Geert Egberts Boer
Encyclopedia
Geert Egberts Boer was the docent
of what became Calvin College
in Grand Rapids, Michigan
, from 1876 to 1902.
Boer was born in Roderwolde
, in the Netherlands
and graduated in 1864 from the theological school in Kampen. Afterwards he joined the ministry. In 1873, Boer was called to Grand Rapids, Michigan and in 1876, the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church
appointed him the first professor of their newly established theological school. Using his own books and a curriculum modeled on the one used in Kampen, Boer opened the school which later became Calvin Theological Seminary
and its offshoot Calvin College. Boer is also noted for encouraging the growth of Christian primary education. In 1986, the Boer-Bennink residence hall was opened in Calvin College named after Boer because of his significant contributions to Christian education, the Christian Reformed Church, and Calvin College.
Docent
Docent is a title at some European universities to denote a specific academic appointment within a set structure of academic ranks below professor . Docent is also used at some universities generically for a person who has the right to teach...
of what became Calvin College
Calvin College
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism...
in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, from 1876 to 1902.
Boer was born in Roderwolde
Roderwolde
250px|thumbRoderwolde is a village in the Netherlands and it is part of the Noordenveld municipality in Drenthe. Roderwolde has an elevation of about 1 meter . A corn and oil windmill in the village has been restored to working order....
, in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and graduated in 1864 from the theological school in Kampen. Afterwards he joined the ministry. In 1873, Boer was called to Grand Rapids, Michigan and in 1876, the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church
Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed churches of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Gijsbert Haan and Dutch immigrants who left the Reformed Church in...
appointed him the first professor of their newly established theological school. Using his own books and a curriculum modeled on the one used in Kampen, Boer opened the school which later became Calvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Theological Seminary
Calvin Theological Seminary is a seminary affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and closely tied to Calvin College, though each institution has its own board. Rev...
and its offshoot Calvin College. Boer is also noted for encouraging the growth of Christian primary education. In 1986, the Boer-Bennink residence hall was opened in Calvin College named after Boer because of his significant contributions to Christian education, the Christian Reformed Church, and Calvin College.