I
Smith explains why Baptists
support educational institutions
Chowan College students, facul
ty and staff learned at spring con
vocation on Jan. 19 there are three
major reasons their college is sup
ported by North Carolina Baptists.
The speaker, Dr. Roy Smith, is
general secretary-treasurer of the
Baptist State Convention of North
Carolina. He was introduced by
Chowan President Bruce E.
Whitaker. Dean B. Franklin Lowe,
Jr. presided and students Patrick
Rudolph offered the prayer and
Cecil Davis the scripture lesson.
In his address. Dr. Smith asked
the following question:
“Why do Baptists support
Chowan and the other colleges as
they do? Why should they support
the institutions of Christian Higher
Education? In these remarks I am
referring to “Baptists” as a group
rather than individual Baptists
who support colleges for all kinds
of reasons.
NORTH CAROLINA BAPTISTS
SUPPORT COLLEGES BECAUSE
OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO
EDUCATION
“The Baptist State Convention
was organized in 1830. Shortly
thereafter a college was establish
ed at Wake Forest. In 1848, eigh
teen years after the Convention
was organized, the Chowan
Association, at the urging of the
moderator, Godwin Cotton Moore,
voted to sponsor a “school of
higher learning” which is known
today as Chowan College. Across
the state institutes, high schools,
colleges for men, and colleges for
women were organized. A majori
ty of Baptists believed then, as
Baptists believe now, that a
literate membership and trained
leadership is imperative for our
kind of church governance.
Congregational government,
freedom and autonomy of the
individual believer and each
church, necessitates a literate and
informed membership as well as
trained leadership.
“Now every one acquainted with
the early beginnings of Baptists in
North Carolina knows that every
Baptist did not share this view in
those early days of our convention.
As a matter of fact, Christian
Higher Education became the
focal point that divided Baptists
into those who were pro
convention, pro-missions and pro-
education from those who were
anti-convention, anti-missions and
anti-education.
“Moral values were generally
accepted and taken for granted in
1848. There was not the questioning
of every value then as there is
today. The need in 1848 was
education. Chowan College and the
other Baptist schools offered this
to young men and women of
character.”
“Baptists then and Baptists now,
view excellence in education as a
priority worthy of their loyalty and
support. They believe that a world
such as ours demands men and
women who are trained to think
critically; to decide wisely and to
act responsibly. So, Baptists
support colleges because of their
conunitment to education.
NORTH CAROLINA BAPTISTS
SUPPORT COLLEGES BECAUSE
OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO
CHRISTIAN VALUES
“Education, per se, is not the
primary value of Chowan as I see
it. Excellence in education from a
Christian perspective is the great
contribution which is needed from
Chowan and all of our Baptist
schools.
“Many other quality institutions
offer “Excellence in Education.”
These schools are by law secular in
nature. Society as a whole has been
permeated by secularism and
materialism. It appears that even
in Higher Education we have
reached the “Secular City”
Harvey Cox wrote about. I happen
to be an avid sports fan. However,
recent events at major universities
across America indicate that
“traditional moral values” are
subservient to success and winning
in sports even at the cost of in
dividuals involved and the
reputation of the school.
“Our Baptist schools offer a
viable alternative to a state system
of education which cannot and will
not enunciate moral and spiritual
values. Education from a Christian
perspective or “Christian Higher
Education” as we refer tp it, is the
unique contribution oifr Baptist
schools can make, not only to the
Baptist denomination, but for the
“Conunon Good” and the Kingdom
of God. I think it is not an over
statement to say that it is the
“Christian” in Christian Higher
Education which elicits the
greatest emotional and financial
support from North Carolina
Baptists. They believe that the
Christian heritage which you
conserve and the Christian values
which you enunciate are as much a
part of world missions as the work
of a Seminar in Africa or a Bible
School in American pioneer
missions.
“So, North Carolina Baptists
supports colleges because of their
commitment to Christian values.
NORTH CAROLINA BAPTISTS
SUPPORT COLLEGES BECAUSE
OF THE “PRODUCT YOU TURN
OUT”
“The bottom line of any en
deavor is the product generated.
The graduates of Baptist colleges
in church vocations, in govern
ment, in the market places of
society, are the greatest reason for
continuing support. There is no
way to measure the positive im
pact our Baptist colleges have had
on our state, the nation and the
world, as young men and women
have moved from these institutions
of learning to responsible
leadership positions in every
segment of society. These
graduates are not only responsible,
contributing citizens, they are
goodwill ambassadors for Baptist
Schools.
“So, North Carolina Baptists
support Baptist Colleges because
of who you are, what you do, and
because of the people you send into
every community in North
Carolina and throughout the world.
“I salute you for a job well done,
and pledge my continuing support
and advocacy that your resources
may increasingly match the op
portunities and responsibilities you
face.”
• •
Convocation speaker
Dr. Roy Smith, general secretary-treasurer of the Baptist State
Convention of North Carolina, is flanked by President Bruce E.
Whitaker, left, and Dr. B. Franklin Lowe, Jr., Dean of the
College, who appeared with Smith on the Spring Convocation
program in Helms Center.
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State lawmakers told
of tuition gap increase
North Carolina legislators and
other area citizens who attended a
December dinner meeting hosted
by Chowan College were told that
the tuition gap between in
dependent colleges and their
public counterparts has increased
to $2,846 — up $389 from 1985.
The 1986 session of the North
Carolina General Assembly
aproved a $50 increase for the
Legislative Tuition Grant, but
rising costs and increased state
support for the public university
system led to the eleventh annual
increase in the tuition gap.
A plea for increased state fun
ding for North Carolina students
attending the state’s 38 in
dependent colleges and univer
sities was made by John T. Henley,
president of the North Carolina
Association of Independent
Colleges and Universities.
Henley told his audience in the
President’s Room of Thomas
Cafeteria that the average tuition
at North Carolina’s independent
colleges increased in 1986 by $474
to $4,969. He said in-state tuition
and fees at the public universities
for 1986 is $823.”
“We are deeply concerned that
the ever-rising tuition gap is in
creasingly denying North Carolina
students meaningful access to
higher education,” said Henley.
“Students are having to make their
decisions on which college to at
tend based on cost, not necessarily
on the program that best meets
their educational needs.”
The General Assembly has
supported programs to assist these
students since 1971. This year,
each North Carolina resident at
tending an in-state independent
college or university will receive a
$1,000 tuition reduction through the
Legislative Tuition Grant
program. An additional $7.1
million in state aid (appropriated
at the rate of $300 per student) is
available through the State Con
tractual Scholarship Fund for
North Carolina independent
college students who demonstrate
financial need.
By comparison, the state subsidy
for residents attending public
universities is $5,814.
Henley called for public policy
changes that would bring the
state’s tuition gap back to the 1980
level $1,509 instead of the current
$2,846. By doing so, “we could
assure meaningful access for
North Carolina students,” he said.
Make Plans Now
to attend
SPRING FESTIVAL
April 25, 1987
PAGE EIGHT—The Chowanian, February, 1987