Kachel Chapel: Home

Dr. Kachel and Kachel Chapel

Born on January 31^st, 1901, Charles Earl Kachel proved an exceptional man. He graduated from Lancaster High School before going on to graduate from Albright College, Myerstown in 1924 (Speculum 1924 48). While attending the college, he held the positions of class president and Editor-in-Chief of the Speculum. His dedication to his alma matter would continue throughout his life. Shortly after graduating, he was ordained as a deacon in St. Paul’s Church in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.  Two years later he returned to Albright College to teach English for the next three years. 

Reverend Kachel frequently wrote for the Evangelical School of Theology’s Scriptus while involved with Albright and even after graduating from the school with a Bachelor in Divinity in 1930. He joined the Evangelical School of Theology staff teaching “Pastoral Care for the Middle Class” in 1936 after earning his Master of Arts from University of Pennsylvania (Bulletin of the Evangelical School of Theology June, 1936 2). During this time he led a pastorate at Park Evangelical Church, Reading. The following year he was listed as an instructor in practical theology. By this time, the school was located in its own building.

In 1929 the Bishop S.C. Breyfogel Building, later to be named Teel Hall, was constructed for use by the Evangelical School of Theology. This building included a seminary chapel at one end of the main floor (originallyy called the Breyfogel Chapel). The chapel housed a pipe organ for worship music.  In addition to the chapel, the floor also included a library, offices, and classrooms. The third floor was to be a dormitory for theological students while the basement housed a student lounge, gymnasium, and small museum (“Our Eastern Theological Seminary” 3). Various events were announced in the Scriptus as being held in the chapel, but it is unknown whether this referred to the smaller chapel in the Theology building or White Chapel, though it appears that White Chapel was called the seminary chapel. 

In 1944 Reverend Kachel was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Divinity. This same year he began serving the Albright College Board of Trustees as secretary. He served as chairman for the Evangelical School of Theology from 1945 until the school merged and moved to Ohio in 1954. At this time, the building previously occupied by the school became Albright College property and the name was changed to Teel Hall in honor of President Teel. For Dr. Kachel’s service to the Evangelical School of Theology and his exceptional work both at Albright and within the church community as deacon and superintendent, the chapel on the main floor of Teel Hall was named in his honor in 1981. The previous year he died on June 13^th. He had retired in 1968 and never taught in Teel Hall after it was converted to a solely academic building in 1979, though the chapel remains the Charles E. Kachel Chapel to this day.