By Harrison Flowers
On February 9, 2024, Oklahoma Baptist University celebrated its 114th anniversary. To commemorate the date, Dr. Alex Himaya delivered the Founders Day chapel message in the RAWC on February 7th. The past 114 years have been chock full of examples of God’s love through a wonderful supporting community and amazing faculty and staff. The celebration of its anniversary gives us a perfect opportunity to look back.
It all started with an idea. The Baptist Convention of Oklahoma decided that Oklahoma needed a higher education institution that upheld Christian ideals. At the 1910 annual meeting of the Baptist Convention, it was decided that Shawnee would be the location for this new school, and it was incorporated under the name, “Baptist University of Oklahoma.” Dr. J.M. Carroll was selected to be president of the institution because of his “ripe experience, wide acquaintance, and his surpassing ability to interest people in educational affairs; he is the best man qualified to lead us.”
The Baptist University of Oklahoma didn’t start out with the nearly 300 acres of land and over 50 buildings that OBU has today. Classes began in the basement of the First Baptist Church with 150 students. But God was working through the university even then. Within those first 150 students came three United States senators: Josh Lee and Robert S. Kerr of Oklahoma and Huey P. Long of Louisiana.
The university was not without its struggles, though. In 1912, facing bankruptcy, President Carroll resigned, and the Board of Trustees stated, “the Board deemed it wise to temporarily close the school until such time as we could occupy our own building and address our efforts to liquidating our indebtedness, building and equipping our dormitories, and when in our own building open our school and go forward with that zeal and pride characteristic of our great denomination.”
The Baptist University of Oklahoma was shut down. And for several years, it would remain that way.
It wasn’t until 1915, under the new president Frank M. Masters and building with the new Shawnee Hall building that the university reopened. In the school’s first faculty meeting, President Masters said, “We cannot afford to make a mistake.”
This was a crucial point in OBU history and President Masters began things with prayer.
“I suggest that we go down upon our knees and ask Almighty God to give guidance and wisdom without which we cannot perfect the organization of this institution properly,” Masters said.
By appealing to God in prayer, the Baptist University of Oklahoma relaunched successfully.
Much university culture developed after this relaunch. The land that is now home to OBU was once a bison wallow. The bison that once roamed the campus were hunted by the local Indians. By providing food and warmth to the people, the bison met their needs, much like we are called to do. “The founders of OBU chose the bison as the mascot because they hoped OBU graduates also would help meet the needs of the world.”
Also, the bison mascot wasn’t just a logo on a t-shirt. A student organization called “The Sacred Order of the Bison” brought and took care of a live bison that they named “Belshazzar.” This organization took care of the animal, and after its death, there were three more bison to live on campus.
Through the years the Baptist University of Oklahoma has gone through many changes, from the changing of the name to Oklahoma Baptist University in 1920, to the opening of iconic buildings such as W.M.U. (Women’s Missionary Union) dormitory in 1928 and the Gieger Center in 1970. From 150 students in the bottom of a church basement to “1,399 from 29 states and 12 countries.” OBU has a deep and lively history to be explored and as we look to the future, we can know that God was faithful then, faithful now, and faithful forever.
