Maren Michelet

Maren Bastine Hals Michelet (May 26, 1869 – February 5, 1932) was the first Norwegian teacher in any public high school in the United States and promoter of Scandinavian culture. She was also a referent teacher for Scandinavian languages when the three-language education system (of the land, of the immigrant homes, for professional purposes) was introduced in public school in the United States.[1][2]

Maren Michelet
from History of the Norwegian people in America
Born
Maren Bastine Hals Michelet

(1869-05-26)May 26, 1869
Minneapolis, Minnesota
DiedFebruary 5, 1932(1932-02-05) (aged 62)
Known forfirst Norwegian teacher in any US public high school
TitleEducation Secretary of the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study
Academic work
Notable worksFirst Year Norse, Glimpses from Agnes Mathilde Wergeland's life

Life

Maren Bastine Hals Michelet was born on May 26, 1869[3] to Nils Christian Michelet (1838–1920), a former deputy collector of customs and attorney in Minneapolis, and Johanne Hals (1836–1920). The Michelet family moved to Minneapolis from Menomonie, Wisconsin. Maren had three brothers, Simon Themstrup (b. 1871), secretary to Senator Knute Nelson, Wilhelm Ludvig Christian (1873–1946), and Ove Hals Jean (b. 1865).[4][5][6] She lived with her parents at 1807 S 4th St, Minneapolis, and attended the University of Minnesota.[7]

Career

Maren Michelet was a teacher of Scandinavian languages in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and indeed she was the first Norwegian teacher in any public high school in the United States.[1] During the years 1906–1910 Dr. J. N. Lenker began to campaign for a three-language education—of the land, of the immigrant homes, for professional purposes.[1] Michelet's Scandinavian heritage was essential to her role as a teacher when the Minneapolis School Board decided to include Northern languages in the ordinary curriculum.[8][9]

In 1917 Michelet produced her survey: of 168 high schools contacted in Scandinavian, 73 replied. 43 schools, in 7 states, were teaching in Norwegian to 1,380 students, and 20 schools in 3 states were teaching in Swedish to 918 students.[1]

She was also a strong promoter of Scandinavian culture. In 1917 she was nominated officer of the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study.[10] In 1923 she was elected Education Secretary.[11]

The main center for Norwegian studies in High School in 1925 was Minneapolis. Michelet was one of the four referent teachers.[1] In 1925 Michelet was decorated by Haakon VII of Norway.[12]

Works

In 1914, Maren Michelet published First Year Norse, a high school textbook for grammar of Norwegian language.[1][13]

In 1916, Michelet published Glimpses from Agnes Mathilde Wergeland's life, a translation of Glimt fra Agnes Mathilde Wergelands liv, the biography of Agnes Wergeland, Norwegian-American historian, poet and educator and the first woman to earn a doctorate in Norway.[14][15][16]

She also did surveys on schools, prepared course studies, and edited a version of Henrik Ibsen's Terje viken.[17][18][19]

Death

Maren Michelet died on February 5, 1932. She is buried at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Plot: Section 5 Lot 405 Grave 8.[12]

References
  1. Norlie, Olaf Morgan (1925). History of the Norwegian people in America. p. 387. Retrieved 28 July 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. Veblen, Andrew A. (1920). The Valdris book; a manual of the Valdris samband. pp. 76–77. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  3. "Maren Michelet". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  4. "Clipped from Star Tribune, 30 Aug 1920, Mon, Page 8". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  5. "Clipped from The Tomahawk, 15 Jun 1903, Mon, Page 4". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  6. "Michelet". Projekt Runeberg. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  7. 1890 Minneapolis city directory
  8. "Clipped from Albert Lea Evening Tribune July 24, 1916". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  9. "My Minneapolis ; a chronicle of what has been learned and observed ... Hansen, Carl Gustav Otto, 1871–1960". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  10. Flom, George T.; Alexis, Joseph. "The Seventh Annual Meeting of the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavia Study". Scandinavian Studies and Notes. JSTOR 40915012.
  11. "Clipped from Davenport Democrat and Leader May 7, 1923". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  12. "Clipped from Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, the Evening News, 06 Feb 1932, Sat, Page 18". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  13. "Notes: Recent and Forthcoming Publications". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  14. Norwegian-Americans (Odd S. Lovoll. Multicultural America. 2006)
  15. "Glimt fra Agnes Mathilde Wergelands liv, Michelet, Maren Bastine Hals, 1869–". Babel. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  16. "Glimpses from Agnes Mathilde Wergeland's life, by Maren Michelet. ... Michelet, Maren Bastine Hals, 1869–1932". Babel. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  17. Michelet, Maren. "Report on Questionnaires sent to Teachers of the Scandinavian Languages in High Schools". Scandinavian Studies and Notes. JSTOR 40915015. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  18. "Scandinavian studies. v.5 1918–1919". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  19. "Henrik Ibsen's Terje viken / edited with introd., notes and ... Ibsen, Henrik, 1828–1906". Retrieved 28 July 2017.
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