AUGUST 11, 2015 ROTARY IN REVIEW:
Stephen Osman
Several understudies went on in place of the regularly schedule performers, beginning with Chuck Whitaker who led the meeting while President Carla Hauge is in Hawaii with her family.
Jerry Faletti and Michael-jon Pease led the club in Ann Reed’s The Fair – two refrains and the first verse. Google the song and you’ll find Ann performing it on You Tube if you’d like to brush up during the week!
An invocation in honor of veterans delivered by Past President John Guthmann, pitch-hitting for Joe Beckman who was stuck in traffic.
Michael-jon Pease served as scribe in place of Geoff Kaufmann who had to go to Atlanta.
Thanks to today’s greeters: Linda Mulhern, Collins Electric and Jacob LaCroix, Children's Hospitals & Clinics of MN Foundation.
Thursday’s Fellowship Breakfast Speaker will Ann Frisch who lead a discussion of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and its Rotary connection.
Please sign up for the Past President Roast/Toast – August 26th at the Andy Boss Stage at Park Square Theatre.
Roatrians in the news: Tom Farnham and John Marshall Jwill receive Spurgeon Awards from the Boy Scouts.
Nicollette Musachio shared her exchange experience in Milan, Italy, living first with a host family who operated a family bakery. Yes, jealousy is the appropriate response to this news. She will be heading off to Grinnell College this fall.
Al Zdrazil encouraged a strong showing for the Aug 18 meeting. Mayor Coleman will be our guest speaker, along with the President of our sister club in Nagasaki, a contingent of Rotarians in town for the St. Paul-Nagasaki Sister City Celebration.
Mark Henneman introduced new member Dr. Charles Morgan.
Past President John Guthmann introduced speaker Stephen Osman who shared “A Photo Scrapbook of Fort Snelling in World War II.” More than 6,000 men and women passed through the Fort during the war years for training camps and events. Fort Snelling was one of the oldest forts in the Midwest still in use at that time.
Fort Snelling’s history began in the 1820s – the era of treaties, trade and treachery. In the spirit of our weekly song The Fair, the fort was host to the fist Minnesota State Fairs. A very active fort, the first preservation efforts began in the 1890s. Officer training camps for WWI were held there, as well as citizen military training camps. The Convseration Corps established camps there in the 1930s. It was home to the 3rd Infantry during WWII. It was a favored post, nicknamed “The Country Club of the Army” in those years. 280,000 recruits were processed and tested, with the highest scorers enrolled into the Army Air Corps. Troop life at the fort was lively with on-site film screenings, recreation rooms and daily activities, along with the lure of vibrant night life in downtown Saint Paul or Minneapolis, just a streetcar ride away.
The Fort became the HQ for military railway training, training troops to lay and repair track and cars. One of the most interesting units to pass through the Fort was the 99th Infantry Battalion, who all spoke Norwegian. They were on their way to Colorado for winter military training, which included skiing and snowshoeing. Japanese Americans on their way to internment camps also passed through the fort. Intensive language courses at the Fort taught military translators Japanese in 6-9 month courses. Graduates were instrumental in helping move Japan toward democracy after V-J day.
In 1946, the fort’s active military flags were lowered, with the veteran’s administration taking over some of the buildings. Today, many buildings have been renovated for veteran’s housing. Plans are afoot to turn many abandoned buildings into low-income housing. The Friends of Historic Fort Snelling actively raise funds and awareness to preserve and re-purpose these historic structures.
Chuck Whitaker led the club in the Four Way Test to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael-jon Pease