St Olaf College - Viking Yearbook (Northfield, MN)

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PRESIDENT J. N. KILDAHL. 433:

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President J. N. Kildahl CHN NATHAN KILDAHL was born Jan. 4, 1857, in Naindalseidet, Norway, about fourteen Norwegian miles north of Throndhjem. He spent nine years of his childhood in this place. His parents were Johan Kildahl and Nicoline, nee Buvarp. ln 1866 the family emi- grated. came 'to America and settled in Goodhue County, Minn. Here john N. received the usual education preparatory to conhrmation and was coniirmed by the late Rev. B. I. Muus in the year 1872. This was in the-early days of the history of our Norwegian Lutheran Church in this country. Rev. Muus belonged to the Norwegian Synod and was at that time a staunch supporter of this Synodical body. The great need of the church at that time-and it is the great need of the church today-was men. Progressive and farseeing men like Rev. Muus were on the lookout for bright and intelligent boys. Luther College was at that time the only Norwegian College in the country that afforded a full college course, and that in only one department, the classical. lts special aim was to prepare young men for the study of theology. Young J. N. Kildahl was urged, especially by Rev. Muus, to attend this school, and in the early part of 1874 he carne and registered with the class of 179. Luther College had at 'that time no preparatory department. The college and pre- paratory courses were merged into one, covering a period of six years. Young Kildahl came half a year late, but seemed to have no difficulty in making up for lost time. From that time and to the end of our theological course we were class- mates. Qne of my earliest recollections of him is connected with a wrestling match in which he came out second best. But the grit of the man showed itself at this early stage in his refusal to admit himself beaten. In later years I have often thought of this episode. President Kildahl has bumped up against many obstacles in his career and one of the things he to this day hates to do is to confess himself vanquished. Nor has there been much necessity for his so doing. After completing the regular six years' course Kildahl graduated in 1879. As has already been stated, the special aim of Luther College was to prepare the student for the study of theology. VVhen we graduated the whole faculty took it for granted that in the fall we would enter Luther Seminary, then located at Madison, XVis. The president gave each of the graduates a letter of recommenda- tion to the president of Luther Seminary and charged us not to forget transmitting 6

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it through mail in due time. Indeed there was but little if any hesitancy on the part of the graduates. It seemed the natural thing. It had been our purpose when we entered college to study theology after completing the college cours-Q, and this purpose had been strengthened from year 'to year. We were, therefore, not surprised to meet the majority of the class of ,7Q at Luther Seminary in the fall. On the other hand, the failure on fthe part of some individual to put in an appearance at the opening of the theological school year was commented on. It was almost like falling from grace. Of the three years spent at the Seminary I shall say but little. They were not uneventful years, by any means. On the contrary Mr. Kildahl will be able to point to this period as the most significant in his whole life. The lessons and impressions received during this period were largely instrumental in determining his future career, and placed their stamp on him for life. In 1882 Mr. Kildahl-finished his theological course, was ordained, and in- stalled as pastor of Vang and Urland congregations .in Goodhue County, Minn. In the summer of the same year he married Bertha Soine of Goodhue County, a marriage which has been blessed with six children of which only four are now living. Withotit resigning his charge in Goodhue County Mr. Kildahl served for one year as president of the I-Iauge Synod's Seminary at Red Wing, Minn., be- ginning at the opening of the school year in 1885. In 1889 he was called to the pastorate of Bethlehem Church of Chicago, serving this charge until ISQQ when he was elected president of St. Olaf College. Of the ten years' pastorate in Chicago suffice it to say that with his marked ability as a pulpit orator and a pastor he succeeded in building up a strong congregation. His personality was instrumental in uniting elements which under other condi- tions would have kept separate. This biography will not touch on President Kildahl's work at St. Olaf. Let me only point to what St. Olaf was in 1899 and -compare conditions then pre- vailing with the school as it is today. President Kildahl must not be given all credit for the wonderful progress of St. Olaf during the past six years. That would not be just either to him or the corps of faithful and self-sacrificing teach- ers that have stood by his side. Nor must we leave out of consideration the fact that with the year 1899 began a new era in the history of St. Olaf College. Wliat had up to that time been a poor, private institution struggling for existence, owned by nobody in particular, was then adopted by the United Church, the largest Norwegian church body in America. President Kildahl possesses the essential qualifications necessary in a College president. VVhat was the strength of the pastor is the strength also of the col- lege president: a christian personality, winning people's confidence, and uniting elements, otherwise heterogenious, into harmonious work for the cause he repre- sents. TH. EGGEN. 8