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

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1710 La Tech Staff wishes to croditjames O. Holmlimd, LaCrosse historical researcher and writer, for lu'x work in rewarching infor- mation on retired Staffmembvrs andfor photographs $11 0w 7;. N THE 7977-78 LA ?ECH IS DEDICA TED T0 ...... The Old Team You've come a long way, baby! is a popular theme today in advertising. It refersprimarily to the changing roles of women in American society . .. but we would like take the liberty of using the same theme in dedicating the 1978 uLa Tech Yearbook ofWestern Wisconsin Technical Institute to our teachers in vocational, technical and adult education . . . they've come a long way, but they have always been a special breed ofeducators . . . far ahead of their time with unique teaching methods and advanced educational philosophies . . . yet, so committed to their students and to the basic principles of pratical education and to personal discipline. Teaching has come a long way in the 65 years that Western Wisconsin Technical Institute has been in existence, since it wasfirststarted in 1912 as the La Crosse Continuation School , and .soon thereafter the La Crosse Vocational and Adult School. ttLa Tech was dedicated in 1976 to Iong-time La Crosse Vocational School Director John B. Colemen, who came to the school in 1916 and retired in 1962. Mr. Coleman was one of the pioneers in vocational education in the United States, but as he said himself, I couldn't have done the job I got all the credit for without the loyal support of my whole team! We've come a long way from the old days of vocational education under Mr. Coleman, but the work he started was carried on by his team - and though many ofthem are now retired, they are still active in promoting the basic concepts of their old stlye of vocational education which is proving more and more importanttoday as we return to the basics. The staff of La Tech is proud to dedicate the 1978 edition of the Western Wisconsin Technical Institute to those mem bers of the team that started our school, and who are primarily responsible for its continuing excellence and success today. La Tech salutes THE OLD TEAM ..... MISS GENEVIEVE COX, BUSINESS EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR t1933-1955t Genevieve Cox, 3 La Crosse native and graduate of Jefferson Grade School and Central High School, received her undergraduate training at La Crosse Normal School tnow University of Wis- consin - La Crosset. She went on to Columbia University, New York City, for her Master of Science degree in Business Education. Her first teaching job was at Hancockt High School in Waushara County where she started the school's Commercial Department, remaining two years. In 1933, she joined the La Crosse Vocational School as an instructor in business subjects, remaining until June, DOROTHY A. STROMSTAD, BUSINESS OFFICE 1955, when she resigned. She taught in the eveningschool as well as day school and placed business graduates. She was ad- visor to the school newspaper and the Social Club. Through the.years, Miss Cox held several business jobs, including work for the federal government in Washington, D. C. Of her early teaching years at La Crosse Vocational School, she is most proud of not only the quality and preparation of beginning students she encountered in the classroom, but also of the general at- titude and humility of purpose of enrollees. This attitude changed in later years, she recalls, to one where students expected more from prospective employ ers atan earlier degree of experience. Once quite a traveler, accompanying a married sister and her husband, Miss Cox is now more content to readand to reflect on life from her comforatable Northside apartment. She is still active in her daily routine and is in excellent health. ACCOUNTANT t1944 - 197D Dorothy A. Stromstad, as a La Crosse Central High School, student for three years, worked for her board and room in a home which, no doubt, provided a rare orientation for course for 33 years of service later at the La Crosse Vocational School and Western Wisconsin Technical Institute. Mrs. Stromstad, who retired in 1977 was W.W.T.I. office manager and ac- countant, lived in the home oer. and Mrs. John B. Coleman,theformerschooldirec- tor. She was born July28, 1915 to Will and Lena Kumlin on the family farm near De Soto, Wisconsin. Following high school, she was enrolled one year in the newly - developed business education division, the College of Commerce, at the La Crosse.Vocational School. In 1934, she took a job as general office secretary.at the La Crosse Lutheran

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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