A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

ng resolution: "That we receive free-will offerings in all of our churches to raise the $400.00 (per year) salary of the teacher J. F. Duerksen, instructing and in charge of the German department at McPherson College." 34 Under the arrangement Duerksen served as spiritual counselor to Mennonite Brethren students and the conference supported and supervised the department. During the seven years (1898-1905) that the Mennonite Brethren were officially associated with McPherson College, there was a steady increase in enrollment. In all, 249 students from the M.B. constituency attended the college during that period. The future educational leadership of the M.B. and K.M.B. conferences received its stimulation under this provisional agreement with McPherson College. Difficulty in raising the annual budget (which had been increased to $525.00 per year) was a major factor in terminating the relationship with this school in 1905." The Founding of Tabor After 1905 the school question remained dormant for about two years. Several former students of McPherson College, however, were beginning to dream about a conference school. Prominent among these were H.W. Lohrenz and P. C. Hiebert. In September, 1907, while Lohrenz was a senior at McPherson College, he invited J. K. Hiebert, minister of the Ebenfeld M.B. Church (near Hillsboro) for a consultation. 3 " There these two friends of higher education took the initiative in the preparation of plans for the founding of a college. They must be credited with bringing the first Mennonite Brethren college into being. 270 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH J. K. Hiebert helped Lohrenz to promote the plan and bring the issue before the conference. The plan called for the establishment of a school association composed of M.B. and K.M.B. members who would make pledges of financial support for a period of five years. A special conference of Kansas Mennonite Brethren, meeting at the Ebenezer M.B. Church (Buhler) in 1907 approved the plan and thus opened the way for the active solicitation of financial support. In March, 1908, the initial objective was reached and a meeting was called to organize the School Association. A Board of Directors was elected with J. K. Hiebert chairman, P. E. Nikkei vice-chairman, H. W. Lohrenz secretary, and H. J. Pankratz treasurer. Two things needed immediate attention: the school had no name, and its location had not been decided upon. Although several names were proposed, the board agreed on the name Tabor which had been suggested by P. P. Rempel, a minister of the Hillsboro M.B. Church. 37 Hillsboro was chosen over Aulne, Inman, and Lehigh as the site for the new school, when it offered $6533.00 in cash besides building lots, material and labor. In the spring of 1908 the building was begun, but could not be completed in time for the opening of school in September. Instruction was begun on September 14 in the Hillsboro M.B. C