Concordia College - Corona Borealis Yearbook (Edmonton, Alberta Canada)

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The new ship Concordia had now been launched under auspicious circumstances and set out on its voyage. A thousand and one details, which in a well established school are done by routine, required attention, often long study. There were no pre¬ cedents, no older students to guide the new ones; they were all inexperienced, like their teachers. “What shall we do with our laundry?” “Where can I find a dentist?” “Who cashes money orders?” “Where can I have my watch repaired?” “In which store can I buy a cap?” Students directed such and similar questions point-blank at the harassed head of the school in uncomfortable profusion. Mrs. Schwermann, who during the first year had charge of the meal service, added to this profusion by frequently interrupting the meditations of her husband with inquiries concerning the commissary department: “We have no more coal; from whom shall I order a load?” “Mr. Smith will send us some eggs, if we give him a crate; where can I get one?” “The hot water tank is leak¬ ing; which plumber shall I call?” “Student Jones is over here with a deep cut in his finger; have you any peroxide and bandages?” “The freight office called just now and said that a carload of potatoes and vegetables had arrived from Stony Plain; who is to unload this?” Still more serious were the problems bearing on the academic work of the institution. The course of studies was to be similar to the one used in our Ameri¬ can colleges, and it was to conform as much as possible to the one used in Alberta high schools. Just what were these courses? and what books were required? and who were the publishers? Most of the students came with a grade eight diploma; but others had completed only grade seven or even six. What was to be done with these? It is doubt¬ ful whether a solution to many of these truly perplexing problems would have been found, if God in His grace had not given us the noble services of the Rev. Alfred M. Rehwinkel. Although sufficiently occupied with work as pastor of St. Peter’s church, he nevertheless kindly consented to serve as assistant instructor, teaching thirteen periods per week in history, science, geography, and German. He was ever ready to advise and to help. The monumental work performed by him in establishing our Canadian school of the prophets shall ever be held in grateful remembrance. And so the days passed. Multitudinous duties in weeks that offered no relaxation and little time for rest and sleep brought both teachers repeatedly to the verge of ex¬ haustion. A compassionate Board of Control secured the services of seminary student Herman D. Seyer, who arrived after Christmas, taught mathematics and German, and used eighteen periods per week for tutoring the academically deficient. Students were laid up with diphtheria and measles; Mrs. Rehwinkel underwent a serious operation in Rochester; critical illness (that of his children, his wife, and his own) afflicted the home of the principal from New Year to Easter. But in all the hours of perplexity and dis¬ tress there had been innumerable manifestations of the truth of God’s promise: “As thy days, so shall thy strength be”. The prayers of thanksgiving spoken at the close of the first school-year on July 14, 1922, came from the depths of g. ateful hearts. Further Development of High School Department In the next successive years, with a respective enrolment of 51, 48, 65, and 68, grades ten, eleven, and twelve were added. In 1922 the Rev. A. M. Rehwinkel, M.A., B.D., was elected as regular professor, and Mr. ]. H. Herreilers of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, was employed as assistant instructor and served as such until 1924. He was then added to the permanent staff, where he has to this day rendered conspicuously faithful service as teacher and treasurer of the college. The Rev. W. A. Baepler of Winnipeg, who later took an active part in the buildin g program, joined the faculty as regularly elected professor in 1923. Assistance in teaching was also given by the semin¬ ary students H. Earl Miller T24-’25), Karl f. Arndt (’25-’26), and the Rev. Fr. Baepler (’25). When in 1924 the enrolment had grown to 65 students, additional room was provided in a residence at 9522 110th Avenue. The following year this was relinquished in favor of the larger Vinegrove Apartments at the southeast corner of 96th Street and 109th Avenue. 10

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President H. Meyer was ex officio member and in his place -a year latet the Rev. A. J. Mueller, president of the newly organized Alberta-British Columbia District. This an¬ nouncement furnished the new school its official name, Concordia College. The election for the principalship of the college was held in Calgary on July 5th, 1921, at the first convention of the new district, and under the chairmanship of Vice-President G. A. Bernthal of California Pastor John E. Herzer of Calgary, who as chairman of the pas¬ toral conference had done much work preparatory to the formation of the district and the founding of the college, was elected. He declined this call. It was then extended to Pastor A. H. Schwermann of Wetaskiwin, who had served Alberta mission parishes since his graduation eight years before. He accepted the call, and moved to Edmonton August 18, 1921. Rented Buildings Provide First Home for College In conformity with the synodical resolution earnest attempts were made to open the new school in September. One of the first matters to demand attention was the renting of a suitable building—for how many students? The answer could at first be based on guess-work only. Pessimists predicted an enrolment of 8-12, realists 13-18, and optimists 19-25 students. The optimists won; and so as lease was taken on the Cale¬ donian Temperance Hotel at 10875 98th Street, but possession could not be obtained until October 16. This boarding-house offered accommodation for a maximum of 25 students on the second and third floor. The first story was to be used as a class room and as residence for the principal’s family, and the basement for the kitchen and dining room. By the early part of October twenty-five announcements had arrived, and more were coming daily. Officials became restless; shall we refuse admission to boys for lack of room? Promptly the Board resolved to rent another building. Days packed with worry sped by until the good Lord finally moved the owners of a Lutheran hospice to place their premises at our disposal. This building at 9529 110th Avenue provided room for the college dining room, kitchen, and infirmary, and for the family of the principal. Barely two weeks remained to convert a badly delapidated boarding house into a habitable college building. The heroic work required to achieve this almost impossible task is known only to those members of our congregations who volunteered to lend a helping hand under the valiant leadership of Pastors Rehwinkel and Eberhardt. The installation of Principal Schwermann was set for Sunday, October 30, 1921. The Rev. Wm. Hagen of Detroit delivered the installation sermon, and as representative of the Board of Directors offered much valuable advice on vexing problems in long meetings with the Board of Control. Pastor Hagen’s attitude was one of sincere kind¬ ness and understanding—a characteristic of all synodical officials with whom we had to deal during the past twenty-five years. President A. J. Mueller conducted the instal¬ lation ceremony, which took place in the National Hall on 109th Avenue. Among the many visitors were the pastors of Alberta and British Columbia, who had been in session as a pastoral conference at Leduc. Pastor Paul Wiegner of Saskatchewan delivered a Reformation sermon in the afternoon. College Opened October 31, 1921 On the following day, Monday, October 31, 1921, the college was officially open¬ ed with a service in St. Peter’s church, the principal basing his address on the motto of the college: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Ps. Ill, 10). No fewer than thirty-three boys answered the roll call, and two more appeared later. Thirty-five students! What a blessing of the Lord! With much trepidation and a prayerful heart the principal entered the class room on Tuesday, November- 1, at 1:45 p.m. and began the first lecture. 9

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Our sojourn in rented quarters ended on December 23, 1925. On that day a short farewell service was held in the old administration building, where we had spent four years and two months and where a total of 126 boys had been enrolled. The first student to enrol in it was William Hedrich of Trochu, Alberta. A class of 13 was graduated from the high school department on June 29, 1925, at which occasion Jacob L. Ulmer delivered the salutatory and Albert F. Reiner the valedictory. Of their num¬ ber Walter Rosnau, later a River Forest graduate, was the first to enter the service of our church as Christian day school teacher in Stony Plain (1927), and Philip Unter- schultz became the first pastor, at Rochester, Alberta (1930). Four students had been laid to rest in God’s acre, no fewer than three during 1923. The complete high school department of four classes had been organized and four professors called. In one of the letters of that period Mr. Hy. Fforst wrote: “Those must have been wonderful days— the getting ready, the opening and final occupation of our first Concordia in Canada”, indeed, they were! Ebenezer! Plans for New Buildings, 1924 Acting upon instructions of Synod at Ft. Wayne in 1923, the Board of Direc¬ tors had settled the question of permanent location in favor of Edmonton on September 10, 1924. This same convention in 1923 made an additional appropriation of $75,000, thereby making available a total of $147,000 for the purchase of land and the construc¬ tion of new buildings. Dr. F. Pfotcnhauer and Mr. Hy. Horst arrived at Edmonton on November 20, 1924, to advise the local Board in building matters. With their ap¬ proval the Board agreed to purchase the Fraser estate (together with several lots owned by the city), covering in area 8.11 acres, at the cost of $13,800. This price included min¬ eral rights, ownership of which prevented coal companies from mining underneath the property. This site is reputedly one of the finest in the city. Situated on Jasper Avenue and Seventy-first Street, it lies high above the beautiful valley of the Saskatchewan river, borders the scenic Highlands golf course, ana adjoins the Fair Grounds and Bor¬ den Park. The distance to the heart of the city is a ten-minute bus ride. Several smaller buildings were included in the purchase and also a large eight-room house, said to have been erected in 1908, which was remodelled at a cost of $1,938 and has since August 28, 1925, been occupied by the principal. In this November meeting of 1924 the well- known architectural firm of G. H. MacDonald and H. A. Magoon, whose fees were 5% of the building cost, was appointed to take charge of building operations; and the building committee consisted of Dr. F. Pfotenhauer, Mr. Hy. Horst, Rev. J. C. Mueller, chairman, Prof. A. M. Rehwinkel, secretary, Rev. E. Eberhardt, Messrs. Jacob Ulmer, Sam Gabert, and R. Wechsel. In 1920 the members of Western Canada had promised to contribute $22,000, chiefly for the purchase of real estate. Early in 1921 Pastor E. Eberhardt had obtained leave of absence from his congregation at Stony Plain and canvassed the majority of parishes in northern Alberta. On February 23, 1921, he reported that pledges amounted to $19,000, his own congregation having subscribed $7,700. Since tne building program envisioned at that time had been postponed for three years, many of the pledges had not been redeemed, while in other parts of the West no action had been taken at all. It was for this reason that the building committee requested the principal of the col¬ lege to place in person the needs before our fellow-Christians. This he did in Alberta and British Columbia when in the spring of 1925 he visited thirty-two congregations in forty-two days, and in Saskatchewan and Manitoba when in the fall of the same year he called on forty-one congregations in forty-two days. One of the highlights of this trip was occasioned by a little twelve-year-old lad who asked for the subscription list and signed one dollar. Questioned as to where he would get this money, he replied: “I’m going to catch ‘mooshrats’.” His faith was strong enough to believe that God would even supply muskrats, when the needs of the kingdom required such. 11