Hall of Fame
Earl M. Peterson participated and lettered in football, basketball, and track and field at Macalester.
Mr. Peterson enrolled as a second semester sophomore at Macalester after finishing courses at Emmetsburg, Iowa, Junior College. He was a member of the Macalester track teams that won state titles from 1932-35. These team championships provided Mr. Peterson with his most thrilling and satisfying college experiences. He set three Macalester track records and three State Conference records: 100 yard dash (9.9 seconds), long jump (23 feet, 5 inches) and the pole vault (12 feet, 6 inches). Mr. Peterson also set a long jump record at the South Dakota Relays in 1935.
After competing and lettering in football in 1934, Mr. Peterson served as football coach for the Macalester freshman squad during the 1935-36 school year.
Mr. Peterson graduated from Macalester in 1936 with degrees in education and psychology and minors in history, social science, and physical education. After graduation he taught high school history and social science in Good Thunder, Minn. During his 10 years at Good Thunder, he also taught chemistry and boys chorale, coached high school basketball and baseball, and was school principal for five years.
In 1946 he began working at the Security National Bank in Amboy, Minn. He spent 30 years with the bank and became vice president there and also was elected to then bank's board of directors. Mr. Peterson retired from the Security National Bank in December 1976, and he and his wife Mary Helen continue to reside in Amboy.
Active in the community, Mr. Peterson served 12 years as clerk of the Amboy School District, was treasurer of the Blue Earth County Fair Association for 14 years, and is a member of the United Methodist Church, where he has been a board member for several years.
