Correspondence: SANDER - Laursen (1878)

The Luther College Archives have in their files letters from Anton SANDER to Luther's first president, Laur Larsen. Reproduced here are six letters from 1878 that Verla Williams had translated by Solveig Quinney of the Norwegian American Genealogical Center & Naeseth Library. In the fourth letter dated 15 Aug 1878, Anton gratefully accepts a teaching position at Luther College for the 1878-1879 academic year.


Letter. Anton SANDER to Laur Larsen (6 May 1878). Images courtesy of Luther College Archives under their fair use policy.

Dear Professor Larsen:

Your esteemed and highly welcomed letter of 29th April has arrived. It was not without surprise that I observed that I had been billed by the College. A forgotten debt it can't be. At the opening of school in January '74, I paid the steward $20, as I remember. The rest was not paid until sometime during the summer. A day or two before the last payment I asked the steward O. Larsen if he would be so kind to check and see how much I still owed so that I could pay that; and I especially brought it to his attention that the entire amount was more than two quarters. The same was repeated when a day or two later I paid him. But he answered that from New Year on it would be regarded as half a year. And so I paid him. Perhaps steward Larsen still remembers it. It is not my intention to hide behind the steward's lack of accuracy. If I come home during vacation I will pay then, if not, I will send the money anyway. In the meantime I am very indebted that it will be being corrected.

There is an insinuation in your letter dear professor, that I must have your permission to correct, since it is unwarranted, and I had earlier heard something like it from others. That my specialty is not "more direct" came from the Synod, and not necessarily from the lack of money, although I -- ceteris paribus (all other things being equal) -- would prefer a larger over a small salary. But one is not equally qualified in everything. And for such work that I am (best) qualified the Synod has deemed it, as far as I know, to be of no use. There are still many of us in such situations with much to learn; and then I believe the East has better teaching methods than the West. I am also a Norwegian American. The greatest part of my life has been in American schools, and therefore I often feel sad when I hear these negative discussions.

Friendly greetings from your student,
respectfully Anton Sander

Lawrenceville, New Jersey,
The 6th of May, 1878

Of interest is the mention of his specialty not being directly from the Synod, perhaps a foreshadowing of later conflicts.


Letter. Anton SANDER to Laur Larsen (29 Jun 1878). Images courtesy of Luther College Archives under their fair use policy.

56 Monro N.Y.
June 29, 1878

Dear Professor Larsen:

Your esteemed letter should have been answered a long time ago, without sending you a "Post Order" for my remaining debt to the College. I thank you because you made me aware of it; but now I am ashamed for taking such a long time to pay it. My school work stopped on Thursday because of vacation and after spending a few days with Pastor Everson I think I will be spending the summer in New Haven doing my own work. I was a little careless in my earlier letter. I did not have any special meaning in mind. From what little I can understand it has been decided that "bomman" School was a superfluous institution and not to be recommended. I sincerely hope that I had misunderstood that.

A heartfelt greeting from your respectful student.
Anton Sander

I attempted to do some searching to see if I could find out what "bomman" or "bommon" means and have had little success as of yet. However, I did find out a little about the "Pastor Everson" mentioned above. He went to Luther and Concordia Seminary and was pastor of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church at 56 Monroe, Brooklyn, NY, from where the above letter was written. 


Letter. Anton SANDER to Laur Larsen (15 Jul 1878). Images courtesy of Luther College Archives under their fair use policy.

Dear Professor Larsen:

Allow me to thank you for your esteemed letter of the 3rd that contained your dear explanation. It is gratifying to me that my earlier article regarding "Synodene" [the Synod] teaching about School-Question had been misunderstood. I have not, for a long time, followed the discussions; but it had occurred to me that there are some who did not express themselves as clearly as you, dear Professor, or is there a separation and those like myself have misunderstood the "Synoden's" position.

With friendly greetings, your respectful student,

Anton Sander

202 Elm St. New Haven, Conn.
the 15th July 1878

It is difficult to understand to what he is referring when he mentions the "Synod teaching about School-Question." Are these questions about how the school is to function or what they are supposed to teach?


Letter. Anton SANDER to Laur Larsen (30 Jul 1878). Images courtesy of Luther College Archives under their fair use policy.

Dear President Larsen:

Your esteemed letter of the 20th gave me cause to be not just a little surprised. It was kind of you to accept my humble thank you for the honor that you, Mr. President, and the other professors and teachers at Luther College so unexpectedly have shown me. I can't do other than accept the call with the hope that God will guide us to do our best with His blessing. I thought at first that I would not accept it, but with closer consideration after I had consulted Pastor C. S. Everson in New York, and others, I came to this decision. It is not without concern to that I accept an invitation to a position of such importance.

In regards to the arrangements of work and associations I don't believe it will be of any great difficulty. I am willing to reprimand and teach when it is in the right spirit. My thoughts are to consider others as cultured "Gentlemen" and also myself as such.

In regards to what classes I should teach I would suggest Greek and Latin. This has been my specialty for several years, and studied for the most part at Luther College -- either a private education or otherwise: so I believe -- without being guilty of any sinful self-righteousness -- that I dare to regard -- these classes as somewhat "adult." And beside it is not out of the question to teach English, German, Hebrew, or something else. (Other than mathematics). My greatest difficulty would probably be Norwegian since I have not spoken it for .... ? teaching in English. [cannot decipher]

Salary will have to be decided by the College. My moving expenses should be about $100 dollars.

My intentions are, God willing, to travel west on the 19th of August presumably traveling by train to Buffalo and then by steamship through the great lakes to Milwaukee or Duluth. I hope to hear from you closer to the time I leave.

With heartfelt greetings to you and the College's professors and teachers.

Your young student, Anton Sander

202 Elm St., New Haven, Conn.
30th July, 1878

My interpretation of the sentences where the translator had difficulty is that Anton is concerned about teaching in the Norwegian language as he had not been speaking it for a long time and is hoping that perhaps his classes may be taught in English. Just to be able to teach Greek, Latin, English, German, and Hebrew is amazing to me.


Letter. Anton SANDER to Laur Larsen (6 Aug 1878). Images courtesy of Luther College Archives under their fair use policy.

Dear President Larsen:

[Cannot decipher completely] Your .... I have just received and I thank you for that. You did not misunderstand; this is "single" - et lege et corde.

The schedule, I am not worried about, will be completed when I get there.

If Prof. Siewers's old room is still divided into two, I would suggest [that I] not live at the College: otherwise it will not make any difference.

My salary at the school in New Jersey was to be $600 "and home" (= furnished room, board, and washing). I don't know what it costs to live in Decorah. The college will have to make the adjustments whether the $100 cost of traveling is covered or not. If at the time of my arrival I could get help to get my room furnished, I would be very thankful and if it could be done as soon as possible.

Friendly greetings from
Your student,

Anton Sander
202 Elm St. New Haven, Conn.
6th Aug. 1878

It appears that the opening of the letter refers to a letter Anton received written by Larsen on the 3rd. Where the translator has "this is 'single,'" probably should have read, "for I am 'single.'" The Latin phrase, "et lege et corde," means "and law and heart." It is possible he was answering a question about his living arrangements and relationship status by stating that he was single "by law and in his heart." Perhaps he intended to dedicate his life to serving the Lord through his teaching and did not plan on having a wife and family.


Letter. Anton SANDER to Laur Larsen (15 Aug 1878). Images courtesy of Luther College Archives under their fair use policy.

New Haven, Conn.
Aug. 15, 1878

Dear President Larsen:

I received your esteemed letter of the 12th today and I am very thankful for the information. The schedule and classes satisfy me completely, and I have nothing special that I have to do. I am excited about the Hebrew, and I have no great concerns about the high requirements. In regards to where I will live I leave to you and the College to decide; although I, as far as I know, would suggest that I live at the College. I thank you for your willingness to help me get my room in order. I leave for New York in the evening and leave from there on Monday morning, probably getting to Decorah before Monday or Tuesday of the following week.

I will then put it all into God's hands with a prayer and His blessings to guide my way so that my work will benefit the College.

Respectfully yours,

A. Sander

And so began Anton's brief tenure at Luther College.

"At Luther College"

The following is an edited excerpt from "At Luther College" by Andrew Andersen Veblen. Veblen taught at Luther College from 1877-1881 and became friends with Anton SANDER when he arrived to teach at Luther in the fall of 1878. Veblen's account explains the short tenure of SANDER's teaching career at Luther.

[. . . ] Professor Adolph Bredesen closed his connection with the college at the end of the academic year 1877-8, and entered in the pastorate of Perry Congregation, Dane Co. Wis. Dr. Anton Sander, who came to the college in the autumn, occupied the rooms upstairs in "Sunnyside" that Mr. Bredesen had used. Dr. S. took his meals with us, and we became very good friends and I enjoyed much of his company during the year, 1878-9, of his stay at Luther. This same fall, 1878, Professor Halvard Roalkvam came to the College. The staff now consisted of 9 members: Larsen, Brandt, Bothne, Jacobsen, Narvesen, Reque, Veblen, Sander, [and] Roalkvam.

[. . . ] October 14th is at Luther College "Dedication Day." It is observed as a holiday and the chief event of the day has been the illumination of the building in the evening. In every window were placed several candles. Three strokes of the bell were the signal at which the candles were simultaneously lighted in all windows. The sight was a fine one, and it never failed to bring out a large number of people to view the spectacle. Many of these came up to the campus, and the number of young people who on these occasions mingled with the students, made the campus a place of considerable gaiety during the evening. Exercises were generally held in the chapel to end up the day, and there would be music and addresses, forming a short program, ending with a short devotional service, such as was usually observed at the close of each day of the week.

In the fall of 1878, there was a movement among the boys to celebrate the day more elaborately than had usually been the case. A mass meeting, or a committee, of the students considered the question of serving refreshments to the visitors who might come. An application was made to the President for permission to carry out this purpose. The request came before the faculty in regular meeting; but objection was raised to the feature of the proposed treat which specified the use of wine among the refreshments. The president asked each member in turn to state his mind, and I for one was surprised to find that some of those first asked were favorably disposed toward granting the request, allowing wine to be served. When my turn came to express myself I objected emphatically to this part of the preposition. Dr. Sander, who was the next to be asked said he agreed with me. We both said that we should consider it very unfortunate if such a request was allowed. President Larsen therefore remarked that in the face of such determined objection he should not wish to grant the petition. Dr. S. and I were then taken to task for being "puritans" and I can not recall what else we were that was objectionable by certain members. But the use of wine on Oct. 14th was not granted.

But the matter was not allowed to rest so simply as all that. Prof. Th. Bothne was at that time acting as secretary of the faculty. When the minutes of the meeting at which the matter was discussed and passed on, as stated, were read as the first item of business at the next faculty meeting, the secretary devoted considerable space to a report of the action. In it he told how certain members, among whom he named Prof. Reque and himself as having emphatically rebuked "professorene Sander og Veblen" for hindering the boys in their liberal project by obstructing it on the ground of puritan and illiberal objection. This was altogether contrary to the usage in the record of faculty meetings. In accordance with this, the minutes simply stated the questions voted upon and the results of the vote. No names were ever entered as to how any one voted, unless there was a specific request to have one’s position recorded, as might be in anyone's entering a protest or otherwise asking to have a record made of a personal nature, and then only by specific action or general consent. Consequently both Dr. Sander and I objected to the form of the record in this case, appealing to the faculty to have the minutes amended. Professor Bothne was directed by the President to rewrite the minutes until the next meeting. He rewrote them, and read the amended version at the next succeeding meeting. But the only change he had made was to change "professorene etc." to "De herrer professorer Sander og Veblen"; and adding one or two further epithets, evidently meant to make the intended rebuke more pointed and emphatic, and leaving his own and Reque’s names as the authors of the rebuke. As neither Dr. S. nor I, nor any other member, said anything further, it is presumed that the records, if in existence, show that Sander and Veblen hindered the use of wine on the campus or in the College on Oct. 14, 1878 and that they were taken to task for this "puritanic" attitude by professors Bothne and Reque.

[. . . ] Dr. Sander became very popular among the students, and by reason of his modest personality and his correct manners and conduct he fully deserved the loyalty and devotion that the boys gave him. But this popularity was not calculated to endear him to some of his colleagues, some of whom regarded him as being too good an American. After the episode in connection with the celebration of Oct. 14, with the accusation of puritanism, this feeling naturally was intensified. During the winter 1878-9 there was a temperance revival in Decorah, conducted by the church people in town. The meetings were very successful and began to attract many of the Norwegians. The participation of the members of the Norwegian church, was of course not relished by the pastors and other leaders of the church; and temperance meetings were started in the church which were conducted by the pastor, to be in accord with orthodox evangelical doctrine and practice. It was by some speakers explained that the “reformed” temperance meetings then in progress in town were proceeding along lines that Lutherans could not approve, and in which they should not participate. One specific objection mentioned was regarding the pledge of abstinence which was circulated for signatures in the general meetings in town. One prominent member characterized this pledge and the whole total abstinence movement as un-Lutheran because they would be "unequally yoked with unbelievers." (2 Cor. 6, 14) -- "drage et fremmed aag med Vantroe." -- Dr. Sander did not agree with this view, and made his position clear in a short speech. Ordinarily his remarks would have provoked some discussion in defense of the stand taken by the church leaders, and would most likely have caused no stir. But his remarks suited the meeting so well that a large number -- it seemed to be the greater number -- forgot themselves and broke out in a vigorous hand-clapping. This was of course an awful desecration of the sacred place in which the meeting was held, and the pastor immediately dismissed the meeting with a very curt rebuke; The occurrence was afterward by some spoken of, with bated breath, as a "scandal," though there were some who thought Dr. Sander was right, and that he at any rate could not be blamed for the impropriety on the part of the applauders. But the incident led to Dr. Sander’s being dropped from the teaching staff at the end of the year. At a special meeting of the faculty, which Dr. S was not called to attend, the president reported on interviews that he and the pastor had had with him; and the result of these were that they did not think he was as firmly orthodox as a teacher of the young men at the college should be, and that the president had better let him know that his services would not be required the following year, provided the faculty agreed. Prof. Bothne said that, so far as he was concerned, he thought we should be excused from discussing Dr. Sander's fitness if there was any question as to his orthodoxy. No one spoke further that I can recall; and I heard later from Dr. S. that he had been told that it would be best for him to begin to look for a position elsewhere. It must be remarked, that Dr. S. had been employed "temporarily," that is only for the year; but if he had been found doctrinally safe (or harmless) he would most likely have been reemployed; for the synod was in need of men and his going away could be looked on only as a serious loss.

I am not sure that the Rev. Mr. Koren was present when Dr. Sander’s case was reported on; but if not then, at another time when Dr. Sander’s case was the subject of remark by the president and possibly others, Mr. K. said he thought Sander was a "søgende sjæl," [searching soul] who was absolutely honest and eventually be found correct in his belief. I received the impression very distinctly, that while Koren did not think Dr. S. unfit on doctrinal grounds, he probably thought his retention on the faculty would have continued to be accompanied by friction due to the character of some of his colleagues. There was no mistaking the disappointment of the students when in the autumn they learned that Sander was not to return; and some were emphatic in their expressions of regret. The same manner of disappointment was voiced by the citizens. But I must record that on occasions when the matter was spoken of to Professor Larsen, in my hearing, while he refrained from finding explicit fault with Dr. S. there was always a distinct and unmistakable note of disparagement in what he had to say.

[SOURCE: “At Luther College” (1887-1881) by Andrew Andersen Veblen (written 1918?), pp. 24-30. Transcription made by Sam Preus (original document in Minnesota Historical Society archives) (32 pcs.) Undated. Luther College Library Archives. Andrew Andersen Veblen Collection. 85:1:1.]