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Founding of Evangel

Library Archives

Evangel College was authorized by the General Council of the Assemblies of God, meeting in Milwaukee Aug. 26-Sep. 1, 1953. The motion to establish Evangel passed on the last day of the denomination's biennial session, Sep. 1, 1953. Evangel was incorporated by the State of Missouri on Aug. 11, 1955, and was renamed Evangel University in 1998. It is situated on the site of the former O'Reilly General Hospital, Springfield, MO.

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Evangel Timeline

By Betty Chase, Evangel Archivist and Historian, events cover the beginnings of Evangel to the date of the official name change, June 8 1998. Historic Events

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History in Pictures

The pictures below show that from its inception Evangel built its reputation upon the strong Christian values of the Pentecostal tradition.

1954, Early December

Applying to a U.S. Government Official (right) for the O'Reilly property

Assemblies of God Executive Presbyter Thomas F. Zimmerman (left) and Ralph M. Riggs, general superintendent (center) are shown with U.S. government official James Doarn. They are holding the printed application of the Assemblies of God for a portion of the O'Reilly Hospital property. The application was approved, and the grant of land became the campus of Evangel University.

1954, Dec. 14

The Day the Assemblies of God Received the Evangel Campus

Ralph M. Riggs (seated) and other Assemblies of God officials are viewing copies of the Springfield, MO Daily News. The front page story in the newspaper that day was that the Assemblies of God had been granted 58.5 acres of the ORGH property to be used as the Evangel campus.

Note: In accordance with the laws for disposal of excess government property, the A/G received the highest discount and had to pay only $9,554 for their share of the ORGH property. This was because Evangel College had been duly authorized by the General Council and qualified as "educational use."

"No Racial Bars at New College"

"There will be no segregation at the Assemblies of God Evangel College when it opens . . . next fall, according to a statement released yesterday by the church . . . there will be an open door to young people. . . regardless of race, color or political affiliation."

The above announcement appeared in the Springfield, MO Daily News Dec. 17, 1954. This was an important news story at the time, since many public and private universities were segregated. At no time was Evangel University segregated, nor was anyone refused admission on grounds of color, race, sex, or ethnicity.

1954, Late December

New Home of Evangel College

After the grant of the ORGH property was announced, one of the first actions of the Assemblies of God was to put up this sign on the site. Since Evangel was slated to open for classes the following September, it was desirable to mark the location at once. Three A/G officials dedicated the sign with a prayer. They are (left to right) J. Robert Ashcroft, national secretary of education, later the second president of Evangel; Ralph M. Riggs, general superintendent; and Thomas F. Zimmerman, assistant superintendent.

Aerial View of the Evangel Campus

Flying over the vacant O'Reilly General Hospital in early December, 1954, this is what you would have seen. The camera is pointed west, with Glenstone Avenue at the bottom of the photograph. Inside the boundary lines is the portion of the hospital grounds that is now the campus of Evangel University. Today, almost fifty years later, new buildings have transformed the Evangel campus.

1988

Three Presidents of Evangel University

All three men who have served or are serving as President of Evangel University met together at Evangel's 1988 faculty retreat, where Dr. Kendrick was the invited speaker.
They are, left to right:

Klaude Kendrick (1955 - 1958)
Robert H. Spence (1974 - present)
J. Robert Ashcroft (1958 - 1974)

All photographs are the property of Evangel University.
Publication or reproduction in any manner is prohibited without written consent of the University.