The following classes will have reunions in 2015: Class of 1945...................... 70 years Class of 1950...................... 65 years Class of 1955...................... 60 years Class of 1960...................... 55 years Class of 1965...................... 50 years Class of 1970...................... 45 years Class of 1975...................... 40 years Class of 1980...................... 35 years Class of 1985...................... 30 years Class of 1990...................... 25 years Class of 1995...................... 20 years Class of 2000...................... 15 years Class of 2005...................... 10 years Class of 2010........................ 5 years Keepers of the dream...alumni...the bridge builders The Bridge Builder by Will Allen Dromgoole An old man going a lone highway, Came at the evening, cold and gray, To chasm, vast, and deep and wide, Through which was flowing a sullen tide. The old man crossed in the twilight dim; The sullen stream had no fear for him; But he turned when safe on the other side And built a bridge to span the tide. “Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim, near “You are wasting your time with building here; Your journey will end with the ending day; You never again will pass this way; You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide. Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?” The builder lifted his old gray head: “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “There followeth after me today A youth whose feet must pass this way. To the fair-haired youth may a pitfall be. He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.” ALUMNI – (plural) most commonly referred to as graduates of both sexes. If you are a female graduate and do not wish to be referred to in the plural form, you are an alumna (a female graduate or a former student) or an alumnus (male graduates or former student) While attending OBI, you became part of the growth and legacy of this great institute. From the first graduating class of five students in 1908 to the present time, the works of Oneida Baptist Institute can be summed up in the words of Rev. H.L. McMurry in The Cru- cible -- “Burns, this school will grow into a great institution, because it is purely the work of God, which cannot be overthrown”. We now have over 300 students and we continue to grow. Each student of every graduating class should be gloriously proud of be- ing part of the dream of Oneida Baptist Institute. We all remember our time here, as it is indelibly etched in our hearts and souls. Some of Kentucky’s finest have graduated from Oneida. The school has provided an atmosphere of learning, spiritual growth and hope. OBI has produced scientists, educators, doctors,ministers, lawyers, au- thors, politicians, businessmen and even school presidents! Professor Burns wrote these words in his book, The Crucible: “The work of Oneida Institute has scarcely begun. It shall be carried on into the ages, a heritage for generations yet unborn. Workers will live and love and labor till their task are done – others will rise up to take their places – to carry the banner still further to the front.” One of OBI’s best and most distinguished graduates, Larry A. Gritton, Jr. has returned to serve as President. While students here, Larry and Angie (Berry) Gritton received the highest awards given to students, including Mister and Miss Oneida. One of Larry’s goals was to progressively get local students back to OBI. He could not have chosen a more capable ambassador to get the job done than Dr. Ed. Lowenback. Ed has worked tirelessly to make it happen. We now have 27 local students, with two buses picking them up in all directions. In the early years of the school, Oneida served the chil- dren who lived within a day’s journey by horse, mule or wagon from Manchester, Booneville, Hyden, Buckhorn or Burning Springs. As each of us accepted our OBI diplomas, the torch was passed to the next graduating class, the new “bridge builders.” If you have always wanted to give back but were not sure what to do, remember that no gift or service is too small and it’s never too late. Kentucky has been cited as one of the the poorest states in the union, par- ticularly eastern Kentucky. The first classroom on the campus was built by families donating a rafter from their cabin, nails, tools, logs and horses! That same benevolent spirit is still alive here. Everyone is working together for the good of the Lord and our students. Many of you have given to Oneida and have helped keep the legacy of James Anderson Burns alive. q A great contribution to OBI would be to attend Homecoming if possible. YES, each person and every class is important. Your class helped “build the bridge” for future Oneida graduates. Our alumni are an integral part of OBl that provide won- derful memories and history of our school. As an alumnus or alumna, please support our Alumni Association by keeping us in- formed of any address, email or phone number changes. We truly want to hear from you and keep you informed. We offer to you the alumni on staff who are serving and consider them- selves servants of God as they continue to be “Keepers of the Dream.” OBI staff alumni Ethan Allen ’94 -- houseparent Noel Spencer Cordle ’03 -- teacher Joanna Renea Barger Cushman ’96 -- tutor Lolita Parker Cartwright ’00 -- Tutoring Lab Director Geneva Couch -- food service Derrick Evans ’09 -- farm Angie Gritton ’91 -- Assistant to the President Larry A. Gritton, Jr. ’93 -- President Jeff Kelsey ’89 -- Dean of Boys, coach Stacy Hasty Miller ’93 -- teacher Tara Frost Mills ’07 -- teacher Amy Burkhead Nelson ’88 -- tutor Amanda Roberts ’62 -- (volunteer) Librarian, Alumni Director, assistant golf coach David Robinson ’82 -- Principal, Athletic Director, coach Laura Stockton ’86 -- Purchasing Agent Frank Stratton ’01 -- Assistant to the Athletic Director B.J. White ’82 -- houseparent Anna Woods ’85 -- houseparent Keshia Woods ’03 -- Donations Coordinator Mark Woods ’99 -- maintenance Margaret Youtsey ’55 -- food service Deb Moore ’76 -- food service ALUMNI NEWS VOL. 19, NO. 1 Education for Time and Eternity February 2015 A newsletter for alumni of Oneida Baptist Institute ONEIDA BAPTIST INSTITUTE PO BOX 67 ONEIDA KENTUCKY 40972-0067 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID Oneida, KY Permit No. 4 Can you come? What’s new? Anderson Hall renovation is now complete. • Homecoming weekend 2015 will be October • 23, 24, 25. The fall drama production will now be on • Homecoming weekend. There’s a new boys’ dorm on the way! • Buy a brick for the new dorm -- $10 per • brick, given in memory of an event, person, or class.