Gustav S. Petterson was born in April 1889 to Norwegian parents. After completing high school in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Petterson went to the University of Minnesota, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1911 and his Master of Arts in 1912. While in school, Petterson focused on sociology, economics and education for his bachelor’s degree and sociology for his master’s degree. Petterson was one of a few people to receive the Phi Beta Kappa key when he graduated. After receiving his master’s degree, Petterson taught for a year at Dakota Wesleyan University, in Mitchell South Dakota, where he met and married his wife, Grace. The couple had two children, Donna and Neale. Neale was killed during World War II on the beaches of Italy. In 1913, Petterson began his forty-four year career at Mankato State Teachers College. Petterson was the first at Mankato State Teachers College to teach sociology classes, and it was because of him that the department grew. While teaching Sociology in Mankato, Petterson earned the nickname “Socie Pete”, which many people knew him as. In 1938, he began directing the “College Hour” at KYSM, which at the end of his run on the air had 1500 shows. This was a weekly show where Petterson talked mostly about books, but also brought in some current events. Petterson retired in 1957, but remained active in the community. Petterson was highly involved in the community and helped establish the Unitarian Fellowship, where he actively participated in the church, where he would also speak. In 1959, Petterson became the museum curator at the Blue Earth County Historical Society. He remained active there until his death in 1965.

This information obtained from the obituaries in the collection and the collection.