This diary was kept during Xavier’s time at the Ladies’ Lutheran Seminary and Pacific Lutheran Academy. In it Xavier pasted programs from plays, socials, obituaries, and other items in Norwegian. On February 14 he receives a letter to teach at PLA (payment $600) which he accepts on April 10th and resigns from LLS. During his annual trip home in the summer he reads and collects insects while his sister, Anna, is in the hospital. After a three-day train ride from Iowa to Parkland, Washington he meets President Harstad, Reverend Larsen, and Professor Hong. After his arrival he buys a “mackintosh” horse does some carpentry on his door, and takes a trip (by train) to Seattle. He begins teaching the following classes: Latin 1, Beginning Greek 1, Beginning Arithmetic 2, Caesar 3, General History 2, and Bible History 20. He continues to play tennis. An account book, letters, and addresses appear at the back of the diary.
This diary, kept during Xavier’s early days at PLA, mentions his thoughts on President Harstad as a slow and uninteresting preacher (although he never mentioned it), begins preaching himself on January 11th, frequent meals with friends, experiments with photography, buys a house (possibly even a farm), returns to Iowa in the summer, returns to Parkland with his sister Anna, paints his house, buys chickens, and does house repairs. He mentions he is not in favor of co-education. His ordination is not mentioned in this diary. Lists of letters, bills, and addresses appear at the back of the diary.
This diary, kept during Xavier’s early days at PLA, includes many programs for PLA concerts, mentions various home repairs (including building a washstand), and preaching during non-PLA hours. He possibly is running the PLA library at this time because he mentions creating a PLA card catalogue. He further mentions late nights, planning a garden, Anna is doing well in Washington, and makes the first mention of his future wife, Miss Signe Skattebol, on May 15. On August 19th a suspected prostitute propositions Xavier in Parkland, but he tosses his head and walks away. He is still in choir and the vice director of something (unspecified). Memorandum, addresses, accounts, and blotting paper appear at the back of the diary.
This diary, kept during Xavier’s time at PLA, includes programs for events at PLA, an invitation from Miss Peterson and Miss Tennwick, mentions his father visited Washington (possibly with is mother) and gave Sermons in Tacoma. His sister Anna is not doing well, he embarrasses his female students by speaking about corsets, continues home work by building a chicken yard and perhaps a barn during the summer. Anna dies on November 21st at 4:45 PM and is buried on November 24th. On that day Xavier writes about how he misses her and believes she is better off now than them. A cash account appears at the back of the diary.
This diary, kept during Xavier’s time at PLA, includes programs from Luther College concert band and chorus tour and “She stoops to Conquer” at PLA. He continues to tach English, History, Greek, Latin, Bible, Zoology, and other subjects. It is further mentioned that he takes field trips with his Zoology class, he buys a cow, paints his house, has the idea to decorate the outside of Old Main on August 13th for a celebration, and is the president of the PLA Missionary Society. He continues this journal until Feb. 13th of the next year. A list of letters and accounts appears at the back of the diary.
This diary, kept during his time at PLA and Oak Knoll, mentions numerous dentist visits, lays cornerstones of a church, requests a raise but is denied and, therefore, resigns from PLA on July 19th. His father and sister, Amanda, have operations. He gets a job at Oak Knoll (Muck Creek) elementary and middle school and lives with a Mr. and Mrs. Rice, but finds young students more difficult to teach. On weekends he returns via one-hour bike ride to Parkland. Programs from PLA are pasted into this diary and a cash account and addresses can be found at the back of the diary.
This diary, kept during Xavier’s time at Oak Knoll, skips a great deal but mentions that he gives 3 to 5 acres to his congregation for a cemetery but no longer preaches. He does not like having to spank his pupils, but does so on March 24th for the first time noting it hurt them both. He mentions there are rowdy boys in school that don’t obey him, he moves back into his house, continues home repairs, and his sisters, Amanda and Ellen, make short visits. He writes to other colleges to get opinions on PLA, but possibly doesn’t make mention where he is after the summer. Cash accounts and addresses appear at the back of the diary.
This diary is a new type of book from Lutheran Publishing House (in Decorah, Iowa) with small writing spaces. The back of the book includes an advertisement for Andrew’s Jewelry Store, a coupon for a portrait, list of cash amounts, personal property, and addresses. He mentions that he is taking vocal lessons, includes programs from PLA, a bill from the PLA dining hall, and a fake arrest by Signe Skattebol and Anna M. Tennewick. It further mentions that he resigned as President in South Tacoma Congress of Luther, is preaching again, serving box for Miss Signe, and is teased by the staff at PLA for his engagement to Signe Skattebol.
This diary, kept during Xavier’s time at PLA, mentions that he works mostly in the library, spends time off with Signe and (therefore) misses many of his normal events, he cuts hay and does house repairs over the summer. Addresses, a list of bills, and accounts appear at the end of the diary.
This diary, kept during Xavier’s time at PLA, skips fewer days than previous diaries and mentions that is was elected treasurer at either PLA or his church, visits the dentist, and is married to Signe Skattebol on December, 27th with the note, “The day at last. S. and I took it joyfully.” A list of bills, accounts, and addresses appears at the back of the diary along with the following: a card for “Love Kisses and Up-to-Date Hugs” given by the pupils of Oak Knoll, 2 coupons from NY Portrait and Framing Company, Andrew’s Jewelers Advertisement, coupon for Physical Cultures Reader’s Subscription, an empty superior stamp wallet, part of an envelope, and letters/postcards from his father from 1898 in another language (separated in a bag).
