Augustana College - Rockety I Yearbook (Rock Island, IL)

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Suki . wtwh tensive Swedish work. In the early days Swedish Was the only medium of instruction. Now the English language is the medium of instruction in all branches except in the Swedish which is taught as a special branch. As a special chair the Swedish language will always continue to be taught. As the courses of instruction have gradually been extended anti their scope en- larged. there has been from time to time an enlargement along the lines of departments. The Theological department was naturally the primary and for some years the oniy department, Out at the Theological the College and Academic departments developed through a natural process of growth. In addition to these departments we have new five others: The Normal, Conservatory, Alt, Elocution. and the Business Departments, The Normal course is pursued in connection with the Academy and the College with special attention given to such subjects as constitute Normal work. As early as l576 instruction began in book-keeping but it was not until i885 that we had a complete business course in a separate department. The musical element has aiways been One of the characteristics of Augustana. The first musical organization macie its appearance in the early clays at Paxton. Vocal music has been especially prominent, and as early as 1880, an Oratorio Society was organized through the efforts of Dr. 0. Olssnn. Dr. Olsson was at the time one at the professms of the Seminary. He later, in 1891 was elected to the presidency to succeed Dr. Hasselquist. Dr. Olsson had during a visit in England had the opportunity of hearing Handel's Messiah rendered; He returned with enthusiastic determination to organize an Oratorio Society here at home. The society was organized. The first tour was made in IBM, the chorus rendering pmgrams at Rock Island. Moline and towns in the vicinity. The fullcwing year more extensive tours were made, a trip being made even as far as Lindshurg. Kansas. It is from this organization that our Conservatory of Music had its beginnings, though any mention is not made in the College catalogue until the year 1356. lnstructicn in singing haul, hy the way, been given as eariy as l873. The musical organizations which for a longer or a shorter time Hourished have been various in nature and plentiful in number. Among those now existing the must prominent are, perhaps, the Wennerherg Chorus, the Chapel Chair. and the College Band. Very Closely connected with the Conservatory are the Art and Elocution depart- ments. Instruction has been given in bath departments since the year 1897. The entire numher nf students who have attended Augustana. is 12,000. From the College department, theie have been 542 graduates. The hrst class to graduate with the degree of Bachelor of Arts was the class of '577. The class was composed of six members. The largest number of graduates from any one department has been from the Business depattmcnt,f740. and the smallest number has been from the Normal department-i32. From the Theological department. there have been 659 graduates and from the Conservatoryefll Several Master of Arts degrees and two l4

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FIRST COLLEGE BUILDING. ROCK WSLAND. ILL. I 5