The Legacy of the Ludington Guard

This post was contributed by DJ Walker, a UW-Stout Applied Social Science student and a member of the 1st Battalion 128th infantry regiment of the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

Creating the Ludington Guard

Original muster roll for the Ludington Guard, 1876

In 1876, Civil War veterans living in Dunn County held a reunion in Menomonie. During this reunion some community members, led by Sherriff Thomas J. George, decided to organize a militia company. In October 1876, Sherriff George and the district attorney circulated a paper to gather signatures of interested men in the county.
The following December, elections for the company officers (the common way militia units selected their officers at the time) were held, and members selected Sherriff George as their captain. The company was certified by Judge Robert Macaulay as meeting the standards of Wisconsin militia law. The company became the Ludington Guards in honor of the then-current Wisconsin governor.

Called to duty in the Spanish American War

Members of Company H in Puerto Rico, 1898

    On April 28, 1898, H Company was mustered into Federal service following the U.S declaration of war against Spain. At the time, the company was led by Captain John Ohnstad (the founder and first coach of the Menomonie High School football team). On May 14th the company left with the Third Wisconsin for Chickamauga GA in preparation for war. The company did not go to Cuba, but instead was sent to Puerto Rico where they engaged in the Battle of Coamo on August 9, 1898. Company H and the Third Wisconsin pushed the Spanish forces into Aibonito, where the very last battle of the Spanish-American War was fought.

    During the course of the war, no H company soldiers died in direct combat. However, seven men died of disease in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Following several months in Puerto Rico after the war concluded, surviving members of H company arrived in Menomonie and were mustered out of Federal service. Many were on hand at area train stations to receive the bodies of their fallen brothers at arms, when they returned to the Menomonie area in Spring 1899.

The following Men Gave their Lives in Service to their Country 

1.       Sergeant George H. Edwards, Age 26: Coamo, Puerto Rico on Aug. 31, 1898

2.       Private Charles V. Cummings, Age 22: Coamo, Puerto Rico on Nov. 9, 1898

3.       Private Frank Roberts, Age 27: Charleston S.C. on July 31, 1898

4.       Private Charles Sunderlin, Age 19: Coamo, Puerto Rico on Sept. 8, 1898

5.       Private Eugene J. Turner, Age 21: Coamo, Puerto Rico on Sept. 8, 1898

6.       Private Edward Wachter,  Age 22: Coamo, Puerto Rico on Sept 18, 1898

7.       Private Charles Wagner, Age 18: Coamo, Puerto Rico on Oct. 6, 1898

Serving at the Mexican Border

 Following the Spanish American War, the company re-organized and elected its next set of officers. H Company resumed its normal training routine until the Mexican Border Crisis in 1916. From June until December of 1916, Company H was again called into Federal Service. This time, they were assigned to the Mexican border under the direction of Captain Nathness. Company H mustered out of Federal Service at the Mexican border in December 1916.

World War I Service in Europe

The ensuing break in service did not last long. The company was recalled into Federal service on March 26, 1917. Initially, the unit guarded several bridges in Wisconsin and the docks in Superior, WI, but it was soon called to combat in World War I. Company H became a part of the 128th infantry regiment in Waco, Texas and arrived in France in March 1918 to begin preparation for serving on the front line. They first encountered German soldiers in the Alsace-Lorraine region in June 1918. Then in July 1918, they became engaged in the Battle of Chateau-Thierry. Following that engagement, they fought at Juvigny in early August. Finally, Company H fought for 20 straight days in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. It was during this offensive that Company H’s war ended with the November 11th Armistice.  For the next several months, Company H served as part of the Army of Occupation in Germany. During the war, dozens of members of the company lost their lives. In April 1919, surviving members of the company departed Europe. They arrived in Menomonie in May 1919 and were released from federal service.

This plaque honoring fallen members of Company H stands on Main Street in Menomonie

Continuing to Serve Today

In 1921, Company H became Company A of the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment. Company A is still in existence today. Company A members are based in Menomonie and continue to serve both at home and abroad. Company A is still a part of the 1st Battalion of the 128th Infantry. 

Growth and Development of Stout LGBTQIA+ Student Organizations

As a result of the rise of activism in the late 1960s including the Stonewall Riots in 1969, subjects related to LGBTQIA+ students began to move to the forefront of campus discussion. Starting back in the early 1970s, we’re able to trace a similar discourse at UW-Stout and how the campus became more inclusive for all students.

Perception of LGBTQIA+ Students in the 1970s (1974-1978)

While classes like Women’s Studies – which included a section teaching about sexuality - were proposed and outlined in 1974, they are much different than what we would see today in Stout’s Women and Gender Studies program, especially in how they discuss the LGBTQIA+ community. In Lecture Notes from a Women's Studies course about female sexuality, there was a short mention of “lesbianism” as “an issue we need to confront.” From a present-day perspective, this statement is problematic. For example, “lesbianism” is a complicated term, primarily because it implies the idea that being a lesbian is a chosen lifestyle by echoing words like “veganism.” But more notably, discussing being a lesbian as an “issue we need to confront” can paint it in a negative light. It is important to note again that these lecture notes are from the 1970s, and the terminology used is much different than what we would use today. However, these lecture notes show that sexuality as an academic topic was being explored and discussed within a course in the 1970s at UW-Stout, and it allows us to see how far these discussions have evolved. 

In January of 1978, optional “Gay Awareness Training” was promoted for Residence Advisors (RAs) at Stout. Similar trainings were facilitated across the UW System by Chuck Rhodes, who worked in housing at UW-Madison. It taught RAs things like “how to approach gay people,” “how to deal with floor negativeness toward homosexual floor members,” and the “importance of accepting gays as people with human rights.” It’s worth noting that while the word “gay” was used in this training, it was most likely referring to all students who were within the LGBTQIA+ community. The language used in the training is somewhat outdated, and it wasn’t required for RAs. Still, it was one of the first initiatives we see at Stout that was specifically intended to improve the lives of LGBTQIA+ students.

 

The Development of LGBTQIA+ Student Organizations (1980-1989)

This positivity towards the LGBTQIA+ community paved the way for one of the first of many LGBTQIA+ student organizations: Gay and Lesbian Awareness Development (G.L.A.D.). It was approved by the student senate on February 28th, 1978, after an overwhelming majority vote in support of the organization (14 to2). G.L.A.D. was created to be a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students to come together, and to provide resources and information for students curious about sexuality.

After G.L.A.D. opened the door for student organizations supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, the name changed a few times in relatively quick succession. In the March 8, 1980 edition of the Stoutonia (UW-Stout's student run newspaper), it was announced that G.L.A.D. was changing their name to the Gay Community at Stout (G.C.S.). The club remained G.C.S. until around 1983, at which time the name changed again to the Gay and Lesbian Community at Stout (G.L.C.S.). 

In the 90s a new organization emerged: The 10% Society.

Divided Views in the 1990s (1993-2003) 

The 10% Society was incredibly active at Stout in the 90s and early 2000s. While we’re not sure exactly when it was established, we see mentions of the organization in Stout Student Association (SSA) meeting minutes dating back as early as 1992. They were featured heavily in the Gay, Lesbian,and Bisexual Special Issue of the Stoutonia back in October of 1993, a paper that gives us a bit of insight into views on the LGBTQIA+ community at Stout during that time.

In an article highlighting the club specifically, they provided information for their hotline as well as a satirical infographic beneath the article on “dealing with gay folks.” 

The Stoutonia issue presented generally positive views about the LGBTQIA+ community, providing education about common symbols associated with the community, and allowing LBGTQIA+ students a place to share their stories (most of the time anonymously). From daily life to the challenge of coming out, it paints a picture of what it was like to be LGBTQIA+ in the early 90s, both at Stout and out in the world. 

Unfortunately, despite the visibility, it’s still undercut with a bit of discontent. Multiple students spoke out against the LGBTQIA+ community in surveys and interviews within the paper, and headlines like “Sexual preference cause for unease on Stout’s campus” show us that it wasn’t all supportive. 

Violence against the LGBTQIA+ community was another subject brought to the forefront of campus discussion in 1993. The reports resulted in students speaking out in support of the LGBTQIA+ community and brought about a huge push to end violence against the community in Stout and the surrounding area. A forum was hosted at the student center to discuss campus safety, and an anti-violence rally called “Take Back the Night” was held outside of the library. It had a major impact on conversations surrounding violence against LGBTQIA+ people in the 90s and brought many of these issues into the light for those who hadn’t been informed.

The 10% Society spoke a lot about this event and went on to provide support to LGBTQIA+ students on campus until 2003; the same year that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled anti-sodomy laws unconstitutional, making it legal for same-sex couples to engage in consensual sexual relations. However, that wasn’t the end of LGBTQIA+ organizations at Stout, and it certainly wasn’t the end of the fight for equality.

Organizations and Views in the Present Day (2011-now)

A little less than a decade after the 10% Society’s inactivity, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) started, and it remains a student organization today. Dating back to 2011, the GSA hosts a lot of events intended to educate students about matters related to the LGBTQIA+ community and provide support to those within it. In their early years, they sponsored a lot of speakers as well as a few concerts. 

In 2013, the Qube officially opened after searching for a location since 2010. Today, they’re the main resource for LGBTQIA+ students at Stout, providing information and education as well as a safe space for conversation in the form of their office in Price Commons. The GSA and the Qube work together to bring speakers, panels, and other educational events to Stout, expanding people’s knowledge of the LGBTQIA+ community and reducing the stigma around LGBTQIA+ people. They’ve also put on a lot of events for entertainment and to provide a safe environment for LGBTQIA+ students to study or hang out.

As a school and as a society, we’ve come a long way since the 70s, but we must acknowledge that we have a long way to go. At the end of the day, the only thing we can do is continue pushing forward, continue fighting for equality for all people, and continue supporting and creating safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ students at Stout, as we have been since the 1970s. Because at the end of the day, love is love.

Here are a few online resources for you to learn more and hear stories directly from people that connect to Stout’s LGBTQIA+ community:

LGBTQIA+ Oral History Collection
LGBTQIA+ History at Stout Digital Exhibit
Qube Event Posters
Stoutonia 

Written and researched by Meghan Dincler (she/her/hers), UW-Stout Archives Student Worker

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Stout

Women’s History Month is a time to reflect and celebrate the many accomplishments and contributions of women to society. Here at Stout, the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program has a long history of educating students not only about feminism from an academic perspective but how it applies in a practical setting. 

The earliest proposal of a Women’s Studies course I could find in Stout’s archive dates back to 1974. At the height of 2^nd wave feminism, the topics discussed in this class reflected many of the same discourses and ideologies that were found in many feminist circles of the time. In the course, students discussed what sexism was, where it came from, how it affected their lives, and what could be done to make society better. They also discussed the Women’s Movement, feminism, and female sexuality.

Later, a Women’s Studies minor was developed, allowing students to dive deeper into multiple disciplines from a feminist point of view. Students took classes like Women Writers, Human Sexual Biology, Sociology of Sex Roles, and Psychology of Women as a way to gain a fuller understanding of women and their standing in society. They also were able to take classes that helped further their professional development including Futures of Technology, Computer Literacy, and Sociology of Work. These not only reflect the influx of women in the workplace during the 1980s, but they also foreshadow Stout’s future as a polytechnic university.

It should be noted that, like the Women’s Movement of the 1970s, within the first few years of Women’s Studies at Stout there was very little discussion of identities other than able-bodied, heterosexual, white, cis-gendered women. With the turn of the century, there was more effort to discuss other cultures, races, identities, and ages with classes like Multicultural Philosophy and Women and Minorities in Management and Lifespan Sexuality. These also reflect the continued effort to market the minor as a way of becoming more marketable after graduation.

In 2007, Stout became Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, and with this change, the perception of Stout shifted. In a proposal to change the Women’s Studies minor to a polytechnic Women and Gender Studies minor, a section titled “Not Very Likely To Encourage Her Daughter To Attend A Polytechnic: Detailed Statistics, Analysis, and Planning,” parents were quoted saying they would not encourage their daughters to apply for a polytechnic unless they had specific interest in a STEM field or showed a high aptitude for math or science.

With a Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor, Stout is better equipped to push back against the misconception that came with a polytechnic designation and make a more welcoming space for everyone to have an education with a diverse point of view.

With classes like Gender in Cross Cultural Perspectives, People Process Culture, and Healthcare Dilemmas and Gender and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor was able to further Stout’s commitment to career readiness for all students while also expanding discussions to include more identities.

Written and Researched by Meagan Ginnaty-Moore, She/her/hers, UW-Stout Archives Student Worker

Evolution of Black History Month events at UW-Stout

Since the beginning of February, the halls of Stout have been decorated with posters advertising events for Black History Month, hosted by the Black Student Union. With everything from educational classes about hair care to “Twerkout” dance classes, they’ve put on a plethora of interesting and informative events, and this isn’t something new. The UW-Stout BSU has been hosting events during Black History Month for as long as the club has been around, and the events started at Stout even before February was officially designated Black History Month.

The earliest mention I could find in the Archives is from February 1974, where a “Black Awareness” dinner was held, headed by Dean Richard Anderson.

However, according to our collections, the first year where we see a big boom of activity from the Black Student Union regarding Black History Month was 1994. They held six events over the course of the month (one every Wednesday, and one every other Saturday), including a praise choir concert and a fashion show. They printed and passed out calendars of events. Being able to look back and see all the various things they did really put into perspective how far diversity initiatives have come in the last thirty years or so, especially in universities!

This continued into the future and is still occurring today. Every event is a celebration of Black culture, and seeing how that has evolved over the course of Stout’s history allows us to have an even greater appreciation for diversity on campus.

For more information on the collections mentioned in this blog contact archives@uwstout.edu or you can look through our Stout Series Finding Aids online!

Written and Researched by Meghan Dincler (she/her/hers), UW-Stout Archives Student Worker

Celebrating Valentine's Day with 1940s student scrapbooks

Phyllis Anne Johnson attended UW-Sout from 1944-1947. She was involved in many of Stout's student organizations. She was a member of the Stout Symphonics, Stoutonia, the Intersociety Council, the YWCA, and was president of the Pallas Athene. Her involvement in the school led her to be included in the Stoutonia newspaper several times. You can search through the past issues of Stoutonia here!

Phyllis documented her time at Stout with scrapbooks. She kept keepsakes, invitations, little notes, napkins, and corsages. She even kept a bit of straw from her first barn dance she attended! Her scrapbooks give an in-depth view of what life was like as a Stout student in the 1940s. Going through them is like stepping back through time.

Phyllis saved these lovely Valentine's Day cards and napkins in one of her scrapbooks. They take us back all the way to February 14, 1944, over 75 years ago! 

Phyllis, who often went by nicknames like Phyl, Phil, Johnny, and Jiny, graduated in 1947 with a Bachellor of Science degree. She married Norman E. Watson, and the two of them moved to Iowa and had three children together. 

Phyllis and Norman Watson donated her scrapbooks to the UW-Stout Archives where they are available to view and research. To learn more about the Phyllis and Norman Watson Personal Papers or to set up an appointment to view the scrapbooks, contact archives@uwstout.edu.

Written and Researched by Jo Michelle Henderson, UW-Stout Archives Student Worker

Study-break snacks to fuel end of semester studying

Whether you are a K-12 student, college student, teacher, parent, or work in the education system, celebrate the end of the semester by preparing yummy study-break snacks like Unbaked Oatmeal Drop Cookies. Packed with wholesome oatmeal, but coated in chocolate goodness, they will keep you going through Finals week. Find the recipe in Stout’s Favorites cookbook, p. 26, available via the Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/StoutsFavoritesFirstEdition/page/n27/mode/2up

Unbaked oatmeal drop cookie recipe

The cookbook was published by the Home Economics Club of Stout State College, 1955, featuring favorite recipes of faculty and students, and "dedicated to all those people who enjoy preparing and eating good food.” The recipe was submitted by Ellen Bruce, a Senior at Stout State College in 1959. Bruce was involved in Band and the Home Economics Club during her time at Stout.

Ellen Bruce, 1959 Tower yearbook, p. 127

Ellen Bruce wrote with her recipe submission, “I have always appreciated this recipe in time of short notice or limited minutes. The product is a very tasty cookie, which can very easily be substituted for a candy treat. My younger sisters love to help me when I make these cookies.”

I agree with Ellen Bruce. These cookies are easy to make! I made them according to the recipe. I used a muffin scooper to drop the cookies onto the baking sheet, but you can use a spoon to make smaller cookie drops. Many coworkers and family members approve – these cookies are delicious! Bon Appetit!

Mixing the cookie batter

The finished cookies

The cookies up close

Discover how cooking and eating food has changed since the 1950s, from the National Museum of American History’s online exhibit “Food: Transforming the American Table”: https://americanhistory.si.edu/food

 

Need other quick and easy study break treats? Try:

Spiced Honeyed Cider and Scotch Crunchies: http://stoutarchives.blogspot.com/2020/12/stress-free-study-break-snacks-that.html

Cheddar Cheesy popcorn: https://stoutarchives.blogspot.com/2020/12/easy-peasy-cheddar-cheesy-popcorn.html

Peneuche: http://stoutarchives.blogspot.com/2019/10/halloween-penuche-from-fannie-farmer.html

By: Julie Hatfield, Archives Assistant, UW-Stout Archives