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A PRESIDENTIAL RETROSPECTIVE: LLOYD L. RAMSEYER
Bluffton's fourth president
1938 - 1965
Ph.D., Audio-Visual Education, 1938.
Lloyd Louis Ramseyer was born 5 November 1899 near Hudson, McLean Co., Illinois, to Michael and Anna (Stahly) Ramseyer. During "Prexy's" long tenure as president of Bluffton College, 1938-1965, the school received North Central Association accreditation (1953), added several significant instructional departments and a number of new buildings, gained financial stability, and grew from fewer than 100 students to more then 500. Some of Ramseyer's weekly chapel talks at Bluffton were published as The More Excellent Way (1965). During his presidency at Bluffton College he was a valiant proponent of truth, forthrightness and practicality in all phases of life and a strong supporter of the Mennonite peace position at a time when such a firm stand was not popular. Lloyd Ramseyer died 24 June 1977.
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Portions adapted from Gratz, Delbert. "Ramseyer, Lloyd Louis (1899-1977)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1989. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 December 2006 http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/r367.html. Read more about President Ramseyer at the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online.
Click on any artifact's photo for a larger image...
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President Ramseyer earned a Ph.D. in Education from The Ohio State University in 1938. This is his gown, mortarboard, and hood from this degree, on loan for the exhibit from Bill Ramseyer, son of President Ramseyer. |
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President Ramseyer was awarded three honorary degrees, and the hoods from those degrees are shown here, L to R:
- Bethel College (KS), 1952
- Bluffton University, 1976
- University of Findlay, date unknown
The hoods were on loan for the exhibit from Bill Ramseyer, son of President Ramseyer. |
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University Archives photo. 1923-24 Varsity B. Front Row, 3rd from Left: Lloyd L. Ramseyer. |
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The More Excellent Way, a collection of President Ramseyer's chapel sermons published by Faith and Life Press in 1965. See this book in WorldCat. |
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University Archives photo. Taken in front of Musselman Library at the inauguration of Robert Kreider. L to R: Robert Kreider, Landrum Bolling, Oliver Diller, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, Rev. A.E. Kreider. |
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University Archives photo. President Lloyd L. Ramseyer is shown at the podium accepting an honorary doctorate from Bluffton University in 1976. Seated L to R: Elmer Neufeld, Dean of Academic Affairs; President Ben Sprunger; Professor Howard Raid, who introduced President Ramseyer for the honorary degree; and Don Pannabecker, Associate Dean and Registrar. |
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