Text

The
Dedication
of the
Library
Saturday
November 25, 1961 3:00 o'clock
ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE
Winfield, Kansas
In the name of the Board of Control, the faculty, and the students, I wish to welcome all of you, the alumni, the parents, the pastors, the citizens of Winfield, and all friends to this dedicatory service of our new Library Building. It is indeed gratifying to know that you are taking an active interest in St. John’s and in the purposes for which it was established and is being maintained and expanded.
We wish to thank the committee, the architects, the builders, Professor G. Korntheuer, and all who have made possible this beautiful and functional edifice and hope that the splendid work done will continue to give you real joy.
Above all, we wish to recognize that this new Library Building is a gift of our God. Today we not only thank Him for it, but—we dedicate it to Him and His Service in the Vineyard and pray Him that He may make it to serve His purpose for many, many years and—
“That Thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night”
— 2 Chronicles 6:20
R. C. BEISEL.
In Nomine Jesu Christi
The Order of Vespers
THE PRELUDE: “Trumpet Tune in D major”..........................Henry Purcell
THE PROCESSIONAL HYMN:
1. Hallelujah! Let praises ring! To God the Father let us bring Our songs of adoration. To Him thro’ everlasting days Be worship, honor, pow’r, and praise, Whose hand sustains creation. Singing, ringing: Holy, holy, God is holy,— Spread the story Of our God, the Lord of Glory.
2. Hallelujah! Let praises ring! Unto the Lamb of God we sing, In whom we are elected. He bo’t His Church with His own blood, He cleansed her in that blessed flood, And as His Bride selected. Holy, holy Is our union And communion. His befriending Gives us joy and peace unending.
3. Hallelujah! Let praises ring! Unto the Holy Ghost we sing For our regeneration. The saving faith in us He wrought And us unto the Bridegroom bro’t, Made us His chosen nation. Glory! Glory! Joy eternal, Bliss supernal; There is manna And an endless, glad hosanna.
4. Hallelujah! Let praises ring! Unto our Triune God we sing; Blest be His name forever! With angel hosts let us adore And sing His praises more and more For all His grace and favor! Singing, ringing: Holy, holy, God is holy,— Spread the story Of our God, the Lord of Glory! Amen.
THE VERSICLES
O Lord, open Thou my lips
And my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me
Make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Hallelujah!
THE PSALMODY: Psalm 111
Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart: in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
The works of the LORD are great: sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
His work is honorable and glorious: and His righteousness endureth forever.
He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
He hath given meat unto them that fear Him: He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
He hath showed His people the power of His works; that He may give them the heritage of the heathen.
The works of His hands are verity and judgment: all His commandments are sure.
They stand fast forever and ever: and are done in truth and uprightness.
He sent redemption unto His people: He hath commanded His covenant forever; holy and reverend is His name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments; His praise endureth forever.
Glory be to the Father.......
THE LECTION...........................................2 Timothy 3:14-17
But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us
Thanks be to Thee, O Lord.
THE SERMON: “All Things Are Yours”
THE ANTHEM: “ Lord, I Sing with Lips and Heart” - - - Johann Crueger
(The assembly will proceed to the entrance of the library.)
THE CUTTING OF THE RIBBON
THE PRESENTATION OF THE KEY
THE OPENING OF THE DOOR
THE DEDICATION
THE ANTHEM: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”............J. S. Bach
THE PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND LORD’S PRAYER
THE BENEDICTION
THE COMMON DOXOLOGY
THE PREACHER: The Reverend Professor Walter H. Wente, Ph.D., Academic Dean, Concordia Senior College, Ft. Wayne, Indiana
THE OFFICIANT: The Reverend R. C. Beisel, M.A., President, St. John’s College
THE ORGANIST: The Reverend Paul F. Foelber, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Music, St. John’s College
THE TRUMPETER: Mr. Delbert Johnson, B.M.E., Instructor in Music, St. John’s College
THE CHOIRS: The St. John’s Academy Choir, Mr. David Krause, B.S. in Ed., Director
The St. John’s A Cappella Choir, the Reverend Paul F. Foelber, Ph.D., Director
The Library Building . . . .
The library building is a “living” testament to the God-given fact that the answer to a problem lies hidden in the problem itself, for this building is the direct outgrowth of an exhaustive study of the needs and desires of St. John’s College and of the modern trends in library design.
This building will house 50,000 volumes of books, plus numerous other aids to learning, and will seat 183 students in the best possible environment for study and leisure reading. The large open space of the main room allows for infinite rearrangement to forestall future obsolescence and also affords a maximum of visual control with a minimum of personnel. Year around air conditioning will provide a constant optimum physical environment conducive to concentration, no matter what the outside conditions are. This is accomplished with a boiler-absorption cooling unit which affords maximum flexibility to meet changing conditions with minimum operating cost. The color scheme and lighting systems are engineered for maximum quality, flexibility and efficiency and are calculated to give the best possible psychological atmosphere for concentration. The omission of windows at eye level allows complete flexibility in equipment arrangement, freedom from glare and distraction, as well as reduced costs for air conditioning and heating.
In addition to the main library space and its subordinate workrooms, office and lounge, the building has a complete audio-visual classroom in the west wing. The projection room off the classroom contains facilities for movie projection (sound isolated from the classroom), sound projection (records, tapes, etc.) and brightness control of the lighting, and the room can be adapted in the future for origination of television programs.
Also in the west wing is a preview room for small-group viewing and listening, as well as discussion; two conference rooms which can be combined; and eleven small private studies for use of the faculty and students.
The exterior of the building is an attempt to harmonize with the existing campus in keeping with contemporary building materials and methods. The concrete panels with green quartz faces represent a new technology not available when other campus buildings were built, whereas the native stone work is merely an extension of an age-old craft displayed quite handsomely in other campus structures.
The exterior terrace is intended to provide a nucleus to the academic campus and will also serve to induce a change of mood in the student on his way to the library.
The Building Committee: The Board of Control
The Rev. Arlen J. Bruns, Chairman; The Rev. E. W.
Schmiesing, Secretary; Mr. Alfred Kirchhoff; Mr.
Herbert Meyer; Mr. Walter Heiberg; Mr. Walter Wulf.
The Architect: Uel C. Ramey and Associates Wichita, Kansas Jack R. Jones, architect in charge
The Builder: McBride and Dehmer Construction Company Wichita, Kansas
The Library Staff: Mr. Gerhard Korntheuer, MA., M.A.L.S.,
Librarian
Miss Esther Winckler, assistant to the librarian
GROUND-BREAKING SERVICE ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE LIBRARY
January 10, 1961
THE OPENING: We begin our Ground-Breaking Service in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
THE HYMN: 637
Founded on Thee, our only Lord,
On Thee, the everlasting Rock,
Thy Church shall stand as stands Thy Word
Nor fear the storm nor dread the shock.
For Thee our waiting spirits yearn, For Thee this house of praises rear, To Thee with longing hearts we turn; Come, fix Thy glorious presence here.
Come with Thy Spirit and Thy pow’r, The Conqu'ror, once the Crucified. Our God, our Strength, our King, our Tow’r,
Here plant Thy throne and here abide.
Accept the work our hands have wrought;
Accept, 0 God, this earthly shrine.
Be Thou our Rock, our Life, our Thought,
And we, as living temples, Thine.
Amen.
THE SCRIPTURE
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
THE COLLEGE CHOIR
THE SERMON
THE CEREMONY OF GROUND-BREAKING
THE LORD’S PRAYER
THE PRAYER
THE BENEDICTION