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Faculty/Staff Look-Alike Day, 1988: My roommate from Gould Hall helped me to try and look like the Dean of Women, Miss Sue Hermes. I borrowed some glasses, dressed very "traditional," and had my hair styled to look like Miss Hermes. I was a little apprehensive in selecting Miss Hermes for one of the faculty to try to look like, because in no way did I want to offend or hurt her feelings. So Rachel and I worked hard to try to "get it right." I remember getting many looks while walking up to Old Main that morning. I have to admit it was quite fun, though! When I saw Miss Hermes later that day, she just smiled, and loved it, and said we should take a picture together in her office! What a special moment that was and what a gracious and wonderful lady she was to me! I respect her so much for her valuable insight and help when I needed a person to talk to during my first semester there. Her door was "always open" and I felt I could talk to her about anything. She was instrumental in encouraging me to stay at MBBC and stick it out, when I thought I might leave my first semester. How I thank God for her and her wisdom. It was the right decision to stay and I graduated on May 5, 1990 with a 2-year Secretarial Science degree. The time I spent at MBBC was priceless. I will always remember her. And MBBC will forever be in my heart. --Angie, '90
Rules There for a Reason!: As with all freshmen, I thought many of the rules at MBBC were unnecessary for "good girls" like me! One rule I ignored required that girls be fully clothed in the dormitory hallways and basement laundry area. Since the dorm was not co-ed (this IS MBBC!), I considered this rule particularly ridiculous. One afternoon, I was ironing my dress in the laundry room, clad only in my slip. Before the dress was finished, I heard an alarming call, "Man on floor!" I figured it was probably only the garbage collector, and, since the trash cans were right behind the ironing board, I would just hide behind the commerical-sized dryer until he removed the trash and left! So, leaving my dress on the ironing board, I hid behind the dryer as the unsuspecting male entered the basement. Much to my dismay, I soon discovered that this "man on floor" did not come to remove the trash, but to fix the dryer! NOW I understood the wisdom of the rule about being fully clothed whenever we left our dorm room! --Carole, '72
The Hershbergers Help a Student in Need: I came to Maranatha in the Spring semester of the '87-'88 school year. I had recently broken one of the lenses in my glasses just before arriving at school, and, being the proverbial starving college student, had no money to get it fixed. As I walked back into Old Main after chapel one morning shortly after my arrival, Mr. Hershberger called me over. I was a bit apprehensive, but I couldn't think of anything horrible that I'd done, and I was a little bit puzzled when he asked me about my glasses and then let me get on to class. Several days later the scenario repeated itself. I was once again coming into Old Main after chapel, and Mr. Hershberger once again called me over. This time though, he told me that he and his wife - at their expense - wanted me to go to an eye doctor for an exam and to get new glasses. It's been twenty years since then, but this act of kindness from a professor that didn't know me but so obviously and sincerely cared about me made such an impact that I still regularly tell this story.
--Eric, '92
Speech Teacher Inspires: My favorite memory is of speech teacher Leigh Crockett. Speech class was always a "dreaded" class for this farm girl. Mr. Crockett changed my negative thinking by being a positive, fun loving, and EXCITING SPEECH teacher. Laughter in this class brought me to where I am today--a career that requires me to role-model to my fellow employees, managers, and supervisors how to approach hundreds of people on a daily basis. I LOVE what I do and know that because of Mr. Crockett's enthusiasm for life that "laughter truly does the heart good like a medicine"! THANK YOU MR. CROCKETT! --Jean, '76
Music Appreciation With Mrs. Burckart: Every time I hear a piece of classical music from class I sing the words that she gave us. I now teach my children and my students those words as well. What is the best part is I work for her son and taught her grandson. --Dawn, '93
The Lord Provides Finances and a Husband: My home church had Bible school where 2 people from different christian colleges came and canvased and put the program together. Both young men happened to be from MBBC. They asked where I was planning to go to college. I told them I had received a full scholarship to West Virginia University, well, needless to say within a week's time I had received a phone call from Dr. Cedarholm giving me all the reasons why I needed to be at MBBC. Of course I explained that I didn't have the way nor the finances to get to Wisconsin. He told me to pray and God would provide a way. Within 2 weeks I had met another person about 45 miles away who was coming and said that I could come free of charge. The miracles kept coming: my grandfather who was also my adopted father had passed away my senior year and he was a veteran. My finances were somewhat taken care of by the monthly check received. I also got a work scholarship working in the canteen. The Lord did provide. I arrived about 2 weeks before school started and the football team was there practicing. Everyone was talking about Dennis Rapson and how great he was and my thoughts were that I would never date him. Well I learned never to say never because one and half years later we were dating and then married after graduation. We were married on graduation day in 1978. MBBC will always have special memories for me,some of my best friends were made there. I always had some of the best roommates. --Gloria, '78
Most Influential Faculty and Coaches--Terrill and Weeks: I have two teachers that were a great influence on my life. The first, Coach Terrill, was a man of God that practiced what he taught and preached. On January 18, 1982 during a revival meeting the Lord showed me I was lost with a profession and not a possession of Jesus Christ as Saviour. I walk down and grabbed Coach Terrell and told him I was lost, we we back to the locker room and knelt by a bench where I trusted Christ as my personal Saviour and I have never been the same since. The second is Dr. Weeks; Dr Weeks opened his home to me for a couple of Christmas breaks while I worked at UPS. I will never forget the theology that he taught me at the dinner table or late at night after work. He was a man who loved us and wanted us to grow in the Lord! I thank God for Maranatha Baptist Bible College as the place I was born again and discipled in the correct doctrine. --Brian, '85
Getting Engaged, With Dr. Cedarholm's Permission: Carolyn (Foster), a fellow student, was becoming a real item in my life in 1973. In those beginning years of Maranatha all couples wishing to be engaged were required to not just get the father of the bride's permission, but Dr. Cedarholm's as well. I spoke to friend and upper classmate Ken about what was expected of engaging couples, since he was engaged already. Ken assured me that things would go smoother when talking to Dr. Cedarholm if I typed out the request. Ken also suggested that I get things going ASAP, since several other couples were speaking of getting married in the summer of 1974. Ken stated that if I waited, Dr. Cedarholm may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of requests and put a halt on granting further requests. I quickly composed the letter and met with Dr. Cedarholm who thankfully always maintained an open door policy. When I entered his office he was seated behind his desk in front of the window. He acknowledged me with small talk, but I seriously yet fearfully wanted to speak to the business in my hand and on my heart. As I handed him my letter he informed me that this was the first request of the school year and questioned why I was submitting the request so early. I stated that I was just trying to be responsible. He responded with a few questions as to my classification, grades, and education majors. I found that interesting, since I did not believe that there was anything he did not already know about me with his perfect memory. He quickly found the one misspelled word in the letter and did not spare me from pointing it out and rebuking me fully for not being more mature with my writing skills. He stated something else that I will never forget, "You know Paul, it is not really necessary to marry someone just because you love them, instead why not wait until after you graduate?" He warned me that it would be harder being a married student, which proved to be very true. By the way, Ken was right. The day came later that semester when Dr. Cedarholm addressed in chapel his concern of the alarming number of couples getting engaged. He stated that he would be much more selective for the rest of the school year in granting permission. In the summer of 1974, a record number of couples married, including Carolyn and me. --Paul, 77
A Ride Down Century House's Bannister: Fully loaded, packed with energy, and fresh out of high school in January of 1972, I was ready for life on a grander scale. My dad, a long time friend of Dr. Cedarholm, was visiting the college that day and I was showing off my room on the second floor Century House. Century House had it all, including an old wide banister rail to the main floor that looked to be a multifunctional apparatus. With dad just out of sight behind me, I saddled for a quick ride down; and just as I suspected, it offered a real thrill ride. The owner's manual did not explain however that at the bottom of the stairway was the side door to the Cedarholm dinning room, nor was there a warning light indicating that just at the precise moment that I bottomed that someone might use that door. Needless to say, Dr. Cedarholm entered the hallway at the same split second that I bottomed the rail and the force of the inertia threw me directly into his unsuspecting arms, nearly bringing both of us to the floor. In my memory Dr. Cedarholm was never so caught off guard. After quickly composing himself he began to say something in his very controlled manner, but he abruptly stopped himself, smiled, and greeted my dad as he was descending down the steps toward us. My dad was completely clueless as to what just transpired, nor did Dr. Cedarholm volunteer one word. By the way, I did learn that day that steps were installed for a reason. --Paul, '77
Learning Preschool Songs in College: Being in the early childhood field, I had many classes with Mrs. Kolwinska. When I first started taking them, I felt a little funny singing all of the silly preschool songs that she has students sing at the beginning of class--"Thumbs In the Thumb Place", "I'm a Little Teapot", etc. But now, 7+ years later, those songs are some of my most-used knowledge from her classes! Between singing to my own children, working with daycare children, and teaching Sunday School and Jr. Church classes, I am so thankful that Mrs. Kolwinska had me sing like a preschooler every morning before we started class! :-) --Sarah, '01
Mrs. Cedarholm's Conducting: I was reminded this Thanksgiving season of Mrs. Cedarholm leading the choir in "Thanks to God for my Redeemer." When we would sing the verse about thanks for roses by the wayside, thanks for thorns their stems contain, she would act like the thorns were poking her wrists. I never fail to remember that whenever we sing that song...many fond, fond memories! --SuzAnne, '76
Falling in Love, Over Ice Cream: Having met (and not liked each other) a few years earlier, Teresa and I found ourselves at Maranatha in late August 1968 as the college was beginning. While I was busy working around every rule and regulation and having a good ol' time of college life, she was the epitome of grace and godliness. She was the Proctor, placed in charge of "The Cloister" (women's dormitory) as a junior and would have died rather than knowingly break a rule. An odd couple had she been willing to disregard her standards, lower herself and date me. But part of her job was to warn the female underclassmen of the likes of ME. I heard of her warnings and asked her to have a cup of coffee in the brand new campus snack shop and defend her words. We sat and fussed and argued and sparred for an hour. Words flew, inuendos and open repartee. She would not back down, and I (a senior ministerial student and debater) could not win. I bought her a dish of New York Cherry ice cream to cool things off, but she let it melt, uneaten. Finally, she grew embarrassed over the squabbling and got ready to leave. She apologized for being so frank with me. Then she asked if I had anything to say. I replied, "No, but I accept your apology." With that, color rose from her neck, she said she would NEVER speak to me again, and then picked up the dish of ice cream as she walked out . . . and unceremoniously dumped it in my lap. I WAS IN LOVE! Here was a beautiful young lady who was smarter that I, more talented, able to parry every verbal thrust I made, and would not back down one iota. The ideal woman to bear with me, bear my children and bear the unique challenges of living in a fishbowl as a pastor's wife. That day in 1968? Friday the 13th of September. And by Friday the 13th of December, I asked her to marry me (and thankfully, she accepted). We celebrated 37 years as one this June, and I love her more than ever. But never since that day will I buy New York Cherry ice cream. I may look stupid but . . . --Bob, '70
Dr. Cedarholm's Lead Foot: While traveling with the Chorale to Iowa for a concert back around 1980, there were too many of us to fit on the bus. Dr. Cedarholm loved to drive and so a few of us were selected to travel with him as well. Have you ever heard of Dr. Cedarholm having a lead foot??? He sure did. While coming up over a hill, I saw the trooper parked on the side of the road. Oh yeah, lights on and we were pulled over. Dr. Cedarholm was very respectful and we were very very quiet. As the bus passed, dozens of heads were pressed against the right side of the bus looking at us. He also had a knack for using a map across his lap while driving blocking his view of the road. You can imagine how much we were praying at those times. I'm sure he kept his guardian angel very busy. What memories! --Jim, '93 (MABS)
