Some scenes from the 16mm film "Fruits of a God Given Vision" 1956

The video above is a few clips from "Fruits of God Given Vision" filmed in May of 1956 during the Commencement time exercises. It was narrated by Dr. Gordon Davis. In these clips I have taken the narration out to enjoy the scenery of PBTS. There are shots of the Sign leading into Bible School Park and Main Building. Also the Students League of Many Nations, lead by Dr. and Mrs. Patterson. A scene with Dr. and Mrs. Gordon Davis and Dr. and Mrs. Patterson, and finally a shot of Dr. Lowe praying in the Chapel.

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.

Grace L. (Jones) Fabian's {class of 1959} memories of PBTS

Grace Fabian (Grace Jones when she attended PBTS in the late 1950s) is a great friend of mine. It was her testimony in 2002 that God used to call me into Bible Translation. Grace Fabian attended PBTS in the Fall of 1956 and graduated in late spring of 1959. He father Clarence Jones attended PBTS in the 1920s and graduated in 1927 as she mentions in her memories. Her reference to 'Nabak' in the piece is a reference to the language group her and her husband Edmund worked with in PNG. Enjoy Grace's memories:

How the training at PBTS prepared me for the work I did on the Mission field
By Grace L. Fabian

I learned something about servanthood at PBTS. We all had to put in one hour of work each day—the school was attempting to keep the cost of education down. My job was to mop floors in the main building. On my knees was a good place to me. Little did I know then that in the years to follow I would be on my knees many times bandaging tropical ulcers, delivering babies, teaching people to read.

I also worked every afternoon and all day Saturday for Dr. Paul Griffis. My parents did not have money to pay for my school fees so I worked every spare moment. Sitting in the office with Dr. Griffis was a benediction on my life. Yes, we mailed out his loose leaf Bibles and kept the books but being in the presence of such a gifted but humble person showed me what a godly person looks like. When I grow up that’s the kind of person I want to be.

Greek class gave me all the tools I needed for the task of Bible translation—how to look up the words from the Greek N.T., what Arndt and Gingrich was all about, how to conjugate verbs etc.

In Dr. Lowe’s class we basically went verse by verse through every proposition in every book in the Bible. And that’s exactly what I had to do in Bible translation. In preaching or teaching the Bible you can pick and choose which parts you want to talk about, but in Bible translation you can’t skip anything.

He also showed us how various themes are woven through the Bible, how you don’t take an isolated verse and make a doctrinal thesis with it. I learned the importance of cross references and in the Nabak N.T. we put in many. And at the end of the N.T. we put 56 different topics which are addressed in the Bible. There are long lists of references under each topic so a reader can get a fuller grasp of the subject. These are important things I learned about at PBTS.

In Christian Ed. class I learned about outreach, that there was another world outside of Bible School Park. After doing street meetings and release time classes I was ready to go to the world.

In Missions class I learned the history of missions and was inspired to follow in the train of Judson, Carey, and Taylor. The teacher divided us into teams and we had to put on a missions presentation. Our group did an amazing job. I still have the script and did something similar when I was teaching at Christian Leaders’ Training College in Papua New Guinea.

Dr. Griffis taught us Systematic Theology and we learned to dig deeper rather than give superficial answers. He constantly challenged us to think through, look at the other side. “How does that fit with this verse?” I learned at PBTS that pat answers don’t get you very far, and that all of Scripture must be examined. I learned some good principles of exegesis.

That was good not just for translation but I was very thankful for that good foundation because at different times in my career someone would bring up some new idea or silly theology. For instance, some people say we should march around and bring down the strong holds of Satan like Joshua did. But I know that no place in the Bible are we told to march around like Joshua.

Another silly theology is to pray for a mountain to be removed but I know that Jesus never actually prayed and removed a literal mountain.

A few days after my husband was killed someone commented, “Well, Satan really had that afternoon.” I didn’t buy it. In my theology God is firmly seated on the throne. He didn’t slip off the throne that afternoon. Satan never has the upper hand. For sure, emotionally I was shaking but my training at PBTS solidified that God is always in control.

Someone else said, “Grace, don’t give up your faith.” I looked at him like he was crazy. Never in my wildest nightmare would I give up my faith. I learned in my home (my parents were also graduates of PBTS) and then it was drilled into me at PBTS by the classes and by the teachers what it means to have the straight edge pieces in place.

I fell madly in love with the Bible when I was at PBTS. The fact that some people don’t have a Bible became inconceivable and unfair so the day after graduation from PBTS I left home to go to linguistic school and train to be a Bible translator.

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NOTE: Grace's husband Edmund was murdered on April 29, 1993 in PNG by a national with schizophrenia.

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If you are an Alumni of PBTS or you were a child of a faculty member at PBTS I would love to hear your stories. Click on the button on the side of page to email me.

The Inner Circle

When PBTS moved from Harrison Street in the summer of 1911 to the present location on Riverside Drive the old Merry-Go-Round was converted into the Men's Dorm. I have seen it put many ways: Some Theologues call it "the Inner Circle" others "Mother's Memorial." Either way it is where most of the guys stayed. The Main Building also had some rooms for guys with a large wall between girls' side and guys. Any stories about the Inner Circle Alumni? The location of the Inner Circle is where the Kitchen in Chatlos is now. In the 16mm film "Fruits of a God Given Vision" made in 1956, Gordon Davis tells about replacing it with Patterson Dorm where the men now live.

Homecoming 2006 was great.

The Homecoming this year was wonderful. So many pastors and so many Alumni.

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITIES:

THURSDAY

At 10:30 AM on Thursday Dr. William Brown spoke on the Post-modern culture to the audience of 170 pastors and church workers + Faculty, Staff, and Students. He talked about how Media now controls a lot of culture and my generation is very influenced by it. Which I totally agree. He talked about how to find truth (GOD's TRUTH) in many areas and use them for the glory of God. Just as Paul when in Athens didn't quote the Torah...he used a poem about Zeus and turned into something to glorify God. We as believers can do the same.

At 11:30 AM for the second session he talked more along these lines and talked about worldviews and how to tell them apart. It was also a challenging time. How to engage the culture we are in for the Glory of God and to bring others to Christ.

After lunch we had one final session with Dr. Brown and it was a time of questions after some clarification on some things. The church in a Postmodern era.

All sessions had the wonderful music of Bob Thompson. He has a wonderful voice from God and a great message with his music.

The night session at 7 PM was with Dr. Ron Hawkins from the class of 1963. He talked about how he was nothing and then he came to this school and the wonderful teachers that trained him. He challenged us with the life of Solomon.

FRIDAY

9 AM Dr. Hawkins continued his message on Solomon and how we are all sinners and we are not in Heaven yet so none of us are more righteous than the next Christian.

At 10:30 AM Dr. Miller gave another great message. He used a few things from the history of the school to do a sermon on VISION. Where there is no Vision the people the people perish. He used bits and pieces from Dr. John A. Davis' writing about the Education the Educates. You can read the whole thing here.

The afternoon after a wonderful meal I spent the time with the Class of 1956 and you can see their picture below. I was blessed and believe they were also.

It was a great TIME!

UPDATE: Check out the Davis College website for other pictures taken by Mrs. Sharon O'Connor. Check them out here!

UPDATE 10-16-06: Listen online to the messages of Homecoming here.

Class of 1956 Golden Class Reunion

The Class of 1956 had their 50th Class Reunion. It was a wonderful time to get to know some more wonderful Alumni and more importantly brothers and sisters in the faith I hold dear. They seemed to have a wonderful time at the Reunion. I showed the 16mm film we had transferred to DVD a few years ago that was done during their Senior Year. They had never seen it before. It was a blessed day.

Homecoming NEXT Week

This next week here at Davis College is Homecoming/Alumni Retreat and it is going to be good. But before Homecoming happens I will be doing a presentation in Freshman Seminar class about the History of the School. I am looking forward to sharing about the rich history this school has. I hope I have enough time to do it all. YIKES! It is also Spirit week next week leading up to Homecoming. The Leadership conference is on Thursday and the Alumni Retreat starts on Friday. It will be great. I have been doing things for the class of 1956 5oth class reunion. I will have to write more after the event. We are moving forward at Davis College!