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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I 7 ' ...FE 1Q.....Xi1!J- '-+- 'T P ln the spring of 1967, the college launched a mas- sive fund-raising campaign. Speakers representing Mid-America Nazarene College went to the churches of the zone, explaining her ideals andasking for the financial support of the congregations. Response was tremendous and far exceeded the goals set up for the tours. Several fund-raising dinners were also held with the noted speaker, Kenneth McFarland, giving an after-dinner talk on the significance of American Heritage Education. These projects suc- ceeded, not only by helping the school financially, but also by stimulating interest across the zone about the new college. Several months before, in September of 1967, ap- plication forms had been mailed to prospective Mid- America students throughout the seven-state area. The first application to be returned came from Rita Powers on October 12, 1967. A recruiting campaign, headed by Bill Draper, was active in the summer of 1968. Accompanied by a quartet of the future Mid-America students, Jim Mullins, Allen Brown, Ron Lawlor, and Jim Edlin, Rev. Draper toured the district assemblies and youth camps of the educational zone urging young people to attend MANC As a result of these and other recruiting methods 275 students from twenty one states applied and were accepted by the first day of school August 29 1968 l Q . 33 1 4 l 5 -mile a lack 0 Q I, ii I0 I6 CHHIPUS . lswere nl.