Outstanding Service Award
Call for Nominations
The Scandinavian Cultural Center Council
is now accepting nominations for the 2008 Outstanding Service Award. The award will be presented at the Annual
Membership Meeting on September 27. The purpose of the Outstanding Service
Award is to recognize and thank those who, through their volunteerism, work to
advance the mission of the Scandinavian
Cultural Center.
Past award recipients: Florence Buck
(2001), Joanne Klein (2002), Hans Bjornen (2003), Inge Miller (2004), Betty
Larson (2005), Janet Ruud (2006), Elene Emerson (2007).
When proposing a nominee, please explain
in as much detail as possible how he/she has demonstrated dedication and
service to the SCC through the giving of time and expertise. Nominees must be
current or past members of the SCC Council and may not be an employee of Pacific Lutheran University.
You may submit your nomination by postal
mail or e-mail. It is not required to
use a nomination form, but if you would like one, or if you have questions,
please contact Janet Ruud or Susan Young. Nominations should be sent to Janet
or Susan, and must be received no later than August 1, 2008.
Janet Ruud
7324
N Skyview Place #E104
Tacoma, WA 98406
253.564.2932
ruudj1norw@aol.com
Susan Young , Director
Scandinavian Cultural Center
Pacific Lutheran
University
Tacoma, WA 98447
253.353.7349
youngse@plu.edu
Round-Trip Ticket Drawing to Take
Place at Membership Meeting
On Saturday, September 27, at the Annual
Membership Meeting, 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 the Membership Meeting, your name
(SCC members only) will be added to the drawing. Entry forms will be provided
and must be completed at each event. 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
are not a member of the Center and would like to join, please give us a call at
253.535.7322 and we will be happy to send you an application form. We are pleased to bring this exciting
opportunity to our membership and we are grateful to Scandinavian
Airlines for their continued generosity and support.
Smuler fra Presidenten . . .
One last “smule” from the president. My term comes to an end in June. The very
capable and very dedicated Lisa Ottoson will then take over. She will do a
wonderful job.
I have to say it has been an honor as well
as tremendously interesting and satisfying to serve as your president these
last two years. I have worked with a wonderful group of people—and I extend my
sincerest thanks to all of you. We have had some wonderful successes during my
tenure. Programs and activities ranged from the purely delightful to the highly
informative and deeply moving. It’s been great. And the achievement that
surpasses all the others, of course, has to be the donation by Mr. Neil
Anderson and the subsequent sale at Sotheby’s of the painting Soleinatt,
Jølster by Nikolai Astrup. An utterly extraordinary—I would say
stunning—development. I have to add that without the persistent and dedicated
work of our Director Susan Young and Past President Janet Ruud, it is very
likely that this would never have happened at all. So to them, as well as to a
number of others who worked very hard on this, we owe a monumental debt of
gratitude.
Looking to the future, there is one thing
I plan to do (in addition, of course, to remaining active on the SCC Board and
Council), and that is to take a trip to Norway. It’s been years
since I last went. My mother now is ninety-one years old and my sister lost her
husband this last year, so I will go just to spend some time with them. It will
be an opportunity for some “quality time” with the family and not just a
tourist excursion. But, of course, it
will also be an opportunity to see Oslo
again—where I grew up and from where I have a host of wonderful childhood
memories. I look forward to again walking treasured paths—and hope not to find
all of them to be gjengrodder stier (overgrown paths) as did Knut Hamsun. I wish a best of summers to all
of you! ~ Gunnulf Myrbo
Molly Keller, Student Assistant
to SCC Director,
Bids Farewell Upon Graduation
from PLU
As I reflect on my years as a student at PLU, I am amazed at how often this
university has enriched my specific interests in Scandinavian culture. When I
was a freshman, I heard that the University Wind Ensemble was scheduled for a
musical tour of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. I auditioned as a
clarinetist, made it in, and at the end of that year took my first-ever trip to
Scandinavia. During those two eye-opening
weeks, I not only tested out my language skills from Norwegian 101/102; I also
met some of my Oslo
relatives for the first time. My cousins urged me to come back and visit them
again, which was the perfect excuse to study abroad in Norway. As a
junior, I attended the University
of Oslo’s International
Summer School. Subsequently, I earned a minor in Norwegian and eagerly enrolled
in other Scandinavian Studies Program courses where I learned so much from two
excellent professors, Claudia Berguson and Troy Storfjell. For the past two and
a half years I have lived in the Norwegian-language wing of Hong Hall, which is
PLU’s international dorm. It was only a matter of time before interests in Scandinavia led me to the opportunity to serve as
Assistant to the Director of the SCC. Susan Young is a wonderful leader for
whom to work, and I am so glad to have had the opportunity to learn from her. I
have truly enjoyed assisting her plan and implement Nordic exhibits, edit the Scandinavian
Scene newsletter, and network with the PLU and greater Scandinavian
community. My educational and life experiences would certainly not have been
the same without the SCC and the constant support it lends to PLU’s
Scandinavian programs and students like me. My classes in the Scandinavian
Studies Program, multiple study-abroad trips to Norway, and my position as
Assistant to the SCC Director have provided many opportunities for me to grow
as a student and as a world citizen.
Story of Norwegian Pioneer
Elise Wærenskjold Captivates
Audience
By Joanne McDonald
On March 19 Dr. Charles H. Russell shared
the extraordinary story of Elise Wærenskjold with a captivated audience at the Scandinavian Cultural Center.
Dr. Russell’s Norwegian wife Inger Johanne Russell, who helped him translate
Wærenskjold’s writings, accompanied him. The full account of the Wærenskjold
story is told in Dr. Russell’s book, Undaunted – A Norwegian Pioneer Woman
in Frontier Texas.
Through his multimedia presentation, Dr.
Russell illustrated the life of this cultured and courageous woman who at the
age of 32 emigrated from Norway
to Texas in
1847. Elise Wærenskjold was born into the embets class (the privileged
caste) at a time when there was a rigidly-organized society. Women’s lives
revolved around home, kitchen, and church. Even though women would leave the
home, become wage earners, professionals, business owners, intellectuals, and
athletes, they still maintained the home as they always had. Elise
Wærenskjold’s amazing life foretold the future. In fact, she shattered the
conventional mold of the time, Russell said.
Her father Nicolai Tvede was a Lutheran pastor,
who held his post by royal appointment. As a member of the established upper
social class, Elise Tvede was raised to be a “trophy wife,” said Russell. She
was taught German and French, read the Bible, and learned painting and
needlework skills. At age thirteen she embroidered an image of Jesus using
black silk thread on ivory-stained satin. The needlework was so expertly done
that upon seeing if for the first time Russell’s wife thought it was a
painting.
At age nineteen Elise chose to become a
schoolteacher, an occupation that was almost exclusively restricted to men at
the time. She also penetrated the exclusively-male Lillesand Temperance
Society, and edited the publication Norge og Amerika. At age twenty-four
Elise married Sven Foyn, the wealthy captain of his own merchant sailing ship.
She filed for divorce three and one-half years later, at a time when a divorced
woman was treated as a social outcast. Dr. Russell stated that Foyn apparently
expected Elise to be a traditional wife and objected to her running her own
school.
Elise met Wilhelm Waerenskjold while
visiting the convicts in a prison workhouse, where she was on a personal
mission to help the poor and unfortunate. Wilhelm was one of the incarcerated,
and Dr. Russell described him as a rogue, an aristocrat who had gone wrong, and
an adventurer. After serving his sentence he joined Elise on her four-month
long journey to Texas
in 1847. They married in September, 1848, meeting a deadline to claim a
640-acre section of land, but prior to the date of her final divorce from Sven
Foyn, which was not final until January, 1849. Their first child Otto was born
when Elise was thirty-six. Otto’s birth was followed by the birth of two more
sons. By the late 1850s she and Wilhelm were prosperous and owned a large stock
of cattle, sheep, chickens, and hogs.
Tragically, her youngest child Thorvald
died at age seven, and Wilhelm was murdered by a Methodist preacher within
months of Thorvald’s death in 1867. After her husband’s murder, her former
husband Sven Foyn (now enormously wealthy) helped her out financially and sent
her enough money to live on the rest of her life. Waerenskjold continued to
write letters and newspaper articles and left a detailed account of life in Texas in the 1800s. She
was pro-union, championed women’s rights, and expressed her abhorrence for
slavery.
Inger and Charles Russell are seen here
with SCC’s Janet Ruud. Janet had the privilege of unveiling a monument honoring
Elise Wærenskjold (and Agnes Wergeland) at the Western
Norway Emigration
Center in Sletta, Norway,
on July 7, 2007. The Russells also attended the dedication ceremony.
“Picture This” ~ The Swedish Dalahäst in
the Making
On Saturday, April 12, the Scandinavian Cultural Center
was transformed into a factory for the production of the famous Swedish Dalahäst,
or Dala horse. Over 150 people spent the afternoon together learning
about the history of this well-known Swedish symbol and were witness to the
carving and painting process. Cousins
Lars and Gun Olsson, current owners of the Nils Olsson Hemslöjd in Nusnäs, Sweden,
gave a fantastic three-hour presentation. Honored guests that afternoon were
Dr. Loren Anderson, PLU President, and Ross Fogelquist, Honorary Swedish Vice
Consul of Oregon.
Saturday’s program was made possible by the Betty and Edgar Larson Endowed
Swedish Program Series. The endowment, established in honor of their parents,
will provide annual funding for future programs that will focus on Swedish
music, art, politics, history, and tradition, as well as current events. The SCC and the University are grateful to
the Larsons for their continued support and generosity.
The large Dalahäst seen here was a gift to the SCC from Lars and Gun Olsson. The inscription painted on the piece commemorates the first annual Betty and Edgar Larson Endowed Swedish Program Series.
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. In this issue, we would like
to introduce Norita Stewart, who has faithfully served as Council Treasurer for
the past four years. Norita will be leaving her post as treasurer at the end of
May, but will continue to serve as an active member of the Cultural
Council.
Norita Stewart
Council Treasurer
My mother and I began coming to the Scandinavian Cultural Center
regularly in 1999 when I started bringing her to the Danish Sangaften. After
becoming an SCC member in 2001, I was invited to join the Council and then was
elected to serve as the first SCC treasurer. That was for the 2004-2005
fiscal year. I am currently serving my fourth term as treasurer.
Even though my involvement with the Scandinavian Cultural
Center is rather recent, my
association with Pacific
Lutheran College
began as a freshman in the fall of 1952. I majored in mathematics and graduated
with a BA degree in 1956. In 1970, my late husband, Paul Liebelt, joined the
PLU faculty as a mathematics professor. From 1972 through 1979, I worked part
time in the PLU library. My two children, Stephen Liebelt and Cynthia
(Liebelt) Naka each graduated from PLU. I served as the treasurer for the
PLU Women’s Club three separate terms.
My employment history includes three years
as an Assistant Engineer for Pacific Telephone and Telegraph and seventeen
years as a Computer Analyst/Programmer for the Washington State Department of
Transportation.
I am a Lutheran with a Scandinavian
heritage. Three of my grandparents were born in Denmark
and I had a Swedish grandmother from Minnesota.
I like to ski and travel and volunteer
occasionally for the Tacoma Opera. I also support the Tacoma Orthopedic
Association and some of the local arts organizations. I was widowed in
2000 and remarried to Dugald Stewart in 2005.
Calendar
of Events
Exhibits
Scandinavia and the Sea:
A Nautical Exhibit, January 13 through September 1
Dalahäst—Symbol of Sweden, April
12 through September 1
Public Hours—Free Admission
September 1 through May 31—Sundays, 1-4 pm; Tuesdays/Wednesdays, 11 am-3 pm
June 1 through
August 31—Sundays only, 1-4 pm
Major Event
Spring Banquet, May 10, 6:30 pm
For more information, contact Lisa Ottoson
<lottoson@hotmail.com> or
Maynard Hedegaard <mlhedegaard@att.net>
Classes
Intermediate Norwegian
Language Classes, Mondays,
6-9 pm
Beginning Norwegian
Language Classes, Tuesdays, 6-9 pm
Contact: Audun Toven 253.536.8392 or <tovenat@plu.edu>
Meetings
Danish Sisterhood, May 7, June 4, July 2, 9:30 am, 253.843.2249
Danish Brotherhood, May 10, 9:30 am, 253.539.0587
Danish Sangaften, May 18, June 15, July 20, 6:00 pm, 253.984.6700
Executive Board, May 13, June 11, July 8, August 12, 4:45 pm, UC 212
SCC Council, May 13, 5:30 pm,
SCC (No meeting in June, July, or August)
Priceless Piece Added to SCC
Artifact Collection
Our most recent artifact comes to us in
the form of an exquisite wooden trunk. As indicated by the shipping labels
still affixed to the piece, it was shipped via Scandinavian-American Line from Copenhagen to New
York circa 1875. It was addressed to Johanna
Gustafson, 1972 South L Street,
Tacoma, Washington.
The trunk gives us a magnificent glimpse into the immigrant experience.
The trunk was donated by Ross A.
Fogelquist, Honorary Swedish Vice Consul of Oregon
in memory of his Swedish grandparents Frederick and Anna Fogelquist who
emigrated from Dalarna, Sweden, in 1872. Fred and Anna
Fogelquist settled in Selah, Washington,
and in 1908, they purchased ten acres 
of land and set out a commercial orchard
of apples and pears. Fred Fogelquist had learned mechanical drawing and
woodworking in Stockholm, Sweden, so when Central High School was built in
1910, he became the manual training instructor, a career that was to last for
twenty-seven years.
We are grateful to Vice Consul Fogelquist
for donating this wonderful family treasure to the Scandinavian Cultural
Center.
The small wooden trunk measures
12(H)x15(D)x25”(W). The original key is still in the lock.
News and Notes
Welcome New SCC Members! Donna Arbaugh (Tacoma, WA), Ross
Fogelquist (Portland, OR), Joanne Gray (Olympia, WA), Gary and Gerry Hagen
(Puyallup, WA), Denver and Kristi James (Tualatin, OR), Karen Marshall
(McKenna, WA), James and Ann Martin (Puyallup, WA), Sandra McLeod (Lakewood,
WA), Caroline Norelius (Marysville, WA), Sally Thompson (Tacoma, WA), and
Viking Bank (Tacoma, WA).
A Night at Tivoli! NW
Danish Foundation Gala Fund-Raising Auction, Saturday, May 3, at the
Swedish Cultural Center, 1920
Dexter Ave N, Seattle.
5:00pm (Social Hour and Silent Auction), 6:30pm (Dinner and Live Auction). For
more information, visit the website <www.northwestdanishfoundation.org>
or call 206.523.3263.
25th Annual FinnFest! Under the theme “Sharing the Sprit of Finland,” the event will honor
Finnish culture and heritage and will feature a variety of dance performances,
concerts, lectures, art exhibitions, and tours. “FinnFest 2008” takes place
July 23-27, in Duluth, Minnesota. Contact: Ira Turunen. Phone:
218.213.6080. Email: <iraturunen@finnfest2008.com>.
Grieg Festival Conference
and Competition in Sunny Florida,
January 9-10, 2009. Sponsored in part by Rollins College
and the International Grieg Society in Bergen Norway, the event focuses on lesser-known but
significant works of Edvard Grieg and will include presentations, master
classes, concerts, an exhibit of copies of Grieg manuscripts and documents from
the Bergen Public Library in Norway,
and a young artists competition. Visit <www.griegfestivalinflorida.com>
for competition repertoire, conference information, application forms, and
other festival information.
Two New Book Offerings
from Hippocrene Books, Inc.
Beginner’s Danish with two
Audio CDs.
Ideal for both classroom
use and independent study. Author Nete Schmidt received her degrees in English
and Danish from the University of Copenhagen, and taught at Bjerringbro
Junior College and the University of Aarhus for many years. Since 1998, she has been the Assistant
Visiting Professor and Danish Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Norse Warfare: Unconventional Battle. Strategies of the Ancient Vikings.
This volume takes a new look at the success of Norse raids and warfare
by exploring unique cultural traits, religious beliefs, technological feats in
ship building, and ruthless battle tactics that made Vikings the scourge of
Europe. Author Martina Sprague was born
and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. Interested in military and
combat sciences, she holds a Master of Arts in Military History from Norwich University. She is the author of Sweden: An Illustrated History. For
more information contact Tracy Liaw. Email:
<tliaw@hipppocrenebooks.com> or
212.685.4371.
