On August 27, 1961, the centennial of the founding of the M E A was observed. Formed at Rochester during the early days of the Civil War, the organization had more than 28,000 classroom teachers and administrators and its headquarters in St. Paul. John Ogden, principal of the First State Normal at Winona, and Jabez Brooks, later president of Hamline University at Red Wing, hoped that through organization the teaching profession might advance the cause of the common school and better serve the needs of the new state. Meeting in the little Baptist Church at the bend of the Zumbro River west of the Mayo Park bridge, some 50 pioneer teachers of Minnesota dedicated themselves "to elevate the character and advance the interests of the teaching profession and to promote the cause of popular education." At this first meeting, Benjamin F. Crary, state superintendent of public instruction in St. Paul, was elected president of the association; A. D. Williams, president (principal) of Wasioja Seminary, vice president; S. T. Jones, village schoolmaster of Mantorville, secretary; and O. O. Baldwin, superintendent of Rochester, treasurer.