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

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REFLECTIQNS By PROP. J. P. NIAGNUSSON The founders thought that a school consisted of a building. The Old Dorm was their Augustana College. Now, how many are there on the campus? Count them. They thought the necessary equipment consisted of a desk and some chairs, with possibly a blackboard. Now-yes we have them too, but we have also some other things. They thought that studying consisted in memorizing the sayings of the wise men of the past and faithfully and accurately repeating them to a stern and dignified individual called a professor-he of the hickory stick type. Now-yes we do this too, but we surely do more. Some say we do less. Building-growing. It is a far cry from the first Old Main to our present building complex--from Proij-Plmagnusson the little red school house by the road to a state university. Growing-building, yes, we of the present generation are building, not only farms and factories and cities and roads and autos and airships and college buildings, slowly and surely we are also rearing an educational structure. During the past year we have watched the rise of another building on our campus. Does this mean just another building? It is tl1e third or fourth building on our campus designed for a specific educational purpose, and more, it is tl1e first building among our church colleges designed and equipped solely for the study of then basic sciences. VVhat does this imply? Does it not mean that, in our higher educational work, we are passing from the phase of a generalized pioneer type of education to a more specialized type demanded by a highly indust1'ial society in general and by the younger generation of our own church constituency in par- ticular? Many will perhaps shake their heads and say that they no longer recognize their beloved Augustana, that as a Wayward child she has left the straight and narrow way laid out for her by tl1e fathers. 'However, in the historical article by President Andreen there is brought out the fact that the pioneer founders by no means had a narrow conception of the scope and purpose of the institution they were founding. The establishment of technical and scientihc departments is clearly implied in their statement of purpose. As one views the new Wallberg Hall of Science with its pleasing though simple exterior and its equally pleasing and complete interior appointments, one wonders what will be its significance for our institution and particularly for the sciences. An immediate result should be an increased enrollment not only in the sciences but throughout the institution. VVith facilities such as the new building will offer in science, together with the new offerings in the other departments of instruc- tion, the library, physical education, music, art, athletics, forensics, etc., the educational program of Augustana from now on should be such as to attract the widest circle of young people who are looking to an education beyond that of the secondary schools. Closely associated with this effect is the thought of an ideally complete system of thorough college courses. VVith the establishment of a well equipped science department we can say that our educational structure as a college of liberal arts is complete, at least in outline. The necessary dc- partments arc there. The necessary physical equipment is, for the most part. there. lVhat is the next task? As in the erection of the new science building there was the laying of thc rcinforcccl concrete footings deep in the solid earth. the pouring of the floors, the building of thc walls. stone 44 sr . nQ1n-r'

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4' ' 'Sn'-.', 'w1 -4 'za . ' fs X. ' i f -. w ,Af ,-Q . . .- .1 5fQ'f'1'wS. Q -.sr - We 5- -- A taaf- N V. .-- -lr ii- 1 Z, 555.-agrsif' 1 , ,' . T , j gh YE, ga, aa' .lla N .ga 4 -4,9 -: V -,L+ ,R 1' ' , T - -ci., . i . - 1. . f 'ff ' , ,' .-- -fu ' ' W ACRCSS . W. .4-1'-sf' 'Jew ' '5-:ff -' TI-IE Ti2EASUl2Ei?'S DESK By Rav. C. J. Joi-1NsoN The Editor of the Rocxnry-I asked for a contribution setting forth some of the main problems of our office. YVe promised very reluctantly to do so, knowing that all financial problems are hard to explain in a few words. The position of school treasurer is not as easy as many seem to believe. The income is, as a rule, very limited but expenses are many. Sala- ries must be paid promptly, because teachers and other work- ers are dependent on them for their livelihood. Bills for supplies and equipment must be paid in a few days after pur- chase. If this is not done, the credit and buying power will suffer, which in turn will make it more difficult to buy at any advantage and at thelowest possible prices. At Augustana we have three principal sources of income: Tuition from students, income from Endowment Funds and contribution from the Synod. Other items of income are small and not to be depended upon. Some activities, such as Ath- letics, Concerts, Lecture Courses, Dormitories, Cafeteria, etc., are supposed to pay for themselves, but this is not always the case. Rev- C-I-Johnson Collecting tuition is rather diflicult in times such as ours. Many young people like to attend school, both in order to irn- prove their knowledge and because they cannot get anything to do. Paying positions are scarce. In order to help them it has been necessary to extend credit and let them give notes for their tuition. These notes are to be paid within the semester period but often the expected income will not materialize. This will leave quite a sum of unpaid tuition on our books. Augustana College and Theological Seminary has about a million dollar endowment fund. Loans and investments were carefully made but the financial condition of the country has made it impossible for many borrowers to pay ,interest on their loans. This deprives the institution of ready cash when needed. The churches of the Synod have always given liberal support to the school work, but during the past few years it has been impossible for them to contribute the amount asked for and prom- ised. The people simply had nothing to give. Again a handicap. The above mentioned causes will clearly show that we are laboring under difliculties. VVhen we look back over the past five years, it is really a marvel that we have been getting along as well as we have. The expenses for running an institution like ours is no small item. Salaries alone amount to if115,000.00 a year. Repairs, supplies, heat and light, etc., run up into thousands. Total salaries and expenses for 1934 amounted to iB199,125.90. Our charges are very reasonable. Tuition is only 3180.00 per school year. This includes all expenses for instruction, except laboratory fees, which are very small. Rooms at the dormitories cost from 352.00 per week up to 33.50. Meals are served at the cafeteria at cost. A student who is careful with his money need not spend over 95450.00 a year. Tuition paid by the students is far from enough to cover expenses of instruction. The income from the Endowment Funds and contribution from the Synod is used to cover this shortage. It takes about 350,000.00 a year more than is received from tuition to care for all the expenses of the college department. Anyone can readily see that the students receive their education for a sum far below actual cost. The Synod and College are glad to render this service to the young people. The youth of to- day are the leaders of tomo1'row and it is our duty to give them an opportunity to prepare for future leadership. We rejoice over the opportunity to help them. The students of Augustana carry the banner of the college onward with honor both to them- selves and their Alma Mater. We congratulate them and say Be Strong, be courageous in your glorious work . CARL J. JOHNSON. 44 rr

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Ns-6 x wnmwqvi' W A Yxvg- fn W gt is , 'r 'BS' by stone, the interior finishing, the installation of fixed equipment, heating, plumbing, electrifica- tion, cases, work tables, and Hnally the planning and purchase of scientific instruments and working material, so in the building of Augustana there was the laying of foundations deep in the social strata of our people, the erection of the educational structure, department by department, course by course, until now, with the proper housing of our science department, all the necessary depart- mental units are there, built by the labors of many in the past and by the prayerful sacrifices of the people who have supported it. But, as in the new building, the most important task is the planning of the' scientific .equipment and materials so as to efficiently serve the specinc purpose for which the building is intended, so in our college the task remains to equip our departments in scope and course content so as to serve the needs of those who come here to prepare themselves for service in alsociety vastly more complex and specializedlthan that of a generation ago. This is the problem that lies immediately before us. On its solution will depends-sthe future of any institu- tion of learning, large or small. Even a minor prophet can forsee a time in the near future when society in all its phases, civic, industrial, economic, will rely more and more on the council of edu- cated men and women, and less and less on the self-made rugged individual , the promoter or the professional politician. The educational institutions which are blessed with the vision to see what is coming and the wisdom and means to prepare for it will not only survive but will assume a place of leadership in modern society never before accorded to education. The erection of a new science building on our campus comes at an opportune time. 'There remains the still more important task of broaden- ing the scope of each department, eliminating overlapping of courses, and above all, selecting in each department courses of definite and standardized content so that each course will count for something in the students' educational career. Wliat with the newer ideas of 'orientation courses,' areas of concentration , etc., the important thing for the learner after all is a course thoroughly worked out and well taught. May we not say, then, that with the completion of our beautiful new Science Hall we have reached the end of one phase in our development, the pioneer stage, the stage of laying of founda- tions, of growth, of expansion. Now comes the period of consolidation, of internal growth, of fill- ing in the importantdetails in the picture, so that Augustana may in very truth become an ideal American college. A The Qld at 'qs' 'W 'Y 'WG inf is M' - ' - - .1 -1 . ls w Fic Qfxfeu' . Q '-tp: as-ns.. Q . - I a h , ' : 5: V V , , ,D bjfu N 3- - if: L-ug, gf, 1,53 E, - in . . L At . rar n..x,A A ' . . . 5 in-'-,ga 142 :.!'ff- , ..::1,'5 ' f . 1 H' S- i-QU-N ' 51.354, as , 1. - -1 i - - A-':-... .- . r- -- i , ,, 1 , . ,J .- - A-X , , ' g -' - up -. V La- 'sa f' '- R :aa--4 .. .- ' 1. - pf -1 .E?,.,,g.w 'SES -. - A .,.' - ., .4.,..s 1 V , . . . 1 , - ,, sg., r- , X: -A-ml .Z ., -sei Ng ag 3, A xl., 1: -:a f ,ff .,,-Q.-,ggszg 1 - Za.. wisp, , j 'T fx I-54.4. X gurus Qs... A I A ' - . ' Li' I .-5'-' W Lf. .. f i F P I I :kid 'Y ' r 'A sf' L W ,I .,. X . s I 3 : v- . , .- t , 1 F hs , . -. 'g- . --. - ff . -i ,, - .. , -ms -' ,, 'f . . e. , 1 . -F' '- .- A e - ' N - - x A- ' 1 , , eg 1'.l-Ls:'-- p A M- . --- ' 1 -W 4 s .. - -f v -A I, - 'Q --- f - . -' W' '