White, Willard M. (Melvin)

Raised in Clayton, Delaware, Methodist Reverend Willard M. (Melvin) White attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Westminster, Maryland. Following his graduation in 1930, White would go on to touch the lives of many congregations at churches and church youth camps throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia over the next half-century.

White attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Westminster, Maryland, from the fall of 1927 until his graduation on May 6, 1930. Following graduation White remained in contact with many of his seminary classmates. In 1957 Westminster relocated from Maryland to Washington, D.C., with the first classes being held at the newly renamed Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington in 1958. White visited this new incarnation of Westminster on several occasions throughout his adulthood, attending alumni events well into the 1980s.

Following graduation from Westminster, White briefly returned to Delaware before enrolling at High Point College in High Point, North Carolina, in the fall of 1930. This institution, renamed High Point University in 1991, now offers the Willard M. White Scholarship, an academic scholarship for students with particular preference given to those in the Religion Department.

From 1932 until 1938 White was involved with various Christian youth camps and clubs. During these years he occupied the following positions: Council Chief and yearbook editor for the Boy's Club of the Chesaco Avenue Methodist Protestant Church of Rosedale, Maryland; Camp Councilor for the Girl's Club "Daughters of White-cloud" of Rosedale, Maryland; and Camp Director for both Camp Imperial and Camp Holy Grail near Baltimore, Maryland.

White continued in his calling and served at Methodist churches in Hyndman, Centerville, and Bedford, Pennsylvania, as well as Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia, between the years of 1949 and 1976.

Biographical information derived from the collection. Information about the Willard M. White Scholarship may be found online at: http://www.highpoint.edu/chapel/index.cfm?DeptCategory=88&PageID=1893 (accessed May 28, 2008).

From the guide to the Reverend Willard M. White scrapbooks, 1919–1988, (University of Delaware Library - Special Collections)