FARM SCHOOL AVIATORS (ST. PAUL, MINN.):

On April 8, 1918, 507 men reported to the Saint Paul Agricultural Campus, University of Minnesota in hopes of becoming aviators or aviation mechanics in the U.S. Army, but a change in plans by the War Department meant none of them would ever serve in an aviation unit. Instead, University instructors spent several months training them to be blacksmiths, carpenters, electricians, and bench woodworkers. After training, the men were sent to France where a majority of them became searchlight operators in the 56th Engineering Corps and "pick and shovel operators" in the 604th Engineering Corps.

The first reunion of the First and Second Detachments, University Farm School, as they were known, was held in May 1926. A proposal to organize as an American Legion Post was rejected. Instead, the men decided to hold social reunions once a year (on or close to April 8, their induction date), alternating between sites in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. They also, tongue in cheek, changed their name to the "Farm School Aviators." Reunions were held annually through 1977.

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The first of nine folders contains a list of annual reunions held between 1927 and 1977, giving the date, place, cost, name of the top sergeant, and attendance. Following is a folder of meeting notices and reply cards to the reunions, 1930-1977. Minutes (1926-1977), attendance registers (1927-1977), and financial reports (1927-1977) document the organization's administrative facet. The minutes summarize elections, finances, projects and activities, and meeting programs.

The seventh folder contains a complete roster of the training detachment including 507 trainees (101 blacksmiths, 85 carpenters, 126 electricians, 195 bench woodworkers), 11 army officers, and 16 University of Minnesota instructors, for a total of 534 men. The following folder contains lists of deceased members, giving addresses and dates of death (when known). A folder of miscellaneous papers contains newspaper photographs showing training camp scenes (1918), newspaper clippings concerning upcoming reunions (1930s-1940s), and some miscellaneous correspondence (1930-1967) of Julius B. Johnson, company clerk.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Farm School Aviators Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 12,181

Processing Information:

Processed by: Richard W. Arpi, July 1997

Catalog ID number: 990017341360104294

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

World War, 1914-1918 -- Veterans -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul.

Veterans -- Minnesota -- Saint Paul -- Societies, etc.

Organizations:

University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus -- Alumni -- Societies, etc.

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