BERTHA BATES

Bertha Bates was a legendary figure in St. Louis Park’s academic history. Thanks to Bates relative Kent Bergh for his additions and corrections to the story of Bertha and her family.

Bertha Bates was born in Glencoe in 1875, the daughter of Cynthia (born 1845), a well educated Pennsylvania woman who prepared all her daughters to teach school. Her father was Civil War veteran and shoemaker William P. Bates (died before 1920). Son William Bates was born in 1879. The family moved to St. Louis Park before 1884. Bertha graduated from Central High in Minneapolis in 1894. She taught from 1895 to 1934, first in Anoka and then in Rockford, Minnesota.

Her first school in St. Louis Park was the Manhattan Park School, which was said to have been built by Theodore Curtis of the Curtis Hotel. After that she became a legend at Lincoln School. Former students remembered her fondly, but also cautioned that there could be no funny business in her classroom.

Bertha’s sister Irene Bates also taught at Lincoln School. Bertha lived with her brother Bill at 3800 Wooddale Ave. (at Goodrich, built in 1912), near Aldersgate Methodist Church. Neither Bertha nor Irene ever married.

Mary C. Bates was also a sister of Bertha and Irene. She was born in 1867, married and quit teaching about 1897. She died in 1935.

Bertha died on November 1, 1957 at the Walker Methodist Home. Her mother, Cynthia S. Bates, died in October 1934 at age 90.

Albert H Bates was Bertha's uncle, inventor of the Hadees after-market car heater for early gasoline vehicles, which originally came without them.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.