Erickson, Alice and Shervherm, Dagny (Daughters of Norway)

2 file folders
1 sound cassette
2 compact discs

This interview was conducted with Dagny Shervheim and Alice Ericksen on April 28, 1979 in Seattle, Washington. Both women were members of the Daughters of Norway, and the interview contains information about the importance of the organization and their involvement with the Valkyrien Lodge in Seattle. The first portion of the interview is conducted with Dagny, followed by a portion with Alice. The interview was conducted in English.

Folder Contents

Box 1, File 27 Personal and Family History
Tape Archive Sheet and Tape Index

Box 1, File 27A Correspondence and Forms
Checklist and Release Form
Handwritten Tape Archive Sheet and Family Background

Interviewed by Julie Willson
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality: OK, some traffic noise

Biographical Note

Dagny Shervheim joined the Daughters of Norway in 1927. She had attended their bazaars and Christmas programs as a child but had to be eighteen before she could become a member. In the beginning, the Daughters of Norway primarily served as a social function, allowing women to preserve their Norwegian heritage and keep up with traditions and celebrations. The Lodge also helped with sick benefits and took an active part in aiding people during the world wars. During WWI, the Daughters were active in the Red Cross, and during WWII, they operated a Camp Norway in Canada, which served as a refuge to men who fled German-occupied Norway and immigrated to Canada via England.

Alice Ericksen joined the Daughters of Norway in 1939 and took office in 1951 to get to know people better. During the interview, she discussed the two Daughters organizations, Eastern and Western. The western organization was founded in 1908 under the name of the Daughters of Norway on the Pacific Coast. At one time, there were 29 lodges, but only 10 existed at the time of this interview. In 1941, the Eastern Daughters decided to merge with the East Sons of Norway, but the Western Daughters declined when invited by the West Sons, wanting to preserve their own identity. According to Alice, the merging was very controversial. The Valkyrein Lodge, where Dagny and Alice attend, is the oldest of Western Lodges, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 1980. The Lodge's goals have changed throughout the years, striving to focus more on the whole community rather than just the Norwegian population. The Lodge is now a member of the Seattle Historical Society, a contributor to the Seattle Symphony, and a presenter of cultural displays.