150 Years of St. Olaf History

A sesquicentennial celebration through 150 items from the St. Olaf College Archives

Paige Ewert '26 and Jillian Sparks, Distinctive Collections Engagement Librarian

To celebrate 150 years of St. Olaf history, we have gathered 150 objects and documents from the St. Olaf College Archives. Grouped by decade, the selected items provide a bite-sized taste of our shared history and the types of materials held in the College Archives. In this time of reflection and celebration, we encourage you to  share your St. Olaf experience  with us!

Questions about any of the material in this exhibition can be directed to college_archives@stolaf.edu.

1870s

The earliest years at St. Olaf were full of hope and excitement. After incorporating in November 1874, classes began January 1875. Our first president, Thorbjorn Mohn was just a young man figuring out how to run a new school and navigating falling in love. In just a few short years our iconic Old Main was built and the school continued to expand with the opening of Ladies Hall. Since its beginning, St. Olaf has always been a place of education for men and women.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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November 1874 - The start of St. Olaf

Articles of Incorporation were signed by Reverend Bernt Julius Muus, Mr. Harald Thorson, and Pastor N. A Quammen (among others). The School was named after Olav II of Norway, a king who ruled from 1015 to 1028 and was the patron saint of Norway.

December 1874

Board of trustees including Reverend Bernt Julius Muus, Mr. Harald Thorson, and Pastor N. A Quammen purchased the lots that would later become St. Olaf College campus.

1875, January 9 - Classes began at St. Olaf

There were three faculty members, Mohn, Reque, and Fiske, and 37 students. By the end of the year enrollment had risen to 50, with 12 of those students being women.

This is a letter from Lewis. J. Klove, a student, to his family.

Back side of the letter from a student named Lewis J. Klove on January 25th 1876 to his parents and siblings about his early days at St. Olaf's School.

February to June of 1875 - A president in love

Thorbjorn Mohn & Anna Ringstad exchanged several letters during their courtship. Pictured is Anna's response after receiving Mohn's marriage proposal. Anna begins her letter with "respected friend" and did not respond to the proposal with much enthusiasm. Needless to say, Mohn was quite distressed in his next letter.

The back side of Anna's letter to Mohn on February 12, 1875, after Mohn confessed his feelings and hopes to marry her, and eagerly awaited her response.

1878 - Early days at St. Olaf School

St. Olaf started as a school before it became a college in 1890. This is a certificate students received once they graduated.

1878, November 6 - Old Main dedicated

 St. Olaf cloud study (215)  photo taken April 23, 1888 by O.G. Felland.

One of forty-eight slate roofing tiles. Names, dates, and some drawings are etched on the tiles. Some holes and chips are visible.

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1879, November 6 - Ladies Hall dedicated and November 6th was established as the anniversary date of the College

 Ladies playing croquet (222)  photo taken by O.G. Felland on May 28, 1888.

1880s

St. Olaf continued to grow and develop its identity through the 1880s. Prof. O.G. Felland's many photographs capture the changing nature of the campus and the people who formed St. Olaf's early community of students, scholars and their families. The 1880s brought a few major milestones. In 1887 The Manitou Messenger was first published and in 1889 the school officially became St. Olaf College.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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1886 - St. Olaf added the "Seminary" department

1884 - Origins of the School Seal

B.J. Muus and President Mohn discussed the lion seal in a letter.

Another letter (translated) from Muus to Mohn discussing the College's seal. After receiving a preliminary copy of the seal, Muus is particularly concerned about how the lion appears. In the second paragraph Muus writes extensively about the lion's feet and why does lion look so threatening with that axe?

1886 - Prof. Ole G. Felland began taking photos of campus

Felland created over 1600 glass negatives which range from campus scenes to tableaus of early 20th-century life in Northfield. View the entire collection in  FRAM  or explore  this exhibit  to learn more about the conservation of this amazing collection.

O.G. Felland's view camera made of wood and metal, likely mahogany and brass, with "Rochester Optical Co. | THE IDEAL" engraved on the front. "Rapid Rectilinear | 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 [?]" is engraved near the lens, which has a cap with a dark blue velvet interior.

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1887 - O.G. Felland on lounge (62)

In 1881, Felland joined the faculty at St. Olaf Academy where he taught Greek, Latin, German and Hebrew and in 1891, became the college’s librarian.

1887 - Students published the first issue of the Manitou Messenger (now Olaf Messenger)

Read the entire  first issue  and browse other historic issues in our  Manitou Messenger database .

1889, June 20 - Officially St. Olaf College

The Board of Trustees passed a resolution to change the name from St. Olaf’s School to St. Olaf College. St. Olaf added the College Department in 1886.

First three Bachelor of Arts Degrees conferred upon Anton Engebretson, Carl J. Rollefson, and Anders O. Sandbo. Photograph taken by O.G. Felland.

 1889-90 -  Catalogue of St. Olaf College for its Sixteenth Year

First appearance of "St. Olaf College" on the front of St. Olaf's course catalog.  Browse this catalog  and others online in our digitized catalog collection.

1890s

In the 1890s several beloved St. Olaf traditions began. In 1891 the St. Olaf Band was established, in 1893 football games began, and 1894 one of the earliest theater productions was staged. 1899 marked the 25th anniversary of the College and the year our first president, Thorbjorn Mohn died.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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1890s - Bath tub ticket box

This  metal box  was used as a repository for bath coupons required for students desiring a bath. Students paid 5 cents for a bath ticket. This practice was followed when students lived in Old Main, before Ytterboe Hall was constructed in 1901.

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1891 - St. Olaf Band Founded

This  band jacket  was worn by David Davidson, a 1908 alum of the Academy, during the 1906 Saint Olaf College Band Norway tour and the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition Tour. It was donated by David Davidson's son, David Davidson Jr., in 2004.

Grey wool band jacket with faded black trim and decorative embroidery. Metal buttons on the cuffs read, "MINNESOTA L'ETOILE DU NORD". One of the front buttons is broken, and repairs and wear are visible in various areas.

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1893, June 17 - The St. Olaf Band's first open-air concert at Northfield City Park

Shattuck 14—St. Olaf 6. The first game of foot-ball between Shattuck and St. Olaf was played on the campus of the former team at Faribault, Monday afternoon, Oct. 30. As both teams lined up, it could be seen at a glance that the Shattuck team was the heavier. The game commenced promptly at 2 o'clock with Shattuck in possession of the ball. Shattuck, after losing and regaining the ball, made a touch down in twelve minutes, which together with a goal kick by Robinson scored six points for Shattuck. St. Olaf gained eight yards on the wedge. After several downs, O. H. Heimark made a dashing run around the end, scoring a touch down, and the score was made a tie of 6 to 6 by Sinkler's goal kick. Shattuck again took the ball, and after a number of rushes scored their second touch down. The first half closed a few minutes later with Shattuck in possession of the ball. St. Olaf opened the second half with a wedge; but soon lost the ball; and after a very successful dash by Robinson, Shattuck scored a touch down. St. Olaf again took the ball, and in a few minutes brought it across the line; but the umpire surprised nearly every one present by declaring an off side play. This gave Shattuck the ball, but St. Olaf soon regained it and was making steady headway when time was called. Our boys speak highly of the hospitable manner in which they were received and the fraternal spirit which existed between the two student bodies.

1894 - Early Theater at St. Olaf College

One of the earliest theater productions called "Unexpected Guests" was performed by the St. Olaf theater department.

Ole Felland was an avid gardener, as well as photographer. His collection contains many images of flowers including this favorite image. These peonies would have stunned anyone walking up St. Olaf Avenue and were a feature of the alumni garndens.

1899, August 24 - Gift from Northfield to President Mohn for his 25 years of service to the school and town

 Six silver pieces comprising a tea service set.  The largest piece is a spirit kettle with a wooden handle and hinged lid. There are four notches on the sides for the kettle to sit on a burner. The spirit burner is included in the set and features the stand for the kettle as well as the actual burner. Also included with the set is a smaller tea/coffee pot with a wooden handle on the side. The set additionally features one silver cream jug and two sugar bowls, one with a lid and handles and one without. All items in the set are adorned with a decorative pattern around the rims and bases. The artifacts are inscribed on the sides and read, "To President and Mrs. Th. N. Mohn From Northfield Friends(,) August 1899." The bottoms of the artifacts have the same maker's marks which feature a lion.

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1899 - Quarter Centennial of St. Olaf College

This souvenir book was published in honor of St. Olaf's quarter centennial. Various contributors.

1899, November 6 -  25th Anniversary of St. Olaf College (658)  by O.G. Felland

1899, November 18 - President Mohn dies

 Mohn monument (894) by O.G. Felland.  Photograph from April 27, 1906. The monument can be found in Oak Lawn Cemetery.

1900s

The turn of the century brought more exciting growth to the College. F. Melius Christiansen began his tenure at St. Olaf. The Band toured Norway for the first time and the Orchestra was established. Student life continued to flourish with the establishment of the Viking Yearbook in 1904. And more iconic campus buildings were built, including Steensland Library in 1902.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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1900 - F. Melius Christiansen's photo in periodical before arriving at St.Olaf

A periodical published by Norwegian-Americans titled Ungdommens Ven featured a photo of future choir director F. Melius Christiansen. The article called him "a young and gifted artist" and discussed his recent return to America to continue his musical studies.

1902-1907 - St. Olaf Library Accession Book

The library expanded its acquisitions, which are recorded in this accession book. An accession number is a unique number assigned to a book or object acquired by the institution in order to keep track of the item.

The inside of the Accession book offers details about the umbrella term "accession," such as if an item is sold or withdrawn from the library's collection. This general guide was developed by Melvin Dewey, creator of the Dewey decimal system of library classification.

1904 - First Viking Yearbook

The Viking Yearbook was produced from 1904 to 2007.  Browse all of the yearbooks online! 

With the completion of Steensland Library in 1902 and Ytterboe Hall (dormitory for boys) in 1901, the Hill began to look like it does today. Images of these iconic campus buildings can be found on souvenir plates and incorporated into alumni crafts.

Painted and embroidered fabric wall hanging with a wooden rod. "NORTHFIELD | MINN." is in the middle of the hanging, with "ST OLAF COLLEGE" under an image of Old Main, "STEENSLAND LIBRARY" under an image of the library, and "BOY'S DORMITORY ST. OLAF" under an image of Old Ytterboe Hall. Small stains and fading are visible.

Marie Larson Tolley, a 1938 graduate of Saint Olaf College, donated this wall hanging. The hanging was made by her mother, Sophia Rauk Larson, who graduated from the Academy in 1910. It was initially a pillow sham but was altered into a wall hanging when Marie started her studies in 1934, where it hung in her Mohn Hall room.

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1906 - Founding of the St. Olaf Orchestra

Photographs of early orchestra groups.

1906 - St. Olaf Band Tour in Norway

1906 - St. Olaf Band tour in Norway

 This cornet belonged to George W. Mohn , a 1905 alum of Saint Olaf College, who was a member of the College's band. He also played solo cornet in the St. Olaf College Band's Norway tour of 1906. His daughter and a 1945 graduate of Saint Olaf College, Margaret Spear, donated these items.

Cornet with black case, music clip, two mouthpieces, three valve slides, two valve springs, a cleaning rod, a yellow cleaning cloth, a white cleaning cloth, and a small glass bottle of valve oil. The cornet is brass with floral engraving along the bell, numbered valves with mother-of-pearl keys, and an inscription on the middle valve, "1 Frank Holton Chicago 8919." The bell bears the inscription, "NEW COUTURIER MODEL MADE BY Frank Holton Co CHICAGO." The mouthpieces are inscribed with "FRANK HOLTON CHICAGO 10" and "FRANK HOLTON CHICAGO 6." The horn's mouthpiece reads, "LA SC ... COLN [?]." The case is made of leather with a green velvet and dusty pink fabric interior. A red sash-like band of fabric is present on the inside of the lid and reads, "FRANK HOLTON & CO. 2368-46 GLADYS AVE. CHICAGO." The oil bottle's orange and white label reads, "Holton Electric Oil No. 2 For Instrument Valves NEW IMPROVED FORMULA Made By FRANK HOLTON & CO. ELKHORN, WIS. PRICE With PlainCap 25¢ With Dropper 30¢." The yellow cleaning cloth reads, "The Blakkestad Music Co. DISTRIBUTORS FOR KING, CLEVELAND, AMERICAN STANDARD BAND INSTRUMENTS Complete Repair Department at Your Service 23 So. 8th Street MINNEAPOLIS, MINN." Horn and metal accessories exhibit oxidation and some wear. The interior and exterior of the case also show wear, fading, and markings. Cloths exhibit stains.

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The handwritten label with the flag reads, "This Norwegian Flag was presented to St. Olaf College by Roald Amundsen, who stated that he brought it from the magnetic north pole. When he visited St. Olaf College and addressed the School in Hoyme Chapel. 1908".

A 1908 issue of The Manitou Messenger recounts Amundsen's visit: "On the morning of Feb. 8 Captain Amundson did us the special honor of visiting St. Olaf college and of being present at an assemblage of the teachers and the students in the chapel. As he appeared on the stage the students arose, and the band struck up, "Ja, vi elsker." President Kildahl made the welcome speech, in which he said that we had reason to be proud of the accomplishments of the modern Viking. With a few well-chosen remarks Mr. Amundson expressed his pleasure at being able to visit St. Olaf, and concluded by resenting the college with a small Norwegian flag from the Gjoa, a flag that has been at the magnetic pole and has made the voyage through the Northwest Passage..."

Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer known for being the first to reach the South Pole, cross the Northwest Passage by sea, and cross the North Pole by air.

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Silver trophy with wooden base and handles on each side. The trophy is inscribed, "Sigurd Thomas Sörenson" on one side, and "From the Faculty and Students of St. Olaf College and Citizens of Northfield | In grateful remembrance of your victory In Inter-State Oratorical Contest At Appleton, Wis. | May. 21. 1909" on the other.

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1910s

The 1910s were an eventful decade at St. Olaf and world wide. In 1912, our renowned St. Olaf Choir was founded and the first Christmas Fest was held the same year. As the decade closed, the realities of the 1918 pandemic and WWI were felt on campus.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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1910 - Ski jump constructed

 A.H. ski slide (near) (1232).  Photograph taken January 13, 1913 by O.G. Felland.

 First ski-slide at St. Olaf (1125) . Photograph taken by O.G. Felland March 20, 1911.

Hagbarth Bue, a member of the Class of 1911, was interviewed in 1987 about how St. Olaf’s fight song originated. According to Bue, the 1911 class octet was practicing a Norwegian folk song, Jeg Har Ute Pulten, which was to be sung at half time during a basketball game. Due to logistics of teaching two audiences separated by a basketball court and the shortage of time, they simply substituted “Um! Yah! Yah!” for the words of the chorus.

The first published account of Um! Yah! Yah! appears in the combined  1913–14–15 Viking yearbook  (p. 213, under the title Jeg Har Ute Pulten). St. Olaf is the only American college or university whose fight song is sung in 3/4, or waltz, time.

1911- Ole Felland designs the Alumni Garden

One of the many plans Ole Felland sketched for the proposed Alumni Garden in his journal. This plan features an elm in the center of a circle with other plants surrounding it.

1911- Ole Felland designs the Alumni Garden

An architectural bird's-eye view of Felland's plan for the Alumni Garden with plant spaces and their colors.

1912 - St. Olaf Choir established

 "Trutone" pitch pipe  from F. Melius Christiansen Papers.

A metal and wood pitch pipe with a metal slide that allows the user to change the note played. "M. HOHNER'S | NoP3 | (Vocal, Full Chromatic) | "Trutone" Pitch Pipe | THE WORLD'S BEST! | MADE IN GERMANY" is engraved on one side. "U.S.A.Pat.1710502.D.R.P.489790." is engraved on the slide. An octave scale, in half steps starting with "C", is engraved on the back.

The F. Melius Christiansen Papers include  19 other pitch pipe s used by the famous choir director.

1912 - St. Olaf Choir established

 St. Olaf Choir on steps of Mohn Hall (1361) . Photograph taken by O.G. Felland on May 24, 1915.

1912, December 17 - First Christmas Festival

Featured is the program from the Christmas Program held in Hoyme Chapel on December 17, 1912 at 8:15pm. The first program included performances by: Sigurd Erdtman, tenor; Adolph Olsen, violin; Miss Eulalie Chenevert, accompaniste; Delta Chi Quartet.

Learn more in our virtual exhibit,  Christmas Fest: the Growth of a Legacy  curated by Briar Bell '24.

1914, November 6 - Inauguration of 3rd President, Lauritz Vigness 1914-1918

 Hoyme Chapel installation of President Vigness (1340) . Photograph taken by O.G. Felland November 6, 1914.

1918 - WCAL established

In response to WWI, the WCAL radio station began in 1918 as a physics experiment led by Professor Erik Hitle and physics student Hector R. Skifter ‘22. Skifter later became the first licensed operator and first director of the station as a St. Olaf senior. He continued to work at the station and taught at St. Olaf from 1922-29. At first, the station operated under a "technical and training school license" sending and receiving most messages in Morse code. It served as one of the wireless "stations" along a route that transmitted messages from tower-to-tower between Minneapolis and Washington DC.

Learn more about WCAL in our exhibit,  "Tuned In: WCAL and St. Olaf"  curated by Breanna Teynor '24.

St. Olaf College, like many other schools, was a site for the Students' Army Training Corps during WWI.

A World War I Student Army Training Corps tunic made from wool with copper buttons. The copper buttons are adorned with the crest of The United States Army, and a similar crest is pinned onto the left side of the collar. Opposite this crest is another collar pin that reads, "S.A.T.C." The tunic's interior has a tag that reads "U.S.A. Coats 40 Regular". There are two pockets on each side of the body.

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1918, September 26 - Inauguration of 4th President, Lars Boe 1918-1942

President Boe stewarded the College through the 1918 pandemic, WWI, Prohibition, the Great Depression, and WWII.

 Inauguration of President L.W. Boe (1558) . Photograph taken by O.G. Felland September 26, 1918.

Party of notables at Mohn Hall. Seated: O.E. Brandt, H.G. Stuf, President L.W. Boe, J.N. Kildahl, Eastvold. Standing: Froiland, H.O. Fjelstad, N. Flaten, Reverand Berg, Ringstad, Reverand N.E. Boe, C.A. Mellby, Glesne, Estrem (?), H.M. Thompson, S.O. Simonson.

1918 - The Flu Pandemic at St. Olaf

Ada Mansager Larson saved this influenza mask and photo of women wearing masks in her  St. Olaf scrapbook . The photo is captioned: "Flu days! Will we ever forget them."

Learn more about the 1918 pandemic and its impact on campus life in  our exhibit curated by Chloe Joy '21 .

1919 - Example of F. Melius Christiansen's music manuscripts,  "Beautiful Savior" .

1919 - President Boe's Defense of the Volstead Act

The National Prohibition Act, otherwise known as the Volstead Act, was passed in October 1919. Andrew Volstead was a St. Olaf alum and Minnesota representative in the U.S. House from 1903-1923.

President Boe's Defense of the Volstead Act continued...

President Boe's Defense of the Volstead Act continued...

1920s

From choir tours to prize-winning cows, St. Olaf continued to expand its national reputation. A decade filled mostly with contentment, 1923 saw the loss of Hoyme Chapel, the heart of early campus.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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1920, April 4 - Inaugural St. Olaf Choir Tour

The St. Olaf Choir, led by its founder, conductor and violinist extraordinaire F. Melius Christiansen (1871-1955) departed on its inaugural tour throughout the East Coast of the U.S. on Easter Sunday (April 4, 1920). Curated by Dr. Courtney Kleftis,  this exhibition  provides a tantalizing glimpse into both published and manuscript materials documenting this exciting series of concerts which ranged from Chicago, IL to Washington D.C. Of particular note is the concert program commemorating the Choir’s premiere performance at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in NYC on April 25, 1920.

1920-1940 - Women's Athletic Association formed

October 3, 1922 Manitou Messenger article announcing the fall 1920 formation of W.A.A. The article details how women could earn points to be eligible for pins, emblems like the men's track letters, and the highest award - at 800 points - "the girl's official St. O."

1922 - Cows, Colleges, and Contentment!

The famous Northfield slogan was truly inspired by heritage cows found on both St. Olaf's and Carleton's campuses! Treasurer and business manager, P.O. Holland conducted the sale of St. Olaf's heritage Holsteins. In this letter the sender complains to Holland that the certificate of registration for the bull he received was eaten by another bull. He enclosed a photo of the bull and requested a new copy of the certificate of registration. He presumes the color markings in Holland's herd book will make applying for a duplicate certificate easy.

Click through the next few images to see the photo of the bull and duplicate certificate!

1922 - Cows, Colleges, and Contentment continued...

Photo of the bull, St. Olaf King Beauty Girl

1922 - Cows, Colleges, and Contentment continued...

Certificate of Registry for St. Olaf King Beauty Girl

1922, May 19 - WCAL's First Broadcast

WCAL’s  first broadcast was on May 19, 1922. President Boe gave an address, Oscar R. Overby performed two piano pieces and Gertrude Boe sang “I Saw the Swift Swallow Flying” into a microphone built into a wooden bowl which helped amplify the sound. The bowl supposedly belonged to Skifter’s mother, Anna.

In its early days, WCAL played programs two nights a week: one night for phonograph recordings and the other for live student performances. WCAL also broadcasted live sporting events and student theatrical productions. In 1922, Elizabeth Walsingham Kelsey directed Shakespeare's "As You Like It," the first broadcast of a complete drama on American radio. Chapel talks and Sunday services in Norwegian were also included in regular programming. The station operated out of Hoyme Chapel until a fire destroyed that building in September 1923.

1922 - The beginning of WCAL

The first WCAL program for June 7th, 1922.

1922 -The beginning of WCAL continued...

F. Melius Christiansen directed the male chorus for the first WCAL broadcast on Wednesday evening.

Gertrude Boe singing “I Saw the Swift Swallow Flying.”

1923, September 22 - Hoyme Chapel Burned Down

Built in 1906, where Regents Hall of Natural Sciences now sits, Hoyme Chapel served as the campus' spiritual home for 17 years. The cause of the fire was undiscovered. Students visited the site to salvage pieces of the Chapel. A number of our early 1920s scrapbooks include pieces of stained glass, wood, and even clock hands from the Chapel. The College Archives also holds the bible used for services.

1925 - Founding of the Norwegian American Historical Association

The Norwegian American Historical Association's (NAHA) start in 1925 coincided with the Centennial commemoration of the first arrival of Norwegian immigrants to the US. Next year, 2025, marks the Bicentennial of Norwegian immigration. Focused on collecting and preserving Norwegian American immigrants' story, NAHA's archives hold an amazing collection of materials and their publishing arm works to share these stories with a large audience.

Housed at St. Olaf for almost 100 years now, NAHA additionally served as the first keeper of the College's history. In 1969 the College established the College Archives and the collections were separated, but maintain significant cross-collection connections.

Featured image: a panorama of the 25th anniversary of NAHA

Learn more about NAHA through their website:  https://norwegianamericanhistory.org/ 

1925 - Ole E. Rølvaag was appointed the first general secretary of NAHA

Rølvaag was dedicated to collecting material for the archives. In addition to acting as first NAHA archivist and writing novels, Rølvaag also taught at St. Olaf, 1906-31.

You can explore  Rølvaag's personal papers online  through NAHA's digital collections.

1925 - Homecoming Buttons

 Two buttons  to commemorate the 50th anniversary of St. Olaf College. Homecoming buttons were frequently made and distributed from the 1920s to the 1980s.

1925 - Botanical Drawing by Cora Martinson '25

The College Archives actively collects student work. One of our most favorite collections is the Cora Martinson Alumni papers. Cora's collection includes examples of her work from several courses including drawings for Botany and Zoology.

Shown is a diagram of a sugar maple during leaf bud break in the spring. Thank you Dr. Jake Grossman, Biology Department, for further explanation of this drawing!

1927 - WCAL and Dr. Rev. Martin Hegland: Sharing the Good News

Dr. Rev. Martin Hegland was a Religion professor at St. Olaf and in October 1927 he was named WCAL’s station director. He remained director of the station until 1949 when he became the promotion director, a position he held until his retirement in 1954. Dr. Hegland first appeared on WCAL in 1923 when he delivered a sermon on the regular Sunday evening program. His first sermons were given in English, but he later came to be the most frequent preacher of Norwegian services after they were inaugurated in 1925. These services along with the daily chapel services, which began in 1924, are two of the oldest continuous programs in American radio history. Dr. Hegland’s voice was familiar to many Lutherans across Minnesota and the country. His services and voice became synonymous with WCAL and listeners wrote to him constantly. Some thanked him for providing spiritual counsel and church services to the homebound elderly, others wrote to wish him “Happy Birthday” or to request he send birthday wishes on air to their family and friends.

1930s

Despite the Great Depression, there was still much joy to be found on campus in the 1930s. Athletic competition, music, and residence life remained constant sources of community and celebration. The decade closed with royal visitors and the opening of one of our iconic residence halls, Mellby Hall.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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A two-piece gym uniform with a light green, short-sleeved top and dark green bloomer-style shorts with a white canvas belt. The gym shirt has a breast pocket on the right side and a v-neck collar. The shorts have pockets with buttons and elastic at the bottom of the leg holes. Aldrich and Aldrich Athletic Clothing of Chicago produced the uniform.

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Small copper trophy with a circular base and curved handles. The trophy has "-WAA- | HONOR ATHLETE | GERTRUDE SOVIK |1931" on the top portion.

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A handwritten note accompanying the hammer reads, "This Hammer, made by D. Maydole, and with the initials O.G.F. stamped on the right side, was used in laying the corner stones of the following buildings, to with: 1. Ytterboe Hall, by President G. Hoyme; 2. Steensland Library, by Dr. M.O. Bockman; 3. Hoyme Memorial Chapel, by Rev. N. Ellestad; 4. Mohn Hall, by President T.H. Dahl; 5. St. John's Church, by Dr. JN. Kildahl; 6. Administration Building, by Prof. O.G. Felland, who now presents it to the Museum of St. Olaf College, October (1), 1931."

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1932 - St. Olaf Choir with President Hoover in front of the White House

1936, December 4 - Letter to Olaf Lysnes from Pres. L.W. Boe on the state of the College during the Depression

Boe thanks Rev. Olaf Lysnes for enclosing four dollars for the faculty salary fund.

1936, December 4 - Letter to Olaf Lysnes continued...

Boe writes of plans to build a power plant and to build a dormitory for women. He bemoans the delayed plans stating:

I had hoped to get started last summer, but working out plans on a minimum of money is not an easy matter, so things have dragged on and on. We hope to let the contracts this winter. Just why the Lord has given us such large opportunities and so little money I can not understand. I will be interested in finding out in the hereafter.

Named for St. Olaf’s first female graduate, Agnes Mellby, it is the oldest still-standing dormitory on the campus today. Originally Mellby Hall was a women's only dormitory.

1939, May 8 - King Olav of Norway signed the guest book at Mellby Hall

Almost 2 decades later another famous visitor to Mellby Hall, Eleanor Roosevelt signed the guest book

1938 - Dolphins Swimming Club formed

Women at St. Olaf performed water pageants as early as 1932, but they officially formed the Dolphins Swimming Club in 1938. The Dolphins gave performances into the 1970s.

1939 - Royal visitors at Convocation

Two tickets to Convocation in honor of Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway.

1940s

During WWII St. Olaf was home to the U.S. Naval Flight Preparatory School (USNFP). With Rolvaag Memorial Library newly built, Steensland Library became home to USNFP. In addition to cadets on campus, many Oles served in WWII as soldiers and nurses and wrote back to campus sharing their experiences away from the Hill.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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A golden cardigan with black "STO" stitched on the right side chest. There are six buttons along the center with a pocket on each side. Howard Steffens's name is stitched on the inside near the waist.

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Manitou Messenger article from no. 17, Vol. 55:

Steensland Library Resigns After 40 Years Of Service Classic Structure Abdicates To Solid Grey Stone

Library Grows From 200 to 52,000 Volumes

From a few books on a shelf in the college president's office to over 52,000 volumes in the ceiling-to-floor stacks of the second largest library building in Minnesota is the history of the growth of the St. Olaf College library. When St. Olaf College was founded in 1874, the classes were held in an old church building in downtown Northfield. The college had no library of its own but through an arrangement with the city library, which occupied a few rooms above the bank building, St. Olaf students were allowed to use this rather limited supply of books. This plan was used until the college was moved into the Main Building, the first structure on Manitou Heights. At this time it became apparent that some arrangement must be made to enable the college student to use books on the campus; so it was decided to put up a few book shelves in the president's office to hold the college's humble collection. When someone wanted a book, he would simply go up and ask for it. There was no system of checking books in or out. The student borrowed the book until he was done with it and returned it. Remarkably enough, not one of the volumes in this early library was lost. In 1885 there were 200 books, mostly donations of the faculty and friends. As the book collection and the student body grew, this system became impractical and a room in the Old Main was reserved for shelves of books and a few study tables. There was no regular librarian, but faculty members and students volunteered for work periods. At this time there were no training schools for librarians and library technique had not become the well developed science that it is today. The need and demand for a regular library and study room was becoming urgent, when in 1902, Consul Halle Steensland, of Madison, Wis., donated $13,000 for the construction of a library. During the summer of that same year, the Steensland Memorial Library was constructed. It was the third building on the campus, Ytterboe Hall having been built a few years before. At first, only the first floor was used for books, while the basement housed a museum, reading room, class room, and library office, but as books overflowed the limited space on the first floor, the entire building was devoted to book space. Within the last ten years, the number of books in the library has increased so tremendously that it has been necessary to store many of them in the attic of Ytterboe Hall and in store rooms in the Music Hall. A large number of records were brought in when Ole Rolvaag was doing his research here; and with the reserve book system, initiated in 1936, the realization of the inadequacy of the old library became increasingly apparent. Students, faculty, alumni, and friends dreamed of a spacious, new library for St. Olaf. That was twenty years ago. Now in 1942, their dream is a reality of solid grey stone.

The Library plans reopen the original doors again soon!

Large red and white service flag adorned with blue and gold stars. The flag has 364 blue stars indicating Oles in service during WWII. There are 57 gold stars, indicating Oles killed during service. The number "1575" is stitched in white along the flag's left side, and there are gold fringes on the same end.

Note attached with artifact: July 24, 1996(;) World War II Service Flag. Blue stars represented St. Olaf students/alumni in the armed forces; gold stars represented those who had died in their service of their country. This flag was displayed in the Library Reading Room for many years. Last displayed during the Centennial of the College, October-December 1974.

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1944, April 17 - Letter to Dean of Men, J. Jorgen Thompson, from Waldo Balzer

During WWII the Dean of Men kept up correspondence with several students serving abroad. You can  browse more letters  in the Dean of Students Collection.

Balzer thanks Dean Thompson for his letters and continued remembrances. He close with: "Some day, soon, we hope to return to Manitou Heights to once more enjoy the spirit which has been prevailing there."

1946, May 25 - Letter from Esther Boe to Inez Frayseth, College Registrar

Like the Dean of Men, Inez Frayseth wrote to Oles serving in WWII. You may  browse the letters  she received in her collection.

Esther writes to Inez (Pee Wee) to thanking her for a pair of nylons. She opens her letter with: "The nylons are simply wonderful, but I do feel that it is entirely too much of a gift. I know how hard they are to get and how much they mean to you too. 'Mange tak' from the bottom of my heart. That was the one and only thing that arrive on my birthday."

1943-46 - U.S. Naval Flight Preparatory School (USNFP), St. Olaf College

For a few years St. Olaf College, especially Steensland Library, was home to the U.S. Naval Flight Prepartory School. Subjects taught included mathematics, physics, navigation, principles of flying, aerology, aircraft engines, and communications.

1943-46 - U.S. Naval Flight Preparatory School (USNFP), St. Olaf College

1943-46 - U.S. Naval Flight Preparatory School (USNFP), St. Olaf College

1943 - Clemens M. Granskou inagurated as president

Clemens M. Granskou was a 1917 graduate of the College and President of Saint Olaf College from 1943 to 1963.

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1949 - "History of the White Pine Industry in Minnesota" by Agnes Larson, a St. Olaf alum and professor, published

Agnes Larson is pictured here holding her work, History of the White Pine Industry in Minnesota. The first history of this industry, Larson covered the beginning of the first logging business to the close of the last mill.

Larson (1892-1967) graduated from St. Olaf in 1916, receiving her B.A. in English and history. She went on to receive her master’s degree in history from Columbia University and a doctoral degree from Radcliffe College (Harvard University). Larson returned to St. Olaf in 1926. In addition to publishing several non-fiction books, she served as a history professor and eventually became chair of the history department in 1942. She worked at the college until her retirement in 1960.

1950s

With Boe Chapel built in 1953 and the end of WWII, student life in the 1950s seemed especially bright.

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1951- The first Oles awarded the Fulbright Scholarship were women

Mable Shirley (right) worked in Physical Education for Women and Marie Malmin Meyer (left) was a Professor of Literature. These women were the first Fulbright Scholarship recipients and were sent to Norway to further their education and research.

1953 - Boe Chapel completed

After Hoyme Chapel burned down in 1923, Boe Chapel was constructed and named after the 4th president Lars Boe.

1953 - Boe Chapel's Stained Glass

This bookstore stuffed elephant was donated by Janice Tweet, a 1958 graduate of Saint Olaf College.

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Black leather football helmet with a St. Olaf College crest stamped on the front. The leather is worn and cracking, exposing the brown leather underneath. The helmet features a leather headband on the interior and canvas head straps overlapping across the top. "OVINGTON" is handwritten across the head straps. The leather has deteriorated due to age, and the helmet is in fragile condition.

Donated by Richard Ovington

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A wooden replica trophy cut and painted in the image of a goat. On the bottom left side, "CARL'S" is painted inside a football, while "OLE'S" is on the opposite side. The backside features 12 signatures from members of the St. Olaf Football team as well as the creator, Ade Christenson. The bottom of the back is handwritten and reads, "1955 ST OLAF 40 CARLETON 13".

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For the greater part of the 1930s-1950s on the Hill, students regularly sent their laundry home to their family for washing. Often these trunks made their way to the railway depot by way of dray cart and then received by students’ mothers from the train. On the return trip to campus, these trunks usually contained more than just clothes, but had some cookies and sweets sent back.

Dark red laundry box with two cloth straps. An address label holder displays postage stamps and reads, "FROM James Homme | STREET St. Olaf College | CITY Northfield | STATE Minnesota | TO G.H. Homme | Kerkhoven | Minnesota". The box displays notable cracks, with one patched inside with cloth.

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Black felt pennant with a gold St. Olaf College seal and text reading, "ST. OLAF". The pennant features gold felt accenting the left-hand side.

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Two black and yellow buttons with an image of a bearded man wearing a horned helmet. The text surrounding the image reads, "VELKOMMEN | VIKINGS! | '57 | ST OLAF | HOMECOMING". Two ribbons, black and yellow, hang from the bottoms. "MIDWEST BADGE & NOV CO INC MPLS 16 MINN" is printed on the back rims, and the ribbons are taped to the metal backs.

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A green satin dress with a square neck, a belt with snap closures, and a decorative bow. The skirt is full and asymmetrical, or high-low, with a longer hem in the back. Small white spots and some pulling on the fabric pleats along the bodice are visible.

Audrey Hoyt Moe, a 1959 Saint Olaf College graduate, wore this dress for the College's 1958 homecoming. She donated it in 2013.

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1960s

The times were a-changin' in the 1960s. In 1961, social dances were permitted on campus, a few years later the dress code for women would loosen, and in 1969 students crowned their last Homecoming queen. The decade closed with the establishment of the Paracollege, the Black Cultural Union, and the College Archives.

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Used by the Registrar's office, this camera produced small photos for student IDs. Students held slates with their name written in chalk and posed for their headshots.

Black, rectangular camera with a lens on the end. The top of the camera has a leather strap and a glass portion. There are two small cranks on the side and a maker's tag reading, "IDENTOGRAPH UNIT | WILLSON MAGAZINE CAMERA CO." "ST. OLAF" is also printed in white on the same side. The opposite end from the lens features a compartment for the wooden film roll box to slide into. There is also an extra film box included with the camera.

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Quoted from Anders Cote's '24 exhibit,  Evolution of the Hill: 

Built on a part of the old college farm, the St. Olaf Center was the college’s first proper student center. It housed a new cafeteria, a coffee shop known as the Cage, the Fireside Lounge, a post office, and even a bowling alley. A windowed walkway connected the main building to the new administration center to the west. After the construction of Buntrock Commons, the St. Olaf Center (renamed the Clemens M. Granskou Complex in 1973 to honor the college’s fifth president) was converted to the Center For Art and Dance, with the old administration building more recently becoming the Tweet Hall of Music. The Alumni Hall was added onto the west side of the administration building in 1987.

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1961, April 29 - First Social Dance at St. Olaf

Featured, the dance card from the first dance found in  Janet Schultze's (1961) scrapbook (4 of 4) .

Until 1960, St. Olaf College had a strict no dancing policy. This policy was debated several times throughout the years in the Manitou Messenger until finally changed before the 1960-61 academic year.

Explore a selection of dance related items in our  online teaching tool on dance at St. Olaf .

With the threat of nuclear war, fallout shelters were built on campus and precautions taken.

Three large tins of survival biscuits. Black text is printed on one side, reading, "CIVIL DEFENSE ALL PURPOSE | SURVIVAL BISCUITS | DATE PACKED JULY-DECEMBER-1962 | INGREDIENTS: WHEAT FLOUR, SUGAR, VEGETABLE | SHORTENING, CORN FLOUR, CORN SUGAR, SOY FLOUR, SALT, LEAVENING, AND WITH BHA (BUTYL - | ATED HYRDROXYANISOLE), BHT (BUTYLATED HYD - | ROXYTOLUENE), PROPYL GALLATE AND CITRIC ACID | IN PROPYLENE GLYCOL ADDED | TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS. | NET WT. 7 1/2 LB. | MIN. 62 BISCUITS PER.LB. | MIN. 465 BISCUITS PER CAN | UNITED BISCUIT COMPANY OF AMERICA | MELROSE PARK, ILLINOIS". All tins are unopened.

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Black and white postcard of a portrait of Karl Rolvaag, Minnesota's thirty-first governor.

1963 - Inauguration of 6th President, Sidney Rand 1963-1980 and new 4-1-4 semester system

 This Manitou Messenger article  announces the inauguration of President Rand and the change to the 4-1-4 semester system that we still use today.

1966 - Women no longer required to wear dresses or skirts to evening and Sunday meals and to the library (just recommended by the Association of Women Students)

The part of the constitution which has been changed is Section 11 A. It reads as follows: "AWS strongly recommends that women students wear skirts or dresses to evening and Sunday meals and to the library. Dresses or skirts are required for all classes, examinations, church and chapel." Before the change women students were also required to wear skirts to evening and Sunday meals and to the library.

Two metal and wood shovels painted gold and red with painted writing on the shovel blades that read, "GROUND BREAKING | Skoglund | Athletic Center | ST. OLAF COLLEGE | JUNE 15, 1966" in brown. "TRUE TEMPER | DYNALITE" is on the shafts, and "TAPER FORGED | TRUE TEMPER 2 | HEAT TREATED" is impressed in the shovel sockets. Paint wear and chipping are visible.

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1968 - The first Global Semester cohort

These students began their journey in Rome fall 1968.

Read more about the first Global Semester in the  March 1, 1968 Manitou Messenger .

1969 - The College Archives are founded

In preparation for the Centennial of St. Olaf College, the College Archives were established. Pictured is the first College Archivist, Joan Olson.

1969 - The Black Cultural Union Formed

The Black Cultural Union would eventually become the Cultural Union for Black Expression otherwise known as; C.U.B.E.

"While homecoming had been celebrated since 1878 (for many years observed on Founders Day, Nov. 6th), a new homecoming crown was introduced in 1953. Made by the Norwegian silversmith Lars Oexning, the crown features a medallion with the seal of St. Olaf’s shield dangling from the center. It was presented to the homecoming queen on the Friday of homecoming which was followed by the bonfire and pep fest later that night. Other festivities throughout the weekend included the football game, several concerts, Chapel, alumni events, and the dedication of new facilities. Seventeen women wore the crown between 1953 and 1969. In 1970, students voted 974 to 754 to disband the homecoming queen event, citing the expense of the event as well as the lack of representation, since most of the women nominated were from the four academic societies. While the homecoming queen tradition has vanished, homecoming has remained a tradition on the Hill." - Description from the College Archives

Silver crown with a suspended Saint Olaf College shield, a cross with two axes, at the front. Inside and towards the front are engraved names and dates, "BERNICE NYCKLEMOE 1953 | RUTH KELLY 1954 | BEVERLY TUFTEDAL 1955 | FAITH FIELD 1956" and "ALICE ARNTZEN 1957 | PAULA PERSON 1958".

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1969 - Paracollege Established

As described in the  1970-71 catalog :

The Initial Innovations being tested by the Paracollege stress interdisciplinary and independent study, and the use of examinations covering extensive programs of study as the means of certifying progress and graduation. The usual course- structure in which students are certified by numbers of semes­ter courses passed combined with the specification of certain kinds of courses for distribution and major has been eliminated.

Displayed are a  few pink button pins  with black text reading, "Magnus-fy the Positive | St. Magnus the Good | Paracollege Full-time". The pins also include an image of St. Magnus.

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1970s

The 1970s continued to bring change to St. Olaf. Co-ed housing was introduced in the 1971-72 academic year, women's studies were added to the curriculum in 1976, and our first Title IX coordinator was hired the same year. 1974 marked St. Olaf's Centennial.

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1967-1975 - Vietnam War Protests

Multiple protests occurred over a period of nearly a decade where students voiced their opposition to the war. Pictured are students staging a sit in at the administration building (what is now the Center for Art and Dance).

1970 - Peace necklace gifted to President Sidney Rand

The year of the Kent State tragedy, a time of unrest on college campuses, a large group of St. Olaf students had a debate on May 9. Students wanted the college to shut down so they could go and protest against the war. The college's position was that it was under contract to deliver education to those having paid tuition and couldn't agree to the students' demands. It was a tense and adversarial relationship. College President Sidney Rand wanted to observe the debate, so he went and sat in the back of the room. At one point, the student government president, who was the moderator, used his gavel to pause the comments and asked if President Rand was in the room. The students knew it was his birthday and had arranged for a cake, sang happy birthday, and presented a peace symbol on a leather thong to him. Several years later, the class invited Rand to attend a reunion luncheon as a speaker. He went and wore the peace symbol. After Rand's death several years later his widow, Lois Rand, was invited to speak at a reunion of the same class. She did and also wore the peace symbol.

1971-1972 - First academic year with co-ed housing

The decision was made in January of 1971 by an Ad Hoc Committee in the St. Olaf Community Council.

The coeducational housing proposal included the following 6 points:

1. The principle of Coeducational Housing be endorsed on a floor by floor basis for the 1971-72 school year.

2. Coeducational Housing on a floor by floor basis shall be restricted to a maximum of six of the ten dormitories.

3. The most desirable dormitories will be reserved for those upperclassmen who choose not to live in Coeducational Housing.

4. Parents and students of the Classes of '72, '73, and '74 shall be surveyed in a manner similar to that which was established for student intervisitation privileges.

5. Parents and students of the Class of '75 shall be surveyed in a manner similar to that which was established for incoming student intervisitation privileges.

6. A random sampling of 25% of the incoming freshman class accepted as of April 1 be surveyed on reaction to Coeducational Housing for planning purposes.

1974 - Centennial Year

 Gold and red felt banner with a St. Olaf College lion in white and black . The banner reads, "ST OLAF COLLEGE | CENTURY | II". The back is red with a black St. Olaf College lion. The top of the banner features red slits for hanging, and the bottom of the banner is rounded. Also included are two red and black felt ribbons accompanying the banner and a wooden rod for hanging.

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1974 - Centennial Year

 This T-shirt  was donated by Joan Olson, the former College Archivist, who received it on January 8, 1975, at the One Hundredth Birthday Party. The gathering in the "old gym" was in celebration of Saint Olaf College's 100th anniversary. Students and faculty were invited, slides on the history of the College were shown, the band played, and cake and coffee were served afterward.

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1974, October 26 - Paintbrush used to paint the water tower in honor of the school's 100th anniversary

 This paintbrush  is from a collection of material from the Saint Olaf College Alpha Delta society and was donated by the Alpha Phi Omega office in the 1980s.

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Computer microprocessor created by the Saint Olaf College Physics Department, under the guidance of Physics Professor Duane Olson. The computer includes the motherboard, processor, battery, and power connection, amongst other components.

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1976 - Steensland becomes St. Olaf's first art gallery

1976 - Women's Studies at St. Olaf begin

1976 - First Title IX coordinator, Edlo Solum

 This Manitou Messenger article  lists some of Solum's first changes as the Title IX coordinator such as establishing a formal grievance procedure for students and standardizing hiring practices across departments.

1979 - Eile Wiesel visits campus

In 1979, St. Olaf hosted a conference on the Holocaust, and Elie Wiesel (1928-2016) gave a speech about it and what it means for the future of morality.

A quote from Wiesel's speech regarding his first memories of the holocaust: I turned to my father and I said, "It's impossible. It cannot be. After all, we don't live in Spain, in 1492. It is not during the Crusades. We live in the second part of the twentieth century. It's impossible that such a crime could be committed and the world would keep silent. The world would not keep silent."

 Read or listen  to the rest of Wiesel's speech in our digital collection.

1980s

The 1980s included two presidential inaugurations at St. Olaf and appearances by the St. Olaf Choir at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

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1980, September 14 - The inauguration of 7th President, Harlan Foss 1980-1985

1980 - Student life and culture

"Life After Olaf" was a program created to give graduating seniors the basic tools and tips in order to succeed in a true "adult" life after college.

Armbands worn during a rally on February 14, 1980 when Vice President Walter F. Mondale visited St. Olaf campus to swear in Dr. Sidney A. Rand as Ambassador to Norway. About 150 Carleton students marched to the St. Olaf campus and joined a group of about 100 St. Olaf students in protesting the possible renewal of registration for the draft. They demonstrated outside the east door of the Chapel and the Student Center.

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1983 - Student Survey

St. Olaf freshman were surveyed in the early 1980s about many subjects such as: why they chose to go to college, their familial background, and their political and moral beliefs (as shown here). Looking at these statistics from Oles in the 1980s gives us a peek into their values at the time and allows current Oles to reflect on how Ole values have (or have not) changed in the present day.

1985 - The Inauguration of Melvin D. George

Melvin George was the eighth president of St. Olaf College from 1985- 1994. Here is a picture of the eight presidents photographed in front of Old Main to introduce George as the new leader of the college.

1985-1994 - President George Melvin's 5 Minute Talks on WCAL

This WCAL segment from May of 1994 was President George's last.

1988 - The St. Olaf Choir performs at the Seoul Olympics

 These stickers  are from the 1988 Saint Olaf College Choir tour to South Korea, where they opened the Olympic Arts Festival in Seoul and went on to perform in the cities of Inchon, Taeju, and Tajon.

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1988 - The St. Olaf Choir performs at the Seoul Olympics

 These commemorative pins  were received during the St. Olaf Choir's 1988 tour of East Asia.

Framed glass case holding eight commemorative pins from the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Each pin features a cat mascot depicting different Korean cultural aspects. From left to right, these mascots read: "Bridegroom", "Bride", "Korean | aristocrat", "Drum dance", "Korean flag | T'aegukki", "Fan dance", "Yi dynasty | policeman", "and T'aeguk fan". The pins are mounted to a placard that reads, "GAMES OF THE XXIVTH OLYMPIAD SEOUL 1988". Also included in the center of the placard are the Olympic crest and text reading, "MASCOT VARIATIONS | FOLKTHEMES". The case also features a maker's placard from Eden Arts Industrial Co., Ltd.

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1989 - Fall of the Berlin Wall

In November 1989 the Berlin Wall finally fell. Ruther Wasserman shared her personal experience crossing the border and how the wall impacted her family in the Manitou Messenger.

"It took me a while to adjust to the differences between the two Germanys...After the opening of the border, I called my relatives. They were absolutely ecstatic about their new freedom."

1990s

St. Olaf closed out the 20th century with the inauguration of Mark Edwards, a visit from Betty White, and music festivals.

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1990s - Ole the Lion Mascot Costume

A  lion mascot costume  with four parts: a head, two feet, and a body suit. A Saint Olaf College seal patch is on one side of the body suit, and a yellow ribbon is tied around the tail. Some staining is visible inside the head, and the soles of the feet are worn.

This mascot costume was found in a Rand Hall storage closet, along with Sigma Kappa Tau Service Sorority cheerleading outfits and pom-poms, and was donated in 2007.

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A St. Olaf fixture since 1968, the College Archives holds several souvenir mugs and cups from the Pause including these vintage 90s examples.

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A banner made of stitched felt and handmade collages depicting stories relating to Hmong culture. The center of the banner features the letters "HCO", which are made of yellow fabric.

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1992, May 3-4 - Betty White visits campus

During her visit, White became an honorary member of the theater honor society.

1994 - Inauguration of 9th President, Mark Edwards 1994-2000

 White plastic frisbee  with an image of Mark U. Edwards, Jr. on the front and the text, "THE MARK U. EDWARDS, JR. INAUGURAL FLYER" and "• ST. OLAF COLLEGE • OCT. 9, 1994 •" encircling it.

These frisbees were dispersed at a talent show in 1994 by the Student Government Association (SGA). Mark U. Edwards, Jr. was the ninth president of Saint Olaf College from 1994 to 2000.

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Beginning in 1986 and running until the early 2000s, Wellstock was a large music festival event sponsored by the St. Olaf Wellness Committee and S.A.C. The event provided a relief from Spring finals.

Tie dye T-shirt with black print which reads, "Wellstock Spring '94". Above the text is an image of a person playing a guitar with others dancing.

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1995, October 9 - King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway campus visit

Queen Sonja speaks about her previous visit to St. Olaf, comments on Norwegian immigration, and the strong relationship between St. Olaf and Norway.  Read or listen to her full speech here.  

St. Olaf won this Goat match up, 21-7.  Watch the game online! 

Rawlings NCAA football painted white on three-forths of the ball. The football is hand-painted in black and reads "Oct. 24th | 1998 | GOAT TROPHY GAME | HONORARY GAME BALL | ST. OLAF | CARLETON | PRESENTED TO OBERT GRINDE". The ball also features a painted St. Olaf College lion and the signatures of St. Olaf football team members.

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1999 - Dr. America's WCAL segment on Food Courts

Professor of history James (Jim) Farrell specialized in American history.  Listen to the Dr. America segment here . Once you click on the tape number you can listen to all of the Dr. America WCAL segments!

From the American Studies Museum, this is Dr. America serving up McNuggets for the mind

Jim Farrell as Dr. America, "Food Courts" , WCAL Radio Station, 1999.

1999 - End of the Paracollege

In 1999 the Paracollege gave way to the Center for Integrated Studies. The new center would still keep some Paracollege essentials: Individualized Majors, Web Portfolios, and Linked Courses.

Featured is a  handmade bedsheet quilt commemorating St. Olaf's Paracollege program . There are 27 individual patches encompassing the majority of the sheet.

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2000s

Campus continued to expand with the addition of "Big Ole," our wind turbine, and Regents Hall of Natural Sciences and Regents Hall of Mathematical Sciences. You can see the influence of 2000s pop culture in President Thomforde's iconic "got um yah yah?" campaign.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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2000s - School Spirit

 Assorted items relating to the St. Olaf Student Activities Committee , including a plastic "Rainbow Magic Spring", one piggy bank, and three juggling balls: one red, one blue, and one yellow.

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2001 - Inauguration of 10th President, Christopher Thomforde, 2001-2006

Featured is a photo of President Thomforde with the past St. Olaf presidents, living and dead. A traditional photo that has been repeated throughout St. Olaf's history.

2000s - got um yah yah?

One of President Thomforde's "got um yah yah?" campaign posters.

2001 - Senator Paul Wellstone visits campus

Senator Wellstone visited campus on the  40th anniversary of the Peace Corps . In January 2001, St. Olaf ranked fifth in the nation among the small colleges and universities that have provided volunteers to the program.

2004, February 21 - Jimmy Carter visits campus

President Carter gave the keynote address at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

2006, October 6 - The Inauguration of President David Anderson, 2006-2023

Anderson became the longest-serving president of St. Olaf since Sidney Rand, who also held the position for 17 years, from 1963 to 1980. Anderson helped establish the many campus centers that define the St. Olaf student experience: the Piper Center for Vocation and Career, the Institute for Freedom and Community, the Taylor Center for Equity and Inclusion, the Lutheran Center for Faith, Values, and Community, and the Smith Center for Global Engagement.

2006 - Dedication of Big Ole, the Wind Turbine

This  pinwheel and whirlybird hat  were donated by Jon Rondestvedt, a 1961 graduate of Saint Olaf College, in 2006. Pinwheels were distributed to audience members at a wind turbine dedication ceremony on Founders Day in 2006. Propeller hats like this one were worn by some faculty, staff, speakers, and band members at the event.

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2007 - 50th Class Reunion of the Class of 1957

According to The Manitou Messenger, "Ytterboe was a stray mongrel informally adopted by the student body in 1942. He was named after Ytterboe Hall where he got his meals on a handout basis." This statue is a representation of the dog. Allegedly, this statue was made for the 50th reunion of the Class of 1957 and was given to President Anderson.

2008 - Regents Hall Completed

To replace the aging Science Center (now Tomson Hall), the St. Olaf Board of Regents donated two buildings: Regents Hall of Natural Sciences and Regents Hall of Mathematical Sciences (formerly known as the Old Music Hall). After their completion, both buildings won a LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Natural Sciences building used new techniques for collecting rainwater to water the plants and vegetation in its rooftop greenhouses and outdoor observatory deck. State-of-the-art HVAC systems were also used to filter out toxic fumes from its 26 laboratories with better energy efficiency. Three large windowed atriums let natural light penetrate deep into the building, minimizing the need for artificial lighting during the day in those areas.

Featured:  a glass mug in a cone shape with beaker marks on one side . A Saint Olaf College insignia is on the other with "REGENTS HALL | of Natural and | Mathematical Sciences | DEDICATION | October 2008" below.

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2010s

Nostalgia was strong in the 2010s as alumni reflected on the Paracollege, preserved memories in a time capsule, and wayfayer sunglasses reappeared as a trend that could not be stopped!

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

2010 - The Impact of the Paracollege

Although it closed nearly 10 years ago, its influence is still felt on the Hill today. The idea behind the Paracollege was to allow students to create their own plan of study and work across disciplines with professors to achieve their goals.

"The legacy of Olaf's Paracollege still lives on", Mara Fink, Manitou Messenger No. 11, Vol. 123 February 19th 2010, pg. 8.

A time capsule nicknamed "The Urn" made from a metal water cooler. The capsule features the names and dates of campus groups from 1992 to 2012. The contents of the time capsule include one beer bottle, one prayer candle, two tennis balls with writing, one Care Bear toy, seven bottle caps, one ping pong ball, one bottle of Tums, one jar of hot cocoa mix, one broken poker chip, and one dime. Along with these items are an assortment of photographs and notes.

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These sunglasses were given out at the Carleton vs. St. Olaf College football game on October 17, 2015.

Pair of black frame sunglasses with white and gold patterned lenses. The lenses feature the St. Olaf College lion and read, "ST. OLAF". The earpieces feature gold text on each side reading, "Ole Pride".

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2020s

History repeats itself: 100 years after the 1918 pandemic, our COVID-19 years feel similar. Rapid change came to campus in the 2020s, but not all of it negative. We’re living a decade of hope and big changes at St. Olaf. Remember you are creating St. Olaf history now! We would love for you to share your story and experiences with us.

Browse the documents, photos, and objects below by using the arrows at the right and left. Click on an image to view it larger.

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Three-dimensional printed model of the COVID-19 virus with a circular base. The model features symbols from the COVID-19 Pandemic, such as a needle, books, Netflix, Amazon, toilet paper, Zoom, and alcohol. The model's base is circular and reads "Heard in 2020" at the base. The perimeter of the base features "buzz words" from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Created by Bernard Gonzalez; donated by Gonzalez and Elsa Frettem Gonzalez '68

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2022 - A donation to bring us back to the beginning

This tapestry was created by Anna Ragnhilda Elizabeth Mohn, daughter of Saint Olaf College's first president and a 1911 graduate of the College. Alan Mohn, a descendant of Thorbjorn N. Mohn, donated it in 2022.

Read more about the tapestry in our  Fall 2022 newsletter. 

2022, October 14 - Queen Sonja cuts the ribbon for new library vault

During  Queen Sonja's campus visit  she cut the ribbon for the 48,000 cubic foot vault which holds the Library's Special Collections and College Archives. It also stores and protects the archival materials of the Norwegian-American Historical Association.

2023, October 11 - Inauguration of 12th President Susan Rundell-Singer

 Watch and read more  about President Rundell-Singer's inauguration!

Share Your Story! Donate to College Archives!

Your experiences and memories are an important part of the history of our community! We welcome donation inquiries from current and former students, alumni, and friends of the College.  See our College Archives Donation page for more information! 

Or participate in the  150th Share Your Story!  project.

Acknowledgements

This exhibit could not have been completed without the initial research of former Librarian for Public Programming Support, Alicia Zachary-Erickson.

Many thanks to Elizabeth Black, Palmer Hittesdorf, Joanna Hunt, Sara Skindelien, Alec Thicke, and Alicia Zachary-Erickson who all worked to describe and photograph our archival materials. The processing of the St. Olaf College Archives collections from 2020-2024 was financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and distributed through the Minnesota Historical Society.

Additional thanks are due to: Mary Barbosa-Jerez, Head of Strategy for Library Collections and Archives, for her leadership and thinking of our exhibit theme; Kristell Benson, Lead Archivist, for her stewardship of the College Archives; Don Bezanson, Special Collections and College Archives Preservation Associate, for his work on housing and preserving our archival collections; to Sara Lynnore, Instructional Technologist for Geospatial and Data Services, for her continual StoryMaps support; and Sarah Quimby, Head of Acquisitions and Resource Management, for her careful implementation of our archival database, FRAM.

Finally, thank you to our student staff who support us in every aspect of our work and bring joy to our department.

Questions about this exhibit can be directed to college_archives@stolaf.edu.