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from Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa by Manoah Hedge The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1906
Charles J. Burton, who has won a position of prominence in educational circles and was the founder and is the president of the Iowa Christian College and Oskaloosa Normal & Business College, was born May 8, 1856, in Murray, Kentucky. He was a student successively in the common schools of his native town, in Murray Institute and Hiram College, at Hiram, Ohio, being graduated from the last named in 1889. Since leaving college his life has been devoted to teaching and he has won prestige as a representative of the profession and has inaugurated a new work in the line of Christian instruction as well as in preparation for the practical and responsible duties of a business career. Oskaloosa College was incorporated in 1856 and has since graduated a large number of students, many of whom are filling important positions in life. In 1902 Professor Burton opened up a new work here with a new management, while new articles of incorporation were secured in July of that year. The institution was called the Iowa Christian College and Oskaloosa Normal & Business College and has three distinct departments: The College of the Bible, the Oskaloosa Normal College and the Oskaloosa Business College. It is not under the auspices of any denomination, but is rather evangelical in character and was organized to meet the great and growing demands of the masses of young men and women for special training. It is intended to meet the needs of strong minds that desire a more literary and practical education. While the college does not impart denominational instruction it is strictly Christian in character. The methods of work are practical, being founded upon the conditions of the business world and the requirements thereof. To meet the demands of thousands of ambitious men and women unable to attend college in person the management have arranged various non- resident courses and have a large enrollment in every state, also in Canada, England, Scotland, Holland, India, Japan, Australia, Porto Rico and South Africa. The institution has a corps of eleven instructors and Professor Burton fills the chair of sacred literature, Hebrew and the Bible. The school is meeting the want in conditions of life today and already has had almost phenomenal success.
Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy