Skip to main content

Notable faculty in Augustana history

The faculty included in this series — written in honor of Augustana's sesquicentennial in 2010 — represent a variety of the professors who have taught at Augustana.

We have been most comprehensive in the earliest years of Augustana's history, when the faculty was small, turnover was often rapid, and the professors helped to chart the unknown territory which Augustana College and Theological Seminary explored. Many faculty from around the turn of the 20th century were particularly remembered for their devotion to Augustana and their lengthy service to the college; many of these are profiled here.

More recent faculty included in this series were chosen in a most unscientific fashion. Limiting ourselves to faculty no longer teaching full-time, our main considerations included length of tenure, impact on students outside of their own department as well as within, special contributions to student life beyond the classroom, and the frequency with which they are referred to by alumni returning to campus.

Given the number of extraordinary former faculty beloved by alumni, we knew we would of course omit some favorites.

Sarah Horowitz, Special Collections librarian, and Kai Swanson, executive assistant to the president

1860-1899

Edward Fry Bartholomew, Professor of English Literature and Philosophy, 1888-1932

Anders BersellProfessor of Greek, 1880-1903

Erland CarlssonPresident of the Board of Directors, 1860-1889

Anders Richard CervinProfessor of Mathematics, Greek, and Natural Sciences, 1868-1878

Johan EnanderProfessor of Swedish, 1890-1893

C.L.E. EsbjornProfessor of Languages, 1880-1881, 1887-1939

Constantin Magnus Esbj?rn, Professor of Swedish, Latin, and Greek, 1877-1880; 1883-1890

W.F. Eyster, Professor of English and History, 1875-1883

Nils Forsander, Professor of Theology, 1889-1915

Claude William Foss, Professor of History, 1884-1932

Jonas Olof Grafstr?m, Professor of Art, 1897-1926

Carl Otto Granere, Professor of Swedish and Latin, Librarian, 1871-1913

G. E. Griffith, Professor of Voice, 1892-1895

J. C. Gustus, Professor of Business, 1889-1897

Sidney L. Harkey, Professor of English, 1868-1870

Johannes Jesperson, General Manager, 1888-1903

William Kopp, Professor of English, 1864-1867

F. Lagerman, Professor of Theology, 1873-1875

Josua Lindahl, Professor of Natural Science, 1878-1888

Conrad Lindberg, Professor of Theology, 1890-1930

Peter M. Lindberg, Professor of Theology, 1891-1899

Edla Lund, Professor of Voice, 1895-1912

P. E. Melin, Professor of Greek and Hebrew, 1875-1878

Victor Olof Peterson, Professor of Physics and Chemistry, 1890-1905

Henry Reck, Professor of Natural Philosophy and English, 1871-1881

J. F. Ring, Instructor of vocal music and organist, 1879-1882

Carl P. Rydholm, Professor of Swedish, German, and Christianity, 1877-1890

G. W. Sandt, Professor of English, 1884-1888

Gustav Erik Stolpe, Professor of Music, 1882-1893

Johan August Udden, Professor of Natural Science and Geology, 1888-1910

August Weenaas, Professor of Theology, Norwegian, and Latin, 1868-1870

Revere F. Weidner, Professor of Dogmatics, Exegesis, and Hebrew, 1882-1894

Jacob Westlund, Professor of Physics and Chemistry, 1887-1889

Anna Westman, Instructor of Mathematics, 1892-1894; Assistant in English, 1896-1897

Albert Wihlborg, Professor of Classics, 1873-1877

A. W. Williamson, Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy, 1880-1905

1900-1939

O. Fritiof AnderProfessor of history, 1930-1968

I. M. AndersonProfessor of Greek, 1904-1944

Isidore John BromanProfessor of biology, geology, and astronomy, 1915-1917

Fritiof Melvin FryxellProfessor of geology, 1929-1973

Martin J. HolcombProfessor of speech and debate, 1932-1969

John P. MagnussonProfessor of chemistry, 1907-1946

Jules G?the Ultimus MaurtizonProfessor of Swedish, 1904-1930

Ira O. NothsteinLibrarian and archivist, 1918-1935

Margaret OlmstedProfessor of Latin and mathematics, 1921-1967

Anna OlssonInstructor in English, 1900-1902

Traugott RichterProfessor of English, 1935-1964

Arthur WaldCollege Dean and professor of Swedish, 1931-1958

Hal C. YinglingProfessor of biology, 1919-1960

1940-1970

Richard AndersonProfessor of geology, 1957-1996

George Arbaugh, Professor of philosophy and Dean of the College, 1945-1974

Betsey BrodahlDean of Women/Students, 1948-1987

Theodore CelmsProfessor of philosophy 1949-1963; 1967-1975

Stanley EricksonProfessor of political science, 1948-1974

Harry S. B. JohnsonDean of Men and Professor of Greek, 1942-1964

Harry E. NelsonProfessor of mathematics and astronomy, 1946-1988

Dorothy ParkanderProfessor of English, 1947-1996

Richard SwansonCampus Pastor, Director of College Relations, Dean of Campus Ministries, 1966-1999

Ralph TrollProfessor of biology, 1959-1999

Roald TweetProfessor of English, 1960-1999