1913, 1923, 1961–1985.
14 cm of textual records.
Administrative history
The founding groups of Elim Bible Institute were the Bergthaler Mennonite Church of Manitoba and the Blumenorter Mennonite Church. The first classes opened in 1929 in Gretna, Manitoba in the Mennonite Collegiate Institute with instructor Johann H. Enns. Various difficulties, such as the Great Depression, led to the closing of the school from 1931–1936, after which P. P. Tschetter from Freeman, South Dakota, reopened the school.
In 1940 the school was moved to Altona, Manitoba where it continued under the direction of Abram A. Teichroeb until 1963. The school was strongly undergirded by a board led for most of this period by David Schulz, Elder (Aeltester) of the Bergthaler Mennonite Church. Its constituency expanded to include the Whitewater Mennonite Church, the Rudnerweide Mennonite church (now the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference, EMMC), and a number of other congregations. A society of sponsoring churches came into being in 1951.
George Neufeld, originally from the Whitewater Mennonite Church, became the principal in 1964, introducing new programs including two-year diploma courses with majors in Christian education and church music. The school’s name changed to Elim Christian Education Centre in 1972; however in 1974 low enrolment caused the school to close. When it reopened again in 1975 under its original name, Elim Bible Institute, it was under the umbrella of the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. It moved to new facilities in western Altona in 1983 and continued for another dozen years until it closed due to low enrolment in 1988. The school’s principals beginning in 1975 included Victor Kliewer, Phil Bender, Dan Zehr and, for an interim period, Ike Froese.
Exerpt from The Mennonite Historical Society of Canada.
Scope and content
The material in this collection consists of school yearbooks, catalogues, and pamphlets showing the faculty, students, student life and information for prospective students. It also contains a 50th anniversary book that gives a school history up until 1979.
Custodial history
The custodial history of this fonds is unclear.
Notes
- Volume 725.
- Some material in German.
- Finding aid consists of a file list.
- No restrictions.
- The official repository of the Elim Bible School records are at the Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg.
- Described by Leslie Wiebe May 23, 2002.
- Location: Institutional Records – Elim Bible Institute.
Textual file list
Volume 725
- 1–14. Elim Yearbooks. – 1961–1970, 1971–1973, 1975–1976, 1977–1978, 1981–1982.
- 15. Isaac, Frank K., Elim: 50th Anniversary 1929–1979.
- 16–17. Elim Reports. – March 1977, October 1977.
- 18–19. The Elim Inter-Semester pamphlets. – 1976–1977, 1977–1978.
- 20. Bulletin of graduation ceremonies. – 1964–1965.
- 21. Course Catalogues. – 1913–1914, 1923–1924, 1977–1978, 1982–1983, 1984–1985.
