Women of Southwest Minnesota and the Great War - Anita Talsma Gaul
Dr. Anita Gaul, professor of history at MN West Technical Community College, will be at the library in period costume to present a 45 minute presentation entitled "The Women of Southwest Minnesota and the Great War." The presentation will explore how the women of this region contributed to the war effort in expected and also unexpected ways: Women living in Southwest Minnesota overwhelmingly supported World War I by joining the Red Cross, participating in the US Food Administration food conservation campaign, or by serving as nurses. However, some women also used the opportunity to challenge traditional gender roles and take jobs usually held by men such as working as field hands, as railroad depot agents, or forming Minnesota's only all-female Home Guard unit. Winning the "great war for democracy" was due, in no small part, to the efforts of America's women, and this includes the efforts put forth by the women living in Southwest Minnesota.
10 participated
Community members will gain knowledge about how women experienced WWI at home in southwestern Minnesota. Individuals will also have an understanding and appreciation of the roles women played in our area during WWI. With gained knowledge of how women in our area impacted the war effort, community members will engage others in conversation and share some of the knowledge they learned by attending the program. Participation evaluations and anecdotal responses will be collected.
The most memorable outcome was that audience members stayed an additional 30-40 minutes after the end of the program to talk with Anita and with each other about what they learned, and how they might have reacted if they had lived in the same time period. One of them came to the library the next day to thank library staff for putting the program on, and checked out Anita's book, which was what the presentation was based on.
Wabasso Standard, KLGR Radio, Lamberton, Redwood Falls and Morgan Libraries