This is an archive for my grandpa's Poesibog (poetry book) from when he attended Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa. This building was Old Main and is now the Humphrey Center housing the university administration.
Construction began in 1893 and lasted for three years. The school was run by the Danish Evangelical Church and originally intended to be a seminary. However, the Church was quite concerned with the Americanization of the Danish youth and they believed that a liberal arts education would the Church's goal to teach and preserve Danish culture. As such, the Church decided in favor of establishing a liberal arts college. Over time, the Danish emphasis fell out of favor and the school became a two-year junior college. It underwent renovations in 1929 and 1997. It is now a university.
The Humphrey Center is the original building on Grand View University's campus. Designed by Marinus Jensen and Frank James, it was built in 1896 in the Flemish Renaissance revival style and includes other Danish elements as well. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Today, it contains the undergraduate and graduate offices as well as the evening classes offices.
Judging by the dates in this book Grandpa Alfred was a student there from 1900 to 1902. There are some entries in English and some in Danish. I just want to preserve this for family and others that might be interested. I'm publishing all the pages from the little book and hope to also translate the Danish ones at some point.
His college photo:
Here's his class picture from 1901-1902:
This was his calling card from his college days:
This is the cover of the book. Though the image is worn is says Poesibog and then has a image of the Old Main building and under that Grand View College. His name is embossed on the lower right corner:
The individual pages of the book itself and the people, places and dates as best I can tell:
Jens L Lund 18 Feb 1901
M Iversen 15 Feb 1901
J.C.Frost 4 Feb 1901
Henry Hansen Cambria, Wyoming 16 Feb 1902 / Thorvald Rasmussen, Kimbleton, Iowa
August Andersen Dwight, Iowa 15 Feb 1902 / Jens Jensen 15 Feb 1901
Johannes Nielsen 1901
B Hansen Hampton, Nebraska 12 Feb 1901 / Carl Hansen Elk Horn, Iowa 7 Feb 1901
Jens Peter Nielsen Latimer, Iowa 8 Feb 1901 / Valdemar S Jensen Feb 1901
Jens Jorgensen Kimbalton, Iowa 6 March / Cena Boysen Fredsville, Iowa 28 Jan 1901
Carrie Madsen 15 Feb 1902 / Gudrun Paulsen West Denmark, Wisconsin 28 Jan 1901
Anker Johnsen Davey, Nebraska 16 Feb 1902 / Carl G Fridericksen 27 Feb 1901
Helene Jensen (Alfred's sister) 17 Feb 1902 / Gustav Jensen Waterloo, Iowa
Louis Andersen Friend, Nebraska 22 Feb 1902 / Clara Andersen Friend, Nebraska 23 Jan 1902
Phin Bjerre
Th. Andersen Battle Creek, Iowa
Frode Nordskov Marquette, Nebraska 24 Feb 1902 / Anne A Holm Fredsville, Iowa 25 Jan 1901
Fred Nelson Independence, Iowa 13 Feb 1901
Peter L Lund 5 Mar 1902 / Katrine Knudson Hartford, Connecticut 20 Jan 1901
Frederick Mailand Algona, Iowa / Marie Busk New Haven, Connecticut 29 Jan 1901
Marie S Damm Chicago, Illinois 7 Mar 1902 / H C M Skade Cozad, Nebraska 7 Jan 1901
Axel C Kildegaard Denmark, Kansas 17 Feb 1901
Benedict Nordenthoft Thomsen 27 Feb 1901 / Frank S Peterson Lyndon, Kansas 13 Feb 1901
Margaret Osbensen / M Knutsen 31 Jan 1901
Henrik Plambeck 24 Feb 1901 / T L Bor 18 Feb 1901
P P Harnsyld 27 Feb 1901 / Carrie Bodholdt Newell, Iowa 28 Jan 1901
Hansine Sallegh 1901 / Marie Grau 28 Jan 1901
H J Jesson Nebraska 1901 / Christian Faaborg Kimbleton, Iowa 12 Feb 1901
O G Larson Davey, Nebraska 17 Feb 1901 / Johanna Vaad Omaha, Nebraska 22 Jan 1901
Henry S Jacobsen Alden, Minnesota 27 Feb 1901 / Mikkel P Mikkelsen 20 Jan 1901
Christen Boruf Greenfield, South Dakota 6 Mar 1902 / Beck
Karl Molln / Andrew Larsen
Armand Madsen Ringsted, Iowa / Mado Madsen Batle Creek, Iowa 12 Feb 1901
Marie Brodersen Maple Park, Illinois 3 Feb 1901 / Christiana Jorgensen Sabula, Iowa 21 Jan 1901
Jens Peter Nielsen Latimer, Iowa 25 Feb 1901 / H Christophersen 20 Jan 1901
Benj Andersen Dwight, Illinois 15 Feb 1902 / Anna Christophersen Gardner, Illinois 21 Jan 1901
Henry Johnson Davey, Nebraska 17 Feb 1902 / Neils Nielsen 11 Feb 1901
Chris Mikkelsen Wapinitia, Oregon / Fred Kragelund 11 Feb 1901
Mariana Gade Fredsville, Iowa 1902 / Viggo Rasmussun Kimbalton Iowa
Astrid Hendricksen Chicago, Illinois 1902 / Thomas P Christenson Geneva, Minnesota
Carl H Oxholm / Jens P Moller Hampton, Iowa 10 Feb 1901
Ingeborg Olesen 1902 / Marie Grumstrup Audubon, Iowa
Edward T Petersen Exeter, Nebraska 17 Feb 1902 / Jajen Jensen Davey, Nebraska
Karen Christiansen Hartford, Connecticut 19 Feb 1901
Anna Pedersen Ringsted, Iowa 4 Feb 1902 / Emiel Bodholdt Newell, Iowa 21 Jan 1901
Alma Nelson Brayton, Iowa 11 Feb 1902 / Dagmar Schmidt Watsonville, California 24 Jan 1901
H Ankerstjerne Feb 1901
Marie W Jensen Cedar Rapids, Iowa Feb 1901
Chr. Christensen Jomsborg Jan 1901
Herbert L Pedersen Tescott, Kansas 6 Mar 1902 / Marie S Vaad Omaha, Nebraska 23 Jun 1901
Rasmus Soby Feb 1902 / A P Mickelsen Legrand, California 16 Feb 1901
Anna Petersen 28 Jan 1901
P Rasmussen / J M Dixen Latimer, Iowa 12 Feb 1901
C P Christensen Kimbalton, Iowa 20 Feb 1901 / Hakon Forgensen Alden, Minnesota 13 Feb 1901
Anna Vaad Omaha, Nebraska 11 Feb 1902 / Olga Olsen Chicago, Illinois 24 Feb 1901
S A Jorgensen Irene, South Dakota
A Lauritzen
Louis C Petersen Clinton, Iowa 16 Feb 1902 / Chris Jorgensen Irene, South Dakota 11 Feb 1901
Helena Petersen Des Moines, Iowa 5 Feb 1902 / Christine Ekensen Des Moines, Iowa 25 Feb 1901
Mette Moller 4 Mar 1902 / Christian N Ytzen Thornton, Iowa 12 Feb 1901
Line Christianson Hartford Connecticut 19 Feb 1901
Sigrid Christensen Denmark, Kansas 8 Mar 1902 / Jensine Jensen Fredsville, Iowa 1901
N C Nielsen 18 Feb 1901 / H Peter Hansen Wither, Wisconsin 25 Feb 1901
H C Christensen Des Moines, Iowa 6 Mar 1902 / Andreas Iversen
C C Nielsen Kimbalton, Iowa 16 Feb 1902 / Loren Christensen Denmark 15 Feb 1901
Christence Holm Chicago, Illinois 31 Jan 1901 / Johanne Lorensen
Grand View College Catalog 1901-1902
