Wartburg Magazine, vol. 22, no. 1 (Fall 2005)

2005·7.3 MB·English

by  Wartburg College

Newfountain
conjures
old memories
WWW.
KarrisGolden
OPENING
CONVOCATION
Wartburg kicked offits “Year ofSocial
Work and SocialJustice” at Opening
Convocation Sept. 6. The yearlong
celebration commemorates the social work
department’s 60th anniversary.
Walter ReedJr. ’76, director ofthe
Iowa Department ofHuman Rights, served
as keynote speaker. A Waterloo native, Reed
is a member ofthe social work national
advisory board.
“The social work profession is a career
in helping people to lind ways ofliving
more satisfying and productive lives,” Reed
explained. “At the core ofthis academic
discipline is a personal commitment of
service. Oftentimes, the motivation behind
such personal commitment comes from the
environment you grew up in, intimate life
experiences, spiritual guidance, compelling
social issues and sometimes catastrophic
events.”
Following Reed’s address, the college
conferred Wartburg Medals upon Lorna
Wissink ’50, retired bank president and
Wartburg Board ofRegents member, and
Maynard Anderson, professor emeritus of
music.
OPENING CONVOCATION -Above left: Longtime Board
of Regents member LornaWissink '50, poseswith Board
ofRegents Chairman Fred Hagemann '67 and President
Jack R. Ohle.Wissinkwas an advocate and majordonor
for preserving and restoring Old Main and other projects.
Above right: Ohle addressesthe audience.At right:
Dr. MaynardAnderson, professoremeritus ofmusic, poses
with Hagemann and Ohle bythe sculpture,Aspiration,
which he commissioned forthe college.
FALL2005
Volume22Number1
President
Dr.JackR.Ohle FEATURES
Directorof
AlumniandParentPrograms
BrentMatthias'92
NEWS
Directorof
CommunicationandMarketing
LindaStullMoeller'66
SPORTS
Editor
KarrisGolden'98
[email protected]
319-352-8277
ALUMNI NEWS
SportsEditor
MarkAdkins'90
ProductionCoordinator CALENDAR
LoriGuhlPoehler'75
MagazineArtDirector Die Liste
LoriWallace
NumberofHomecomingevents offered in 1985: 4l
WebDeveloper/Manager
NumberofHomecomingevents offered in 1996: 48
ChrisKnudson'01
NumberofHomecomingeventsoffered in 2005: 57
Largest turnoutataHomecomingclass reunion: 106
Classof1973 10-yearreunion, 1983
WorstHomecoming reunion turnout: 123
WartburgMagazineispublished Combinedtotalforallnineclassreunions, 1972
quarterlybyWartburgCollege,
100WartburgBlvd.,P.0.Box1003, Largest 50-YearClubHomecoming reunionturnout: 104
Waverly,IA50677-0903.Direct COSTUMEDCUTIES-JackieSorenson Classof1953reunion,2003
correspondencetotheeditor. '07ofTiffinandRachelArends'06ofLa Current numberof50-YearClubmembers: 1,848
Addresscorrectionsshouldbesent Crescent,Minn.,dressedinOutflysafari
totheAlumniOfficeore-mailed gearforanearlymorning"ostrichride." Total numberofalumni worldwide: 19,000
[email protected]. AUSFLUG!-StudentBodyPresident Numberofsubscribers tothealumni e-mail listserv: 10,000
MattLamos'06ofWaverlyandPresident
JackR.Ohlecalled"Outfly"themorning Numberofyears onlineHomecoming registrationhas beenoffered: 2
TRANSCRIPTS: ofOct.11.
Toobtainanofficialcollege
transcriptcontactthe
Registrar'sOfficeorcomplete
Student Contributors
anonlinerequestformat
www.wartburg.edu/academics/
registrar/trreq.html.Thereisa
$4feepertranscript,plus$1
tofaxthetranscript.Requests
mustincludemaidenandall
marriednamesused,aswellas
birthdateand/orSocialSecurity Kayla Crystal Molly Alaina Abbie
number.Enclosereturnaddress Becker'08 Tews'07 Richards'06 Akkerman '06 Lichty '07
andpaymentwiththerequest.
STUDENTPHOTOGRAPHERS:Kayla Becker'08isan EnglisheducationmajorfromJesup,AshleyRichards'08isamathematicsmajorfrom
Duluth,Minn.,andMollyRichards'06isacommunicationartsmajorfromDuluth,Minn.
ONTHE COVER-Karris Golden '98, editor,tookthis photoofthe newfountain and an illuminated Old Main inthe
early morning hours.
WARTBURG MAGAZINE
FALL2005
1
S
WARTBURG MAGAZINE
FALL200
Glorious fountain!
my
Let heart be fresh,
changeful,
byLindaMoeller '66
Inspired byJames Russell Lowell’s poem, “The
Fountain,” the Wartburg Class of1927 provided a landmark constant,
that, like the college, has remained fresh, changeful and
constant over theensuing 78 years.
Times and spaces have changed considerablysince the
fall of1927, whenthe fountain stood on anexpansive Upward,
campusgreen infront ofWartburg Hall, its closest
neighbor. As thecollegegrew, Luther Hall pushed in on the
south, and the Student Union joined Wartburg Hall on the
east. Whitehouse Business Centerand Student Union
expansions, culminating with the Saemann Student Center,
furtherencroached on the fountain surroundings. like thee!
Yet through theyears, the fountain remained aconstant
in campus life.
“Itcolored myworld formyentire Wartburg stay—
always abeacon, changing with the seasons, but aconstant,”
observedMiriam Lutz ’84 ofWashington, D.C.
A news story in the Oct. 10, 1927, edition ofthe
WartburgEcho, forerunnerofthe Wartburg Trumpet, noted that
the Class of1927 had voted toerect a fountain “in
recognitionofthe many kindnesses bestowed upon it by its
AlmaMater” and “to beautify thecampus that hadgrown so
dear to them.”
The Roman design featured alarge, shallow bowl
supported by carvedpedestals. A spray ofwaterfrom the
centerofthe basin dripped over the edges into alarge
circularlilypond stocked with goldfish. TheEchostory
reported that “anumberofrainbow trout have been
V
purchased andwill soon beplaced in the pond.” Thus, the
fountainwas alternately known as the fish pond by several &
dm
generations ofstudents. - Sf
|
Rich Gordon '88 ofMinneapolis, Minn., interviewed the Photo
late HerbertEngelbrecht ’27, Wartburg business manager «S» *
- Courtesy
from 1949 to 1962, fora 1988 feature storyabout the
fountain. Engelbrecht recalled that a local contractor named WATER MUSIC- Itwas unseasonablywarm for
George Blainedid theconcrete workfortheproject. Wartburg's 1994 Commencement.To cool offand
“When thefountain was finished, we noticed that one celebrate a rite ofpassage,these musiceducation grads,
side wasn’t quite level,” Engelbrecht recalled. “But it wasn’t all voice majors, danced in thefountain. Graduates,from
real noticeable, and those things happen in cementwork.” left:Ann Underwood Derrick, Nancy Newland Lehman,
Over theyears, however, the leangrew worse, and by 2004, Tara Frideres Baumgartner, DanAnderson, Brian Stinar,
physicalplantdirectorJohn Wuertz ’73 reported that the JayAlbrecht.
whole fountainwas leaningout ofplumb several inches.
Thefountain underwent several renovations and repairs,
most notably in 1966, whenasix-jet, self-circulating spray
system and acolored ring oflights made it afavorite
nighttime landmark.
WARTBURG MAGAZINE
FALL2005
“Undercoverofnight, persisted, particularly
several ofus endeavored to aftergraduation.
convert the fountain into agiant “I had not even
coffee urn,” reported Andy heard ofgetting in the
Gebhard ’90 ofMinneapolis, fountain after
Photo
Minn. “Despite our limited graduation,” related
File
burg college-student budgets, we StephenL. Osborn
Wart pooled our finances and ’03, a nontraditional
purchased an insane quantity of student who joined six
instant coffeegrounds, along fellow music therapy
FOCAL POINT-Sprayjets and colored lights, with the appropriateportion ofpowdered majors in the
above, made thefountain a favorite night spot nondairy creamer. We were wise enough not experience. “People
forseveral generations ofWartburg students. to drink any, but the sight and smell of werewondering about
The system eventuallywore out, and bythe flowing javamade foragreat memory.” ‘breaking the rules.’
turn ofthe century, above right, resident Through the years, Luther Hall One ofus quipped,
campus ducks could return for a swim in the custodians faced recurring headaches ‘What are theygoing
calm water. resulting from fountain highjinks. to do, not let us
“Periodically, someonewould fill the graduate?’ Then a
“One ofmy most memorable fountain with soap to create bubbles. It was moment ofsober
such a mess: the fountain had to be shut realization fell over the
experiences was watching the fountain
down and cleaned up, creating much group as we realized
change colors at night,” said Toni Black distress with the custodial staff,” said Tom thatwe all had a six-
Humpfer ’86 ofAmes. “I especiallyenjoyed
MurphyofSumner, who foiled one of month internship to
theview from the south stairwell landing in
those attempts while working security in complete!”
Grossmann Hall (now Founders Hall). It
1972-73. The fountain has also served as an
was a niceway to relax aftera long day.”
In Rich Gordon’s fountain feature story, unlikely repository forvehicles.
Some alumni indicated that the fountain
Avery Bollman, Luther Hall chiefcustodian “I recall aclassmate who drove his car
occasionallyglowed with color even in the
from 1965 to 1983, said “It would take six into the Wartburg fountain one night,” said
years before it was illuminated. kids fourorfive days” to clean out the Jim Baseler ’69 ofToms Brook, Va. “Sheriff
“I remember the fountain sometimes
fountain afterdye and detergent incidents. Shinn stopped by to see whatwas going on
showing brightgreen water,” wrote Dr.
Coins also ended up in the fountain. and asked my classmate what he was doing.
LeRoy W. Schroeder ’64 ofClarksburg, Md.,
Dan Grey ’82 ofUniversity Place, His reply was, ‘I’m just checking the oil.’”
a Wartburg chemistry major who later
Wash., said Bollman once gave him the job Dr.James Zeller ’65 ofStockton, Calif.,
earned a Ph.D. inpolymer and materials
science. “It was rumored that one ofmy osefacsloena.n“inHgetthoeldfomuentationkeatepthteheencdhaonfgeth.eHe rwehcealnleudppaenricnlcaisdsemnetninpuhtisafVroelskhsmwaangyoenar,in
chemistry colleagues had put fluorescein
was that kind ofnice man and agreat boss.”
(adye) into the water.”
Illumination and spray jets brought an
Schroeder, now chiefresearch chemist
end to the fishpond; the fountain was no
with the U.S. Food and Drug
longera suitable environment forthe
Administration, added, “Fluorescein is
goldfish, which foryears spent the winters
approved foruse in cosmetic and externally
in the Luther Hall boiler room. The once
applied drugs. It should not be ingested.”
commonplace student immersions in the
Someone should have told the crows.
fountain for initiation, engagements and
Nancy Keel ’64 ofMuscatine remembers
othersignificant or insignificant occasions
dead crows lying around the fountain after
alsodeclined, due to the administration’s
they apparently drankwaterdyed green for
concern aboutpossible electrical hazards
St. Patrick’s Day.
associated with the underwater lighting.
And in the troubled Vietnam Era,
Campus folkloreperpetuated
Dr. Beth HooverLanghorst ’72 ofLake unfounded rumors about stiffpenalties for POPPINGTHE QUESTION -Several months
Oswego, Ore., recalls that chemistry majors wading in the fountain, even into the before Commencement 1990, JeffBergan '87
turned the water red and left a sign 1990s, when the once-foaming jets had had a dream: He and Sharyn Schroeder'90
protesting “The Blood ofKent State.”
slowed to atrickle and the lights no longer would walk overtothefountain,where he
Brown became the color ofchoice for
worked. Still, forays into the fountain would reach Into his pocket, pull outa ring and
the Starbucksgeneration.
ask herto marry him. "Fifteen years andfour
kids later, I can saythatdreams do cometrue,"
WARTBURG MAGAZINE said Bergan.
FALL.2005
4
Alumni share fountain memories
n the springof1942, one ofthe students Thefountain,with itsbeautifulnightlights,
IcamebackfromdowntownWaverlyand gave me afeelingofpeace nomatterhow
toldsomeofusthatthefishwererunning hectic college lifewas.Itwasalwaysthere.
belowthe CedarRiverDam.Aboutfive ofus -MicheleVaudtEvans'90,Eagan, Minn.
scroungedsomebuckets,wenttothefootof
wasafreshman atWartburgin 1961 and
the damandbeganpicking 1-2 lb.carpfrom
thepoolsformedbytherocks.Whenthepails Irememberstandinginthe fountain during
werefull,someonesuggestedthatweput the freshmanorientation.The sophomoregirls
orderedustodothatalongwithhavingour
fishinthefountain.Thenextmorning,Dean
beds short-sheetedandhavingto standin the
Fritzcalledusinto his office andinformedus
toiletsatWartburgHallforsevenflushes!
thatthecustodian,CharliePichelmeyer,had
plantedflowersaroundthefountaintheday - Donna Bach Hove'69,WestDundee, III.
before,andwe hadtrampledthem.He livedinWartburgHall405 myfreshmanand
suggestedthatthe honorablethingto dowas Isophomoreyears.Thisfour-girlroom
toapologizetoCharlie andoffertohelp him overlookedthefountain.We spentmany
replanttheflowers.Weapologized,buthe nightslisteningtothefountainburble and
saiditwasn’tnecessarytohelp himreplant. splash,talkingovereventsofthedayand
-WAlfredW.Walck'42, Urbandale goalsforourlives.Ourjunioryearina
thepond— “CAREFULLY—so as to not differentdorm,wehadtohave anaquarium
damage anything.” henwewere atmydad’sHomecoming inourroomtogiveus somebubblingwater
classreunion,the two usstoodbythe
WartburggroundskeeperJim Anderson noises.Ioftenthinkofthefountain,of
fountain,andDad saidto me,‘Wouldn’tyou
and his snowplowended up in the fountain listeningtoitsplashandwatchingourroom
several years ago when he drove too close to liketocometo schoolherenextyear?’I become adifferentcolorasthefountainlights
the edge whileclearing the sidewalk. decided rightthenthatIwould,sowepicked changedfromredto bluetoyellowtogreen.
up an applicationtotransfertoWartburgthe
Despite ongoing maintenance and -JulieJames Breitbach '73,Waverly
renovation, the fountaindeteriorated. followingyear.Iwasacceptedandbegan in M
“It was not holding watervery well, and thefallof1987 andgraduatedin 1989with yfavoritememorywasbeingapart of
myown memoriesofthefountainand thepepbandand standingbythe
the upperbowl was in dangerofcollapse,”
Wartburg. fountainserenadingtheladiesofWartburg
said Wuertz.
Aspart oftheSaemannStudent Center - Lori Hesterberg Bednarz'89, Rantoul, III., HallonaFridaynightbefore afootballgame.
project, the college decided to replace the daughterofRobertHesterberg '61,Gifford, III. Cool,crispnights,fingersnippedbythecold
fountain, waiting until this past summerfor Thefountainatnightwasalwaysaspecial brass,seeingone’s breathwhileplayingthe
“Fight Song,”andhearingthe cheersfrom an
the installation. Like theoriginal fountain, placewhereIgainedbothpeaceinthe appreciativegroup ofgals hangingtheirheads
classgifts helped fund theproject, this time calmnightairandcreativeenergyfromthe
donated by the Classes of1994 through coloredbubblingwaters.Icountitasamong onuetvetrhegowtionldd.ows - itwasagoodtime...andit
1999. mytop threefountainsintheworld(along
Wuertz said the intent was to keep the withtheGeffionfountainsinCopenhagen -ChuckCiorba '66,Appleton,Wis.
I fountain in the same location and andtheChaillotfountainsin Paris). rememberthatagroupofusfromClinton
aesthetically similartothe original because -WDr.GwenGeorgeLuepke'77,Des Moines IHalldecidedto emptythefountainwith
ofsentimentalityand tradition. Constructed ourwastebaskets.Dean Oppermann
j ofglass fiberreinforced concrete, the new wheenwweerewethrreoswonpihnotmootrheesfiasnhdpdoantidng, confrontedusandexplainedthatifwe
fountain stands in araisedpool illuminated wantedtocontinueourWartburgexperience,
[, byw“hiWteehlaidghtsse.veral suggestionsabouttrying eCaOrLlyD,onanOduttfhleyremowransinmgu.dThaet twhaetebrotwtaosm! wwaesshhooludlidn“grea-ftuhlilnbk”asokuertpolfanw.atAetr,thwehtiicmheII
-John'57andCarla Karsten '57 Beem, Miltona,
tosavetheold fountain but itwas really returnedtoits originallocation.
Minn.
beyond saving,and itcrumbledduringthe -DennyBigelow'65,CedarFalls
j
removalprocess,” Wuertz said.
WARTBURG MAGAZINE
FALL2005
5
THOUGHTFUL SILENCE- Members of
the campus communitygathered inthe
Wartburg Chapel Sept. 7 fora prayer
Trumpet
servicefocused on hurricanevictims.The
servicewas oneofthe manywaysalumni,
studentsand facultyand staff members
have responded tothe recentdisasters.
The 2005-06 academic yearmarks the
100th anniversary ofthe Trumpetand its
predecessorpublications.
The first formal college student
publication was the WartburgQuarterly
,
approved by President Otto Kraushaar
Wartburg responds to Hurricane Katrina during the 1905-06 academic yearwith
the caveat that the students would have to
finance it.
In the aftermath ofHurricane ongoing discussions about disaster The first issuewas 26pages, mostof
Katrina, the campus community preparedness,” Ohle said. it literary essays in German and English.
responded with prayerand a promise to The lastphaseofthe college’s TheQuarterly covered sports such as
servewhere needed. disaster responseput Wartburg in baseball, tennis and gymnastics, but not
“With our nation and the world, contact with affected alumni, partners football or basketball. Subscriptions cost
members ofthe Wartburg College in the Lutheran Church and other 50 cents peryearforfourissues.
community have watched, waited and organizational partners about the best G.J. Neumann was the first editor.
prayed over the tragic aftermath of ways Wartburg can contribute to the When he went on to teach Englishat
Hurricane Katrina,” said President clean-up and recovery inLouisianaand Wartburg, hewas elected in 1910 as the
Jack R. Ohle at Opening Convocation Mississippi. Quarterlyadviser.
Sept.6. “But it is not the spirit of “It is still too early to know the The journal-style Quarterly madeway
Wartburg to remain passive. Asa timetablewhen volunteers may be fora newspaper inNovember 1926, but it
community and as an institution, needed orwhat tasks may be required, had no name until amonth later, when it
Wartburg will respond to the needs of but when those requests areknown became TheClarion. Itwas amonthly
Katrina’s victims immediately and in Wartburg will answer,” Ohle said. until 1928, when it began topublish
the months and possibly years to come. “Wartburg has sent service trips to the every twoweeks. When the college found
Ourmission compels us to action.” area in thepast, and wewill return its permanent home in Waverly, The
The campus communitygathered again when needed. We will also call Clarion ceased toexist.
Sept. 7 at aprayerservice in Wartburg upon ourstudents, faculty, staffand The Trumpetfirst appeared in October
Chapel. Campus offices closed forthe alumni foragenerous response.” 1936. Walter Fredrick,Jr. ’39, wholater
service. “As acollegeofthechurch, we Ohlealso asked agroup ofstudents, became the college’s vicepresident for
profess thepowerofprayeras well as faculty and staffto coordinate financial affairs, suggested the name. The
our need forprayer in the faceofdeath Wartburg’s response to Katrina. The paper had no office until space was found
and destruction,” Ohle said. new CenterforCommunity on the second floorofOld Main.
The college alsooffered toaccept Engagement is the organizational hub
transfer students from colleges and forthis response, and therewill be
universities affected by Katrina, many opportunities for leadership
allowing them to stay forone semester across campus, he said.
or longer. Falone Ruth, asenior, has “This is adisasterwithoutparallel, TRUj
enrolled here to complete herdegree. affecting some ofthepoorest ofthe
In addition, the collegeoffered poor inourcountry,” Ohle explained.
several venues for the contribution of “We now have the opportunity to
funds and supplies toward disaster respond and we have the duty to
reliefand recovery. Students were also understand as we liveout ourcollege
offered students an opportunity to learn commitment to leadership and service.” BANNERYEAR-This banner hangs above
more about the Katrinaaftermath. thewestentranceto McElroyCommunication
“As citizens, students will be able Arts Centeras partoftheWartburg Trumpet's
to contributeactively in ournation’s 100th anniversaryobservance.
WARTBURG MAGAZINE
FALL2005
6
,
celebrates BEAT LUTHER- Dressed in
herfull "Norse Busters"
regalia,TammyVersluis Burlis
mark '87 cheers onWartburg's
-year footballteam in its23-14win
overarch-rival Luther.This
picture appeared in the
Oct. 29, 1984, issue.
Subscriptions were $1 peryear, and 1946 to 1973.
students had tosubscribe, becausethere Garland
was noactivityfeeat thattime. The staff influenceda number Tfump^t
relied onalumni, friends, townspeople ofWartburg students
andadvertising to support thepaper. who later became
ff©Ufe/i
Thefirstyear, the Trumpetpublished journalists, writers
15 issues, twoper month. Thefollowing and editors. Among themwas Robert
yearsaw 16four-page issues. An eight- Gremmels ’52, a Trumpeteditorwho later
page formatwas adopted in 1938. headed thecollege’s Alumni and Public ForLindaStull Moeller ‘66,
UnderOmarBonderud ’50, the Affairs offices and taught journalism beingeditoroftheTrumpetspelled
Trumpetbecameaweeklypublication. courses. WhenGarland retired, he trouble.
During his twoyears as editor, the succeeded Garland as Trumpetadviserand Trouble, thatIs, oversome
Associated Collegiate Press awarded the developed the journalism program into a confusion betweendancing and
paperits first All-American rating. communicationarts department that he lovemaking.
Over theyears, the Trumpetunderwent chaired until his retirement in 1993.John Workinglateone nightin the
manychanges. In the mid-1960s, the Schmeltzer ’67, aChicago Tribunereporter, “PubHouse,” Moellerand Trumpet
paperwent to offsetprinting. Typewriters has thedistinction ofbeing the college’s staffmemberJack Eden ’67
gave waytocomputers in thelate 1980s, only Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. decided to tryanewdancestep
but itwas not until 1998 thepaper The Trumpetwill celebrate its between tworows ofmanual
switchedfromapaste-upprocess to anniversarybyco-sponsoring aJan. 17 typewriters. Soon,campus security
desktoppublishing. performance ofFreedom Sings, aprogram guard RonShimi,betterknownas
From its first office space inOld from the FirstAmendment Center. “SheriffShinn,” walked inon
Main, the Trumpeteventuallysettled in Professional singers and musicianswill Moellerand Eden. Hedemanded
the Publications House, located on Ninth perform songs that have beenbanned by the two toleave,as “lovemaking”
NW
Street on land now occupied by government, censored byradioorhave wasnottolerated in thatarea,
Bachman FineArts Center. Later, it offended asignificantpercentage ofthe “I was surprised, becausehe
moved toNeumann Houseacross from Americanpublic. The freeprogramwill juststormed in,” said Moeller. “I
NeumannAuditorium. In 1992, McElroy begin at 7 p.m. in Neumann Auditorium. knewweweren’tdoinganything
CommunicationArts Centeropened in wrong." To makemattersworse,
theformerLiemohn Hall ofMusic. One thetwowere told theyhad to leave
wing ofthe building is named in honorof ThispackagewascompiledbyEricaSwanson ’06, immediately. However, they
Trumpetfeatureseditor, anEnglishmajorfrom
Margaret WolffGarland, Wartburg CottageGrove, Minn., andTaraLewin ’07 convinced Shinnto letthem stay
professorandpublications adviserfrom assistantfeatureseditor, awritingmajorfrom andfinishworkonthe Trumpet.
CedarRapids. The next morning,Moellerwas
called to the officeofEarnest
Oppermann, deanofstudents.
Thankfully, Oppermann
BEANIETIIVIE-This photo appeared in understood the circumstances, and
IPET
the Sept. 11, 1965 issueofthe Trumpet. thenewspaperstafferswere not
First-yearstudentsworeorange beanies, punished.
a partofthe sophomore-imposed Moelleris nowdirectorof
ofExcellent initiation process.The studentswere WartburgCollegecommunication
expected to "button" in deferenceto and marketing. She is abenevolent
upperclassmen (as shown right),sing .manager; dancing in the office’s
songs and recite nurseryrhymes, among longhallway isalwaysallowed.
otherthings.
WARTBURG MAGAZINE
FALL2005
7
YEAR OF SOCIALWORK-The
college kicked off its "YearofSocial
Work and Social Justice" celebration at
Opening Convocation Sept. 6. On hand
forthe eventwere Fred Hagemann '67,
chairofthe Board of Regents;Jane
Hartman '68, president/CEO of Lutheran
Services in Iowa and chairofthe Social
Work NationalAdvisory Board; President
Jack R. Ohle;Walter Reed Jr. '76,
keynote speakerand a memberofthe
Golden advisory board; and Dr. Susan Kosche
Vallem '66, chairofthe social work
Karris
department.
work department
Social
observes 60th anniversary
Forgenerations, Wartburg was Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Germany, St. Elizabeth.”
viewed as acollege thatproduced social and the Elizabeth Church in Marburg, The spirit ofSt. Elizabeth is alive
workers and teachers. Germany, I have been able togathera and well in the work students do today,
So ir should come as no surprise that sketchy biography ofSt. Elizabeth.” Vallem adds. Although the social work
college holds the distinction ofhousing During the 13th century, Elizabeth, program is rhe oldest in the state, it
the first undergraduate social work the wife ofa landgrave, lived at the continues topave the way forfuture
program in Iowaand one ofrhe oldest in Wartburg Castle. Her concern for the students and social workers. The
the Midwest. poor led to the establishment ofa department is currently developing a
“One ofthe many things that makes hospice at the foot ofthe castlegrounds. gerontology certificationprogram.
Wartburg College distinctive is a According to legend, Elizabeth “It’s my hope that we canget
tradition ofleadership and service,” smuggled bread and leftovers from the scholarship funding forstudents
explained Dr. Susan Kosche Vallem ’66, castle kitchen to sharewith the poor. interested in such careers,” Vallem said.
chairofthe department. “This tradition The practice was strictly forbidden, so “We also want to raise awareness about
ofleadership and servicegoes back in she hid the food in her robes. When the level offunding foreldercare
Wartburg’s history-at both the accosted by suspicious courtiers on a programs.”
Wartburg Castle and the college.” food-smuggling trip, Elizabeth told It is through suchprograms that
This year, the college celebrates them she was carrying bread. When students are allowed to discoverand
“The YearofSocial Workand Social they demanded that she open her robes, claim theircallings, she added. Clubs
Justice,” marking the 60th anniversary the hidden bread had turned ro roses, and programs within the department
ofits social work department. which fell to theground. She was also assist in raising awareness for the
Wartburg traces part ofits canonized in 1235, ayearafter herdeath social work community.
commitment to social justice and at the age of24, In December 2004, the Social Work
awareness to St. Elizabeth. “I always say “I knew that Wartburg Castle had a Club received an Above and Beyond
St. Elizabeth is Wartburg’s first social ... great heritageofmusic and Award from IowaGov. Tom Vilsack.
worker,” said Vallem, who has education,” Vallem said. “I wondered if Theaward honored the club for its
researched thedepartment and Wartburg Castle had a charitable organization ofHolidayShoppe, an
Wartburg women’s history. “Through heritage as well. Indeed it did, and it annual event to raise funds forfamilies
myvisits to Bratislava, Slovakia, was then that I became acquainted with on public assistance in BremerCounty.
WARTBURG MAGAZINE
FALL2005
8