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A BJA Profile -
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On May 16, 1929, in the small town of Mexico, Indiana, four inches of snow covered the ground as the doctor arrived in a horse-drawn sleigh to deliver Gene in the Fisher home. When Gene was twelve, the family moved to Anderson, Indiana. The day after they arrived, they attended church, where Gene sat near Lucille Dietzen. The two later attended the same junior and senior high schools, and in time, they married.
Each summer the Fisher family traveled to the Bible Conferences at Winona Lake, Indiana. During Gene’s early teen years, they attended a Sunday afternoon session in the Billy Sunday Tabernacle, where Bob Jones, Sr. was preaching. Gene was ill that day, and in the middle of the message he fainted and had to be carried outside. When he regained consciousness, Jones, Sr. was standing over him, asking whether he was all right. Before leaving, Jones, Sr. encouraged Gene to attend Bob Jones College. Gene dismissed the suggestion immediately. In high school he was taking trades and industrial courses, loved building construction, and planned to pursue architectural engineering. He had no interest in attending a religious college. Gene had been saved at the age of twelve and often spoke of his “godly heritage,” which included several generations of preachers and a father he described as a “self-taught Bible scholar.” But it wasn’t until he was seventeen that, in his own words, “the Lord got my life straightened out.” His interests turned toward receiving a Christian education. Although there were several “Christian” colleges nearby in Indiana, Gene watched their students and concluded that the schools were Christian only “on paper.” In contrast, he was deeply impressed by the character of Bob Jones College students and graduates. Ultimately, he and his fiancée enrolled as freshmen during the first year Bob Jones University opened in Greenville. |
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Gene and Academy Main
During the summer of his sophomore year, Gene was employed on the BJU’s construction crew and helped to build Academy Hall (today's Academy Main). The floor plan originally designed for the building was not what was built. Gene vividly recalled the incident which literally shaped its classrooms.
To learn about the building of Academy Hall and why its design was changed, CLICK HERE. |
1950
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Academy Hall's front doors 1952
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Beginning during breaks between services at Bible Conference—and continuing on weekends throughout his sophomore year—Gene built a 14-by-28-foot house near the campus. The following summer he and Lucille were married and moved into the little home. Gene completed his degree in 1952 with a major in Bible, a minor in history, and enough education courses to qualify for teacher certification. Believing the Lord had called him to preach, he planned to pursue an advanced degree while serving as pastor of a small church. That same year, Gene joined the BJA social studies department, beginning his teaching career while working on his master’s degree in Bible.
Gene's Teaching at BJA
After he graduated with his masters degree, Gene was asked to teach at BJA. Why did he turn down the offer, and what eventually changed his mind? Listen to his explanation of the matter from a 2002 interview. (1 min. 15 sec.)
Gene described his early teaching in Academy Main in the 2002 interview. (1 min. 20 sec.)
Gene also pursued graduate studies at New York University and earned a master’s degree in education from Ball State Teacher’s College in 1959. Around this time, the South Carolina Board of Education added a requirement that accredited high schools have a guidance counselor to ensure students took the courses necessary for college entrance and to assist them with applications. Gene Fisher was assigned to this role. Since BJA was a college-preparatory institution and most graduates went on to enroll at BJU, the position was not overly demanding. In the late 1950s, BJA principal Lillian Brown was diagnosed with bone cancer. As her illness progressed, various faculty and staff assumed many of her responsibilities while continuing to manage their regular duties. In 1960, Gene was named Academy Disciplinary Supervisor. BJA students were expected to follow a conservative lifestyle, with rules governing behavior, dress, appearance, and social interactions. The Academy’s regulations closely mirrored those of BJU. As Disciplinarian, Gene supervised the Academy’s Discipline Committee (DC), which received reports of rule infractions from teachers and monitors. Students were given an opportunity to address the DC regarding reporting errors or explanations for their conduct. The DC then decided whether to dismiss the matter or post demerits on the student’s record. If a student’s demerit total reached certain thresholds, restrictions, probation, or suspension could be imposed. In cases of serious offenses or high demerit accumulation, the DC could recommend expulsion, which was typically carried out by the administration. |
Mr and Mrs Gene Fisher, 1949
Accreditation - In 1964 South Carolina decided to no longer accredit private schools. Gene was dispatched to work out an arrangement with the State Board of Education. See: FACET: Accreditation CLICK HERE. 
Academy Disciplinarian 1962
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The Fisher Family - Involved in Christian Education
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Gene and Lucille had three sons, two of which were born in the campus hospital (currently BJA’s Brown building). The boys remember playing in the Quadrangle while their father attended to matters after school hours. All the boys graduated from BJA and BJU. Their middle son, David, eventually joined the BJA faculty and became its principal. (See BJA PROFILE: David Fisher CLICK HERE.)
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The Fisher Family 1963
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In 1964, Lillian Brown was no longer able to serve as principal, and Gene Fisher assumed the position. Many of the traditional responsibilities of a high school principal—such as hiring faculty and assigning classes, selecting textbooks, managing finances, and overseeing facilities maintenance—were handled by the BJU administration. As principal, Gene was able to continue teaching in the Academy while also instructing the social studies education course in the University’s School of Education.
When BJA was small, registration could easily be handled by the faculty following a simple meeting of the student body. By the late 1950s, however, a single sheet of registration instructions was distributed to students, crammed with details. Additional instructions were posted on bulletin boards. Some registration procedures were managed by the University, which added to the confusion. New students often found the process overwhelming, contradictory, and baffling. The process drove some students to tears, and a few even considered leaving the school before attending their first class. With enrollment approaching 450 students, it was clear that the registration system needed reform.
Gene proposed modifications, including a comprehensive booklet containing all necessary information presented in clear, step-by-step order. However, there was no one available to prepare the booklet, and no budget to print it. Gene addressed these challenges by streamlining the process, writing the booklet himself, purchasing a printing press, and printing the booklet at his home. For several years, even after stepping down from the principal’s position, he continued to print the Academy Registration Instructions booklet and other BJA materials.
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Gene Fisher Quotes: “God more often leads by closed doors than open doors as you seek His will.” “When responsibilities pile up at your door, learn how to give other people shovels." "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. But, you can put salt in his oats." To stimulate student learning, Gene believed a teacher should add interesting "salt" to the subject being taught. 
Gene wrote and printed BJA's first registration booklets.
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Gene exercised his gifts as a storyteller and a masterful explainer of complex ideas, earning a reputation as an outstanding teacher and preacher. For many years, he pastored small rural churches and was later periodically called upon to fill vacant pulpits. He also served on the boards of the Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center and the Gospel Fellowship Association.
In addition to his professional work, Gene was a master of many hobbies. He piloted small planes, collected coins, and became an accomplished photographer, developing his own photographs and amassing a large personal library of images. For many years, he sang bass in the BJU Faculty Men’s Chorus. He also built an impressive collection of first editions of English Bibles, traveling to display them and lecture on their history and significance. Today these Bibles are part of the Mack Library's Rare Book Collection. In 1964, the University appointed Gene as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. During this time, he pursued an additional advanced degree at Ball State University. He later returned to the University’s social studies faculty and continued teaching until his retirement in 2000. In 2016, Gene went to be with his Lord and Savior, leaving behind a legacy of faithful service, teaching, and mentorship.
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Gene obtained a damaged 1611 printing of the King James Bible, framed many of its pages in museum quality mounts, and made them available to friends
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Information about Gene Fisher is also found in:
