Nils Edvard Olsen Ringset
From the publication "Jul på Sunnmøre," memorial tribute by Ivar Grøvik:
"Much and much could be said about the far-reaching work of N.E. Ringset, and about all his interests. He was one of the most active citizens of Sunnmøre in the last fifty or sixty years. It would take too long to name all the associations and organisations in which he worked actively..."
He was born at Ringset on the 2nd of November, 1886, and died on the 11th of February, 1976. His baptismal name was Nils Edvard, but he himself usually wrote N.E. Ringset. He was not the eldest son, but when several of his brothers emigrated to America, it fell to him to take over the family farm in 1917. For many years he carried on building work alongside farming.
Ringset came of age around 1905 and the years immediately following. A wave of national feeling swept the country at that time, and carried many young people with it. Ringset was among them, and received from it an impulse towards active community work that lasted the rest of his life.
In the history of Møre People's High School, he stands as one of the school's most faithful friends. He followed its work keenly right to the end, and was genuinely pleased whenever the school was making progress.
In Ringset's youth, rural young people had little opportunity to go away to schools. But many found a good school in the youth association, and Ringset was among them. A youth association had been formed in Liabygda in the late 1890s, but it had fallen dormant. In 1907 it was revived, and N.E. Ringset then threw himself into it in earnest. He became one of its most driving forces, including ten years as chairman; the association later made him an honorary member.
Before long, the young people of Sunnmøre noticed Ringset. The Sunnmøre Liberal Youth Federation began organised sports work early on, eventually forming a dedicated sports association. In the autumn of 1917 Ringset became chairman of this association, and when the Sunnmøre Ski District was formed shortly after, Ringset obtained the chairmanship there too. From the autumn of 1917 he was also on the board of the youth federation, and chairman from 1920. From 1925 he was also on the board of Norges Ungdomslag (the National Youth Association).
When the youth federation took up the idea of a domestic science school for northern Sunnmøre, he actively supported it. Lyngvin Domestic Science School at Valldal was established in 1921. After the war there was a struggle to restore the school under the name Sunnmøre Domestic Science School. When the county took over the school in 1950, Ringset received the Civil Merit Medal in silver for his public service work.
The idea of a museum had been stirring in several minds in the late 1920s. But people had not dared to think beyond co-operation with Ålesund Museum. When the proposal for this failed to gain sufficient votes at Ålesund Museum's annual meeting in the spring of 1931, the will to act was awakened in several people — not least in N.E. Ringset. That same evening he convened a meeting at Gjestestova, a meeting that reached complete consensus on establishing a Sunnmøre Museum. Ringset was elected its first chairman. Many will still remember that Ringset presided over the opening ceremony for the museum in 1949. In connection with this, one may also note that Ringset had been involved in founding the Sunnmøre Historical Society back in 1909.
Nils Ringset regarded afforestation as one of his great causes. Throughout his life he fought for tree-planting in our communities, carrying this work forward from the youth associations to the boards of both Møre and Romsdal Forestry Society and the Norwegian Forestry Society. But forests were not to be planted only in our own country — the kindred people of tree-poor Iceland should also have forests. Ringset made several journeys to Iceland and worked energetically for tree-planting expeditions both to and from Iceland. This work was appreciated by the Icelanders: Ringset first received the Icelandic Order of the Falcon, and later in 1968 was made an honorary member of the Icelandic Forestry Society.
In the difficult years around 1930, Sunnmøre industry was beginning to take shape. Ringset saw that the small enterprises needed a helping hand. He set to work and established the Small Industry Office in Ålesund, and was subsequently its chairman for many years. He was also for several years both a board member and chairman of the National Centre for Small Industry.
He showed an early interest in political questions, and from 1919 was a member of Stranda municipal council, where he served for many years and was mayor from 1937 to 1941. During the war years he showed a strong national disposition, and was one of the first mayors in Møre and Romsdal to be removed by the National Union. From the spring of 1945 and for the rest of that year he was again to be found in the mayor's seat.
Politically he belonged to the Liberal Party, and for many years he worked actively in party affairs — including as chairman of both district and county associations. Many felt he should have reached the Storting, but others held him back. Active men and women must always reckon with opponents. One may say today that Ringset had all the qualities to have been one of those who made their mark on the parliamentary benches, and that it was a loss both for the county and the country that he did not get there.
For several years he was a member of the county executive and the board of the county boat services.
Ringset felt called to work in both trade and economic farmers' organisations. He also regarded it as a cherished duty to use the professional title farmer. He saw the value in coming together for collective effort. Møre Cooperative had him as board chairman for thirty years.