Page 4 Smoke Signals, Wednesday, April 2, 1980
Memorable Events Mark Chowan's School Year
Annette Johnson appears unfazed while giving blood in the Fall Blood mobile visitation. (Photo by Dennis Loan)
By HARRY PICKETT
The 1979-80 school year is almost over
here at Chowan, and as with any
season, one begins to reflect on per
sonal and school accomplishments.
Looking back on the year, one can come
up with many memorable and
significant events, such as the reaching
of the $2.5 million goal for the gym
nasium and the newsmaking Student
Government Association.
Beginning back in September,
President Bruce E. Whitaker an
nounced to Chowan’s Boards of
Trustees and Advisors on September 10
that a gift of $500,000 had been secured
from an anonymous donor for the
completion of lie college’s new gym-
nasium-physical education center.
Stipulations, however in securing the
gift, called for the college to raise an
additional $400,000 needed to complete
the $2.5 million campaign and provide a
fully equipped facility. The donor
requested, also, that the new gym
nasium be named in honor of U.S. Sen.
Jesse Helms, who’s also a Baptist
layman.
Acceptance of the challenge gift and
the approval of naming the facility for
the senator was unanimously granted
by the two boards at their semi-annual
meeting.
In September, also, the Student
Government Association approved a
proposal which forced all students
attending SGA sponsored movies to pay
an admission price of 50 cents.
There was an uproar of disapproval
by most of the students, because during
the previous school year, students
attending the campus movies at
Columns Auditorium had only to show
their I.D. card and admittance was
free; unless, however, if the students
were without the card, then the 50 cents
fee would be charged.
The office of the Registrar reported
that 1,124 students had enrolled at
Chowan, which was one of the largest
enrollments in recent years at the
Baptist college.
SGA President Mike Burke chose
sophomores Bernard Miller and
Cj^thia Gray to serve as historian and
auditor in the association for the 1979-80
school year.
The presidential appointment of the
two positions became necessary when,
in last year’s elections, write-in votes
were cast for two students who did not
want either position.
The president said, “I have a lot of
confidence in the two new members.
Both are hard workers, anxious and
very dependable.”
The student government purchased
three canoes which cost the association
$641.65. Burke felt they would create
fun and excitement on campus. On
September 8, the SGA sponsored canoe
races, which is supposed to become an
annual event.
Sixty-eight students participated in
the races, which is now considered an
intramural activity. The competition
was counted as part of the President’s
Cup battle, and each participant
received one point for his dorm for
competing. The top three couples in
each event also received points for their
respective dorms.
Four new faculty members and four
new staff members were named for the
1979-80 school year.
The new professors are Mark Wolfe,
photography; Dr. R. Allen Pridgen,
English; Dan Surface, physical
education, and Rinda M. Metz, art. The
new staff members are Linda S. Owens,
counseUng; Dianne Wood, counseling;
Pamela Hall, secretary, and Michael
Posternock, admissions. Scott
Colclough was named resident director
of Parker Hall.
It came to the attention of Smoke
Signals that the SGA officers were
feuding in early September and late
August. President Burke did not deny
the accusation, but said, “I think if
there was any dissension among the
officers, most of it is clearing up.”
He went on to say, “I don’t care to
please the officers. I’m here to please
the students, as long as I can do what’s
right.” Burke then said he was con
vinced the SGA was “becoming just
like” the U.S. Government.
Coach Jim Garrison's football team
got ranked as high as sbcth in the
NJCAA and Associate Press polls. The
Braves defeated East Carolina’s junior
varsity, as well as Duke’s.
The Bloodmobile motored to Hertford
County and Chowan College on Thur
sday, September 26 in hopes of
receiving at least 200 pints of blood
from each student. However, when the
mobile headed back to its hideout in
Greenville, N.C., it carried a little more
than that because a pint of blood from
some 285 Chowan students was taken.
The 285 figure doesn’t represent, by
any means, half the total enrollment of
the college; but it was a mark unex
pected. Many of the students on campus
failed to give blood because they were
either underweight, had low blood
pressure, had some sickness, or were
just “chicken”.
October
Disagreements over guidelines
within the Student Government
Association’s Constitution, led to one
SGA officer walking out of the October 1
general legislative meeting in rage.
SGA Sodal-Chairperson for Men
Greg Kaserman stormed out of the
meeting after citing that the meeting
was not official because the
representative body did not meet a
quorum. According to the SGA Con
stitution, Article 1, Section 10, two-
thirds of the members of the Student
Legislature shall constitute a quorum.
Only six of the 12 hall representatives
showed for the meeting.
Kaserman told Nancy Loy, vice-
president, and presiding officer over
SGA meeting, that the meeting could
not be held because there was not a
quorum. The two officers argued over
toe guideline, and Loy called the
meeting off and dashed out the door.
President Burke said there would be
a meeting. He brought Loy back into
the session, and called it back to order,
to which Kaserman objected angrily.
“If you don’t want to stay for the
meeting why don’t you just leave,” Loy
told Kaserman.
“Are you going on with the
meeting?,” Kaserman later asked Loy.
“Yes,” she replied. Kaserman then
(Hcked up his books and walked out,
with several members applauding his
departure.
Woody Allen's play, “Please Don’t
Drink The Water”, was presented by
the Chowan Players on October 3, 4 and
5.
Directed by Mrs. Sandra Boyce, the
play was labeled a success by the
students of Chowan College. The two-
act play cost students $1.
October 18, 1979 is a date many of us
will never forget.
On this day, Chowan College had a
panty raid, with both men and women
roaming residential halls in the late-
night hours, searching for mostly un
dergarments. But as it turned out, more
than underclothes were taken. Some
people lost pants, dresses, coats and
other valuable clothing.
The “raid” obviously got out of hand
as one girl at Columns went into shock,
one suffered an asthma attack and,
according to Renee Lambert who
fought many of the intruders off with a
baseball bat from her head resident
position, “another almost had a stroke
because of the rapid increase in her
blood pressure.”
At Columns, three doors were
damaged and a window broken; a glass
door was broken in the Belk Hall lounge
and a window in a room at Jenkins Hall
also was broken. The total cost for all
damages was $201.09.
At the time of the “raid” it was
alleged that SGA president Mike Burke
was an instigator, as well as other
student leaders on campus.
November
Chowan students visited Camp Cale,
a campsite along the winding Roanoke-
Chowan River on November 10.
Approximately 60 Chowanians went
Ml the trip which saw each playing
games, singing songs, discussing
problems and joining in such heated
conversations, ranging from sex to
everyday college hassles.
Guidance counselors Linda Owens
and Diane Wood accompanied the
students on the trip. Also, Dr. R.
Hargus Taylor, chaplain to the college
and R. Cla^on Lewis, dean of students,
tagged along.
In sports, Chowan’s football team
ended its season with a 7-4 season.
Defensive end Hal Henderson was
named to two All-American teams, and
received a scholarship to play football
at the University of South Carolina.
Coach Jerry Smith and his Chowan
Braves basketball team opened the
season by winning the first Eastern
Tarheel Tip-Off Tournament, held
November 19 and 20. The Braves
bumped off Southeastern Community
College in first-round action, 90-74, and
Louisburg 82-61 at the old Chowan
gymnasium.
Outstanding players of Chowan
College’s football and volleyball teams
received awards at a banquet Tuesday,
November 27 in the school cafeteria.
Letters, certificates and other awards
were also given out.
Also honored were Chowan’s
cheerleaders with Mrs. Alice Vann,
sponsor, handing out letters, cer
tificates and pins.
The feature speaker was Dennis
Hagland, linebacker coach at Wake
Forest University, who played
Louisiana State University in the
Tangerine Bowl in Orlando Fla. in
December.
Chowan's wrestling team crunched
Duke University’s J.V. team 32-16
Thursday, November 29 here at
Chowan.
Thirty-two Chowan students were
honored n the 1979-80 editin of Who’s
Who Among Students in American
Junior Colleges.
In other election results, Debbie
Gorse defeated Joni Graham for vice-
president. Bernadette Campbell, who
ran unopposed, is secretary-treasurer.
The Chowan College Choir, along
with other colleges and choral groups
from the Washington, N.C. area, taped
30 minutes of Christmas music on
Christmas day on WITN-TV at 3 p.m.
Chowan College reached its goal of
$2.5 million in its campaign for a new
gymnasium-physical education center.
Chowan President Bruce E. Whitaker
said the amount included a $500,000
challenge grant made by an anonymous
donor earlier in the year. The donor
stipulated that the college raise an
additional $400,000 to complete and
equip the facility at a total project cost
of $2.5 million.
Whitaker said Chowan qualified for
the $500,000 challenge grant when it
completed its drive for the additional
$400,000 on Dec. 31.
Chowan's basketball team finished
December with a spotless 10-0 record.
December
Michael Burke, president of the
Student Government Association, was
seen squirting girls outside of East Hall
with shaving cream in early December.
He manhandled a couple of them, and
forced the cream on the young women.
The administration was displeased
with Burke’s antics. He had denied
being involved in the melee until Smoke
Signals photographer Randy Murphy
presented photographs of the executive
in action.
Burke did not receive any
disciplinary punishment.
Before the incident, a toothbrush raid
was attempted at the women’s dorm,
Belk Hall. Burke had nothing to do with
this raid as many had rumored.
Steve Laney, a freshman from
Charlotte, was elected by his peers as
freshman class president for the 1979-80
school year.
Laney outdistanced presidential
opponent Louis Mangas, defeating the
&bulon native 53-27 in a landslide
victory.
January
Black members of the campus band
“New Breeze” blasted the Student
Government Association after the
organization’s January 21 meeting,
calling the SGA “one-sided” and
“selfish” and charging members with
using the money allocated to them
“wastefuUy.”
Two bandsmen, both of who are
active students on campus, wished to
remain anonymous after they
requested the right to play at an SGA-
sponsored dance March 21. The SGA
listened to their request and their
asking price of $400, but according to
the musicians, “did not seem in
terested.”
The Student Government
Association, which approved a student
loan plan November 5, unanimously
approved a revised loan arrangement
suggested by Chowan business
manager Ben Sutton, at its January 21
meeting.
The Student Emergency Loan, which
it is called, will provide assistance in
times of crisis and financial difficulties.
The guidelines of the loan stipulate that
the student shall receive aide only for
medical emergencies and trans
portation home for family emergen
cies.
The loan plan also stipulated that a
student shall receive “$25 maximum
amount or up to $50 at the descretion of
the SGA loan committee.”
Chowan's Lady Braves basketball
team scored 107 points on January 28
against St. Mary’s College of Raleigh.
TTie losers collected 28.
According to Coach Roy Winslow, it
was the highest total ever amassed by a
girls team at Chowan.
David Green, a former student and
football player at Chowan College, was
named the Most Valuable Player in the
Canadian Football League in
November.
Green was on campus January 24,
showing a football film, speaking to
Chowan footballers and visiting ex
professors. Green plays for the Mon
treal Alouetts, where he rushed for over
1600 yards and scored 11 touchdowns
during the 1979 season.
In January, residents of East Hall
reported that rats had invaded their
dorm. Jack Hassell, superintendent of
buildings and grounds, said he was
suprised that rodents had appeared. He
called the college’s regular ex
terminating service immediately.
February
Nine Chowan wrestlers represented
the school in the Southeastern Regional
Wrestling Champions in Cocoa,Fla.
February 18-19 and the Brave matmen
brought back the team title.
Chowan outdistanced Chattahoochie
bya fourth of a point. It was the first
regional championship for Chowan
ever. Two Brave wrestlers won in
dividual titles. They were Doug
Saunders in the 134-pound class and
Steve Miltsakakis in the 190 range.
Both wrestlers went on to Wor
thington, Minnesota to compete in the
National Junior College Athletic
Association Tournament. Saunders won
the 134-pound title and was named first-
team AJl-America. Miltsakakis placed
third in the tournament, which was held
held March 6-10, and was named to the
All-American second team.
Coach Steve Nelson’s team finished
seventh best in the county, and ranked
as the number one junior college
wrestling team in the east. Lakeland
Community College of Menton, Ohio
won the national championship.
Chowan's women's basketball team
ended its season in the second round of
the Eastern Division’s Region 10
Tournament to defending champion
Louisburg, 91-66, on February 29.
The girls improved on the record of a
year ago, which was a dismal 7-16. This
season Coach Roy Winslow’s squaws
recorded a fine 17-9 slate.
Chowan College trustees elected the
Rev. J. Felix Arnold of Enfield as their
chairman and emphasized the en
dowment program and other financial
matters during their semi-annual
meeting February 11.
The trustees also elected State Sen. J.
J. Harrington of Lewiston, vice
diairman and J. E. Ferebee (rf Cam
den, chairman of the Executive
Committee.
President Bruce E. Whitaker
rqiorted the endowment fund has in
creased from under $7,000 in 1957 to
over $2 million. He asked the trustees to
assist the college in reaching a $5
million goal within two or three years
and a $50 million goal “within a
generation.”
An impeachment hearing was held
Monday, February 25 for charges held
against Student Government
Association historian Bernie Miller. By
a majority, the legislature defeated the
motion to expel the sophomore.
Miller was charged with conduct
unbecoming of an SGA officer, ac
cording to SGA president Mike Burke.
Burke, however, would not reveal the
nature of Miller’s offense.
March
March 5 was a big day for Sharee C.
Atkinson of Dinwiddie, BWa. The
freshman won the presidential election
for the SGA office.
Atkinson defeated Steve Laney of
Charlotte. All indications showed that
the Virginian was supported heavily by
a majority of the female vote.
Laney, who had been campaigning
since October and a SGA represen
tative, received the black vote in a
losing cause.
According to Burke, the election
lyQught out the largest number of
voters in the school’s history. Ap
proximately 500 voted, said the in
cumbent.
Aside from electing the first female
president since 1974-75, all-told there
were six women chosen for the eight
offices, and two blacks. Burke said the
dection was dominated by minorities,
probably due to the large turnout of
women and blacks.
Darlene J. Keene of Ahoskie was one
of two blacks elected. Keene defeated
Jefferey D. Prillaman of Greensboro in
the vice-presidential race.
Others elected include, Ann W.
Kellam of Onley, Va., and Diane
LaBreux of Virginia Beach ran
unopposed. Kellam will hold the office
of secretary and LaBreau, treasurer.
Jon Hipp won the race for social co
chairperson for men, and Beverly
Price, the other black elected, won the
co-chairperson for women race.
Kathy L. Dehart of Stoneville, who
ran unopposed is the historian. Freddie
Davis of Morganton will serve as
auditor.
Chowan's basketball team finished
its season by losing to Ferrum College
in the first round of the Region 10
Tournament at Anderson, S.C. The
Braves recorded a 22-8 season.
It was the first time in three seasons
for Coach Jerry Smith that his team did
not win the Eastern Tarheel regular
season championship. The Braves
finished 5-3 after two straight un
defeated seasons of 8-0. Southeastern
Community College took the title this
season.
The play, "Our Town" was per
formed by Uie Chowan Players March
26-29 in Daniel Recital Hall.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play by
Thornton Wilder was presented
brilliantly by the actors. It was the
second play done by the Players this
school year; the first was “Please
Don’t Drink the Water, done first
semester.
It was without much doubt, a very
active year at Chowan College.
Hopefully next year will be just as
active and more.
tm !
Johnny Johnson, who would later become All-Conference, and Andre
Cobb examine the Eastern Tarheel Conference Tip-Off Tourney cham
pionship trophy won in Chowan's gym in November. (Photo by Debbie
Schwenk)
Percy Godetts moves to cut behind Tim Sechrest's block for o gain in the
32-14 win over Newport News Apprentice School.
Robin Herbin’s "Spider Woman ' costume is best at the Hallowe'en Mas
querade in Thomas Cafeteria. (Photo by Randy Murphy)