Olaf Alfred Hoffstad
Encyclopedia
Olaf Alfred Hoffstad was a Norwegian
botanist, writer, school principal and politician for the Conservative Party.
He was born in Stjørdalshalsen
, Nordre Trondhjems Amt
to merchant Oliver Hoffstad (1830–1878) and his wife Anne Birgitte Øydahl (1843–1932). He finished his secondary education at Trondhjem Cathedral School in 1883 and graduated with the cand.real. degree in 1888. After having taught at girls' schools in Trondhjem
, Egersund
, Haugesund
and Røros
he was employed by the Sandefjord Upper Secondary School on 1 August 1892. He was appointed principal of the school in 1924 and taught there until 18 March 1935, for almost 43 years. Hoffstad also headed the Sandefjord Technical Evening School from 1896 to 1924. In September 1894, his son Einar Hoffstad
was born, who became an economist and encyclopedist.
In 1891, he published Norsk Flora, a Flora
for Norwegian schools which was published in eight further editions before Hoffstad's death in 1943. He also published another illustrated Flora for Norwegian schools, entitled Flora for skoler (1899). In the summers of 1896 and 1897, Hoffstad travelled from the estuary of the Trondheimsfjord
to Leka
, a village at the border between Nordland and Nord-Trøndelag counties. He wrote an article for the journal Nyt Magasin for Naturvidenskaberne in 1899 where he described what he had observed, amongst other things the discovery of Utricularia ochroleuca
in Northern Norway.
Hoffstad was also engaged in politics. In 1894, he became leader of a conservative youth league in Sandefjord. He became a member of Sandefjord city council in 1897, and became deputy mayor already in 1898. From 1911 to 1934, he served as mayor for Sandefjord, the longest time any major not born in the city ever had served. Whilst serving as mayor, Hoffstad wrote two treatises on the management of municipal finances in the city, Kommunale finanser (1926) and Sandefjords kommunale økonomi i tiåret 1922—1932 (1933). He also represented the Conservative Party in the Parliament of Norway as a deputy representative in the 1919–21, 1922–24 and 1931–33 terms. His constituency was Larvik og Sandefjord, from 1922 changed to the Market towns of Vestfold county
.
He chaired the board of the newspaper Sandefjords Blad
, and was a board member of Vestfold Kraftselskap from 1921 to 1929, Sandefjord Sparebank, the local gas works, electricity plant and cinema as well as the teachers' union Filologenes og Realistenes Landsforening. He founded a regional branch of the Union of Norwegian Cities
in 1921, and chaired it until 1934.
He died of a heart attack in September 1943. At the deathbed, he copyedited the ninth edition of Norsk Flora, which was published posthumously in 1944.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
botanist, writer, school principal and politician for the Conservative Party.
He was born in Stjørdalshalsen
Stjørdalshalsen
Stjørdalshalsen is a town and the administrative centre of the municipality of Stjørdal in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located between the rivers Stjørdalselva and Gråelva, and their mouth into the Trondheimsfjord.The town has a population of 10,779. The population density of the town is...
, Nordre Trondhjems Amt
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
to merchant Oliver Hoffstad (1830–1878) and his wife Anne Birgitte Øydahl (1843–1932). He finished his secondary education at Trondhjem Cathedral School in 1883 and graduated with the cand.real. degree in 1888. After having taught at girls' schools in Trondhjem
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Egersund
Egersund
The town of Egersund was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . It was merged with the surrounding municipality of Eigersund January 1, 1965....
, Haugesund
Haugesund
is a town and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.-Location:Haugesund was separated from Torvastad as a town and municipality of its own in 1855. The rural municipality of Skåre was merged with Haugesund on January 1, 1958. Haugesund is a small municipality, only 73 km²...
and Røros
Røros
is a town and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Røros. Other villages include Brekken, Glåmos, Feragen, Galåa, and Hitterdalen....
he was employed by the Sandefjord Upper Secondary School on 1 August 1892. He was appointed principal of the school in 1924 and taught there until 18 March 1935, for almost 43 years. Hoffstad also headed the Sandefjord Technical Evening School from 1896 to 1924. In September 1894, his son Einar Hoffstad
Einar Hoffstad
Einar Hoffstad was a Norwegian encyclopedist, newspaper editor, writer and economist. He is most famous for having edited the encyclopedia Merkantilt biografisk leksikon and the business periodical Farmand...
was born, who became an economist and encyclopedist.
In 1891, he published Norsk Flora, a Flora
Flora (book)
A Flora is a book or other work which describes the plant species occurring in an area or time period, often with the aim of allowing identification. Some classic and modern floras are listed below....
for Norwegian schools which was published in eight further editions before Hoffstad's death in 1943. He also published another illustrated Flora for Norwegian schools, entitled Flora for skoler (1899). In the summers of 1896 and 1897, Hoffstad travelled from the estuary of the Trondheimsfjord
Trondheimsfjord
The Trondheimsfjord , an inlet of the Norwegian Sea, is Norway's third longest fjord at long. It is located in the west central part of the country, and it stretches from Ørland in west to Steinkjer in north, passing the city of Trondheim on its way...
to Leka
Leka, Norway
Leka is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Leknes. Other villages include Sør-Gutvika and Madsøygrenda....
, a village at the border between Nordland and Nord-Trøndelag counties. He wrote an article for the journal Nyt Magasin for Naturvidenskaberne in 1899 where he described what he had observed, amongst other things the discovery of Utricularia ochroleuca
Utricularia ochroleuca
Utricularia ochroleuca, the yellowishwhite bladderwort, is a small, perennial carnivorous plant that belongs to the genus Utricularia. It is usually found affixed to the substrate. U. ochroleuca is a circumboreal species and is found in North America, Asia, and Europe....
in Northern Norway.
Hoffstad was also engaged in politics. In 1894, he became leader of a conservative youth league in Sandefjord. He became a member of Sandefjord city council in 1897, and became deputy mayor already in 1898. From 1911 to 1934, he served as mayor for Sandefjord, the longest time any major not born in the city ever had served. Whilst serving as mayor, Hoffstad wrote two treatises on the management of municipal finances in the city, Kommunale finanser (1926) and Sandefjords kommunale økonomi i tiåret 1922—1932 (1933). He also represented the Conservative Party in the Parliament of Norway as a deputy representative in the 1919–21, 1922–24 and 1931–33 terms. His constituency was Larvik og Sandefjord, from 1922 changed to the Market towns of Vestfold county
Market towns of Vestfold county
The Market towns of Vestfold county was an electoral district for parliamentary elections in Norway. It comprised the market towns of Holmestrand, Horten, Tønsberg, Sandefjord and Larvik in Vestfold county....
.
He chaired the board of the newspaper Sandefjords Blad
Sandefjords Blad
Sandefjords Blad is a newspaper published daily in Sandefjord, Norway, except on Sundays. It is available in Norwegian language only. Sandefjords Blad is a private company, owned by Mecom with a circulation of 14,780 copies and 50 employees ....
, and was a board member of Vestfold Kraftselskap from 1921 to 1929, Sandefjord Sparebank, the local gas works, electricity plant and cinema as well as the teachers' union Filologenes og Realistenes Landsforening. He founded a regional branch of the Union of Norwegian Cities
Union of Norwegian Cities
The Union of Norwegian Cities was an employers' organisation in Norway.It was founded in 1903. Hans Thomas Knudtzon has been credited with taking the initiative. Its headquarters were in the street Arbiens gate, later in the building Kommunenes Hus in Haakon VIIs gate...
in 1921, and chaired it until 1934.
He died of a heart attack in September 1943. At the deathbed, he copyedited the ninth edition of Norsk Flora, which was published posthumously in 1944.