CONCORDIA 1864-2014
University Chicago CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF FAITH, LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP
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ctober 12, 2014 is Founder’s Day for Concordia University Chicago and is of historical significance as the university celebrates a long-standing 150-year history, rich in tradition and contribution to higher education. Today’s university remains strongly rooted in its Lutheran heritage, centered in the gospel of Jesus Christ and a commitment to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). As the first and oldest university within the Concordia University System, from which nine other colleges across the country spring, Concordia-Chicago is poised for success as an educational leader nationally, globally and within our surrounding communities for the next 150 years. Produced in partnership with Wednesday Journal
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Concordia-Chicago at 150
2014 ■ Concordia University Chicago
Humble beginnings
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he roots of Concordia University Chicago can ultimately be traced to the Saxon immigrants who settled in Perry County, MO in the 1830s. These German Lutheran immigrants, following principles outlined by Martin Luther and the early reformers, recognized that Christian schools were necessary to nurture the faith of their children and maintain their Lutheran heritage. Pastors and teachers, therefore, also had to be educated to teach in those schools. The first school, founded in Dresden, MO in 1839, was soon reorganized in Altenburg, MO in 1843 as a seminary for the training of pastors and teachers. As more immigrants arrived, the demand for teachers required another college. In 1846, an “emergency seminary” (Nothelferseminar) opened in Fort Wayne. Around the same time, three inspired pastors founded a private teach-
The dawn of a legacy
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1910: The Addison Seminary orchestra in 1910.
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1880s: The Addison Seminary campus. ers’ seminary in Milwaukee, WI to address the same issue (Freitag 19-21). The university that stands in River Forest today actually grew out of the combination of resources from these two institutions. By 1864, the Synod accepted the proposal
from Zion Lutheran Church in Addison, IL to host a new school—the Addison Lutheran Teachers Seminary. Construction of the seminary was partially funded by members of the congregation who sold their own land and livestock.
A new, permanent location
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he 40-acre parcel purchased for the new school was described by one source as “a flat, low piece of ground which has two drainage canals.” The land had “been a cornfield, and most of it had been a swamp” (Freitag 83). Fields surrounded the campus property, and few could have imagined that River Forest would one day develop into one of Chicago’s wealthiest suburbs. The new school, now called Concordia Teachers
College (CTC), was built much more quickly than the Addison seminary. When construction was completed, a crowd of 40,000 spectators attended the dedication ceremony on October 12, 1913, a testimony to the pride and dedication of Lutheran parishioners to their new school. Things couldn’t have gone better at the new campus, until the unthinkable happened. Just four months after the dedication, a fire destroyed the main
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espite the enthusiasm for building a new teachers’ seminary, construction was slow as a result of the Civil War. The first students to arrive on the Addison campus were disappointed to learn they would initially be living and learning in a vacant tavern. True to their hearty German spirit, these students willingly accepted living quarters without heat in the winter and were forced to bathe in the nearby river. Within a year, however, enrollment surged and new campus buildings were completed under the direction of J.C.W. Lindemann, the school’s first president. Several additions were needed to accommodate the students
building (now known as Addison Hall), as well as a majority of the college’s books and irreplaceable historic documents. Undeterred by the setback, President Kohn worked with congregations throughout the LCMS Northern Illinois District to finance the reconstruction of the college in less than a year. Today, Addison Hall stands as a permanent reminder of the perseverance, dedication and undying devotion to Lutheran-based educa-
as enrollment grew to 239 by 1885. The faculty focused on the establishment of a strong student teaching program, which remains a pillar of today’s university. Students received hands-on teaching experience with the children at Zion Lutheran Church, and, later, in the seminary’s own dedicated lab school. Around 1908, at the same time that the Synod was considering another addition to the Addison campus, the Lutheran Educational Society of Chicago and Vicinity was formed. The group convinced the Synod to move the Addison Seminary to the school’s current location in River Forest, IL, just 10 miles west of Chicago’s city center.
tion for which so many had sacrificed. Two relief sculptures grace the walls on either side of the front doors to Addison Hall, near the iconic pillars. One depicts the school in Addison (under the banner Soli Deo Gloria) and the other shows the first log cabin school with the inscription “Altenburg, Perry Co., Mo, 1839.” These lasting monuments are a tribute to the respect that the builders of the 1914 campus had for their heritage.
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1913: (left) President William Kohn (top of steps with megaphone) addresses a crowd of 40,000 during the dedication of the River Forest campus. (Above) Fire damage as seen from Augusta Street in 1914.
Concordia-Chicago at 150
Concordia University Chicago
Continued Growth and Facilities Expansion
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he 1914-15 academic years included several key firsts for the institution. The college not only published its first course catalog that year, but boldly printed it in English, an indication that President Kohn and his faculty were aware that they needed to change with the times. World War I was underway at this time, but it had little overall effect on campus. Despite its deep German roots, the school supported American troops by participating in patriotic parades and rallies. In the postwar 1920s, certifications standards continued to grow more stringent, forcing the college to strengthen its curriculum. As was the case at the Addison campus, most new students still lacked a basic education. CTC also ran a high school on campus, which ensured its own students were adequately prepared for college, but most external applicants were not as qualified. To remedy this, the LCMS approved a special preparatory class, and in 1921, boys of “good character and ability” used this program to receive the equivalent of an 8th grade education. The prep classes lasted for only a few years, until regional education standards improved and more qualified applicants attended. The 1920s saw significant expansion to the college facilities. In 1923, Addison Hall received two wings of two-story classrooms with basements, as well as additions to the Lindemann and Krauss residence halls (now known as Kohn and Brohm Halls, respectively).
The next major stand-alone addition to the campus was the original gymnasium, dedicated in 1927. Although this obviously provided for the college’s athletic needs, it also served the college and the broader church in many other ways. For almost two decades it served as the university’s chapel. An untold number of synodical, district and other church and educational events were held in this space, including conventions, conferences, workshops, rallies, lectures and concerts. Another milestone was reached in 1924, when the old Addison campus was demolished. Several alumni convinced the wrecking company to give them 75 stones from the old buildings, including the cornerstone. Those materials were then used to construct a monument to the original school, which remains at that location today. The college, like the rest of the country, faced significant challenges during the Great Depression. They dealt with these in some interesting ways. For instance, CTC provided lodging and breakfast to visitors of the Chicago Century of Progress world’s fair in 1933. At a cost of 75 cents a day, the clever endeavor brought in $10,000. President Kohn also supported the creation of a student government during this era, an idea which had an economic objective. This group was assigned oversight of dormitory cleanliness and student adherence to rules— tasks which otherwise would have been assigned to faculty receiving additional pay.
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Learn more
A commemorative 150th Anniversary book has been published and is available to community members for $27.99 through the campus bookstore or online at www.cuchicago.bncollege.com.
Bibliography and contributors
Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly, Fall 2014, Vol. 87, No. 3. Contributing Authors: Meyer, A., Kohut, H., Matanyi, E., Rogner, D., and Spurgat, F. Bunjes, P. (1989). Changeless change: Concordia College, River Forest, Illinois: 125 years 1864-1989. River Forest, IL: Concordia College. Freitag, A. (1964). College with a cause; a history of Concordia Teachers College. River Forest, IL: Concordia Teachers College. Photo provided by CUC
1915: Entertainment for College Day included a gymnastics pyramid, performed by students. (Below) An art class at the Concordia High School in 1918.
Kohut, H. (2014). Faithfully onward, ever upward: 150 years of Concordia University Chicago. Virginia Beach, VA: The Donning Company.
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Concordia-Chicago at 150
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Expansion in the 1950s
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1945: (Right) Concordia Teachers College students gather for Christmas caroling.
Women admitted to Concordia Teachers College
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ven after the Depression, many congregations could not afford to hire the male teachers graduating from CTC; instead they hired untrained women to teach in their schools. Concerned that the women were not adequately equipped to teach, the LCMS allowed coeducational enrollment at the college beginning in 1936. At that time, however, women were not allowed to comprise more than 30 percent of the student body. President Kohn also supported the formation of the Women’s Auxiliary of
Concordia Teachers College, which rallied volunteers from local LCMS congregations to volunteer in the campus library. By 1941, more than 1,000 women were members. Americans feared attacks during World War II, and the CTC campus community was no exception. The resulting Concordia Defense Organization was formed to create a highly detailed action plan in the event of an emergency on campus. Students and faculty donated to the cause by selling war bonds, donating blood and even renaming the homecoming queen as the war bond queen.
he growth of Concordia in the post-war era required significant expansion of facilities. A new, air-conditioned library was dedicated in 1949, later to be re-named Klinck Memorial Library in memory of Arthur W. Klinck, president of the college from 1939 to 1953. The increase in women’s enrollment required a new women’s dormitory, MaryMartha Hall, which was built for the 1948-49 school year. Due to unforeseen construction delays, women started the school year living in the gym, until construction could be completed. Mary-Martha Hall was then expanded, doubling its size, in 1953. Another dormitory for men, David-Jonathan Hall, was dedicated in 1959. During this decade, the campus also added a music building in 1951 (later renamed Kretzmann Hall), and a science building, Eifrig Hall, which was built in 1955 but significantly expanded in 1960. The year 1950 also marked an important milestone in Concordia’s educational history—the closure of the high school after 86 years. The high school and college had already been fully separated since 1934, and with the growth of Lutheran high schools in the region, The LCMS thought best to use them as feeder schools. The college was also in desperate need of more space and teachers for its growing enrollment. After closure of the high school, women outnumbered men on campus for the first time. The campus also experienced another type of growth, thanks to the high school closure—diversity. More students were enrolling from community high schools, bringing a new mix of interests and backgrounds to the campus. A co-educational campus also meant that romantic relationships were inevitable. Getting married while enrolled, however, was strongly discouraged by the faculty. Students
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1940S: Coed students socialize in a campus basement over bottles of soda.
who wished to marry were obligated to receive the approval of the college administration or face “automatic forfeiture of status as students” and expulsion from the college. The post-war years did see an increase in married students in the form of veterans who attended Concordia on the G.I. Bill. As the 1952-53 catalog points out, however, married couples could not live together on campus, as no married housing facilities were available. In 1958, CTC made a significant addition to its curriculum—a secondary education degree—which required a great deal more work than the traditional elementary degree. Students had to fulfill all elementary teaching requirements and take an extra four hours of student teaching, which was accomplished during mandatory summer school. This program helped prepare teachers for the growing number of Lutheran high schools. Perhaps even more important was the establishment of a graduate program under the guidance of President Martin Koehneke. The faculty and Board of Control approved the five-year, or “fifth-year” graduate program in 1956, which began with summer classes only. The full-time graduate program was officially added in March of 1957. Glorie Bonnine became the college’s first full-time female professor in 1959. A few female teachers preceded Bonine, but they only held part-time status as instructors of piano and physical education for women. Bonine later married her CTC colleague, Richard Hillert. Because college rules forbid marriage between co-workers, Gloria resigned while her husband continued his career teaching music at CTC. The marriage rule appears to have been phased out sometime in the mid-1960s, as married faculty and staff colleagues became more common.
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1973: Students move in for the fall semester.
Concordia-Chicago at 150
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ven though faith and worship were always central to the Concordia community, the campus had no stand-alone chapel for its first 65 years in River Forest. As students crowded the gymnasium bleachers for daily chapel, it became clear that a dedicated chapel was desperately needed. Around 1960, the LCMS approved construction of a free-standing chapel with an estimated cost of $875,000. Originally slated for completion by the college’s 100th Anniversary in 1964, changes in construction funding caused delays. The college was now responsible for contributing a majority of the capital dollars for the project. A day-long telephone blitz was held in 1961, in which 200 volunteers called members of every congregation in The LCMS Northern Illinois District to solicit donations. More than 39,000 phone calls during a single night resulted in pledges of $551,353. Despite the successful fundraising drive, the dream of a new chapel would not be realized for another 20 years. The 1960s and 70s were times of turmoil both for the United States and for colleges across the country. Concordia College, as it was then known, was not immune to these challenges, yet it continued to serve the church and expand both programming and facilities. A new wave of construction began in 1964, including the addition of the North Gymnasium and Natatorium, as well as the three-story addition to Kretzmann Hall. In 1972, the college dedicated the Koehneke Community Center, which
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The 60s and 70s
now houses the campus cafeteria, bookstore, post-office and meeting rooms. The college also experienced the effects, however, of the civil unrest that engulfed the nation in the late 1960s. Protests against the Vietnam War and other events happened sporadically on campus, but no one dared suspect that someone would try to cause harm. However, the Ascension Day fire, an act of arson, nearly destroyed Addison Hall once again in 1970. The campus also experienced bomb threats and vandalism during this time, prompting the formation of a formal department of public safety. The 1960s, however, brought many successes and new initiatives to Concordia. In 1966, Concordia received a moment in the national spotlight when Kapelle, the college’s choir, performed for President Johnson at the national Christmas tree-lighting ceremony at the White House. Three years later, Kapelle embarked on an unprecedented world tour. The tour not only expanded the college’s reach abroad, but also exposed students to opportunities for teaching ministry in foreign countries. The college’s initial foray into international studies had taken place several years earlier, when two professors travelled to Africa for six weeks in 1962 under an initiative known as Project Safari. The men cited an urgent need to help the African nations through missions and education. The success of this trip prompted work on overseas projects with Asian nations as well.
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1966: The Kappelle choir performed at the 1966 White House tree lighting ceremony upon invitation from President Lyndon B. Johnson, seated third from left.
A leader in technology
he CTC Computer Center was originally established in 1964. These early computing facilities served not only the campus but the larger church body. In 1965 the Research Department of the LCMS participated in increasing the limited capacity of Concordia’s first computer to analyze the data collected annually for the Statistical Handbook. By the early 1970s, technology was advancing at a rapid rate. President Koehneke and the Board of Control recognized the value of remaining at the forefront of technology and advocated expansion of the center. The center not only served the academic computing needs of the campus but of the larger church body, providing computer services to ten other colleges and seminaries, as well as fifteen synodical districts. Eventually, the center grew to serve a consortium of regional church bodies, including the LCMS, under its Center for Social Research in the Church, or CenSrch for short. The school’s continued focus on technology led to the campus becoming one of the first hosts of the Internet in 1992. As the first LCMS college and one of only a dozen Illinois institutions to have access to
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Faithfully onward Thanks to a $375,000 dollar grant from the Clara and Spencer Werner Foundation and additional gifts specifically supporting purchase of an organ, altar and pulpit, construction of the chapel finally began in 1980. The structure was originally conceived with two distinct spaces—a house of worship and a separate auditorium for theatre performances. Ultimately, the two spaces were combined into a single floor plan, with a platform area, now known as the Werner Auditorium, affixed to the west side of the chapel.
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1983: Dr. Dennis Witte working in the college’s new Computer Center. the Internet, the campus joined with the University of Chicago, University of Illinois, the Argonne National Labs and Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History as to host this new
international network. At the time, the Internet was not available to the public or even most businesses, so it was extremely prestigious for Concordia to act as one of the hosts.
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2014 ■ Concordia University Chicago
Concordia-Chicago at 150
Serving more student populations
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oncordia’s student population gradually changed during the 1970s for a number of reasons. One key factor was that several of the Synod’s junior colleges expanded to fouryear schools, causing the pool of Lutheran teacher-education students to spread across more campuses. The college began to admit students who were not seeking to be teachers in the Lutheran Church. This change was acknowledged when the Board of Control voted to change the name of the school from Concordia Teachers College to Concordia College in 1979. In his report to the Synodical Convention in 1979, President Zimmerman acknowledged that “liberal arts programs had developed to provide opportunities for the Church’s future lay leaders” (Changeless Change, 115). Programming continued to grow, and by the 1980s the student body included a growing population of working adults. Concordia began offering its evening degree program more widely in 1986, allowing students to take enough evening and Saturday courses to complete requirements leading to an undergraduate degree in several teacher education and liberal arts areas. The addition of a joint bachelor of science in nursing, in partnership with nearby west Suburban Hospital, helped serve the region’s growing need for healthcare providers at this time. Now offering many programs besides those focused on education, the college had effectively been operating as a university for more than a decade. As a result, the college officially became Concordia University River Forest in 1990. Facilities continued to grow to meet changing needs. In 1990,
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2002: (Left) The Walter and Maxine Christopher Center for Learning and Leadership is the university’s most stateof-the-art facility. (Above) Former CUC president George Heider is joined by the Christopher family at the dedication of the Walter and Maxine Christopher Center. the Krentz Education and Communications Center was dedicated. This three-story classroom building connected the library to the Addison Hall corridor, creating an 824-foot internal pedestrian path from the Klinck Memorial Library to the West Annex. Thanks to another generous donation from the Spencer foundation, the Krentz Center included a state-of-the-art television production studio, on par with the professional television stations in downtown Chicago. The new studio provided for a student-produced news program, expanded distance-learning opportunities for church professionals, produced promotional material for congregations and schools, and produced advertisements for the Deaf Ministry
Resource Center. As a result, the main offices for Silent Word Media Productions were based on the Concordia University campus. By fall 1998, parking was a growing issue with 715 students living on campus—many with cars—and an ever-growing commuter student population. The construction of a parking garage made 550 additional spaces available. In addition, a new track and football/soccer field was completed at this time as the result of a “rare partnership” between a public high school, a Catholic high school and a Lutheran university. The three schools agreed to share the track for a number of events, a cooperation that continues to prove successful today. In the fall of 1999, the university received a $15 million dollar donation from Jay and
Doris Christopher—the largest gift from an individual family in the history of The LCMS. The Christophers, best known as the founders of the Pampered Chef kitchenware company, earmarked the funds for a stateof-the-art structure. In 2002, the University’s largest and most modern building was dedicated. The Walter and Maxine Christopher Center for Learning and Leadership currently houses the College of Education, College of Graduate and Innovative Programs, and the Learning Resource Library. Much of the first floor is devoted to a state-of-the-art Early Childhood Education Center, which not only serves children of the community but functions as a lab school for the College of Education’s early childhood program.
Expansion of colleges and joint nursing degree
ecognizing the university’s market strength in education programs, senior administrators in 2003 implemented a new model of curriculum delivery for master’s programs by offering a cohort model, whereby entire academic programs were offered to high school educators on-site in their high schools throughout the Chicagoland area. These programs provided much sought after graduate education to teachers and counselors, many of whom chose to serve in some of the most underserved neighborhoods in the Chicago area. The program began with 20 students and, within three years, grew to 80 different cohorts. Graduate enrollment grew during this same time from 503 students to 2,709. The establishment of this learning model remains one of the most significant strategic decisions made by the university. These programs, and others delivered in many innovative delivery modes including through online delivery, have contributed to continued graduate enrollment growth.
Today, the program is housed within the College of Graduate and Innovative Programs, established in 2006 under President John F. Johnson. With the recent addition of the Ph.D. and a number of doctoral program concentrations, a new record for graduate enrollment was set in 2012, reaching nearly 4,000 students. The college’s Center for Global Outreach benefits undergraduate and graduate international students from a dozen countries, through various partnerships with other universities. In 2007, a billboard alongside heavily travelled Illinois expressway I-290 proudly announced “We’re in Business,” inviting students to enroll in undergraduate business programs offered by the newly established College of Business. Accounting, marketing, management and business administration were offered as majors. BS and BA degrees were established, and blended business degrees in theater arts and media administration were developed. The College of Business’ first graduate degree, the Master
of Business Administration (MBA) was offered a year later, and has grown to eight unique concentrations. A joint nursing degree was recently reestablished in partnership with Resurrection University, offering nursing students a unique educational credential for individuals wishing to serve others in the critical healthcare area of nursing. The unique program provides the benefits of resources and services offered by both universities and the advantage of a degree bearing the name of both institutions. The first class of pre-nursing and nursing students enrolled at CUC in the fall of 2013. Since 2006, CUC has been named to the U.S. President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll five times. The University is also recognized as a College of Distinction (one of only 19 in Illinois) and a Christian College of Distinction in recognition of outstanding student engagement, teaching, campus vibrancy and graduate success. Fall of 2014 marks the sixth consecutive year for
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which combined graduate and undergraduate enrollment has exceeded 5,000 students. Concordia-Chicago offers more than 100 academic programs—64 graduate and 70 undergraduate.
Concordia University Chicago
Concordia-Chicago at 150
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A name change
fter an extensive round of studies conducted in 2005, involving the entire university community, it was determined Concordia University’s geographic identifier of River Forest would be changed to Chicago. Among the options presented, Concordia University Chicago was the strongest choice among those groups surveyed, with most support from alumni of the last 10 years. The addition of “Chicago” provides instant name recognition unlike River Forest, a location both LCMS constituents and others outside of the Chicago area had little familiarity with. In addition, the new name reinforced
the university’s presence related to expanded reach recruiting students in the greater Chicagoland area and the expansion of graduate cohorts in Chicago high schools. The official name change took effect in August 2006, coupled with a new university logo. The new logo consists of four pillars, a prominent feature of Addison Hall and an expression of the tenets contained in the University’s seal: Truth, Discipleship, Freedom and the Word. The baptismal shell at the top of the pillars reflects the unique feature at the crown of the actual Pillars; the Cross of Christ remains at the center of word Concordia.
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Ever upward
n March of 2013, President Johnson announced the establishment of the Fred and Jane Wittlinger Endowed Chair for Music Performance—the first such endowment in the University’s history. The Wittlingers, parents of a Concordia Teachers College graduate, provided a significant donation, which was awarded to Dr. Richard Fischer and the music department. Fisher has been integral to the department’s growth and success since his hiring in 1974. He continues to inspire at Concordia-Chicago as well in regional and international music communities. The Fred and Jane Wittlinger Endowed Chair for Music Performance financially allows Dr. Fischer to continue sharing his passion for music through teaching, conducting and representing the University at workshops and guest-conducting opportunities, while also serving as a resource to the wider church and international communities. The University’s athletics programs also recently hit a new stride. Solid coaching and highly skilled players combined for historic seasons for several sports, accomplishing accolades seldom earned by NCAA Division III teams. Nothing in the 90-year history of the Concordia-Chicago football program
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2013: President John F. Johnson (left) joins Jane and Fred Wittlinger as they sign the University’s first-ever endowed chair, awarded to Dr. Richard Fischer.
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CUC’s current logo, adopted in 2006, evokes the architectural features of Addison Hall on campus.
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2013: The Cougars baseball team have made four NCAA Division III regional tournament appearances in the past six years.
could have matched the excitement of their 2012 season. That year, the Cougars earned a perfect 10-0 regular season, their second consecutive Northern Athletics Conference championship, and a first-round home game in the 32-team NCAA Division III playoffs. The Cougar baseball team also excelled during this time. By the 2014 season, the team had posted its seventh consecutive year of 30+ wins, two conference championships and a Coach of the Year award. The Cougars also made their fourth NCAA III regional appearance since 2009 and earned the program’s first three regional wins ever.
A promising future
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century and a half of dedication, sacrifice, progress, resiliency and prosperity are markers of the past 150 years for Concordia University Chicago. Today, the University provides a meaningful education experience for thousands of individuals, many of whom follow in the footsteps of their parents, grandparents and generations of maroon and gold alumni. As the first and oldest university
within the Concordia University System, from which nine other colleges across the country sprung, Concordia University Chicago is poised for success as an educational leader nationally and globally for its next 150 years. Given the University’s birth in Fort Wayne, it is only fitting that the university begins its next chapter under the leadership of a graduate of the Concordia Theological Seminary—Rev. Dr. Daniel L. Gard.
2014: With deep roots in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, faith, service and vocation remain the foundation of Concordia-Chicago education today.
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2014 â– Concordia University Chicago
Concordia-Chicago at 150
Then & now
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1921: (Left) An aerial view of River Forest campus showing the surrounding farmland. (Below) A 2010 aerial view of the CUC campus.