Atlantic Christian College - Pine Knot Yearbook (Wilson, NC)

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Cfte 1928 During these early years, from 1904 to 1 907. J. J. Harper was president, and here was manifested to a high degree perseverance and conscientious devo- tion to a cause. Under his leadership the school grew in the confidence and esteem until J. C. Caldwell was called to the presidency. For nine years the vigor and consecration of a great soul was woven into the work. His wise leadership and his great faith contributed largely to the on going and the permanency of the work. Following Dr. Caldwell, came R. A. Smith of Indiana. Dr. Smith had been a member of the faculty during Dr. Harper’s administration, and in accept- ing the presidency he renewed associations and interests of former years. Dr. Smith was a man of large vision and an untiring worker, always striving to advance the interests and enlarge the influence of the college. When in 1919 he accepted a professorship in Texas Christian University. H. S. Hilley was acting president, and the next year was elected president. These latter years have been full of worthy and fruitful endeavor, and the end of silence was Page Seventeen

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The College grew out of several attempts to establish an institution of higher learning which would serve them in the field of general culture and edu- cation, especially in the ministry and leadership of the church. The revelation of its history is that of the efforts of a church group that was relatively weak in members and financial strength to build and maintain a college. The history of this institution may be given in four general divisions. The first period may be called the period of introduction. Though there had been before this efforts to establish a school, Atlantic Christian College marks the beginning of a real college effort. With little money, meager equip- ment. and inadequate understanding of the task before them, the college authorities set up a curriculum. The period following the beginning was marked by slow and constructive growths, and these may be called the silent years. There was the change from the spontaneous beginning to a process of building, year after year, a foundation on which to rest the future work. Page Sixteen

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 m m M M 'JS) :■ -K- ty Tr'T $XS .(2Xi.(SXi.SXSA5A£.0X£.'S'' 12 inc Unot -•4 -0 reached in 1922 when Atlantic Christian College was recognized as a standard college. Expansion characterizes the third period of the history of Atlantic Chris- tian College. This outgrowth of what has gone before marks a step in the field of higher education. The period is marked by four outstanding changes, namely: the elimination of the high school and special departments, a four hundred per cent increase in the student body: the growth of the endowment fund through the Carolina Enlargement Campaign in 1920, and the crusade of 1 927; and a growing recognition of the work of the college, and its future development. The third period is ending and we are facing the fourth which is probably the most difficult one. What we have done in the past must be consolidated: and to accomplish this consolidation the amounts pledged for endowment must be replaced by cash, and the pledges for the building fund Page Eighteen