All-Out Effort
Underway
To End Drive
For New
Gymnasium
Chowan College is now involved in an intensive
drive to raise the final $400,000 needed in pledges and
gifts to complete its $2.5 million campaign to provide
a fuUy equipped gymnasium- physical education
center.
The all-out effort was authorized by the Board of
Trustees £ind received the full approval of the Board
of Advisors. Both Boards have given top priority to
reaching the $400,000 goal by Dec. 31,1979.
The push to reach the $400,000 goal includes special
meetings held every three weeks to review the pro
gress and make assignments. Those participating in
clude the Executive Committee of the Board of
Trustees; the national leadership gifts co- chairmen,
Mrs. Mary Alice Holt of Nashville and State Sen. J.J.
Harrington of Lewiston; the campaign national
general chairman, E. L. Hollowell of Edenton; and
the national honorary general chairman, Mrs. Texie
Camp Marks of Boykins, Va.
The first meeting was held Oct. 4 and additional
meetings have been scheduled for Oct. 25, Nov. 15,
and Dec. 6.
Cljowan’s president, Dr. Bruce E. Whitaker, ex
plained that the current intensive effort stems from
the announcement nnade at a joint meeting of the
Boards of Trustees and Advisors in September that a
gift of $500,000 had been secured from an anonymous
donor.
He explained that the donor stipulated that the col
lege raise an additional $400,000 to complete and
equip the gymnasium-physical education facility at a
total project cost of $2.5 million.
“The urgency is underscored by the fact the
anonymous donor has indicated he will turn over a
large portion, if not all, of the $500,000 gift before
Dec. 31, 1979 if the college can raise the $400,000 in
pledges and gifts to qualify,” Dr. Whitaker noted.
Chowan’s president said that by reaching the
$400,000 goal, the college wiU realize substantial sav
ings on interest charges. “As the building nears com
pletion, it is necessary for Chowan to make monthly
payments to the contractor. This money must
presently be borrowed at an interest rate of almost 15
per cent,” Whitaker said.
He explained that when the college receives the
$500,000 challenge gift, the annualized interest sav
ings on that amount alone will be $75,000.
Whitaker said Chowan will seek support from cor
porations, foundations, businesses, parents, alumni,
and other individuals “in order to meet this urgent
challenge.” He stated gifts may be made as a
memorial or in honor of an individual.
Ben Sutton, Chowan's business manager, said the
$2.5 million total project cost includes $2,255,000 for
the basic building, $175,00 for the bleachers, $20,000
for the lockers, and $50,000 for landscaping and park
ing lots and lights.
Trustees Adopt Record Budget; Set New Goals
A record budget of $5,150,000 has been
approved by the Chowan Board of Trustees
for the 1979^0 year.
The trustees met jointly with the Board
of Advisors in the office of President Bruce
E. Whitaker in early September.
The budget for the 1978-79 year was
$4,650,000. Dr. Whitaker said $1.3 million is
budgeted for faculty and staff salaries and
$1.2 million for academic expenditures.
Dean of the CoUege B. Franklin Lowe,
Jr. told the trustees and advisors that
enrollment is in the area of 1,115 full-time
students, an increase of about 65 over last
faU.
Adopt Goal
The trustees, led by Chairman H. D.
White of Rocky Mount, also adopted a
minimum goal of $65,000 with a challenge
goal of $75,000 for the 1979-80 Annual Giv
ing Fund. J. E. Ferebee of Camden is ser
ving as chairman. Under the leadership of
Henry S. Johnson, Jr. of Hamilton,
Chowan surpassed its 1978-79 goal of
$65,000. Johnson received a distinguished
service award from Dr. Whitaker.
/
Award Presented Drive Leader
Henry S. Johnson, Jr., of Hamilton, left, receives o certificate of appreciation
from President Bruce E. Whitaker for his service as chairman of the 1978-79
Annual Giving Fund. Under Johnson's leadership, the college surpassed its
goal of $65,000. The presentation vi^as made during the recent joint meeting of
the Boards of Trustees and Advisors. Johnson is a member of the Board of Ad
visors.
Charles Watson, associate director of
development, reported the Alumni Associa
tion has set a goal of $18,000 from 425
alumni donors in support of the Annual
Giving Fund. The goal of the Parents’
Fund, headed by Mr. and Mrs. Michael
Andrassy of Virginia Beach, Va., is $5,000.
Whitaker said the success of the Annual
Giving Program was a major factor the
college had again operated in the black
during the 1978-79 academic year for the
21st straight year.
Approve Resolutions
Trustees approved resolutions to the
memory of the late Mrs. Mary P. Askew of
Lewiston, Dr. R. Kelly White of Conway,
and Roland L. Garrett of Elizabeth City.
Dr. H. Melvin Kunkle of Portsmouth,
Va., chairman of the Board of Advisors,
welcomed new advisors, Mrs. Walter
Brand Elsee of Smithfield, Mrs. Ruby
Braswell Milgrom of Battleboro, Kenneth
F. Wilson of Mt. Olive, Robert E. Lee of
GatesviUe, William Turner of Wilson and
0. S. “Buck” Suiter, Jr. of Ahoskie.
While trustees and advisors met, their
wives visited the campus facilities. They
rejoined their husbands for a luncheon in
Thomas Cafeteria.
Tour New Gymnasium
On Sunday before the meeting, the
trustees toured the new $2.5 million
gymnasium-physical education center, now
under construction. Later, they met with
one of four standing committees;
academic affairs, student affairs, develop
ment and finance, and religious life-
denominational relations. Trustees, ad
visors and their wives were entertained for
dinner by Mrs. Esther Whitaker, wife of
the president on Sunday evening.
Former Trustee Claimed by Death
Qiowan College trustee, Roland Lemuel
Garrett, 85, of Elizabeth City, died Aug. 16,
1979.
Garrett served on Chowan’s Board of
Trustees from 1966-69, 1971-74, 1976-79 and
its standing Committee on Religious Life-
Denominational Relations from 1976-79. He
was also a member of the Chowan Endow
ment Committee.
As a trustee, Garrett was active in secur
ing financial resources for Chowan, and aid
ed the college in many other ways.
Garrett was postmaster of Elizabeth City
from 1943 until 1964 and also owned a hsu'd-
ware store. A native of Camden County, he
lived in Elizabeth City and in Pasquotank
County most of his life. He was the husband
of the late Mrs. Nina Wiggin Garrett.
He also was chairman of the Board of
Albemarle Savings and Loan Association
and retired in 1978 as its president. He was a
former No. 1 Citizen and known as “Mr.
Albemarle.” He was a director of the
Peoples Bank.
During his long civic and business career,
he served on the Boards of the Salvation Ar
my, Pasquotank and Camden Library
Board, the Museum of the Albemarle and
was a former president of the Elizabeth City
Kiwanis Club.
In addition to his service at Chowan, he
was a former trustee of Elizabeth City State
University. He also served on the Executive
Board of the Eastern Lung Association for
Eastern North Carolina and was a life
member of the Cosmopolitan Club and
former president of the Chamber of Com
merce.
He was a life deacon, former Sunday
School superintendent, and chairman of the
Board of First Baptist Church, Elizabeth Ci
ty-
Survivors include a sister, Mrs. Sarah
Garrett Herbig of Lodi, Calif.; a brother,
William E. Garrett of Elizabeth City; two
nieces; a nephew; and great-nieces and
nephews.
For October, 1979
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