The main building at the orphanage, built in 1886, housed offices, a reception room, chapel/auditorium, boys' cottage, living quarters for employees, a sewing room, attic and linen storage. This main portion today serves as the Owatonna city administration building.
THE TOWERING BRICK building with the enchanting turret represents no fairy tale. Not at all.
Within the confines of this place and the outlying cottages, some 12,000 – 15,000 children spent their formative childhood and teenage years institutionalized in the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children. They were the orphaned, the abused, the abandoned, the unwanted.
The "State School Kids" memorial stands in front of the main building and was dedicated in 1993.
Information in a brochure I picked up on a recent visit to this 1886- 1945 orphanage in Owatonna reads:
Such children became wards of the state and, in most instances, all parental rights were cancelled. Parents did not always realize they were relinquishing all rights to their children when they signed the State School commitment papers. Some parents returned to try to regain custody of their children and were refused.
Can you imagine?
Residents of Cottage 11, which housed boys ages 6 - 13, pose for a photo now on exhibit at the museum.
While some children adjusted to living within the strict regiment and rules of the school, many did not. You will hear and read their tragic memories when you visit the orphanage museum. Be forewarned: These stories are difficult to hear.
A room in cottage 11 features the photos and memories of the boys who lived there.
Cottage 11 residents
The boys remember scrubbing floors throughout the cottage, including in the bathroom..
Beds were packed tight into sparse bedrooms in the cottage.
I’ve read several books written by former “state schoolers,” as they were called. Harvey Ronglien, who was the motivator behind the museum and the orphan’s memorial, wrote A Boy from C11, Case #9164, A Memoir. Peter Razor wrote While the Locust Slept, winner of a Minnesota Book Award. I read both books, as well as Crackers & Milk by Arlene Nelson, many years ago and still can’t shake the haunting memories of neglect and abuse and struggle.
Particularly troubling are the reports of abusive, neglectful and unloving matrons. Equally disturbing are the stories of children who were indentured to farm families and then treated like slaves.
Each boy was assigned to a chair in the basement and could not leave the Cottage 11 basement without permission. This was a method used to keep order and control over the children.
Within the confines of the basement, the boys played with marbles, puzzles, checkers and other toys.
A sign on a stairway landing tells visitors about the boys' dreams of escaping via rail and of their admiration for hobos. Some boys did hop trains and ran away.
Children were educated through the eighth grade, with some selected during the early years to attend Owatonna High School. In later years, all students were allowed to attend high school.
If you’ve never visited the Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum, I’d encourage you to do so.
This exists as part of our state’s history. We need to know and understand life here.
Considering the thousands of children who lived in the orphanage during its 60-year span, I expect many Minnesotans are still carrying the emotional scars whether directly or indirectly passed through the generations.
IF YOU LIVED in the orphanage or have a family member who did, I’d like to hear from you. What’s your story? Good or bad.
The feet of the children in the memorial statue on the orphanage grounds.
CLICK HERE to read a previous blog post I published about Christmas in the orphanage.
© Copyright 2011 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Audrey,
The marbles you picture are just like my Dad’s marbles — only his are very worn and he had some clay marbles, also. I don’t know the history of the clay marbles. You could do a post on the children’s cemetery at the orphanage. It is so sad how some children died for lack of love. I attended one of the orphanage reunions a few years ago. Yes, they all have memories — some good and others very bad. The thing we need to learn is that it is important for us to love those around us.
Another book you might like to read is “They Named Me Marjorie” by Ann Zemke. She has a web site at www crocuslanequilts com. She tells her grandmother’s story. Thank you for this great post.
Margaret
I don’t know if the marbles are authentic to Cottage 11. They were on a rectangular wooden table in the basement.
As for the cemetery, yes, I have toured this, but only toured Cottage 11 on my most recent visit. A trip back there during warmer weather is perhaps in order.
Thank you for the book suggestion. I’ll check it out.
I’m glad you’ve been able to attend some of the reunions. I’m sure it meant a lot to you to understand what your dad went through living in the orphanage.
You are right: It is important to love those around us.
I am trying to find information of Ida schoonover. She was placed in Minnesota Owatonna public school as her grandmother couldn’t care for her. She was born December 17, 1886. She was placed sometime in the latte 1880s or in early 1900s I am also interested in getting her file from the this school as we know zero about her. She eventually was adopted by William Robbins. This school has very little good for the children placed here. My heart aches for them. Thank you for any information.
Mel, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. I only visited the orphanage museum, wrote about and photographed it. I am not in any way connected with the orphanage museum. Good luck in your search. I hope you find the info you are seeking.
We have been to the museum several times and see different things each time. One trip we were fortunate to have Harvey as a guide. The museum should be a “must see” for everyone.
Excellent point, Virgil. The museum certainly does require more than one visit. Now I’ve been there twice, but need to return again. And, yes, I’d like to go on a tour given by Harvey Ronglien.
My mother was a resident of the Owatonna Orphanage during the 1920’s. When she arrived and for how long she was there is still a mystery. She was adopted by a family from the Jay, Martin area prior to her fifth birthday. I’ve read of the abusiveness and the mistreating of children and it is sad to think of the negative effects they may have on a child. What effect the orphanage had on my mother’s life is unknown.
But I can tell you that by the age of 17 she had already been married and divorced once and was working on her second marriage with a baby on the way. It is unclear as to whether she was married between 1940 and 1948 but she did attempt having another child; unfortunately the baby was stillborn. Also during this time, the family that adopted her asked her to leave their home and never to come back because of the unacceptable behavior she displayed. In 1948 she married again and had two additional children. Three years later she left the two younger children with their father and vanquished with her oldest daughter. Documents show that shortly thereafter she married again and had another child. In 1960 at the age of 39 my mother passed away.
Did the orphanage environment have any effect on my mother’s tumultuous behavior in latter years? I don’t know. First off, I am not a behavioral scientist and from that perspective I have no idea. Second, and most importantly, I never asked her for an answer to that question for I never knew my mom. I can only imagine.
I’m no behavioral scientist either. But it would seem quite clear that your mother’s orphanage upbringing, devoid of much love, affected her relationships in life. Thank for your sharing your deeply personal and heart-breaking story. Have you visited the orphanage museum and shared your story?
Thanks for this awesome information. My GGrandma and her four siblings were brought to Owatonna in the late 1800s. My Grandma did go to a good home in Fillmore county. She lost touch with her siblings. Most of her siblings (there were 10) believed she had died. I have read her file and it is so very sad. Many letters from her older sisters and brothers writing letters wanting to know where she was. The orphanage would not tell them. Even her Dad begged for info on his kids. He would know nothing until they turned 18 and they found him. My Grandma was 8. I have found many relatives in doing my family geneology that have my Grandma Nellie listed as dead. Her brother was placed with her for awhile but returned to the orphanage to go somewhere else. The rest of the kids had bad experiences. Grandmas Dad did NOT know that by placing them he would lose them. Sad, very sad. I have copies of letters he wrote to the orphanage begging to know where his kids were. It is a sad thing that I have found my Grandmas family for her and because she is gone she never will know them. One thing the orphanage did keep awesome records. Thank you again for your interest in this and sharing with me.
Thank you, also, for taking the time to comment and share your grandma’s story, as sad as it was. What an honor to her that you finally found her family. Have you visited the orphanage museum? I assume yes.
My mother and four of her siblings were admitted to the State Public School / Orphanage in 1931. I am looking for any information on the sunshine cottage. That was where the children were taken first to be debugged / degreased and de-germed. I think they spend two weeks there before being sent to the living cottages. Anyone?
Cathy, have you visited the orphanage museum? I would suggest a trip there as these folks are extremely knowledgeable. But if any readers can provide info here, or direct Cathy, please do.
Cathy, the sunshine cottage was C13 it was the first building south of C16. C16 was the building that the children went to first. Usually for 3 weeks. C13 was a dormitory for older girls. It was the only wood frame building that housed people. It was named Sunshine because it was painted yellow. C13 and C16 are now privatly owned.
Don, thanks for passing along this info. What’s your connection to the orphanage? You seem quite knowledgeable.
Hello Don. You were so helpful regarding the misinformation I had about the Sunshine Cottage, would be willing to tell me anything you know about the Soaking Room? My sister told me that my mother was sent there every day because she wet her pants and my aunt went to get her every day to clean her up so she would not have to spend the entire day in wet pants in a horrid urine smelling room. Any info or ideas? Thank you so much.
Cathy Wright
Anyone out there who can help Cathy with info about the “Soaking Room,” feel free to email her at the address in her earlier comment or share here. Don?
I had not heard about this part of the Owatonna Orphanage story. Pretty awful.
Hello Audrey and Don,
I cannot say how excited I was to get some answers on The Sunshine Cottage. I have so many places and people to draw memories from that I know some of it will not be correct.
I did visit the SPS grounds, just about a year ago. I do feel the need to go back and write more information down. The tour I got was amazing and I got photos too. Visiting with my daughter and granddaughter, who is eleven was wonderful and memorable but I think I need to visit alone so I can be very focused on the details that I would like to have.
I appreciate your time and attention very much. Anything you wish to share with me I would love.
Cathy Wright
Duluth, MN
cafeentwo@msn.com
If anyone has additional info to share with Catherine about the Sunshine Cottage, please comment here or contact her directly via email.
My mother and several siblings went to the orphanage around 1926. I do have a picture of her (Loil Dedrick later changed to Lois) and some of the orphanage children. She was farmed out to a family for farm help. Mother liked the Sykora family, however, she ran away at 14 or 15 and was reunited with an older sister. Yes, I heard her stories.
How wonderful that your mother was reunited with an older sister. I hope you’ve written down her stories.
I would love to get together with some of the other adult children of the children of SPS Owatonna. I live in Duluth and and happy to travel for a gathering. Exchange stories and info. Anyone else interested?
Anyone interested, leave a comment here and I will pass your contact info along to Cathy. Great idea.
Both my parents were orphans from the school. My dad was there in the late 20’s and my mom was there in the mid 30’s. The one thing they hated to hear people call them was “state school kid”! Not so much the kids but the parents looked down on these children. They did not want their children dating these so called kids. My grandparents had money but depression hit and grandpa got sick, the state came in and convinced them that they would take the kids until he got better but that never happened. Like a lot of parents when they came back to get their children they could not have them and they even made them feel ashamed of giving their children away! They do have a lot of horror stories that send chills up your spine but they for some reason have no hate towards anyone. When I too go to the orphanage and read the stories, and see the pictures of all these children with such sad faces; I wish I could go back in time and hold them to take away all their fears. God Bless all the children that came from the Owatonna Orphange may you one day have peace! Love and Hugs
Barb, thank you for sharing this personal story about your parents. I am so sorry that they had to endure so much while living at the orphanage. And to be your grandparents, having their precious children taken away and then unable to get them back…I cannot imagine.