UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #367
DAHLGREN, ELMER "TY"

DAHLGREN, Elmer "Ty" (1903-1985)
Undergraduate Student
At UW: 1925-1929

Interviewed: April 5, 1984	
Interviewer: Mailed questionnaire
Length: 1.5 hours

Reasons for coming to UW; Physiography major; Classes; Campus social environment; Sports reporter for Daily Cardinal; Loyal Durand; William Kiekhofer; State Street scene; Geology Department instructors: C. K. Leith, Warren Mead, William Twenhofel and Armin Lobeck; Dormitory life; Duties as housefellow.

Tape 1

00:00:04	ED attended the University of Wisconsin from 1925-1929.  Graduated from high school in 1921 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

00:03:05	Nickname "Ty" came from baseball experience in 1913, when ED hit a home run with bases loaded.

00:03:46	After graduation ED did not plan to go to college.  No jobs available in Rice Lake, so mother suggested taking another year of high school.  Took classes in advanced algebra, economics, and French.  Worked part-time during high school at drug store until senior year.  Salary about $3.00/week. 

00:05:51	After school ED worked as night clerk at Tourist Hotel; was promoted to day clerk then assistant manager.  Hotel burned down in 1925.

00:06:53	Weekly newspaperman suggested ED go to University to Journalism school.

00:07:17	Paid $3.00/month for rent in Madison rooming house.

00:07:54	Liked sports; wrote high school and city newspaper sports reports.

00:09:32	ED visited University in 1924.  Never considered attending any other university.  Saved $150 to go to college, and planned on getting a job once at school.  Took train from Rice Lake to Madison.

00:10:43	Registered in school of journalism.  High school teacher helped him pick classes.

00:11:42	Only took clothes along with him to school.  Rooming house on 309 N. Frances.  ED took English and physiography.  Bought second hand books.

00:12:22	Class ED remembered best was physiography, which had two lectures, two quiz sections, and one lab section per week.

00:14:35	Classes formal and co-educational.  Students wore suits.  Students were referred to by last name.

00:15:28	Cutting classes not a problem, more a responsibility.  No problem with discipline in class or plagiarism.

00:16:07	Good grades important.  ED won Freshman Scholarship of $100.00.  Award made to fifty students.

00:16:46	Final exams one or two hours and held in lecture rooms.  Proctors were graduate students.  No open book or take-home tests.  Final grades mailed and posted.

00:17:36	ED's senior thesis on rock disintegration through frost action with Dr. Klinghoffel.  ED majored in geology.

00:18:22	ED worked on Daily Cardinal as sports reporter.

00:18:39	Waited on tables in boarding house every semester but last, when he lived at Tripp Hall.

00:19:13	Physiography ED's favorite class with Dr. Whitbeck.  Favorite professor was Lobeck because he used colored chalk.  Ed's grades.  Loyal Durand, graduate assistant, one of ED's best instructors. 

00:20:39	ED also like mineralogy with Dr. Winchell.  Also liked economics class taught by Kiekhofer in Ag Hall.  Professor Leonard considered eccentric, but ED never took a class from him.

00:22:36	Not much homework.  Professors accessible.

00:23:05	Worked in intramurals and by senior year in charge.  George Little Director of Athletics.  Was accessible.

00:24:12	Professors dressed well.  Professor Leonard dressed oddly and wore bow tie.

00:24:40	Twenhofel most influential on ED.  Was down to earth and could discuss things with students.

00:26:44	While living in rooming house, ED lived with two Jewish students from Superior.  Used to take tickets at football games and later took reservations for tennis courts.  ED's room small, but had closet, desk, and bed.

00:28:46	ED worked at German House for meals.  Served all meals.  Students talked German in the dining room during meals. 

00:29:47	ED did not have much leisure time.  Studied in library.  Would go to Union for Coke.

00:30:27	Began dating wife junior year.  Went to movies or dances at Union.

00:30:58	Students did not have problems with tobacco, alcohol, or sex.

00:31:17	Basketball played in Red Gym.  ED would get tickets to as many games as he could.  ED scheduled and refereed intramural sports.

00:32:03	ED wanted to be house fellow to get involved in dorm sports.  Would report games in Cardinal.  Became assistant sports editor.  Every fraternity had football and basketball team.

00:33:50	ED provided information to Badger Yearbook on intramurals and wrote monthly articles for athletic journal.

00:35:22	Went to Presbyterian Student Union because pastor from Rice Lake.  Had a church sports league.

00:36:18	ED did not belong to any clubs or organization.  Ran once for student office but defeated.  Not aware of communists or radical associations.

00:36:39	T. H. Clark was a freshman English instructor who tried to get ED to go for Phi Beta Kappa, but ED had too much work.

00:37:55	Daily Cardinal--already discussed.  Did not work for Octopus.

00:38:23	Liked Scott Goodnight.  Glenn Frank president.  Some liked him; others did not.

00:38:53	Liked library facilities.  Used student health center, but never infirmary.  Field house not yet built.

00:40:00	Places on State Street frequented by students included Lawrence Restaurant, Dad Morgan's Pool Hall, and Chocolate Shop.

00:40:55	Graduation ceremony held in dairy barn.  Family not present.

00:41:47	ED shifted major in sophomore year from journalism to geology.  Regretted shift.  Grant Hyde in journalism school.

00:43:10	While on Cardinal ED picked all-fraternity football team.  Football coach picked up three players for varsity squad for fall.

00:44:00	Dr. Leith chair of department; a structural geologist.  Department considered one of best in country.

00:45:19	Dr. Mead a geophysics expert.  ED never took class with him.

00:45:43	Twenhofel began sedimentation lab in Science Hall.

00:46:33	Whitbeck in charge of geography--physiography.

00:47:34	Lobeck outstanding.  Thwaites in charge of museum and taught mapping.  Took students on field trips.

00:49:12	Emmons.  Frey.  Loft.  Smith.  Trewartha.  Swanson.  Schrock.  Lund.  Stanley Tyler, and Norman Newell.

00:53:37	History of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Wisconsin--Madison 1848-1980 by S. Bailey.

00:54:13	House fellows needed letters of recommendation.  Most graduate students.  Did not have orientation process. 

00:56:15	ED knew most students.  High House was ED's.  No orientation for new students.  Students came to him with problems.  Most students were freshman. 

00:57:26	Played cards and read newspaper in dorm.  No social events, but had athletics.  ED not involved with dorm faculty committee. 

00:58:26	Typical day.  Well dressed.  Served meals.  Group had own table.

00:59:40	House fellows had no special meetings with supervisors.  Ms. Palmer in charge of food.

01:00:54	No racial or religious discrimination in the dorms.  ED graduated in 1929 and went to work in oil industry.

01:02:18	Discusses books previously mentioned. 

01:06:36	Discusses Armin K. Lobck from Bailey book.

01:09:01	Reads from On Wisconsin Badger Football.

01:17:55	Walter Meanwell the basketball coach.  Got involved in controversy.

01:18:33	During summers of 1927 and 1928 ED worked on Road Material Survey Program of the Wisconsin Geology Survey under Ernst Bean.  Worked all over state with Highway Department to find road material deposits.  Earned $125/month.

01:20:18	Phil Larson graduated with ED and was captain of track team.

01:21:16	Reads from Badger Yearbook.

01:27:27	Hockey team played on rink on lower campus.  Was very cold.

01:27:59	Tennis team.

01:28:30	Reads description of dorm program from Badger Yearbook. 

01:33:56	End of interview.

END