Carroll, R. Leonard
Ramon Leonard Carroll (1920-1972) was appointed as president of Lee College and served from 1952 to 1957.
Carroll's appointment as president came during a time of difficulty for the college and the Board of Directors and church leadership searched for someone who could cross the divide. They found him in R. Leonard Carroll.
President Carroll came to Lee from South Carolina, where he was a pastor. Born in Georgia, he was 31 years old when he became president and served for 5 years. He was the first Lee President to have an undergraduate degree which he had earned from Furman University. While at Lee he earned a Master’s and began working on a doctorate.
President Carroll understood the need for accreditation for the school and began working to build a program to meet the requirements for it. During his leadership a Bible College was initiated in 1953, which was the beginning stage of a 4-year degree in Biblical Education. Hollis Gause and others had worked tirelessly to make this happen. This was praised by some faculty, and it was frustrating for other faculty members who felt the future was in the liberal arts program. President Carroll tried to balance, sometimes unsuccessfully.
In 1956 the decision was made to expand two-year junior college to a four-year liberal arts college and a third year class added.
President Carroll was known as the man of challenge– because in his chapel sermons at Lee he regularly used the phrase “I Challege You” when trying to encourage students to higher spiritual aspirations and promoting spiritual excellence. Students’ spiritual development was a key focus of his presidency. During his tenure, Pioneers for Christ was formed on campus.
President Carroll was a focused leader who understood he was brought to Lee to help balance the ship, but he was also a strong disciplinarian. Because of this he sometimes encountered tension from both faculty and students. In 1957 President Carroll resigned. There was an accumulation of problems within the school and enrollment continued to decline, dropping below 500. President Carroll left Lee to pastor at Lenoir City, Tennessee and continue working on his doctorate.
He later served as general overseer of the Church of God from 1970-72, and died unexpectedly while serving in that role. He was married to Evelyn Morse, originally of Louisiana. Carroll was the first general overseer with an earned doctorate, which he earned in 1958.
Carroll Courts on the Lee campus is named for him.
/ L.F. Morgan
Carroll's appointment as president came during a time of difficulty for the college and the Board of Directors and church leadership searched for someone who could cross the divide. They found him in R. Leonard Carroll.
President Carroll came to Lee from South Carolina, where he was a pastor. Born in Georgia, he was 31 years old when he became president and served for 5 years. He was the first Lee President to have an undergraduate degree which he had earned from Furman University. While at Lee he earned a Master’s and began working on a doctorate.
President Carroll understood the need for accreditation for the school and began working to build a program to meet the requirements for it. During his leadership a Bible College was initiated in 1953, which was the beginning stage of a 4-year degree in Biblical Education. Hollis Gause and others had worked tirelessly to make this happen. This was praised by some faculty, and it was frustrating for other faculty members who felt the future was in the liberal arts program. President Carroll tried to balance, sometimes unsuccessfully.
In 1956 the decision was made to expand two-year junior college to a four-year liberal arts college and a third year class added.
President Carroll was known as the man of challenge– because in his chapel sermons at Lee he regularly used the phrase “I Challege You” when trying to encourage students to higher spiritual aspirations and promoting spiritual excellence. Students’ spiritual development was a key focus of his presidency. During his tenure, Pioneers for Christ was formed on campus.
President Carroll was a focused leader who understood he was brought to Lee to help balance the ship, but he was also a strong disciplinarian. Because of this he sometimes encountered tension from both faculty and students. In 1957 President Carroll resigned. There was an accumulation of problems within the school and enrollment continued to decline, dropping below 500. President Carroll left Lee to pastor at Lenoir City, Tennessee and continue working on his doctorate.
He later served as general overseer of the Church of God from 1970-72, and died unexpectedly while serving in that role. He was married to Evelyn Morse, originally of Louisiana. Carroll was the first general overseer with an earned doctorate, which he earned in 1958.
Carroll Courts on the Lee campus is named for him.
/ L.F. Morgan