Students Choosing Electives

According to Fran Chladek Murphy (class of 1933), Mound Consolidated High School students took different elective classes beginning in ninth grade. "You didn’t see each other much, unless you were in the same class, or at convocation," Murphy recalled. "It was kind of overwhelming at first, but once you got used to it and knew where you were going, and found the classrooms, you were all right. The bell rang when it was time to change classes. I chose history, Latin, home economics, biology, algebra, typing and bookkeeping."

MCHS Faculty 1936
E.L. Allen, Commercial; Laura Johnson, Commercial; Irving Kepke, Manual Training; Mildred Endner, Home Economics; Arlys Denzel, Music; F.C. Campbell, Agriculture; Pearl Klock, English and Dramatics; E.S. Wilcox, Mathematics and Athletics; Gudrun Kilsofte, Science; Gladys Ireland, Latin and English; J.M. Julsrud, Social Studies; Mrs. J.E. White, Librarian
Classroom Voices, p. 303

As a sophomore, Mildred Krenke Banks (class of 1921) studied English, Latin II, ancient history and geometry. She studied chemistry as a junior and physics as a senior. She remembered “laboratory experiments with sulfuric acid which ate holes in the sleeve of [her] flannel middy blouse.” 

Girls took home economics. On the second floor, above the central room that served as lunch room, gym floor and auditorium, there was an open hallway giving access to the two home economics rooms, one for sewing and one for cooking. Miss Rita Bede taught Francis Hammer Augustine (class of 1920) home economics in a room that had windows looking out over the street, so Augustine could cook and see what was happening outside. Lillian Nelson (class of 1929) took cooking class, too. Students each had a little gas stove with an oven.

Fran (class of 1933) enjoyed home economics. “I enjoyed cooking. I became a baker. I was in the 4H Club, demonstrating in the Hennepin County Fair, and I talked over the radio for a couple of years," she said. "I was never good at sewing. I didn’t enjoy it. I couldn’t sew, but I could cook!"

In sewing class, students were assigned to make an ensemble. Damaris Nelson (class of 1933) made an entire suit for herself, a skirt, a top and a jacket, probably blue, and she wore it. She made some for gifts, too.

Boys took manual training, taught by Irving Kepke. Henry Ebert (class of 1928) liked Mr. Kepke, remembering him as “nice and helpful.” Ira Peterson (class of 1927) also rememberd his teacher. "Mr. Kepke was disappointed because I didn’t make a footstool," said Peterson. "I made a crystal set radio.” Knute "K" Norgard (class of 1928) said, “I made a lot of radios, too, and sold them.”

Anfin Blakstevdt (class of 1930) chose woodworking and agriculture, "ag," classes.

Orville Cressy (class of 1932) recalled: “We’d make wood products in manual training class. One time I made a fernery, a wooden box with slats on the sides, with a tin box inside, so it wouldn’t leak on the floor.”

Clarence Krotzer’s (class of 1933) favorite classes were music and ag with Mr. F.C. Campbell. Krotzer took four years of ag and was in Future Farmers of America, earning a jacket. Mr. Campbell was interested in farming and was a good teacher. “We learned as much as at the university,” Krotzer said.

The school library was on the first floor, next door to the superintendent’s office and the principal’s office. In November 1916, the Board authorized the superintendent to spend $40.00 to purchase library books. Orrin Hoefer (class of 1937) recalled, “You couldn’t whisper, or talk, at all. You had to be absolutely quiet.”