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Edman, V. Raymond (Victor Raymond), 1900-1967.

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1900 - 1967

Biographical Statement

Victor Raymond Edman was born in 1900 to Swedish immigrant parents and one of six children. He left home in 1918 to join the army and served for one year, spending much of that time in Allied-occupied Germany. After returning home, he attended college and became a missionary to the Quichua Indians in Ecuador from 1923 to 1928. During this time he married Edith Olson, whom he had met in the United States. He came to Wheaton College in 1936 as an associate professor of history and became the college’s fourth president in 1940, a position he held until he became chancellor in 1965.

During his term as president, the College expanded its financial endowments, its enrollment, and its campus. Fourteen major buildings were erected during his twenty-five year presidency. Buildings included Centennial Gymnasium, Memorial Student Center, Old Dining Hall, Smith Hall, Breyer Science Building, McAlister Conservatory, Health Center, Nicholas Library and Edman Chapel, named by the Trustees in his honor. During this time the College also acquired land for the Black Hills Science Station in South Dakota and HoneyRock Camp in Wisconsin.

Over the years Dr. Edman had a number of serious health problems: typhoid fever (from which he nearly died while in Ecuador), cataracts, gallstones, and ever-increasing heart attacks. One of these attacks, which finally proved fatal, occurred on September 22, 1967, while he delivered a chapel message entitled, “In the Presence of the King.”

Dr. Edman had been a very active public speaker with engagements in Africa, Europe, the Far and Near East, South America, and, of course, all over the United States. He authored nineteen books and numerous articles, most of them devotional in nature. Many were translated into several foreign languages. His correspondence often gave personal counsel and advice and reached thousands. He was a personal friend of Billy Graham and often worked with him on his crusades.

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Collection 283 Oral History Interviews with Nancy Folkerts

 Collection
Identifier: CN 283
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Nancy Wood Folkerts. Topics discussed include her childhood as a pastor's daughter; study at Wheaton College; her marriage; training in London; work as a missionary in British Cameroon (now Republic of Cameroon), especially Bible study and literacy programs for women and 3H clubs for girls; the political and social situation in Cameroon; Cameroon independence; medical problems in Cameroon; the work of her husband, Fred, at the Baptist Teacher Training College and...
Dates: Created: 1984

Collection 317 Oral History Interview with Ian H. and Ruth E. Cook

 Collection
Identifier: CN 317
Scope and Contents Oral history interviews with Ian Harper Cooke and Ruth Eileen (Witmer) Cook, in which Ian describes his childhood and education in South Africa, college education at Wheaton College, training for missionary work, medical missions work in South Africa with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM), the Zulus, apartheid, and the national church; and Ruth describes her childhood, conversion, and intention to become a missionary nurse, education at West Suburban Hospital and Wheaton College,...
Dates: Created: 1985

Helen Renich Papers.

 Collection
Identifier: CN 124
Brief Description Two oral history interviews with Helen Gignilliat Torrey Renich in which she describes her grandfather, Reuben Archer Torrey, Sr., and her experiences growing up in China as a child of missionaries. Other topics discussed include her experiences at Wheaton College and culture shock. The collection also includes photographs of her family life in China and Chinese nationals, ca. 1920-30s.Helen Renich was interviewed by Robert Shuster on May 15, 1980 in Michigan and on May 17, 1982...
Dates: Created: 1920-1982

Filtered By

  • Type: Collection X
  • Subject: Culture shock. X
  • Subject: Church work with women. X

Additional filters:

Subject
Belief and doubt. 2
Bible colleges. 2
Catholic Church -- Protestant churches. 2
Catholic Church. 2
Children of missionaries. 2
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Christianity and culture. 2
Conversion. 2
Evangelistic work. 2
Family. 2
Indigenous church administration 2
Language in missionary work. 2
Medical care 2
Missionaries -- Training of. 2
Missionaries. 2
Missions, Medical. 2
Presbyterians. 2
Sex role. 2
Tribes. 2
Wheaton College (Ill.) -- Alumni. 2
Animism -- South Africa. 1
Animism. 1
Apartheid. 1
Baptists -- Missions -- Cameroon. 1
Baptists -- Missions. 1
Baptists. 1
Bible -- Study and teaching. 1
Bible. 1
Boarding schools -- Africa. 1
Boarding schools -- China. 1
Boarding schools -- Korea. 1
Boarding schools -- South Africa. 1
Cameroon. 1
Cameroon. -- Politics and government. 1
Catholic Church -- Missions. 1
Catholic Church. -- Cameroon. 1
Catholic Church. -- Missions -- South Africa. 1
Catholic Church. -- South Africa. 1
Children of missionaries -- China. 1
China -- History -- 1912-1937. 1
China -- History -- 1937-1945. 1
China -- History -- Boxer Rebellion, 1899-1901. 1
China -- History -- Civil War, 1945-1949. 1
China -- History. 1
Christian education -- Cameroon. 1
Christian education of children. 1
Christian education. 1
Church and state -- Cameroon. 1
Church and state. 1
Church work with women -- Cameroon. 1
Church work with women -- China. 1
Church work with youth -- Cameroon. 1
Church work with youth. 1
Cities and towns -- Cameroon. 1
Cities and towns. 1
Discrimination -- South Africa. 1
Discrimination. 1
Education -- Cameroon. 1
Education -- South Africa. 1
Education -- United States. 1
Education, Higher 1
Education, Higher -- United States. 1
Evangelicalism -- South Africa. 1
Evangelicalism. 1
Evangelistic work -- Asia. 1
Evangelistic work -- Australia. 1
Evangelistic work -- Canada. 1
Evangelistic work -- China. 1
Evangelistic work -- South Africa. 1
Evangelistic work -- United States. 1
Footbinding 1
Footbinding -- China. 1
Fundamentalism. 1
Honey Rock Camp (Wheaton College) 1
Hunger. 1
Indigenous church administration -- Cameroon. 1
Indigenous church administration -- China. 1
Interdenominational cooperation. 1
International relief. 1
Interpersonal conflict. 1
Literacy 1
Literacy -- Cameroon. 1
Lord's Supper. 1
Marriage. 1
Medical care -- Cameroon. 1
Medical care -- China. 1
Missionaries -- Appointment, call, and election. 1
Missions -- Cameroon. 1
Missions -- China. 1
Missions -- Educational work. 1
Missions -- Finance. 1
Missions -- Honduras. 1
Missions -- Interdenominational cooperation. 1
Missions -- South Africa. 1
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