Olivet Nazarene University - Aurora Yearbook (Bourbonnais, IL)

Page 16 text:

O N September 30, 1907, a cherished seven-year dream began to materialize in Georgetown, Illinois. Through the ministry of Dr. E. F. Walker and out of the con- viction of a common need came the desire and prayer of a few of God ' s people in the state of Illinois for a school which would stand definitely and always for holiness of heart and life. This conviction was: That the religious element is necessary to educa- tion; that religious experience and ethical culture must come in the formative stages of one ' s life; that God can have His way with man only when man ' s spiritual development is at least equal to his intellectual development; and that the beginning and de- veloping of the spiritual part must be undertaken in early life, and conducted from the first in a sane and safe manner, with the Bible as a textbook. To this end a small holiness school was founded by Mr. Oria A. Nesbitt. A four room house was secured in the northwest part of town, and on September 30 twenty pupils taught by Mr. Nesbitt ' s sister, Mary, who is still living, began the first session of the school that is now Olivet Nazarene College. Their only equipment con- sisted of benches used as seats to recite from and write on. By the end of the year the enrollment had reached fifty-six. I ' af r ' I ' vrlfC