Western Technical College - Latech Yearbook (La Crosse, WI)

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in 1934 from Stout in home economics, education and related subjects, and in 1939, she received her Master's degree from Stout. Certified to teach by Stout in 1915, she taught half - days each at Hamilton and Lincoln schools in La Crosse from 1915 to 1916. From 1916 to 1920, she taught at heralma mater, Tomah High School. She married Reinhold Schultz, a federal employee in 1920. She was a substitute teacher at La Crosse Cen- tral and Logan high schools, and the La Crosse Vocational School from 1922 to 1930. After her first two years at LaCrosse Vocational, she headed the school's youth and adult home economics program, in- cluding teaching. She alsotaught history, English and mathematics. During World War ii she taught nutrition and health classes to Red Cross volunteer workers. For one year Mrs. Schultz was faculty representative and state vice - president of the Wisconsin Vocational, Technical and Adult Education Assocition. In 1932 she helped form the homemakers' club at the school, a group that continues today. Mrs. Schultz recalls with fondness her coach- ing otnursing candidates preparing for state board tests at St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in La Crosse. Her husband died in 1955 and an only son lives in South Bend, Indiana nursing home. Despite failing eyesight in recent years, Mrs. Schultz lived alone and en- joyed activities with the La Crosse Homemakers, including taking bus trips. She well recalls how popular home economics was in evening school and how veterans of World War II were eager students, learning hotel and restaurant management. Her W.W.T.I. 'fTrail Blazer award, the fourth awarded, was for Forg- ing New Paths in her field of vocational education. This included being a stickler for her own well - balanced diet, which she strongly promoted in class for others to consider, was far ahead of its time in relation to modern nutritional findings. GLADYS BETHUREM, BUSINESS EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR 11955-19721 Glayds S. Bethurem, business education instructor for 17 years at W.W.T.I. retired in 1972. She had planned to prepareforof- fice work until she was convinced to become an instructor in secretarial science and office procedure. She was born April 11, 1906 to Gilbert and Sophie Olson on a Westby. Wisconsin area farm. She graduated from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, in 1927, with a social studies major and a mathematics minor. She taught in high schools in Clear Lake, Wisconsin, and Cottonwood, Minnesota, then was urged to attend La Crosse Vocational School one year. She taught business courses two years at St. Francis, Minnesota, High School,

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Hospital, She was promoted to hospital assistant manager in 1939 and left in January, 1944 to take the Vocational School work. Developments directly affecting her through the years included subdivision of the general office into a facility for enrollments Uistings running to 200 a day for day school, not including the College of. C mmercet; the big step of es- tablishing a Student Services section; sell- ing books for all classes; writing receipts for each item sold tno cash registerthent; issuing Child Labor permits at 25 cents each for all city residents; beginning of faculty mail sorting for a constantly expanding staff; keeping track of reference libraries in each shop or area, and many othertasks that were handled as daily office routine and are now full time jobs. Her husband, Neil, whom she married later in her career, was for 23 years instructor and head of the school's automotive department. He died in June, 1977. Mrs. Stromstad keeps her home ties strong, including her De Soto Lutheran Left: Dorothy Stromstad -Business Office Accountant l1944-1977l Church membership. She is an avid traveler and outdoors woman. With her husband, she became very interested in lake and river fishing and keeps baiting a successful hook. There are also card games and houseplant raising to keep her busy. A stepson and family might lure her to again travel to the Far East where they live. MARIE H. PETERSON, BUSINESS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HEAD t1935-19721 Marie H. Peterson,sparkling in retirement much as she must have been as a basket- ball player and high school girls' coach, served 2 years as head of the Business Education Department asthe La Crosse Vocational School. Earlier at the school, she taught 15 years in typing. shorthand and records management. Prior to coming here, Miss Peterson had ten years in similar subjects at Reeseville High School, not far from her native rural Brooklyanisconsin farm home where she was born. In her earlier years. the sprite of herclan played piano, including accompanying a dance band, and also played churchorgan,sang inthe choirand later was a member of the Music Club at the UniversityofWisconsin in Whitewater. Her Bachelor of Science degree in business education was from Whitewater. At the former. Milwaukee State Teachers College tnow UW - Milwaukeet, she studied lip reading for the hearing-han- dicapped, and later taught in this field. Similar studies were completed at the UW - Madison. Much of herwork in La Crosse was to help the blind, deaf and other handicapped people become proficient in business skills. including one-hand touch typing. WorId-wide prominence was given to the school and Miss Peterson through a manual for one-handed typing that was used throughout the world. It was not unusual for Miss Peterson to have 60 students in a single accounting class, 50.0therintyping,while supervising about six teachers and up to 700 students a year in business education. She served five years as vice- president of business education forthe Wisconsin Associationof Vocational, Technical and Adult Education. Always the disciplinarian, her relationship with students was solid. She also worked inthe placement department. She has been organist for the Eastern Star Order and. a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and Delta Kapa Gamma honorary teachers society. Unmarried, once an avid,traveler, now Miss Peterson is comfortably at home in her apartment where she has resided 42 years and where nieces and nephews often visit. Television and radio. with a fondness for baseball and football, dining out and visiting with friends are among her other pastimes. MRS. KATHARINE SCHULTZ, HOME ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT HEAD 6930-19581 Katharine Schultz, a W.W.T.I. . Trail Blazer award winner in 1975, was a teacher in the La Crosse Vocational School and later supervisor of Home Economics and retated subjectsfrom1930 to 1959. Born September 18, 1892, in Tomah. Wisconsin, where she completed high school, she later attended Milwaukee Downer College, Stout Institute and the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She received her Bachelor of Science degree

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attended Minneapolis Business College, was married in 1938, but then lost her job because teacher priority, as others in the Great Depression, was given to husbands of teaching wives. in 1944 Mrs. Bethurem began teaching business courses at Westby High School, heralma mater. lnthesummerof1955,she recieved her life business. education certificate from UW-Whitewater. She began her employment at the La Crosse Vocational School in 1955 and was among the faculty members responsible for the start of the La Tech annual yearbook in 1965 and was its first advisor. Mrs. Bethurem received additional graduate credits for courses completed at UW-Stout. . Her applied working experience was in the offices of a local retailer and at an Ely, Minnesota resort. Formerly secretary of the La Crosse Education Association, she also has been treasurer of the American Lutheran Church Women, assisted the City Health Department screening clinic and helped with mobile meals delivery. The mother of one daughter, Mrs. Bethurem does a great deal of handiwork, gardening and can- ning. Her years of successful student placement is reflected in the praise of at least onetormer st udent who liked the way she required him to knuckle down to his studies, which he credits with making him successful in his present career. Facing page, Top: Gladys Bethurem-Busi- ness Education Instructor i1955-1972i. Bottom: Erwin Schreiber-Trade and industrial Coordinator i1922-1962L This page: Harold Hawkins-General Metals 8t Welding Instructor t1928-1970i ERWIN L. SCHREIBER, TRADES AND INDUSTRY COORDINATOR 0922 - 196m Erwin L. tErvt Schreiber, a La Crosse native who practically grew up with early La Crosse Vocational School, was a month into his first cabinet - making teaching job in 1922 when fire.consumed the former FirstWard School which housedthe old La Crosse Continuation School. His classes continued at Washburn and Hogan schools. Schreiber, born July 9, 1899, retired in 1962 as Trade and Industrial Coordinator and Evening School Supervisor, climaxing over 40 years' work here. When he as spotted, and later hired, by DirectorJohn Coleman, Schreiber was demonstrating a wood technique. He was atso working at the time at the Hackner Altar Company in La Crosse. Schreiber married his firstwife in 1922. The lacked four high school credits and spent busy times, including summer sessions at Stout Institute. to earn his high school diploma in 1926. Summer cabinet work at Segelke - Kohlhaus Com- pany further rounded out his skills. Twenty summer sessions at Stout, plus credits at Colorado State University, resulted in his earning his Bachelor of Science degree from Stout in 1936. Before retiring, he received the equivalent of a Master's degree. When the new school was designed for 1924 completion, Schreiber helped in planning the school's new buildings and additions,as hedidin1929,1939and1961. Offered school directorships elsewhere, Schreiber preferred the old home town and stayed in La Crosse his entire career. From 1940 into 1942, he supervised National Defense War Industries classes and in 1943 was appointed half - time Trades and Industry Coordinator, receiv- ing full - time appointment in 1954. Neartheend ofWorId War I in 1918, hewas a member of La Crosse Normal School's student army training corps, the basis for his eventual 47 years in American Legion Post 52. An expert rifle shot, he was secretary - treasurer of the Legion's Rifle Club for many years. He was baptized in First Lutheran Church and has been a lifetime member. His German ethnic background. language - wise, has aided in six trips to Europe in- cluding Germany, one of 47 countries covering 190,000 miles .visited by Schreiber and his second wife, Elinor. TheyliyeinthehomeSchreiberpersonally built, with assistance, in.1937. Schreiber and his first wife, Leona, who died in 1950, were parents ofa daughterwho is married. Hisfirstwife and present wife were sisters. HAROLD H. HAWKINS, GENERAL METALS AND WELDING INSTURCTOR t1928-197ot Harold tHollyt Hawkins, for 42 years instructor in general metals and machine shop, came to La Crosse Vocational School .1928 when varieties of industrial metals were fewand autossimple.Born on a farm October 7, 1901, at Wells, Minnesota, Hawkins worked early around equipment and heavy machinery. He was attracted to Stout Institute by influence of a high schoolteacher, and, atage 26, got a late start toward his vocational special certificate. At the La Crosse Vocational School, his first assignment was to teach Auto Mechanics and Machine Shop to boys studying part-time..WelI-rounded in prac- tical work, from boiler repair to auto service to carpentry, Hawkins' teaching loan ran to 33 compulsory students. A glass partition often joined shop and clas- sroom, providing ready class supervision and discipline. He was certified with the state Senior A Instructor CIassficiation