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Term: Olson, Julius Emil 1858 - 1944

Definition:

professor of Scandinavian languages, author, b. Cambridge. He graduated from the Univ. of Wisconsin (B.A., 1884). A student of Rasmus B. Anderson (q.v.), Olson became an instructor in German and Scandinavian languages at the Univ. of Wisconsin in 1884. He was named assistant professor in 1887, and from 1892 until his retirement to emeritus status in 1931 was professor of Scandinavian languages. Unlike Anderson, his predecessor, Olson had a warm and extremely popular personality. He was the author of A Norwegian Grammar and Reader (1898), an edition of Ibsen's play, Brand (1908), and numerous articles on Scandinavian language and literature, but his chief contribution came through his teaching. His colorful and enthusiastic lectures attracted large numbers of students and instilled in many an enthusiasm for Scandinavian literature. Olson preserved the legacy of Scandinavian scholarship left the university by R. B. Anderson, popularized and expanded it, to make the Univ. of Wisconsin one of the leading centers of Scandinavian studies in the nation. From 1900 to 1907 Olson was editor of the university publications; he was also chairman of the committee on loans and scholarships (1905-1933), and for many years presided over university commencements and similar functions. After retiring to emeritus status in 1931, he continued to live in Madison until his death. Amer. Scandinavian Review, 41 (1953); Wis. Mag. Hist., 34; Madison Wis. State Journal, Feb. 26, 1944.

View newspaper clippings at Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles.

View a related article at Wisconsin Magazine of History Archives.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the Julius Emil Olson Papers for details.