I am astonished! "Edward L. Gaylord, editor and publisher of THE OKLAHOMAN, has committed $2 million a year for 20 years to Oklahoma Christian University" (THE SUNDAY OKLAHOMAN, July 30, 2000). Mr. Gaylord says:

The former president of the United States, George Bush, when he heard of Gaylord’s mammoth gift, said:

What could cause Mr. Gaylord to be so liberal? The Christian influence of many dedicated men and women who love young people has touched the heart of Oklahoma’s outstanding philanthropist. One of those dedicated lovers of young people was James O. Baird, the president of a small junior college, called "Central Christian College," in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

In 1954, immediately on James’ becoming the college’s president, the college faced a financial crisis with overdue bank notes, and even unpaid dairy bills at the school’s cafeteria. He thought the college would have to close.

In neighboring Arkansas, the president of Harding College at Searcy, was George Benson. James knew that Benson was recognized nationally for his strong stand against communism and his support of American principles. James also knew that Benson was much appreciated by the Oklahoma City business leaders.

How could James get Benson’s influence to move the struggling Central College to Oklahoma City? To get Benson’s power James called a meeting of the college’s board of trustees and said that he would resign as president if they could get Benson to be the president of both Harding College and Central Christian College. The trustees told James that they did not want him to resign, but the situation was so desperate, they said that if Benson could be enticed to be president of Central Christian College, and would use his influence to pay all the Bartlesville debts, and to move the college to Oklahoma City, they would go along with James’ proposal.

A committee of trustees met with Benson in Searcy. He would not agree to James’ resigning. However, he said that if Harding’s board of trustees would agree for him as president of Harding College also to become the "chancellor" of Central Christian College, he would do so. The unselfish trustees of Harding, showing love for Oklahoma’s young people, not wanting Central Christian College to die, agreed to the proposal, and of course James and the Oklahoma Central College’s trustees smiled in approval! Now the money-raising ability of Benson, together with his popularity with Oklahoma City business men, would be positive assets in rescuing a dying college.

Hugo, a faculty member of Central Christian College, sat in the faculty meeting when Benson first arrived in Bartlesville. James courteously and officially presented Benson to the assembled faculty as their chancellor, their new chief executive officer. Benson, in turn, speaking to all of us faculty members, said, "Legally James is correct, but practically James is still your president, and you will not come to me with any matter until you have first gone to President Baird."

What a beautiful example all of this displays of Christian love of two sets of trustees and two presidents! And it all began as an idea in the mind and heart of James Baird!

Due to the respect and admiration for the Christian principles for which Benson was recognized in Oklahoma City, Edward K. Gaylord, editor and publisher of THE OKLAHOMAN, the father of Edward L. Gaylord, helped raise funds to move Central Christian College to Oklahoma City from Bartlesville in the 1950’s. He was present at ground-breaking ceremonies in 1957, and at that ceremony said that

The Gaylord family has participated in every capital campaign since the college moved to Oklahoma City in 1958. Terry Johnson, James’ successor as president, said that

In the year 2000 Terry Johnson said of Edward L. Gaylord: "His commitment to the university’s core values has never wavered over the past forty years." "I applaud the Gaylord family for investing once again in Oklahoma’s future," said Governor Frank Keating, and he continued:

So, today, the 40 million dollar gift is the harvest of an unselfish idea that germinated in the heart and mind of James Baird! James’ devoted wife, Avanelle, not only loved James but his commitment to help young people have a Christian education was her commitment also.

As Benson and James worked together in fund raising for the college in its new location, James was able to become closely associated with both of the Gaylords, father (Edward K.) and son (Edward L.). The son was the same age as James, and was beginning to have recognition in the world of business in Oklahoma City.

The senior Gaylord died in June of 1974, while James was on a missionary trip in Vietnam. The son telephoned Avanelle, James’ wife, saying that the family wanted James to conduct a memorial service, and that they wanted the service to be in the college auditorium. The son told Avanelle he regretted to ask James to interrupt his work in Vietnam, but that the family very much wanted James to conduct the memorial service if at all possible. James responded favorably to the telephone call, and he returned and conducted the service in the college auditorium.

Avanelle has written:

I guess you could say James, in one sense, was responsible for the present $40,000,000 gift. ... [James] was the one who saw the need to move the college and put his position as President on the line to try to get that accomplished. He was also the one who solicited Dr. Benson’s interest in the school. But without Dr. Benson’s national recognition at that time, I doubt the move could have been made and likely the school would have closed. Also Terry’s additional association with Edward L. had something to do with the gift. Also Kevin [Kevin Jacobs, Terry’s successor as president] has handled himself well, earning the respect of Edward L. and also Edward L.’s son, E. K. Gaylord, II. This E.K. is Kevin’s age, and of course Kevin is trying to encourage him to be as interested in the school as his father and grandfather have been. ...

[A]fter James’ death, Ed commissioned a life size bronze of James. It currently stands in the foyer of the Learning Center and will later be in the historical section of the additions to that building which will be made in the near future.

9-12-2000