[#17922] Fostervold, Ole - young peoples school at Framnes

[Gjest Nancy (Fostervold) Halvorson]

In one of the obituaries written about Ole, it said, 'He attended the young peoples school at Framnes, Hardanger, where John. Brandzeg, H. Fotland among were teachers and where L. Hope lived at that time.' Is anyone familiar with any of this? How old might he have been when he attende? This is a different school than the one he went to in Tronheim.

[Gjest Knut Bryn]

Nancy! Have a look at these links: [url="http://www.framnes.vgs.no/hoved-eng.html>http://www.framnes.vgs.no/hoved-eng.html and

[Gjest Nancy (Fostervold) Halvorson]

Knut, Ole was listed in the 1900 census as being at the Leren boarding school. (check my other questions I've posted) At that time he would have been 19 years old. He emigrated in 1907 to the US, then he was 26 years old. So, do you think this Framnes school would be more like high school, or is it possible he would have went here after he turned 20? I guess while in the US he went to the Red Wing Seminary for awhile. He is written up in books here as a layman, so I'm assuming he must have had alot of religious training. Both of these schools appear to be more religious in there teachings. He was big into the Hans Nielson Hauge Movement. His brother, Peder was an evangelist over here in the US and Ole may have helped Peder with his work when needed. But, Ole had to stay home more, he did have 11 children to help care for, so he ran a dairy farm. If I remember right Ole's twin brother Paul was a traveling evangelist in Norway, I think he lived in Norway. Probably alot of the boys may have gone to these two schools.

[Gjest Knut Bryn]

I have had a look at what is said about Leren school in your other thread. It is a little surprising that Ole joined Framnes, which was established in 1897, AND Leren, which was established in 1898. My guess, but it's just a guess, is that he went to Leren at first. Trondheim would have been a far more reasonable place to go when you lived in Osmarka. During his stay at Leren he may have heard about the new school at Framnes, and he went there to have more knowledge and inspiration for his missionary(?) work. Perhaps Johannes Brantzeg had a very good reputation at that time? Another idea is that he got a kind of job as an assistant teacher at Framnes?It is not any strange at all if he was more than 20 when he went to Framnes. You cannot compare these 'folkehøgskoler' to high school. A 'folkehøgskole' would pay less attention to common school subjects and formal competence, and more to cultural and spiritual subjects and the students' growth as social individuals.

[Gjest Nancy (Fostervold) Halvorson]

Would either of these two schools have taught the boys the trade of tailoring? My aunts said he learned that somewhere along the way. I have the picture of him in the suit he made. Did they have to pay to go to these schools? I wouldn't think he would have had enough money, but I do believe his parents were somewhat properous.

[Gjest Nancy (Fostervold) Halvorson]

Knut, I got out my information on Ole's brother Peder. There was a book 'The Hauge Movement in America' published by the Hauge Inner Mission Federation, in memory of Peder Fostervold. There is stated - he (Peder) attended two living Christian schools shortly after his conversion (about 1900, he was born 1884): The Trondheim Chrisitan School (this must be Leren) for young people and the Framnes Christian School for the young in Hardanger. From this I would gather probably both Ole and Peder attended both of these schools.

[Gjest Knut Bryn]

Some times I am surprised about what I have got in my book shelves. Now I found an article about Johannes Brandtzæg which may throw some light on the Framnes school project. Johannes was influenced by the famous Lars Skrefsrud to be a missionary, and went to India for some time. Due to illness he gave up the work abroad and return to Norway to study theology. He got his exams in 1889 and the year after he was engaged in planning the Norwegian christian mission in China. In 1891 he was the leader of a quite new organization for that mission (Det norske lutherske Kinamisjonsforbund). In 1892 he was married with a quite wealthy woman.For his wife's (and his own) money Johannes started his school project at Framnes. As earlier mentioned the young peoples school was established in 1897. In 1898 the association for mission in China established a missionary school at the same place. In an earlier message I thought perhaps that Johannes Brandtzæg had some good reputation. This was certainly true. Under his leadership the China mission grew to an important activity. I have to add that there was a quite serious split among Christians at this time. The movement of laymen and missionaries had a large growth in opposition to the official Norwegian Church.Did these schools teach their students things as tailor craft? Well I don't know. Obviously it was not a basic subject. But who knows what skills a missionary in China would need those days?

[Gjest Nancy (Fostervold) Halvorson]

This is interesting about the China mission. I know in my stuff I have something on that, put it aside wondering, 'why did Ole have this?' Will try and find again, maybe this will shed more light on the matter. The puzzle pieces are beginning to fit together. Nancy