Bethel College - Graymaroon Yearbook (North Newton, KS)

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President Harold Schultz And V.P. Walt Frieseh Five years at Bethel , . . in some ways those years have gone so fast; in other ways, it seems that I have never lived anywhere else. In the kaleidoscope of experiences that make up each school year the memories are a mixture of hopes and hurts. But mostly I remember the encounters with stu- dents, faculty and alumni. These seem more vital and re- warding than the institutional statistics that may be more tangible to the observer. — President Harold J. Schultz i 12

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Academics The curriculum is perhaps one of the best indications of what a college is trying to do. Throughout Bethel ' s eighty-three year history, the curriculum has been constantly changing in order to provide for current student needs. Students attending Bethel during its inau- gural year chose c o ur se s in the f o I I ow i n g fields: English, foreign languages, history, mathematics, natural sciences, and religion. Of the total 170 weekly hours of instruction, 110 were taught in English and 60 in German. The curriculum slowly expanded; Latin and Greek were introduced in 1895 and geology, zoology , bookkeeping, church history, Menno- nite history, ethics, and French were soon available. Class sizes ranged from one to thir- ty-five and the normal student load was twen- ty-four hours. Bethel College now offers majors in twen- ty-seven fields and preprofessional training in several others. Over 200 courses are taught on campus, and through the ACCK many more are available. in planning curriculum. Bethel has been examining future needs of our society and de- term i n i ng which areas of study are likely to draw students. Areas that are being considered for upgrading include business, social work, teacher education, biology, and music. A nursing program is another possi bi I ity, and there is also speculation about the retirement business and other medical services.

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Bethel College — Heritage, Hopes, Unfinished Dreams Part of the Bethel heritage has been the ef- fort to bring together more fully the life of the mind and the spirit w ith i n a world of work and service . T h i s k i n d of integrated and comm itted alumnus is still part of the Bethel Idea. Bethel should ask us to do tw 0 th i ngs: to think and to believe. Or, in the w ord s of former president Pusey of Har- vard, What we w a nt es- pecially todoistobe- I ieve knowingly and to know with conviction. —Harold Schultz Years ago a limestone building was begun to house a dream called Bethel College, but then, for awhile the vision faded and the resources were not mobilized. The result was an object of derision--the folly on the plains . Was the vision wrong? Was God withholding the blessing? Yet, today, many years and tears later, there is a $7,000,000 physical plant. What are the unfinished dreams and structures of 1976? A nation dedicated to equality and justice? A national academic of peace? A cabinet position. Secretary for Peace? A design to share food and food producing skills with the villagers of under- developed countries? A Bethel Community Assembly that is an effective arena for grappling with the problems of our living to- gether? The skill to confront each other in love? An institution des i g ned to help its people move beyond self-indulgence, through law and order, and on to the highest levels of develop- ment suggested by social contract and the moral imperative? A college for people of all ages, for the i r entire lives? A liberal arts program with a career development option? Many of these unfinished dreams are candidates for deri- sion in 1976 and some may never materialize; yet, in 2000, if we are daring and faithful, there may stil I beamonumentof wonder... — Walter S. Friesen President Schultz Walt Fries 13