Elsie Margaret Greenwell Upton

Elsie Greenwell Upton and her sister-in-law, Olivia Upton Adams about 1957 

Elsie was born in rural Damascus, Oregon (Clackamas County) on the 1st of February 1887.  We are all Oregonians through our connection to her and the Grimm / Greenwell families.  Elsie's father, Benjamin Franklin Greenwell, came out to Oregon from Indiana sometime before 1866.  On her maternal side, the family of Jacob and Jane Grimm arrived in Oregon in 1852.  Elsie's mother, Jerushia Grimm was six years old.  She walked from Ohio to Oregon!     

Jamboree at the Van Andel

It was a very cold Saturday, but it was perfect for hockey. Quinten's team joined 32 other teams at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids for a chance to play on the same ice as the Grand Rapids Griffins. It was a cross ice jamboree. There were 3 games going at once and players had their names announced over the loudspeaker. Pretty cool.

There weren't any official scores or winners, but Quinten dominated. We lost count of the number of goals he scored. Easily at least 3 a game. The fans went wild!

Unfortunately, due to a love/hate relationship between me, my camera, and batteries the only picture I got that is even close to being recognizable follows. They had professionals taking pictures and when I get the info I'll post a link.

Yes that is Quinten with his back to me. I was trying to get his jersey which says "DEMYER."

A Former Student Marries!

Grace Kimble - wedding photo 

I think this is my all-time favorite wedding dress!  The back of the photo says it is of "Grace Kimbal" a former student of Janet McAdam.  The correct spelling for the surname is unclear - I've found it spelled "Kimble" and "Kimball".  Grace was born about 1888, the daughter of Charles and Doretta Kimball. In 1897 Gracie S. Kimble is listed as a student of Janet McAdam's attending District 64 in Dodge County, MN.   

I wonder how many similar photos Margaret McAdam might have accumulated over her 35 year teaching career...  

Margaret McAdam - Rural School Teacher - 1918

Margaret McAdam

Margaret McAdam was born the 28th of September 1872 in Westfield Township, Dodge County, Minnesota.  Like her sisters, she too qualified as a teacher.  She attended the Winona State Normal School and graduated in of 1897.  Her first teaching job was in Bird's Island, Minnesota.   

School - District #64 

Westfield Township, Dodge County, Minnesota

By about 1900 though Margaret was the teacher for School District #64.  This was the primary school - beginners and grades 1-8 and built on land donated by her parents - Matthew and Mary McAdam.  Margaret was a one room, nine grades, rural school teacher!  She taught until her death from pneumonia October 21, 1935.  

Published 1918

We sometimes think that life was simpler one hundred years ago, but I think that Margaret's dedication, and the energy she applied to her career would match that of any 21st century educator. She continued advance her teaching credentials throughout her life, attending seminars and conferences, and lecturing on rural education.  

Using Google Books search, I found that Margaret was a contributor to the above "Minnesota Course of Study and Manual for Teachers" published in 1918. Below is her recommendation of a school day for 9 grades as taught by one teacher.  The time of day is listed followed by the length of instruction.

"Program for a Rural School

Furnished by Miss Margaret McAdam, of Blooming Prairie, Minn.

A.M.                                                           

9.00-10 - Morning Exercises                            

9.10-10 - Beginners' Class - Reading Preparation  

9.20-10 - 1st, Reading                                   

9.30-10 - 2d, Reading

9.40-20 - 7th and 8th, Reading (Spelling and Composition)

10.00-15 - 3d and 4th, Reading

10.15-15 - 5th and 6th, Reading

10.30-10 - Recess

10.40-10 - Beginners' Reading (Later in year, Numbers)

10.50-10 - 1st and 2d, Numbers

11.00-10 - 2d and 3d, Numbers

11.10-15 - 4th and 5th, Arithmetic

11.25-15 - 6th and 7th, Arithmetic

11.40-20 - 8th, Arithmetic

12.00-40 - Noon 

P.M.

12.40-10 - Beginners' Reading

12.50-10 - 1st, Reading

1.00-10 -   2d, Reading

1.10-15 -   3d and 4th, Reading, 3 days (Language, 2 days)

1.25-15 -   5th and 6th, History, 3 days (Language 2 days)

1.40-20 -   7th and 8th, History (Reference and Composition work)

2.00-10 -   Writing, except Friday; Drawing, Friday

2.10-10 -   Recess

2.20-10 -   Word Study. (Phonics)

2.30-10 -   2d and 3d, Home Geography. (Language). Industrial work for seat-work.

2.40-15 -   4th and 5th, Geography. (Language). Industrial work for seat-work.

2.55-15 -   6th and 7th, Geography. (Language).  Industrial work for seat-work.

3.10-15 -   8th, Grammar.

3.25-05 -   5th and 6th, Spelling (from speller); (group selling an advantage).

Keep up drills in arithmetic by letting 2d grade recite with 1st, 3d with 2d, 4th with 3d, etc., whenever practicable.  Noon hour may be lengthened and school close later, but closing school at 3:30 gives children a chance to assist with the work and get home before dusk.  Let youngest pupils have extra recess periods to play out of doors or in the halls.  Writing only ten minutes, but make all lessons writing lessons.  Drawing for only one day, for instruction only, practice for seat-work other days.  In the lower grades language must be based on other school subjects indicated in parentheses.  In grades 5, 6, 7, a language-book may be used a part of the time as a guide.  Word drills and word study should precede the reading lessons in lower grades.  Phonics should be at a separate period at least once a day.  Organize a club of some kind.  Have it meet for a general program the last quarter of a day of each month.  Sewing and other industrial work may be done in clubs outside of school."

I am exhausted just reading about Margaret McAdam's suggested work day!                            

McAdam Sisters

Agnes McAdam Ingvalson and Janet McAdam Waning

Blooming Prairie, MN - 1935

(for the funeral of their sister Margaret McAdam)

McArthur Court to Matt Court

This is the last year of Oregon basketball at McArthur Court.

The U of O is in the process of building Matthew Knight Arena.  Above is an illustration of what the new arena will look like.

You can view the construction progress here: Matt Court

So as part of honoring the final year of basketball at historic McArthur Court, the University has an honorary player captain and coach captain.

You can see some of the recent honorees above and below.

Wexford, Ireland - January 1979

"15 January 1979

I think that I am not going to loose any weight while I am where after all!!!  I had thought that I wouldn't like the food - but thus far I can't complain!  And what with all the teas and all - plus the fact that all the television commercials are about different brands of chocolate candy bars - Cadbury, Jacobs, etc.  I feel duty bound to try them all!  And of course there are hundreds of different kinds of biscuits (cookies) that I have to try! 

Today Sean drove Rita and me downtown after lunch.  We separated and I got the key and went into Selskar Abbey - locked myself in, it was all very exciting!  And spooky too - I found a rodent skeleton all strung out.  Then I went up and took at peek into one of the twin churches - Church of the
Immaculate Conception and then I went downtown and checked out some of the shops - I seemed to have spent most of my time in supermarkets and grocery shops - I bought three different kinds of biscuits - I ate one whole box when I was up here waiting for Rita to come back and let me in!  I got some Edna O'Brien books I needed and treated myself to a new Essie Summers!  Yes, well I supposed that some things never change! 

I took a peak in at the Church of Assumption with its convent - I actually saw one of the nuns in white and scarlet - they never speak and one of them is always in the church praying.  They are supposed to sing sometimes during the day I want to find out so I can listen.  I've been in Ireland a week now - I can't believe it - time has flown by!"

Wexford, Ireland January 1979

"Thursday 11 January 1979

Help!  I do not believe this has happened to me.  I am now ensconced with Rita, Sean, Elizabeth, Frank, and Shane.  Today was another lovely day as we left on a bus to go down to Wexford at 11am.  We went down by way of The Meeting of the Waters (Avoca) and finally down to Wexford - which looked really lovely coming across Wexford Bridge and seeing the "twin churches" and the rest of the town.  Though I must admit that it was much larger than I had expected - or anyone else for that matter - I think that we all had visions of 30-odd cottages by the sea or something like that.  Anyway I'd say Wexford is about the size of Cottage Grove, Creswell, or even Roseburg and all of us have been comfortably settled in the suburbs.  I can see some problems already with my family - I wonder what I am supposed to do most the the time?  As Rita does not drive and Sean works out of town, not coming home until 5:45 - am I supposed to sit at home for a month?  I have a feeling that I am not going to see towns close by like Rosslare, and Tintern Abbey, and New Ross.  Rita I shall get along with just fine...  Sean seems very distant - probably he didn't want me here and is upset at having his routine changed - a cardinal sin tonight - dinner was late because of me!  Rita kept trying to give me tea - I even gulped 1/2 a cup down - full of milk and sugar - ugh!"
 

"Tonight I "went out with the girls."  Thursday night is Rita's night out with Margaret, Betty, and Kathleen.  We went to White's - a hotel - to the bar and I saw all the things one is supposed to see - giving each other cigarettes and buying each other drinks - they split up 2 and 2.  For a while there I thought that I was going to ruin their weekly outing - but things picked up and I discovered that Kathleen is a great fan of Edna O'Brien so I can borrow books from her - handy because some of the books she has are banned here.  And the electricity has been off all evening and went off again at midnight.  So went to Margaret's house and talked with her and her husband Philip.  Both of whom I like very much.  Margaret is an Englishwoman and more outspoken and outgoing than Rita - a good influence on her I think.  Margaret is also alot more wealthy having a dishwasher, clothes dryer, and "caravan" - all things the Dunnes don't have.  And I must admit, G.W. was right - it is COLD here!"    

The Angelus Temple - 1937

Angelus Temple circa 1937

Janet McAdam Waning's letter of 1937 mentions attending a healing service at the "Angeles Temple" which seated 5300.  I am fairly certain she refered to the "Angelus Temple" and I've found information about it on Wikipedia. 

Angelus Temple is the central house of worship of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles, California.

It was constructed under the leadership of Aimee Semple McPherson and dedicated on the First of January, 1923. The temple, located opposite Echo Park Lake, had an original seating capacity of 5,300, huge for a church then and now, but suited well for the crowds McPherson attracted as an evangelical sensation of the 1920s and 1930s. A 2002 renovation left it with a capacity of about 3,500.
The lighted cross, atop the temple's dome, is a longstanding landmark. The entire temple was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1992.

Aimee Semple McPherson (October 9, 1890 – September 27, 1944), also called Sister Aimee, was a Canadian-born evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. She founded the Foursquare Church.McPherson has been noted as a pioneer in the use of modern media, especially radio, which she drew upon through the growing appeal of popular entertainment in North America.
She was born Aimee Elizabeth Kennedy on a farm near Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. Her father James Kennedy was a farmer. Young Aimee got her early exposure to religion through her mother Mildred (known as Minnie), whose work with the Salvation Army feeding people through soup kitchens was echoed in her daughter's later work spreading the Gospel.

As a child she played "Salvation Army" with her classmates and at home would gather a congregation with her dolls and give them a sermon.


Her revivals were often standing room only. One of these was held in a boxing ring, with the meeting before and after the match, throughout which she walked about with a sign reading "knock out the Devil." In San Diego, California the National Guard was brought in to control a crowd of over 30,000 people. McPherson had practiced speaking in tongues but rarely emphasized it. She was also known as a faith healer and there were claims of physical healing, although this became less important as her fame increased.


Weary of constant traveling and having no place to raise a family, McPherson had settled in Los Angeles, where she maintained both a home and a church. McPherson believed that by creating a church in Los Angeles, her audience would come to her from all over the country, she could plant the seed of the Foursquare gospel and tourists would take it home to their communities, thus taking the traveling out of her preaching, while still reaching the masses. For several years she continued to travel and raise money for the construction of a large, domed church building in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles, named Angelus Temple. She raised more than expected and altered the original plans to build a "megachurch" that would draw many followers throughout the years. The church was dedicated on January 1, 1923. It had a seating capacity of 5,300 people and was filled to capacity three times each day, seven days a week. At first McPherson preached every service, often in a dramatic scene she put together to attract audiences. The church eventually evolved into its own denomination, called the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, which focused on the nature of Christ's character, that he was savior, baptizer with the Holy Spirit, healer and coming king. There were four main beliefs, the first being Christ's ability to transform individuals' lives through the act of salvation. The second focused on a holy baptism, the third was divine healing and the fourth was gospel-oriented heed to the premillennial return of Christ.

The Rose Bowl

Well we did not win, but it was a fun, if very long day. We got up at 3:45am to leave Valencia by 4:45pm.  Got to Pasadena at 5:45am and in our Parade seats by 6:30am.  Parade ended at 10:00am and walked to Rose Bowl.

U of O Marching Band

Had a quick bite of lunch and spent 50 minutes in a massive crowd attempting to get to our seats - repeated this nightmare exiting the stadium!

U of O Football Team

Walked back to our car after the game and then drove to Anaheim - a long day!