Toccoa Falls College

Toccoa Falls College is an accredited liberal arts Christian college, located in Toccoa, Georgia.

History

In 1907, Dr. Richard A. Forrest founded the Golden Valley Institute at Golden, North Carolina, to provide educational opportunities for young people in the South who had been educationally deprived. The institute offered general and biblical studies to prepare dedicated persons for Christian ministries and service. Realizing the need to be nearer to a railroad for easier access, on January 1, 1911, Dr. Forrest purchased the Haddock Inn and 100 acres of land including the beautiful Toccoa Falls near Toccoa, Georgia. On October 19, 1911, the institute moved from Golden Valley to Toccoa. Reorganized and enlarged, Toccoa Falls Institute which had existed in embryo in Golden Valley became a reality.

Since many early students of Toccoa Falls Institute had not had the opportunity for a secondary education, general and vocational high school courses were offered along with biblical and theological training. Under the direction of Dr. Forrest, the school kept pace with the advancement of educational standards in the United States. In 1928, the State of Georgia fully accredited the Toccoa Falls High School. This established a cooperative relationship with the county educational system that continued until the academy closed in 1976.

In 1937, a four-year Bible college program was initiated by adding to the biblical and theological studies a number of courses in the field of general education. The Legislature of the State of Georgia chartered the college division in 1939 and authorized the institute to grant the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Education. In 1957, the college was accredited by the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges and on December 13, 1983, by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

During the history of the institution, there have been only four presidents: Dr. Richard A. Forrest, Founder; Dr. Julian A. Bandy; Dr. Ken W. Opperman; and Dr. Paul L. Alford. In October 1975, in order to keep abreast of the current usage of terms, the Board of Trustees changed the name from Toccoa Falls Institute to Toccoa Falls College.