Dana College - Danian Yearbook (Blair, NE)

Page 16 text:

41 B Eje WN BA 1926 ,fp- A' sf' A si, .. gk . 'T y ' msn 5-is at - .gi ' -1-Qu: - 1 V F - ,, . A, l.. H If fill g.?Nii'if?.: .. 4?'nf ', V. ,Q -X 3:25. f--. -..gfa r ?q,9f'z-if , ' f'r. aw - 'Q' i s vii fi. 1 , . 'z. . - . . 4 ' 5.- . imma-Q wir lvl. Andersen, Chairman, Rev. H. P. Bertelseng and Rev. G. B. Christianseng and two laymen: G. A. Byije and P. T. Jacobsen. This committee was instructed to prepare plans and to send a call to Rev. H. Steffensen at Smidstrup, Denmark, to become a. teacher at the Theological School. The undertaking seemed well-nigh impossible. The mission field was enormous and workers few-in actual numbers only nine. At this time Rev. Andersen was living in Blair. He was authorized to begin a school for theological students, and in spite of the fact that he was secretary of the Synod and was serving five or six congregations, he assumed the work of teacher, also. Thus in October, 1884, the Danish theological school began in the private home of Rev. A. M. Andersen with an enrollment of four pupils and with one teacher as faculty, all sharing one and the same house as home and school. It was clear, however, that the school should be a separate institution. Questions arose as to its location, its comprehensiveness,--whether it should be limited to a theological school, or whether provisions should be made for other departments- and finally as to the procuring of funds with which to build it. Times were hard for this was the year of great cholera ravages among swine. Rev. Andersen estimated that a building which should have dormitory room for 40 students, rooms for a family, school rooms and a dining room, would cost 86000. That the school was established at Blair, and not in Hamilton County where the largest congregation was, was decided on because of an offer made by the city of Blair to contribute 553000 and building grounds for the school, if the Synod would raise a. like sum and build in Blair. This offer was accepted. At the same meeting it was decided to name the school Trinity Seminary. In July of 1885 the school committee met and formulated Incorporation Articles, and elected as Board of Trustees: Rev. A. lVI. Andersen, chairman, L. Nyboe, secretaryg M. Beck, treasurer, N. J. Petersen, Andrew Larsen, Rev. G. B. Christiansen, and Rev. J. Risdall. Through Mr. Kenny it was learned that the city of Blair had received 5152300 of the promised 553000. Upon motion of Rev. A. M. Andersen, the committee accepted the offer of grounds made by Mr. H. B. Dexter and lVl1'. W. Cline. A building committee was elected and specifications for the building were made. The building committee met in September, and by November the building was well under way. In December a storm very nearly razed it, but Providence spared it. At the next annual church convention the school committee received instructions to make arrangements for admission of girls to the school. The subsequent year this instruction was followed by a motion to provide for an academy course in English. On the 21st of October, 1886, the schoal was dedicated. The impressive cere- mony was opened by a passage from Isaiah: 'tLord, send me, as a fitting message to those who should attend this school. lVlay these words shape the lives of many who come to Dana! The school has had several leaders. The first of these was Rev. A. M. Andersen, who had charge of it from its beginning to 1889. He was re-called in 1895, but re- signed again in 1897. Too much cannot be said in honor of Rev. Andersen, who, in spite of many pressing duties, kept the weighty responsibility of carrying on the school. Rev. G. B. Christiansen was president during the interim from 1889 to 1896. Under his leadership girls were admitted to the regular school course, whereas hitherto only summer school provisions had been made for them. Dr. P. S. Vig was called in 1896. He left his position at the high school in Elk Horn, Iowa, and came to Trinity Seminary, remaining until 1899. I-le was succeeded by Rev. Anker, who remained until 1905. Under his leader- ship the scope of the school was greatly widened. Enrollment was increased, build- ing additions were made. The school became co-educational, a business course and a normal department were added, and a steam heating apparatus was installed. From 1905 to 1908 Rev. J. P. Jensen was president. l-le worked for the interests of the school until his death in 1908. At that time Dr. C. X. Hansen became president of Dana College and Professor S. C. Eriksen, president of the theological department. Upon the resignation of Professor Eriksen, Dr. Vig became president of Trinity Seminary, a position which he held from 1908 to 1914, and from 1919 to 1925. -,--M-----------------........-..------.... 4.

Page 15 text:

tw ee plefl lfltl 1926 - is um 1,5 -Y iiakae -L fx I gsm' rs- i f l' z a: -'et er is 1 - r' r-w a,5sf- - --3:1 sig,-4 . on-l to ' HISTORICAL Nellie Falk The beautiful custom of celebrating birth anniversaries is notable among the Scandinavians. Tl1is year of 1926 is the oc- casion of much rejoicing in the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in that its child in which is centered so largely that Church's hopes and endeavors for the future, cele- brates a special birthday anniversary. There was a time when the broad expanse of rolling hills west of Blair were of no special interest. They were covered with waving prairie grass and visited by the creatures of the wild only. To-day, however, a very different tale is to be told. You may go to almost any state in the Union-East, West, North, or South, yes, even to many a foreign land, and you will find some one who loves these hills, some one who has fond memories connected with them. To-day the eyes of a whole church are fixed upon them. What is the reason for this'? Forty years ago one of these hills became the abiding place of an institution of learning, one which should be a center of Danish culture in America. It has come to pass that the solid bosom of this hill has, in its fitting solidity, become the firm foundation upon which is being built up a strong institution for the preservation and dissemination of high and noble Danish ideals along with those of America,-and this institution is Dana College and Trinity Seminary. lf one were to give the history of Dana College and Trinity Seminary from their very beginning, one would have to go back two more years in time when actual instruction was being given in the home of Rev. A. lVl. Andersen at the corner of Park and First streets. lf one were to delve even farther into their his- tory, even into pre-historic times as Dr. Vig has pointed out, one would find oneself among the Norwegians. For it was in the Augsburg Seminary, begun first in Mar- shall, Wisconsin, in 1869, and later transferred to Minneapolis, that the founders of Dana College and Trinity Seminary received their education. These men went out as ministers and missionaries among their own country- men who had l11l1lllgl'3l.,6Cl to America, especially among those who had settled in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska. It was 11ot unusual for them to discontinue their studies at the seminary to go out among their people, so great was the need for Danish mission work. Two 1l1ll1lSt91'S of these early days were Rev. H. Hansen and Rev. A. M. Andersen, named by Dr. Vig for the special reason that it was through their work that the Danish people of the Conference did not become Nor- wegian. He further states that this latter was due to the influence of the Dansk Luthersk Kirkehladn more than to anything else. The Danish ministers in the conference published this paper for the Norwegian- Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and its editor was Rev. A. M. Andersen, Racine, VVisconsin. It was through the pages of this paper in 1882, five years after it first appeared, that a high school was proposed. This matter had been talked of before, hut it was not until in 1882 that both laymen and ministers dis- cussed it in meetings and in their paper. For a time, however, the matter seemed to be placed i11 the background, for another great thought was uppermost in their minds, that of separating from the Conference and of establishing a Danish Church in America. At a. District meeting in Omaha from February 28 to March 2, 1884, where were present 28 people, 5 of whom were ministers, it was decided that they should separate from the Conference. Thereupon a decision was made to send some one to Denmark to confer with the Inner Mission as to whether to join with the Danish Church in America, or to establish their own church, and finally to present a motion for a constitution at the autumn meeting to be held at Argo, Burt County, Nebraska, Rev. A. M. Andersen's charge. In the autumn of 1884 a constitution was adopted and synodical officers elected. What is important to us in connection with this meeting is that they saw that the building of a theological school was imperative. These men, strong in faith and clear of mind, saw the needs of their people, and knew how to provide for them. The assemblage elected a committee composed of three ministers: Rev. A. 'IM H... I- - -. -..l-In-..-. - - .. ... -. -. .. - ....,,- .- ... ....l.... .. .. .. -.,-. ... l-, ...,,.. 4,

Page 17 text:

F Ml 5 1926 5 M, , M rs ,ws .nm A! 'N -' - ? 1 1 x 9 0 xi? ,xf '- -e- sm ' . ' , S4 . ' ,,-:Y .L ,I iv? s - : -in is-. ni -Y-ff . '- V 1 if . . - . if-l f-Us .. . . f . , 41 A fi iglz' ' 5aL '2.31G55' 3-'ix2'- ',? , L.- ll Xia viii' L? F .,:,' ,7 - ' 21' 1. :s:ms.1 .,. .1 'il-Q . -.zavlaszf f-2-aw 1. 1 wtf' ., ,g -'Qu V f n ew 11, 'f -W: -- fp . ... f ' ,w in e ss s ' -' E fe ' AL. seagglss i 'IQUW W 1 With the installation of Dr. C. X. Hansen as president the school began a new era of advancement. I-Ie had been a student, teacher, and president of the same school, and among all three one of the first American 'born. Through his efforts the school has received recognition from the state. Rev. L. A. Laursen served from 1914 to 1919. During the year of 1925-26 Prof. Theo. M. Ha.nsen has been acting president. May due honor be given to all these men whose very lives have been given over to the service of God and their people. On the 10 acres which comprise the college campus are seven buildings: The administration building which has, in ad- dition to class rooms. dormitory accommodations for meng a women's doruiitoryg the building formerly used as women's dormitory converted into a science buildingg the gymnasiumg a heating plant: and two residences, one of which is the Bondo 111e1uorial, a home for the president of the institution. These buildings did not all appear at the same time. The administration build- ing has been enlarged at various times. Originally its dimensions were 60 feet front, 30 feet wide, and G0 feet high, divided into four stories. The ground floor is of brick, the other stories of brick veneer. In 1893 a north wing was added. It is 50 feet long, 32 feet wide, and 60 feet high. This addition cost about 55600, a sum col- lected from the Synod, 95500, however, being presented by Blair citizens. In 1905 the south wing was added. It is 72 feet long, 32 feet wide, and 60 feet high. Its cost was 589000. When the school became co-educational in 1899,-it was necessary to provide a womens dormitory. Accordingly a three-story building was erected. The first floor was set aside as the dwelling for the president's family, and the other two floors were for the accomodation of the women students and teachers. The heating apparatus was in the basement of this building until in 1916 when the heating plant was built, This dormitory is now the science hall. The gymnasium is a wooden structure, and was built in 1899 also. The newest building on the campus is the women's ClOl'1'1l'lt0l'y. Ground was broken for it in the fall of 1922, and in the autumn of the next year it wa.s oc- cupied. It is a beautiful building of brick with accommodation for 60 women to- gether with women faculty ineinbers. The first floor is given over to the dining room and kitchen. On the second floor is a large cheerful reception room and a kitchenette, besides the dean's office, faculty meeting room. and sleeping rooms. The rooms, kitchen, and dining room have been furnished by various church or- ganizations of the Synod, and by individual persons. It is all a. witness as to what can be done when whole hearted co-operation is active. The other two buildings are the Bondo memorial home and the residence on the most recent acquisition to the campus. As has been noted, the work at the institution was originally intended to be theological. Gradually, however, the work has been branching out and made to include more. The original purpose has not been lost sight of, for in all courses in- struction in Christianity is required. The departments of instruction that have been added from time to time are: the Academy, the Normal, the Business, the Con- servatory. the Pro-seminary, and the College. The Normal work which was introduced in 1S99 is pursued in connection with the academy and college work. During Dr. H2111S8D'S presidency this department was developed so to receive state recognition in that it was authorized to grant state certificates for teaching. The Academy was likewise recognized by being placed on the state list of accredited schools. The Business department was also added in 1399. It is 11ow of such rank that it grants diplomas only to hifzh school graduates who take the work. Othe1's are permitted to take the work, but do not receive a diploma. The musical element has always been cliaracteristic of the Scandinavians. In- struction is given in piano, voice, and violin. and a music supervisor's course has recently been introduced. Diplomas and teachers' certificates are granted on com- pletion of certain outlined work. The college department is the last to be introduced. A junior college existed prior to 1921. At the annual convention that year it was decided to center efforts upon the increasing and developing of college work as one of the important steps toward Greater Dana. fu-uu--in-un-mi.1lm-u-m..1m.1 1 1 1 1 1,1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 .. 1 1,1 1 1'-1 1 ...,,