Decorah-posten og ved arnen., 1908-12-15


ought not to have done, ! would still
feel that would not violate the ethi-
cal rules of my profession by chronicle
ing his doings, when they are of sufi-
cient Importance.
Your attack on Prof. Ristad is very
serious and | feel that it ought to be
answered. Neither you, nor anybody
else, ought to be allowed to publish
false and defamatory charges against
a man, without being called to ac-
count-and that is what you have
done in your article on Prof. Ristad.
You say that Prof. Ristad's stand
ing in this community does not ac-
cord with what I have written con-
corning him; that, little by little, the
church people II here have discov-
cred that Prof. Ristad is not the man
they thought he was; that he lacks
academic .training, or education; that
by his contributions to certain news
papers he has lost the esteem and
respect of many worthy fellow citi-
zens. You say further that Park Re-
gion Luther College needs a princi-
pal who possesses more ability, a bet
ter education, and who has a sounder
view Of life.
Now, / know as much about Prof.
Ristad's work and standing in this
community as anybody here perhaps,
and certainly as much as you or any
body else who live at a distance, and
/ a say positively TO the readers of
"Amerika" that the charges cited
above are absolutely without founda-
ton. When ! came to Fergus Falls,
/ found that Prof. Ristad, who had
then been here a few months, had
impressed himself upon the commun-
ity as a many-sided man of marked
ability and high character; and | am
keeping within the bounds of truth
when | say that he has continued to
rise in the esteem of the people, not
only among the Norwegian church
people but among the people in gen.
eral. In fact, | am proud of the fact
that we Norwegians of Fergus Falls
have in our midst a man like Prof.
Ristad, for he has helped to raise our
nationality in the estimation of the
4ankee-Americans. l think he has
done more to reflect credit upon us
than any other Norwegian in Fergus
Falls.
don't know how many years Prof.
Ristad has attended institutions of
higher learning, nor do | care, but |
do know that he is a man OF culture
and learning, who has read widely
and thought deeply. | have talked
with many a Phi. d. who has far less
genuine learning or scholarship than
Prof. Ristad, and as a. speaker he has
few equals among the Norwegians of
America. Also as a writer he pos
sesses marked ability, both in Nor
wegian and English. 1t seems absurd
to us, who know Prof. Ristad and
have tested his scholarship by hours
of discussion, 20 raise the question of
his attainments, and | am surprised
that the editor of "Amerika" does not
consider it beneath his dignity to in
dulge in such peculiar nagging.
The directors of Park Region Lu-
Their College may consider themselves
fortunate in being able to retain Prof.
Ristad at the head of the institution.
When he came here in the fall of
1906, the school was rapidly losing
ground; the attendance had been fall
ing off year by year and the people
were losing interest in its welfare,
owing to a number Of causes which
| do not care to discuss here. Almost
Immediately after Prof. Ristad's ar
rival, the institution began to feel the
thrill of new life. The attendance
began to increase, the friends of the
school, who had lost heart, got new
courage and zeal, and since then there
has been steady progress in all re-
spects. The attendance this term is
the largest in the history Of the col
lege during the fall term, being over
1870, and next winter it will pass
the 2oo mark. But the institution has
not only advanced in the size of its
attendance; it has also advanced in
efficiency and thoroughness. Its
graduates pass from its doors into the
state university, without entrance ex-
aminations, such as are required of
the graduates of many high schools
and academies, and almost all the
students pass the state examination,
in the spring; which is saying a great
deal.
So far as Prof. Ristad's view of life
is concerned, | beg to say that the
church people need feel no alarm.
He does not approve of fraudulent
or indecent advertisements, nor does
he admire "den smudsige presse"; l
know, from what he told me over a
year ago, that he has repeatedly
urged the publishers of some of the
leading Norwegian papers to shut ii
all sorts of indecent advertisements,
and ! have no doubt his efforts in this
direction were an aid to the editor
of "Amerika" in causing a couple of
"storblade" to clean up. That he
chooses TO write an occasional article
for one OF these papers may or may
not be proper; l do not pretend to
be able to judge. Some good people,
like yourself, say it is wrong; other
good people, including many of our
best ministers, say it is all tight. l
think it depends somewhat upon Prof.
Ristad's motives.
Now, in conclusion, l would ear
nestly request you to guard against
such errors as you were guilty OF in