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DOROTHEA NELSON
From an article from the July 6, 1951 issue of the St. Louis Park Dispatch:
Miss Dorothea Nelson, director of recreation for St. Louis
Park, after years of experience in this country and abroad,
says: "There are always new fields to develop in the realm
of recreation. Whether in a large city at home or abroad,
the vocation of recreation holds a challenge for the
director to do something new. It is necessary to find a
program to build, or one is likely to go stale."
"Here in St. Louis Park, challenge is met at every turn.
While the village government has had a ten-year program of
acquisition of playgrounds and development, home building is
now so widespread, that it is necessary to grab sections of
ground in each new development, to meet the needs of the
children for play places."
While St. Louis Park was incorporated in 1885, and is not
new historically, it is brand new in the widespread building
of homes. Originally platted as an industrial village, the
entire layout has been changed and is now, a place of homes.
Here, an old house is almost a curiosity. The population is
approximately 25,000. Of this number, about 10,000 are
children under 12 years of age; and about 5,000 tots are
under six years.
Sixteen playgrounds are in active use this summer, serving
every age group with suitable programs. Some of the grounds
are well developed and equipped, others are in the process
of being developed. A city-wide cooperative program is
financed by the Community Fund of St. Louis Park, the Park
board through the village council and the school board.
Being the possessor of a fine singing voice, Miss Nelson
started her educational life to be a singer. She majored in
music and coordinated a program of training for recreation
in the University of Minnesota [in 1918].
Later she decided to make recreation her life work. For
several years she was director of athletics for girls and
women for the Minneapolis park board. Later she went to
Louisville, Ky.
Activities for women and girls in the Chicago Park district was her program for four years more [1934-1938]. She directed leisure time activities for the Women's Benefit association for three years.
Later she went to the American University in Washington,
D.C., where she took training for club and field directors
of the Red Cross.
She spent a year in travel in Europe. When war came, she
went to England, North Africa, Italy and Corsica. She
organized and directed Red Cross clubs in Italy and Corsica.
From there she went to Japan and became field director of
entertainment for the American forces in the northernmost,
Ainu Island. At this point, men were being released from
service. The Red Cross was acting as liaison between the
arrivals and the civilians.
From Japan, Miss Nelson went with the Army of Occupation to
Halzburg, Austria, where she did Red Cross work for three
years. Once more at home, she is developing a new program in
St. Louis Park.
End of Article
Dorothea Undine Nelson was the first full-time director of a
suburban recreation probrm, and the first woman director of
recreation in Minnesota. She was an advocate of
women's and girls' recreation and athletics. Ms.
Nelson retired as Superintendent of
Recreation in October 1962. A farewell dinner was held on
November 8. In November 1962, the park at 26th and Florida
Ave. was named Nelson Park in her honor. Her replacement was
Ken Batscheller.
Ms. Nelson was tragically killed in a car accident in Edina
in May 1967.
See also Parks and Recreation.
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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.