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<> Remembering the Bethany College Legacy Museum <>
<> Remembering the Bethany College Legacy Museum <>
Their 1882-1966 "Bethany College Museum"
~ The Natural History and Pioneer Swedish Collections
**********
The Old Mill Museum's Bethany College Inheritance of 1966
included in the 5,000 pieces was
- Dr. Deere's Pioneer Swedish Collection of 900 items
-Dr. Lungstrom's Natural History Collection of 600 Specimens*
-Geological and Fossil Collections
**********
~ The Natural History and Pioneer Swedish Collections
**********
The Old Mill Museum's Bethany College Inheritance of 1966
included in the 5,000 pieces was
- Dr. Deere's Pioneer Swedish Collection of 900 items
-Dr. Lungstrom's Natural History Collection of 600 Specimens*
-Geological and Fossil Collections
**********
"The museum which was largely the result of his [Deere's] efforts has no peer among the mid-western Liberal Arts colleges."
-- Carl Swenson's tribute to his professor Dean Deere, January 11, 1966*
***
In the summer of 1966, McPherson County Old Mill Museum curator Tib Anderson
projected with the College collections in their new location that the museum was well on its way to becoming
one of the finest museums of this kind in the Midwest
and for a good decade or more it was.
***
In 1967, is this statement from Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg, Secretary of the Smoky Valley Historical Association, that the Museum, " . . . has one of the most valuable collections in the State and contains items which have attracted national recognition."3
-- Carl Swenson's tribute to his professor Dean Deere, January 11, 1966*
***
In the summer of 1966, McPherson County Old Mill Museum curator Tib Anderson
projected with the College collections in their new location that the museum was well on its way to becoming
one of the finest museums of this kind in the Midwest
and for a good decade or more it was.
***
In 1967, is this statement from Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg, Secretary of the Smoky Valley Historical Association, that the Museum, " . . . has one of the most valuable collections in the State and contains items which have attracted national recognition."3
[Text also used for: "Deere's Swensson's "Bethany College Museum" 1882-1966" under above section "Scientist Emil O. Deere]
The Bethany Academy/College Museum of Natural History was founded in 1882 by Johan August Udden (1859-1932) who was born in Lekasa, Västergötland, Sweden, in 1859. At the age of two with his family, they emigrated to Minnesota and subsequently, in 1881, he graduated with a B. A. degree from Augustana College of Rock Island, Illinois. His alma mater was a sister Augustana Synod Lutheran college of Bethany College, where he would become "the first" professor of that Lindsborg institution, which was also founded in 1881 by Rev. Dr. Carl Aaron Swensson (1857-1904).
---------------
[For those who do not understand what a "Natural History Museum" is, go HERE to the
Smithsonian's National Musuem of Natural History]
---------------
[For those who do not understand what a "Natural History Museum" is, go HERE to the
Smithsonian's National Musuem of Natural History]
---------------
It may be that Rev. Swensson invited Udden to teach at Bethany as their paths would have certainly crossed at the Augustana College and Theological Seminary, as Swensson was a college graduate of 1877 and a theological graduate as well in 1879, the year in which he married his bride Alma Christina Lind and traveled directly to Lindsborg to become the second pastor of the Bethany Lutheran Church, an Augustana Synod church. And, then it was two years later that, in that church, he founded the school of Bethany Academy to become Bethany College.
Professor Udden may have been a scientist at heart, he certainly was reported to be a self-taught geologist; and before coming to Lindsborg, he had already been collecting specimens. At Bethany, he taught classes in Natural Science and Civics from 1881 to 1888. During his time at Bethany, he founded the Linnean Association in 1884. Later it was referred to as the Linnean Society of Science. It was named after the famous Swedish botanist, Carl von Linnaeus (1707-1778) and its purpose was to promote interest in scientific knowledge among its members and to encourage them to collect specimens for the museum. First college president Dr. Edward Nelander (1855-1915) was the leader of the Society, and founder professor Udden was the corresponding secretary. **
When professor Udden returned to his alma mater, Augustana College, in 1888, to become a professor of Natural History and Geology, he was also involved in many noteworthy geological survey organizations which caught the attention of both the King of Sweden and the University of Texas in 1911, the year of which he was hired by that University and was, also, knighted by King Gustavus Fifth of Sweden, in recognition of his distinguished service in the sciences.
There is no doubt that the 1882 Bethany College Museum of Natural History was off to a great start of becoming a well-organized museum, on a par with other similar sized museums of American colleges and universities also in their beginnings. Most likely they all had been influenced by information flowing from Eastern and European museums of the Victorian Era showing how they were designed, organized and displayed and for their collections, to classify them for research purposes, which would be especially true in developing the "natural history" collections for the students to use at Bethany.***
Professor Udden may have been a scientist at heart, he certainly was reported to be a self-taught geologist; and before coming to Lindsborg, he had already been collecting specimens. At Bethany, he taught classes in Natural Science and Civics from 1881 to 1888. During his time at Bethany, he founded the Linnean Association in 1884. Later it was referred to as the Linnean Society of Science. It was named after the famous Swedish botanist, Carl von Linnaeus (1707-1778) and its purpose was to promote interest in scientific knowledge among its members and to encourage them to collect specimens for the museum. First college president Dr. Edward Nelander (1855-1915) was the leader of the Society, and founder professor Udden was the corresponding secretary. **
When professor Udden returned to his alma mater, Augustana College, in 1888, to become a professor of Natural History and Geology, he was also involved in many noteworthy geological survey organizations which caught the attention of both the King of Sweden and the University of Texas in 1911, the year of which he was hired by that University and was, also, knighted by King Gustavus Fifth of Sweden, in recognition of his distinguished service in the sciences.
There is no doubt that the 1882 Bethany College Museum of Natural History was off to a great start of becoming a well-organized museum, on a par with other similar sized museums of American colleges and universities also in their beginnings. Most likely they all had been influenced by information flowing from Eastern and European museums of the Victorian Era showing how they were designed, organized and displayed and for their collections, to classify them for research purposes, which would be especially true in developing the "natural history" collections for the students to use at Bethany.***
- In Deere's Old Main Classroom -
1915
1915
- Dean Deere and the "Linnean Society of Science" members with Carnegie Library in background -
Source: 1919 "Bethany Daisy"
* * *
After Udden's departure from Bethany in 1888, three Swedish curators followed. They were Jacob Westlund the second curator of the Museum for three years, followed by John Eric Welin in 1891, a professor of Emil O. Deere, until 1908, at which time Deere became the fourth and last known and acknowledged Museum curator, until his death, fifty-eight (58) years later, in January of 1966. However, after his passing, another Swede, his former student Dr. Leon Lungstrom, a Bethany College biology professor, could certainly be assumed of becoming the "acting" curator for the College Museum collections' move to the Lindsborg McPherson County Old Mill Museum in 1966.
The Bethany College Museum's development and ongoing preservation by the other curators must have been due, in part, by the example of its fine and remarkably gifted founder, Professor Johan August Udden, who began to develop the field of natural science study firmly into the curriculum at Bethany College.
In 1926 a significant part was added to the Natural History Museum. It was historical in nature. Smoky Valley Historical Association secretary Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg author of the 1967 Living in Lindsborg and Other Possibilities, reports about this in her chapter "The Olsson Trail," page 18, as follows:
'The final gem in the Malm collection is a letter to the Board of Directors of Bethany College dated May 27th, 1926. A committee of three (Birger Sandzén, G. N. Malm, and Dr. Eklund) had been appointed 'to go before your honorable body "...with a proposition of cooperation in work of collecting and preserving historical objects of the pioneer days.'" And they suggested in this letter '. . . (an) historical museum (on the) college campus.
'The museum was established, and for 58 years Dr. Emil. O. Deere was its curator [since 1908]. It is one of the most valuable collections in the State and has some items which have attracted national recognition.'
At this point in the year of 1926, it is assumed that the Bethany College Museum would contain both natural history collections and historical collections from the Swedish pioneer days.
[This information is a little bit confusing: There was the first Museum of Natural History (1882), i.e. developed by the scientists and their students with some items, no doubt, being found on Dr. Deere's field trips. Then there was the second Pioneer Swedish Historical Museum of which Mrs. Jaderborg writes, regarding college board of directors' approval. These 2 museums, their names are defined by their collections, eventually merged into one. The name of this Bethany College Museum has been referred to by several names through the decades, which adds to the confusion.]
During those 58 years, from 1908 to 1966, as the Bethany College Museum curator, Dr. Deere would have discussed the museum with the other scientists beyond the college professors in his very well-connected scientific community outside of Lindsborg, as he had memberships in Topeka at the Kansas Academy of Science (KAS) (established at Lincoln (Washburn) College in 1869), in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (established in 1848) and in Ithaca at New York Sigma Xi Research Society (established at Cornell University in 1886).
Correspondence over those years with these other scientists elsewhere in Kansas and in the other states regarding museum artifacts and new finds must have flowed, back and forth, from and to Deere. For in 1966, Dr. Deere's Old Main office contained pickup truck loads of boxed papers containing his life's work that former Smoky Valley Historical Association secretary Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg was in charge of, to have it moved safely to the McPherson County Old Mill Museum for storage in the archives.** This was in preparation for the razing of Old Main scheduled for May 27, 1968, the day after I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree from Bethany College President Dr. Arvin W. Hahn.
Also, at its end, in its preparation for the move, the Bethany College Museum inventory was over 5,000 items which would be added to the 500 items at the McPherson County Old Mill Museum. The College Museum contribution would be substantial for the County Museum, for a future opportunity for it, to "stand out," to become, in the words of County Museum Director Tib Anderson, "...one of the finest museums of this kind in the mid-west!" ****
This information is of significant importance to Bethany College's earliest history for future college students to know about especially if they are students of science.
In 1926 a significant part was added to the Natural History Museum. It was historical in nature. Smoky Valley Historical Association secretary Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg author of the 1967 Living in Lindsborg and Other Possibilities, reports about this in her chapter "The Olsson Trail," page 18, as follows:
'The final gem in the Malm collection is a letter to the Board of Directors of Bethany College dated May 27th, 1926. A committee of three (Birger Sandzén, G. N. Malm, and Dr. Eklund) had been appointed 'to go before your honorable body "...with a proposition of cooperation in work of collecting and preserving historical objects of the pioneer days.'" And they suggested in this letter '. . . (an) historical museum (on the) college campus.
'The museum was established, and for 58 years Dr. Emil. O. Deere was its curator [since 1908]. It is one of the most valuable collections in the State and has some items which have attracted national recognition.'
At this point in the year of 1926, it is assumed that the Bethany College Museum would contain both natural history collections and historical collections from the Swedish pioneer days.
[This information is a little bit confusing: There was the first Museum of Natural History (1882), i.e. developed by the scientists and their students with some items, no doubt, being found on Dr. Deere's field trips. Then there was the second Pioneer Swedish Historical Museum of which Mrs. Jaderborg writes, regarding college board of directors' approval. These 2 museums, their names are defined by their collections, eventually merged into one. The name of this Bethany College Museum has been referred to by several names through the decades, which adds to the confusion.]
During those 58 years, from 1908 to 1966, as the Bethany College Museum curator, Dr. Deere would have discussed the museum with the other scientists beyond the college professors in his very well-connected scientific community outside of Lindsborg, as he had memberships in Topeka at the Kansas Academy of Science (KAS) (established at Lincoln (Washburn) College in 1869), in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (established in 1848) and in Ithaca at New York Sigma Xi Research Society (established at Cornell University in 1886).
Correspondence over those years with these other scientists elsewhere in Kansas and in the other states regarding museum artifacts and new finds must have flowed, back and forth, from and to Deere. For in 1966, Dr. Deere's Old Main office contained pickup truck loads of boxed papers containing his life's work that former Smoky Valley Historical Association secretary Mrs. Elizabeth Jaderborg was in charge of, to have it moved safely to the McPherson County Old Mill Museum for storage in the archives.** This was in preparation for the razing of Old Main scheduled for May 27, 1968, the day after I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree from Bethany College President Dr. Arvin W. Hahn.
Also, at its end, in its preparation for the move, the Bethany College Museum inventory was over 5,000 items which would be added to the 500 items at the McPherson County Old Mill Museum. The College Museum contribution would be substantial for the County Museum, for a future opportunity for it, to "stand out," to become, in the words of County Museum Director Tib Anderson, "...one of the finest museums of this kind in the mid-west!" ****
This information is of significant importance to Bethany College's earliest history for future college students to know about especially if they are students of science.
* * *
- The Bethany College Swedish Museum Curators' Years -
- The Bethany College Swedish Museum Curators' Years -
Click on these 3 Photographs
Udden Westlund Welin
1882 - 1888 1888 - 1891 1891 - 1908
Deere
Born in America. Source: Sohlberg Deere Estate
1908 - 1966
Lungstrom
- He would see to the Musuem move to the Old Mill Museum arranged earlier by Dr. Deere -
He would play a large role in this move.
- He would provide the only written information on the Bethany College Museum -
- He would see to the Musuem move to the Old Mill Museum arranged earlier by Dr. Deere -
He would play a large role in this move.
- He would provide the only written information on the Bethany College Museum -
Born in America. Source: The Cochran Papers
- 1966 -
Dr. Lungstrom's 1990 book with a chapter on the Museum
For that chapter click below:
dr._leon_lungstrom_on_the_bethany_college_museum.pdf
Download File
or
go HERE
to its transcription.
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dr._leon_lungstrom_on_the_bethany_college_museum.pdf
Download File
or
go HERE
to its transcription.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Lungstrom, in 1992, would write about three of these four Bethany College Swedish Museum Curators: Udden, Welin and Deere, in a Kansas Academy of Science Transaction titled "Recognition of Three Pioneer Scientists of Swedish Descent," which can be found HERE,
* * *
Go HERE for The 1966 Bethany College Museum Collections Move to the Old Mill Museum
~ The planner, the movers, the contractual understanding
Go HERE for Articles on the Bethany College Museum Collections Move of 1966 & 1976
Go HERE for Deere's Swensson's Bethany College Museum Collections ~ 1882 to 1966
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* * *
Go HERE for The 1966 Bethany College Museum Collections Move to the Old Mill Museum
~ The planner, the movers, the contractual understanding
Go HERE for Articles on the Bethany College Museum Collections Move of 1966 & 1976
Go HERE for Deere's Swensson's Bethany College Museum Collections ~ 1882 to 1966
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* * *
- Bethany College Museum Earliest Collectors - *****
Johan August Udden, Dr. John Rundström, Professor Lindholm, Otto Hawkinson, George Sohlberg,
Luther Dahlsten, A. Agrelius, Oscar Hubbard, Luther Swenson, Hugo Jacobson, David Björn, J. A. Anderson
* * *
The Museum's Taxidermists
Emil O. Deere, Cornelius Larson, Leon Lungstrom, Earl Gottschalk
- A photograph by Mrs. Lydia Sohlberg Deere in Deere' Old Main Taxidermy Classroom -
- Bethany College Museum Earliest Collectors - *****
Johan August Udden, Dr. John Rundström, Professor Lindholm, Otto Hawkinson, George Sohlberg,
Luther Dahlsten, A. Agrelius, Oscar Hubbard, Luther Swenson, Hugo Jacobson, David Björn, J. A. Anderson
* * *
The Museum's Taxidermists
Emil O. Deere, Cornelius Larson, Leon Lungstrom, Earl Gottschalk
- A photograph by Mrs. Lydia Sohlberg Deere in Deere' Old Main Taxidermy Classroom -
Lydia's Bethany Photography, 1906 - 1925
Lydia's Bethany Photography, 1906 - 1925
* * *
BELOW
McPherson County Old Mill Museum's
Bethany College Museum Natural History Collection of 1999.
The Old Mill Museum received these from Bethany College in 1966.
As of August 1, 2021,
there is a new owner of these College collections,
the "Natural History" one including the large "taxidermy collection and that of the fossils"
was placed in storage,
per the start-up Executive Director, November 18, 2021.
Email of November 18, 2021.
there is a new owner of these College collections,
the "Natural History" one including the large "taxidermy collection and that of the fossils"
was placed in storage,
per the start-up Executive Director, November 18, 2021.
Email of November 18, 2021.
- A photograph by Mrs. Lydia Sohlberg Deere in Deere's Old Main Classroom -
Lydia's Bethany Photography, 1906 - 1925
Courtesy McPherson County Old Mill Museum's Bethany College Museum Natural History Collection photographed on November 1, 1999.
Dr. Emil O. Deere
Curator of the Bethany College Museum from 1908 to 1966
consisting of the
Natural History Collection and the Swedish Pioneer History Collection
Curator of the Bethany College Museum from 1908 to 1966
consisting of the
Natural History Collection and the Swedish Pioneer History Collection
* * *
Curator Dr. Emil O. Deere at 88 at the Bethany College Museum in Old Main
Last official Swedish Curator of 58 years
1965
Curator Dr. Emil O. Deere at 88 at the Bethany College Museum in Old Main
Last official Swedish Curator of 58 years
1965
* * *
SOURCES:
* The Bethany Messenger, "Old Mill Prepares for Festival," by Burma Buaman, October 15, 1971.
** Page 11 of fourth Swedish American Bethany College President Dr. Emory K. Lindquist's 1975 book, Bethany in Kansas, the history of a college
*** Cochran Papers: July 7, 2004, Mrs. Jaderborg's correspondence to Fran Cochran with CCs to Bethany College and the Smoky Valley Historical Association
**** Cochran Papers: The McPherson County Old Mill Museum Director Tib Anderson's quote from Wichita's Antique & Collectors Mart, text by Lindsborg's Betty Hanson, September 1976
**** Wikipedia on Museum, Purpose; go HERE for more information.
***** Page 23 of Dr. Leon Lungstrom's 1990 book, History of Natural Science and Mathematics at Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas
* The Bethany Messenger, "Old Mill Prepares for Festival," by Burma Buaman, October 15, 1971.
** Page 11 of fourth Swedish American Bethany College President Dr. Emory K. Lindquist's 1975 book, Bethany in Kansas, the history of a college
*** Cochran Papers: July 7, 2004, Mrs. Jaderborg's correspondence to Fran Cochran with CCs to Bethany College and the Smoky Valley Historical Association
**** Cochran Papers: The McPherson County Old Mill Museum Director Tib Anderson's quote from Wichita's Antique & Collectors Mart, text by Lindsborg's Betty Hanson, September 1976
**** Wikipedia on Museum, Purpose; go HERE for more information.
***** Page 23 of Dr. Leon Lungstrom's 1990 book, History of Natural Science and Mathematics at Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas
* * *
"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.
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As of August 1, 2021,
the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum,
the new owner of these College collections placed
the "Natural History" collection including the large
"Taxidermy collection and that of the fossils" in storage,
per start-up executive director's email of November 18, 2021.
As of September 19, 2024,
the Lindsborg News-Record article:
"Museum's inherited trove sees scant light"
the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum
is now looking for new owners for the stored collections.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As of August 1, 2021,
the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum,
the new owner of these College collections placed
the "Natural History" collection including the large
"Taxidermy collection and that of the fossils" in storage,
per start-up executive director's email of November 18, 2021.
As of September 19, 2024,
the Lindsborg News-Record article:
"Museum's inherited trove sees scant light"
the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum
is now looking for new owners for the stored collections.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
