McEweii Dining Hall
Carolina Hall For Bovs
mu
"■ ■;: ’"J&ff- -5
Yea. Christians!
Let’s Lick
The Mountaineers!
MAROON AND GOLD
llry. Miisirlans!
Why Not
Join The Band?
VOLUME 35
ELON COLLEGE. N. C.
THl'RSDAY SEPTEMBEK 2fl. 1955
NUMBER 1
Founders’’Day Observance Attracts Many To Eton
(College Honors Founders;
Launohes Fund Campaign
Thirty-Four
In Summer
Grad Group •
Dr. W. Millard Stevens, pastor
of the Christian Temple, Norfolk,
Va.. delivered the baccalaureate
addreis at closing exercises of the
Elon College summer commence-
nent. which were held in Whitley
Auditorium on Friday night, Au
gust 19th.
At that time Dr. Leon E.
Smith, president of the college,
presented degrees and diplomas
to 34 seniors who completed grad
uation requirements in Elon’s rec
ord-breaking 1955 summer session,
which boasted the largest summer
enrollment in the history of the
college.
Others who appeared on the
summer commencement program
were Dr. William T. Scott, who
pronounced the invocation; and
Rev. Fred P. Regi.ster, who pre
sented the Bibles to the members
of the graduating class. The bac
calaureate sermon was delivered
the previous Sunday by Rev. Wil
liam J. Andes, pastor of the Elon
College Community Church. Music
for the commencement was by stu
dents of the Elon College music
department.
The seniors who graduated at
that time included Carlton Ash
ley, Roxboro; William Burke III,
Burlington: Otis Carey, Burling-
'ton: John Collie, Reidsville; Larry
Dofflemyer, Elkton, Va.; Sylvia
Eaton. Burlington; Mary Elizabeth
Ellis, Burlington; Carl Gibbs
Oreensboro; William Gregg, Eas
ley. S. C.;
Winfred Hoover, Reidsville;
June Joy House, Newport News,
Va.; Bayard Hovdesven, Elon Col
lege; Clate Huffman, Burlington;
Ruth Kent, Burlington; Ira Mann,
Burlington; Eugene McDaniel
Kinston; Roy McGriff, Burlington;
Psggy McKee, Rougemont; Retha
Morris, Burlington: John Nelson,
Burlington; Shirley Phillips, Swep-
sonville;
John Platt, Kokomo, Ind.; Abra
ham Ray, Burlington; Katherine
Keece, Draper; Frank Splawn,
Cliffside; John Stone III, Burling
ton: William Sutton, Burlington;
»^on Taylor, Thomasvile, Ga.;
Patsy Tate, Efland; Robert Tim-
•^ns. Mount Airy; Joseph Widdi-
field, Winston-Salem; Ruth Wil-
liams. Haw River; and A.tlas Wil
son, Greensboro.
A diploma in art was awarded
June Wyrick, of BurUngton; and
^ certificate in secretarial prac-
was presented Rebecca Brad-
of Burli«gtoa.
THEY HAD FEATURED ROLES IN FOLNDERS’ DAY EVEN I
Alumni and friends of Elon Col
lege gathered on the campus Tues
day fos an all-day "Founders'
Day” program, which honored the
founding fathers of the college
and commemmorated the estab
lishment of the institution by the
Congregational Christian Church
in 1889.
Those in attenftance included
representatives of Elon's board of
trustees and alumni, along with
delegates from Congregational
Christian churches throughout
North Carolina and Virginia.
There were both morning and af
ternoon meetings, held in Whitley
.‘iuditorium in each case.
Dr. Harold W. Tribble, presi
dent of Wake Forest College, was
the featured speaker at the mom-
(ing session, which was opened
with the invocation by Dr. Jesse
H. Dollar, president of the South-
?rn Convention of Congregational
Christian Churches.
Dr. Leon E. Smith, Elon's presi
dent, reported at this meeting on
the progress of the college's great
$2,500,000 fund-raising campaign,
setting the stage for the opening
of a new and intensive effort to
complete the campaign that has
been in progress since the late
Forties. At this time representa
tives of the Women’s Fellowship,
the Laymen's Fellowship and the
Pilgrim Fellowship of the various
churches and a representative of
rthe Elon College Alumni Associ
ation spoke on the parts their
groups expect to play in the re
newed fund-raising effort.
A special' feature of the morn
ing program was a memorial serv
ice, honoring Prof. Howard Brax
ton Holmes, who was an efficient
and popular member of the col
lege faculty from 1901 until 1904
His service terminated with his
death on August 10, 1904, and an
nouncement was made of a gift to
the college by his sister. Miss
Ethel Holmes, of a substantial sum
of money in his memory. The
donation applies to the endowment
funds of the college.
Dr. W. Millard Stevens, pastor
of the Christian Temple in Nor
folk, 'Va., delivered the featured
address at the afternoon meeting
At this same gathering, which
opened with the invocation by
Dr. Roy Helfenstein, of Richmond,
Va., there was a brief historical
sketch by Dr. William T. Scott, of
Elon College, who is superintend
ent of the Southern Convention of
Congregational Christian Church
es. The afternoon meet was fol
lowed by several group meetings
and by cornerstone ceremonies
for the new buildings now riaing
on the Elon campus.
4
Cornerstones Are Placed
For Thi •ee New Buildings
DR.
M
LEON E. SMITH
DR. W. MILLARD STEVENS
DR. HAROLD W. TRIBBLE
Playing featured roles in Tuesday's "Founders' Day” program on the Elon campus were Dr.
Harold W. Tribble (left), president of Wake Forest College, who delivered the address at the
morning gathering: Dr. Leon E. Smith (center), president of El in College, who directed the day’s
observance: and Dr. W. Millard Stevens (right), pastor of Norfolk's :roat Christian Temple,
s the chief speaker at the afternoon gathering.
who wa
Cast Named
For Opening
Player Show
The Elon Players, student dra
matic, group, will open its 1955-
5G stage .season b y presenting
Francis Swan's delightful come-
ay, "Out of the Frying Pan,” a
show which has been a rib-tickler
since i t s first presentation on
Broadway.
Operating under the direction
cf Prof. M. E. Wooten, who join
ed the Elon faculty this fall, the
Players are wasting no time in
getting things moving. Mr. Wooten
expressed himself as highly
pleased with the large group which
tried out for roles in the new
-;liow.
In announcing the cast for the
Broadway comedy. Prof. Wooten
described the cast as a talented
one, despite the tact that most
of the group are newcomers to
the Elon srtage. Only four of the
twelve members of the cast ap
peared in Player shows last year
However, several of the group had
extensive dramatic experience in
high school.
Included in the past are Roger
Rush, Burlington: Chuck Oakley,
Roxboro; Dorothy Apple, Burling
ton; Leslie Johnston, Holland.
, Va.; Jane Davis, Raleigh; Jennie
I Keck, Burlington; Dorothy Per
kins. Roxboro; Margaret Sharpe,
jSear Creek: Tommy Lewis, Chad-
bourne; Bill Watson, Sanford;
Donald Howell, Franklin, Va.; and
Eugene Harrell, Suffolk, Va. Bill
Walker, of Durham, is stage man
ager.
Fall -Hid Night’
Set October 15
The annual fall ‘‘Bid Night”
for Elon's Greek-letter frater
nities and sororities is set for
Saturday night, October 15th,
a week later than the usual date
for the event. The later date
was set to avoid the away-from-
home grid game with East Car
olina, making it possible for
more members and alumni of
the groups to attend pledge cer
emonies. The new date follow's
a home game with Newberry.
HONORED
HOWARD BRAXTON HOLMES
Honored in a special memorial
service held during the annual
“Founders’ Day” program held
here Tuesday was Prof. Howard
Braxton Holmes, a member of the
Elon College faculty from 1901
until 1904, His service to the col
lege was terminated by his death
on August 10, 1904.
SC A Plans
Active Year
On Campus
An active religious program for
F.lon College students is planned
for this year under the sponsor
ship of the Student Christian As-
'ociation. mapped the year’s ac-
livities at a weekend student re
treat held at Moonelon, the con
ference recreation center located
near the college campus.
Featured in the year’s program
will be a special Work Day for
Christ, publication of a Student
Christian Association newspaper,
a visit to North Carolina’s youth
lehabilitation center at Ca m p
Butner nd sponsorship of a spe
cial project for the Christian Or
phanage.
The student religious organiza
tion is also planning a special
campus clean-up program and will
sponsor a group visit to New York
during the year.
Officers of the Student Chris
tian Association this year include
Meryle Mauldin, Winston-Salem,
president; Worden Updyke, An
gola, N. Y., vice-president; Jean
Coghill, Henderson, secretary; and
V’ernon Joyner, Walters, Va
treasurer. Faculty advisor for the
group is Dr. James M. Hess.
Co-chairmen for the SCA’s
three activity commissions are
Margaret Johnston, Tryon, and
>higemi Morita, Kyota, Japan, for
the World Order Commission; Pa
tricia Coghill, Henderson, and
Lucille Edwards, FrankJdn, Va.,
tor the Campus Affairs Commis
sion; and Sylvia Smith, Hender
son, and Billy Ginn. Charleston.
S. C., for the Religious Life Com
mission.
(Continued on Page Four)
Cornerstones were laid Tues-
Jay afternoon for three new build-
■ ngs. which are rising rapidly on
■ he Elon campus, with the corner
stone ctVeirainies' serv'ing as a
climax to a day-long "Founders’
Day " gathering of the college’s
alumni and friends, who honored
the institution for its more than
■ix dccades of service to southern
youth.
The new structures, for which
the cornerstones were laid yester
day, include the McEwen Memor
ial Dining Hall, which is also to
include facilities for banquets and
student social affairs; Virginia
llall. a new dormitory for girls:
and Carolina Hall, a new dormi
tory for boys.
The three buildings were begun
in the early summer, following
ground-breaking ceremonies that
were held during the college’s
sixty-fifth annual commencement
late in May, and the construction
has moved rapidly on all three
buildings.
Students and faculty were
;mazed and pleased upon their
return to the campus this fall to
find the walls of all three build
ings going up so rapidly. The
contract provides for each of the
buildings to be completed and
ready for occupancy by the close
of the present college year. Con-
.struction of the buildings is being
done by the King-Hunter Con
struction Company, of Greensboro.
Assisting in the laying of the
cornerstone for Carolina Hall was
D. R. Fonville, of Burlington,
secretary of the Elon College
board of trustees, with prayer be
ing offered by Rev. Silas Madren,
pastor of the Congregational
Christian Church at Asheboro.
Mrs. J. E. Rawls, of Suffolk,
Va., long prominent among the
friends and supporters of the col
lege, assisted in the placing of
the stone for Virginia Hall. The
prayer was offered by Mrs. John
G. Truitt, of Elon College.
Mrs. J. H. McEwen, of Burling
ton, assisted in the laying of the
stone for the McEwen Memorial
Dining Hall, a structure which is
being erected as a memorial and
tribute to her husband, the late
J. H. McEwen, who was for many
years a leader in industrial and
civic activities in this area. Dr.
J. E. Danieley, dean of students for
Elon College, read the contents of
the papers which were placed in
the stone of this building; and
Dr. Leon E. Smith offered the
prayer for this portion of the
ceremonies.
N(‘w Record
Enrollment
For IVini
in
in
With a record enrollment
both the day-time cla.sses and
the Evening School, Elon College
is well started on its sixty-sixth
annual session. Reporting on the
enrollment figures. President Leon
E. Smith expressed pleasure in
lone of the most successful open
ings in the history of the school.
In revealing the 195.5-56 regis
tration figures. Dr. Smith also
mentioned the phenominal growth
of the night-class program, and he
IK)inted out that Elon College to
day really embodies two distinct
programs. The day-time program
operates on the quarter system,
while the night classes meet under
the semester system. ,
There is a grand total of 775
different persons registered for
day-time work at Elon this year,
of whom 750 are carrying full
student-course loads. Figures from
the registrar’s office reveal that
the combined full-time and special
students represent the equivalent
of 758 full-load students.
The Evening School shows a
total of 327 different individuals
enrolled, of whom 117 are carry
ing a full load of five courses and
attending five nights each week.
The remaining students, some at
tending as many as four nights
weekly and some taking lighter
loads, represent 122 full-time and
full-load students. The combined
figures show a net of 239 full-load
students attending night classes.
Combining the day-time and
night-class figures, the registra
tion shows a grand total of 1,102
different individuals attending
Elon this term. However, in com
bining the full-load and partial-
load students, the figure brealcs
down to the equivalent of 995 full
time students. This is by far the
largest figure in Elon’s history.
While separating the enrollment
figuitea of the cjay and night
classes. President Smith pointed
out that both the day and night
programs operate under the same
curriculum, with the same re
quirements for graduation and of
fering the same degrees. The com
plete successs of the night pro
gram is attested by the fact that
a number of students have re
ceived diplomas and degrees with
in the part two years after com
pleting graduation requirement*
ty evening study.