ground breaking for the first building was held on april 14, 1954. the succeeding eighteen months of construction enabled the school to open its doors to the first students in september 1955. the original buildings included the cafeteria, a single wing of the girls' residence, and a double wing of the boys’ residence. additional land was purchased in 1958, for a total of 725 acres. the administration building was completed in the fall of 1961, the second wing in the summer of 1965 the gymnasium (m.w. schultz gymnasium) was completed in the summer of 1967, and the airfield and dairy complex in 1970. construction commenced on the career education building including auto body, auto mechanics, and graphic arts shops was completed in 1979. in 1983 the adventist book center opened its doors and in 1992 the campus industry became operational.