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

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fessor Esbj6rn's resignation brought matters to a crisis. The Scandinavians met in convention in Chicago, Illinois, April 23-27, 1860, and after long deliberation unanimously resolved on April 27 Cwhich date is therefore celebrated at Augustana as Founders' Dayj to organize a synod for them- selves and to establish a theological seminary of their own. The organization of the synod, which was to be known as the Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod, was completed at a subsequent convention held at Jefferson Prairie, near Clinton, Vlfisconsin, June 5-11 the same year. It is to these meetings that Augustana College and Theological Seminary traces its origin. It was for three years located at Chicago, the instruction mainly being given in the old church then located on Superior Street, between VVells and LaSalle Streets. These were years of hardship for the young institution. The call of Abraham Lincoln for volunteers in the Civil VVar was heeded by some of the students and by many who otherwise would have become students at Augustana, two of the sons of President Esbjorn enlisting in the army. In 1863, when Prof: Esbjorn resigned, the institution was moved to Paxton, Illinois, where Prof. T. N. I-Iasselquist became its head, which position he retained till his death in 1891. The institution was incorporated under the laws of Illinois in 1863 and named Augustana College and Seminary, and afterward by a special act of legislature in 1865, a charter was granted which was amended by a supplementary act by the same body in 1869, since which time the institution has been known by its present name. In 1870 the Norwegians withdrew and organized a separate synod and established an institution of their own. Instruction was given both in Seminary and College subjects from the very beginning. Every year from 1861 students were sent forth from the Theological Seminary to enter the work of the ministry of the Augustana Synod, the school being able to supply only in part the ever growing needs of the Church. The Hrst graduating class from the College department received the degree of A.B. in 1877, since which time this has been an ever growing department of the in- stitution. , In 1887 the Conservatory of Music was added, and the following year a Business Depart- ment was organized. The Normal Department was established in 1891. In connection with the Conservatory of Music a School of Art was established by the Board of Directors in 1895. The courses of instruction in the Theological Seminary were gradually made to embrace two years, and from 18741 there were two regular classes in the Seminary until 1891, when the Synod increased the course to three years. Many departments of instruction have gradually been established in the College proper. All subjects in the College are taught in English. Augustana College belongs to the North Central Association and as a first-class American college fulfills the requirements of this association. It is also on the approved list of the Association of American Universities and is given Class A rating by University of Illinois. The first president of the institution was Prof. L. P. Esbjtirn, who served during the first three years. VVhen the institution was removed to Paxton, in 1863, Dr. T. N. Hasselquist, who had just accepted a,call to a new congregation at that place, was appointed president and filled this position until his death in 1891. Dr. 0. Olsson was elected to succeed him. He served until his death, May 12, 1900. Dr. C. W. Foss served as Acting President until the summer of 1901, when Dr. Gustav Andreen, of Yale University, was elected to the presidency. The institution as a whole has always been open to students of good moral character, without regard to language, race or creed. Women students were allowed to attend instruction in the various classes but were not matriculated until 1886. Of the students in the Theological Seminary 1,284+ have been ordained to the holy ministry. In the Collegiate Department 1,531 have been graduated with the degree of A.B., and 410 with the degree of B.S. In the Academy Department Cdiscontinued 1931j, 1,235 have completed the course, the Conservatory of Music numbers 519 graduates, and the Commercial Department 1,2941. The graduates of the present year are not in- cluded in any of the above figures. Buildings and Grounds Augustana College is located in Rock Island, midway between the center of the citics of Rock Island and Moline. The campus consists of about thirty-nine acres, situated in part on the bluff overlooking the Mississippi valley. Let us take a view of the buildings. ALL.-:J ? 1 3 7 1

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' Z- - ' ' A 'Y , lil. -UQ-'.- ' iL,'xe.'t1- ' i NIH Sf- will, 11-l-t. ' , f . 'NE' bk -1- 251 . ' -c I-2 - N ,. , Q .. Q Egg- 1 - 1 rf' ' glial? 3 I . 2 . -4 , H-' 9 F , E.i,g,.:F , , ,- ,fly-fgfwi N' . Kale' f ' , - - - .5 -'-yr' I l .kia , ,V '--Q : .,- - 2j',37::f, ?j,kg,.,A,5g,,.-'v,5.,+Q.,,. ..- , I5 7 - g' 5' - N . .i- 'i,.,- 'gl 1 I 'V TTI- gig., -, ' ' -e I 'SP P-fx.7s W .- . :.f-:Hu5. f-- -.- . - -' ' -- ?., - wr - '. in 2' .' -- iff. ' 1, il, 3, 1,-xET:g.,A':,f, ,Zi-Y 11, ,. ,f n up 1 55 L,.,g 1 - L' - 1- - . ...fr , . -fd, I' 5 CF AUGUSTANA CQLLEGE By Da. GUsrAv ANDREEN ' About three hundred years ago Gustavus Adolphus of Swe- den conceived the idea of establishing a Swedish colony in the New IVorld. His heroic death at Liitzen in 1632 seemed to put an end to his plans, but his daughter, Queen Christina, with the advice of the great statesman, Oxenstjerna sought to realize the hopes of the dead king. In 1637 Swedish colonists, the Pilgrim Fathers of the North , sailed from Gothenburg to America in two ships, Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip, which arrived at the Delaware River in the middle of March, 1638. Fort Christina was founded and, during the years immediately following, settlements were made at Philadelphia, VVilmington and other neighboring places. From the first, Swedish Evange- lical Lutheran ichurches were founded, the first clergyman being R. Torkillus from Skara and Gothenburg. The colonists dealt with the Indians in a friendly and fair spirit and won their con- fidence. The first missionary among the Indians in America 1 was Johannes Campanius during the year 16413-16448, who began his work even among the aborigines. Campanius learned the language of the Indians and translated Luther's Catechism, with explanations, into their tongue, a copy of which translation is found in the library of Augustana College and Theological Seminary. The descendants of those Swedish colonists took part in the Revolutionary VVar and in the forming of the Government of the United States. One of these, John Morton, cast the decisive vote by which Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress joined the other colonists in the Declara- tion of Independence, and was one of the signers of that act. Another descendant of these pil- grim Swedes was John Hanson, the first president of Congress under the Constitution of 1789. The children of these colonists have taken active part in the upbuilding of their states. The virtual founder of Pennsylvania University was Charles Stille, a colonial Swede, and some of the chancellors have claimed Swedish colonial descent. Augustana College and Theological Seminary was officially represented at the sesquicentennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, and also at the dedication of the John Morton and John Hanson Memorial Building in Philadelphia on June 6, 1926. The great tide of emigration from northern continental Europe did not begin, however, till the years between 18440 and' 1850. The pioneers who then came made their way mainly to the northern Mississippi valley, founding their homes in the large unsettled tracts of northern Illinois and Iowa, later in Wisconsin, Minnesota and other states. These immigrants had been members of the Lutheran Church in the mother country, and were as a rule a religious and churchly people, wishing to retain their religious heritage on the new soil. Earnest, pious men came over as pastors, and Lutheran congregations were early established among the Swedes and Norwegians. At the organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Northern Illinois in 1851, several Scandinavian pastors were present and took part in the organization. The scattered Scandinavian and American Lutherans in this section of the country were thus joined in one synod. The Scandinavians in- creased rapidly and before 1860 they constituted about one-half of the synod, and formed three separate conferences. This synod and other Lutheran bodies in the VVest established a school, known as the Illinois State University, at Springfield, Illinois, for the special purpose of educating Lutheran ministers. At a meeting of the synod in 1855, the question of establishing a Scandina- vian professorship at the University was favorably considered, and at a subsequent meeting a resolution to establish such a professorship was adopted, and Rev. L. P. Esbjiirn, the first of the pioneer pastors, was elected to the chair. He entered upon his duties in the fall of 1858, and served two years, having among his pupils Qin the subject of Mathematicsj the son of Abraham Lincoln, who sometimes consulted with Esbjiirn concerning his son's studies. Prof. Esbjorn re- signed this professorship in the spring of 1860. Differences with regard to the doctrinal basis of the synod existed from the beginning between the Scandinavian and American members. Pro- 4410 PD

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-SYVQ 'W' W 1' an H X3 v 6' Qi, Qrfif qi 'Q' Alia wie' if 'H' ., , A ,f X V ,eff x -'bf 'mxlp-m.,.,:, ' ff- 5 -if j. .l.a F . taiw - : . 4 -' ' 1, E I QA. T P v m. ' 'M jan --i --,1-.,f5.- , -mg ff 'N' vs 5 1.,. an '. 1 1.17 X l g V, 'I .f ' ' 5577?-V '. ' ' iii' A .- if 1 A li m i , 5. A Riff'-', if i' .. .2-55:5 i 1,5 53 3i. - W ' 5 17- -' . - f fV':.g?fT .- i- H' 'f?. ,:' 4:. ?s t I ee 'i 2 ' .. 5 Ja ,L I -.,,4Qr. -, -,A -3 ...mg . pea... -gi - ,WAT 5315s, S ig ., 3. f H Q 1 E, K Y 1 il -1 . ugh. 5 Q., V 7 K X is I ll lg.: ,ITA If-,ag Y , f- h shag, I. - ,sq , U.. 'I .N -i I A.. I pw F ,. V ...JF L W 1- V,-gh . ,-g V5 .1 U xg, a N, 4' , 1- . 5' V s .-,il il FRE if I . -' 1 . ' E ' ' --if ' 1 .D S' ' 'F , v'. . . --'f-' . , , ...V--- -' , N J- ,A i . .-.. - , .. K .Y .- ,a . - A,-,,, . . 3 - , up . . F , '..J pw' Dv: 'Iv ' ISEH ' The old college building which was completed in 1875 is a good sized brick structure situated on Seventh Avenue. It still contains the Cafeteria, Class Rooms for the Department of Com- merce. In the early days it served for living quarters for both professors and students. The Main Building was completed in 1888. It is a stone structure of pure Renaissance style. It has three stories and basement, containing lecture rooms, the chapel, and Cable Hall, which is so called in memory of P. L. Cable who donated a large sum for the completion of this building. It now also contains the offices of the Dean and of the Registrar. The Denkmann Memorial Library, dedicated in 1911, is a gift of the institution from the sons and daughters of the late Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Denkmann of Rock Island. It is one of the most beautiful Library buildings that any college possesses. The ground floor contains a lecture room, a memorial hall, administration offices, etc. The second floor contains the large main read- ing room extending across the whole front, 120 feet long by 48 feet wide. It also has the present offices of the Library Staff. On the third Hoor is a large room which has been set apart for the Museum and for the collection of books donated by Consul G. N. Swan of Sioux City. The rear of the building consists of Stack-rooms for 100,000 volumes. X ' The two Seminary Buildings were dedicated in 1923 at the time that Archbishop Nathan Soderblom of Sweden visited Augustana. The one building is devoted to instruction, administra- tion, library and worship. The chapel on the second story directly above the library, has a. seat- ing capacity for two hundred people. It has a deep chancel with a large art glass window repre- senting the Ascension of Christ. The organ was installed with means furnished by the students as a memorial to the former dean, Dr. C. E. Lindberg. Of the seven classrooms one has been set aside for the library presented to the institution by the late Professor N. Forsander. The cloister, connecting this building with the dormitory is a Gothic arcade about eleven feet wide with seven arches on the north side. The residence building contains rooms for the students. The social room, in which the students may gather for relaxation and pleasure, has a large fireplace and is very comfortably furnished. There is also a dining room in the south end of the building with seating capacity for ninety persons. The adjoining kitchen is well equipped for the preparation of meals. In the second story is a small suite of rooms set aside for the janitor. The large Gymnasium Building, completed in beginning of 1917, is a one story building with basement, of brick and steel construction, size 90 by 1410 feet. There are ample dressing rooms and locker facilities with a swimming pool 60 by 25. The main assembly hall together with the balcony seats 2,300. Above the balcony is a running track, 1413 laps to the mile. The gym- For concert programs there is a stage nasium is equipped with new and ample paraphernalia. which seats 200 people. A good pipe organ is also installed. Many noted speakers and singers have appeared here and the Synod has met in this place on several occasions. The former VVoman's Building, near the East side of the grounds, has been remodeled for use by the School of Music. Thanks to the interest in our Synod and to the efforts of the VVoman's Missionary Society, supplemented by the Appeal made by the college, a New Woman's Building was erected during 1927-28. The structure is built of Bedford limestone with a roof of black Bangor slate. On the first Hoor is the large living room, -My by 22 feet, and 18 feet high, with large arched windows, at either end of the room is a fireplace. In addition the first floor has of- fice room, cloak rooms, quarters for the Dean of lrvomen, guest rooms and students' rooms. In this building we may house more than a hundred women students. Ericsson Hall is a large residence building located in Ericsson Park. It has for many years been used for Chemistry and Physics Laboratories. The Wallberg Hall of Science is now being completed which is located 250 feet south of the Denkmann Library. We feel happy that this splendid building was erected even during times of depression by the generous testamentary gift of Mr. Emil Wallberg and Miss Marie VVallberg of Toronto, Canada. The dimensions are 4-9 x 115, with excellent classrooms and laboratories for the various departments of Science occupying three stories. There is also a full basement for storage and other purposes and a large attic space. This building will be dedicated at the seventy-fifth anniversary of Augustana College on June 7, 1935. G. A. ANDREEN. 44 :Q .44