Augsburg College - Augsburgian Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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♦ TUB FIRST IIO.MK OF AFOSRFRO Augsburg in Marshall, Wisconsin Rev. J. A. Bergh, Class of ’69 WHEN Prof. A. eenaas with a few assistam teachers and a handful of students in 1869 began the little school in Marshall, we little thought that in fifty years it would be able to hold a celebration like the present one, which is graced not only by the presence of the governor of the state and the mayor of the city, but also by a bishot) from the mother church. Marshall is a small hamlet lying a score of miles or so from Madison. Wis. Just as every village now must have its high school, so fifty years ago it must have its academy in order to be of any account at all. So must Marshall too. A rather pretentious building was erected. It had two stories. The lower was arranged for reading rooms, kitchen and dining room ; the upper served as dormitory. But a building does not make a school, and the academy was not a success. So when the Norwegian branch of the Scandinavian Augustana Synod was looking for a location for its proposed theological seminary, the village offered them their academy building on the condition that besides the sem- inary they should conduct a regulation American academy. The offer was gladly accepted. It seemed like a gift from Divine providence In the autumn of 1869 Professor eenaas and a few students from Paxton, 111., came for the purpose of opening the school. At a meeting of I'AUK TWKXTY ONK

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as far as compatible with efficient work at school, also during tin- school year. A number of student organizations have been formed, and several of them have attained a very respectable age. 'I'he Students’ Society and the Boarding Club arc among the oldest. Literary, debating, oratorical, and athletic societies, as well as musical organizations, library societies, and other associations, have all had their share in shaping the development of the school, and in increasing its usefulness. The Students’ Missionary Society, organized in 1885, deserves special mention, as it has done much to foster the missionary spirit among Norwegian Lutherans in America. The Augsburg Alumni Association was organized in 1891. It meets once a year, generally the day after the College Commencement. Its function is mainly of a social character; it endeavors to further good-fellowship among the graduates of the school. It also seeks to create a greater interest in the work and aims of their Alma Mater. In 1870 two young men were graduated from the Theological Department of Augsburg Seminary. I'he total number of graduates from this depart- ment up to and including 1920 is 431. Almost all of these have become pastors, teachers, or missionaries, and a great majority of them are serving the Church at the present time both at home and in foreign lands. 'Phe preparatory curriculum of the school had a steady development during the first years of its existence, class after class being added, until in the year of 1879 five voting men were graduated as Baccalaurci Artium. The total number of College graduates up to and including 1920 is 273. more than 55 per cent of whom have subsequently taken up the study of Theology. Among the other graduates from the College are teachers, physicians, lawyers, and men in other callings of importance and trust. PAGE TWENTY

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♦ ♦ pastors in Racine, Wis., it was decided to call the new institution “Augsburg Seminary,” partly in recognition of its close affiliation with the Augustana College and Seminary, of which it was an outgrowth, partly as an expression of the spirit and aim of the school: it was to be faithful to Lutheran doctrine. On Luther’s birthday. Nov. 10, Augsburg Seminary held its opening celebration. There came pastors from several places, and singers from Milwaukee met up. Rev. O. Ilatlcstad began the exercise with prayer, and addresses were made by Rev. Anion Johnson, Kau Claire. Wis.; Prof. A. Wccnaas, president of the school; Prof. J. Anderson, principal of the academy, and K. Craig, county superintendent of schools. The ladies of the village served dinner. In the evening there was preaching by Rev. M. Ealk Gjcrtsen. The Seminary had two departments, a pro-seminary, where instruction was given in languages, history, and mathematics, and the seminary proper, where instruction was given in the ordinary theological subjects. Prof. Wccnaas lectured in theology. Cand. Phil. Boek taught foreign languages, and X. C. Brun and P. (». Ostbv. themselves students of theology, acted as assistants in Knglish and Norwegian respectively. Some of the theological students taught in the academy. At the end of the fall term. 1869, the seminary had the following stu- dents: N. C. Brun. X. K. Anderson (Boc), J. A. Bergh, P. G. Ostbv. L. Lund. C. J. Hclscm, O. C. Anderson, and 11. X. Thorup. The following were stu- dents in the pro-seminary: II. X. livid, P. Hendriksen. J. II. Grothcim, C. P». Jacobson. C. 'I'. Saugstad, G. G. Iloyinc, X. S. Kolin, and B. L. Hagboe. The school building, which was used jointly by the seminary and the academy, had a tower but no bell. Kndrc Boe. father of Boe. the student, helped it out of this difficulty, and soon the beautiful tones of the bell rang over the whole village. But they did not seem quite so beautiful to the sleepy student whom they aroused from pleasant dreams to hard, irksome toil. And sometimes sleep did get the best of him. But woe to the hapless lad whom the president on his trip of inspection found abed. A former Paxton student was elected bell-man, and he of course never overslept. But he had to buy a watch, a piece of wanton luxury in those days, and it cost him $4.00—a large sum for an Augsburg student in 1869; but he had to sacrifice something for his exalted office. Relations between the seminary and the academy were usually friendly, though at times some friction developed on account of the Xorwegian spirit that permeated the seminary and the American spirit that dominated the academy. Except for a bad epidemic of typhoid fever, which for a while transformed the school into a hospital and the students into patients or nurses, school work went on without interruption the first year. But the following year was destined to sec a change. At the annual meeting of the Scandinavian Augustana Synod, at Andover, 111.. 1870. the Xorwegian mem- bers withdrew to organize a separate synod, the Swedish members having PAGE twkntv two