A LIFE OF EDUCATION
The Baltic Sea state of Schleswig-Holstein has long been an area of contention between Germany and Denmark. Schleswig became a Danish duchy in the 12th century and remained a fief associated with Denmark until it was forcibly annexed by Austria and Prussia after the German-Danish War (1864). After the Seven Weeks' War (1866), Schleswig was incorporated with Holstein as a single Prussian province. Contrary to the hopes of German Schleswig-Holsteiners, the area did not gain its independence, but was annexed as a province of Prussia in 1867. During the decades of Prussian rule within the German Empire, authorities attempted a Germanisation policy in the northern part of Schleswig, which remained predominantly Danish. In 1873 John Griebel, a cooper, living in Oldenburg was joined by his brother Rudolph and many of his Schleswig friends and left for Bremer to take a ship to America.
John Griebel's home of Oldenburg and the port in Bremer
After reaching America, he travelled directly to Genesee, Whiteside County, Illinois, 50 miles west of Chicago. In the 1870s, many Germans immigrated to Whiteside County after the Franco-Prussian War. Germany had implemented compulsory military training, and many men who were mustered out of the army were tired of war. Griebel may have joined relatives there.
John's time in Illinois was very brief because he soon took to the Oregon Trail and headed to the West Coast. Specifically to the fast growing town of Portland, Oregon.
John's time in Illinois was very brief because he soon took to the Oregon Trail and headed to the West Coast. Specifically to the fast growing town of Portland, Oregon.
The Griebel brothers would have started their journey west either at St. Louis, Missouri, or Council Bluffs, Iowa. The trip usually took four to five months. Three years later they could have traveled by rail in a few days.
The Griebels lived near the center of this 1880's picture of Portland.
The area is now known as South Portland.
The area is now known as South Portland.
In 1845 Portland, named after Portland, Maine, was founded by two real-estate men from New England. By 1851 Portland was incorporated and the Portland Public Schools were founded. The population had doubled to 17,000 in the 10 years before John arrived and would be 90,000 within the next twenty years. He immediately set up his hardware business which would be very successful over the next thirty years.
John's first child was his daughter Emma. She was born September 19th 1874 supposedly in Whiteside County, Illinois. I say supposedly because the records are conflicting. Her parents were married in 1874. John was 30/31 and his wife, Magdalena, was 14. (You read that correctly) Emma was always listed as being born in Illinois and her brother Rudolph in 1876 in Oregon. But, Magdalena always states in the records that she did not arrive in America until 1879-1881. Bad memory?
John's first child was his daughter Emma. She was born September 19th 1874 supposedly in Whiteside County, Illinois. I say supposedly because the records are conflicting. Her parents were married in 1874. John was 30/31 and his wife, Magdalena, was 14. (You read that correctly) Emma was always listed as being born in Illinois and her brother Rudolph in 1876 in Oregon. But, Magdalena always states in the records that she did not arrive in America until 1879-1881. Bad memory?
Emma appears to have done well in school. At 14 while attending the North School (shown on the left) she won an essay contest by the Oregon Humane Society. Her essay titled "Intelligence and Reasoning Power of Lower Animals" got her the grand prize over 133 other entrants. The other entrants received a free subscription to their newsletter called "Our Dumb Animals".
After high school Emma had already known what she wanted to do in life...teaching.
After graduating from Portland high school she taught at Wilsonville for two years, which was a full-day journey by steamboat from Portland. And then she returned to teach at the Couch School in Northwest Portland. But, she did not have a teaching degree. With her father's business success, she was able to afford to go to college. There were schools in Oregon she could go to, but she opted for California. Her school of choice was the University of California - Berkeley.
Female Students at UC Berkeley
Despite societal belief that education would interfere with women’s roles as wives and mothers, UC Berkeley began admitting women in 1870, only two years after it opened. The university also allowed women to take any class they chose; which, at the time, included agricultural, mining and mechanical arts programs. The Register of the University of 1870 said, under its terms of admission, “Young ladies are admitted into the University on equal terms, in all respects with young men.”
During that first year, 17 women enrolled—five more than the entire 1873 charter class. Four years later, president Daniel Coit Gilman remarked the university had more women who ranked high in scholarship than men. By 1900 when Emma arrived women comprised 60 percent of the student body—at a time when most U.S. colleges and universities either excluded women or enforced quotas to keep the numbers low.
Emma's graduation in 1903 was a major event in Berkeley because of the commencement speaker. Doing a tour of the West Coast that summer was the hugely popular President Theodore Roosevelt. For two weeks the President attended daily parades, gatherings and ceremonies. The 8,000 available seats for the graduation ceremony was not big enough for the crowd of dignitaries and on-lookers.
During that first year, 17 women enrolled—five more than the entire 1873 charter class. Four years later, president Daniel Coit Gilman remarked the university had more women who ranked high in scholarship than men. By 1900 when Emma arrived women comprised 60 percent of the student body—at a time when most U.S. colleges and universities either excluded women or enforced quotas to keep the numbers low.
Emma's graduation in 1903 was a major event in Berkeley because of the commencement speaker. Doing a tour of the West Coast that summer was the hugely popular President Theodore Roosevelt. For two weeks the President attended daily parades, gatherings and ceremonies. The 8,000 available seats for the graduation ceremony was not big enough for the crowd of dignitaries and on-lookers.
Returning to Portland she joined the teaching staff at Lincoln High School. She mainly taught Physiography. It is a branch of geography that studies the physical features of the Earth's surface.
In 1918 Emma came up with a way to encourage her students to learn Oregon history. She published a game called "Know Oregon" for fifth to eighth graders available at local libraries. We do not know for sure exactly what comprised this game. But, it was probably a card game with history questions. Realizing she had something she expanded on this idea.
Her brother Rudolph was now married and living in Seattle, Washington, selling medical items. Approaching him with her idea they started a game company called Griebel Games Company in Portland and Seattle. They produced children's games.
Her brother Rudolph was now married and living in Seattle, Washington, selling medical items. Approaching him with her idea they started a game company called Griebel Games Company in Portland and Seattle. They produced children's games.
Their first commercial game was called "Know Your Own United States"
The deck is 50 cards with 4 questions on each. Each numbered question on a card has the same numbered answer on another. The cards came in two versions. One with red backs and one with blue backs.
Rudolph set up the business in Seattle in the building he had been working in selling medical items. The Doctor he had worked for there had been drafted for the War and closed the business. The first floor was now a plumbing company.
The address 625 First Avenue was also called the Emerald City Building. (Shown today on the left) Emerald City is Seattle's nickname. It comes from the lush greenery of the surrounding areas all year round, echoing Washington State's moniker as the Evergreen State.
In 1921 Emma would also create two games. The first was another version of her first game and was called "Know Washington". Then she patented a handheld game using the Scottish term for golf called "Gowf". This one also had commercial success.
In 1923 and 1925 Rudolph patented his own games. There is no information if either went commercial.
Emma's next attempt at a game was in 1926 was her biggest success. It was called "Knots and Whys of Science" and was marketed by the Milton Bradley game company as one of their "Grandma's Games". It featured questions and answers pertaining to everyday applications of elementary principles of physics and chemistry. This game had 199 question cards, an answer book, and a set of instructions in the box.
Emma had always been active in promoting education for women and that women could do men's work. She was a member of the prestigious educators honor society Pi Lambda Theta, the American Association of University Women and head of her alumni association. Her high school dedicated their yearbook to her when she retired in 1935.
Emma had one more commercial idea left in her. She made a deal with the game company Parker Brothers this time. They repurposed her, "Know Your Own United States" into a new game called "The Game of United States Geography"
Also at this time Emma realized she had a medical problem. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's. Having never married, she lived alone. She then hired a live in nurse (Lillian Tracey) to help her. For 15 years, Lillian took care of Emma until she had to be confined to a convalescence home. After two years in the home Emma passed away in 1953. Her ashes were buried with her father.
I would like to thank fellow card collector Matt Schacht for getting me interested in Emma's story.
A SIDE NOTE
When I discovered the geography game of Emma's and started researching it, I found people stating dates between the 1890s and 1920. No source had any confirmed date with many just stating "circa" with one. But, if you look at the photo above, there is an extra advertisement card.
The advertisement card is for a Monopoly game selling for $2 to $25. It lists their "Popular Edition" and their "White Box" editions. This was a crucial clue.
Released in 1935 the WHITE BOX EDITION No. 9 became a great favorite. The equipment is contained in a large white box, with a removable "Bank", i.a., a compartment which greatly aids in the handling of money. The hotels are wooden and stamped with gold "Grand Hotel". They also have bright red colors and gold embossing. The set is equipped with for three to ten Players …. with a double supply of Special-slip Money. Being a medium priced set at the time at $3.50, many consider it the "best buy" in Monopoly. Now considered rare in a complete near mint condition it goes for over $300.