Page Four, The HILLTOP, Friday, September 27,1
The
Up Close and Personal - Dean O'Brien Floating
PHOTO BT JOHH BARTOH
BY PAM BROWN
CO-IU)ITOH
Often seen walking across campus
wearing a british tweed driving
cap, or running diligent laps on
Mears Stadium’s track is the
brilliant as well as charming Dean
of Student Development, Dr.
Michael O'Brien. Directly and sen
sitive involement with students is
this statesman’s specialty, spright
wit, his charm. Dean O'Brien
heads the office of Student Develo-
ment on the third floor of the
Wren College Union where stu
dent’s needs are the center of focus
in the areas of housing, academics,
career counseling, special interest,
Emd activities.
Dean O'Brien grew up in what
was then, the small town of Chat
tanooga, Tennessee. His love for
the town compelled him to remain
there for the beginning of his
education. He earned his B.A.
Degree at the University of Chat
tanooga, his B.D. and S.T.M.
Degrees, he earned at Southern
Methodist University and his
Ed.D. at the University of Ten
nessee at Knoxville. He served as
pastor for a church in Knoxville,
then he served two years as
chaplain at Tennessee Welyan Col
lege. He later served there as the
Dean of Students.
It has now been seven years since
Dean O'Brien’s arrival at Mars
Hill College in 1979. He regards
his experience here as "Super”. He
says, "There are no finer faculty
folks or students anywhere.”
MHC’s most prominent assets are
its sense of community and its
geographic beauty according to the
dean. The man’s love for our col
lege is no less than obvious as he
describes with sincerity relation-
,ships of warmth and caring that
exist on campus and also he praises
the "Breath Taking” view from
Gibson Dormitory’s balcony,
"I'm high on this place,” he says,
"Mars Hill offers a first class col
lege experience.
Dean O'Brien has the ability to
relate to students on a personal
level, for his college experiences
are still very real to him. He recalls
that football and baseball were the
most important aspects of college,
academics were secondary. "My
parents harped on me! But, all I
wanted to do was squeak by,
somewhere in my sophomore year,
though, I got hit with it, I became
a bookworm and discovered that
becoming and educated person can
be fun.”
Subscribing to the idea that the
college experience should not only
consist of academic challenges, the
AXA
SAYS
GOOD LUCK
TO
PLEDGES OF:
Lambda Chi Omega
Delta Phi Zeta
Alpha Phi Omega
Delta Kappa Theta
Omega Kappa Alpha
Iota Alpha Omega
Iota Chi Alpha
Kappa Alpha Psi
Epsilon Alpha Chi
Fullbright
Grant
“ Wonderful! Just wonderful! ... So much for
instilling them with a sense of awe. ”
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 2
Mars Hiil, N.C. 28754
Mars Hill College has been
selected to receive a $19,000 grant
for a Fulbright Scholars Program
for 1985-86, according to Dr. Jon
Crawford, director of the college’s
Center for International Educa
tion.
The grant will fund a Scholar in
Residence program at the college
for the 1985-86 academic year. Dr.
Mustapaha Jar, chairman of the
Department of Anthropology and
Sociology of the National Univer
sity of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur,
will be the visiting scholar.
The
Imperials
Hat
Generally Appalachia is given
credit for being a good story
telling region, not only because the
oral tradition has remained strong
here but presumably because the
gaps in work time... particularyl
in winter..have provided the
leisure for both telling and listen
ing.
dean maintains that physical and
social activities are crucial, positive
components of college life, as well.
As the Director of the Intramural
Program, Dean O'Brien is aware
of the need for student involve
ment in many areas of campus ac
tivity. The Intramural Program
provides a wide range of activities
from innertube waterpolo to the
Snopaws Ski Club. "There is
something for everyone,” he says
with enthusiasm. Students can par
ticipate in teams, or set individual
goals for themselves. The Dean’s
goal is to be able to say that three
out of every four students at MHC
are involved in at least one activity.
Describing himself as "one of
the original joggers,” Dean
O'Brien has been running regularly
since 1971. He recommends that
students choose at least one activi
ty and carry it throughout college
and beyond. "You'll regret, it if
you don’t.”
Dr. O'Brien runs three miles a
day, five days a week, keeping
acute records of his times. His per
sonal goal is to run his three miles
in twenty-one minutes. His deter
mination and love of the sport will
surely drive him to success. "I’m a
fanatic,” he says with a blush.
Grinning, he continues, "But I
love it.”
Diversion!
By John Anderson
Staff Writer
Undoubtedly both ideas are
sound, but I’m of a mind that the
good storyteller is an artist who,
no matter how busy, will find time
to tell his stories. And he usually
has no trouble in finding an au
dience.
Dr. Gratis Williams was such a
recanteur. Through ostensibly
retired from Appalachian State
University for a number of years
before his death, he still managed
to put in more hours of productive
work as a special assistant to the
Chancellor than most fulltime pro
fessors or administrators.
Nevertheless he always found an
apportune moment in the day to
pass on a story. Colleagues who
met him in a hallway or on a trek
across the campus were drawn to
him as hypnotically as the Wed
ding Guest to the Ancient Mariner.
And the resulting story left them
much happier than the belated
Wedding Guest.
A visit to his office inevitably
began or ended with a story, often
one of his Grandfather tales
(whiskey-making Grandpa
Williams of Kentucky, that is) or a
traditional story reworked for the
occasion.
Sometimes the reworking had to
do with changing the characters,
the physical setting, or the
historical period. Whatever the
case, the result was solid laughter.
A case in point involves an old
chestnut brought up to date by way
of a preface to remakes made
several years back at a Watauga
County historical meeting. It was a
rainy evening and he knew that an
already wet and snowy season was
raising flood thoughts in the minds
of his audience.
"This reminds me,” he began,
"of a predicament that a visiting
lowlander got into over in Yancy
County a short time back. He was
looking to buy some timber land
over beyond Burnsville and he got
off in an area that could be reach
ed only two bridges, one in the
north and one in the south.”
"It began to rain pitchforks
shortly after he crossed the south
bridge, and when he tried to turn
back he found the water up over
the bridge. At this he drove on to
the north bridge, only to find it in
the same condition. So he began
looking for higher ground.”
"As he drove along looking for
a place that might offer shelter and
safety, he noted a farm house set
back from the road and the river.
Driving up to the porch, he spotted
the owner calmly surveying the ris
ing water.
"'Excuse me,’ he said to the
farmer, 'but I’m wondering if
you’d give me shelter till the
bridges are clear?’
On December 1, the Imperials
will appear in Moore Auditorium,
tickets will go on sale Monday,
September 30. Students are urged
to get their tickets as soon as possi- I
ble. After October 4, tickets will be :
open to the general public. Ticket ^
prices are $5 for students and
faculty with a valid I.D. All the
proceeds from the concert will go
into the concert fund to help pre
sent further entertainment at
MHC.
/
Imagine-deep, lush greenery
under a towering ceiling of hard
and soft wood.
Imagine-lying on fresh, soft long
grass with the taste of freshpicked
wild strawberries still lingering.
Imagine-mountain ranges-bold
and majestic-standing watch over
the progression of time.
Imagine-and it is within your
grasp, what has just been relayed
to you, the reader, by imagery is a
fact that can be experiencec within
a few minutes and miles of cam
pus. These images can be realized
first hand in the form of the Ap
palachian Trail.
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,100
mile national scenic trail that
travels the crest of the Ap-
palachaian chain. It is the world’s
most famous hiking trail and
traverses fourteen different states
from Maine to Georgia. The first
section of the trail was opened in
1922 and has continued to grow
with the help of many clubs and
trail organizations. The trail is pro
tected by the National Trails
Systems Act of 1968 but
maintenance is managed by
volunteers and hiking clubs.
North Carolina has 239 miles of
the Appalachian Trail, part of
which passes through Madison
County. One of the interesting
points where the trail crosses
through the county is at
Laural. At this point the t
enlightened by the natural I
of "Old Baldy.” Standing
feet above sea level. Bald 1
tain gives an incredible view
surrounding area. And lil
smaller brother. Little Bald .
ft.), it is a naturally bald moi •
that presents long grassa
small shrubs as its inhabitani
Bald is on milepoint 234.59;
A.T.
Another example {^S/
panaramic view can be foun
tie farther west at Hot S|g q
From the Rich Moujyjai
Firetower (3,643 ft.) one
the Great Smokies and the,gj ,
Mountains as well as enjoyjgjjj
through a beautifully (j,
area. From Rich MountaiiigiQ^
point 195.49) one can hikeinjgh
the Spring Mountain Shelte^yg],
point 198.19). The hike
this area is along the crest^ jj
mountains and offers a arpia
get away under forrested h6
The Appalachian Trail]
much for the hiker, as well.j.Qg]
nature lover. Along with thL
ty of nature, one also gets tL j ^
ed advantage of an escape fittire
busy world. So Mars Hillj
escape into the realm of n
solitude - visit the Appa_
National Scenic Trail.
WELCOME
MARS HILL COL
STUDENTS!
oriur
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"'Why I’d be plumb proud to
have you,’ was the reply. 'Come
on up and draw up a cheer.’
"The visitor proceeded to do so
but watched anxiously as the water
continued to rise and theaten to
engulf the house itself.
"Suddenly he turned to the
owner with a note of bewilderment
in his voice. 'Do you see what I
see? That’s the strangest current
I’ve ever seen. See that old black
hat floating along? First it floats
north fifty yards or so; then it
reverses itself and floats south. I
can’t believe what I’m seeing!’
"'Oh, I would’nt let that worry
me too much, 'was the reply.
'That’s just Grandpaw. He swore
that in spite of hell and high water
he was going to mow the lawn to
day.’”
COMING
MOORE
How much love, sex, f
friendship can a perse
In a cold world you need
friends to keep you wa