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Ruth, Amy, Ed.

Communities.Iowa State Historical Society, Iowa City.

ISSN-0278-020895

33p.State Historical Society of Iowa, 402 Iowa Avenue,

Iowa City, IA 52240-1806 (Also available on cassette

tape).Collected Works Serials (022) Guides Classroom

Use Instructional Materials (For Learner) (051)

Goldfinch; v17 n2 Win 1995

MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.Community; Community Change; *Community

Characteristics; *Community Study; Elementary

Education; Ethnic Distribution; Group Unity; Heritage

Education; Learning Activities; *Local History; Local

Issues; Oral History; Social History; *Social

Studies; State Government; *State History

*Iowa

This issue of the Goldfinch focuses on communities.

Ethnic groups, religious groups, schools, families, even the

Internet, are used as examples of communities in Iowa. Forced

communities are exemplified by migration, law, natural disasters, and

sometimes education. Photographs from Iowa's past show the changing

nature of communities and encourage students to examine issues

related to the time periods. Students are encouraged to research

their own community's past and explore implications for the future.

Other activities feature a comic and a short story. (EH)

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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

AThis document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationorigrnating ii

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110'4

Wild Rosie's Map

Iowans across the state have been connected by themany communities in their lives ethnic groups,schools, families, and even the Internet! Help Wild

Rosie explore some of these communities in this issue of TheGoldfinch. You can start by counting the communities on themap below and comparing them to the communities in your life.

Sion City

Council Muffs

Os,

Pad otlowa's RendCommunities

1,11Iertp

SOY INK

Native AmericanCommunities

Pe S.Ethnic Community

The Goldfinch is printed onrecycled paper with soy ink.

2 Thy ; )hifinch

Iowa Families

Winner of a1995 Parents'

GOldfinchVolume 17, Number 2Winter 1995 ,EDITOR: Amy Ruth IPZ.282? .

PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR: Christie Dailey '1'4116°

FICTION EDITOR. Steven BlaskiEDITORIAL ASSISTANTS: Michelle Rubin, LinzeeMcCray. and Bndgett M. WilliamsCONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Millie Frese, Fort Dodge:Kathleen M. Hays. Sioux City; Stern Pagel House.St. Louis; Tina Goeptert Roth, MuscatineILLUSTRATION. Mary MoyeRowley. Iowa CityCOVER DESIGN: Kris Atha. Oskaloosa

CONSULTING EDITORS: Patricia LommelBruttomesso, Curator of Education, HistoricalSociety of Princeton. Princeton, New Jersey;Deborah Fink, Iowa Anthropologist. Ames; and lindaReaney. Fifthgrade Teacher. Hillis ElementarySchool, Des MoinesEDUCATORS ADVISORY BOARD: Betty Arndt,Greenwood Elementary School, Des Moines; GaryCoffelt, Central Decatur Elementary, Leon; andLinda Vandeventer, Harrison Elementary School,Davenport

CHILDREN'S ADVISORY BOARD: Tiffany Bowers,Dubuque; Heather Harney, Oxford; Jennifer Jirak,Waucoma; Bethany E. Moklestad, Des Moines;Logan Swaim, Iowa City; Trevor Vos, Sioux Center

SPECIAL THANKS TO: The Iowa SesquicentennialCommission and Coca-Cola Bottlers of Iowa forfunding this issue: The Jewish Federation of SiouxCity; Rick Knupfer, Iowa Humanities Board; andDevelopment Director John Rocarek of the Czech &Slovak Museum and Library. Cedar Rapids for hishelp with the article on page 18. The charactersWild Rosie and Goldie by Jerry Brown.

CREDITS: The newspaper articles on pages 8-9 and16-17 have been changed slightly from the ohginalfor purposes of clarity. The interview with JoeRosenthal, page 20, was taken from I RememberWhen . . . compiled by Susan Marks Conner andPublished in 1985 by the Jewish Federation ofSioux City.

The Goldfinch (ISSN 0278.02081 is publishedquarterly by the Slate Historical Society ot Iowa,402 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City. Iowa 52240-18061319/335-39161. Second-class postage paidIowa City. Iowa. Subscriptions are $10 for fourissues. Postmaster' Send address changes to: CarolCarey. subscriptions coordinator, The Goictfnch, StateHistorical Society of Iowa. 002 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City. Iowa52:40180C C State Historical SocieN of Iona. 1995 Noportion of The Gordf,nch ma be reproauceo eitnout priorpermission except for classroom use

ts"The Goldfinch is also available on cassettetape for the blind, the visually impaired, thephysically handicapped, and the learning disabled.For more information contact the Iowa Departmentfor the Blind. 1.800-382-2587. Or write to theIowa Department for the Blind Library, 524 4th

Choice Honor Award St., Des Moines 50309,

A-

On the coverWhat goo into a community? Plenty! Including a lot

of hard wort, shared experiences, and people! Kids in

the 6vans famil,i arc worting with their friends in the

ici5os to constrxt community of their own. Read

all about building and maintaining communities in

this issue a The evolcifinth (C.redit: SnIrjoan

Liffring-Lug Collation)

Immigrant communityVisit a Czech comniunity in Iowa and learn how tradi-

tions and customs are preserved 5ee page IS.

'Mg AirrGive it your best shotpt'm( htoran j pntn. t orlmuniiie;, in thi,

photor30. '5ee page, 2.3

CONTENTS

Features

What is a Community?Making a Community a HomeCommunity NewsCommunities of InterestKid CommunitiesForced CommunitiesBelieving in CommunityA Czech CommunityA Community of FaithLeft Out

Departments

Wild Rosie's MapActivity: How to Build a TownActivity: Make a Booster BrochureActivity: News from icariaActivity: Be a Photo HistorianGoldfinch Fiction: Attic AdventuresHistory MakersActivity: Go Idle's ChallengeAnswersThe RoostHistory Mystery

4

45810121416182022

27

232428303031

back cover

li G Idfinch 3

What is a community?

Acommunity is a group of

people who feel a sense of

belonging, share common beliefs,

interests, or experiences, and worktogether toward a shared purpose.

The kids in the photograph tothe right, for example, are workingtogether to build a clubhouse in the1950s. They also have a lot more in

com 'on they're kids, theyprob.. jiy live in the same neighbor-hood, and they are all about the

same age.

People, people, peopleAll communities depend on one

thing: people. People make commu-

nities grow and prosper. People

pass on community ideas and

beliefs.Geographical communities need

people to make them succeed.

Without people there would be no

reason for schools, businesses, and

homes. And without these things,there would be no physical commu-

nity.,ommunities of faith, ideas, and

beliefs (like Jewish Iowans) needpeople to keep the community

beliefs alive. Ethnic communities

4 The Goldfinch

need people to continue

languages, crafts, and

other traditions.You're stepping on mycommunity!

Communities often

overlap and communi- a_

ties exist withincommunities. Farmkids in Iowa, forexample, are part of the

larger ommunity offarm kids across the

nation.

It's also common for

people to belong to

many communities atonce. If you were to count all thecommunities in your life, you'd runout of fingers and toes. Everythingyou are, do, think, feel, am believemakes you part of a community,from your hobbies to where you

live.

Community tourIn this issue of The Goldfinch,

we'll explore some communities inIowa history. You'll learn how theybegan and how they changed as

technology and new beliefs. ideas,

_JP

These kids are building a community of their own.

v4hat tzinds of communities have you made for

yourself in rur life?

and attitudes developed.As you read about Iowa commu-

nities, think about your life today.What would it be like withoutcommunities? How do you think

your communities have changedthroughout Iowa history?

Making a community a homeby Bridgett M. Williams

People form communities in all sorts oflocations. Whether you live in a smallvillage, a rural town, or a large city, connec-tions to familiar places and people makeyou feel at home. It's hard work to makestrong connections in new places, though.When Iowa families move, they have alwayshad to work together to build communities.

Fur Trading Villages

C aroline Phelps was only 15when she moved to the banks

of the Des Moines River in 1830.She and her husband, William,came to trade for furs with a villageof Sac and Fox Indians.

Caroline and William weresurprised to find that the Sac andFox traveled a let but always cameback to their village. In the spring,Native American families gatheredto plant corn and other crop'. Mostof the village then went visiting,trading, or hunting. They wouldcome together again in mid-

When European Americans came to Iowa, first to exploreand trade and later to settle, they had to share the landwith the Native Americans already here.

summer for a big dance and villagecouncil meeting. In the fall, a bandof hunters left the village to getmeat for the winter. Most of thewomen and children siayed behindto harvest and store food.

Frontier life was hard forCaroline at first. She had to learnhow to fit in with her Native-American neighbors. She learnedtheir language, attended dances,and even threw a 4th of July party.

6

She and the other mothers wouldwork together while their kidsplayed. She helped William run thestore and became a good trader.

Just when Caroline felt at home,the federal government forced theSac and Fox to leave their Iowaterritories. Without customers,Caroline and William could not stayin business. She and William had toleave, too. Their busy communityvanished overnight.

The Goldfinch 5

Becoming Norwood

When the first European

Americans settled in Otter

Creek Township in Lucas County

in the mid-1850s, there were no

post offices, schools, or businesses.

Making a town was a family affair.

Relatives moved togeiher from

their homes in Missouri. Ohio, andIndiana and bought 'and next to

each other so they cou:i share

tools and labor. For instame,Robert Crooks and Moses Curtis

had married sisters, Elizabeth andMary Spence, before they left Ohio.

Together, the two couples and their

20 children fanned 320 acres.When "Doc" Ashby moved to

A

Otter Creek in 1860, he donated

land for the Methodist Church sothat he and his family could walk to

church in the winter. Benway'sblacksmith shop and WilliamMiller's livery stifole drew people totown daily. Finally, when the new

post office opened in 1867, the

families decided to rename the

town Norwood.Norwood's oldest male residents

took turns serving on the townshipcouncil and passed laws to keep

their community respectable.Norwood's residents proudly

bragged about their high school,gymnasium, brass band, and

Grange Hall. In the early 1900s,Norwood's summer singing school

was so popular that

people came from

miles away to hear

concerts.Yet, time has

changed Norwood.Automobiles made it

easier to shop in

larger towns andstores closed up. No

one needed a black-

smith anymore. Youngpeople moved away.

Some families lost

farms during theGreat Depression in

4

ouras .14 ...

r,ttnno,043 durinc, tonituunitsi Ge'letration

6 liii Goldfinch

the 1930s or in the droughts of the

1980s.

Many have stayed on, however.

Norwood's phonebook still lists

Curtises, Crooks, Wallaces, andother long-time families who stay

rooted in one of Iowa's most

interesting rural communities.

Ottumwa

Although it has many more

citizens than a village or town,

a city like Ottumwa still has things

in common with smaller communi-

ties. Ottumwa's many cnurches,schools, and businesses providethe people who live there with a

sense of belonging. Radio and

television stations and the local

newspaper provide residents with

the latest information about theircommunity. Indian Hills Commu-

nity College offers continuingeducation programs and sponsors

cultural events. Fifteen parks givekids places to play and picnic.Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and

cousins also make Ottumwa a placewhere generations of Iowans have

grown up. +

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NticitetteRubin

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Alocal newspaperisUlte a corarnut

eVOIwhere

events,local news,

and comounUtyaccomplishMents

are recorded.Newspapers

ottencontain

4000601

aboutother

cornmunities,

too, such as schoaisand

churches,and

e pass alo

help documentth

acti.41es.

Newspaperarticles

arecom

only one wav toug

cotrunuravnews.

Othermunities,

VIlke

Mcatetclubs

and

pAticalorganizations,

also cotnrnuhrough

newsletters,rnagaitnes,

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rrae tollowiagnewspaper

articlescontatn

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ing membersand vecruit

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Whatdo

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tell us bolt tbe cotailunities?

- Physical Cultureis close to the heart

, Des Moines Register,January 19, 1947Cedar Rapids, Iowa

No other nationalgroup has been able toCOMe to America, keepits distinct identity inthe American scene,and yet be so thorough-ly a part of communitylife with greater suc-cess than Czechs.

At honw, the littlechild speaks Bohemian

i ;ow-I I F.-me-en lust asflurntly i!; the distant

8 11,,

cousin in Prague (Praw-G). At the Saturday schoolfor Czechoslovakian(Check-es-low-VAH-key-n)children in CedarRapids, they learn thesongs and the history oftheir homeland.

Ask YourselfI. Why did kids in thiscommunity go to schoolon saturdays?2. Why was it 6111)101;mltor Czech kids to :peal;Bohemian?

o'ncfrilan lan9ua9e

Prague, Guth city

rammuniWhy many of our

customs will neverdisappear

Tama .Vetes-Ilerald.April 23, 1953Tama, Iowa Thepeople who say that weMesquakies are boundto lose our customsforget something. TheIndian did not decideto come to AmericaAnwrican ways cameto them.

Before the Europeansever left the old countrythey had decided tomake tile break with theold ways and to seeksomething that was newand, hopeffilly, better.

But the Nlesquakieswere not unhappy anddwy were not lookingfor anything new.

Of course,many ot our peopledecide to leave

altogether. They move tothe cities and becomejust like any other Amer-ican. But for every onewho does this, two moreare born to take theirplace in the Indiancommunities across theland. So the ways do notdie out.

Ask Yourself1. According to thisarticle, how is theNative American com-munity different fromEuropean-Americanconununities?2. Why does this writerthink Native Americanways will never die out?

I 1 1r \VaVs'7Z.;

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'V NeitisTown with heart of stone

refuses to dieDes Moines Register,Dec. 6, 1964Stone City, IowaStone City probablycould be titled the placethat refuses to die.

Stone City snuggleson the banks of thescenic, tree-bor-dered Wapsipin-icon (WAP-see-pin-e-con) River,four miles westof Anamosa.Limestone bluffsdominate the scene.

Stone from there washauled by oxen for use bythe army more than 100years ago. In 1852, stonewas hauled to MountVernon to be used forCornell College buildings.

By 1896, a thousandmen were working inthe quarries. Thencame Portland cement.Cheaper and more

flexible than limestone,it took over most ofStone City's markets.By 1900, Stone City hadbecome a ghost town.The community cameback as an artists' and

writers' colony inthe early 1930s.The late artistGrant Woodwas on the fac-ulty of the StoneCity Colony andArt School

Today, thecommunity has

24 families, withabout 112 residents.

Ask yourself1. What made theStone City communityfade away?2. Can a communitywith only 24 familiesstill be a community?Why or why not?

Iowa's Orphan TrainsDes Moines Register,June 18, 1989Buffalo Center, IowaWhen she was 5 yearsold, Agnes Herlin rode atrain from Brooklyn, NewYork, to Forest City, Iowa.

There, she and adozen children, theirnames pinned on theircoats and dresses,walked single file fromthe train depot to theMethodist Church.

There, adults lookedthem over and chose theone they wanted. Twofamilies wanted Agnes.She went to the home ofan elderly couple.

1 0

From 1854 to 1929,trains brought thousandsof orphans and aban-doned children from theEast Coast to rural areasin Iowa and other states.Anybody who wanted anew son or daughtercould have one.

At least 150,000 andperhaps as many as250,000 children rode therails to new homes, someseparated forever frombrothers and sisters.

Ask Yourself1. What united the mem-bers of this community?2. Why did this com-munity exist?

The Goldfinch 9

Communities of interestSharing something in common meansyou are part of a community!by Linzee Kull Mc Cray

If you have a hobby, belong to a club, or participatein after-school activities, you are a part of a commu-nity of interest. This community is made up of people

who share goals, experiences, jobs, hobbies, or othercommon interests.

Elspetn Close was a teenager living in Iowa City in1918 and a member of many communities of interest.She shared some interests with her friends, likeshopping, going to movies, and having sleep-overs. Athome, Elspeth loved to read, write in her diary, and

bake. Although she did these things alone, they made

her part of communities of interest, too.Community members may share tneir interests at

meetings, informal gatherings, or in newsletters, butsome community members may never meet at all.

Community of readers

f you like to snuggle down with aI good book, you are part of alarge community of Iowans the

community of readers. Iowa ranksnumber eight in the nation when itcomes to checking out librarybooks.

With so much to read, fromschool textbooks to the back of

10 The Goldfinch

your cereal box, it is hard toimagine a time when books werescarce. But even into the 20thcentury, however, many Iowafamilies had only the Bible and afew books in their homes.

Iowa's early citizens knew theimportance of libraries, but fewIowa towns could afford them. To

61st:w4t-I dose was an Iowa City girlwho belonged to many communitiesof interest in the early 0100s.

make books available to morepeople, Iowa's General Assemblyestablished a traveling librarysystem in 1896. Originally, the statelibrary in Des Moines shippedboxes of 50 books to groups willingto pay the postage. These packagesincluded fiction, books on farmingand homemaking, and children'sbooks.

Bookmobiles big motorhomes with shelves still takebooks to people who live far frompublic libraries. Today, five book-mobiles travel throughout Iowa,reaching the community of readersthat stretches across the state.

11

Iowa's farming community

Although separated by acres offields and woods, farmers and

their families are a communitybased on their shared interest inthe land. Many early European-American settlers came to Iowa inthe 1800s for rich farmland. Farmfamilies worked hard t survive,

and farm children had .panychores. They fed animals, helped inthe fields and house, and often hadonly their brothers and sisters toplay with when the work was done.

The isolation made it difficult toget together and share farmingexperiences. County and state fairs

began as places for farmers togather for education as well as fun.

In 1869, a college was estab-lished in Ames offering instructionin the latest developments inagriculture. Women attended thesame school to study home eco-nomics. Today, that college is IowaState University.

In the early 1900s, the extensionservice, an organization that taughtrural families how to use new ideason their farms and in their homes,began to hold classes and farmdemonstrations. The service is still

offered.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 12

This illustration appeared

in a boo:let from the early

tqoos advertising the

benefits of a traveling

library system. The

drawing shows how a

traveling library connects

the community of readers

in Iowa. Name some of the

other communities ,/ou see

in the illustration.

Today. the community offarmers is not as isolated as it was100 years ago. Telephones andimproved roads allow farm familiesto get together more easily andmore often. Information is availablein newspapers, on television, andon the Internet. Farm children goto school in town and can gettogether with their friends. Al-though they still live miles apart,members of the farming commu-nity are closer today than they werelon years ago.+

hit ( I fiuith 11

Kid CommunitiesTaking care of kids in Iowa historyby Millie K. Frese

Throughout the state's history, Iowans have joinedforces in special communities to meet the needs ofchildren. Some kid-centered communities have beenaround for more than a century. Others change ordisappear as kids' needs change.

Iowa Braille School

The Iowa Braille School (IBS)in Vinton has served stu-

dents who are partially or com-pletely visually impaired since1852. The school teaches kidshow to live in a world gearedtoward those who can see.

One of the school's morefamous students was MaryIngalls, sister of author LauraIngalls Wilder. Mary, who was 14when she lost her vision, attendedthe school between 1881 and1889.

She and other students studiedmusic, Instory, math, clwmistry,and industrial subjects such assewing and beadwork.

The students lived in dirmito-

1.2 nii.Guldrinch

a;

LZa Cilann (\eft) and Matthew ?eters,

students at the lowa School for the Deaf

in Gouncil Vuffs, particpate in Art

Festival '45.

ries, two to a bed. In the 1920s, aChildren's Cottage was added.Kid-size furniture, drinkingfountains, and bathroom facilitieswere built for very young chil-dren.

Students at IBS helped runtheir community. Some worked inthe kitchen and garden whileothers cared for the youngeststudents. The students also raisedmuch of the food they ate.

This year, IBS serves 400students. Fifty to 60 attend classeson campus. They live in dormito-ries but go home weekends andholidays. The rest are served byIBS while attending sch(iols intheir own communities.

Besides academic subjects,

t2,r3MP stern writin9blind pe8'0e. can read

a

IBS students learn to travel safely,read and write Braille, and usespecial technology. They alsolearn how to do things sightedkids take for granted, such asusing a phone, ordering from amenu, and packing a lunch.

"Sometimes, in public school(students who are blind) becomeostracized," said Diane Utsinger,who works at IBS. "Hei,-, thatdoesn't happen. Everyone has achance to shine."

Iowa School for the Deaf

In 1855, a state-run school forhearing-impaired kids was

operating in Iowa City. Kids camefrom around the state to live andlearn in a setting designed to

1 3 161 out

meet their special needs. In1870, the school moved to itspresent location in CouncilBluffs.

In the beginning,students were instructedin mostly industrialsubjects. The school wasequipped with a shoeshop, a bakery, a carpen-ter shop, and a printingshop. According to apamphlet published by the schoolin 1910, students were expectedto "acquire trades and pursuits inlife whereby they may becomeindependent wage-earners."

Today, the school emphasizesacademic subjects just likemost schools across the stateand serves Iowa students until theage of 21. More than 90 studentsstudy and live in this community,while 40 more students attendclasses during the day and gohome in the evenings.

destituto poor

" ' "" .1e" 117W040 JO*4,

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Military company of boys at the lovia 'ooldiers'

Annie Wittenmyer Home

Annie Turner Wittenmyerlived in Keokuk at the

outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.Wittenmyer soon realized thatorphaned children were oftenoverlooked victims of war. In1864. a year before the Civil War

ended, Wittenmyer helped open ahome in Farmington for kids leftorphaned or destitute. Thefollowing year, the home wasmoved to Davenport and calledthe Iowa Soldiers' Orphans'Home. Soon, similar homesopened in Cedar Falls andGlenwood. In 1876, all the homes

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Orphans' Home, Davenport, IfSlos.

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were closed and the orphansmoved to the Davenport home.

Residents lived in cottages.They went to school and workedon the home's farm or the otherindustries within its community.

Over the years, needs of theresidents changed. Fewer kidswere orphaned by soldiers, whilemore required specialized educa-tion, treatment, and care. TheWittenmyer Youth Center nowcares for adolescents with behav-ioral disorders and houses otherkid communities, like Head Startand Junior Theater.

Today, kids without parentsmay live with other relatives orwith foster families. These andother kid-centered communitiesoffer kids a place to belong. +

Thu Guldfinch 13

Forced Communitiesby Tina Goepfert Roth

While most Iowans choosewhere to live, work, and

play, some participate in involun-tary communities where they havelittle or no choice about being amember.

"Usually these are specialpopulations who are broughttogether by a single shared condi-tion or special circumstances,"explained Rick Knupfer of the IowaHumanities Board.

Migration, law, natural disasters,and even education have drawnIowans together (and kept themapart) throqghout the state'shistory.Sharing spaces

When European-Americansettlers arrived in Iowa in the1830s, they had to share space withthe Native Americans already here.European Americans soon claimedthe land as their own. The U.S.government forced Native Ameri-cans to leave and later only alloweda few to return and purchasc theiroriginal village lands.Learning the rules

When people are caught break-ing laws, they are often sent to

14 Thc Goldfinch

prisons or reform schools.Members of these communitiesare restricted in where they goand what they do.

Glenwood, the first reformschool in Iowa, was built forboys in Lee County in 1868. By1869, Iowa also had a girls'reform school. Kids ages 5 to 18lived in these reform communi-ties for a variety of reasons.Some misbehaved, others werehomeless, and a few werecriminals. Like other kids,reform school children attendedschool, worked, and learned trades,but they could not leave the tightboundaries of their communities.Going to school

You are already familiar withthe biggest involuntary communityin your town your school! Everychild in the state, ages 6 to 16, isrequired by law to attend school.This wasn't always the case. Duringthe early days of our state, going toschool was optional. In 1902 and1919, the Iowa Legislature passedlaws making school compulsory.Facing the flood

During the flood of 1993,

sale

optional choice

Sometimes people have little choice aboutliviny together. This was the cast whenEuropean-Arnerican and Native-Arnericancommunities came into contact in the. is3os

hundreds of Iowans were forced toleave their homes to escape therising water. Involuntary communi-ties were formed when floodvictims found temporary shelter inchurches and school gymnasiums.Did the flood create new communi-ties in your town?

Other factors also have shapedinvoluntary communities. Through-out history, people have beenforced into communities based onage, gender, or race. \That aresome of the involuntary communities in your life?

con-r\sorirequirtd

15

*en people are claim in Ole &amps, Ws common to ofthat Om just haul a Ithie bood to get them vniliv agai

Ifs the same with communities! Give lour commudti aboost. Awes how!

° Brochure

((n.

T o boost means to spread the word about1 how great something is. Towns in Iowa

started booster clubs in the late 1800s toattract new residents and businesses.Booster clubs planned parades, festivals,and other ways to spread the news abouttheir communities.

Today, the communities you belong to needYOU to help continue their important work.

Continue the tradition of boosterismwith a booster brochure you design and dis-tribute yourself. You can boost your town orneighborhood, a club, or a group of peoplewho share similar beliefs and ideas.

INS1RIC11014

Step I. Fold a btan piece of paper in thirds. ?Ian yourbrochure Decide who you are tryin9 to atract to your

community. lksv: yourself what kind ofinformation will boost your community.

Cr IldanciiCOMMUNITY !

aretnale wafSubScrites who /ow -le

reed eoth issue! /1-P1i:feudft) be a member di*

Aper-cool Gokitrrm:17Commundy

MfiNerStep 2: Use the six panels on your brochure to or9aniz.e

your information. Include written information and illustra-

tions. Dress up your brochure with glitter, sticKers, and other

fun stuff.

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of your booster

brochure to friends,

family members and

teacher's, Invite

them to join your

community, too!

16

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A Czech CommunityComing to Iowa . . . making it feel like homeBy Sherri Dagel House

In 1854, seven-year-old Thomas

Korab embarked on a 12-week

adventure that began in Moravia,

a country in eastern Europe, and

ended in Linn County, Iowa.Thomas and his parents traveledthousands of miles across Europe

and over the stormy AtlanticOcean. Their exhausting journeyended at their new home a

farmstead near the town of CedarRapids. There they found agrowing Czech conununity.Making Iowa home

Like the Korab family, thou-sands of other immigrants cameto the United States and Iowa,settling in the mid-to-late-1800s.

Czech immigrants built homes

and businesses on the southeast-ern bank of the Cedar River, close

to water, food, work sites. andtransportation. Workers laterconstructed i bridge across theriver and the community ex-panded to the southwest bank.

'this Cedar Rapids neighbor-

hood, later nicknamed "CzechVillage." became a popular place

18 '1.1it Goldfinch

to settle armnd the turn of thecentury. Although the newcomersdressed and spoke differently fromother Iowans, they felt at home in

the village among other Czechs.

The local Czech school helped

kids like Thomas adapt to theirnew home. While learning to read

and write English, kids alsostudied Czech history and culture.Hanging on to heritage

Most immigrants carried fewbelongings to their new homes.

omi9r3ntspeople who

travel to new countries to

rriae homes

but everyone brought their Czech

heritage to the unique Iowaneighborhood. Czech language

and art helped immigrants retain apart of their cultural heritage.

Cooking traditional foods was

yet another way to keep traditionsalive. Thomas and other Czech

kids often enjoyed fresh kolachi(Koh-lAH-chah), a popular sweet

bread, as they listened to theirparents speak with the baker in

their native language.

4111

V I" :v.!: ,,d4

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t11.4

!Lech b3Y-ery in Ged3r Izapids around the turn of the century

1 9

7

-"Malt 71r.`""

Fairfax residents esei Stittovaty (left) and hersister Tamara Linn Ghadima, pose at the MissC..z.ech Slovag USA Pageant in liq5. Tamarawas second runner-up in the pageant

An athletic and patrioticsociety called a sokol (Sow-KHOL)began in 1874. Here, in the largegymnasium and assembly hall,Czech Iowans practiced andperformed gymnastics and otherexercises, a tradition drought withthem from their homeland. Adultsoften joined drama groups thatpresented Czech plays. Theseeminders of home became

traditions that continue today.Remembering the past

After many years in America,some people started forgetting

their Czech heritage. Adultswanted important customs,education, and language to bepreserved for their children.Czechs across Iowa haveorganized festivals andmuseums to showcase theirculture.

Today. Iowans may visitthe Czech and Slovak Mu-seum and Library or createtheir own Czech-styled art ata Czech heritage festival.Area kids attend summerschool to learn more aboutCzech history, geography,and language.

Holly Upah, the 1995Czech Princess and a CedarRapids r?sident. learned

about her roots at the summerCzech school. Upah told TheGoldfinch that visiting CzechVillage is like visiting history.

"It helps me understand whatlife used to be like for immi-grants," She said. "My life mightbe a lot different now, but myheritage is the same. I really feellike I belong here, too."

20

0 I

Some immigrants weren't aslucky as the Korab family.Instead of community, theyfound loneliness. Affordable landand freedom from persecutiondid not make up for the lan-guage barriers and lack ofcultural activities many immi-grants experienced.

Immigrants sometimesdescribed feelings of lonelinessin letters they wrote to relativesstill living in Europe.

One settler wrote homeabout Christmas in his newhome: .

"I remember you, my dearfellow countrymen ... how youfeel during these special Christ-mas days. while I. farmer.celebrate Christmas In solitudeand sadness in this spiritualdesert here. We have plenty of

'ri.meat. bread, eggs, and coffeebui spiritUal goods we have

,

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;1)1.. 7' '1.14.111" "4"7"1:::: rPretend you have mined to aforeign country. Write a letter torelatives in Iowa describing howyou have tried to create acommunity In your new home.

nad.........&...raaalaaMdlailana.... Man oneshana

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kgeolZ,...;,;'"?

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Ifs WC!...63.

The Goldfinch 19

A Community of Faith:Jews in Sioux Cityby Kathleen M. Hays

When young Esther Klassarrived in Sioux City in

1910, she was dazzled by thefurnishings in her new home. Shedid not have electricity in herRussian home and her mother hadcooked in an open fireplace. Nowshe stared at the large, shiny stove."Is that a piano?" she asked.From the old country to the new

Esther's family was part of theflood of Jewish immigrants whoentered the United States between1885 and 1914. Most were verypoor. Jews were not allowed to ownland in eastern Europe and wereforced to live in crowded areas ofcities called ghettos.

When they arrived in America,many found homes among theirfellow Jews in the eastern UnitedStates. Those who came to Iowawere attracted to cities like Daven-port. Des Moines, and Sioux Citywhere they set up businesses

20 'Me Goklfinch

Ten-year-old Nick 8obls is a membor

of the liwish community in Sioul.

selling clothes, shoes, and food,and worked as teachers, doctors,and lawyers.Building a community

The already established Jewishcommunity helped Jewish newcom-ers. "When I came to Sioux City,"Joe Rosenthal remembered in 1985,"there were two or three individu-als who provided for all the newimmigrants." Although Joe wasonly 13 in 1907, he was given a jobmaking deliveries for a grocer.Others worked for Jewish black-smiths, carpenters, and harness-makers.

Jews coming to Iowa wanted topreserve their heritage. Theyorganized social clubs, youth

groups, women's societies, andpolitical organizations.

The center of the Jewish com-munity was the temple or syna-gogue, but not all Jews agreed onhow to worship. The first Jewishimmigrants to Iowa were mostlyGermans who arrived before 1885.They organized a congregation in1899. They wanted to fit in withother Americans. so they heldservices on Sunday morninginstead of the traditional Fridaynight.

Later. Jewish immigrants whopracticed Orthodox Judaism beganarriving from Russia and easternEurope. Their stricter religiousbeliefs didn't allow them to work on

L Mir Fition tnenthere, ni ,3 church,

21 ,1nacioc3ue, or other pLire 01 wot*Ip

BEST COPY AVAILABLF

Shabat the Sabbath

Saturday or eat the same foodsmost Americans ate. They had littleto do with other Iowans, includingthe earlier Jewish immigrants.Instead, they quickly establishedtheir own synagogues, building thefirst in 1894 and three more by1910.

World V'ar I (1914-1917) and acommon concern for Jewish peoplein need finally drew the Jews ofSioux City together. In 1925, theyformed a new congregation.More changes

The years have brought aboutchanges for the Jewish community

1

in Sioux City. Congregations havegotten smaller and have joinedtogether as old and young commu-nity members move away. Fewerthan 600 Jews are now left of the2,500 who once lived in Sioux City.

But Sioux City's Jewish commu-nity is still a gout.; place to be a kid.

Just ask 10-year-old Nick Bobysabout his favorite holiday.

"Every Friday night," he saysimmediately. That's when he goesto the temple with his dad tocelebrate Shabat (SHAH-bat) andkibitz (KI13.-its).

"It's cool," Nick says. :*

If

These kids are mat:ing decorations for Passover, a 1-ewish holiday

22BEST COPY AVAILABLE

A view of Souv. City in the

During the late laoos, there were about

3,000 Tewish people living in Iowa. el

191(0, this number rose to 9,000.

2

3

V-\)11. --\r.\1 44 \1\11ctnai,

"flic Goldflth h 21

Left outby Bridgett M. Williams

Being left out is never fun. Yetsometimes, when people are

excluded from a community dueto age, gender, race, or politicalbeliefs, they form their owngroups to make exclusion lesspainful. These groups can alsogive people a strong collectivevoice to ask for changes.The fight for suffrage

Because American women wereexcluded from voting in nationalelections until 1920, some Iowawomen published pro-suffragenewspapers and organized PoliticalEquality Clubs. Carrie ChapmanCatt, a resident of Charles City,went door-to-door to convince herneighbors that women should havethe right to vote.

Women eventually got the rightto vote when the 19th Amendmentto the United States Constitutionwas passed by Congress in 1920.Despite the new law, African-American women were oftenexcluded from the polls because oftheir race. The fight for equalitywas far from over.

22 1111.(1n1dfinch

it;g!

00:1WRON;ZE

ekes reMr C4

rirsZas, 1

Growing older, getting strongerIn Iowa's early history and into

this century, most homes consistedof extended families where grand-parents worked and played along-side their children and grandchil-dren. This is not the case today.

Elderly people often live inretirement communities andsometimes feel isolated from theirfamilies Fortunately, senior citizencenters offer a wide range ofactivities to help older citizens easetheir feelings of loneliness ardisolation.

By coming together, Iowa'schlerly populations made theirc, Icerns heard in the Iowa legisla-ture. The Iowa Commission onAging, first founded in the 1960s,

23Alfir3cje the N3ht to vote

7

When people are left out of communi-ties and denied their rights, they oftengather together to woo: for change,like these protestors did during thtCivil Rights Movement of the tqlOsand tilOs.

coordinates state services forsenior citizens. The Commissionworks closely with older Iowansand tries to address their concerns.The Commission's monthlypublication, Prime Time, givesolder Iowans a way to stay con-nected to each other. 4P

0 \AH, (Ipll'

oxclutfoitto-,

n

loft ()lit t h

to.im. or othor 1 ()mom

nit,2 How did it makoyou feel?

Be a hoto historian

,

Yon and your family might be members of manycommunides at once an ethnic group, neigh-

borhood. school, and club.The students in the photograph above are mem-

bers of several different communities, too. One ofthem was their school, the Immaculate ConceptionAcademy in Decorah, which they attended around1911. Study the }..hoto carefully and pick out the cluesto the other communities represented in the room.Then answer the questions to the right.

24

a-

;*

O What are these kids doing?0 How does the seating arrangement divide theclassroom community?0 What are the four communities identified on theblackboard?°Where is the teacher? Name a community shebelongs to.O Do you belong to similar communities?

by Michelle Rubin

Tht Goldlinch 23

''''fA ..7.r.":1.......

'r. ' 1.

11.

In the last issue of The Goldfinch, we left PeterNelson reading the diary of Linka (Lyn-KAH'Halverson, a girl who lived in the 1850s.

p eter was still deep in thought when hisgrandmother creaked up the attic stairs

and touched his shoulder. He jumped."That book must be pretty interesting,"

Grandma Nelson said, sitting down on awooden trunk.

Peter nodded. "Look at all this cool stuff Ifound," he said, showing her Linka's diary and aphotograph of two people in an old car. "I'vebeen reading about the Halversons. They movedhere from Norway."

"I had forgotten about Linka's diary. Do youknow who she was?" Grandma asked excitedly.

Peter shook his head."Linka wa.; your great-great-great-great-

grandmother. The Halversonsfarm d near Decorah formany years."

Peter flipped through thediary. "Most of it is in

Norwegian," he said."The last date is in 1861."

Grandma nodded."The year she was mar-ried. She probably stopped

writing when she hadher own family to carefor. She died before she

finished the translation."

25

';

"How did it end up here?"Peter asked.

"Oh, it must have beenpassed down through thefamily," Grandma Nelsonsaid, looking around."Many of these thingsbelonged to my parents,and my grandparentsbefore them."

Peter pointed to thephotograph. "Who arethese guys?"

"The boy on theleft is Willy Erickson.He was Linka'sgrandson, my grandfather and yourgreat-great-grandfather," Grandma Nelsonanswered. She turned the photograph over andread aloud, "Sammy and me in his new MaytagSpeedster, 1911."

"So who was the Sammy guy, grandma?"Peter asked. "And what's a Speedster?"

"There's only one way to answer that,"Grandma Nelson replied. She stood up, openedthe trunk, and pulled oth. a packet of envelopes.Sitting back down, she untied the bundle andleafed through it.

"Here it is,' she said finally. "This is a letterGrandpa Willy wrote to me in 1950 when I was15." She started to read and Peter settled backin his chair.

Art bi Mirf -F-4VAE1

November 2, 1950

Dear Annie,I promised to tell you the stories of my child-

hood. The first one I will tell happened in 1911.1was about 12 and lived in rural Woodbury County

A fancy new invention, the automobile,came to our community that year. It was aMaytag Model E Touring Car that belonged toour neighbor, Mr. Samuel Jenkins. He drove itall the way from Waterloo where it was made.Most folks said old Samuel had more moneythan sense. But I didn't think so. If I had S1600 I

26 The Goldfinch 25

would have bought a new car, too.A few weeks later Sam Jr. had it out for a

spin. He slowed down by our pasture. I ran tothe fence, my heart pounding. I rememberthinking what a gOod day this was for driving. Itwas a mid-October morning and the air smelledof crisp autumn leaves. I.ran to the fence, hop-ing this would be my chance for a ride.

It was. Sammy lifted his goggles. "Jump in,"he yelled. I hopped the fence and strolled aroundthat glorious machine. It had a midnight bluebody with yellow frame. I had never before seenanything so beautiful.

I scrambled in and Sammy handed me a longcoat like his and helped me adjust a pair of gog-gles over my eyes. They pinched a little, but keptthe dust out. We sped off, going about 15 milesan hour. I was so enjoying myself that I forgotabout the time and the chores I had deserted.

We had three flat tires but still made it homebefore dark. My folks gave me a good talking to,but not before my sister begged them to takemy picture in the Speedster. Then I was sent tomy room without supper.

But I didn't care. For a ride in that car Iwould have gone without Fupper for a week. Ithought the automobile was the best thing thatever happened to our community. I didn't real-iw it then, but this new-fangled invention had itsdownside, too.

Trouble was the car took business away fromsmall communities. Rural familieA with cars did-

2 6 The Goldfinch 27,

n't have to depend on the small-town groceryand other shops. They could drive to largertowns and cities looking for bargains. Thisdrove many small-town shops out of business.

But, oh, how some communities grew! Ruralfolks suddenly had a whole new world toexplore. The car took them further from theirhomes than they had ever been before. Theycould go to town more regularly and weren'tso isolated from their friends and neighbors.Cars made it easier to sell farm productsaround the county. And the car did wondersfor the medical community. Rural doctorscould reach their patients faster than everbefore and rural folks could travel easily tohospitals for the care they needed.

For a long time our country dirt roads wereproblems. They were gr . for horses and wag-ons, but cars had awful troubles. After it rained,cars often got stuck in the mud and a team ofhorses had to pull them out. Rural areas didn'tget paved roads until the 1930s. Some stilldon't have them.

MP§

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5cfort tow tutu, travelers ti amm/ and Willy relied on a tom of horses to rescue them from muddy roads.

But the paved roads did come and a newroadside community flourished. Service stationsrepaired cars and filled their gas tanks. Roadsiderestaurants and motor inns served hungry andtired travelers. Things like drive-in movie the-aters, drive-through restaurants and automaticcar washes changed many communities. And wewouldn't need highway patrols, parking meters,or license plates if we didn't have cars.

Grandma Nelson folded the letter back intoits envelope.

"You know, Grandma," Peter said quietly, "Ican't remember my first car ride, or imagine whatlife in Council Bluffs would be like without cars."He shook his head in disbelief.

Grandma chuckled and picked up a 1953 tele-vision guide laying next to her. "You know what's

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

changed our lives even more?" she asked. "If itwas anything, it was television!"

Peter's eyes bulged. He didn't even want toimagine life without TV!

Stay tuned. In the next issue ofThe Goldfinch, youll learn howtelevision changed the life of an

Iowa family in the 1950s.

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Your turn '7771. How did cars change rural communties?2. Name three nei products or:service;

brought about by cars.3. How would your community -be differ-

ent without cars?4. What items is the Maytag company

known for today?111%

The Goldfinch 27

Iowa ticits sham iheir vision oflifo in Iowa in 1944

I owans make up a geographicalcommunity we share a

common land area, government,and laws. Throughout Iowahistory, our communities havechanged as advances in technol-ogy and new ideas and attitudeshave changed our lives.

In 1846, the year Iowa becamethe 29th state, most European-

Iowa's Great Years150!150!150, what a great number.Iowa was a producer of lumber.We talk,But we don't mock!Everything the farmers do,The cows scream, "Moo! Moo!"Our flag Is very great.'Cause we're a great state!We all try to get along,And we sing a great song.We never get mental,'Cause It's Sesquicentennial!

Molly Powers, 11, Spirit Lake

American families in Iowa lived onfarms and worked long hours tosurvive. One hundred and fiftyyears later, most Iowans live intowns and cities. Fewer Iowansfarm for a living. Those who dohave improved machinery to helpthem with their crops and live-stock.

We asked our readers to share

28 The Goldfinch

in the celebration of Iowa's 150thbirthday by sending in theirdrawings, poems, and stories.Some Goldfinch readers sharedtheir ideas of what life was like forIowans in 1846, while anothercelebrates Iowa's birthday withher poem entitled Iowa's GreatYears.

Linzee Kull McCray

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In the mid-1800s the houses only had one room forthe kitchen, sleeping, and eating. They had to liveIn log cabins in those days. It was fun when I sleptIn a log cabin. Joshua Opp, 9, Cushing

29

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The farmer feeds and waters theanimals. He only has a log cabin tosleep in. The farmer is carrying ayoke to put on the oxen's neck sothat they can go into the field toplow.

Jeremy Opp, 11. Cushing

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n the olden days they didn't have electricity to have g. . .

lights. They only had lanterns. They didn't haverefrigerator6. They used the ice house. They didn't

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have toilets. They went in outhouses. They didn't have -..

heateii. They had woodstoves. The stores didn't ha-v-e- 4'1

cash registers. They used pencil and paper. They didn't

have glo6es. They ti'ad flat mips...:-Thiy didn't ilave v"::.:',/-:',1

Cars: T6ey used horses and buggies. They didn't uiimachines for farming. They used horse-drawn plows.

Elizabeth Powell. 8. Zearing

9ES1 COPY AVAILABLE

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Community PuzzlerI ust like communities across Iowa, the word "community" has a lot

going on. Figure out just how much by finding separate words withinthe word. How many can you spot? (We found more than 30!) You

may use the letters more than once to form each word. People'snames, like "Tim," don't count. Send your list of words to TheGoldfinch by January 15, 1996, and we'll send you a free prize.

(Hint: The words can be short, like "It" or long like "commit.") Send

your list to: Community Puzzler, The Goldfinch, 402 Iowa Ave., IowaCity, Iowa 52240. Please include your name, age, address, and grade in

school. (P.S. Good luck!)

AnswersHow to build a town (page 7)(1) Three schools, three cemeteries, and twochurches (2) Old North School because it's closest totheir homes (3) Haydens, Cases, Harveys, Summers,Carters, Clares, Lambs, and Penichs (4) Curtis andArmour families (5) Big Rock was a landmark(6) Less water and not near a town center (7) Menwere considered heads of households (8) You wouldwant to live near people, water, and a town center

News from lcaria (page 16)(1) A, B, D (2) C, D (3) E (4) F (5) G, F (6) H,

History mystery (back cover)This year is the 75th anniversary of the 19thamendment to the U.S. Constitution which gaveall American women the right to vote. Theammendment was passed by the United StatesCongress on August 26, 1920. Read more aboutthe woman suffrage community on page 22.

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Iowa history is full of communities.You'll learn about many of them in this

issue of The Goldfinch.The button to the left repre-

sents a community that formedacross Iowa and the country.

i Community members workedjtogether to achieve a common

er goal. Suffragettes, as they werecalled in the late 1800s and early

1900s, wanted American women to havethe right to vote. They became members of

the woman suffrage community and sponsored rallies,demonstrations, and speeches to convince lawmakersthat women should have the right to vote.

This year, the woman suffrage community is celebrat-ing a very special anniversary. What is it9 (Turn to page30 for the answer.)

Gol _richUS ISSN 0278-0208State Histoncal Society of Iowa402 Iowa AvenueIowa City, Iowa 52240-1806

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