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Brevard College .Brevard N.C,
Vol. 56 No. 8
Tuesday, February 14,1989
by Heather Conrad
Assistant Editor
If love stories are mushy, then Brevard
College has at least 350 mushy stories to
teU.
To date, BC has been the inspiration
point, the starting place of relationships
for more than 350 presently married
couples.
Donna and Larry Burch, 1965 graduates
of BC, are currently residing in Lenoir and
have been married for 21 years. Four
children later, Donna still vividly recalls
her first memories of Larry.
“Larry played for the basktball team,
and I was a cheerleader. We were part of a
circle of friends who did everything
together.”
In 1965, the rules at BC were extremely
strict. Donna informed that women
weren’t allowed outside the dorm after
6:30 on weeknights, and only a little later
on weekends.
Even the sports program ran rigid in its
guidelines. Donna said with a chuckle,
“Our cheerleader skirts were down below
our knees.”
Other rules made the dating aspect of
college a little more difficult, but solutions
were found. Explained Donna, “Students
couldn’t have cars on campus, so we’d
always get into groups and do things near
by.”
“A friend of ours, and part of the group,
Jimmy Brown (who’s now an attorney),
drew up a contract on a napkin,” Donna
explained. “His family owned a summer
camp nearby, and the contract had it for
me to go with Larry up to this camp, to pic
nic one day. We went up there and had a
great time. After that, we started dating.”
Donna and Tim Bailey, 1970 graduates of
BC, live in Boca Raton, Fla. Tim is a
Trustee of BC, and he and Donna have four
children whom Donna feels to be “a
special blessing.”
Donna began, “I met Tim at a computer
dance during orientation weekend. My
roonrunate went to the same high school as
Tim.” Tim, with the help of Donna’s room
mate, asked Donna to the Valentine’s
Sweetheart Dance. “That was our first
date,” Donna informed. “He seemed like a
How do I love thee...?
r
350BC couples count the ways
“In going through college while continu
ing a relationship, many demands exists,”
admits Danny Armstrong. Danny felt that
what helped make things work was friend
ship he and Kim developed, l>efore the
relationship. “Together,” said Danny,
“we were two individuals getting through
things. We helped each other as in
dividuals.”
“To share that and communicate those
individual needs is important, said Donna
Bailey. “Always share, or else you grow
apart.”
Donna Burch expanded on the in
dividual’s part in relationships. “We were
secure with ourselves. We both knew who
we were and what we wanted. You need to
nice guy, sweet and very studious,” she
said and paused. “But that was not at all
what he was. I’ve been hanging onto his
coattails ever since!”
“When I first laid eyes on Danny he was
wearing a Boy Scout uniform,” said Kim
Armstrong of her husband, Danny. Kim
and Danny Armstrong are 1976 graduates
of BC. The two have been married for 10
years and have one son and another child
due in May. Kim and Danny have dated
since high school and continued through
Brevard and Duke University. They now
reside in Miami. .
“Kim was in some of my Sunday School
classes,” said Danny. “And we grew to be
good friends in high school. I actually was
first attracted to her best friend. I kept
asking her out, and was constantly turned
down. Then I looked over and realized how
good of a friend Kim was, so I asked her
out. She turned me down, because she
didn’t want to play second fiddle.” But
after much perseverance on Dan’s part,
the two began dating in 1974. Kim and Dan
ny continued their education, as well as
their love for each other.
But it to* work.
Not a 9 to 5 kind of work either. Each
couple believes that marriage demands a
good deal of each other as individuals, and
as a couple.
“Realize how much of a commitment
marriage is; it’s not always as it seems,”
Kim Armstrong advised. “These days,
people just aren’t wUling to commit. And
commitment goes through everything in
life.’
know yourself before anyone else can. And
when this is done, you’re ready for a rela
tionship.”
Donna Bailey added, “Accept
challenges. It’s so narrow-minded to have
one set goal and to never stray from it. It’s
a very disheartening way to look at life.”
Danny Armstrong agreed, “A lot of flex
ibility is needed,” he said. “Give each
other a lot of room. If the framework of the
relationship and the future is too rigid,
there’s just no way the marriage will sur
vive.”
But the hard work, the couples feel, pays
off. And pays well.
Donna Bailey admitted, “I’ve learned a
lot from this man.... All the problems and
changes, the sacrifices are well worth the
effort.”
Said Kim Armstrong, “I’ve never
thought of marriage as giving up, or
sacrificing anything. It’s really been more
of an enhancement. Our commitment was
a strong one. We’ve been married for 21
years now, and I hope we’ll be married 21
more years. It gets better and better.”
To celebrate and honor these BC love af
fairs, the College will sponsor a gala
Sweethearts Weekend in June, welcoming
back to BC the multitudes of married
alumni.
BREVARD