The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-06-21
Parade Of 1000 Leads Way to Chau-
tauqua Auditorium Banners Sent
from Stavanger Expressly for This
Meeting History Of This Unique
Norwegian Organization

Pleasant skies and a balmy atmos-
phere greeted the vast thr0ng Of good
Norwegian people who arrived here
for the annual meeting of the Sta.
vanger Laget l Amerika which opened
Tuesday morning to last three days.
A word of information regarding
this association might be timely for
many of our readers who are not ia.
miliar with the history and aims of
the organization. Stavanger Amt is
a part of Norway which would cor.
respond to one of our large counties.
Situated in this is the city of Stavan-
ger containing nearly $4,000 people,
Haugesund, 10000, Egesdnd, 5000,
Sandnes, 5000, besides many smaller
cities, and densely settled farming
country. It is one Of the Oldest set
Elements of Norway, the first people
emigrating to this country coming
from Stavanger.. 1t is claimed that
Left Erickson, son of Erick the Red
who was born close to Stavanger, dis.
covered America previous to the dis
covery of Columbus. The people who
are members of the Stavanger Laget
I Amerika are those and their rela-
'tives who came from there or whose
ancestors were Of Stavanger.
The first move in the days events
was assembling at the city hall in
preparation for the parade. The Val
ley City Municipal band met the
morning trains and about 10 o'clock
marched to the street in front of the
city hall to head the procession. The
parade started for the Chautauqua
grounds lead by the band and the
Stars and Stripes in the hands Of one
sOf the militia boys as color bearer
Automobiles carried many and the
others on foot to the number of more
than 1000 in all made up the parade.
Ten large, beautiful and costly ban
ners were borne by the marchers..
Three, Of these came recently from
communities in Stavanger especially
for this occasion. and were the gifts
to congregations here in America.
There will be more before the session
closes.
Arriving at the Chautauqua auditor.
ium an address of welcome was de-
livered by Mayor l. j. Moe on behalf
of Valley City. Prof. Lassesen, Of
Madison, Minn., gave vocal solo, and
was obliged to respond to repeated
encores.
Rev. c. j: Eastvold, president of the
association, then gave a responsive
address. He told of the pleasure Of
seeing SO many gathered together for
the purpose of visiting and recounting
be accomplished through this meeting
and the blessings to be had in this
grand and glorious land. He also
stated that along with the social
pleasure and happiness Christianity
and the Word of God was carried by
these good people to further their
aims for higher. and better things.
There will be programs in the fore
noon, afternoon and evening of all
three days. Wednesday Ex-Governor
Hanna is to give an address, and in
the evening Soie Hammer, the idol
of Norway and it's people, will appear
in grand recital, ably assisted by an
eminent accompanied.
Secretary Belleson of the assembly
Is a very busy man taking care of the
details and answering the many calls
for information. He has arranged for
moving pictures to be taken during
the whole time, and these will be d
valuable memento of the gathering.
They will eventually find their way to
Norway and be shown there.
The city officials, the citizens and
business men are doing their very
best to accommodate and care for this
big delegation in such a manner that
they will be glad they came. The
weather man promises the finest
weather to be produced, and the aus.
picious opening presages an interest
ing and successful convention.