Ida Flogstad

B 1898 D 1987

Ida was born on a small farm in Story County, Iowa August 2, 1898. Her parents were Paul P. and Jennie (Daniels) Flogstad. Her only sibling, sister Sylvia Flogstad Rasmusson, was born eighteen months previously. Ida was baptized in the Salem Lutheran Church in Roland, Iowa, graduated from Roland High School in 1917 and went on to Iowa State College. She was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, a social sorority. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State College in the field of Industrial Science with a major in Mathematics on June 15, 1921. Ida received a Masters of Science degree in Mathematics on August 28, 1925 from the Graduate College.

Her thesis was entitled "The Adjustment of Spirals to Intersecting Straight Lines." She taught high school after college at Roland, Iowa for one year, at Tama, Iowa for one year and at Wheaton, Illinois for three years. Ida moved on to teach Mathematics at Wisconsin State University-Superior in 1928. She remained there for thirty-seven years until retirement in 1965 as associate professor. She was chairman of the Mathematics Department and had served briefly as Dean of Women.

Upon retirement, Ida received the title Professor Emeritus from the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, which recognized her "meritorious service." Honorary societies to which she belonged were Phi Mu Epsilon (Mathematics), Sigma Delta Epsilon (Science), and Phi Kappa Phi (Scholarship). She was a life member of the Iowa State Alumni Association and a member of the PEO) Sisterhood.

Ida Flogstad is remembered fondly by her three nieces: Arlene Rasmusson Artz, Phyllis Rasmusson Huffman and Roberta Rasmusson Protzmann. They recall how beautiful she was and how beautifully dressed she was. Her face was framed by snow white hair, with not a hair out of place. She always came at Christmas time bearing gifts the children would love. She showed the nieces how to file their nails, brush their hair and always be agreeable. In retirement years, Ida began oil painting and applied her great sense of style to her canvasses. She was a very civilizing influence on three little girls as they grew into womanhood.

10/25/94

Paver Inscription:

"Ida Flogstad
B 1898 D 1987
BS Math 1921
MS Math 1925
Coll Professor"