Andreas Helland (1870-1951) was a professor at Augsburg Seminary from 1905 to 1940. He was the author of an early definitive history of Augsburg Seminary titled ""Augsburg seminar: gjennem femti aar 1869-1919."" He also edited George Sverdrup's collected works and in 1947 wrote a biography of Sverdrup titled ""Georg Sverdrup: The Man and His Message."" Helland was very mission-minded and served the Lutheran Board of Missions as secretary (1907-1919), treasurer (1925-1929), and secretary-treasurer (1933-1946). Front of photograph reads: Prof. Andreas Helland, L.B.M. Mission Secretary.
Confirmants dressed in white and arranged in two rows sit and stand with Rabbi Aronson seated in the middle. Rabbi Aronson came to Beth El in 1924, and served the congregation for 35 years. Beth El, at the time the photo was taken, was on the North Side of Minneapolis. The congregation is now in St. Louis Park .
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Catechism class of Cherry Grove Evangelical Church, with Rev. Max Wordelman presiding. The cornerstone was laid May 17, 1925. Rev. H. E. Reike deposited these items in the cornerstone, "a new Bible, Song Book , local papers, list of members, Historical sketch, and one newest coined dollar". The church was dedicated October 18, 1925.
Contributing Institution:
Minnesota Annual Conference United Methodist Church
A Confirmation class of Storden Norwegian Methodist Church. Back row: Anna Hofstad, Gudrun Hofstad. Front row: Petra Hofstad, Rev. Schollert, Hans Mork.
Contributing Institution:
Minnesota Annual Conference United Methodist Church
Schools in south-central Minnesota (1876-1909). St. Bernard's Grade School had many activities, such as a Drama Club, much like a high school would have. For a period of time the curriculum also included a 2-year commercial school program (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
This composite photograph shows the faculty and student body of Augsburg Seminary during one of the years in the 1880s. Note the fluted ""ruff"" collar that was typical for clergymen to wear in the Dano-Norwegian Lutheran church tradition.
Music was always an important part of church life among the Norwegian-American Lutherans. Pictured here is the 1905(?) Glee Club of Luther Seminary. Many of these men went on to hold positions of prominence in the church. Seated, left to right: Thaddaeus Franke Gullixson (1882-1969) served as president of Luther Theological Seminary, 1930-1954, and as president of the American Lutheran Conference, 1944-1955; Johan Carl Keyser Preus (1881- ); Nils Martin Ylvisaker (1882- ); Henry Ingrebritsen (1876- ); Axel Bergh (1873- ). Standing, left to right: Sigurd Christian Ylvisaker (1884-1959) served as president of Bethany College, Mankato, MN 1930-1950; Nils Stockfleth Magelssen (1880- ); Professor John Dahle (1853-1930) was an accomplished composer and arranger of hymns and choral music and served as one of the editors of the Lutheran Hymnary (1913), which was one of the first English-language hymnals used by Norwegian-American Lutherans; Hartwick Carinius Smeby (1879-1945); Sigurd Bernhard Hustvedt (1882- ); Back of photograph reads: Luther Seminary Glee Club, Norw. Synod R62A.
Photograph showing the young men of the Minneapolis Talmud Torah Bar Mitzvah class. Bar Mitzvahs celebrate the coming of age at 13 of Jewish boys. At this age, young men become obligated to observe scripture. They may also lead prayer services and count towards a minyan. No service is required: however, it is customary to mark the occasion with a service and celebration. In the 20th century, young women were also welcomed into the adult community with a bat mitzvah. Both bar and bat mitzvahs participate in several years of Hebrew and religious study before the public occasion.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Confirmed students and a Catholic priest are assembled for a portrait. In the front row, from left to right, are Ida King Swee, Mary Hoff, Father Slevin, Ada Fallow, and Emil Rishavy. In the back row, from left to right, are unknown, John Rishavy, unknown, and Anthony (Tony) Garbarino.
Contributing Institution:
Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf Alumni Association Museum
Confirmed students and a Lutheran pastor are assembled for a portrait. A paper attached to the back of the photo reads: "In remembrance of day of Confirmation" and "Charles Arthur Arneson, born June 17, 1906 and confirmed May 17, 1922 in Ephphatha Lutheran Church for the Deaf." The man sitting in the middle of the front row is Pastor Henry O. Bjorlie. The student standing in the back row on the right end is Charles Arthur Arneson.
Contributing Institution:
Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf Alumni Association Museum
Expansion of Monastery (1880-1909). Mother Cecilia (Mary) Kapsner born in Prussia in 1859, came to America at age 15 with her family who settled in Pierz. Two years later, Mary entered St. Benedict's Convent and professed vows in 1878. In 1901 she was elected to serve as prioress, a position she held for three consecutive terms. Mother Cecilia was the first prioress whose background was similar to the majority of the members of St. Benedict's Convent as well as the people in the St. Joseph area. With keen perception and ready judgment she led the community through considerable building expansion. Especially noteworthy is the construction of the Sacred Heart Chapel and the Teresa Hall addition to the college, both having been in the planning stages as early as 1909 (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Orgins of St. Benedict's Monastery (convent), St. Joseph, Minnesota. Mother Willibalda Scherbauer, OSB, led four sisters and two candidates, ranging in age from 18 to 26, from St. Marys, Pennslyvania, to the Midwest frontier (St. Cloud, Minnesota) in 1857. Mother Willibalda (Franciska) was born in Kastel, Bavaria in 1831. At an early age, her family took her to St. Walburg Convent in Eichstätt to be educated. There she professed her vows in 1851; four years later, she volunteered to join the sisters in America. Then in 1857, she volunteered to venture to the Northwest Territory and was appointed prioress of the St. Cloud community by Boniface Wimmer, OSB. Mother Willibalda was an accomplished musician of whom Jane Swisshelm, editor of a local newspaper, wrote, "The Lady Abbess is small, slight, delicate, graceful, and as accomplished a lady as you could meet in any circle...waking the first echoes of those broad prairies in a call (daily ringing of the church bell) to bow regularly at an altar of Christian worship..." (McDonald, page41). Mother Willibalda's able administration as leader gave the Benedictine sisters a firm monastic foundation, not only in St. Cloud, but also in St. Joseph, the nucleus of St. Benedict's Monastery. She is lovingly remembered for accepting Mother Benedicta Riepp into the St. Cloud community when she was misunderstood by authorities and some community members for upholding the rights of the sisters in America (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives; McDonald, pages 12, 15-16, 19).
Drama held a significant role in the curriculum of the academy. Performances drew large audiences, not only from the surrounding areas, but from as far as Milwaukee, WI. The Delsarle Tableaux performance, honoring Bishop Otto Zardetti, was presented at the Village Hall in St. Joseph on February 10, 1893 (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Schools in south-central Minnesota (1876-1909). In 1877, the sisters of St. Gertrude's Convent in Shakopee* were asked to care for orphan children in temporary quarters on Ninth and Robert Streets in St. Paul. Sisters Benedicta Klein and Agatha Nachbar assumed the responsibility for six orphans. For this they received a salary of $10.00 a month. When this photograph was taken in 1880, Sister Placida Heine had replaced Sister Agatha Nachbar. Because the number of orphans grew to 17 by 1879, a new building was constructed near the Assumption parochial school so that the orphans could be educated there. After St. Gertrude's Convent was amalgamated with St. Benedict's in 1880, the orphanage came under the jurisdiction of St. Benedict's Convent, St. Joseph, MN. For information about St. Gertrude's Convent, see SBM.03e or sbm00016 (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Portrait of Rabbi Albert G. Minda, rabbi of Temple Israel Synagogue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and a spiritual leader of Minneapolis Jews from 1922-1963. Additionally, he was co-founder of the Minneapolis Urban League and Round Table Conference of Christians and Jews.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Rabbi Wechsler (pronounced Wexler) lead the congregation's sponsoring a Jewish farming settlement in the Dakota Territories. The settlement attempted to help Russian Jewish immigrants find livelihoods working the land in the American West. Though the farm colony ultimately failed, he was considered an innovator and modernizer. Late in his career, after leaving Minnesota, he worked to improve educational opportunities in Mississippi for blacks. He served at Temple Mount Zion from 1878-1886.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
Revered Albin N. Osterholm, a seminary student at Carleton College, served at Swedish Christian Mission Church during the summer of 1897. This is a portrait of Reverend Osterholm and his wife taken during the summer of 1897. Portrait once belonged to Mrs. Sundquist.
Studio portrait of Reverend Nels Forde (1849-1917) and Nora Erickson Forde (1862-1924). Rev. Nels [Nils] Forde was ordained in 1876 serving congregations in Clay County, Minnesota (1876-1881), Amherst and Stevens Point, Wisconsin (1881-1892), and Indherred, Immanuel and St. John's Congregations in Pope County (1892-1917). Nels and Nora were married in 1882. Nora contributed her musical talents and leadership to the Young Peoples Society and church choirs.
Reverend J.E.Seth, pastor of the West End Mission Church (now First Covenant Church, Duluth, Minnesota), filled the Svenska Missions Kyrkan pulpit from time to time. This family portrait was taken in 1897.Reverend Seth served the West End Mission Church from 1895-1898.
Standing for a picture are Reverend Bahr of the New Grove Evangelical United Brethren church. Reverend Ekse of First Lutheran Church and Reverend Erickson of Calvary Lutheran Church.
A portrait photograph of Rabbi Solomon Silber. Rabbi Silber served as Kenesseth Israel's rabbi from 1902 to 1925. He, and members of his congregation, were instrumental in funding and building the Jewish Family Welfare Board and the Jewish Sheltering Home.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Libraries, Nathan and Theresa Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives
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.
Salem Covenant Church Confirmands pose with Reverend Raymond A. Johnson on Confirmation Sunday. Group includes (order unknown): Elaine Anderson Nelson, Milton Anderson, Donald Beutner, Betty Dahlgren Rule, Rodney Hietala, May Hultman Graves, Ruth Nelson Anderson, Joyce Shannon Kahn, Corrine Sundstrom Youngkrantz, Helen Wahlberg Wasserburger, Robert Wedan.
Salem Covenant Church Confirmands pose with Reverend Erik Dahlhielm on Confirmation Sunday. Front Row (left to right): Marlene Olson Smouse, Joyce Carlson Bankson, Bernice Anderson. Back Row (left to right): Gene Danielson, Thomas Donahue, ReV. Erik Dahlhielm, Albert Christianson, Allen Anderson.