The Salemite
May 1986, Page 3
Mangum, Shewmake Leave Void in Art Department
Well, here we are
in the far corner of the Salem
College Fine Arts Center with Mr.
Ed Shewmake and Mr. Bill
Mangum, two professors soon to
retire, both from the Salem Art
Department. Mr. Shewmake and
Mr. Mangum, as well as some
part-time teachers, teach in all
media from oils to pencil to
charcoal to clay. They were kind
enough to consent to an im
promptu interview together; Mr.
Shewmake here on your left
wearing his customary loafers and
cardigan and Mr. Mangum in this
tweed jacket and turtleneck.
Q. How long have you taught at
Salem?
Shewmake; Thirty-five years.
Mangum: Since '61. . .
S: That's (pause). . .twenty four?
M: Yeah—1 taught three years at
Western Carolina, too.
Q: Why do you plan to do after you
retire?
Shewmake (laughing): Same as
I'm doing now—nothing!
Mangum: Sculpture.
S: Seriously, I'll probably have
time to paint and so forth. Art.
Q: Why did yur choose to teach at
Salem?
Shewmake; Students; they are
helpful. They follow suggestions
here well—they do as you teach.
, Mangum: Yes, that; and the
campus, and the students—they
are very pretty. Those are very
good reasons to work here!
S: They are very pleasant to be
around. 1 like to see what they will
come up with next.
M: That, and I had visited (Salem)
before I took the job and we went
to the faculty lounge and there was
a heated discussion going on.. .but
it wasn't about campus politics,
none of that stuff. It was about
concepts. That was one of the
things that got me interested in
Salem.
S: Yeah—we used to have heated
faculty discussions of that nature
pretty often. There used to be a
coffee shop, Gooch's, across from
Wachovia Museum. Both students
and faculty would meet there. .
.they would discuss anything. 1
miss that. Now we only see
students in class.
Bill Mangum
M: Funny thing—1 came here to
visit Ed. We used to know each
other in school. 1 came to see him
and that visit was a big incentive to
work.
S: Yes—1 was talking to a friend in
Woodstock and asked him how
possible it would be to be
successful and he said you had to
be homosexual and live in NYC so
I went to Salem.
M: Salem has changed. . .well, not
the students. It's just not the same.
By; Malinda McCall
S: Hmm, yes. But one of the nicest
things about Salem is the town
itself. Beautiful.
Q: Where did you go (to school)?
Shewmake: Corcoran Art School
in New York. It was in affiliation
with George Washington,, I
also went to the Art Student's
League summer school. . .didn't
you. Bill?
M: Yes. Went both terms, fall and
summer too.
S; It was in Woodstock, New
York. And, let's see. . .we both
have master's degrees from Chapel
Hill. . .Art History. . .
Q: What are some of your interests
(outside of painting and sculp
ture)?
Mangum: Jazz! I play the
trombone and I want to find a
group. . .
Shewmake: He's pretty good;
yeah.
Q: How about your interests, Mr.
Shewmake?
Shewmake; Golf! I'm no musician,
that's for sure!
Q: What's the most rewarding
experience you've had since you've
been here at Salem?
S: Seriously; 1 think it's seeing the
students being very successful after
they leave. We've had quite a few
who have done very well.
Mangum: 1 remember when 1
taught a lecture course called
Expressionism. We explored all
aspects of that movement and the
concept in general and soon all the
art majors in the class started to
paint in the style of the Expression
ists! So that was exciting.
Q: To know that you had "gotten
through"?
Mangum: Oh, I could see it, yes!
Ed Shewmake
Q: Who would you like most to
meet?
Shewmake: I met an ex-student of
Robert Henri once. I asked him
how to pronounce his, Henri's,
name and he said they just called
him "Henry". I'd love to have had a
chance to study with him. Henri
stressed personal integrity, among
other things. He advocated a form
of freedom that was very influen
tial on American art in the
twenties: Romantic tradition-bas
ed stuff.
M: Yep—art for Robert Henri was
an extention of life itself: good.
Hmm—1 would like to have met
Billie Holiday.. .to have had a date
' with her, as a matter of fact! Take
her to dinner or something. Let's
see—1 certainly like Picasso. And
Jeb Stuart.
Q: And where would you like to
go, if you could go anywhere?
Shewmake; Rome or Florence.
Mangum; Ah, Italy! Rome,
Q: Okay, here's a nice, pat question
for you: "Art today. What does it
mean to you'? What do you like?
Shewmake: Frankly, I don't like
most of modern art. Some of it is
like a "tomato at 30 paces".
Mangum: You can't really talk
about art today like you could in
the 50's. Today, it's everyone doing
his or her own thing.
S: I got a gift from someone once;
it was a stamper that says "Art is
anything you can get away with."
That's about right, (sighs) 1 don't
really like that sentiment, though.
Q: What will you miss most about
Salem?
Shewmake: Mostly the students.
Mangum: Definitely the students.
And with that, the interview
broke up. Mr. Shewmake and Mr.
Mangum then strolling over to the
window to look at and classify a
row of paintings left there
according to style represented
there:
Shewmake: . . .some expression
ism, even And. . .
Mangum; . . .and a smattering of
surrealism in that one there.. .
and the last sounds were those of
the two artists arguing good-
naturedly about the dubious merit
of another artist, mercifully
absent, Mr. Shewmake waving a
cigarette about as he made his
points and Mr. Mangum nodding
in assent. Five minutes after
leaving the FAC, 1 realized 1 had
forgotten something and returned.
The art area was totally silent and
empty.
SbICITI Toddy I Have you ever used the career planning services available in the Lifespan
Center and if so, did you find the service adeauate?
By; Noel Lumpkin t
Brett Ashcraft, Junior
"I think the students would like to
know what kind of information is in
the Career Reading Room. I was
surprised when I found out what was
available there. I think the Career
Reading Room is useful; however, I
would instead like to see more activity
in employment opportunities (recruit
ing instead of available catalogs and
information. Along the same line, I
only hear about information for Econ-
management majors but none for
other majors. I think improvements in
this area would be very beneficial."
Pam Simmons, Senior
"My use of Lifespan as a career
placement service have been limited.
The Job's Fair was not productive for
me or for many of my friends. The
only benefit I received from the Fair
was the experience of interviewing,
and maybe some exposure to com
panies that I might not have had.
Lifespan has not helped me in my job
search. "The interviews that I have
gotten, I have gotten on my own. The
information in the Career Reading
Room needs to include more com
panies with updated pamphlets in
cluding all the opportunities within
that company."
ym - -
Suzanne Smith, Senior
Just recently I have discovered
how useful the Lifespan Center is.
Although I have not participated in
any of the afternoon programs, I have
found two jobs from the material in
the Career Reading Room. Partici
pating in the Shadow Day Program
allowed me to talk with a person in
marketing for an entire morning.
Mary and Judy have given me lots of
advice on my resume and general job
hunt anxieties! My only improvement
would be that when we question the
staff, with fear or excitment in our
hearts, that they answer our questions
more directly."
Judy Thomp.son, Senior
"The staff of the Career Placement
Office/Life Span Center are very
eager to help those students who want
help, however, it is unfortunate that
many Salem students are unaware of
all the services that are available. The
resources that are available to aid in
the research of a particular business/
company need to be updated and also
need to remain in the Life Span
Center (some are missing), otherwise,
it is a very helpful place to go for
career planning."