SCHOOL HISTORY
.jpg)
The founders of the school, Dr. John T. Chappell and his wife, Rachel M. Chappell were American scholars. Dr. John T. Chappell graduated from Taylor University and Cornell University in the United States, and received a Ph.D. in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University. He taught in American institutions of higher learning for many years. Mrs. Rachel M. Chappell graduated from American Teachers College and Columbia University, and received a Master of Arts degree from Wheaton College. She was also a student of the University of Nanking. Because of her fondness for Chinese culture and people, she preached in China for many years after graduating.
Based on the love of Christ and following the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the couple traveled from the United States to Taiwan in 1952, engaging in missionary work, and assisting in the preparation of the Institute of Chung Yuan Christian College of Science and Technology (now Chung Yuan Christian University), which is responsible for practical educational work. Dr. John Chappell was appointed as the first Dean of Studies, while Mrs. Rachel Chappell became a full-time professor and assisted in educational affairs after the institute got approved by the Ministry of Education. They resigned from their teaching positions in the summer of 1956, and established Sheng-te Christian College. In October of that same year, with the assistance of the co-founder Professor Herder Lee and a Christian volunteer, Sheng-te Christian College was founded using all their pension and life savings. The founding process experienced many setbacks, hardships, and struggles for more than 20 years, which laid the foundation for the future development of Sheng-te Christian College.