The Orphanage Museum

Did you know that Owatonna Minnesota is home to the only Orphanage Museum in North America??  Its official name is the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children.  Quite an imposing edifice, especially to a child.  The main building housed the administrative offices and the dining hall.  Today the building is the Owatonna City Administration Building, in addition to housing the museum.  

Our book club took a field trip to the Minnesota State Public School after reading The Extrodinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart, which takes place in an orphanage.  The book has been nominated for this year's National Homeschool Book Award, along with three others.  While the buildings, grounds and displays are interesting, the best part by far was listening to and asking questions of Harvey Ronglien, the director of the museum former orphan (technically ward of the state).  Harvey lived at the Minnesota State Public School (MSP from 1932-1943.  He was about five in 1932 when he and his brother entered and he left when he was old enough to be independent, about 16. Harvey and his wife Maxine are the driving force behind the museum.  Here he is speaking to our group in what was the dining hall.  

Though Harvey liked MSP, he emphasized just how important a family is by describing the things he missed without even knowing.  For example, as an adult he had no idea that one should celebrate birthdays or visit relatives on holidays.  Maxine set him straight.  It was interesting to hear the ways in which being brought up at the State Public School was advantageous, and ways in which it was not.  The children were fed, housed and clothed at the height of the depression.  They received a high school education at a time when lots of kids did not go beyond the 8th grade.  The orphanage had electricity before the town.  On the flip side, the children grew up in an institutional setting.  Creativity and individuality was discouraged.  Discipline was harsh.  Socially, it seems might was king, which did not translate to the outside world very well.  On the brochure it says "for some, it was a circle of hell; for others, a safe haven."  

Ariadne was especially taken with the infant display.  The mannequins where just her size and right at her level.  I think she wanted to ride their rocking horse.  

Here are all of the kids along with Harvey Ronglien outside cabin 11 (c-11), where he lived for the majority of his childhood.  In fact, his memoir is entitled Boy from C-11.  The door behind us the main entrance, but all the kids were required to use the basement door to the right.  Similarly, there was a formal living room, the children weren't allowed in it except for special occasions like Christmas.  Instead they spent most of their time in the basement.  So did our kids.  All the toys were down there.  

We ended our visit with a picnic on the extensive grounds.  During Summer there are audio stations throughout the property, where Harvey Ronglien's stories are available at the push of a button.