Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 3
June 28, 1951
NUMBER 9, PAGE 13

Florida Christian College Closes Another Session

James R. Cope, Tampa, Florida

With T. Q. Srygley, son of the lamented F. B. Srygley, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and director of Public Instruction for the State of Florida, delivering the graduation address, Florida Christian College brought to a close its fifth session on May 29. Leonard Tyler of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, former faculty member of the college and minister of the Seminole Heights congregation in Tampa, preached the commencement sermon Sunday afternoon, May 27. Gerald Montgomery of Detroit spoke at the High School graduation, May 28.

From its beginning in 1946 Florida Christian College has experienced a slow but steady and healthy growth. At the beginning of the last session it was deemed wise to offer a regular junior college program (two years of academic work on the college level) yet continue four years of intensive study in Bible and Religious Education and offer degrees in these two fields of study. This plan has more than justified itself in practicability of operation. Young men and women desiring to give full time to gospel work have found their efforts pursuing courses in the Bible and related subjects profitably spent. The curriculum is so arranged at Florida Christian College that a four year program here assures an intensive study of every book in the Bible. Along with this are courses in Greek, Hebrew, Church History, Criticism, Evidences, Modernism, and other related fields designed to give the student a splendid insight not only into the word of God itself but also equip him to be conversant with the various issues confronting both the church and the general fields of religious thought.

Our academic work speaks for itself also. Our students gain ready admittance to other colleges and universities of higher learning without difficulty. To date, so far as we know, not a single student who has transferred to another school with our recommendation for advanced study has failed to equal or excel the academic record he made while at Florida Christian College. This, to some degree at least, indicates the thoroughness of work done by our teaching staff.

Unlike many other schools Florida Christian College anticipate no decline in enrollment this next fall. If inquiries and room reservations are any indication of next year's student body our expectations of an increase will be justified. We are releasing no teachers because of the international situation as was earlier thought might be necessary. Not only does our freshman class promise to be the largest in our history but we have the largest percentage of returning students for additional work here thus far observed. In addition, an increasing number of men and women holding degrees from other colleges are coming to take special work in our Bible department.

The future of Florida Christian College is bright. Our library, for its size, is rapidly becoming one of the best equipped and arranged to be found anywhere. East of the Hillsborough River, which winds through the campus and flows lazily into Tampa Bay, is a 179 acre plot of land being developed as time and finances permit. A hydroponics garden is now in operation. (Hydroponics is a process of growing plants without soil.) This project promises not only financial income for the school but affords opportunity for courses of study for those interested in growing foodstuffs and ornamental plants and shrubbery. In addition to and in connection with this project we have started a small nursery.

Florida Christian College has no ambitions to be a "big' school. We believe that thoroughness of work coupled with a great amount of personal attention for each student and his individual problems counts for most in the long run. An honest effort is made to saturate every student with a profound respect for the Bible as the word of God with an attitude to defend not only its letter but its spirit regardless of personal cost. In the academic realm that which we do we propose to do well, but we believe there are values in life and for living which cannot be measured by literary standards or in terms of academic degrees. This is probably the explanation why more and more young men who desire to equip themselves to preach the gospel and young ladies who are thinking in terms of becoming Christian wives and mothers are looking to Florida Christian College as the answer to their desires and needs educationally.

We make no apology for having regulations, some of which, no doubt, are considered by many as "old fogey." Too, we endeavor to make a sincere effort to enforce our regulations, not just have them in a handbook to be laid aside and forgotten. But evidently the students who were enrolled during the last session liked Florida Christian College pretty well since more than eighty percent of those who did not graduate have expressed their desire or intention to return for further schooling.

Every college student this past year was a Christian. Parents desiring to enroll their sons and daughters and young people who are interested in pursuing their education in a thoroughly Christian environment will make no mistake by examining in detail the merits and offerings of Florida Christian College. Climatic conditions are everything of which Floridians boast. Our food is unexcelled and we are glad to compare overall costs with any other institution proposing to do the same type work. We will be happy to correspond or talk with any person interested in what we afford. Address Florida Christian College, Temple Terrace Station, Tampa 4, Florida, for catalog or further information.

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Woodrow W. Hughes, Box 202, Healdton, Oklahoma, June 21: "After 15 years on the West Coast my family and I have accepted the invitation to work with the church in Healdton, Okla. The last three and one-half years of our stay in Southern California was spent with the splendid congregation in Ontario, Calif. During our labors with this church 216 responded to the Lord's invitation with 68 of this number being baptized. A new educational building was built and equipped at a cost of $28,000. Five mission meetings were conducted. The brethren in Fontana, Calif., were assisted in establishing a new congregation in that city. Additional elders and deacons were appointed. In my humble opinion the Ontario church contains some of the greatest in the Lord's kingdom . . . Last Sunday was our first day with the church here in Healdton. This is a good congregation and her influence for good is felt throughout this region. We are looking forward to a pleasant and profitable work here in our native state.