Coming This Month
Adam and Eve"
’Aria Da Capo'
One ticket, entitling students to
see both plays, may be purchased
for $1.50. These may be pur
chased in advance from Chaplain
Taylor’s office, or at the door
prior to the performances. At
tendance at either play may
serve as optional chapel-
assembly attendance, for those
Two Famous Ploys
Slated This Month
“Today I named the flyers,
crawlers, swimmers, growlers,
and hoH>ers. Further note: There
are creatures here of every
conceivable kind, but I, Adam,
am the sole and single man.”
But then there was Eve, and
that’s when the trouble started.
Mark Twain’s special genius
was his infectious humor ... a
humor that came from his
penetrating insights into the
foibles and follies of human
nature. He turns on this unique
talent full force in “The Diary of
Adam and Eve,” as he examines
man’s first encounter with
woman.
Chowan College residents will
have the ORjortunity of watching
the nation’s most active reper
tory theatre group in per
formance when the Alpha-Omega
Players presents “The Diary of
Adam and Eve,” adapted from
the .short story by Mark Twain,
on Tuesday, February 27 at 8; 00
p.m. in McDowell Columns.
The Alpha-Omega Players is a
young company, established in
Volume 4
Number 7
STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF CHOWAN COLLEGE
Wednesday, February 13, 1973
Murfreesboro, North Carolina
who wish to make use of the
performances. There will be no
regular assembly program on
Wednesday, February 28, Seats
will be reserved. The purchase of
tickets in advance will assure
one’s having a seat (the plays will
be open to the general public).
Columns Buiiding
Being Restored
the summer of 1967. In the past
five seasons, they have staged
some 2,700 performances for
large and small groups in
churches, schools, colleges, and
military bases, covering more
than 725,000 miles in their travels
to 45 states and Canada.
This fully staged production,
with music by the composers of
“Fiddler on the Roof,” was first
presented on Broadway in 1966,
vrith Barbara Harris, Alan Alda,
and Larry Blyden in the leading
roles. The talented young actors
of the Alpha-Omega Players
intersperse laughter with
moments of reflection, joy with
sadness, respect with satire in
this evening designed for the
entire family.
Chowan College students will
have an opportunity to watch the
nation’s most active repertory
theater in performance when the
Alpha-Omega Players present
“Aria Da Capo” by Edna St.
Vincent Millay at 10:00 a.m. on
Continued on Pago 8
The most extensive repairs and
restoration in the 122-year history
of McDowell Columns building is
now underway at Chowan
College.
Two interior walls, running the
full four floors of the building, are
being renovated and replaced,
according to Jack Hassell,
superintendent of buildings and
grounds at Chowan.
“Never before has a project of
this magnitude been undertaken
on the Columns,” stated Hassell.
He said that while the building
had undergone minor repairs
and renovation on several oc
casions, this was the first time for
major repairs to the interior of
the structure. The cost is ex
pected to exceed $56,000 ac
cording to Chowan’s business
manager, Ben Sutton.
The work was begun following
the discovery that the two in
terior brick walls were crum
bling and upon recommendation
of a consulting engineer.
One wall has been completely
removed exposing the original
beams. The longer ones are over
50 feet in length and cut by pit-
saw, remarked Hassell. The
smaller ones were axe-hewn.
Hassell said the weight of the
beams on the bricks had caused
the walls to crui.ible. “The bricks
were made of s; nd and probably
air-dried and thus not as hard as
present-day bri' ks,” commented
Hassell, who is supervising the
work. “The v iight of beams
running east to west above the
main lobby (s* cond floor) was
forcing the wal beneath to give
away.” he note'l.
One wall has *en removed and
Hassell estim.ited that some
50,000 bricks w il be required to
replace it. Repairs to the second
interior wall will not be as ex
tensive, he said.
Hassell said that debris, dirt,
old and new bricks, and other
materials have cluttered the
hallways on each floor. He
requested those visiting the
Columns on business or attending
a function in the auditorium to
proceed with caution. “The
cooperation of the faculty, staff,
students and visitors has been
outstanding,” Has.sell com-
mi lied. “One look at all of the
mess explains better than words
why we are saying this is a major
repair job,” Hassell added.
Attracting the attention of
students returning from the
holidays has been the original
arch over one of the twin stair
ways in the lobby. “Its removal is
only temporary,” Hassell stated.
“The arch, attached to a long
beam, will be replaced when the
new wall is constructed,” he
added. He said the other arch will
not have to be removed.
The Columns has been in
continuous use for every year of
the operation of the college since
its opening in 1852. For many
years it was the only building on
campus, providing facilities for
offices, classrooms, library,
cafeteria, assembly hall, lounge
and dormitory for the young
women attending the then
Chowan Baptist Female In
stitute. The four-year institution
Ecology
Day Set
The Department of Science at
Chowan College will sponsor an
Ecology Day Thursday,
February 22.
At 9:30 a. m., a reception will
be held for the teachers and
students. Dr. J. Frank Mc
Cormick, professor of ecology
and botany, at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill will
speak at 10:10 a. m., on “Con
cepts of Ecology and Their Ap
plications to Problems in En
vironmental Planning and En
vironmental Health” in Mc
Dowell Columns Auditorium.
At 12:00 noon the group will
dine in Thomas Cafeteria. After
lunch. Dr. McCormick will speak
on “Inquiries into the Structure,
Metabolism, and Evolution of a
Natural Ecosystem.” The
Ecology Day will end at 2:20 p.
m. All interested professors and
students are invited to attend.
Dr. McCormick is sponsored by
the American Institute of
Biological Sciences. He will be
visiting with the science
department for two days,
February 22 and 2.’t.
acquired its present name in 1910
and became coeducational and
two-year in the 1930’s. The
Columns was later renamed
McDowell Columns in honor of
Chowan’s first president, Ar
chibald McDowell, who served
two terms as president com
prising 20 years.
McDowell is presently used by
the college for administrative
offices, lounge, receptionist of
fice and auditorium. TTie top floor
serves as a dormitory.
The building is also the hub of
Chowan’s cultural program,
which serves the community and
area as well as the college
family. Fine arts programs in
music, dance, and drama and
other special programs are
presented throughout the year.
The auditorium also serves for
chapel and assembly programs
for the students.
In 1971, McDowell Columns
was listed in The National
Register of Historic Places by the
U.S. Department of the Interior.
The building is an example of
Greek architecture, which was
enjoying a revival during the
period of its construction.
Chowan’s president. Dr. Bruce
E. Whitaker, said repairs and
restoration “are an indication of
the college’s dedication and
determination to preserve Mc
Dowell Columns for its historical
and cultural significance.”
Dr. Whitaker called McDowell
Columns a “landmark known
throughout the state and
beyond.” He said “thousands of
students have used its facilities.
We intend to assure that students
for years to come will be able to
continue to make use of it.”
Continued Dr. Whitaker, “To
many, this building is Chowan
College. That is not to minimize
the dramatic expansion on
campus of modern facilities. It is
to say that many alumni, and
other friends of the college, hold a
special affection for McDowell
Columns. It is held in esteem not
only for its outstanding ar
chitecture and functional pur
poses. but because it is a symbol
for the college itself. Chowan is
pleased and proud to take the
lead in preserving this historic
building for otliers to enjoy and