Page 50 - UB Church and Shen Univ
P. 50
Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013
you’ve got to have faith!” After that, when anyone made a negative statement, Bishop Gregory would
simply laugh and say, “Hell, gentlemen, you’ve got to have faith.” That slogan, plus other pro
arguments, carried the day. Most of the lay delegates were favorable anyway.
The talks took until mid-1955 for the EUB Church and those who thought the schools should be
closed to be convinced that the idea to move was a good one. From that time on, the Winchester-
Frederick County Chamber of Commerce College Project Committee received overwhelming support
from our citizens, businesses, and banks of Winchester and Frederick County. Many of the old Board
members and church leaders were very positive and wanted to see Shenandoah survive, especially Dr.
Carl Hiser, Dr. Forrest Racey, E. C. Tutwiler, Howard Lee Funk, Dr. E. C. Miller, Dr. John R. Sawyer,
William B. Obaugh, Dr. Troy Brady, Dr. James Swain, many other ministers and most lay members of
the Virginia Conference. They were dedicated and faithful and gave invaluable help to Shenandoah in
her fight for life. Most of the staff and faculty were loyal and faithful, and they wanted to preserve
Shenandoah. This was especially true of the male quartet who kept singing and entertaining every civic
and church group in our area. This gave us a chance to sell our story.
In June 1955 we received a favorable vote of about 75 to 12 of Virginia Conference Delegates to
save Shenandoah by moving it to Winchester. This was supposedly the final and conclusive vote by the
EUB Virginia Conference.
Initial Steps. Then the real work started: attending many meetings, forming organizations and
committees with the Chamber of Commerce and business people, finding, agreeing on a site, raising
funds to keep the institution from closing in Dayton, and planning for the move it to Winchester. It was
tough! The Chamber of Commerce and the College Project Committee met almost daily, and the
Winchester-Frederick County community went all out to implement the move. We reached agreement
with the EUB Virginia Conference to change the complexion of the Board by retiring some of their
inactive Board members and adding Winchester businessmen to the Board of Trustees, so that the Board
would become approximately 50-percent businessmen from Winchester and the northern Valley and
they would represent our locality with optimism, determination and perseverance.
Fund-Raising Campaign in Winchester. With the encouragement we received, in early 1955
the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce College Project Committee launched a
campaign that was to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that organization, enthusiasm, and determination,
coupled with a strong dedicated committee and community, were the ingredients that could give
Winchester-Frederick County its reputation for being one of the most desirable communities in the
Valley and the best location for Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music to start a new life. Our
College Project Committee hit the ground running and never stopped.
Once the final decision to move was approved by the EUB Virginia Conference, the project
received overwhelming support from our citizens, businesses, and banks. The Chamber and the College
Project Committee assumed responsibility for raising $250,000 toward the project and providing a 30-
acre campus, while the EUB Church was to raise $250,000, plus $100,000 to be provided by the EUB
National Church. The Chamber’s campaign was launched after much publicity and a great deal of
fanfare, and many fundraising and dinner meetings throughout the whole area of Winchester, Frederick
County, and adjoining communities. The Chamber College Project Committee eventually brought in
over $285,000 during the campaign and finally collected over $300,000.
It was in late 1955 before much progress was made in raising our pledge of $250,000. It was a
long, drawn-out process. But once Frank Armstrong, Jr., and I were elected to the Board in Dayton to
Wilkins on History of S.C., 1952-1960 40
you’ve got to have faith!” After that, when anyone made a negative statement, Bishop Gregory would
simply laugh and say, “Hell, gentlemen, you’ve got to have faith.” That slogan, plus other pro
arguments, carried the day. Most of the lay delegates were favorable anyway.
The talks took until mid-1955 for the EUB Church and those who thought the schools should be
closed to be convinced that the idea to move was a good one. From that time on, the Winchester-
Frederick County Chamber of Commerce College Project Committee received overwhelming support
from our citizens, businesses, and banks of Winchester and Frederick County. Many of the old Board
members and church leaders were very positive and wanted to see Shenandoah survive, especially Dr.
Carl Hiser, Dr. Forrest Racey, E. C. Tutwiler, Howard Lee Funk, Dr. E. C. Miller, Dr. John R. Sawyer,
William B. Obaugh, Dr. Troy Brady, Dr. James Swain, many other ministers and most lay members of
the Virginia Conference. They were dedicated and faithful and gave invaluable help to Shenandoah in
her fight for life. Most of the staff and faculty were loyal and faithful, and they wanted to preserve
Shenandoah. This was especially true of the male quartet who kept singing and entertaining every civic
and church group in our area. This gave us a chance to sell our story.
In June 1955 we received a favorable vote of about 75 to 12 of Virginia Conference Delegates to
save Shenandoah by moving it to Winchester. This was supposedly the final and conclusive vote by the
EUB Virginia Conference.
Initial Steps. Then the real work started: attending many meetings, forming organizations and
committees with the Chamber of Commerce and business people, finding, agreeing on a site, raising
funds to keep the institution from closing in Dayton, and planning for the move it to Winchester. It was
tough! The Chamber of Commerce and the College Project Committee met almost daily, and the
Winchester-Frederick County community went all out to implement the move. We reached agreement
with the EUB Virginia Conference to change the complexion of the Board by retiring some of their
inactive Board members and adding Winchester businessmen to the Board of Trustees, so that the Board
would become approximately 50-percent businessmen from Winchester and the northern Valley and
they would represent our locality with optimism, determination and perseverance.
Fund-Raising Campaign in Winchester. With the encouragement we received, in early 1955
the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce College Project Committee launched a
campaign that was to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that organization, enthusiasm, and determination,
coupled with a strong dedicated committee and community, were the ingredients that could give
Winchester-Frederick County its reputation for being one of the most desirable communities in the
Valley and the best location for Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music to start a new life. Our
College Project Committee hit the ground running and never stopped.
Once the final decision to move was approved by the EUB Virginia Conference, the project
received overwhelming support from our citizens, businesses, and banks. The Chamber and the College
Project Committee assumed responsibility for raising $250,000 toward the project and providing a 30-
acre campus, while the EUB Church was to raise $250,000, plus $100,000 to be provided by the EUB
National Church. The Chamber’s campaign was launched after much publicity and a great deal of
fanfare, and many fundraising and dinner meetings throughout the whole area of Winchester, Frederick
County, and adjoining communities. The Chamber College Project Committee eventually brought in
over $285,000 during the campaign and finally collected over $300,000.
It was in late 1955 before much progress was made in raising our pledge of $250,000. It was a
long, drawn-out process. But once Frank Armstrong, Jr., and I were elected to the Board in Dayton to
Wilkins on History of S.C., 1952-1960 40
