foundation than that which it was in the power of secular public
schools to furnish. Hence, augmented by geographical considerations,
the multiplication and the rapid extension of our colleges and acade-
mies. Now, .we may well ask, what has all this educational work,
based upon Christian principles and carried on under an environment
of Christian influence, what has it all meant in the life and growth
of the Synod itself? The Christian educational work carried on at
our institutions of learning is at once the result of the Christian life
of our Synod and a powerful reacting force upon that life itself.
What has it meant to the prosecution of energetic, aggressive work
that for about fifty years a band of 14 or 15 men on an average has
each year entered the ministry within the Augustana Synod? And
aside from the supply of ordained ministers, what has it meant to
the Synod that during this half century hundreds upon hundreds of
its j'outh have issued from these institutions with increased powers,
with a more conscious and intelligent appreciation of the religion of
their fathers, and with a determination to lend their own abilities
as laymen more or less directly to the service of their Church? These
are matters which statistics can never reach. Let us not, however,
be misled by the fact that not all those who have received the ad-
vantage of an education within our institutions have allowed the seed
sown in their heart and mind to spring forth and bear fruit for the
kingdom of God. In the work of the Christian school, as in that of
the Christian home and of the Christian Church generally, we meet
with the same experience : we can but sow the seed, it is God who
giveth the increase. And who shall deny that God has vouchsafed
unto us an abundant increase and that he has blessed in a marvelous
degree the efforts of our educational institutions ? Is it to be imagined
that our Synod could have grown to its present vast dimensions,
stretching over almost the entire United States and considerable por-
tions of Canada, without the services of the ministers and Christian
students who have been fitted for this service in the schools of our
Synod? Or can it be presumed that the Synod could have obtained
an equally numerous and efficient corps of workers if it had neglected
to establish and maintain for this very purpose schools of its own?
ITS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 101
Or if it be conceived that this were possible, is it not certain that the
present character and spirit of our Synod would in that case have
been quite different from what it is to-day? Every one knows that
each institution of learning has a character quite its own, that it is
the embodiment of a certain idea and trend of thought, and that
as such it molds and influences the character of its students so that
they become the living exponents of the ideas and dominant principles
of which the institution itself is an expression. Now if the institu-
tions be an expression of the religious life and spiritual attitude of
the Synod, and if they do their work effectively, it follows that they
will be a powerful medium or agency for propagating that religious
life and that spiritual attitude; for the students whose character is
molded in these institutions will in their turn become the active
leaders in the Synod and will thus perpetuate the distinctive and
characteristic features in the faith and traditions of the founders of
the Synod. And we may confidently assert that only through these
means i. e. by the precaution of having the coming leaders of the
Synod educated within the institutions of the Synod only so can the
Synod have any assurance of perpetuity along the lines already laid
down and established in the first half century of its existence.
If, then, the Augustana Synod really has characteristics which are
deemed of such great value that it would be an inestimable loss should
they perish from the earth, then, we repeat, it pays to maintain those
institutions which are the most effective instruments for perpetuating
these characteristics, whatever be the cost. And we believe that the
Augustana Synod has such characteristics. We believe that the repre-
sentatives from every civilized, Christian country who have come to
make America their home are each in possession of some distinctive
excellence either not possessed at all by immigrants from other lands
or in not so marked a degree. The best of each should therefore be
scrupulously guarded as a sacred treasure, should be protected from
extinction when the other elements of foreign nationality are lost, and
should be contributed to the common fund of American culture, re-
ligion, and citizenship, so that the civilization about to be evolved in
America may become, under the providence of God, in its complexity
and cosmopolitan character better than anything heretofore produced
in history.
The people of the Augustana Synod owe it as a debt to their
102 THE AUGUSTANA SYNOD
children to hand over to them the good which they have themselves
brought from overseas or have inherited from their Swedish-
American fathers; they owe it to the Synod, under the influence of
which rich spiritual blessings have come to themselves, to perpetuate
that Synod; and they owe it to the American nation, as above indi-
cated, under whose beneficent government and liberal institutions
they have enjo} r ed and still enjoy inestimable privileges, to contribute
to the character of American civilization all that which is best in
Swedish Lutheran faith and church practice, which we firmly believe
is represented by the Augustana Synod and its institutions of
learning.
When at the celebration of the semi-centennial of our Synod and
its first institution of learning we look back and take an inventory
of results attained, and when we particularly scrutinize the achieve-
ments of our educational institutions, studying them in the light both
of statistics and of personal observation, there can be but one con-
clusion : The good seed has been sown, with such infirmity, it is true,
as ever attaches to the best efforts of men, but with noble intent and
pious resolve; and God has graciously blessed the seed so that it has
borne an abundant harvest.
Fifty years constitute a long period in human life, but in the case
of institutions of learning they are but the period of infancy. Let
us hope that the efforts of the educational institutions of the Augus-
tana Synod have already in the first stage of their development shown
that they are a powerful agency for good, that they have vindicated
their right to existence and to the continued support of their patrons.
Let us devoutly pray that under the guidance of God they may con-
tinue their development into a period of maturity indefinitely pro-
longed ; that among the variously shifting skepticism of the ages they
may ever stand firm as the champions of a true, liberal, God-inspired
culture, reflecting accurately and consistently the Christian faith and
doctrine of their founders; and that in ever widening circles of in-
fluence they may prove powerful factors in disseminating sound
Christian culture among the sons and daughters of the Augustana
Synod.
ITS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 103
Synopsis of the History of the Various Educational Institutions
within the Augustana Synod.
Augustana College and Theological Seminary.
The oldest of the educational institutions of the Augustana Synod
was founded, as above set forth, in 1860 under the name of Augustana
Seminary and was first located in Chicago, Illinois. Prof. Lars Paul
Esbjorn was made the first president. Twenty-one students were in
attendance during its first year. It is interesting to note that from
the very outset, though there was but one regular professor, instruc-
tion was given in all the following subjects : Sacred History, Hebrew,
Greek New Testament, Pastoral Theology, Homiletics, Symbolics,
Church History, Dogmatics, English Grammar, Swedish Grammar,
Norwegian Grammar, German, Logic, Latin, Khetoric, Arithmetic,
Geometry, Algebra, Trigonometry, History, and Geography. Five
candidates for the ministry, who had completed a satisfactory theo-
logical course at the seminary during its first year, were ordained
in 1861.
At the meeting of the Synod in Chicago, 1863, after the members
of the Synod in a body had had the opportunity to visit the proposed
new site for the seminary at Paxton, Illinois, it was resolved to move
the institution to that place. At the same meeting the Synod was
constrained with much regret to accept the resignation of Professor
Esbjorn, who was then about to return to Sweden. Eev. T. N. Has-
selquist, at that time in charge of the congregation at Paxton, was
elected temporarily to fill the vacancy at the seminary. He was subse-
quently elected to this position permanently, and served the institu-
tion ably and faithfully as professor in the Theological Department
and as president of the institution until his death in February, 1891.
In the year in which it was moved to Paxton the institution was
incorporated and its name was changed to Augustana College and
Seminary. In 1865 it received its charter. The charter was amended
by a special act of the legislature in 1869. In this charter the name
was again changed to Augustana College and Theological Seminary,
by which name it has since been known.
The externals of the institution during its early days at Paxton
104 THE AUGUSTAN A SYA'OD
were certainly unpretentious. During the first year an old school-
house was purchased by the Board of Directors and a modest "board-
ing-house" was erected upon a lot donated by Professor Hasselquist,
The attendance this year was only ten, seven Swedes and three
Norwegians. Professor Hasselquist was the only regular instructor.
During the academic year 1865 1866, however, the number of stu-
dents increased to forty.
The institution continued to grow, and in order to meet the de-
mands placed upon it at that time, it was organized into three depart-
ments, the Theological, the Collegiate, and the Preparatory. The
teaching force was augmented in 1864 by the election of Eev. William
Kopp as English professor. When he resigned in 1867, Eev. S. L.
Harkey was elected to succeed him. Eev. Harkey resigned in 1870
and was succeeded by Eev. Henry Eeck, who served from 1871 to the
time of his death, in 1881.
In 1868 two new professors were added to the faculty, viz. : Eev.
Dr. A. E. Cervin from Sweden and Eev. A. Wenaas from Norway.
By the appointment of Eev. Wenaas the original idea of having at
least three professors one Swedish, one Norwegian, and one English
was realized.
In 1870 the Norwegian pastors and congregations of the Synod,
deeming it consistent with their best interests to organize an inde-
pendent Norwegian Synod, withdrew from the Augustana Synod.
Consequently Prof. Wenaas and the Norwegian students withdrew
from the institution. Nevertheless the number of students the year
following was about fifty, and during the last year of the institution
at Paxton (1874 1875) the attendance was over eighty.
When it was decided to remove the school from Chicago to Paxton,
it was supposed that the latter place would soon be the center of a
large Swedish population. This did not prove to be the case. So
the reports of the conventions of the Synod in 1869, '70, '71, and '72
show a discussion of the question of again removing the school to a
more central location. In 1872, at its meeting in Galesburg, Illinois,
the Synod authorized the Board of Directors to remove the institu-
tion to Moline or Eock Island.
In March 1873 a suitable location consisting of 18% acres of
picturesque bluff land was purchased in Eock Island at a cost of
$10,000. At its meeting in Paxton the same year the Synod author-
ITS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 105
ized the erection of a suitable building. In the fall of 1875 the institu-
tion was moved to Eock Island ; the school year was opened September
22; and the new, commodious, and beautiful building was dedicated
October 14.
From time to time smaller buildings, designed as residences for
professors, were built. Thus there are on 35th street two frame
buildings, and east of the Old College Building a brick house, long
used as the home of Dr. Hasselquist and Dr. Weidner, later as the
home of Dr. Olsson, and now serving as a Ladies' Hall. In 1883 a
temporary frame building, called Jubilee Hall, with a seating capacity
of about 3,000, was erected to provide a suitable place for celebrating
the fourth centennial anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther. It
was also used as a gymnasium.
As the institution continued to grow more room was needed. The
Old College Building, spacious as it had seemed in 1875, proved inade-
quate to supply the increasing demands for larger class-rooms, as-
sembly hall or chapel, library, laboratories, etc. Hence at the meeting
of the Synod in 1883 at Bed Wing, Minnesota, it was determined to
erect a new college building at a cost of about $100,000 as soon as
the necessary funds could be raised for this purpose. It was not,
however, until in February 1888 that this building was ready for
occupancy. It was dedicated in 1889 in connection with the meeting
of the Synod, which this year convened at Eock Island. This New
College Building is a magnificent stone structure of the Eenaissance
style. The basement and first floor contain recitation rooms and
lecture halls of the Collegiate, Academic, and Conservatory depart-
ments, the Biological Laboratory, and the president's and the treas-
urer's offices. The second floor contains the lecture rooms of the
Theological Department, Cable Hall, and the Chapel, which occupies
two stories in the east end of the building. The Art Department, the
Library, and the Museum occupy the third floor.
The building latest erected is the Gymnasium, a fine brick structure
It is located immediately south of the New College Building. The
erection of the various buildings above referred to is an evidence of
the inner development which the institution was undergoing during
these years. No buildings were erected in advance of existing needs.
But an active and efficient president and a corps of faithful profes-
sors, alert to the needs and demands of the people of the Synod, were
The Augustana Synod 8
106
THE AUGUSTA NA SYNOD
ever adapting the courses of in-
struction to the need of the time.
That their efforts were well di-
rected is evidenced by the con-
tinued increase of students and'
the consequent need of increased
facilities for carrying on the work.
While during the first years of
the institution there had been a
theological department with a
sort of general preparatory de-
partment, especially designed as
a pro-seminary school, a differen-
tiation into a Theological Depart-
ment, a Collegiate Department,
and a Preparatory Department
was made as soon as it was
deemed possible and expedient.
In the Theological Department
during the first years of the insti-
tution the course of study covered
but one year. From 1874 to 1890
the course was made to extend
over two full years. In 1890 the
course was rearranged on the
university plan in such a way
that the instruction was divided into fourteen independent divisions
called "courses". This was approved by the Synod in 1891. Since
that time various extensions have been made,so that since 1900 the full
theological curriculum embraces twenty "courses"', and the student who
has successfully covered this course of study is graduated with the de-
gree of Bachelor of Divinity. Owing to the great need of ministers
in the rapidly growing Synod, a so-called "minimum course" was
established in 1880 for the benefit of those candidates for the ministry
whose age rendered it inexpedient or impossible for them to complete
the full course. This "miniirmm course" was, however, abrogated in
1898, since which time no student not a graduate of a recognized col-
lege has been matriculated in the Seminary.
REV. GUSTAV ANDREEN, PH. D., R. N. O.
President of Augustana College.
ITS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 107
The building up of the College Department was a slow but, we
believe, a thorough process. Instruction in the lower college classes
was begun as early as 1866, but it was not till 1876 that a senior class
was formed. The members of this class were graduated in 1877, and
were the first to receive the degree of Bachelor of Arts from this
institution.
In the College Department ten specific departments of instruction
have been established. These are Swedish, English and Philosophy,
Latin, Greek, Modern Languages, Christianity, History and Political
Science, Biology and Geology, Physics and Chemistry, and Mathe-
matics and Astronomy.
For the sake of meeting modern demands upon a college education,
the various subjects included in the above ten departments have been
arranged into six parallel courses or "groups", viz. : The Classical A,
The Classical B, The Modern Language, The Latin-Scientific, The
General Science, and The Mathematical. These groups all extend
over a four-year period of study and are assumed to be equally diffi-
cult and honorable. They are designed to afford the student a liberal
education, while at the same time they give him an opportunity to
shape his collegiate studies with a view to his prospective lifework.
In each of the six, groups a certain proportion of the studies is
prescribed and a certain portion is elective, the institution believing
that this is the golden mean between the widely divergent radical
views with reference to electivism.
In the Academic Department (originally called the Preparatory
Department) the course of instruction covers three years. The sub-
jects pursued in addition to Swedish and Christianity are those com-
monly studied in schools which prepare their students for entrance
into college. For students who may not be prepared to enter the
Academy a Preparatory course of one year has been established. In
this course instruction is given in the common elementary branches.
Interest in music has always characterized Swedish Lutherans. Dr.
Hasselquist early in his career as president of the institution called
the attention of the Synod to the importance of instruction along
this line. In January, 1886, the Augusta-na Conservatory of Music
was established. Its aim was originally to provide facilities for those
who desired to become church organists. While keeping this aim in
view the^ Conservatory has enlarged its scope to include the various
108 THE AUGUSTANA SYNOD
departments usually found in first class conservatories of music. In
connection with the Conservatory is a Department of Elocution and
Physical Culture; also a School of Art, which was established in 1895.
In October, 1888, a Commercial Department (the present Business
College, School of Phonography, and School of Penmanship) was
established in order to afford to young men and women the best pos-
sible opportunities for acquiring a thorough business training under
Christian influences. That the instruction given in this department
has been of a thoroughly useful kind is attested by the demand for
its graduates on the part of prominent mercantile establishments as
well in the Tri-cities as elsewhere.
In 1891 a Normal Department was established. The aim of this
department is specifically to qualify students for the profession of
teaching in the parochial and public schools. The course of study
embraces three years.
The institution is fortunate in the possession of a Museum con-
taining very valuable and comprehensive collections which facilitate
the study of zoology, botany, geology, and kindred sciences. It has
also Ethnographic and Numismatic collections, the latter numbering
over 1,200 specimens of coins, medals, and tokens. Another collec-
tion, called "The Historical Collection of American Lutheran and
Scandinavian-American Literature", has already grown to consider-
able proportions and will prove exceedingly valuable to future his-
torians. The Library of the institution contains at present nearly
25,000 volumes. When the library shall be settled in its new home
in the Denkmann Memorial Library Building it is to be hoped that
friends of the institution may help to increase its effectiveness by the
generous contribution both of reference books and of general litera-
ture.
In addition to the regular courses of study in the different depart-
ments, various means have been used to surround the students with
the best possible facilities for improvement along spiritual, intellec-
tual, and physical lines. Thus in the very first year of the institution
(1860) the PlirenoTcosmian Society was founded for the purpose of
affording its members literary development as well as the opportunity
for practice in extempore debate and public speaking. This society
continues to flourish at the present time. Various other societies
with similar aims have in the course of time been established and have
110 THE AUGUST ANA SYNOD
contributed largely towards affording students an opportunity of be-
coming acquainted with parliamentary practice by actual participa-
tion in the proceedings of deliberative bodies.
In 1898 the Concordia Society was organized by the theological
students. Its aim is to work for the promotion of Evangelical Lu-
theran theological culture and the strengthening of Evangelical Lu-
theran faith. All students of the Theological Department are eligible
to membership.
The Augustana Foreign Mission Society was organized in 1886
and incorporated in 1895. Its aim is to arouse and maintain among
the students a lively interest in the extension of God's kingdom in
heathen lands, and by means of membership fees, contributions, and
bequests to render aid to the Synod in its foreign mission work.
Through the efforts of this society about $15,000 have been raised for
the furtherance of foreign mission work and 13 of its members are
now serving as missionaries in foreign fields.
The Handel Oratorio Society, originally called The Augustana
Oratorio Society, was organized in the fall of 1880. This was the
first society of its kind in this section of the Mississippi Valley. The
influence of this society in developing in its members a taste for
sacred classical music cannot be overestimated. Hundreds of students
are under the deepest obligation to Dr. 0. Olsson, its founder and
stanch supporter, for affording them an opportunity to become ac-
quainted with that which is best in the noble art of music; and
through them this influence has passed on to the remotest corners
of our Synod.
As stated above, when the Synod determined to move the institu-
tion to Bock Island, 18% acres of land was purchased. In 1886
Dr. A. W. Williamson presented to the institution five acres of land
adjoining the college campus on the south. The grounds of the college
were further enlarged in 1900 through a splendid donation by the
Augustana University Association. This association, incorporated in
May, 1891, with the express purpose of promoting the growth and
higher development of Augustana College and Theological Seminary,
though entirely independent of the college and of the Synod, seized the
opportunity of purchasing for a sum of $25,000 a beautiful tract of
level land situated north of the college grounds and consisting of about
ten or twelve acres together with a large brick residence building. This
ITS EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 111
was a large undertaking and owing to the financial stringency during
the following years it seemed almost impossible for the Association
to carry out its contract. But in the summer of 1898, Senator C.
J. A. Ericson of Boone, Iowa, promised a donation of $12,800 to the
Association on the condition that the Association would raise the re-
maining portion of the indebtedness ($12,800). In October, 1899,
this condition was fulfilled and the property, henceforth known as
Ericson Park, was donated by the Association to the Board of Directors
of Augustana College and Theological Seminary. The grounds of the
institution accordingly consist of about thirty-six acres of land.
The history of the finances of the institution, interesting and im-
portant though it be, can here be merely alluded to. The institution
was founded by a comparatively small band of immigrants, devoted
to their Lutheran faith and zealous for its maintenance, but as a
rule at least in the earlier years handicapped by poverty. Never-
theless they undertook the support of a school in order that they might
be supplied with ministers and teachers. Under the providence of