Storsteigen

"I was raised among cows, pigs, horses, chickens, sheep, agronomists from Østerdalen, and a fierce herdsman from Solør. It was at Storsteigen Agricultural School in Alvdal, where my father was principal."

Lars O. Aukrust from Lom took over as principal at Storsteigen Agricultural and Home Economics School in 1918. His wife Louise (née Walmsnæs) came from Åmot and was a home economics teacher.

The principal's residence, where the Aukrust family lived, was built in 1920-21 and is a two-story house of 150m2. It was a brand new and relatively modern house that Kjell Aukrust and his siblings Odd and Eline, called Vesla, grew up in. The principal's residence even had a bathroom!

This was part of a larger construction project initiated by Lars Aukrust. Unfortunately, only the principal's residence was built; the rest of the building plans were put on hold and then the economically challenging years of the 1920’s came. "After the county council's decision in case 62 of June 16, 1922, and the prevailing economic conditions, I unfortunately find that this year I cannot include anything in the budget for the upcoming term" (the county governor).

The upbringing at an agricultural school, a farm, has an impact on Kjell's artistic work. Many of the stories in the Alvdal Trilogy take place at Storsteigen, from battling with the furious herdsman from Solør to evening prayers with mother and the comforting warmth from the “bear oven” in the boys' room.

Haugen, Olav I. Storsteigen Agricultural School 1906-1995, Storsteigen Agricultural School (1995)