Olivet Nazarene University - Aurora Yearbook (Bourbonnais, IL)

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1908-40 OUfjiet, OIUmUI 1940 Kankdkee, Illinois

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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

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Mary Nesbitt, Olivef ' s first teacher 1907-1918 Orla A. Nesbitt Founder 1907 A. M. Hills, Olivet ' s first president 1909-1910 I. F. Walker, President 1912-1915 B. F. Hoynes, President 1916-1917 E. L. Moore, President 1919-1922 N. W. Sonford, President 1922-1926 Dedicated Men and Women Fifty golden years was more than the story of fortunate circumstances. It was more than an age of educational in- quiry. It was the story of great men and women who simply made a good beginning into a great Christian institution of higher learning. Scattered throughout the history of Olivet their names appear: Orla A. Nesbitt spent his energy, prayers, and money to found a school where the Bible was upheld, God was hon- ored, and Christian character built. Seven men, along with O. A. Nesbitt, were largely re- sponsible for a holiness school becoming a reality — Elvin Judd, William Richards, R. E. Richards, John F. McCoy, H. C. Wilson, Jos. B. Conaday, and A. N. Leneeve. Miss Mary Nesbitt, because of her love and devotion toward God and in spite of meager funds, became the first teacher of the primary school which was the nucleus of Olivet. A. M. Hills, Olivet ' s first president, was educated at Ober- lin and Yale. Saved and sanctified, he was a scholar, author. T. W. Willingham, President 1926-1937 A. L. Parrolf, President 1937-1945 Grover Van Duyn, President 1945-1948 Selden D. Kelley, President 1948-1949 I ' atic l- ' iiurlirn