Luther College - Pioneer Yearbook (Decorah, IA)

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Musically yours . . . Traditionally famous in the field of MUSIC Luther may once again stand at the head of the line with a program of musical activities in- ferior to none. Regardless of whether interests lie in vocal or instrumental, swing or classical fields, students are bound to find expression for their talents in the varied group of musical or- ganizations to be found on the Luther campus. Hardly an event occurs but that music in some form or other appears on the program. At chapel, Sunday morning church services, special college functions, banquets, school par- ties or games, music is always very much in evidence. And not only does music play an im- portant role in everyday campus life, but it also focuses the public spotlight on Luther through the medium of successful tours and other public performances. The coordinating body is the Luther Col- lege Musical Union, which is composed of the Concert Band, Schola Cantorum, Women's Chorus and Nordic Cathedral Choir. Organiz- ed in 1895 the Union seeks to promote cooper- ation among the musical organizations and to further interest in music among its individual members. Directing its activities during the past year have been Kermit Hendrickson, pre- sidentg Walter Felland, vice president, and Nora Forde, secretary-treasurer. Un Sunday, December 14, 1947, the de- partment of fine arts presented the Musical Union in a Christmas festival concert with the first part of the program consisting of separate numbers by the band, choir and chorus. Under the direction of Dr. Sigvart Steen the 240 mem- bers of the Union united to give the forty-fifth presentation of Handel's oratorio, The Mes- siah, a traditional occurrence at Luther. Now in its seventieth season the Luther College Concert Band, under the direction of Dr. Sigvart Steen, completed a I7 day tour of the Middlewest in April. Its 60 members cov- ered 2000 miles in five states: Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota. Presenting I7 concerts in I6 days, the band members en- joyed a day oft in Chicago due to the sympa- thetic efforts of manager Karl H. Nordgaard. Having concluded another successful tour the concert band has once again upheld its en- viable reputation, which it first achieved under the baton of the late Dr. Carlo A. Sperati. Un- der his direction the band established a name for itself as it toured the United States from coast to coast and twice traveled to Europe. LUTHER COLLEGE CONCERT BAND 1947-48 Program PART ONE INTRODUCTION ro 31m Ac'r or LoHmNaB,IN .... Wagner Jnsv, .Tor or MAN's DESIRING ............... Bach OBERON, Overture .......................... .Weber PEBPETUUM MOBILE ........................ Strauss BEAUTIFUL COLORADO Ufalse Caprice, for Baritone. . . . .................... .De Luca FINALE, THE NEW Wonnn SYMPnoNY. . . ..... Dvorak PART TWO PIANO CONCERTO IN A MINOR, the Jtrst movement ........ . ........ Grieg MINIATURE, Pastel ........................ Hotland NAPOLI, for trumpet ...................... Bellstedt RUSSIAN Ssxnorrs DANCE .................... Gliere FINALE, SYMPHONY IN F MINOR No. 4. .Tschaikowsky THE Suns AND STRIPES Foimvnn ............ Sousa Luther's oldest choral group is the Schola Cautorum with an entirely male personnel un- der the direction of Mr. john Dennis. During the 1947 season the Schola combined with the band in presenting concerts throughout the Middlewest. At present it is a separate organ- ization composed of 60 men who are neither in band nor choir. Although the Schola has given no formal concert, its members have presented numbers for the Messiah, in chapel, at church ser- vices and at Baccalaureate. Irving Berlin's Happy Holiday is a song familiarly associated with the W omeuis' C horus, which has almost made it a tradition to sing this song at the last chapel service before the Christmas holidays. Under the direction of Miss Kathryn Ulvil- den this choral group of 55 members has made several out-of-town appearances and has pre- sented numbers at Homecoming, for the Reli- gious Emphasis banquet, for the Messiah, at the LSU convention, for chapel and church services and at Baccalaureate.

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O wg. 'rat UN OSI.- steue o, H sn.: 9 Y it-vp 4.14, A-. '22- 1. O. A -nm' hu 54, Gwinn Kalam- Allin favor . . . The youth of a nation are the trustees of posterity. Interested bystanders would prob- ably agree with Disraeli in this statement after observing the lively and spirited discussions en- suing at one of the monthly student body meet- ings at Luther College. Although still in a period of transition great strides have been made in STUDENT GOV- ERNMENT. The very fact that voices are sometimes raised a little too loudly is evidence that students are thinking and working for a democratic student body government, imperfect as it may be at times. Progressing with their achievements and profiting by their mistakes, these students are preparing themselves to as- sume future leadership and to fight for their inherent rights as American citizens when con- fronted with false prophets who promise them a Utopian government in exchange for their freedoms. Serving as the governing board of the stu- dent body is the Student Council of twelve members. During the past year official positions have been filled by Gerald Amundson, president 3 Kenneth B jerke, vice president 3 Margaret Nel- son, secretary 3 and William Thoresen and Paul Monson, treasurers. In addition each class has had one male and one female representative as follows: Helen Stoen and David Vaaler, seniors, Christabel Adix and Olin Storvick, juniors, Justine Holum and David Orwoll, sophomores, Grace Sherry and Ralph Scott, freshmen. The Council meets weekly to conduct the business of the student body. Its responsibilities include coordinating student activities, auth- orizing expenditures of student body funds, bringing up important issues at student body meetings for frank, impartial discussion, ap- pointing editors of the student publications, COLLEGE CHIPS and PIONEERQ and planning social activities. In planning school parties, the carnival and other lighter forms of entertainment, the Coun- cil has had the help of the Social Committee, which functions to provide and maintain a wholesome and active social program for the student body. Serving on this committee have been john Spencer, chairman, Paul O. Hansen, Kermit Hendrickson, Alice Michelson, Barbara Moe and Dorothea Ofstedal. On the day of their enrollment at Luther all women automatically become members of the Woinenis' Self-Government Association, which seeks to represent the interests of the fair sex in campus government. Its aims are to act as a sounding board for student opinion and to foster better relations between students and faculty. The governing body of the WSGA is the Women's Senate, which holds weekly meetings and works in conjunction with the Dean of Wo- men. Heading the Senate for 1947-48 and also representing the women on the Student Council have been Helen Stoen, president, Christabel Adix, vice president, Justine Holum, treasurer, and Grace Sherry, secretary. Class representatives rounding out the rest of the Senate personnel have been Esther An- dersen, seniorg Mary Lou Hanson, junior, Ruth Ylvisaker, sophomore 5 and Ruth Moore, freshman. In addition to its governmental duties the Senate attempts to promote social life on the campus by sponsoring various parties and activi- ties throughout the school year. Included on its agenda are the Big-Little Sister party in Octoberg the Musicale and Tea in Novemberg the Christmas coffee party, and the Coed Ban- quet, this year using a May Day theme com- plete with garden, lawn chairs, bird bath, fiow- ers, white picket fences and May pole. In former years a Men's Senate has func- tioned on a level with the Women's Senate but lost its identity after the war when the increas- ed enrollment made it necessary to put women into campus housing and to put men into pri- vate homes scattered throughout the city of Decorah. VVhen the new women's dormitory is completed and men once again take over Lar- sen Hall, a Men's Senate will very likely re- sume its rightful place in campus government.

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The choir more than met expectations. One of the finest choral groups that has visit- ed this locality. They sang with precision and fluency that bespoke vigorous training. A presentation of a cappella singing at its best. These are only a few excerpts from the many enthusiastic reviews given the Nordic Cathedral Choir in its tour to the Pacific Northwest this spring. N-ow in its second season the choir is under the direction of Dr. Sigvart Steen with the Rev. Harold B. Kildahl, jr., manager. In ad- dition to pre-tour and post-tour engagements, the choir has also presented concerts at Home- coming and Commencement and has sung at the Karl Hanson and Donald Larson funerals. NORDIC CATHEDRAL CHOIR 1947-48 Concert Program PART ONE SING YE T0 THE Loma ................... J. S. Bach COME, SOOTHING DEATH ......... .... J . S. Bach BENEDICTUS .... ...................... E . Paladrlhe WAKE, AWAKE ...................... Philip Nicolai PART TWO OUE FATHER ............... Alexander Gretchaninolf THE Wonn BELIEVING ............... Leland Sateren O DAEKEST Won ................... German Chorale LosT IN THE NIGHT .............. Finnish Folk Song MOTETTE Fon AIJVENT .............. Gustav Schreck PART THREE BoEN TODAY ....................... J. P. Sweelinch THE SAME STAR SHINES .............. Julian Steen A J oYoUs CHRISTMAS SoNa.Arr. Margrethe Hokanson RESTORATION ,....... ........... B enjamin Edwards BEAUTIFUL SAvIoIz ................ Crusaders' Hymn OPTIONAL NUMBERS THE Sona or MARY ............ ............ F Ischer MY Goo How WONDERFUL THoU ART. .Scotch Psalter A more livelier form of musical entertain- ment is that furnished by Luther's pep band. No pep fest or game is complete unless accom- panied by the music of this group of entirely male personnel directed by student Leonard Borlaug. Swing enthusiasts take delight in the mu- sic of the C ollegians, Luther's popular all-male swing band. Although having no definite di- rector, the Collegians meet regularly to prac- tice for frequent appearances at various school parties and programs. The new Dorian Society, founded at the begining of the second semester, has as its aim to further interest in good music among stu- dents on the campus. Membership is limited to 3 5 and open to any student. The program of activities includes assisting in musical presentations on campus by ushering and providing technical assistants, participating in a series of discussions on record recitals and performances by students and faculty within the group itself. A goodly fellowship . . . With Soli Deo Gloria as the motto of Luther College it is only natural and fitting that RELIGION should play an important role in campus life. In evening house devotions, at daily chapel exercises, at Sunday morning wor- ship services at Decorah and First Lutheran churches, in various religious organizations, and at special programs and prayer fellow- ships, students are offered an opportunity to prepare for practical Christian living and to share with each other a deepening and inspiring faith in Jesus Christ. The past year has seen a complete reor- ganization of the campus religious set-up with lively and spirited discussions on the new LSA Council and the change-over from LSU to LSA. In order to have a more highly integrat- ed program, students cast their vote in favor of incorporating all religious activities under one coordinating LSA Council instead of having several independent groups. Under this plan the BRA, Fellowship Forum, and the old LSU lost their identity as individual organizations. In the past the Board of Religious Activi- ties has served as the unifying body with a representation of ten members, two each from the sophomore, junior and senior classes plus the presidents of LSU, LDR, Fellowship Forum and Mission Society. In order to avoid duplication of ofiice and to have a more effi- cient and active program, the BRA proposed and worked out the new plan for a coordinating council. While still in an active state the BRA plan- ned student drives, appointed LSU and LSA convention delegates and arranged for Religious Emphasis Week under its officers: David Vaaler, president, Arlene Matson, secretary, and Marlyn Hansing, treasurer. The old Lutheran Students Union attempt- ed to reach out to all students with an offer of fellowship, worship and recreation at its Sun- day meetings at 6 p. m. in the C. K. Preus auditorium. Heading this group were Donald Docken, president 5 Dolores Hanson, vice presi- dentg Arlene Matson, secretary-treasurer, Nancy Ney, publicityg and Otis Twedt, his- torian. Newly elected LSA Council officers include Phillip Pederson, president, who coordinates all activities and serves as the head of the stu- dent religious programg john Spencer, vice president, who acts as program chairmang Dorothea Ofstedal, secretary, who handles the minutes, correspondence, and talent fileg and Elder Bentley, treasurer, who takes charge of