Mid America Nazarene University - Conestoga Yearbook (Olathe, KS)

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Another of the major decisions facing the found- ers of MANC was the choosing of a location for the campus. Instead of having to search for favorable sights, however, several cities competed for the privi- lege of being considered as a possible home for Mid- America. Topeka, Kansas, Wichita, Kansas, Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Columbia, Missouri all invited the officials to establish the new college in their areas. Council Bluffs, which tried especially hard to be chosen, offered eighty acres of land free for the campus and a 100,000 dollar donation as added in- centives. Ultimately, however, Olathe, Kansas, was chosen as the site for the new college. One of the major factors in Olatheis final selection was its strategic location in relation to the center of the Nazarene population of its zone. Another and equally im- portant factor was the friendliness of the citizens of Olathe and their enthusiastic desire to see Mid- America become a success. One prominent banker, RR. Osborne, donated 40,000 dollars toward the purchase of forty acres of land for the campus. Af- ter several other Olathe businessmen matched his other sta. th dw and a lhe tub,

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1 I 2 Haw 9 The first crucial step in the formation of the new college lay in finding a competent president, capable of choosing and leading a talented administration and faculty. Such a president was found in the per- son of Dr. Curtis Smith. As the Assistant to the President of Bethany Nazarene College for fifteen years, Dr. Smith played an important role in the administration of that college, and his experience as a fund-raiser for Bethany proved an invaluable aid in organizing and financing the fledgling NIANC. He proved his ability very early in his newjob by choos- ing an excellent assistant. His choice, Reverend Bill Draper, was the successful pastor of the Lakeview Park Church of the Nazarene in Oklahoma City. lt Q' . 'qi ,wk Am fa-sinful , . U 'I' . ., ' - e'7'4-514 t - f ,A F el M i- vigil-..x!'6Q 'lF'li rtiiwyal gc . - IE... - .fda-o.r f -,.', ,fa . 'v L- 5,5 'Pwr-Qfa:.Q a -3.5,-0,15 -' ' ' 1. ' 4, .if Q 'J-f' , ', . sae-Q-4-ef-gf.-. . . --ft' V' . ', G .. n ' off' - - i w - Q , .Q W . Er,-Q -mr . f . if 'i -- A 'z VAS A ii,.4-un. -?- ii. -Jgrts' A - soon became apparent that Rev. Draper, with his diverse and numerous talents, was the right man to provide the enthusiastic and untiring leadership needed to help guide the college program. Dr. Smith continued to maintain an admirable standard in his selection of personnel when he picked two outstand- ing men, Dr. Donald S. Nletz and Professor jack Rairdon, to be his Dean of Academics and Dean of Student Affairs. At the end of November I966, by virtue of her personnel alone, Nlid-America Nazarene College was well along her hard road of transforma- tion from the faceless Zone B to a holiness insti- tute of higher learning.

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M. ...W 1 A 9, - 1 if .W A- '57 fy , f ill? I , ply, I V yd ,,,. M. 'Z W . .. h , iw , bd, W . 0 Wy., .. ' f' 'Z W ',j.ff: ' ' 5 y , . , 4171 in W U I uf H' . hh. .M 'Il 1 1.-am ar'- M Q. -up ,WM 4, J K 'MM 7 1 V .A , - wffw . 4 7. WM.. ,, . 5 I U4 Q ,. 4.': 12,77 'pm J, I If if W V , f ' .M VA , J I A ,I .MM 9 . It 1 I L - 1 .EW , 1 , nap. f . , ., V ' V l I 1. . ,f.,f, 55, 4' I . , f, - ,xl -' , , l -.,, 1 VL , gig I I' I T ' '.' V' , . ,, U .4 . ',,W -. ,I Q. -w A ,,,,z,,,,yn- 54-uf-.W-.,, .mf 0 in 'S . g I, , ' 0 w - ,. 4. 4. ,J ,M . U- 'J ff Mtv' 9 3 JL donation, Mid-America had a beautiful eighty-acre site, and the Mid-American dream was one step near- er to realization. ln December of 1966, the incorporation of MANC was officially recognized by the state of Kan- sas, which qualified her for tax exempt status and set the stage for her next great financial hurdle. ln order to finance construction of the campus build- ings, the college found it necessary to appeal to the city commissioner for the issuance of 1.5 million dollars in industrial revenue bonds. Although a bond issue of this figure for a non-industrial purpose was unprecedented in Ulathe's history, the request met with unanimous approval. This success allowed plans for the development of the campus site to proceed immediately. The architectural firm of Bowman- Nicek and Associates produced a master plan for the campus a short time later, and on Saturday, july 29, 1967, the first shovelful of dirt was turned by Dr. Smith to begin its construction. The dream began taking shape in the form of bull- dozers and steel girders, and Mid-America was an- other step closer to fulfillment. af in 0