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Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013
arrangements to be completed when building begins in Winchester. The loan to be repaid
from the fund-raising campaign and other assets of Shenandoah College.
The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees authorized the real estate agency of Starlipper
and Company, Martinsburg, W.Va. to sell the present Shenandoah plant in Dayton, Va. The
asking price of the Dayton plant is $285,000. Starlipper and Company has not been granted an
exclusive sale contract and a subcommittee of the Executive Committee also has the authority to
negotiate a sale of the Dayton plant. All liabilities of the College-Conservatory are to be paid
from the proceeds of the sale and the remaining balance is to be used in the relocation project.
The regional accreditation agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
was informed of Shenandoah’s relocation and expressed its approval of the project.
5. A Decision To Close Shenandoah College by the United Brethren in Christ, 1955-56
Planning and coordination in Virginia and West Virginia for moving the College-Conservatory
underestimated the powerful forces at the other EUB educational institutions and the annual conferences
that supported those institutions. Closing Shenandoah represented an opportunity to allocate available
national and regional financial resources among fewer institutions and thereby raising the shares of each.
Moreover, closing Shenandoah created a market for recruiting more students. Perhaps some of the
presidents of the other EUB educational institutions thought they could further benefit by sharing in the
financial resources Virginia Conference had been committing to Shenandoah. In any event, there was
effective and powerful lobbying by these institutions and annual conferences to get the General Council
of Administration, the General Board of Christian Education, and the Board the Bishops to renege on the
earlier approval of the plans to move Shenandoah to Winchester. They succeeded.41
As noted, in December 8-9, 1955, the EUB General Council of Administration and General
Board of Christian Education, with the approval of the Board the Bishops, meeting in Dayton, Ohio,
withdrew their approval for Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music to move to
Winchester. This was after we had secured pledges and raised most of our funds, and the EUB Virginia
Conference was in the process of raising its share. Indeed, the Conference had already approved the
move by a majority of over 80 percent, three or four times. Some of the former and present leaders of
the Virginia Conference and a few dissidents had finally won through the National EUB Church what
they had failed time after time to accomplish in the Virginia Conference, which was to close
Shenandoah forever.
The action of the National Church was a shocking surprise to all of us, a real bolt out of the blue.
It dampened our spirits and lowered our confidence almost to zero. However, such unheard of action
also made our Chamber of Commerce College Project Committee and the EUB Virginia Conference
supporters fighting mad. All of us were incensed, hurt, and determined to reverse this unfair decision
promoted behind the scenes by a small minority.
We quickly called a meeting of our Joint Planning and Building Committee, which included both
groups. The Virginia Conference reaffirmed its previous position in no uncertain manner and our local
College Project Committee did the same. For some unknown reasons the few members of the Virginia
Conference who had previously wanted to close Shenandoah were strangely quiet; probably confident
they had accomplished their objective. However, it appeared to me they were surprised at the fighting
41 Inserted by the Editor. 44
Wilkins on History of S.C., 1952-1960
arrangements to be completed when building begins in Winchester. The loan to be repaid
from the fund-raising campaign and other assets of Shenandoah College.
The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees authorized the real estate agency of Starlipper
and Company, Martinsburg, W.Va. to sell the present Shenandoah plant in Dayton, Va. The
asking price of the Dayton plant is $285,000. Starlipper and Company has not been granted an
exclusive sale contract and a subcommittee of the Executive Committee also has the authority to
negotiate a sale of the Dayton plant. All liabilities of the College-Conservatory are to be paid
from the proceeds of the sale and the remaining balance is to be used in the relocation project.
The regional accreditation agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
was informed of Shenandoah’s relocation and expressed its approval of the project.
5. A Decision To Close Shenandoah College by the United Brethren in Christ, 1955-56
Planning and coordination in Virginia and West Virginia for moving the College-Conservatory
underestimated the powerful forces at the other EUB educational institutions and the annual conferences
that supported those institutions. Closing Shenandoah represented an opportunity to allocate available
national and regional financial resources among fewer institutions and thereby raising the shares of each.
Moreover, closing Shenandoah created a market for recruiting more students. Perhaps some of the
presidents of the other EUB educational institutions thought they could further benefit by sharing in the
financial resources Virginia Conference had been committing to Shenandoah. In any event, there was
effective and powerful lobbying by these institutions and annual conferences to get the General Council
of Administration, the General Board of Christian Education, and the Board the Bishops to renege on the
earlier approval of the plans to move Shenandoah to Winchester. They succeeded.41
As noted, in December 8-9, 1955, the EUB General Council of Administration and General
Board of Christian Education, with the approval of the Board the Bishops, meeting in Dayton, Ohio,
withdrew their approval for Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music to move to
Winchester. This was after we had secured pledges and raised most of our funds, and the EUB Virginia
Conference was in the process of raising its share. Indeed, the Conference had already approved the
move by a majority of over 80 percent, three or four times. Some of the former and present leaders of
the Virginia Conference and a few dissidents had finally won through the National EUB Church what
they had failed time after time to accomplish in the Virginia Conference, which was to close
Shenandoah forever.
The action of the National Church was a shocking surprise to all of us, a real bolt out of the blue.
It dampened our spirits and lowered our confidence almost to zero. However, such unheard of action
also made our Chamber of Commerce College Project Committee and the EUB Virginia Conference
supporters fighting mad. All of us were incensed, hurt, and determined to reverse this unfair decision
promoted behind the scenes by a small minority.
We quickly called a meeting of our Joint Planning and Building Committee, which included both
groups. The Virginia Conference reaffirmed its previous position in no uncertain manner and our local
College Project Committee did the same. For some unknown reasons the few members of the Virginia
Conference who had previously wanted to close Shenandoah were strangely quiet; probably confident
they had accomplished their objective. However, it appeared to me they were surprised at the fighting
41 Inserted by the Editor. 44
Wilkins on History of S.C., 1952-1960
