AN AWESOME OSSSM HISTORY

The Ozark Scandinavian Society of Springfield Missouri was organized by founding members Ulla and Keith Hood, Opal and Marvin Kruse, Viola and Hank Hageman, Per Ola Brinck, Iva and Gus Skoglund, and Anne and Art Lindeman on August 4, 1986. The idea was to establish an organization to preserve and maintain the cultural heritage of our ancestors. At first, it was to be for Swedes and Swedish Americans but by September 1986, Christopher Olsson, the Director of the Swedish Council of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota, attended the second meeting and suggested we include all Scandinavian countries, namely Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. At that meeting, several more interested people came and the Ozark Scandinavian Society of Springfield, Missouri, was born. That is when lva Skoglund said that all Scandinavians are "AWESOME" and with a play on words, the organization was nicknamed “OSSSM”. The Faroe Islands have since been added as a country to the OSSSM family of countries.

At the October 1986 meeting, the OSSSM CREED was established as a guide to the purpose of the organization: "To enrich the lives of our members with the charm and beauty of the Scandinavian culture and to increase interest in and knowledge of our Scandinavian heritage, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland."

The first annual Julfest Smörgåsbord was held in December 1986 and in June 1987 OSSSM held a Midsommar event. These continue to be the annual events sponsored by OSSSM.

OSSSM has had several meeting places over the years and has participated in programs at local Libraries and Schools as well as having visitors from Sweden, Kansas City and Lindsborg, Kansas, as well as others from around the world. Since COVID, OSSSM has primarily met for Julefest and Midsummer and an occasional event as announced in the monthly newsletter.

In 1988 the group was represented on Public Television by Per Ola Brinck, Gus Skoglund, Ula Hood and Art Lindeman. The program was titled "Springfield Scene" and for 30 minutes members of OSSSM spoke of the purpose of OSSSM and discussed the upcoming celebration recognizing the 350th anniversary of Swedish immigration to America known as "New Sweden 88 " and discussed what OSSSM was doing to celebrate the 350th year anniversary of Swedish immigration to America to the area called “New Sweden” in the now state of Delaware.

There have been other brief appearances on local TV to promote Midsummer and Julefest over the years.

For a number of years, OSSSM sponsored an essay contest for local high school senior students who could submit essays about their Scandinavian heritage or simply a topic of interest related to Scandinavia. A scholarship was awarded to the senior with the best essay.

OSSSM has published a cookbook titled "Scandinavian Memories" and it sold over 600 copies. Also published was a booklet titled 'OSSSM, where to find Scandinavian crafts, clubs, food, clothing etc. in the USA and Canada’.

Although OSSSM was formed in 1986, that is not the beginning of the Scandinavian/Swedish influence in southwest Missouri. Initially, Verona, Missouri was home to Swedish immigrants and there are still records that show the influence of a Swedish Baptist Church in that area. The current Baptist church sits on the old Swedish church site. From Verona, the Swedish influence expanded to Springfield, where an area became known as Little Sweden with 40 to 50 Swedish families in the neighborhood. The post office area in downtown Springfield was originally the location of a Swedish church. A Swedish club existed for years before the Swedish families became dispersed throughout the community. The par three and lighted golf course next to the Payne Stewart course is named after a prominent Swede who was involved in developing the Springfield park system, Oscar Blom.

Missouri State University library has taken on the role of records maintenance for the organization so that the Scandinavian history of the area can be preserved. https://digitalcollections.missouristate.edu/digital/collection/Guides/id/4834/

OSSSM can be contacted by email at: ozarkscandinaviansociety@gmail.com