nineteen hundred and forty-six - Amazon Web Services

PROCEEDINGS 99
Certificate in Christian Training 128
Special students 30
Total 338
Correspondence Department enrollment 372
Grand Total Enrollment 710
The resident student body includes students from twenty different states.
The resident enrollment of 338 is the largest in the history of the school. This
figure would be larger but for the limitations of housing. Many have been
turned away who would have enrolled, had there been space for them.
FUTURE PROGRAM
1. Financial needs.
A theological seminary is in an ideal financial balance when it has sufficient
endowment to make up for the fluctuations in the Co-operative Program, as well
as to supplement the income from that source. A minimum of two million
dollars' endowment should be provided for this seminary. The present endowment
is $456.12.
2. Equipment needs.
The Baptist Bible Institute has slightly more than $150,000 in hand for the
erection of a new men's dormitory. Construction of this dormitory is under
way- It is anticipated that it will be available for the opening of school in
September, 1946.
A modern apartment building to cost not less than $250,000 is a pressing
need.
A new library to cost at least $150,000 should be provided to house the
many valuable volumes at the earliest possible date.
3. Faculty needs.
During the past year, Dr. Eugene N. Patterson, associate professor of
Practical Theology, and Mr. Elliot Alexander, instructor in Music, were added
to the faculty. Miss Helen Falls replaced Miss Ruby Daniel as Dean of Women.
While the student-faculty ratio of the Baptist Bible Institute (forty-four
students to one professor) is the best among Southern Baptists, it still does not
meet the requirements of the accrediting agencies.
At least two additional professors are needed in the immediate future.
4. Student needs.
The ever increasing demand from students who desire to study in the
Baptist Bible Institute serves to underscore the request of this institution for
increased attention and contribution from the Southern Baptist Convention.
CONCLUSION
Already the Baptist Bible Institute has justified the vision of Southern Baptists
in establishing it. To appreciate fully this fact the 1945-46 enrollment
of 338 students should be compared with the average enrollment of seminaries
in the United States. The average of accredited seminaries was 84 plus in
1943-44, and the average of all seminaries was 67 plus.
The Baptist Bible Institute has kept faith with the desire of Southern
Baptists for an institution which would provide the best training for all types
of students. It has kept and expects to keep its doors open to all students
called of God, while at the same time meeting the requirements of an accredited
theological seminary.
The development of accredited seminary courses has been a response to the
need of its constituency. For a number of years approximately fifty per cent of
the student body has been college trained. Many students in this group were
pastors who could not leave their pastorates to attend another seminary.
Candidates for appointment by the Foreign Mission Board are required to
complete a standard seminary course. During these last war years the only
acceptable basis for dealing with government agencies has been as an accredited
seminary. For example, before accepting the many Baptist Bible Institute
applicants for a chaplain's commission in the Navy, a careful investigation of
the quality of the school's work was made.