In two months (Friday, October 1, 2010) Homecoming 2010

Dr. Ron Hawkins (Class 1963)

This summer marked 110 years since John A. Davis held the first classes of PBTS. 60 years ago was the Jubilee Class (Class of 1950) graduated and Mrs. John A. Davis (Etta) went home to glory. 50 years ago (1960) Patterson Dorm was built and the first students moved in the following Fall. This year we look back and celebrate our history at Homecoming 2010!

The tentative schedule:

Friday, October 1st:

8:00 - 9:00 AM: Registration

9:00 - 10:00 AM: Dr. Ron Hawkins, Session I

10:05 - 11:00 AM: Dr. Ron Hawkins, Session II

11:00 - 11:15 AM: Break

11:15 - 12:30 PM: Dr. Dino J. Pedrone, President's Address

12:30 - 2:00 PM: Alumni Luncheon & Class Reunions (Classes Ending in "0" or "5" Will Be Honored) ($7.00/person. Alumni in a class being honored are invited to enjoy the lunch at no charge. Pre-registration is required.)

2:00 - 3:00 PM: Class Agent meeting with Dr. Pedrone, '67, Rev. Jerry Traister, '67, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Rev. Dan Rathmell, '97, Church & Alumni Relations

3:00 - 4:00 PM: Alumni Fellowship with Dr. Pedrone and Dr. Hawkins

2:00 - 9:00 PM: Campus and Community Open House: History Exhibits, Live Music, Face Painting and Balloon Animals for Children, Evening Bonfire and Hymn Sing on the Knoll, and More! Concession food will be available for purchase (hamburgers, hotdogs, popcorn, slushies, etc.).

Saturday, October 2nd:

10:00 AM: Brunch and Fellowship ($6.00/person)

To register for this event click here.

More details to follow.

Graduation 2009: May 9, 2009

Dr. Dino Pedrone, Rev. Vince Griffis, Mr. Chris Seavey

The Class of 2009

Senior Chris Dorais with Rev. Jerry Traister, Chairperson of Board (Class 1967)

Dr. Dino Pedrone, President (Class 1967)

Naomi and her parents from Sri Lanka

(L-R) Daniel Rathmell, Church Relations (Class 1973), his wife, Terry Robertson, Elizabeth Robertson, Mary Knapton (class 1950), Roger Knapton (class 1950), Dr. Dino Pedrone (1967), Terry and Elizabeth's two sons.

Members of the class of 1967 (and adopted 1968 member)
(L-R) Suzanne (Sisson) Griffis (1967), Vincent Griffis (1967), Walter Schlundt (1967), Jerry Traister (1967), Dino Pedrone (1967), and Janice (Weatherbee) Chandler (1968)

Graduation 2009 went very well on Saturday, May 9, 2009. A new group of Alumni have gone out of the halls of our fine college. The Sun never sets on PBTS, PBC, Davis Alumni and it so true in seeing the students that are leaving the college to go out into the world. There were many special events that happened during the ceremony. During the ceremony an award of Trustee Emeritus was awarded to Rev. Gordon Hay (Class 1954). Also a first for Davis College was the conferring of Honorary Doctorates.

The New York State Education Department has authorized Davis College to grant honorary doctorates. The Doctor of Divinity degree is conferred on individuals who have distinguished themselves in Christian ministry and leadership. Their life and service in ministry exemplifies the college's mission of impacting the world for Jesus Christ. Today the college honors two distinguished servants of the Lord with the Doctor of Divinity degree.

The two people that received them were Vincent Griffis and Terry Robertson.

From the program the bios of each:

Vincent W. Griffis spent most of his formative years on the campus of Davis College, graduating from PBTS in 1967. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies from Calvary Bible College, a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from Rhode Island College and a Master of Business Administration from Southeastern Massachusetts University. He is presently a doctoral candidate (Ed.D.) at Boston University. Vincent has served as headmaster of the Christian School of Greater Fall River, Massachusetts and was also the director of Rain Forest International School in Cameroon. Currently, he is serving as a Scripture Use Researcher with Wycliffe Bible Translators, examining how much use is made of the vernacular Scriptures in Cameroon. Vincent is married to Suzanne, and they have four children and one grandson. Griffis Hall in the Chatlos Building is named after his father who was a faculty member and administrator at PBTS.

Terry M. Robertson was raised in Alabama where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Samford University in Birmingham. He earned a Master in Religious Education degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He now serves as the Executive Director and Treasurer of the Baptist Convention of New York with offices in East Syracuse, New York. Terry has pastored churches in Alabama, New Jersey and New York and also served as the Director of Missions for Frontier Baptist Association of Buffalo. His passion is the church and reaching the lost with the Gospel message. He is actively involved in. church planting responsibilities in the central New York state region. Terry is married to Elizabeth, and they have three children and one grandson.

After receiving his honorary Doctorate of Divinity the now Dr. Vincent Griffis gave an address to the Graduating Class. He addressed them about the troubles that they will face, but to continue on. He gave wisdom from the Scriptures about the importance of prayer in a believers life. How we don't do it enough, but it is so critical.

After Dr. Griffis spoke the degrees were handed out as a new group of Alumni entered the school history. The ceremony concluded with a prayer of dedication and the singing of the Alma Mater.

The Main Building on the inside of the 1950 "Jubilee" Theologue

I thought this was a cool picture as I was going through the 1950 Theologue. The year of Jubilee! This was the first two pages and the last two pages of the Theologue. Nice picture of the Old Main Building with the League of Many Nations Bus in the front.

There is Power in the Blood

The Old Hymn "Power in the Blood" tells of how the Blood of Jesus Christ washes away the sins of those who trust in Him, and Him alone for salvation. This post is about the use of blood as a community service. The photo above is a scan from the 1950 Theologue. It shows students of PBTS giving blood to the local blood bank. 57 years later Davis College students continue to give blood to help the Southern Tier of New York State.

The first plan of Patterson Dorm?

The first plan of what would become Patterson Dorm? I believe so. In the 1950 Golden Anniversary Theologue there were two pages showing (Yesterday [the old white city hotel] Today [the Main Building of PBTS with two wings] and if the Lord tarries Tomorrow [with this image above]). Some might think that this a plan for Chatlos-Davis, but from the article it is quite clear that it was to be a men's dorm. Here is what the Theologue says:

Our friends here in the Triple Cities and in many other places are saying, “The Lord has done great things for Bible School” and our answer is, “The Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” As we write these words, we do so with the joy of knowing that the same Lord is your Lord and He waits to do great and difficult things for you, which you know not (Jer. 33:3). What a challenge it is to us when He says, “according to your faith be it unto you.”

The above is the architect’s drawing of our proposed New Building for the Practical Bible Training School For a number of years we have turned students away because of limited accommodation in our dormitories, and with a host of young people anxious for a Biblical Christian training, the proposal become a “must undertaking” for the near future.

This will be a three story, fire-resistant building, with a separate heating plant, of practical design. The first floor will provide a dining room with seating capacity of four hundred, modern kitchen, and parlor. The second and third floors will be dormitory space for one hundred young men, ---fifty rooms, together with parlors, bathrooms, linen closets, and prayer rooms.

The site for the new building is to be just northwest of the Inner Circle toward Sunset Knoll. The estimated cost is $200,000.00. This may seem like a gigantic undertaking, but God is able. The Alumni Association is supporting this effort and a host of friends praying. At the present time we have $35,000 in our fund deposited with the Workers Trust Company in Johnson City.

The Practical Bible Training School of today is the result of the vision of its founder. Not without effort, pain, and trouble has the School come thus far; not without hard work and sacrifice will the future achievements be made possible.

But should anyone think that the work, the program of 50 years, is to stop where it is? The thought is preposterous. We want to make this, the Golden Anniversary year of our School, the greatest in its history.

The leaders are here, the experience is here, the vision is here for even greater advancement. If it is true that, without a vision the people perish, it is equally certain that where the people are obedient to the voice and the inspiration that would lead them to even better and greater things, they attain to heights that at the outset seemed impossible. Please pray that God will undertake for us, and accomplish what may seem like the impossible. He is ABLE.

There are some great information that we glean from this article. Some also is shown in the 1956 16mm film that was made to promote the building project. The First thing I think is so interesting is what was going to be on the first floor. The article says it will have "a dining room with seating capacity of four hundred, modern kitchen, and parlor." I believe these plans were scrapped for when Chatlos was built a few years later. The downstairs of Patterson does not have room for a dining room to sit 400 people. The Second thing I think is interesting is the location of the building. It was to be near the Sunset Knoll Northwest of the Inner Circle. I have created a diagram (below) to show the proposed location using this information and it would have been around where Robb Gym was build around 2 decades after Patterson Hall was finished in 1960.

The 16mm film was proposed a few years later in late 1955 or early 1956 and it was shot at Commencement time of 1956. In the 1957 Theologue it has an article about it:

Our Future Plans

For a number of years we at the Practical Bible Training School have been engaged in a campaign to raise funds for the construction of a new men’s dormitory. Because of the condition of our present buildings, this endeavor is a “MUST” in our program. One year ago last October at their semi-annual business meeting, our Alumni Association voted to put forth an effort to raise $50,000.00 in order to bring our fund up to $100,000.00.

This effort was proposed by a Christian business man, a friend of our school, who requested that we communicate with him when we reach our goal. The campaign is now well organized and our fund has increased to the $68,000.00 mark. Our aim is to complete this drive by commencement, May 1957.

A committee of our Alumni met with the Executive Committee of our Board of Directors and suggested that, perhaps, a colored moving picture showing our present buildings, the personnel of the school, and some of the school activities, might be of great value in promoting this endeavor. They agreed to go ahead with the film and the Alumni Association offered to underwrite the cost of its production.

This film has been completed and had its premiere showing at our Alumni Retreat in October 1956. It is a 1,200 foot film showing not only our buildings and personnel, but also the school in action—actual classroom scenes and many of the commencement activities of May 1956. It is a sound picture with our commencement music in the background and Dr. Gordon C. Davis, President of our school, the narrator. We have two copies of this film and at the present time it is being shown in the churches of our Alumni. It is also available to any of our friends who would like to use it in their churches. Those interested should write Dr. M.C. Patterson, chairman of the Alumni Development Fund.

We are launching out on faith in this campaign, trusting that God will supply this great need. Will you pray with us that the Lord will honor this effort with a real victory and make it possible for us to have this much needed men’s dormitory?

In the film Dr. Gordon Davis, his wife, and Dr. and Mrs. Patterson are walking near the Inner Circle and putting to piece of ground all ready to begin building on. Yet, soon after, and it could not have been very long the location was moved to near Riverside Drive where Patterson Hall is now. I am not sure what caused the change from 1956 to 1958. Either way the dorm was constructed and God provided, as he did for the rest of the buildings that ended up replacing all the older buildings on the campus during the 1960s.

Alumni Connection

Are you an Alumni of PBTS, PBC, or Davis College? Have you heard about the Alumni Connection? This an online publication done by Don Hall (class of 1950). Check out the Alumni Connection page. Use the email address on that page to email Don Hall with your reports for the next issue. If you have questions email me by using the button on the side. Also you can download the two earlier issues. The more reports that come in the more issues can come out a year.

Tomorrow or Saturday Part 2 of 3 of Memories of PBTS from the 1930s will be posted. Pastor Carl Wheeler.

Wonderful Meeting with PBTS Alumni

(left to right) Myself (Corey Adams) Class 2007, Pastor Carl Wheeler, Class 1934, Don Hall, Class of 1950. Today, the three of us met and had lunch at the Broadway Cafe at Davis. It was a great time. I will post more later. Much history was learned. Pastor Wheeler and I had a wonderful conversation about a month ago. Pastor Wheeler was born in 1912 and is one of oldest Alumni from PBTS. He will be 95 in January.
Corey Adams

A memory of Dr. Woodrow Brown

This is a memory of Dr. Woodrow Brown from Dr. Don Hall (Class of 1950) Reprinted with permission:

Yes, indeed, I knew him (Woodrow Brown) very well. He was without doubt my most favorite person at Practical and he had such a heart for ministry. We used to go out driving around the countryside looking for closed churches we could reopen. He helped find me one up near Oxford, N. Y. that we opened up and got a small congregation to come. He was also dean of men at the school and tried to appear stern while enforcing rules (which I'm sure he thought were a bit petty), but we knew he was as fun loving as we were and so we never really quaked in our boots when "Brownie" showed up. We were not suppose to have an electrical appliances in our room. Well, I had an electric coffee pot and one night just after brewing a pot of coffee, and there were a lot of guys in my room, there was a knock on the door. We shoved the coffee pot under the bed. It was Brownie, so we said, "Come on in." He made a show of sniffing the air--heavy with the aroma of coffee--so we knew he had us red handed. I said, "Would you like a cup of coffee?" He said he would and he sat down, shot the breeze with us, and had a cup of coffee with us. Before he left, he reminded us of the rule about electric appliances. He never did report us to the higher ups. That was Woodrow Brown. I know his family will sorely miss him. He was the kind of dean of men every guy going to college should have. You learned a lot from him just by the way he lived. His dear wife later in our lives was a real blessing to us. Betty and I had returned from Africa. We'd had twin sons born to us in Africa and upon returning to the USA, our mission wanted Betty to get some Bible training. Dr. Gordon Davis allowed her to take her pick of classes and charged not one penny for tuition. Plus, he threw in lunch. In the afternoon when I had to go to work and she was still in class we needed a baby sitter. We scarcely had two dimes to rub together. So Mrs Brown and sometime Mrs. Lowe volunteered to baby sit the twins for us. We'd not have made it through that year without them. And we have many memories of the Brown children, too. Just little kids back then. A wonderful family. True servants of God.

Hope you enjoyed that. I know I did when I read it.