"The Other Swedes"
~ Celebrating Them ~
~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Kenneth Sjogren
~ Saving and serving Bethany College;
preserving college and Swedish history and culture;
writing college history
~ The "Hemslöjd"
~ Celebrating Them ~
~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Kenneth Sjogren
~ Saving and serving Bethany College;
preserving college and Swedish history and culture;
writing college history
~ The "Hemslöjd"
Kenneth Sjogren
(1935 - 2022)
" The Bethany College Fundraiser "
(1935 - 2022)
" The Bethany College Fundraiser "
A Swede, Mr. Kenneth Sjogren was born in the small rural town of Marquette, Kansas, 4 miles west of Lindsborg. The building of the town began on the banks of the Smoky Hill River with a flour mill. It was settled by Swedes as well as Civil War veterans and was chartered in 1874. It derives its name from Marquette, Michigan.
From the Kansas Marquette schools, Mr. Sjogren continued his education at Bethany College, graduating in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He was a member of the Terrible Swedes football team and of the Pi Sigma Chi fraternity. He was also the Student Body President when Rev. Dr. Robert Mortvedt was the sixth college president. These two were to make history with Dr. Emil O. Deere during the ground-breaking ceremony for the boy's dorm, Deere Hall in 1957.
Mr. Sjogren would meet his wife-to-be, Marilyn Miller, at Bethany. She is also a Swede. As Swedish Augustana Lutheran Christians, Mr. and Mrs. Sjogren worshiped at the Salemsborg Lutheran Church in Smolan, Kansas. This church was founded by the Swedish Galesburg Colony leader, Rev. Anders Wilhelm (A.W.) Dahlsten, in 1869, the same year that Lindsborg's Swedish Rev. Olof Olsson founded a sister Augustana Lutheran church, Bethany Lutheran Church. For the duration of their lives together, Mr. and Mrs. Sjogren would be very much involved with their church, alma mater, their Lindsborg community and neighboring Smoky Valley communities, the Swedish traditions and cultural events of the area, and with their four children: Karla, Kristin, Steven, and Eric.
As one reads the information about Mr. Sjogren found in his 2019 book, 6 Decades with Twelve Bethany College Presidents, it becomes very clear that he answered the call to serve Bethany College during a most challenging era. From 1961 to 1967 he became the Bethany College Director of Public Relations and Alumni Affairs. Then from 1967 to 1984 he became Bethany College Director of Development and Assistant to the President. These positions would demand that he become "the fundraiser" for the College which would bring in millions of dollars. He continued his association with Bethany as a volunteer from 1984 to 2020. This found him, from time to time, coming out of retirement to eagerly assist the college in fundraising campaigns.
The Hahn Years at Bethany College
1967-1983
1967-1983
Mr. Ken Sjogren's first job at Bethany College was during the Rev. Dr. Dale Lund Presidency in May of 1961 as the Public Relations and Alumni Director. Serious problems hit Bethany when Dr. Lund left in 1965 and his replacement became Dr. Kenneth Andeen to whom Ken, as he was referred to, reported. The poor financial situation of the College was soon discovered by Dr. Andeen which started a movement by him and some others of looking into moving Bethany College to Colorado. A site had even been selected for the move. The idea of Bethany in Colorado did not go down well with Lindsborg and the Bethany family. Yet, the Bethany College Board of Directors' vote for the move was very close for the College to move. In the end, Bethany remained in Lindsborg and Dr. Andeen resigned in 1967. In the same year Ken was promoted to the Director of Development and Assistant to the President and Dr. Arvin W. Hahn was hired as eighth college president. With the events that followed, one could very well say, that together, Ken and Dr. Hahn, very gifted men, played key roles in saving Bethany College from going under. Dr. Hahn retired in 1983 and Ken retired the next year in 1984.
-------
NOTE
My Bethany College Class of 1968 was under the leadership of all three of these presidents:
Rev. Dr. Dale Lund for 1 year; Dr. Kenneth Andeen for 2 and Dr. Arvin Hahn for 1.
-------
NOTE
My Bethany College Class of 1968 was under the leadership of all three of these presidents:
Rev. Dr. Dale Lund for 1 year; Dr. Kenneth Andeen for 2 and Dr. Arvin Hahn for 1.
-------
The 16 years of the Hahn Administration were dynamic years for Bethany. Dr. Emory Lundquist, fourth college president, in his 1975 book, Bethany in Kansas, the history of a college, wrote of the Hahn era as "a miracle in the making," and Ken was in the center of it, as he was fundraising and assisting the president. Ken, with Hahn and his well-appointed team would be the driving force to bring in millions of dollars for Bethany. This was true synergy at its best!
These 16 years, in the later 20th century, were the most spirited and vigorous where restoration, preservation and promotion of college culture and history prevailed. This, Ken documents so well in his 6 Decades with Twelve Bethany College Presidents to be reviewed in the next section.
As a result of Ken's hard work at Bethany College and ongoing commitment to his alma mater, he was honored as a recipient of the Bethany College Alumni Merit and Lifetime Achievement Award. As well, he was so highly appreciated by Bethany College that the advancement and alumni office in a former Lindsborg home where he had worked later in his career was renamed:
"The Sjogren Center for Advancement & Alumni."
These 16 years, in the later 20th century, were the most spirited and vigorous where restoration, preservation and promotion of college culture and history prevailed. This, Ken documents so well in his 6 Decades with Twelve Bethany College Presidents to be reviewed in the next section.
As a result of Ken's hard work at Bethany College and ongoing commitment to his alma mater, he was honored as a recipient of the Bethany College Alumni Merit and Lifetime Achievement Award. As well, he was so highly appreciated by Bethany College that the advancement and alumni office in a former Lindsborg home where he had worked later in his career was renamed:
"The Sjogren Center for Advancement & Alumni."
--------------------------------
"Ken . . . basically had more to do with saving Bethany . . .
--------------------------------
"Ken . . . basically had more to do with saving Bethany . . .
--------------------------------
In 2006, Ken agreed to sit down with Bethany College graduate of 1971 Mr. Chris Abercrombie to be interviewed regarding the events surrounding the potential Bethany College move to Colorado. That interview was introduced by Lindsborg News-Record editor J. J. Walters who made this statement,
"Ken . . . basically had more to do with saving Bethany probably than any other one man. He provided the leadership that got it going . . . And he has never been recognized for that as much as he should have been."
The interview can be found in this section, The 2006 Abercrombie interview with Ken Sjogren on Bethany's challenging times, 1960s to early 70s, HERE.
"Ken . . . basically had more to do with saving Bethany probably than any other one man. He provided the leadership that got it going . . . And he has never been recognized for that as much as he should have been."
The interview can be found in this section, The 2006 Abercrombie interview with Ken Sjogren on Bethany's challenging times, 1960s to early 70s, HERE.
--------------------------------
The "Hemslöjd"
The "Hemslöjd"
True to their Swedish heritage, in that year of 1984 when Ken retired from Bethany, he and Marilyn started up a Swedish and Scandinavian import shop with friends Kenny and Virginia Swisher in a converted old Standard Oil service station on Lindsborg's Main and State Streets. They named the shop Hemslöjd, meaning handicraft. It was a specialty gift shop offering a variety of Swedish imports including the traditional Dala horses from Sweden. Artists-in-residence skilled in Swedish folk art painting such as Kurbits were featured as well as woodworkers in the wood working factory that was modeled after those in Sweden. They were handcrafting a variety of Swedish goods, popular gifts for the shop, including the Dala horses and the popular house signs that had their beginnings at the Hemslöjd. These were certainly a popular item, and Ken enjoyed painting literally thousands of them, hundreds if not nearly a thousand or more can be seen attached to Lindsborg houses everywhere. In 2020, the city's population was recorded as 3,776.
The Sjogrens and Swishers sold Hemslöjd in 2011 to another Swedish American couple who have kept the Hemslöjd name and its Swedish Lindsborg legacy. To learn more, go HERE.
The Sjogrens and Swishers sold Hemslöjd in 2011 to another Swedish American couple who have kept the Hemslöjd name and its Swedish Lindsborg legacy. To learn more, go HERE.
--------------------------------
Kenneth Sjogren, Dr. Emil O. Deere and Bethany College History
Kenneth Sjogren, Dr. Emil O. Deere and Bethany College History
Kenneth Sjogren loved Bethany College and loved her history from the time of his college days to the end of his life. He and the college of his day were definitely into capturing, preserving and promoting history, and writing history. So this is why one afternoon in 1965 with his tape recorder in hand, he was off to interview Dr. Emil O. Deere who was a last-living-link to college history. Not only did Dr. Deere know college founder Rev. Dr. Carl Aaron Swensson well, but he was also to be the last college curator of the fine Bethany College Natural History and Swedish Pioneer History Museum, a position he would hold for 58 years. In all, Dr. Deere had a 67-year professional association with Bethany from 1899 to 1966. Ken's total association with the College as a colleague, volunteer and friend was very, very close to Dr. Deere's!
I was a sophomore at Bethany when I was at my Uncle Emil's and Grandmother Nina's home at Deere House that Ken, then Bethany College Director of Public Relations and Alumni Affairs, came over to interview my uncle about the history of the college. I remember that day clearly, yet not at all understanding Emil's significance to the College then. At 88 years of age, it was of great importance to capture any of the earliest college history from him before it was too late. For Ken, it had been 12 years ago that he had made college history with Dr. Deere during the groundbreaking ceremony for Deere Hall when he was the Student Body President in 1957.
Nearly 50 years later from the day of his interview with my Uncle Emil, when I was visiting Lindsborg, he thoughtfully gave me a copy of that historic college recording.
Then living to the age of 87, Mr. Sjogren, himself, was certainly a "last-living-link" to the college history of "his time." Retired and in his final years, he knew so well the importance of capturing this history and sharing it, so with the encouragement from others, he set out to write the history which he made with twelve college presidents. In the process, he became a historian and a preservationist of Bethany College history and of the college culture of his time. With love, respect, and humor, Ken wrote his 2019 "6 Decades with Twelve Bethany College Presidents," so the college, the city of Lindsborg and surrounding Smoky Valley communities would have an up-to-date record, to enjoy and to study, and from which to gather ideas to dream big dreams for Bethany.
A thousand thanks to you dear Ken! Tusen tack till dig kära Ken!
I was a sophomore at Bethany when I was at my Uncle Emil's and Grandmother Nina's home at Deere House that Ken, then Bethany College Director of Public Relations and Alumni Affairs, came over to interview my uncle about the history of the college. I remember that day clearly, yet not at all understanding Emil's significance to the College then. At 88 years of age, it was of great importance to capture any of the earliest college history from him before it was too late. For Ken, it had been 12 years ago that he had made college history with Dr. Deere during the groundbreaking ceremony for Deere Hall when he was the Student Body President in 1957.
Nearly 50 years later from the day of his interview with my Uncle Emil, when I was visiting Lindsborg, he thoughtfully gave me a copy of that historic college recording.
Then living to the age of 87, Mr. Sjogren, himself, was certainly a "last-living-link" to the college history of "his time." Retired and in his final years, he knew so well the importance of capturing this history and sharing it, so with the encouragement from others, he set out to write the history which he made with twelve college presidents. In the process, he became a historian and a preservationist of Bethany College history and of the college culture of his time. With love, respect, and humor, Ken wrote his 2019 "6 Decades with Twelve Bethany College Presidents," so the college, the city of Lindsborg and surrounding Smoky Valley communities would have an up-to-date record, to enjoy and to study, and from which to gather ideas to dream big dreams for Bethany.
A thousand thanks to you dear Ken! Tusen tack till dig kära Ken!
|
Ken & Deere Groundbreaking Day
|
Deere Hall
|
Deere House Dala Horse Sign
|
This section has been shown to Mrs. Kenneth (Marilyn) Sjogren for approval as of 9-26-22.
* * *
"Let Us Celebrate Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
