Theodore Theodorsen - Early Years

Early Years

Dr. Theodore Theodorsen was born in Sandefjord, Norway in 1897 to parents Ole Christian Theodorsen, a chief engineer in the Norwegian merchant marine, and his wife Andrea Larsen. He was the oldest of six children. At one point Theodore’s father had taken examinations for a merchant marine engineer's license. He was the only applicant who correctly answered a particularly difficult question. To his father’s surprise his then twelve year old son was also able to solve the problem.

At age sixteen, after finishing compulsory schooling, Theodorsen attended gymnasium (equivalent in the USA to senior high school-junior college) in the nearby town of Larvik. If certain grade levels were attained one would gain a scholarship to university. Norway was then far ahead of most nations in the liberalization of education. Theodorsen's grades were so outstanding that he was admitted to the leading engineering university in Norway, the Norwegian Institute of Technology in Trondheim. In those days there were no dormitories; students rented rooms in private homes. Many of the professors in those days were German or English, therefore a student at the university had to be familiar with all three languages. Only in mechanical drawing was his grade less than perfect. In those days anyone who achieved perfect grades would receive the honor of an introduction to the King of Norway.