2018.008.007 [Print, Photographic]

When the Synod leaders, including Koren, wanted to create separate Norwegian-American schools that taught all of the subjects along with religion and the Norwegian language, the lay people (members of the congregations) disagreed and demanded their children attend "Yankee" or American schools so that they could learn English, as well as how to navigate American life. The compromise to this situation was parochial schools, like this one, where students would go for two weeks at a time several times per year to learn the Norwegian language and religious lessons from age 6 until their early teens when they were confirmed in the church. Based on accounts from former students, pupils at this school were not required to make up lessons they missed at the public school. This school, built in 1879, was located on the Rovang Farm near Nordness, Iowa, which was in the Washington Prairie area, rural Decorah, The longest serving teacher at this school was Johan Hagen, an immigrant from Norway, who began teaching at this school in 1888. After he retired in 1919, religious lessons at the parochial school were taught in English. Pictured above is Johan Hagen. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions.