Grice, Homer L.
Homer L. Grice was born in Citra, Florida, on April 12, 1883, the son of Albert and Sarah Lee (Bennett) Grice. He married Ethel Harrison of Birmingham, Alabama, August 21, 1912. A graduate of Mercer University (B.A., 1912) and George Peabody College (M.A., 1929), Grice taught in Alabama public schools and worked for seven years with the United States Railway Postal Service. From 1913-1915, he taught English literature at Ouachita Baptist College. He was pastor of First Baptist Church, Washington, Georgia, 1915-1924, where he conducted some of the first Vacation Bible Schools. In September, 1924, Grice became the first Secretary of the Vacation Bible School Department at the Sunday School Board, SBC, in Nashville, Tennessee, where he served until his retirement on January 1, 1953. He promoted VBS for Southern Baptists, edited all VBS materials, and wrote about 45 children’s books. He died on May 17, 1974.
This oral history interview was conducted in Nashville, Tennessee, at the at the home of Homer and Ethel Grice by William Lewis Howse, III, Director of Organization at the Christian Life Commission, SBC, in 1971. In the interview, Grice describes events leading to his coming to the Sunday School Board, SBC in 1924, developments preceding formation of the Church Administration Department at the Board, and life at the Board and across the Convention during the Great Depression. He gives his impressions of Board leaders Arthur Flake and I. J. Van Ness. Grice discusses his efforts in organizing Vacation Bible School into age groups and departments and the importance he placed on developing practical, simple VBS programs. He describes utilizing statistics to determine strengths and weaknesses of the VBS program, and his view of the importance of relating all areas and specializations of church programs together and the wholeness of church programs promoted by the Board.
