Founded In 1884 Thru

The Efforts Of The Late Rev. Albrecht.

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APPROPRIATE

SERVICES ON

SUNDAY, NOV. 9

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Honor Memory Of

Prof. F. Reuter By

Rendering Concert.

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Sunday, November 9, the 40th anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther College, will be celebrated with fitting services and festivities planned by the college faculty and the directors. The founder of the college, the late Rev. C. J. Albrecht who served in the pastorate of the local St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, will be paid a great tribute in the services of the day.

Formerly, when the Minnesota and Wisconsin Synods were affiliated, the interest of Minnesota Synod was directed toward the college located at Watertown, Wis., where the young men were fitted for the ministry. With the support given the college in Wisconsin, Minnesota young men were taken into the school to be given their training. Owing to the great distance and the inconvenience of traveling the enrollment from this state at Watertown was not very large. It was then that the idea of supplying a school in Minnesota was encouraged. The plan to found a preparatory school and theological seminary was first proposed by the late Rev. C. J. Albrecht. He found ardent supporters for his plan in Frederick Boock and William Ruemke, both early settlers of New Ulm.

College Founded in 1884.

After due deliberation, New Ulm was chosen as the location for the new school. In spite of severe opposition and great difficulties, the necessary land and money was obtained, Mr. Ernst Koch, a member of the New Ulm congregation, donated a tract of land containing four acres on the bluff to the southwest of the city. The members of the local congregation provided a fund of $7,000. The remaining $11,000 was collected in the various churches in the synod. The Dr. Martin Luther college has an ideal location.The school lies on the beautifully wooded bluffs where the synod owns twenty-four acres of land, consisting of the original four acres donated by Mr. Koch, 16 acres purchased and the remaining four acres donated by the New Ulm Commercial club in 1910. The entire tract is divided into two sections. The east one-half on Summit Avenue overlooking the city, is a of which the college is located. Thee rear section, lying toward the west, serves as the college farm and provides a spacious baseball field.

Splendid Buildings

Coming up the gravel, path leading to the college, the Recitation Building can be seen. This is the original building erected in 1884. November 10, that year, it was dedicated and ready for occupancy. At that time it served as a recitation building, refectory, dormitory and the home of the director. Former students will recollect fond memories of the old bed rooms on the third floor with twenty or more beds apiece. Today the building serves but two purposes. Eight class rooms are found here and the library with a well balanced collection of 4,000 volumes will be found cataloged according to the Dewey Decimal System. On the second floor will be found the chemical and physical laboratory, which is the best equipped laboratory of any school in the synod. There are28 individual chemistry desks and lockers and 16 for physics. Gas mains have been laid up the hill and both the laboratory and kitchen are equipped with gas. Besides, the building contains three organs and four pianos used for instruction and practice. In the basement the college kitchen and dining hall are located. The students living in the dormitories are served their meals here.

South of this building is the Music Hall. This building was erected in1911. It contains an auditorium with a seating capacity of 300 and eight individual piano rooms. The pipe organ found here is a Wirsching make and was installed at a cost of $5,000. Today the same organ could not be purchased for $15,000. It is a fine instrument with 24 speaking stops and all technical and tonal improvements. A Steinway Grand and an upright piano are also found on the stage. The many fine concerts rendered by the students here during the school year have attracted the attention of the general public and the training offered the young people i3 of the highest possible degree.

To the south of the music hall is to be found the boy’s dormitory. A fine modern, fire-proof four story building accommodates 105 boys. Study rooms and bed rooms are arranged on each floor. In the basement will be found the gymnasium, provided with shower baths, the water used being heated by gas heaters. A trunk room is also provided for the storage of trunks of the students.

In 1920, it was decided by the Joint Synod to equip the former director’s residence and utilize it as a girls’ dormitory. This is a large 12 room stucco house, and with few changes it was re-modeled into a splendid building. A matron is in charge of the thirty young ladies who make this their home during the senior year. The name of the dormitory is “Hillcrest Hall”,and it is located about 500 feet west of the Recitation Building.

223 Enrolled This Year

This year the enrollment in the college is 223. The faculty is composed of the following professors: G. Burk, E. R. Bliefernicht, M. J. Wagner, A. Schaller, C. Schweppe, R. M. Albrecht,A. C. Stindt, H. Klatt, Harry Palmbach, E. D. Backer, Oscar Leverson, Richard Jahnke.

Three distinct courses are offered the students, namely:

A four years’ high school course and a two years’ normal course for young men and women that desire to prepare for work in the parish schools of the Wisconsin Synod. A four years’ high school course for such who desire to enter Northwestern College at Watertown, Wisconsin. After a four years’ college course at the latter school these young men complete their theological training at Wauwatosa, Wis. A four years’ high school for the purpose of acquiring a general high school training.

Services of the Day.

In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the college, services have been arranged for the entire day, beginning at 10 o’clock in the morning with a jubilee service. Rev. Im. F. Albrecht of Fairfax, president of the Minnesota Branch of the Wisconsin Synod, and son of the late Rev. C. J. Albrecht, will give an English address. A German service will also be conducted and will be given by Rev. Robert Heidmann of Arlington, who was a graduate of one of the first classes from the college while it was still a seminary. The college choirs will render special music at the service. Services in the afternoon will start at 2:30 o’clock, when visiting pastors will have charge. The first speaker will be Rev. G. Bergmann of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, president of the Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and other states. Rev. E. G. Fritz of Wellington will read the history of the college. The mixed choir of the college will render a short program of chorus numbers.

Prof. Reuter Honored.

The evening service at 7:30, will be in the form of a concert, rendered by the college students in the musical department, under the direction of Prof. Emil Backer. It will be given in memory of the late Prof. F. Reuter, who was director of the music department for many years. He was forced to give up his work because of his failing health, and his duties were then assumed by Prof. Backer, who was a pupil and studied under Prof. Reuter. The program of the evening will be composed entirely of Prof. Reuter’s compositions, and be a presentation of special music for each festival of the church year, beginning with the Reformation. A cordial invitation is extended to the public to attend the concert. There will be no admission fee, as a free will collection will be taken for the benefit of the music fund of the college. The choruses of the college have presented several concerts in the past year in which they rendered several of Prof. Reuter’s compositions and a complete program of the composer’s work will be heard with great interest. Neighboring congregations have been invited to spend the day in New Ulm and take part in the festivities. Thru the courtesy of Prof. Emil Backer we are able to publish the musical program as it will be given Sunday evening

Concert Numbers.

1. Organ (Kurt Oswald): Fest-Praeludium “Ein feste Burg.”

2. Male Chorus: “Te Deum” (Luther).

3.Ladies’ Chorus: “Arise, Shine,”

4. Mixed Octet: “Ach, dass die Hilfeaus Zion käme.”

5. Duet “Wo du bist, da will ichauch sein.” (Soprano-Alma Hafnerand Ella Kamrath; Baritone-Grenther Waidelich and Carl Finup; Organ-Alma Roeder).

6. Mixed Chorus: “Glory to God in the Highest.” (Organ-Angelica Glaeser).

*7. Congregation: “Herzlich lieb habich dich, O Herr.” (Organ Esther Buenger).

8. Male Octet: “Umschliess michganz mit deinem Frieden.”

*9. Mixed Chorus: “Surely He HathBorne Our Griefs.” (Organ Kurt Oswald).

10.Organ (Emma Roeder): “Lasstmichgehn(with variations).

11. Male Chorus: “The Sorrows of Death Encompassed Me.” (Organ Kurt Oswald).

12. Aria for Soprano from Händel’s “Messiah.” (Organ-Kurt Oswald).This was Prof. Reuter’s favorite composition.*

*13. Mixed Chorus: Duet, Anthem and Allegro from “Pentecostal Can-tata.” (Organ-Emma Roeder).

*14. Congregation: “Jerusalem, du hochgebaute Stadt.(Organ-Frieda Mueller).

*15. Nachruf.

(*) denotes selections rendered at the funeral of the late Prof. Reuter.

New Ulm Review,

November 5, 1924

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