Alfred G. Arvold

Alfred G. Arvold (b. ?) was a professor at North Dakota Agricultural College. Hired in 1907 as an Instructor in English and Oratory. By he time of his retirement in 1953 he was Chairman and Professor of Speech, and Leader in Neighborhood Activities, which he held until his retirement in 1953. Prior to his founding of the LCT in 1914, Arvold immersed himself in theatre and theatre related activities almost upon his arrival at NDAC. In October 1907, Arvold was elected Director of the Dramatic Club, that Edward Spencer Keene helped to found, and soon after the name was changed to the Edwin Booth Dramatic Club, the name of the dramatic club at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Arvold’s alma mater. The Edwin Booth Dramatic Club’s first production, The Professor’s Predicament premiered on February 12, 1908, at the Fargo Opera House. Probably his most ambitious, non-LCT undertaking, was in the winter of 1913, with the NDAC Student Life Train, which was manned and operated by students and left Fargo on Monday, February 10, 1913 for three days, and 30 North Dakota towns and communities promoting NDAC. On board were exhibits from all departments of the college, President and Mrs. Worst were the major chaperones, students from the Cadet Band, the Crack Squad, the College “Y” quartet, two Programs from the Edwin Booth Dramatic club, the college Orchestra, and student demonstrators.

“The aim of The Little Country Theater (where Little Country Theatre gets its name) is to produce such plays and exercises as can be easily staged in a country school-house, the basement of a country church, the sitting room of a farm home, or the village or town hall, or any place where people assemble for social betterment. Its principal function is to stimulate an interest in good, clean drama and original entertainment among the people living in the open country and villages.” Arvold, Alfred G. (1957). Alfred.....In Every Man’s Life. Fargo: Ulsaker Printing Co., p. 25.

As Director

 * The Professor's Predicament (1908)