Our readers should not get the mistaken idea that this column is dealing only with prominent soloists and artists of extraordinary ability. On the contrary, it is our plan to dedicate it to such Swedish-Americans who have contributed to the promotion of song and music to such an extent that we feel they deserve this public tribute.

We admit that so far we have presented only outstanding singers, and not a single musician, and even today we give you a well-known man, who has made a name for himself, not as a singer but as a choir director. But from now on we shall try to offer more variation. At the same time we ask our readers not to attach any importance to the order in which these men are introduced. We did seek and find the individual who quite naturally came to our mind as number one of this series, but from then on the order in which they come is absolutely no indication of our evaluation of their merits. There are several reasons why we could not and would not pretend to act as judges in such a 2matter; for one thing, we are not qualified.

We bring you today a man who for almost forty years has earned and received the affection and esteem of every Swede in Chicago: Professor John L. Svenson.

He was born January 1, 1850, in Jonkoping, Sweden, where he spent his childhood, during which he became familiar with the printing trade. At the age of fifteen he left with his parents for America, and came to Chicago.

Soon after his arrival here he joined the singing society Svea, and became its director in 1867. A short time later he became the director of Freja Singing Society and of The Scandinavian Quartette. The latter about that time, according to a contemporary writer, "made a memorable troubadour pilgrimage through the entire North West."

Within a few years professor Svenson had made such a reputation for himself that when Kristina Nilsonn made her first visit to Chicago, and a choir organized to sing in her honor, he was selected as its director, and it is reported that he made an excellent job of it.

Svenson is a former director of the Swedish Glee Club and of Lyran in Rockford. At the present time he directs the Svithiod Singing Club and Bjorgvin; for the last thirteen years he has been choir leader at the Congregational Church.

It would be difficult to exaggerate Mr. Svenson's merit as a choir director, and he is at his very best in his tonal interpretations of hymns, serenades, and similar compositions expressive of romance and strong feeling.

In 1855 he married Miss Sofia Anderson, and they have three children, one of whom, the oldest daughter, is already an accomplished pianist. Their home is at 1712 Deming Place.

Professor Svenson has done much for Swedish song art in America, and we know our readers are with us when we wish him forty more active and happy years of swinging his baton here in our great city on the shores of Lake Michigan.