"The Other Swedes"
~ Honoring Them and Remembering Them ~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Kenneth Sjogren's
2019
"6 Decades with 12 Bethany College Presidents"
~ The words of Mr. Sjogren
~ Honoring Them and Remembering Them ~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Kenneth Sjogren's
2019
"6 Decades with 12 Bethany College Presidents"
~ The words of Mr. Sjogren
Kenneth Sjogren
1935-2022
- The Bethany College President Assistant & Fundraiser-
Without Mr. Sjogren's 2019 book, there would have been no ongoing story of the Bethany College Presidents that Mr. A. John Pearson started for the College's "Centennial Celebration" in 1981. Together, Mr. Sjogren and Mr. Pearson, both former Bethany College Directors of Public Relations and Alumni Affairs, the former from 1961-1967 and the latter from 1970-1992, have accounted for all of the Bethany College Presidents, with the exception of President Dr. William Jones who served Bethany from 2016-2019 and Dr. Elizabeth Mauch who filled in after he left as an interim president until she became President on August 14, 2020. The total count is HERE.
Mr. Sjogren's book covered the following presidents he knew or served as a friend, employee or volunteer as shown below. Note that + after their last names means knighted/honored by the Crown of Sweden.
Mr. Sjogren's book covered the following presidents he knew or served as a friend, employee or volunteer as shown below. Note that + after their last names means knighted/honored by the Crown of Sweden.
The Bethany College Presidents He Served
Dr. Emory K. Lindquist+ (1941-1953)
Dr. Robert Mortvedt (1953-1958)
Rev. Dr. L. Dale Lund (1958-1965)
Rev. Dr. G. Kenneth Andeen (1965-1967)
Dr. Arvin Hahn+ (1967-1983)
Dr. Peter Ristuben+ (1983-1990)
Dr. Richard Torgerson (1990-1991) Acting
Dr. Joel McKean (1991-1996)
Rev. Dr. Christopher Thomforde (1996-2000)
Dr. Paul Formo (2001-2006)
Rev. Dr. Robert Vogel (2006-6 months) Interim
Dr. Edward Leonard III (2007-2015)
Rev. Dr. Robert Vogel (2015-2016) Interim
Following are Editor Marty Schupbach and Author Kenneth Sjogren's words of truth and respect found in the following order:
Editorial Introduction Acknowledgements Foreword Dr. Emory K. Lindquist Dr. Arvin Hahn
Illustrations and Chapters
are found in the next section
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Illustrations and Chapters
are found in the next section
------------------
- The publication of this 63 page book was timed perfectly for
Bethany's Lindsborg's 150th Founding Year Celebration of 2019 -
Bethany's Lindsborg's 150th Founding Year Celebration of 2019 -
Editor: Marty Schupbach / Graphic Designer: Angeline Collier
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"6 Decades with 12 Bethany College Presidents"
by
Kenneth Sjogren
2019
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Editorial Introduction
by
Ms. Marty Schupbach
"6 Decades with 12 Bethany College Presidents"
by
Kenneth Sjogren
2019
------------------------------
Editorial Introduction
by
Ms. Marty Schupbach
"Let author Kenneth Sjogren take you on an historic journey through six decades of Bethany College in Lindsborg, KS. He'll guide you through first-hand accounts of her beloved presidents and halls; her tough times and miraculous triumphs. Gathered within are memoirs of Bethany that will be of interest to students and historians alike for years to come."
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The Words of Mr. Sjogren
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Acknowledgements
The Words of Mr. Sjogren
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Acknowledgements
Dear Friends,
First, I must acknowledge my wife Marilyn, my Bethany College sweetheart from Littleton, Colorado. In my position of employment with the college, I traveled a great deal and Marilyn deserves much credit for raising our four children. I dedicate this book to my wife and family: Karla Wright, Kristin Slater, Steven Sjogren, and Eric Sjogren, along with their families.
I also want to acknowledge the Bethany College Advancement Office for helping me retrieve information from the past decades of alumni magazines with a special thanks to Jane Asche, Secretary of the Advancement Office, for her assistance. Thanks to Jim Turner, Turner Photography, for many of the photos. Other photos were retrieved from Bethany College files. Several individuals encouraged me to write this history which took place over the past six decades.
For the final make up of this history, I want to express my thanks and appreciation to Marty Schupbach, Editor, and to Angeline Collier, graphic designer.
First, I must acknowledge my wife Marilyn, my Bethany College sweetheart from Littleton, Colorado. In my position of employment with the college, I traveled a great deal and Marilyn deserves much credit for raising our four children. I dedicate this book to my wife and family: Karla Wright, Kristin Slater, Steven Sjogren, and Eric Sjogren, along with their families.
I also want to acknowledge the Bethany College Advancement Office for helping me retrieve information from the past decades of alumni magazines with a special thanks to Jane Asche, Secretary of the Advancement Office, for her assistance. Thanks to Jim Turner, Turner Photography, for many of the photos. Other photos were retrieved from Bethany College files. Several individuals encouraged me to write this history which took place over the past six decades.
For the final make up of this history, I want to express my thanks and appreciation to Marty Schupbach, Editor, and to Angeline Collier, graphic designer.
------------------------------
Foreword
Foreword
This bit of history covers a span of six decades of my association with Bethany College, my alma mater: while I was a student, an employee, and a volunteer. I have done my best through both my memory and research, to cover my time spent with these 12 presidents. During these decades of history, I had many unique experiences making my personal calls and I have included some of the most memorable. There are many other colleagues and individuals who could have been included in this history -- I chose presidents. My association with Bethany includes:
Student 1953 to 1957, Bachelor of Arts degree
Employee 1961 to 1967, Director of Public Relations and Alumni Affairs
1967 to 1984, Director of Development and Assistant to the President
Volunteer 1984 -- present [2019]
Bethany College has had and continues to have a rich history and each of the 12 presidents played an important role during my tenure. I hope you enjoy this walk through memory lane.
Kenneth Sjogren
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NOTE
Of the twelve Bethany College presidents that Mr. Sjogren wrote about, his words on the following two would be most appropriate as these fine men also shared with him in a most challenging and awarding time in the history of modern Bethany. Their experiences then sealed their friendship for life. They were Dr. Emory K. Lindquist (1908-1992) and Dr. Arvin H. Hahn (1923-2017).
Dr. Lindquist was a Swedish Lutheran Augustana Christian. He was born in Lindsborg, attended the schools there and was a Bethany graduate. He was also a member of the Bethany Church, a sister Augustana Lutheran church to Mr. Sjogren's Salemsborg Lutheran Church. As a young man, he looked to Dr. Lindquist for advice when he began his career at Bethany, and he got it. It was simple advice that saw him through his entire career at Bethany, which started during the times of saving Bethany College from moving to Colorado.
Dr. Hahn was of German descent and was a committed Lutheran Christian under the Lutheran Church in America, (LCA) which was formed in 1962, by the mergers of many other smaller governing Lutheran bodies, including the former Swedish Lutheran Augustana Synod. Ken was destined to become the assistant to this fine collegiate leader through the tenure of his entire presidency of 16 years. It was to be an era of great challenges for Bethany, of bringing her out of her financial woes through their combined fundraising plans and skills and with the assistance of an ever growing team, all of whose endeavors would bring "Dear Old Bethany" back into a new era of prosperity, growth and vital life. Their prayers were heard, and their efforts were rewarded.
Dr. Lindquist was a Swedish Lutheran Augustana Christian. He was born in Lindsborg, attended the schools there and was a Bethany graduate. He was also a member of the Bethany Church, a sister Augustana Lutheran church to Mr. Sjogren's Salemsborg Lutheran Church. As a young man, he looked to Dr. Lindquist for advice when he began his career at Bethany, and he got it. It was simple advice that saw him through his entire career at Bethany, which started during the times of saving Bethany College from moving to Colorado.
Dr. Hahn was of German descent and was a committed Lutheran Christian under the Lutheran Church in America, (LCA) which was formed in 1962, by the mergers of many other smaller governing Lutheran bodies, including the former Swedish Lutheran Augustana Synod. Ken was destined to become the assistant to this fine collegiate leader through the tenure of his entire presidency of 16 years. It was to be an era of great challenges for Bethany, of bringing her out of her financial woes through their combined fundraising plans and skills and with the assistance of an ever growing team, all of whose endeavors would bring "Dear Old Bethany" back into a new era of prosperity, growth and vital life. Their prayers were heard, and their efforts were rewarded.
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CHAPTER 1
---------------------------------
Dr. Emory K. Lindquist
(1941-1953)
Page 1
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CHAPTER 1
---------------------------------
Dr. Emory K. Lindquist
(1941-1953)
Page 1
"Dr. Emory Lindquist became the fourth president of Bethany College after serving on the faculty. He graduated from Bethany in 1930, was a Rhodes Scholar from 1930-1933, and was awarded both BA and MA degrees from Oxford. In 1941, he earned his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Colorado. He and his wife Irma had one son and one daughter.
"Dr. Emory Lindquist was the president of Bethany College before my time as a student or an employee, but we developed a friendship in the 1960s when I was employed by the college, and he was a real source of encouragement for me during the Andeen presidency.
"Unsure of Bethany's future in Lindsborg, I called Dr Lindquist, then president of Wichita University, for an appointment to ask his advice for the direction I should take during this uncertain time at our alma mater. He said, 'I'm leaving town for the University, but you can meet me at the Wichita airport terminal, and we can have a brief visit.' What I remember most about this visit was his comment to me, 'Ken, Bethany College needs you, and you must go out and make calls, calls, and more calls on behalf of our college.' I took this admonition seriously, and it has been over a 50 year association of fun, trying times, and rewards both working and volunteering at Bethany. Dr. Lindquist's love for his Alma Mater never dwindled during his lifetime. He always had time for Bethany and his home, Lindsborg, Kansas. In the 1950s, Dr. Lindquist became the president of Wichita University. It was under his leadership that Wichita University became Wichita State University."
"Dr. Emory Lindquist was the president of Bethany College before my time as a student or an employee, but we developed a friendship in the 1960s when I was employed by the college, and he was a real source of encouragement for me during the Andeen presidency.
"Unsure of Bethany's future in Lindsborg, I called Dr Lindquist, then president of Wichita University, for an appointment to ask his advice for the direction I should take during this uncertain time at our alma mater. He said, 'I'm leaving town for the University, but you can meet me at the Wichita airport terminal, and we can have a brief visit.' What I remember most about this visit was his comment to me, 'Ken, Bethany College needs you, and you must go out and make calls, calls, and more calls on behalf of our college.' I took this admonition seriously, and it has been over a 50 year association of fun, trying times, and rewards both working and volunteering at Bethany. Dr. Lindquist's love for his Alma Mater never dwindled during his lifetime. He always had time for Bethany and his home, Lindsborg, Kansas. In the 1950s, Dr. Lindquist became the president of Wichita University. It was under his leadership that Wichita University became Wichita State University."
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CHAPTER 5
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Dr. Arvin Hahn
(1967-1983)
Pages 12-33
CHAPTER 5
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Dr. Arvin Hahn
(1967-1983)
Pages 12-33
"Dr. Arvin Hahn became Bethany's eighth president, coming from Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois. A graduate of Concordia College, he earned his PhD from Northwestern University. Dr. Hahn was also a member of the Public Relations and Television Committees of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. Dr Hahn and his wife Judie had two sons and a daughter.
"As the eighth president, Dr. Hahn soon won respect both on the campus and in the larger community for his ability, vision, and dedication to Christian Higher Education.
"Dr. Albert Zimmer, acting President and Academic Dean, had now resigned to become Academic Dean of Thiel College returning to Pennsylvania. Dr. Lloyd Forrester, of Concordia College and a close friend of President Hahn, came to Bethany to become Academic Dean. In a very short time, President Hahn began to assign priorities for the academic program and campus facilities. His determination as the new president was to fulfill the items left from the 1966 study by the division of higher education of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) under the Dr. Andeen presidency. Dr. Hahn put together an administrative team who worked well together. Student enrollment and fundraising were now on the increase.
"My position was now Director of Development and this left a void in the Public Relations and the Alumni Program. L. Stanley Talbott, a member of the Bethany Alumni Council and a 1946 graduate, always said, 'If you ever need any help, please call me.' He lived in Russell, Kansas, where he was the band director of Russell High School. I called Stan just as he was ready to accept the band director position at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. 'Stan, remember when you said call you when you needed help?' I said, 'Stan, we need you to become our Director of Public Relations and Alumni Programs.' There was a silence, and he said, 'I'll let you know tomorrow.' He did let us know, and accepted the position. He instantly became known as "Mr. Bethany" to all the alumni for many years. I continued, 'Also, Stan, would your wife Pauline have an interest in becoming Dean of Women?' Pauline (Pennington), a 1942 graduate of Bethany became our Dean of Women and these two outstanding alums served their alma mater and the Lindsborg community for nearly two decades. This all happened in 1967. By now, Dean Forrester had set up faculty committees to enhance the academic program.
"Dr. Emory Lindquist, in his Bethany in Kansas, pointed out that the Hahn era was 'a miracle in the making.' Pres. Hahn hired Shaffer Architects of Salina, Kansas, to draw up plans for a library, classroom building and resident hall. The library and classroom building were to encircle a walkway to be known as 'the million-dollar circle.' The other facility in this plan was a two-story resident hall.
"Everything was happening very quickly. Old Main, built in 1886, neglected over the years, and in bad condition, could not feasibly be renovated. This building stood five stories tall and was once the tallest building between Kansas City and Denver; now it was scheduled to come down. Of course many of the older alumni who slept, attended Chapel, ate their meals, and attended classes in Old Main were somewhat upset. Ironically, Old Main was much harder to demolish than the team running the one ton wrecking ball had anticipated! The new library plans were now completed at an estimated cost of $700,000 with one-third of the funds coming from a federal government grant. There was now a need for an additional $470,000 from a private source.
"Mr. Alvar Wallerstedt, a 1916 graduate of the Bethany College Commercial Department, became a high ranking accountant in private industry. He was associated with a prominent legal firm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He later became a director of North American Rockwell Corporation along with other directorships in several other corporations. He seemed to be a prospect for the new library in spite of the fact he had told our office that he would make his $500 gift each year and there was no need to come and see him for an additional gift. Mr. Wallerstedt had a good friend in Lindsborg, Mr. Joe Levine. He too was a Bethany College Commercial graduate and classmate of Mr. Wallerstedt. I went to see Mr. Levine and asked, 'If we were to go to Mr. Wallerstedt for a gift, how much do you think he might consider giving?' I was told he was on many corporate boards and owned thousands of shares in the stock market. 'I think he should give at least $15,000,' said Mr. Levine. Well, you don't tell a Development Director all this information without the calculator starting to click. It made sense we should name the library after the Wallerstedts and go for the $470,000, two-thirds of the library cost estimate. Dr. Hahn felt the amount might be too much and we should go for $250,000. However, we convinced the president to go for the full proposal for the library and classroom building.
"Of course there needed to be a special gathering (cultivation in development) so that President Hahn and his wife Judie would at least know the Wallerstedts. Alvar and Forrest Wallerstedt were invited back for Homecoming in the fall of 1968 and the Hahns and the Wallerstedts were together briefly for this social occasion. Carl Nelson, a member of the Bethany College Board of Directors from Wichita, and President Hahn set up an appointment in January with the Wallerstedts at their winter home in Palm Beach, Florida. The proposal written for them carried a simple message of how their gift would be a turning point in the history of Bethany College. Dr. Hahn and Mr. Nelson were off to visit the Wallerstedts. During this social visit, the prepared library proposal was presented for $470,000 and Mr. Wallerstedt told the president that he was getting a little presumptuous. The visit went well and the next day was strictly social. Three weeks later, I happen to be in Dr. Hahn's office just before lunch. President Hahn said, 'I think I will call Alvar and see what the weather is like in Florida.' Mr. Wallerstedt said, 'Arvin, you're getting a little edgy, aren't you? Forrest and I have decided not to give you $470,000; we want to give you $500,000, but you must match this gift.' The Central State Senate of the Lutheran Church in America was a big part of matching the Wallerstedt challenge. You can imagine the exuberance we all felt about this great news. William Taylor, business manager, was immediately called into the president's office to hear the news. We made a pact between all of us: If the news leaked out we would lose our jobs. Obviously, we kept it a secret for several reasons.
"Remember, there was a $250,000 debt inherited from the previous administrations. President Hahn told the community that we have the biggest news ever to be announced at Bethany if we can eliminate this debt. So during a cold February, we had breakfast at 6:30 AM every morning for 10 days in the a AAL Dining Room of the Student Union. A small group of community individuals we're invited each morning. Jack Carlin, a member of the board from Lindsborg, headed each breakfast and no one left the breakfast without signing a pledge. After totaling the pledges from the breakfast and adding a grant from the Ludwig and Selma Nelson Trust, we met the goal of $250,000.
"A Town Hall meeting was scheduled to make the promised big announcement. It seemed the community was used to Town Hall meetings and this one was also held in Presser Hall Auditorium. President Hahn announced, to a very large crowd, the large debt had been eliminated! The next announcement was the $500,000 challenge gift from Alvar and Forrest Wallerstedt for the new library. The announcements took 15 minutes and everyone was invited to the Pihlblad Memorial Union for dessert where the celebration began. This event turned the college around from a negative to a positive feeling which had been absent for a very long time.
More changes were happening quickly. This was the plan for the coming year:
1. A new library and classroom facility will be built. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nels Carlson of Seattle, Washington, made a major pledge for this classroom facility.
2. Two older facilities will be moved to the Old Mill Park Historical Park, the Swedish Pavilion which housed the Art Department and the first classroom building on campus which currently served to house maintenance.
3. Old Main would be coming down.
4. Swensson Street would be closed through the campus. Dr. Hahn had asked the city to have this street closed because there were safety concerns for the students. Swensson ran right through the center of campus; the vacant street would be renamed the Miller-Stromquist Mall honoring the donation made by Mr. and Mrs. Carl Miller of Longmont, Colorado. The farmers were not happy, as it closed their direct route from the east to west part of town.
5. A new three-story residence hall was in the master plan. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Warner of Salina, Kansas, made a significant gift, which along with a government grant, made Warner Hall possible.
"I remember a very unusual call made on the J. M. McDonald Foundation in Hastings, Nebraska. Professor Ray Kahmeyer, Chairman of the Art Department, needed pottery wheels for the Ceramics Department . . . . The request was for $100,000 and she [Mary Mingenback] felt the board would go along with the request. Thus, the next big accomplishment, the Mingenback Arts Center would become a reality.
"October 18, 1970, was a 'Day of Dedication.' On this special day the college dedicated the Wallerstedt Library, Wallerstedt Social Science Center, Warner Residence Hall, and the Mingenback Arts Center. Major funds had been raised from the Mabee Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and several other individuals that covered the costs of all these facilities making them debt free.
"Things were moving so rapidly that we felt the need to hire a Director of Public Relations to relieve L. Stanley Talbott of the double duty in Public Relations and Alumni Affairs. I felt I knew the perfect person for this job. A. John Pearson was in similar work at Illinois College in Eureka, Illinois. I remembered John as a student at Bethany in his freshman and sophomore years. He owned a large camera and took great pictures. In August 1970, John and his wife Carol arrived on campus to take over Public Relations. Also, during this time frame, James Attleson of Denver, Colorado, active in the insurance field, joined our Public Affairs staff in Planned Giving.
"On October 2, 1972, Bethany announced an $11,055,000 nine-year Centennial Decade Development Program [CDDP] to culminate in 1981. Momentum was now in our favor and there was no time to rest. To assist in this effort, a President's Advisory Council made up of 30 distinguished business and professional leaders was appointed to facilitate this program. Mr. and Mrs. Alvar Wallerstedt, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, served as honorary Co-chairman. Mr. Ed Bittner, Vice Chairman of the Board of First National Bank in Kansas City, Missouri, was chairman of the Centennial Decade Development Program and Lester Woodward, attorney in Denver, became chairman of the Annual Funding. Robert Sunderland, Chairman of the Board of Ash Grove Cement Company, headed the Capital Funding. Russ B. Anderson, attorney in Emporia, Kansas, headed the Endowment Funding.
"The Bennett Center for Religion and Performing Arts was the next new building to be added to the campus thanks to a gift of $200,000 from Gene and Barbara Burnett of Lawrence, Kansas. Mr. Burnett started the Burnett Instrument Company, a manufacturer of medical products. It was at this time that Dr. Elmer Copley, Professor of Music and Choir Director, took the choir on a tour of the East Coast. The highlight of the tour was their concert in the Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, New York City.
"This Centennial Decade Development Program was now gaining strength. Each year on Founders' Day, a program was held with a presentation of the names of alumni and friends who had placed the college in their long-range plans. October 27, 1975, was a Founders' Day that was unlike any other. This day was the kickoff a Phase 2 of the Centennial Decade Development Program and on this day President Hahn announced that $1,128,000 in previously unannounced gifts, grants, and bequests had been received toward the $11,055,000 goal. The convocation was attended by students, faculty, townspeople and other Bethany well wishers, as well as members of the President's Advisory Council. The amount of $357,000 in gifts successfully completed Phase 1 of the CDDP. The remaining $771,000 provided a significant thrust for Phase 2 that began that day and continued for three years.
"Major gifts started to come in. The Johan E. Seleen Endowed Professorship in Religion, a $100,000 gift from Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Johnson of Marquette, Kansas. Another gift was the Billue-Burnett Distinguished Professorship in Music, given in part by Syvenna Billue of McPherson, and Barbara Burnett of Lawrence, Kansas, and associated with a challenge grant of $100,000 from the Julia J. Mingenback Foundation. Both the Julia J. Mingenback Foundation of McPherson, Kansas, and F. C. Thomson of Lindsborg, Kansas, each contributed $100,000 toward the Thomson-Mingenback organ in Presser Auditorium. Two other smaller grants completed the fundraising for this project. One more special gift was given by Herbert Johnson, Salina, Kansas, for a much-needed maintenance facility. The Herbert Johnson Maintenance Building replaced a gym that had been moved from the Smoky Hill Air Force Base and converted into a very inefficient maintenance building.
"It was in 1976 that the United States celebrated the Bicentennial Anniversary of our country's founding. The city of Lindsborg thought it appropriate to invite His Majesty King Carl Gustav XVI to visit our community and college. Because of all the Swedish Heritage in this valley and the college, the King accepted the invitation. Preparations for the King's visit took place months ahead of his arrival April 17, 1976. The Swedish King came to Lindsborg from Vail, Colorado, where he had been skiing. It was a very quick and rushed day in Lindsborg and at Bethany College because his plane landed behind schedule in Salina. Several thousands of people lined Lindsborg's Main Street as he was driven to the South Park. The town was full of security, in fact, several days earlier 'manholes' in the streets were sealed and the Missouri Pacific trains were asked to go through town at a much slower speed because of the crowds of people expected for this event. The King's first stop was the Swedish Pavilion located at the historical park and near the Old Mill. This event drew a very large audience as the King rededicated the Pavilion which was at the 1904 World's Fair in Saint Louis, and later given to Bethany College by Sweden. It was shipped in three sections to Lindsborg and placed at its first home on the Bethany Campus. From the Swedish Pavilion, the King was whisked to Presser Hall where the Oratorio Society chorus performed a small portion of Handel's Messiah. The King received gifts from the community, college, State of Kansas, and the Bethany students. The students presented him with a Terrible Swede sweatshirt. Security was right beside the King at all times along with the ambassador of Sweden to the United States, H. E. Count Wachtmeister. Before leaving, there was a smorgasbord in the Pihlblad Memorial Union with special guests. Seated with the King was the Kansas Governor and Mrs. Bennett. It was a short, fast, and important visit for the community and Bethany College.
"In 1977 Greg Lundstrom, a new graduate of Bethany College, was added to the Public Affairs staff as Associate Director of Annual Funding. Also, Mr. Harry Ylander, 1950 Bethany College graduate, was appointed as Chief Financial Officer for the school. William Taylor, who had been Business Manager since 1952, continued with the same title, having supervision over purchasing, secretarial employment, food service, campus bookstore, buildings and grounds.
"Founders Day 1977 marked the completion of Phase II of the CDDP and centered around a dedication recital for the new Thompson-Mingenback Organ. It was at this time President Hahn announced an anonymous gift of $1 million for the endowment fund. Oscar D. Nelson, Kansas City, established a $100,000 Professorship in Business and Elmer F. Pierson, Kansas City, established $100,000 Professorship in Music. The number of endowment professorships now numbered five.
"More building was to take place. An addition to the Ray D. Hahn Physical Education building was provided for and named after Syvenna Billue, McPherson, Kansas, who had made the largest gift, thus making new dressing rooms, a classroom, and weight room possible. This addition would soon have an attachment, a facility called the Stroble-Gibson Gymnasium. Also, the Miller Offices for Student Affairs, in the Pihlblad Memorial Union, were provided by Mr. and Mrs. Claire Miller, McPherson, Kansas.
"On October 27, 1977, Phase 3 of this nine year Centennial Decade Development Plan was kicked off in Presser Hall Auditorium, with the goal of $4,015,000. Dr. Hahn announced to the convocation, including the President's Advisory Council and recent donors, that the individual goals inside this total need was $ 1,815,000 for the academic program, $200,000 for faculty development, and $2,000,000 for endowment needs. Leadership for this final phase included Jack Carlin, Lindsborg, Chairman of Area Gifts Committee; Chet Lemon, Dallas, Texas, Chairman of Major Gifts Committee; and Ronald Philgreen, Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Chairman of Deferred Gifts Committee.
"Another milestone important to the college was reached at this time as well. This year, 1977, marked the fourth consecutive year that the budget for the college had been reached! Closing out 1977, Mrs. Grace Gregory, Lyons, Kansas, agreed to a major gift toward construction of a much needed new residence hall. Gregory Hall was funded with several other private gifts along with government funding. As Lane Hart Hall, the oldest resident hall on campus, built in 1883 was closed in the spring of 1978 (taken down 1983), it was with the comforting knowledge that a new hall, Gregory, would be built the same year.
"A good start to the 1979-1980 academic year was the announcement of a $100,000 Milfred Riddle McKeown Professorship in Science and the John Paul and Helen Louise Rohm Distinguished Professorship in Sociology and Social Service. It was at this time that the previously mentioned Stroble-Gibson Campus Center, which was attached to the side of the Syvenna Billue addition of the Ray D. Hahn Physical Education Building was completed. Funding for this addition came from two Lindsborg families, Mr. and Mrs. George Gibson and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Stroble. The Levins, another Lindsborg family, funded the Levin Dining Room in the Pihlblad Memorial Union.
"Another highlight for Bethany College's Centennial was the live television broadcast of Handel's Messiah direct from Presser Hall Auditorium. This Easter presentation was seen by a national television audience from coast to coast. This was the first-time viewers throughout the nation had a chance to tune in on the sights and sounds of the Bethany College Oratorio Society. The 3 p.m. April 19th performance was telecast live by KPTS, Channel 8-Wichita, and beamed via satellite to other PBS stations around the country. Production cost were $75,000 and underwritten by F. C. Thomson of Lindsborg, the Dane Hansen Foundation of Logan, Kansas, the Hess Foundation of McPherson, Kansas and $15,000 from alumni and friends of Bethany. The three-hour live broadcast included a brief mini documentary about Lindsborg, Bethany College and the Messiah Festival. Several million viewers saw and heard Bethany's presentation in every state of the union and Puerto Rico. The Iowa Public Television programmer refused this airing and received many phone calls from alumni and friends. Professor Elmer Copley, who had been at the college since 1960, directed the Messiah. The production team of Terry Lickona and Allen Muir, producer and director of the PBS series, "Austin City Limits," were in charge of the arrangements for this project. Jim Lehrer of "the MacNeil/Lehrer Report," a nightly PBS show, was the on-camera host. Lehrer, a Kansas native, attended the festival in 1943 as a member of the Wichita Boys' Choir.
"The final kick off dinner of the Centennial Decade Development Program was held on April 20th and 21st to raise the final $2,500,000 and complete the nine-year program. At the kickoff President Hahn announced seven gifts totaling $550,500 including $200,000 from the Mabee Foundation of Tulsa, Oklahoma, $100,000 in pledges from the student body, $100,000 from the Ludvig and Selma Nelson Trust of McPherson, $25,000 from the faculty, and $25,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Carl Oakleaf of Lindsborg. The students' gift was pledge overwhelmingly for the Stroble-Gibson Center over a 10-year period from their activity funds.
"This year, 1980, Bethany received a pledge of $250,000 to endow the Johnson Lectureship series. The Central States Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dean Johnson each pledged $125,000. The 124 churches in the Synod voted unanimously for the lectureship funding. Both Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dean Johnson (Lucy Peterson) attended Bethany and graduated in 1944. Following graduation from Bethany, Charles went on to earn a law degree.
"The CDDP had now come to a close with $15,026,000 raised bypassing the original goal of $11,055,000 over a nine-year period. Bethany College was 100 years old (1881-1981) and it was time to celebrate! A Birthday Party for the college took place in the Stroble-Gibson Centennial Center with 500 alumni, friends, educators, government officials, the college faculty and the CDDP leadership team, all together thankful for the job well done. Four of the five living Bethany presidents were special guests at our celebration. In attendance was Dr. Emory Lindquist, Dr. Robert Mortvedt, Dr. L. Dale Lund, and Dr. Arvin Hahn. Regrets were received from Dr. G. Kenneth Andeen. The Birthday Party lasted for 12 months with featured speakers.
"On September 15, 1982, Dr. Arvin Hahn submitted his resignation as President of Bethany College, to be effective August 1, 1983. Dr. Cloy Miene, Chairman of the Bethany Board of Directors, stated, 'Dr. Hahn has served this college with unusual ability for the past 16 years.' Dr. Hahn felt his resignation was a natural breaking point following the completion of the college centennial."
"As the eighth president, Dr. Hahn soon won respect both on the campus and in the larger community for his ability, vision, and dedication to Christian Higher Education.
"Dr. Albert Zimmer, acting President and Academic Dean, had now resigned to become Academic Dean of Thiel College returning to Pennsylvania. Dr. Lloyd Forrester, of Concordia College and a close friend of President Hahn, came to Bethany to become Academic Dean. In a very short time, President Hahn began to assign priorities for the academic program and campus facilities. His determination as the new president was to fulfill the items left from the 1966 study by the division of higher education of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) under the Dr. Andeen presidency. Dr. Hahn put together an administrative team who worked well together. Student enrollment and fundraising were now on the increase.
"My position was now Director of Development and this left a void in the Public Relations and the Alumni Program. L. Stanley Talbott, a member of the Bethany Alumni Council and a 1946 graduate, always said, 'If you ever need any help, please call me.' He lived in Russell, Kansas, where he was the band director of Russell High School. I called Stan just as he was ready to accept the band director position at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. 'Stan, remember when you said call you when you needed help?' I said, 'Stan, we need you to become our Director of Public Relations and Alumni Programs.' There was a silence, and he said, 'I'll let you know tomorrow.' He did let us know, and accepted the position. He instantly became known as "Mr. Bethany" to all the alumni for many years. I continued, 'Also, Stan, would your wife Pauline have an interest in becoming Dean of Women?' Pauline (Pennington), a 1942 graduate of Bethany became our Dean of Women and these two outstanding alums served their alma mater and the Lindsborg community for nearly two decades. This all happened in 1967. By now, Dean Forrester had set up faculty committees to enhance the academic program.
"Dr. Emory Lindquist, in his Bethany in Kansas, pointed out that the Hahn era was 'a miracle in the making.' Pres. Hahn hired Shaffer Architects of Salina, Kansas, to draw up plans for a library, classroom building and resident hall. The library and classroom building were to encircle a walkway to be known as 'the million-dollar circle.' The other facility in this plan was a two-story resident hall.
"Everything was happening very quickly. Old Main, built in 1886, neglected over the years, and in bad condition, could not feasibly be renovated. This building stood five stories tall and was once the tallest building between Kansas City and Denver; now it was scheduled to come down. Of course many of the older alumni who slept, attended Chapel, ate their meals, and attended classes in Old Main were somewhat upset. Ironically, Old Main was much harder to demolish than the team running the one ton wrecking ball had anticipated! The new library plans were now completed at an estimated cost of $700,000 with one-third of the funds coming from a federal government grant. There was now a need for an additional $470,000 from a private source.
"Mr. Alvar Wallerstedt, a 1916 graduate of the Bethany College Commercial Department, became a high ranking accountant in private industry. He was associated with a prominent legal firm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He later became a director of North American Rockwell Corporation along with other directorships in several other corporations. He seemed to be a prospect for the new library in spite of the fact he had told our office that he would make his $500 gift each year and there was no need to come and see him for an additional gift. Mr. Wallerstedt had a good friend in Lindsborg, Mr. Joe Levine. He too was a Bethany College Commercial graduate and classmate of Mr. Wallerstedt. I went to see Mr. Levine and asked, 'If we were to go to Mr. Wallerstedt for a gift, how much do you think he might consider giving?' I was told he was on many corporate boards and owned thousands of shares in the stock market. 'I think he should give at least $15,000,' said Mr. Levine. Well, you don't tell a Development Director all this information without the calculator starting to click. It made sense we should name the library after the Wallerstedts and go for the $470,000, two-thirds of the library cost estimate. Dr. Hahn felt the amount might be too much and we should go for $250,000. However, we convinced the president to go for the full proposal for the library and classroom building.
"Of course there needed to be a special gathering (cultivation in development) so that President Hahn and his wife Judie would at least know the Wallerstedts. Alvar and Forrest Wallerstedt were invited back for Homecoming in the fall of 1968 and the Hahns and the Wallerstedts were together briefly for this social occasion. Carl Nelson, a member of the Bethany College Board of Directors from Wichita, and President Hahn set up an appointment in January with the Wallerstedts at their winter home in Palm Beach, Florida. The proposal written for them carried a simple message of how their gift would be a turning point in the history of Bethany College. Dr. Hahn and Mr. Nelson were off to visit the Wallerstedts. During this social visit, the prepared library proposal was presented for $470,000 and Mr. Wallerstedt told the president that he was getting a little presumptuous. The visit went well and the next day was strictly social. Three weeks later, I happen to be in Dr. Hahn's office just before lunch. President Hahn said, 'I think I will call Alvar and see what the weather is like in Florida.' Mr. Wallerstedt said, 'Arvin, you're getting a little edgy, aren't you? Forrest and I have decided not to give you $470,000; we want to give you $500,000, but you must match this gift.' The Central State Senate of the Lutheran Church in America was a big part of matching the Wallerstedt challenge. You can imagine the exuberance we all felt about this great news. William Taylor, business manager, was immediately called into the president's office to hear the news. We made a pact between all of us: If the news leaked out we would lose our jobs. Obviously, we kept it a secret for several reasons.
"Remember, there was a $250,000 debt inherited from the previous administrations. President Hahn told the community that we have the biggest news ever to be announced at Bethany if we can eliminate this debt. So during a cold February, we had breakfast at 6:30 AM every morning for 10 days in the a AAL Dining Room of the Student Union. A small group of community individuals we're invited each morning. Jack Carlin, a member of the board from Lindsborg, headed each breakfast and no one left the breakfast without signing a pledge. After totaling the pledges from the breakfast and adding a grant from the Ludwig and Selma Nelson Trust, we met the goal of $250,000.
"A Town Hall meeting was scheduled to make the promised big announcement. It seemed the community was used to Town Hall meetings and this one was also held in Presser Hall Auditorium. President Hahn announced, to a very large crowd, the large debt had been eliminated! The next announcement was the $500,000 challenge gift from Alvar and Forrest Wallerstedt for the new library. The announcements took 15 minutes and everyone was invited to the Pihlblad Memorial Union for dessert where the celebration began. This event turned the college around from a negative to a positive feeling which had been absent for a very long time.
More changes were happening quickly. This was the plan for the coming year:
1. A new library and classroom facility will be built. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nels Carlson of Seattle, Washington, made a major pledge for this classroom facility.
2. Two older facilities will be moved to the Old Mill Park Historical Park, the Swedish Pavilion which housed the Art Department and the first classroom building on campus which currently served to house maintenance.
3. Old Main would be coming down.
4. Swensson Street would be closed through the campus. Dr. Hahn had asked the city to have this street closed because there were safety concerns for the students. Swensson ran right through the center of campus; the vacant street would be renamed the Miller-Stromquist Mall honoring the donation made by Mr. and Mrs. Carl Miller of Longmont, Colorado. The farmers were not happy, as it closed their direct route from the east to west part of town.
5. A new three-story residence hall was in the master plan. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Warner of Salina, Kansas, made a significant gift, which along with a government grant, made Warner Hall possible.
"I remember a very unusual call made on the J. M. McDonald Foundation in Hastings, Nebraska. Professor Ray Kahmeyer, Chairman of the Art Department, needed pottery wheels for the Ceramics Department . . . . The request was for $100,000 and she [Mary Mingenback] felt the board would go along with the request. Thus, the next big accomplishment, the Mingenback Arts Center would become a reality.
"October 18, 1970, was a 'Day of Dedication.' On this special day the college dedicated the Wallerstedt Library, Wallerstedt Social Science Center, Warner Residence Hall, and the Mingenback Arts Center. Major funds had been raised from the Mabee Foundation, Kresge Foundation, and several other individuals that covered the costs of all these facilities making them debt free.
"Things were moving so rapidly that we felt the need to hire a Director of Public Relations to relieve L. Stanley Talbott of the double duty in Public Relations and Alumni Affairs. I felt I knew the perfect person for this job. A. John Pearson was in similar work at Illinois College in Eureka, Illinois. I remembered John as a student at Bethany in his freshman and sophomore years. He owned a large camera and took great pictures. In August 1970, John and his wife Carol arrived on campus to take over Public Relations. Also, during this time frame, James Attleson of Denver, Colorado, active in the insurance field, joined our Public Affairs staff in Planned Giving.
"On October 2, 1972, Bethany announced an $11,055,000 nine-year Centennial Decade Development Program [CDDP] to culminate in 1981. Momentum was now in our favor and there was no time to rest. To assist in this effort, a President's Advisory Council made up of 30 distinguished business and professional leaders was appointed to facilitate this program. Mr. and Mrs. Alvar Wallerstedt, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, served as honorary Co-chairman. Mr. Ed Bittner, Vice Chairman of the Board of First National Bank in Kansas City, Missouri, was chairman of the Centennial Decade Development Program and Lester Woodward, attorney in Denver, became chairman of the Annual Funding. Robert Sunderland, Chairman of the Board of Ash Grove Cement Company, headed the Capital Funding. Russ B. Anderson, attorney in Emporia, Kansas, headed the Endowment Funding.
"The Bennett Center for Religion and Performing Arts was the next new building to be added to the campus thanks to a gift of $200,000 from Gene and Barbara Burnett of Lawrence, Kansas. Mr. Burnett started the Burnett Instrument Company, a manufacturer of medical products. It was at this time that Dr. Elmer Copley, Professor of Music and Choir Director, took the choir on a tour of the East Coast. The highlight of the tour was their concert in the Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, New York City.
"This Centennial Decade Development Program was now gaining strength. Each year on Founders' Day, a program was held with a presentation of the names of alumni and friends who had placed the college in their long-range plans. October 27, 1975, was a Founders' Day that was unlike any other. This day was the kickoff a Phase 2 of the Centennial Decade Development Program and on this day President Hahn announced that $1,128,000 in previously unannounced gifts, grants, and bequests had been received toward the $11,055,000 goal. The convocation was attended by students, faculty, townspeople and other Bethany well wishers, as well as members of the President's Advisory Council. The amount of $357,000 in gifts successfully completed Phase 1 of the CDDP. The remaining $771,000 provided a significant thrust for Phase 2 that began that day and continued for three years.
"Major gifts started to come in. The Johan E. Seleen Endowed Professorship in Religion, a $100,000 gift from Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Johnson of Marquette, Kansas. Another gift was the Billue-Burnett Distinguished Professorship in Music, given in part by Syvenna Billue of McPherson, and Barbara Burnett of Lawrence, Kansas, and associated with a challenge grant of $100,000 from the Julia J. Mingenback Foundation. Both the Julia J. Mingenback Foundation of McPherson, Kansas, and F. C. Thomson of Lindsborg, Kansas, each contributed $100,000 toward the Thomson-Mingenback organ in Presser Auditorium. Two other smaller grants completed the fundraising for this project. One more special gift was given by Herbert Johnson, Salina, Kansas, for a much-needed maintenance facility. The Herbert Johnson Maintenance Building replaced a gym that had been moved from the Smoky Hill Air Force Base and converted into a very inefficient maintenance building.
"It was in 1976 that the United States celebrated the Bicentennial Anniversary of our country's founding. The city of Lindsborg thought it appropriate to invite His Majesty King Carl Gustav XVI to visit our community and college. Because of all the Swedish Heritage in this valley and the college, the King accepted the invitation. Preparations for the King's visit took place months ahead of his arrival April 17, 1976. The Swedish King came to Lindsborg from Vail, Colorado, where he had been skiing. It was a very quick and rushed day in Lindsborg and at Bethany College because his plane landed behind schedule in Salina. Several thousands of people lined Lindsborg's Main Street as he was driven to the South Park. The town was full of security, in fact, several days earlier 'manholes' in the streets were sealed and the Missouri Pacific trains were asked to go through town at a much slower speed because of the crowds of people expected for this event. The King's first stop was the Swedish Pavilion located at the historical park and near the Old Mill. This event drew a very large audience as the King rededicated the Pavilion which was at the 1904 World's Fair in Saint Louis, and later given to Bethany College by Sweden. It was shipped in three sections to Lindsborg and placed at its first home on the Bethany Campus. From the Swedish Pavilion, the King was whisked to Presser Hall where the Oratorio Society chorus performed a small portion of Handel's Messiah. The King received gifts from the community, college, State of Kansas, and the Bethany students. The students presented him with a Terrible Swede sweatshirt. Security was right beside the King at all times along with the ambassador of Sweden to the United States, H. E. Count Wachtmeister. Before leaving, there was a smorgasbord in the Pihlblad Memorial Union with special guests. Seated with the King was the Kansas Governor and Mrs. Bennett. It was a short, fast, and important visit for the community and Bethany College.
"In 1977 Greg Lundstrom, a new graduate of Bethany College, was added to the Public Affairs staff as Associate Director of Annual Funding. Also, Mr. Harry Ylander, 1950 Bethany College graduate, was appointed as Chief Financial Officer for the school. William Taylor, who had been Business Manager since 1952, continued with the same title, having supervision over purchasing, secretarial employment, food service, campus bookstore, buildings and grounds.
"Founders Day 1977 marked the completion of Phase II of the CDDP and centered around a dedication recital for the new Thompson-Mingenback Organ. It was at this time President Hahn announced an anonymous gift of $1 million for the endowment fund. Oscar D. Nelson, Kansas City, established a $100,000 Professorship in Business and Elmer F. Pierson, Kansas City, established $100,000 Professorship in Music. The number of endowment professorships now numbered five.
"More building was to take place. An addition to the Ray D. Hahn Physical Education building was provided for and named after Syvenna Billue, McPherson, Kansas, who had made the largest gift, thus making new dressing rooms, a classroom, and weight room possible. This addition would soon have an attachment, a facility called the Stroble-Gibson Gymnasium. Also, the Miller Offices for Student Affairs, in the Pihlblad Memorial Union, were provided by Mr. and Mrs. Claire Miller, McPherson, Kansas.
"On October 27, 1977, Phase 3 of this nine year Centennial Decade Development Plan was kicked off in Presser Hall Auditorium, with the goal of $4,015,000. Dr. Hahn announced to the convocation, including the President's Advisory Council and recent donors, that the individual goals inside this total need was $ 1,815,000 for the academic program, $200,000 for faculty development, and $2,000,000 for endowment needs. Leadership for this final phase included Jack Carlin, Lindsborg, Chairman of Area Gifts Committee; Chet Lemon, Dallas, Texas, Chairman of Major Gifts Committee; and Ronald Philgreen, Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Chairman of Deferred Gifts Committee.
"Another milestone important to the college was reached at this time as well. This year, 1977, marked the fourth consecutive year that the budget for the college had been reached! Closing out 1977, Mrs. Grace Gregory, Lyons, Kansas, agreed to a major gift toward construction of a much needed new residence hall. Gregory Hall was funded with several other private gifts along with government funding. As Lane Hart Hall, the oldest resident hall on campus, built in 1883 was closed in the spring of 1978 (taken down 1983), it was with the comforting knowledge that a new hall, Gregory, would be built the same year.
"A good start to the 1979-1980 academic year was the announcement of a $100,000 Milfred Riddle McKeown Professorship in Science and the John Paul and Helen Louise Rohm Distinguished Professorship in Sociology and Social Service. It was at this time that the previously mentioned Stroble-Gibson Campus Center, which was attached to the side of the Syvenna Billue addition of the Ray D. Hahn Physical Education Building was completed. Funding for this addition came from two Lindsborg families, Mr. and Mrs. George Gibson and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Stroble. The Levins, another Lindsborg family, funded the Levin Dining Room in the Pihlblad Memorial Union.
"Another highlight for Bethany College's Centennial was the live television broadcast of Handel's Messiah direct from Presser Hall Auditorium. This Easter presentation was seen by a national television audience from coast to coast. This was the first-time viewers throughout the nation had a chance to tune in on the sights and sounds of the Bethany College Oratorio Society. The 3 p.m. April 19th performance was telecast live by KPTS, Channel 8-Wichita, and beamed via satellite to other PBS stations around the country. Production cost were $75,000 and underwritten by F. C. Thomson of Lindsborg, the Dane Hansen Foundation of Logan, Kansas, the Hess Foundation of McPherson, Kansas and $15,000 from alumni and friends of Bethany. The three-hour live broadcast included a brief mini documentary about Lindsborg, Bethany College and the Messiah Festival. Several million viewers saw and heard Bethany's presentation in every state of the union and Puerto Rico. The Iowa Public Television programmer refused this airing and received many phone calls from alumni and friends. Professor Elmer Copley, who had been at the college since 1960, directed the Messiah. The production team of Terry Lickona and Allen Muir, producer and director of the PBS series, "Austin City Limits," were in charge of the arrangements for this project. Jim Lehrer of "the MacNeil/Lehrer Report," a nightly PBS show, was the on-camera host. Lehrer, a Kansas native, attended the festival in 1943 as a member of the Wichita Boys' Choir.
"The final kick off dinner of the Centennial Decade Development Program was held on April 20th and 21st to raise the final $2,500,000 and complete the nine-year program. At the kickoff President Hahn announced seven gifts totaling $550,500 including $200,000 from the Mabee Foundation of Tulsa, Oklahoma, $100,000 in pledges from the student body, $100,000 from the Ludvig and Selma Nelson Trust of McPherson, $25,000 from the faculty, and $25,000 from Mr. and Mrs. Carl Oakleaf of Lindsborg. The students' gift was pledge overwhelmingly for the Stroble-Gibson Center over a 10-year period from their activity funds.
"This year, 1980, Bethany received a pledge of $250,000 to endow the Johnson Lectureship series. The Central States Synod of the Lutheran Church in America, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dean Johnson each pledged $125,000. The 124 churches in the Synod voted unanimously for the lectureship funding. Both Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dean Johnson (Lucy Peterson) attended Bethany and graduated in 1944. Following graduation from Bethany, Charles went on to earn a law degree.
"The CDDP had now come to a close with $15,026,000 raised bypassing the original goal of $11,055,000 over a nine-year period. Bethany College was 100 years old (1881-1981) and it was time to celebrate! A Birthday Party for the college took place in the Stroble-Gibson Centennial Center with 500 alumni, friends, educators, government officials, the college faculty and the CDDP leadership team, all together thankful for the job well done. Four of the five living Bethany presidents were special guests at our celebration. In attendance was Dr. Emory Lindquist, Dr. Robert Mortvedt, Dr. L. Dale Lund, and Dr. Arvin Hahn. Regrets were received from Dr. G. Kenneth Andeen. The Birthday Party lasted for 12 months with featured speakers.
"On September 15, 1982, Dr. Arvin Hahn submitted his resignation as President of Bethany College, to be effective August 1, 1983. Dr. Cloy Miene, Chairman of the Bethany Board of Directors, stated, 'Dr. Hahn has served this college with unusual ability for the past 16 years.' Dr. Hahn felt his resignation was a natural breaking point following the completion of the college centennial."
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Found on page 32 is this image in black and white with Mr. Sjogren words as follows:
Found on page 32 is this image in black and white with Mr. Sjogren words as follows:
The "Bethany College Magazine" cover, Fall 1981 -- "BEGINNING A SECOND CENTURY." Photograph by Jim Turner.
"Four of the five living presidents of Bethany College were special guests at the Centennial Celebration. Pictured above left to right are Dr. Arvin Hahn, Dr. L. Dale Lund, Dr. Robert Mortvedt, and Dr. Emory Lindquist. Regrets were received from Dr. G. Kenneth Andeen. The 100th Bethany Birthday took place over 12 months with featured speakers."
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May Bethany College meet her 150th Founding Year in 2031
as well as she did for the
1981 "Centennial Founding Celebration!"
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May Bethany College meet her 150th Founding Year in 2031
as well as she did for the
1981 "Centennial Founding Celebration!"
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For 6 Decades with 12 Bethany College Presidents ~ Illustrations and Chapters, go HERE.
For Dr. Arvin W. Hahn ~ Remembering him, Ken Sjogren and others for saving Bethany College from going under!
-- "A Miracle in the Making," go HERE.
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* These shared selections of 6 Decades with Twelve Bethany College Presidents have been shown to Mrs. Kenneth (Marilyn) Sjogren for approval as of 9-26-22.
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* These shared selections of 6 Decades with Twelve Bethany College Presidents have been shown to Mrs. Kenneth (Marilyn) Sjogren for approval as of 9-26-22.
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* * *
"Let Us Remember Them"
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Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
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