Professor of History and American Studies
Ph.D., Wisconsin, 1957;
jorstade@cox.net
Born in nearby Kenyon, Erling graduated from Kenyon High School in 1948 and enrolled at St. Olaf. Planning on a career in journalism, he was converted to History by the redoubtable Professor Agnes M. Larson. At St. Olaf, he was co-Editor in Chief of the MESS, he was on the Honor Council, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He got his Master's from Harvard in 1953 and Ph.D. from Wisconsin in 1957.
In 1956 Erling started teaching at St. Olaf, and taught for 38 years until retirement in 1994.
He
developed courses in American Intellectual and American Religious history (team-taught with the Religion Department). He participated in several inter-disciplinary programs, being on the founding committee and first faculty of: Paracollege, American Studies, Women's Studies and the Great Conversation. He estimates he handed out 4,080 grades in those 38 years. He brought out 11 books in current American religious life, writing for both general and scholarly readers. He was active in lifelong education, teaching in some 48 Elderhostel programs, as well as Olehostel, Lutherhostel and alumni groups. He led many adult forums in the ELCA in some 31 states. He gave papers at several national historical association conventions, and wrote reviews in 25 academic journals.
His children, Eric '78 (Philosophy), and Laura '82 (English), graduated from St. Olaf, both being Summa Cum Laude.
He and spouse, Ruth, moved to Scottsdale, AZ, in 1994 and are residents there now, coming back as "sunbirds" each summer to Northfield. His retirement book was, 25 Bicycle Trails in the Twin Cities and Southeastern Minnesota, most of which he rides again during the summers.
