Stanzel Days- 1968 to 1978

Lois Cutbirth and her seven children. All the children were involved in the ministry over the years.

For 10 years, a little experiment of a Christian boarding school existed along Highway 92, located between Winterset and Greenfield Iowa. Even today, the original school building stands... sagging and unattended for over 30 years. A sign out front still proclaims Stanzel Christian High School; but no book has been opened or no meals prepared for students since closing in 1978. For those who gave money and time in the late 60's to open the doors, some may look at their efforts as wasted; this blog is to tell men like Cecil Whistler, Clair Rogers, and others, "Thanks". It is also a big thanks to all the teachers who gave of their years to pour into a couple hundred young people's lives.

The glory years of Stanzel were the years of the Cutbirths; along with Bob and Lois, Ray Block, and others saw the vision and they too poured their heart and soul into getting this baby of a school going and on its feet. I was able to attend in 1969, the second year Stanzel was open. The first year, about 23 students left the safe, public school system to try this alternative education system. This was 20 years before the homeschool movement began to pick up momentum. The late 60's cultural revolution was forcing parents to look for an alternative to the school system that was being infiltrated with drugs, Vietnam unrest, and wild rock and roll.

Gas was $.29 a gallon, a pizza was a dollar, a pop was $.10 and a candy bar a nickel. Truly those were the good old days. Visits to the nearby Ramseys service station were guarded; there was a fear that perhaps the local farmers might swear or spit tobacco our way. As students, we loved the atmosphere of the locals: Worth Ramsey.. the owner, and his sons, Sonny and Hugh; one a mechanic/farmer, the other a hard drinking farmer that drank and swore too much. We loved getting away after class and slipping over and drinking a pop or eating a candy bar.

At 14 years of age, I was making decisions and living on my own like most 18 year olds were allowed to do when leaving for college. Some how, a group of young people from all over Iowa and the midwest, came together, lived under one roof with one dorm counselor, and became bonded and friends for life. It wasn't perfect; there were young men and women who came in troubled and left troubled. There were students who did not make it past the first month because of behavior issues. There were those students who came, lacking skills and abilities who left richly rewarded and with direction and purpose in their lives.

Who would have thought that young people like Steve Canter, Randy Larson, DeDe Crow and myself would have gone into full time ministry. Steve Canter is now a missionary in Japan; Randy Larson has been a preacher for over 30 years; DeDe and I have been at Hidden Acres for over 25 years. Each of us would say, "Stanzel days saved us... it gave us direction... it made a student out of us... it solidified our faith"

By far the most influential people at Stanzel were Bob and Lois Cutbirth along with Ray Block. Each one so different in their approach, but each one ordained to be there at that particular time. It was Lois who took a rag-tag group of singers and made it a choir that did a little travelling to events and churches. It was Bob who administered the school, cast the vision, disciplined the students, raised the money, encouraged the staff, and met with the very conservative board. It was Ray Block who introduced students for the first time to creative thinking... outside the box kind of thinking. These were pre-psychology years... but Ray was ahead of his time. He was ministry minded before others.

Ray Block is still impacting and influencing young lives

As fast as the school developed, it ended just as abruptly; not much explanation by the school board: one fall day in 1971 we had teachers, and the next day, several were let go. Nobody ever really knew the details; only that it wasn't the same after that day. I left at the end of the first semester and returned to public school after staying 3 years at Stanzel. DeDe ended up attending all 4 years and graduating from Stanzel the next spring. The school continued on for a few more years; I returned in 1977 and taught English, German and PE. DeDe returned also that year to teach music and be the girls dorm counselor. We married at the end of the school year in 1978. The school never opened again.

I tell you about Stanzel not to lift it up as the perfect example of a ministry; there were plenty of things that went wrong. I tell you about Stanzel to remind us that, regardless of any of our current situations, great things can happen when we are faithful. The Cutbirths and the Blocks... they were faithful. Did they do everything right... probably not... but in spite of our efforts, God is able to take little conversations, small encounters and make them huge on the spiritual impact scale.

To Lois Cutbirth and to Ray Block... I thank you. Lois is now 85 years old and Ray, must be 70ish: I want to publicly tell you how much you meant to me. Your efforts were not in vain.

And to those who are serving in out-of-the-way places; you wonder if your efforts will amount to anything: I encourage you to remain faithful in the work you were called to; there will be those around you who will come along later... and write you letters of thanks for how and what your poured into their lives.

Written by
Earl Taylor, Director of Design and Vision
Hidden Acres Christian Center
...a youth camp and retreat center in central Iowa
Hidden Acres is owned by the Evangelical Free Churches of Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri.