Henry - A History of Biola University Since 1908

122 " and other friends of their church frequently visited the Church of the Open Door to hear Dr. Torrey, for whom they had much admiration and respect. The~ -v-:CsTt~-- - p~;ided a natural opportunity for Dr. Monroe to learn about Biola. After graduation from high school, and from the University of Southern California, and from Xenia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, Kenneth Monroe had some practical church leadership experience, mainly in pulpit supply and interim pastorates. Although he enjoyed preaching, he felt his calling was to : a teaching ministry. This proved to be correct as eventually Dr. J. Alva McLain, a faculty member of the Brethren College in Ashland, Ohio, asked Dr. Monroe to replace him because his poor health necessitated his moving to California. Dr. Monroe then taught at Ashland College for ten years, beginning his forty-year teaching career. Later, in the fall of 1936, Dr. Mccreery, Dean of Biola, who had known Dr. Monroe at Xenia Seminary, invited him to be in charge of the Bible Insti- tute Correspondence School, which had a considerable enrollment. One task was to prepare a new course in Child Evangelism. Also, Dr. Mccreery asked him to teach Bible Doctrine in the Evening School. Soon, Dr. Monroe was teaching full time and was involved in administrative affairs as well, con- tributions which were greatly appreciated by both the Board and by the Dean. Then, in 1937, When Dean Mccreery felt it necessary to resign, Dr. Jaines Vaus, who had left Biola at the beginning of the Macinnis Controversy but had returned when it was over, was appointed Acting Dean. A year later, however, he submitted his resignation; and on July 7, 1938, the Board ap- pointed Dr. Monroe Acting Dean. In 1939, he became the fourth Dean of Biola As Dean, Dr . Monroe played an important role in the establishment of the four-year Collegiate Course, the first step in the development of a college curriculum. The School was prepared for this change, and Dr. Monroe found strong support for the improvements in the the three-year General Course and for the new four-year program, which to be successful required

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