Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-09-17
PEOPLES COLLEGE
INVITES PUBLIC
Faculty Member of Nebraska InStitu.
ton Writes Concerning its Work,
Hope and Aspirations.
BY HANS HOIBERG

BY HANS HOIBERG
have asked the editor of the Askov
American for permission to write a
few words in regard to the opening of
Nysted Peoples college at Dannebrog,
Nebr. Our winter course will begin
Dec. 1st and close March LIST, and will
be open to both sexes. The cost for
the three months has again been re-
duced-this time to $1OO. This sum
covers tuition, room, board, light, etc.,
which means that from the purely
financial side it is cheaper to spend
the winter here than to pay for board
and room in a modern city.
In answering the query as to the
type of work engaged in at this insti-
tuition, shall here mention only one
of it's aspects. 1t is a we'll known
fact that we are living in an age
in which the economic, political, and
religious problems are so stupendous
that the majority of our youth feels
utterly lost in the maze of the swift
flowing currents. One of the tasks
we have set for ourselves, therefore,
in addition to the major one of char
acter training, is to put you in touch
with some of the moving forces of the
present day SO as to enable you to
follow with interest Gandhi's move
ment, the Russian experiment, the al
legged struggle between science and
religion, etc. 1t is our belief and
hope that this can be accomplished
through the lectures, discussions,
reading matter, and personal contacts
that we have provided for, and that
the interest you thus acquire in the
problems of life will remain with you
in the years to come, thus not only en-
riching your own lives, but at the
same time helping to create that
sound public opinion which is so in
dispensable to the successful opera
ton of our democracy.
Science and Religion.
We hear from the scientist on the
one hand, that man is possibly mil
lions of years old and that evolution
is an established fact, and, on the
other hand from few of our preach
ers that unless we believe that Adam
and Eve were the first persons on
earth and that the bible is an au-
thority in astronomy and biology, we
shall be forever lost. Is this dilemma
unacceptable or is there a way out?
Are there not SO young people in the
whole U. S. who are interested enough
in frank, yet cautious, discussion of
this question to come here and learn,
some for the first time, that, rightly
understood, there is not this supposed
conflict, but that we can at once
believe in science in the objective
world and yet live up completely to
the ethical principle of the Christian
religion. We welcome and respect
all views either opposed or in har-
mony with our own; all we ask for is
the coming together of at least SO
people young enough in spirit, regard
less of age, who are sufficiently in
terested in life to discuss, in a sane
way, such problems as the above.
We have also huge economic prob
lem before us; we hear of the Red
menace. Is it really menace? Is
capitalism the last word in economics,
or is Socialist state superior? What
shall we do with the seven million
unemployed workers who are now
starving in our large industrial cities?
Come and we shall discuss the prob
lem; we care absolutely nothing as to
whether you are a Capitalist, Com
munist, or Socialist; the greater the
divergence of opinion the closer we
can come to reasonable conclusion.
War and Other Questions.
Then there is the question of war
Is it justifiable ever to. engage in war
especially now that we know that
another war will mean the extermin-
alton of western civilization? How
can war be eliminated? Does the
League of Nations provide the proper
method? Among other subjects to be
discussed this winter, if time permits,
will be such as India, Russia, our
changing morality, the American, Ne
gro, etc. ask again, are there not
so young people who will come to Ny
sted this, Our first, winter and share
fellowship with us in our discussions,
in our group singing, in gymnastics,
return home and to the nlace whore