Alexandria Public Schools Community Education

Alexandria Public Schools Community Education is partnering with Douglas County Historical Society, The Runestone Museum, and the Legacy of the Lakes Museum to present History At Home "A Woman's Place" August 5 - "Theresa Hicks: Mother of Alexandria" - Meet Theresa Hicks, the woman who laid many of the foundations of Alexandria while deaf, partially blind, widowed, and managing her own family in the quickly growing village of Alexandria, Minnesota. DCHS will reveal the interesting life of Mrs. Hicks, whose early commitment to making Alexandria a place for families is still very evident today. August 19 - "Women on the Frontier" - Often left out of official documentation, women have nearly always made up 50% or more of the population in the territory we call Minnesota. Using diaries, letters and other firsthand accounts, we will focus mainly on European female life in rural Minnesota in the 1800s. August 26 - "Female Racers of the 20th Century" - Women have been revving engines since motor racing began. Cars, planes, and boats are great equalizers when it comes for the thirst for speed. Women like Joe Carstairs and Delphine Dodge lived unconventional lives for their time, but made their mark on history. Legacy of the Lakes Museum will take a look at some of the pioneering women who made an impact on motorboat racing and the lives they lived. You may register for the 3-Session Series or an individual session within this series. If you are a member of any of the partnering museums listed below, please note that you have a reduced individual session price available. Join us online! This class will be held using the online platform, Zoom. Prior to the class, you will receive an email with the Zoom invitation to access the class. Simply click the link on the day and time of the class and enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

Alexandria Public Schools Community Education is partnering with Douglas County Historical Society, The Runestone Museum, and the Legacy of the Lakes Museum to present History At Home "Everything 4-H" April 8 - "The Minnesota Mr. Rogers: TA 'Dad' Erickson" - Maybe you’ve seen his name on fairground buildings or in local history books - but who is TA “Dad” Erickson? From humble farming roots growing up near Nelson, MN to the Father of Minnesota 4-H, called “Dad” by thousands of children, join DCHS as we share the story of this “Minnesota Mr. Rogers.” April 15 - "Farming the Heartland: From Promise to Perseverance" - Minnesota was a world leader in agriculture in the late 1800s. Join the Runestone Museum as we take a step back in time and discover how and why certain farming practices changed the landscape forever. April 22 - "Growing Green: 4-H in Douglas County - Past, Present, Future" - Come along with Jodi Hintzen, Extension Educator 4-H Youth Development, Douglas County, as we explore the history of 4-H in Douglas County, where Minnesota 4-H began and as we explore the role of T.A. 'Dad' Erickson in the development of 4-H in Douglas County. You may register for the 3-Session Series or an individual session within this series. If you are a member of any of the partnering museums listed below, please note that you have a reduced individual session price available. Join us online! This class will be held using the online platform, Zoom. Prior to the class, you will receive an email with the Zoom invitation to access the class. Simply click the link on the day and time of the class and enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

Alexandria Public Schools Community Education is partnering with Douglas County Historical Society, The Runestone Museum, and the Legacy of the Lakes Museum to present History At Home "Exploring History" June 10 - "Viking Navigation" - No sunstone, a mythical tool that guided Viking seafaring, has ever been found on or near a Viking shipwreck, causing most historians to dismiss the idea of the sunstone as fiction. But others believe it’s possible that these crystals did guide Viking voyages. Learn more about sunstones and Viking navigation with the Legacy of the Lakes Museum. June 17 - "Shopping Past & Present - Frontier Goods to War Rationing" - Did you know that yearly newspaper subscriptions were $1.50 a year in 1898? That in 1924, ham in Alexandria was 14 cents a pound? And that one whole chicken fed 80 students school lunch in 1940? Explore the history, services and prices local General Stores have been providing people for generations. June 24 - "Finding Your Family History" - DNA? Genealogy websites? Oral histories? Memoirs? If you’re interested in discovering or recording your family’s history, but don’t know where to start, this is the class for you! DCHS wants to help you get the tools you need to explore your family’s history. This class assumes no prior knowledge and is meant to introduce participants to the vocabulary, resources, and strategies they may encounter as they begin their family history journey. You may register for the 3-Session Series or an individual session within this series. If you are a member of any of the partnering museums listed below, please note that you have a reduced individual session price available. Join us online! This class will be held using the online platform, Zoom. Prior to the class, you will receive an email with the Zoom invitation to access the class. Simply click the link on the day and time of the class and enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

Alexandria Public Schools Community Education is partnering with Douglas County Historical Society, The Runestone Museum, and the Legacy of the Lakes Museum to present History At Home "Local Legends" May 6 - "Gar Wood" - Inventor of the hydraulic lift and the first man to go over 100 mph on water, Gar Wood is an American icon. Known for his motorboat racing and Gar Wood boats, Wood began his boat career working on a ferry with his father on Lake Osakis. Join the Legacy of the Lakes Museum as we go through the life and successes of local legend Garfield Arthur Wood. May 13 - "Phil Noonan: Bridging East and West Alexandria" - You’ve probably heard the name “Noonan” around Douglas County. There’s Noonan Park, with its pond named “Lake Phil-Up.” There’s the Noonan Addition, a set of homes on the eastern side of Alexandria. How much do you know about the man behind the name? Discover your local history alongside DCHS as we explore how Phil Noonan’s response to evolving industry, the Depression, and his own philanthropic projects changed the shape of Alexandria. May 20 - "Biography of the One Room Schoolhouse" - What was it like to walk to school with your teacher, eat a syrup pail lunch, have a desk mate or haul water to the schoolhouse from the neighboring farm? Find out with a deep dive into the history of the 1885 Moe Township Schoolhouse that is now located at the Runestone Museum. You may register for the 3-Session Series or an individual session within this series. If you are a member of any of the partnering museums listed below, please note that you have a reduced individual session price available. Join us online! This class will be held using the online platform, Zoom. Prior to the class, you will receive an email with the Zoom invitation to access the class. Simply click the link on the day and time of the class and enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

Alexandria Public Schools Community Education is partnering with Douglas County Historical Society, The Runestone Museum, and the Legacy of the Lakes Museum to present History At Home "March Past" Thursdays from 6:30-7:30 pm March 11 - "How Our Places Were Named" - “Ada is taken? Let’s go with Forada, since it’s for my wife.” Ever wonder how the places around Douglas County were named? Local places were named from a variety of sources – Native American names, settler names, some as memorials, some as rewards. This presentation will guide you through the history and stories behind some of the most recognizable names and places you encounter every day. March 18 - "From Bloomers to Bikinis: A Brief History of Beachwear" In just 50 years, beachwear moved from full bloomer costumes to bikinis. Learn about the evolution, the scandals, and the influences that brought our swimwear into the 21st century. You may register for the 2-Session Series or an individual session within this series. If you are a member of any of the partnering museums listed below, please note that you have a reduced individual session price available. Join us online! This class will be held using the online platform, Zoom. Prior to the class, you will receive an email with the Zoom invitation to access the class. Simply click the link on the day and time of the class and enjoy from the comfort of your own home!

Alexandria Public Schools Community Education is partnering with Douglas County Historical Society, The Runestone Museum, and the Legacy of the Lakes Museum to present History At Home "Secrets of the Past" July 15 - "Alcohol, Temperance & Prohibition in Douglas County" - A century ago, the United States was just two years into the “Great Experiment” of Prohibition - but some places in Douglas County had already banned liquor more than a decade earlier. Secret stills, stranded bootleggers, and saloon raids abound! Join DCHS as we uncover the surprising stories of alcohol and temperance in Douglas County. July 22 - "Minnesota and the Ice Age" - Discover the secrets of our past here in rural Minnesota. For example, you’ve probably heard of Lake Agassiz, but did you know there was also a Glacial Lake Pelican? Find out more revealing information as we discuss the Ice Age in Minnesota. July 29 - "Rum Running" - Though the phrases are often used interchangeably, rum running refers to bootlegging that occurs on water. Learn about the notorious practice of smuggling alcohol through the water during prohibition with Legacy of the Lakes Museum. You may register for the 3-Session Series or an individual session within this series. If you are a member of any of the partnering museums listed below, please note that you have a reduced individual session price available. Join us online! This class will be held using the online platform, Zoom. Prior to the class, you will receive an email with the Zoom invitation to access the class. Simply click the link on the day and time of the class and enjoy from the comfort of your own home!