Our New Swedish Seminary by S. MORTENSEN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 4, 1910

Our New Swedish Seminary

By S. MORTENSEN

As our work has developed, our brethren have seen wisdom in the plan of establishing a seminary exclusively for the training of Swedish workers. In studying the field, and the situation in general, it is apparent that when we get a Swedish school established near the center of the Swedish colonies of this country, where we can surround the students with a Swedish atmosphere, there will be better opportunities for them to become perfected in the Swedish language.

The Swedish department at Union

College has done much good; but it has been located to one side of the Swedish colonies, and the English language has been used most of the time outside of the class-room. For these reasons the department has not served the purpose for which it was designed as well as a school differently situated would be able to do.

In looking over the field we have found that there are about two million Swedes in a territory having Chicago as its most central point. Chicago itself has one hundred sixty thousand Swedes,—a larger number than any other city in the world except Stockholm,—and there are as many more in the State outside of Chicago. This situation seems to indicate Chicago as a central location for the Swedish school.

Last April it was decided to buy a seventy-eight-acre farm twelve miles west of Chicago, near Broadview, a station on the Central Illinois Railroad. This farm has a very rich, productive soil, and is all under cultivation, except a few acres used for pasture. The farm has good buildings, which can be utilized for our purpose. There are two houses, a frame house with six rooms, and a brick house with eleven rooms, both in good condition. We plan to use the brick house for a dormitory, and shall have room for over thirty students in it. There is also another building which can be used as a dormitory after a few alterations are made. With these buildings we shall be prepared to begin the school on the farm this fall.

We paid twenty thousand dollars for the farm, a very reasonable price, when we compare it with the price generally paid for property in the neighborhood. Four hundred dollars an acre is usually paid for land with fewer improvements than are found on our farm, and three hundred dollars an acre for land without improvements.

In this new Swedish school we shall not only be able to give students some work on the farm; but those who are adapted to the work can sell our magazines in the city, and in that way scatter the truth while at the same time they are securing money for their support.

We earnestly ask the co-operation of our American brethren in this enterprise planned by the General Conference. We need their financial help, and we would also like to have them encourage our Swedish young people to come to this school, and receive a preparation that will fit them to take an active part in the message. All those who desire further information concerning this school should write to me at 5942 Peoria St., Chicago, Ill. S. MORTENSEN.