Two of the big names in the early Elk Horn church were Pastors Kristian Anker and P. S. Vig.

Anker often was referred to as the educator and Vig the theologian.

Anker had attended various Danish and Norwegian folk high schools in the old country including Askov Folk High School in Denmark.

Peder Sorensen Vig was born in 1854 in Denmark of country folk. His formal education was limited but throughout his youth, and later he took advantage of whatever educational opportunities came his way and he read extensively on his own.

He had attended Askov Folk High School and spent some time at the University of Copenhagen.

Pastor Kristian Anker wrote:

In the early (1890s) enrollment in the college numbered something over one hundred. Courses were preparatory to a teacher's certificate and admission to the university.

The religious and social emphasis . . . so important to the new settlement . . . the spirit and climate of the college remained faithful to those principles.

My work drained heavily on time and substance. Often a feeling of despair would creep in, principally about financial affairs. At such times I would often talk to the Lord in something like this manner: "Dear Lord, we need your help. This is your school, without your help and blessing, we can do nothing. And for the Kingdom, we want to carry on."

And help did come. Time and again . . . farmers would drive twelve-fifteen miles for fuel, provisions, building materials and students. This and their work in construction, always without pay.

Sunday after services one would notice lively group discussions, generally about where they would go to spend the afternoon with farmers. They came self-invited, and the settlers planned that they stay for the evening meal. I was obliged to make the rule that not more than twelve should visit any home at a time--provisions were not too plentiful.

Fourth of July was a gala day in Elk Horn . . . on the campus. Families would bring picnic baskets . . . orations and song from eleven til noon.

At sunset the older folk and children would go home. Young folks would decorate the college and grounds with Japanese lanterns and bunting. Song and round games were enjoyed until ten o'clock. The festivities ended . . . in a few minutes all had left . . . the peace of the prairie community prevailed.

But didn't boredom and monotany take over (?) . . . no, most of the people had common interest in home buildings, and had come (to Elk Horn) because of the religious and educational emphasis . . . mutual helpfulness and friendship based on common interests and needs were binding ties.

NOTES:

At the Danish Church convention in 1892 at Waupaca, Wis., Kristian Anker of Elk Horn proposed his school as the site of a seminary; on the condition young F. L. Grundtvig would use his influence to disband the Danish Folk Society, which some pastors believed infringed on pastors' control of congregations. However, the board assigned to the proposed seminary could not agree on a seminary president, and the independent society refused to disband--the seminary plan was abandoned.

When there first was talk of establishing a Danish folk school at Elk Horn in the late 1870s, the proposal received support from the newspaper Den Danske Pioneer and some $20 from friends in Denmark.

It was said the synod's Pastor H. J. Pedersen then suggested that since the mother country contributed the first brick, Danes in the United States could express their opinion by ballot to Den Danske Pioneer--saying ballots in favor of the proposal should bear the mark "United States--One Dollar," and that those opposed to the idea should send fifty cent pieces.

1899 -- The synodical convention voted to move the Elk Horn college department to the Blair, Nebr., campus, with Pastor Kristian Anker as president of the seminary college merger.

When the North Church and the Blair Synod merged in 1896 it was decided to retain the Elk Horn school as the preparatory department and the Blair Trinity Seminary as the theological school.

Pastor P. S. Vig, who had been in charge of the North Church seminary in Elk Horn, became president of Trinity Seminary. However, because of commitments, Pastor Vig remained in Elk Horn and conducted the synod's theological courses during the 1896-97 term. He moved to Blair with the seminary in the fall of 1897.

With the bulk of the prep and college work continuing in Elk Horn, the synod maintained two schools. Disadvantages of this led to moving the college to Blair.

The Elk Horn school remained as a Danish high school and to provide English instruction for immigrants.

The older Danish Church in the United States was organized in September 1872 when a few pastors and laymen met at Neenah, Wis., and formed a mission society. The society, in 1874, adopted as its name, the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Pastor P. S. Vig resigned as president of Trinity Seminary at Blair in 1899 because of his wife's poor health and a call to the Elk Horn church. He was at the Elk Horn church three years during which time his wife died and he remarried. He then returned to Trinity.

January 1892 -- The Kimballton creamery paid farmers about $60,000 for butterfat in 1891. Monthly volume ranged from $1,000 in January to more than $8,000 in December.

Fall 1896-- The Elk Horn Musik Korps--which played at the church convention in Cedar Falls--was composed of more than 20 farm lads directed by farmer Johannes Christensen (Spillemen) including Carl Iversen, Henry Johnson, M. J. Madsen, J. P. Jorgensen and J. C. Johnson.

December 1890-- Three more children joined the family at the new orphan's home.

Already at the home, managed by A. L. Boysen, were the three motherless children of Rev. Flint; and an Atlantic orphan.

The two-story frame house, with its $1,000 debt, was dedicated November 2 on the 40 acre hill site west of the village. The site was purchased by the church after a February meeting of the congregation which noted $1,000 in donations.

Previous < == > Next

Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass from Elk Horn 1868-1918, July, 2022, page 12.