Lessons from Snidow

There are a couple of copies of a small red book in our office. It has an image of Snidow Chapel on the cover. Not too long ago, I finally decided to take it off the shelf and read it. It’s a biography by Dorothy “Dot” Ferguson, entitled The Man Who Took God at His Word: C.L. Snidow, Christian Gentleman, and is about Clifton L. Snidow, a member of the Board of Trustees from 1906-1928. 

Snidow was a key player in raising funds to build the chapel as well as helping the college survive a season of financial hardship. He was also the impetus for changing the name of the institution from Virginia Christian College to Lynchburg College. 

At the time, the college was a young school that was struggling with low enrollment as it sought to grow and mature. In partnership with the city of Lynchburg, people rallied together and procured all the necessary funds to thrive.  Around the same time, there began discussions with the Board of Trustees of changing the name of the institution from Virginia Christian College to Westover Christian College. 

Snidow was not having it, though. He argued that the school should honor the generosity of the people of Lynchburg and suggested the school be named Lynchburg College. He stated, “Lynchburg people are loyal to this college and they have helped when help was badly needed. The name should be Lynchburg College, not Lynchburg Christian College, because the insertion of the word Christian will tend to limit our patronage.”

What I loved about reading this biography is that Snidow truly wanted this institution to be a place for all students. Every student would find their home here, no matter where they lived. 

Our office hosts 14 different spiritual life groups, with more than half coming from traditions outside of Christianity. Students are finding refuge, healing, and belonging on this campus. We see it every day as our office interacts with students coming from all walks of life. 

My hope is that we continue to live our Snidow’s grand vision for this, now, university to be a place where people not only say “Here you’re home,” but also experience this place as home.