Roy O. & Rachel R. Schilling Scholarship

Founded in appreciation and celebration of Roy's service as the church's financial secretary.

In April 1990, in appreciation and celebration of Roy's tenth anniversary as the church's financial secretary, he and his wife, Rachel, established a scholarship fund of $10,000 (one thousand dollars for each year of his service) at Central Christian Church. Purpose Amount Eligibility Roy Rachel Schilling Scholarship Award Recipients 1990 Kathleen Taylor 1991 Linda Shambaugh 1992 Angela Wilmot 1993 Marcela Sperry 1993 Jennifer L. Johnston 1993 Teresa Pepper 1994 Angela Wilmot 1994 Mettisa King 1995 Angela Wilmot 1995 Mettisa King 1995 Diann Spannus 1996 Alison Dobbs 1997 Alexandra M. King 1998 Julie Fogerson 1999 Julie Fogerson and Sally Quigg 2000 Kevin Otis and Sally Quigg back to top Purpose This annual award is to provide a commendation in the form of a paid scholarship to an outstanding student who plans to enter a college, university or trade school, or is currently attending one. back to top Amount 1. Principal of the amount is to remain intact with the Board of Trustees of Central Christian Church. Interest income may be used for an award to a student who is eligible that year. 2. The annual amount of the award shall be limited to 80% of the annual income less any reasonable and proper expenses incurred by the selection committee in the performance of its duties. 3. The remainder of the annual income shall be retained with the original principal ($10,400) to provide a partial offset to inflationary trends. 4. The award will be made annually and does not extend past the academic year of the award. Recipients must reapply each year in order to be considered for the scholarship. back to top Eligibility Any member of Central Christian Church who is a high school graduate, regardless of the year of graduation from school, is eligible to be considered for the annual award. Preference will be given to those who intend to enter into the fields of ministry, teaching or nursing. Should there be no suitable applicants in these areas of study, then consideration will be opened to all applicants. Applicants may be currently attending either a college, university or trade school, or planning to attend one the following year. Applications are due to the church office by April 1. No scholarship will be awarded to students who have been awarded and accepted full scholarships for tuition and fees by either another scholarship award, fund or grant. Selection Committee and Procedures The selection committee will be members of Central Christian Church's Education Department and normally comprised of the members of the Awards and Scholarships Committee from that Department. The minister providing staff resource to the Awards and Scholarships Committee will be an ex officio voting member of the Schilling Scholarship selection committee. The selection committee will meet and carefully consider each application, and together with the knowledge and references for the applicant, select a student to receive the award. Selection committee members may use any method of selection they desire as long as it encompasses the base criteria. Criteria The scholarship will be awarded based primarily on academic achievement and financial need. Participation in church, school and community activities will also be considered. Notification of Applicants and Recipient All applicants and the award recipient shall be notified in writing as soon as possible after a decision is made by the selection committee, but no later than June first. back to top

Roy O. Schilling Roy O. Schilling and his twin brother, Ray, were born on a farm near Elkhart, Illinois, on June 12, 1914. After attending Elkhart Elementary and High Schools, he graduated in May 1933, receiving a teaching diploma in May 1935 from Illinois State University. By attending summer school sessions there and at Western Illinois University and the University of Wyoming, he received his Bachelor of Education degree in August 1940. In August 1943, he received a master's degree in Elementary Administration and Supervision from the Teacher's College, Columbia University in New York City. His 44 years of teaching experience included the following: 1935-36 Maple Grove rural school in Logan County near Elkhart, Illinois 1936-40 Teacher and Principal of Emden Illinois Elementary School 1940-43 Sixth Grade Teacher and Principal of Elementary Schools in Lincoln, Ill. 1943-44 Supervisor of Student Teachers in Eastern Oregon College of Education, La Grande, Oregon 1944-45 Supervisor of Student Teachers at Pioneer State Teachers College, Platteville, Wisconsin 1945-49 Principal of Washington Elementary School, River Forest, Illinois 1949-79 Served as an Adminstrative Elementary Assistant in the Decatur Public Schools for eight years and as Principal of E.A. Gastman, Mound, Brush College #1, Dennis, and Southeast Schools. 1958-70 Visiting Associate Professor at Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois Mr. Schilling served as a Director of the Illinois Education Association, Delegate to the annual meetings of the National Education Association, and Secretary-Treasurer of the Association for Childhood Education International. He is a life member of the National Education Association and the Illinois Congress of Parent-Teacher Associations. Locally, Mr. Schilling served as President of the Decatur Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, President of Decatur-Macon County Children and Family Services, President of Macon County Historical Society, and the first Chairman of the Macon County Historical Society Museum. back to top Rachel R. Schilling Rachel Rogers Schilling was born on a farm in rural Delavan-Emden, Illinois, June 7, 1915. (She was deceased February 3, 1996.) She graduated from the Delavan Community High School in May 1933, and the Mennonite School of Nursing in Bloomington, Illinois, in May 1942. She served as a nurse at the Mennonite Hospital; a staff member at the Gailey Eye Clinic in Bloomington, Illinois; a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in La Grande, Oregon; and after moving to Decatur, she was a nurse at Decatur Memorial Hospital for 17 years. Roy and Rachel joined Central Christian Church in April 1950. As active members they served in various capacities-Sunday School Teachers, Deacon and Deaconess, as well as serving on many committees in the church. Roy is an Elder Emeritus and served for almost 15 years as Financial Secretary, retiring January 1, 1995. Roy and Rachel were married December 30, 1943, and have two daughters: Mary Schilling, who teaches at the Hamilton Heights High School in Arcadia, Indiana; and Susan (Mrs. Michael) Bryant, who teaches at the Mt. Zion High School in Mt. Zion, Illinois. Their son-in-law, Michael Bryant, teaches at the Clinton Community High School in Clinton, Illinois. Their grandson, Matthew, is a student at the Warrensburg Middle School. back to top

Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
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