Granite sculpture showcased in new display space

There are many stories of Concordia Nebraska connections that span generations and repeatedly point back to the university, its people and its mission. Some stories are well known, and others remain hidden, just waiting to be discovered. 

A small granite sculpture – named “Child Reading” – is now prominently displayed in the entry of Concordia University, Nebraska’s Link Library and has a story to tell. The hefty granite piece is the likeness of a seven-year-old girl named Ann. Ann is the sister of alumnus and university Professor Emeritus Dr. Don Sylwester ’71. 

Family ties to the university and the community 

Ann and Don’s parents were Verna (Bickel) Sylwester and Roland Sylwester ‘45. Verna grew up on the Concordia campus in a house on Faculty Lane, just about where the university’s original music building was located. Verna’s father was L.G. Bickel. L.G. was called to Concordia in 1929 to serve on the education faculty and serve as the first principal of the university’s laboratory school, which is now Seward’s St. John Lutheran School. He eventually became the academic dean, serving Concordia for 25 important years. In that time, L.G. shepherded Concordia through its very first accreditation, moving from a Bible college to a full-fledged Lutheran college which is now a university. L.G. was instrumental in making Concordia an inviting place for women students. 

L.G. also hired Reinhold Marxhausen as chair of the art department.  

“This was not a popular choice, with his quirky personality and interesting ideas," said Don.“But Marx eventually brought national attention to Concordia's art department from his “Stardust” sound sculpture and his Nebraska State Capital murals. His contributions to liturgical art were legion and extensive.” 

A connection to Concordia Portland 

Roland Sylwester’s father was F.W.J. Sylwester. In 1905, F.W.J. was sent by The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (LCMS) to found a college in Portland. F.W.J. served as president of Concordia Portland for 42 years. He was an avid arborist and planted many of the trees that were still on campus when it closed several years ago.  

“My father was born and grew up in a house on that campus as well,” said Don. “F.W.J. was on the Concordia Portland faculty for 50 years. F.W.J. had a deep love for libraries. That building on Seward’s campus is named Link Library. That same building on Portland’s campus was the Sylwester Learning Resource Center.” 

“That small stone sculpture has shared more than 70 years of history with Concordia. And it is a young child reading. Isn’t that an image directly connected to the purpose of much of our work at this place?”

More than just an assignment: the creation of the “Child Reading” 

Roland and Verna married in 1946, taking calls to Berkeley, California, and then to Trinity in Mount Clemens, Michigan.  

“My mother was a supply teacher during the war when female teachers who had not yet finished their degree were sent out to schools where male teachers were drafted into the military. She had not yet finished her degree,” said Don. “During our time in Michigan, Dad was the art teacher and Mom taught primary grades. Dad eventually started an MFA program at Wayne State in Detroit. At some point, Mom decided to finish her degree, so vacations for several years were our family driving to Seward to stay at Grandma and Grandpa’s for a few weeks, the length of a summer session where Mom could take a class or two. Dad hung out in the Art Department with our friend Marxy. One of those summers, Dad had an assignment from a sculpture class in his MFA program to work on. His idea was to make a sculpture of a small child reading. Marxy found the stone for Dad to use.” 

At the time, Ann was seven. She remembers sitting for long periods of time while Roland discovered a small child reading a book hidden somewhere inside that granite block. The sculpture has been on campus since its creation, first resting in the Art Department’s former space, then on the porch of Link Library. It is now prominently displayed in Link Library’s entry.  

“Eventually, Dad took a call to Lutheran High School in Inglewood, California,” added Don. “He and Mom toured the country during school breaks and in retirement with marionette and puppet theater productions through his troupes Marionette Theater of the Word and Puppet and the Word.” 

Roland was nominated for an Emmy for the work. 

Ann ’73 grew up, attended college and married a teacher – David Kretzmann - who trained at Concordia Portland. They both taught in Lutheran schools until they retired in Sacramento. Ann and Don’s younger sister Linda (Sylwester) Warneke ‘77 married Timothy Warneke ’77, and they both taught in Lutheran schools until they retired as well. 

Bringing it all together 

Don has a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Barbara, a bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia Nebraska and a Ph.D. from University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  

“During [my time at Concordia] I started what is now the information technology department, and I also started the computer science academic major,” he explained. “It is a rare individual who has started both a new administrative area and a new academic discipline, I suspect. Many of my former students have worked or are working for Concordia and two of them with Ph.D.’s are on the faculty now.” 

Don married a Concordia Chicago alumna, Sue, who taught in Lutheran schools until she retired.  

“Her service included 41 years at St. John in Seward, the same school where L.G. was the first principal and my mother and Ann’s mother went to elementary school. She has even taught in the same classroom,” explained Don. “So this small sculpture has brothers and sisters and parents and grandparents and friends throughout LCMS education in great numbers!” 

Physically heavy due to its granite composition, the sculpture is also weighty in its connection to university history.  

 “That small stone sculpture has shared more than 70 years of history with Concordia,” said Don. “And it is a young child reading. Isn’t that an image directly connected to the purpose of much of our work at this place?” 

Don recently worked with a number of faculty and staff at Concordia Nebraska including Professor of Art Jim Bockelman; Senior Director of Outreach, Relations and Engagement Jen Furr ’97; Professor of Art and Interim Department Chair Seth Boggs ’03 and Center for Liturgical Art Director Michael Scheer ‘14 to move the statue to its new display space in Link Library. Descriptive signage accompanies the prominent display of the piece. 

“The sculpture’s new location is truly an upgrade,” said Boggs. “By placing it in a more prominent spot on campus, we’re not ​ only enhancing our physical environment, we're honoring the creativity, vision and dedication of those who came before us. This prominent placement reflects the value our university places on its artistic legacy and the enduring influence of art in shaping our community. The sculpture now serves as a daily reminder of the importance of creativity, history and most importantly the people who have contributed to our shared story.” 

Located in the heart of the Concordia University, Nebraska Seward campus, Link Library provides students and faculty access to rich academic resources, research support and spaces designed for learning and collaboration.