Bethel College - Graymaroon Yearbook (North Newton, KS)

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BETHEL COLLEGE

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C. H. WEDEL. Every great cause calls for men to meet the situation. Bethel College, in its first period of growth, found in Prof. C. H. Wedel a M t rr L ' nrT C ::: ern Russia. M the earl, age of si., his nohle and heloved mother die. leavjng him anl his brother much handicapped. His father had long been prominent as a teacher and as such had a well selected hbra y. The boi: of ? e library Tre eagerly read by his son. Through this reading a lesire for knowledge and truth was awakened w.th.n hun that ' rrsrArwith ms ' parents came to America and settled in Marion Co., Kansas. Here he saw the necessity of knowing the English 1 :Z III ftonl his diligent study and untiring efforts he soon mastered it. Besides being active as a teacher, he organized a Sunday- ' :ZT ;.:T : : : nn. both p ovmg to be a blessmg to the people. His longing to .o to the -J- -Id ..s realized in 1882, when he was called to Darliugton, Okla. Here he was especially active as teacher among the Indians. To his great disap in.; ::ni: d:; g year he went to Blcomneld, New .erse. to attend the presb;::r ary, then lender ti — :t:; rf i=rKa: arrrt::c:s re:i onIVer hr ri d o H. Klchert, on March 30, IS.f. Soon after the marriage ... and Mrs wedel wentTo Halltead where Prof. Wedel continued his work for two more years. During this time the A. M. degree was conferred upon ' Ha i ' io edi: ' was next called to take charge of the Biblical Department of Bethel College. For tl cause ff rthe hltbored with great devotion The school in its beginning state, passed «-ee cri ical cause of Bethel aoo e i..v the outlook or how great the opposition, his absorbing ambition was to press on and to make Bethel an i;:t fortr::u -d workers abroad, that have gone out from Bethel, his influence has ' ' ' Verusro lToatiindedness, his thoroughness, and his ability to intrcduce the right portion of humor, his instruction was both fascinatLTInd instructive. To increase his efficiency as an instructor and to improve his health, he made a mp to Russia in l896. Two years late? hfaga n v sited Europe with the special view of gathering material for his then proposed woi-k ;History of he Mennonites, wMch now conXts Of four volumes. Besides this work he has written a number of other books of which his last work. Meditations, is ;C oted his time more to dire, work, eolleg. aM „ S :: o r i L Z Lr r r J:::: ; - r : r burdens from our .ved protesso. and on March .S. .10, he was called to his reward.

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HISTORY OF BETHEL. Any institution, founded upon a proper basis and promoted by true motives cn the part of tliose connected with it, can perform its -lunctions completely and will eventually attain to that plane of perfec ion where it can stand alone and cope with its equals. This we can proudly say of Bethel College. Early in the 70 ' s large numbers of Mennonites poured into Kansas from other states in the Union and from Europe. When once permanently located, they soon realized the vast importance of an ed-icational institution among their people. Immediately steps were taken to promote the establishment of such an institution. Its inimejiate purpose should be to prepare teachers for parochial schools and district schools, ministers and missionaries, and to develop true Christian characters in all who go out from the school into the various y alks of life. A school was opened temporarily at Alexanderwohl in 1882, but a demand for more room and a very favorable proposition made by Halstead, caused the school to be removed to that place in J 883. In 1887 a project was started to locate the school permanently at Newton. The city subscribed f20,000 in cash, donated many city lots, and a fcrty pcre tract north of the city. The project was submitted to the Kansas Conference which declined to accept the offer, but in turn submitted the proposition to an association. This association was organized for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a Menuonite school at Newton. It took hold of this important enterprise with enthusiasm, incorporated, and at once began to raise the necessary funds. The difficulties and obstacles with which they met were neither trifling nor few. Yet the untiring efforts of this associa- tion were crowned with success and cn Oct. 12, 1888, midst hopes and prayers, the corner stone of our stately edifice, Bethel College, was laid. Indeed, there were those who predicted that such an institution could end only in total failure. But on the other hand there were such who faithfully hoped and believed that such an institution would be a success, and prove to be a blessing to the Mennonite people. The hopes of the latter were largely realized when on Sept. 20, 1893. this grand institution was dedicated to its noble cause; it opened its halls and bade welcome to any who would enroll. The number of students the first year was comparatively, small. The courses offered included work as lew as the sixth grade with little above the Academy. The faculty consisted of no more than five members and the number of students did not reach the one hundred mark. Slowly but steadily the school has grown, until this year no less than one hundred seventy students have enrolled. The corps of instructors consists of twelve members and it has been agreed that four additional members be added for the year 1911-12. As time passed on, the lower branches were eliminated and more advanced were added. With this progress made. Bethel College can, with all honors, confer upon her pioneer seniors the Baccalaureate degree in the spring of 1912.