Milestones
Reopening the “New Northwestern”
NWC Archives
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econd only to the school’s founding in 1902 by Dr. William Bell Riley, the process of reopening Northwestern College in 1972 on the Nazareth Hall campus in Roseville/Arden Hills is the key defining moment of the last 40 years. In 1966, Northwestern was on the verge of becoming history when it closed its Minneapolis Loring Park campus, keeping alive only a handful of evening classes. Enrollment had plunged from a height of more than 1,100 in 1950 (largely due to President Billy Graham) down to around 206 in 1965. According to Northwestern’s Self-Study Report for accreditation in 1977, enrollment declined after a major reorganization in 1957, in which the “Northwestern Schools” discontinued its separate seminary, Bible College, Bible School, and Conservatory. The report noted, “This fundamental change in the philosophy and mission of the College….created the conditions for deterioration.” The ensuing lack of students and financial support led to a fiscal crisis and prompted the closing. But Dr. William B. Berntsen, then chair of the music conservatory, was determined to see Northwestern reborn and agreed to accept the presidency of an institution on life support. Berntsen’s wife, Beryl, often shared that her husband was deeply inspired by the legacy of martyr Roger Youderian ’50, whom he had known. Pointing to Youderian’s photo, he emotionally declared, “That’s the reason Northwestern is not going to die.” The Northwestern campus, circa 1972, with Nazareth Hall (top) and Riley Hall (bottom).
40 Years of Moving Mountains
Submitted; NWC Archives
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N o rt h w est e r n C o l l e g e
nly one person on campus today has been an eyewitness to the last 40 years. Barb Lindman, Ph.D., now senior academic dean, was one of the original 11 faculty members when the college reopened in 1972. As a young graduate of Bethel College and the University of Minnesota with degrees in psychology and physical education, Lindman’s path to NWC was purely practical. “After I graduated, I realized I needed a job of some kind.” Through a friend, she heard about two teaching positions—a part-time physical
education position at Northwestern and another at Minnehaha Academy. “The only thing I really knew about Northwestern was its association with Billy Graham,” she said. Preferring to teach older students, she chose Northwestern. (Interestingly, Lindman’s sister, Mary Carlson, took the Minnehaha position and both have stayed with their respective organizations for 40 years.) Lindman also picked up another part-time gig in the records office. She recalls through laughter the humble beginnings of that first fall on campus. “School was going to start in a few weeks. I walked into the records office and they hadn’t even thought about how students might register or how that would work.” She had no plans to stay at Northwestern long. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ll stay here until I