She was the first woman elected to the District 911 School Board.
When Jane Skogman joined the Cambridge-Isanti District 911 School Board 35 years ago, she carved out a place for herself in history's annals. She was the first female member elected to that board.
Since then, seven other women have served along with Skogman.
She beat out the incumbent chair
In 1973, Skogman was a farm wife taking care of five children. She hadn't given any thought to serving on the school board until a few teachers and a good friend asked if she's consider it.
"They wanted a woman on the board," recalled Skogman.
What followed was a whirlwind campaign, one that was far bigger than anything she would have done on her own.
"A couple of men drove me around the country to knock on doors," remembered Skogman. A local political party (she doesn't recall which one) held block parties to promote her. "I had tremendous help," she said.
Skogman was already known in the county because of her work with the University of Minnesota Extension program, but this pushed it over the top and swept her into office. She earned 875 votes.
She beat out the incumbent who was currently board chair. "I felt that was really something," Skogman noted.
Reason for running
"I've always felt this is such a wonderful community, I should make a contribution to it," observed Skogman. "I felt obliged to do something for the community.
"Volunteering in any capacity for the good of the community is needed to keep the community going and help keep it a good community. I felt too often that people don't appreciate what we have. They don't feel it is something we are indebted to. I feel that we are."
It was that driving belief that spurred her to get involved when she moved to the area in 1950 with her husband Deane, whose ancestors were the original settlers along Skogman Lake in 1868.
As a volunteer on the Extension Committee, Skogman visited homes around the county.
While living in Princeton that first year in Minnesota, Skogman attended the meetings of a homemakers club. Once on the family farm, Skogman started the first group in Isanti County. The Border Belles Homemakers Club continues to meet to this day, and Skogman is among seven charter members who remain.
When her children got involved in 4-H, so did she. She was club leader of the East Cambridge Cubs for 25 years.
Because her oldest daughter, Deena, was living at the Cambridge State Hospital, Skogman got involved there and served on the advisory board. While the facility has changed names, Skogman is still active on the admissions and release committee.
She has always been active at her church, Cambridge United Methodist. She began teaching Sunday School 35 years ago to make sure that her children went. She's served on a variety of committees, and brings fresh flowers from her garden in the summer to decorate the altar.
District grows
During her 35-year tenure the district has grown.
In 1973, voters approved a new school, and Isanti Junior High School was constructed on a piece of land next to the Rum River (today's Isanti Middle School). "That was a great accomplishment," said Skogman. At the time, the state didn't help fund bond referendums as it does now, so local voters shouldered the entire cost of the new school.
Parts of the old Cambridge Junior High building (now Cambridge Intermediate School) were torn down. Skogman hated to see the old building taken down, and pushed to save the bell tower. Today, it sits along Cypress Street.
Not much later, an addition was constructed onto the high school which was originally opened in 1968. The addition included a media center, gymnasium and classrooms for vocational education.
In 1990, there were additions at both the Cambridge and Isanti elementary and middle schools. Then, in 1996, a major addition enhanced the high school which included a weight room, enlarged cafeteria and performing arts center.
Two years ago, the district grew by another leap. Two new buildings were added: Cambridge Middle School at the corner of County Roads 45 and 43 and Isanti Intermediate School on County Road 5 west of Highway 65. With those buildings came a restructuring of which grades attended which schools.
"There has always been something going on at the schools," said Skogman.
While Skogman hasn't always agreed with every decision the school board has made, she praised the cooperation that was always evident. "We've had an understanding we can agree to disagree," she said.
She remembers when one board member accused the others of being railroaded by the superintendent into decisions. "That was not true then or now," stressed Skogman.
The teachers' strike in 1983 sticks out in her memory. "What a hassle it was trying to keep the schools going," Skogman recalled. "It was not a happy time."
Her responsibilities over the years have included attending a variety of committee meetings.
For 30 years, she has been part of the Schools for Equity in Education group (formerly called the Association of Growing and Stable School Districts). As a member there she has pushed that all schools be funded by the state equally, no matter whether they are in property-rich districts or not.
Before special education students were placed in the district's schools, Skogman served as the school district representative for the Cambridge State Hospital CADRE program.
She is also part of Dollars For Scholars, and she and husband provide two $1,000 scholarships each year.
She's introduced elementary students to classic literature by serving as a Picture Person, and was also active in the Junior Great Books program at Cambridge Elementary School.
For 35 years Skogman didn't miss a commencement ceremony. Last year she was told she couldn't attend as she'd recently had her knee replaced. "But, I said I was going to go," noted Skogman. And she did, cane and all.
She has held all the offices available on the board but treasurer, and is currently board chair.
Just as she was breaking new ground for women when she joined the board, Skogman was also witness to new opportunities for teenage girls. There were no intermural athletic programs offered for girls in the early '70s, but that began to change. Volleyball and basketball were added in the late '70s. Two decades later, "there was a lot of talk when we added girls hockey," Skogman recalled.
The district's community education program was also developed during her tenure.
And school boards began governing themselves by establishing a set of policies the board then reviewed regularly.
There have been many curriculum changes over the years as new methods of teaching have been introduced.
Skogman has been a strong supporter of alternative educational options. She served on the Oakland Vocational Board, and advocated for the creation of the Alternative Learning Center. During her years on the board, the district also introduced two options for year-round schooling. She is a founding member of the East Central Minnesota Cable Cooperative, which was organized in 1983 to share classes over the television.
"My first and foremost concern has been the education of our children," said Skogman. "Our children today are the leaders of tomorrow. They need to have good training and education to become those leaders. It is important we give them the best education possible."
Accomplishments
The thing she is most proud of is having sparked the creation of a volunteer program within the district. The idea came to her after attending a conference. She suggested it to the superintendent at the time, who told her such programs were for bigger schools. Skogman persisted and continued talking about it. Soon, Cambridge Elementary School Principal Sid Freitag picked up on it. Once it was going in his school building, the program spread.
"We have a wonderful volunteer program in our schools now," remarked Skogman.
Goodbye isn't easy
Saying goodbye to the board isn't easy, but it's a decision Skogman feels is best. She decided not to run again for office due to her own health issues, as well as her husband's.
She will most miss the people with whom she's come in contact.
"I have so enjoyed and appreciated the friendships," said Skogman. But she's confident that as this door closes, another will open.
To the incoming board members, she has this to say: "It's hard work. You need to always do your homework ahead of time. Read your agenda before the meeting. Give of your time – and it does take time, there's no doubt about that. And good luck."
Female District 911 School Board members:
• Barbara Nuorala
• Patricia Sundberg
• Donna Holland
• Valerie Peterson
• Jennie Becker
• Darcy Winsor
• Anne Nelson (current)
• Jeanette Polzin (will begin in 2009)
About Jane Skogman:
• Her father worked for the Soil Conservation Service, which meant the family moved often, living in Missouri, Illinois and finally Iowa.
• She attended the University of Colorado.
• Dean Skogman was raised down the road from her. She was friend with his sister, and when asked by her agreed to write to Dean while he was hospitalized after the Battle of the Bulge. They wed 60 years ago.
• She is the mother of five. Mark, the oldest, enrolled in the Army to earn his degree and he's still there. Scott lives in town and handles the daily work at the family farm. Ted lives in New Brighton and works at the University of Minnesota. Deena now lives in a group home in Mora. Marta (Benton) worked at Peoples State Bank for 23 years, but now lives in Hinckley. Skogman also has four grandkids, two step-grandkids and one great-grandchild.
• She loves to travel and has gone to Scandinavia, Alaska, the British Isles, China, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Hawaii – and toured Europe on a riverboat cruise. She's an active member of the Peoples First group. "I love to see different things. Even if you've read about them, it's more exciting to see it," Skogman said.
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