Hagg-Sauer Dedication Ceremony, 1973

Hagg-Sauer hall was Built in 1970 and dedicated three years later on May 28, 1973 to best friends Dr. Harold T. Hagg and Dr. Philip R. Sauer. The pair served as Bemidji State University department chairs and were professors in history and English, respectfully.

Dr. Harold T. Hagg was part of the Bemidji State faculty from 1936-1976 during which time he conducted immense research on northern Minnesota, contributing to many publications and wrote a children’s book. Dr. Hagg gave Dr. Art Lee the idea of writing a book documenting the history of Bemidji State University; “University in the Pines” was published in 1994. Hagg shared an office with A.C. Clark for 25 years and it is said that he would rely on Clark to give him his course schedule each year.

Dr. Philip R. Sauer joined the Bemidji State Faculty in 1937 and retired in 1975. He joined as a professor of English and enjoyed a “temporary” 25-year position as a professor of German when the only foreign language instructor left. Native to Winona, Minn. Sauer attended Northwestern University, and earned his masters at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his doctorate from the University of Freiburg, Germany. During his time at Bemidji State, Sauer wrote a number of articles and biographies, including that of his grandfather, and retired across the street from the A.C. Clark Library.

Hagg-Sauer sits directly on the practice field the Minnesota Vikings used from 1961 to 1965 and is scheduled to be replaced in 2020 with construction beginning in 2019. Replacing the existing 82,000-square-foot Hagg-Sauer Hall, now nearly 50 years old, with a 28,000-square-foot classroom-focused facility will allow BSU to create groups of faculty offices in learning communities of related disciplines. These focused communities will create better environments for students to meet with faculty — and each other — outside of the classroom.