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THE VOICE OF WILKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VOLUME 18, NUMBER 4
WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
FEBRUARY 12, 1988
Who’s Who
Selected at WCC
President’s
Message
A Tribute to Bill Alexander
by: Dr. David E. Daniel
All of us were saddened recently
by the untimely death of Bill
Alexander. Bill Alexander was a
part of the Wilkes Community
College family on a volunteer basis.
He was famous for his great artistry
with the saxaphone. Bill Alexander
was one of the greatest that 1 have
ever seen at being able to play that
instrument so well. He has stunned
audiences for years and years who
have heard him play. I have been in
Bill Alexander’s presence for dozens
and dozens of times, over a hundred
probably, seeing him play for public
and private events, and always
seeing that same quiet but pleasing
personality and experiencing the
usual talent that he possessed.
Not only was Bill Alexander a
great musician, but he was an
outstanding supervisor with Holly
Farms. He conducted himself pro
fessionally with Holly at all times;
and, in many, many ways his quiet
and effective leadership lent itself
to greater productivity and high
esteem in which he was held by the
employees who worked with him.
It has been said that anybody can
be replaced, but in Bill Alexander’s
case we must make an exception,
for there will always be a vacant
spot in our programs here at Wilkes
Community College because Bill
Alexander will be with us only in
spirit. He is one of the sometimes
“unsung heros” of our community
who needs the recognition so richly
deserved. Let us all remember Bill
Alexander as an unselfish person
who gave of himself with his talent
and his expertise, and he did it
gladly. We will sorely miss him.
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VALENTINE
DAYS
Fourteen students at Wilkes
Community College have been
selected to appear in the 1988
National Edition of “Who’s Who
Among Students in American Junior
Colleges.”
They were chosen on the basis of
four categories: academic achieve
ment, service to the community,
extracurricular activities, and their
potential for continued success.
They were: Lisa Kay Moore,
Allison Jane Rash, Jackie Ann
Howard, Joseph James Reid,
Richard Wade Collins, Terry Bart
Crater, Elizabeth Nicole Walsh,
Kim Renae Tucker, Lorene Anthony
Vidrine, Bobby Lee Harless, Cheryl
Lynn Watson, Brenda Gail Osborne,
Alesia Gilley Dickerson, and Pamela
Denise Trapp.
. . . Matt Cashion
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Whence
Valentines?
Why?
Far back in the days of ancient
Rome, young people drew names
from a bowl to learn who their
beloved of the year would be. This
drawing was always held in
February and is believed to be the
true origin of St. Valentine’s Day.
In the legend of St. Valentine,
Valentinus was imprisioned in Rome
for assisting Christian martyrs. 'While
awaiting execution, he became
friends with the blind daughter of
his jailer whose sight he was able to
restore.
On the eve of his death he wrote
her a farewell note and signed
it “From Your Valentine.” This
was the origin of an expression
which has been used millions of
times over the centuries.
The widespread use of Valentines
began sometime during the 18th
century. These were all made entirely
by hand and delivered to the lady’s
doorstep.
Through the years their popularity
has increased enormously and
Valentines have progressed to the
expressive sentiments and beautiful
cards of each February 14.
“Jerry Reed
Was Here”
Jerry Reed performed lively in
front of a sold out, 1100 member
audience, January 23rd, at the John
A. Walker Community Center.
The five member band of Jerry
Reed’s loosened up the crowd with
a few introductory minutes of music,
featuring the toe-tapping theme
from Smoky and the Bandit, East
Bound and Down, at which point
Reed pranced onto stage, with his
smiling face intact.
The famous singer, songwriter,
guitarist, actor, comedian, and
storyteller drew extensively from .
his deeply diversified past to present
a well balanced, consistently enter
taining concert. He jumped from
one aspect of his show to another,
and back again, leaving the crowd
in suspense of his every move.
Reed said (after the show), “It was
important to do many things well.
Any singer can sing a song, but
then the audience ask what’s next?”
Reed went from screeching rock
and roll from the fifties to the
bluegrass of the mountains, to gently
ballad country music, while telling
stories and giving the summarized
edition of his autobiography.
He told of personalities that
influenced his career. Such people
as Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, and
Glenn Campbell, who helped to
shape the foundations of his career.
From this he built a monumental
tower of success.
He reminded us that he didn’t
always have it easy. He talked
about a poverty stricken childhood
in which his parents were "too
poor to pay attention.’’ They could
not afford to have children, so “the
neighbors had me.” He said you
could tell where the high class rich
people in his neighborhood lived
—“the rich people were the ones
that had two cars jacked-up in the yard.”
The intensity of Reed’s high paced
show increased a level when he
sporadically performed a song he
himself made famous. The excited
crowd responded boisterously to
Reed’s giant hit, “When You're
Hot You’re Hot," as well as to
"The Bird," and to what Reed
described as man’s national anthem,
“She Got the Gold Mine / Got the
Shaft." Reed closed out the nearly
two hour concert with his smash
hit from Smokey and the Bandit,
Eastbound and Down. Reed is
now involved in movie production,
acting, and is planning to release
an album sometime in the future.
He will never depart from his love
of performing concerts, because
that is, “A way of life, and a source
of great joy.”
Jerry Reed’s joy, is a joy to
watch.
Jerry Reed