[bbrothers224]

I know it's probably around here somewhere, but I was wondering whatever happened to the Hotel. Wasn't it the old Sheltering Arms..or something like that? I was only there for a few weeks during the beginning of my junior year in 81-82. Personally...I would have preferred to have been there than in the dorms during my first 3 years, if there would have been some sort of student parking. Didn't the library used to be downtown at one time? Too bad the powers that be chose not to keep the hotel...I thought it had a great vibe to it, and would have been pretty good community relations if it were kept.

[backintheday]

Actually, it was the Stewart Arms Hotel which had its heyday back in the '30's and '40's I believe. Don't forget the James River Club which was on the ground level and was once a main night spot in Lynchburg according to legend. While I was there it was primarily the ping pong room. The library was across the street and about a block to the west. The seminary also started in that same building.

[bbrothers224]

I remember going to "College for a weekend" when I was a junior in high school (Liberty still have those?). I went with the youth director from my church, Herb Owen (who later ended up working at TRBC). We went to classes at the old Timberlake high school campus and then would head back to the hotel for ics cream socials in the ping pong room.

[Sly Fox]

CFAW is still a Liberty institution. Although its a much bigger show these days.

[bbrothers224]

so...what else goes on these days during CFAW....besides attending a class or 2, going to whatever sporting event is in season? It it much more "pomp" these days? I graduated in 1983 and really had no desire to go back to visit (IMHO the Christ of the Bilbe had started to become the Christ of the GOP).....but drove by in 1993, and was in town for a C.S. Lewis conferance at Rivermont Pres in 1998 and drove on campus for the first time since 83. LOTS of changes.

[olldflame]

In response to the original question, the old Stewart Arms hotel building at the corner of 8th and Church streets, which served as dorms for LU for a few years in the "pioneer" days (I stayed there my first semester) was converted to apartments many years ago. It is now called The Virginian Apartments and provides subsidized housing primarily for the elderly and disabled.

[LUconn]

I graduated in 1983 and really had no desire to go back to visit

This is a huge problem for the school right now. How can we exect alumni to financially commit to the school if they don't even want to come back for a visit? You should visit again now. Today barely resembles the campus of '98. Heck you're in stinking Glenn Allen, why dont you come out for a few football games this fall?

[TIMSCAR20]

BBro you should come out for a game or two. Liberty is so different now. You would not recognize it. Come see for yourself though. BTW I live in Glen Allen now too...My house in Lynchburg is officially under contract and should close late June. A prayer that was answered for sure...Luconn is right about alumni, I think Liberty is trying to re-connect and change some of those things that pushed us away after leaving. The school is thriving and trying to do things correctly which I give them a lot of credit for now. CFAW is how I arrived at Liberty too. Me and 2 teammates from hoops came to visit, talked with Coach Greg McCauley, showed him a video of my playing and he invited me to walk on. The rest is history. One of my teammates came to Liberty and walked on to the soccer team and the other one played hoops for Cedarville (Matt Dunton's future school). I didn't fully understand the impact of my decision to come here until Dr. Falwell's funeral yesterday and watching all the retrospectives of the man and the vision. I am more proud than ever to say I wore Liberty across my chest and competed at the division 1 level in hoops. I believe Liberty is about to become a major player in both the academic and athletic worlds.

[Ronni]

I lived at the hotel, too....for 3 1/2 years. Those were my best days at Liberty. I adored the commoraderie in the lobby, going to the James River room, walking to the library, down to the James River.....I made some lifetime friends there. I would love to come back to visit one day.

[backintheday]

BBro, I will also say that it is worth visiting Liberty now. Lots of things have changed and most for the better. Certainly the facilities are better but the rigid, fundamentalist feel that existed when I was there back in the late '70's is gone, despite the current students' complaints about the rules The atmosphere at the football games has improved, too, especially with the Rocco era!

By the way, someone brought up the Timberlake elementary school where we had classes prior to the buildings on the mountain. To this day I can't figure out how they were even allowed to use that building for a classroom. It was in horrible condition. The window wouldn't close in one of my freshman English classes so you had to wear your coat in class during the winter.

[bbrothers224]

how has the atmosphere at football games changed (by the way...I have a pic of Jerry about to hurl a roll of TP from a football game in 81). There were quite a few of us very vocal supporters at those football and basketball games. We were approached about forming some sort of pep squad. We called ourselves the Wild Bunch and even had Tee shirts printed up...but some other very vocal, with very, very narrow minds thought that it was too wordly and the squad was disbanded. We did have our revenge...so to speak...we showed up at a basketball game wearing 3 piece leisure suits with Liberty memorial bricks tied around our necks. We also had the biggest Bibles we could find. We sat in one corner of the bleachers and did golf claps when Liberty made a good play...and said "Chastise them Lord!" when the other team committed fouls. Needless to say...we were there for only part of the first half.

If the rigid fundy atmosphere is gone...why the heck did it take sooooo long to leave?

[Sly Fox]

Thanks for the great laugh, bbro. That would've been a riot to see you guys in action at the basketball game. Everybody would be down with the joke these days.

Head to the football forum and check out what went down this last fall. The program has seen ups & downs over the years as far as play on the field and the fans in the stands. We are headed back up in both areas right now. Let us invite you to join us for a football game this fall. We have FlameFans tailgates before each game and the atmosphere is getting rave reviews from alumni who haven't attended games in decades.

AS for the campus, prepare to be blown away if LBC was your last impression.

[JDUB]

i am a current student, but i can tell you that not only liberty but the whole city has changed. my dad graduated in 83, and when he came up here to visit me and had to drive him around b/c he got lost when he tried to go somewhere.

[SuperJon]

how has the atmosphere at football games changed

He's never seen me in action.

[jimflamesfan]

bbrothers224, you should definately come to the flamefans tailgate! You'll like it a lot.

[bbrothers224]

you've got to be kidding me. current students complain about the rules at LU these days? from what i've been reading there is no comparison to what it is now to what it was then. how many of todays students would be on a weekend campus, suspended or expelled if they had to abide by the rules that were in place in the 70s to early 80s?? they have no idea...

[El Scorcho]

how many of todays students would be on a weekend campus, suspended or expelled if they had to abide by the rules that were in place in the 70s to early 80s??

I don't think very many would be suspended or expelled...because there wouldn't be many students to expel if those rules were still in place.

[JDUB]

thats exactly was i was just thinking

[bbrothers224]

so...what brought about the change? the need for more students? more money? I don't know how true this is...but when I was visting Lynchburg in the early 90s...I heard that Jerry Jr was a partner in a strip mall that also had a second run cinema complex. maybe jr talked to dad realizing there was money to be made if they just allowed students to go to the movies. i know...i sound a bit on the bitter side...i just want to know why were those freakin' fundy rules there in the first place and what made them go away? like i've told others that frequent this space...money.

[Cider Jim]

Bbrother, my personal take on it is that Liberty borrowed many of their rules from Tennessee Temple, who borrowed many of their rules from Bob Jones; now, both Temple and Liberty have loosened up on their rules considerably in the last few years in an attempt to attract more students--and apparently it's working. And even Bob Jones decided to seek accreditation, so, in a way, even they are changing, a little.

[bbrothers224]

one of my uncles graduated from here when it was Lynchburg Baptist College...in the very early years. his name is john brothers. he's a pastor at an independent baptist church in chesterfield county (gill grove baptist). i found it interesting that when his 4 kids were of college age (early 90s)...they all went to pensacola christian in florida. from hearing him talk at various family gatherings he thought that liberty was not the same school that he went to and that it was on the road to getting too liberal in his opinion. well...enough of that.

here's another question for you: do you ever think that liberty will go the way of baylor? what i mean is....i recall that there was a playboy issue that had this on the cover, "the women of baylor". how long until you see, "the women of liberty"?

[El Scorcho]

so...what brought about the change? the need for more students? more money? i just want to know why were those freakin' fundy rules there in the first place and what made them go away? like i've told others that frequent this space...money.

It's not really about money so much as it is about growth. No one is getting rich at Liberty University. That's for sure. The changes came about for a few reasons. First, they went away for the reason that legalistic rules should go away: because they're not scriptural. Most importantly, they also went away because they limit every goal that LU has ever had. Training young champions for Christ is impossible if they don't want to come to the school. You can't make unreasonable demands of students and expect them to enroll in droves. We don't need them in dresses and listening to the Gaithers in order to equip them to change their world for Christ.

I think that they were originally there because, at the time, the school wanted to make certain that they were totally distinct from other colleges and universities. Fortunately for all of us, we can now be recognized as distinct because of our character rather than the ties around our necks. (And hopefully not because of the napalm bombs in our trunks.)

here's another question for you: do you ever think that liberty will go the way of baylor?

No. I do not. Never. Liberty is structured in such a way that many many great men of God would have to turn their backs on him before that could happen. If for some reason it ever does, Jerry told us exactly what to do with the place.

[PAmedic]

BBROTHERS:

check this (make sure you have a while)

http://flamefans.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4134

[Libertine]

If for some reason it ever does, Jerry told us exactly what to do with the place.

At which point, "The Napalm Kid" would actually be a good guy to have hanging around.

[62Strat]

Hey Bbro,

I only found this board looking through things trying to find out about Laurie Bartram Mccauley's death, but to get to the point give me a holler old timer you and I were once roomies!!! remember the trip to va beach to see Daniel Amos and Randy Stonehill? and for those looking in on this post (my first here) I was a hotel guy, a yearbook guy, an innercity Detroit guy, prayer leader guy, first coffe house guy, Wlbu guy (briefly), found a wife at liberty guy, (the former Lisa Philpott)and a pastoral guy as well. Looking forward to catching up with any and all !