Every community had a doctor who practiced in its pioneer days. In New Prague, Minnesota, Dr. Edward E. Novak played that role for nearly seventy years. Novak graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in medicine in 1895 and began practicing medicine in New Prague in April of that same year. He moved to New Prague on his 22nd birthday. Although through his nearly seventy years of service he earned the respect of the community for his medical service, he also won the respect of a nationwide audience for work in other fields. This is the story of a country doctor who became a public figure through his work in education, polictics, and cattle breeding.
Novak began making house calls using a bicycle. After two years he realized the importance of better transportation, so he returned to his home where his father gave him a Hambletonian colt. This horse proved reliable, especially in Minnesota's winters, often times pulling a sled or sleigh. To reach all of his patients who lived wihtin a 100 mile radius, he eventually became one of the first automobile owners in New Prague.
Early on, Novak put his medical knowledge to use in education. Epidemics such as smallpox, diphtheria, and tuberculosis were quite common in the early years of his practice. When a vaccine became available for diphtheria, Novak led a campaign to immunize the state's children through the schools. Tuberculosis ravaged Minnesota in 1895 and it was Novak who pushed for the eradication of the disease through tuberculin testing and dissemination of information through schools.
It is perhaps no surprise that his active role in these programs placed him in an influential position in both the New Prague and the state school systems. Novak served on the school board from 1907 to 1951. In addition, he served as president of the Minnesota State School Board Association from 1935 to 1936. Beginning in 1937 he was named to the Board of Regents for the University of Minnesota and he stayed for 18 years.
Only four years after his arrival in New Prague, Novak, at the age of 26, was elected to the first of his two consecutive terms as mayor. Despite this early entrance into politics, it was the only public office he would ever hold, although this is not to say he was never again involved in politics. Beginning in 1930, Novak became chairman of the Le Sueur County Democratic Party. Earning the respect of his fellow Democrats, Novak was chosen to be one of Minnesota's then 11 presidential electors who cast their ballots for Franklin Delano Rosevelt in the 1932 election.
In 1936, Novak experienced his nearest brush with a state office when he was nominated as a candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial ticket. The nomination occurred at the Democratic state convention held in Minneapolis on May 2, 1936. In his acceptance speech Novak paid tribute to past Democratic governors of Minnesota John Lind, John A. Johnson, and Winfield Hammond, and the role they played and his admiration of the state. In his nominating speech, attorney Ray G. Moonan, described Novak as a fearless man of convictions, who truly represented the ideals of the Democratic Party. He also spoke of a candidate who would represent the farmers and the unemployed citizens of Minnesota.
The Democratic Party in Minnesota had undergone great difficulties in past elections. The newly formed Farmer-Labor Party had attained great success and had taken many Democrats under its wing. Novak stated that one of his goals was to bring party unity and eliminate the fractionalism that had weakened the party to near debilitation.
The community showed great support for its favorite son. A "Novak for Governor" committee was organized and began the campaign work immediately. William F. Fitzharris was named campaign manager and secretary. Disappointment came to the Novak camp when Fred Curtis edged out Novak in the Democratic primary. This marked the beginning of one of the oddest chapters in Minnesota politics. Exactly one week after the primary, the "Novak for Governor" committee filed a petition claiming Curtis had violated the Minnesota Corrupt Practices Act. They claimed a circular of "vicious, vile, and un-American" content was distributed by the Curtis campaign. the petition also claimed that Novak's opponenet encouraged members of the Farmer-Labor Party to cast their votes in the Democratic primary for Curtis. In addition they claimed that Curtis had been a registered member of another political party at the time he filed his candidacy. Despite their efforts, Curtis was the Democratic flag bearer going into November's election.
The Democratic gubernatorial bid became even more bizarre just weeks before the election. As it turned out, the 1936 election was the only election in Minnesota history in which no Democratic candidate appeared on the November ballot. Curtis, along with Patrick J. Delaney, Democratic candidate for United States Senate, both withdrew their names from the ballot on October 3, 1936. The Democratic Party's national committee thought it would be a wise strategy and threw Democratic support to Ernest Lundeen, Farmer-Labor nominee for Senate, and Senator Elmer A. Benson, Farmer-Labor nominee for governor in exchange for Farmer-Labor support of Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt in the upcoming presidential election.
Despite his far-reaching influence and the respect he had earned both in Minnesota and nationally, an article in the Minneapolis Star titled "Country Doctor" perhaps summed up Novak best when it stated that despite his national reputation, "New Prague probably reveres him most as a country doctor-the man who has come at many calls to deliver babies and see oldsters out of this world."
