Two presidents of Luther Theological Seminary, Alvin N. Rogness (1954-1974) on the left and T.F. (Thaddaeus Franke) Gullixson (1930-1954) are observing Fredrik A. Schiotz plant a seedling on the campus of Luther Theological Seminary in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Fredrik A. Schiotz was the president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1954 to 1960. Back of photograph reads: Education, College & Sem, Luther Sem., St. Paul, Minn.
From 1922-1940 Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary was located in Northeast Minneapolis in this building at 1018 19th Avenue North East. Following a split with Maywood Seminary in Chicago in 1920, Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary, with strong support from the Northwest Synod of the United Lutheran Church in America, moved with its student body of 34 and its faculty of four, first to Fargo, North Dakota, and by 1922 to Minneapolis. Front of photograph reads: Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary, 1018 19th Ave. N.E., Minneapolis, Minn. Back of photograph reads: Rev. P.H. Roth, 18 & Dupont Ave. NE, Minneapolis, Minn.
Music was always an important part of life for Norwegian American Lutherans. Shown here is a band from the Red Wing Seminary. Front of photograph reads: Red Wing Seminary, Lidberg, Red Wing.
This panoramic photograph shows a view of the buildings comprising the Hauge Synod's Red Wing Seminary campus as it appeared in 1907. In the 18th century, rationalism swept the churches of Europe and Norway to the detriment of a heart-felt spiritual life. In 1796, a Norwegian farmer named Hans Nielsen Hauge (1771-1824) experienced a conversion and began traveling throughout the Norwegian countryside preaching and holding revival meetings. At this time, such activity by a layman was prohibited and Hauge was persecuted and jailed by the government at the urging of the state church. But Hauge's pure and simple Gospel could not be quelled and many of his followers migrated to America. One such person was Elling Eielsen (1804-1883) who came to America in 1839 and preached among the Norwegian settlements of northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin. Like-minded pastors and congregations joined with him to form a synod in 1846. Eielsen had a contentious personality and eschewed any formal organization. His followers repeatedly broke and regrouped, a majority finally forming the Hauge Synod in 1876 without Eielsen. In 1879, the Hauge Synod opened a seminary at Red Wing, Minnesota, on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. Front of photograph reads: Red Wing Seminary, copyright 1907 by Edward H. Lidberg.
This photo depicts the cornerstone laying for the United Church Seminary building. The cornerstone is inscribed with the date ""1900,"" but we know the building was not used until 1902, so the exact timing of events requires more research. It was not uncommon to mark cornerstones with the centennial dating to capture the spirit of the age, even if it was not the exact date. This building was later renamed Bockman Hall. Note the people watching the ceremony from the window openings and the open umbrellas even though it doesn't appear to be raining. Back of photograph reads: Bockman Hall, 1899-1900, Luther Seminary, Cornerstone laying.
The United Church built a new seminary at 2375 Como Avenue in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Shown here is the building's dedication at the annual meeting of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church in 1902. The building was later named for Markus Olaus Bockman (1849-1942), professor and president of the United Church Seminary, 1893-1917, and its successor, Luther Theological Seminary 1917-1930. Front of photograph reads: Annual Meeting of Norw American Church at St. Anthony Seminary. Back of photograph reads: United Seminary main building, dedication, aka Bockman Hall.
Exterior view of early church building. Noted on back, "Faith Lutheran Church (1962, has this name). Merged with Lincoln Lutheran to become Faith Lutheran."
This photograph depicts two men shoveling snow at the main building of Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary, 1018 19th Avenue North East, Minneapolis. This was the seminary's location from 1922-1940. Back of photograph reads: Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary, 1018-19th Ave. NE 1929.
Wartburg Chapel, which was named after Wartburg Castle in Germany, was located in Bockman Hall on the campus of Luther Theological Seminary in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Note the carved reredos with painting behind the altar. This chapel was later converted to dormitory and office space when daily chapel services were held in Aasgaard Hall. Back of photograph reads: Interior of Bockman Hall (from small snapshots of Bockman Hall - photo).
A common practice in the early part of the 20th century was to have photographs printed on ""picture postcard"" stock. This photo, from the collection of Constance W. Johnson, shows United Church Seminary students relaxing outside the seminary building, ca. 1905. Back of postcard reads: LTS seminary students outside Bockman Hall ca. 1905.
This photo shows seminary students in a classroom at the United Church Seminary in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul in 1905 or 1906. Note the formal dress and the gas lamps. Seminary students and clergy at that time were exclusively male. Front of photograph reads: United Lutheran Seminary student body, 1905-06, in the classroom of Bockman Hall, first floor, west side. This was made into dormitory rooms when Bockman Hall was remodeled in 1956. Notice the plug hats, the class pictures and the gas lighting.
Shown here is an exterior of the United Church Seminary in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Until the library was built in 1948, this single building housed classrooms, faculty offices, recreational areas, a chapel, and student dormitories for the entire seminary. The building was later named for Markus Olaus Bockman (1849-1942), professor and president of the United Church Seminary, 1893-1917, and its successor, Luther Theological Seminary, 1917-1930.
The United Church built housing for its faculty on the St. Anthony Park campus. This panoramic views shows the United Church Seminary building (later named Bockman Hall) on the left and faculty housing on the right connected by dirt roads.
A common practice in the early part of the 20th century was to have photographs printed on ""picture postcard"" stock. This photo, from the Constance W. Johnson collection, shows the gymnasium at the United Church Seminary. Three children are posed on the parallel bars. Some equipment items shown are: parallel bars, free weight, punching bag, juggling pins, rings. Back of postcard reads: Gymnasium, Bockman Hall, Luther Theological Seminary, Constance Weswig Johnson in center.
A common practice in the early part of the 20th century was to have photographs printed on ""picture postcard"" stock. This photo, from the Constance W. Johnson collection, shows the interior of the chapel in the United Church Seminary building. Back of postcard reads: Chapel in Bockman Hall, Luther Theological Seminary.
Professional group portrait of Ladies Aid members outside Trinity Lutheran Church. Names of some members are written on the front of the photograph in pencil - please see photograph for names.
Wedding ceremony at Trinity Lutheran Church. Photograph is from the back of the church showing the wedding group at the altar with painted altar piece and pipe organ. Back labeled, "Wedding of Merton & Irene Strommen; Attendants: Vollie Huglen? and Cordelia Agrimson, sisters of Irene. Luther Strommen, best man. Officiating: Reverend Peter Strommen, left; Reverend Melvin J. Olson. Soloist: Evelyn (Mrs. Paul G.) Sonnack. Pianist and Organist: Sig Skurdarvold.
This Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary building was a mansion located at Stevens Avenue and East 24th Street in Minneapolis and was named for the first president of Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary, Joseph Stump. Stump Hall functioned as a single student dormitory and had its own on-site boarding club, in which students shared responsibilities for meals. Back of photograph reads: Stump Hall, Stevens Ave. @ 24th Str., Mpls.
Professional portrait of newly remodeled church exterior. Back labeled, "St Olaf Lutheran church Emerson and 29th Avenue North. 50th anniversary Monday and Tuesday."
Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary sponsored these occasional days (""Skip Days"") as times when classes would not be held and students, faculty, and staff could enjoy relaxing times together.
Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary prided itself on the close relationship fostered between faculty and students. Its relatively small size assisted in building this institutional culture. This photograph depicts ""Skip Day,"" a time for fun and recreation that included the entire seminary community. Dr. Joseph Stump and Ellis Jensen are playing a game of chess while others look on. In 1930, Northwestern (as it was more commonly known) was housed in one large building at 1018 19th Avenue North East, Minneapolis. Back of photograph reads: Dr. Stump and Ellis Jensen play chess, Skip Day 1930.
Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary prided itself on the close relationship fostered between faculty and students. Its relatively small size assisted in building this institutional culture. This group photograph includes faculty, students, staff, and family members at ""Skip Day"", 1930. In the center row, two professors surround the young boy: Professor J. H. (Jonas H.) Dressler is to the left; Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary President and Professor P. H. (Paul Hoerlein) Roth is to the right. Back of photograph reads: ""Skip Day"" ca. 1930.
Though often stereotyped as the sternest of the Norwegian-American Lutherans, this photo shows a group of Norwegian Synod seminary students having fun with a good old-fashioned snowball fight at its seminary, Luther Seminary, on Hamline Avenue. Front of photograph reads: Snow-balling at Lut. Sem., 1906.
This is a photograph of a residence hall of Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary. The seminary continued to acquire property as it grew, but by the late 1950s it was clear that another expansion would be necessary. The seminary's ""parent church,"" the United Lutheran Church in America, continued to increase in membership. Eventually Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary's expansion came on the campus of Luther Seminary in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood in St. Paul. In 1955, Luther Seminary purchased the site of the Breck School, an Episcopalian preparatory school, that stood near Luther Seminary. The invitation for Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary to move to this site came several years later, with the actual move happening in 1967. Back of photograph reads: NLTS residence #2404.
Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary's Reed Hall was named for Harry Bertram Reed, first professor of Old Testament at Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary. Reed Hall served as an apartment building for married students. The seminary remained well supported by the Northwest Synod of the United Lutheran Church in America during the 1950s, the years of its greatest growth. This was also the period of greatest membership increase for the United Lutheran Church in America, the ""parent church"" of Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary. Back of photograph reads: NLTS, Reed Hall, Residence.
Shown here are the six members of the Red Wing Seminary class of 1898 and their two professors. Top left: Professors Hans Hanson Bergsland (1858-1907) and Martin Gustav Hanson (1859-1915). Top right: Johan Johannesen Dahle (1867-1950) and Ole Jakobsen Malkewick (1865-1932). Bottom row: Mons Olson Wee (1871-1942), H. O. Myhre (d. 1927), John J. Skarpness (1867-1954), and Daniel Tjaeranson Borgen (1871- ). Note that some of these men were over 30 years old, indicating that ""second career pastors"" is not wholly a modern phenomenon. Front of photograph reads: Red Wing Seminary, 1898, Kom Jesus Kristus ihu.
Music was always an important part of life for Norwegian American Lutherans. This postcard shows the members of Red Wing Seminary's Choral Union. Back of photograph reads: Postcard, Choral Union, 1909-1910
This photograph shows three of the buildings on the Red Wing Seminary campus that sat on top of a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Front of photograph reads: Campus, Red Wing Seminary, Red Wing, Minn.
This was one of the buildings on the campus of Red Wing Seminary. The educational mission at Red Wing Seminary eventually encompassed a nine-year program: a two-year academy, a fou- year college department, and a three year seminary. With the 1917 merger of the Hauge Synod into the Norwegian Lutheran Church, the seminary department was merged into Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul. The college department was merged into St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, and St. Olaf's academy was merged into Red Wing. The academy struggled into the 1920s and the buildings, like this one, were used for other educational purposes into the 1930s when hard economic times forced the closing of the campus. Back of photograph reads: Red Wing Seminary, Red Wing, Minnesota.