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TTzePllOT
Gardner-Webb University
Friday/April 1,2005
www.gwupilot.com
Volumes No. 12
graphic by Scott Holstein
Since the high school opened its doors on the current property of GWU, the Southern Baptist denomination
has had a huge role in the development of the university as it is today. After 100 years of success, administra
tors say there is no talk of disaffiliating from the state convention.
Acentury of Baptist heritage
Administrators say there is no sign of breaking away from convention
Jennifer Menster
Pilot editor-in-chief
One hundred years ago, two local
Southern Baptist associations started a
high school on the property that Gardner-
Webb University now calls home.
And after those 100 years and several
face lifts, the North Carolina State
Bap'tist Convention, Baptist churches
and Baptist church members still have a
large role with the school.
Boiling Springs High School was
started by the Kings Mountain and
Sandy Run Baptist Associations, and
when the school became a junior college
in the 1920’s, the denomination was
still involved with the overall make up,
..said Scoot Dixon, vice president for.
university relations.
But it wasn’t until 1946 that Gardner-
Webb became affiliated with, the N.C.
State Baptist Convention.
“We elected to be affiliated with
the convention and they elected to be
affiliated with us,” Dixon said.
Still today the convention holds
GWU as one of its five affiliated
colleges. Within the last 10 years, the
convention went from affiliation with
seven schools down to the current five
- GWU, Campbell University, Wingate
University, Chowan College and Mars
Hill College.
In the late 1990’s, Wake Forest
University and Meredith College decided
to disaffiliate with the convention,
according to John Roberson, executive
director of the council on higher
education. Roberson said the convention
considers Meredith and Wake Forest
paternal and historical institutions rather
than affiliates. Roberson did say both
colleges are still a part to the family.
“The paternal and historical schools
get limited funding just for scholarships,”
Roberson said. “Whereas a school
like Gardner-Webb gets funding for
scholarships and general budget.”
Within the last decade, the national
trend has been universities, like Wake
Forest and Meredith, leaving their state
conventions.
But at GWU, according to many
GWU staff members, the Baptist
affiliation is not going anywhere.
“I do not see us ever going away
from Baptist,” said Frank Campbell,
GWU president. “We are going to be
committed to our heritage.”
According to Tracy Jessup, campus
minister, there has not been any serious
talk about leaving the convention. He
believes the school should stick with its
historical roots.
Campbell said the university and the
convention work well together and there
are no problems with the relationship.
“The Baptist association is very
important, but not absolutely essential,”
said Campbell.
The state convention does not own or
operate the university, Dixon said. The
convention mainly has three purposes:
affiliate the Baptist name with the
university, help fiind the university and
name trustees.
See BAPTIST page 3
Gone
but not
forgotten
Former baseball
coach passes away
Jennifer IVIenster
Piiot editor-in-chief
Yes, the facts are
impressive.
Three hundred
twenty-six Gardner-
W e b b
victories,
8 3 5
career
victories.
A retired
No. 27
jersey,
one of MTT T ER
only
two baseball jerseys
retired in GWU history.
Inducted in the South
Atlantic Conference
Hall of Fame in 2003,
32 years coaching
collegiate baseball,
13 of those years at
GWU.
But ask anyone
about Clyde Miller and
learn that he was more
than just a baseball
coach.
Some, such as Tony
Setzer, GWU head
men’s soccer coach,
will mention that
Miller could tell a story
like no one’s business.
Or maybe Setzer will
mention Miller’s sense
of humor, and how
Miller once awarded
Setzer a trophy for
“kickball coach of the
year.”
“He taught a
lot about life and
friendship,” said a
See COACH page 4
Celebration
planned for
Centennial
Matt Tessnear
Piiot staff
Gardner-Webb
University will
celebrate 100 years of
education with week-
long events. April 13 to
17.
Renee Ybarra,
academic facilities and
events coordinator,
said that the committee
began to plan for the
week last spring.
“The Centennial
Committee started
meeting last May,”
Ybarra said. “It was
almost a year ago.
The whole idea of
this weekend is to
have something for
everyone. Hopefully
that’s true, so try to
come a little bit each
day.”
The GWU Baseball
team is set to take
the field against
Jacksonville and
Charleston Southern
during the festivities.
Various cookouts.
See WEEK page 3
Our Pilot reporter hit ttie streets and asked:
How mad are you about March Madness?
Daniel Abrahao
Piiot staff
For college
basketball fans,
March is a very
exciting month.
It is the time
of the year when
people make
their brackets,
hope that their
team will make a
run into the Final Four and maybe
win the tournament and get to
gether to watch the championship
game.
SEELY
This year, March Madness
might have a bittersweet taste for
some Gardner-
Webb University
students. After a
winning season,
the GWU
basketball team
was only one
game shy of
making it into
me tournament.
We decided
to put our man
on the street to ask GWU students
how involved they are with the
NCAA tournament this year and
find out their predictions and
KNIPPEN
plans.
Matt Knippen, freshman
health and
wellness major
from Ottoville,
Ohio, said he
watches college
basketball from
time to time
and is rooting
for Illinois
at this year’s
tournament.
“I’m a Big 10
fan,” said Knippen.
Many of those interviewed
believe Carolina is a favorite for
winning the championship.
BAGWELL
“March Madness is a great
time' of the year,” said Trae
Vickers, senior
elementary
education major
from Winchester,
Va. “The Tar
Heels are going
to win.”
According to
Claire Bagwell,
sophomore
religious studies
major from
Kings Mountain, the winner of
this year’s tournament will be,
“Carolina, of course.”
Michael Seely, freshman sports
MILLS
management major from Kings
Mountain, said that he has b£6n
watching college
basketball
recently and
believes
UNC will be
the national
champion.
“I want UNC
to win because I
don’t like Duke,”
said Seely.
Some
students were not very hopeful
about their team’s chances.
See MADNESS page 4
VICKERS
On the Inside
Cafeteria to start
Jessica Simpson to
Three professors
Several steroid cases
News
serving Wendys, Taco
give a speech on
arrested for cow
discovered among
Op/Ed
Bell and Pizza Hut...
abstinence during
tipping...
baseball team...
Am.....
Tuesday’s
Sports
page 2
dimensions... page 2
page 3
page 4