"Graduates must finish three years of Latin, two years of
Greek, or German, one year of History, two years of English, and two years of
Mathematics before graduation. Students must finish one year of Latin before
taking up Greek."
ow would
you like a class schedule like this? Some of us would never graduate! But this
was what students studying in Kansas Holiness College in 1906 had to accomplish.
Tuition costs at that time lay at $10.50 for the fall term (14 weeks), $9.00 for
the winter term (12 weeks), and $6.00 for the spring term (8 weeks), which
amounts to $0.75 per week. Piano or Organ lessons cost $0.50 per lesson, Vocal
Music the incredible price of $0.25 per lesson.
resee College was started in October 1905 as Kansas Holiness Bible
College in Hutchinson, Kansas, by Mrs. Mattie Hoke. She became the first
president of the college and stayed so for at least ten years. The institution
was first opened as a Bible school. Later, the four year academy was added, then
the department of Fine Arts and finally the Junior College.
Holiness Church and
School |
The first building was a private dwelling house, but
by 1935 the college had moved to a modern brick structure situated in a choice
location in the city of Hutchinson.
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|
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Bresee College Administration Building |
Girls Dormitory |
By 1914/15 there was a school building of 50 rooms, that
accomodated 74 students. Of 13 faculty members there were only 5 male ones.
look into
the catalogue of 1914/15 gives interesting insights into college life at that
time and regulations that would probably lead a lot of us today to the decision
rather not to study at all.
The general goal of the college could be summarized in these
words: "Send us your young people (...) and instead of sending them back to
you unbelievers, baseball fans, foot ball brutes, and useless dudes, we will do
our best to send them back with a thorough education; a good experience of
salvation; manly men and womanly women, cultivated, educated, saved and
sanctified; humble, sweet and useful; (...)"
hat is now nicely called "Student Conduct", went under the very
fitting name "discipline" 80 years ago. These regulations included no visitors -
and no phone calls, neither in nor out - unless an emergency arises, strict
study rules ("Students are expected to give their time wholly to their
studies"), absolute punctuality, cleanliness (there was a daily inspection,
whether beds were made, etc.), never leaving the grounds without permission, and
no lunching between meals. There was a clear understanding in case the rules
were not followed: "Anyone not willing to confirm to them is not
wanted."
The university dress code plainly said: "Worldly dress is not
allowed".
The passing grade at that time was 75 per cent. Anyone over 95 per
cent was excused from the final exams.
According to its catalogue, Kansas Holiness College was one of the
most inexpensive colleges around. A full year in college course cost $35.00 for
tuition, the price for room and board was $92.50.
The curriculum included various courses about the Bible, English,
History, Latin (6 courses), Greek, German, Spanish, and French, Mathematics, and
a few Science classes.
he annual of Bresee College, "The Comet", in the year of 1935 shows
the development of the college in numbers, capacity, student life,
etc.
The yearbook started with a brief history of the college. Then it
continued with pictures of all the staff and the student body, which, in
comparison to 1915, seemed not to have grown very much.
A considerable
difference could be found in student life on campus. In 1915 there were
practically no groups, clubs, or anything of the sort. A Literary Society is
mentioned, an orchestra, and a band. In 1935 you could join two Literary
Societies, the Christian Workers Association, various drama and entertainment
clubs, and several music groups. There existed a Young Mens Athletic
Association, which offered Basketball, Tennis, and Track.
But not only in
this area did student life apparently change. The whole annual was full of
snapshots, jokes, and other kind of humor. The last four pages were completely
filled with advertisement. Obviously, the sincerity and strictness that could be
observed in 1915 had lost - or improved - considerably.
n 1940
Bresee College fell into difficult times and merged with Bethany-Peniel College
in Bethany, Oklahoma, being the fifth and last college that merged here to
eventually form Southern Nazarene University.
Dorli
Gschwandtner