Dining Hall at BJU Undergoing Renovations - The $6 million project will be completed in mid-August

Was at Bob Jones from ‘76-‘80 ..

Somewhere in there they worked on some of the food offerings because things were apparently going downhill ..

Mostly remember the “Sunday Supper” bags changed .. (thankfully) ..

Other than that I really didn’t find much to complain about food wise .. In fact some of the dishes I remember as truly enjoying..

Welsh Rarebit (I was probably the only one. hahaha) .. I always have enjoyed it .. I would ORDER it for lunch at Marshall Field in Chicago when they still served it.. So it was a thrill for me when I saw it on the menu.. laugh..

I enjoyed “Farmer’s Lunch” (that’s what we called it) green beans, boiled potatoes and some pickled salad ..

I actually liked the turkey tetrazinni, squash casserole ( I had never heard of “summer squash” before - and found I loved it), and that apple bread at breakfast was wonderful - more of a cake..

It was basic food .. yes .. dinner was family style - and it was nice to have the opportunity to meet a variety of student .. and since you moved around every 5 or 6 weeks it could be a blessing if you had a crummy group.

I think it’s sad that the family style dinners are gone - there WAS a level of etiquette that went along with it .. and learning how to interact with a variety of people. Not only that .. I knew a number of couples that met at dinner..

I understand why they’ve changed it up and are improving the dining common .. times change - and to stay competitive food service at a school is something kids (and parents) really look at .. A few years ago I accompanied my son and 4 others on a college tour around Texas .. (and Oklahoma) .. the FOOD was a big deal both for the kids .. and when we returned the parents.. apparently variety was more important .. I didn’t get it .. I think they should eat what’s in front of them or go hungry .. laugh … (or go off campus and eat an ice cream donut…)

“It’s not like the water park at PCC! I mean you would think they would just go to the beach!”

But, Jim, that’s the point of the water park — keep the students from the beach. Pensacola Beach would be a disciplinary nightmare! Margaritaville! Music! Drinking! Bikinis! Homosexuals! Oh my!

Those who never go to PCC, but read the literature, would never know that Pensacola Beach is (at least) a half-hour drive (if the traffic is very light) and a $1 toll.

At least BJU promotes what they actually have - plus - BJU strives to be part of the city of Greenville, encouraging students to get out there and become part of it - be the “salt”, as it were. At PCC the atmosphere is one of separating from the surrounding community.

[Easton]

Now, please pass the barbequed hot-dogs…

Not meaning to slam on my alma mater, but the barbeque hotdogs were a bit gamey, if I must say.

While some of the menus may not have been the greatest (agreed about the BBQ hotdogs, and green beans and potatoes!!) I didn’t think the food was that bad. Some of their menus were good! I liked welsh rabbit, broiled egg sandwiches, and squash casserole. And the breakfast breads were great!

The renovation is forced by the difference in generations. When we were in school, you went to the Dining Common, you ate what was served, and then you went on to class. Just like you accepted many of the things about the place. You liked it or you didn’t like it, but you did it the way they wanted it done, you didn’t complain, and you didn’t think you were being “put upon” by not having things your way. Today’s college students are used to being catered to much more, and they expect things to go their way. That’s not all bad - it forces reevaluation of how things are done. But it does reflect a difference in thinking.

Ann,

There may be some truth to a generational gap. But I think there is an even more important factor. BJU no longer has a monopoly over many students. That is, fewer students are exiting high school thinking BJU is the only option, whether because their parents or their pastor told them they must go there, or because it’s the “only good Christian school,” or something else. As we know from economics, monopolies do not need to be competitive. The consumers must accept what they’re offered.

I think the fundamentalism sub-culture is breaking in the sense that churches/pastors no longer exert the same influence in terms of pushing kids toward a particular college and that parents now are less likely to insist on a particular choice of school. Thus, BJU must do something new - compete for students. And if I’m going to eat on campus most days for 4 years, the quality of the food is an important consideration.

[Charlie]

There may be some truth to a generational gap. But I think there is an even more important factor. BJU no longer has a monopoly over many students. That is, fewer students are exiting high school thinking BJU is the only option, whether because their parents or their pastor told them they must go there, or because it’s the “only good Christian school,” or something else. As we know from economics, monopolies do not need to be competitive. The consumers must accept what they’re offered.

I think we’re both right. There is still a pool of parents to whom BJU (or an acceptable alternative to BJU, of which there are few) is the only choice. You are correct that that pool is narrowing down greatly. However, that narrowing of influence of both parents and pastors is also due to a generational gap to some degree, don’t you think?