PUBLISHED QUARTERLY
FOR FRIENDS OF
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE
SIOUX FALLS
SOUTH DAKOTA
MIR
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 4
O
113
A
Y
~...
.~., • ..i
I ...
A
RESULT
OF
CONCERNED
ACTION:
AUGUSTANA PARENTS ASSOCIATION
When the new Augustana Science Center rises
next year on the college campus, it will be the cul-mination
of the united efforts of alumni, students,
faculty and staff, the church, the Sioux Falls com-munity,
and another host of ,fr4gnds of the college.
Not the least of these efforts will be the concerned
action of a new group, organized only a year and a
half ago, the Augustana Parents Association.
Made up of parents of present and former stu-dents,
the new organization has among its objectives
the advancement of the general welfare of the college.
The parents have undertaken a project within its
membership to raise funds for the new science facility
under the leadership of its president and the immed-iate
past president. Gifts for this purpose are being
received daily. A room in the center is to be marked
with a plaque acknowledging the support of parents.
The Association sprang from the germ of an idea
which was first explored in May of 1961 when a group
representing parents of seven Augustana students met
with college officials. The outcome of the meeting was
the appointment of a steering committee to further
discuss the possibilities of forming an organization
which might expand faculty-parent-student relation-
• • ships, support the college in maintaining high acad-
'• •• • • emic standards and influence qualified prospective
students in attending Augustana.
Two additional meetings produced a workable
constitution and set of by-laws for the infant organ-ization.
Rules of similar organizations from other
colleges served as a blueprint from which they worked
to establish their own aims and objectives.
On November 2, 1963 before a "Parents Day" as-semblage
of over 400 Augustana parents the constitu-tion
was presented, discussed and adopted. Under
these new articles, both parents hold an office jointly.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Knudson of Jasper, Minn., were
named as the first "president" of the group.
Through their work and that of succeeding of-ficers,
two complete programs involving the parents
have been established on a regular basis — the annual
Parents Day, which was held for the second time on
October 3rd this year, and the Freshman Parents
Orientation Program held each fall.
Parents of new students are encouraged to ac-company
their children to the college on the day the
dormitories are opened in the fall. It is a "Moving-in
Day," one of great excitement for the new student as
he makes the first move away from home and family
and moves into the strange and sometimes bewildering
college life.
In a college like Augustana it is possible to main-tain
close, friendly relationships. The Parents Asso-ciation
has supported this effort through its program
of parent orientation. During the first weeks of a
freshman's college career he is exposed to a continuing
barrage of lectures, explanations, rules, and pro-cedures
which form the basis for the new community
into which he has thrust himself. Too often, the
parents feel left out at a time when they would like
to share, in at least some measure, the experiences of
their child.