Chowan
A newsmagazine for alumni, parents and friends
WINTER 1997-98
Volume 42
Number 4
Braves’ boss reaches coaching milestone
Win gives Burke title of second winningest active collegiate baslietball coach in North Carolina
Head Basketball Coach Bob Burke
photo by Cal Bryant
Sewing up a first place award
Jessica Lee Britt’s work is about women’s desire and responsibility
Frank Roberts
The Sun
The lady across the way is sewing a shirt and
some baby clothes; Jessica Lee Britt is sewing a
work of art.
The lady across the way is watching the tube;
Jessica Lee is concentrating on her creation.
The lady across the way thinks of sewing as a
household chore that just has to be done; Jessica
Lee sees sewing as an enterprise involving self-
expression.
“Traditionally,” she said, “sewing is a woman’s
job, but it’s one of the few women’s tasks consid
ered noble.”
Jessica’s tasks are many — she is a sculptor, a
printmaker, a painter, she carves, she draws, she is
into photography and metal work.
“Sewing has been my favorite,” she said. “It’s
the most important element of my work.”
Her work was on display at the Suffolk
Museum where she won fn-st place in the aimual
Juried Art Exhibition, judged by Gil Leebrick,
director of the Wellington B. Gray Gallery at East
Carolina University in Greenville, Of the 193
works submitted, he selected only 61 for exhibition,
including two by Jessica.
A 21-year-old Chowan sophomore, she was a
second-place winner in May 1997 during Chowan’s
Juried Art Exhibition and, earlier, a second-place
winner in the Student Art Show at Suffolk
Museum while she was in high school. Her latest
top spot at the Suffolk Museum show means she
will have a one-person art show in 1998. That
should be something to behold.
Putting it mildly, Jessica is a way off the
beaten track — a good example being her winning
piece, “So Woman Created Herself” She created a
white banner on which sits a piece of wood carved
from a solid block of poplar. Inside is a ball of
tissue wrapped in a wire. A blueprint can be seen
above — either a dress pattern and/or a plan of
creation. “The exhibit represents a woman and
the reproductive system, but,” Jessica points out,
“anyone can interpret it as they wish.”
If your mood of interpretation is still active,
take a look at “Give and Take: Night” and the
accompanying, “Give and Take: Day,” fabrics with
photo transfers.
Daytime shows a face — Jessica’s — each
expression subtly different on each panel. Night
time shows legs and torsos — Jessica’s — posing
at times with chunks of hair which she says “are
the most personal objects you can have of
yoiu^lf You don’t want your hair to fall into
the wrong hands,”
Indeed.
“Day — is like the face you show everyone,”
Jessica said, “Night is for people on a more
personal level.”
The artist made the following statement about
her works at the Suffolk Museum: “They are both
about women’s desire and responsibility to make
new places for themselves in society. In our
society, women are valued only for their bodies,
and only in roles which have been defmed by men.
In my art, I explore the possibilities for women to
defme themselves.”
The movement lives.
Jessica resides in Sunbury, N.C. with her
parents. Aim and Heiuy Britt. Her dad works at
Norfolk Naval Shipyard. His artist-philosopher
daughter studies studio art and works in the
library.
See JESSICA on page 2
Cal Bryant
Roanoke-Chowan News Herald
Signed, sealed and deUvered.
When the game clock hit all zeros in the second
half, Friday, December 5, veteran head basketball
coach Bob Burke strolled past the scorer’s table to
shake hands with Greensboro College skipper Bill
Chambers, his staff and his players.
Returning to the Braves bench, Burke was
sought out by each of his players, especially son
Rob — a junior guard who exchanged a “high-five”
with his father. Joining the legendary coach at
courtside were his wife, Jane, and daughter, Ashlyn,
both darting in for a quick embrace.
What made the scene even more special was
that the 76-60 Chowan victory marked the 400th
career win in Burke’s long and illustrious 28-year
coaching career.
“It was nice to get it, especially at home,” said
the veteran Braves skipper, who currently stands in
second place in career victories (400-192 overall)
among active collegiate coaches in the state of North
Carolina.
“I really appreciate the turnout we had for the
game,” said Burke “The crowd really got behind us
and added a lot of enthusiasm to our victory.”
Added the coach, “The win was even more special
with my son, Rob, on the team and the fact that
my wife and daughter were there to witness the
occasion.”
The victory even carried a bit of irony, as
Burke’s very first coaching win in the collegiate
ranks came in his rookie season (1971) as the
basketball boss at Greensboro College. “That was
kinda unique,” observed Burke. “I got my very
first win while coaching Greensboro and number
400 came against them.”
In between those important victories have come
a lot of memories for the New York native. “Way
too many [memories] for you to have the room to
print in your paper,” stressed Burke. “But I can
say a big thank you to all the players, assistant
coaches, administrators, staff and fans who have
shown their support for the things we’ve accom
plished over the years.”
Listed among those accomplishments are three
See BRAVES’ BOSS on page 10
Victory over
Greensboro
College marked
the 400th career
win in Barkers
long and
illustrious 28-year
coaching career
A
fE*"
Jessica Britt '99
photo by Michael Kestner