▁and ▁lay men ▁who ▁had ▁recently ▁settled ▁in ▁the ▁Red ▁River ▁Valley . ▁The ▁school ▁was ▁founded ▁on ▁the ▁property ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Epis cop al ian ▁Bishop ▁Wh ipp le ▁School , ▁which ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁English ▁Professor ▁I . F . ▁Gro se ▁of ▁St . ▁O la f ▁College ▁was ▁asked ▁to ▁pres ide ▁over ▁the ▁a cademy , ▁which ▁then ▁offered ▁mixed - sex ▁education ▁in ▁English ▁literature , ▁natural ▁sciences , ▁mathematics , ▁piano , ▁and ▁organ . ▁The ▁school ▁opened ▁with ▁three ▁fac ulty ▁and ▁twelve ▁students . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁Ras mus ▁Bog stad , ▁a ▁Norwegian ▁past or , ▁raised ▁funds ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁male ▁d orm itory ▁on ▁campus ▁grounds . ▁His ▁efforts ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁Academy ▁Hall . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁Gro se ▁res igned ▁and ▁recently ▁h ired ▁business ▁professor ▁Hans ▁A aker ▁took ▁his ▁place . ▁A aker ▁became ▁mayor ▁of ▁Mo or head ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁and ▁left ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁when ▁that ▁job ▁comprom ised ▁his ▁dedic ation ▁to ▁the ▁school . ▁Bog stad ▁was ▁appointed ▁Con cord ia ' s ▁next ▁president ▁and ▁established ▁its ▁liberal ▁tradition . ▁Under ▁Bog stad , ▁Con cord ia ▁constructed ▁a ▁new ▁academic ▁building , ▁now ▁called ▁Old ▁Main . ▁ ▁Rev . ▁Henry ▁O . ▁Sh ur son ▁held ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁after ▁Bog stad ▁res igned ▁in ▁ 1 9 1