‘Friday’ Category
Factoid Friday
In the early years, Homecoming was celebrated during the winter months in conjunction with a basketball game. The first Gustavus Homecoming linked to a football game was in 1926. The homecoming slogan was “Beat St. Olaf,” which the Gusties did: 7 to 0.
Factoid Friday: Greek Addition
Fraternities at Gustavus grew out of secret societies and literary groups, much like their female counterparts. Currently, the Greek community at Gustavus is involved with philanthropic fundraising events, community service, and peer support. Gustavus has been home to 15 fraternities throughout history. Alpha Phi Alpha―founded in 1995 with hopes of being a nationally affiliated African-American […]
Factoid Friday
Following the 1963 Nobel Prize ceremonies in Stockholm, Gustavus representatives met with Nobel Foundation officials, asking them to endorse an annual science conference at the College and to allow use of the Nobel name to establish credibility and high standards. At the urging of several prominent Nobel Laureates, the foundation granted the request and the […]
Factoid Friday
The first college library dates from when the school was at East Union in 1865. A drafted student died in a military camp and left his small collection of books to the school. This collection was supplemented with the purchase of a Webster’s Dictionary.
Factoid Friday
Did you know…. The first pupil of Gustavus was Jonas Magnuson (Magny) in 1862. He was a 20 year-old who grew up in the Chisago Lakes area and was the only pupil until the winter term. His fees were $1 for his room, 75 cents for his board and tuition was free! He went on […]
Factoid Friday
Did you know… The Folke Bernadotte Library at Gustavus has 308,247 volumes, 497 print periodical subscriptions, 167 electronic subscriptions, and 294,966 total government documents? With new acquisitions arriving each year!
Factoid Friday
Did you know… that in 1905, the Augustana Synod (forerunner of the ELCA) banned intercollegiate athletic competition from its colleges. One year before, in 1904, President Mattson had enforced a ban on athletics at Gustavus. These rulings were met with fierce opposition. After many years of student protest, the Synod reinstated athletics in 1910. […]
Factoid Friday
On this date in 1945 the SS Gustavus Victory was delivered from the shipyard to begin her service as a cargo ship during World War II. Victory ships, like the SS Gustavus Victory, were mass-produced during WWII to replace the submarine damage-prone Liberty design. 531 Victory ships were commission during WWII, 34 named after […]
Factoid Friday
Why the three crowns as the College logo? The use of the three crowns started at Gustavus in the 1950s in conjunction with the College’s link to the Bernadotte Foundation of Sweden. The three crowns is the the national emblem of Sweden, yet that history has long been debated. Some say the three crowns represent […]
