Western Mennonite School is a standard high school committed to the cause of training the youth of the Pacific Coast Conference (Mennonite Church). A Committee appointed by the Conference in 1944 and composed of Milton R. Martin, Marcus Lind, and Gabriel D. Shenk, proposed that the Conference take necessary steps for opening and operating such a school. This proposal was accepted by Conference 21-22 June 1945. At this same time, Oregon passed the School Attendance Law that raised compul­sory school age to sixteen, a circumstance that cre­ated much pressure in favor of a church high school. In September 1945 classes were held in the Bellevue school building located between Sheridan and McMinnville, Oregon. In the second year school opened on the permanent campus located 10 miles north of Salem on the Wallace Road, Route 221. F. J. Gingerich of Canby, Oregon, was the first presi­dent of the school board, serving for six years. He donated 12 acres of land that comprise the im­mediate campus. Later the board purchased an additional 32 acres.

Marcus Lind of Salem, Oregon, served as its first principal 1945-52, followed by Clayton Swartzentruber 1952-57, C. J. Ramer 1957-58, and E. L. Keen­er 1958-59. In the late 1950s the physical plant included an administration building with classrooms, boys' dormitory, dining hall, and chapel; girls' dormitory; auditorium-gymnasium; industrial arts building; and a new administration building. The enrollment in 1959-60 was 129, with Paul E. Yoder as principal.

Address: 9045 Wallace Road NW, Salem, Oregon 97304; Phone: 503-363-2000; Fax: 503-370-9455.

Additional Information

School web site: http://www.westernmennoniteschool.org/

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 934. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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