Silas Bartsch

Silas Bartsch (May 13, 1926 – October 18, 2001) was an American school administrator who acted as a superintendent in Reedley, California.[1] He was first superintendent of the Kings Canyon Unified School District. Bartsch was superintendent for five years, then left to begin a career at then Fresno Pacific University.

Silas Bartsch
Born
Minnesota
DiedOctober 18, 2001(2001-10-18) (aged 75)
California
NationalityAmerican
Occupationprofessor
Known forSet up a distance education program that allowed his University to expand

Early life

Bartsch was born on May 13, 1926, in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. When he was 14, his family moved to Reedley.[1] He graduated from Reedley High School and enlisted in United States Army. Upon discharge, he returned to Reedley and graduated from Reedley College in 1949. He also graduated from Chapman College in Los Angeles, with a major in history and education. He completed a year of post graduate study at Berkeley Baptist Divinity School, as well.

Career

In 1952, Bartsch began his teaching career as a fourth grade teacher at Washington School. Bartsch later taught at General Grant School before becoming principal in 1958. In 1961, he was appointed superintendent of Reedley Elementary School District, and in 1965, of the newly formed Kings Canyon Unified School District. Five years later, he began a new teaching career at Fresno Pacific College, but he remained active in his hometown until his death.[2][3]

He was Professor of Education at Fresno Pacific.[2] Fresno Pacific was initially a religious college, and the Education Department Bartsch lead brought in other students, and more funding.[4]

Bartsch became the first Dean of the University's School of Professional Studies.[5]

Death and legacy

Bartsch died on October 18, 2001, in Reedley, California, at the age of 75.

In June 2008, a new K-8 school in Kings Canyon Unified School District was named Silas Bartsch School.[1] The campus was opened on October 29, 2008. He and his wife, Nadine, also had the building that housed the Education Department at Fresno Pacific University campus named after them; Bartsch Hall.[2]

References
  1. Cheryl Lingo (2008-04-16). "Silas Bartsch School: Newest school honors oldest contributor". Reedley Exponent. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2021-01-22. Returning to Reedley upon discharge, he graduated from Reedley College in 1949, attended Fresno State and San Jose State, and graduated from Chapman College in Los Angeles with a major in history and education.
  2. Kevin Enns-Rempel; Hannah Keeney (2020). "Fresno Pacific University: The First 75 Years". Arcadia Publishing. pp. 25, 90, 84. ISBN 9781467104593. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  3. Dalton Reimer (2020). "The Making of a Distinctive Church College: The Fresno Pacific Model of Becoming 1960-2000". Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781664125438.
  4. Arthur J. Wiebe (2010). "Education and entrepreneurship: a personal journey" (PDF). 39 (1). Direction: 93. Retrieved 2021-01-22. Silas Bartsch resigned as Superintendent of Kings River Unified School District to launch our professional development program. While its mission was to improve education in Valley schools, it also generated income that helped fund undergraduate education. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. Wayne Steffen (2001-10-25). "Silas Bartsch lived his passion for service, innovation and education". University News (FPU). Retrieved 2021-01-22. Wiebe remembered the telephone call where Bartsch offered, not just to serve on a board or advisory committee as Wiebe had thought, but to leave his post as superintendent of Kings Canyon Unified School District to teach at FPU.
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