Newspaper articles on 1894 Summer Program Field Trip

 Minneapolis Daily Times – Aug. 7, 1894

     Next Saturday there will be an excursion to Taylor’s Falls, under the direction of Prof. McDougall, of the department of botany. Instructors in geology and zoology will accompany the party and assist any interested in these subjects. The purpose of the excursion is to observe plant life and nature along the lines which are subjects of study in school. It is thought that fully 400 teachers will go, and it is reported that farmers in the vicinity of Taylor’s Falls have already taken measures to protect their crops. 

Minneapolis Daily Times – Aug. 12, 1894

TEACHER’S SECOND

The Summer School Has Had One Successful Week.

      About 200 school ma’ams form the university summer school spent yesterday at Taylor’s Falls, the occasion being the first of the series of natural science excursions arranged by the scientific department. The party was in charge of D. L. MacDougal, professor of botany, and the instructors in geology and animal biology, who assisted any interested in these subjects. Recreation was an incidental object of the excursion and the day was spent chiefly in observing plant life and distribution as influenced by temperature, light, moisture, soil and climate. Considerable attention was also given to the scientific methods of collecting and preparing material for use in the laboratory and class room

Star Tribune – Aug. 12, 1884

VISITED TAYLOR’S FALLS.

A Party of 150 Light Hearted Students and Dignified Professors Spend a Day in the Country to Their Satisfaction, Delight and Profit.

      The second week of the summer school at the University closed with an outing at Taylor’s Falls yesterday, which was highly enjoyed by all participants. The party, numbering 150, including several students of the University, was in charge of Prof. D. T. MacDougal, of the botanical department, and left the Union Depot, over the St. Paul and Duluth road, at 7:55. The trip out was a lively one, varied by the singing of the schoolma’ams and the yelling of the U boys. About 10:30 the party landed, leaving the train a mile this side of Taylor’s Falls for the purpose of examining the Potsdam sandstone jutting against the Keweenawan diabase, phenomena explained by Instructor A. H. Elftman, of the department of geology. Thence the party walked along the river bank to Taylor’s Falls, and on the way looked down from above at the Devil’s Chair, a pinnacle of rock which rises from the river’s edge to a height of 150 feet. They swarmed through the village of Taylor’s Falls, making no effort to show their knowledge of military drill, then ascended from the river to the height of 300 feet to the picnic grounds. It was nearly noon by the time this spot was reached, and immediately baskets were unloaded and the crowd fell to. There is one thing that a school teacher can always do, when the opportunity is offered, and that is to eat. And there was no exception in yesterday’s picnic. They assembled about a couple of camp fires and enjoyed a square meal. 

       After dinner the crowd divided into several parties, those in geology being led by A. H. Elftman, in entomology by O. W. Oestlund, in botany by A. P. Anderson, Francis Ramaley, Misses J. E. Tilden and Emma Freeman. The party next made a detour of the outskirts of the village of Taylor’s Falls to inspect the potholes and so-called devil’s kitchen there found, then crossed the St. Croix into Wisconsin, making use of “that infernal 5-cent toll bridge,” Prof. MacDougal’s language, which by a span of 50 feet connects the two states. They followed the Wisconsin side of the river to St. Croix Falls, examining there the rich flora of the marshy hillsides and the horizontal shales and sandstones. Returning to Taylor’s Falls via the toll bridge, the remainder of the afternoon was spent in boating and other forms of amusement. After lunch the party started for home at 6:48, and reached the starting place at 9:30. Many specimens both of botany and geology were taken by the teachers, some of them to be used in the work of their own class rooms, and some to be studied in the summer school. The trip was in every respect a decided success.