Norman Vincent Peale*
Class of 1952
- Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Guideposts, Inc.
- Co-Founder Foundation for Christian Living
- Co-Founder Peale Center
Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.
Norman Vincent Peale was born in 1898 in Bowersville, Ohio. As a boy, he helped support his family by delivering newspapers and working in a grocery store. He was educated at Ohio Wesleyan University and Boston University School of Theology.
Peale became an ordained Methodist minister in 1922, but changed his religious affiliation to the Reformed Church in 1932. He served for 52 years as pastor of New York's Marble Collegiate Church, growing the congregation there from 600 to 5,000.
In 1952, Peale wrote The Power of Positive Thinking, which has sold seven million copies and has been translated into 15 languages. In all, he wrote 46 books.
President Ronald Reagan awarded Peale the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to the field of theology. During his lifetime, Peale was one of the most influential Protestant clergymen in the United States.
Peale became a member of the Horatio Alger Association in 1952, five years after its formation. He is considered a co-founder of the Association because he was responsible for ensuring the perpetuation of Kenneth Beebe's vision.