By Rev. Dr. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on

Central Philippine University honors Dr. Almus Oliver Sanderson Larsen, its fifth president and a visionary leader who guided the historic transition from Central Philippine College to CPU in 1953, as part of the University’s 120th founding anniversary celebration.

As Central Philippine University celebrates its 120th year of faith, excellence, and innovation, the institution honors the legacy of its fifth president, Dr. Almus Oliver Sanderson Larsen, the leader who guided the transition from Central Philippine College to Central Philippine University in 1953. A missionary-educator, visionary administrator, and man of deep faith, Dr. Larsen’s decade-long presidency (1952–1961) defined CPU’s enduring motto—“Education for Service.”

Born on April 3, 1905, in Alta, Iowa, USA, Larsen grew up in a Baptist parsonage, the son of Rev. Peter C. and Sanna Sanderson Larsen. He earned his B.A. in Education from Morningside College (1928), M.A. in School Administration from the University of Nebraska (1942), and was awarded the Doctor of Education, honoris causa, by Sioux Falls College in 1951. Before coming to the Philippines, he served as teacher, coach, principal, superintendent, and later as dean, registrar, and acting president of Sioux Falls College, a Baptist institution in South Dakota.

The CPU Presidency (1952–1961): Education for Service

When Dr. Larsen assumed the presidency in April 1952, Central Philippine College was still recovering from postwar reconstruction. Just six days after his 47th birthday, he received the appointment that would define both his life’s mission and the destiny of the institution (Enojas, 1955). His leadership ushered in a decade of expansion, academic reform, and spiritual renewal that culminated in the granting of the University Charter in 1953, transforming CPC into Central Philippine University.

At the heart of his leadership was his philosophy of education rooted in faith and service. When asked about his vision for CPU, Dr. Larsen responded with clarity and conviction:

“We should be training citizens for world leadership as well as for Philippine citizenship. Central Philippine College may well become a Christian university for Asians, with a world outlook and a world outreach. The young people who graduate from Central must have had those spiritual and educational experiences as will enable them to live more abundantly and to compete on equal terms with the graduates of other colleges and universities” (Enojas, 1955, p. 64).

He then outlined the fivefold objectives that guided CPU’s growth:

“Our basic objectives then are: (a) high scholarship, (b) a genuine concern for the total welfare of our students, (c) a Biblical center for life, (d) a sense of realism about the nature of our times at home and abroad, (e) a confidence in Eternity. We must know that we stand with God in helping build the Kingdom” (Enojas, 1955, p. 65).

By 1960, the fruit of his vision had become evident. The University, once struggling to rebuild after the war, had grown into a vibrant academic community of over 3,000 students (Central Echo, 1960). Larsen joyfully welcomed this milestone, declaring through The Central Echo:

“It seems to me that I have never seen students so anxious to return to school. A few years ago a dozen or two came on the opening day of registration. This year there were hundreds and many even came several days before the official opening… That is an indication of your zeal and desire to study and work hard to excel” (Central Echo, 1960, p. 2).

He reminded the students that education at CPU was not merely a means to success, but a spiritual calling:

“Education at Central is education for service. I saw a sign over the gate of a school that read, ‘Salary-raising education taught here.’ But I was happy to contrast that slogan with the one here at CPU — ‘Education for Service’” (Central Echo, 1960, p. 2).

Achievements and Institutional Growth

Dr. Larsen’s leadership brought CPU to new heights of academic and spiritual excellence:

• University Charter (1953): Under his leadership, CPC officially became Central Philippine University on April 1, 1953, marking the fulfillment of the vision first dreamed by Dr. W.O. Valentine and sustained by his successors. The letter, which arrived on April 8, granting university status, said, “By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Department of Education, Republic of the Philippines, I, Cecilio Putong, Secretary of Education, do hereby grant to Central Philippine College of Iloilo City the authority to use the name Central Philippine University, effective April 1, 1953.”
• Postwar Reconstruction: He oversaw the rebuilding of campus facilities destroyed during the war, including new buildings for the High School, Home Economics, and Agriculture departments, and initiated plans for a gymnasium, chapel, and fine arts center (Central Echo, 1954).
• Financial Stability: He successfully brought the institution’s finances “out of the red,” stabilizing the budget and enabling further growth (Enojas, 1955).
• Athletic Excellence: Under his administration, CPU’s athletic teams “dominated the fields and brought glory to our school” (Enojas, 1955, p. 65).
• Faculty Empowerment: His first act as president was to abolish the controversial “Schedule Committee,” restoring administrative confidence and faculty morale (Central Echo, 1952).
• Christian Leadership and Service: He emphasized the role of CPU as a training ground for Christian leaders, saying, “The responsibility of the Christian college is to develop lay leaders… that they may be happily prepared to be efficient volunteer leaders in all of the activities of the church” (Central Echo, 1954, p. 1).
• National and Regional Influence: He served as President of the Association of Christian Schools and Colleges, President of the West Visayas Private School Association, and as a member of the Fulbright and Smith–Mundt Committees, representing CPU with honor in both local and international circles.

By the late 1950s, CPU was recognized as one of the top Christian universities in Asia. “Our public relations,” wrote Enojas (1955), “especially have reached a new high… Everywhere, even in neighboring countries of Asia, the Central Philippine University is being linked with high-class education.”

Legacy and Lasting Impact

After completing his term in 1961, Dr. Larsen returned to Sioux Falls College where he continued to serve in teaching and administrative roles until his retirement in 1972. Yet his influence at CPU continued long after. Alumni from across the United States established the Dr. Almus O. Larsen Professorial Chair in his honor in 1985 (Link, 1985).

In his farewell message to CPU students, Dr. Larsen left words that continue to inspire generations of Centralians:

“Make the most of your opportunity… Be sure that principles of Christian living are in command so that your lives will stand out as great beacon lights of Christian leadership in a murky world. We expect great things from Centralians. God will help you succeed” (Central Echo, 1956, p. 1).

Dr. Larsen passed away on December 19, 1992, at the age of 87, remembered not only as an American missionary-educator but as a Filipino at heart—a man who believed in the transforming power of Christian education and built a university to embody it.

References

Central Echo. (1952, May–June). Vol. 15, No. 6–7, p. 8.
Central Echo. (1954, May–June). Vol. 15, No. 6–7, p. 1.
Central Echo. (1954, December 1). Vol. 18, No. 9, p. 1.
Central Echo. (1956, October 11). Vol. 20, No. 7, p. 1.
Central Echo. (1960, June 30). Vol. 26, No. 1, p. 2.
CPU Wall of Remembrance. (2004). Awardee’s Information Sheet.
Golden Jubilee 1905-1955. (1955). Souvenir Program. CPU.
Herradura, R., & Nelson, W. (1981). Scientia et Fides: The story of Central Philippine University. Iloilo City: Central Philippine University.
Enojas, P. B. (1955). President, Central Philippine College 1952–1953; President, Central Philippine University 1953–1961. In CPU Golden Jubilee 1905–1955 Souvenir Program (pp. 64–65). Iloilo City: Central Philippine University.
Link. (1985, July). Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 1, 4.