Huntington College names buildings new and old
Huntington, Ind. "Huntington College will name two new buildings and rename an old one during Homecoming on October 2, 1999. At 10 a.m., two new residence halls will be named in honor of United Brethren leaders Clyde W. Meadows of Columbus, Ohio, and C. Ray Miller of Huntington, Indiana. At 1:30 p.m., the College's historic administration building will renamed to honor Dr. Elmer Becker, president of the Christian liberal arts school from 1941 to 1965.
Clyde Meadows' relationship with Huntington College spanned more than three-quarters of the school's history, and his influence continues to be evident on campus. Meadows committed his life to Christian ministry at an early age. As a student at Huntington College, he sang with gospel quartets that represented both Christ and the College throughout the region. The legacy of music ministry pioneered by Meadows and his classmates in the 1920's is shared today by contemporary student groups such as One Voice, Doc Rainbow's Colorful All-Star Revue, and One Generation. Meadows pastored United Brethren churches for 40 years, then served as Bishop in that denomination from 1961 to 1969. He served as president of World Christian Endeavor and was a member of President Eisenhower's White House Conference. Huntington College awarded Meadows an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1940 and the Alumnus of the Year award in 1959. Meadows served on the Huntington College Board of Trustees for 29 years. He passed away September 9, 1999. (Take a look inside Meadows Hall.)
Ray Miller began classes at Huntington College in the school's 50th year, and has dedicated the last half-century of his life to the service of the College and the United Brethren Church. Miller completed his AB degree from the College in 1951, earned his Master of Divinity from the Seminary in 1955, and completed his Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 1974. He faithfully served the Church of the United Brethren in Christ for two decades as a pastor, and for an additional two decades as a bishop. From 1961 to 1993, he was a member of the denomination's Board of Missions, serving as president for most of those years. He has been a member of the College's Board of Trustees since 1977, and recently served as Chairman of the Board for four years. Miller resides in Huntington, Indiana, and remains active with many College activities. (Take a look at Miller Hall.)
Elmer Becker entered the Huntington College Academy, a preparatory high school, in 1918. Sensing a call to ministry from an early age, he graduated from Huntington College in 1924 and was licensed to preach the same year in the Ontario Conference of the United Brethren Church. Ordained in 1930, he held many positions of leadership within the denomination, including General Secretary of Christian Education. The College honored Elmer Becker in 1941 with an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree, the same year in which he was elected ninth president of the College. During his tenure, Huntington College was accredited by the North Central Association, College enrollment tripled, and Wright Memorial Hall, the Loew-Alumni Library, and Brenn Hall of Science were constructed. In addition, Livingston Hall was remodeled and enlarged. President Becker passed away in 1969. He was posthumously awarded the Huntington College Centennial Medallion in 1996. The following year, his personal Bible was buried in a time capsule beneath the Alumni Plaza in front of the historic building that now bears his name. (Take a look at Becker Hall.)
The newly-named Elmer Becker Administration Building was completed in 1897. Its cornerstone had been laid the previous autumn by Rev. Milton Wright, bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and father of aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright. The building was the center of campus life for many years, housing the school's library, classrooms, dining commons, chapel, theater " even a basketball court. Today, the facility includes several general-purpose classrooms, academic computer center, faculty offices, Business Office, Dean's Office, Registrar's Office, and the EXCEL Program for adult professionals. The historic building remains a focal point of the modern 160-acre campus; its bell tower is prominently featured in the Huntington College logo.
