Martha Brennun (1894-1961)
Martha Brennun was a Norse and math instructor at Concordia, who later worked as registrar. Brennun was the salutatorian of the first collegiate class at Concordia. She also helped establish the first literary society at the college.
Martha Brennun was born on January 14, 1894 in Oak Park Township, Marshall County, Minnesota where her Norwegian-American parents Peter and Sophia Brennun farmed. She graduated from high school in Oslo and was among only a few young women in the area at that time to receive a high school degree. [1]
After high school, Brennun attended Concordia starting in 1913. She was an intelligent young individual who was driven to bring changes to the campus. Brennun and two others created the first women’s literary society at Concordia. Students Agatha Madsen, Marie Olson, and Brennun created and organized Alpha Kappa Chi Literary Society or AKX. The society had their first public programming on March 16, 1917. [2]
Brennun majored in mathematics, unusual for women at the time and seen by some as “unladylike.” She also studied Norwegian. On May 25, 1917, she was one of six students (five male, one female) to graduate from Concordia’s new four-year college program. Brennun was thus the first female student to graduate from a collegiate class at Concordia, as well as the college’s first salutatorian. After graduation Brennun was employed by the college, where she remained for the next 38 years. She served as the registrar and periodically taught Norwegian, mathematics, and religion courses. [3]
During her years of teaching, Brennun also took three leaves of absence. During two of these periods she attended the University of Minnesota and University of Southern California for her graduate degree. The other year she taught as a missionary in Teller, Alaska. [4] Brennun wrote about her mission work and experiences with the Alaskan natives in an essay in the Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation Newsletter in 1932. [5]
As a Norse instructor, Brennun thought highly of her Norwegian heritage and language. She emphasized that learning how to read and write Norwegian was only a part of learning the language, while speaking the language was crucial. [6] Brennun conducted a study in which she compared fifth graders to college students. Her findings suggested that college students were unable to pronounce words and phrases unlike the fifth graders, who adapted quickly. [7]
Brennun retired from Concordia in 1960. To honor her years of service, faculty and friends gathered together for a Norwegian dinner, held appropriately on May 17, Norwegian Independence day. [8]
On Feb 6, 1961, Brennun died at the age of 67. News of her death saddened the communities of Moorhead and Concordia. Her funeral was held at Trinity Lutheran Church. Her surviving sisters and friends created a fund in Brennun’s honor to help advance faculty members in their professional careers. [9] Her legacy continues today in the Martha Brennun Family Mission fund, which began in 2013. It supports Concordia Students who participated in Christ’s Children Ministries in the Twin Cities area. [10]
Authors: Ger Xiong & Hans Frank
Footnotes
[1] Funeral Pamphlet, Feb. 10, 1961, Martha Brennun, Biography Files Collection, Concordia College Archives; Julia Brennun, interview by Anna Jordahl, January 14, 1982, Julia Brennun, Oral Histories, Concordia College Archives.
[2] Erling Nicolai Rolfsrud, Cobber Chronicle (Moorhead: Concordia College,1966), 162.
[3] Thomas Christenson, “Persons of Influence: Martha Brennun,” Alumni News, 1977, Martha Brennun, Biography Files Collection; Erling Nicolai Rolfsrud, Cobber Chronicle (Moorhead: Concordia College,1966), 71; Martha Brennun, “Work,” Crescent (May 1917), 251-254; Carroll Engelhardt, On Firm Foundation Grounded: The First Century of Concordia College (1891-1991), (Moorhead, Minnesota: Concordia College,1991), 144.
[4] “Persons of Influence: Martha Brennun,” Alumni News, 1977.
[5] “Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation,” Oct. 1932, Martha Brennun, Biography Files Collection, Concordia College Archives.
[6] “Persons of Influence: Martha Brennun,” Alumni News, 1977.
[7] “‘Norwegian Evening’ Cobber Faculty Honor Martha Brennun,” Alumni, May 1960, Martha Brennun, Biography Files Collection, Concordia College Archives.
[8] “Persons of Influence: Martha Brennun,” Alumni News, 1977.
[9] Funeral Pamphlet, Feb. 10, 1961, Martha Brennun, Biography Files Collection, Concordia College Archives; “Brennun Fund Established,” Perspective, May 1961, Martha Brennun, Biography Files Collection, Concordia College Archives.
[10] Karen Lee: Associate Director, Financial Aid, email message, June 2, 2016.