0 2 , ▁the ▁college ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁campus ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁side ▁of ▁town . ▁A ▁four ▁and ▁ ½ ▁story ▁brick ▁building ▁was ▁ere cted ▁to ▁house ▁class rooms , ▁a ▁g ymnasium , ▁and ▁chap el . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁structure ▁was ▁dedicated ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁college ▁continued ▁to ▁grow . ▁En roll ment ▁increased ▁to ▁ 3 3 0 ▁by ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁The ▁school ▁became ▁widely ▁known ▁for ▁its ▁excell ence ▁in ▁academ ics ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁many ▁sch ol ars ▁came ▁for ▁speaking ▁engag ements . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁Norwegian ▁Luther an ▁Syn od ▁had ▁its ▁headquarters ▁on ▁campus . ▁An ▁event ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁took ▁place ▁that ▁changed ▁the ▁college ▁and ▁community . ▁That ▁year , ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁Luther an ▁Syn ods ▁merged ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁Luther an ▁Church ▁of ▁America . ▁The ▁new ▁syn od ▁considered ▁it ▁in ad vis able ▁to ▁maintain ▁August ana ▁College ▁and ▁Luther an ▁Normal ▁School ▁in ▁Si oux ▁F alls , ▁bare ly ▁ 2 5 ▁miles ▁apart . ▁A ▁vig orous ▁campaign ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁college ▁in ▁C anton ▁began . ▁But , ▁the ▁advantages ▁of ▁loc ating ▁the ▁school ▁in ▁a ▁larger ▁community ▁pre va iled , ▁and ▁C anton ▁lost ▁their ▁college . ▁The ▁bit tern ess ▁was ▁great , ▁and ▁was ▁intens ified ▁when ▁President ▁Tu ve ▁died ▁suddenly . ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁past ors ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁district ▁realized