Bethel College - Graymaroon Yearbook (North Newton, KS)

Page 13 text:

The Bethel Faculty of 1910-11 consisted of Alice Martin, P.J. Wedel, Hellen Hoisington, G.A. Haury, D.A. Hirschle, P.H. Richert, E.R. Riesen, Lizzie Wirkler, Lena Hunzicker, J.H. Langenwalter, and D.H. Richert. This partic- ular faculty served under the first administra- tion of J.H. Langenwalter. During Langenwalter ' s administration, Bethel made the step toward becoming an accredited col- lege. The 1912 graduation class was the first to re- ceive college degrees from Bethel. The class members were F.J. Isaac, M.J. Galle, J.C. Kliewer, J.M. Regier, P.R. Schroeder, and A.J. Regier. Galle, Regier and Schroeder all be- came prominent ministers in the General Con- ference. Isaac became a missionary in India; Regier served as a teacher and a college pro- fessor, and Klieweer became engaged educa- tionalwork and government service. The threshing stone is a symbol of Bethel Col- lege and is also fitting for the Mennonite church as a whole. The stone was used to sepa- rate the grain from the straw by a laborius pro- cess. First, a smooth hard surface, on which the cut grain was spread, was prepared by tamping. Second, the stone was drawn over the wheat by oxen. And third, after the second step had beem performed for a while, the grain was turned and the stone was drawn over it a second time. This process was re- peated until all the grin was out of the wheat at which point, the straw was shaken by forks in order to separate the grain from the chaff and thrown aside. The stone was adopted as Bethel ' s symbol on November 16, 1934.

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FALL FESTIVAL Although Fall Festival became quite a tradition during the 70 ' s and 80 ' s, it did not always exist as we know it. From the early 1950 ' s until 1971, the festival was known as Folk Festival. Folk Festivals, organized originally by Cornelius Krahn and John F. Schmidt, were much different than Fall Festivals. A Folk Fest was developed along the lines of a skill-craft show, in which hog-butchering and other demonstrations occured. The attendance averaged about 5,000. During the latter 60 ' s, however, subsiding attendance caused alarm and there were a few years when no festival was held. In 1971, the arrival of President hiarold Schultz marked a new era in festivals at Bethel. October 71 found Bethel celebrating its first Fall Festival. It revitalized both the Mennonite Folk Festival tradition and the homecoming tradition. Homecoming activities have gradually diminished, but there are enough events to keep drawing crowds of 10,000. 1961 Folk Festival