Martin Akre, Elvin

Elvin Akre was born on March 9, 1903 in Horace, North Dakota to Olai Johan Akre and Anna Lydia Johnson, who were both of Norwegian descent. Elvin had one brother and four sisters, but his brother and one sister died from small pox. The children were raised on a farm south of Lidgerwood, North Dakota. Elvin's father, who had attended school at St. Olaf and Concordia, was a teacher and choir director, and his mother worked in the fields. Elvin himself was also well-educated, attending school in Allendale, North Dakota for one year and Concordia from 1924 - 1928, where he took Greek, Latin, and Music. Following graduation, he taught English in Ryder, North Dakota for a year and then became the principal at Deering, North Dakota. He went on to become the Dean of Men, Choir Director, and History teacher at Pleasant View Luther College. When the college closed four years later, he got a job teaching English in George, Iowa, where he met his wife, Magdalyn Baumgaertner. Magdalyn's father was the minister at the church where Elvin directed choir.

After they were married, Elvin became the music supervisor at a school in Delrapid, South Dakota, where he taught for four years and their son, Grover, was born. When Elvin and Magdalyn came to Tacoma, Washington to visit Elvin's uncle in 1937, they learned of Pacific Lutheran College. Orville Running, a religion professor there, offered to give the Akres a tour of the school, and Elvin soon met President Tingelstad, who informed Elvin of an opening for the Dean of Men. Elvin obtained the position, and that fall, he and Magdalyn moved into the south end of Harstad Hall. At that time, the boys lived on the south end of the second floor and the girls on the north, the third and fourth floors were vacant, the first floor had the library and classrooms, and the dining area was in the basement. In addition to Old Main (renamed Harstad Hall), a small chapel resided where the Mortvedt Library currently is, and the gym was located where the University Center currently stands.

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