Friends of the Kasson Public Library: Owatonna State School Orphan-Harvey Ronglein

Friday, March 6, 2009

Owatonna State School Orphan-Harvey Ronglein

Harvey and Maxine Ronglein were guest speakers at Hot Reads For Cold Nights our adult reader winter program. Mr. Ronglein spoke about being a state school orphan from the age of 4-18. His brother and him were the only two left of seven children that were not adopted after his parents died and they were eventually taken to the state school in Owatonna. He said he liked the school because of the three meals a day, exercise, a place to sleep every night. But discipline was sure, swift, and harsh.

He stated that many of the children had trouble as adults with feeling love and closeness to others. They did not know how to cope in the real world as they were told what to do, when to do it and how to do it. But as he said they were healthy and strong from their chores at the school from working in the barns, garden, kitchen, or cottages. At the school they never celebrated birthdays, called anyone mom or dad, or ate what was not given to them.

He and his wife Maxine have been married for over 56 years which is very unusual for state school children, as many have multiple marriages and divorces. Many also have trouble with alcohol and drugs trying to cope in a world outside of the state school. The library has four books of the six book published that tell of other state school children experiences.. The Named Me Majorie by Ann Zemke, While the Locus Slept by Peter Razor, Patty's Journey by Donna Scott Norling, A Boy From C-11 by Harvey Ronglein.

Maxine and Harvey run the State School Orphanage Museum in Owatonna. This is a must stop for you and your children to learn more about a period in Minnesota history. Over 10,000 children were housed and educated and 198 children were buried with an average age of 4 years old the school cemetery. Museum website is :http://www.blogger.com/www.orphanagemuseum.com .