Page 61 - UB Church and Shen Univ
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Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013
Lutheran, and Presbyterian, among other groups, in our area. Various committees were appointed later
to work on our objectives in a similar manner.
Frank Armstrong, Jr., Voyne Omps, Ben Belchic, and the author had served on the Board in
Dayton to represent the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce College Project
Committee almost from the beginning (1955) of our agreement to move Shenandoah to Winchester. We
were also fortunate to have the following outstanding local EUB members already serving on the
Board—Dr. Carl Hiser, Dr. James A. Swain, Howard W. Fulk, and Voyne B. Omps—who agreed with
our community objectives. Frank Armstrong, Jr., served as Chairman of the Finance Committee. He
and the entire committee worked very diligently and very hard to raise the necessary $250,000. The
Finance and Site Committees were essential to our success.
Site Selection. Hoye L. Riley was Chairman of the Site Committee and did an outstanding job
trying to find a good free site for Shenandoah. As noted, the Site Committee and Joint Planning and
Building Committee finally decided that the undeveloped dump area in the south end of the City’s park
land would be the best possible site, and we started to work on that basis. There was some opposition to
this site by various people for a variety of reasons: not suitable, too small, it would eliminate the
construction of a public golf course, rocky ledges, low, wet, boggy, and swampy land that would present
too many development problems. Some did not think the College Project had a Chinaman’s chance of
being successful and just opposed the idea, including a few officials and educators who quietly opposed
the project. Our committees had to counter such opposition and keep our supporters and friends
confident about the site and project. Our committees and friends used my old Bishop Gregory slogan,
“Hell, Bishop, you’ve got to have faith”; which became a rallying cry. We finally had a site—a place to
start our first two buildings, one for Shenandoah College and one for Shenandoah Conservatory of
Music.
More Fundraising. We reorganized our committees and made determined efforts to collect our
pledges and funds, as outlined previously. Since Shenandoah was in serious debt, it could offer little in
the way of a dowry. The Building Fund, after we finished the various campaigns by the Winchester-
Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and the EUB Virginia Conference, would have approximately
$600,000 in cash or pledges. We estimated that was sufficient to provide for the first two buildings, the
Armstrong and Gregory Buildings, which we hoped would be debt-free by the time construction was
completed.
As noted, the Armstrong Building was named as a tribute to the parents of local businessman,
Frank Armstrong, Jr., the Armstrong Family, and his firm, The National Fruit Product Company. This
building was designed to house the Conservatory of Music, classrooms, practice rooms, auditorium, and
other Conservatory activities, which has continued unto the 2010s. The memorials erected in honor of
various civic clubs, organizations, business firms, and individuals were very helpful in meeting our
financial commitments.
Gregory Building was designed to house the President’s office and Administration; also the
college department, offices, classrooms, labs, library, etc., and was named in honor of Bishop D. T.
Gregory who was a former President of Shenandoah and Bishop of our area. He was also a native of
nearby Berkeley County, W.Va., and his wife was a native of adjoining Clarke County. Bishop Gregory
was very interested in the College-Conservatory and area, and did what he could to promote the project,
although he had not been a one 100-percent early supporter, as he initially felt it was an impossible task.
Our Joint Planning and Building Committee worked closely with architect, Keith Williams and
Wilkins on History of S.C., 1952-1960 51
Lutheran, and Presbyterian, among other groups, in our area. Various committees were appointed later
to work on our objectives in a similar manner.
Frank Armstrong, Jr., Voyne Omps, Ben Belchic, and the author had served on the Board in
Dayton to represent the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce College Project
Committee almost from the beginning (1955) of our agreement to move Shenandoah to Winchester. We
were also fortunate to have the following outstanding local EUB members already serving on the
Board—Dr. Carl Hiser, Dr. James A. Swain, Howard W. Fulk, and Voyne B. Omps—who agreed with
our community objectives. Frank Armstrong, Jr., served as Chairman of the Finance Committee. He
and the entire committee worked very diligently and very hard to raise the necessary $250,000. The
Finance and Site Committees were essential to our success.
Site Selection. Hoye L. Riley was Chairman of the Site Committee and did an outstanding job
trying to find a good free site for Shenandoah. As noted, the Site Committee and Joint Planning and
Building Committee finally decided that the undeveloped dump area in the south end of the City’s park
land would be the best possible site, and we started to work on that basis. There was some opposition to
this site by various people for a variety of reasons: not suitable, too small, it would eliminate the
construction of a public golf course, rocky ledges, low, wet, boggy, and swampy land that would present
too many development problems. Some did not think the College Project had a Chinaman’s chance of
being successful and just opposed the idea, including a few officials and educators who quietly opposed
the project. Our committees had to counter such opposition and keep our supporters and friends
confident about the site and project. Our committees and friends used my old Bishop Gregory slogan,
“Hell, Bishop, you’ve got to have faith”; which became a rallying cry. We finally had a site—a place to
start our first two buildings, one for Shenandoah College and one for Shenandoah Conservatory of
Music.
More Fundraising. We reorganized our committees and made determined efforts to collect our
pledges and funds, as outlined previously. Since Shenandoah was in serious debt, it could offer little in
the way of a dowry. The Building Fund, after we finished the various campaigns by the Winchester-
Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and the EUB Virginia Conference, would have approximately
$600,000 in cash or pledges. We estimated that was sufficient to provide for the first two buildings, the
Armstrong and Gregory Buildings, which we hoped would be debt-free by the time construction was
completed.
As noted, the Armstrong Building was named as a tribute to the parents of local businessman,
Frank Armstrong, Jr., the Armstrong Family, and his firm, The National Fruit Product Company. This
building was designed to house the Conservatory of Music, classrooms, practice rooms, auditorium, and
other Conservatory activities, which has continued unto the 2010s. The memorials erected in honor of
various civic clubs, organizations, business firms, and individuals were very helpful in meeting our
financial commitments.
Gregory Building was designed to house the President’s office and Administration; also the
college department, offices, classrooms, labs, library, etc., and was named in honor of Bishop D. T.
Gregory who was a former President of Shenandoah and Bishop of our area. He was also a native of
nearby Berkeley County, W.Va., and his wife was a native of adjoining Clarke County. Bishop Gregory
was very interested in the College-Conservatory and area, and did what he could to promote the project,
although he had not been a one 100-percent early supporter, as he initially felt it was an impossible task.
Our Joint Planning and Building Committee worked closely with architect, Keith Williams and
Wilkins on History of S.C., 1952-1960 51
