The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-01-24

1t is not possible to measure the i'm
portance Of the action of the club; but
it is reasonably certain that 1t will re-
suit in retaining Concordia at Moor
head with the present full college
course of study.
The amalgamation of three great
bodies of the Norwegian Lutheran
church, to be effected at the joint
meeting Of the pastors and delegates
of the three branches, to be held in
st. Paul on June 9, threatens the flu
ture Of Concordia college.
The combined body has decided to
divide the country into districts. All
of Minnesota, north of the Willmar and
Sioux Falls division of the Great
Northern, will be constituted the
northern Minnesota district; and the
Dakota district will include all of
North Dakota.
This leaves two schools in the
northern Minnesota district, each
college course-Concordia college at
Moorhead and Park Region Luther
college at Fergus Falls. Concordia is
Of the United Lutheran branch; Park
Region of the Lutheran synod, and
the Hauge synod, the third branch,
has no school in either the northern
Minnesota or Dakota district.
Park Region college has the ad-
vantage of being out of debt and the
business men Of Fergus Falls have in
augurated a campaign in support of
that institution. The territory includ-
ed in the northern Minnesota district
is insufficient to support two colleges.
Without the appropriation from the
governing body Of the church it will
not be possible to maintain full COL
lege course in either school. Fergus
Falls wants it all. That would mean
the death Of Concordia as a college.
The friends Of Concordia believe
the fairer plan would be to divide the
appropriation between the two schools
and let the people decide which should
be made the permanent college of the
amalgamated church.
In order to be in a position to meet
all requirements the college must be
out of debt. This is the reason for the
action Of the commercial club last
night. 1t is proposed to raise the $780,
900 to wipe out the debt. The plan is
to secure subscriptions in Moorhead,
Fargo and Clay county, conditioned
upon the full college course being
continued under the new organization
Of the three bodies of the church.
There are about 1000 congregations
in the northern Minnesota and Dakota
districts. The establishment OF one
centrally located college in the two
districts will mean that 1t will be the
center of interest of over one hundred
thousand Scandinavians of Minnesota
and North Dakota.
Action by the Moorhead Commercial
club last night followed Immediately
the statement by President J. A. Aas-
gard that the future Of the college
was at stake.
The annual meeting of the Moor
head Commercial club was attended
by 143 members and guests. 1t was
the most important and enthusiastic
meeting in the history Of the club.
Following the custom the meeting
began with a banquet in the dining
room of the Comstock hotel. President
Garfield H. Rustad presided through
out the entire meeting. Among the
guests were Hon. w. B. Douglas. of
st. Paul, and Leonard Ericsson. mayor
of Fergus Falls.
Before the banquet the following
were elected to membership in the
club:
Robert Freeman, Erick Martinson,
Richard Peterson, P. e. Malvey, C. III.
Knapp, Thos. e. Mills. Forest Bald
win, Rudolph L. Weum, Edwin
Adams, p. e, Gilligan, Albert Aardahl,
Joseph o. Houglum, Arthur G.. Fevig,
Peter Czizk, Ben F. Knuth. F. j.
CESS. leo. Saun1WeDer.s r. II. wheel
er, B. e. Eklund, o. G. Allen and Geo.
F. Brown.
After the tables had been cleared
the Noronnas sang two selections.
President Rustad then introduced
Hon. 8. G.. Comstock, who spoke OF
the wonderful progress Of modern
times and read the request of the
Aero Club of America for the appoint
ment of delegates to attend the aero
nautical exposition in New York.
In speaking Of the economic prob
lens of the present day, Mr.. Comstock
called attention to the fact that Moor
head has of recent years conserved
her resources. Sixteen years ago the
city owed 5000, 600. Now there is no
debt and we own our electric light