Milton M. Ramer Biography


	This biography appears on pages 994-995 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and 
	was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				MILTON M. RAMER. 

	For many years Milton M. Ramer has been connected with the 
educational development of the state of South Dakota and has 
contributed much toward improving the school system. He still keeps in 
contact with interests of this kind as editor of the Associate Teacher. 
Mr. Ramer also is a director and secretary of the Capital Supply 
Company. He was born in Lewiston, Minnesota, February 11, 1869, and is 
a son of Charles H. and Abbie A. (Rice) Ramer. The father, a farmer and 
mechanic, was born December 31, 1840, and died on account of an 
accident, December 14, 1894. He lived in Indiana, Minnesota and North 
Dakota. His wife, Mrs. Abbie Ramer, was born February 3, 1842. She is 
now living in California, where she has turned her attention to fruit-
raising. The parents were devoutly religious and willingly assumed more 
than their burden in the uplift and betterment of the world. They had 
seven children, all of them sons, of whom they reared five, and of whom 
four are still living. The Ramer family is of German origin, coming to 
Pennsylvania about 1750. They later removed to Ohio and Indiana. The 
ancestors of Mrs. Ramer were originally English and came to New England 
at a very early period in the history of our country. 

	Milton M. Ramer attended the common schools of Minnesota and 
North Dakota. He took part of a course at Moorehead (Minn.) State 
Normal School, and attended the Baptist College at Tower City, North 
Dakota, which is now defunct. He also took instruction in the 
University of Minnesota, attending summer terms. Early in life he 
turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, having been brought up 
on a farm. He taught country school in North Dakota and in 1893 became 
principal of the school at Big Stone City, South Dakota, which 
connection he retained until 1899. In that year he was chosen county 
superintendent of schools of Grant county, South Dakota, remaining 
until 1903. In 1903-04 he was superintendent of schools at Milbank, and 
in 1904-05 was principal of the high school at Mitchell. His excellence 
as a teacher was recognized, and this, combined with his ability and 
executive talents well fitted him for the position of president of the 
South Dakota Educational Association, to which office he was elected in 
1905. In September of that year he was appointed by Governor Elrod, 
state superintendent of public instruction, which office he held until 
January 1, 1907. During that time he promoted a number of valuable and 
far reaching measures which were of great benefit in building up the 
system of instruction in this state. At the end of his term of office 
Mr. Ramer returned to the high school at Mitchell for one year and in 
1908 was chosen superintendent of schools at Pierre for a period of 
four years. He retired from active school work to become a director and 
secretary of the Capital Supply Company, in which capacities he is 
still serving. Since 1910 he has been editor of the educational journal 
now known as the Associate Teacher, and by this means has continued to 
make valuable contributions to the field of labor with which he has 
been so long identified. He has always advocated definite instruction 
in the public schools along moral lines, which, to make it effective, 
should have a religious background. He led the campaign which resulted 
in the creation of "Ethics For Children," and he succeeded in bringing 
about its adoption by the state as the textbook in ethics. 

	On April 26, 1902, Mr. Ramer was united in marriage, at Tower 
City, North Dakota, to Miss Augusta K. Wasem, a daughter of Mr. and 
Mrs. John Wasem. Mrs. Ramer was educated in the common schools. She is 
a noble-minded woman, a valuable helpmeet to her husband and a good 
mother. She excels as a homemaker, is also a fine needlewoman and 
paints in oils, manifesting considerable talent along that line. Mr. 
and Mrs. Ramer have two daughters, Gladys Irene and Almeta Leona. The 
parents affiliate with the Methodist Episcopal church and have taken a 
deep interest in its work and in that of its allied societies. In 1905-
6 Mr. Ramer was president of the South Dakota Sunday School 
Association, in the work of which organization he has always taken a 
most helpful interest. 

	Mr. Ramer is a republican of the conservative type but is not 
bound by partisan lines, considering as of first importance the 
qualifications of the candidate, and not his party affiliation. Mr. 
Ramer served for one year in the North Dakota National Guard but was 
discharged upon his removal from that state. He is a member of the 
Modern Woodmen of America and for three years served as venerable 
consul at Milbank. He also belongs to the American Yeoman. As a member 
of the Commercial Club of Pierre, he stands with those men who exert 
themselves for the growth and expansion of the city along commercial 
and industrial lines. He is devoted to golf and is a member of the 
Pierre Golf Club.