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As our Telelag Norway tour came to a close on August 6, 2002 at Oslo I received a telephone call at our hotel from a Member of Parliament informing me that the office of the Prime Minister of Norway was extending an invitation to the President of Telelaget to attend a private audience with the Prime Minister; Kjel Magne Bondevik, at 11:AM on August 7.
Shortly after 10 a.m. on the 7th, a Member of Parliament, Mr. Einar Holstad,
arrived at our Hotel to escort me to the Government office building of the Prime
minister.
After being escorted me through the security arrangements, the Chief of Staff
conducted me on a personal tour of the entire office complex comprising the
15, 16, & 17 floors.
As I entered the private office of the Prime Minister he stepped away from his desk and met me in the middle of the room where we exchanged pleasantries and were soon engaged a very pleasant conversation. We discussed Bygdelags, the recent visit of Minnesota politicians to Norway, his visit to Minnesota and to St Olaf College at Northfield, and other pleasant conversation. As we talked he showed me around his office area and conference room, pointing to the chair President Clinton occupied when he visited.
At conclusion, and on the behalf of Telelaget I thanked him for the invitation and on behalf of the Bygdelags I thanked him and his government for retaining the post of Norway Consul General in the Midwest. He assured me that this was very important to him too.
It was indeed a great honor and privilege for me to represent Telelaget of America at this memorable occasion commemorating Telelaget's 95-year anniversary. This is an event I will cherish for a long time.
Gene Estensen has found some interesting background on Arnold in Anne Haugan Wagn's book, "Eg vandrar ut, ver med meg, Du!" and would like to share it here:
Arnold was born in Norway Township, at the Ness farm, close to the town of Bratsberg, Minnesota. In 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was assigned to the Electrical School at the North Dakota State School of Science. Over a period of 23 years and until his retirement in 1981 Arnold served as an Operations Manager on large-scale military projects.
In the Bratsberg, Minnesota area the Norwegian language was the prevalent language until the 1940s. Arnold's strong interest in Telemark did not surface until the 1960s when it became apparent to him that the family did not have many family portraits. He started searching through the relatives for old pictures and began to hear the stories surrounding the pictures and the interest in genealogy was born.
In 1979 Arnold learned that Telelaget was in the process of being rebuilt and he became a member in 1980. Later on he took over the leadership and organized a committee to provide the translations of the old issues of Telesoga. Arnold has be to Telemark several times and enjoys hosting visitors from Telemark at his Northfield, Minnesota farm.
Gene's comment: We are indebted to Arnold for the thousands of hours of his personal time that he has committed to Telelaget of America. Through his leadership Telelaget of America has emerged as one of the most prominent, I would say most prominent, "lag" in America.
