An open house was held at the Mounds Theatre on January 30.  Although the building wasn’t quite finished, enough people were interested in seeing the theater that an informal “sneak peak” was allowed.
    Visitors, especially those who last saw the theater when it was being used as a warehouse, were surprised to see the renovated interior.  All of the interior walls were sheet rocked and painted in shades of blue.  They were adorned with large paintings created by local artist Amy R. Handford and restored art deco style multicolored wall lights that danced to music.
 

Saint Paul Mayor Randy Kelly at the January 30th Mounds Theatre Open House.  Next to him are Bob Raddatz, the renovation project's general contractor, and Raeann Ruth, project manager and Executive Director of the Portage for Youth.  They might  be discussing the not quite completed restrooms.           Photo by Greg Cosimini

New Pastor at St. John Lutheran 

   Saint John Evangelical Lutheran Church at 765 Margaret Street has a new Pastor. Saint John was searching for a pastor for over a year. The congregation has been working to make Saint John the best it can be. And the timing was good to get a new pastor.
   Pastor Jeremy Glowicki was installed as pastor at St. John in November 2002. Before accepting the call to St. John he served as an exploratory missionary at a Lutheran church in Portland, Maine. Pastor Glowicki lives here in Dayton’s Bluff with his wife and their three young children. Pastor Glowicki is enjoying getting to know Dayton's Bluff and the East Side.
   St. John Christian Day School has been serving children since the1870s. Presently the school has about 50 children attending. About 50% of the congregation lives in the Dayton's Bluff area and they would like to increase that. Pastor Glowicki plans to do out reach to connect to the neighborhood and let the neighborhood know what Saint John and its Christian Day School have to offer. 
   St. John’s first church building, dedicated in 1872, was located at 8th and Locust. From the early days St. John had a Christian Day School for children from grades K through 8. At first it was in the church. Then the first Christian Day School building was built at Margaret and Hope Street, about two years before the church was built in Dayton’s Bluff in 1891. This was a large beautiful church with a steeple raising 125 feet into the air. The present church was dedicated in February of 1968.
   Pastor Glowicki and the congregation welcome neighborhood people to come to the church. For more information call 771-6406 or visit their website at: http://www.stjohnev.net.

Arts and Culture in the Neighborhoods

   On February 19 Mayor Randy Kelly held the first of three public meetings regarding arts, culture and entertainment in the neighborhoods at Metropolitan State University.
   Residents and artists voiced their opinions on what is really needed to foster the arts not only in Dayton’s Bluff but in all neighborhoods outside of downtown. Not surprisingly, funding was high on the list.
Local Artists Wanted
   In a serendipitous development, the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council is already in the process of putting together an Arts and Culture Directory for the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood. It will include names and contact information for artists living or working in or near Dayton’s Bluff.  The finished directory will be available in both printed and online versions. A preliminary version will appear on the Dayton’s Bluff website in the near future. 
   “Artist” is being defined here in the broadest sense of the word.  It includes painters, sculptors, pottery makers, actors, singers, musicians, magicians, comedians, photographers, movie/video makers, acrobats, jugglers, ventriloquists, writers, poets, glass blowers and candlestick makers. 
   If we’ve forgotten something or if you don’t fit into one of these categories, make up one of your own.  We are being very liberal about the arts. Both amateurs and professionals will be listed.
   If you would like to be included in the Dayton’s Bluff Arts and Culture Directory, please call Karin DuPaul at 651-772-2075 or email her at Karin@DaytonsBluff.org. 

Poster Contest for All Ages
America’s Night Out Against Crime

   East Side artists and would-be artists of all ages are invited to design a National Night Out poster. National Night Out will be on August 5th this year. Each year families, neighbors, neighborhood groups and block clubs have a variety of events celebrating National Night Out such as a neighborhood barbecue, neighborhood garden tour, fish fry, bands playing music, a soft ball game, etc. There are many other things that can be done. 
   There will be prizes for the best poster in the following categories:
· Pre-school to 6 grade
· 7 to 12 grade
· Adult
Prizes will be awarded in all categories. Posters will be displayed in local businesses and community centers.
Use your imagination.
   Poster size should be between 8 ½” by 11” and 11” by 17”. You may use paints, magic markers, colors, colored pencils, seeds, etc.
Here are some themes that can be used:
   The National Night Out theme this year is “reduce auto theft and theft from autos”. You may want to use that as your theme. Or maybe neighbors at a barbecue, kids playing games, neighbors gardening together, neighbors scaring off the bad guys, police officers with the neighbors, or whatever you come up with.
   National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anticrime programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.  Over 30 million people in more than 9,000 communities nation-wide have a variety of events and activities celebrating National Night Out. Neighbors spend the evening getting to know neighbors. 
   Start creating your poster. Bring or send them to the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council, 798 East 7th Street, Saint Paul MN  55106. Prizes for the best posters in each category will be given. The deadline is May 31, 2003. For more information call Karin DuPaul at 651-772-2075.

Dayton's Bluff Take a Hike 

   Dayton's Bluff Take a Hike meets on the first Saturday of every month at 10:30 a.m. in Indian Mounds Park at Earl Street and Mounds Blvd. The next Hike is Saturday March 1.
   We will hike from Mounds Park through Swede Hollow Park and then walk the length of the Bruce Vento Recreational Trail (formerly the Phalen Creek Recreational Trail) to its end, near Phalen Park. Along the way we will share stories and learn some local history of the area. 
   The hike is about 6 miles with some moderately rough terrain. Near Johnson Parkway and Maryland, transportation will be available to return to Mounds Park or you may hike back if you wish. 
   Join recreational trail supporters and explore this recreational trail. The paved trail runs from East 7th Street and Payne Avenue through Swede Hollow to Phalen Park. Dayton's Bluff Take a Hike started in December of 1990 and over the years hundreds of people have attended these events.
   For more information, call 776-0550. 

Recycling Information

   Curbside Recycling: Curbside recycling pickup in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood is every other Tuesday.  This month’s recycling days are March 11 and March 25. Cans, glass, newspaper, mixed paper, cardboard and reusable clothes and linens are collected at the curb. Materials should be sorted and set out by 7 a.m. Call the Recycling Hotline for more information: (651) 222-SORT (7678). Blue bins are available at the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Office, 798 E. 7th St., 772-2075. By recycling, you conserve energy, save natural resources and keep valuable materials out of landfills and incinerators. Thank you!
   Plastic Bottle Drop-Off Site: Plastic bottles with a #1 or a #2 on the bottom can be brought to the Sunray Shopping Center. Look for the big red recycling bin in the rear parking lot off Pedersen St. south of Wilson Ave. Only bottles can be recycled — no tubs, trays or bags. Please rinse clean, throw away lids and flatten the bottles. For more information call: (651) 222-SORT (7678).
   Recycling Drop-Off Site: Hosted by Vasko Recycling, 309 Como Avenue. Hours: Mon.- Fri. 6-6 and Sat. 7-1. Newspaper, mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, glass bottles, aluminum and steel cans, #1 and #2 plastic bottles and reusable clothes and linens are accepted free of charge. Other items, like appliances, brush, furniture and electronics, are accepted for a fee. For more information call: (651) 222-SORT (7678).
   Apartment Recycling: Apartment buildings, town homes and condominiums with ten or more units can set up recycling service with 95-gallon carts through the multifamily program. Pickup is scheduled as needed. Recycling service is easy to set up, it’s already paid for through your taxes, and it’s required by Saint Paul ordinance. Apartment owners, managers or tenants can call (651) 222-SORT (7678) for more information.

Farewell to Ilean Lee
 

District Council President Dave Murphy (left) and Community Organizer Karin DuPaul congratulate outgoing Housing Organizer Ilean Lee (right) on her successful completion of the Children's Stability Project.

   Spring is almost here! Greening Dayton’s Bluff is looking for new members. All you have to do to register is call us. This program works with Up-Front Gardeners (a program that highlights gardeners who have gardens in the front yard and/or boulevard) and participates in greening at local parks, community gardens, Buckthorn removal, and greening and gardening workshops.  The Greening program is designed to organize interested neighbors, Block Clubs and neighborhoods around beautification. 
   Participants will receive discounts on plants and gardening materials from local greenhouses and nurseries.  There will be gardening workshops and other events. 
   The first workshop is: “Shade Gardening Workshop” presented by Ramsey County Master Gardener Magie Lindorffer.  It will be held on Thursday, March 27, 2003, at 6:30 p.m. at 798 E. 7th St. Come and learn how to design a shade garden, find out what kinds of plants do the best, and how to make them grow.
   Some of the other benefits of the Greening program are that organized Block Clubs, neighbors, and neighborhoods are being proactive which makes everyone safer. To register or for more information call Karin at 651-772-2075.

Home Tour

   The 2003 Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood Home Tour will be held on Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, May 4 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The tour is run in conjunction with the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Home Tour. Included on the tour will be the newly renovated Mounds Theatre, a new apartment on Bates, and a number of beautiful homes.
   The Home Tour is an excellent opportunity to relive the history of Dayton’s Bluff while learning about the community that exists here today and getting a glimpse of what it will be like in the future. We are looking for people to help with the home tour. If you are interested in helping, call Karin at 651-772-2075.

Laura MacKenzie -East Side Celtic Folk Artist

By Bob Douglas
   Not many people are aware a true Celtic folk treasure resides on St. Paul's East Side.
   Laura MacKenzie is recognized as a Master Folk Artist by the Minnesota State Arts Board, was awarded a McKnight Foundation Performing Arts Fellowship as a solo artist, and has won Minnesota Music Academy awards in both Celtic singing and as a Celtic instrumentalist.  She has performed in Ireland, England, Scotland, and the U. S. as a solo musician and with some of the best Celtic musicians on the planet.  Yet Laura has always called Minnesota home. 

Bob Douglas, who played music with Laura many, many years ago, did this interview with her shortly after the first of the year.  Laura was at home having just completed a month long tour with Lorie Line and her Pop Chamber Orchestra.     BD: When did you first start playing Irish music?  What attracted you to Irish music instead of other folk music or rock n roll?    LM:  I first began playing Irish music as an adult, late in the undergraduate years, within the St. Paul Irish-American community, playing mainly for Irish dances or "ceilis."  Since traditional music was not an apparent part of the cultural environment of the southern Minnesota farming/college town I was raised in, I did not learn about Irish or Scottish music as a child.  My family heritage is very Scottish through Rankins and MacKenzies, with Irish associations, yet there was no great family propensity towards ethnic identity!    Despite consistent classical training, around the age of twenty I had a deeply personal shift in my feelings about performing, and struggled with bridging that gap, that hole, between the stage and the theater seats.  I craved an informal, community-based music.

I began playing American folk music on the concertina, but as this is such a string-oriented tradition, it was awkward. 
   Near that time, I had the privilege of working and studying in Edinburgh, as a student of ethnomusicology, where I was stunned and amazed by experiencing live traditional Irish and Scottish music.  Once I had learned a bit about why it sounded as it did, I abandoned the modern silver flute for a mid-nineteenth century wooden flute, paid rapt attention to the music of traditional players and singers, and never returned to classical music. 
   A little further down the road, the gates opened for me to the world of piping, and the vast beauty of Scottish music, French and English as well. Given my heritage, I now do believe that there is something to this idea of "the blood's memory".
   BD: Long ago [and I'll not say how long], in the days of the old Plough & Stars Ceili Band, I can remember your singing at post-Irish concert sessions.  I used to enjoy watching traveling Irish performers stop in mid-sentence when you began singing a solo song.  They were amazed that a Mid-westerner, at that time unknown, could sing so beautifully in the traditional sean nos style of singing.  To what do you attribute your ability to so quickly grasp that particular style of solo singing?
   LM:  First of all, being a flute player is a great advantage! As a free-blowing wind instrument, I believe it can well approximate the quality of voice in feeling and nuance.
So, perhaps that enabled me to hear and understand the vocal styles which I was also thoroughly in love with.  On the technical side, I did have to make concerted effort to alter the physical process of producing vocal sound. What one is trained to do in "classical" voice does not work well for Irish-style solo singing! 
   BD: What instruments do you play on stage? 
   LM:  I perform on the wooden concert flute, a smaller wooden flute in "F", various sizes and compositions of whistles, several types of bellows and mouth blown bagpipes (Scottish smallpipes, French cornemuse, English border pipes, medieval great pipes), and a 1910 English concertina. 
   BD: Are there any instruments that you play at home that you won't or don't play in concert?
   LM:  I have a couple of instruments that I use more for studio work than concertizing - the Lowland pipes, and medieval gemshorn. I must trot out the gemshorn more often in the future. It is visually extraordinary, as it is indeed a cow horn, but with a soft voice. I have a couple of other historical sorts of pipes, which I use mainly for workshops.
   BD: Who are your models and heroes in Irish music? 
   LM:  My heroes in Irish music are players and singers met in kitchens, pubs and dance halls when I was learning the music in Ireland, many of whom never had the opportunity or desire to record, and many of whom are now deceased. I could list a dozen or so names, largely unknown beyond a small community. I feel that the periods of time I spent learning music in Ireland were truly "golden" - not that the time was better than now, but it was indeed precious, for much has changed since then, even in the world of traditional music.  I was very fortunate. 
   BD: Have you had any personal musical mentors?
   LM:  There is one name in Irish music I am able to single out, the brilliant guitarist and singer Daithi Sproule. I learned an immeasurable amount from Daithi, especially from simply playing with him, living room or stage. Even playing music with him for just ten minutes would cause me to improve greatly.  For learning Scottish music, I had more definite, personal mentors - such as Hamish Moore, a strong force behind the revival of Scottish small pipes and their repertoire, and George Stoddart (R.I.P.) who gave me my first lessons in Scottish music in a wee chilled room at the bottom of a medieval close, off a winding street in Edinburgh's Old Town.
   BD: You have received numerous honors for your singing and musical abilities including singing at Ireland's annual Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, a McKnight Foundation Performing Arts Fellowship, being a featured performer for the National Flute Association, and being recognized as a Master Folk Artist by the Minnesota State Arts Board.  What recognition has meant the most to you and why?
   LM:  It was audacious to have entered the Chicago Fleadh Cheoil, which sent me on to Ireland!  The McKnight Fellowship was a wondrously validating sort of honor, because until that year, that Foundation had largely only recognized classical performers. The best moment of the National Flute Association Convention was when my college flute instructor, who could well have been irritated by my change of instrument and style, came rushing from the audience speechless and in tears, with joyful hugs! 
   And I deeply appreciate the Minnesota State Arts Board's concept and process, which enables apprenticeships with Master Folk Artists. But to choose the most meaningful moment of recognition... It is this: A small concert in a second story open room, Sligo town, Ireland. Featuring area traditional musicians including flute- player Packie Duignan (R.I.P.), retired coal miner from Arigna, County Leitrim. I dearly loved his simple, rhythmic, punchy yet lyrical style. In the days preceding, Packie must have noticed how keenly I had played with him and the others at the informal sessions, and how I knew something of his tunes and style, though we had never spoken. 
   When it came time for his bit in the concert, he gestured for me to join him, not knowing my name or place of origin. He was confident I would know where he was going with his medleys - and sure enough, I was there.  We finished with mutual satisfaction, and I truly have never been gifted with a greater honor than that invitation.
   BD: St. Paul has developed a reputation for having a good Irish music scene and a number of notable Irish musicians have even relocated to the Twin Cities.  What do you attribute the success of the Irish music scene here and why would an Irish performer move to a country with such a cold climate? 
   LM:  Yes, the Irish music scene has been very successful here, long prior to the general commercial mania around Irish music and dance in recent years. Perhaps, in part, because it is a fairly non-competitive arena here, given the ratio of venues and opportunities to the number of players with professional intentions. 
   And then there is the notoriously supportive cultural community in these parts, which works in its typically solid yet low-key Minnesota sort of way... St. Paul does take pride in its Irish heritage, and did even long before it was commercially popular.  Why move to this climate?  I believe that people from Ireland, Scotland and England are generally far less fussy and preoccupied with the weather than we Minnesotans.  And, from what I've heard, if they whine at all it is more about the summers than the winters!
   BD: You have lived here most of your life, haven't you? What keeps you based in the Twin Cities? 
   LM:  Yes, Minnesota has been my life-long home. I am now a confirmed "Eastsider", loving this old Eastside Neighborhood of St. Paul.  What keeps me here? First and foremost, I remain based here because I have a teenaged son at home and an elderly parent nearby. When they no longer need me quite as much, well, I'd investigate a move to, perhaps, New England.  Meanwhile, this is truly a fortunate place to be living, given the excellent professional climate for performing and studio artists.
   BD: Who are some of your favorite local musicians in the Twin Cities?
   LM:  These Twin Towns are rampant with inspirational artists.  To choose a few, I must mention gospel singer Robert Robinson, with whom I have the tremendous privilege of working with, as part of Lorie Line and her Pop Chamber Orchestra shows and tours. As a matter of fact, that ensemble is chock full of favorites including Carolyn Boulay, violin; Tricia Lerohl, horn; Stephen Morgan, guitar; etc., an amazing collection of musicians. 
   And then there is my colleague, Brian Miller, one of my top favorites of all time.  Brian seems to have been born with the wisdom of the elders, with regard to Irish music and life-at-large, and is also an exceptionally unique and creative artist in his own right, growing fast before our very ears. Being more than twice his age, I am dumbfounded, and grateful, that we perform together. 
   And I must talk about Ross Sutter - that voice should be world famous. But he has chosen to devote most of his professional life to teaching traditional music and instrument making to school children. His public appearances are all too rare, and I am excited to be performing with him several times this season.
   BD: What would you like to be doing twenty years from now and would it be in St. Paul?
   LM:  In twenty years, I'd like to be continuing to play traditional music in the company of young and old, for whatever modest compensation might be available for old folks. Composing a few tunes, teaching tunes that might otherwise be forgotten.  Living close to pine forests and my son Dugan, wherever that may be. Traveling to where I can meet artists of all sorts, with pipes and an oxcart, if needs be!
   Laura MacKenzie and Ross Sutter will be in concert at the Swede Hollow Cafe, 725 East 7th St., St. Paul, Friday March 21 at 8 PM. For more information: 651-776-7184, or the Cafe at: 651-776-8810.
   Bob Douglas is a freelance musician and also works at the University of St. Thomas in the Physical Plant. Bob is director of the concert series at Hope Christian Church in Shoreview, MN. 

Meet the New Executive Director of the Community Council

By Nachee Lee
   Greetings, it is an honor for me at this time to introduce myself to this great historical (Dayton’s Bluff) neighborhood.  My name is Nachee Lee, and I’m the new Executive Director for the Dayton’s Bluff District Four Community Council.  Prior to joining the organization I worked as the Executive Director for the Hmong Cultural Center located in the Frogtown neighborhood.  I have also worked for the Wilder Foundation, Bryn Mawr School, Club Fed Inc., and Hmong Youth Association. 
 

Karin DuPaul (left), Community Organizer, and Nachee Lee, Executive Director, staff the Dayton's Bluff Community Council Office at 798 E. 7th St.      Photo by Greg Cosimini

Dayton’s Bluff District 4 Community Council 2002 Annual Report

MISSION STATEMENT
   "To advocate for the community, advise government, provide information, and undertake action to promote, cultivate, and set in motion conditions, programs, and ideas for recreational, housing, educational, economic, and social needs for the betterment of the community.” 
OVERVIEW 
   In the year 2002, the Dayton’s Bluff Community Council has gone through many changes as well as accomplished many tasks and activities. The organization has successfully developed a strategic plan and an organizational brochure, hired a new executive director, and elected new Board members. It also successfully translated the Tenant Curriculum into Hmong and Spanish. The Council operated on a $140K budget. 
PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
   •  The Children's Stability Project came to the end of its three-year cycle. In 2002, the project provided services to 96 families and 250 children and offered three sessions of 48 hours of tenant trainings to 54 parents and 43 children. 
   •  The Blooming East Seventh Street Project, Industrial Site Committee, Greenspace Committee, and Arts and Culture Committee were established.
   •  Twenty-seven volunteers helped with the three Neighborhood Clean-Ups: spring, summer, and fall. 
   •  Over eight hundred people attended National Night Out events in August. 
   •  Thirty-five people were involved in the Greening Dayton's Bluff Program and spent over 180 hours gardening, planning and doing neighborhood services. 
   •  Twenty students successfully completed the Micro Entrepreneur Course. 
   •  Over 200 recycling bins were distributed to neighborhood residents. 
   •  Eight homes were shown during the Neighborhood Home Tour Program. 
   •  Ten workers from Sentence to Serve spent 26 days helping with cleaning and picking up trash, gardening, and removing buckthorn. 
MANY THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS 
   The Saint Paul Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Metropolitan State University, University of Minnesota CURA, Neighborhood Development Center, Wells Fargo Bank, City of St. Paul, all individual donors and volunteers. 

Bluff Memories and Musings – The Women of Dayton’s Bluff 

By Steve Trimble
    March has been designated Women’s History Month for some time now. I have mixed feelings about having separate times to celebrate part of our heritage. I prefer to see women’s history integrated in our celebrations, talks and texts throughout the year. However, it did seem a good opportunity to remember a few of the women who have contributed to our neighborhood’s development.
     So whom do you write about? Traditionally, early pioneers are popular choices.  One of our female pioneers was Maria Bates Dayton. She and husband Lyman arrived from the East in 1849. Maria is first mentioned taking care of ill people on the arriving steamship. The Daytons built their “suburban residence” above today’s Mounds Boulevard between Conway and Third in 1854.
     Maria was a major figure in the fledgling First Baptist Church. Lyman died in the early 1860s and she soon married their gardener, a man around two decades younger. They moved to Dayton, Minnesota and Maria lived at least into her late eighties. Remember her the next time you are walking down Maria or Bates Avenues. 
      Another early resident was Louisa Hamm, a German immigrant, who arrived in Minnesota with her husband Theodore in the 1850s. If she had not kept him from leaving for the California gold fields, a St. Paul institution may never have existed. In 1865 Theodore bought a small brewery along Phalen Creek and over the years produced the nationally known Hamm’s Beer. Initially, while her husband made the beer, Louisa ran the boarding house, cooking and cleaning, where many of the brewery workers lived.. 
    One difficulty is finding historic documents that describe the lives and contributions of women. But our neighborhood has the reminiscences of Martha Willius Clausen. In the 1870s and 1880s, the Willius family lived in a house on the bluff where Metropolitan State University now stands. “Those were the days when we had horses,” she said. “The barns were for the horses, a pair for carriage use…and a pony which I could use.” 
    “We had a cow and plenty of good milk, and chickens so we always had fresh eggs.” Her friends, almost all of German heritage, used to gather at various homes on Saturdays to sew and crochet while their mothers read to them. They were known as W. O. R. B., which stood for “wreath of rose buds.”
     In the early years, women’s history looked for “important” females. Sometimes called “women worthies,” they were prominent in a male dominated world. A good example would be Mrs. Bergemeir, who lived with her husband on Fountain Place. He was publisher of the Volkszeitung, an important German language newspaper. When he died, she took over and successfully published the paper for another two decades.
      Recent writers feel that more attention should be given to “woman-defined” history -- not looking for women who made it in business or politics, but measuring success within the restricted realm left open to them. These jobs often reflected the domestic that revolved around family, cooking and caring for the sick.
     Ebba Kirschbaum, a midwife who delivered hundreds of babies, lived for a time on Euclid just off Maria.  Ilma Scheffer, who grew up in our area, ran the well-known Cafe Ilma in downtown St. Paul across from the Lowry Medical Arts Building.
     Some women ran specialty shops on East Seventh Street that sold women’s clothing or hats. Most piano teachers were women, including Meta Seibold of East 6th Street, who even wrote a book called “Happy Songs for Happy Children.” Nursing was a common profession with training received at St. John’s and Mounds Park Hospital 
       Educating children was the almost exclusive preserves of women. One of the most revered local educators was Miss Laura Hand, who taught and was principal at Van Buren School (today’s Dayton’s Bluff Elementary) from 1893 until 1927. She introduced many innovative programs. After her death, friends and former students collected money and established a St. Paul branch library in the school basement named after her. Maybe we should make sure there is a photograph of her in the new Metropolitan State University library.
      It is harder to find information on the everyday life of less prominent women, since few of them left information for historical archives. But a few years ago a man told the story of one such woman. It was his grandmother, Emma Dieter, who in 1911 at the age of 56, was called upon to raise him after his mother died. She lived in a large but not luxurious home at 331 Maple Street.
     “I can still see her on her hands and knees scrubbing the oak floors in the large kitchen, the two pantries and the hall,” he wrote. “She did the laundry in the cellar, literally by hand in those early days…. Long after I was in bed I remember her singing gospel hymns while running her Singer treadle sewing machine.”
      Though not wealthy or well educated, she successfully ran the home. “Her will was strong and she drove herself to accomplish what she had set to do, often to the point of exhaustion,” her grandson remembered. “The daily routine of house keeping and rearing children probably prevented her from being a crusader in causes she believed in,” he thought. “In family gatherings however, she was outspoken and uncompromising in her views on woman’s suffrage and prohibition.”
      Women’s history does not end in the 1920s, of course, but I only get so much space. There are many other women whose stories should be told. You may know some of them. I hope you will send them in. Maybe your mother or grandmother wrote a diary or letters that reveal interesting history. Photos would be great. And there is a whole generation of young women who will some day look back and remember that they got their start in Dayton’s Bluff. It could be my own daughter or one of yours.

David Means - Intermedia Artist

By J. Wittenberg
   David Means calls himself one of the 'black sheep' of Metropolitan State's faculty, and he grows more concerned each passing day with the ever increasing corporate growth, greed, corruption and gradual effacing of community. 
   As an Associate Professor at Metropolitan State, David teaches interdisciplinary perspective courses and coordinates the Program in Experimental Music and Intermedia Arts for the Communications, Writing and Arts Department, and brings many of his theories and philosophies based in the bedrock of '60's reform. 
   At the Art Center on campus students are offered individualized degree programs, and the opportunity to perform for and connect with the community of Dayton's Bluff. They are encouraged to express themselves with sound, and to move away from rigid academia towards a more open path of experimentation. David feels the need to stress non-traditional evaluation, and emphasizes a connection with community, which he feels needs to be stronger. "My firm belief is that we all have this natural capacity to be creative. And to connect we need basic materials, along with emerging technologies," David says. 
   Certainly since coming to Metropolitan State in 1982, he has done his part to enliven our neighborhood; most recently, on December 6th, with the multi-media presentation called 'Primitive Wires,' held at the Art Center (677 E. 7th) and performed by the 'Nobles eXperimental interMedia Group’, of which David is the director. This unit consists of Metropolitan State students and guest artists who develop original intermedia performances and installations; where the music "breaks down barriers such as class, age and race, in a way little else can," says Doug Christianson, one of the leading musicians of the group. 
   Being an experimental composer, performer and sound artist, David has performed all across Europe and the U.S., and at local venues in the Twin Cities, including Bedlam Theatre and the Landmark Center. He has demonstrated excellence in his field by receiving compositional grants and awards, including the Bush Artist Fellowship, McKnight Fellowship and the Minnesota Arts Board prize. 
   David has been greatly influenced by the distinguished former Metropolitan State teacher, David Cole, a Fluxus artist and visionary of his day. Whereby David was led into a world of resonant frequencies, Gertrude Stein plays, sonic circuits, sub genres, kinetic environments, scores of collage sound, wave forms, Mayan creation myths, harmonic and ambient works, acoustic percussion, digital wind controls, synthesizers and strange, textural attractions. 
   This said, David remains down to earth, approachable and community-driven. He even claims many of the performances he directs at Metropolitan State are interactive, so if you go, which I highly recommend you do, be prepared to express yourself impromptu, if you have the gumption. "Anybody and everybody starts off as a creative artist," David says. And thus, if you have some hidden sound or musical talent, or are a spoken word or performance artist, give him a call or drop him a line at the Art Center. 
   The next gala performance is to be in the spring, and runs from April 4th to May 2nd, 2003. This festival of experimental music and intermedia art, called 'Strange Attractors X', will cover six weeks, and offer group and individual performances, including sound art, opera, dance, music, intermedia flux, improv, electronic signal processing and dance theater. 
   Be on notice, there is culture to be had in Dayton's Bluff, so mark this event on your calendar and visit the website at http://www.geocities.com/davismenas/Festivals.html. A more eclectic night one shall not find, and it seems the only thing sadly missing is an act of vaudeville. 

Mounds Theatre Memories – Life on the Bluff in the 1930s

By James P. Perrier 
   Recently when I happened to drive by the Mounds Theatre, the door was open, giving me an opportunity to visit the site of many childhood memories. Inside the building were several construction workers and a couple people who I learned were overseeing the restoration. They were all much younger than I. This short memoir is an attempt to share some of the feelings I have for the Mounds. In the past few days, while writing this piece, I talked with an older brother and sister, and added their memories to my own. 
   One of my regrets is not being able to find photographs of the other businesses in the same block as the Mounds. The Minnesota Historical Society only seems to have one view of the Earl and Hudson Road intersection plus one shot of the theater itself. At one time there was a hamburger shop directly across the street from the theater as well as Johnson's grocers up on the corner. 
   Many of my childhood friends once lived on that same side of the street to the west near Cypress and Forest. Their homes were taken for the freeway. I remember watching President Roosevelt ride in an open touring car along Hastings Ave (now Hudson Road) during the election campaign in either 1936 or 1940, waving to all of us along the sidewalks. Depression or no Depression those were fascinating times for kids. 

   January 9th, 2003. I was driving back to my home in south Minneapolis after attending the funeral of an old friend in Amery, Wisconsin. My route coming into St. Paul along I-94 took me through what reminds me of scar, that mile-long ditch from Johnson Parkway to the Third Street bridge that the highway department gouged out of my old neighborhood during the creation of the interstate system back in the 1950s. 
   Whenever I drive through this area I’m reminded of the title of Thomas Wolf’s novel  “You Can't Go Home Again.”  I suppose its true and you can't relive the past but though it's been 60 years since our family moved away, I still sometimes give in to the impulse to pull off the freeway and visit once again the neighborhood where I grew up, slowly cruising the streets, matching houses with the names of the families that used to live there back in the ‘30s and ‘40s. Most of the streets still have the same names that they bad back then except for Hastings (renamed Hudson Rd) and Wilson, which used to be Hudson Ave. 
   My family lived in the home that my dad had built in 1916 at 947 Wakefield Ave, just three doors west of the big old Wakefield home, which gave the street its name. My Dad was a railroad man and my mother a housewife and mother to five boys and one girl 
   The Bluff, as it was known, was a great place for a kid to grow up. A few blocks to the east, right behind the city dump, were the brickyards, an open and undeveloped area, which pretty well marked the eastern boundary of the city. If you loved skiing and sliding or tobogganing it was a hilly paradise. If team sports were your favorite activities you had only to walk a few blocks west to reach the Tuxedo playground near Maria and Hastings. The crown jewel of the area was Indian Mounds Park, sitting atop the bluffs that overlooked the Mississippi River and the airport. The views were spectacular in three directions. 
   To the east were the rail yards of the CB&Q, the Milwaukee and the CGW Railroads. To the right were the steep cliffs on whose face agile kids could find deposits of “Indian Red” sand, which was prized for sand stones. Straight ahead was the airport where overhaul work was done for the airlines and which later became a final stop for painting of B-24s being readied for desert warfare in North Africa. 
   Mounds Park was also a prime vantage point from which to watch the steamer Capitol on its daily excursion trips to Hastings and to hear its booming calliope playing favorite songs of the day. 
   The Indian Mounds may have been the final resting place for the Indians buried there, but for those of us born at nearby Mounds Park Hospital, as I was in 1927, it was the place where life began. And you didn't have far to go to reach Mounds Park Elementary School.  It was just a few blocks to the north on McLean and could boast of having an angel watching over its kindergarten. Her name was Miss Ambler. I spent grades 1 through 8 at St. John's Parochial School on Fifth and Forest where classmates named McLaughlin, Burns and O'Connell shared my classroom. If your folks were German they might prefer Sacred Heart Grade School also on Fifth, just two blocks west of St. Johns. 
   The entertainment center for the neighborhood was the Mounds Theatre on Hastings Avenue between Earl and Cypress. It shared the block with Brozek’s Grocery to the west and Basta’s Bakery, Olson's Department Store and Otto's Drug Store to the east. In those years before television, it was everyone's full service provider. The bill changed three times a week with showings at 7PM and 9PM each evening and matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Many of the theater's customers attended more than once a week. 
   To help you remember, there were daily advertisements in the newspaper and playbills at your doorstep every Saturday morning. My three older brothers were among the lucky teenagers who got to deliver those playbills in exchange for free passes to the movies. As my 83-year-old brother Gene now explains it, there were three, four and seven pass routes with two kids sharing a route, each taking one side of the street. There was only one hitch.  The passes weren't good on Sundays, but if you played your cards right you might still manage your way around the rule. 
   In the 1930s the theater was managed by Sam Zackman with Abe Ochsman as his second in command. When Sam was at the door he was all business and there was no getting around his no pass rule, but if a kid was patient, he could wait ‘til nature called Sam or some other business pulled him away from the door for a few minutes and he was replaced by Abe, who could be swayed by a sincere plea and would often let the pass-holder in. 
   Sam and Abe were part of the community and were considered to be friends by many of the people whom they met each week. My brother Gene still remembers the winter day when he and his friends were sliding near the Mounds Park ski jump. They weren't actually going off the slide, which was a wooden scaffold that required expert equipment and skills far beyond anything they had to offer. They were skiing down the big jump's landing hill on simple skis, which were held on by a single leather strap and reinforced by a large rubber band cut from an automobile inner tube. 
   Boys were being boys and challenges were being thrown down - and accepted. Before good sense could prevail Gene was hurtling down the scaffold and off into the air where the wind caught his skis and pointed them in every direction except straight ahead. When be finally stopped bouncing and careening through the shrubbery he was a bloody mess of cuts and bruises.
   His friends dragged him back toward home a mile away and were passing the Mounds Theatre when Abe Ochsman happened to see them. He ran out, stopped them and brought them into the theater where be could tend his injuries before calling home to the family. The brave, but overmatched athlete survived. 
   The 1930s were depression years and the unemployment rate was near 20%. Even if you were lucky enough to have a job in those days you might still have to take a wage cut of 10% or more to hold that job. Since the neighborhood around the Mounds Theatre was considered to be a “lunch buckets” or blue-collar area there wasn't a great deal of loose money or what might now be called “discretionary income” floating around. A fifteen cent ticket to the movies might seem insignificant now, but in the prewar years of the 1930s a skilled aircraft mechanic at the St. Paul airport was considered to be well compensated making sixteen cents an hour. 

   --- To Be Continued ---

The second part of this article will appear in the April 2003 Forum

APW Comes to Dayton’s Bluff

   The APW Meats and Grocery Store recently opened at 781 East 7th Street. At the corner of 7th and Hope Street, the APW is in the building that was formerly occupied by G T Parts. 
   The storeowner, Chuck Perkins, worked for Xcel Energy for many years before opening the APW. Several months ago Chuck decided he would like to change careers and open his own store. One day his business partners called him and said he must come over here right now.  They had found the perfect building for his store. So Chuck rushed over to 781 East 7th Street and agreed this was the perfect place for the store.
   The Dayton’s Bluff APW Meats and Grocery has a good assortment of fresh meat, groceries, fruits and vegetables for the diverse Dayton’s Bluff population. The APW is also a butcher shop and can supply any kind of domestic meat a person may want. The APW has highly qualified butchers who have been doing this for years.
   When people come into the store and make suggestions for things the APW should carry, Chuck will do his best to stock it. A man came in and asked if he knew where he could get Earl’s Pop Corn in Saint Paul. Chuck said, “I will have it in a week”, and now Earl’s Pop Corn is on the shelf. He would consider items like organic foods if there was a market for it. He is happy to do what he can to have items that the community needs.
   Chuck is very happy with this location. Chuck said “The people who come into the store are very friendly and say they are glad to see us here and we are glad to be here.” He is planning to have a grand opening in the spring, so watch this newspaper for more information about that in the months to come.
   The APW carries name brands as well as off brands so that there are items for people of all income levels. They accept cash, cash cards, credit cards, checks, WIC, and EBT. The hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Stop by and welcome them to the neighborhood. 

Cooking in the Bluff

By Shiela Johnstone

Nacho Casserole

Ingredients: 
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup low-fat (1%) milk
1 jar (16 ounces) mild or medium-hot salsa
1 bag (7 ounces) baked, unsalted tortilla chips
1 can (16 ounces) fat-free refried beans
1 or 2 jalapeño chilies, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 400° F. In a 13" by 9" ceramic or glass baking dish, stir undiluted soup with milk; spread evenly. Top with half of salsa and half of chips. Carefully spread beans over chips. Top with remaining chips and salsa. Sprinkle with chilies and Cheddar.
2) Bake 20 minutes or until hot.

Nutrition at a glance:
Calories: 385
Total Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Cholesterol: 27 mg
Sodium: 1,370 mg
Carbohydrates: 60 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 17 g

Coca-Cola Chocolate Pan Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks), cut up
1 cup Coca-Cola
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick), cut up
1/3 cup Coca-Cola
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 13” by 9” glass baking dish.
2) In large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In 2-quart saucepan, heat marshmallows, butter, cola and cocoa over medium-high heat until bubbles form around edge of pan. Remove from heat; continue stirring until marshmallows melt.
3) Pour marshmallow mixture over flour mixture; with wire whisk, stir until well combined. Whisk in buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until blended.
4) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack.
5) Meanwhile, prepare frosting: In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter, cola, and cocoa to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove saucepan from heat. Add vanilla and stir until butter melts. Place confectioners' sugar in medium bowl. Pour hot butter mixture over sugar. With wire whisk, stir until well combined. Set aside until ready to use.
6) Stir frosting well; spread over top of hot cake immediately after removing from oven. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Nutrition at a glance: 
Calories: 470 
Protein: 3 g 
Carbohydrate: 73 g
Fat: 20 g 
Fiber: 1 g 
Cholesterol: 76 mg
Sodium: 365 mg

Tip:   To deodorize dishes, pans, cutting boards or utensils with pungent odors, simply add 1/4 cup of lemon juice to your dishwater.

 If you have comments, suggestions, a special recipe that you would like to share, or you are looking for a special recipe, feel free to contact me through the Dayton's Bluff District Forum.
Write to:
Shiela Johnstone
Dayton's Bluff District Forum
P.O. Box 600511
St. Paul, MN 55106
Email:  shiela2@qwest.net 

East Side Restaurant Review
Jenks Street Café, 989 Payne Avenue, 651.776.5959

By Barry White
   I enjoyed my lunch at Jenks Street Café. This new restaurant on the corner of Payne and Jenks is a great addition to the Payne Avenue area. In the former Sunberg Pharmacy, the Jenks Street café pays homage to the East Side with a wall devoted to historic photos from the area.
   The Jenks street cafe is the kind of dining place that is a rarity on the East Side, with framed artwork, a glass liter of water at the table, soft music and an antique wood credenza for a wait service station. They have eight varieties of wine available, and three types of beer, St Paul’s Summit being my favorite. 
   The menu has a New Orleans cuisine theme, and for my lunch I had the fried catfish sandwich ($6.95). The sandwich is served on a delicious bun, and topped with Cajun Mayo and Jenks’ own cole slaw. The fish was moist, but not greasy. It was quite good. My server was friendly and attentive. 
   The Jenks has a fine looking dinner menu, ranging from a Jerked Pork Tenderloin with red beans and rice to Chicken Gorgonzola Penne pasta. I am looking forward to returning and trying their “smashed” potatoes with dinner. Also on the menu are five appetizers, two soups including gumbo, three salads, many ice cream desserts and a dessert of the day.
   In this new monthly column, Mounds Park resident Barry White will describe his experiences at area restaurants. You may contact him at barrytoddwhite@hotmail.com with comments or suggestions for future reviews.

Healthy Living Coupon Book

   Blue Sky Guide, a coupon book for healthy living, is available from the Friends of Swede Hollow. The Blue Sky Guide contains resources and tips for living healthy while having fun! The book contains 50 pages of resources and more than $5,000 in valuable discounts for food, dining, entertainment, yard and garden supplies, bicycles and recreation gear, products for the home, and home improvement supplies.
   Friends of Swede Hollow is offering this opportunity to you for $20 per book. Books are available at the Swede Hollow Café at 725 East 7th Street and at Café Nikita at 378 Maria Avenue. Or you can call 776-0550 and leave your name and phone number and someone will call you back. This is a fund-raiser for Friends of Swede Hollow to continue native plantings in Swede Hollow Park. Friends of Swede Hollow is an organization that is dedicated to improving the historic and ecological beauty of Swede Hollow Park.

Volunteer Opportunities at the Marian Center

Church Escort 
To help assist residents to and from the chapel
Pets Visits
Bring a dog or cat to visit with the residents
1:1 Companion
Visit, read or write letters for residents
Music/Entertainer
Play the piano, organ or any musical instrument for residents’ enjoyment
Dining Room Assistance
To help pass trays, help with feeding those that need assistance, clean tables, or be a campanion.
   Volunteering can be very rewarding and open opportunites to you that you never dreamed of. If you are interested in joining our wonderful team of volunteers, please call Robert E Johnstone at (651) 771-2914 and say, "I would like to volunteer!"

Marian Center Wish List

Wooden Clock with Big Numbers
Hutch for Dining Room on 2nd Floor
Donations of Art Work for the 2nd Floor Hallways
   If you would like to donate any of the above items or make any other type of donation, please call Marcy Koren at (651) 771-2914. You can also come by the Marian Center at 200 Earl Street, Saint Paul.

HealthEast Residence – Marian of Saint Paul Prepares to Open in April

By Vicki M. Tobroxen
Director of Senior Housing Development, HealthEast
   Imagine living in a home that has a gardening room, a fireplace in both dining rooms, along with a sports pub.  We’ve got it all at HealthEast Residence – Marian of Saint Paul located across the street from beautiful Mounds Park.  We are targeting the opening of 56 units of assisted living and 71 units of independent housing apartments on April 1, 2003.  Our marketing team has been actively connecting with over 800 individuals interested in the new senior housing.  To date, we have rented 58 of the apartments – 35 of the independent units and 23 of the assisted living units. 
 

Photos by Robert Johnstone