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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1998)
Former professor, 99, kept language program alive Astrid Williams was well known for her low of languages and her dedication to students By Teri Meeuwsen Higher Education Reporter She single-handedly kept the Scandinavian languages alive during her 31 years as a professor at the University. She touched the lives of many as she introduced thousands of students to her native language and culture. Professor Emerita Astrid Williams died Nov. 16,1997. She was 99. Williams came to the United States in 1906 from her native country, Norway, and earned a master’s degree in 1934 at the Uni versity. Later, she earned her mas ter’s degree in German at the Uni versity of Marburg in Europe. She returned to the University in 1935 with a Ph.D. to teach Norwegian and German. During her years at the Univer sity, she faced challenges. With budget cuts taking place at the Uni versity, Scandinavian languages were on the chopping block. But with her dedication and love of languages, Williams worked to keep them alive, said Ingrid Weatherhead, a retired Germanic language professor. “She was so dedicated,” she said. “At the time teaching 12 hours was rare for a person, but she taught 18 hours at a time in language and lit erature courses in Swedish, Norwe CLASSY ■ Keep yours dry on your bike: Fenders from $1495 pair Rainpants $5895each Burley Raincoats W5each Book packs by Jandd & Vaude from $5995 &T' 1330 WILLAMETTE 687-0288 open Tues-Fri 10-6 Sat 10-5 Oregon daily emerald worldwide http://darkwing. Horagoii.edu/~ode gian and German. ” Weatherhead audited a couple of William’s classes to experience her teaching practices. “When she was in class, you al ways felt like she was talking to you,” she said. “She was very inter ested in you as the human being. ” Peter Gontrum, a retired Ger manic language professor who also worked with Williams, said stu dents would keep in touch with her years after they took her courses. “She was very sociable,” he said. “A couple of students would have dinner with her every so of ten, even after she retired [in 1972]. People would bring her things a lot and visit with her and have a cup of Norwegian coffee. ” Williams’ work and dedication at the University was rewarded by her native country in 1968. She was presented with the Order of St. Olav by the Royal Norwegian Con sulate in Portland for Olav V., the king of Norway at the time. Williams didn’t receive a great amount of financial recognition for her work at the University, said Virpi Zuck, head of the Germanic Languages Department. In 1938, her salary was first budgeted at $2,200 a year, but was reduced to $1,960 a year because of the de pression. “She was never, at least, finan cially, rewarded for the work she did,” she said. "But the students were definitely rewards in them selves. She had the burning desire and the determination to keep the Scandinavian languages alive.” The Oregon Daily Emerald is published daily Monday through Friday during the school year and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co. Inc., at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. A member of the Associated Press, the Emerald operates independently of the University with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial Union. The Emerald is pri vate property. The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law. 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