Bethel University - Spire Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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TI1E ACOR N ;; o Miss Lundholm holds the position of pianist in the First Swedish Baptist Sunday School, and was also last year unanimously nominated editor-in-chief of the Acorn, but being somewhat reticent she decidedly refused and was therefore not elected. Miss Lund holm's favorite I lower is the Lily-of-the-valley.” Miss Edna Skooglun, for some time Bethel Academy’s champion tennisplayer, began playing December 15, 1891. It happened in the beautiful .Minnesota Capital, St. Paul, a place so attractive that Miss Skooglun has chosen to remain there ever since, and influenced by this long sojourn she lias made “Never give up” a favorite motto. Edna has attended the Phalen Park School where she won a diploma after a few years struggles, and started at Bethel some four years ago. Miss Skooglun would really not need as her favorite flower the “Forget-me-not,” because the pleasant times she lias occasioned, especially the school-party at Bald Eagle Lake last summer, will make her memory perpetual, but if the flower was picked because it resembles its owner it was well chosen. We do not as yet know Miss Skooglun's future occupation but feel persuaded that she will make it sweet. Jonas Larson, the salutatorian of the class, first looked out over the world in Angermanland, Sweden. In early youth he became a passionate lover of swimming, fishing, and mountain-climbing. During these first years he learned not only that laughing is an expression of mirth peculiar to the human species, but also acquired the habit of indicating that laughter might also be the sound heard in laughing,—of which we all can bear wittness. The only shadow over his early life was the necessitated attendence of a primary school. Sadly few dates appear in Mr. Larson’s history—the only now accessible being the year 1904, in which Mr. Larson, very likely prompted by love of liberty, arrived to the United States. After a period of jack-of-all-trades Jonas settled down on a farm at Mora, Minn. Scon, however, thirst for knowledge took possession of the young agriculturist and lie came to Bethel. During his Junior year Mr. Larson became noted as a fervent disciple of Plato, and he has a'so served as president of literary societies, besides being a good debater and business manager of the Acorn. The plan for the future is to complete a medical course at some university, and later, to go to some foreign country as a missionary of the Gospel. 3 ♦ Joel Burkman, Idaho Joe,” the great football player, was born in Sala, Sweden, on September 21, 1SS9. The precociousness of the child was and is so great that although it has attended schools approximately only ten months previous to entering Bethel Academy, it ranks among the best students. The proofs of this wonderful development are not wanting. Esse quarn videri” is Joel's chosen motto, the white rose the flower, green the favorite color, and “taking exams” the favorite of accupations, all of which goes to show very advanced intellectuality. In 1S92 Mr. Burkinan emigrated under the guidance and protection of his parents and immediately proceeded to Dayton, Ohio. When Joe'’ was six years of age his parents again hit the trail” and landed in Southwestern Idaho. There among roughriders and under the hardships presented by a wild frontier life in a place nearly destitute of schools and cut through by the Snake river, offering many hair-raising adventures, his life was

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TMR ACORN 29 been a success financially, lie is also president of our class. As an earnest member of the First Swedish Baptist church, Minneapolis, he is exercising a telling influence for good. His famous motto is: Do your best, no matter what they think.” The Daisy Is his favorite flower; fishing, his preferred sport and it Is hoped that he will catch a pearl some day. Oscar Freed, the valedictorian cf our class, was born on a farm near the village of Waconia and about two miles cast of the oldest Swedish Baptist church in .Minnesota. His early education was received in a country school and after two years of high school work he. at the age of seventeen, began to teach in the public schools, continuing successfully for several years to wield the pedagogic rattan. Here he has been connected in several ways with the literary activities of the school. As editor of the Acorn he has done telling work. His greatest delight is to study astronomy, and that fact, perhaps, sheds seme light on how he came about to discover the star within the nether tip or the mocn. His favorite quotation—which he certainly lives up to—is, Be discreet.” His favorite flower is “the Lady Slipper,” and the whole class joins in wishing him a couple of them in the near future. Walfrcd Anderson, Bethel Academy’s walking vocabulary, was born in the met-roplis of our glorious North Star state. Here he first glimpsed into learning’s treasures aided by a kindergarten teacher. While vet a little boy his parents moved with their family to Dalbo, Minnesota, where he spent the next few years on his father's farm, working during the summer vacation and attending the nearby country school during the winter months. Three years ago lie came to Bethel Academy where he has proved himself an excellent student with many enviable traits. His favorite flower is the Jack in the Pulpit;” his favorite motto: Try again,” and his preferred occupation is napping.” He has great hopes and ambitions for the future, but refuses to let them out for public usage, still it is safe to predict, that since he is a descendant from the sturdy “Dal-karlarna,” he will become a great man some day. » Paul M. Anderson was born in Lake City, this state. He graduated from the graded school of that city in 1907 and continued two years in the Lake City high school. The last two years he has spent at Bethel. He is a member of the Baptist church. Lake City, and an active worker in its young people’s society. He is an excellent singer and it is chiefly thru his efforts we have our splendid male quartet. Mr. Anderson is the present president of the S. P. B. Literary Society, and president of the Athletic Association. His favorite flower is the carnation and his excellent motto: Be not a slave to the rustle of silks and satins.” Next fall he expects to enter the university. ¥ Quietly, on September S, 1S92, a little baby began looking tranquilly around. She perceived a small part of the city of St. Paul. Minnesota, but soon saw more, and wondering what might be still farther beyond she early began to study. Her parents called her Alice, and when Alice became old enough she was sent to the Cleveland school. Her timely search for wisdom crystalized into the motto “Ever Onward.” and this slogan Alice faithfully obeyed with the result that she is now among the star students at Bethel Academy. which she entered in 1907.

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THE ACOR N 31 spent until in October 1908 he boarded the train for Minnesota and Bethel Academy. Mr. Burk man has served as president tor the “A. B.' and S. P. B.” societies, and is at present the most noted in our famous orchestra, as well as stardebater. • After teaching for a year or two Mr. Burkman intends to enter some medical school. • Jonas August Ahlquist, whose remarkable mastery of the English language has made him famous, began squinting, according to an old family Bible, at Fanoo gftrd, Uppsala lan, Sweden, on December 19, 1SS7, at 1:33 Vi a. m. When seven years old lie moved with his parents to Stockholm where he attended St. John’s public school, graduating from It in 1902. Finding that “gamla Svea” was not adequate to minister to the yearning, restless Jonas, his parents decided to emigrate to the “promised land” in the West. His trip across the Atlantic as far as is known, was more calm than the man of old, for at any rate lie reached St. Paul in safeiv and has continued to make it his home. For six months he was employed in a piano factory, but finding that a close friend would give him all necessary instruction during after supper hours, lie decided to learn the art of photography in which profession he became very able, and acted as foreman for a commercial Photo Co. for some time. In 1907 he entered Bethel Academy, where his earnest devotion to duty has become proverbial. Aside from his religious work he has held several important offices while here, among which may be mentioned Business Mgr. of the Acorn, President of the Alpha Beta Literary Society, and last year as Editor of the Acorn lie manifested great talent. This year his timely and useful suggestions to the staff have been very helpful. Xext year he expects to enter a medical college preparatory for work on the foreign mis- sion field. His favorite flower is the Mignonette, and his well-chosen motto: To thine own self be true.” Joel Anderson, poet, preacher and critic, was born in Finland of Swedish parentage near Jacobstad, ihe birthplace of Runeberg. Being that he mingled with the Finnish people almost daily, he soon came to speak their language as fluently as his own mother’s tongue. His father is a Bonde” and was therefore financially able to give Joel a good education, in l$9(i he entered ’‘liogre folksko.’an i Nederpurmo” (a Swedish institution) and graduated from it after two years with very high standing—tho the course was four years and hard at that for the average student. In 1900 he was confirmed according tc the rules of the Lutheran state church of Finland. In 1905 he emigrated to America in order to escape military duty to the Hussion emperor, and settled down at Republic, Mich., where he engaged in mining. In the mine where he worked it was his sad experience to see a close friend killed in an explosion. At Republic he joined the “Templars of Temperance” and was honored with the offices of Fin. Sec. and Vice-president. The duties connected with these offices he dispatched with a marvelous tact, and almost unprecedented ability. Feeling, however, that he could be of more use to the Land of the Fiee” by furthering his education, he decided to go to Bethel Academy. Here he has shown his almost unlimited store of talents. As a poet, he has no equal, and this is not strange when we recall that it was his privilege to be born in the same land, see the same scenes, view the same natural displays, sit in the same lap of nature, and sip from the same fountain of imagination as Runeberg. April 1th 1909 is a date which lie cherishes above all other, for it was then he became a member of the Elira Swedish