2 minute read
MEET HALVAR!
Most Bethany alumni have known College teams to carry the nickname Vikings. But the burly mascot’s presence on the campus does not go back quite as far the origins of the College itself. Bethany’s resident historian and archivist, Dr. Erling Teigen, says that through the 1920s, 30s, and early 40s the College teams were simply referred to as “Red and White,” or the “Quint.” The high school teams were known as the “Comets.” It wasn’t until 1947 that the College teams took on the new nickname—“Vikings.”
Teigen dug into some issues of the College newspaper The Scroll, and discovered in February 1947 that a contest was held to name the teams. The February 1947 edition carried a front page article reporting that after student body elections on February 12, “the name ‘Vikings’ had been chosen as suggested by Al Halvorson.” While there was no explanation for the reason behind the name, it certainly seemed appropriate for a school with a strong Norwegian heritage to take on the Viking moniker.
It’s also interesting to note that at the time the College took on the name Vikings, there were no intercollegiate women’s teams. Teigen told us, “There was an extracurricular group called Girl’s Athletic Association (G.A.A.) which did have a system of points one could accumulate in order to win a letter. They had a wide choice of activities, which included baseball, skiing, even horse-back riding. There weren’t any women’s intercollegiate teams until into the 60s, though back in the 30s, girls competed with local and nearby high school or club teams.”
Fast-forward 74 years to October 2021, Bethany’s Viking was finally given a proper name. And hearkening back to the mascot contest of 1947, students, faculty, and staff had the opportunity to vote on a name for The Bethany Viking. His name, Halvar, means “defender of the rock.” According to his official page on the Bethany website, Halvar is “an active spirit in deed and faith with a distinctly Lutheran taste for the world’s finest Lutefisk. While carried in the hearts of students for years, the Bethany Viking became flesh—or stuffing—at the Fall Festival and Homecoming of 2021.”
You can carry a little reminder of Halvar for your coffee mugs or skateboards by visiting the Bethany Bookstore’s website where you’ll find a wonderful decorative sticker bearing his likeness.
