Will Thomas Celebrates
90th Birthday Aug. 25
Expressing surprise that he
had made it this far, W. A. (Will)
Thomas of Cofield celebrated
his 90th birthday Aug. 25 in
the F’resident's Dining Room of
Chowan's Thomas Cafeteria.
The site of the luncheon party -
attended by a. number of his
friends - was appropriate. The
cafeteria is named in memory
of Thomas' father, the late Dr.
Dell AAcKeithon
Now in English
Department
Mrs Dell McKeithan, dean of
women at Chowan College for
the past three years, has re
signed to accept a position as
professor of English at Chowan.
She is a graduate of the Uni
versities of North Carolina at
Chapel flill with the B.A. and at
Greensboro with the M.A. She
has done additional work at
Salem. Wake Forest and North
western University.
Before coming to Chowan she
served three years as a dormi
tory counselor at UNC and was
adviser to student government
legislature. Prior to that she
was a teacher with Forsyth
County Sch(K)ls and Veteran’s
School of R. J. Reynolds High
School. She has also served as
industrial editor for the Rey
nolds Tobacco Company.
Shrewsburg to
Teach Math
An instructor at Tidewater
Community College of Ports
mouth, Va., Wesley L. Shrews
bury, has been named professor
of mathematics at Chowan Col
lege.
A native of Basin, W. Va.,
Shrewsbury is a graduate of
Concord College in Athens, W.
Va., and the University of Geor
gia where he received his M. Ed.
He has also served for four
years as teacher and chairman
of the department of mathe
matics at Osbourn High School
of Manassas. Va.
He is married and has one
child
R. P. Thomas of Cofield and his
wife, the late Mrs. Mary Green
Mitchell Thomas, who graduat
ed from Chowan.
Those attending included Dr.
Bruce E. Whitaker, president
of Chowan; Russell Lee, vice
president and manager of the
Ahoskie office of Wachovia Bank;
Charles Revelle, Sr. of Murfrees
boro, chairman of Chowan’s
board of trustees; George Under
wood, Murfreesboro, former
trustee; Dr. Raleigh Parker,
W(X)dland, former chairman of
the board; the Rev. Oscar
Creech, Ahoskie, former direc
tor of development and honor
ary life trustee; and several
Chowan staff members.
Thomas, known affectionately
as “Mr. Will,” was cited for his
unselfish service to the college,
church, community and area.
It was said that Thomas was
always willing to take the jobs
being offered without pay.
This sense of duty runs deep
in the Thomas family. Their
service to Chowan College,
which spans more than a cen
tury, can be traced to Thomas'
grandfather. Judge Abraham
Thomas. One of Chowan’s
first trustees, he was a leader
in the founding of the college
and a generous contributor.
Thomas’ father, who was both
a physician and farmer, was
also a member of Chowan's
board serving 33 years, 17 as
chairman. Both are records. Dr.
Thomas’ wife supported the col
lege through her leadership as a
member of the alumni and con
tributions, notably to the library
and endowment fund.
On his 90th birthday, Thomas,
following the family tradition,
can point with pride to his own
support of Chowan, which Dr.
Whitaker has termed as “loyal
and sacrificial.” He served two
four-year terms as a trustee
including three years as a mem
ber of the executive committee.
In addition, he has been a
long-time benefactor as have
been his sisters, Miss Mary
Thomas and Miss Ruth Thomas,
Chowan alumnae.
Dr. Whitaker described the
Thomas family as “one of the
most loyal and consistent in
their support and contributions
to the college.”
Thomas' list of church and
community accomplishments
are equally impressive and in
clude member and chairman
of the Hertford County Board of
Education and treasurer of the
West Chowan Baptist Associa
tion, both duties assumed for
many years. He has served as
treasurer, deacon and in other
capacities at Bethlehem Baptist
Church and was a member of
the Farm Commission and mem
ber and chairman of the County
Rationing Board.
Thomas, who attended Wake
Forest University from 1898-
1901, is a former vice president
of the Bank of Ahoskie, pre
decessor of the Ahoskie office of
Wachovia Bank and Trust. He
has served as a member of the
later's board of directors since
1932.
Underwood offered the opinion
that Thomas was “one of the
most unselfish men I know in
his service to the county and
area.”
The Cofield resident and for
mer farmer is enjoying good
health and has never encounter
ed any serious ailment. He could
not dispense any “secrets” to
his longevity. “I didn't expect
to be here for my 90th birthday,”
he said, while enjoying his birth
day cake presented after the
meal. “I can’t tell you why I
am here.”
In answering for him, his
friends emphasized the close
relationship he has maintained
with his church and Maker.
Thomas commented that he
had always attempted to do
this.
Thomas also agreed that he
had not spent a great deal of
time worrying. “I tried not to
cross any bridges before I got
to them,” the modest and quiet
Thomas said. Still alert and
active at 90, he added he had
tried to avoid going about with a
“long face.”
In closing the luncheon, Dr.
Whitaker told Thomas “we are
grateful that you’ve shared this
occasion with us.” Thomas field
ed goodnaturedly a request and
invitation from Chowan’s pres
ident to returning 1980 for the
celebration of his 100th birthday.
Laughing, he replied “I believe
I will.”
Contributions of Thomas
Family Are Reviewed
The recent celebration of the
90th birthday of W. A. (Will)
Thomas, Baptist layman of Co
field, was also the occasion to
review the Thomas family’s
service to Chowan College, which
spans more than a century.
Thomas' grandfather. Judge
Abraham Thomas, was a leader
in the founding of the college,
established in 1848, and a gener
ous contributor. He was also one
of Chowan's first trustees.
Dr. R. P. Thomas, Thomas’
father, was also a trustee, serv
ing 33 years, 17 as chairman.
Both are records. Thomas Cafe
teria, where the luncheon party
was held, is named in memory
of Dr. Thomas and his wife,
Mrs. Mary Green Mitchell Tho
mas, a Chowan graduate.
Following the family tradi
tion, Thomas served eight years
as a trustee including three as
a member of the executive com
mittee. In addition, he has been
a long-time benefactor as have
been his sisters. Miss Mary Tho
mas and Miss Ruth Thomas,
Chowan alumnae.
Chowan’s president, Dr. Whit
aker, descrit)ed the Thomas
family as “one of the most loyal
and consistent in their support
and contributions to the college"
Thomas, who attended Wake
Forest University from 1898-1901,
was also cited for his unselfish
service to his church, community
and county. A member of Beth
lehem Baptist Church, his ser-
125 Years of Service
Representing over a century and a quarter of service to
their church and Creator are these two Baptists seated in
Chowan College’s cafeteria. They are W. A. (Will) Thomas
left, who celebrated his 90th birthday August 25, and the
Rev. Oscar Creech of Ahoskie. Both have served as trus
tees and Creech, a former director of development, is
an honorary life trustee. An interested observer is Cho
wan’s president, Dr. Bruce E. Whitaker.
Outstanding Students,
Faculty Are Honored
vice includes treasurer and
deacon. He was also treasurer
of the West Chowan Baptist As
sociation for many years, and
member and chairman of the
Hertford County Board of Ed
ucation.
His friends cited the close
relationship he has maintained
with his church and Maker as
reasons behind the good health
he continues to enjoy. Thomas
commented he had always at
tempted to do this and added he
had tried to avoid going about
with a “long face.” He fielded
goodnaturedly a request and
invitation from Dr. Bruce E.
Whitaker to return in 1980 for the
celebration of his 100th birthday.
Laughing, he replied “I be
lieve I will.”
Chowan College honored its
outstanding students and faculty
members May 7. Under brignt
skies in Chowan Stadium, Pres
ident Bruce E. Whitaker made
the presentations with four wo
men students walking off with
top honors.
Heading the list was Pauline
Robinson, Ahoskie sophomore,
named Best All Around Stu
dent. The Superior Citizenship
Award went to Carolyn Brinkley,
sophomore of Corapeake, while
Brenda Gregory, freshman from
Camden, and Mary Anna Ras-
coe, sophomore of Windsor,
were honored for maintaining
the highest scholastic averages.
Five sophomores were selected
to receive the Order of the
Silver Feather award. Criteria
for selection includes citizenship
and overall service to Chowan.
They were Lee Dunn, president
of the Student Government Asso
ciation, High Point; Carolyn
Brinkley, secretary of the SGA,
who was a double winner; Pris
cilla Renn, president of the
Women's Council, Frederick,
Md.; Tom Keithley, president of
the Men's Council, Charlottes
ville, Va.; and Frank Granger,
graphic arts major, Elizabeth
City.
A second student winning two
awards was John Wesley Ray
mond, Jr., of Chesapeake, Va.,
presented the English Depart
ment Honor and Mary E. Wood
Science-Math Award.
The faculty was represented
by two who received Excellence
in Teaching awards, Mrs. Daisy
Lou Mixon and George Hazelton.
In addition, the annual. The
Chowanoka, was dedicated to
Jerry Hawkins of the physical
education department. Hawkins,
in his twelfth year at Chowan,
serves as assistant football coach
and baseball coach. This season
he led the baseball team to a
16-7 record and position in the
district tournament, where the
Braves lost in the finals. They
also played in the regionals.
Another award, initiated this
year, was the President's Cup,
presented to Superintendent's
Barracks.
Others receiving awards in
cluded Barry Joseph Brown,
Hampton, Va., and Phillip Robert
Ferguson, Newtown Square, Pa.,
Cash Award to Outstanding Sop
homore in Graphic Arts (tie),
Marianne Pugh, Camden, North
Carolina Press Association Mec
hanical Conference Award to
Outstanding Freshman in Grap
hic Arts; George Randolph Whit-
temore. Union Level, Va., De
partment of Business Academic
Honor; Donna Lee Burnette,
Newport News, Va., Alpha Pi
Epsilon Scholarship Award;
Peyton Barton, Tappahannock,
Va., Most Outstanding Athlete,
Jeanne Gay, Charlottesville,
Va., Miss WRA; John Munley,
Virginia Beach, Va., Joseph
Lee Parker Memorial Scholar
ship; Brenda Gregory, Camden,
Mary Pierce Music Scholarship;
Velda Lynn Gardner, Maccles
field, Nursing Department Hon
or; Russell Jones, Richmond,
Va., Delta Psi Omega Award;
and Mrs. Marcell Cooper, Como,
Merit Award.
PAGE TEN
THE CHOWANIAN