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Education in Sweden and Swedish America

This guide is for anyone looking to conduct research on the history of Swedish American education using Swenson Center resources.

Archival Collections

The Swenson Center has many collections related to Swedish American education and schooling. Here are a few:

 

I/O:36  Hope Academy (Moorhead, Minn.) photographs

This very small collection contains seven photographs from the academy, including single portraits of teachers and a few group photographs of teachers and students. Hope Academy was a short-lived school (1888-1896) started by Swedish settlers in the Red River Valley, Minnesota, who wanted a church school nearby.

 

I/O:38  Ansgar College (Knoxville, Ill.) records

Ansgar College (called Swedish-American Ansgar College in the charter minutes) was a school of learning of the Ansgar Synod (1874-1885) in Knoxville, Illinois, and the successor to the Swedish Lutheran Mission Institute of Keokuk, Iowa. As such it was an early educational institution of the Swedish Mission Covenant Church. The school closed in 1884. The collection includes the charter of the original corporation dated June 21, 1875 and one ledger of minutes for the College Board of Trustees covering the years 1875-1884.

 

I/O:58  Upsala College (East Orange, N.J.) records

The records cover most aspects of the life and scope of Upsala College from its founding in 1893 to its closing in 1995. Included are the papers of the presidents, the records from the dean's offices, the minutes of the Board of Directors, the comptroller, and other administrative offices. The collection also contains some faculty publications, records of student organizations such as the Swedish literary society Samfundet De Nio, and photographs depicting early campus life. 

 

MSS P:7  Oliver Anderson Linder clippings

The collection includes approximately 17, 000 clippings reflecting Linder's interest in the daily lives of the Swedish immigrants, specifically the Swedish American press; religion, especially the Augustana Synod and its churches and pastors; Social welfare issues; Education; The influence of Swedish in English and Swedish-American literature; Industry and business; Art and Artists.

 

MSS P:331  Martha Christensson school papers, 1923

This collection includes 9 English lessons and practice sheets from a course Martha Christensson took at the YWCA in 1923. The school was located at the Ballard School, Central Branch, YWCA, 610 Lexington Avenue, New York City. The course was "Oral and Reading Lesson" "For Non-English Speaking Women."

 

MSS P:346  Peter Froeberg family letters, autobiography, and other materials

Letters from Peter Froeberg (Augustana Theological Seminary graduate and president emeritus of Upsala College) to his brother, Sven Froeberg, after immigrating to the United States. Letters describe their experience as immigrants trying to find employment, education, pastoral work, and familial matters. Peter serves as a mentor to his younger brother. Collection also contains background information on the brothers, Peter Froeberg's autobiography, audio recordings of Peter and photographs of Peter's family.

 

SAC P:136  Swedish-Americans in American Public Schools collection

The collection consist of material collected by Augustana College professor O. Fritiof Ander for the Swedish Tercentenary celebration in 1938. Included are letters, notes, questionnaires and clippings sent to Ander.