Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Faculty Publications Fall 2009 Revolutionary Decision Meredith Jones-Gray Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs Part of the English Language and Literature Commons Recommended Citation Jones-Gray, Meredith, "Revolutionary Decision" (2009). Faculty Publications. 987. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/987 This Popular Press is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. revolutionary decision by Meredith Jones Gray and Keri Suarez hen the General Conference Au- completion of a brand-new tumn Council convened in October college church, rising on the w 1958, perhaps no one fully knew southern edge of campus. The how the discussions that ensued and the library housed a collection of decisions the delegates made would affect 60,000 books, but was quickly people, institutions and the Church itself. outgrowing its home in what The attendees were about to witness the birth is today known as Griggs Hall. of a new comprehensive university to serve Of the dedicated faculty, 16 the World Church. It would be a long process had doctorate’s and 40 held culminating in the naming of Andrews master’s degrees. University in April 1960. Three institutions In spite of its rural setting in particular would never be the same again: and the apparent slow pace of Emmanuel Missionary College, the Seventh- EMC’s campus life, Ritten- The General conference building day Adventist Theological Seminary and house noted, “Our campus Potomac University. far more closely resembles an anthill than a calm and quiet retreat.” And the world crept into the peaceful set- emmanuel Missionary College In the fall of 1958, 929 students represent- ting, as it always had. Rittenhouse reminded In 1958, Emmanuel Missionary College (EMC) ing 23 countries were enrolled in the college. the Lake Union constituency that the campus had been in Berrien Springs, Michigan, for 57 The student body reveled in the typical round was not completely isolated: “Influences of years. The school resided on about 400 acres, of collegiate activities: the student paper, the the cold war, the struggle over integration, which included “rich farm land,” in what yearbook, campus clubs, Ingathering, MV labor difficulties, the decline of public and then-president Floyd O. Rittenhouse referred (missionary volunteer) bands, American Tem- private morality, the portents of radically to as a “favored rural region.” Recent building perance Society orations, singing in the Col- differing patterns of society under the aegis achievements included a “modern, efficient legians or playing in the EMC concert band, of nuclear science and the space age, the milking parlor,” and plans were underway the SA (student association) banquet, the competition for students on the part of well- for a student center that would include new, lyceum-concert series on Saturday nights and financed, tax-supported colleges—all these updated dining services. It would be the first so on. In addition to pursuing a rich extracur- things affect us.” change in the cafeteria accommodations ricular life and their studies, the students since the dining room was installed in the worked all over campus—at the bindery, laun- The seminary basement of the women’s dormitory in 1901. dry, farm, college press and service station, to For the past 23 years, the Seventh-day Adven- The campus was also abuzz with the near- name just a few. tist Theological Seminary had been near the hub of the nation in Takoma Park, Maryland. A new Seminary building had been built on a lot behind the General Conference (World Church headquarters) and dedicated in Janu- ary 1941, but by 1957 the building was already overflowing. Designed for a maximum enroll- ment of 140, it often accommodated around 200 students from 13 countries. Classes were held in the chapel and the Takoma Park Church. In 1958 there was an influx of “fifth-year” ministerial students completing their extra year of training after college (a new church- wide requirement), but a majority of the stu- dents were mature church workers, many of them ordained, who had already served in the field and had returned for graduate training. The Seminary owned 83 apartments where An aerial view of the early Andrews university campus, 1961 the students lived, many married with fami- lies. Students often struggled to make ends 16 F o c u s meet, working at a wide derstanding that all three institutions—Wash- variety of jobs throughout ington Missionary College, the Seminary and the urban area. the graduate school—would be integrated. Jan Paulsen, current R.R. Figuhr, General Conference president president of the General at that time, assured him that that would be Conference, shared his per- the case. At that time, Rittenhouse had no sonal experiences during other thought than that the new combined an August 2009 visit to An- university would be located in the Washing- drews University. Paulsen ton, D.C., area. holds degrees from EMC, Rittenhouse, along with the rest of the the Theological Seminary search committee, set his attention on finding in Takoma Park and An- a location to build this new university in the drews University—uniquely greater D.C. area. They found a parcel of prop- positioning him to remem- erty—not far from what is today the location ber the times of decision of the General Conference headquarters—and and change that led to the Potomac university paid down an option with intentions to build creation and formation of the new integrated school there. Andrews University in 1959–60. Paulsen was programs in religion, history and education, “I worked night and day, early and late, just 22 years old when he began his education and made plans for degrees in English, music trying to get a decision to build the new insti- at the Seminary in Takoma Park. The actual and biology as soon as finances permitted. tution there,” said Rittenhouse. “But I soon location of the Seminary, adjacent to the Gen- Then the wrangling over the location of discovered Columbia Union Conference was eral Conference, was of great importance to the new university began. There was no extra very hesitant to move Washington Missionary Paulsen’s experience: “We ate in the Review room on the cramped campus of Washington College.” Money was the culprit. Church lead- & Herald cafeteria if we wanted to. Many of Missionary College or at the Seminary. Would ership felt they did not have sufficient funds the GC (General Conference) people were the University stay in Takoma Park with to build the new institution and soon politics also there eating. We worshiped in the same new facilities to be built on 18 acres next to set in. Eventually, according to Rittenhouse, churches. Some of the GC people would come Takoma Academy? Would the whole school the entire proposal—the bringing together of and teach the classes. The aura of being close move out of the city? There were disagree- the graduate school, the Seminary and Wash- to the GC was impactful on me.” ments among church leadership as to the ington Missionary College—fell apart over the next step. issue of .25 percent interest on a loan Potomac University In June 1958, the trustees decided to call a In 1955, the General Conference had under- new president to Potomac University—Ritten- Autumn Council 1958 taken the issue of expanding advanced study house, president of EMC in Berrien Springs. Things came to a head in October 1958. Rit- in the denomination by forming the Commit- Rittenhouse accepted and began a double tenhouse wrote to Figuhr just days before tee on Graduate Work. The Church—both in life of serving as president to both EMC and Autumn Council began. In that letter he North America and worldwide—desperately Potomac University until a replacement could wrote, “Now these developments clearly needed educators with advanced degrees in be found for his duties in Berrien Springs. indicate that the university as outlined to its secondary schools and colleges. The result Rittenhouse liked to say that during that me does not now seem to be either in the of the Committee’s research and delibera- stressful period he commuted by night and immediate or remote prospect. Thus, the post tions was a decision made at the 1956 Annual worked by day. Known for having a frank which I thought I was to have does not now Council to establish a university that would sense of humor combined with a quick wit, exist nor does it appear likely to exist anytime consist of “an organic union of the Seventh- Rittenhouse was well-known for his quips. in the near future. I do not feel that I would day Adventist Theological Seminary and a Greg Constantine, research professor of art fit very well in the Seminary as such by itself. new graduate school,” as well as an “affili- and artist-in-residence emeritus (and a stu- ... Under these circumstances I feel that I am ation with Washington Missionary College dent at EMC/Andrews University from 1955 to left no choice but to bow out of the picture. as the undergraduate institution.” E.D. Dick, 1960), recalls one of the president’s memo- ... I plan to be in Washington next week for a then-president of the Seventh-day Adventist rable pieces of advice to the students: “One of few days of the Autumn Council, but I cannot Theological Seminary, was asked to serve the things he liked to say was, ‘The door that stay long.” as acting president of the new entity, which let you in will also let you out.’” Back in Berrien Springs, most at the EMC would be called Potomac University.