Luther College - Pioneer Yearbook (Decorah, IA)

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The choir more than met expectations. One of the finest choral groups that has visit- ed this locality. They sang with precision and fluency that bespoke vigorous training. A presentation of a cappella singing at its best. These are only a few excerpts from the many enthusiastic reviews given the Nordic Cathedral Choir in its tour to the Pacific Northwest this spring. N-ow in its second season the choir is under the direction of Dr. Sigvart Steen with the Rev. Harold B. Kildahl, jr., manager. In ad- dition to pre-tour and post-tour engagements, the choir has also presented concerts at Home- coming and Commencement and has sung at the Karl Hanson and Donald Larson funerals. NORDIC CATHEDRAL CHOIR 1947-48 Concert Program PART ONE SING YE T0 THE Loma ................... J. S. Bach COME, SOOTHING DEATH ......... .... J . S. Bach BENEDICTUS .... ...................... E . Paladrlhe WAKE, AWAKE ...................... Philip Nicolai PART TWO OUE FATHER ............... Alexander Gretchaninolf THE Wonn BELIEVING ............... Leland Sateren O DAEKEST Won ................... German Chorale LosT IN THE NIGHT .............. Finnish Folk Song MOTETTE Fon AIJVENT .............. Gustav Schreck PART THREE BoEN TODAY ....................... J. P. Sweelinch THE SAME STAR SHINES .............. Julian Steen A J oYoUs CHRISTMAS SoNa.Arr. Margrethe Hokanson RESTORATION ,....... ........... B enjamin Edwards BEAUTIFUL SAvIoIz ................ Crusaders' Hymn OPTIONAL NUMBERS THE Sona or MARY ............ ............ F Ischer MY Goo How WONDERFUL THoU ART. .Scotch Psalter A more livelier form of musical entertain- ment is that furnished by Luther's pep band. No pep fest or game is complete unless accom- panied by the music of this group of entirely male personnel directed by student Leonard Borlaug. Swing enthusiasts take delight in the mu- sic of the C ollegians, Luther's popular all-male swing band. Although having no definite di- rector, the Collegians meet regularly to prac- tice for frequent appearances at various school parties and programs. The new Dorian Society, founded at the begining of the second semester, has as its aim to further interest in good music among stu- dents on the campus. Membership is limited to 3 5 and open to any student. The program of activities includes assisting in musical presentations on campus by ushering and providing technical assistants, participating in a series of discussions on record recitals and performances by students and faculty within the group itself. A goodly fellowship . . . With Soli Deo Gloria as the motto of Luther College it is only natural and fitting that RELIGION should play an important role in campus life. In evening house devotions, at daily chapel exercises, at Sunday morning wor- ship services at Decorah and First Lutheran churches, in various religious organizations, and at special programs and prayer fellow- ships, students are offered an opportunity to prepare for practical Christian living and to share with each other a deepening and inspiring faith in Jesus Christ. The past year has seen a complete reor- ganization of the campus religious set-up with lively and spirited discussions on the new LSA Council and the change-over from LSU to LSA. In order to have a more highly integrat- ed program, students cast their vote in favor of incorporating all religious activities under one coordinating LSA Council instead of having several independent groups. Under this plan the BRA, Fellowship Forum, and the old LSU lost their identity as individual organizations. In the past the Board of Religious Activi- ties has served as the unifying body with a representation of ten members, two each from the sophomore, junior and senior classes plus the presidents of LSU, LDR, Fellowship Forum and Mission Society. In order to avoid duplication of ofiice and to have a more effi- cient and active program, the BRA proposed and worked out the new plan for a coordinating council. While still in an active state the BRA plan- ned student drives, appointed LSU and LSA convention delegates and arranged for Religious Emphasis Week under its officers: David Vaaler, president, Arlene Matson, secretary, and Marlyn Hansing, treasurer. The old Lutheran Students Union attempt- ed to reach out to all students with an offer of fellowship, worship and recreation at its Sun- day meetings at 6 p. m. in the C. K. Preus auditorium. Heading this group were Donald Docken, president 5 Dolores Hanson, vice presi- dentg Arlene Matson, secretary-treasurer, Nancy Ney, publicityg and Otis Twedt, his- torian. Newly elected LSA Council officers include Phillip Pederson, president, who coordinates all activities and serves as the head of the stu- dent religious programg john Spencer, vice president, who acts as program chairmang Dorothea Ofstedal, secretary, who handles the minutes, correspondence, and talent fileg and Elder Bentley, treasurer, who takes charge of

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Musically yours . . . Traditionally famous in the field of MUSIC Luther may once again stand at the head of the line with a program of musical activities in- ferior to none. Regardless of whether interests lie in vocal or instrumental, swing or classical fields, students are bound to find expression for their talents in the varied group of musical or- ganizations to be found on the Luther campus. Hardly an event occurs but that music in some form or other appears on the program. At chapel, Sunday morning church services, special college functions, banquets, school par- ties or games, music is always very much in evidence. And not only does music play an im- portant role in everyday campus life, but it also focuses the public spotlight on Luther through the medium of successful tours and other public performances. The coordinating body is the Luther Col- lege Musical Union, which is composed of the Concert Band, Schola Cantorum, Women's Chorus and Nordic Cathedral Choir. Organiz- ed in 1895 the Union seeks to promote cooper- ation among the musical organizations and to further interest in music among its individual members. Directing its activities during the past year have been Kermit Hendrickson, pre- sidentg Walter Felland, vice president, and Nora Forde, secretary-treasurer. Un Sunday, December 14, 1947, the de- partment of fine arts presented the Musical Union in a Christmas festival concert with the first part of the program consisting of separate numbers by the band, choir and chorus. Under the direction of Dr. Sigvart Steen the 240 mem- bers of the Union united to give the forty-fifth presentation of Handel's oratorio, The Mes- siah, a traditional occurrence at Luther. Now in its seventieth season the Luther College Concert Band, under the direction of Dr. Sigvart Steen, completed a I7 day tour of the Middlewest in April. Its 60 members cov- ered 2000 miles in five states: Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota. Presenting I7 concerts in I6 days, the band members en- joyed a day oft in Chicago due to the sympa- thetic efforts of manager Karl H. Nordgaard. Having concluded another successful tour the concert band has once again upheld its en- viable reputation, which it first achieved under the baton of the late Dr. Carlo A. Sperati. Un- der his direction the band established a name for itself as it toured the United States from coast to coast and twice traveled to Europe. LUTHER COLLEGE CONCERT BAND 1947-48 Program PART ONE INTRODUCTION ro 31m Ac'r or LoHmNaB,IN .... Wagner Jnsv, .Tor or MAN's DESIRING ............... Bach OBERON, Overture .......................... .Weber PEBPETUUM MOBILE ........................ Strauss BEAUTIFUL COLORADO Ufalse Caprice, for Baritone. . . . .................... .De Luca FINALE, THE NEW Wonnn SYMPnoNY. . . ..... Dvorak PART TWO PIANO CONCERTO IN A MINOR, the Jtrst movement ........ . ........ Grieg MINIATURE, Pastel ........................ Hotland NAPOLI, for trumpet ...................... Bellstedt RUSSIAN Ssxnorrs DANCE .................... Gliere FINALE, SYMPHONY IN F MINOR No. 4. .Tschaikowsky THE Suns AND STRIPES Foimvnn ............ Sousa Luther's oldest choral group is the Schola Cautorum with an entirely male personnel un- der the direction of Mr. john Dennis. During the 1947 season the Schola combined with the band in presenting concerts throughout the Middlewest. At present it is a separate organ- ization composed of 60 men who are neither in band nor choir. Although the Schola has given no formal concert, its members have presented numbers for the Messiah, in chapel, at church ser- vices and at Baccalaureate. Irving Berlin's Happy Holiday is a song familiarly associated with the W omeuis' C horus, which has almost made it a tradition to sing this song at the last chapel service before the Christmas holidays. Under the direction of Miss Kathryn Ulvil- den this choral group of 55 members has made several out-of-town appearances and has pre- sented numbers at Homecoming, for the Reli- gious Emphasis banquet, for the Messiah, at the LSU convention, for chapel and church services and at Baccalaureate.

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all finances including offering envelopes and student drives. Also serving on the Council are live com- mittee chairmen: Christabel Adix, social, who is responsible for refreshments and recreation, Harold Pearson, forum, who is in charge of discussion groups, Rolf Giere, mission, who arranges for one program a month and works in conjunction with LDR and Bluffton leaders, Caroline Kjome, publicity, who is in charge of all posters and is responsible for news to College Chips and the LSA paper of the Iowa district, and Ralph Scott, radio, who is in charge of the fifteen minute weekly LSA program over sta- tion KWLC. In the old set-up Fellowship Forum was headed by Marlyn Hansing, president, jerry Moe, vice president, Margaret Hanson, secre- tary, and jean Nesheim, treasurer. Its pur- pose of discussing various current controversial problems that affect Christians has now been incorporated under the forum chairman of the Council. The same procedure has been used with the Mission Society, which also lost its identity. Its purpose is still fulfilled once a month when the various phases of home and foreign mis- sions are presented under the mission chairman. Serving as Mission Society ofiicers were Paul Lionberger, president, Ruth Opsand, vice presi- dent, Justine Holum and Helen Miner, secre- taries, Elder Bentley, treasurer, Peter Swig- gum, transportation chairman, and Mavis Fe- lix, mission team chairman. ' One organization which has still retained Sl!- siiiiiiiii!E!!!!!!sss O C ..5 if - ' - . W: - . 44223: V in nh. ' . TZ.-ni. ll mucus: lllllllll f E mlnlllllll Sii3II:31 !!!!!!...... plulmu.-up 'lfuaagaaazaess 'Was me Q 1:-..+ V rowehfem '-saassssszf X r SUNDH 2' 6:00 . its identity is the college chapter of the Lu- theran Daughters of the Reformation, a mis- sionary organization open to all women. ' At mid-year Margaret Evenson, Maxine Swiggum, Arlene Stenberg, Rosella Opsand, Lila Lee and Emily Kittelsland exchanged places with the outgoing officers, Elsie Erent- sen, president, Christabel Adix, vice president, Darlene Rodberg and Margaret Evenson, sec- retaries, Maxine Swiggum, treasurer, Dolores Scheidecker, program chairman, and Betty Lou Phelps, publicity. Formerly having no connection with any campus groups but now under the LSA Coun- cil, the Bluffton community church project is a home mission project undertaken voluntarily by a group of students. These students con- duct Sunday school classes and preach the Sun- day morning sermon, thereby performing a worthwhile service for the community and also gaining valuable experience for themselves in the practical application of their faith. An important event in the early part of the school year was Religious Emphasis Week with its central theme of The Word Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone discussed by Dr. T. F. Gullixson and the Rev. C. L. Hinderlie, the guest speakers. Perhaps the highlight of the year's religious activities was on March I2-I4 when over 400 students from ten ELC schools invaded the Luther campus for the annual LSU Conven- tion. During this three-day meeting students of sister colleges were given an opportunity to mingle and worship together. . With Christ Calls Now as the convention theme, inspiring messages were presented by Pastor C. M. Hanson, Dr. George Aus, Dr. L. N. Field, Dr. Rolf Syrdal, and Pastor Wu Ying, as well as others from the mission fields. Perhaps the climax for the veteran Lutherites was the .return of Dr. Field, former campus pastor and now president of the Rocky Moun- tain district of the ELC. Much of the credit for the success of the convention should go to Marlyn Hansing, na- tional LSU vice president, who supervised all the preliminary arrangements. A unique aspect is the fact that this turned out to be the last LSU convention since the students voted to dissolve the LSU in order to make LSA the central religious organization. Thus is ended another year of religious activities . . . a year of transition and change . . . but a year in which students have shown an awakened and active interest in religious affairs.