Heritage Snapshot: Part 172

Carrol S. Small, MD (CME Class of 1934) was a longtime Professor of Pathology in the Loma Linda University School of Medicine. He graduated from high school in 1926 at age 15. He was good at the books and became valedictorian of his senior class. He got along well in school, so well, in fact, that his principal, Mr. Esch, went to considerable effort to get him a full, four-year college scholarship at DePauw University, a Methodist institution 50 miles away from home. There was just one little hitch. How would he go to that university and keep the Sabbath, too? Mr. Esch drove Carrol and his mother across the state to visit with university authorities. The dean explained the schedule, and announced, "You just can't avoid going to classes on Saturday, if you come here." Carrol and his mother looked at each other and then at the principal, and Carrol stated, "Well, I guess that settles it. I won't come." It was a terrible let down for Mr. Esch, who had worked hard to get the scholarship. Although Esch appeared to be both dismayed and disgusted, Carrol had no thought of compromising on a question like Sabbath observance. He would not violate his conscience. So in silence they drove home the 50 miles. His non-Adventist relatives thought he was a fool for passing up such a wonderful opportunity. "If I had gone to that University, I would have graduated in 1930 at the age of nineteen. I would have had a college degree and no knowledge of the world or how to get along in it, no job, and without the blessing of God. I shudder to think what would have happened in future years," he said. He went from being the “runt” of his high school class to becoming one of the Giants of Loma Linda University. He came to town with an excellent scholastic record thinking he was a "hot shot," soon realized there were other people smarter than he, studied hard, and eventually earned the highest score in the nation on National Board examinations. As a young boy, Small read and reread Christ’s Object Lessons, by Loma Linda Co-founder Ellen G. White. The book had a profound impact on his entire life, including 60 years of teaching. On Aug. 1, 1937, Small joined the faculty of CME, where he became chair of the Department of Pathology for 21 years. In 1958, Small was invited to work at Christian Medical College, in Vellore, India and, with a two-year break, worked there for a total of almost seven years. Carrol S. Small, MD, spent six years on Loma Linda University’s Board of Trustees. He was a gentleman, a Christian educator, and a man of conviction…with a sense of humor. He was president of the San Bernardino County Medical Society, president of the School of Medicine Alumni Association for two years and editor of the Alumni Journal for nine years. The Alumni Center on the campus of Loma Linda University and the Small Amphitheater in the Centennial Complex are named in his honor.