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

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Cora Eldridge served as assistant in piano 1890-91. In 1892-93 the work in the Conservatory was organized into three distinct departments: a graduate department leading to the degree of Bache- lor of Music, an organist department designed especially to train students for organistsg and a choral and vocal department affording instruction and drill in solo, quartet, and chorus singing. This year the faculty grew to five members-Professors Gustav Stalpe, VV. Swensson, G. E. Grif- fith, Miss Alma Larson and Mr. G. N. Benson. In 19044 Professor Emil Larson became a member of the faculty, and a year later, the director of the department. Under his splendid leadership, which was from 1905 to 1908, the Conser- vatory strengthened its former standing and received impetus for greater things in the future. Professor J. Victor Bergquist of Minneapolis, took up his duties at Augustana Conservatory in the fall of 1912 and with him came Professor L. B. Canterbury to take charge of the depart- ment of voice. Professor Algert Anker, who had the previous year entered the fZlCl1lty as head of the violin department, remained in that position, Miss Effie Johnson came as teacher of piano, but was succeeded in 1913 by Miss Frances Lidman. - Very much could be said about the musical organizations which have come into being, flour- ished, waned, and died during the years of Augustanafs history, as well as about the ones still active and alive. A few of the organizations are: Utopian Quartet, Mendelssohn Male Choir, Xerxes Mandolin Orchestra, Kratodean Male Choir, Echo Quartet, Philodoi Female Quartet, Aeolus Club, Oriole Choir, Euterpean Society, and many others. The Handel Oratorio Society, founded at Augustana in 1881, was the first society of its kind in this party of the country. It came into existence thru the inHuence of Dr. O. Olsson, and its object is to study and render oratorios and other sacred compositions. For years the society has presented Handel's Messiah during the Christmas season, and it is now working on Mendels- sohn's Elijah,' to be given at the 75th Anniversary Celebration this spring. The organization, now conducted by Mr. Henry Veld, is one of the leading musical organizations in the Tri-Cities and is comprised of approximately 300 members. The lVen-nerberg Male Chorus, now enjoying the 35th year of its existence, is decidedly de- serving of recognition in the Held of music at Augustana. The Oriole Club, now known as the Jenny Lind Girls' Chorus, while not as old as the lVen- nerberg Chorus, is enjoying the 16th successful year as an organization. The two choirs are now directed by Mr. Henry Veld, a leader in every line of musical acti- vity, from the Chicago Musical College. Mr. Veld, very successfully directs the two choirs, now known jointly as the Augustana College A Capella Choir. Many are accustomed to think of the two choirs as being valuable to the institution chiefly be- cause of the service they render in the way of advertising the school on their annual tours, and it isxtrue that this service can hardly be estimated. But the service that they render to the Conser- vatory, and indeed, to the whole institution by their very existence, by their close and persistent ad- herence to high and thorough standards, in their work, and by their readiness to contribute to the musical success of every festive occasion at Augustana, can well be appreciated. The name of the Augustana Conservatory of Music was changed in 1931 to The Augustana School of Music. The faculty is now composed of eight members, Sven Victor Lekberg as Dean of the School of Music, and Head of the Piano and Theory Departments, Henry Veld, Head of the Voice Department and Choral Conductor, Louise Elizabeth Cervin, Instructor in Piano and Head of the Preparatory and Intermediate Departments, Mildred Anderson Hult, Instructor in Voice and Head of the Public School Music DepartmentgBrynolf Lundholm, Instructor in Piano and Organ, Edna Meckel llflason and VVilhelmina Johnson, Instructors in Piano, and Glenn Halik, Instructor in Violin and Viola and Band and Orchestra Conductor. The value of the School of Music can not be measured alone by its service to the College and its students, but also by its assistance in bringing to the Tri-Cities such well known artists as John McCormack, Toti Del Monte, Coe Glade, Paul Althouse, Edith Mason, Galli Curci, Marion Talley, Edward Collins, and Mme. Schuman-Heinck.

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75 3 QI- -:pe MES E ,L in hr 7. aikJ4L'!f'!Q'- 'Ll -X. r . '11-f ' 'T 41. - M.. -, , , .. . - M. . . C5 3 -. 1L1l..cs-'?x.g,- fi 31 , Lg, .,'l yn ' X ' I' . Vinh' 'qlifib 1 f' -affix T' I-'5 if a- ' N 'f 'i ld' vs . ' ' . ' ll L,-gy I. A l 'I -' -it 'vi '- fran -- 'fr Af - e-., s- J... -.- :- V. -NL:-1. . i '-, .f,- -,V sz. 5. i 5: A X. - ,X .-- . . Y: ' qui' . ' ' -2 . -1' ii' C. ,gs -iikg '.j!.,: i,fg'i-51. - X . - . - .. ' ,x',' , -, .A - . , .---. .- 11, F., p . X V.. I . :1' 2 ,,.: . - 4 'Wi iii -- 'f ua e ' u - . -- - - - N - --.-. ' ' M, - '-: . . - .g' ' ' ' . -1. . 1 . t - is -. J 'ur 1 4 ,,. --- -' .-., 1' - '- ' ' A ',.:- '41 dig ' 1: - ' . ' ,.--a-:n.--- ' .V . V 'f'3-- ' MUSIC AT AUGUSTANA By CLARICE QUAIFE The history of music at Augustana covers a period almost as long as that of the institution itself. From the very beginning up to the present time Augustana has in one way or another presented her students with facilities for obtaining at least rudimentary training in the musical art. In June of 1873 President Hasselquist in his annual report to the Synod, then meeting in Pax- ton, included the following paragraph: I beg to call to the attention of the Synod the necessity of providing for an old but continual- ly increasing need of our institution, namely that of instruction in music, vocal and instrumental. The love of music, and the desire to develop its art has ever since the days of Luther constituted a marked characteristic of the Lutheran Church, and we must nbtr gllgw it to be blotted out in the midst of our new circumstances here. Even though it should prove impossible to do anything in this .matter now, yet it should not be forgotten, but rather be kept actively in mind? The Board of Directors did keep this in mind, for the catalog of the institution for the year 1873-7-at includes in the list of faculty members the name of Mr. Albert 'Wihlborg as instructor in voice. I , In the Spring of 1879 Dr. O. Olsson had taken a trip to Europe for his health, and had found opportunity to hear a rendition of I-Iandel's Messiah in London. This seems to have impressed him very deeply and on his return he emphasized greater musical activity at Augustana. In an article in Augustana he spoke at length concerning this matter, and in this article is to be found expressed the beginning idea of a conservatory at our college. Mr. WVihlborg,s period of service extended over several years. In the fall of 1878 Mr. J. F. Ring became instructor in vocal ,music and served in this capacity and that of organist until 1882, when Gustav Stalpe of Denver, Colo., became Musical Director, and Augustana announced her first Professor of Music. p Instruction in vocal music was at first required and the students were grouped into two classes of instruction, the lower and the higher. The lower class was given the theory of music. The higher class was occupied with singing in choir and with exercises for developing the voice and cul- tivating the musical expression. The year 1886 was a very important one for music at Augustana. During the previous year the faculty had held a number of informal meetings for the purpose of discussing the possibility of establishing a school of music at the college. It seems that the Board of Directors, while entire- ly favorable to the movement, was unwilling to assume the responsibility of such an undertaking, and so the result was that on January 18, 1886, the Augustana Conservatory of Music was estab- lished as a private undertaking, governed by the following Board of Trustees: Professors Gus- tav Stalpe, Principal of the Department, O. Olsson, Presidentg C. W. Foss, Secretary-Treasurer, Josua Lindahlg C. B. Esbjorn, and G. VV. Sandt. Courses were offered in harmony, voice, organ, piano, and violin. The Conservatory continued under private management throughout the years 1886-88. Miss Marion Reck was added to the faculty as assistant in piano, and seventeen students were en- rolled. The fall of 1887 marked the beginning of the Conservatory as an integral part of the institu- tion and thirty students were enrolled this year. The Conservatory offered well worked out courses in theory, voice, organ, piano, violin, and history of music, and a course of lectures on the Bible which all students of the Conservatory were required to attend. Later courses were offered also in viola and violoncello. Miss Marion Reck served on the faculty until 1888, Miss Emelia Meggle, 1888-1889, and llfiss Hilma Ohlin, 1888-1890. From 1890 to 1893 the Conservatory made rapid progress in raising and organizing its stand- ards. During 1890-1892 Professor Stalpe was assisted by Professor Albert Holmes, and Miss 44 bb

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. 'W' vw gi 'T .f me 5, i, . L - -V , V - '.v.,,,v,-.-. . .X ,M . i p, M ,, . ,, K , - Q , . ' -5- rl ,Yr uf N 1. X ', ,JH T Nj jf :NZ X' li an i . W l ' ' -ft:mf'y' i- i Tiff' F HT- ' - 'A ' i .iw 'S ia' ' W ini: J. i.iQi1 -I 'S '- 5 q. -' . C25 15 ' . .gi 3'.L,. .g 'S ' QV ik itzf- ' .fr 'gk rife vii - Q --r iQ. t:....ge 1,5 . ,' 4, 1 H - - ij. A- -4.1-1 un, , , If ,.., u U 'V ,' -X 5- sz, , . , : ,H ,gs --5 1 I?-' . .. ' . ' ' 4 ir u 'S - , , ,' 1 5-'. ' . .- .4,,w 1-.N , .4 12-' ,v ,xg u '- r 5 ' ' . -25 mir' ' -' :fv - ii: -5:1 ' -- 1 N 7? l-- - ,gifs exit. j Lgffmty, A - V ' ' ' U ' ' I. . . :I-,gf -.,, A M3 .I -,fl .41 ..- .Qzm ' 34' .M K' fkifiafk . ' . k- -'gi' . - '- ,-.9 ,Ii , '-- , ig , 1 -, ta, , . -5-:gi ei, ' - - ' U ,L WM, - . 2 -9, 1 'T '.- 9 -Q s . ' . V F vu. - . mpg A, , A-A A- A 1--. ae' .. - - ' ' . 1..- f I PN. I ,,,. .. 'P asfii'if' sf 'WW ,qyil '-as ATHLETICS AT AUGUSTANA By BILL KINNEX' Athletics at Augustana College, like everything else of importance which has a history of many years, has had its ups and downs. Among the matters of importance besides championships, victories, and defeats, is the never- to-be-forgotten rebellion which broke loose on the Augustana campus in 1906 when all forms of intercollegiate athletics were banned by the synod and the board of directors. For some reason or other, athletics, especially football, created a widespread disfavor among the churchmen of the synod. In 1905 the church leaders decided to forbid football. The student body of the school raised a hullabaloo over losing the game, but that was nothing compared to the bombshell tossed on the campus in the fall of 1906 when all intercollegiate competition was or- dered stopped. T 1' 'X On October 24, 1906, the pentup feeling of the students broke over the college and the board. lVithin 15 minutes after the announcement of the board's decision upholding the synod's action, all students except twelve called a general strike. A for rent or sale sign was posted on the old gymnasium. The board was hooted and jeered. After several days' of rebelling, however, the students finally were persuaded to re- enter the classrooms. Then about eighty of the ring-leaders were suspended temporarily, and re- instatement came when an apology was offered by the students. The whole affair was soon forgotten, but athletics were dead at the college for many years. ln 1911, basketball and baseball were reinstated, but it was not until 1917 that football was put back in the good graces of the Synod and the board of directors. Basketball first was introduced at Augie in 1897, by the Rev. C. M. Olander, who brought his knowledge of the game from the Marinette, VVis., Y. M. C. A. The game found favor with the students, and the first team to organize was known as the Five Drop Club, which soon had com- petition from the Stars, a rival cage organization. VVhen 1902 rolled around, Augustana had accepted basketball as an established custom, and was ready to enter the lists with a half dozen colleges and universities of the middle west. The first game of the year was with Monmouth, with the Vikings emerging victorious, 18 to 12. The first championship in the cage Sport Came in 1905, when the college won every game on its schedule, including two with the University of Iowa. Purn captained the team, with Walt Pearson the secondforward. Enoch Pearson played center and Johnson and Udden were the guards. The 1906 season was nearly as good as the previous year, and well it should have been, be- cause not until 1911 were the Swedes again to play other colleges due to the ban of 1907. In 1906, Augie won eight out of 12 battles. Roy M. Conrad of Moline came to Augustana in 1913, as the first director of athletics, coach- ing football and basketball. During the season of 1913, Conrad's quintet won 12 of 16 games. Art Swedberg, who later became basketball coach and director of athletics, made his entry into the Augie ranks in 1913. A year later, Augie was nosed out of the finals in the state tournament at Bloomington, losing to Northwestern Cnow North Centralj, 36 to 21. Swedberg captained the Vikings inthe 1915 and 1916 seasons, the latter year being the best year the old gymnasium ever saw-the new gym was first used in 1917. The state championship came to Augustana in 1917, with Swedberg, Ed Johnson, Al Taber, VVinnie Holmgren, Cub Lundberg, Ed Swedberg, Bill Anderson and Frank Johnson as regulars. Incidentally, the Swedes that year dedicated the University of Chicago gymnasium by losing to the Maroons, 37 to 17. Swedberg took over the reigns in 1920, turning out an aggregation that copped third in the state meet, conducted at Augustana. The squad was composed of Captain Almer, Wallie Swanson, Kootch Anderson, Bengston, Holgren, Dopp, Van Alstyne, Lundeen, Palmer, Andreen and Dahl- quist. 44 ur