UND Women's Center

The University of North Dakota Women's Center offers a warm, friendly, growth-oriented environment. The Women's Center is located in a house, which was built in the early 1900's.

The purpose of the Center is to provide support, advocacy, and education for the campus and the community. The Office of the Women's Programs moved to the Women's Center in 1978.

Address: 305 Hamline Street Grand Forks, ND 58203 777-4300

Era Bell Thompson Cultural Center

Era Bell Thompson was born in Iowa in 1917, grew up near Driscoll, North Dakota. She studied at the University of North Dakota where she competed in track and field events setting five state women's track records and tied two national intercollegiate women's track records.

Thompson became an editor of Ebony magazine, and served as managing editor from 1951 to 1964. Thompson wrote several books, including American Daughter, which tells the story of her youth in North Dakota.

The UND Women's Basketball team has been Division II National Champions in 1997,1998,1999 and runner-up in 2001.

Dr. Cora Smith King

Cora Smith was born in 1867. She was a member of the University of North Dakota first graduating class in 1889. By the time she graduated from the National School of Elocution and Oratory in Philadelphia, she was already involved in many public programs to advance the rights of women in this country. Her mother, Sara Barnes Smith, was a firm believer in women's rights and all her life Cora Smith was too. From 1887 and beyond, she was an active worker and speaker for women's suffrage. At one point, she served as chairman of the Congressional committee of the National Council of Women Voters.

Yet, women's rights and suffrage were not Smith's only ambitions. She entered medical school and graduated from Boston University School of Medicine with an M.D. in 1892. She returned to Grand Forks, where, as Dr. Cora Smith Eaton, she practiced medicine. According to records, she was the first woman licensed in the state of North Dakota to practice medicine. Her license was dated October 1892. Cora did not stop with the North Dakota license, she was licensed to practice in almost half a dozen states.

At UND, she was the first woman to teach a form of physical education. She conducted the first type of "physical drill" in 1888. She strongly believed in physical education for women.

M. Beatrice Johnstone, June 1959

"I congratulate the University of North Dakota upon the fact that a beautiful building upon this campus will bear the name of a woman who has been a builder of the beautiful in the lives of the youth of this state for more than half a century," said Minnie Jean Nielson of Valley City.

Born in 1870, Beatrice Johnstone was a native of Minnesota. At fifteen and a sophomore in high school, she started teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in the area during summers. Many of her pupils were bigger than she, but she was determined, courageous and kept order from the first day.

She continued to go to school during the winters and to teach during the summers all through high school and beyond. As a high school student her imagination was fired by the prospect of further education at the new university just getting started. It became her overriding ambition to attend and to graduate from the University of North Dakota.

In the spring of 1891, as a member of the second graduating class at UND, she received her diploma. She taught for several years in area schools and then came to Grand Forks as teacher and principal at the Washington grade school.

From 1912 until 1925 she served as the Superintendent of the Grand Forks County schools. In 1925, she became the director of the Correspondence Department at the University and in 1932 she left that position and became the Director of the Extension Division at the University of North Dakota.

Along with her academic career, Ms. Johnstone also received awards in her later years. She was awarded Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree by the university in 1951 and also the UND Alumni Distinguished Achievement Citation. In 1952, the New Girls' Residence was named for her -- the M. Beatrice Johnstone Hall. She always considered this her greatest honor.

In 1955, Beatrice Johnstone retired at the age of 85. She established a record of achievement, which is a continuing source of inspiration. Truly, she earned the right to be called "North Dakota's Most Noble Woman".

Edna Twamley
The Carillon Americana console is located in Room 409, Twamley Hall.

Through the generosity of Miss Edna Twamley, class of 1902, Twamley Hall received the musical crown. The 305-bell electronic carillon is epitome of achievement in tower instruments.

Miss Twamley also gave $250,000 to add the fourth floor of Twamley. It is dedicated to her.

The products that were produced during this time and even to this day have become known internationally as "Cable Clay". Displays of her work are located at the Hughes Fine Art Center.