Rock Island Argus., 1901-10-17

past, what obligations does this heri-
tage impose upon us, and what are
some of the main needs and problems
confronting US at present?' Let us
first consider this heritage of the past
ny giving brief sketch of the de-
We upment of Augustana.
'Augustana is one of the older in
stitutions of Illinois. 1t was Iunded
in 1860 by the early settlers who. next
TO the Indians, must be called the
original Inhabitants of this section of
our country. These settlers came
from the east and from Europe to
help redeem the great American Ides-
ert. While breaking the sod and
building their homes they did not for
get the higher and ideal interests of
life, but also founded churches and
schools. Soon there grew up a de-
mand for an educa, ed ministry, a de-
mand which in fact has been at the
root of the founding of the greatest
number of our leading universities.
Augustana was founded by the Evan
gelicsl Lutheran church to meet the
spiritual and intellectual needs created
by the rapid development of the Scan
dinavian settlements throughout the
west. The school was first located in
Chicago and at its head was placed
Prof l. p. Esbj bjorn, who a decade be-
fore had organized the first Swedish
Lutheran church in America since
the settlement in Delaware in 1888
Here under his able guidance the
church secured almost from the be-
ginning of its history men who under
8 -ood the conditions and wants IF the
pioneers, men who were filled with
the love of God and interested in the
welfare of their fellow men We have |
even yet some of these pioneer labor |
ers and ministers among us. and we
Of the younger generation thank God |
for having preserved them unto this |
day to guide us by their wisdom and |
to form living connection between
Us and the past.
Development Slow.
ION the removal of the seminary |
10 Paxton, Ill, in 1868, Rev. DIR. j.
n Hasselquist became it's president.
1t is interesting to read of his at
-empts to develop the institution into
l college. This was the intention
rom the very beginning. Our hon
,red forefathers never designed TO
build up only theological seminary;
hey were ever working towards the
,oal of offering their students the ad-
of full college curriculum
Class after class were filled with the
lope that theirs would be the first to
,e graduated and thus be the alumni
II Augustana college. But again and
gain these expectations were dashed
o the ground on account of lack of
unds and inadequacy OF teaching
orce.
"How strong aud real the hope of
development along this line was in the
minds of the authorities even during
he SOS is best shown by the fact that
young man o. ability. Mr.. Lind
from, was called to prepare himself
or the task of taking charge OF the
ollege department while is was yet
Incomplete. To make this prePara-
ion the more thorough the prospec-
i've college professor was sent to
Europe to study, where he took his {
octor's degree in UPsala- On his
eturn when ready TO assume his du- |
les, death cut short his career to the {
cen disappointment of the class ]
7hieh otherwise had expected through
is additional instruction to bs grad
ated from the college department. I
ssButt these students and others who I
anne after them. who shared in the 4
arly struggles of the institution. who
D their own grief were excluded or 4
indered from finishing their college IL