- [Announcer] Funding for this program is provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and the citizens of Minnesota.

(birds calling) (bright rhythmic music) - [Presenter] Coming up next, "Off 90."

Pacelli High School students form a rocketry club, in the 1950s; Albert Lea photographer, Jacob Schlichter; the 410 Art Project, in Mankato; and also in Mankato, a do-it-yourself bicycle repair shop.

It's all just ahead, "Off 90."

(bright rhythmic music continues) (bright rhythmic music continues) (bright rhythmic music continues) (bright rhythmic music fading) (bright rhythmic music returns) (bright rhythmic music fading) (ascending horn music) - [Michael] More and more teenagers are passing up rock-and-roll for a rocket roll.

Sister Duns Scotus, a physics teacher, supervises members of the Austin Minnesota Rocket Society.

attempting to send a mouse along.

(low suspenseful music) - Sputnik was a Russian rocket that worked and went up into space.

And at the same time, the US Government couldn't get a rocket off the ground.

(low suspenseful music continues) (rocket exploding) Somebody sent me a newspaper from Moscow and it says, "High school students can launch a successful rocket, but the US Government can't."

- Yeah.

- On the front page.

In English, so it was- - Oh, was it in English?

- Yeah, that one was in English.

Yeah, that was during the Cold War.

(intriguing rhythmic music) - Three or four of us got together and had an interest in science, anything science.

And rockets were a pretty good way to have some fun and shoot 'em and see if they worked, and find places like the high school where Dick and I actually went into the machine shop and machined nozzles, other parts of the rocket.

(intriguing rhythmic music continues) I always liked science a lot, and read most of the books at the library on science and stuff.

One day I was in there, I read a "Scientific American."

In the back of it, they had The Amateur Scientist, and I looked at it one month and my God, it was a rocket.

They have directions how to build a rocket.

They even gave you the fuel mixture.

(rapid rhythmic music) I walked into that place over a three-week period, Wold's Drug Store at the corner, I used to live about three blocks from it, and bought about four or five pounds of potassium nitrate, a couple pounds of charcoal, and a couple pounds of sulfur.

And I walked right in, handed him the money, and he handed me the chemicals in a bag, and that was it.

And went home and made gunpowder 'cause that's what makes gunpowder, and we tried to make rockets using that.

(rapid rhythmic music ending) Before we did anything, we'd figure out what's gonna happen and how does it go off.

Like when you make gun power, ground it up, and you grind things separately, you don't have a problem.

When you start mixing 'em, that's when you have a problem.

But we was very careful by following directions we could read and find.

That's all.

- Remember my basement?

- Well, Dick had a little thing in the basement, yeah.

- We were meltin' zinc dust and sulfur in my basement under our furnace chimney, and it didn't comply.

It ignited and we had smoke all over the place, and it made enough noise that some of the neighbors came over and thought there was a problem.

It was just the zinc dust and sulfur smoke that went up the chimney and put out a signal to the whole neighborhood.

(laughing) (momentous rhythmic music) (mouse squeaking) - We didn't come up with the mouse things, but I mean, whose idea was it to put it in the rocket and fire it?

Was it really?

- Yeah, it was you.

- Yeah, thinkin' back, it probably was.

(laughing) - And then Gary and I agreed almost the minute you said it.

(curious rhythmic music) - Long story short is we were cruelty to animals, the Humane Society ended up taking us to court, here in Austin at the old courthouse.

And we had sort of...

It wasn't really a trial.

I wouldn't call it a trial.

- No, it wasn't- - But it was a hearing.

- It was a hearing.

- Yeah, a hearing.

And to this day, we're banned I believe from putting a mouse in a rocket.

(curious rhythmic music continues) - [Michael] By now, veterans of the younger generation's newest enthusiasm, the rocketeers go to their Red Rock Proving Grounds.

The first firing is a test rocket.

(momentous string music) (rocket blasting) (everyone yelling) (momentous string music continues) - We thought we had a way to put 'em in all kinds of cotton and stuff like that to take up the shock when it hits.

It didn't work.

After we lost the poor mouse and we couldn't use mice anymore, a friend of ours designed a capsule so that when the rocket tipped over, we had a fake mouse, a rubber mouse, and it would eject it and it would come down by a parachute.

And it worked beautiful.

(momentous string music) At the time it happened, there was three of us, Dick, myself, and Gary Solyst.

- [Richard] After we got on the news, we went from three to, what was it, 14?

- [Leonard] Somethin' like that.

- Within a day or two.

(gentle ascending music) I went into engineering.

I worked for Hormel, pretty much several places in the country.

- I spent six years in the Navy submarines, nuclear-powered submarines.

Went up to Maine, and worked at Maine Yankee for 20 years.

(footsteps crunching) - This is one thing we were informed of when we bought the farm 43 years ago.

They launched just on this side of the woods over there.

They didn't have to worry about it crashing into a house, hopefully, or blowing up next to a house.

- What would it be, 10, 15 years since I've been out here?

One of the members of the Rocket Society, his mother, after many, many years, decided that we should have a memorial out there.

"Mousenik Rockets, on five January, 1957. at the Red Rock Proving Grounds, one quarter mile north of this marker, the Austin Rocket Society launched a four-foot, 10-inch rocket, Mousenik II.

The rocket carried a live mouse as a passenger.

The launch received international attention."

- [Sr. Scotus] Five, four, three, two, one, fire.

- [Michael] But, Mousenik fails to fire because of an ignition defect.

- We don't consider our failures as two great disappointments because we know that they're all necessary.

We've had many failures and we learned by each one of them, and we use what we learned to better our next project.

- I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before this decade is out of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.

- I wish I would've had a little more knowledge back then.

- I wouldn't change anything to this day.

It was a great time, it was a great time to grow up, and everybody was behind you.

And I just enjoyed it very, very much, and I'd still like to see it again and watch videos of it 'cause it was really, really great.

(gentle violin music) (gentle violin music continues) (gentle violin music fading) (bright rhythmic music) (bright rhythmic fading) (birds chirping) (camera snapping photo) (camera snapping photo) (camera snapping photo) (camera snapping photo) (rolling string music) - My name is Jacob Schlichter.

We're at the Albert Lea Art Center, here in beautiful Albert Lea, Minnesota.

This is the Wildlife of Southeastern Minnesota Exhibit, partially put on by the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council.

It's just the past year or so of my photography journey out in Southeastern Minnesota.

And if ya take a look around or if you have had time to stop by, I mean, I'm sure you'll see I try to get as close and personal as I can with all of my subjects.

(rolling string music continues) I mean, it started with videography actually, back in high school with my GoPros, just recording like snowmobiling videos.

And then I was blessed by Ms. Bechinat, our photography teacher at AHS over in Austin, who let me use one of their, I think it was a Nikons.

I never took the photography class, didn't have time for that unfortunately in my schedule.

But, she must have seen somethin' in me because I was just off to the races after I had that thing.

It was awesome.

A lotta my early photography was more just kinda for the hype, you know, just really silly things that were kinda cool to me.

But back to the why is after that, I kinda developed a realization that I really wanted to capture just the day-to-day moments.

You know, I realized my generation is kind of privileged in the aspect of having digital photography.

So now, you can have thousands of photos in the palm of your hand (laughing), and it's really not a burden anymore.

And I say that having helped my parents clean out my grandparents' storage shed, and my Grandpa loved taking photos and there's just thousands of them all over.

So it really just started with me tryna capture my day-to-day moments and memories with all my friends.

I've always had a love for like nature and astronomy, which my other focus in photography isn't just wildlife, it's astrophotography.

But I've always loved space and I've always loved wildlife.

Having grown up reading like "Nat Geo" consistently, I just love the beauty of Mother Nature and everything that entails.

(curious oscillating music) I love hiking, kayaking, snowmobiling.

I feel just at home out amongst the nature, amongst the wildlife.

(curious oscillating music) It is not just a job, it's definitely a passion, a huge passion, you know, I just love it.

It's fun, it's relaxing, a great way to de-stress.

But more importantly, it's really cool to spend weeks, months, a year kinda developing the relationship with the wildlife.

And I think that kinda builds on it.

You know, logically, I love making the art, I love bringing that to people, I love helping them see what they might miss on their day-to-day life.

But emotionally, it's very fulfilling to just be out there back to the roots of what it means to be a human, in my opinion.

(curious oscillating music continues) You know, I think as an artist, there's definitely a goal and message I'm trying to purvey within any given photo, but you have to almost take a step back and realize too that sometimes your audience might appreciate something from a different perspective you didn't see.

(curious oscillating music continues) My favorite parts is really just being able to travel and make that kinda my job for the time I'm doin' it.

I think that is just a blessing, to put it bluntly.

But you know, more to myself personally, it's just really humbling and relaxing being able to just be out there in nature with my camera, knowing that I'm gonna bring these photos to an exhibit and help people kinda break outta their nine-to-five rut, and maybe spark some new interest in the wildlife around us, maybe spark a love for nature that might've disappeared through age or what have you.

You know, when the open house was here, there was people of all ages here, and it was just really moving to just see how my art can affect all these lives in different ways.

Having all these different people ask me questions, hearing stories about them seeing like sandhill cranes or various other animals in their backyard or when they're out on walks and how that moved them.

Or hearing other stories of like, "Ooh, that bird was my Grandma's favorite animal," And it's just like, "Wow, that's so meaningful," and it's just words don't do that justice.

So not just being able to travel, but the emotional connection I'm making with everyone that's seeing my work, those are my favorite things about this, those are what are driving me at my core.

And I look forward to keep doin' this honestly, I hope I can keep doin' this for years to come.

(bright rhythmic music) (bright rhythmic music fading) (rolling string music) - The 410 Project is a volunteer-managed community art space, located in Mankato, Minnesota.

We have everything from artist exhibitions, programming, live music, open mics.

So we're really a community space that's for artists, but again for community members throughout the state of Minnesota.

- The 410 Project is really a space that allows people to show all kinds of different works, all kinds of different media, and people are able to show all kinds of different viewpoints.

- The 410 Project is a community hub, and it's a welcoming place to just be who you are and explore what you want to creatively.

The 410 always has a space for people's exciting experiments that they're enthusiastic about pursuing.

- The 410 Project opened in 2003.

Originally, we opened at 410 Front Street, which is where our name, the 410 Project, comes from.

We've been in our current location since 2005.

When the original artists who started the 410, again 20 years ago, they were just college students coming outta the university system, and they wanted something off campus where they could create their own space.

They wanted to get away from academia where there was too many rules and kinda have their own freedom.

And I think when they started this space, it was really a gamble because they didn't know where the money was coming from, they had to have jobs to sustain their space.

So it's kinda one of those things to where it was like, okay, is this gonna be open like a year or two?

And now, we're here for 20 years.

You know, my goal for the space is obviously sustainability and as well as growth and continued community support.

What that looks like, we can't tell that future, but I think the main thing is is that we keep our doors open for those who need it and bringing art to places that haven't quite experienced it yet.

- There's a lotta art in Mankato, but it's hard for a lot of folks to really dive into that I think.

But being in this location downtown, it's kind of this bright beacon of a welcoming space that lets people know, "Hey, you should come in here and you're welcome here."

- We take for granted that the cities, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, that they have a lot of exhibition spaces and all kinds of fascinating exhibitions, but I think it's very important to have it in Mankato.

For example, we have students from MSU who were able to show their first one-person show, and that gives them self-confidence to apply for exhibitions not just in Minnesota but all across the country.

- I think it's unique mostly because it does allow you to really experiment with your work, and that often entails doing things that a lot of galleries might not allow, such as putting a lotta holes in the wall or a lotta extra anchors in the ceiling, or using the space in atypical ways.

The 410 Project has always been really welcoming.

- What I feel is unique about the 410, there's never been a person here that was getting a paycheck.

It's truly run by people that have a passion for what the space provides to the community, people that have a passion for their own work and to support their peers.

We are financially supported by our community, and people are seeing what we're doing and they wanna make sure that we stay open and able to give back to the people that need it.

- It's really helped me grow personally and professionally.

I had my first real art exhibit as a solo artist in this space, there's been a ton of musical performances in the space, so it's been a really exciting space to see not just the visual artists but the arts across the board flourish.

- Our programming is very fluid, we really listen to what our audience needs.

We're here to support people in their creative ideas, and how do you get those creative ideas outta your head and onto a surface or into a song is really what we emphasize.

So my passion again is to support people in their goals when it comes to again their creative practice or their careers, or if someone just needs motivation to finish that painting or write that grant to pay to make some CDs for your next album, like that's what I love doing.

People did that to me to this day and years ago.

If I didn't have people mentoring me and supporting me, I wouldn't be where I am right now.

And I'm thinkin' about how do I give that back to those who need that support as well?

(gentle rhythmic music) (bright rhythmic music) (bright rhythmic music fading) (group chattering indistinctly) (upbeat rhythmic music) (bell chiming) (upbeat rhythmic music continues) - Key City Bike, basically it's a community bike shop of sorts.

We get all kinds of bikes, parts, miscellaneous things donated to us, and basically we're a full nonprofit organization, a 501(c)(3), and everything we do with stuff, we try to get bikes back in the hands of people.

- So we are kind of a DIY bike kitchen where people come in and utilize our tools for free to work on their own bikes, and we also process bikes to repair them and make them accessible to the community.

- So recycle, reclaim, and empower, it's the mission statement basically for Key City Bike.

Recycle, basically we're trying to recycle bikes and parts and put 'em back into the hands of people.

Essentially, that's more of the reclaim side where it's getting them back out into the community through the various programs that that happens.

The empower part is just the way this is kind of set up, where people can do do-it-yourself repairs and learn how to kinda work on their own bikes and things of that nature.

- The people that typically come into Key City Bike, it ranges.

We have everyone from students to people who are retired, and anywhere in between.

You know, whether they're wanting to use their bike for transportation or recreation, people will utilize our services, or we wanna make sure that bikes are accessible to everyone within any budget.

So our bikes are kind of at a lower price range to make sure that everyone can get a bike that's looking for one.

- I like to come here because I get to learn how to repair my bike as well.

So it's not just taking it into a shop and having somebody else fix it, but I get to learn how to put on a new inner tube, how to fix my brakes, how to put on new handlebars.

And then if I ever leave Mankato or I'm tryna help a friend fix their bike, I also have that knowledge, so that's super valuable for me.

- In the shop, we have seven workbenches that people can utilize for free.

They can come in and use our tools to work on their own bike.

However, we are only open three days a week, so sometimes that's hard for people to come and have access to the tools.

So a year or two ago, we got an outdoor tool station installed on the outside of the building, so that's an awesome way for people to come by and quick pump-up their tires or use a wrench or something like that.

- They have sort of all the parts here, but it's really up to you to put them onto your bike.

So they have inner tubes and they have new chains, but then you say, "This is the piece that I need for my bike," but then it's up to you to put it on.

And they'll help you, they'll teach you how to put it onto your bike and how to replace it.

And then at the end, you walk up and say, "Hey, today I put on a new inner tube," or, "Today, I added new brakes," or, "Got a new shifting cable," whatever, and then you just sort of pay as you go.

- So Key City is supported in a lot of different ways.

We have our volunteers that are here with the hands-on support in the space and with events and things like that, but we also have the support of folks that are donating bikes and parts.

And then we have like paid memberships, and then we also have bench sponsorships and other ways to sponsor some of our events.

So the main programs that Key City Bike offers are our Earn-a-Bike Program.

So if you're not looking to spend money on a bike, that's not accessible to you, you can volunteer 15 hours in exchange for a bike.

And when you're done with that program, you will have learned the basics about bike mechanics, and then you go home with a helmet, a bike lock, and front and rear lights to kinda set you up for success.

And then we have our Kids' Bike Program, which is for bikes that have 20-inch wheels and smaller.

So those bikes are available on a sliding scale donation basis.

So some of the events that we do throughout the year, are we always have a group ride at the end of the month which is the last Friday, and then we have our annual event called Wheel Works.

And so we bring in live bands into the shop and just kinda celebrate the biking season with an art auction and things like that, a tire changing contest.

- You know, volunteers are really what get it done.

I'm here to help guide things and try to keep things organized a little bit 'cause we just have to have some stability as far as an organization.

But volunteers do a lot for all the different programs we do.

You know, a lotta people get kind of, I don't know, thrown off by the idea of coming in and volunteering, it could be a little intimidating.

It's somethin' where there's always things to do here.

It doesn't always take the most skilled person in the world, you can learn a lotta different things pretty easily.

And that's a big part of I think volunteering, where it's like just finding something that you have some sort of passion in and you can make a big difference.

You know, whether it's five minutes or five hours, small projects can lead to big results.

(gentle guitar music) (crowd chattering) (bright rhythmic music) (bright rhythmic music continues) (vehicle passing) (crowd chattering) (crowd chattering continues) - Mommy, I found a bike I like.

- Did you?

Did you test drive it?

- Yeah.

- You see the orange cones?

It's just right up there to the right.

- Oh- - Yeah.

- Do you like it?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

Well, we can just bring it up there.

- Watch where you're biking- - She loves it.

(vehicles passing in background) (crowd chattering) - Are you behind me?

(vehicle passing) (crowd chattering) (bright rhythmic music) - [Announcer] Funding for this program is provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and the citizens of Minnesota.

(birds calling)