Campus News
Gatewood, Sowell honored at 40th anniversary celebration
of W. A. Krueger School of Graphic Communications
Veteran printing technology instructors assume new
positions following 68 years of combined teaching
BUI Sowell (left) and
Herman Gatewood
(right) each received a
painting in
recognition of their
long-time
contributions to the
college. Sowell’s wife,
June, (left), and
Gatewood’s wife,
Aldeen, (right) also
attended the
ceremony.
By JIM WALLER
Editor and General Manager
The Ahoskie News-Herald
An evening with tears, laughter, emotions and
memories filled the air on Homecoming weekend
when printing legends Herman Gatewood and Bill
Sowell were honored at the 40th Anniversary
Dinner of the William A. Krueger School of
Graphic Communications.
The School of Graphic Communications was
founded in 1953 upon the recommendations and
suggestions of commercial
printers and newspaper
executives in North Carolina
and Virginia who recog
nized the need for an
institution to educate young
men and women for careers
in the printing and publish
ing industries.
Gatewood has served on
the school’s faculty for 30
years, while Sowell has
been an insuuctor for 38
years. Their teaching
experience came to a close
at the end of the 1992-93
academic year due to
accreditation requirements and each have now
assumed staff positions with the college.
Since its inception, the school has instructed
more than 2,100 men and women who have
completed the Printing Technology program and
assumed positions in the printing industry.
Gatewood joined the faculty of the school in
August 1963 to teach Linotype machine operation
and maintenance. He taught in what is now
McSweeney Hall, where there were 14 Linotype
machines, a Ludlow and other hot metal machines.
He and Bill Sowell were the only instructors. John
McSweeney was serving as the departmental
chairman.
Gatewood was appointed chairman of the
department in 1970 and served in that capacity until
June 1991, He is now serving as Director of
College Relations in the development office.
During Gatewood’s 21 year tenure as chair
man, the school has grown into one of the most
outstanding printing technology schools in the
country.
In addition to his production and chairman’s
duties, Gatewood taught courses in printing
technology and others in word processing and page
layout and design.
Originally from Chatham, Va., Gatewood
began his printing career at the age of 12 when he
worked for the Chatham Star-Tribune, He has been
in the business ever since, except when he served a
stint in the Army. Gatewood has also worked at the
daily newspaper in Hopewell, Va., and a weekly
newspaper and commercial printing plant in
Altavista, Va.
He has also been associated with several
commercial printing operations and at one time
operated his ovra company.
Gatewood attended Danville Technical
Institute, receiving the graphic arts diploma. He
completed additional study at Chowan College and
Old Dominion University.
“Their former students are now
located in and purusit^ their
professions all over the
United States and in a
number of foreign countries.”
Gatewood has been active in the campus
community and served for many years as advisor to
the student newspaper and the yearbook.
He is a past president of the Murfreesboro
Rotary Club and was selected three times as
“Rotarian of the Year”. He has also served three
terms on the board of directors of Ridgecroft
School and was chairman twice.
On the sate level, Gatewood has a long
association with the North Carolina Press
Association’s Production Conference. He has
Mrs. Patsy E. Marks was one of the speakers at the
anniversary dinner and spoke of Gatewood’s
accomplishmentsaschairman. Marks is a graduate
of the school and also served as an instructor for
several years.
participated in the conference for 28 years, served
on the executive committee for seven years and
was chairman of the conference in 1984.
He received the conference’s Distinguished
Service Award in 1991. He was awarded the A1
Resch Award in 1985 to recognize “the person who
contributes the most in promote greater newspaper
production efficiency.”
In 1967, under Gatewood’s leadership, the
Chowan Graphic Arts Foundation was formed.
Consisting of newspaper executives of North
Carolina, the foundation has raised nearly $1
million in support of the printing program over the
past 20 years.
Gatewood is married to Aldeen Gatewood,
manager of The Trading Post, the college book
store, and they have a daughter, Patricia Lynn, a
graduate of UNC-Wilmington, who now resides in
Raleigh.
Sowell has served Chowan College longer than
any other current member of the faculty or staff.
Sowell was born in Pageland, S.C., in 1930. He
was graduated from Pageland High School in 1948
and shortly thereafter he entered the U. S. Coast
Guard and gave 4 years of service to his country.
After his discharge, Sowell enrolled at Chowan
College where he attended 1953-55 and was
graduated with the college’s first graphic arts
diploma.
Sowell’s employment as a faculty member
began in 1955. While teaching fiill-time in the
department, he continued as a student and earned
his associate degree, He continued his education at
East Carolina University, where he earned a
bachelor of science degree in industrial and
technical education.
Sowell continued as a member of the faculty
through May 1993, and now serves as director of
printing production.
In 1986, his colleagues on the faculty recog
nized his contributions to the teaching profession
by awarding him the first Excellence in Teaching
Award.
Students of the college voiced their apprecia
tion for Sowell’s contributions by dedicating the
1967 yearbook. The Chowanoka, to him..
Sowell has been listed in such publications as
Outstanding Young Men in the South and Who’s
Who in Education in the South.
—Continued on Next Page I
PAGE 6—CHOWAN TODAY, Winter. 1993