website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Theological Seminary - Wisconsin Synod
Wisconsin University
Northwestern University
Northwestern College
Luther Preparatory School
1845
Richards’ Estate
Watertown Cemetery
The
site of Northwestern is property that originally was owned by John
Richards (Octagon House builder) and that was also the location of Watertown’s first cemetery.
1863 FUNDRAISING IN GERMANY
o
Traveling by St. Mark’s Pastor (and Synod
President) Johannes Bading to Germany and Russia to gather funds for
establishing of Northwestern College.
The Theological
Seminary of the Wisconsin Synod was formally opened in the fall of 1863 in
Watertown. Instruction was initially
given by Professor Edward Moldehnke, Ph.D., in the school building of St.
Mark's congregation. On September 14,
1865, the Synod's college, first known as "Wisconsin University" and
then as "Northwestern University" opened its doors, and for five
years the seminary was operated in conjunction with it. In 1870, the students of the theological
department were transferred to Concordia Seminary at St. Louis, Missouri in
accordance with an arrangement made with the Missouri Synod to conduct a
seminary jointly
11
04 THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE WR
We learn that
subscriptions are rapidly being made towards the fund for the erection of the
Seminary and College. There should be no
difficulty in raising the required amount, and we trust that it will be
done. If the people of Watertown let
this opportunity slip for securing such school advantages as are now offered
them, and if her business men and property holders do not take interest enough
in the matter to secure the location of institutions here which must prove of
such immense advantage to them, pecuniarily as the proposed Seminary and
College, the city may as well be fenced in, and her monied men may be regarded
as blind to their own interests. For
every dollar they give towards the location and erection of these schools here,
they will reap ten in the enhanced value of their property and the increased
attractions which the city will present to new comers in our state who are
seeking homes in Wisconsin. There are
but two drawbacks to the prosperity of Watertown, and but for these she would
today number at least ten thousand inhabitants.
We allude to the bonds issued for railroad purposes and the lack of
educational facilities. WR
11
05 THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE WD
A vigorous effort is
now being made to organize permanently and establish a Theological College in
this city. No educational enterprise is
more important than this. A liberally
endowed and well-organized Seminary of the highest class, such as this is
designed to be, will confer on our city a character and reputation that will be
beneficial in every respect. A popular
and flourishing Theological Seminary, attended by students from all parts of
the northwest, favorably located here, will bring the place prominently before
the public and associate its name with the sacred and classic literature of the
world. But aside from these more
elevated considerations, in a business point of view, the success of this
effort is highly desirable. It is now
easily within the reach of our citizens to secure a prize which will be a credit to
their liberality and a benefit to the community . . . WD
1864 FUNDRAISING IN RUSSIA
01 14 Hon. E. D. Holton of Milwaukee is now traveling
in Russia and was in Moscow on the 13th of last November. The Sentinel publishes an interesting letter
from him and among other curious items is the following: “Strange to relate, I met a clergyman here of
the Reformed Lutheran Church, soliciting funds to build a Theological Seminary
at Watertown, Wisconsin. I could but
smile and say ‘Well, I’ll give it up!
Wisconsin out here in the heart of Russia, solicits fund to build up her
seminaries!’” If the proposed
institution is ever built it will be an interesting inquiry as to ascertain
which will have done the most for it – the city of Moscow or Watertown. WD
08 11 FOUNDATION
LAID FOR THEOLOGICAL
SEMINARY AND COLLEGE
The foundations of
the buildings of the Watertown Theological Seminary and College [Northwestern]
are now being laid. The main building,
now being erected, will be 65 feet long, 55 deep and three stories high, with a
basement, the whole surmounted with an astronomical observatory. The foundations will be stone and the walls
brick. The halls, lecture and tuition
rooms are conveniently arranged and will be amply furnished. Mr. Louis Charbeneau of this city is the
architect and the work is being done under his supervision. The main building will be completed this fall
and be immediately put in readiness for the receptions of students. Two wings are to be added as soon as they may
be needed.
This institution,
which will be a great advantage and credit to our city, will be under the care
and superintendence of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. That it will be successful and prove a
benefit and blessings to thousands who will here find the means and facilities
for pursuing studies in all the various departments of learning – theological,
classical or scientific – cannot now admit of a doubt. The services of distinguished and experienced
professors will be employed and everything done to render the institution
worthy of public confidence and support.
WD
Daniel Kusel Sr.
helps establish Northwestern College
1865 FOUNDING
OF NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE
Northwestern
College was founded in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1865. It was later merged with Dr. Martin Luther
College in New Ulm, MN, in 1995 to form the new Martin Luther College, based in
New Ulm.
-- -- AUGUST GAMM
In
securing and retaining the Northwestern University for Watertown, August Gamm took an active part and he has held
various positions of trust for the Lutheran Synod, working in its interest and
extensive soliciting tours in the years 1868-69.
08
10 LUTHERAN
COLLEGE OPENS FOR RECEPTION OF STUDENTS
This institution, situated at Watertown, Wis. will open for the
reception of students on the 2nd Thursday in September, with a full corps of
able professors and tutors. It will
embrace two classes of students — one in the preparatory department and grammar
school and the other those pursuing a collegiate course. The College year is divided into three terms,
the first of 14 weeks beginning on the said 2nd Thursday in Sept., and the
other two varying between 13 and 14 weeks, as may be found most
convenient. The tuition in the
preparatory department is 10 dollars per term and in the collegiate course 12
dollars per term. Board room, light and
fuel in the institution, including tuition, $50 per term, music and fine arts
extra. Special advantages are afforded
in the study of the German language; recitations will be heard and instruction
given altogether in English and German.
The institution is under the auspices of the Evang. Lutheran Church
intended to be religious in the tone of its discipline, mild yet firm, strict
but not severe, not sectarian in its requirements, teaching or influence. It is designed by the founders and directors of
this institution to combine in its systems of education German depth and
thoroughness with American practicability.
And they think that they have reason to hope that very soon this
institution will acquire a fame equal to that of any college in our country and
afford advantages inferior to none.
The buildings are pleasant and commodious, situated in a most
healthful location and on an elevation affording a very fine prospect.
The opening day of the College — Sept. 14th, 1865 — will be occupied
with a celebration suitable to the occasion and addresses will be delivered by
different speakers in both English and German at 9 o’clock a.m. Exercises will
begin at 11 o’clock a.m.
For further
particulars address Rev. E. Moldehuke, Watertown, Wis. WD
08 31 TO OPEN SECOND THURSDAY OF SEPTEMBER NEXT
This Scientific Institution, but recently formed and situated in
Watertown, will be opened on the second Thursday of September next, with a
sufficient number of professors and teachers, and is hereby recommended to
parents as an easy and sure opportunity to give to their children a thorough
scientific education.
The aim which the Board of Trustees of this Institution have in view is to
qualify the pupils which are entrusted to them for any higher position in life
through the most complete and thorough instruction. It is for their interest to conduct and
manage the institution so that as regards thoroughness of instruction, etc., it
can be ranked with the best institutions of this country.
It depends wholly upon the support of the inhabitants of this state to
soon reach this aim which is solely for the interests of the people. Special care shall be given to the German
language, aside from the leading studies in the English language.
In branches where it is possible, both the English and German language
will be used; in short, the tendency of the institution will be to combine
German thoroughness with English practicability.
The institution is designed and suited for all who wish to enjoy a
higher education than the common high schools and academies afford, and shall
at first consist of two classes until the number of scholars and their progress
render it possible to arrange a four year course in four classes. This guarantee to parents for the moral
growth of their children is offered, that the Institution shall be conducted
wholly in a Christian spirit, and shall offer as much as possible, especially
to pupils from abroad, the advantages of a well regulated family life.
Although it is under the jurisdiction of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod
of Wisconsin, there is no endeavor of persuasion to this or that confession;
but simply to offer the above named advantages of education in a truly
Christian manner.
The tuition for the lower class, is $10.00, for the upper $12.00 per
term. Instruction in music and drawing
will be charged extra. Board, room and
fuel in the building of the institution, exclusive tuition, will be $50.00 per
term. Payment in advance will be
required in all cases.
Scholars should report themselves at least one week before the
commencement, in order to enable a suitable division into classes. It is desired that all scholars enter at the
commencement of the term. Such scholars
as enter after the commencement but before the middle of the term, the whole
tuition will be charged; those entering after the middle of the term pay half
the tuition of a full term.
At first only male scholars are admitted. In the future arrangements will be made for
female classes. The building of the
institution is beautifully and agreeably situated, and arranged suitably for
all requirements. A beautiful view is
afforded from the cupola of the four story building. WD
09
21 COLLEGE
DEDICATION
The dedication ceremonies preparatory to the
opening of the College and Seminary of the Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin took
place at the college buildings in this city last Thursday forenoon, commencing
at 9 o’clock.
The exercises began with prayer and singing,
followed by an opening address by Rev. J. Bading, at the close of which
Luther’s hymn was chanted. Prof. E.
Maldehuke then delivered an address in German, choosing for his subject “The
influence of religion in history.” After
singing another hymn in German, Prof. A. Martin delivered an address in
English, his subject being “The College and the Man, the 4th College and the
State, the College and the Church.” The exercises were concluded with singing,
prayer and benediction.
Of Prof. Maldehuke’s address we can only say
that he spoke with earnestness and fervor, and was listened to with great
attention by those familiar with his language.
Prof. Martin's address was an able and
finished production, admirably written, eloquent and practical in its
bearings. It was much above the ordinary
merits of addresses on such occasions.
He treated each branch of his comprehensive theme quite fully, and
showed the influence of education on the individual, the State and the Church,
and it is only just to say that his effort was brilliant and successful. He is a remarkably pleasant and impressive
speaker, and displays fine oratorical talents.
The event we have recorded forms a new era in
the educational history of this community.
An institution of learning — a school for the education of youth – has
been started here which may, in the future, become the most distinguishing
feature of our city. In almost any other
place, an occasion of such importance and interest would have called together
the whole community. All would have felt
a pride and pleasure in being anxious and gratified spectators of the
scene.
How many Americans were present to exhibit
their interest in the prosperity of the College that is just commencing its career
in their midst and where their children can receive the benefits of a thorough
and practical education?
We write it with feelings of mortification —
just exactly four—two gentlemen, one lady, and a boy. In reality, this was all the audience Prof.
Martin had to hear and appreciate the most instructive and admirable address
ever made before any assemblage in this city, and on an occasion that should
have been publicly celebrated as peculiarly fortunate and memorable, for the
rest of those there [the Germans] speak and write in another tongue.
However, we do not know but this neglect or
indifference is in harmony with other things, and it might not be in good taste
to have any exceptions or irregularities.
As the means of establishing this college here were chiefly obtained
elsewhere, perhaps it should be left to others to feel the liviest concern in
its welfare, which has been the case thus far.
The chapel in which the exercises took place
was well filled with an attentive and intelligent audience of Germans residing
here and from the country. WD
12
07 WISCONSIN
UNIVERSITY AND GRAMMAR SCHOOL WILL COMMENCE
From the announcement in this paper it will
be seen the Wisconsin University and Grammar School in this city will
commence. All preliminary departments of
this college have been arranged and the faculty well chosen and well qualified
for the discharge of their respective duties as teachers. This University should receive all the
patronage and favor our citizens can bestow upon it. The opening of such an institution of
learning as this is designed to be is an important and auspicious event to our
city. If successfully managed, as we
have no doubt it will be, this college will soon take its place among the best
in the country and be an honor to the place where it has been founded. Our citizens, who have sons and daughters to
educate, can now secure for them the advantages of the most liberal and
extensive course of study, without the expense of sending them abroad; and we
trust all will avail themselves of this precious and valuable privilege. WD
12
07 WISCONSIN
UNIVERSITY AND GRAMMAR SCHOOL (AD)
[same date] The second term of this
institution, situated at Watertown, Wisconsin, will open on the first Thursday
in January, 1866. The University offers
opportunities for a thorough and complete course of collegiate education equal
to any in the land. The course, like
that of all colleges, is divided into four classes.
The Grammar School of Academic Department
extends its privileges equally to ladies and gentlemen.
The Academic Course is regularly three years,
designed to prepare the student for any business station, or entering any
college in the country . . .
The buildings of the institution are situated
in a most desirable location and afford decidedly elegant accommodations.
Students boarding in the institution are
expected to furnish their own beds, bedding, towels, etc. Washing charged extra. Lessons in drawing and music also charged
extra. The year is divided into three
terms.
A chief feature of the institution is the
rare advantage afforded for the acquirement of a knowledge of the German
language. While it is the design and
shall be the effort of the trustees and faculty that the facilities for the
education of English scholars shall be second to none of our best colleges, the
German department shall be of an equally high standard. In short, they hope to make it as good an
English college as if there were not a word of German spoken in it, and as good
a German institution as if there were no English connected with it – and to
combine German depth and thoroughness with American practicability in its
entire system of mental training.
For particulars inquire of
Rev. A. Martin, A.M., President
Prof. E. Holdehnke, PhD.
1866-67 Watertown City Directory
1866 -
1870
Adolf Hoenecke (1835-1908) received his
theological training at the University of Halle in Germany. He served as pastor of Wisconsin Synod
congregations in Farmington, Watertown, and Milwaukee. His learning and confessionalism made him the
natural choice to head the Wisconsin Synod seminary, first from 1866 to 1870 in
Watertown, and then again from 1878 to 1908, first in Milwaukee and then in
Wauwatosa.
1873
08 14 John Kaltenbrumm, a teacher at
Northwestern, appointed Principal of Union School No. 2 WD
c.1875-76
“CAFFEEMUEHLE”(Kaffeemuehle) BUILDING
The
man in the buggy is unknown but may very well be Prof. Martin, the first head
of the college. This building was struck
by lightning in 1894 and burned to the ground.
Gymnasium was destroyed in a mock battle by the college’s ROTC in the
1960s (?).
1880c
NORTHWESTERN CAMPUS AROUND 1880
1885
PORTION OF BIRDSEYE VIEW
1886
MAIN BUILDING (THE KAFFEEMUEHLE
1890
DRAWING
Weltburger,
07 26 1890, drawing
CAMPUS BUILDINGS
01 22 J.
DIEDZEL
J. Diedzel, of Marinette, in the ’60's a student in the Northwestern
University of this city, has invented a railroad spike for the patent of which
he has been offered $30,000. The spike
is made in such a way that it fastens perfectly firm and can be easily
extracted from the tie. WR
06 11 GRADUATING CLASS
The graduating class of
Northwestern University has issued invitations to the commencement exercises
which will be held at Turner Opera house, Tuesday next, June 17, at 10 o’clock
A.M. The graduates are: Paul Beck, Julius Gamm, J. Fred. Graeber,
Martin Hillemann, O. J. R. Hoenecke, Arthur Hoermann, Edward Lembcke, T. S.
Mayerhoff, John Plocher, F. L. E. Schumann, C. J. H. Schwartz, C. H. Sieker,
Fred. Will, A. F. W. Zich.
06 18 LUTHERAN WEEK
This is Lutheran week
here. Representatives of the laity and
ministers of this body of religionists are in Watertown in large numbers, every
portion of the state sending its quota to swell the ranks of the followers of
Martin Luther, the great apostle of the Reformation in Germany. The celebration opened yesterday morning, at
Turner Opera House with the commencement exercises of the Northwestern
university. The auditorium was filled to
overflowing with a fine assemblage, in which the fair sex more than divided the
honors in point of numbers with the sterner sex. On the stage were seated President Ernst and
the faculty of the Northwestern, with Rev. P. von Rohr, of Winona, Minn., and
other prominent figures in the Lutheran church of the West. WR
1893
RICHARD HARDEGE, Professor of Music
1894
07 04 Democratic candidate for governor, talk
regarding President A. F. Ernst WG
07 30 MAIN
BUILDING FIRE (the Kaffeemuehle)
At 10:30 in the evening lightning struck the
flagstaff on the belfry of the Main building of the Northwestern University and
within a short time the entire building was in flames.
Then came the disaster of 1894. During a thunder storm a bolt of lightning
sought the flagpole on the cupola of the old college building as an object of
its fury; the fire left nothing but the naked walls, rent and blackened. It was a sore trial, and if the men that saw
so much of their work laid low by this turn of fate would have shown their
dejection no one could have blamed them.
But, as is often the case, the hour of need calls up resources that are
unsuspected in the placid times of unbroken serenity. One short year passed and the synod had
replaced the building with a modern structure erected at a cost of
$18,000. The new recitation hall in
almost every way is superior to the old one if one considers the uses to which
it is put, though the older students will not have it that any building can be
quite as fine and splendid as the one which typified their alma mater. The new hall contains nine class rooms, the faculty
room, the chemical and physical laboratories, the assembly hall and chapel on
the third floor, and the library room, which has ceased to be adequate to the
increasing demands of the expanding library.
Soli
Deo Gloria, 1865-1915. By
Arthur Hoermann and Hans Koller Moussa.
Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee, p 61.
08 01 FIRE
AT THE NORTHWESTERN.
The Main Building of the University Group
Struck by Lightning.
Shortly after 10 o clock Monday night, during the
storm which had set in just previously, the terrific electric bolt which was so
generally noticed for its severity struck the flag-staff on the belfry of the
main building of the Northwestern University, and in hardly less time than it
takes to tell it the belfry and the entire roof were completely enveloped in a
sheet of flames.
The fire department bustled to the scene of action
as soon as possible, but was unable to render effective assistance in subduing
the flames until an hour later, owing to the distance of the steamers from the
burning building which was fully a half mile, at the cistern on the corner of
Main Street and College Avenue. This
made it difficult for the engines to force water through the hose with
sufficient strength to be of any aid.
Finally a good stream was secured by placing one of the streamers half way
between the cistern and the building and forcing the water from that point when
it was received from the other engine.
The firemen worked all night and until noon
yesterday over the ruins. After the fire
had gained a good foot hold on the roof it spread rapidly to the inside of the
building and completely gutted it.
Nothing but the massive brick walls are left, and these may possibly
have to be torn down for safety. The
rainfall in progress at the time no doubt prevented the fire from touching the
adjoining buildings and making it even more destructive than it was. Some good work was done in saving the
contents of the building. A portion of
the furniture and a considerable part of the valuable library were removed by
willing hands.
Some insurance was carried, but how much cannot be
exactly ascertained as yet. The board of trustees had charge of this and it was
carried in Milwaukee agencies. It is
thought it does not amount to over $5,000 or $8,000, which is very small in
comparison to the whole loss. This is
conservatively estimated to be at least $25,000 above the insurance. Nothing can be said at this writing of the
plans of the board of trustees, of which Rev. Mr. Bading, of Milwaukee, is president,
as to replacing the building.
10 05 DUKE
& SCHROEDER, CONTRACTORS
Duke & Schroeder, of Milwaukee, secured the
contract for the new building of the Northwestern University, their bid being
$11,800, about $3000 lower than any of their competitors, there being over 20
in all. O. C. Uehling, of Milwaukee, is
the architect. WG
10 17 BASEBALL: Sacred Heart vs. Northwestern
Last Wednesday afternoon the Sacred Heart College team
defeated the Northwestern University boys at the city ball park by a score of
20 to 8. The battery was Connors and
Murphy for the former, and Kronitz, Weimar Frederick and Redlin for the latter. Connors struck out ten men, and the three
N.W.U. pitchers twelve. WR
10 24 Cornerstone
ceremony for new addition to building
WR
11 07 AID
IN RECONSTRUCTION
Rev. O. H. Koch (of Columbus) collected the
handsome sum of $600 from the members of his congregation to aid in the
reconstruction of the Northwestern University building at Watertown, recently
destroyed by fire. WR
11 28 FOOTBALL: Sacred Heart vs. Northwestern
The first matched game of football between the
Northwestern University and Sacred Heart College eleven was played yesterday
afternoon on the former's campus.
Although the weather was extremely cold and a strong northwest wind
prevailed, the teams put up a fairly good game and showed numerous strong
points in the individual work of the players.
As the elevens came on the field it was seen that the Sacred Hearts
averaged heavier by several pounds than their opponents . . . The features of
the game were the sprinting of Farrell and Quinlen, the tackling of Stuehm, and
the work of Krafft and Brand back of the line, although the latter was open to
criticism for not better guarding his goal.
The time of each half of the game was cut from the customary thirty-five
minutes to twenty minutes. The
Northwesterners play the Milwaukee Athletic Society eleven tomorrow at
Milwaukee. WR
11 30 An account of the football game between
Northwestern and Sacred Heart.
Interesting statements like "it proves that rugby is a manly sport
and when played by gentlemen is not so utterly bad after all."
12 05 On account of objections by the faculty
of the university, the Northwester football eleven were obliged to cancel their
game in Milwaukee for last Thursday. WR
1895
05 15 BALL GAME WITH ST. JOHN MILITARY ACADEMY
The teams for Northwestern
University and the St. John Military Academy of Delafield played ball on the
university campus in this city last Saturday afternoon, the latter winning by a
score of 15 to 6. The weather was
unfavorable to good playing, being cold with a high wind prevailing, and in consequence
the game was not as good as it might have been.
However, the lively hitting indulged in by both tearns and the brilliant
fielding of Sweeney and Riddel, of the St. John’s, rendered the contest quite
interesting. The academy boys won the
game on their merits, playing better ball all around than the opponents. They have one of the most capable collegiate
teams in the state and have not yet been defeated this season. The home team would no doubt have held the
score down considerably had it not been for the poor work of the short-stop,
who refused most of the chances given him.
05 29 NEW BELL IN BELFRY
The 300-pound bell which occupies the belfry in the new
Northwestern University building was dedicated last Wednesday afternoon,
President A. F. Ernst, Prof. Notz and Rev. J. H. Brockmann leading in the
ceremonies. In the evening the
festivities terminated with a banquet for the students in the university dining
hall. The bell was donated by the
ladies’ society of St. Mark's church. It
is expected that the university will soon enjoy a complete electric bell system,
the same to be a gift from Prof. Weimar, of the faculty. WR
10 23 CONFERENCE
OF CLERGYMEN
A conference of clergymen from neighboring churches
belonging to the Wisconsin Lutheran synod began today at the Northwestern
University and will continue through tomorrow.
Some thirty divines are in attendance.
Rev. J. H. Brockmann, of St. Mark's Church, is president of the
conference, while Profs. Ernst and Notz, of the university, officiate as
referees. Interesting topics are on the
program for discussion and the meeting will no doubt prove of much value to the
participants. WR
11 13 NEW WIRE FENCE POSSIBLY ENCROACHES
At the special meeting of the common council
Saturday evening a resolution was adopted directing the board of public works
to have a survey taken of the eastern end of Western Avenue, from College
Avenue to Concord Avenue, and to serve notices on lot owners thereafter to
place their fences on the correct street lines.
A new wire fence recently erected by the Northwestern University, it is
thought by some, encroaches on the street.
WR
11 20 FOOTBALL
PROHIBITED
Football has been prohibited as a pastime at the
Northwestern University by the faculty, at least, so far as games with outside
teams is concerned. The management of
the club was in hopes of securing permission for a Thanksgiving Day game, if
nothing more, but this even was refused.
The objection of the faculty arises over the roughness which sometimes
characterizes the sport and the consequent injury of the players. The banishment of football from the
university field causes considerable disappointment among the student-body, as
well as among the devotees of the game in the city. WR
11 27 NEW
FLAG POLE
A new flag pole, ninety feet in height, is to be
raised at the Northwestern University, standing midway between the two main
buildings. It will be furnished by a Michigan firm. WR
1897
03 24 LAW TO
VACATE CEMETERY NEAR NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY [RICHARD’S HILL]
CEMETERY NEAR NORTHWESTERN MOVED
NORTHEASTERLY TO OAK HILL
IS NOW A LAW - The
local measure providing for the vacating of the cemetery near the Northwestern
University is now a law, having passed both branches of the legislature and
receiving the governor’s approval.
Following is a copy of
the law:
CHAPTER 68.
An act to vacate a
cemetery in the First ward of the city of Watertown, Wisconsin.
The people of the state
of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1 - The
cemetery consisting of about two acres of land near the east end of and on the
north side of Western Avenue in the First ward of the city of Watertown, having
been for many years past and now being in a ruinous and abandoned condition, no
persons or association having any charge or care thereof for the past twenty
years, all the remains having been removed therefrom but a very few, and being
in the neighborhood of private residences, and said city having prohibited
interments therein as being against the public health, the same is hereby
vacated and said city is authorized to take charge of the grounds therein, and
after six months from the passage of this act to remove
all the remains to suitable lots in Oak Hill cemetery, situated in the
northeast quarter of section three in township eight north, of range fifteen
east, in the city of Watertown, in Jefferson county, state of Wisconsin.
Section 2. This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication.
Approved March 17,
1897. No. 510 A. Published March
18,1897.
To what use this
property will now be put is a matter of interest. The site is an ideal one for a park,
especially as it lies adjacent to the water tower. We understand that when the new council is
seated the aldermen of the First ward will make a proposition to convert the
property into a city park. The Watertown News 24 Mar 1897
04 21 INTERRED
REMAINS MOVED, PARK PROPOSED
By an act passed at the
biennial session of the legislature of 1897, the old cemetery on Richard’s hill
[Northwestern College grounds on Western Ave] is vacated and the grounds revert
to the city on condition that all the remains interred there be removed to Oak
Hill cemetery after six months from the passage of the act. I commend a furtherance of the provision and
hope the grounds will be converted into a beautiful park in the near future,
surrounded so bountifully by romantic scenery nature provided. - Mayor Racek The Watertown News, 21 Apr 1897
1898
05 11 SHAM
BATTLE / UNITED STATES vs. THE SPANIARDS
The announcement that the Northwestern University
cadets would engage in a sham battle on the university campus Friday afternoon
last attracted a large number of spectators to witness the war-like
proceedings. Two companies of regularly
uniformed and equipped cadets, inspired by music of the military band, were
pitted against one company of misfit soldiers rigged out in a sort of guerilla
style. The former of course were the
United States forces, while the latter was supposed to represent the
Spaniards. From the start there was no
doubt as to who would be the victors, and after a liberal exchange of volleys
of blank cartridges the Spanish contingent was forced to retire, much to the
delight and satisfaction of the lookers.
The "battle" seemed to be of considerable interest and the
cadets showed very creditable proficiency in the manual of arms and general
military maneuvers. WR
c.1898
NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE, OLD GYM
1899
05 30 College Band, Military Company and
faculty at dedication of the soldiers' monument,
Veteran’s Park. WG
10 03 NORTHWESTERN
BEATS LAKE MILLS HIGH
The Northwestern University football team opened the season on its
home ground Saturday afternoon by giving the Lake Mills high school eleven a
severe drubbing, the score being 50 to 0.
The teams average about the same in weight, but Northwestern was far
more experienced. Guse, the star
halfback, covered himself with glory by running the entire length of the field
twice for touchdowns. Pieper also did
wonderful work.
1900
06 19 CLASS
OF 1900
The class of 1900 was graduated from the
Northwestern University this morning, the exercises taking place in the
chapel. There was one graduate in the
academic course, George Yahr, of Princeton — while in the classical course
nineteen finished . . . the Latin, English and German orations were delivered,
respectively by Mr. Sprengling, Mr. Hauschild and Mr. Ernst . . . This
afternoon the students of the university are holding a field meet, and a sham
battle between two sections of the military company is also on the
program. WR
c.1900
NORTHWESTERN PROFESSORS & STUDENTS
William Bethke pictured (assumed)
1901
07 05 GIRLS’
ATTENDANCE AT NORTHWESTERN
In all that is said at university commencements this
year nothing will merit more serious attention than the references to
coeducation which occurs in the annual report read by Dr. Bonbright at
Northwestern. . . . In ten years, for
example, the girls’ attendance at Northwestern has increased from 36 per cent
to nearly 50 per cent, and this year there are more young women than young men
in the graduating class. The general
tendency has been increased by the policy of encouraging gifts for dormitories
for the young women in preference to the young men, and Dr. Bonbright suggests
that the girls’ enrollment should be limited by the capacity of the
dormitories. WG
-- -- PROF.
ALBERT KUHN, DIRECTOR, NWC ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
1901
10 11 GIRLS’
ATTENDANCE AT NORTHWESTERN
The game of football between the Northwestern
University team and the Marquette college team, of Milwaukee, which took place
on the grounds of the latter in this city last week Thursday afternoon
terminated in a tie — score 0 to 0. WG
10 25 NORTHWESTERN
AND WAYLAND ACADEMY CONTRACT
On Monday last Northwestern University and Wayland
Academy closed contracts for a game of football to be played at Watertown on
Saturday next, October 26th. Wayland
academy is represented by a strong eleven and a good game may be looked
for. Last year the game ended in the score
18 to 12 in favor of Northwestern. The
fact that coach Schwendener, of Chicago, has been up at Northwestern for a few
weeks is making itself felt in the playing of the eleven. He laid a fine foundation and as the men are
willing, and the captain competent, the edges are being worn away and the
eleven rounding into a speedy team. All
who wish to see a speedy and scientific game of football will not be
disappointed if they take a walk up to the Northwestern University campus next
Saturday. WG
1902
from Picturesque
Watertown booklet
College Champions
1903
VIEWED FROM ROOF OF OCTAGON HOUSE
MARTIN EICKMANN / The need for a good Inspector
With
his arrival student life improved drastically.
It did not take long for Inspector Eickmann, along with President Ernst,
to prod the synod into doing something about the inadequate housing for the
students. Colds, sore throat, and other
sicknesses in the dorms the last few years gave a strong case to their argument
(Kowalke, 141). On May 30, 1905,
Northwestern dedicated a $51,000 dormitory.
This building would house Northwestern students for 60 years.
Professor
Eickmann served the Northwestern flock for 10 more years after the new
dormitory was built. During those years
he dealt with the smallpox plague of 1906 and 1907. During those years he spoke up on behalf of
the students, bringing football back to NWC and enthusiastically supporting the
move among Milwaukee alumni to provide for a gymnasium for the college.
During
all 12 years of his ministry at Northwestern, Professor Eickmann was like a
father to the students--in every sense of the word. He conscientiously did all the duties of dorm
supervision. He made the rounds at 6:00
AM every morning. He took care of the
sick. He conducted chapel every evening
and was the monitor on all three floors during the study periods. His night ended when the last person was
safely and quietly in bed. In addition
to this he taught classes. His
description in the 50 year anniversary booklet in 1915: "Prof. Eickmann,
(Inspector; Latin, Religion, German, with Fourth-Year Prep = 12
periods)"(Hoermann, 69).
Every
indication is that the students respected and loved their inspector. Serious infractions were as limited as they
can be among several hundred students.
These years saw also the completion and dedication of the new gymnasium
in 1912. The campus had seen many
changes since the turn of the century.
As World War I was starting in Europe, those on the Northwestern Campus
in Watertown were thinking ahead to the following year when they would be
celebrating 50 years of God’s blessing on that campus.
See 1915 section for death of Prof.
Martin Eickmann
04 25 ELIZABETH
ERNST
1904
11 02 $50,000
ADDITION TO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Members
of the Wisconsin synod met at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in this city, about
225 ministers and laymen being present.
The matter up for consideration at the meeting was the erection of a
$50,000 addition to Northwestern University.
The matter of looking after the construction of the building was left in
the hands of fifteen members, composing the board of trustees, three of whom
reside in Watertown, being, Rev. Julius Klingmann, Fred. W. Gamm and John
Schlueter. Plans are now being drawn,
and it is expected that the contract will be let and work on the building begun
early next spring.
Daniel Kusel, Sr. instrumental in founding of
Northwestern
1905, 05 07
Northwestern
University is planning to celebrate the laying of the cornerstone of the new
dormitory on Sunday, May 14. The event
will be an important one in the history of the institution and is looked
forward to with much interest.
The
fifth annual concert of the N. W. U. band and orchestra will be held at Turner
Opera House on Friday evening, May 12. The popularity of these concerts in the
past years leaves no doubt but that the event will again this season be a
success in every particular. Besides the instrumental selections by the band
and orchestra, solos will be considered, also songs by the N. W. U. Glee Club.
Tickets are 35 and 25 cents and reserve seats are on sale at G. Gamm’s drug
store.
1905, 05 12
The
faculty of Northwestern University takes this opportunity of extending to the
people of Watertown and vicinity an invitation to participate in the ceremony
of the cornerstone laying of the new dormitory Sunday, May 28. Mayor Wertheimer and the city council will be
present as well as visiting clergy and alumni.
The ceremony will begin at
1905, 05 18
Owing
to delay in work, the ceremony of laying the cornerstone for the dormitory at
Northwestern University has been postponed until Tuesday afternoon, May 30,
Memorial Day. Arrangements are being perfected to make the occasion a memorable
one. At least one, possibly two excursion trains will be used to bring the
hundreds of Milwaukee visitors here. A
choir of several hundred voices from Milwaukee is also expected to take part.
1905, 05 23
The
cornerstone laying of the new N.W.U. dormitory will take place next Tuesday
afternoon. This important event in the
history of the University will be marked by interesting and impressive
ceremonies. The committee on
arrangements reports that thousands of visitors will come to Watertown on this
occasion. Excursion trains will arrive during the forenoon from Milwaukee and
from points on the Northwestern road.
The visitors will be escorted from the depots to the University by the college
band, military company, and reception committee. The ceremonies will begin at 2 o'clock. Prof. A. F. Ernst, president of N.W.U., will
deliver an address of welcome while the main address will be made by Rev.
Christian Dowidat of Oshkosh. The
cornerstone will be laid by Rev. Ph. von Rohr, president of the Wisconsin
synod. Musical selections will be rendered by the N. W. U. Band, a mass choir
of 200 voices from Milwaukee and St. Mark's mixed choir.
1905, 06 03
The
ceremony of the laying of the cornerstone of the new N.W.U. dormitory Tuesday
afternoon was witnessed by an immense crowd of visitors and home people. It was
an ideal day for this important event and nearly 2500 people were present. A
special train of twelve coaches brought many of the visitors from Milwaukee,
but other neighboring cities were also represented by good-sized delegations.
The visitors arrived at about 11 a.m. and were escorted to the N.W.U. by the
college band and the reception committee
A
collection for the building fund amounted to several hundred dollars. In this
connection it might also be stated that the institution has been exceedingly
fortunate in securing liberal subscriptions from people all over the state, and
the committee in charge anticipates no difficulty in securing all the funds
needed to pay the new dormitory, which will cost completed $50,000.
1905, 08 09
The
fall Semester of the Northwestern University will begin September 6. The
indications are that the student body will be very large the coming year, much more
than heretofore, as there will be greater accommodations for the students. The
work on the new dormitory is nearing completion, the masons are engaged in
plastering the same, which is no small job, as it is a very large building and
when occupied, will be a credit, not only to the University, but the city as
well, and a monument in brick testifying to the energy and industry of the
president and his assistants.
1905, 08 30
It is expected that the registration at the
Northwestern University for the First semester beginning September 6, will be
much larger than last year and may possibly reach three hundred. The rooms in the third story of the new dormitory at the Northwestern
University have been plastered and the masons are now at work on the walls of
the rooms in the second story. The way the work is progressing the masons will
be through by September 5th. It is expected that the building will be occupied
at a much earlier date than was anticipated in the early summer. WR
1905, 09 02
It is
expected that the registration at the Northwestern University for the First
semester beginning September 6, will be much larger than last year and may
possibly reach three hundred. The rooms in the third story of the new dormitory
at the Northwestern University have been plastered and the masons are now at
work on the walls of the rooms in the second story. The way the work is
progressing the masons will be through by September 5th. It is expected that
the building will be occupied at a much earlier date than was anticipated in
the early summer.
1905, 09 06
The
faculty, and the hundreds of N. W. U. students who arrived for the opening of
the new school year, were greatly shocked Monday evening by the unexpected and
sudden death of one of the younger students, Fred Braamstadt, whose home is at
north La Crosse. It appears that the young man had been confined to a hospital
for some weeks; he was convalescent, however, and returned home, full of hopes
and plans for his studies at the University. He had been advised not to resume
his studies at once, but finally obtained permission to be here with his fellow
students on the opening day. He arrived on the 5:20. The journey to Watertown
proved much however, for the unfortunate - he was only seventeen - and at 10:30
p.m., five hours after his arrival, he succumbed to heart failure. The deceased
was popular and esteemed by is fellow students, and his death has cast a gloom
over all.
1905, 09 21
The
enrollment of the Northwestern University beginning of the present semester was
the largest in the history of the institution. Nearly 300 students are enrolled
and in attendance and the prospects for the University were never brighter than
at the present time, which is certainly gratifying to those who have worked
hard to build up the school and make it a successful educational center. The
costs to the students in the Northwestern is so moderate and the advantages so
great, there should be and undoubtedly will be, in time, twice as many students
in attendance, for the expenses of the entire four year course will hardly
exceed the cost of one year in many of the other institutions of learning in
the state and the instruction imparted is not more solid and important than in
the Northwestern, except in special lines.
The
faculty is composed of able men who are enthusiastically devoted to their work
and the students come under their personal supervision, which tends to give
them moral stamina and nobleness of character and prepare them for the higher
and better ideals of life.
1905, 10 17
Great
was the joy of the friends, students and professors of the Northwestern
University on Sunday, the 15th inst., for on that day they were permitted to
celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the old dormitory and at the same time
the dedication of the new dormitory which replaces the old one destroyed by
fire.
Early
in the morning a goodly number of visitors arrived from the neighboring
villages and cities and the surrounding country. They spent the morning hours
in going through the several buildings used for educational purposes. For the
accommodations of the visitors dinner, was served in the spacious dining
hall. There are now 250 students in the
school, and for some those accommodations have been much too small. In 1894
lightning struck the building, which burned down and was supplanted by a modern
structure. This temporarily may relieve the pressing need for more room. In
1904 this synod decided to erect the building which was dedicated Sunday.
1905, 11 02
There
was a unique and attractive advertising device Friday evening and Saturday in
one of the front windows of Gamm's drug store, representing a fire, and was
very realistic, over which there was a frying pan in which there were several
little figures representing football players being roasted to a turn, who were
supposed to portray members of the Marquette College team who played the N. W.
U. Team in this Saturday afternoon, the game resulting in a victory for the
home team by a score of 18 to a goose egg.
1905, 11
10
In
spite of a snow-covered field the Northwestern University appeared on the
checkerboard today and yesterday, running through hard practice for the
Lawrence game which will be played at Appleton Saturday for the state college
championship. All men are in good condition with the exception of Kumm and
Pankow, but who will most likely be in trim by Saturday. A scrimmage took place
between the first and second team today and Capt. Wendland paid special
attention to speed and pulling the man along carrying the ball.
1905, 11
16
On
Saturday, Nov. 11, the N. W. U. football team met an overwhelming defeat at the
hands of the Lawrence team at Appleton. After the first few minutes of play
Lawrence had everything its own way and their goal was never in danger. Several
inexcusable fumbles on the part of Northwestern helped to bring up the score.
Lawrence is surely the best small College teams we have ever met, their
interference being well nigh perfect. We have no excuses whatever to offer, we
were simply beaten because we met our superiors
1906, 01
24
Dr.
Wenth takes the place in the faculty at Northwestern University made vacant by
the passing away of the late Prof. Otto D. Hoyer. The Doctor is a native of
Germany where he was educated having attended the gymnasium. After completing
his studies there, he served one year in the German navy. Then he came to this
country and studied English in an American college, afterward attending the
Lutheran Seminary at St. Louis for three years and was then sent as a
missionary to Canada where he labored for some time and then returned to
Germany and was honored with the degree of Ph. D. at the University at Rostock.
He then returned to this country and became pastor of the Lutheran congregation
at Halfway where he remained until called to take the professorship at the
University.
1906, 05
30
Under
direction of Dr. Ott, F. H. Ullerich acted as
chef at the big picnic dinner at the Northwestern University Wednesday. He
understands the business, never missed a cog, the multitude was fed and yet there
was plenty left. They don't do things in a small way up at the university and
the people of this city are beginning to appreciate the institution for only
words of praise are heard, relative to the faculty and students.
1906, 07
11
The
fire department was called out shortly before
To
some of the members of the fire department and interested citizens outside the
companies, it was another excellent illustration of the fact that the fire
engines should not be sold, as is being advocated by some. The hold that the engines should be kept in
possession of the city and in good repair in case of calls to the outlying
districts, where the service of the engines are necessary, owing to the
defective pressure or the absence of water mains. Such a position is well taken and that both
engines are absolutely necessary to give all necessary fire protection.
1906, 08
31
Tod`ay
marks the opening of another school year at Northwestern, it being the
forty-sixth year of the institution. Entrance examinations for new students
were held yesterday morning at 8 o’clock. The old dormitory has been repaired,
so that it may now be compared with the new dormitory and give the students
better accommodations. The entire old part has been replastered with adamant
and hard finish and all the wood work repainted and more window light has also
been added, so as to make it more pleasant and sanitary. All the old boys are well
pleased with the repairs made and hope that the old Northwestern University
will enjoy another successful school year, as it has enjoyed the many in the
past. Watertown Weekly
Leader, 08 31, 1906
1907
Northwestern
University is again alive and students have taken hold of their books after two
weeks of vacation. Recitations commenced
Thursday morning at the usual time
o
Yesterday was a day of joy for the Northwestern University, that the
quarantine was raised after two weeks of almost isolation. It is true, students were permitted to walk
about on the college grounds, but in the course of time that became rather
monotonous, and as the hour and minutes when they again would be declared at
liberty could hardly be waited for.
After doing a hard day's work studying and then not take a little
outdoor exercise will probably not be noticed very much for one day but to be
cut off the world for two whole weeks, work hard mentally and take no more
exercise than a walk around the Northwestern university campus would soon be
enough for any young man. 02 06
1907
-- -- Class of, Otto Emil Plath,
father of Sylvia Plath
01 25 SMALL
POX
Every
possible effort is being made by the health authorities of the city to curb the small pox at the Northwestern University and
confine it to the individual case, also to prevent its spread in the city. As The Leader announced yesterday, the
university was quarantined yesterday morning and the students are not permitted
to leave the buildings. Health
Commissioner C. R. Feld is taking every precaution to prevent an epidemic and
yesterday was in consultation with Dr. Harper of Madison, secretary of the
state board of health. The health
department of the city has ordered a vaccination of all the students at the
school and yesterday afternoon about thirty of them were vaccinated, while in
the evening doctors were at the university completing the task. Some of the students were opposed to the
order and voiced their objections at a mass meeting of students yesterday
afternoon, which lasted about an hour.
It seems, however, that most of the students have yielded and are
“taking their medicine.” There were but
two periods (two hours) of recitations yesterday morning, the same having been
abandoned the balance of the day.
1908
03 20 The reference room in the new dormitory
of Northwestern University has recently been equipped with a fine oak book
shelf. During a recent visit to the
Varsity; Rev. Machmueller noticed the dilapidated condition of the shelves and
immediately acquainted the Ladies' Aid Society of his congregation with the
facts on returning home. In a
comparatively short time Alexander Sitz, president of the Senior class,
received a check for thirty-five dollars from the treasurer of the society with
the aid of which the improvement was made possible. The reference room now presents a neat and
inviting appearance. However, there is
still room for other societies to give proof of their interest in Northwestern
as the many rows of empty shelves will testify.
Dr. Ott for his part has contributed his
share in placing all works of reference that could be spared in the library at
the disposal of the boys.
03 27 Repairing
the tennis courts
With the return of spring active work has
again been begun in repairing the tennis courts of Northwestern. While tennis has been played at the 'varsity
for many years it was not until last season that definite arrangements for the
accommodation of every player of the club were made. A schedule of games for the entire season has
been drawn up, the playing of which induced the keenest rivalry, and some
remarkably skillful players were developed in consequence. . . . At the close
of the season . . . officers were elected for the present year. . . . In these
men the club has a corps of officers well able to prove themselves worthy of
the confidence placed in them. Its
president is determined to make tennis more than a mere secondary branch of
athletics at Northwestern. . . . To accommodate the increased membership, which
will probably number twenty-five or more, sod will be skinned for a fourth
court. The old ones will be slightly
elevated. WL
04 10 Senior
class not obliged to complete the entire year
Recitations at the seminary came to a close on
April 9 and will be continued on April 22.
Owing to the fact that a number of congregations have been without
pastors for many months, the senior class at the seminary, instead of being
obliged to complete the entire year's work, will be graduated at the end of the
second semester.
The examinations took place on April 9 and
today the Mission Commission meets with the purpose of assigning parishes to
the different candidates. As has been
the case for years past, the demand for ministers again greatly exceeds the
supply. Eleven congregations have sent
in applications while only seven graduates are ready to enter the ministry
immediately. Mr. Koehler, the eighth,
intends to continue his studies, presumably at St. Louis. WL
05 13 Military company drilling daily in
preparation for the sham battle WL
06 17 Seniors
smoke the pipe of peace; end of seven years war at Northwestern WL
06 26 1908 Commencement / Farewell to the Senior of 1908!
Northwestern
University celebrated its commencement at the university chapel yesterday
forenoon, the exercises commencing at 10:00 o'clock. Many relatives and friends of the graduating
class and of the institution were present, the chapel being filled to its
capacity.
The
decorations for the occasion were neat and appropriate and consisted of the
college colors as the college colors, black and red, and of the graduating
class colors, purple and gold, above the stage was placed the motto of the
class reading “Poscimur '08.” The
letters were in gold on a purple background.
The
exercises consisted of three orations by members of the graduating class,
selections by the band, orchestra, choir and quartette of the university,
addresses by Prof. A. F. Ernst, prayer by Rev. O. Hoenecke of Milwaukee and the
hymn, “A mighty fortress is our God,” sung by the assembly. All the numbers were listed to with intense
interest by the audience and were a credit to the institution. Watertown Weekly
Leader
08 14 Schlueter and Mouffa appointed
professors. WG
10 16 Fourth artillery, US
Army camped on campus WG
10 23 Northwestern University football team
defeated Sacred Heart College WG
11 27 Banquet for football team
11 27 U.S. CAVALRY ENCAMPMENT ON GROUNDS OF NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE
1908
1909
University building, 1909
02 15 Lincoln Day Celebration, cadets and
band take part in WG
04 02 Annual banquet of university paper,
''Black and Red" WG
05 07 Marchout at Lake Mills; band and military
company WG
05 14 Interurban excursion to Watertown on
Memorial Day, Milwaukee Northwestern University Club WG
05 28 Memorial Day observance, University
Band, Cadets and Students WG
06 04 Students injured; explosion of powder
while loading shells for a sham battle WG
06 04 University Co. and band gave a fine drill and a
sham battle WG
07 02 Northwestern University to be renamed; purchase land for professors’
residences WG
08 20 Enrollment, number of alumni WG
09 24 President William H. Taft stops at depot and
speaks; students on hand WG
--- 
Male Chorus, 1909
1910
02 11 New gymnasium, campaign to raise
$25,000 for WG
02 25 Students celebrated Washington’s birthday;
auspices of Lyceum and Philomathian societies
WG
06 03 Decoration Day observance, band,
cadets and students, Oak Hill Cemetery WG
06 03 Cadets and band marched to Juneau WG
06 24 Dr. John Henry
Ott, 25 years of professional activity in educational fields
07 15 Prof. William Notz declines call WG
1911
Dining hall
02 23 RECALL STUDENT DAYS
Former students of Northwestern College,
Watertown, will hold their fifth annual reunion in the Republican House on Feb.
28. Invitations have been extended this
year not alone [only] to the “grads” but also to those who attended the
institution for a number of years only.
The college faculty will be represented and the Northwestern Club of
Chicago will also send a delegation. WG
03 02 Dr. F. W. NOTZ IS 70
Dr. F.
W. Notz, professor of Greek at Northwestern College, observed his 70th birthday
anniversary Saturday. Receiving his
degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Tuebingen in 1863, he
later accepted the chair of ancient languages with Pennsylvania College, and a
few years thereafter with Muehlenberg College of the same state. He will have completed fifty years of work in
pedagogical fields at the close of this year.
Former students of Northwestern, now residing in Milwaukee, gave him a
special reception at their annual reunion at the Republican House Milwaukee, on
February 28. WG
04 29 ARBOR DAY
One
especially striking article about Arbor Day really showed the close connection
between 1911 and today [1992]. Has arbor
day changed at all in eighty years? In a
section called "College Notes," we read: On the morning of April 21st (Arbor Day of
1911) the president of the Junior class had ordered the boys to be out in the
park and on the campus with spades, axes, and rakes, to straighten out whatever
autumn and winter had left in disorder.
With a jolly mood, as though such work were delightful, everybody set to
work except the Seniors; for everybody was to work on the day except the
"fathers," who did the jollying, while the Juniors had charge of
inspection. At ten o’clock refreshments
were served from the kitchen. Every one
had exerted himself very much and showed great appetite. Even the Seniors thought a good appetite a
very essential part of their enjoyment.
Strengthened by the refreshments, every one picked up his tools and set
to work again, until 12:30 when everything was neat and clean. Much attention was also paid to the baseball
diamond by the freshman class. (The Black and Red, May, 1911,
35-36)
05 04 NORTH
WESTERN DEFEATED BY BEE-DEE Co
The Bee-Dee Co. team opened the season with a victory
by defeating the strong North Western College team on the college campus by the
score of 6 to 3. George Richards did the
twirling for the Bee-Dees and pitched first class ball while Miller did good
work behind the bat. Berg, Masch and
Mahnke were the batteries for the college boys.
Unfortunately the stunt Creuz tried to perform and pick up the ball
with his teeth turned out to be a fizzle and allowed the N.W.C. team their
runs, who might have left the diamond with but one run to their credit had it
not been for this incident.
05 24 MILITARY
COMPANY AT LAKE MILLS
06 22 Last Friday evening Prof. J. H. Ott very hospitably entertained the
senior class of the Northwestern College at a 6 o'clock dinner. WG
1911 COLLEGE CHAMPS
1912
05 16 CADETS MARCH TO JEFFERSON
Cadets
March to Jefferson
The
cadets and military band of Northwestern College, this city, marched to
Jefferson Wednesday morning on their annual “hike'' where they were the guests
of St. John's Lutheran Church congregation Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday afternoon was devoted to outdoor
exercises at the county fairgrounds.
Following is the program for that afternoon.
1:30
ball game, Jefferson vs. Northwestern.
3:15
dress parade and drill, cadets.
3:45
sham battle, cadets.
Band
concert afternoon and evening.
Thursday,
Ascension Day, the young men attended services at St John's Lutheran Church in
a body and will arrive home this evening.
WG
05 30 WATERTOWN
CADETS IN JEFFERSON
The
cadets and the military band of the Northwestern College at Watertown were the
guests of the local Lutheran congregation last Wednesday and Thursday. With very few exceptions they all started on
the march from Watertown at about five o'clock in the morning and arrived here
shortly after ten o'clock. The cadets
numbered 64, the band 31 members, and besides these there were also some ball
players here, all told over 100 guests from Watertown, who found a royal
welcome at the homes of the members of St. John's congregation . . . WG
05 30 MEMORIAL DAY / NEW GYMNASIUM
The
laying of the corner stone of the new gymnasium at Northwestern College took
place today, and hundreds of visitors are in the city for the celebration. The program opened at 10 a.m. with speeches,
chorus singing and music by the college band and the laying of the corner
stone. Luncheon was served in the
college refectory.
In the
afternoon the military company gave a parade, drill and sham battle at
1:15. Following this a double header
baseball game, the first one between Northwestern College and St. Mark's young
men of Milwaukee and the second one between Northwestern and Watertown. The ball games were followed by a series of
athletic events. WG
-- -- 1912 COLLEGE CHAMPS
06 08 BAND CONVENTION PARTICIPANTS
Band and Military
Company
Watertown Was Visited by the Largest Crowds in the History of the
City
The band convention held in the city on
Saturday and Sunday was a marked success in every particular. It was pronounced the best and most largely
attended band convention ever held in southern Wisconsin. The weather throughout the two days was
ideal. Business places and many
residences were decorated for the occasion and Main Street presented a
beautiful spectacle in its gala attire.
The first big event of the convention was the automobile floral parade
Saturday afternoon. The bands
participating were the T.M.E.R.&L. Cos., Milwaukee; Imperial, Northwestern
College and military company, Watertown.
A feature of the parade was the
military aspect furnished by the Northwestern College military company in
uniform and carrying arms. The boys were
given generous cheers and plaudits, which was shared by their band which accompanied them.
1912
07 18 APPOINTMENTS at N. W. C.
Prof.
Edmund Bliefernicht of the Lutheran seminary of New Ulm, Minn., and formerly of
this city, has been appointed to fill the vacancy left by Dr. F. W. A. Notz,
retired, at the Northwestern College.
The Rev. Hermam Gieschen of Wauwatosa has received the call to fill the vacancy
left by Prof. M. Sprengling, who will go to Harvard University as an
instructor. They will teach the ancient
languages. The above appointments were
made at a meeting of the board of regents held in Milwaukee Tuesday, of which
William Gorder, Sr., Fred Gamm and John Schlueter of this city are
members. WG
08 15 BUSINESS EDUCATION [paid advertisement]
Why go
to a different city for a business education when you can get it in your home
town for less money?
The
Commercial Department of the Northwestern College offers a thorough and
up-to-date business education. Thorough
courses in Shorthand (Gregg System), Touch Typewriting, Bookkeeping,
Penmanship, Arithmetic, Spelling, Geography, Banking, Business Law, Political
Economy and Civics.
Students
in the Commercial Department may also take courses in such branches as
Mathematics, Natural Sciences, History, German, French and English.
FIRST
TERM BEGINS AUGUST 27TH
This
school is open to young men and young women
Catalogues
will be sent on application by
PROF.
A. F. ERNST
519 College Ave., Watertown, Wis. WG
08 15 GYMNASIUM – A gymnasium which is
being erected at a cost of $30,000 will be finished Sept. 1st WG
10 24 WIRE FROM TAFT OPENS GYMNASIUM
The
dedication exercises of the Northwestern College gymnasium at Watertown, Sunday
afternoon, were opened by the reading of a telegram of congratulation from
President William Howard Taft to President August F. Ernst of the college,
commending the work and wishing the Lutherans of the Wisconsin Synod success in
their undertaking.
The
message was received with enthusiasm by the 3,000 people who had gathered to
witness the dedication of the new gymnasium, which was presented by the
Northwestern College Club of Milwaukee, and the unveiling of the statue
presented by the congregation of St. Mathew’s Lutheran church, Milwaukee.
The
services opened at 2 o’clock. Leading
Lutherans from all parts of southern Wisconsin were present. A delegation of 500 Milwaukee alumni of the
college, their wives and friends, left the Public Service building, Milwaukee,
at 7:45 o’clock Sunday morning to attend the exercises. Delegations also attended from Kenosha,
Racine, Jefferson, Juneau and other Wisconsin cities.
The
unveiling ceremony took place in front of the gymnasium. President Taft’s telegram was handed to the
Rev. August C. Bindler, pastor of St. Mathew’s congregation, Milwaukee, who had
charge of the ceremonies.
The
message read:
Beverly,
Mass., Oct. 20, 1912.
To the
Rev. August F. Ernst, President of Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis.
“I
congratulate you and your association on the occasion of the dedication of the
new gymnasium of Northwestern college.
From my boyhood, I have been on terms of intimacy with men of your
church, for in my home town more than one-third of our people are German, a
great majority of whom are Lutherans. I
cannot too highly commend their sturdy character and reliance for the great
part they have taken in our civilization.
Those whom I knew best were the leaders of those Germans who went into
the Civil War to uphold the union, vindicate freedom and eradicate
slavery. I understand that your college
strives for religion, liberal education and good health. I wish you every success and feel sure that
your efforts will be for the good of the church, the people of the church and
the country.
William
Howard Taft.”
We
deeply appreciate the interest taken in our school by President Taft and his
thoughtful expression of good wishes,” said President Ernst in response to the
telegram. “We all know that President
Taft is greatly interested in all that pertains to education and progress and
we will cherish this greeting from the highest official in the land.
The
Milwaukee alumni of Northwestern thank President Taft sincerely for his
expression of good wishes,” said the Rev. August O. Bindler, president of the
Northwestern College club of Milwaukee in response to the telegram. “It is highly gratifying to find that our
chief executive so greatly concerns himself with every movement forward among
the educational institutions of our country.
The
statue presented to the college by St. Mathew’s church stands directly in front
of the new gymnasium. It depicts a young
athlete “on his mark” all ready for the race.
After remarks by the Rev. Mr. Bindler, the veil was withdrawn by Irene
Bindler while the college band played “The Star Spangled Banner.”
After
the unveiling of the statue, E. A. Wurster, Milwaukee, chairman of the
committee which financed the gymnasium, presented the keys of the new building
to the president of the club that was responsible for its erection. Mr. Wurster told of the first turn [turner?]
hall that was built over thirty years ago, when he and Mr. Bindler were
students at the college, and of the efforts that were necessary to raise the
$600 spent in its erection. He compared
the new building with the old and told of the quick response made by alumni and
friends of Northwestern college when the committee started to raise the $30,000
that the new gymnasium cost.
Mr.
Wurster said:
“We
all know that when we first talked of the probable cost of the new structure we
never dreamed we would be able to gather together a sum sufficient to defray
the cost of such a building as now stands before us, equal in every way to the
best the country affords. And while a few
thousand dollars are still necessary to settle all bills, our committee has
assumed the difference and will finish its undertaking so that your synod is
safe and held absolutely harmless for any expense connected therewith when it
accepts this building from our hands.”
President
Ernst expressed his thanks on behalf of the college to the Northwestern College
club of Milwaukee for its donation.
“It is
encouraging to us in our work here,” he said, “to find that our alumni who have
gone out into the world will still remember us with kindly thoughts. And when their interest in their alma mater
takes concrete expression in such useful and bountiful manner, we are tenfold
gratified.”
After
the conclusion of the outdoor ceremonies, the doors were opened and the crowd
filed in. The college band and mixed
choirs opened the services of the afternoon with music. The Rev. P. G. Bergeman, Fond du Lac,
president of the Wisconsin synod, preached.
The dedication speech was made by the Rev. H. H. Ebert, Milwaukee.
President
Ernst delivered an address on the significance of labor and the necessity of
having strong bodies to do a man’s work in the world. The gymnasium is a place for work, he said,
where the young men fit themselves for the physical side of their life work, no
matter where their callings should lead them.
At the
close of the service, the student body and the alumni gathered informally in
the gymnasium, singing the songs of the college and renewing
acquaintances. The Milwaukee delegation
left Watertown for home at 6 o’clock.
The
new gymnasium was made possible through the efforts of the Northwestern College
club of Milwaukee, composed of alumni and former students of the college. When the work first started it was thought
that a modest building would be erected.
But the response for funds was so gratifying that it was decided to put
up the present structure, which is one of the finest small college gymnasiums
in the west.
12 07 SPLENDID NEW GYMNASIUM
Northwestern
College is to be congratulated on the splendid new gymnasium presented by the
Milwaukee alumni. The handsome building
pictured and described in the current issue of Black and Red, the
college periodical, cannot but add to the attractions of the college, and what
means far more, to its usefulness, to its equipment for meeting all the needs
of the young men who go there to fit themselves for the work they will have to
do. So universal is the recognition
today of the need of real physical training and development that one does not
have to argue for athletics in college.
The function of the college today is to develop every side of a man that
it is able to reach, and only as it does this will it earn its right to appeal
as a place that fits men for life. WG
1913
Rev.
Christians attended Northwestern, graduating in 1913.
NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE BAND IN 1913
Irvin Gamm
is standing fourth from the right in the second row from back.
1914
02 12 GRAND CONCERT / Greatest Event of the Season
Northwestern
College boys to render exceptionally fine program on Thursday evening, February
26, 1914, at the college auditorium. At
least everything tends to turn that way.
Anyone who has heard of Mr. Duetzmann of Milwaukee will surely agree as
to the magnificence of this concert. The
college organizations, which, as everyone knows, consist of three bodies,
namely, band, orchestra and chorus, with a few sub-divisions, feel themselves
capable of rendering a good program much earlier in the season than was
formerly their wont. The orchestra will
first appear for two consecutive numbers, after which will follow a piano solo
by Miss Ernst, a very able musician.
Then the college quartette will make its appearance. After that the chorus will delight us with
several selections. The Girl’s Glee Club
of the college, under the guidance of Miss Ernst, will also appear, and last
but not least the band. This concert is
expected to be a success in every respect.
Everyone is cordially invited to attend.
WG
PREPARATORY GRADUATION CLASS
06 11 GRAND COMMENCEMENT Concert - Will Outclass All Previous
Presentations
PROF. H. B. DUETZMANN Violin Solo.
The
boys at Northwestern College, being well aware of their success in their last
annual concert and their prestige among the musicians of Watertown, have
decided to give them another treat on the evening of the 18th of June. This concert will be one of the great
features of commencement day and for this very reason the boys have entered the
work with extraordinary zeal; they feel assured of success in every
respect. The band, orchestra and chorus
have now had a full year of systematic practice and training and are now in an
ideal condition for a concert. Their
selections are something entirely new, something that will “take” with all
music lovers. The quartette and Girls’
Glee club will also appear again with “snap and catch” to cheer the audience
and give the right flavor to the evening’s program. The main feature of the program, however,
will be a violin solo by the director, Prof. Duetzmann. He will give you a real treat in violin
music, and all who were fortunate in hearing him at the last concert will
surely come again. Miss Eichrodt of
Milwaukee, a professional pianist, will accompany him. Judging from the enthusiasm awakened at their
last concert, there will, no doubt, be a very large audience present. Tickets will therefore be on sale at Gamm’s
Corner Drug Store. WG
1915
01 28 FIFTEENTH
ANNUAL CONCERT of various musical organizations
A rare musical treat is in store
for the music-loving public of Watertown and vicinity, for on Thursday, Feb.
11, they will be able to hear the well-known virtuoso, Mr. Hugo Bach of
Milwaukee perform on his favorite instrument, the violin cello. He will appear in two numbers in the
fifteenth annual concert of the various musical organizations of Northwestern
College. Another feature of this concert
will be a tenor solo by Prof. Hans B. A.
Duetzmann of Milwaukee, who for the last two years has been director of the musical organizations at
Northwestern College. Both Mr. Bach
and Mr. Duetzmann are already very favorably known in this city, so that much
comment is not necessary. Miss Else M.
Eichrodt, pianist, of Milwaukee, will accompany both soloists on the
piano. The fact alone that these two men
will appear on the program vouches for an excellent concert, one that will be
well worth attending.
Besides this, the band will play
two selections. The orchestra will
appear three times, twice with independent selections and once playing the
accompaniment for the “Soldiers’ Chorus” from “Faust,” which will be sung by
the male chorus. The latter organization
will also sing two other selections. And
the male quartette, which has always been so popular at these concerts, will
sing. The quartet has been making
excellent progress and is better than ever this year. The Girls’ Glee Club has practiced a
beautiful little song by Schubert, which they will sing that evening.
It is safe to say that this
concert at the Northwestern College Auditorium on the evening of Feb. 11 will
be one that should not be missed by every true friend of music, and that no one
will be disappointed in attending it.
The doors of the auditorium will
be open at 7:15 o’clock, and the concert will begin at 8 o’clock p.m.
sharp. Admission is 50 cents for
reserved seats and 35 cents for seats in the balcony. Tickets may be bought from a number of
students. Seats may be reserved without extra
charge after 9 a.m. on Feb. 4th at Gamm’s Corner Drug Store.
Let’s go! WG
02 18 A SPLENDID
CONCERT
A large audience was present last
Thursday evening in the auditorium at Northwestern College to enjoy the concert
given by the musical organizations of the college. The program was made up of orchestra, band
and vocal numbers; the girl’s glee club under the direction of Miss Elizabeth
Ernst was a feature of the evening, rendering in a first-class manner “Gypsy
Life.” The concert was of a very high
order and a better pleased audience never attended a like entertainment in the
city. Following was the program in full
. . . WG
04 16 WILL
CELEBRATE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
Northwestern’s Big Jubilee
Northwestern College will Celebrate Fiftieth Anniversary on
the 19th and 20th of June.
Excursion Trains Will Run
Rev. Chr. Saner attended the meeting of the Northwestern
College Board at Watertown of which he is a member, last week. In addition to the regular routine
work, the board discussed at some length the program for the fiftieth
anniversary celebration of the well-known institution of learning, which is to
occur in June of this year. The
exact date for this jubilee has been set on the 19th and 20th days of
June. The details of the
program will be arranged by the committee of the synod will be published
later. A later attendance
at the celebration from all parts of the state is expected. Excursion trains from Milwaukee and
other large cities will, in all probability, carry the crowds to the city,
whose inhabitants will consider this a gala occasion, looked for with great
pride.
06 02 DEATH
OF PROF. MARTIN EICHMANN
The sudden death of Prof. Martin Eickmann, the inspector,
threw a pall over preparations for the celebration. He passed away in his sleep
on the night of June 2. Students had the first inkling that something was amiss
the next morning when one after the other awoke and looking at his watch
noticed that the time was long past six o’clock when the inspector made his
rounds to summon sleepers from dreamland with his bright call
"Aufstehnl" and the inevitable rap of his keys on the iron bedsteads
(Kiessling, 67).
Many attributed the death of the inspector not to the wide
variety of problems that come with dorm supervision, but rather the
"constant pinpricks, the deadly routine, and the lack of rest."
Kowalke writes: "What helped him to carry on for twelve years without
assistance was his understanding of boys and his sympathy with their problems,
his sense of humor, and above all his unwavering confidence that the Word of
God, which was so much a part of the student’s life, would work its wonders on
their hearts and minds" (155).
_________________________
The Black and Red, NWS, 06 1917
Prof. Martin Christian Eickmann was born in Fredersdorf,
Ukermark, Prussia Sept. 21, 1859. With
this parents he came to America in the year 1866 and settled in Fond Du
Lac. While at Fond Du Lac he attended
the parochial school and later enrolled as a student of Northwestern,
1872. He completed his course at
Northwestern in the year 1879 and entered the Seminary, then situated in
Milwaukee. On account of scarcity of
ministers, he was graduated from the Seminary in March 1882 and immediately
accepted a call to Center, Outagamie Co., Wis.
At Center he was active until 1890.
Then he was called to Menomonee and resided there as pastor until Oct.
1903 when he received a call to perform as inspector and professor at his Alma
Mater. Here he was an active and
interested member of the faculty. His
work was to care for the boys in the dormitory and with one voice all who had
lived under his care say his work was done well. Thus he was employed until he was suddenly
called to his Lord and Saviour June 2, 1915.
His sudden and unexpected death plunged the entire school in deepest
sorrow. The loss to the school is an irretrievable one. The faculty has lost an earnest and
conscientious co-worker, the student body a fatherly advisor and guide. He died as he had lived, quietly,
gently. He had never forsaken his post
of duty until grim death itself relieved him.
His body is dead and buried, but a warm memory of him lives and will
continue to live.
06 24 COLLEGE
JUBILEE A JOYOUS AFFAIR
Gray-haired
ministers and retired business men and farmers who were graduated from
Northwestern college nearly fifty years ago met Saturday at the golden jubilee
celebration of the college here.
It was a joyous reunion, the biggest thing of its kind in
Northwestern’s history. There was
pathos, too, in the mutual acknowledgement of high hopes of college days still
unrealized or other misfortunes suffered.
It was a big day in every sense; big with the feeling of chums and
friends long separated; big in plans for the future for individuals and for the
college; it was big, too, in the sense of numbers, for graduates and friends of
the institution came from many parts of the Middle West.
Formal exercises started with religious services on the
college campus at 10 a.m. There were
sermons by the Rt. Rev. G. Bergemann of Fond du Lac, and by the Rt. Rev. Carl
Gausewitz of Grace church, Milwaukee.
At 3 p.m. the official reunion commenced. Special cars brought many delegations from
surrounding towns. Milwaukee was
represented by a big excursion. WG
06 24 CONFER
DEGREES DURING JUBILEE / Professor Ernst Receives His Doctorate.
The joyful spirit that prevailed at the opening of the
session of the Lutheran synod in this city Friday was not subdued in the
evening by the cold and rain. The large
auditorium of the new gymnasium where the grand concert was given was
filled. About 1000 attended. Orchestra, male chorus, ladies’ glee club, N.
W. C. quartet and band, all under the leadership of Prof. Hans Duetzmann,
Milwaukee, presented their numbers in a masterly way. Very pleasing was the violin solo of Prof.
Deutzmann.
The first excursion from Milwaukee brought a large crowd
just in time to take part in the commencement.
Faculty, graduates and jubilee committee were seated on the stage. The Rev. Hans Moussa, Jefferson, Wis., gave
the invocation. Prof. A. Ernst,
president of the institution, conferred the degrees and diplomas. WG
06 25 SIX
THOUSAND AT FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY SERVICES
WELL-KNOWN WATERTOWN LUTHERAN COLLEGE CELEBRATES IT’S FIFTIETH
ANNIVERSARY
Six Thousand at Services
Last Sunday, June 20th, 1915, the Northwestern College at Watertown celebrated its fiftieth anniversary or
golden jubilee.
This well-known school was established fifty years ago, on a
small scale from which it has grown to be one of the largest and best known
Lutheran Theological Colleges in the United States.
When the school was first established it had, in connection
with its theological department, a school of secular instruction for the
teaching of academic subjects, and many young men who desired to become
teachers in the public schools of the state were found among the student
enrollment. This was before
the days of state normal schools, or at least at a time when there were only
three normal schools in the state.
In later years this department, we understand, was
discontinued and the school became known, primarily, as a Lutheran Theological
college.
The jubilee exercises of last Sunday were attended by not
less than 10,000 people all told. Special
trains were run on the Northwestern Road from Janesville and Fond du Lac to
Watertown and excursion trains were run on the St. Paul Road from Milwaukee and
Portage to Watertown bringing thousands of people to the big jubilee. In speaking of the celebration the Watertown Daily Times in a column write-up, said, among
other things:
“The religious exercises on the shaded grounds at 10:30
Sunday morning were attended by at least 6,000 persons. The congregational singing of the
Southern Wisconsin Sangerbund, that
large body of men and women who had been taught to thus mingle their voices in
that branch of worship, was something worthy of a place firmly stamped upon
memory’s plates. Added to
that were several selections by the combined female and male choruses.”
The sermon in German was by the Rev. Gustav Bergemann of Fond du Lac, president of the
Wisconsin synod. The sermon
in English was by Pastor C. Gausewitz,
president of the joint synod. In
both there was that deep religious thought which characterizes the teachings of
the denomination. But
instruction in love for the free country that is their home - the need of
abiding patriotism - was not lacking.
The afternoon was given over to an informal reunion of
former students on the grounds, friends of the institution also
participating. The
exercises were presided over by the Rev. H. H. Ebert of Milwaukee, chairman of
the committee which arranged the jubilee celebration.
06 29 SUCCESSOR TO PROF. MARTIN EICHMAN
A
meeting of the board of trustees of Northwestern College will be held in
Watertown on Wednesday when the matter of selecting a successor to Prof. Martin
Eichman will be considered. At this
meeting it is proposed to devise a scheme whereby the duties of inspector will
be lessened and it is with the probabilities that the former onerous duties
will be divided. WDT
08 19 RUNAWAY ACCIDENT
In a
runaway accident on Monday Anton von Heiden, employed at Northwestern college,
was thrown from his wagon and had one of his legs broken. WG
1916
06 27 PARTICIPATE
IN PICNIC AT BETHESDA
A
Milwaukee contingent of 350 Lutherans of twenty-eight churches took two special
trains on the electric road and added to the 6,000 that had already gathered
from this city, Jefferson and Fort Atkinson.
The party was escorted to the Bethesda home
by the St. John’s band and the morning service in German which followed
immediately was led by the Rev. Clarence Sheuer of Lowell, Mass. The afternoon program was in English being
featured by a sermon by the Rev. H. C. Jans and a talk to the children by Prof. Theodore Schlueter of the
Northwestern college.
Dinner
and supper were served in one of the buildings by the ladies of St. Mark’s
church. Choir numbers were given by the
Watertown members on the lawns surrounding the buildings which were specially
decorated for the occasion. WL
1917
NWC
CLASS OF 1907,
10th class reunion
1918
11 18 CLOSING
ORDER
The Spanish influenza,
which at the present time is affecting a considerable portion of the population
of Watertown, has also acquainted itself with our students.
The first victims, the
Messrs. Pautz, Hein, Boettcher and Degner, were at once removed to the sick
room where with the aid of medical care will soon regain their health. Miss Doris Ott is the first co-ed to be
affected with the influenza. Watertown News 10 18 1918
09 30 RIFLES
RECEIVED FROM WATERTOWN GUARD UNIT
The local guards were formerly using old rifles which
were loaned to Northwestern college.
1919
PROF. E. E. KOWALKE appointed president of the college.
January “GET
THE SNOW SHOVELS OUT!”
The
Black and Red [Northwestern College], 01 1919
Although
everyone enjoys the warm weather and the bright sunshine, about three weeks
before Christmas we all began to wish for snow, so that Santa Claus could bring
our presents in his reindeer sled. Then
one Sunday afternoon Mother Goose shook her feather-bed and our wish was
granted. We awoke the next morning to find
the ground covered with a beautiful mantle of white. Of course to the collegiate [students at
NorthWestern College] this was a pleasing sight, but for the students of the
Preparatory Department it meant, “Get the snow shovels out!” How much nicer everything appeared in its new
coat of white. The college park is
especially picturesque in the evening.
The many lights in the dormitory cause the tall pine trees to throw dark
shadows on the white background, bringing out a beautiful contrast. Beyond the college hill the dark waters of
the Rock River flow between banks of white, winding among the trees above
the banks. Already the students are
awaiting the time when the ice will be solid enough for skating.
The
campus also makes a much better impression now,
with the new hospital in the back ground [St.
Mary’s hospital]. This building is
three stories high, built of red brick, and is a decided improvement over the
old frame structure. At night it looks
especially nice with the many lights shining out on the snow covered earth. But
for all its beauty I do not believe there is one of us who would like to be
taken there. The Black and
Red, 01 1919
___________________________________
Auditorium
April SICKNESS HITS FACULTY
Sickness
laid its hands on two members of the faculty, Dr. A. F. Ernst and Professor H.
A. Frank. For the first time in
forty-nine years Dr. Ernst could not attend commencement exercises as he was in
a hospital at Milwaukee. Professor Frank
had been able to be with us during the morning, but had left early in the
afternoon to be gone on a leave of absence which the Board of Trustees had
granted him with the hope that with God's help he might regain his health. The Black And Red, 04 1919.
DORMITORY AND GAZEBO
1921
ICE SKATING OPPORTUNITIES
Ice Skating on the Rock at Riverside
Park
All lovers of skating are surely indebted to the weatherman for the
winter has been ideal for ice sports, since the absence of snow places the
entire river at the students' disposal, and the agreeable temperature makes the
outdoor exercise a pleasure. Many
students take interest in skating, and during free time many youngsters are
seen strolling toward the river with a pair of skates under their arms. Again, we see them at the supper table with
glowing cheeks, thus proving to us that above all skating develops a good
appetite. Action taken by the city,
especially by the Chamber of Commerce, increased the local interest for winter
sports very much.
The wide bend of the river at Riverside Park offers a well adapted place
for an ice rink, which is cleared from snow, whenever necessary and is
illuminated in the evening by electric lights.
A clubhouse is also at the skater's disposal, where skates are rented,
clothes are checked, refreshments and confectionery offered for sale, and which
affords rest and warmth to those who are tired and cold. These improvements in Watertown are certainly
appreciated by the students and young people of the city. Derived from The Black and Red, Norhtwestern College publication of 02
1921
03 04 THE RENOWNED FRITZ KREISLER AT NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE
1922
W. H. Graebner, Northwestern College Board of
Trustees, 26 years.
1935
05 21 NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE HAS PART IN MUSICAL EXHIBIT
Northwestern College, rich in musical
tradition in the community has contributed to the Watertown musical history
exhibit, which is now in process at the public library. The
exhibit is sponsored by the Watertown Historical Society in cooperation with
the Euterpe club and
will be open daily from now till June 1.
The college contribution to the exhibit is a
collection of programs of musical events in Watertown, notably at the college,
which has been complied by Walter E. Ott, son of Dr. J. H. Ott, veteran member
of the college faculty.
There is a section from the history of the
college which was written in 1915 by Dr. Arthur Hoermann. This relates especially to the part the
college has played in musical circles in the community.
Included also in the collection are copies of
programs, past and present, of musical events.
There is one program of the eight annual concert by the college band and
orchestra given in 1908. There were then
23 band members and 21 members in the orchestra. There also are copies of the programs
presented in the college auditorium by such world-famous artists such as
Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Fritz Kreisler,
Muscha Elman, Alberto Salvi, Anna Case, Ley Weston and others.
There are also programs from the Minneapolis
Symphony concert which was directed by the late Henri Verbrugghen, St. Olaf’s
choir of New Ulm, Minn., which appeared here under the leadership of the
renowned F. Melius Christiansen and programs from many other of the renowned
organizations in music which have either been sponsored locally by the college
or which were given in the college auditorium.
That Watertown’s musical history would have
been far less brilliant had the college not been active in the art is evident
from the collection of programs it now contributes to the exhibition. And the college record is by no means
complete, because many of the programs are missing. Until Mr. Ott set to work to compile and
prepare some sort of record there was no organized collection of such
historical data. He is planning to make
the scrapbook even more complete and to add additional records to it as he
comes across them in his search of the college files and records.
08 12 NOTZ PAINTING DONATED TO WATERTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A painting by the late Dr. F.W.A. Notz, professor of Greek at
Northwestern College and a painter of note, has been donated to the Watertown Historical Society by the daughters of Dr. Notz, it was announced by Dr. E. C. Kiessling
of Northwestern College.
The picture arrived Sunday morning and the
announcement of its arrival was made during the Pioneer Day program at the
Octagon House by Dr. Kiessling. It was
he who suggested to the daughters that they contribute one of their father’s
works to the society. This suggestion was made some months ago during the
exhibit of paintings by Watertown artists which was held at the Elks Club.
The daughters at that time agreed to the
suggestion and made a special effort to get it here on Sunday. The painting is entitled "Rock River at
Watertown." It is a water color and
is to be placed permanently in the Octagon House.
Dr. Notz and his family used to live in
Western Avenue. Dr. Notz, who is still
remembered here by a great many people, taught at the college more than 40
years and painted numerous Watertown scenes.
The 3 daughters now reside in Washington where
one of them, Mrs. Cornelia, is one of the head departmental librarians of the
Congressional library. Getting this
painting by the man who distinguished himself in the field of education here is something
every member of the historical society will appreciate, and it is certainly
worth preserving in the permanent collection of objects at the Octagon
House.
1946
College Band
1947
1940s
Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, ambassador from
the Philippines, spoke at College during the darkest days of World War II WDT
-- -- LIBRARY
SCIENCE BUILDING
Now
Luther Prep East Campus Center
The former
Library Science building. This building
was dedicated for use in 1950. There
have been some changes. The top floor
now [2019] contains a conference room, a classroom and the Art room. The middle floor has three classrooms, the
nurse's office, the librarians' office and the main entrance to the library. The bottom floor has classrooms as well as
the Prep Shop, network services' storage area and the lower level of the
library.
c.1950
HILTON OSWALD, MUSIC PROFESSOR
Born
in New Ulm, Minnesota, in 1907, Prof. Hilton attended St. Paul’s Evangelical
Lutheran School, Martin Luther Academy, Northwestern College, and graduated
from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1932.
After teaching as tutor and professor at Northwestern Lutheran Academy
in Mobridge, South Dakota, he accepted a call in 1939 to become professor of
music at Northwestern College and Preparatory School. He taught the numerous music classes,
directed the choirs and the band in both departments, and taught college Latin. When a need arose at Wisconsin Lutheran
Seminary in 1944, Prof. Oswald rendered willing assistance and traveled once a
week to Mequon to rehearse the Seminary choir and to teach classes in hymnology
and church music. In 1963 he accepted an
offer to do literary work at Concordia Publishing House, Saint Louis, and soon
became house editor. In this position he
aided the completion of the American Edition of Luther’s works. After he retired from this position, he
became editor of the Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, the
official publication of the Concordia Historical Institute. In 1979 Concordia Seminary conferred upon him
the honorary degree, Doctor of Letters.
Cross Reference:
Studies
in Lutheran Chorales, Scholarly publication by Prof. Oswald (98 pages).
PAUL G. EICKMANN, SCIENCE PROFESSOR
c.1950
Son,
Paul E. Eickmann, joined NWC faculty in 1966, replacing Prof. Kowalke, as
instructor in Hebrew. The elder Eickmann
has long been a faculty member as instructor in science.
1952
03 28 ANNUAL
EASTER
CONCERT
Northwestern College Male Chorus. The male chorus has prepared for the annual
Easter concert of the choral groups of the college at college gymnasium. Prof. H. C. Oswald is the director.
-- -- St. MATTHEW’S LUTHERAN, OCONOMOWOC
07 22
Laying
the Corner Stone. Rev. Prof. H. Oswald,
guest speaker
12 01 COLLEGE CAGERS
The Cagers put on their running shoes Friday night and galloped to a
104-86 victory over the Thiensville Seminary in a game played on the college court
here. The 104 points set a new record
for the school gym and was also a new high total for a Northwestern team. The NWC 1953-54 team hit 103 points against
Aurora in a game at Aurora and a 99 point mark set two years ago was the high
for the gym here. The game was close
only to the opening minutes when the Sem, paced by Rich Winter, George Rothe
and Dan Habeck, all former NWC cagers, stayed with the collegians in the chase
for the bucket. However, Northwestern
began to pull away as the half wore on and the collegians were out in front at
the intermission, 55 to 41.
1954
April NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE STUDENT VISITS SACRED HEART COLLEGE
On the other side of our fair city stands another institution of
learning which is known to us as Sacred Heart College. We, the students of
Northwestern College know very little about it, and whenever it is mentioned it
is spoken of as something almost mysterious.
I would like to throw a little light on the subject of Sacred Heart, to
give the students up here a better understanding of it. My comments in this article are all personal
observations and are correct so far as I know.
I made no attempt to dig down into the Catholic doctrines, but only
observed what they do without asking for explanations.
The first thing I noticed was that there are few students at S. H.
C. At the time of my last visit there
were less than thirty. The students
ranged in age from about 14 to 21. They
stay at Sacred Heart only six months, before they transfer to another school in
Indiana, after which they transfer either to Notre Dame or Texas. In other words two different groups of
students come to Sacred Heart each year.
They come from all parts of the country, from New York to Hollywood.
None of the students at Sacred Heart are studying for the priesthood,
but rather will become brothers, the duties of which are not clearly known to
me. I suppose one might compare them to
our parochial school teachers.
Studies are not stressed nearly so much at Sacred Heart as they are
here at Northwestern. There is a short
study period in the evening (shorter than ours by half). There are no free afternoons such as those we
have here. The day is divided up and
scheduled in such a way as to keep the student busy from morning till night. I believe in this way a genuine interest is
developed in the student's work, making his life truly peaceful and free from
worry. No one may leave the grounds
except on very special occasions. There
is no thought of going out at night; rather the students retire already at
9:30, since they must arise about 5:00 a.m.
To a Lutheran's eye there appears to be much self-denial, and yet one
must admire a person who can give so many things up; no smoking is allowed. As far as I know no letters are written or
received. At least such was the case
during Lent.
I spoke especially to a young fellow from Michigan. His high school days had been much the same
as those of any average American boy's as far as smoking, drinking, girls,
dates, and dancing were concerned. He
said it did not seem hard at all to give up these things, because he was kept
busy enough and was truly interested in his life and work at Sacred Heart.
Each student has a special duty assigned to him, which is his
obedience. Some work in the barn, others
have other jobs. The students have quite
a number of cattle and chickens, which must be cared for, and they also raise a
large amount of their own garden food.
They have a cook but nevertheless help out in the kitchen themselves.
Much of the space is not used at Sacred Heart, and it is not at all
crowded as it is here.
The students make beads and statues of Christ and the Saints as sort
of a hobby or pastime. They have a
recreation room, but they cannot listen to the radio just any time they want
to, nor are they allowed to read any newspapers.
They have a chapel which is more beautiful than ours with its statues
and stained glass.
At every door they have a little container with holy water, in which
the students and teachers dip their fingers and then cross themselves, which
gives them an indulgence of a certain number of days in purgatory.
Any student who is interested I am sure would be welcome to visit
Sacred H. C. on some Sunday afternoon where he could get an inside view of the school
and its activities; my visits to this school were very interesting, and I know
there are many more things to learn.
WERE (The Black and Red, April, 1954)
08 10 TWO
BUILDINGS DEMOLISHED
Northwestern
College will begin razing two buildings on its campus Monday to make room for
scheduled further expansion of the college.
The two buildings to be removed are the old classroom building and the
residence at 1300 Western Avenue, which many persons identify as the "old Dr. John H. Ott residence." The late Dr. Ott was for many years a member
of the college faculty. The home has not
been occupied for some time. The two
buildings will provide the site for a new classroom and chapel building. Plans for this project were announced some
time ago, but no starting date has been set.
However, the site is being cleared and it is hoped work on the new
structure can be started perhaps before the end of this year WDT
1955
11 28 BIGGEST
BUILDING PROJECT
Northwestern
College, now in the midst of its biggest building project since the college was
founded, is making plans for the formal dedication of its three newest
buildings sometime next summer or early autumn. Excavation work on the latest
of the three new units was completed some time ago. It is the new
classroom-chapel building. Footing for the classroom hall has been poured and
form setting for the walls was started recently. WDT
1955
11 30 The new classroom-chapel building to be
erected on the Campus of Northwestern College will cost an estimated $360,000.
Work on the new building has started and it is to be completed in August of
1956 at which time dedicatory services are being planned for the unit, together
with that of two other new buildings constructed on the campus, the refectory
and the dormitory. In addition to the permit for the classroom-chapel building,
college authorities have been granted a building permit for a new $16,000
residence for faculty use. Construction of the new classroom-chapel building
will bring the Northwestern College new building outlay on its campus to well
over one million dollars. WDT
1956
03 02 The cornerstone for the new chapel and
classroom building now under construction at Northwestern College will be laid
at a ceremony to be held at the college gym next Sunday afternoon, March 11, at
1956
05 08 When the Wisconsin Synod of the Lutheran Church
meets in Watertown Aug. 21 to 23 for a recessed convention session a final
decision on the long and controversial issue of breaking ties with the
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is due to be taken, according to press
dispatches from Milwaukee today. The sessions here will be at Northwestern
College Gymnasium and the program as now prepared will include the dedication
of new college buildings including the refectory, dormitory, class building and
chapel. The Wisconsin Synod has been marking time since it passed its
resolution at Saginaw
1959
GERHARD FRANZMANN JOINED FACULTY
Gerhard ‘Gerry’ W.
Franzmann, 1918-2016
02 18 Prof.
E. E. Kowalke resigned his office as president of the college effective
next July 1. President since 1919 WDT
02 20 Prof. Carleton A. Toppe expected
to accept the call to become president of the college WDT
08 25 1959-60 term began; Prof.
Carleton Toppe, new president WDT
1961
REV. PAUL KUEHL
Joins faculty;
taught Greek in the college department and Latin in the prep department.
09 19 Molding football teams out of players who often have only the
slightest idea of what the game is about has been the lot of Coach Len Umnus
for a full 24 seasons at Northwestern College.
The veteran mentor will be sending his 25th into combat Saturday in a
nonconference opener at Elmhurst, Ill., and any intelligent bettor would wager
that the Trojans will win. He’d have
solid backing from history. Over the 24
years Umnus has been at the helm “up on the hill” the Trojans (formerly the
Goslings) have won 115 games, tied 7 and lost only 36. Records hardly come any better than
that. WDT
10 26 Northwestern
College, an original member of the Badger-Gopher Conference which was formed in
1957 with eight teams from Wisconsin and Minnesota, is leaving that league to
join a new 12 team circuit that includes colleges in Wisconsin and Illinois.
Dropping out of conference competition will be Northland of Ashland, Wis.,
Bethel of St. Paul and Northwestern of Minneapolis. WDT
1962
02 27 UNCERTAIN
FUTURE /
Study to determine future
Northwestern
College, due to observe its centennial in 1964-65, faces an uncertain future as
it nears its 100th birthday. Late last year the Daily Times learned that there would probably be major developments
affecting the college, with a study being proposed which would, in a large
measure, play a part in determining the future of the institution. Any
decisions to be made, as a result of the study, will not be made on the local
level but will be determined at a synodical conference level. The development
since last year’s reports is now in the open. It has been announced that an
educational consultant has begun a study of the entire educational set-up of
the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod which owns, maintains and operates
Northwestern College.
1963
01 25 NEW ORGAN FOR CHAPEL
A new pipe organ for the chapel
was delivered by truck from Buffalo, New York.
Technicians from the factory of the builders of the instrument will
begin the installation immediately. The
organ is a two-manual and pedal pipe organ of twenty-one ranks containing a
total of 1,152 pipes. Its acquisition
has been made possible through the gifts and bequests received from friends of
the college over a period of years. WDT
03 05 Arnold O. Lehmann, a professor
at Northwestern College, has been awarded an Aid Association for Lutherans
Faculty Fellowship to do additional graduate work during the 1963-64 school
year. He will also study during the 1963
summer session. Prof. Lehmann will study
for his doctor of philosophy degree at Western Reserve University,
Cleveland. WDT
03 09 NEW ORGAN DEDICATED
Northwestern College at a special
service held last night in the college chapel dedicated its newly installed
organ. The rite of dedication was
pronounced by Prof. Hilton C. Oswald, who also served as liturgist. The sermon was delivered by Prof. Carleton
Toppe, president of the college, and Prof. Arnold O. Lehman was at the
organ. The two-manual organ which was
recently installed consists of 19 stops, and 20 ranks of pipe. It was designed as an instrument to accompany
hymns and play worship service music. WDT
03 14 COACH
LEONARD J. UMNUS
Named an award winner recently by
the Sports Trail Century Club, an organization maintained by the Kendall
Company, to recognize the contributions of dedicated coaches throughout the
nation. Coach Umnus was made a member of
the Sports Trail Century Club for his record of 143 victories in football. WDT
1964
06 04 ARNOLD LEHMANN named conductor of
Municipal Band
Prof.
Arnold O. Lehmann, director of music at Northwestern College, has been
named conductor of the Watertown Municipal Band
and will make his first public appearance in his new capacity at Thursday
night’s opening concert of the summer series at Riverside Park. Announcement of Prof. Lehmann’s acceptance of
the offer to conduct the band was made today.
He succeeds Gerald Stich of Waterloo who resigned because he will be
attending a summer school. Since coming
to Watertown to take over his duties at Northwestern College, Prof. Lehmann has
developed an outstanding musical activities program and has presented, as part
of his duties, numerous college concerts, many of them for the public. WDT
1965
1965, aerial view of campus
05 11 GUTENBERG BIBLE REPLICA, Kowalke centennial gift
A rare edition of the Bible has
been added to the Northwestern College Library.
It is a gift, made during the college’s centennial year, by Prof. and
Mrs. E. E. Kowalke. Prof. Kowalke, who
served as president of the college from 1919 to 1959, became head of the
college six years after he joined the faculty.
He is now president emeritus and still teaches Hebrew as part of the
college course. In its 100 years, the
college has had only four presidents, the present head being Prof. Carleton
Toppe who succeeded Prof. Kowalke. The
Bible presented to the college is a replica of the famed Gutenberg Bible, first
published in 1455-56. WDT
05 19 CENTENNIAL DAY TO BE HELD
Plans for the observance of
Northwestern College Centennial Day to be held on Monday, May 31, in connection
with the centennial year which the college has been observing, are moving
ahead, and it promises to be one of the outstanding events in the hundred year
history of the college. What began as a
college in the house at 814 North Fourth Street with one professor and three
students in September, 1963 has grown to a 14-acre campus with over 400
students and a large faculty today. The
college will hold its annual commencement exercises on Thursday, June 3. WDT
05 30 CENTENNIAL DAY SUCCESS
Despite inclement weather
throughout the day which sent spectators scurrying for shelter at various times
during the day's festivities, over 2,200 people were on hand on the college
campus Monday to help Northwestern College celebrate its special Northwestern
Day in observance of its centennial. The
hardiness and spirit of the large crowd present added much to make the day a
success. WDT
05 28 SENIOR CENTENNIAL CLASSES / Prof.
Kowalke’s Book
Much of the credit for the
success of the centennial observances on the Northwestern College campus this
year belongs to members of the senior Centennial Classes and their imaginative
officers. Monday’s Northwestern Day is
no exception. Each senior class, to a
man, has put an enormous amount of time and effort into the planning and
execution of this special celebration.
Already last year the college
senior class formed a voluntary fraternity, Tau Delta Theta, for the purpose of
making Centennial Year a year to remember.
The fraternity has served its purpose well. One of its major projects was the complete indexing of Prof. E. E. Kowalke’s
history, “Centennial Story.” WDT
08 06 CENTENNIAL FORMALLY CELEBRATED
Delegates to the 38th biennial
convention of the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod, meeting here at Northwestern
College, will formally celebrate the centennial of the college at a special
service on Sunday afternoon beginning at 3 o’clock. The speaker for the service
will be the Rev. Prof. E. E. Kowalke, president emeritus of the college. Prof.
Kowalke served as president from 1919-1959, and is the author of a recently
published centennial history of the college.
WDT
09 21 FOOTBALL MANIA — UMNUS STYLE
One of the most challenging
schedules in recent years faces the Northwestern College Trojans in 1965 as
football mania — Umnus style — takes over once again on the college
campus. Four conference foes and three
non-conference opponents make up a seven game schedule which opens this
Saturday at Eureka, Ill. Coach Len Umnus
is heading into his 30th anniversary year at Northwestern. Since his arrival on the Northwestern campus
in the winter of 1935 he has built a sports tradition second to none. WDT
1966
05 26 95th ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
Northwestern
College, which is to conduct its 95th annual commencement exercises Thursday
morning at 10 o’clock, will graduate a 1966 class of 35 seniors from the
college and 43 seniors from the college high school department. The exercises will be held in the college
gymnasium-auditorium. There will be two
orations on the program this year, in addition to the commencement address
which Prof. Carlton Toppe, the college president, will deliver.
07 02 WIDEN HILL STREET
A
request by Northwestern College authorities that it be permitted to widen an
alley, also known as Hill Street, is headed for additional study and
consideration following a public hearing last night during the opening period
of the council meeting during which the college’s plan was outlined by Attorney
Roland F. Dierker after which three residents of the area entered
objection. The City Planning Commission,
which already has had the matter under study, said the college wishes to
dedicate a portion of the college property to the street to assist in the proposed
widening plan. The alley will be
approximately 24 feet wide. Curb and
gutter construction will be supplied by the college, but the city is to
eliminate the “dip” at the intersection of College Avenue.
07 13 NEW RESIDENCE HALL
Announcement
of an expansion program by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, which will
include construction of a residence hall at Northwestern College in Watertown,
was made today. It was reported by the Daily Times some time ago that plans for
new construction on the college campus here were under consideration. Today’s announcement followed the report that
yesterday the synod had reached its $4,000,000 goal for expanding its educational
facilities.
08 24 PROF. KOWALKE Ending 53 Years of Teaching
Closes Career as Instructor; Still
President Emeritus.
Although he’ll remain a popular
figure on the campus, Prof. E. E. Kowalke, for many years president of
Northwestern College and now president emeritus, will not be teaching when the
institution begins its new term next month.
Prof. Kowalke, who taught Hebrew has given up teaching but will remain
as president emeritus.
In
1963 Prof. Kowalke completed a half century of classroom teaching at the
college. In his time he has taught five
languages, English, German, Latin, Greek and Hebrew.
His
more than half century of teaching began in 1913 with the reopening of the
college year following the annual Christmas recess that year. It continued without interruption until the close
of the 1965-66 college year last June.
Hebrew
classes have claimed place on his teaching schedule ever since his arrival 53
years ago. Throughout most of these years he also taught a class in English
literature.
As a
practitioner of j the art of teaching, Prof. Kowalke clearly demonstrated his
ability to impart subject matter effectively to his classes. At the same time he considered it his
obligation to place all of his teaching into the context of Christian faith and
life. Aside from communicating to his
students the facts and skills his courses called for, he also sought to give
them a Christian philosophy of life.
During
forty of the past 53 years he also served as president of Northwestern
College. He retired from his
administration responsibilities in 1959.
After
53 years in the classroom Professor Kowalke still retains such vigor of mind
and body that those who know him feel he will continue to be a campus figure
for years to come, spending his golden years amid the familiar surroundings where
the greatest share of his life has been spent and where he helped guide and
influence the lives of thousands of young people who studied under him.
Prof
Kowalke, a native of Kaukauna, Wis., attended and graduated from Northwestern
College. He is a member of the class of
1908. After completing theological
studies he was ordained to: the ministry and served as pastor at Tomahawk,
Wis., and a number of other places.
In
1913: he accepted a call here to become associated with the college and taught
there since January of that year.
In
1919 he succeeded the late Prof. A. F. Ernst as president of the institution
and had held that office until his resignation when he was succeeded in the
presidency by Prof. Carleton Toppe on July 1, 1959.
In its
more than one hundred years, North Western College has had only four
presidents. The first to hold the office
was Adam Martin. He was succeeded by
Prof. A. F. Ernst, with Prof. Kowalke the third to hold the position.
When
Prof. Kowalke resigned as president he was named president emeritus, thus the
present head of the college, Prof. Toppe is the fourth man to hold the office,
certainly a record for an institution of learning that goes back more than a
century.
During
the many years he has been associated with the college, Prof. Kowalke has
observed and supervised its growth. During his presidency a vast building and
expansion program was carried out on the campus.
Among
the new buildings constructed in recent years during his administration have
been the library and office building, the refectory and dormitory and a new
chapel.
The
college gymnasium, which dates back to 1912, was constructed the year before he
became a faculty member of the college.
Prof.
Kowalke has earned the respect of the students who have passed their college
years here while his associates, friends and acquaintances have shared a mutual
esteem and regard for him as an individual, friend and educator.
Replacing
Prof. Kowalke on the college faculty as instructor in Hebrew will be Paul E.
Eickmann, son of Prof. and Mrs. Paul G. Eickmann. The elder Eickmann has long been a faculty
member as instructor in science.
09 02 REV. THRAMS AND REV. EICKMANN
Two
Lutheran clergymen, the Rev. James Thrams and the Rev. Paul E. Eickmann, have
been named to the faculty of Northwestern College and will begin their teaching
careers when the college opens for the 1966-67 term on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Prof. Thrams is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Walter G. Thrams of 907 Dodge Street and Prof. Eickmann is the son of Prof. and
Mrs. Paul G. Eickmann of 511 Tower Road.
The elder Thrams is president of the Wisconsin National Bank while Prof.
Eickmann’s father has long been a member of the Northwestern College
faculty. Both of the new faculty members
were born in Watertown.
1967
03 04 FUNDRAISING FOR NEW RESIDENCE HALL (DORMITORY)
The Wisconsin
Evangelical Lutheran Synod, through its Milwaukee office, today announced that
the offerings for the expansion of its educational system, which includes the
construction of a new residence hall, or dormitory on the campus of
Northwestern College in Watertown, has “gone over the top.” As of March 3, when the latest returns were
compiled, the offerings stood at $5.5 million.
This exceeds the $4 million goal established by the synod at its
convention in 1965 by 37 percent.
06 03 REV. PROF. WALTER SCHUMANN RETIRES
The
Rev. Prof. Walter Schumann, a longtime member of the Northwestern College
faculty, has closed his career as a college instructor, with the end of the
college year.
Prof.
Schumann is 75. He was born in
Watertown, attended Northwestern College, studied at the Lutheran Seminary,
which was then located in Wauwatosa. In
addition to his teaching, he has held several pastorates. One of the three Schumann children is pastor
of Trinity Lutheran Church in Watertown.
He is the Rev. Walter A. Schumann.
There is another son, the Rev. Robert Schumann of Kenosha and the third
child is the wife of a pastor, the Rev. Norman Barenz of Zion, Ill.
Prof.
Schumann has devoted 37 years to the classroom and 14 years to pastorates. His devotion and service to both has been
proverbial.
May he
enjoy many more years of happiness, contentment and useful service in whatever
he undertakes in his years of retirement.
08 04 RETURN FROM RACIAL DISTURBANCE
Members
of the Watertown unit of the Wisconsin National Guard returned to Watertown
last evening after being on duty in Milwaukee as a result of the recent racial
disturbances in that city. The Watertown
unit was among some 1,300 guardsmen released from duty in Milwaukee late
yesterday afternoon. They remain on
"standby duty" and can be called out again if the need arises. Members of the guard here were "rounded
up" by telephone early last Sunday after the racial troubles broke out in
Milwaukee. They had just returned from
their two-week's annual encampment at Camp Riley, Minn., the day before.
01 09 PROFESSOR ERWIN SCHARF TRAVELS
After spending a little over five
months in Vietnam as a service-pastor, Professor Erwin Scharf of the
Northwestern College faculty was scheduled to leave Saigon today. His replacement, the Rev. Frederic Gilbert,
of West Allis, arrived there on Jan. 4.
Prof. Scharf was expected to spend a week helping him become acquainted
with the area and the nature of the assignment.
Professor Scharf left Watertown on Aug. 4 of this past year and arrived
in Saigon on Aug. 7, having made stops in Anchorage, Tokyo and Manila on the
way. For the past five months he has
served as civilian chaplain for the servicemen of the Wisconsin Evangelical
Synod. He travelled, in most cases by
military plane of helicopter, through the republic, visiting many of the bases
and hospitals at which the men of his church happened to be stationed. When he leaves Saigon today he is scheduled
to fly to Bangkok. From that center he
will visit several United States bases in Thailand at which men of the synod
are presently located. On Sunday morning
he will conduct a service in Bangkok. On
Monday he will travel to Hong Kong where he will spend a night with
missionaries of his church. On the
evening of Jan. 15 he has arranged to hold a service in Taipei for men
stationed at a number of United States airbases on Taiwan.
08
11 KIESSLING
PRESIDENT, BOARD OF LIBRARY COMMISSIONERS
Dr. E. C.
Kiessling, a member of the faculty of Northwestern College, has been elected
president of the board of library commissioners of the Watertown Free Public
Library. Dr. Kiessling replaces L. J.
Lange who has retired after serving on the board for 21
years, 15 of which he spent as its president.
P. E. Burkhalter was named vice president and Mrs. E. James Quirk was
elected secretary. Attorney Roland F. Dierker is financial secretary.
08
23 104th
YEAR
Northwestern
College is preparing for the start of its 104th year, with classes due to begin
the 1968-69 term on Monday, Sept. 9 with an opening service at 2 p.m.,
according to announcement made today by President Carleton Toppe. A capacity enrollment is looked for, with
students coming from several states in addition to Wisconsin communities. Both the college and high school departments
will start at the same time. Northwestern
College is owned and maintained by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and
is situated on a 38-acre campus, with seven major campus buildings, several of
which were constructed in recent years.
1969
08 14 NEW GYMNASIUM CONSTRUCTION APPROVED
Delegates
to the 40th biennial convention of the WIsconsin Ev. Luthearn Synod Thursday
approved the construction of a new gymnasium at Northwestern College here as
part of a $2.5 million budget for building projects. Carlton Toppe, president of the college, told
that the release of funds for the project cannot be made until the educational
planning board for the synod establishes the priority list. If the local project is number one on the
list, work on the project may begin. The
project was second on the priority list last year.
1970
07 28 EXCAVATING FOR NEW NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE
GYMNASIUM
< scroll through set of 7
Had been
approved in 1969 by delegates to the 40th biennial convention of the Wisconsin
Ev. Lutheran Synod
-- -- Athletic Director Lloyd Thompson hired WDT
1972
Franklin Frederick Zabell accepted the
call to teach music and direct choir, 1972-1995.
1981
03 30 PROFESSOR PIEPER RETIREMENT
Northwestern
Professor Edgar Pieper has announced his retirement after 21 years of coaching
and classroom work. Pieper was called to
NWC in 1960 primarily to share the coaching load with Professor Emeritus
Leonard Umnus, who at that time had sole responsibility for both the college
and prep athletic programs. Since then,
Pieper's schedule has included coaching college baseball for 21 years, college
basketball for 10 years, college wrestling for 11 years, prep football for 15
years and serving as assistant college football coach since 1974. He has taught mathematics on both the college
and prep levels as well as geography at the prep school. Pieper was born near Juneau
1983
02 09 WINTER CARNIVAL ACTIVITIES
A pops
concert at 2:30 p.m. Sunday will highlight Northwestern College’s Winter
Carnival activities. The concert will be
held in the music auditorium. It will be
open to the public and a freewill offering will be taken to defray
expenses. Carnival activities included
broom hockey games and tug-o-wars this week.
A brunch is planned for 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday a dress up banquet and talent show
are set for Saturday evening. Students
will be allowed to bring guests to the events.
The prep school and college each will build a snow sculpture. Usually there is a sculpture competition, but
unfavorable conditions early in the week put a damper on that activity. WDT
1984
08 25 120th
year opening service; new faculty announced WDT
10 28 Professors honored;
Gerhard Franzmann, Paul Kuehl and Richard Strobel WDT
12 04 ATHLETIC DIRECTOR LLOYD
THOMPSON retired
Northwestern
College Athletic Director Lloyd Thompson will close the book on a varied career
of teaching and coaching when his retirement becomes official at the end of the
current school year. Prof. Thompson has
overseen the NWC athletic program since 1970.
During that time he has served as track coach (1970 to 1981), basketball
coach (1971-1982), baseball coach (1982-1983) and football coach from 1972
until last season. His Trojan football teams brought home four conference
championships. In addition to the
coaching duties, Thompson established a wide-ranging intramural program, which
he considers one of his “proudest” achievements. WDT
1985
03 01 BASKETBALL: 62-45 VICTORY OVER
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MILWAUKEE
Phil Sievert poured in 20 points to lead Northwestern Prep School to a 62-45 victory over University
School of Milwaukee and the private schools' Class B state championship
Saturday. The Preps wasted
no time as they quickly broke into the lead, converting three steals into
driving lay-ups. With three
minutes played, Phil Sievert picked off a Wildcat pass and drove
the length of the court for a stuff attempt that bounced off the bracket as his
legs were swept away by Mike Grebe of University School. Sievert picked himself off the floor and sank
both free throws to put the Preps ahead 9-0. Assistant coach Bill Limmer explained the early steals. “We had studied their offense so
thoroughly on film we knew where the passes would be.” WDT
1986 CARLETON TOPPE Resigns
07 11 The
sign attached to the door in the administration office proclaims, “Northwestern
College President — Carleton Toppe.”
Since 1959, the words between those quotation marks have been linked
together. But at the conclusion of the
1986-87 school year, those words will be severed. An era will end when Toppe resigns in
1986. The American society has changed
exponentially since 1959, and Northwestern College has also changed. But with Toppe at the helm, Northwestern’s
changes have been implemented at a “controlled pace.” Toppe has been affiliated with Northwestern
in one way or another since he enrolled in its prep school in 1926. After four years in the prep school, he
attended the college, graduating in 1934.
He attended the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon from 1934-37,
before beginning a pastoral career in 1939.
He eventually accepted a call to join the faculty at Northwestern in
1948. As a teacher, he mainly instructed
courses in Latin, Greek, English and religion, before beginning his tenure as
president of the college. WDT
10 29 PASTOR ROBERT J. VOSS will succeed
Prof. Carleton Toppe as the president of Northwestern College. Voss, who currently serves as the executive
secretary of the Board for Worker Training, will assume duties at Northwestern
on July 1, 1987. Toppe has been
president of the college since 1959.
Voss graduated from Northwestern College in 1947. He graduated from the Wisconsin Lutheran
Seminary in Mequon in 1950. After
graduating from the seminary, Voss taught history and Latin at Northwestern for
one year before entering the parish ministry at Faith, Fond du Lac. He accepted a call to Siloah, Milwaukee in
1955, and became president of Wisconsin Lutheran College in 1963. Wisconsin Lutheran College was merged with
Dr. Martin Luther College in 1970, when Voss was called to become executive
secretary of the Board for Worker Training.
Voss completed his doctorate work at Marquette University WDT
1987
10 09 THE FOURTH NORTHWESTERN PRESIDENT
Robert
J. Voss can’t help but wink and smile when he speaks about his father. “My dad was what I guess you would call a
‘man’s man.’ But inside, he was so soft
that it was funny,” Voss said of his elder, the late Rev. Luther Voss. Robert Voss and his father share a lot of the
same qualities, including vocations.
Voss will be installed as the new president of Northwestern College at a
service Tuesday night. At the age of 61,
he will become only the fourth Northwestern president in the past 116
years. WDT
1989 REV. MARK SCHROEDER New President
10 29 When
the Rev. Mark Schroeder takes over as president at Watertown Northwestern
Preparatory School, he’ll be younger than any of the school’s faculty
members. Schroeder has accepted the call
to be president of the school, which is operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical
Lutheran Synod. The Schroeders are no
strangers to Watertown. Mark’s parents,
Erwin and Selma, still reside in the city, as do Andrea’s parents, Donald and
Dorothy Kuester. The son of a former
Northwestern College professor, Schroeder graduated from Northwestern Prep in
1972. He graduated from Northwestern
College in 1977 and from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1981. WDT
1990 BEQUEST FOR NEW LIBRARY
02 28 A
$750,000 bequest from the estate of a Wausau man has moved Northwestern College
another step closer to its goal of a new library facility. The Rev. Robert J. Voss, president of
Northwestern College, said the bequest came from the estate of the late Walter
J. Kurth, 81, who had operated an insurance and real estate business in Wausau
for many years. He stipulated in his
will that the money be used for building, furnishing and equipping a new
library. The bequest is the largest ever
received by Northwestern, and brings to nearly $1.5 million the amount
contributed for a new library. That
amounts to about one-half of the estimated $3 million needed for the new
building. WDT
07 16 RON HAHM SHEARS SHEEP
Northwestern
Prep School professor Ron Hahm believes he’s found a way to relieve stress,
maintain physical fitness and earn a little cash on the side. What’s his secret activity? — He shears
sheep. “It’s an excellent way to keep in
shape,” Hahm said about his sideline, a hobby he has cultivated since his
childhood. “It taxes all parts of the
body, so it’s excellent for maintaining physical fitness.” With the start of the Jefferson County Junior
Fair Wednesday, Hahm’s skills have been in demand lately from youths who want
their prize sheep and lambs to look their best for competition. Hahm himself entered sheep in fairs
throughout the Midwest when he was younger, the reason he learned how to shear
in the first place. WDT
09 15 125th ANNIVERSARY
The
paths of Northwestern College and the city of Watertown have been intertwined
for the past 125 years. This week, Northwestern College and Prep schools are
celebrating their 125th anniversary in the city by the Rock River. The Northwestern schools were formed in 1865,
just twenty-nine years after the first
settler arrived in Watertown. The
relationship between the schools and the city has been mutually beneficial,
according to Robert J. Voss, president of Northwestern College. “It’s very positive. I think it’s a good
college setting. It’s a good stable community,” Voss said. Northwestern College
prepares men for the ministry in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. WDT
11 09 PRESIDENT ROBERT VOSS: 40th ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION
Robert
J. Voss, president of Northwestern College since 1987, recently observed the
40th anniversary of his ordination.
After graduating from the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 1950, he served
Northwestern as a tutor and prep football coach. In 1951, he became pastor of Faith Lutheran
Church in Fond du Lac. Siloah Lutheran
Church of Milwaukee called him to serve from 1955 to 1970, when he became
president of Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee. During the 1960s, Voss attended graduate
school at Marquette University, where he completed the course work for a
doctor’s degree. When the synod closed
its Wisconsin Lutheran College in 1970, Voss became administrator of the
synod’s board for worker training. He
accepted the call to become the sixth president of Northwestern College in the
fall of 1986 and began his work in Watertown in July of 1987. WDT
12 21 CHRISTMAS CAROLS IN GERMAN FOR THE AGED AND
ILL
Watertown
is well known for its rich German heritage and many of the traditions carried
on today continue to bring joy, peace and goodwill. One of those traditions is carried on each
year by an all-male group of pastors and professors who gather together
annually just before Christmas to sing carols in German to the aged and
ill. The group started 25 years ago with
an octet, but has now grown to over 30 members.
The songs bring cheer to all those who hear, but also occasionally cause
a tear or two to fall when they bring back fond memories of Christmases
past. The caroling group is made up of
professors from Northwestern and pastors from the city’s Wisconsin Synod
churches who have been singing the German carols for years. WDT
1991
08 13 NEW LIBRARY PLANS / PROPOSAL FOR
CONSOLIDATION
NEW
ULM, Minn. — Plans for a new library at Northwestern College, and a proposal
for consolidation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod school system,
were put on hold for two years as the result of action taken by delegates on
Friday. The big question of whether or
not to reduce the school system to four campuses from the present five was not
resolved, but instead delegates decided to have an independent committee study
that feasibility. A suggested plan would
move Northwestern College in Watertown to the campus of Dr. Martin Luther
College in New Ulm, and combine Martin Luther Preparatory School in Prairie du
Chien, Wis., with Northwestern Preparatory School in the Watertown campus. WDT
1992
10 16 REV. VOSS RETIREMENT
The
Rev. Robert J. Voss, president of Northwestern College, will retire at the end
of the current school year. Voss said he
believes this is the time for a new person to assume the presidency, and cited
two reasons for his decision. First, the
future location of Northwestern College still is not clear, and, “It appears
doubtful whether this entire matter will be settled by decisive action at the
1993 synod convention.” And second, the
college has already begun a self-study which will conclude in January of
1994. Voss noted, “Since the self-study
will focus on the curriculum, in particular a curriculum that will train
pastors for the 21st century, there will be many significant questions
considered with far reaching impact.”
Voss said, “I believe it is the best course of action to make it
possible for Northwestern’s next president to be on the scene as these issues
unfold.” WDT
1993
02 06 STARTING A SECOND CAREER
Northwestern
College is conducting an extensive search throughout the nation for students
who would like to start a second career.
Married students currently enrolled at the college met for brunch at the
Brandt-Quirk Bed and Breakfast Sunday to discuss a retreat planned for older
students on June 11-13. The retreat will
provide information and advice about Northwestern College and the Wisconsin
Evangelical Lutheran Synod to older students.
Currently, the college has 14 older students, a number that is expected
to increase because of the new program.
WDT
03 29 JOHN BRAUN SEVENTH PRESIDENT
Professor
John Braun, a member of the staff of Northwestern College, has accepted the
call to become the new president of the college. He was called by the college’s board of
control. Braun, who will become the
seventh president of Northwestern on July 1, will succeed the Rev. Robert Voss
who is retiring. Northwestern College is
the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s pre-seminary school. Students receiving their bachelor’s degree
from the college generally move to Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon where
they graduate ministers in the synod.
Braun said this morning there will be many challenges for the college as
it enters an uncertain period in its long history. One of the primary issues at the present time
is the uncertainty of the location of the synod’s educational facilities. A synod committee is currently studying the
possibility of creating a joint teacher and pastor training school in one
location. Currently the teacher training school is Dr. Martin Luther College in
New Ulm, Minn., and the pastoral training school is Northwestern College in
Watertown. WDT
08 01 NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE WILL BE MOVED FROM
WATERTOWN
Northwestern
College will be moved from Watertown, but in its place will be an expanded
Northwestern Preparatory School, delegates to the 52nd biennial convention of
the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Saginaw, Mich., voted this morning.
The vote was 195 to 176 to merge Northwestern College, the synod’s pastor
training college, with its teacher training college, Dr. Martin Luther College,
New Ulm, Minn., on the Minnesota campus. The resolution also calls for Martin
Luther Preparatory School, Prairie du Chien, to be merged into Northwestern
Prep School at the Watertown campus. The decision came after a two-hour hearing
Monday evening, three hours of debate on the convention floor on Thursday and
another hour of debate today. WDT
08 01 BRAUN INSTALLED AS PRESIDENT
Northwestern
College will install John A. Braun as the seventh president in its 128-year
history in a special service on Sunday at 7 p.m. The service will be in the auditorium, and an
informal reception will follow in the cafeteria. As President Braun is installed to head the
undergraduate training of pastors for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod,
Rev. Kenneth Gawrisch, secretary for Northwestern’s Board of Control, will give
the sermon, and Rev. David Tiarks, board chairman, will conduct the liturgy. President Braun, a native of St. Paul, Minn.,
brings to his office 24 years of experience in both the parish ministry and in
education. After he graduated from NWC
and the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, he served as a pastor in
Tomahawk, Milwaukee and Zion, Ill. In
1984 Braun came to NWC as a professor of English and later was also called to
be director of admissions and recruitment.
During his years at NWC Braun has earned a master of arts degree in
English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and has begun Ph.D. work in
rhetoric and composition. WDT
10 22 MERGER: NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE AND DR. MARTIN LUTHER
COLLEGE
Plans
for the merger of Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod schools are moving ahead
at a rapid pace. The synod voted earlier
this year to consolidate Northwestern College of Watertown and Dr. Martin
Luther College in New Ulm, MN, into one college at the New Ulm campus and to
consolidate Northwestern Prep School of Watertown and Dr. Martin Luther Prep
School of Prairie du Chien into one high school at the Watertown campus. WDT
10 23 MERGER PLANS ADVANCING
Plans
for the merger of Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod schools are moving ahead
at a rapid pace. The synod voted earlier
this year to consolidate Northwestern College of Watertown and Dr. Martin
Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., into one college at the New Ulm campus and to
consolidate Northwestern Prep School of Watertown and Dr. Martin Luther Prep
School of Prairie du Chien into one high school at the Watertown campus. The Prairie du Chien campus is to be closed
and sold by the start of the 1995-96 school year. The Rev. Mark Schroeder, president of Northwestern
Prep School in Watertown, said a facilities planning committee has been
appointed and is meeting regularly. It
has been charged with planning facility needs at the two campuses, making
arrangements for the move and providing necessary housing for students and
faculty alike.
11 20 INTEGRATING COMPUTERS
Professor
Bob Bock stands near the door of a classroom crowded with computers. A single student sits peering into the screen
at the far end of the room. This room,
Bock says proudly, is usually bursting with pupils. And as if to underline his statement, young
adults begin filing into the room, taking their places quietly in front of the
machines. Here, Bock says, making a
sweeping motion with his arm, is the future of education at Northwestern Preparatory
School. The school has begun a thrust
toward integrating computers into all subject areas. For instance, several classes use textbooks
which come with their own software.
Assignments and exams can be completed on computer disc.
1994
02 09 ACCREDITATION CONTINUED FOR 10 YEARS
A
regional accrediting agency will recommend that Northwestern
College's accreditation continue for 10 years. A team of
educators from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools decided to
make the recommendation after
reviewing Northwestern's programs. The continuation, which
would last through the school year 2003-4, is the longest allowable period
between comprehensive reviews. The visit was the culmination of a
long self-study by Northwestern. Over the past year, the college has
reviewed its organization, faculty, curriculum, instruction, library and
student services. Professor James Korthals organized the
study and prepared the 195-page report, which was the basis of the visit.
01 22 REV. MARK G. SCHROEDER ACCEPTED A CALL
The
president of Northwestern Preparatory School has accepted a call to serve as
the president of the new prep school to be created on the Northwestern campus
beginning in 1995. Rev. Mark G.
Schroeder announced this morning in a press release that he accepted the call
given to him a couple weeks ago by the Board of Control for the new prep
school. The Wisconsin Evangelical
Lutheran Synod (WELS) decided last summer to close Martin Luther Prep School in
Prairie du Chien and merge its operations with Northwestern Prep. Schroeder, who has been president of the
Watertown school since 1989, will head a school nearly double the enrollment
size of the current institution.
03 18 NORTHWESTERN PREP SCHOOL
BECOMES LUTHER PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Beginning
in the fall of 1995, Northwestern Prep School will be known as Luther
Preparatory School. The board of control for the school recently selected the
name change for the school, which was mandated by a synod resolution. “I guess
the board of control felt the name Luther did a number of things,” said
Northwestern president, Rev. Mark Schroeder. “It basically describes who we are
and what we do and it ties us to the Lutheran heritage that we have as a church
body. And it’s easy to say and remember.” The name change is just one in a
number of changes for the Prep school, which will be a consolidation of the
current Northwestern Prep and Prairie du Chien Martin Luther prep schools. A
building project on the campus will begin this May immediately after classes at
both the prep school and Northwestern College conclude.
03 27 EXPANSION PROJECT AT
NORTHWESTERN PREP
The Watertown
Planning Commission Monday approved a conditional use permit for an expansion
project at Northwestern Prep School. The
commission gave its unanimous approval for the $4.4 million building project
following a public hearing, at which no one opposed the proposal. Changes at the campus are necessary to
accommodate the expansion of the prep school in Watertown. Recently, Northwestern announced plans to
move the local college at the end of the 1994-95 school year to make way for a
larger prep school, which will open in the fall of 1995. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod will
merge Northwestern College with its sister school, Dr. Martin Luther College in
New Ulm, Minn. The synod also plans to
close its Martin Luther Prep School in Prairie du Chien and form an expanded
prep school in Watertown.
08 29 BUILDING PROJECT WILL REACH $4.4 MILLION
Renovations at the Northwestern campus topped the list
of building projects in Watertown in June.
The school is preparing for an expanded preparatory school here for the
fall of 1995. The Wisconsin Evangelical
Lutheran Synod plans to close Martin Luther Prep School in Prairie du Chien and
merge it with Northwestern Prep School.
The new school will be known as Luther Preparatory School. To make room for the expanded prep school in
Watertown, Northwestern College will be moved to New Ulm, Minn., and merged
with its sister school, Dr. Martin Luther College. The school received a building permit for the
project in June with an estimated value of construction of $2.5 million.
However, school officials have estimated the total cost of the building project
will reach $4.4 million by the time it’s completed.
1995
08 19 LUTHER PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Students
flocked to their first day of classes at Luther Preparatory School this
morning, marking a new era at the campus.
Rev. Mark Schroeder is president of the school. Once the home of Northwestern College and
Preparatory School, Luther Prep now serves high school-age students. The
transition to the preparatory school was finalized during a ceremony in the
school's gymnasium which included the school's opening service, dedication of
the expanded facility, installation of the staff and ordination of several
staff members. WDT
1997
05 31 VACATE STREETS NEAR SCHOOL
The
proposed vacation of streets near Luther Preparatory School was recommended by
the Watertown Planning Commission. The
vacation of College Circle, the public alley east of 417-433 College Avenue and
a portion of Campus Street, was sent to the Watertown Common Council for final
approval. The school is seeking vacation
of the streets to provide an area for athletic facilities, including a soccer
field and track. Planning commission
members said the vacation, if approved, will not authorize the expansion of
athletic facilities on the campus. An
existing conditional use permit will need to be modified by the commission to
allow additional uses on the property. WDT
1999
03 06 Professor
Ron Hahm, Latin instructor, also for Watertown High School WDT
2003
03 08 HEDY GNEWUCH
A
local teacher will be trading in her school books for a uniform to proudly
serve her country. Hedy Gnewuch, 26, a
teacher at Luther Prep in Watertown, is also a member of the 1158th
Transportation Company of the Army National Guard in Black River Falls which
has been called to active duty. She has
been ordered to report to Fort McCoy in Black River Falls on March 15. After spending a week receiving shots and new
uniforms, her unit will be deployed but the destination of the deployment is
classified information. “We won’t know
until the plane lands. So as far as
leaving my family and friends in the dark, they will be for awhile,” Gnewuch
said, adding she could be gone a minimum of one year to a maximum of two
years. WDT
2004
10 29 GERMAN AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
Fifteen
students and two teachers from Goeppingen, Germany, arrived in Watertown Oct.
14 and will be staying with families of Luther Preparatory School students
until Nov. 4. The students are
11th-graders from Moerike Gymnasium, a college-bound high school. This is the first year Luther Preparatory
School is participating in the German American Partnership Program, which pairs
the German students with American students.
The Germans are living with families in the city and attend class every
day. WDT
2007
07 31 REV. MARK SCHROEDER ACCEPTS CALL
NEW
ULM, Minn. — The Rev. Mark Schroeder, 53, has accepted the call to be the next
president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the third largest
Lutheran church body in the United States.
Schroeder was elected Tuesday after four ballots and asked the
convention to give him overnight to consider the call. The runner-up was the Rev. Paul Janke, 51, of
Modesto, Calif. Schroeder succeeds the
Rev. Karl Gurgel, 65, of Lake Mills, Wis. who is stepping down after 14 years
in office. Schroeder currently serves as
president of Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, Wis. He has previously served as a pastor at
congregations in Fond du Lac, Wis., and Maitland, Fla.
08 09&17 FOOTBALL FACILITY UPGRADED
[WHS_005_553] A new press box, concession and rest room
facility is the centerpiece of an ongoing upgrade to the athletic facilities at
Luther Preparatory School. On September
17 Luther Prep dedicated
the football complex. WDT
09 11 UMNUS FIELD — HOME OF THE PHOENIX
Leonard
Umnus considered a football field the best classroom for teaching character to
his students. On Saturday afternoon, his
favorite classroom was officially given his name. A dedication ceremony for Luther Preparatory
School’s newly renovated football complex was held during halftime of Luther
Prep’s varsity football game against the Lodi Blue Devils. The new complex, which includes new
bleachers, a new press box, a lighted field for the first time and other
amenities, will be known as “Umnus Field — Home of the Phoenix.” Umnus served as a staff member and athletic
director at the school formerly known as Northwestern Prep from 1936-1974. He coached football, basketball, baseball and
wrestling, and had winners in all sports.
2008
03 26 PROFESSOR/REV. CYRIL SPAUDE, 1930-2008.
He
served as professor of Greek and Hebrew at Northwestern College from 1966 to
1995. Upon retirement from NWC served in
WELS ministries including St. Mark's WDT
09 25 FIRST
FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME
For
the first time, Luther Prep’s homecoming football game will be played on a
Friday night, under the lights. Another
“first” will be held Friday with a kick-off of a “Come Home on Homecoming”
alumni weekend for Luther Prep. Luther
Prep is the alma mater for its own alumni and for the five predecessor schools
including Dr. Martin Luther High School in New Ulm, Minn., (1884-1968),
Northwestern Lutheran Academy in Mobridge, S.D., (1928-79), Martin Luther
Academy in New Ulm, (1968-79), Martin Luther Preparatory School in Prairie du
Chien, (1979-95) and Northwestern Preparatory School in Watertown (1865-1995)
who have all relocated or closed to form the present day Luther Preparatory
School (1995-present).
10 01 Homecoming
game played on a Friday night and under the lights, for the first time WDT
2009
01 17 PRESENTATION TO CHAMBER
Members
of the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce learned a little bit more about the
roles and functions of Luther Preparatory School this morning during a
breakfast gathering sponsored by the local chamber. According to Matthew Crass, president of
Luther Preparatory School, a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod preparatory
school has existed on the Watertown campus since 1865. Luther Preparatory School, formerly known as
Northwestern University and Northwestern Prep, was created in 1995 after the
merger of Northwestern Prep and Martin Luther Prep, he added.
-- -- Daniel M. Deutschlander: The
Theology of the Cross: Reflections on
His Cross and Ours
02 20 Luther
Prep String Ensemble participated in St. Mark’s dedication of new school, music center WDT
06 03 LUTHER
PREP ELIMINATES 9 POSITIONS
While
many public schools are concerned with a decrease in funds, Luther Preparatory
School is also facing the same funding shortfall. Last week nine positions at the school were
eliminated.
Luther
Prep is owned by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod which funds 50
percent of the school's budget. The rest
of the budget is made up in tuition. At
the end of April administrators at Luther Prep were told the school would have
to reduce the budget by over half a million dollars.
Positions
that were eliminated included four full-time teachers, one part-time teacher
and four other staff members which included maintenance, clerical and the
school's business manager. No cuts were made to the curriculum, extracurricular
activities or any other services the school offers. Tuition also remained the
same and did not increase.
08 24 2009-10 school year registration; total of 353 students in the 9th through 12th grade
college preparatory high school WDT
08 27 “GROOVIN’
MOVE-IN” CREW
The
40-acre campus of Luther Preparatory School was buzzing with excitement this
past weekend as students throughout the country began arriving for the school
year. Registration and opening
activities took place all weekend long.
The “Groovin’ Move-In” Crew was in full force Friday and Saturday
helping all the students move into the dorms.
Volunteer parents and friends of LPS staffed the “hospitality tent”
offering lemonade, coffee, treats and directions to local stores.
10 31 Ron Hahm
to be inducted into hall of fame; former Northwestern Prep and Luther Prep
head football coach WDT
2010
04 10 Meinhardt Raabe,
famous munchkin, NWC grad, dead at 94 WDT
2011
07 22 WELS BIENNIAL CONVENTION
Held on campus; 400 delegates
attended WDT
2012
10 12 SHOW TO HONOR LUTHER PREP AUDITORIUM
Milwaukee-native
Fricke, the cousin of Trinity-St. Luke’s Principal Jim Moeller and the late
Watertown Rev. Jim Fricke, will lead the performance, which features show tunes
from productions that graced the Luther Prep auditorium stage. The performance will happen on Sunday, Oct.
21, 100 years and one day after the Luther Prep auditorium was dedicated. WDTimes
article
2013
06 15
08 24 NATHAN
SCHARF
Professor
Nathan Scharf is a professor at Luther Preparatory School. Scharf serves as recruitment director at
Luther Prep. He is a West Allis native
but attended Luther Prep as a high school student to study for the ministry
before attending Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Watertown
with their three children. Scharf’s
family has a deep heritage in the city of Watertown. He and his father, Ralph, worked at the
Watertown pool before entering the ministry.
His grandfather, Erwin, taught at Northwestern College and Prep until
his retirement. His grandmother, Irene, worked at Bethesda Lutheran Homes for
many years before her retirement. WDT
2015
150 YEARS OF MINISTERIAL EDUCATION TRAINING / The Campus Chronicle
http://welspnw.weebly.com/uploads/3/1/6/6/31661273/luther_preparatory_school_report.pdf
08 09 PREP
HIGH SCHOOL CELEBRATES 150TH ANNIVERSARY, 1865-2015
Luther Preparatory School traces its history
back to 1865 as the prep department of Northwestern College and this year marks
the school’s 150th anniversary. The
actual anniversary is Sept. 14 and will be celebrated with a service at the
school’s chapel on Nov. 15 at 3 p.m. with former Luther Prep president, the
Rev. Mark Schroeder and current Wisconsin Lutheran Synod president, officiating
the service.
The school started as a prep school, a
college and a seminary all in one. The
seminary left in 1870 and moved to Milwaukee and is now in Mequon. The college, known as Northwestern College,
was in Watertown until 1995. It was
merged with Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., to form the new Martin
Luther College.
The four-year secondary school known as
Luther Prep around town is owned and operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical
Lutheran Synod and offers college preparatory curriculum in grades nine through
12. The school was founded with the
purpose of nurturing and training pastors and teachers, and that remains to be
one of the school’s most important goals.
Luther Prep is the oldest Lutheran high
school in the United States.
To celebrate the anniversary, the school’s chapel will be remodeled and rededicated
over the next year beginning in March of 2016.
The school’s organ, which was installed in 1963 according to the
Watertown Historical Society, has already been removed to start its restoration
process, which will take up to a year to complete. Crass mentioned Luther Prep graduates more
organists than any other high school in the country.
The Luther Preparatory School Chapel was
dedicated on Aug. 21, 1956. The chapel
was built in the 1950s and nothing has really been done with it and it’s
showing its age.
New flooring, altar, pulpit and sound system
will all be installed. A baptismal font will also be added to the chapel thanks
to the Northwestern College Alumni Society. The font will be made of stained
glass from when the chapel was redone in 1995.
Since 1956, the chapel has undergone the addition of a small balcony, a
new entryway and more pews to accommodate the larger enrollment of Luther
Prep. The school centers its students’
education around worship, which they do two times per school day.
In 2014, Luther Prep had 442 students
enrolled from 23 states and nine foreign countries including Antigua, Canada,
China, Germany, Korea, Malawi, St. Lucia, Ukraine and Zambia. The students came
from 187 congregations and 396 students lived in three dorms. This school year
Crass says he expects there will be about 435 students.
The school has 30 professors and instructors,
nine tutors and nine piano teachers and has active sports teams on campus.
The continuing mission and purpose of Luther
Preparatory School is to prepare and encourage young men and women for the
full-time ministry in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Over half of the students in the last 20
years have gone on to Martin Luther College.
Luther Prep produces one third of the pastors in the Wisconsin Lutheran
Synod.
11 12 LUTHER
PREP CELEBRATES 150TH ANNIVERSARY, 1865-2015
Luther Preparatory School will celebrate its
150th anniversary with a service Sunday, Nov. 15, at 3 p.m. in the school's
gymnasium. Former Luther Prep president
and current Wisconsin Lutheran Synod president, the Rev. Mark Schroeder will
officiate the service, which will feature choirs from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary,
Martin Luther College, Michigan Lutheran Seminary and Luther Preparatory
School.
The school's actual anniversary was Sept.
14. "Our Northwestern College the Story of its Origin and Growth,"
written by Dr. Arthur Hoermann was translated into English by Hans Koller
Moussa of Jefferson for the school's 50th anniversary in 1915.
The first paragraph of the text states,
"The 14th of September, 1865, is a memorable day in the annals of our
Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin.
On this day pastors and parishioners of the Synod gathered at Watertown
to witness the realization of a hope long deferred. Since 1850, when the Wisconsin Synod was
founded, there had been a strong desire to possess a seminary and college in a
building expressly devoted to that purpose.
And now, on Sept. 14, 1865, a building was consecrated at Watertown to
serve that very purpose."
Referring to that first celebration Dr.
Hoermann wrote, "The editor of a local paper felt quite lost when he came
to report the proceedings; everything seemed strange and foreign to him, --
'they speak and write in another tongue,' he wrote. Continuing, he says, that the third speaker,
who spoke English, only had an audience of four 'Americans' - two gentlemen, a
lady and a boy. This is undoubtedly an
exaggeration, but it is interesting to note that this third speaker, the first
president of the college, Professor Adam Martin, A. M., addressed his audience
in the English language."
At the time of the establishment of the
school, it was often simply referred to in the media as the Lutheran College. Professor Martin suggested to the board of
the school that the official designation be Wisconsin University. That name remained until negotiations for the
charter commenced and then the name was changed to Northwestern University to
avoid confusion with the new University of Wisconsin-Madison. Sometime later the name was changed again to
Northwestern College.
Northwestern College continued on its
Watertown campus until 1995. At that
time the Wisconsin Synod saw fit to amalgamate Northwestern College with Dr.
Martin Luther College on its campus in New Ulm, Minn. Amalgamated that same year were Northwestern
Preparatory School and Martin Luther Preparatory School of Prairie du Chien on
the Watertown campus.
2016
10 14 RENOVATED CHAPEL / NEW $500,000 ORGAN
Luther Preparatory School is the home of a
refurbished and enhanced $500,000 organ this school year, as well as a newly
renovated chapel. The organ was removed
from the school in August 2015 and the new and improved instrument was installed
this summer in time for the new school year.
The chapel is used daily for a service every morning at 9 o’clock for
the student body and faculty. There is
also an informal chapel service for students at 9:35 every evening.
Workers from Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders
disassembled the organ which was replaced in celebration of the school’s 150th
anniversary.
The chapel, which seats about 525, was
also renovated for the first time since 1995. The renovation includes new
flooring, pews, a new pulpit and altar, and an expanded area in the front of
the church that can fit full choirs.
Outside the chapel, a tower, which is the
highest point on campus, is the home of a baptismal font donated by the
Northwestern College Alumni Society. The
tower features four stained glass windows that were removed when the chapel was
renovated in 1995. The windows were refurbished for the first time since the
1950s.
The total cost of the renovations was
$900,000 and was received entirely from gifts from members of the Wisconsin
Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
The school started as a prep school, a
college and a seminary all in one. The seminary left in 1870 and moved to
Milwaukee and is now in Mequon. The college, known as Northwestern College, was
in Watertown until 1995. It was merged with Dr. Martin Luther College in New
Ulm, Minnesota, to form the new Martin Luther College.
The four-year secondary school known as
Luther Prep is owned and operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
and offers college preparatory curriculum in grades nine through 12. The school
was founded with the purpose of nurturing and training pastors and teachers,
and that remains to be one of the school’s most important goals. Luther Prep is
the oldest Lutheran high school in the United States.
2019
06 08 CLASS OF 2019
06 29 REROOFING THE CHAPEL
06 29 REV. MARK SCHROEDER
RE-ELECTED SYNOD PRESIDENT
WELS Synod Convention delegates re-elected
the Rev. Mark Schroeder as synod president.
Schroeder was first elected as president in 2007. This will be his fourth four-year term. Prior to serving as WELS president, Schroeder
was the president of Luther Preparatory School in Watertown. WELS is the third largest Lutheran church
body in the U.S. with about 1,300 churches in 49 states and 390,000 members,
and it conducts gospel outreach in 40 countries around the world.
Cross
reference:
WELS
article on refurbished chapel
Over the years the Watertown chapel of
Luther Prep (former Northwestern College) began to show her age.
"With a proposal in hand for partially-new
chancel furnishings, with another proposal for organ maintenance under
discussion, with acoustical enhancements being proposed that would alter the
look of the chapel, and with the 150th anniversary of the Watertown campus on
the horizon, the LPS administration decided to seek some independent counsel.
With two sons enrolled at LPS, I was asked to serve as chapel consultant."
The Watertown campus has been a blessing
to WELS for 150 years.
Cross
References
Schoenike
home at 423 College Ave torn down during expansion (WHS00003)
Max Gaebler, one of the first three students to enter
Northwestern College
Weltbuerger Printing Co. printed the Northwestern
College monthly magazine, The Black and
Red, as well as the college high school paper.
The
Tutors of Northwestern College, 31 pgs, Document WHS_001_003_PDF,
available upon request.
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin