Who is Lina?

Recently, one of my blog commenters wondered about the Lina in my Alma Mater Matters post and wanted to know more about her. First, though, I thought it would be fun to go back to some of her "outfits" as shown in the 1977 Cupola which is the North Park yearbook. We sure loved our Lina!

(This is actually my brother, Duane perched on Lina's lap, surrounded by Mark and "Yak.")

Here's the real woman, Lina Sandell, (Lina Sandell-Berg) and a little bit of personal info about her life and history. I think if she were alive today, she would be my friend. She was thoughtful, musical, poetic and kind. And perhaps had a twinkle in her eye?

Lina Sandell birthname: Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell Born October 3, 1832Fröderyd, Småland, Sweden Died July 27, 1903Stockholm, Sweden Occupation Gospel hymns singer Spouse C.O. Berg 1867 Lina Sandell (full name: Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg) (October 3, 1832 - July 27, 1903) was a Swedish writer of Gospel hymns. Born Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell in a rectory at Fröderyd, Småland, Sweden. At the age of 26, she went with her father Jonas Sandell, a Lutheran pastor of the Lutheran church in Fröderyd on a boat trip across Lake Vättern to Göteborg, during which he fell overboard and drowned before her eyes. The tragedy affected Lina, inspiring her to write hymns. She wrote hymns and poured out her broken heart in an endless stream of beautiful songs. Oskar Ahnfelt played his guitar and sang Lina's hymns throughout Scandinavia. She once said that Ahnfelt sang her songs "Into the hearts of the people". Even Jenny Lind, the world famous concert vocalist, visited factories and sang Lina's beautiful hymns. Sandell is known as the Fanny Crosby of Sweden. In 1867 Lina married C.O. Berg, a Stockholm Merchant, and thus became Lina Sandell-Berg. She continued to initial her hymns "L.S". Sandell wrote 650 hymns. Sandell died July 27, 1903 in Stockholm, Sweden. She is buried in Solna Kyrkogård - Cemetery, Solna, Stockholmn Län, Sweden.

I hope Lina would be happy to know that we still love her today! And that she has found a far better spot to perch now than being tucked hidden amongst the trees - like she was in the 1970s - emphasizing her small stature. She is now sits in front of the Seminary building on a hill surrounded by a ring of bushes and flowers. Though she no longer gets "dressed up" to celebrate the changing seasons and monumental events (like Spring Break and graduation), she greets those who pass by her with a gentle reminder to ask, "Who is she?" "Why is she here?" And in that way, she lives on...