BSU games

As President Manfred Deputy reviewed football practice one evening in May 1932, he remarked that the players were "working hard as beavers." He called the team into a huddle and, raising his hands above their heads, declared, “I christen this team the Beavers!”

The committee tasked with selecting an inaugural president unanimously elected Manfred W. Deputy, on Feb. 11, 1919, at a salary of $4,000. He accepted two days later. He served as president for 19 years until mandatory retirement, and Deputy Hall was named in his honor in 1967.

Bemidji State's Alumni Arch and Founders' Walk serve as a way to recognize the many persons who gave special assistance to the school's operation, especially in those earliest, formative years. It was dedicated on July 15, 1993, not coincidentally the same day that the school kicked off its 75th anniversary celebration.

In perhaps Bemidji State football’s best effort during the Kris Diaz era, the Beavers beat defending conference champion Winona State 24-14 on Homecoming in 1995. Off went the helmets, and into Lake Bemidji went the players and coaches. Everything went in – shoes, equipment, jerseys and all. A tradition was born.

Tamarack Hall is home to more than 350 residents on 12 floors and is also part of the First Year Residential Experience program. The 12th floor features study and social lounges, from which you can see for miles. The $2 million project opened in the fall of 1969 – despite the fact that the elevators weren't working.

A decade-long dream to replace Hagg-Sauer Hall was finally realized in 2020. A new building, which won numerous awards for government construction projects, was part of an extensive campus renovation project which re-imagined space in four other academic buildings.

New freshman were required to wear beanies for their first week to help distinguish them from the upperclassmen. Although these tiny caps did change in appearance over the decades – sometimes all green, sometimes green and white, with or without letters – they had been part of the expected and generally accepted college experience at the start of every school year.

The new Hagg-Sauer Hall was dedicated in November 2020. It boasts panoramic views of Lake Bemidji, scenic lounge areas, state-of-the-art classrooms and a colorful sunrise mosaic by Minnesota-based artist Stacia Goodman above the entrance to a 320-seat lecture hall.

From 1919-1940, The Main was the only academic building on campus and housed all academic classes, a library and an observational school for children. On Nov. 6, 1967, it was renamed Deputy Hall in recognition of the late President Manfred Deputy.

Bemidji Normal School opened on June 23, 1919, starting with 130 students, all but six of them women. Its main curriculum was a two-year program that prepared high school graduates to teach in any elementary school in the state. In that evening's paper, the Bemidji Daily Pioneer reported that the school opened "under the most auspicious circumstances, and the outlook is indeed flattering."

Our alumni body of more than 50,000 Beavers started with just four students who earned their diplomas in June 1920: Cora Bernhard, Georgia Brown, Josephine Parker and Margaret Romens.

The Madrigal Dinners were founded at BSU under the tenure of Dr. Paul Brandvik, professor emeritus of vocal music, and ran for 50 years until it was retired in 2018. The dinners combined musical, visual, dramatic and culinary arts into an evening that transcended time. Since their debut at Bemidji State, the dinners have been performed throughout Minnesota, Washington and Wisconsin.

The first Homecoming at Bemidji Teachers College was held Oct. 6, 1927. Until 1931, Homecoming was a biennial affair. In that year, the demands of the alumni – eager for this season of reunion – changed it to an annual celebration with all the traditional dinners, teas, parades, dances, bonfires and football games.

The Glas was most notably home to Bemidji State's legendary men's hockey program from 1967 until 2010, with the team winning five of its 13 national championships at the fieldhouse. The Glas was also home to BSU’s commencement ceremony for many years and was the host venue for concerts featuring acts such as Johnny Cash, Cheap Trick, the Goo-Goo Dolls and Vanessa Carlton.

In signing the commitment, President Jon Quistgaard pledged that Bemidji State will be carbon neutral by 2050. Thanks to ongoing efforts, BSU was named a Green Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in 2017. Also in 2008, students agreed to a $5-per-semester “green fee” for education and action.

President Duly was a very easygoing and happy man. He proved he cared for the university and the students by walking around, making conversation, filling coffee cups, scooping ice cream at socials and even bringing a cake to meetings. Duly wanted to be involved with the students as much as possible.

Bemidji State College became Bemidji State University in 1975 behind a decade of maturation that concluded a 20-year building boom, with Hagg-Sauer Hall (1970), the Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex (1971) and the Peters Aquatics Lab (1972). On-campus enrollment reached 4,865 in 1971, and the university had 70 undergraduate programs.

President Sattgast felt he needed to be a leader and join the many young Bemidji State students and faculty who were fighting for the country in World War II. The mission of the Monuments Men was to retrieve monuments and important historical items before a raid came through. Sattgast was asked to be part of this group based on his knowledge of history and the arts. He returned safely home in 1946.

After the balloting on colors had resulted in a deadlock, the freshman from Minneapolis rose and commanded attention. “As we sat here discussing this question,” she said, “I happened to glance out the window. The sight that met my eyes was fresh, green pines silhouetted against pure white snow. What could be more appropriate than green and white?” On the first round of balloting, Miss Freeman’s choice of colors received just one vote. But after her remarks, her idea was accepted unanimously.

Built in 1936-37 by prominent Bemidji businessman David Park, owner of the largest creamery in the Bemidji area at the time, the Park House was designed by architect Edward K. Mahlum and painstakingly built from mostly poured concrete. The house was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1988 and sold to the BSU Foundation in 1991.

The state Legislature in 1935 allowed $4,000 for the construction of the inaugural tunnel to take care of underground water and steam mains, and gas and electric lines. The university first broke ground on its tunnel system in 1935, and by 1941, the first underground walkway connected present day Deputy Hall and Memorial Hall. Laborers earned between $0.35 and $1.20 an hour.

Joseph Nicollet was a well known European geographer who was set on making a name for himself in the United States by accurately mapping the area surrounding the upper Mississippi River. He learned much about the Dakota and Ojibwe during his explorations and recorded Indigenous place names of locations on his maps of the region.​

Bemidji State's peak enrollment came under the tenure of President Robert Decker, who served for 12 years and was very influential in what was considered the “great expansion.” Eight buildings were built and three existing buildings were renovated – in addition to the record wave of students.

The Northern Student described the operation as “a smoothly executed crime.” The Bemidji Daily Pioneer reported, “Sheriff John Cahill felt that the efficiency of the burglary suggested professional work, pointing to the hole burnt cleanly through the three-inch steel safe as one evidence of experienced safe-cracking.”

When students enrolled at Bemidji Normal and later at Bemidji State Teachers College, the school required 96 hours of credit (24 term units) for graduation. Such a diploma allowed the holder to teach in any type of elementary school in Minnesota. Although 81 graduating students received diplomas from the college in 1928, Leonard Vogland had the unique distinction of being the first to earn a bachelor's degree.

Norma and her mother, Ella, graciously donated their time to create the costumes. The original show had eight students involved in the program, one of which was a young soloist named Marion Fenson – the future Mrs. Christianson who eventually became inherited control of the show and brought it to a new era as the Funtastic Dance Follies.

The BSU Alumni & Foundation was formed on June 2, 1922, at Sanford Hall in conjunction with that year's graduation. According to the minutes, the first gathering occurred "at the invitation of the College extended by President Deputy." Annual dues were set at 25 cents.

David Lee scored 2,034 points for the Beavers between 1984-88. He was a three-time first team all-conference selection and also was the team leader in assists for three seasons. Karen Morrissey scored a program-record 1,728 points for the women's team from 1993-97.

All five national championships are in the shot put: Liz Mulvihill (outdoor, 1988); Patti Fitzgerald (outdoor, 1989); and Sheena Devine (indoor, 2007; outdoor, 2007 and 2008). Mulivhill and Fitzgerald won their titles in NAIA, while Devine's were in Division II.

The small male population at Bemidji State kept dropping during World War II so that by the fall of 1944, only 18 men remained on campus. Despite this fact, Bemidji became the only State College to continue football without interruption throughout the war years, although reportedly Coach “Jolly” Erickson had to round up some townspeople to fill in occasionally on the day of the games.

In the Central Region championship, the Beavers tied Emporia State 1-1 but prevailed 3-1 in penalty kicks. In the shootout, Erin Becker, Sara Wendt and Halle Peterson all scored for BSU, while goalkeeper Alyssa Stumbaugh made three saves.

Bob Montebello coached the team for 29 years – from 1959-87 – and led the team to the 1982 NAIA World Series. That season, the Beavers defeated St. Thomas for the District 13 Tournament championship and Milton (Wis.) for the Area IV Tournament championship, securing their spot in the World Series.

In 1948, the Beavers played their first season indoors at a city facility called the Bemidji Sports Arena until the roof collapsed under the heavy snow of 1949. The team moved outdoors, where they skated until the snowplow used to clear the playing ice on Lake Bemidji broke through into four feet of water. Jinxed, the team was shelved after the 1950 season, waiting for almost a decade before the next player strapped on skates for Bemidji State.

The Beavers beat Niagara 6-1 in the fieldhouse's swan song. Cramer lit the lamp for the final time on a backhanded shot that deflected off a defender and into the back of the net at the 10:59 mark of the third period. Ben Kinne earned the assist.

The Beavers’ field hockey program rose to national prominence under Betsy McDowell. They won eight straight Minn-Kota Conference titles (1971-78), six straight state titles (1975-80), four regional titles and qualified for the national championships seven times. McDowell coached the team from 1969-85, when the program was dropped.

From 1961-65, the new NFL franchise used Bemidji as its training camp home and played on the practice field where Hagg-Sauer Hall now stands. In the five years the Vikings held their training camps in Bemidji, hundreds of people watched their daily practices. Intrasquad scrimmages cost just $1.50 per ticket.

Rebecca Stafford became Bemidji State's first female president in 1980. Meanwhile, Marjory Beck, Ruth Howe and Betsy McDowell were physical education faculty members who provided extracurricular opportunities for female student-athletes both before and after the implementation of Title IX.

While at Bemidji State, A.C. Clark served as a social science instructor, chairman in the division of social sciences, director of publicity, placement and public relations, vice president and, finally, acting president. Clark retired as a Bemidji State faculty member on Sept. 1, 1964.

He began the a cappella choir in 1937 and the same year began serving as music department chairperson until 1971. A man of consummate integrity, the perennial pipe-smoking Thompson was a dedicated, sensitive, soft-spoken teacher, director and administrator.

President Decker also introduced a wide variety of new programs at the school, including computer science, criminal justice, technical illustration/graphic design, communication media and American Indian studies. The Center for Environmental Studies, the Foreign Studies Program and the Veterans Affairs Office were also created under his presidency.

Rebecca Stafford filled the role of president of Bemidji State University on April 9, 1980, a tenure that followed the sudden and unexpected departure of President Robert Decker in 1979. She was a Harvard-educated sociologist and served as the school's president for just 20 months, until Dec. 16, 1981.

Art Lee's lively lectures attracted students from all majors. Lee once explained his unique approach to teaching: “Don’t use notes. Don’t stand behind a lectern. Tell jokes. Laugh. Do dumb things.”

Dr. Annie Henry was instrumental in raising awareness of Black culture, traditions and issues at Bemidji State by organizing Black History Month activities on campus. She also presented programs on civil rights to students of all ages across northern Minnesota. She taught an African American class outside of the education curriculum and mentored many Black students in their studies and as they prepared for the future. She also created the university's first endowed scholarships for Black students in education.

As a student, Christianson was a cheerleader from 1946-50. She came back to campus and started teaching in 1967 and took over the cheer and dance programs at Bemidji State. She also revolutionized the Funtastic Dance Follies, taking over the "Dance Show" from Myrtie Hunt and growing it into an annual tradition.

Hjalmer "Jolly" Erickson coached the football program from 1938-1954 and racked up 53 victories, a then-program record. On the hardwood, Erickson coached the men’s basketball team in 1944-45 and 1945-46, where he compiled a 23-6 record and cemented a still-standing program best for winning percentage (.793). He also coached track, tennis and golf at different times during his tenure at BSTC.

President Sattgast was a passionate environmentalist, saving trees on campus whenever he could, and he spent his leisure time gardening and collecting edible mushrooms.

Bemidji State has produced more Olympic athletes in curling than any other sport. The list includes the Pete Fenson rink that won a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Games – a team consisting of Bemidji State's Scott Baird, Joe Polo, Shawn Rojeski and Fenson, as well as John Shuster.

Shaynowishkung was an Ojibwe man who became the first permanent settler of Bemidji in the mid-19th century, and he was later honored with the title "Chief Bemidji."

Quartzite pebbles with a diamond-like quality were found along the lakeshore, but they were from the sapphire family and were of such low quality that they were practically worthless. Nonetheless, in 1896 Freeman Doud purchased the land that is now Diamond Point Park and decided it was worthwhile to spread the rumor. St. Paul newspapers printed articles about precious gems being found in Minnesota's northernmost village. Thus, the Doud's point of land became Diamond Point.

Bemidji's civic leaders were searching for a way to stimulate tourism in 1936, so they decided to sponsor a winter carnival and promote the city's resources for winter sports. The carnival became reality on Jan. 14, 1937, but with an added promotional twist: the unveiling of giant concrete statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, which were designed to honor Bemidji's logging heritage by serving as mascots for the festivities. Cyril M. Dickinson served as the "mastermind" behind the creation of the 18-foot-tall Paul, which was modeled after 6-foot Earl Bucklen, a future mayor of Bemidji, on a 3-to-1 scale. Jim Paton supervised construction of Babe.

In its early years, Bemidji was a thriving lumber center and boasted four railway lines providing transportation into town, waterworks, gas and electric lights, four banks, sawmills, a woolen mill, box, brick, tile and turpentine factories, wholesale houses, a creamery, a Carnegie library, churches, two newspapers and good public school buildings.

In the 1920s, Pete Cameron was hired as the zoo's inaugural caretaker, and he oversaw the popular destination for tourists and locals alike for almost 30 years. The zoo housed deer, foxes, moose, bears, elk, coyotes, porcupines, beavers, racoons and even a buffalo. Eventually, the zoo became too difficult to maintain, and it closed on July 1, 1950.

C. V. Hobson, a former geography professor at Bemidji State, is credited with creating the School Forest concept and actively campaigned for the passage of the School Forest Law, which was passed in 1949. BSU acquired the forest in 1948 for academic and recreational use by the university and community. Rich with life and biodiversity, Hobson Memorial Forest is a 240-acre stretch of hard and soft woods, wetlands, wildflowers, trails and bodies of water, including Lynn Lake.

The 66-foot stern-wheeler had a capacity of 125 and had an enclosed deck as well as two open decks for dancing. Music echoed out through an on-board juke box or by live musicians. The varnished knotty pine and round-topped windows added to the luxury.

And in those lakes you'll find walleye, bass, muskie, perch, crappies, pan fish and trout.

The trip around Lake Bemidji brings you through neighborhoods, forest, Lake Bemidji State Park and, of course, the Bemidji State University campus.