Bethany College (Kansas)
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Bethany College is a
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Christian college in
Lindsborg, Kansas Lindsborg is a city in McPherson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 3,776. Lindsborg is known for its large Swedes, Swedish, other Nordic and Scandinavian Americans, Nordic and Sc ...
, United States. It was founded in 1881, making it one of the oldest colleges in Kansas.


History

Bethany College, established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881, is a college of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. As of December 31, 2023, it ...
(ELCA). Swedish-Lutheran settlers worked with the Rev. Carl Aaron Swensson, pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church, to establish "Bethany Academy" on October 15, 1881, in the
sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christianity, Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is us ...
of the church in Lindsborg, Kansas, with ten students. The first building erected contained classrooms and a dormitory for men. A separate dormitory for women was built next. J. A. Udden was the first teacher. In 1882, the Smoky Valley district of the Kansas conference of the Augustana Synod took responsibility for the college; a board of directors was appointed and a state charter was received. In 1883, a large dormitory for men was constructed, and in 1885, a main hall with classrooms, a chapel museum, and library and science departments opened. The Kansas conference itself took responsibility for the school in the spring of 1885 and the name was changed to "Bethany College and Normal Institute". By 1889, its present name, Bethany College, had been assumed and it had been granted permission to award academic degrees. Notable Bethany presidents in the 20th century include Ernst Frederick Wilhelm Pihlblad, who was a professor from 1895 to 1904 and president from 1905 to 1941. Under Pihlblad, Bethany was accredited and became a member of the
National Association of Schools of Music The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is an association of post-secondary music schools in the United States and the principal U.S. accreditor for higher education in music. It was founded on October 20, 1924, and is based in Resto ...
. Under Emory K. Lindquist, who took office of president in 1943, Bethany survived war troubles, grew in post-war America, and improved its reputation. He was the author of ''Bethany in Kansas: The History of a College'' (1975). The Bethany College Board of Directors announced the appointment of Elizabeth Mauch as Bethany College President in 2020.


Academics

Bethany College has 14 academic departments. The school offers majors focused in education, humanities, fine arts, sciences, and social sciences; minors ranging from business and sacred music to theater and art; teaching endorsements for all majors in education; and six pre-professional studies including medicine, law and, physical therapy.


Traditions

* Since 1903, students and alumni have rallied Bethany athletic competition with the "Rockar! Stockar!" cheer. * Every year since 1882, Bethany Oratorio Society has presented Handel's
Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...
at the college, one of the longest-running annual performances in North America. * The walk from Bethany Lutheran Church. In honor of its founding in the sacristy of Bethany Lutheran Church, students traditionally walk to the church for a welcome service on their first day at Bethany as freshmen. Then, before the baccalaureate services on the day of their commencement, Bethany seniors line up in front of Bethany Lutheran Church for a traditional procession to Presser Hall on campus. * The ringing of the bell. When a Swedes athletics team wins conference, they gather in front of Hahn Gymnasium to ring the bell and spread the news to the rest of the campus, regardless of what time of day—or night—it may be. * Lift High the Cross. Each year during Homecoming week, Bethany students celebrate the college’s heritage of faith by lifting high a wooden cross in the gazebo. Students sign up for shifts so that the cross is held high during every hour of the week. * The number of feet out that the fence is for a home run in Anderson Stadium is 352, and it is also the place all Swedes baseball fans gather to cheer.


Athletics

200px, Bethany athletics wordmark The Bethany athletic teams are called the Swedes (or Terrible Swedes). The college is a member of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...
(NAIA), primarily competing in the
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The KCAC is the oldest conference in the NAIA and the second-oldest in the United St ...
(KCAC) since the 1902–03 academic year. Bethany competes in 22 intercollegiate varsity sports: men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include eSports.


Notable alumni and faculty

* Randy W. Berry,
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* John Frykman, Lutheran minister and
psychotherapist Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of Psychology, psychological methods, particularly when based on regular Conversation, personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase hap ...
* Oscar Jacobson, B.A., Ph.D., painter and director of the
University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...
School of Art, now known as the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art * Harrison Keller, violinist and professor * Ted Kessinger, football coach and
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
inductee * Emory Lindquist, 1930
Rhodes Scholar The Rhodes Scholarship is an international Postgraduate education, postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford in Oxford, United Kingdom. The scholarship is open to people from all backgrounds around the world. Esta ...
, Swedish-American historian, President of Bethany College, President of
Wichita State University Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
* Carl Lotave, art instructor and portraitist * Bruce Montgomery, composer, performer, painter, conductor, director * Wade Moore, baseball manager and college football coach *
Bennie Owen Benjamin Gilbert Owen (July 24, 1875 – February 26, 1970) was an American college football player and coach of college football, college basketball, and college baseball. He served as the head football coach at Washburn College—now known Was ...
, football coach and
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
inductee * John Pfeiffer, classical music producer *
Norman Reedus Norman Mark Reedus (born January 6, 1970) is an American actor. He made his acting debut in the 1990s, starring in the role of Murphy MacManus in ', followed by supporting roles in successful box office films ''8MM,'' '' Blade II'', and ''Amer ...
, actor (attended a semester) * Birger Sandzen, artist, art professor at Bethany College * Carl Aaron Swensson, Lutheran minister and President of Bethany College * Norma Wendelburg, composer * Evelyn Wilson, Justice of the
Kansas Supreme Court The Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Marla Luckert, the court supervises the legal profession, administers the judicial branch, and serves as t ...


References


External links

*
Athletics website
{{Authority control 1881 establishments in Kansas Buildings and structures in McPherson County, Kansas Education in McPherson County, Kansas Universities and colleges established in 1881 Private universities and colleges in Kansas Swedish-American culture in Kansas Tourist attractions in McPherson County, Kansas