Oneida Baptist Institute


Oneida Baptist Institute is a coeducational Southern Baptist boarding school in Oneida, Kentucky, affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

History

Oneida Baptist Institute was founded by James Anderson Burns with the intent of bringing an end to the culture of feuds and violence in Clay County, Kentucky. Burns aimed "to teach the children of the hostile clans to love each other and not fight," believing that a combination of education and Christian love would cause their feuds to "stop automatically." With the help of H. L. McMurray, a Baptist preacher originally from Kansas, Burns selected a site for the school and recruited members of the warring clans to work together to build it. The founder was correct and the collaborative efforts of many in starting the school put an end to the feuding in the area.
The first building was completed in 1899 and classes began on January 1, 1900, with four teachers and 125 students.
The current president is Larry Allen Gritton Jr., who has been president since mid-2013.

Notable alumni

In February 2020, the parents of a Kentucky teenager filed a lawsuit against Oneida Baptist Institute. The lawsuit alleges their 13-year-old son was sexually assaulted by a 17-year-old student. The alleged offender was dismissed from the school. The court case has been dismissed as of November 16, 2024.