00:00:01.230 - 00:01:06.639

No, no. Yes, they don't go away as well. The corner on the north side, south side is that I, so this is your honor should be, uh, but you know, yeah, I know. Extra more. Ok. I, that's fine. Ok. That,

00:01:08.589 - 00:02:37.009

yeah. Yeah. All right. Yes. Excited. Yeah. Right. Ok. Right. So I, all right. 10 0. I, there we are. Uh, excuse me, ma all right. Mhm. You have a house? Hi, George Life. All. Why

00:02:37.020 - 00:04:00.199

is that? So, they're wonderful. Yes. Oh, really? I, we, any, no strange see restoration. This is right. Something. What are you saying, child different still in the camera still? Yeah. Oh,

00:04:00.429 - 00:05:44.079

yeah. I, right. Try. So, you know that have, I, I bet you have done. Oh, where do you, where? I, yeah, it's hard and ok for this. Yeah. Ok. Yeah. Right. There's a lot of things, you know. Yeah.

00:05:47.579 - 00:06:25.390

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, just one sec. I call hi after I, yeah. Uh, and I know, uh George Pepperdine and we're gonna complete our luncheon by showing the film that Dick Melt and Joe Orlando put together in 1958 and we're gonna see it on that monitor.

00:06:25.399 - 00:06:37.269

On the other side of the room from me. Dick is here with us today. But first, while this gathering is here, I'd be curious to know who was in school the first year. And I'd like for you to stand and give us your name. Who in

00:06:37.279 - 00:07:00.369

this group today was in the student body in 1937 38. Let's see how many we have from the first year and start over here and tell us who you are. The first chamber of building on the street. A sign on the street. Gordon, didn't you tell

00:07:00.380 - 00:07:19.489

me you were the first, um, Californian, I think four or five people. They just want to be the first round. So they came in as seniors and they were all telling that she was signing up together. They were all members of the church in Christ. Yeah,

00:07:21.149 - 00:07:50.890

great. I've never met anyone from the South. Ok. Everybody speak loud. Gordon keeps standing for a moment. Everybody speaks loud so that Helen can hear. Let's go here to the middle. I was Jane Harris. Jane Harris Jones. Jane Harris. I for be late. Came here. I

00:07:51.029 - 00:08:33.989

heard one of the first from Berkeley and Gordon. You were from L A? Ok, let's go next next to Jane. No. Yeah, I gave I from, uh, a college. I've been there two years, the first year I came out, like, reported with 40 K. Anyway, that

00:08:34.010 - 00:09:04.510

one white quarter over there she is the first letter for ever given that day. The first, so college, I think it's over there as a special. All right. All right. Uh, one time when I was still on the back here, uh, the Home Ec Department Safety

00:09:04.520 - 00:09:23.650

fell over the course at the hotel. So I had to think that I work with Mr Hill back in that day when I first went to AC C IFI was very new and, uh I thought I'll just talk, you know, to get hold of it. So

00:09:23.659 - 00:09:47.760

I called, I had this, this is Connie Hilton. I said that way, you know, uh manager and the special I kept books and, uh, but it had on me, of course. But I said, maybe you remember my brother, I'll tell you the way. But anyway, I

00:09:47.770 - 00:10:13.520

said my brother was Page Boy and he won the National Page Boy contest on the Get money out of keep standing these first students. Let's go over here. Who's this student? Yeah, I had heard about para here before it was established because you find your paradigm

00:10:14.320 - 00:10:38.830

for talking and planning. So I already knew where I was going to start college. So when it opened, I was there to register. Where did you register at a chamber of commerce on the floor? Now, which Co Ed was over here? That was in the first

00:10:38.840 - 00:11:11.799

class, first year. Ok, let's have these names. I was number 37 student, 37. I met doctor T because I was a Presbyterian and I was a Presbyterian youth camp and he came up with that summer. Now, where were you married? In the, in the home? And

00:11:11.890 - 00:11:29.984

our next student? Well, I was Helen Mad and I've been to two years and, uh, my mother and father had known George Pepperdine before Helen did, uh, in the early days when I was very, very young. So that drew them to want me to come to

00:11:29.994 - 00:11:48.289

caper. And then uh we knew Brother Baxter at Lipstone. So that made them want me to come to cap. So I came, uh and I was one of two students coming from Harding. The other one was Malcolm Hinckley and uh I lived in the Dark with

00:11:48.299 - 00:12:12.049

Jane and Gloria. And uh then the next year a novel came, you also, that was a that in turn besides those six from that first class. Now, I'd like to see if we can get these six for a group picture. Helen, what do you think you

00:12:12.059 - 00:12:28.929

could go for in the center of Ronnie? I would like to play one team for, for Jordan. I would have never been able to go to college and get my bachelor's degree. I want to tell you that because based on that I did whether I wanted

00:12:28.940 - 00:13:14.900

to or not. Now, if we look at these six students, let's give them a round of applause these first steps, we'll get a whole basket from Aaron. Let's get another one in color. How many students were there in? 37? 3800 and 47? Ok. Let me go

00:13:14.909 - 00:13:43.700

to the second year who was in school in 3839. Stand and identify yourself 3839. Start over here on out here for a while. Right here. I can. Nash, uh, no young. And his mother brought me out and at that time, they, we took about two weeks

00:13:43.710 - 00:14:15.510

trip on the way out. We visited all the young relatives, young and, um, we got out here and no, and I met and like, and we kind of switched how you doing? Save an interesting school. I know Helen won't want me to tell this, but I

00:14:15.520 - 00:14:46.570

really don't. It, it should be told because it's a little, he and I were in the very first drill team that I ever produced and there was a great deal of controversy over our skirts because they came to the knees. Are there any photos left of

00:14:46.580 - 00:15:15.099

Pictorial history? Yeah. But then I started that drill team to support Leland in the basketball team. Go Sharks Baxter didn't. Ok. Our next dude, I'm Alton mcphee Gary. And, uh, I was, I guess I, I introduced these two. He was living in our home and, uh,

00:15:15.109 - 00:15:30.859

my parents knew, um, disparage that used to do and of course it was very different. I mean, I'm a California girl. So it was a hard place for me to go and I met Liz there. Well, I guess it was about nine months after I got

00:15:30.950 - 00:16:02.900

to school. So, like this is the thing. 26. Wow. We're glad both of you can come back. We have a picture of a great, what student is this? From the second class? Second class? Are you still there in the second? But I went up to the

00:16:02.909 - 00:16:39.719

first year. Yeah. P PC. He said there wasn't anybody out of it. So I graduated from Fremont High School in Los Angeles and this was close by. I went over there. So what it cost to go in three hours? A you 13 units of 40 100

00:16:39.780 - 00:17:26.708

bucks records, anything like that. And, yeah, I didn't have any money. Why you, one of those, anybody want to work their way? My work. So I went in to see Dean Time. How do you say 25 cents an hour? That will be the worst scholarship if

00:17:26.718 - 00:17:55.849

you look at it. I, I belong to the pre pre church. He says, well, we have special assignments for members of the church. So old guy came out. No, so the best, but he was our worst. Correct, sir. I got one of those jobs now, the

00:17:56.040 - 00:18:31.349

hard I would raise a lot of what I knew that I, I probably only stood the phone course on this. Uh, remember I had these cars under weeks? Oh, Jenny. We afternoon the people I was trying to read. And, uh, I said, I don't know what

00:18:31.359 - 00:18:49.199

you're saying because, yeah, it's terrible for you. I have never known this role was the worst of all of you. And I said you're holding my paper up, but I can't understand a word you're saying. I had friends in the doctor. Come on. How many of

00:18:49.239 - 00:19:34.449

the doctor? Good, I guess. Ok, let's go. My is for, I will give you this, but I'm the only French teacher and I had to teach you again. Thank God, yes, I was just going to say that I graded papers for J Eddie Williams and maybe

00:19:34.459 - 00:20:00.719

that's the reason. Let's thank this group from the second year. Let me back up on the uh and get the faculty. Now, do we have any faculty members from the first year of 3738? Who was on the faculty stand just one today, Hubert. Dare Russ. Russ

00:20:00.729 - 00:20:23.469

is in Houston, Texas. He was on, he was on f where you stand? Doctor Earl F. What were you, what were you teaching in the first couple of years? I didn't know whether you want me to speak about this at this time. Did you? Sure, I

00:20:23.489 - 00:20:49.750

uh there were two things about Mr Pepperdine that I thought I would mention today would be even when they were establishing the college president ba uh wrote me at Duke University where I was then and uh asked me to join the FA and uh I thought

00:20:49.760 - 00:21:12.750

this would give some indication of Henry Me, Mr Pepperdine had very interesting and I told him that I was interested in his invitation, but that I had an opportunity to go to England for a post doctoral study back next year. I wrote back to that. I

00:21:12.760 - 00:21:35.910

got a letter right back very quickly. And uh pres uh President Baxter said you take the leave uh first year and we won't be doing very much that first year and come in the second year, 1938. The reason I tell that is that this was very

00:21:35.920 - 00:21:56.000

typical of this Pepperdine's ability to make up his mind quickly. And of course, this causes problems. As far as academic studies are concerned, we were not able to make that kind of decision that quickly, uh, on most academic matters. The other one, I remember Mrs Pepper,

00:21:56.150 - 00:22:13.880

I, do you hear that when speaking this way? The other thing I remember was when we used to come out to your home to, uh, uh with students out there and their parents, I don't know whether it's or not and they would each tell about their

00:22:13.890 - 00:22:32.300

experiences, what they thought about it, what it meant to them. And these were very wonderful occasions. I remember them very well. I mentioned these two things because you had one, the businessman who was quick to make his mind other than you had uh, a person with

00:22:32.310 - 00:23:12.260

some feeling and cinema. I remanded of one other thing today. Very great I think poem by all Wendell Holmes who said very few things on this lunar sphere rise on the morning of the 100th year without both looking and feeling quick. This year, Hubert

00:23:12.270 - 00:23:33.229

share a brief story about yours. You were the other pioneer faculty member. Well, uh I in California because I followed you time. You don't know what time. So we won't say about how when you and I were in high school, the other in San Antonio 1925

00:23:33.239 - 00:23:52.680

I thought it comes to church. He's right at 10, the first energy. And uh uh as the young people helping son and uh uh he subsequently became a member of the church of Christ. And we all went school together having an inclusive process. And when he

00:23:52.689 - 00:24:10.380

came west was uh Lloyd Lord Nelson. And they found their way. He wrote a story and uh he rose in the education system and uh visit back via Mo back in Texas. They came by and that's what was that to come out. He wrote the story

00:24:10.859 - 00:24:30.189

and I took him to River Side. And then when I followed him, Arlington Park, where h where he did and he came out of the factory from 1937 to 2074 I believe, or six. But anyhow, uh work with strangers. I had uh my dad was a

00:24:30.199 - 00:24:45.709

real man and I see a lot of people killed or the train in front. And I've seen 1215 people killed in the train race. And he himself was killed in one. He had both friends and MS come up and I went through all that, that impressed

00:24:45.719 - 00:25:17.459

me deeply about eternity. And I prayed two prayers. One was that God gave me up some part in his work. Uh And the other was that I would meet a girl who would write the same things out here. They were both answers on the show. Fly

00:25:17.469 - 00:25:41.780

down and she go country in Texas. They turn, I said, young mother is just one way you're gonna get by this time. And she did so and little I know and 1230 I played a full part in a lot of work and I kept waiting, my

00:25:42.390 - 00:25:57.229

preacher teacher, I think we called my teacher this one time after we were out here said you would you remember that you invited you to church? So I have that much to do with that. The school now. And, uh, but the main thing I wanna say

00:25:57.239 - 00:26:16.319

about the, he visited the riverside, uh, after we had bought that Presbyterian built and then I go by the street and, uh, after church, I met her and sister for the first time. And he said to me, uh, I would like for you to come over

00:26:16.329 - 00:26:31.390

to my office. And, uh, if you find out what it takes to put Rry in this building. I'll put it away. Well, of course, I got busy immediately and I went over to his office in L A and, uh, he gave me a check for the

00:26:31.400 - 00:26:47.520

Baptistry and I found out that they were doing work with all of some 16 institutions up down the coast. And I just, I never met him. I heard that before. It's not to my measure of before I left. He said, I'd like to ask you some

00:26:47.530 - 00:27:03.569

questions. He said, I'm thinking about starting college. Uh, young man, time n talked to me about it and he's persuaded me not to go to paradise for a summer. Like conviction. I think what a lot of us are, uh that he shouldn't petition the Church Treasury

00:27:03.579 - 00:27:22.160

because I might object to it for secular education. And, uh, but he preferred both that time to be done individually. Oh, you know, that's true. But anyhow, what amazed me was if he asked me what I thought the color should be. And when I began to

00:27:22.170 - 00:27:47.199

tell him my ideas about it, he took out a notebook and began to without that, none of them ever developed. But uh he was in a self face. Uh He was just so ridiculous. So I uh I read in my opinions and uh he expressed to

00:27:47.209 - 00:28:03.739

kind of be the daughter of the, I just finished a book in which I put all this point to table. Uh but he, uh, the thing that amazed me was the, I think the week, week or two before his death, several faculty members went over and

00:28:03.750 - 00:28:26.069

say it took time about seeing all that at all. Ok. And I, all the time how much we appreciated him. And I try and I couldn't get him to say one thing about himself. He just came the mess in. Finally, what he did say was I

00:28:26.079 - 00:28:43.989

noticed watching the 10 bars out there that you knock a lot of balls over the fence. Now you can go in and go get those I know faces in turn. He was absolutely so detached for himself when he says that those all cost money and we

00:28:44.000 - 00:29:07.599

need them. I think the best thing I ever heard about that obviously assure him that he's there. We were gonna chase the ball next year. I think Noble came aboard. Who else can add it to the faculty in 38 Noble stands any other 3839 before he

00:29:07.609 - 00:29:19.079

speaks? I want to say something you're taught me Spanish. And later on, I had a chance to go to South America when I was in Lima Peru. And I met this fellow when I ask her to go to the store so I could buy a all

00:29:19.130 - 00:29:47.109

my wife and I was talking with my hands in the Spanish that I had heard I got all through. He said, I mean, perfect English. He said, I live here. I don't understand the word. A the every time because my mother and father were good friends

00:29:47.119 - 00:30:06.010

of the Baxters of Bay and Vassal Baxter in Nashville. My father had brought him there in about 29 or 30 to be president of Lipow. My father was secretary of the board when I say brought in, he was one of the key ones with hr and

00:30:06.020 - 00:30:24.969

some of the others, we came, they came out to visit the Baptist the first year of the college and staying in the President's home, which I thought was a lovely place. And I came back from a trip around the world, having gotten my masters at Vanderbilt

00:30:25.800 - 00:30:51.750

and we visited there, I had a mustache which I draw on the trip. But uh I was beginning to be aware that growing hair was a diminishing capacity about uh I had a crew cut, but the crew came out seriously. Uh I had the chance to

00:30:51.760 - 00:31:12.130

meet Helen at that time and to speak in December at the uh chapel at the top of the uh avi. And then we went back home to Nashville, my brother back to invite us to come out, he offered 100 and $50 a month, which sounded like

00:31:12.140 - 00:31:30.119

a pretty good proposition. Since nobody else had offered anything, he didn't have a place for English way really was teaching English. So I shifted my major to history. I was always interested in history. Anyway, but especially 100 and 50 a month, I got more interest went

00:31:30.280 - 00:31:49.849

on to get my doctors that. But me when I came back, Hugh Tyner, Doctor Pus uh was the dean that year, I came as uh instructor J Thompson was the head of the department and Hubert was the heir and Eugene W thus far. And uh Don

00:31:49.859 - 00:32:06.750

Miller, the later became president or chairman of the board and I used to play uh ping pong with us said the president, it was a, we had a great spirit there and a lot of anticipation of the future. And I think we should say this that

00:32:06.760 - 00:32:22.329

although this is a beautiful campus here, we thought that was just as beautiful then as people, as the young people think is this today. And uh it was great to be a part of it. And we're happy that God has blessed us with this beautiful campus

00:32:22.339 - 00:32:42.670

here. And I'm so glad Jerry that you arranged for this day. And I'm happy that he can be here and Don and Earl Police and all of the others. It's a great occasion. Thank you for this. Thank, thank this. Possible. Looked a little at students and

00:32:42.680 - 00:32:58.910

faculty. Let's talk about the board. We have one pioneer board member and I'm aware of it than others. Don Miller was on the board from the very beginning. I think the board started with five AJ Dunn Clarence Shattuck and George and he and Hugh Don stands

00:32:58.920 - 00:33:19.589

and bring us a greeting. Tell us when you first met George all South Church, New George by reputation. I don't think I ever met him personally. I was very well acquainted with Hugh T and Carl WB West has encouraged some of us young fellows at the

00:33:19.599 - 00:33:39.520

central church to do some Jack LA preaching among churches and had old preachers. And so a few kind would take on me for our church. Had no preacher. He thought I was an Arab and no preacher would fight. Uh I vividly remember, I believe it in

00:33:39.530 - 00:33:59.750

1936 I was preaching at this once a month, guiding me at this uh pre uh Sunday and Sunday night in the upper room on just away. And I just started my laborious sermon. I had my outline that I was trying to follow and I lost my

00:34:00.099 - 00:34:15.659

composure. But George and Helen walked in, of course, I knew who they were. They had no idea who I was and cared less and I forgot what I was talking about completely. I went blank and I finally looked at my notes and picked up and went

00:34:15.669 - 00:34:34.030

on. And I wonder later on why George ever picked Miller to be one of the five members in the original board, uh the Trustees of Health. But I, I think I know that a few times who had, as I said, had been setting me out at

00:34:34.040 - 00:34:49.719

a very place was the one spoke a kind word to George about me and his secretary. At that time, George's secretary was in the Thompson, the wife of Doctor J Thompson. And I guess both of them voted in favor of me. And so George put my

00:34:49.729 - 00:35:11.649

name on the list. I'm the last of the original five founding custody of the president. I want all of you to know that we're working on a pictorial history of Pepper University and we want you to all order classes this fall and we send out some

00:35:11.659 - 00:35:27.239

advance notices about it. We hope to have it available for you sometime in February at the latest March 1. It's uh even though it's a pictorial history, it has quite a bit of text in it. It's gonna be about 250 pages. It'll have 100 and 80

00:35:27.250 - 00:35:44.669

pages of photographs and about 70 pages of text. The major text, the five chapters on the history of the school are being written by Doctor Howard White who is a historian by training and a former president of the school. And uh Bill Henniger is the creative

00:35:44.679 - 00:35:59.300

design genius behind it. Helping put it together. The university has asked me to serve as general editor of it. We've now finished all the photographs in the archives and all the photographs in the athletic department. Now we're working at university affairs. I hope before you leave

00:35:59.310 - 00:36:10.780

today, if you haven't already seen the table back there. You can look at some of the things that we put out and I'm hoping it might trigger some things that you have in your garage or upstairs or in a trunk. Yeah, where there's still time for

00:36:10.790 - 00:36:23.899

you to contribute to us some old photographs that might make it into this book. Uh This is, we won't do this again for another 50 years until we're 100 probably. So we want this to be as nice as we can make it. And if you can

00:36:23.909 - 00:36:35.709

help us with any photograph, don't assume that we have it. Some of the photographs we most want to have didn't turn out to be in the archives. We've seen pictures of them in the yearbook. It's hard to pull them out of the yearbook. They're not as

00:36:35.719 - 00:36:50.179

crisp and clear. We need photographs, but Doctor White has worked with me on this project. He's now finished writing the first three chapters. Those are done and he's researching four and five. Doctor White. Will you stand and bring a, a memory of George Pepperdine, anything you'd

00:36:50.189 - 00:37:11.050

like to say? Thank you Jerry. Now, I've been here 29 years but today I feel like a new kid on the block. Yes, it's good to see in front of you. I wish I had time to go around the table and make personal remarks. Not so

00:37:11.060 - 00:37:27.409

many of you. I know I who is knowing George Fo the last four years of his life. I knew from the perspective of one who's on the campus and who saw him there. I was not as close to hand as most of you are. Sure. But

00:37:27.419 - 00:37:44.550

I'm sure the things that impress me are the things that impressed you about them. I've heard some loop of this already today that he was the president of the deepest humility, the greatest Chinese and out of that also the greatest serenity and con and all of

00:37:44.560 - 00:38:02.270

that went along together. I think in the research I've done as well as from my own experience, the thing that to me is most touching that I can think of about George Pine, all the things that I that I overwhelmed, but was the fact that in

00:38:02.280 - 00:38:24.149

September of 1961 less than a year before he died, he came to the opening ceremonies of the 25th year of her college. He'd been in bed for several weeks. I didn't join him very much, although he had been to church, the preceding center. And when he

00:38:24.159 - 00:38:43.370

was introduced in the chapel by the fact that the students and the s all together, he received a standing ovation. Everybody loved him so and weak and sick as he was, he also stood up, but he was too ill and too weak to make a siege

00:38:44.290 - 00:39:03.550

and it was a very emotional occasion. So he had written out some words that were read through the assembly and he close by saying I am the happiest man in this world. They called it a life work. It's proving out to be a blessing to young

00:39:03.560 - 00:39:33.510

people. God bless you all. I want your imagination to go back down to 100 years ago this moment. Let your mind go and let's think back June 2018, 86 when George Pepperdine was born 100 years ago this afternoon on a sunny Kansas afternoon. And I'd like

00:39:33.520 - 00:39:49.810

to ask what was going on 100 years ago tonight. I want to set George Pepperdine against the proper historical background. What was happening when he was born? Queen Victoria was the dominant person in the world politically. She was in her 49th year as queen. She was

00:39:49.820 - 00:40:07.639

getting ready to celebrate her golden jubilee the next year, her 50th year Gladstone was Prime Minister here in America. Grover Cleveland was the 22nd president of America. Alexander. The third was the czar of Russia with his tremendous bias against the West and was already leading that

00:40:07.649 - 00:40:26.679

nation away from any interchange with the West among the great books that year. Uh Henry James wrote the Bostonians and Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, there was a gold rush going on in South Africa and although there weren't any automobiles around much,

00:40:27.229 - 00:40:45.590

there was a man in Germany named Carl Benz who had invented his automobile the year before in 1885 a one cylinder and had it patented the year George was born. It's an interesting significance there up in Canada. They were proud of just finishing the railroad. Finally,

00:40:45.600 - 00:41:05.830

the Canadian Pacific across that land and the first hydropower plants were going in next to Niagara Falls out here in California on this property here, the ranch family didn't own it yet. Henry Keller, the Irishman still own these 13,330 acres. The Rancho Malibu, it would be

00:41:05.840 - 00:41:25.100

another year before Frederick Hastings Ranch would marry May and move out to California. In 1887 the um days of the outlaws were about over Jesse James had been killed four years before George was born. And the, the bands of brothers like the binder brothers who were

00:41:25.110 - 00:41:42.360

in the same county that George was born in that outlaw band had been killed off the year before he was born. Karl Marx's great book Dass Capitol, which has been the foundation of socialism in our century, was published in English for the first time. The year

00:41:42.370 - 00:41:59.649

that George was born. And when all of that was going on, when uh out here in California, the churches of Christ were flexing their muscles and had about 100 congregations including a 400 member church at Temple and Broadway. By 1886 when BF Coulter who owned the

00:41:59.659 - 00:42:13.810

biggest department store in L A was going all over town, knocking doors, getting people to come to church. And when in 1887. When George was one year old, he came out here to where lax is now and knocked on the farmhouse door family that had just

00:42:13.820 - 00:42:26.560

arrived from Iowa named the littles and invited them to come to church. They said, why we're members of the church of Christ? We'll be there next week. The little eight year old girl standing in the door. Well, doorway was Emma the mother of Don Miller. So

00:42:26.570 - 00:42:41.739

there's the beginning of the connection with the Millers and the cultures brought the the little family over to the Temple and Broadway church. That was 100 years ago, they had come out on the train for a dollar a person. Uh coming into L A in, in

00:42:41.750 - 00:43:02.760

1887 John and Mary Pepperdine. John was from Illinois and Mary was from Kentucky. They had met in Montgomery County, Illinois. They married in 1880 John came out to Kansas looking for land and he found 80 acres in rather bleak part of southern Kansas. It's about six

00:43:02.770 - 00:43:20.250

miles south of uh of uh a little village called Mount. Let's see, Mount Mound Valley, Mound Valley and he agreed to buy it, went back home and got his bride. They worked in Illinois a couple of years. The oldest boy, Fred was born in 1882 and

00:43:20.260 - 00:43:33.770

in the spring of 83 they came out to see their beautiful 80 acres. It had a one room cabin on it made of those loose flat rocks that abound in the area. And it was in that cabin that George Pepperdine was born 100 years ago this

00:43:33.780 - 00:43:54.149

afternoon with, um, Mrs mcgraw serving his midwife and Mrs Bowman nearby and John Pepperdine pacing up and down in the yard, he was named for his father's brother. He had no middle name. And so George Pepperdine 100 years ago today, born in Labette County, right down

00:43:54.159 - 00:44:10.760

by the Oklahoma border, six miles below that little village and 18 miles from Parsons, which was the one big town anywhere around there. When all that was going on. Just think when Victoria ruled when they were rushing for gold in South Africa, when Karl Marx was

00:44:10.770 - 00:44:28.840

publishing his book, when Grover Cleveland was president when the car was being patented. When all that was going on, a young baby was born that affected everyone in this room and has affected us positively. I think it's important that we look for opportunities to remember George

00:44:28.850 - 00:44:47.159

Pepperdine. And I'd like to suggest that this not be the only time we get together. I'd like to plan a suggestion right now that we do this again next summer. I'm sorry that this was planned so quickly. Uh I kept waiting for someone else to do

00:44:47.169 - 00:45:00.040

this and I kept dropping hints at the Brock House and at this office and that office and everybody was going to be out of town this week. So finally at sort of the last minute, I just decided to do it myself. And almost all of you

00:45:00.050 - 00:45:14.739

were contacted in the last 72 hours, some in the last 14 hours. And uh, so we've pulled it off and we've come together, but I'd like to suggest we've come together on the 1/100 anniversary of George's birth next summer will be the silver anniversary of his

00:45:14.750 - 00:45:31.169

death falls on July 31 which is also a Friday. Many of us will be working here on campus. I'd like to suggest that we plan now 13 months in advance to come together on July 31 on this campus, 1987. In the midst of our golden anniversary

00:45:31.179 - 00:45:45.705

years, we're celebrating the 50th year of this wonderful school. And as we're looking at the 25th anniversary of his death and many of you, we were at his funeral that we come together again and this time we do a better job of reaching out to uh

00:45:45.715 - 00:45:58.655

those that on the spur of the moment couldn't be here today. Russell Squires in Houston. Ken. Ross couldn't make it. Walter King, couldn't make it. Bill Youngs was dying to come from up at San Simeon and on and on, Joe Orlando who helped Dick put the

00:45:58.665 - 00:46:12.810

film together. There's so many others I think we could get to come back next year. So I want to plant that seed and we'll be back in touch with you and hope that you can come on Friday, July. 31 about 13 months from now. I want

00:46:12.820 - 00:46:39.080

to recognize some others in those wartime years. From about 1940 to 45. Doctor Sanders. When did you join the faculty? 39 till 41. Is that right? Something? 39 to 41. 42. And then, and back in 57 you just keep coming back. And Eugene White, when did

00:46:39.090 - 00:47:03.199

you join the faculty in 39? And it served till when 39 to 79 and only you were a student. What years? I was, I was a student at 39 and I, in fact, at 44 and still here, I tell you that the reason that uh, Doctor

00:47:03.209 - 00:47:23.669

Sanders came back in 1957 is that he finally got so tired of me calling him morning noon and, uh, he came, we're wanting to show this movie in just a moment. But uh JP, will you say a brief word about George Pepperdine? The first time I

00:47:23.679 - 00:47:40.879

met that guy was in Nashville when he spoke to the chapel that they left in college. And brother Baxter had actually come out when the school began in 37 and was part of biology. But biology has been my minor and it's been a long time and

00:47:40.889 - 00:47:55.840

I felt like it wouldn't been appropriate for me to get into that. And then in 39 I came back and they were just starting the church over on Vermont Avenue and actually to hold the meeting. And while I was holding the meeting, they asked me to

00:47:55.850 - 00:48:11.489

come back next year, the following year rather the following fall. Uh as a member of the fact that chairman of the department and I came back, Florida was in my classes the next two years and I thought she was the smartest student I ever had. So

00:48:11.500 - 00:48:33.830

we got married Pepperdine. The Rain is to allow us to charge our first furniture to the Pepperdine Foundation which we ultimately paid for before we left and we appreciate that very much. And I had many conversations with Mr Pepperdine and it's already been mentioned by nearly

00:48:33.840 - 00:48:52.919

everyone that he was a very humble person and he was a person who had a mind for details. I remember occasion just mentioning parts of automobile and he would give a long serial number and tell you to depending how much it would cost. I had many

00:48:52.929 - 00:49:14.459

conversations with him. But during the days of his own, I talked to him several times. He uh was greatly concerned about the school and about the student. And I suppose one of the reasons now that Pine gives more money and student aid than any other colleagues

00:49:14.469 - 00:49:33.879

that I know if the follow Mr Pepper, I always said help everybody you can. And the many years that I was on the scholarship committee, we gave 15% of the total college budget for student a and that was five times the average of the colleges in

00:49:33.889 - 00:49:58.020

the United States. And this goes back, Mr Pepperdine's concern, help everybody that you can. I feel that his greatness and this Jardine was a great man but manifest after he lost his heart and good gracing never than you. He did not become cynical, it did not

00:49:58.030 - 00:50:20.300

become bitter. Had many men who had been raped and lost their hearts and sins. He said, and he often heard faith is my fortune and it was his fortune. He was a man of deep faith, these canals. And I'm glad that I had the opportunity of

00:50:20.310 - 00:50:45.439

knowing him. Life of the blessing for me and all of you and the thousands and thousands of thank you. Cheers me for change here. I never got to say anything about Mr Pepper. I thought we were just talking about our own day and I was a

00:50:45.449 - 00:51:05.919

senior and I was fortunate enough the first college to elect to our state legislature as one of the youngest. And when I would come back to the campus, the para, they would always find the name to talk. It was the a so to, I'm not being

00:51:08.620 - 00:51:38.520

pepper, I can tell the members of the legislature I used to be on the way to meet after Weinberg was on there with me. And uh I used to try to set an amendment for, to get uh a state allocation. But after they knew that I

00:51:38.530 - 00:51:51.459

couldn't do this. But I would try because this was a private college and now that I didn't know that I was tried and that they passed resolutions for him and all of that, some of the way I know he appreciated this. He used to say to

00:51:51.469 - 00:52:15.060

me, Gordon, you're my first example of my Christian college turning out someone into the world and you got the phone. So it does me good. He always meet there and that's where we established the first state legislative district policy in California's history at Pepperdine College. And

00:52:15.070 - 00:52:34.419

then I instructed and then I turn, I would be in that office and it helped the expenses of the school because the state had to rent that from Pepper. And I told the member I know I'd get the money somehow. Are you doing? I have so

00:52:34.610 - 00:52:55.989

many in this room and goes back a number of years before every time I was founded here and Cleland rid of us and all around the room. I see many noble back at Abilene JP. But we're here today to honor the member of George Pepperdine. I

00:52:56.000 - 00:53:13.280

was privileged to be associated with brother Ferdy and of course his wife, um in three areas that I think are at the moment, one of these was up at Camp Thunder where Helen used to come and do the cook Pepperdine and I would sit around in

00:53:13.290 - 00:53:33.469

the chairs out in the shade and talk about the affair and, and he and various other things. The second area in which I associated with him was in the church. We were fellow elders at the Southwest Church, I guess for about eight years during this time

00:53:33.479 - 00:53:51.209

and we were all together in needs. And third of course, was the college itself. And I remember back in the early days, we all used to love to go to the Trevor. I state over on West Adams for the party. The reception was very same and

00:53:51.219 - 00:54:13.439

uh we greatly enjoyed that in all these associations. I don't believe I ever saw Brother Pine angry. And certainly there were many uh occasions where uh circumstances must have tried his faces to the nth degree. But as someone has said already, he maintained his serenity through

00:54:13.449 - 00:54:35.780

all of that. So I love the memory that I have memories, many memories that my wife has of brother and his wife Helen. And of course, many of you and I hope, uh Jerry that you will be successful in, uh carrying this out once a year

00:54:35.790 - 00:55:13.350

or whatever, like, but I did. My brother, Mr Pine told me I was the only Democrat he ever gave money to, to get elected office. Told me I'm the only Democrat she ever votes for come here. And I'm gonna slip to the car. And I thought

00:55:13.360 - 00:55:46.489

because this is the 100th birthday of brother character because all of you here are my friends. And it's the 100th anniversary of the statue of Liberty July. I was a uh a special team which will be a collective life of the statue of Liberty July 4th

00:55:46.510 - 00:56:13.070

24 and the CF play the county seat, the county seat of lo area that's on all official garden. Little Steimer helped me with little. She's design hazard to be of copies of the first seal of Adine College where they have the waves in the background that

00:56:13.409 - 00:56:57.679

Fish County seat and I'm 100% very rare and special have to go you to and sports. Plus, uh give this part one of the miss paradigm. Absolutely. This is yes that you have in the, as a souvenir of this delightful program. Don't you need it? If

00:56:57.689 - 00:57:20.439

you go on the highways and if you stop, you just show them. Yeah. Scary. May I tell you something and all of this great tribute to George? And I sure we all share there is one person thats Moore to support and add to his stature in

00:57:20.449 - 00:57:41.314

this period of time. And Helen Pepperdine who stood behind him and was the helper of every faculty member down at the old Valley campus. And we are great death to Helen who with great support for George and her tender care up to his last breath really

00:57:41.324 - 00:58:02.790

was part of his race. And the other thing I wanna say, few of us may realize that this man Jerry Rushford is getting ready his family to back up and leave for England. And he took this time out to do this that we owe J only

00:58:02.800 - 00:58:16.409

we need to see this movie. But I wanted you to have the last word. I want you to say a word. Well, my father was an old salvation army preacher. And one thing he taught me was there comes a time to say, amen. Let me just

00:58:16.419 - 00:58:32.419

say in uh just one minute, there was no way I could ever express my appreciation to Helen and sir George and to the university for what it has meant to me and to my family. He took a walk on the old campus this morning. And I

00:58:32.429 - 00:58:49.989

think if George was alive, he would be proud of what's happening here. Obviously, if he could be at this marvelous campus, he would be proud. I'll resist the story. But uh Doctor co and, and Gene mentioned these uh meetings at the old mansion on that. So

00:58:50.000 - 00:59:13.110

I remember the first time my parents and I went and we were awed by the whole thing. And when it was over, George said to my father, say something about your son. Remember that? He said, oh, it's a good boat. Sarah will have other meetings to

00:59:13.120 - 00:59:54.020

go to and we're gonna be breaking up in a moment. But I think this is the appropriate time to say to Helen, how much we love her. Let's respond to hell, Helen do you care to add any word. Sure. I thought on that.

00:59:57.530 - 01:00:22.709

No, I wanted to say that these wonderful people who've been was so we were privileged by the Lord. Be associated another speechmaker. As I say, I only have one answer to for me. Don, I've loved it every minute that not only the, the time when we

01:00:22.719 - 01:01:05.750

were married, but every moment sits and the love that follows George, she is great. Come through full hearts. At first, I'm sorry, Ellen. You made this so special for us and you can be with us on his 100th birthday. This film is only about 17 minutes

01:01:05.760 - 01:01:20.659

and I want you to know that in his original form, it was 38 and it's gone through a variety of editing. I've never seen it, but I've heard about it for so long. But I found out last night that the original is in a safe keeping.

01:01:20.669 - 01:01:34.540

It's been in a bank vault all these years. And I don't know, there's, there's not even a vice president here today. I don't know who to recommend to back me on this, but we need to get that negative and make a couple of positives from it

01:01:35.000 - 01:01:47.379

and have the full 38 minutes on video. Now, what we're about to see a video of it, it's quite reduced. But I want, before we see it, I want you to know Dick melt. Joe Orlando. Can't be here. Dick and Joe were the two that put

01:01:47.389 - 01:01:58.965

it together. And I want Dick to tell you how this came about how he walked in and suggested it to oval and how it happened. Say a brief word about what we're about to see. Ok. Well, I see, I think it was the spring of 58.

01:01:58.975 - 01:02:10.405

I walked into the Orville's office. I was president of the Booster club at the time and I said, no, what we need on this campus is a real good film to promote the school back east. And uh he agreed with me, he said that's fine. And

01:02:10.415 - 01:02:23.060

uh I didn't think any more about it. And I went home and the next week I came back and I seen the graphics, there was big headlines, cameras jro on campus, a new film and my name was associated with. So I was kind of stuck with

01:02:23.070 - 01:02:35.310

it. But now I come out here and I see this beautiful campus out here and I see uh all these other guys that dropped in of Norville office. I see her far less fortune than I was. But anyway, uh the film really had two motivations behind

01:02:35.320 - 01:02:48.324

it. First, we wanted to present a, a picture of our campus to the people back in the snow country in the winter time, back in Texas and Tennessee and places to show them what we have out here in California. And that's um and I never really

01:02:48.334 - 01:03:02.219

found out afterwards whether it was because they like Pepperdine because it was a small independent college down here in South Vermont or because, uh, they just have a, like her of Shan. But anyway, we got a lot of, a lot of work from them. Uh, one

01:03:02.229 - 01:03:17.000

or one or two other things. Uh, the movie, as you said was 38 minutes original. Uh, that was the, that was the cut version. We did have, uh, we met 11 censor that came out. His name was nor young. He looked at the film just before

01:03:17.010 - 01:03:27.669

we uh parade to show it. And there was one part in there he didn't particularly care for and he thought maybe we could change a little bit. It was the beach scene, but we had the boy and the girl coming right out of the water and

01:03:27.679 - 01:03:47.179

falling down in front of the blanket. They had, they had to be holding hands and you say we couldn't, we couldn't, we do something about that. So we went back out and we shot that scene over again with, with no hands holding during that scene that

01:03:47.189 - 01:04:00.570

satisfied. And that, that was kind of um anyway, some people ask me how much it cost to make this film. It was just peanuts. And uh at that time because everything was, you know, all things were donated. But we did get uh Ken Ross, got somebody

01:04:00.580 - 01:04:14.659

donated $1000 towards it. And then we prent up some tickets and we had a, a little premiere that night. And, uh, we, we sold these tickets for a dollar a piece and I got the fraternities and shortage to sell them for us and I let them

01:04:14.669 - 01:04:26.699

keep 10 cents. So we got another 900 bucks. We packed the thing out. We had a search light there and so we recouped a little bit of our money. One last thing I'd like to say is that uh when we did show the movie that night,

01:04:26.929 - 01:04:41.340

um Mr Pepperdine was there in the audience and Helen and uh after the movie was over and everything, Mr Pepperdine came up on the stage and I presenting the film and uh he was so appreciative of it. He was really touched by it and uh this

01:04:41.350 - 01:04:55.610

meant a great deal to Joe and I, and we just thought to ourselves, this was such a small effort on our part. And yet Mr Pepperdine during the years and everything that contributed so much more, he tying his money, his fortune to cop it, it was,

01:04:55.620 - 01:05:12.149

it was well worth it. Said one other thing, uh my contact with P was back in 1937 when he came to Santa Paul for actually accounting and announced in the spring of that year, he was planning to begin a new Christian college and that's when I

01:05:12.159 - 01:05:33.979

made my intention to be one of the students, although I was born too late to be part of the 1937 crop for which I'm thankful. How do you mean? But I would like to just add one thing that I think about when I think about Mr

01:05:33.989 - 01:05:50.149

Pepperdine and Mrs Pepperdine and that's the, the great love that they had for all of our Children and for Children everywhere and for their own Children. I have an image of Mr Pepperdine driving around on that old tractor, uh, mowing lawns or plowing up or whatever

01:05:50.159 - 01:06:04.129

else he was doing with one of his Children seated on his knee as he would drive around the campus. And that's a very precious memory to me. And I think what he felt toward Helen and toward his Children was uh the the thing that motivated him

01:06:04.139 - 01:06:22.739

to do something to take care of all of our Children. And I'd also like to give uh uh Doctor Poo a very special salute. I think surely one of our very most distinguished teachers over the years. Uh one that I gained uh perhaps more than I

01:06:22.750 - 01:06:39.459

was able to gain from any other teacher. And it's a very special privilege I think for all of us to have doctor pulls with us here today. That's pretty good. Our father in heaven were grateful for the privilege of memory. How wonderful it is that we

01:06:39.469 - 01:07:00.850

can relive in our minds, the pleasant adventures and happenings of the past and how much we've enjoyed today. Reminiscing on the life of uh two great people, George and Helen Pepperdine, who as a team have meant so much in the establishment of this great institution. And

01:07:00.860 - 01:07:18.649

uh which institution today is still blessed by the presence of Helen with her living interest in all that happens within it. We thank you for the, the generous spirit of, of giving and of love that has characterized their example by which all of us have benefited.

01:07:19.209 - 01:07:33.969

And we pray father that our most uh precious salute might be the extension of that spirit, their own lives and our willingness to give of ourselves as they have given us such great example. Thank you for each person that is here today, for the deep meaning

01:07:33.979 - 01:08:10.149

that, that all have here to the history of Pepperdine and to our lives in the name of Christ. Amen. It's amazing this many people were able to be brought together more. Oh, the soul, her office staff for a special lunch. Thank you very much the first.