Page Three - COUGAR CRY- March 29.1988
Staff Profile
Dianne Wagner
When ask to come up with a
story on one of WCC’s best loved
English instructors, 1 must say 1 was
a little intimidated. Then I thought
Dianne would never be intimidated
in one of her classes. Dianne Wagner
was born here in the Carolinas in
the town of Lexington. She at
tended Pfeiffer College where she
attained her undergraduate degree
in English. Later, Dianne trans
ferred to East Carolina University
for her masters degree and then
finally worked on her doctorate at
the University of Tennessee.
Dianne’s favorite past-times are
watching old movies, listening to
music from the sixties era and
reading into the wee hours of the
morning. Some of her favorite
movies are the ever so popular
“Blues Brothers”and aclassic“Lion
In Winter.” As for her favorite
books she enjoys “The Little Prince,”
“The Road Less Traveled,” and
literature. Her love for music is
equal to her love for fine literature.
Dianne listens to Joe Cocker, Tina
Turner, and “The Boss” - Bruce
Springsteen! She will admit to hav
ing a minor flaw or two. In that,
procrastination is her biggest weak
ness and insomnia frustrates her to
death. Although, 1 can assure you
that she never appears to have got
ten up on “the wrong side of the
bed.” Dianne has an award win
ning personality and frequently dis
plays it in her classes. She emits an
internal energy, shown in her facial
expression and told through her
personal stories, unmatched by any
instructor I’ve encountered. Dianne’s
“You are what you eat," say the
dieticians.
Maybe. Maybe not. For mind is
ever more powerful than muscle.
All rests with believing whatever
one thinks. Dwell long, then, on
the following tale:
In that time of once upon, a lov
ing hen found a large egg. She did
not know it was an eagle’s egg, but
considerate and kind to eggs of all
sizes and shapes, she placed it with
her own, cared for and nurtured it
as her own.
In time, as eggs will, they all
hatched; and the chicks, along with
the baby eagle, cackled and scratched
the earth for seeds. Indeed, they
imitated Mother Hen in everything.
Briefly put, chicks they believed
themselves to be, chicks they acted.
One day, the young eagle, still
scratching and pecking away like
Ingratitude
When our stomachs are pained
from being too full we grumble and
complain, while somewhere across
the nation, or around the world a
child slowly and painfully starves
to death.
We complain because there are
so many things wrong with our
homes while some person sleeps in
a cardboard box or on a bench on a
cold winter’s night.
We fuss because our paychecks
“are never enough” while some
where in the nation an unemployed
father must steal to provide for his
family, because he cannot find a
job.
We complain because our limbs
ache from overuse and we curse the
pain while people lie bedfast with-
working philosophy thrives on the
principle that “Education makes
the real difference in the quality of
life!” Maybe that’s one reason why
she strives to make each individual
class session unique yet highly
informative and very interesting.
As for her living philosophy, Dianne
quotes a poem from her World Lit
erature book entitled “Advice to
my son,”: “The trick is, to live your
days/as if each one may be your
last/ ... but at the same time plan a
long range.” 1 guess that exert fits
Ms. Wagner to the “T” because she
teaches as if it might be her last
class. Although, I doubt seriously
that the staff will be letting her go
any time soon! She gives so much
of herself it utterly amazes me how
she can be so good and still be so
consistent day in and day out! Ms.
Wagner teaches English 0111-0113,
World Literature 0211-0213, and
Oral Communications 0200.1 made
an attempt to find her weakness
but failed because 1 believe there
simply aren’t any! “So sue me!”
Dianne has this incredible knack
of taking a group of students and
by finding out a little bit of their
personal feelings can help the class
feel more relaxed and therefore
help them open up as a person. I
believe she’s the only teacher who
can take a three hour night class,
get you so interested in the mate
rial with her personal stories that it
feels as if you've only been listening
for a few short minutes. 1 end up
wanting to hear more! I must add
that she is one of the few teachers
who’s class I look forward to at
tending! She always expresses the
utmost sincerity and interest in all
of her students. I guess if one were
to give her an analogy she would be
described as the “Mary Lou Ret-
ten” of English because she will
“bend over backwards” to help a
student in any way she can! I have
known Dianne three years now
and I respect and admire her very
much. 1 hope that she doesn’t take
this story as some form of “brow
nie points.” I just wanted to tell her
in some way that she would be
remembered forever. Thank you
Ms. Wagner for helping so many
of us attain our goal. You’re one of
the best!
. . . Rob Burdine
his siblings, saw a huge eagle soar
ing high in the sky. He turned to
Mother Hen and said, “That bird
up there is so strong and graceful
as it flies in the sky. What kind of
bird is it? Can it be a chicken, too?
Why can’t we fly like that?”
“Foolish questions,” cackled
Mother Hen. “You can scamper
and jump a bit, but you cannot fly
like that. That bird is an eagle with
strong wings. He can go anywhere
in the sky.”
“I would like to try, too,” said
the young eagle.
“Foolish you,” Mother Hen
pecked. “Fowl you were born; fowl
you will remain.”
And the young eagle grew up
and became strong, but he remained
a chicken for the rest of his life.
That’s what he believed he was.
out use of their limbs, not being
able to feel anything.
We complain when our minds
are overwhelmed by emotional
trauma that is necessary for our
growth as individuals, while others
roam the mental wards of institu
tions who’ve lost their minds and
will never recover, and though our
sanity survives, we still complain!!
It’s time we raise up and take
notice how truly lucky we are. We
have our health, a place to call
home, we have our minds, and our
jobs, but we take them for granted
everyday. So that next time you
find yourself complaining, stop,
and thank your lucky stars instead.
. . . Scot Jones
Ode To Mr.
Walker
Monday, March 14, I ‘repeti-
tiously’ entered the Mathematics
and Science Department. Behind
three of the four desks sat familiar
faces, but I sensed a void, an empt
iness, and a loss. The room was
filled with an unusual sort of silence;
the awareness of absence. I missed
a polite greeting and silent smile.
Although I have never had the
opportunity of having Mr. Walker
as a teacher, I became acquainted
with him during my frequent visits
to the Mathematics and Science
Department, and found him kind,
considerate, understanding and wil
ling to assist by talking or just
merely listening.
He had a pleasantly unique and
subtle sense of humor, as revealed
by the bounty of‘interesting’ knick-
knacks located atop his desk. I can
especially recall the can of evapo
rated water that was brought to my
attention once.
Today, March 16, 1 passed the
office once again, and glancing in
found it void of life. What had
once been Mr. Walker’s desk had
been cleared — I scurried away.
I didn’t have the privilege of
knowing Mr. Walker very long nor
very well, but 1 miss him. He has
made a positive contribution to
WCC, and will be greatly missed
by us all.
He referred to Jesus as though
He were someone with whom he
was acquainted, and I believe he
was.
. . . Pat Eskins
Single Life
Some people think being single
is a lonely existence and possibly a
dangerous one. Living alone and
being afraid of murders has some
disadvantages. Having to deal with
expenses and responsibilities are
also problems. However, I feel
there are three advantages in being
single; Fewer responsibilities, more
opportunities to move or travel,
and more personal freedom.
Most single people have fewer
responsibilities than a married per
son. For instance, a single person
doesn’t have to have meals cooked
at a certain time or plan his/her
schedule, so they have time to
spend with their spouses. A single
person usually doesn’t have the
responsibility of children.
Being single means that a person
is more flexible to move or travel.
A single person might decide just
on a hunch to find a different
house or a different apartment.
Personal freedom is very impor
tant to a person. Having freedom
from other people is hard to achieve
because some people are very inter
ested in other people’s affairs. In
Ashe County, for instance, I was
living with my parents and dating a
boy named Steven. He was poor
and not very neat. Then the neigh
bors began to talk about who I was
dating because they thought he
was not good for me.
Inclusion, being single helps a
person to live a better life and to
control their own behavior.
Siv Lang Sov
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YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK
The Garden Spot
WCC Horti
culture Depart
ment Goes To
Southern Spring
Show
The Southern Spring Show at
the Charlotte Merchandise Mart
February 27th - March 6th, was
once again a big success. This time
not only for its promoters, but also
for the Horticulture Department
here at WCC.
David Updike, Instructor in the
Horticulture Department, was ap
proached by letter from Bob Zim
merman, President and Co-owner
of Southern Shows. Updike said
his primary reason for accepting
the invitation was “so the students
could gain experience in land
scaping.”
The 2nd year horticulture stu
dents submitted plans for the design
of the 735 square foot area. The
garden was designed to resemble a
modern German Rhododendron
Garden, and was entitled Ein
Deustcher Rhodendron Garten.
The design was very colorful as
over 1000 tulip and hyancinth bulbs
were used. Also used were 52 rho
dodendrons, 24 azaleas, 6 pieris,
and 3 norway spruce. Numerous
geraniums, and cyclamen, 2 bos
ton ferns and a spider plant.
A group of I St and 2nd year hor
ticulture students and Don Phil
lip’s building construction class went
down to Charlotte February 18th,
to begin construction on the design.
The building construction students
assembled the gazebo that was to
go into the landscape with ease,
and an air of professionalism.
Several Wilkes County residents
were impressed with the design.
Among those impressed by the
design was Lynne Smoak, Direc
tor of Individualized Studies who
said, “It was excellent, the design
was super, and well thought out!”
The Horticulture Department
wishes to thank all of those people
who donated materials and time to
help make our participation pos
sible.
. . . Scot Jones
Wilkes Community College
Program of Study
COLLEGE TRANSFER
CO 11 Associate in Arts Degree
C006 Associate in Fine Arts Degree - Drama
C006 Associate in Fine Arts Degree - Art
C006 Associate in Fine Arts Degree - Music
CO 18 Associate in Science Degree
C040 Associate in Science Degree - Pre-Computer Science
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE
TO 16 Accounting
T059 Associate Degree Nursing
T027 Building Construction Technology
TO 18 Business Administration
T022 Business Computer Programming
T129 Criminal Justice - Protective Service Technology
T003 Diesel and Equipment Technology
T073 Early Childhood Associate
T039 Electromechanical Technology
T045 Electronics Engineering Technology
T074 Foodservice Management
T009 Horticulture Technology
T025 Hotel and Restaurant ivianagement
TI4I Postal Service Technology
T030 Secretarial - Executive
TI07 Social Service Associate
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION DIPLOMA
VO 15 Architectural Drafting
VOOI Automotive Body Repair
V003 Automotive Mechanics (May choose one year diploma in Auto
motive Mechanics or two year Advanced Automotive Technology
diploma)
T027 Building Construction
V009 Cosmetology
VO 11 Dental Assisting
V053 Foodservice Specialist
TI65 General Office Technical Specialty
V033 Industrial Mechanics
V031 Medical Assisting
V043 Radio and Television Broadcasting
Softball Season
Arrives At WCC
Well, Spring is almost here and
with Spring comes that winning
tradition of softball here at WCC.
Softball practice started on Febru
ary 22nd. According to Coach Her
man Norman a team has already
been fielded, Johnny Triplett is the
only returning member from last
years championship team.
The rest of the team has little
experience playing together so
Coach Norman says, he is unsure
of how they will perform as a team.
We are hoping for better weather
than we had last year; although it
was to our advantage last year in
that the East Coast teams were not
used to the type of weather they
encountered.
Coach Norman has been work
ing with the team on hitting. His
two power hitters look to be
Dwayne West, and Johnathan
Francis. Also looking good at hit
ting are Jeff Cashion, Tim Bell,
Tony Church, and Kip Edwards.
Edwards also looks good at 3rd
base, as does Bobby Gilley at short
stop.
Coach Norman is looking for
ward to the N.C.C.C.C.S.G. A.S.S.C.
State Tournament which the WCC
softball team has won the past two
years. The tournament is scheduled
for April 9th & lOth.
Listed below are the members of
the 1988 WCC Softball Team, and
their positions:
Jonathan Francis Catcher
Tony Church 1st Base
Ed Jackson 2nd Base
Kip Edwards 3rd Base
Bobby Gilley Short Stop
Tony Barr Short Stop
Tim Bell Right Field
Trent Poplon Right Field
David Hayes Right Field
Rodney Tinnin Right Center
Mark Triplett Left Center Field
Jeff Cashion Left Center Field
Dwayne West Left Field
Johnny Triplett Pitcher
John Sale Pitcher
. . . Scot Jones