Davis College (Binghamton, New York)

Davis College is a Bible College located in Greater Binghamton, New York in the Village of Johnson City, New York, USA.

Davis College
Motto	Loyalty and Purity
Established	1900
Type	Private
President	Dino J. Pedrone
Academic staff	40
Undergraduates	300
Location	Johnson City, NY, USA
Campus	Suburban area, 22 acres
Athletics	6 Varsity Teams
Mascot	Falcons
Website	www.davisny.edu

History

Davis College began back in April 1900 in the mind of its founder the Reverend and Evangelist John Adelbert Davis. He wanted to start a school similar to that what was done at his Alma Mater the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. In the summer of 1900, the first classes of the Practical Bible Training School started up with John A. Davis teaching. Between eighty and ninety people enrolled to study the Holy Bible. The school's first classes were held in an upper level of a store in Lestershire (Johnson City), New York.

The present location was once the home of the White City Amusement Park, a place of such drunkenness and crime that a jail was erected in the park. The Park went bankrupt in 1910 and John A. Davis was able to buy the park and the Practical Bible Training School was moved to its location in 1911. Many renowned theologians and speakers were friends of the school such as R.A. Torrey, Billy Sunday, J. Wilbur Chapman, Fanny Crosby, Ira Sankey, and Lewis Sperry Chafer.

It is told that in 1926 when Billy Sunday was holding meetings in Elmira, New York, Dr. John A. Davis sent an invitation to Rev. Sunday to speak at PBTS. A marathon was organized of runners to go from Johnson City (then Lestershire), to the meeting location in Elmira. The final runner carried the hand-written invitation to the pulpit where Rev. Sunday was speaking, and he accepted the invitation to come share the Gospel in Binghamton.

John A. Davis died on Saturday, March 17, 1934. His oldest son Gordon became the president after and Practical Bible Training School changed its legal name to the "John A. Davis Memorial Bible School." In August 2004 the college became "Davis College" in honor of the founder John A. Davis.

Academics and accreditation

In 1993 the school was accredited by the State of New York and became "Practical Bible College." Davis college was first regionally accredited in June 2005 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1] and accredited nationally by The Association for Biblical Higher Education.[2]. Specialized ministry programs offered include Pastoral Studies, Youth Ministry, Teaching English as a Second Language, Christian Ministries, International Ministries, Music/Worship Leader, and Organizational Leadership. The College also offers a "4 Plus 1 Elementary Education" articulation agreement allowing graduates from the Christian Ministries program to pursue a MsEd in Childhood Education an a Christian university. This provides certification that is reciprocal in 48 states, including New York and Florida, allowing graduates to teach in both public and private schools. Program details can be viewed at [3].

Future

Student's League of Many Nations

Practical Bible Training School was well ahead of its time in the area of unity among people of many different races and ethnic groups. During Thanksgiving 1922 the freshman class found that there were a number of its members who or whose parents were from various nations. With improvised costumes they presented an unusual, international flavored program to the school body. The Students League of Many Nations was formed. The group traveled with the direction of M.C. Patterson (later to become president of the school). On several trips the league went to Washington DC. On February 2, 1925 the group took one such trip and met with President Calvin Coolidge. The group ending in the 1950s, but the ideals it held are still held by the College to this day.

Housing

Davis College has a Men's dorm, Patterson, that can hold on the upwards of 100 students. For the Women, the top floors of Chatlos can also house on the upwards of 100 students. There are also Married student apartments and Upperclassmen suites by the names of Clements, Philips, and Mason Halls.

Presidents

• John R. Clements, 1900—July 31, 1914
• John Adelbert Davis, August 7, 1914—March 17, 1934
• Gordon Carr Davis, April 30, 1934—December 7, 1961
• Marion C. Patterson, December 11, 1961—December 31, 1970
• Kenneth C. Robb, January 1, 1971—June 30, 1980
• Woodrow M. Kroll, January 1, 1981—May 31, 1990
• Dale E. Linebaugh, July 1, 1991—June 30, 1998
• George D. Miller III, July 1, 1998- June 30, 2008 [4]
• Dino J. Pedrone, July 1, 2008-[5]

Davis College Campus

External links

• Davis College webpage

Coordinates: 42°06′04″N 75°57′41″W / 42.101122°N 75.961511°W / 42.101122; -75.961511