Granny Deanes — still "playing" after all these years
The 1909 -1910 women's basketball team must
have been tough in those days. One of the players
Mary Peele Deanes - - is tough enough to have
lived for 99 years and shows no sign of quitting
yet.
"Granny" Deanes, as she is known by just
about everyone in Murfreesboro, including her 19
grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren (all
of whom she can call by name), has been around
long enough to recall the "good ole days" of
Chowan.
Mary Peele Deanes was educated in a one-
room schoolhouse before coming to Chowan. She
remembers coming to the Female Baptist Institute
the same year as President Bruner and that her
room was on the third floor on the end. Back then
there was a section of the building connecting the
main building to the old library and the girls
referred to this as the "street car". Mrs. Homer was
the "mother of us all" at the time.
Granny’s husband-to-be at the time, Willie
Evans Deanes, had some connection to Chowan
too. His mother, Norma Spiers, was a student at
Chowan and later taught here. Some of her work is
displayed at the home of Granny's son. Gene
Deanes, where Granny also lives today.
Young Mary grew up near Powellsville in
Hertford County and attended the Bethlehem
Church there. Today she remains a member of
Murfreesboro Baptist Church although she doesn't
get out much anymore.
The home of Willie and Mary Deanes, built in
1836, was moved years ago from Main Street to
Jay Trail and is listed in the register of historic
homes. It now is the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Ed
Wooten, both Chowan faculty/staff members.
Mary and Willie had four children at that
homeplace and two sons, Sidney, who lives in
Virginia, and Ted, of Murfreesboro, are still living.
Five generations of the Deanes family (on two
sides) have attended Chowan, according to Granny.
Mr. Deanes' mother was the first, and Granny
herself was the second generation to attend.
Grarmy's son, Ted Deanes, (a businessman in
Murfreesboro) was the third; Joyce Deanes
Langston, class of'61 and her daughter Deborah
Ann Langston, class of '84, round out the picture
through the generations.
"I have fond memories of Chowan the way it
was," recalls the 99-year-old. "I enjoyed playing
basketball. We played against each other in the old
gym which was where Turner Auditorium is
today."
"My team was one of the best," she confides.
(LtoR) Mary Parker, Murfreesboro, Ruth Boyette, Murfreesboro, Mary Josephine Peek, "Granny" (age
16), Powellsville, Linnie Mizelle, and Bernice Howell, Northampton Co., Zenova Ethridge, Manteo.
Granny remembers the oldest living alumna of
Chowan, Mrs. Mary Wiggins Turner, class of'12.
"Yes, I remember seeing her at school. She
married a man from Gates County,
Mr. O.C. Turner."
That's correct.
"I remember Miss - - oh, yes,
Olive, she taught English. Teachers
sat with each table in the dining
room, you know. We giris weren't
allowed to go past the tumgate at the
entrance of the school. Rules were
very strict"
Right again.
Granny Deanes
today
"I remember we were not to associate with Presi
dent Bruner's sons because we were to have no
contact with boys, but one of them, Willis, had a
secret romance with Oaudine. They
used to talk to each other through
the pipes from rooms on different
floors."
Well, there are no records to
verify that, but we believe her.
It's been 82 years sitKe Mary
"Graimy" Deanes walked the halls
of the Columns Building at
Chowan, but students of today
could, no doubt, still learn a few
lessons from her.
Chowan Olympian bobsledder in games
Think Chowan wasn't repre
sented in the Winter Olympics?
Well, think again. A Chowan
alumnus was there, and not where
you would expect to find a hefty
former Chowan football star and ex-
pro football player.
Greg Harrell, class of '82, played
football for two seasons at Chowan,
but at the Winter Olympic Games he
competed in bobsledding - - on the
No. 2 U.S. team, that along with
Herschel Walker and company, in the
No. 1 sled, attempted to break a 36-
year medal drought for American
bobsledders. They didn't quite do it,
but it was exciting to watch.
Harrell left Chowan for the
University of Maryland where he
lettered three times as a tight end and
wide receiver. He then played for the
San Diego Chargers in 1985 and the
Washington Commandos of the
Athena Football League in 1989 and
1990. He was on the Los Angeles
Raiders practice squad prior to
joining the Olympic bobsledding
competition.
Harrell s'aid at the time, "All I
knew about bobsledding is that it was
fast and on ice and a lot of people
turned over in the sled."
Coach Jim Garrison remembers
Greg Harrell, who often comes home
to Chowan for football games when
he is in the area."It didn't surprise me
a bit that he made one of the bobsled
ding teams. He came to Chowan
from Hertford County High School
and grew in size, strength, and
maturity. He became a starter for us
before his freshman year was over.
He is a quality athlete with great
speed and size."
It's a long way from
Harrellsville, N.C. where Greg is
from to La Plagne, France, site of the
games. His mother, Mildred Harrell
was worried about his safety at that
high speed, but was behind him
100% and planned an Olympics party
for friends and neighbors.
"This is by far the best feeling
I've had since I can remember being
an athlete," said Greg. I can't put
anything into words what it's like to
be an Olympian."
PAGE 12 — Chowan Today — Summer, 1992