Central Wisconsin College - Valkyrie Yearbook (Scandanavia, WI)

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av ,Jul TQ f- ' f llllilii ,gk matting. ,'23 T W il . lu x r' 7 1902. The Academy was thereafter aided, recognized and in- spected by representatives of the church, and as a consequence' its prospects for the future were brighter than they had ever been in the past. However, the school was again to experience a great vicissitude, which for a short time threatened, as it were, its very existence. In the afternoon of December 31st, 1919, the Academy Building was completely destroyed by ire. The Library, Book Store, equipment and furniture were also con- sumed by the flames. It was almost a total loss. Fortunately the fire occurred during the Christmas vacation so that no lives were endangered, but the students and most of the teachers lost all their effects. It was Aa tremendous set-back to our in- stitution. Nevertheless, through the hearty co-operation of the faculty, the student body and the citizens of Scandinavia and the neighboring communities the school was reopened on schedule time after the vacation in rented quarters down town. It may be stated that classes were conducted in the basement of the Public School, in the Village Hall, in the Committee Room in the Bank, in the Post Office Building, in the Church and in the Proctor Building. In the latter place accommodations were found for the boarding club and also for kitchen facilities. The work was done under great diffi- culties. Many were the inconveniences that the teachers and students had to put up with, but in the midst of the difficulties and the inconveniences there were also agencies of encourage- ment and, inspiration. It is a remarkable fact, that all the students with the exception of two returned after the fire, and the teachers pursued their duties with greater vim than ever before, so that the misfortune which befell the school did not dishearten its supporters. It proved to be a blessing in dis- guise. Gnce more the good people of Scandinavia and the neighboring congregations rallied to the support of the Acad- emy as never before. On Thursday, january Sth, the Board of Directors of Scandinavia Academy met for the purpose of discussing whether the school should be rebuilt or not, and it was unanimously decided to rebuild the Academy. At a mass meeting held in Scandinavia Wednesday, Ian- uary 21, a sum of 323,000.00 was subscribed in a short time for the purpose of rebuilding the school. At this meeting it was decided to elect a committee to consider induce-ments of- fered by various localities for erecting the school in their midst, and at the meeting of the Board of Directors held in Scandinavia on Wednesday, February 18th, 1920, the following

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CENTRAL VVISCONSIN COLLEGE UN ,. ,4 ,z Kr-+ H, I .1 'r as vi: 'Q -M N Q, can -SNS 2-1. 5: K CI! U ' if-. a E3 , ,min i ' 2.3555 HH' -V 'P 2,-, '- . I , ,

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: Ufmf q -1: X, if , 'A Hgh' . ' 8 4 I bonuses were offered: The delegation from Rosholt were au- thorized to Otter a seven acre tract -of land and 330,000.00g the representatives from VVauto'ma offered twenty acres of land and 320,000.00 Wfittenberg and VVaupaca also desired to have the school built in their respective cities, but were not prepar- ed to submit any special inducements to that effect at that time. Scandinavia offered the Academy grounds, consisting of about ll acres of land, the President's new residence worth more than 256,000.00 and a cash bonus of 345,000.00 The Board was unable to decide uponany location at this time, but at a subsequent meeting held by the Board of Corporation on the 2nd of March it was unanimously decided to rebuild the school on the Academy grounds. At this meeting it was also decided to add a two year's college course to the Academy curriculum, and thus establish a junior College in place of an Academy. The Board and the supporters of the school felt a little hesitant towards this new project, as it was realized that the Junior College would necessarily entail a greater an- nual expenditure in maintaining the school, but it was also keenly felt that there was a great need for a Junior College in this part of the state. In fact there was not a single Nor- wegian Lutheran junior College to ibe found in the entire Eastern District, say nothing about a Senior College. This District, the largest in the Norwegian Lutheran 'Church of America, could boast of three Academies only, not one of which was owned and controlled by the Church as such. It was also found that but a very srmall percentage of the grad- uates of our Academies, as well as that of our State High Schools, found their way to one of our Senior Colleges, while a great number of these graduates were annually enrolled in the sectarian colleges and in the State University. The Board felt that as means for self preservation, as well as that of fur- thering the cause of our Lutheran Church, it was in duty bound to assume the added responsibility of maintaining a junior College at this place. The Board, furthermore, decided that courses in Domestic Science and Manual Training should be established in connection with the school whenever it was found expedient to do so. The school with all its courses were to comply with the requirements of the University, so that it with all its departments might be fully accredited, if possible. It was furthermore decided that the name of the school should be changed to Central Xlfisconsin College. This change of name has been approved by the Board of Education and the Board of Directors of the school.