The Bethel Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing was an integral part of the Bethel Deaconess Hospital. The charter of the Bethel Deaconess Home and Hospital Society of Newton, Kansas, issued in 1903, stated: ". . . the purposes for which this corporation is formed are as follows: (a) the establishment and maintaining of a training school to educate and train nurses and deaconesses in a hospital to be erected for that purpose in connection with said school."

The Bethel Deaconess Hospital, with its School of Nursing, was dedicated and opened for service 11 June 1908. Sister Frieda Kaufman served as Superintendent and Deaconess Mother. Sister Catherine Voth was director and instructor of student nurses. The first student to enroll was Anna Janz on 26 September 1908. By 1959 approximately 410 students had graduated and served as missionaries, ministers' wives, nurses, and homemakers. The alumnae association was organized in 1920. In 1959 the capacity was 60 students in a regular three-year course.

The School of Nursing was accredited and approved by the Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education in the State of Kansas.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 1065. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

To cite this page:

MLA style: Smith, Lena Mae. "Bethel Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing (Newton, Kansas, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 08 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B48624.html>

APA style: Smith, Lena Mae. (1959). "Bethel Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing (Newton, Kansas, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 08 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B48624.html>