made. One after another the buildings were erected until today we have seven ma jor buildings in operation and a num ber of others smaller in size, but in their way equally important, because they too are serving the purposes of the school. The ground is cleared and lev eled for practically all of the other ma jor buildings yet to be constructed. One of the most comprehensive and effec tive athletic facilities to be found in any college of comparable size in the country has been developed both for physical education as well as intra mural and inter-collegiate athletic ac tivities. The cost for land, site develop ment and buildings, to date, approxi mates three million dollars; and it is all paid for. Furthermore, the school has been operating “in the black” so that today it is still the policy of the school Board and administration not to go into debt. We who are privileged to work on the campus frequently stand on some vantage point and as we view what has been accomplished during these past few years, we very joyfully yet humbly exclaim, “See what the Lord hath wrought!” In addition to the physical plant which has been constructed, significant academic progress likewise has been made. The school is now a member of the Western College Association which carries with it accreditation. With the accreditation that we also have in the Accrediting Association of Bible Col leges, BIOLA enjoys as satisfactory ac- ceditation as may be found in any school in the country. With all of these developments that have taken place during the past few years, I am very happy to be able to announce that the spiritual emphases of the school are exactly the same to day as they were at the time of the founding of this institution so honored of God. We live in a changing world. The physical and academic develop ments of the school have been accom plished in an effort to meet the needs of the present day. But we are also deeply cognizant of the fact that the Word of God abideth forever. There is 16
Progress at Biola (cont.) The plan was to sub-divide 25 acres and retain a 50-acre campus. Through a rapid series of very evident leadings of •the Lord, it was possible for the school to acquire a total of 160 acres, to resell 85 acres at a very substantial profit, and yet retain a 75-acre cam pus. At the same time a “Vision and Ven ture” campaign was inaugurated to raise funds for the building of the new campus facilities. Some of the plans put into effect were non-productive. But the Lord blessed in a most remarkable man ner and hundreds of thousands of dol lars poured in from multiplied thou sands of friends of BIOLA who gave most generously in order to see the vis ion and venture brought to a glorious victory. The stories that came to us telling of the sacrifices on the part of so many in order that they might have a part in the new campus project was a continuing source of blessing, en couragement and challenge to our hearts to push ahead as rapidly as pos sible and at the same time to make the dollars thus given go as far as possible. It was during this time also that several very substantial estates came to the school. These were used for the campus developmental program. All of this was in addition to the gifts that came in for the carrying on of the regular school program at the down town location. It was a rather monu mental task, to say the least, to take an area of beautiful, rolling country orchard land and fashion it into a well-ordered, efficient campus. It took years of planning, arranging and rer arranging. But finally, in 1957, just three years after the campus campaign actually started, ground was broken for the first and as yet the largest of the campus buildings. Problems loomed large; frustrating delays occurred. There were times when some almost despaired of ever actually having a campus. But as we look back upon the events of the years of campus building we can realize the hand of the Lord in the delays as well as in the progress
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