Alfred J. Pearson

              ALFRED J. PEARSON, A. M., Ph. D. (Yale).


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Professor Pearson is a graduate of Bethany college, Lindsborg, Kans., and of the post-graduate department of Yale University.  He has also taken summer courses at Wisconsin University, Chicago University and Nebraska University.  He was Professor of English and German in Upsala College, Brooklyn, N. Y., 1896–1898, and has held the chair of the English Language and Literature in Gustavus Adolphus College since 1898.







The following is a record of Professor Pearson's work in the class room:




Name of courses and number of times given.






Eighteenth Century Writers


8




History of the English Language


9




Literary Criticism


1




Nineteenth Century Authors


6




Oratory and Orators


5




Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Drama


10




Milton and His Age


8




Old English (Anglo-Saxon)


9




Advanced Course in Old English


2




Middle English


6




Elementary Rhetoric and Composition


4




Advanced Rhetoric (College Work)


2




Narration and Description


4




Exposition


5




Argumentation and Persuasion


4




American Prose Writers


4




Longfellow and Whittier


6




Requirements for College Entrance in English


6




History of English Literature


10




History of American Literature


10




Elementary German


2




Goethe's Faust and Lyrics


1




Recent German Authors


1




Elementary French


2




First Year Latin


2




First Year Greek


1






In the summer of 1905, Professor Pearson taught English grammar, United States history and Civics in the State Summer School in St. Peter, Minn.





TESTIMONIALS:



St. Paul, Minn., Nov. 27, 1906.




Relative to your inquiry concerning Professor Alfred J. Pearson of Gustavus Adolphus College, I beg to say that while I have not seen much of Dr. Pearson's work in the classroom, I am well acquainted with him personally and by reputation.  He is a gentleman of fine physique, excellent personal address, ripe scholarship, character above reproach, very faithful and conscientious in his work, and, from what I have seen of him in the class room, I consider him a natural, direct, spontaneous instructor, fully worthy of confidence, and feel sure that he will succeed in any position to which he may aspire, under anything like ordinary circumstances.




J. W. Olsen, Superintendent of Public Instruction, in the State of
Minnesota, in reply to a letter of inquiry from Supt. G. M. Cesander.  Winthrop, Minn.



Chicago, Ill., March 28, 1906.




Dr. Alfred J. Pearson has been Professor of English language and literature in Gustavus Adolphus college, St. Peter, Minn., since 1898.  He has built up his department in the college so that it stands strongly in the front rank not only with other departments of the institution, but also of institutions of like standard in the Northwest.




Mr. Pearson is a thorough teacher, a good disciplinarian, a Christian gentleman and a scholar.  He is an enthusiast in his subject and is able to infuse his enthusiasm into his students.




Having been closely associated with him for so many years, I can recommend him most heartily and without reserve.




Very respectfully,
W. WAHLSTROM, Ex-President Gustavus Adolphus College.



Topeka, Kans., February 4, 1899.




It affords me much pleasure to testify to the splendid worth and character of Dr. Alfred Pearson, of St. Peter, Minnesota.  I have known Dr. Pearson as a student at Bethany College, and in later years, as one of our most successful teachers.  He is a student in the broadest sense of word.  He is well qualified to fill any position to which he may aspire.  espeak for him my most hearty recommendation.




Very respectfully yours,
FRANK NELSON, State Superintendent of Public Instruction.



United States Legation, Stockholm, Sweden, March 21, 1893.




His Majesty was pleased with the translation (Pearson's) of his poem 
Ostersjon.
  Taking a seat and bidding me be seated at his side, he read through the translation outloud to me every word from beginning to end, stopping now and then to make a favorable comment.




W. W. Thomas, Ex-Minister to Sweden and Norway, in a letter to the President of Bethany College.




Yale College, New Haven, Conn., March 20, 1898.




Alfred J. Pearson, Ph. D., took graduate work in English under my direction at Yale and seems abundantly able to teach the subject.  His character is irreproachable and I take great pleasure in recommending him.




WM. LYON PHELPS,
Professor of English Literature.




Madison, Wis., Oct. 17, 1900.




This is to say:—That Alfred Pearson, A. M., Ph. D., was a member of my class in Dramatic Reading at the Summer Session of 1900.  He showed a very fine technical knowledge of Shakespeare as a poet and dramatist, a keen power of poetic interpretation, and he acquired in a few weeks a power of vocal expression that was exceedingly gratifying.




Yours very truly,
DAVID B. FRANKENBURGER, Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory, Wisconsin University.



Madison, Wis., Sept. 3, 1900.




Mr. Alfred Pearson, A. M., Ph. D., took with me in the Summer Session of the present year a teacher's course in English Classics and one in Methods of Teaching Rhetoric and Composition.  Mr. Pearson's work in both of these courses was excellent, showing thoroughness and accuracy, sound judgment, and independent thought.  His treatment of the problems of teaching English showed wide reading, experience and good judgment.




F. G. HUBBARD,
Professor of the English Language.



Executive Department, St. Paul, Minn., Oct. 15, 1906.




Professor Pearson has for some years had the chair of the English language and literature at Gustavus Adolphus College and his services to this college and the Northwest cannot be overestimated.  I unreservedly commend him to the favor of the educational men and women of the country.  Any courtesy which may be shown Prof. Pearson I shall greatly appreciate.




Very respectfully,
JOHN A. JOHNSON, Governor.



Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kans., Feb. 10, 1906.




In endorsing Dr. Alfred J. Pearson to the educational public, I desire to commend him as a thorough scholar, who has mastered his subjects and as a teacher, who is able to present the material to his classes in a manner that never fails to bring results; and the influence eminating from his Christian, manly personality exerts the very best influence on the pupils entrusted to his care.  I shall be glad to make direct reply to any inquiries relative to him or his work.




Very truly yours,
ERNST PIHLBLAD, President Bethany College.



Allentown, Pa., March 21st, 1898.




It affords me great pleasure to testify to the high qualities of Dr. A. J. Pearson as man and teacher.  During the school year 1896-7 I was a colleague of Dr. Pearson's at Upsala Institute, Brooklyn, N. Y., and it
 gives me pleasure to state that he showed marked ability as teacher, and his work was attended with great success.  Among other subjects taught by him at Upsala Institute, is French, in which he manifested the same marked proficiency and success as in the other subjects.  I had occasion to associate with Dr. Pearson three years at Yale University, and I know him to be a thorough scholar and a man of high character.



PHILIP DOWELL, Professor of Natural Science, in Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pa.




Augustana College and Theological Seminary,
Rock Island, Ill., Nov. 23, 1906.



I take great pleasure in recommending Prof. Alfred J. Pearson whose career I have been able to follow from his early student days.  At his Alma Mater, Bethany College, he was one of the best students whom I have ever had the privilege of teaching.  We were fellow students in the post graduate department at Yale University, where he took his degree of Doctor of Philosophy.  I was well acquainted with the excellent work he did there and heard nothing but words of commendation from his teachers.  For many years Prof. Pearson has been professor of the English and literature at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn. Many of his students have come to our institution to enter the Theological Seminary.  By their words and by their efficiency they have bestowed on him the highest praise of his strong personality as teacher and as man.




GUSTAV AUDREEN, President Augustana College.




Yale University, New Haven, Conn., Dec. 31, 1896.




Mr. Alfred J. Pearson, Ph. D., received instruction from me in regular courses during each of three successive years of his study in the graduate school of Yale University and prepared his thesis under my supervision.  It is therefore with full knowledge that I say that in the field of Germanic Philology and the Germanic Literature his scholarship is broad and exact.  He is thoroughly qualified to teach German in any school, academy or college.  He is a gentleman of the best character.  I recommend him unreservedly and am ready to answer at any time specific inquiries of any sort from any source.




ARTHUR H. PALMER, Professor of the Germanic Language and Literature in Yale University.




St. Peter, Minn., Jan. 21, 1906.




I am glad to say that Dr. A. J. Pearson gave instruction in grammar, United States history, and civics at our Training School last summer with good success and satisfaction to all concerned.  I cheerfully recommend him to any one wanting an efficient Training School instructor.




JOHN SANDER, Supt. of Schools, Nicollet County, Minn.





Upsala College, Brooklyn, N. Y., Dec. 29, 1898.




It gives me great pleasure to state that Alfred J. Pearson, Ph. D., has been teacher of English and German in Upsala College for two years.  He possesses a thorough knowledge of his subjects, is a most successful instructor, and has an excellent character.  It is my firm conviction that he will be a valuable acquisition for any institution of learning.




L. H. BECK, President Upsala College.




St. Peter, Minn., November 28, 1906.




I have known Dr. A. J. Pearson of this city for several years.  For the past eight years he has been in charge of the English Department in Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn., his work there reflecting credit upon his ability as an instructor and educator.  He is a man of good health, well established habits of industry, good character, and one who takes an active interest in his profession.  I have no hesitancy in stating that should a wider field be offered him Dr. Pearson would make good in every respect, and come up to the full measure of requirement and expectation.  I therefore take pleasure in making this statement as to his qualifications.




Yours respectfully,
C. R. DAVIS, M. C., Third Dist., Minn.



Yale University, New Haven, Conn., Dec. 31, 1896.




Mr. A. J. Pearson, Ph. D., of Yale, when a graduate student at this university, studied Middle High German under my instruction, and both in the special classroom work and in other lines of work in German in which I had abundant opportunities to observe him, he proved to be a conscientious student, a good scholar and thoroughly conversant with the various branches of German studies.  I believe that he will make a good and efficient teacher of German and take pleasure in recommending him for such work.




GUSTAV GRUENER, Assistant Professor of German.




Yale University, New Haven, Conn., Nov. 8, 1897.




Mr. A. J. Pearson, in the work that has come under my notice, has shown himself a careful student and diligent worker.  He is in my opinion well equipped for instruction in German.




R. N. CORWIN, Professor of German.




Olivia, Minn., Jan. 23, 1906.




Prof. Alfred J. Pearson, Ph. D., as an instructor in the St. Peter Summer School for 1905, was a very strong teacher.  I can recommend him to any county superintendent for Summer School work, knowing that he will give entire satisfaction.




JOHN L. SILVERNALE, Conductor St. Peter Summer School for 1905.