On the Qtunpus
Mrs. Deanes becomes Chowan’s
oldest living alumna at age of 102
Dr. James M. Dunn
Dr. Dunn to deliver
first Heritage Lecture
Dr. James M. Dunn, Executive Director of
the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs,
will deliver the first annual Heritage Lectures at
Chowan College on March 14 and 16.
The programs will be held in Robert Marks
Hall amphitheatre beginning at 9:45 a.m., each
day.
Dr. Dunn’s topic for the initial lecture on
Tuesday, March 14, will be ’The Grand Tradi
tion: Religious Liberty.” He will lecture on
“Current Threats to Religious Liberty” for his
concluding lecture on Thursday, March 16.
A native of Texas, with degrees from Texas
Wesleyan College and Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary, Dunn has been a pastor,
campus minister, and college teacher. Prior to
his assumption of his current position in 1981,
he had served the previous twelve years as
Executive Director, Christian Life Commission,
Baptist General Convention of Texas.
He has received numerous awards and
recognitions as a champion of religious liberty
and separation of church and state from various
Baptist constituencies. Co-author of six volumes
related to Christianity and public policy, he has
also contributed articles to such publications as
The Journal ofChutch and State, The South
western Journal of Theology, Review and
Expositor, Eternity, The Student and The Baptist
Standard.
Terms of the endowment of the Heritage
Lectures stipulates that expendable funds
therefrom are “to provide financial assistance
for a lecture/program series to be selected and
sponsored by Chowan’s Department of Religion
and Philosophy, with a focus upon religious
personalities and movements as contibutions to
an understanding of the Judaeo-Christian
Heritage. Frequent emphasis is to be given to
the contributions of Baptists.”
Friends of the college are cordially invited to
join the campus community as participants in
the Heritage Lectures.
Mrs. Mary Peele Deanes, who will be 102
years old on March 15, is now the oldest living
alumna of Chowan College.
“Granny” Deanes, as she is affectionately
known, graduated with the Class of 1913 and
currently lives in Cary with her daughter.
Before enrolling in the Chowan Female
Baptist Institute, as Chowan was known shortly
after the turn of the century, Mrs. Deanes was
educated in a one-room school in Murfreesboro.
She grew up in the Powellsville community and
attended the Bethlehem Baptist Church there.
Mrs. Deanes was married to Willie Evans
Deanes, who was associated with Chowan
through his mother who attended Chowan
College and was later a member of the faculty.
In an interview in the spring of 1992, Mrs
Deanes said “I have fond memories of Chowan
the way it was. I enjoyed playing basketball and
we played against each other in the old gym
which was where Turner Auditorium is today.”
She also remembered Mrs. O. C. Turner of
the Class of 1912, and she recalls some of the
teachers during her student years.
Mrs. Deanes was the mother of four children,
and has 19 grandchildren and 5 great grandchil
dren.
Five generations of the Deanes family (on
two sides) have attended Chowan College.
Mr. Deanes’ mother was the first and Mrs.
Deanes herself was the second generation to
attend. Her son, Ted, who is 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 family’s attendance at Chowan
thus far.
Chowan to co-sponsor third seminar
in historic preservation techniques
A historic preservation seminar focusing on
early hardware used in the building and
cabinetmaking tfades will be conducted at
Chowan College on June 8-10,1995. The
seminar is jointly sponsored by Chowan, the
Murfreesboro Historical Association, the N. C.
Division of Archives and History and the
Stagsville Historic Site.
The seminar is the third in a series co
sponsored by Chowan during the past several
years.
The two and half day session will be of
interest to historic preservation professionals,
owners of historic houses or buildings, and
anyone interested in learning more about the
form and use of early hardware.
In addition to presentation and panel discus
sions by authorities in the field of historic
preservation, practical blacksmithing demon
strations will be performed at the association’s
forge in Murfreesboro’s historic district.
A highlight of the seminar will be a day trip
to Prestwould Plantation near Clarksville, VA.,
and located on the bluffs above the confluence
of the Dan and Staunton Rivers.
An exceptionally beautifully property,
Prestwould was built in 1790-1795 by Sir
Peyton Skipwith, an American-born baronet.
His wife. Lady Jean Skipwith, was an expert
horticulturist and created an outstanding garden
at the plantation.
Prestwould is one of the most extensively
documented remnants of 18th century rural life
to have survived the region. It has one of the
most complete collections of 18th century
hardware to be found anywhere. The house is
completely restored and contains an extensive
collection of original Skipwith furnishings.
Participants in the seminar are offered low-
cost accommodations in the Chowan residence
halls during the seminar. Program announce
ments will be distributed in late March, but
further information is available by telephoning
Kay Mitchell at (919) 398-5922.
your invitation is on its way...
Spring 1995
Chowan Alumni Events
April 22 Raleigh, NC
April 29 Richmond, VA
May 20 Hampton Roads, VA
Your invitation is on the way to attend
the event in your area! If you would like
to help organize an event in your area,
please contact—
Kevin Clary
Director of Alumni Services
(919) 398-4101, ext. 226
Graduated
with Class of
1913; enjoyed
playing
basketball
Seminar to
include field
trip to
Prestwould
Plantation
Employer’s Day
conducted for printing
production majors
Representatives of twelve major
printing firms, from as far away as
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, interviewed
prospective employees at the annual
Employer’s Day sponsored by the
Department of Printing Production and
Imaging Technology. Prior to individual
interviews being conducted the group
enjoyed a luncheon in the President's
Dining Room.
DWAN TODAY, March 1995—PAGE 13