The BH&HS and Baptist higher education: the BH&HS made major strides forward in 2001. It changed its name. It created a new logo. (An Executive Note).

It held the most exciting annual meeting in its history. It appointed a Long-range Planning Committee. It redesigned its journal. It published a new pamphlet series (jointly with the Whitsitt Baptist Heritage Society). It released several new books--including Duke McCall's oral history.

One of its top accomplishments, however, was to enhance its relationship with Baptist higher education. Consider the following:

* Two of our officers, all five members of our Long-range Planning Committee, eight members of our Council of Advisors, all twenty-eight members of our Editorial Board, the editor of our journal, and all three officers of the Fellowship of Baptist Historians all teach or work in some capacity in Baptist colleges and universities.

* Baptist schools routinely use our journal, books, and pamphlets in their classes and purchase them for their libraries. Their professors regularly write for our publications.

* Thirty colleges and universities donated money to the BH&HS in 2001. They included: Anderson, Averett, Baylor, Belmont, Brewton-Parker, Campbell, Campbellsville, Carson-Newman, Charleston Southern, Clear Creek, Cumberland, Dallas Baptist, East Texas, Georgetown, Grand Canyon, Houston Baptist, Howard Payne, Judson, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Mercer, Meredith, Missouri Baptist, Oklahoma Baptist, Ouachita, Shorter, Southwest Baptist, Stetson, Truett McConnell, Union, and Wayland.

* These schools donated $27,400 (a 31.7 percent increase over 2000). All twenty-seven Baptist colleges and universities that contributed to the BH&HS in 2000 also gave in 2001. Four of those schools increased their gifts: Dallas Baptist, Campbell, Carson-Newman, and Baylor. Three schools donated for the first time: Brewton-Parker, Grand Canyon, and Meredith. Ten schools contributed $1,000 or more; five (Baylor, Campbell, Carson-Newman, Dallas Baptist, Mercer) donated between $1,500 and $4,000 each. The BH&HS deeply appreciates all thirty gifts.

* Scholarly recognition of the potential of the BH&HS is beginning to emerge. Two examples follow:

First, James S. Netherton, president of Carson-Newman College, arranged in 2001 for the BH&HS to publish the book, Following Jesus in Relationships, a collection of essays written by members of his Department of Religion faculty. Two of those writers included former BH&HS presidents: Carolyn D. Blevins and Merrill M. Hawkins Jr.

Second, Samford University published William E. Hull's book, Southern Baptist Higher Education: Retrospect and Prospect, in 2001. Referring to such former members of the Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and Schools as the University of Richmond, Wake Forest University, Furman, and Stetson, Hull observed: "All these schools have retained important collections of Baptist history and could, in collaboration with the Baptist History and Heritage Society as well as the newer centers for Baptist studies on several campuses, make a valuable contribution to the understanding of our denominational identity at a time when competing versions of our past are in sharp distinction" (p. 32).

The BH&HS and Baptist higher education advance side by side for good reasons. Both believe that Jesus nurtured intelligent study and assessment of historic issues. Both believe that intentional inclusion of authentic history in the curricula of colleges, universities, and local churches is critically important to the academic and spiritual nurture of the saints. Both believe in the freedom to search in unhindered fashion for the facts, driving forces, meaning, and legacy of Baptist heritage.

Charles W. Deweese

Executive Director-Treasurer Baptist History and Heritage Society