Adolph F. Bechdolt

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Adolph F. Bechdolt

| image = Portrait of Adolf F. Bechdolt, Mankato, Minnesota - DPLA - 7d06aa53e8b51e1685c24df3cbfcca85.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Bechdolt, 1885

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1846|11|16}}

| birth_place = Reutlingen, Kingdom of Württemberg

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1938|06|06|1846|11|16}}

| death_place = Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, U.S.

| alma_mater = Lafayette College
Franklin & Marshall College

| coach_years1 = 1894

| coach_team1 = North Dakota

| overall_record = 2–2

| bowl_record =

| tournament_record =

| championships =

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Adolph Frederick Bechdolt (November 16, 1846 – May 6, 1938) was a Kingdom of Württemberg-born American college football coach and educator. He was the first football coach for the University of North Dakota, serving for one season, in 1894, and compiling a record of 2–2.{{cite web |author= |title=2022 North Dakota Football Media Guide |url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/undsports.com/documents/2022/8/11/2022_UND_FB_Media_Guide_for_Web.pdf |publisher=University of North Dakota |page=127 |access-date=March 26, 2023 }} Bechdolt was also a professor of English at the university from 1892 to 1895.{{cite book|title=The Quarterly Journal - University of North Dakota|author=University of North Dakota|date=1922|volume=13|publisher=The University|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8dHOAAAAMAAJ|access-date=February 4, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/biographicalcata00ston/biographicalcata00ston_djvu.txt|title=Full text of "Biographical catalogue of Lafayette college, 1832-1912"|access-date=February 4, 2015}}

Born in the Kingdom of Württemberg, Bechdolt moved at the age of six with his family to Pennsylvania.{{cite news |author= |title=Dr. Bechdolt Dies At Age Of 91 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121670491/obituary-for-a-f-bechdolt/ |newspaper=The Bellingham Herald |location=Bellingham, Washington |date=May 9, 1938 |page=5 |access-date=March 26, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} He attended Lafayette College, from which he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1866 and a Master of Arts degree in 1869. He received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Franklin & Marshall College in 1890.{{cite web |title=Catalogue for 1898–99 and Announcements for 1899–1900 of the University of Washington |url=http://www.washington.edu/students/gencat/archive/GenCat1898-1900v1.pdf |year=1899 |page=10 |access-date=February 4, 2015}}{{cite news |author= |title=Dr. Bechdolt will attend reunion |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121215184/dr-bechdolt-will-attend-reunion/ |newspaper=The Bellingham Herald |location=Bellingham, Washington |date=May 24, 1916 |page=7 |access-date=March 19, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

Bechdolt began teaching in 1869 at Mercersburg Academy—now known as Mercersburg College—in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. He was a professor of chemistry and German there until 1876. From 1876 to 1880 and again from 1885 to 1892, Bocholt served as superintendent of city schools in Mankato, Minnesota. In the interim, from 1880 to 1885, he was a professor of chemistry at Mankato Normal School—now known as Minnesota State University, Mankato. In 1895, Bechdolt became a professor of English language and literature at the University of Washington. Bechdolt was appointed the superintendent of schools in Eugene, Oregon in 1901.{{cite news |author= |title=Prof. A. F. Bechdolt |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121668721/the-eugene-guard/ |newspaper=Daily Eugene Guard |location=Eugene, Oregon |date=July 13, 1901 |page=1 |access-date=March 26, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} He then taught at Whatcom High School in Bellingham, Washington for 19 years, serving successively at head of the school's English, foreign language, and history departments before resigning in 1923.

Bechdolt was the father of two well-known writers, Frederick R. Bechdolt (1874–1950) and Jack Bechdolt (1884–1954).{{cite news |author= |title=Pioneer Educator Resigns After Nineteen Years of Service at Whatcom High School |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121668756/the-bellingham-herald/ |newspaper=The Bellingham Herald |location=Bellingham, Washington |date=May 3, 1923 |page=1 |access-date=March 26, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} He died suddenly, on May 6, 1938, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.{{cite news |author= |title=Deaths of the day |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121215464/deaths-of-the-day/ |access-date=March 19, 2023 |newspaper=The Scranton Times |location=Scranton, Pennsylvania |date=May 7, 1938 |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}