Bringing history to life

Professor Jeff Ringer portrays St. Cloud State’s first leader Ira Moore in August at the kickoff to the year-long Sesquicentennial Celebration.

Communication Studies Professor Jeff Ringer studied the time period and Moore’s writing to prepare for an impersonation that had him riding up on the campus mall on a horse drawn carriage driven by Jeff Burg, of Horse Power Acres in Holdingford, to greet the campus community of 2018. He shared with the campus Moore’s vision for St. Cloud State at 150 — to continue giving students opportunities to become contributing citizens of our community, state, country and world.

Jeff Ringer and Molly McAlister ’13 ’17 as Ira Moore and Fannie McGaughey.

“To prepare for the presentation, I read through some speeches that Ira had delivered and that are available in the Archives,” Ringer said.

Ringer’s Moore was joined by one of St. Cloud State’s first students, Fannie McGaughey, portrayed by Alumna Molly McAlister ’13 ’17, who now works at St. Cloud Technical & Community College.

The performance was a cross-university effort with Costume Studio Director Carol Cooley putting together the costume and University Archivist Tom Steman pulling materials from Moore’s presidency for Ringer to review.

Cooley drew on her knowledge of the clothing and apparel of the 1860s to design the outfit, which featured a top hat, suit coat and ribbon bow tie.

 “It was an opportunity to help my audience, and me, develop a feeling of connection to our past and a sense of the historic significance of the sesquicentennial,” Ringer said. “It is easy to toss that word out there, but we shouldn’t overlook how much of an accomplishment 150 years is.”

He received inspiration for the role from the late Bob Kendal who taught an impersonation speeches course on campus.

Horses from Horse Power Acres of Holdingford wowed the crowd as St. Cloud State University kicked off its Sesquicentennial year.

“I had recently come across some documents he had developed for that course, so it seemed like a fun coincidence to give one of these speeches,” Ringer said.

He doesn’t know if Moore will make another appearance this sesquicentennial year, but he’s not packing up the top hat just yet.

“Carol is keeping the costume available so that if I’m asked to portray him again, I can do that,” he said. “If asked, I would be glad to share Ira again.” 

Behind the history

Ira Moore

Fannie McGaughey

Fannie McGaughey was one of the first students to attend the Third State Normal School and was in its first graduating class in 1871. She later married Edward Martin and moved to Sonoma County, California. After she was widowed she returned to teaching and later became a principal, lawyer and superintendent of schools in Sonoma County before her death in 1923.

Ira Moore was the first leader of St. Cloud State and oversaw the building of Old Main, the university’s first permanent structure before resigning in 1875 to move west and teaching at California State Normal School in San Jose, California.

He was named the first principal at the California State Normal School in Los Angeles, now UCLA, in 1883 serving until 1893.

Ira Moore’s message for St. Cloud State at 150

On Aug. 31, 1869, two weeks before the opening of the Third State Normal School, I gave a speech to the local community as together we undertook the challenge of building an educational institution. I believe the words that I spoke then are as relevant today, 150 years later, as they were when I first spoke them. Let me share them with you now.

St. Cloud, I have one practical suggestion to offer to you. It (can be summed up in a) single word, patience. A school does not start full-fledged. It is a matter of growth.

The oak is not the product of an hour. The little germ is a weakling; the sharp teeth of the squirrel may destroy it; the lamb may crop the tender plant, or the wayward foot of the school boy may crush it.

Year by year adds its layer of wood to the little trunk; the sunshine is gathered in its leaves and transformed into sinews of strength. The rocking winds of heaven toughen its brittle fibers; its roots take deep hold of the soil.

Year by year its branches lengthen; it becomes a thing of beauty, of majesty; and in a hundred years perchance becomes the crowned monarch of the forest. Do not expect us to build a school to its final fair proportions without much labor and care and time. First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 

150 years later I see that crowned monarch of the forest. I see a university whose impact on the lives of its students, alumni, staff, and faculty is wide-reaching. I see a mighty institution that continues to evolve, to do its best, and to provide the best education that it can.