Muhlenberg College - Ciarla Yearbook (Allentown, PA)

Page 11 text:

O N September 25, 1838, at Basel on the Rhine, Switzerland, Rev. William Wackernagel, D. D., Professor of the Modern Languages and Literature was first seen. Sprung from a scholarly lineage, he has not lost any of his ancestors’ characteristics. His father, Wilhelm Wackernagel, Ph. D., L-L- D., was a professor at the Univer- sity of Basel, and his mother was a sister of Dr. Casper Bluntochly, Professor of Political Science at Munich and Heidelberg. Dr. Wackernagel received his education at Basel where he also attended the university. In 1859, Dr. Wackernagel left Germany for the Holy Land where he was a missionary for eleven years. In 1870 he came to America and for six years was the assistant editor of “ Der Pilger,” Reading, Pa. In 1876, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In June 1876, he was ordained a Lutheran clergyman and accepted a call to St. John’s Church, Mauch Chunk, which he served until 1881. In 1880, he founded St. John ' s Church in East Mauch Chunk. Since 1881 he has filled his present position of Professor of the Modern Languages and Literature at Muhlen- berg College. In 1881, the College conferred upon him the degree of A. M. Two years later he received the degree of D. D. from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1882, he was elected German Secretary of the Ministerium of Penn- sylvania and filled that office for five years. From 1884, to 1887, in connection with his duties as Professor at Muhl- enberg College, he served as Pastor of St. Thomas Church, Altoona, Pa. From November 1903 to June 1904, he served as Acting-President of Muhlenberg College. In 1905 the graduating class presented him with a loving-cup in honor of the completion of his twenty-fifth year as a professor at Muhlenberg College. Though his duties as a professor were enough to require his full time, yet he found opportunity to do even more work. He compiled “ Die Liedergeschichten, ” wrote two volumes of “ Dr. Martin Luther,” “ Hans Egede,” and other valuable books. At the present time he is the editor both of ” Der Jugend Freund ” and of the German Sunday School Lessons, besides being a regular contributor to the “ Lutheran ” and other church periodicals. 5