Elise Wærenskjold—The Lady with the Pen
Lecture by Dr. Charles H. Russell
Admission: $5 (Students: No Charge)
By Janet Ruud
On March 19 at 7:00 pm, Dr. Charles H. Russell (right) will share the
fascinating story of Norwegian immigrant Elise Wærenskjold, who came to be
known in Texas
as the “Lady with the Pen.” Dr. Russell,
a retired college dean and professor of history, holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University. His interest in Wærenskjold
is shared with his Norwegian wife, Inger, who helped him translate
Wærenskjold's writing as he did the research for his book, Undaunted: A
Norwegian Woman in Frontier Texas.
Undaunted, the first full
biography of Wærenskjold and winner of the 2006 Ottis Lock Award for the Best
Book on East Texas History, is a vivid account of this amazing woman,
describing not only her 
influence among her countrymen but also her own life,
which was a saga of considerable drama itself.
Russell offers a clear and entertaining window into immigrant life in
frontier Texas
and the issues that shaped women's lives. A forward-looking journalist, Elise
sent letters and articles back to Norway,
encouraging others to follow her footsteps to Texas, where a small colony of Norwegian
settlers was making a new life in the mid 1800s. She was a strong and
independent thinker who championed women's rights, who was pro-Union and
against slavery, and who left an intriguing body of writing about life on the
edges of Texas
settlement.
Susan Yound (l) and Janet Ruud (r)
On July 7, 2007, SCC
Director Susan Young and SCC Past President Janet Ruud traveled to the Western Norway
Emigration Center
(Sletta, Norway) where a monument honoring
Elise Wærenskjold (and Agnes Wergeland) was dedicated. The Daughters of Norway,
USA,
was honored to fund the inscription of the monument.
Dalahäst: Symbol of Sweden
Demonstration—April 12, 1-4:00 pm—Free Admission
The Swedish Dalahäst is a wooden statuette
of a horse originating in the Swedish province of
Dalarna.
Today, most horses are made in Nusnäs, a little village outside Mora. Some are
stocky work horses like the Nusnäs horse and others are lean and upright with
stately countenance like the Rättvik horse. The wood from which the figures are
carved comes from the slow-growing pine forest around Lake Siljan.
The wood is ideal for carpentry and carving. The trees to be made into horses
are marked out while still standing in the forest. Only the best timber will be
selected for carving. The trees are felled and sawed into pieces of a suitable
size for the blanks that will eventually be made into the dalahäst. The
blanks are sawed and carved by hand. Because of this, no two horses are exactly
alike. They are dipped in primer immediately after carving to reveal any
defects in the wood that may need to be fixed. After priming, any cavities in
the wood are filled in to ensure extra smoothness. The horses are polished to
give them a smooth, attractive finish. After sanding, they are dipped into
paint of the appropriate color. The traditional pattern is painted free-hand by
practiced "ripple" painters. The art of rippling requires great skill
and takes many years to learn. Finally, the horses are varnished and sent out
from Nusnäs to serve as a symbol of Sweden in the outside world.
During the
three-hour workshop on April 12, Lars
Olsson (wood carver) and his cousin Gun Olsson (painter) from Nusnäs, Sweden,
will share the history and folklore surrounding the world-famous dalahäst
and will demonstrate the process involved in their creation. The workshop is
free and open to the public. Registration is not required.
Drawing Deadline Extended to
September 27!
One lucky SCC member will win two round-trip tickets
to Scandinavia
compliments
of Scandinavian Airlines!
For each SCC event you attend between now and
September 27, your name (SCC members only) will be added to the drawing. Entry
forms will be provided and must be completed at each event. The drawing will
take place at our annual Membership Meeting on September 27. You
don’t have to
be present to win, but you won’t want to miss one more chance to add your name
to the drawing! If you attend an event and are not an SCC member, you may join
that evening and be eligible to enter. We are pleased to bring this exciting
opportunity to our membership and we are grateful to Scandinavian Airlines for their
generosity and support.
Building the Artifact Collection
Four pieces were recently added to the Scandinavian Cultural Center’s
Permanent Artifact Collection. Pictured left is a bell pull (klokkestreng). It
is hand-stitched in traditional Norwegian gold, orange-red, gray-blue,
and
brown black, first developed out of the range of colors given by natural
vegetable dyes in Scandinavia. Pictured on the right is a
framed piece depicting the interior of a Swedish home at Christmas time.
Both items were donated by the Jennie Lee and Arthur H. Hansen Estate.
Pictured on the right are matching color portrait prints,
measuring 18 x 22”, of Norway’s King Haakon VII and Queen Maud. The prints are
beautifully mounted in gold gilded frames. It is believed that they were
presented as gifts by the Royal Couple during one of their State Visits.
Written on the back of each piece is the name “Baldwin Skukruud, Sacred Heart, Minnesota.” The
portraits were purchased for the SCC Permanent Artifact Collection from Geri M.
Strand of Whidbey Island who discovered them in an antique shop in St. Charles, Missouri,
in the year 2000.
His Royal Highness King Haakon VII (Prince
Carl of Denmark, born
Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel) was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the
personal union with Sweden.
As one of the few elected monarchs, Haakon quickly won the respect and
affection of his people and played a pivotal role in uniting the Norwegian
nation in its resistance to the attack and five-year-long Nazi occupation
during World War II. He died at the age of 85 in 1957, after having reigned for
52 years.
In 1896 Prince Carl married his cousin,
Princess Maud (1869-1938), the daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales, later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra
of the United Kingdom.
On June 22, 1906, King Haakon and Queen Maud were crowned in Nidaros Cathedral
in Trondheim.
It was the last coronation to take place in Norway. The couple’s only child,
Prince Alexander, was born at Appleton House in Norfolk, England,
on July 2, 1903.
His Royal Highness King Haakon VII (Prince
Carl of Denmark, born
Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel) was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the
personal union with Sweden.
As one of the few elected monarchs, Haakon quickly won the respect and
affection of his people and played a pivotal role in uniting the Norwegian
nation in its resistance to the attack and five-year-long Nazi occupation
during World War II. He died at the age of 85 in 1957, after having reigned for
52 years.
In 1896 Prince Carl married his cousin,
Princess Maud (1869-1938), the daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales, later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra
of the United Kingdom.
On June 22, 1906, King Haakon and Queen Maud were crowned in Nidaros Cathedral
in Trondheim.
It was the last coronation to take place in Norway. The couple’s only child,
Prince Alexander, was born at Appleton House in Norfolk, England,
on July 2, 1903.
Scandinavian and the Sea: A Nautical Exhibit
On Display Through March 30
Our current exhibit, Scandinavia and
the Sea, is an impressive display of selected pieces with a nautical
theme taken from the Scandinavian
Cultural Center’s
Permanent Artifact Collection. The exhibition also includes eight magnificent
model ships built by Captain Egil Arthur Sortland. His models are uniquely
displayed in the E. Arthur Larson exhibit gallery located near the entrance to
the Scandinavian Cultural Center.
The models highlight ship design from the Viking Era to that of England’s
Man-of-War ships that ushered in world domination through sea power. Of
particular interest is Norwegian shipping during World War II and the use of
watercraft in Norway’s
resistance to Nazi occupation. Among them was a Norwegian tanker, named for Eli
Knutsen, Haugesund, Norway. Pictured below, the ship’s
descriptive label reads:
Built in Glasgow, Scotland,
1925, for 193,000 Norwegian Krones. It was rated at 13,480 in dead weight. While on a fully-ladened journey from Aruba
to Great Britain, it fell
out of a convoy of ships in an area of the Atlantic Ocean
that was patrolled by German submarines. At 0230 hours on June 22, 1940, German
U-boat Kaptein Jenisch ordered the firing of a torpedo into the starboard side
of the Norwegian tanker. Adrift and ablaze for two days, it [the Eli Knutsen]
finally sank to the Atlantic bottom on June 24, 1940. Erling Arthur Sortland of
Bremnes, Bomlo, Norway, sailed the Eli Knutsen from
December 12, 1931, until June 15, 1939. The model was built by his son, Captain
Egil Arthur Sortland, in 2004.
Getting to Know the
Scandinavian Cultural
Center Council
The
Scandinavian Cultural Center Council consists of community volunteers who work
with the SCC Director to plan and implement the successful operation of the
Center. A portion of the Scandinavian Scene will be dedicated to
introducing one council member per
issue. We begin this series with
Joanne McDonald, who is currently serving as Council Secretary.
JOANNE H. MCDONALD
Council Secretary
EDUCATION:
University of Washington (major journalism), no
degree.
John Hopkins
University, B.S. Social Sciences,
1971; Master of Education, 1975.
Tacoma Community
College, 1998, News Writing
University of Oslo, Summer Session 2001,
Intensive Norwegian Language.
Pacific Lutheran
University, Tacoma, WA,
2001, Editorial Writing.
University of Washington,
Tacoma, WA,
2002, Media Writing
University of Washington, Writer’s Program, 2003,
Intermediate Nonfiction Writing.
Employment History:
1971- 1972: second grade teacher,
The Community School, Tehran,
Iran
1971-1972: taught English, Iran-American Society, Tehran, Iran
1973 - present: Social Security
Administration
.
Background: My parents emigrated from
Nordland County
in Norway
(my father in 1923 and my mother in 1929). My father, Hans Peterson, died in
1998- four months before his hundredth birthday. He was interviewed for Pacific Lutheran University’s
Oral History Project.
Spring 2008 Calendar of Events
Exhibits
Scandinavia and the Sea:
A Nautical Exhibit, January 13 through March 30
Public Hours: Sundays, 1-4 pm; Tuesdays/Wednesdays, 11 am-3 pm
— Free Admission
Events
Dr. Charles H. Russell
Lecture, March 19, 7:00 pm, 253-535-7322
Swedish Dalahäst
Demonstration Workshop, April 12, 1-4:00 pm,
253-535-7322
Norwegian Heritage
Festival, April 26, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, 253-535-7322
(More information will follow in a separate mailing.)
Spring Banquet, May 10, 6:30 pm
(For more information, contact Lisa Ottoson or
Maynard Hedegaard
Classes
Intermediate Norwegian
Language Classes, Mondays, 6-9 pm
Beginning Norwegian
Language Classes, Tuesdays, 6-9 pm
Contact for Language Classes: Audun Toven (253-536-8392) or
<tovenat@plu.edu>
Nordic Cooking Classes, 10 am—1 pm,
$5 per person per class-Reservations not required
Swedish
Class, Info: 253-564-7935 or <mdcbutrfly@msn.com>
March
11—Menu to be determined
Norwegian
Classes, Info: 253-838-4232 or <jcwillison@comcast.net>
March 18 - Kavli Ostebrød (Kavli
Cheese Bread); Sildesalat (Herring Salad),
and Mandelkaker (Almond
Crescents)
March 26 - Skinkesalat (Ham Salad), Fastelavsboller (Lenten
Rolls), Eplekake (Apple Cake)
March 29 - Laksesmørbrød (Salmon Open-Face Sandwiches), Kålsalat
(Cabbage Salad), and Skorpor (Rusks)
Nordic Dance Classes, March 9, March 16, March
30, April 6, 2-4 pm, CK-East
$25.00
per person. For reservations, call 253-535-7349 or email
<youngse@plu.edu>
Lessons begin with dance basics and
progress to gangar and springar dances of Telemark, Norway.
Later lessons build on earlier lessons. Singing up as a couple helps keep the
class gender balanced, however, singles are welcome. No prior dance experiences
is required. Bring a clean pair of shoes with leather soles to make pivoting
easier. For specific questions, contact instructors Beverly and Richard Smaby
<smaby@clarion.edu> or 253-536-0945.
Meetings
Danish Sisterhood, March 5, April 2, May 7,
9:30 am, 253-843-2249
Danish Sangaften, March 16, April 13, May
18, 6:00 pm, 253-984-6700
Executive Board, March 11, April 8, May
13, 4:45 pm, UC 212
SCC Council, March 11, April 8, May 13, 5:30 pm, SCC
News and Notes
Welcome New SCC Members! Carolyn and Kent Hojem (Puyallup)
and Glenda Larsen (Gig
Harbor).
Danish Convention: The 59th Annual Pacific Northwest Danish
Brotherhood and Sisterhood Convention will be held April 18-20, in the La
Quinta Inn, Tacoma. The PNW District is comprised of seven lodges
in Washington, Oregon,
and Canada. For more information and registration,
contact Egon Calundann <email4egon@comcast.net>.
Danish Sisterhood, Lodge
19: Members of the
Danish Sisterhood, Lodge 19 (pictured left), celebrated Fastelavn at
their February meeting held in the Scandinavian
Cultural Center.
Fastelavn an annual tradition in Denmark, occurring seven weeks
before Easter and the period of fasting. Fastelavn is a celebration the evening before fasting
begins, with carefree dancing, costumes, parades, and an abundance of food.
Although there was no dancing and no parade at the meeting, there was a
carefree spirit, clever and colorful costumes, and an abundance of food!
Daughters of Norway
National Convention: On July 17, the Daughters of Norway National Convention will be held in
the Murano Hotel, Tacoma, 9:00 am—5:30
pm. For more information, contact Lisa Ottoson
<ottoson@hotmail.com> or Janet Ruud <ruudj1norw@aol.com>.
Pacific Coast
Norwegian Singers Association: Members of
the Everett Norwegian Chorus will host the annual Sangerfest in Everett, Washington,
June 25-28. The public performance in Everett’s
Civic Auditorium on June 27 will feature 170 Pacific Coast
singers. For more information send email to:
<Robert.Bruland@verizon.net>.
City of Poulsbo Centennial Celebration: Poulsbo’s
centennial year was kicked off with great success on January 12 with an all-day
event at the Sons of Norway Lodge. The Centennial Committee is excited to
announce an exciting line up of events to carry on the celebration: Mid-Sommerfest
(June 21); Street Dance (August 16); Centennial Park Grand
Opening and Music Festival (September 13); Fall Harvest Festival
(October 25); Julefest and Closing Gala (December 2008). For more information, contact: Donna Etchey <detchey@northkitsapherald.com> or
360-779-4464.
Nordic Folklore Prints Available On-Line: The artwork of local artist Sharon Aamodt is
now available for sale on-line at
<www.nordicfolklore.com>. All prints are double-matted and ready to
frame, crafted with archival ink and paper. Wholesale pricing is available for
retailers and non-profits organizations. Visit the website or contact Nikki
Dexter (360) 832-1244 for more information.
