USA > Minnesota > Goodhue County > History of Goodhue County, Minnesota > Part 31
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As soon as the location was decided upon, the trustees began to make preparations for opening the school. Bishop Hamline gave $25,000, $12,000 in real estate in New York and $13,000 in real estate in Chicago; the citizens of Red Wing subscribed liberally, and the way was thus opened for immediate action.
At that time there was a young man who was preacher in charge of Jackson Street (now Summerfield) Church, Milwaukee. He had graduated with high honors from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., in 1850. He knew something of the begin- ning of the settlement of Minnesota and was attracted by its possibilities. So when he was invited to become principal of the preparatory department of Hamline University, to be opened in the fall of 1854, he readily consented and hopefully set out for his new field of labor. This was the beginning of the connection of Dr. Jabez Brooks with Hamline University, a connection not to be permanently severed so long as the institution remained at Red Wing.
On November 16. 1854, the preparatory department was opened with an attendance of thirty-three. Two rooms were secured on the second floor of the store building of Smith, Hoyt & Co., near the river, and here the history of higher education in the state of Minnesota began. The beginning was humble. Fine buildings, great libraries. extensive laboratories-all were want- ing; but the essential elements of true education were there- cultured Christian teachers and pupils eager for knowledge.
The faculty was small. In the first annual catalogue, pnb- lished in 1855, were but three names-Rev. Jabez Brooks, A. M., principal ; Miss Louisa Sherman, teacher of modern languages, painting and drawing: Mrs. Frances L. Dunning, teacher of
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music and ornamental work. Rev. Jabez Brooks was librarian. The students were chiefly from Minnesota ; but Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin were represented among them. The total number enrolled the first year was seventy-three, thirty ladies and forty- three gentlemen. During the first year of Hamline's history the trustees proceeded to erect a college building. A block of ground in the heart of the town was donated by the proprietors of the town site. Plans were adopted and in August the active work of construction was started. That same fall the building was completed. It was formally opened January 10, 1855.
It has been stated that Bishop Hamline gave $25,000 to the institution in real estate, part of which was in Chicago and part in New York City. The property in New York was set aside for building purposes. Though it was worth $12.000 when given by Bishop Hamline, yet when it came to be sold it had so fallen in value that the university realized from it only a little more than $7,000, and so there fell upon the institution. immediately upon its erection, an incumbrance which constituted the bulk of its indebtedness and finally became one of the causes of its suspension.
In the spring of 1857 President Brooks, whose health was failing on account of overwork, resigned. Thus far, only the preparatory department had been organized, and as a number were ready for college it was decided to establish a full and complete college course. Rev. B. F. Crary, D. D .. was elected president. Up to this time Minnesota had been prosperous. Trus- tees of the institution had been able to secure the funds neces- sary for maintaining the institution as easily as could be expected in a new country, sparsely settled, when all the money that could be secured was expended for improvements. But in the same month when it was decided to throw open the doors of Hamline for a full and complete college education to the youth of the Northwest, when with an increased faculty the running expenses of the institution were largely augmented, a financial panic struck the entire country. It was especially severe in Minnesota, because there had been no opportunity for the settlers to store away wealth against the time of adversity. Values ceased to exist ; the wealthy became poor ; it was a question of daily bread rather than riches, or the rearing of magnificent buildings for educational purposes.
In 1859 the first college class was graduated. There were but two members, Elizabeth and Mary Sorin, daughters of one of the trustees. In the spring of 1861 came the War of the Rebellion. One of the faculty. H. B. Wilson, professor of mathe- maties, and many of the students enlisted. There were few. if any, young men left who were physically able to bear arms. At
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this time, too. President Crary, who had been struggling manfully to keep Hamline alive in those years succeeding the panic of 57, was selected by a committee of the legislature of Minnesota to organize the public school system of the state, and he accepted the appointment. In the meantime the Rev. Jabez Brooks had recovered his health and the trustees elected him to the presi- dency. His was no enviable task. The institution was in debt. most of her young men had gone to the war; her friends, many of them, were penniless. and the resources of the state were taxed to the utmost to maintain order on the frontier while her sons fought for the preservation of the Union. He threw into it all the energy of his young manhood. Up and down the state he went soliciting funds. He did double work in the classroom. He used his private funds to provide for his family ; he did every- thing that was possible for him to do. withholding nothing of time or talents or energy. and Hamline lived.
The last commencement at Red Wing occurred March 4, 1869. At the annual conference of the church held in October, 1869, a report presented shows that at that time the question of the removal of the college was being agitated. On July 6 of that year the trustees decided that in view of financial conditions it would not be wise to reopen the doors of the college during the ensuing year. Later the institution was removed to St. Paul, and today it has the honor not only of being the oldest college in the state, but also one of the leading educational institutions in the Northwest. Various reasons, among which financial troubles form an important part, are given for the removal of the university to St. Paul. Red Wing people have always regretted the removal; and there are many friends of the univer- sity who assert that, successful as has been the career of that institution, it would have had a still more glorious history had it remained in Red Wing and the drawbacks of suspension and removal been obliterated.
The property was sold to the city of Red Wing for $5,000. the transfer papers bearing the date of February 24. 1872. The building was torn down and the material sold to whatever pur- chasers could be found. The ground is still owned by the city and is dedicated to the uses of a publie park. The ground was graded without the expense of entirely removing the foundation walls, and even to the present day in very dry weather the grass dries above the old walls and the outlines of the historic old building may plainly be seen.
Red Wing Seminary .- This institution is located on College Bluff and commands a view of the most picturesque natural
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scenery of any school in the Northwest. The property was pur- chased from the Red Wing Collegiate Institute and placed in the possession of the Hauges Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod through the personal efforts of H. M. Sande, a farmer living in the township of Wanamingo; A. Ellingson, of Red Wing, and Rev. O. Hanson, of Wanamingo. The first school year com- meneed in September, 1879. Rev. I. Eistenson was the principal and Prof. G. O. Brohangh his assistant. Several instructors were also engaged. among whom may be mentioned Prof. II. B. Wilson. Seventy students were enrolled during the first year.
The purpose of the school is to furnish a general Christian culture and more particularly to prepare ministers and teachers for the synod. The work at first consisted of an academie course of three years and a theological course of three years. As the institution developed it was found necessary to lengthen the preparatory course. This was done in 1889, when it was changed from three to four years. In 1897 it was changed to five years. and in 1908 it was extended to seven years. making it a complete college course. The school year was also changed from seven to nine months. A commercial department has been added, as well as a musical department.
The school soon ontgrew the "Old Building," and "Summer HIall" was bought and completed in 1882. In 1902 the synod decided to build another building. and this was completed in 1904 and is known as the "Main Building." Besides this and the two old buildings which now are used for dormitories, there is a president's house, a hospital and a heating plant, the whole property now costing approximately $100,000. .
During the past year the school has employed three profes- sors of theology and five professors in the academy and college. together with several special instructors. The total number of students was about two hundred.
Those who have served as presidents of the seminary are I. Eistenson, J. Kyllingstad, A. Wenaas, J. N. Kildahl. O. S. Meland, H. H. Bergsland and M. G. Hanson. Among those who have acted as instructors may be noted S. Gunnerson, E. Kr. Johnson, G. Rast. J. A. Leas. L. Chally. A. J. Reichert, O. R. Wold. J. Telleen, M. O. Wee, E. W. Schmidt for the theologieal department, and G. O. Brohangh, H. H. Elstad, C. R. Hill, E. W. Schmidt. I. M. Anderson, Julius Boraas, E. O. Ringstad, William Mills. G. H. Ellingson and O. O. Stageberg for the preparatory department. Selma Gibson and G. A. Hausner have had charge of the musical department.
Since the beginning of the school 138 have graduated from the theological course, nearly all of whom are pastors or mission- aries in the various fields of the synod. The total number of
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graduates from the preparatory department is 237. Of these seventy-two have become pastors, twenty-eight have taken up school work as teachers, professors or superintendents, twenty- two are in business, there are twenty physicians, eleven lawyers, four editors. three publishers. four dentists, three farmers, two bankers, two engineers, thirty-one students at various institutions.
Rev. Martin Gustav Hanson .- To a college man there is always one distinction which in his heart of hearts is more precious than all else that he may achieve in life, and that one thing is the honor of being called to a chair of his alma mater, in the halls of which his own young manhood has received the stamp which marks it in after life. Immeasurably greater, however, is the - privilege of some time attaining the presidency of that institu- tion, and thus having an important share not only in its progress and work, but also in its policies and discipline. Among the men to whom the felicity of such a lot has fallen is the subject of this sketch. Born at Wanamingo, this county, July 11. 1859. he is the son of Oesten and Maria (Christopherson) Hanson, both natives of Norway. The father came to America at the age of fifteen years and located at Lewiston. Wis .. later removing to Wanamingo, where he was one of the pioneers. For thirty-seven years he was a preacher of the gospel, working against fearful odds, preaching the ideals of Christianity to a people who were wrestling with the problem of existence. and to whom the reali- ties of life were necessarily presented in their daily toil in the most materialistic aspects. A pioneer preacher in those days must needs be a man of strong inward faith and also rugged physique, a man who could preach to the hearts of the people the true word. and at the same time be able to meet with unfail- ing courage the almost unnumbered pioneer discomforts. His wife. gifted in all motherly and wifely qualities, was an able support in all his undertakings. It is pleasing to record that Oesten Hanson lived to see the seed he planted bear fruit in abun- dant measure, and to see a pioneer people develop into a com- munity of prosperous and God-fearing agriculturists. For a long period he served the churches at Aspelund, Kenyon and Roscoe, his death occurring August 4, 1898. he having many years sur- vived his wife, who died in 1866. The following account of his services was published shortly before his death: "Pastor Han- son has been a member of the synodical council of the Hague Synod since 1863, has served as president or vice president of the synod for more than a quarter of a century; has been presi- dent of the Red Wing Seminary and of the synod's mission com- mittee. and has been prominently identified with the synod in other ways for more than three decades. He has three sons who are ministers of the gospel-Rev. M. G. Hanson, Rev. H. A.
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Hanson and Rey. Thomas L. Hanson." Martin, early in life left without a mother's care, received his education in the public schools of Wanamingo, and then entered the Red Wing Seminary, at that time a much smaller institution than at present. In 1884 he received his diploma from that school, and was ordained the same year at Lee county, Illinois, his first charge being the Emanuel and East Emanuel churches at St. Paul. Min. At the same time he served the congregations at Renville and Frost, Minn. In 1892 he was sent to Grand Forks, N. D., where he had pastoral charge of the district including the churches at Grand Forks, Reynolds, Buxton, Valle, Grafton, Nash, Crookston and Oslo. In 1898, when those in charge of the Red Wing Seminary were looking for a capable man for the presidency of that institu- tion, their attention was called to the young clergyman who a few years before had graduated from its doors with honors. He accordingly received the call and accepted, believing that in this position was a wider field of usefulness. His work since that time is too well known to need comment, and future historians of the institution will write of him that praise which it is not always fitting should be written of a modest man still in the prime of his activities. His work for five years as vice president of the synod, for six years as president of the same body, for four years as president of the district of North Dakota, and for many years as president of the Inner Mission of the Synod, in which position he is now serving, are a part of the chronicles of his denomination. Rev. Hanson has taken to himself as a companion in life, Caroline Runice, of Crawford county, Wisconsin, daughter of Ole and Guri Runice, natives of Norway. This union has been blessed with five children. Oscar A., born Angust 14, 1887, at St. Paul, Minn., died in infancy. Adolph M. was born September 11, 1888, at St. Paul. Babel G. was born November 24, 1890. in the same city. Reuben B. was born August 30, 1892, at Grand Forks, N. D., and George W., who is a general favorite with the faculty and student body of the seminary, was born under the shadows of the classic halls of that institution of learning August 4, 1899.
The Orphans' Home at Vasa had its beginning in 1865, when four little children were thrown on the mercy and charity of others. Dr. E. Norelius conceived the idea of opening a place for them, and so a room in the basement of the old Lutheran Church at Vasa was fitted up. Soon, however, other children were found to be in need and this room became too small. With a little assistance Dr. Norelius purchased a small traet of land and con- structed a building, more properly a shanty. It was made of
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rough boards and patched together and mended in every con- ceivable way to keep out the winter's cold. The increase of little orphans who were being cared for by the pastor soon made the quarters too small for convenience. A home was therefore con- structed and did good service until 1879, when the building was levelled to the ground by a cyclone. A subscription list was started and another building was constructed. Again came a sad day, November 23. 1899. when the home was burned to the ground. The Swedish Augustana Synod, which had taken charge of the home. immediately. assisted by the local board of directors and residents of Red Wing and Vasa. took steps to build the comfortable home which is occupied at the present time. In the meantime the little folks had been sheltered in the homes of neighboring families, some of whom afterward decided to adopt the little strangers who had thus been thrown on their mercy. The building, which is a frame structure, is neat and attractive, the total cost being about $8.000. The children are well cared for and given a good education. both in English and Swedish.
Red Wing Lutheran Ladies' Seminary .- Twenty years ago the now sainted Rev. H. AA. Preuss suggested the advisability of erecting a school for young ladies at Red Wing on the very spot on which the Ladies' Seminary now stands. The suggestion was not acted upon at the time, but in the year 1889 some of the members of the Red Wing Norwegian Lutheran Church, deeply feeling the want of an institution of this character. determined to erect a seminary in this city, and seenred the very tract of ground which the Rev. Preuss had recommended twenty years before. In this year. 1889. however, the Luther College at Decorah, Iowa. was totally destroyed by fire. The incorporators of the Red Wing venture. knowing that their help was needed at the rebuilding of the Decorah school, generously postponed the erection of their own institution. In the beginning of 1892 they thought that the time had come for them to proceed with the execution of their project. They therefore solicited subscrip- tions, adopted a .plan and began active work. Owing to the financial depression the opening of the school was delayed one year, but they succeeded in completing the present magnificent structure so that active school work commenced November 5. 1894.
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The school is located on a bluff overlooking the city and the Mississippi river. The main building and dining hall are con- structed of pressed brick on cut stone foundations. The music hall. a newer building, is constructed of the same material.
The seminary aims to give its pupils a thorough and practical education on a Christian basis. and includes the usual academic. literary. musical. art. religious and scientific courses. both col-
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legiate and preparatory, together with many branches distinc- tively feminine, such as domestic science, housekeeping, needle- work and cooking.
Rev. Hans Allen is at the head of the institution. There are twenty-six incorporators and the officers are: President, Rev. K. Bjorgo; vice president, Dr. C. L. Opsal ; secretary, H. L. Hjerm- stad; trustees, C. H. Boxrud, C. F. Hjermstad, Dr. C. L. Opsal, Joh. Ylvisaker, J. C. Seebach, Albert Johnson, R. H. Boxrud. H. Allen, K. Bjorgo and H. L. Hjermstad are ex-officio members.
The total number of pupils enrolled during the school year 1908-09 was 183. Of these 10 were by nationality Norwegian, 48 German, 11 American, 7 Swedish, 5 Danish, 1 Swiss and 1 Finish. Of these 156 were boarders and 27 city people.
Six pupils were enrolled as specials, 11 were in the prepara- tory course, 40 in the domestic economy, 1 in the normal, 55 in the seminary and 14 in the college courses. Twenty-one were enrolled in the department of elocution. 15 in the commercial course, 57 in the art department. 43 in the vocal department, 15 in the piano department, 3 in violin and the Choral Society num- bered 133.
At the graduating exercises on June 10, 1909, 18 received diplomas from the seminary course, 1 from the normal, 7 from the domestic economy and 11 from the commercial courses: 4 received diplomas from the piano department and 1 from the voice culture department.
Rev. Hans Allen, president of the faculty of the Lutheran Ladies' Seminary, is a gentleman of unquestioned integrity and marked scholarly attainments, one who stands high in the min- isterial and educational ranks of the county. He is a native of Deeoral Iowa, born March 15, 1861, son of Guttorm Allen, who came to America in 1844, and the same year enlisted in the Mex- ican war. Here he did his adopted country brave and efficient service. Upon his return he located at Jefferson Prairie, Wis., and married Kirsten Rishovd. a native of Norway, who came to this country in 1846. At Jefferson Prairie he farmed for a short time, afterward removing to Decorah, Iowa, where he pur- chased 360 aeres and carried on agricultural operations on an extensive scale. He died in 1902 and his wife followed him to the Great Beyond during the following year. Hans Allen at- tended the common schools of his neighborhood and entered the Luther College of Decorah, Iowa, receiving his diploma with honors in 1883. He supplemented this training with a three years' course at the Concordia College, St. Louis, Mo., after which he was ordained to the ministry in the fall of 1886. His first charge was at Portland, Trail county, North Dakota, where he served eight congregations in an able manner for six years. His work in
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this capacity attracted attention, and in 1892 he was assigned to a congregation at Mankato, Minn., where he labored acceptably two years. In 1894 came the opportunity for wider service when he was called to the presidency of the Lutheran Ladies' Seminary, in which capacity he has remained to the present day, having charge of the institution and occupying the chair of Norwegian Literature, Bible and Church History. As a disciplinarian he combines the qualities of justness with gentleness, as a teacher he is an acute thinker and incisive reasoner, and as a citizen his opinions command esteem, respect and consideration. Rev. Allen was married June 13. 1887, at Decorah, lowa, to Emma Wingaard, of that place, daughter of Ole and Marie Wingaard, natives of Norway. The mother is now deceased and the father lives in Decorah. To Rev. and Mrs. Allen have been born three children : Nellie M. E .. born April 3, 1888, and Clara L., born January 22, 1892, are students at the seminary, while Esther E., born March 28, 1898. attends the parish school of Evangelical Lutheran Trin- ity Church at Red Wing.
The Minnesota State Training School, formerly known as the Minnesota State Reform School, has a beautiful location of about 450 acres of land. something over a mile below the city of Red Wing. The group of buildings is situated on an elevated plateau leading down by a gentle slope to the Mississippi river and com- manding a view that in itself should be an inspiration to the way- ward or unfortunate ones who spend their youth in the school. The institution has been in existence since January 15, 1868, and had occupied its present site since October, 1891. The State expended over $300.000 on the property and buildings, gained from the sale of the old site of the school in St. Paul, that location having wonderfully increased in value since the establishment of the school in 1868. The school is occupied on the family plan, each family of some fifty boys, classified according to age, having a cottage and playground of its own, but with a dining hall in common. The girls' school is a building by itself, 300 feet west of the other buildings, and its management is entirely separate and distinct from the boys. The exterior of the buildings are of briek and stone, the interior being entirely of hardwood. There is nothing at the school to suggest that it is a penal insti- tution, the boys themselves looking like eadets in a military school, clothed as they are in neat uniforms. Graded schools, similar to ordinary publie schools, are conducted, one-half of the scholars attending in the forenoon and working in the afternoon, and vice versa. The grading and beautifying of the extensive grounds have all been done by the boys, who also eultivate the large garden patches which supply the schools with vegetables and fruit for use on the tables and feed for the stock. The boys
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do all their housework, cooking, baking, laundry work, etc., and the entire institution is a marvel of neatness. The school main- tains a carpenter shop, shoe shop, tailor shop, printing office and other establishments. A small paper, the Riverside, is printed by the boys, who also supply the material for its contents. An- other enjoyable attraction of school life is a well trained brass band. The boys and girls are sentenced under sixteen years of age, and can be kept, the boys until they are twenty-one and the girls until they are eighteen, but they may be paroled on their good behavior during that time. There are no statistics available on which to base a percentage of those redeemed by the good influence of the school, but it is believed that the results rank well with the results obtained by other state institutions of sim- ilar character. Religion is made a part of the ever-day life, with special services Sunday.
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