The first Florida Baptist Convention constitution included a desire to have an educated ministry. Reading early Florida Baptist history gives one an appreciation for the struggles, hard work, and sacrifice of many to see that Florida Baptists had a plan and purpose in educating its preachers.
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Stetson University was Florida’s first private university. Henry A. DeLand served as a Baptist deacon and Sunday School director in Fairport, New York, before moving to Florida. Beginning in 1876 he spent his winters in Florida and he founded the town of DeLand and generously contributed to the building of the first public school there.
DeLand College opened its doors on October 15, 1885, with 33 students after the convention had considered sites in Gainesville and Lake Weir. Henry A. DeLand invited the school to DeLand and gave money and land to see the school locate there.
In January 1886, John B. Stetson made his first visit to DeLand and became very interested in the school through the influence of J. F. Forbes, the first president of the school. Due to the financial commitment and special interest of John B. Stetson in the school, there was a request to change the name of the school to John B. Stetson University and this was done in 1889. Interestingly it was Henry A. DeLand that suggested the name change.
Today Stetson University has an enrollment of over 2,500 on its DeLand campus and over 700 enrolled at the St. Petersburg College of Law campus. H. Douglas Lee is the president. Although the school does not have formal ties with the Florida Baptist Convention there have been many Florida Baptists who attended school there. It is a private university with a remarkable record in academics and leadership.
The second Florida Baptist College endeavor was the Columbia College that operated in Lake City from 1907-1918. G. A. Nunnally (1907-1908), H. W. Tribble (1908-1912), and A. P. Montague (1912-1918) served as presidents of the school. There was adequate enrollment and outstanding leadership but financial difficulties closed the doors to the school in 1918.
The third school, Florida Baptist Institute began August 3, 1943, in Lakeland. T. S. Boehm, Frank Faris, James S. Day, and C. N. Walker were the key individuals in beginning the school. The name was changed to Baptist Bible Institute in 1949. The school moved to Graceville after First Baptist Church, Graceville, and the community offered 160 acres for the new campus. The Florida Baptist State Convention took control of the school in 1957 and other name changes were Florida Baptist Theological College (1988), and The Baptist College of Florida (2000). Serving presidents were T. S. Boehm (1943-1945), 1946), J. C. Owens (1945-1946), Leon M. Gambrell (1946-1952), Arthur House Stainback (1952-1957), George H. Gay (1957), James E. Southerland (1957-1977), Joseph P. Dubose (1977-1990), and Thomas A. Kinchen (1990- ). The Baptist College of Florida had an enrollment of over 700 in 2003.
The fourth school begun with Florida Baptist Convention influence was Palm Beach Atlantic College which opened in 1968 with 225 students. The state convention had only a brief connection with the college, in that Palm Lake Baptist Association became the controlling agency of the school in October 1968, by the request of the first president, Jess Moody and the school leaders. David W. Clark is the current president and the enrollment is over 3,000.
This is seventh in a series of vignettes.
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