Canadian Mennonite Bible College - Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

Page 33 text:

The first students and faculty of the Canadian Mennonite Bible College. Left to right, Front Row: Rev. I. I. Friesen, Rev 1 . Arnold J. Regier, President, Rev. P. A. Rempel, Mr. John Konrad; Second Row: Mrs. P. Hoepp- ner, Lois Bartel, Mary Penner, Esther Patkau, Grace Day, Anne Reimer; Third Row: Mrs. Arnold J. Regier, Anne Braun, Irma Jantz, Annetta de Graaff, Homer Janzen, Hugo Hildebrand; Fourth Row: Mrs. Peter Sawatzky, Mil¬ dred Bartel, Mrs. J. Fransen; Fifth Row: Mr. Peter Reimer, Henry Wiens, P. Hoeppner, Bill Dick, Korny Martens. Art Wiens; Sixth Row: John Siemens, Peter Sawatzky, Henry Schmidt, Bruno Epp, John Neufeld, Jacob Fransen, Ruben Siemens, Alvin Friesen. Having found a place to begin the school, it was also necessary to secure a home in which the students could be housed. The Lord’s guiding hand was seen in the finding and purchasing of a fine home at 146 Furby Street, about a half a block from the school for this purpose. This building was purchased on August 5, 1947, and has proven quite satisfactory as a girl’s dormitory. For two years the College continued its work in the Bethel Mission Church. However, it was felt that this could not be a permanent arrangement. As the attendance of the school grew it was increasingly realized that the school should have a building of its own in which its needs could be more adequately met. Again repeated in¬ vestigations were made to find a suitable building. Finally on May 9, 1949, the present building used by the College, was found in a manner that again definitely revealed the guiding hand of the Lord. This building was owned by a Christian family who were in sympathy with the idea of selling their home for use as a Bible College and were also ready to give special considerations with regard to the purchase price. The purchase was made on May 17, 1949. This building, located on the bank of the Assini- boine River, is a three-storey structure which can be used as a school with very few changes and is ideally located in the best residential section of the city. The new school has also drawn an increased number of students so that in all things we can see the wonderful leading of our Lord in the further growth as well as in the founding of our school. We trust that the Lord may mightily use our College for the extension of His kingdom and the purpose for which it was founded by our Canadian Conference. Isaac I. Friesen. 33

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FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE 1947-48. SCENE AT FIRST OFFICIAL OPENING tAitliesUa eMatlt Ite JlonA cMelfx d 144, . . . The Canadian Mennonite Bible College was founded to meet a long felt need in our Canadian Conference. With a general rise in educational standards it was felt that the Conference could no longer neglect to provide oppor¬ tunities for the training of its future church leaders. It was felt that we could not rely on other schools or col¬ leges to prepare workers who would be adequately trained to meet the needs in our own churches and mission fields. The matter of establishing such a school received first mention in 1941 at our Canadian Conference held in Laird, Sask. Six years, however, had to pass before such a school was finally begun. Much clarification of thought was necessary before it could be determined what was actually needed and how these needs could be most fully met. Some felt that one or other of our present denominational schools could provide extra courses in order to give the necessary training; others thought that a separate school was needed. The problem as to where the school was to be situated and how the properly trained teachers were to be secured also needed to be solved. During the intervening years the matter was repeatedly referred to and given further study and consideration. Finally Winnipeg was chosen as the place in which the school should be begun. This city was centrally located, was already an educational center with many schools, and was also near to the oldest Mennonite settlement of our Conference in Canada. However, if Winnipeg was to be the future location of the College there still remained the Vfficult problem of finding a proper building in the city in which to begin the school. Repeated efforts were made to secure the old normal school which was vacant at this time, and was situated near the down town section of the city. Many other locations were also investigated. All such efforts were, however, without avail until finally the members of the Bethel Mission Church at 103 Furby Street offered the use of their church building as a place in which the school could be begun. Since this building had been previously used as a school and had proven satisfactory for such use, the offer was accepted by the members of the College Board. Some changes had to be made in the church in order to accomodate the school, but after these had been made the church was finally dedicated for use as a Bible College on October 5, 1947. The first teachers on the staff were Rev. Arnold Regier, president; Rev. H. Wall; Mr. John Konrad and Rev. I. I. Friesen. 32

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Students of the Winter Term, 1947-1948 715 Dudley 146 Furby St. 399 Wardlaw Ave. 31 Library Classroom