Fall 2007 - Northwestern College

Northwestern Classic
Coverstory
125-year anniversary
Northwestern’s library, as shown in this
1950s photo, was first located in
Zwemer Hall. It was named the Rapelye
Library in 1895 in honor of a New York
woman who was a frequent benefactor
to its collections.
Northwestern students today have a
choice of more than 40 majors.
A
DeWitt Theatre Arts Center (above)
and Stegenga Hall (left) are among the
most recent additions to Northwestern’s
N
campus.
Eventually used as the home of the academy’s principal, Pioneer School was the
first building constructed for Northwestern Classical Academy.
two-story wood-frame building known as “Pioneer
School” and a former roller-skating rink in downtown
Orange City served as Northwestern’s first buildings
until community members pledged $10,000 for a new
classroom and administration building. When
Zwemer Hall was built in 1894, the three-story brickand-stone
structure gave a sense of permanence to the
fledgling academy. Today Northwestern occupies a
100-acre campus with 23 buildings, 10 of which were
built or completely renovated in the last 20 years.
orthwestern Classical Academy was formed for the
purpose of preparing young people for college. It was a
“Classical” academy not only because of its emphasis
on language and literature, but also because it was
under the governance of the Classis of Iowa of the
Reformed Church in America. A diploma in classical
studies was offered for those intending to enter the
ministry, while the modern classical program—which
substituted German for Latin and Greek—was available
to other students. In 1908, the academy began awarding
diplomas in education to
students who wanted to teach.
Northwestern now offers a
Bachelor of Arts degree in
more than 40 majors, in fields
ranging from art to business to
chemistry to social work. In
2006, the curriculum was
expanded further with the
addition of a Bachelor of
Science in Nursing program.
Students with their instructor
in a 1908 physics class in
Zwemer Hall.
19 ▲ Fall 2007