President Bruce E. Whitaker presents in
formation to the Board of Advisors
highlighting the college's sound financial con
dition.
J. E. Ferebee of Camden, chairman of the
1979-80 Annual Giving Fund, reported the col
lege has received $25,000 toward its minimum
goal of $65,000. He stressed the importance of
reaching the goal by May 31 to help the col
lege close in the black for 22 straight years.
Dr. Ella J. Pierce Dies; Taught 49 Years
Dr. Ella Janet Pierce, 92, of Murfreesboro, who retired
from the faculty of Chowan College in 1974, died Saturday,
Dec. 15,1979.
A native of Colerain in Bertie County, she received the B.A.
degree in 1921 from Meredith College. She received a
graduate degree at Carver School of Missions in 1923 and
Masters of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Cor
nell University in 1933 and 1936. She also studied at Columbia
and Harvard.
Began Teaching 1925
Dr. Pierce joined the Mars Hill College staff in 1925
teaching in the English Department and serving as dean of
women. She became chairman of the English Department in
1938 and served in that capacity for the last 27 years of her 40-
year career at the Baptist college.
When she retired from Mars Hill in 1965, she moved back to
her family home in Murfreesboro and was soon asked to join
the faculty of Chowan. In a remarkable second career, she
served as professor and chairman of the English Department
for eight years before retiring in 1974.
In addition to her teaching duties at Mars Hill, Dr. Pierce
served for 30 years as advisor to the Baptist Student Union
and taught a Sunday school class for 35 years. After moving
to Murfreesboro, she taught a Sunday school class for many
years at Murfreesboro Baptist Church, where she was also a
member of the Women’s Missionary Union.
Highly Respected
Respected in national collegiate circles as an outstanding
English scholar, she was listed in “Who’s Who in Education”
and “Who’s Who of American Women.”
Dr. Pierce was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, interna
tional society of key women teachers; North Carolina
English Teachers A^ociation; and National Council of
Teachers of English. Her specialty was Shakespeare, and she
contributed a number of articles to Shakespearian scholar
ship.
Survivors include two sisters, Mrs. Nelia Lawrence of Mur
freesboro and Mrs. Carrie Pierce Owens of Roseboro; two
nieces; four nephews including William G. Lawrence of Mur
freesboro; two great nieces; and seven great nephews.
Services were held at Murfreesboro Baptist Church by the
Rev. Thomas Caulkins, Dr. Bruce E. Whitaker, and Dr.
Robert Melvin of Mars Hill College. Burial was in Buckhom
Baptist Church Cemetery, Como.
DR. ELLA JANET PIERCE
A World in the making .
There’s a world in the making at Southern Bap
tist seminaries, colleges and schools.
There are seventy-two different schools, each
unique but all sharing the commitment Southern
Baptists consistenly have shown for the future.
The more thea 150,000 students now studying at
these schools represent leaders in tomorrow’s
worlds of business, government, education,
medicine, law, and other professions. Southern
Baptists’ commitment to these young people in
sures a bold Christian witness in these areas.
For Baptists, tomorrow’s world will continue to
be one of Bold Mission Thrust. In the next twenty
years committed mission volunteers will join in the
world the ambitious goal to share the Good News of
Christ with everyone in the world by the year 2000.
Today’s Baptist school continues to be a tremen
dous training ground for these volunteers. In the
school year, 1978-79, more than 2,700 students stu
dying at Southern Baptist schools indicated that
they felt a calling into missionary service. Nearly
28.000 students were studying for all types of Chris
tian service.
Southern Baptists’ commitment to a world in the
making is carried out with the help of more than
6.000 dedicated, competent faculty members and
administrators. A demonstration of the commit
ment of these educators came last June when
representatives of Southern Baptist schools at
tended the National Conference on Bold Christian
Education and Bold Missions.
After three days of intensive study of the historic
and vital partnership between Southern Baptist
schools and missions, these educators recommited
themselves to the support of Bold Mission Thrust.
There, also, they celebrated the opportunities
available through Bold Missions for educators and
all Southern Baptists to renew their commitment
to Christian higher education for a world in the
making.
To help all Southern Baptists become more
aware of this commitment. Baptist Seminary, Col
lege and School Day was Observed on February
17,1980 throughout the Southern Baptist Conven
tion.
COMMITTED
TO CHRISTIAIV
EDUCATIOIK
FORA
WORLD
IHVTHE
MAKING
f^ailaary, Collc||c A Aichool Day
For February, 1980
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