Preston, William Hall
William Hall Preston, pioneer in Southern Baptist student ministry who was instrumental in developing the Baptist Student Union student summer missions program, was born February 28, 1896, in Blackwood, New Jersey, to Anna Elliott and Rev. Robert Procter Preston. He earned a B.A. from Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin; M.A. and M.Ed. from Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee; and Doctor of Divinity from Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He married Nancy Elizabeth Roebuck of Green County, Alabama, in 1927, and they had three children: Miriam, William, and John. From 1926-1927, he served as President of Hall-Moody Junior College in Martin, Tennessee (which later became the University of Tennessee-Martin). He also served as the Secretary of the Baptist Young People’s Union for the State of Tennessee. Preston served for 37 years (1927-1964) as Associate Secretary of the Southwide Baptist Student Department of the Sunday School Board, SBC. Along with Frank Leavell, the first Secretary of the Student Department, Preston developed the BSU student summer missions program and managed the program for several years. He wrote three books published by Broadman Press: God Has Something Great for You, Church Loyalty, and Fathers are Special, Too. He died October 20, 1987, in Houston, Texas.
This oral history interview was conducted in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Sunday School Board, SBC, by Bill Junker, Director of Editorial Services for National Student Ministries at the Board, in 1972. In the interview, Preston describes his experiences that let to his employment at the Board, editorial work on The Baptist Student, and how student summer mission work at the Board started and developed over the years. He gives his impressions and recollections of other staff members in the Student Department including Frank H. Leavell, G. Kearney Keegan, and Marjorie Moore Armstrong. Preston discusses the “Student Night at Christmas” program, “On to College” program, Student Week conferences at Ridgecrest and Glorieta, and the Department’s work with African American Baptist Student Union leaders and groups.
