Oklahoma Wesleyan University

A chance reading of an article, a flat tire, a providential question and answer session, and a convincing prayer were all components of the story of Central Pilgrim College. In the late 1950’s, it became evident that Colorado Springs Bible College (CSBC) would need to move because of overcrowding and lack of room to expand.

In June of 1958, the CSBC board looked at a site in Topeka, KS. While leaving there, CSBC President Clarence Wert mentioned that he had read something in an educational paper about a campus in Bartlesville, the Rev. C.B. Colaw’s area.

A couple days later, June 27, Rev. Colaw and his family drove through Bartlesville with no intention of stopping, until they had a flat tire. Colaw made a few phone calls and learned the campus had already been sold. After the tire was fixed, they decided to leave town, but on the way out Rev. Colaw “felt moved to drive by the college.” The mansion hadn’t been used for a couple years and was somewhat rundown, says, Colaw. “But I really fell in love with that building. I was fascinated.”

Eight men, a quorum of the board, met on campus July16 and voted to buy the land. “It seemed like the Lord said, ‘This is what you want,’” says W.F. Haltom about that day. “It looked good to me, and I felt the people would support the campus.” The men met with L.E. Scott, who owned the 152-acre J.V. Foster estate, and made an earnest payment.

On July 29, the general superintendent from the Pilgrim Holiness Church came down to look at the site. “He didn’t like it, period,” says Colaw. The next day word came from headquarters that the land could not be purchased. About a week later, Wert called the general superintendent to see if he would reconsider. He told the men to come to Indianapolis and meet with the executive board. Before they left, Colaw hurriedly gathered up some facts and information.

Busby, Colaw, L.E. Schendel and Wert drove all night and presented their case on August 13. “We had no idea what they would ask,” recalls Colaw. “As they asked questions, I pulled notes and figures out of my briefcase and answered every question . . . it was providential . . . we were not that prepared.” Rev. Busby was also asked to pray. Rev. Busby layed the whole situation out before the board and they couldn’t answer back, explains Colaw.

The Lord heard the prayer also and both men believe that convincing prayer may have been the pivotal point in the meeting, as the board later granted them permission to buy the land. CSBC purchased 20 acres and six buildings for $140,000.

During the summer of 1959, CSBC relocated to Bartlesville. In September, concurrent with the start of the first school year, Rev. Colaw organized what is now First Wesleyan Church. After the move, Colorado Springs Bible College (CSBC) was known as Central Pilgrim College (CPC), with Wert serving as the first president, followed by Norman Bonner. About 80 students attended Central Pilgrim College that first school year.

The school’s 1960 procedure manual stated, “CPC’s program is set with a framework of Christian higher education, and aims to provide . . . training in a setting that is vitally Christian, socially wholesome and physically healthful. It is assumed that sound scholarship, and Christian faith and experience are planted in the minds of the students, and that high scholastic achievement must be combined with Christian faith . . . .” In 1967, President Bonner wrote that the college’s objectives “include such matters of eternal weight as full-time service at home and abroad, preparation of a life for service, and full consecration to do His will.”

Central Pilgrim College was committed to a ministerial and missionary training program; however, liberal arts training was also emphasized. In 1968, when The Wesleyan Methodist Church and the Pilgrim Holiness Church merged, Central Pilgrim College became Bartlesville Wesleyan College. Bartlesville Wesleyan College was renamed Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 2002.