I am happy to tell all of our family that the initial $5000 donation for the Minnie Wasden Blood Scholarship in elementary education at Northwest College in Powell WY has been completed. The State of Wyoming has matched with another $5000, so we have a $10,000 endowment with which to begin the scholarship. The first scholarship will be awarded this fall, and we will be informed about the recipient when it is awarded.
I think Mothers Day is an appropriate day to share this news. I love the idea that one young person each year will receive a few hundred dollars to help him or her prepare to be an elementary school teacher. The elementary ed program at Powell has expanded greatly, according to Shelby Wetzel, director of the NW College Foundation. I think Mother would look on with approval.
Shelby Wetzel informs me that the College has some remaining state matching funds available if we want to continue adding to the scholarship. Each $1, therefore, is expanded to $2. The earnings from $10,000 are not munificent, but I know from my own experience how much an extra hundred dollars (or five, or ten) would have meant to me in college, and Shelby confirms this from her experience in working with so many students at the college.
I do not want to put any pressure on anyone, whatsoever. I intend to continue making modest contributions as time goes along. If anyone else wishes to share in expanding this scholarship opportunity, I invite you to do so. Even $50 now and then would add up. I do need to let the College know about how much we think we might add to the scholarship over the next several years so they can earmark the matching funds for us, thus enabling a doubling of the effect of our contributions. Please let me know if you think you would like to continue to participate. I thank all who have donated $50, $100, or more up to this point. If you would rather not participate, you need not reply and that will be fine. But I would like to let Shelby know whether we think we can raise an additional thousand or two in the next two or three years to add to the scholarship. I intend to leave something in my will for a modest increment to the scholarship. Again, thank you. I think we will all feel good about seeing this scholarship in operation.
Donations can be sent to Shelby Wetzel, Director Northwest College Foundation, 231 West Sixth St., Powell WY 82435. They are tax deductible.
Today, it is an accepted expectation that we, our children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren will become graduates of high school, and, perhaps, a university. Some end up with multiple degrees. However, when our mother, Minnie Arrilla Wasden, was young, there was no local school after the first eight grades were spent in the schoolhouse that we saw in an earlier posting. Our grandfather, having only attended three actual months of school during a time when he was ill during his childhood, had a strong desire to have his children educated. He strongly supported the school in Penrose, and then, when the older children had graduated from eighth grade, built a small cabin-house in Cowley, about 12 miles away, where there was an LDS supported academy. Uncle David, and later, Uncle Brooks attended. I don't know about Aunt Sofe - she married quite young. But, when Mother finished the 8th grade, she joined her big brothers, all of them keeping house. On Sunday afternoon, Grandfather would load up the buggy-wagon, hitch up the team of horses, and with a load of provisions, would take the students to Cowley for the week. I don't know how often they came home, but it couldn't have been every weekend. Can you imagine spending your high school years in that fashion? Mother finished high school by age 16, but Aunt Elna was ready to attend, so she stayed another year. Then, the high school in Powell was completed, and Elna transferred there, while Mother took Normal Training in Powell, so that she could teach school. Obviously these diplomas were very important to Mother, because she kept them with her treasures all through the years. In this time of graduation for our family members, it is good to remember the example that has been set by our ancestors.
