A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

53-63). His experience as pastor, educator and administrator qualified him to give effective leadership to the seminary. Under Toews' administration a reorientation with regard to the theological stance and the specific role of the seminary was initiated." 1 Facilities were improved and expanded. A prayer chapel was erected in 1966. The Mission Memorial Court of ten two-bedroom apartments was built to accommodate married students. Although the enrollment has not been large, there has been a substantial increase in recent years. Total enrollment, including part-time students for a recent three-year period has been as follows: 1968-69 — 60; 1969-70 — 55; 1970-71 — 64. Fifty-five students have graduated from the several courses offered by the seminary in the last six years. Besides the teachers mentioned above, H. J. Harder and Waldo TRAINING FOR LIFE AND SERVICE 281 Hiebert have taught in the seminary for a number of years. In more recent years, A. J. Klassen, George Konrad, and Elmer Martens have joined the teaching staff. Orlando Wiebe, who came to the seminary from Tabor College in 1968, was called home by the Lord in 1971. A milestone in the academic progress of the seminary was reached in the early spring of 1972, when the school received accreditation from WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges). Although the Canadian M.B. Conference in 1954 had withdrawn from a unified seminary program, the issue of cooperation remained a serious concern on both sides of the border. In 1968 the Board of Reference and Counsel of the General Conference presented a proposal to the Canadian and United States conferences which called for the initiation of plans to establish a unified seminary in the Vancouver area. The responses from the area conferences were such that the following resolution was accepted by the 1969 General Conference in session in Vancouver. "In view of the responses (from the conferences) the Board of Reference and Counsel recommends that studies and/or negotiations for a unified approach to higher theological education be discontinued for the time being." 02 Two years later, however, the Canadian Conference decided to phase out the B.D. program at the Bible College in Winnipeg. At the same convention in St. Catharines a study commission was appointed to explore possibilities of cooperation in higher theological education with other groups, including the U.S. M.B. Conference. The commission, composed of F. C. Peters, H. H. Voth and Wm. Wiebe reported its findings to the Council of Boards (Canadian Conference) meeting in Winnipeg in January, 1972. In view of the findings the council initiated steps of procedure which eventually may result in a unified seminary program with the Mennonite Brethren in the United States. It could be added that through the years a number of students from Canada have attended the seminary in Fresno. The spirit of cooperation among the schools of