Matthias said he was talked into writing the book for the school’s sesquicentennial celebration by former Wartburg President Robert Vogel. Matthias admittedly has never had a love for writing, but the ’54 Wartburg graduate’s love for history motivated him to write the book.

“I’m not a natural writer so I’ve never gone out of my way to write,” Matthias said. “It takes a lot of time and a lot of hard work spent on relatively few words.”

Research was the “fun part” of putting the book together, Matthias said. He spent over a year and a half compiling information on Wartburg College before typing his first words. Matthias’ leading source was a book written for the school’s centennial celebration in 1952. Old college publications (written in German), correspondence with people, the Wartburg College archives and the Wartburg Theological seminary in Dubuque provided Matthias with additional research material.

After completing his research, Matthias began the task he initially dreaded: writing. Over the next year and a half he consumed his mornings with writing and follow-up research. After his story was completed, Matthias sought advice from Robert Gremmels (great-great grandson of Wartburg founder Georg Grossmann and emeritus journalism professor) and Wartburg communication and marketing director Linda Moeller.

“[Moeller] made suggestions particularly with regard to commas,” Matthias said. “She and I don’t do commas quite the same way.”

With his half-century association with Wartburg College, objectivity was another writing concern of Matthias’s.

“I tried to be objective, but I wouldn’t claim objectivity at all,” he said. “People were wondering how I was going to cover the years of [President] William Jellema.”

Matthias left the school during Jellema’s term as President and mentioned that most of the criticism he has received about the book was concerned with the Jellema years.

“Some think I was too easy on him and some say I was unfair,” Matthias said. “I guess you pay your money and take your choice on that one.”

Matthias’ book gains added flavor with a section of student quotes from 1852 to present as well as sections on extracurricular activities. The book also features many photos covering the 150-year timeline.

Two sections that stand out from “Still on the Move” concern the rivalry between Waverly and Clinton for the permanent location of the school and information about student activism on campus during the Vietnam War era.

“Without a doubt the part of the book that I enjoyed most was the great battle between Waverly and Clinton of the 1930’s,” Matthias said. “I had an uncle who lost his job in Clinton as a result of the move to Waverly. I had no realization, however, of the depth to which the controversy shook the whole [Lutheran] church.”

After writing his first book, the major thing Matthias has learned is to write with passion, he said.

“Fall in love with the subject matter, become involved with a story worth telling, and do what you can to tell it well,” Matthias said.

Matthias taught history at Wartburg College for 11 years after serving a mandatory two-year stint with the army in Korea. From 1970-75 Matthias served as dean of faculty. He returned to Wartburg in 1984 as vice president for administration and finance and filled in as academic dean from 1992-1999. He is currently the interim vice president of business and finance.

Matthias has no plans to work on a future book. However, he has thought about writing some short papers. He was also quick to point out “I’m getting old.”

Nicholas Petaros '06 is a communication arts major at Wartburg College.