Biography of Webjørn Webjørnsen Waal. M. Østlid, Kråkstad: En Bygdebok, Bind I, 329-330. Image courtesy of Verla Williams.
English translation:
W e b j ø r n W e b j ø r n s e n W a a l (1797-1807). He didn't become released from the military before Hørbye [parish pastor] had fought a controversy with the officers. He says among other things that in the entire parish there is not found any other who can be schoolteacher. "This fellow who is so slight of stature that his parents have made him learn tailoring handwork, for fear that he for want of strength would be unable to do heavy and rough labor," should also avoid "exercise." "He is young to be sure," says the pastor, "but experience teaches sufficiently that the intellect always grows with age and that 'one often finds at the house of a young man what one lacks at the house of an older." Vebjørn has shown himself capable and one can not refuse a man to be school teacher even if he also could be useful as the king's man [soldier]. Absolutely not when no one else capable is found. "The nature of the story is such that not any farm boy could become a principal teacher." In a life story about Vebjørn Vål, written by the minister's assistant, C. Bergh, it is said among other things, "In his parents house he remained faithfully at home as an obedient son until he was 16 years old, and he received with happiness and thankfulness the good upbringing which his Christian parents did not neglect to give him -- he had a taste for God's word -- and felt the desire to work with that and to teach himself and others something useful; that's why at 16 years of age, he was named by blessed now deceased Bishop Hørbye to be school teacher here in the parish, in which position he remained and with capability and diligence performed his duty for 10 years." -- He moved later to Brekka. Vebjørn Vål or Vebjørn Brekka as he was then called, was a member of Kråkstad's first township board (1838-1841).
