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Introduction Book Four

INTRODUCTION  BOOK FOUR I remember an interview I had with Beverly Hanson, one of the top female professional golfers of the mid-1950s, who attended Fargo High School. I asked her about the school’s golf program for girls. She replied, “They had none.” She attended the University of North Dakota, and I asked her about the University’s girl golf program. She replied, “They had none.” Despite the fact that she would be competing against other golfers who had a lifetime experience of supervised instruction, she was not deterred in her ambition to become one of this country’s best golfers. That same level of confidence was displayed in most of the people covered in Volume 4 of Did You Know That. . .? Volume 4 includes 50 people who either: were born here, started their careers here, moved here after achieving greatness in other geographic areas, or spent almost their entire lives in North Dakota. Eighteen of the people covered were active adults during the territorial days of Dakota, and one left before it became a territory. All but four of these people lived to see North Dakota become a state, and most of them were active in the new state. Of the people in this book, about one-half were involved in farming or ranching at some point in their lives. There were also five lawyers, one doctor, five bankers, eight involved in the newspaper business, five associated with the railroad, two involved with mail delivery, and eight were active in education as teachers, professors, or administrators. Sixteen individuals were involved in this country’s wars -- from the Civil War to the Korean Conflict. There were two U.S. Congressmen, two governors, six legislators, two mayors, and a member of the North Dakota Supreme Court. Many of the individuals published books, articles, and musical compositions. One man was awarded the Medal of Honor by Congress, one was awarded a Grammy, and three are enshrined in various halls of fame. One county, two cities, and four buildings or other structures are named after individuals profiled in this volume.