page_title: Dakota Wesleyan University
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Dakota Wesleyan University / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota. The main chapel. This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America. Its reference number is 76001727
context_page_description: Dakota Wesleyan University is a private university in Mitchell, South Dakota. It was founded in 1885 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The student body averages slightly fewer than 800 students. The campus of the university is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
context_section_description: In 1883, a small band of Methodist settlers meeting in the Dakota Territory secured a charter to found the college as Dakota University. These pioneers were driven to "build a college of stone while living in houses of sod," and had deep religious convictions about the education and future of their children. They envisioned an institution that epitomized the highest in Christian thought and deed, and so adopted the motto, "Sacrifice or Service". This is symbolized in the collegiate seal of the altar, the ox, and the plow.
  On October 14, 1904, the institution assumed its present name of Dakota Wesleyan University.
  By 1920, Dakota Wesleyan University was the largest independent college in the state, with an enrollment of more than 300. The Great Depression, which hit the prairie harder than any region in the nation, evoked a regionally sensitive response from Dakota Wesleyan. The university accepted many students who had few or no resources, with farm produce being accepted for tuition, and personnel took severe cuts in pay to educate those with no other options. The university, which was sustained by the Methodist church as in earlier days, gave teachers housing in Graham Hall and coupons to purchase merchandise in town.
  Since the 1930s, the university has continued its attempts to remedy region-specific needs. Strong programs in teacher education have provided new teachers for school districts, and nursing and allied health programs address the continuing need for health care professionals in rural South Dakota. In recognition of the diverse cultures in its changing prairie environment, Wesleyan has begun special programs focusing on Native American culture. Additionally, university programs assist students whose previous educational experiences have inadequately prepared them for their future.
  About half of the campus, including its central U-shaped quadrangle, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
caption: The main chapel
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