Arelia Adams Retires
18 Years As Chowan
When Miss Arelia Ruth Adams
came to Chowan College as
bursar, business manager and
secretary to the president she
came with the intention to settle
down after living in 17 different
locations in North Carolina. That
was in 1952 and in September she
retires after 18 years of ser
vice to Chowan and two pre
sidents.
Miss Adams brought with her
21 years experience as execu
tive secretary-treasurer of the
American Legion Auxiliary of
North Carolina. During that
time the membership expanded
from 3,000 to 15,000. One require
ment of this job was to locate
her office in the hometown of the
president, elected annually.
A native of Holly Springs,
Miss Adams graduated from
Fuquay Springs High School,
attended Wingate, and graduat
ed from Hardbarger’s Secretar
ial School in Raleigh. During
her last six years of association
with the Legion Auxiliary, Miss
Adams resided in Raleigh where
she was a member of Tabernacle
Baptist Church, pastored by Dr.
F. Orion Mixon.
In 1951 Mixon was called as
the second president of Chowan
since its reopening in 1949
after being closed during World
War n. He faced many challen
ges and obstacles, one being a
shortage of personnel. He des
perately needed a “girl Friday"
and Miss Adams received the
invitation.
After the great expenditure
of time and energy devoted to
developing the Legion Auxiliary,
Miss Adams had vowed that
she would never again become
associated with a fledgling en
deavor. But Mixon was compell
ing and she finally agreed to
A Token of Appreciation
Miss Arelia Adams beings to open a gift from the Chowan College Family upon her
retirement as Bursar, as Dr. Bruce E. Whitaker, President, looks on. The gift, an
AM-FM stereo radio, was present at the annual President's Banquet which marked
the opening of Chowan's 123rd academic session.
W. J. Porker New Bursar
WILLIAM J. PARKER
William J. Parker of Mur
freesboro has assumed duties as
Bursar at Chowan College. He
replaces Miss Arelia Adams who
recently retired after 17 years of
service.
Parker’s wife, Edith, is the
switchboard operator and
receptionist in McDowell
Columns.
He is a graduate of Mur
freesboro High School and Rich
mond Business College. Parker
attended Chowan for one year.
He served in the Armed Forces
during World War IL
Parker has taken an active
part in civic affairs. He is a
member and past president of the
Exchange Club and is a member
and past master of American
George Lodge No. 17 of Mur
freesboro.
He is presently serving as
chairman of the Board of
Deacons of the Meherrin Baptist
Church.
Parker came to Chowan from
Georgia-Pacific Corp., where he
served as assistant office
manager and was with the firm,
formerly known as Riverside
Manufacturing Co., for 24 years.
The Parkers have three
children. Billy, 24, is married and
is serving in the military services
at Ft. Hodd, Texas. Kenny, 21, is
working at Farmer’s Chemical
and Cindy, 15, is in the 10th grade
at Murfreesboro High School.
For October, 1970
After
Bursar
move to Murfreesboro.
Although her yen for travel
had been well satisfied, when
she came she had no idea her
stay would stretch out 18 years.
Only two Chowan personnel have
longer service, Eugene Williams,
chairman of the department of
foreign languages, who has been
at Chowan since its reopening,
and Mrs. Mixon, chairman of
the religion department.
The quiet Miss Adams, who
possesses a sparkle in her eyes
and a warmness that generates
communication, listed the duties
assigned her by Dr. Mixon dur
ing a lunch hour interview at
her desk in the business office.
She was bursar, business man
ager, secretary to the faculty,
secretary to the president, sec
retary to the associate to the
president, and secretary to the
board of trustees. She comment
ed laughingly that she had also
served as maid and janitor and
added, “I’ve done a little bit
of everything”
Miss Adams arrived at a time
when Chowan was struggling for
its existence. “No credit had
been established. But the citi
zens of Murfreest)oro rallied
to support the college. If they
hadn’t, the college wouldn’t
have made it,” she declared.
The small staff was forced to
double or even triple an ordin
ary work load. But there was a
clear sense of mission. Miss
Adams explains, that made all
the work worthwhile.
“Dr. Mixon had the faith to
believe that an institution of
Christian higher education could
be built here. Some of his faith
rubt)ed off on me and I began
to believe it too.”
Miss Adams believes that
Chowan's progress throughout
her 18 years of service is evid
ence that God has provided.
Gifts to the college in the early
years included donations for
the purchase of concrete blocks
to aid in the construction of
buildings, a critical need. During
Dr. Mixon’s administration five
buildings were added: Mixon
Dormitory, Green Science Build
ing, Askew Student Union, the
gymnasium and the first phase
of the graphic arts building, now
named McSweeney Hall.
In summarizing her early
years of service she said: “I
received great satisfaction to
see something built out of noth
ing.”
Following the death of Dr.
Mixon on October 10, 1956, Miss
Adams began her association
with the present president of
Chowan, Dr. Bruce E. Whitaker,
who arrived in March, 1957. For
three years she continued her
many duties.
As Chowan continued to ex
pand, relief was provided Miss
Adams who had been accustom
ed to working days of 10-13
hours. This came in the form of
two new staff members, a sec
retary to the president and
business manager, as well as
a part-time secretary for the
associate to the president. The
Reverend Oscar Creech.
But at the same time the work
of the bursar, or treasurer, in
creased in scope due to the un
paralleled growth and stature
Chowan was experiencing under
the administration of Dr. Whi
taker.
Under his leadership a new
building has been added approx-
ARELIA ADAMS
imately each year. The enroll
ment has increased from under
400 to over 1,300 and the faculty
has increased from 20 to 70.
Concerning Dr. Whitaker, Miss
Adams believes, as was the case
with Dr. Mixon, that he was the
right man at the right moment
for Chowan. She terms Chowan's
growth during the two adminis
trations, a “miracle." She said;
“This college has had God's
blessing on it because it's a
miracle — a plain miracle —
how far we've come."
While she takes pride in the
college she says her greatest
satisfaction throughout the years
has been to have a part in help
ing the students. “But for Cho
wan many young people who
come from families of moderate
means would not have received
an education," she said.
She is facing her approaching
retirement with mixed emotions.
“1 have loved my work at Cho
wan and I am grateful for all
the courtesies that have been
extended to me through the
years. 1 have the kindest feel
ings for everyone as 1 leave.
1 hate to leave my many friends
here at the college and Murfrees
boro, but I am l(X)king forward
to a rest.”
She has three sisters living in
the Raleigh area and plans to
visit with them. Beyond that
she has made no definite plans,
but hopes to visit the many
friends she made while work
ing with the I.«gion Auxiliary
who are located throughout the
United States.
“Perhaps I'll become involved
in some part-time work," she
said. “But first I'm going to
rest."
Praising Miss Adams, Dr
Whitaker noted: "f’ew colleges
can boast of an employee in
terms of tenure of office, ability,
dedication and devotion to
service as can Chowan in the
person of Miss Arelia Adams.
For 18 years she has served
well and effectively.
“When my family and 1 came
to Chowan in May of 1957, Miss
Adams was ‘my right hand,'
Without her, or someone like
her, I simply could not have
carried the heavy responsibili
ties which were mine. Even
after we grew in size and stature
and were able to bring in addi
tional personnel, she was both
able to ‘adjust' and to continue to
provide devoted, loyal and effect
ive service”
He continued, “Miss Adams
merits and deserves a rest from
her arduous tasks at Chowan.
All of us who comprise the
Chowan College Family both
salute her and extend our best
wishes. May God grant her joy,
peace and continued service
to her fellowman following her re
tirement from ‘her’ beloved Cho
wan College."
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