Lutheran Historical Conference Newsletter

Vol. 38, No. 3...August 2000...ISSN 0460-0274

News Notes

The Abdel Ross Wentz Prize in American Lutheran History awards $1,000 annually to one or more outstanding essays by students enrolled in a master's degree program at a seminary, divinity school or department of religious studies. Qualifying essays must combine original research with interpretive analysis of any aspect of American Lutheran history or provide an interpretive critique of other published literature in the field. For details, visit the Lutheran Historical Society website.

On 23–24 September 2000 Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana, will celebrate Founders Weekend, marking the 75^th anniversary of Valparaiso University as a Lutheran institution. A celebrative convocation will be held on Saturday afternoon with the Honorable Paul Simon, former United States Senator from Illinois, speaking. The German ambassador to the United States and the German cultural ambassador will also participate in the convocation (2:15) and the dedication of the new Kade-Duesenberg German House immediately following the convocation. On Sunday the Festival Service will have Dr. Dale A. Meyer, Lutheran Hour speaker, as the preacher. A history of Valparaiso University from 1859 to the present will also be published and is being written by Richard P. Baepler. Valparaiso University was founded in 1859 by the Methodist Church in Indiana as one of the first dozen coeducational institutions in the United States.

The Augustana Heritage Association was officially formed at the Augustana 2000 meeting held at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, 23–25 June 2000. In 1998 a group of people from the former Augustana Lutheran Church (1860–1962), met at Jamestown, New York, to remember and celebrate their heritage. A steering committee was set up at that time to determine initial outcomes (a book was published) and whether or not the group should organize more formally and permanently. The result was the adoption of bylaws by the group and election of a board of directors. Among those elected were LHC members Maria E. Erling and Paul M Cornell.

The Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation has received a $250,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as seed money to develop an organization that will help to preserve three antebellum buildings on the campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. In 1863 the campus witnessed some of the fiercest fighting on the first day of the famous battle of July 1–3. To help share the heritage of that portion of the battle, the foundation will be setting up a self-guided walking tour of Seminary Ridge. Twelve stations have been identified where the story of the battle, and to some extent that of the seminary's place in those days, will be read from illustrated markers. For example, it points to the home of Samuel S. Schmucker and how his home or barn was used as a station on the Underground Railroad. It is hoped that a goodly portion of the 1.5 million visitors to Gettysburg each year may visit the campus and learn something of the issues of the Civil War and take home something besides toy guns, swords and soldier's uniforms. To accomplish this, the foundation will be sponsoring historical symposia interpreting the Christian motivations regarding the Civil War and present-day issues of war and peace. For further information on the foundation and the self-guided walking tour, contact LHC member Luther A. Gotwald Jr., 120 Homestead Lane, Davidsville, PA 15928-0404.

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