Point Loma Nazarene University
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Point Loma Nazarene University |
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| Motto | Teach, Shape, Send |
| Established | 1902 |
| Type | Private |
| Dr. Bob Brower | |
| Faculty | Approximately 130 full-time |
| Undergraduates | Approximately 2,310 |
| Postgraduates | Approximately 610 |
| Location | San Diego, California, USA |
| Campus | Suburban, 90 acres (0.36 km²) |
| Mascot | Sea Lions |
| Colors | Green & Gold |
Point Loma Nazarene University is a liberal arts college located in San Diego, California on the Point Loma oceanfront. The school is affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. Point Loma Nazarene University offers more than 50 areas of scholarship, and 86% of the faculty have doctorates in their field. In athletics, the university has seven intercollegiate sports for men and six sports for women. The institution has consistently recorded outstanding performances in speech and debate, and its debate team won the National Parliamentary Debate Association championship in 2007.[citation needed]
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[edit] History of the institution
In 1895, Dr. Phineas F. Bresee, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Dr. J. P. Widney, a Methodist layman and former President of the University of Southern California, founded the Church of the Nazarene in Los Angeles, California. Their primary purpose was to bring the good news of the gospel to the poor and underprivileged.
In 1902, Dr. Bresee founded Pacific Bible College in Los Angeles at the urging of several laypersons. The institution was to train ministerial and lay leadership for the new denomination. Pacific Bible College is the predecessor of Point Loma Nazarene University. On June 8, 1905, the college was renamed Deets Pacific Bible College, which quickly outgrew its small Victorian home in Los Angeles.
In 1910, the college purchased the Hugus Ranch property in Pasadena, California, and moved the campus to the Pasadena site naming it Nazarene University. The scope of the curriculum was enlarged to include a typical program in the liberal arts. A theological dispute in 1917 forced half the student body to depart, nearly bankrupting the university, but the board of trustees managed to save it and they renamed the school Pasadena University. The school grew, receiving accreditation from Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools in 1943, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in 1949. To revert to old trends begun by Bresee, the school was once again renamed, this time to Pasadena College.
In 1973, the College was relocated on the historic Point Loma peninsula in San Diego after a rejected plan to move the school to Santa Ana. It thrived for ten years as Point Loma College: An Institution of the Church of the Nazarene. In 1983, the name was changed to Point Loma Nazarene College, and in 1998 it was changed to Point Loma Nazarene University.
[edit] History of Point Loma site
The Theosophical Society began its settlement on the barren and windswept slopes of Point Loma in 1896. Led by Katherine Tingley, the group came to Point Loma to establish a community that would model the philosophical and humanitarian goals of Theosophy. The "White City" envisioned by Tingley was to be located on the extreme western edge of the North American continent but oriented toward India, the spiritual center of Theosophical beliefs. The blend of new world confidence, Victorian morality, a love of antiquity, and Indian spirituality created a unique community that found its expression in architecture that is still visible on the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University.
[edit] Historic Buildings
By 1900, the campus was dominated by the imposing Academy Building and the adjoining Temple of Peace. Both buildings were constructed in the Theosophical vernacular that included the flattened arch motif and whimsical references to antiquity. The buildings were topped by amethyst domes, which were lighted at night and could be seen offshore. The entrance to the Academy Building was dominated by two massive carved doors that symbolized the Theosophical Principles of spiritual enlightenment and human potential. These doors are currently located in the archives of the San Diego Historical Society. The sculptor, Reginald Machell, was educated in England, but moved to Lomaland with the community in 1896. The interior furnishings he carved for the Academy Building were influenced by the Symbolist style popular in Europe at that time. Machell also supervised the woodworking school at Point Loma. Agricultural experimentation was essential to the Lomaland community's desire to be self-sufficient in all respects. Katherine Tingley's goal was to serve fresh fruits and vegetables at Lomaland every day of the year. Early agricultural products brought to California by the Theosophists included the avocado.
Lomaland had public buildings for the entire community and several private homes. The home of Albert Spalding, the sporting goods tycoon, was built in 1901. The building combines late-Victorian wooden architecture with historical motifs such as the modified Corinthian column (now shaped like a papyrus leaf) and flattened arches. The amethyst dome was restored by a team of scholars led by Dr. Dwayne Little of the department of History and Political Science in 1983.
The first Greek amphitheater in North America was built on this site in 1901. It was used for sporting events and theatrical performances. The tessellated pavement and stoa were added in 1909. The theatre was the site of a number of productions of Greek and Shakespearean dramas.
The educational arm of Lomaland was the Raja Yoga Academy, also established in 1901. "Raja Yoga" meant divine union, and the educational goals of the school involved not only intellectual formation but also moral and spiritual development. The Raja Yoga Academy was a boarding school; students lived together in group homes that were know as "Lotus Houses."
Cabrillo Hall, which served as the International Center Headquarters, the Brotherhood Headquarters, and "Wachere Crest" building, was completed in 1909. It served as office for the Theosophical Society and as a residence for Katherine Tingley after 1909. It was originally located on the west side of Pepper Tree lane. Cabrillo Hall is currently the home of the Communication Studies department.
This multi-purpose structure was originally located just southwest of the Academy Building. It served a variety of functions that included telephone and mail services; in 1908 it was used as a display center for the Woman's Exchange and Mart. The unusual truss design in the interior of the building emphasized the square and the circle, which were symbolic of heaven and earth.
[edit] After the Theosophical Society
Lomaland dissolved in the aftermath of World War I and was used for bootlegging during prohibition. The tunnels systems and site was later taken over by Fort Rosecrans at some point before World War II. It served as an observation point and several barracks were installed on the site, which constitute some of the campus dormitories today.
In 1952 Balboa University became affiliated with the Southern California Methodist Conference, changed its name to California Western University and relocated to Point Loma. In 1960, the failing Cal Western law school in downtown re-located to Rohr Hall at Point Loma to join the rest of the school. It received accreditation from the American Bar Association in 1962.
In 1968, California Western University changed its name to United States International University (USIU). The law school retained the name Cal Western. In 1973, the law school relocated from its Point Loma location to the current downtown campus and Pasadena College moved to Point Loma to replace it. USIU moved to Scripps Ranch and in 2001 it merged with California School of Professional Psychology to form Alliant International University.
[edit] Presidents
There have been 16 presidents of the Point Loma Nazarene University system:
- Phineas F. Bresee (1902–1911)
- E. P. Ellyson (1911–1913)
- H. Orton Wiley (1913–1916)
- Edward F. Walker (1917–1918)
- Andrew O. Hendericks (1918–1923)
- C.B. Widmeyer (1923–1926)
- H. Orton Wiley (1926–1928)
- Orval J. Nease (1928–1933)
- H. Orton Wiley (1933–1949)
- Westlake T. Purkiser (1949–1957)
- Russel V. DeLong (1957–1960)
- Oscar J. Finch (1960–1964)
- Shelburne W. Brown (1964–1978)
- Bill Draper (1978–1983)
- Jim Bond (1983–1997)
- Bob Brower (1998–Present)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
(Much of this page originated from the official website's historical archives)
| Golden State Athletic Conference |
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| Azusa Pacific • Biola • California Baptist • Concordia • Fresno Pacific • Hope International • The Master's • Point Loma Nazarene • San Diego Christian • Vanguard • Westmont |
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since March 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Educational institutions established in 1902 | Liberal arts colleges | Universities and colleges affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene | Universities and colleges in California | Education in San Diego County, California | Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
