­ "T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, Return to question­ quiring the Pre-Payment on Inbound Freight," Hear­ naire . . . Northern Railway Company," 3. ing of June 27, 1929 (Unpublished), 25. '^The annual rental varied between $1,000 and ''Mineral Point Tribune, June 2, 1904. 12,500.

47 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

at the spot in the valley which it named High­ by sixteen horses. Pile drivers had started to land Junction. From Highland Junction the construct the bridges, and it was predicted tracks would be built to follow the East Peca­ that the roadbed would be ready for the lay­ tonica River for 13.6 miles into Linden, and ing of rails by the first of August.^^ then to climb a grade to the ridge which ex­ By the middle of June, however, it was evi­ tended to Highland, 12.8 miles away. Two dent that the Empire Construction Company loading stations for ore and cattle were estab­ was too financially insecure to complete the lished and titled Kodatz and Harker. The job, and it seemed unlikely that local citizens point at which the Mineral Point and Northern would invest more in the line. At this point crossed the Chicago and North Western was the Mineral Point Zinc Company decided to named Whitson Junction in honor of Whitson, protect its position and insure the completion England, the birthplace of the owner of the of the railway into the mine fields. The Zinc property at that point.^^ The whole extent of Company purchased the bonds and stock of the railroad would thus be 26.4 miles, with 4.2 the Empire Construction Company and gained additional miles of trackage rights. Fourteen the controlling interest in the Mineral Point bridges would be necessary as the best route and Northern Railway.^- William A. Jones of crossed the East Pecatonica River several the Mineral Point Zinc Company became gen­ times, but the dream of Mr. Mcllhon and his eral manager of the Mineral Point and North- colleagues would finally be a reality. ern,^^ Mr. Mcllhon remained as president, but The officers of the Mineral Point and North­ the control of the railway passed to the New ern were the three stockholders, with Mcllhon Jersey Zinc Company interests. as president, Amberg as treasurer, and Morrill Late in September of 1904 the railway an­ as secretary. These three men, plus Warn nounced that it would not use any of the funds Amberg, and George 0. Clinton, a railroad that had been subscribed by the citizens of promoter who had helped to develop several Linden and Highland. These investors thus other lines, became the directors of the road. got their subscriptions back, and the Iowa Offices were opened on the second floor of the County Democrat proudly announced that St. Paul railroad station at Mineral Point, this was the first time in that section of the and the construction of the line was begun.^^ country that a railroad had been built with­ On January 9, 1904, the Empire Construc­ out the need of local aid. The Iowa County tion Company was incorporated under the laws Democrat did not consider the conditions of the State of West Virginia,-^ and it accepted under which the Zinc Company had pur­ as payment for the construction of the line chased the railroad, but rather it announced $420,000 of first mortgage bonds of the rail­ that the refunding of the local capital showed way plus the guarantee of a bonus of at least the satisfaction of the Zinc Company with the 4,200 shares of the common stock of the com­ prospects of the area both in mining and agri­ pany at a par value of $420,000."'^ Surveying, culture and guaranteed the operation of both condemnation of property, and purchase of the oxide and the acid plants at Mineral the right of way began in the early spring of Point.-^^ 1904, and the Mineral Point Iowa County With the funds supplied by the zinc inter­ Democrat carried large front page advertise­ ests, the Mineral Point and Northern was com­ ments for laborers and teams.^° By June there pleted with little trouble. In mid-August the were fifty teams at work grading, and two first of three used Baldwin eight-wheel loco­ excavators were in operation, each powered motives arrived from Chicago over the tracks of the St. Paul Road, and the first trip of this ^'Mineral Point Tribune, Dec. 1, 1904. engine into Linden, while helping to lay track, "'Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, Jan. 12, 1905. ''Ibid., June 23, 1904. "'^The construction company had been chartered in =^T.C.C. Finance Docket 7820, "Brief for Protes­ West Virginia as more lenient laws allowed the com­ tants" (Unpublished), 2. pany to provide less capital and receive other benefits. ^^William A. Jones had been commissioner of In­ -Tn 106 I.C.C. 27 (1926) the Interstate Commerce dian Affairs under Presidents McKinley and Theo­ Commission valued the railroad at S471,65L74. dore Roosevelt. ^"Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, May 12, ^''Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, Sept. 29, 1904, and ff. 1904.

48 NADLER MINERAL POINT AND NORTHERN RAILWAY

elicited the comment: "Puff! Puff! Puff! were mixed trains, carrying both passengers Sweetest music ever heard in Linden !"^^ On and freight, and this explains the length of December 5, 1904, at 3:00 P.M. track laying time necessary for the sixty-one mile round was completed, and on December 18 the first trip.^^ Throughout 1905 this schedule was run was made by officers of the line. The re­ maintained, but in addition frequent excur­ turn trip from Highland was completed in sion trains were run over the line and from one hour and nineteen minutes, a speed sel­ Highland, Linden, and Mineral Point to desti­ dom equaled in the history of the road.^^ nations on the connecting lines. Cattle, dairy Scheduled service began on the first of Janu­ products, and ore shipments were heavy and ary in 1905. the railroad seemed to fulfifl all that its pro­ During 1904 talk had been rife about the moters had hoped for. Within a year. Linden purchase of a motorcar for the passenger serv­ and Mineral Point newspapers were carry­ ice of the line. This gas operated car would ing advertisements picturing a locomotive have connected with the trains to Madison as a background and advertising the MP&N and Chicago on the two larger railroads. The Cigar.^^ Surely this was a sign of the popu­ height of optimism as to passenger service on larity of the line among the people of Iowa the Mineral Point and Northern was reached County and its surroundings. in the speeches of Mcllhon while he was try­ On June 22 and 23, 1905, Highland had a ing to enlist investors. At a Linden meeting two-day holiday in honor of the acquisition of in January, 1904, he had announced that railroad facilities, complete with speeches, service would probably be provided as often athletic contests, and other forms of celebra­ as every two hours each way, with the cars tion. Orators called this railroad the fulfill­ stopping at any point along the line to pick up ment of the hope of many years, and the passengers.^'^ Highland and Linden residents speakers emphasized the fact that the people were to think back to these promises eight had offered financial aid, but the railway had years later when the United States govern­ only wanted their goodwill. A silver spike was ment took away the railway's mail contract presented to President Mcllhon at the con­ and returned the mail to horse-drawn stages, clusion of the celebration.^^ In November, as these vehicles offered more convenient and 1905, the regular schedule of trains was frequent service. changed to two mixed runs in each direc­ Messrs. Mcllhon and Clinton traveled to tion, daily except Sunday. Omaha to inspect motorcars, but they decided The construction of the railway had bene­ not to purchase one. They did buy one coach, ficial effects on the three communities it one combination coach-baggage car, ten flat- served, for with $550,000 spent for grading cars, ten boxcars, and the three eight-wheel the line and for construction, and with locomotives. Evidently the populace was satis­ $300,000 invested in the purchase of right of fied with the equipment of the line, for the way, depots, and rofling stock, these expendi­ Mineral Point Tribune declared that the depot tures could not help but bring prosperity to at Highland was going to make the people the region. Jobs were plentiful, and the retail from Mineral Point jealous and that the "en­ merchants reported that all commodities sold tire work of the present company was being wefl.^2 done in the best possible manner."^^ Mineral Point had increased in population, The first service started on January 1, 1905, and the Mineral Point Zinc Company had with one scheduled train a day each way, added new roasters and separators and had leaving Mineral Point at 9:30 A.M. and arriv­ made extensive improvements in the oxide ing at Highland at 1:10 P.M. On the return plant. As the Mineral Point and Northern trip the train left Highland at 2:00 P.M. and made the transportation of low content "black reached Mineral Point at 4:45 P.M. These jack" ore economically possible, concentration

''Mineral Point Tribune, Nov. 3, 1904. ''Ibid., Dec. 29,1904. '^Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, Dec. 22, ^"Linden Southwest Wisconsin, F^b. 28, 1906. 1904. '^^Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, June 29, '^Linden Southwest Wisconsin, Jan. 27, 1904. 1905. ''Mineral Point Tribune, Oct. 27, 1904. ''Mineral Point Tribune, Nov. 3, 1904.

49 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954 mills were constructed to reduce the "black prices had increased considerably.^^ Several jack" from around 32 percent to between 50 mines were now working which had been shut and 60 percent pure zinc. In 1907 fifty new down because their "dry bone" had been ex­ concentration mills were constructed in Iowa hausted and their "black jack" had then been County, and in 1908 fifteen more added to too costly to ship.^^ the growth of the zinc industry.^^ Linden also experienced an increase in Highland also felt the effects of the Mineral property values, as exemplified by the sale Point and Northern: three new concentrating of a saloon for one-third more than its selling mifls and a power plant were built there by price two years before.^^ Linden optimism the New Jersey Zinc Company in 1904 and reached a zenith when it was reported that 1905. New homes were under construction, citizens were considering raising sugar beets and, as a symbol of the coming of age, a side­ in the district. This was instigated by the walk was built from the railroad station to the Mineral Point and Northern offer to ship the German Catholic Church.^^ The Mineral Point beets to a factory at Janesvifle for 25 cents Tribune reported that Highland was assum­ per ton.^^ The enthusiasm in Iowa County ing a city-like appearance. Large crews were caused the Southwest Wisconsin to announce, at work on new construction, and real estate time and again, that "Highland and Linden have entered upon a new era."^^ ^'Writers' Program, "Mineral Point," 256. {Concluded in next issue) ''''Mineral Point Iowa County Democrat, May 4, 1905. ''Ibid., May 26, 1904. ''Mineral Point Tribune, Oct. 20, 1904. ^nbid., Dec. 22, 1904. 'Hbid. '^Linden Southwest Wisconsin, Dec. 9, 1904.

CONVENTION MEMOIR ton, who were not satisfied with their political {Continued from page 19) affiliations, who, if a judicious course was taken, would be induced to join us in resisting made such a speech as I at having invited southern aggression. His remarks elicited lit­ him to make it. tle applause, but evidently commended them­ The Convention, the next day, chose Gov. selves to the good sense of the conservative Bingham for chairman, and a committee of part of his audience. one from each state represented was appointed When he was through, there were calls for to draft a platform to be presented to the Joshua Giddings from all parts of the hall. Convention. This committee withdrew and Mr. Giddings was receiving from the Tribune speeches were in order. Among the first of several castigations—an experience to which these was one from Horace Greeley. To me, nearly all prominent men, except Henry Clay, the most noticeable things in his appearance were subjected who had once been eulogized were his white greatcoat, which has become by the Tribune—and we were somewhat fear­ historic, his gait seeming to indicate that he ful of a broil. Mr. Giddings, however, asked feared he might tread on one's corns and hurt to be excused from a speech at that time, as him, and his voice, as far as possible removed he was intending to address the Convention on from the "ore rotundo," his tone almost sad, the following day. He said that the men at and yet his articulation so distinct that all Washington were our servants, that it was our could hear with ease. It was soon after the business to instruct them and not theirs to teachers of Southern Chivalry had emphasized dictate to us. He said that at a prayer meet­ their lesson to him with the cane, a mode of ing on the Reserve, two brothers, Peter and instruction then more in vogue with them than John, took part, that Peter began by thanking at the north, and we were almost surprised the Lord for the good work begun, and prayed at the mild tone of his remarks. He said that that it might progress quietly, without animal he was not regarded as a cautious man, but he excitement, and that the result might be large had come from Washington to counsel cau­ additions to the church of such as would not tion. He said there were many at Washing­ be carried away by every "wind of doctrine,"

50 BOEGER : CONVENTION MEMOIR but might be permanent pillars in the church. regarded him as one of our soundest states­ After Peter, John, whose heart was fufl, began men and purest patriots. by thanking God for the good work begun, The next day we were gratified to find that and asking Him to "carry it on in his own the committee had agreed upon a report. This, way," and not mind anything about what I think, was adopted without debate, and al­ brother Peter had said. He then introduced though perhaps twenty were upon their feet, to us Mr. Lovejoy, saying that this was brother some almost screaming to be heard, the audi­ John. This was before Mr. Lovejoy had laid tory organs of the chairman seemed so de­ aside his clerical robes for the dust and tur­ ranged that he could not hear them. The moil of the political arena, and soon after the report provided for a meeting on the foflow­ murder of his brother by a pro-slavery mob ing Fourth of July at Independence Hall, at Alton. We expected an impassioned speech, Philadelphia, and the convention adjourned. and we were not disappointed. He began by This was the inauguration of the Republi­ alluding to our conversation on the cars, but can party. Could we have foreseen the results said there were times when the best way to which were to flow from this meeting, many secure peace was to fight for it. He drew a of us would have trembled. If the North had picture of the outrages in Kansas, and said not deemed the South a set of domineering that in such a state of things, he favored "war "blusterers," and the South the North as a set to the knife and the knife to the hilt." His of "whitelivered doughfaces," there might speech excited a storm or whirlwind of ap­ have been more willingness on the part of plause, but I doubt whether it was as effective the South to aflow the highest judicial posi­ in advancing the interests of the Convention, tions to be filled with reference solely to moral as the calm, common sense utterances of Mr. integrity and legal ability, and a willingness Greeley. on the part of the North and South to submit I will not attempt to sketch the speeches all differences to the arbitrament of such a which filled up the time during the day and tribunal instead of the arbitrament of the evening. While we were waiting for the re­ sword. Then I should have been spared the port of the committee we became almost im­ sacrifice of land to meet the expense of a trip patient for their report, and it began to be to Pittsburgh which has since appreciated five whispered around that the committee would hundred percent in value. Then I should have be unable to agree upon a report, and that spared the unutterable anxieties incident to the convention would break up in a row. It having two boys in the army—boys I am was a time when Knownothingism was at high proud to say neither of whom received a local tide, when Abolitionism had become insane, bounty as an inducement to enlist. Then the when Prohibitionism was by many regarded sufferings of our soldiers in the army, and the as the all important issue, and every "ism" perhaps greater sufferings of loved ones at seemed represented by a delegate in the Con­ home would have been avoided, to say nothing vention and on the committee. When we ad­ of the millions of money sacrificed. But then journed in the evening, the prospect was we should have continued to be the scoff of gloomy. the intelligent universe, on every Fourth of In the evening, at the Monongahela House, July justifying our fathers for throwing off 1 chanced to be sitting next to Mr. Giddings, aflegiance to Great Britain, because we be­ and said to him: "Though you will not aflow lieve that all men have certain inalienable us to look to Washington for direction, I hope rights, among which is the right to liberty, you will allow a young man to look to an old and yet holding six millions in abject slavery, man for counsel. What course would you ad- the victims of avarice and lust; denying them vise: the right to their children, their wives, or He said: "If we unite upon the smgle issue themselves, and peopling the land with ever of resisting the encroachment of slavery upon increasing numbers of quadroons, octoroons, territory now free, we shall organize a party and so on almost ad infinitum. Although we which must eventually triumph, although it might have hesitated could we have foreseen may not do so at the next election; but if we the results, yet who will say that they are not pander to Knownothingism by opposing for­ worth afl they cost? For one, I am glad that eigners, or to foreigners by opposing Know­ the Republican party was inaugurated, that nothingism, or if we turn aside to catch votes the Pittsburgh Convention was called, and that which cannot be secured by this single issue, I was a delegate to the Pittsburgh Convention. we shall fail." I was gratified to hear such Waupun, Wisconsin, November 7, 1887 sentiments from him, and have ever since END

51 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

EDUCATORS' DEBT deputy superintendent. Observes Hesseltine: [Continued from page 30) "The duties of the two men—historical, politi­ cal, educational, and religious—were housed ciety quickly developed a cliquishness, and under the same roof and frequently merged limited its membership to the older students. in their own minds." Lyman joined it, and then found that many of his younger friends were excluded. Soon Hesseltine recalls that Draper came to the the indignation of the outsiders found a office of the State Superintendent of Public leader in Lyman Draper, who organized a Instruction lacking teaching experience and second and rival society. Committed to the any intimate knowledge of educational affairs. principles of democracy, and named for "He was an armored knight-errant looking for the recently deceased William Wirt, essay­ a crusade, a potential statesman seeking a land ist, Jeffersonian Anti-Mason, and biogra­ in need of statecraft." pher of Patrick Henry, the Wirtonian set However, Draper must have felt very keenly about to recruit all the students. that to be ignorant is the fate of afl, but to As one who took quite an active part in a lit­ remain ignorant is a disgrace not to be tol­ erary society when he was in college, it is erated. In keeping with his obligation, and significant and gratifying to me that Lyman in his usual vigorous style. Draper attacked Draper also found the literary society a means the preparation, in writing, of the Annual Re­ of gaining various valuable educational ex­ port of the State Department of Public In­ periences. struction for the year of 1858. The report Although he certainly cannot be described itself, including the index, totaled 397 pages. as having a one-track mind. Draper had an The treatise was a combination of educational amazing capacity for becoming completely ab­ philosophizing, statistical data showing the sorbed in a given task at hand. This is graphi­ status of the schools of Wisconsin, and nu­ cally reported by Hesseltine: merous recommendations pertaining to the Early in August, Draper left Madison, improvement of the administrative organiza­ ostensibly to learn about school affairs in tion, curriculum, and instructional procedures the East. He visited his parents in Toledo so badly needed throughout the State. and then, his lust for history proving The second Annual Report, written by stronger than his zeal for school affairs, he Draper as State Superintendent, covering the turned back toward his old tramping ground year 1859, and consisting of 205 pages, was in southern Ohio and Kentucky. ... As usual when on a historical trip and inter­ shorter particularly with respect to the amount viewing possessors of ancient lore, he lost jf exhortation presented by Draper. track of time. August slipped away, and Among the more important of the count­ day after day of September, and still he less proposals presented and services rend­ had interviewed no schoolman. ered by Draper while he was State Superin­ tendent of Public Instruction are these: Draper, a State Superintendent of Public In­ (1) The election of the State Superintend­ struction—In 1857 Draper was elected State ent of Public Instruction in the spring on a Superintendent of Public Instruction on the nonpartisan basis. Democratic ticket (at that time holders of the (2) The establishment of county systems of office ran in connection with political parties schools including county high schools. rather than on a non-political basis), winning (3) The creation of a county superintend- "by 748 votes in a total of 89,856." As Hessel­ ency of schools to be appointed by town super­ tine observes: "The political prophets, on the intendents. other hand, had predicted that Draper would (4) The creation of a state board of edu­ bring diligence, energy, intelligence, and ef­ cation which might possibly appoint the state ficiency to the service of the schools of Wis­ superintendent of public instruction. consin. Lyman Draper prepared to prove (5) Substantial increase in state funds for them right." the support of local schools. Stephen H. Carpenter, young curator of the (6) The creation of township school li­ State Historical Society and a member of the braries and a permanent township school Baptist Church as was Draper, was appointed library fund.

52 FOWLKES : EDUCATORS DEBT TO DRAPER

(7) The development of a system of normal First U.S. Commissioner of Education. schools for the training of teachers. In 1867 a high honor was conferred upon (8) Marked increases in teachers' salaries. Dr. Barnard by his appointment as United States Commissioner of Education. He was (9) The development of in-service-training the first man to serve in that capacity, and programs for teachers, particularly with re­ in his first report, published in 1868, he spect to teachers' institutes. advocated nearly every educational reform In this connection Draper, himself, spoke to that has been introduced in the United many groups of teachers, but in the minds of States since that time.^ some, unfortunately, devoted his addresses In reviewing the list of Draper's activities largely to religious and moral discussions to with respect to public schools in Wisconsin is the exclusion of problems dealing with more it not stimulating to observe how clairvoyant strictly pedagogical matters. this man was, and how appropriate many of As is now the case, the office of the Super­ his recommendations are today? intendent of Public Instruction, when filled by Draper, entitled him to serve on the University Draper Was Still Human—^In keeping with Board of Regents, as well as on the then Draper's own devotion to factual accuracy, recently created Board of Normal School Re­ and in recognition of the agency which has gents. Largely through Draper's influence, cafled this meeting today, it would seem trai­ Henry Barnard was brought to the State of torous to leave the impression that Draper suf­ Wisconsin in 1859, interestingly enough as fered from no human limitations. His biog­ Chancellor of the University and also as Gen­ rapher delineates him thus: "Lyman Draper eral Agent for the Normal School Regents. was a solemn, intense young man with a con­ Furthermore, it was agreed that Barnard viction of his pious mission and with very would spend most of his time, the first year or little sense of humor." This absence of a funny two in his dual office, in connection with the bone possibly accounts, in part, for a restive reconstruction of the common school system lack of satisfaction, and, at times indeed even of the State and the normal schools. It would dissatisfaction which one senses in studying seem from this fact that the integration of Draper. Also, it must be remembered that higher education in Wisconsin was an estab­ he laid himself open to the indictment of be­ lished fact nearly a century ago. ing a procrastinator. Hesseltine states in the In connection with the in-service-education Preface: "Withal, he was a frustrated man program of teachers in Wisconsin, Barnard who never achieved his ambition to become gave direct instruction to some 1,500 teachers a popular writer, and his failure to write the at teachers' institutes, and addressed over books that he promised constitutes his crime." 12,000 people at his evening lectures.^ Un­ Closely related to this matter he also observes fortunately Barnard's ill health necessitated that ". . . he realized that he was unfitted his resignation as Chancellor of the University by temperament and training for writing." and as Agent of the Normal School Regents, Perhaps Draper would have done better not January 1, 1861, after having been in office to have contemplated or tried writing, but only a year and a half. rather to have been happy in the activities In discussing the short stay by Barnard in at which he was so able and which have made Wisconsin, Patzer writes as follows: it possible for so much writing to be done. It was highly unfortunate for Wisconsin Well known is the quotation: "Man can not that continued illness prevented Chancellor live by bread alone." Therefore, not only hu­ Barnard from carrying out the educational man beings en masse, but especially educators reforms he had planned for the common in order to approach complete fulfillment of schools and the training of teachers. It is their destiny must cultivate their spiritual be­ safe to assume that had he been able to apply his organizing abilities for a few ings. On the other hand, sectarianism cannot years in Wisconsin our State would have be confused nor substituted for professional secured a unified and modern system of service by educators. When he was State education at that early time. Superintendent, Draper urged practices which ^Patzer, Public Education . . . , 244. 'Ibid., 245.

53 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

to many seemed to violate the principle of research in the past of society enable men to the separation of church and state. It seems understand the Past, the Present, and the Fu­ that he was guilty of allowing his sectarianism ture." It was this conviction which established to conflict with his professional knowledge. Draper as a historian. His consuming passion Some might say that since Lyman Draper was for collecting facts happily was teamed with an adapter rather than an originator, he a longing to make the assembled facts avail­ should not be emulated. Such does not seem able to others. In the last analysis, it seems to be the case. Our society needs many Lyman that these qualities of Draper really constitute Drapers. On the other hand, it should be rec­ the nucleus of educators' debt to Lyman Cope­ ognized that professional educators also should land Draper. In the words of the thirty-second include some originators and creators. verse of the eighth chapter of John, Draper joined in the admonition: "And Ye shall know In summary—Hesseltine credits Draper as the truth and the truth shall make you free." having said: ". . . historical scholarship and END

READERS' CHOICE Eventually the trails of Icelanders who {Continued from page 40) came to Canada, those who found homes in Minnesota, and those in Wisconsin and else­ for its factual information, to be stimulated by where converged, as they sought greater ad­ for its novelty of thought, its freshness and vantages. A large settlement developed around easy play of large conceptions. It deserves a Lake Winnipeg and contributed finafly to the large audience. establishment of permanent communities in University of Texas FULMER MOOD the Red River region of North Dakota. It was here that the author grew up. Seldom Modern Sagas, the Story of the Icelanders in have the ethnic groups that settled various North America. By THORSTINA WALTERS, parts of the nation been so fortunate as to with an introduction by Allan Nevins. have their history written by one of them­ (North Dakota Institute for Regional selves as have the Icelanders in this book. Studies, North Dakota Agricultural Col­ In her introductory chapter Mrs. Walters con­ lege, Fargo, North Dakota, 1953. Pp. tributes her own reminiscences of family life, vii, 229. $3.75.) Wisconsin readers will find much of inter­ a section which Allan Nevins aptly cafls "a est in this unassuming but direct and refresh­ little classic of Northwest pioneering." It is ingly simple little book about the Icelanders an account full of warmth and spirit, illus­ who settled in North America. Between 1870 trating the traits of integrity, religiosity, and and 1900 a third of Iceland's population came initiative which the Icelanders brought to to this country. Trailbreakers of that immi­ America. gration were four young men who came to After a brief sketch of the few facts that Washington Island. Their letters home soon are known, and too seldom remembered, about induced foflowers, many of whom found work the awareness of America possessed by Ice­ on Wisconsin farms and in the new farm ma­ landers of the tenth century, comes the chinery factories of Milwaukee. Mrs. Walters account of the nineteenth century immigra­ offers glimpses of their first impressions of tion, foflowed by chapters analyzing various the United States as they made their way from aspects of the developing communities, how the East Coast to new homes in the Middle the Icelanders farmed, the inspiring, often West, of the adventures of this reliant people amusing account of how they attained school­ in the Great Lakes fishery, the lumber camps, ing, and the story of their churches. The lat­ and in their attempts to establish their own ter, unfortunately, seemed a somewhat super­ farms in Shawano County. An interesting sec­ ficial summary to this reviewer, although it tion deals with the scheme of settling in provides a broad view of the prominent place Alaska which for a time stirred Milwaukee accorded religious leaders. Icelanders, but which failed to materialize At no time is the inspiring story of indi­ when initial support from President Grant's vidual achievement absent from these pages. administration waned. One chapter selects a number of Icelanders

54 READERS^ CHOICE who went from the harsh frontier environ­ appeal than would an exact label for rather ment to successful, even eminent positions. esoteric material. However, German Ameri­ Of these, fellow pioneers could observe as they cans do not appear in any proper sense, but did of Vilhjalmur Stefansson's successes, "It merely as immigration and Catholic leakage was just what was to be expected," given the statistics. Moreover, the treatment of the uni­ background of deep family feeling and home­ versal problems of the Catholic Church suffers bred integrity. One of those sketched is from a touch of myopia. In reality the book Chester H. Thordarson, inventor of electrical is a frankly revisionist biographical study of apparatus, whose valuable library of Icelandic the once controversial figure, Peter Paul Ca- works and books on science is now owned by hensly. The historic bone of contention was the University of Wisconsin. One could wish that the German merchant and his friends that some of the sketches were less perfunc­ among German Catholic leaders in the United tory; unavoidably they are subjective ac­ States insisted that German-language churches counts. and schools were essential for the preservation Mrs. Walters does not neglect to relate her of faith and morals. local scene to wider developments, nor to note the impact of national affairs on the new citi­ The grim fact stands that on this matter zens. Events like the depression of the early about which no argument is left, there was seventies or the Riel Rebeflion in Canada had persistent opposition to the great American their effect. Civil War veterans among their colonizer. Archbishop John Ireland of St. neighbors molded the immigrants' politics Paul. Bearing that fact in mind, the conse­ and patriotism. Comparison with other immi­ quence of this interesting and elaborate pre­ grant groups indicates the advantage which sentation can be no more than some such con­ the high level of culture already possessed by cession as Americans make for Civil War the Icelanders when they came to America revelations—the South may have had better afforded them. Mrs. Walters is at her proud­ manners, but the North was right. An aged est when pointing out the identity between Irishman might exclaim, "Ah, the poor democratic ideals held by her people, stem­ things!" But he would remember Archbishop ming from century-old traditions of self-gov­ Ireland's recommendation of English for Ger­ ernment, and the ideal of American freedom man as faint beside his advocacy of Irish total and opportunity, which drew the Icelanders abstinence from intoxicating liquors. and to which they have made contribution. It is interesting to note that in this instance A more oriented picture of the immigration individualistic types sought the frontier; the milieu in the United States might have been frontier did not make them so. Indeed, an achieved had there been mention of occur­ unusual amount of community organization rences like Bishop Ireland's cordial reception and cooperative effort was called forth while and generous recommendation of Herr Ca- the area was in a frontier condition, although, hensly on the first of his two visits to the to be sure, the condition brought the wisest United States in 1883. It was not work for and most energetic leadership to the fore. moral safeguards on ships and at the port of Iflustrations include reproductions of paint­ entry which disturbed any bishop. Despite ings by Emile Walters, the author's husband, the circumstance that the claims of Archbish­ an eminent artist, product of the American op Ireland and other Americanizing bishops Icelandic community. are somewhat muted, there is no little value Butler University G. M. WALLER to this immense documentation of German sources. Indeed, like Dr. Frederick J. Zwier- lein, the doughty pioneer in laying bare the The Catholic Church and German Americans, facts of Catholic history some twenty-five years By CoLMAN J. BARRY, O.S.B. (Bruce ago. Father Barry frequently gives better am­ Publishing Company, Milwaukee, 1953. munition to his adversaries than to his pro­ Pp. xii, 348. $6.00.) tagonists. This well-written and impressively docu­ mented Catholic University dissertation is a SISTER HELEN ANGELA HURLEY handsome volume with all the scholarly ap­ St. Joseph's Provincial House paratus intact. The title may assure a wider St. Paul, Minnesota

55 WISCONSLN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

OTHER HISTORY The Great Railroad Conspiracy. By CHARLES HiRSCHFELD. (The Michigan State Col­ Good Old Summer Days. By RICHMOND BAR­ lege Press, East Lansing, 1953. Pp. 128. RETT. (Houghton Mifflin Company, Bos­ $2.50.) ton, 1952. "Pp. viii, 337. Illustrations. A century ago, criticisms of the railroads $3.50.) which somewhat later were to find expression A reprinting with a new introduction of a through the Granger movement, were already book first published in 1941, this is a charm­ being urged by local groups which attempted ing collection of history and anecdotes revolv­ by both constitutional and more direct meth­ ing around the fashionable summer resorts ods to force railroad reforms. In Michigan in their heyday in the last century. A detailed the farmers of Jackson County were disturbed section on Newport (the author's long-time by, among other things, the refusal of the residence) is followed by shorter portrayals Michigan Central Railroad to pay the full of Narragansett Pier, Saratoga, Long Branch, damages resulting from the killing of live­ and Bar Harbor. The affectations, character­ stock by trains. The chronicle of the result­ istics, and recreations of the great of these re­ ing fight between the antagonists is delight- sorts are described in great detail; Barrett fufly told by Professor Hirschfeld in The generally writes sympathetically, though with Great Railroad Conspiracy. an occasional acid note. We see Ward McAl­ The group of farmers, led by Abel F. lister, meeting an "emergency" posed by an Fitch, Benjamin F. Burnett, and Ammi Filley, imminent dinner party on a holiday, desper­ ambushed trains, obstructed the right of way, ately chasing—and catching—a turkey in a and hurled missiles at passenger trains. They field. An age when a Newport society leader's allegedly set depots and lumber piles afire. wardrobe was revealed, after her death, to The railroads in turn employed espionage have contained a thousand complete outfits; agents in an attempt to get evidence against when Lillian Russell got her exercise peddling the despoilers of railway property. Both a gold-plated, diamond-decorated bicycle giv­ groups turned to the Legislature—the farmers en her by Diamond Jim Brady; when J. P. to obtain a general railway incorporation act Morgan's "private Leviathan," Corsair, which would have permitted the establish­ steamed majesticafly in to Bar Harbor, to be ment of competitive railways, and the Michi­ met by scores of rowboats—all this seems gan Central officials to prevent passage of an more fiction than fact. Yet it is fact, and Bar­ act which would have destroyed the monopoly rett has obviously done considerable research conferred by the railroad's charter. The act to uncover it all. was passed in 1855 but the climax in the dis­ There is pathos, too, when, for instance, pute had already been reached and passed President Garfield inspired what Barrett cafls in 1851 when forty-four alleged conspirators "the one really heroic chapter in the annals of had been tried for the burning of the Detroit American resort life." The President, dying depot of the Michigan Central and twelve had of Guiteau's bullet, was moved to Long Branch been found guilty and sentenced. in the vain hope that the cooler air would The story of the struggle is reconstructed improve him. The villagers closed down the from contemporary records in Part I, and the gambling houses, ignored the races, and con­ sensational trial and subsequent events serve centrated on building, in twenty-four hours, as the subject matter of Part II of this book. the special railroad spur that was needed to Except for the farmers of Jackson County, take the President's car to the cottage where the conspiracy against the railroads scarcely he died. Long Branch paid for its heroism, warrants the title given this book, especially Barrett relates; a resort associated, with the when two of the major railroad officials in­ death of a President no longer attracted pleas­ volved, John W. Brooks and James F. Joy, ure-seekers. were shortly thereafter to be principals in one of the most important of all railway con­ Barrett's prose flows easily; his flair for un­ spiracies—the Iowa Pool. Despite the mis­ derstatement sets off nicely the flamboyant leading title, this monograph is an interest­ age he records. For someone in search of ing contribution in local history which wifl light dog-day reading Good Old Summer be enjoyed by readers with a wide range of Days is recommended. interests. CHARLES B. FORCEY WILLIAM V. WILMOT, JR. Miami University University of Wisconsin

56 READERS CHOICE

Gentlemen Freeholders: Political Practices in may have been unwittingly destroyed or for­ Washington's Virginia. By CHARLES S. gotten," might be resurrected with improv­ SYDNOR. (University of North Carolina ing effect. Press, Chapel Hifl, 1952. Pp. ix, 180. WENDELL H. STEPHENSON $3.50.) University of Oregon The central theme in Gentlemen Freehold­ ers, to which the late Charles S. Sydnor re­ The People's Health. A History of Public curred in every chapter, is that democracy has Health in Minnesota to 1948. By PHILIP a bifurcated function: to "develop men who D. JORDAN. (Minnesota Historical So­ are fit to govern" and to "select for office these ciety, St. Paul 1953. Pp. xii, 524. 31 men rather than their less worthy contempo­ illustrations. $5.00.) raries." To Virginians of the Revolutionary generation, aristocracy and democracy were This history of the Minnesota State Board neither contradictory nor mutually exclusive; of Health begins with the story of that re­ the interplay of these forces produced such markable Civil War veteran Dr. Charles Na­ able leaders as Washington and Jefferson, thaniel Hewitt, who became the first secre­ Madison and Monroe, Mason and Marshall. tary of the newly founded State Board in The gentry's function was not only to pro­ 1872. The Minnesota Board was the fourth vide candidates but also guidance in choosing created in the Union. Dr. Hewitt served for among them; the function of lesser freeholders twenty-five years. He and his immediate suc­ was to determine what gentlemen should be cessors had to deal primarily with the dan­ chosen burgesses and to check the gentry's gers of smallpox, typhoid fever, and diphthe­ "autocratic tendencies." ria, and concentrated on vaccination, better A careful analysis of counties with avail­ water supplies, sewerage, and the fight against able records led Sydnor to conclude that from food adulteration. Special problems arose in a third to a half of the white adult males— Minnesota from the smallpox epidemics in thirty-five to forty thousand men—were quali­ lumber camps between 1880 and 1915, and fied voters in 1790, and that nearly half of them disease among Reservation Indians. Other participated in elections. Colonial Virginians chapters of the book are devoted to public voted only for delegates to the House of Bur­ health work in the fields of tuberculosis, river gesses. Oral and plural voting benefited the poflution, industrial hygiene, public health gentry, and so did "swilling the planters with nursing, maternal health, care of the aged, bumbo," a political device decried by some and the mentally ill. freeholders but used effectively by Washing­ This is a scholarly and honest book. (High ton, Jefferson, and Marshall. In seeking elec­ praise goes to the publisher who allowed real tion as burgess in 1758 Washington provided footnotes, and not merely the now so fashion­ 160 gallons of assorted liquors for 391 voters able and useless "rear-notes.") But it might and sundry "hangers-on." Fifty gallons of be doubted whether the subject required 500 rum punch, twenty-eight of rum, forty-six of pages. A shorter book would have looked less beer, thirty-four of wine, and two of cider impressive, but might have been more effec­ royal enspirited the average consumer by a tive. quart and a half. The record of Public Health in Minnesota No previous analysis of eighteenth-century as unfolding in the book is strangely contra­ Virginia affords such a penetrating account dictory. On one hand early, courageous, en­ of justices of the peace, the county court, the ergetic pioneering in Public Health by a mi­ House of Burgesses, and the pathway to power nority; on the other hand a sometimes rather that led through these offices to continental obtuse public and legislature, which often and national positions. A final chapter poses make progress "infuriatingly slow." Minneap­ a significant question for twentieth-century olis had a large smallpox epidemic as late as Americans: Did random choice result in the 1925 and a large typhoid epidemic as late elevation of so many able Virginians to high station, or did the selective system bring as 1935. The present state of affairs is more great statesmen to positions of influence in satisfactory, but it is doubtful whether Min­ Washington's day? Democracy has repu­ nesota would have reached present day levels diated the political practices of the earlier without extensive federal help, financial and generation, but Syndor suggests that innova­ otherwise. tions should be re-examined and that "useful ERWIN H. ACKERKNECHT elements in outmoded systems—values that University of Wisconsin

57 WISCONSIN :MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

The Civil War Diary of Cyrus F. Boyd, Fif­ format and dull, gray cover detracts from its teenth Iowa Infantry: 1861-1863. Edited effectiveness. Cyrus Boyd's narrative offers a by MILDRED THRONE. (The State His­ valuable source to historians and readers in­ torical Society of Iowa, Iowa City, 1953. terested in knowing more about the daily life Pp. 135. $2.50.) of Civil War soldiers. Historians, novelists, and others who write Eureka College LARRY GARA about the Civil War frequently forget that it was the bloodiest and most costly war in all of Measure of My Days. By AAGOT RAAEN. American history. Cyrus Boyd's diary brings (North Dakota Institute for Regional this point home with tefling force. His de­ Studies, Fargo, North Dakota, 1953. Pp. scriptions of the battles of Shiloh and Corinth 323. $3.50.) are stark and vivid. The terror of men fac­ Measure of My Days is the sequel of Aagot ing death, the noise and confusion, the all en­ Raaen's Grass of the Earth, which appeared veloping smoke, and the horrible sight of dead in 1950. The present volume continues the and wounded everywhere, are pictured with a narrative relating to the Raaens, early Norwe­ skilled pen. "War is hell broke loose and be­ gian settlers in North Dakota, with Aagot the numbs all the tender feelings of men and central figure. She is pictured as a vigorous, makes them brutes," commented Cyrus Boyd independent, and inquiring woman who was after the battle of Shiloh. ever planning a "new move," and hardly con­ The diary also contains valuable descrip­ ceived when it was executed. Her home was tions of other phases of Civil War army life. in Hatton, North Dakota, and though her Boyd pictured and commented on Civil War travels were world wide, she returned to training, the effect of the weather on the phy­ "home base" at intervals to perform seasonal sical and psychological state of men in war, work for her aging mother and an invalid the ravages of disease epidemics in army sister, Ragnhild. When autumn arrived, she camps, the age-old prejudice of soldiers for collected her possessions and was off for a their officers, the practice of foraging for food teaching year or for pure adventure. to supplement meager supplies and many When Aagot taught, she did it with intelli­ other details of every-day camp life. gence and gusto; when she traveled, her knowl­ Boyd's own character unfolds with the edge of great personages, historic sites and story. Besides recording shrewd observations. events was put to use. Always there were Sergeant Boyd—he was an Orderly Sergeant queries to be answered. It is almost incon­ with Company G of the Fifteenth Iowa In­ ceivable that with her limited travel budgets fantry until he resigned in March of 1863 to and great haste her trips were so rewarding. accept a commission as First Lieutenant in Several vacations spent in Europe, once re­ Company B of the Thirty-Fourth Iowa In­ turning by way of Japan and Hawaii, one in fantry—revealed a sense of humor which adds readability to his narrative. For his entry South America, and several years' teaching in of December 9, 1862, Boyd recorded: "Don't Hawaii satisfied Aagot temporarily. know what the weather is outside^—but inside While a teacher at Fargo, North Dakota, of me it has been terrific. Have eat too much she enrolled in evening classes for college corn bread ground at our mill consisting of credit, and thereupon announced that she was whole grains, cobs &c." Under date of Jan­ leaving for the University of Wisconsin. Hard­ uary 2, 1863, he wrote: "We captured 75 ly announced, she was on her way. An avid head of hogs and 30 head of cattle that would student she lived in an attic room on an allow­ not take the oath of allegiance to the United ance of $1.00 a day, finding compensation in States." the classroom and among college friends. While in the camp and field Boyd kept brief The pages depict the life of an aggressive daily notes, but the diary now published con­ and successful Western schoolteacher, with sists of a larger journal which he wrote after travel interludes to brighten the narrative. the war. At the same time this permitted a When "time is of the essence," a valid criti­ richer wealth of detail and descriptive ma­ cism is the almost complete absence of dates. terial it also changed the value of some of The most important events of Miss Raaen's Boyd's comments and prophetic statements, life might be indicated at least by decades; the which were written with the advantage of readers would appreciate that kind of ground afterthought. Actually the book is not a diary under their feet. but a reminiscence and must be used as such. LILLIAN KRUEGER The volume is well edited but its unattractive State Historical Society of Wisconsin

58 READERS CHOICE

Clarence Monroe Burton: Detroit's Historian. strong hands were his capital. He logged, By PATRICIA OWENS BURTON. (Burton bought timber lands, and built and success­ Abstract & Title Company, Detroit, 1953. fully operated his log cabin trading post, but Pp. 77. Privately printed.) when Rhinelander became an important log­ Anyone who has delved into county records ging center Curran became restless. The West knows what a wealth of local historical infor­ beckoned, and he left his beautiful home, mation they contain. Some seventy years ago "Riversides," took his family and moved to a young Detroit abstractor of records began the logging area of Washington state. He owned extensive timber lands, town lots, and the serious study of his city's history in the was the proprietor of a hardware store in Wayne County records office. Study led to Everett. His death occurred in the autumn writing and collecting: books on Cadillac, the of 1931 at the age of ninety-three. founder of Detroit, and the history of the city itself, and never ending investigations of ma­ terials at home and abroad that in any way One of Wisconsin's most familiar buildings, bore on the development of the Detroit area. the "Little White Schoolhouse" in Ripon, be­ came a shrine for all Republicans this year Today we know the results of his researches as the G.O.P. celebrated the beginning of its as the Burton Historical Collection of the second century. On March 20 President Eis­ Detroit Public Library, one of the country's enhower in Washington pressed a golden tele­ finest research libraries. In commemoration graphic key, lighting a "perpetual flame" to of the centennial of Burton's birth this brief, commemorate the birth of the Republican informal biography was produced and pub­ Party. A centennial booklet. Republican Cen­ lished by the directors of the company he tennial, Ripon, Wis., June 4, 5, 6 (46 pp.), founded, the Burton Abstract and Title Com­ tells the story of the founding of the party, pany of Detroit. A.E.S. the Republican Foundation of Ripon, and the proposed monument to house the "Freedom All publications noted hereafter may be Flame." used at the Society's Library: Ray L. Walde has compiled a genealogy, The Wisconsin Idea in Industrial Safety by covering eight generations, originating with Gordon M. Haferbecker is a University of Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman. Their given names Wisconsin mimeograph study which appeared cannot be ascertained, though they lived in in 1953. This is the entire story, told for the Dresden then known as the kingdom of Sax­ first time, of the Wisconsin method of indus­ ony. There is no record that they migrated to trial safety legislation. Dr. E. E. Witte states: America. The couple were the parents of four "It is a story of real accomplishments, but is children, possibly five. All of these children not a mere success story. It is a scholarly ap­ came to the United States: Adolph, Ludwig, praisal of an important development in the and Emilie settled in Mequon and Eleanore protective labor legislation of the United Toepel in West Bend; Mrs. Hartman is be­ States. According credit where due, it directs lieved to have lived and died at Clinton, Iowa. attention to shortcomings as well, and is de­ This genealogy contains some 1,250 names signed to promote improvement in the preven­ and lists between 200-300 residents of Wis­ tion of accidents and occupational diseases." consin. It is an excellent addition to our gene­ alogical volumes. Mr. Walde's address is John C. Curran built a trading post at the 428 N.W., 19th Street, Oklahoma City, Okla­ confluence of the Wisconsin and Pelican rivers homa. The volume costs $25. in 1859, known as Pelican Rapids and later changed to Rhinelander. The Curran Story George Middleton has gathered together (44 pp.) describes "the life and times of John several incidents concerning "Senator La Fol­ Curran, Rhinelander pioneer, and the early lette and Some Theatre Folks" for a short development of the Wisconsin River valley." (4 pp.) article in The Players Bulletin (Win­ The Rhinelander Daily News published the ter 1953-54). "Old Bob's" admiration for narrative in August and September, 1953, such stage stars as Edwin Booth, John Barry- which contains family letters and photographs, more, and Ada Rehan was only one indication and the valuable memoirs of Curran from 1855 of his interest in the theater. Shakespeare to 1859. These memoirs correct some previous particularly intrigued him. From early days accounts of the early logging days. Young when, at the University of Wisconsin, he won Curran had an eye to adventure, his grit and an Inter-State Oratorical contest for his char-

59 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

acterization of lago, down to the Chautauqua as "The Mayors of Watertown" and the origi­ circuits and his celebrated lecture on Hamlet: nal patrons of the first telephone exchange will "The World's Greatest Tragedy," La Follette's prove useful tools to local historians. continuing interest in drama provided a pleas­ ant diversion from politics and statecraft. The County Agricultural Statistics Series for the following counties has been acquired: Nearly seventy years ago, the Rev. D. 0. Brown, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Van Slyke published a booklet proclaiming Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Pierce, Polk, Trempealeau County the original Garden of Eden. In the center of the "Garden" was Racine, and Taylor. These publications have the town of Galesville. The Rev. Mr. Van been prepared by the State Department of Slyke's theory never gained many disciples, Agriculture with the assistance of William but the beautiful photograph of Galesville Kirsch. A historical sketch of the Agricultural fronting the booklet commemorating that development in each county was prepared in city's centennial gives some credence to the cooperation with the State Historical Society. minister's idea. This booklet is a splendid contribution to Wisconsin local history. The The Centennial histories of two Masonic text of The Galesville Centennial in the Gar­ lodges of the State have been added to our den of Eden (58 pp.) was prepared by Bert collections: Kenosha Lodge No. 47, F. and A. Gipple, "... who has refined from the A. M. and Hiram Lodge No. 50, Madison, records of the past . . . the historical narrative were founded in 1854. Well illustrated and of Galesville's history," 1854-1954. The illus­ complemented with accounts of century-long trations are excellent. Masonic activities, these will long be cherished as souvenirs of their observances. "On July 5, 1854, Asaph Whitdesey and George Kilbourn felled the first tree ever Polk Papers on Microfilm cut in Ashland. It became part of the first house built in Ashland." Beginning with that This Society is organizing a cooperative proj­ incident, Ashland Salutes 100 Years of Prog­ ect for microfilming the correspondence and ress (60 pp.), attractively relates, with text documents composing the chief part of the and pictures, the story of the development of James K. Polk Papers in the Library of Con­ that northern city. The "Highlights and Side­ gress. It is expected that the final cost to each lights" of a century are detailed in ten chron­ of the subscribing libraries will be between ologically arranged episodes, each written by $500 and $600. Libraries interested in this a separate individual. These decade-diaries project are asked to write to Benton H. Wil­ are filled with names and facts, ^nd should cox, Librarian, State Historical Society, 816 prove useful tools for all future investigators State Street, Madison, Wisconsin. of the Ashland story. A Centennial Program Edition of the Ashland Daily Press (20 pp.), The following church publications, mark­ supplements the booklet. Both of these pub­ ing the anniversary dates of the founding of lications make handsome reminders of Ash­ the churches, have come to the attention of land's first century. the Society: On April 27. 1954, the city of Watertown Cottage Grove, Centennial Observance of the became 100 years old. The centennial com­ Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, mittee prepared an 82-page booklet. Water- 1854-1954 (24 pp.) town Wisconsin Centennial as part of the city's Dodge County, Towns .Theresa and Herman, birthday observance. Miss Marcefla Killian Hochheim Centennial, Immanuel Ev. Lu­ wrote the text for the booklet, and the Wa­ theran Church, 1854-1954 (16 pp.). tertown Historical Society furnished many old-time photographs to illustrate the story Krakow (Shawano County), Golden Jubilee of the city's development. Two of the most of the First Catholic Church [St. Casi- interesting sections of the booklet describe mir], 1903-1953 (102 pp.). the Watertown Viehmarkt (Pig Fair), and Little Suamico, Golden Jubilee, St. Pius Con­ the stuffed o^oose industry. Concise lists such gregation [Catholic] 1902-1952 (49 pp.).

60 ACCESSIONS

Museum Clarence Carter, De Forest, is the donor of The largest accession during the past quarter a fine example of an officer's sword owned by comes to us as a gift of Dr. Helen Davis, his grandfather. Lieutenant William Carter Phoenix, Arizona. This includes many items Nelson, Sr. of women's and children's clothing and cloth­ From Mr. and Mrs. Otto Holzman, Madi­ ing accessories. She also has donated a fine son, was received a 50-year-old Eastman collection of candlesticks and lamps. Kodak camera. Mrs. Ruth S. Barnard, St. Croix Falls, has Mrs. Charles Hastings, Madison, has do­ donated a group of dolls and doll clothing. nated an oil painting of Watkins Glen. Doll house furniture and a set of ivory han­ A beaded velvet purse of Iroquois Indian dled razors have been received from the H. F. origin is the gift of Mary Bleeker, Milwaukee. Whitcomb family of Milwaukee. Mrs. Wifla O'Bryan, Stoughton, is the donor An unusual group of children's toys was of a child's hammock and a toy mechanical donated by Theodore Knapstein, New London. beetle. From Dr. W. H. Glover, Director of the C. T. Walton, Madison, has given a toy Buffalo Historical Society, we have received wagon constructed by his father T. A. Walton. a coflection of electric lighting equipment, The wagon, modeled after the famous Mandt dating from 1890-1940. Dr. Glover was for­ wagon manufactured in Stoughton, is remark­ merly on the Historical Society's staff. able for detail and workmanship. Val Blatz, Milwaukee, has donated nine hair Elizabeth Comstock, Arcadia, has given us combs which were worn by his mother. a set of cased epaulets, sword belt, dress sash, Through Mary Stuart Foster, Madison, we and other equipment formerly belonging to have received furniture and china which once her brother Lieutenant Colonel C. B. Com­ belonged to Senator George B. Burrows, a stock, Corps of Engineers, U.S.A. benefactor of our Society. These articles are From Arden Daye, Westfield, we have re­ the gift of Mrs. Frank H. Foster of Chicago. ceived five pairs of women's shoes dating from Mrs. Lucy L. Jentz, Glenview, Illinois, has 1900 and a pair of baby moccasins. donated an ironstone cup and saucer from the Mrs. C. V. Hibbard, Madison, has donated pottery of John Ridgway, Staffordshire, Eng­ a hand-woven coverlet made in New York, land. 1839, and articles of baby's clothing. Mrs. K. L. Hatch, Madison, has given to the Colonel Howard Greene, Christiana, Dela­ Museum a wine-glass which was once owned ware, a longtime friend of and donor to the by the Martha Custis Washington family. Society has given a betty lamp, coffee grinder, and a Texas branding iron. Mrs. E. H. Nothe, Madison, is the donor of clothing, accessories, and domestic articles. Mrs. Albert Frackelton, Milwaukee, and The Tall Twenty-Two-Inch Doll Has Bisque Head other descendants of James H. and Mary and Kid Body, about 1898, Accompanied by a Ward­ Earnest have donated portraits of Mr. and robe Representing Donor's When She Was a Small Child. The Identical Twins Have Bisque Heads Mrs. Earnest. James H. Earnest was for many and Composition Bodies, Moveable Eyes and Joints, years a member of the Wisconsin State Legis­ Height Thirteen Inches, 1898. lature. In addition the Earnest famfly has thoughtfully donated funds for the restoration and framing of the portraits. Frank Burton, Madison, has donated a Plains Indian water bottle, fishing rods, con­ fectioners' bags, and a large anchor once in service on a Lake Mendota excursion steamer. David J. Mack, Madison, is the donor of hand-hammered nails from the old Belmont jail and a child's brass toy locomotive made in England about 1830. The Frank Kleinheinz family, Madison, has donated a collection of ribbons and badges from early Wisconsin livestock shows and fairs. WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN, 1954

Mrs. B. H. Burkhardt, Hudson, has donated the Capitol fire of February 27, 1904, and to a charcoal portrait of Christian Burkhardt, subsequent plans for building the present Wisconsin pioneer in the electric power in­ Capitol. dustry. After La Follette went to the United States Fred Mifler, Madison, has presented to the Senate in January, 1906, the segment of his Society a wooden rack, used for holding pa­ papers in this collection deals almost exclu­ trons' shaving mugs in the barber shop of an sively with his continuing influence in Wis­ earlier day. The Museum would appreciate consin and with the political campaigns in examples of shaving mugs to place in this case. which he had a personal interest. There is A joint donation of a Swiss immigrant's little concerning his actual program and ac­ chest comes to us from Mrs. Preston Reynolds tivities in the Senate. With the exception of a and Harold M. Lampert, Madison. few scattered small groups of manuscripts, the continuity of the collection ends after the primary election of 1910, in which he won the Manuscripts contest for renomination toward a second Opened on June 26 with impressive ceremony, term in the Senate. the Society's valuable collection of papers of Scattered throughout the collection are busi­ Robert M. La Follette, Sr., famed Wisconsin ness papers, relating mainly to his law prac­ governor. Senator, and Progressive leader, is tice: letters discussing cases, briefs, bills, and now available to scholars and researchers. The receipts. These are most numerous among his Papers were a gift to the Society from mem­ early papers prior to 1900. bers of the La Foflette family. Very few letters to or from La Follette and The papers cover mainly the period from members of his immediate family are con­ 1879 to 1910, are arranged chronologically, tained in this collection. There are only occa­ fill 175 manuscript boxes and include 57 vol­ sional references to his personal life in any umes. Political papers comprise the bulk of of the correspondence with others outside of the collection. There are a number of letters his family. pertaining to La Follette's service in the House Among the papers, however, are numerous of Representatives, 1885-91, and a few papers copies of his speeches, reports, and articles. concerning the Sawyer bribery case, but cor­ These include addresses made on the summer respondence of political interest did not in­ Chautauqua circuits, messages to the Wiscon­ crease greatly in volume until 1896 and 1900 sin Legislature, campaign speeches, and talks when La Follette was candidate for governor. delivered for special occasions. Frequently The political papers are of two categories: let­ drafts are in La Follette's handwriting. Also ters sent and received by La Follette himself; included in the collection are notebooks, per­ correspondence received and dispatched by sonal financial records, a scrapbook, and his close associates such as Samuel Harper, many newspaper clippings. Alfred Rogers, and Herman L. Ekern. With contemporary political figures within and Recently received and organized have been without Wisconsin La Follette exchanged sig­ the papers of Harry W. Rolens (1864-1944), nificant letters, which may shed additional Wisconsin manufacturer, inventor, and poli­ light on the development and growth of the tician. Prior to 1903 the papers are few and Progressive Party. After each victorious elec­ are concerned primarily with his family. tion, messages of congratulation and requests About 1905 he joined the Gilson Manufactur­ for political favors comprise the major por­ ing Company, makers of metal office chairs tion of incoming mail. and later of motor-powered garden imple­ For the period of La Follette's governor­ ments, some of which were designed by ship, 1901-5, the collection is most complete, Bolens. He also held stock in the Plymouth containing both incoming correspondence and Phonograph Company during the 1920's and a series of letter-press volumes of outgoing was president of the Wisconsin Manufacturers' letters. Within these papers may be found Association. The collection contains material information on the development of La Fol­ on these business interests and investments. lette's legislative program of reforms and on On several occasions Bolens entered the the difficulties encountered in securing the political arena. In 1912 he was mayor of enactment into law of such measures as the Port Washington, and then became the un­ primary election law, the ad-valorem railroad successful Democratic candidate for lieutenant- tax, the inheritance tax, and the civil service governor. From 1932 until 1940 he held a law. A number of interesting letters relate to seat in the Wisconsin senate as a conservative

62 ACCESSIONS

Democrat, and in 1938 became the defeated Lawless of Patch Grove, and presented by Democratic candidate for governor. His pa­ Charles O'Neifl, Milwaukee; five letters, 1896, pers contain information on various aspects written by Alfred Thomas, accompanied by of his political career, particularly his con­ explanatory notes written by the donor, Alfred tinued opposition to the income tax and his Thomas Flint of Madison, grandson of the condemnation of the University of Wisconsin. writer; a letter, June 15; 1841, written by Correspondence concerning his campaign for Neal Dow, concerning the organization of the governorship in 1938 is completely lack­ militia; a biographical sketch of Joseph Biron ing. Among Bolens' occasional correspondents, and his family, presented by Edmund P. however, were Julius P. Heil, Joseph E. Arpin, Jr., Neenah; an address entitled "Co­ Davies, James A. Farley, Albert G. Schmede- operative Organizations and Contracts," de­ man, Henry A. Wallace, Woodrow Wilson, livered in 1925 and presented by the author, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The papers were Alvin C. Reis, Madison; a certificate of life given to the Society by Mrs. Harry W. Bolens membership in the Wisconsin State Agricul­ of Port Washington. tural Society issued in 1888 to A. M. Grau, presented by Phil A. Grau, Milwaukee; letters A box of papers, 1878-81, of another Wis­ concerning Lutheran congregations in Water- consin inventor, John Stevens, Sr., has been town and a historical sketch of St. Mark's presented by his son, John Stevens, Jr. of Evangelical Lutheran Church, Watertown, Menasha. John Stevens, Sr. is noted as the prepared by the donor, Ralph Gehrke; ser­ inventor of the roller flour mill, and his papers mons preached March 21, 1954, by the Very include sketches of his machinery, applications Rev. Francis B. Sayre and the Very Rev. for patents, letters from the U.S. Patent Office, James A. Pike, presented by Gilbert H. Doane, and correspondence of his patent attorney. A Madison; a receipt, 1855, issued to F. S. pamphlet printed in Welsh containing an arti­ Brown, for the purchase of stock in the Chi­ cle about Stevens is also in the collection. cago, St. Paul, & Fond du Lac Railroad Com­ pany, presented by Mrs. F. G. Brown, Fond du Lac; minute books, 1869-95, and other Other manuscript accessions include: a papers of the Rosendale Agricultural Club, group of business papers, 1876-90, written presented by Charles L. Hill, Rosendale; type­ mainly in German script, kept by Conrad written copies of the program, register of at­ Schmidt of Dubuque, Iowa, and presented by tendance, and addresses given at the centen­ Carl Schmidt, Dubuque; a folder of papers, nial in 1947 of the Welsh settlement in Winne­ 1850-54, of Ebenezer Brigham, presented by bago County, presented by the Rev. Howefl W. L. Millar, Madison; a daybook, 1895- D. Davies, Oak Park, Iflinois; a letter, De­ 1907, kept by General Edward S. Bragg and cember 3, 1884, written by James Ritchie a newspaper clipping concerning Bragg, pre­ from a lumber camp at Weyerhaeuser, pre­ sented by J. Gilbert Hardgrove, Milwaukee; sented by Mrs. J. D. Steven, Eau Claire; a a letter, dated October 24, 1903, written by journal kept by Robert Gorst while Justice of John Hay, Washington, D.C, to John E. Bur­ the Peace in Iowa County, 1849-55, added to ton, Lake Geneva, a coflection of governors' the papers of Gorst and the British Temper­ signatures and seals of 25 states in 1891, and ance Emigration Society; an account book, a signature of Thomas Nast, all presented by 1837-53, 1871-76, of F. H. Comstock and Edward P. Korecz, Bluemont, Virginia; a Company, containing several speeches believed letter and report, dated April 23, 1909, writ­ to have been made by N. M. Littlejohn of ten by Charles McCarthy to Edward T. Fair- Whitewater, presented by Donald Halverson, child, concerning the development of the Madison; a letter, September 30, 1859, writ­ University of Wisconsin Extension Division, ten by James D. Doty, added to the Doty presented by Edward A. Fitzpatrick, Milwau­ Papers; a letter written October 24, 1834, by kee; a letter, dated October 13, 1861, written James R. Doolittle to his brother Ormus, by David Courtenay to describe a visit to Villa added to the Doolittle Papers; the route book Louis at Prairie du Chien, presented by Frank of the H. Orton Circus, 1856-60, kept by S. Courtenay, Milwaukee; a land contract and M. May, presented by Earl Chapin May, New deed transferring property from Hercules L. York City; a speech entitled "Present and Dousman, Jr. to William Wetzel, presented by Future State and County Forestry in Wiscon­ Gladys Lynch assisted by Louise Schoenleber, sin," delivered in 1953 and presented by both of Milwaukee; a typed copy of a letter, Cornelius L. Harrington, Madison; proceed­ July 30, 1846, describing economic and agri­ ings of Republican state conventions in July, cultural conditions in Ireland, sent to John

63 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY AUTUMN. 1954

1936 and June, 1938, and a campaign address by Harold Konnak and Rose Malsch at the given August 5, 1938 by Edward J. Samp, celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the candidate for the Republican nomination for Racine Public Library in 1947; a biographi­ U.S. senator, presented by Mr. Samp, Madi­ cal sketch of Judge Andrew Scott Sloan and son; a speech entitled "A Historical Sketch of a letter, April 6, 1855, written by Lyman C. the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Rail­ Draper to Sloan, presented by Mrs. A. F. road Company and Its Predecessor Compa­ James, Milwaukee; an autobiographical ac­ nies," written by G. Murray Campbefl, pre­ count of I. M. Wright, presented by the writer; sented by Roy Martin and George Banta, Jr., a letter, dated April 5, 1890, signed by the Neenah; an address delivered by F. Halsey subscribers to the Opera House fund and ex­ Kraege at the testimonial dinner for Colonel pressing their appreciation to Morris and Ed­ Joseph W. Jackson, June 10, 1952, presented ward Fuller for their efforts to establish an by the author; three memorial tributes to opera house in Madison, presented by Mrs. Arthur H. Lindsay, 1945. presented by Lind­ Shirley Fuller Hobbins, granddaughter of say Hoben, Milwaukee; a short biography of Morris Fufler, through courtesy of William Florian Lampert, Wisconsin Representative in Spohn, Madison. Congress from 1918 to 1930, written by Stephen Ran, presented by John Lampert, Newspaper Oshkosh; a poem, "Pioneer Days in Wiscon­ From Dr. James L. Blish, Fond du Lac, has sin," written and presented by E. E. Russell, come vol. 1, no. 1, of a diminutive newspaper Ogdensburg; land patent issued to George called The Elevator, printed at Glenbeulah. McWilliams of Brown County, August 10, It is a four-page publication dated October 4, 1837, presented by Harry Hunter, Madison; 1865. Aside from a historical sketch of Glen­ manuscript history of Waukesha County by beulah, three fourths of the pages are devoted Mrs. Fanny K. Earl, presented by Mrs. Flor­ to "ads." The paper is sturdy with hardly a ence W. Bade, Madison; addresses delivered trace of deterioration. END

American Folk Art Museum Oldest Protestant Church in U.S. A Folk Art Museum to be known as the St. Luke's Episcopal Church near Smith- Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Museum will field, Virginia, believed to be the oldest be built in Williamsburg, Virginia, to Protestant church in the United States, house the collection of the 19th century may soon be restored. Though still used American folk art presented to the town for occasional services, the building is by Mrs. Rockefeller. It is expected that in great need of repair. the museum will be open in 1955. The A storm in 1887 established the date distinguished collection comprises over of its construction. At that time a brick 400 paintings, sculptures, and examples was knocked down which was discov­ ered to have the date 1632 chiseled on of miscellaneous domestic crafts such as it. Construction of the building was un­ needlework, ceramics, and metalwork. derway between 1630 and 1635. Since The new museum wifl be located out­ 1852 the building has been seldom used. side of the restored area of Williams­ Following the storm of 1887 attempts burg and will have no connection with were made at restoration and the work the 18th century exhibitions there. The done at that time was of importance in museum is planned as a series of rooms preserving the fabric. . . . suggestive of domestic interiors similar St. Luke's Chuch is of Gothic archi­ to the surroundings in which the objects tecture and shows signs of having been were originally to be found. Emphasis constructed as both a church and a will be given to regional aspects of folk fortress. . . . The Old Brick Church Res­ art which will be reflected in the decora­ toration Association has raised the ini­ tion and architecture of the various tial sum necessary to get the restora­ rooms. tion underway. —From History News, March, 1954. —From History News, June, 1954.

64 book on Wisconsin History

JAMES DUANE DOTY

Frontier Promoter By Alice E. Smith

The subject of this sketch was a representative In Michigan's Legislative Council, gover­ nor of Territorial Wisconsin, congressman from that State, governor of the Territory of Utah ... he was one of the foremost leaders of the rough and tumble frontier. Doty, himself, left few personal papers; these few were either scattered or destroyed. Now for the first time, the story of Doty has been written. Only the author's painstaking re­ search in the correspondence of Doty's contemporaries, in the books and newspapers of his time, and in county, territorial, state, and national archives has enabled her to write a monumental book on one of the most important and fabulous characters of the Western frontier.

Doty was scarcely twenty-three when he was appointed judge of Western Michigan, a newly created judicial district embracing the vast wilderness expanse between Mackinac and Prairie du Chien, several hundred miles to the southwest. His first political post after nine years of circuit-riding was that of representative in Michigan's Legislative Council of 1834.

In the next two decades he became successively Wisconsin Territory's delegate in Congress, governor of the Territory, member of Its first constitutional convention, and congressman from the State. In 1861 Lincoln appointed him superintendent of Indian affairs In Utah Territory and two years later advanced him to the governorship. There in the midst of discussions for postwar expansion, he died suddenly in June of 1865. The Doty story is colorful, combining history with absorbing narrative.

472 pages 25 illustrations $5.00

Order from the STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY of WISCONSIN 816 State Street • Madison 6, Wisconsin TIIE PURPOSE OF THIS SOCIETY SHALL BE To promote a wider appreciation of the Amer­ ican heritage with particular emphasis on the collection, advancement, and dissemination of knowledge of the history of Wisconsin and of the Middle West.