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Published by State Teachers College for Students and Alumni
VOLUME 19
Elizabeth City, N. C., May, 1959
NUMBER 5
Sixty-Fifth Commencement Sun., May 24
PRESIDENT RECEIVES CHARTER
John H. Franklin
To Deliver Address
Dr. John Hope Franklin, chairman
of the Department of History at
Brooklyn College, will deliver the
commencement address at Elizabeth
City State Teachers College, Sunday
afternoon, May 24, at 3:30 o'clock
in Williams Hall. This year’s class
v'ill include 90 graduates — 72 ol
whom will receive the bachelor's de
gree and 18 of whom will receive
certificates of completion of course;
in the Vocational-Technical Institute
These will be the first graduates o!
the Vocational-Technical Institute.
Included among the honor gradu
ates in this year’s class are: With High
Honor: Esther Katrina Johnson, En
field; Helen Delois Kates. Goldsboro;
and With Honor; Georgianna Bames.
Robersonville; Sannie Lee Chamblee.
Ahoskie; Geraldine Boston Cooper.
Plymouth; Evelyn Louise Harris,
Courtland. Virginia; Sara Marie Heck-
stall. Plymouth; Lizzie Geraldine
President Walter N. Ridley is shown as he is being presented Houpe. Goldsboro; Naomi Cousin
charter of the Elizabeth City State Teachers College by McDonald Johnson. Roxboro; and Alfred Thom-
Dixon, vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees. as Wright. Red Bank. New Jersey.
M
Honors Night
Congratulations
Held May 20 S. T. C. Graduates of 1959
Dr. Walter N. Ridley Makes
Brilliant Inaugural Address
To go down as an important event in the history of the Elizabeth City
State Teachers College is the inauguration of Dr. Walter Nathaniel Ridley
as the fifth president.
To celebrate this outstanding occasion were hundreds of alumni and
friends, including eighteen representatives from colleges and universities;
twelve delegates from learned socie-® ^
ties and educational associations; ; of every human personality; democ-
thirteen state and municipal officials; | racy and the democratic processes;
fourteen delegates from non-educa- j the direction and tide of history;
tional organizations; fifteen official I human perfectibility; the educational
The Honors Night program at Eliz
abeth City State Teachers College
will be held on Wednesday, May 20.
at 7:00 p.m. in Moore Auditorium
Honors, awards and special citations
at this time will be presented to ap
proximately 160 students for outstand
ing, scholarly citizenship and athletic
achievement.
J. Saunders Redding, writer, lec
turer and member of the faculty of
Hampton Institute will deliver the
Honors Address. Honors, scholar
ships and awards will be presented by
members of the staff including the
President and Dean.
Professor Redding has just returned
from travels in Italy, France and
Austria on a tour sponsored by the
American Society for African Culture.
Since his return, he has been the re
cipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship
in writing. Mr. Redding was a mem
ber of the faculty at State Teachers
College during which time two of
his books, “No Day of Triumph” and
“To Make a Poet Black”, were pub
lished. He has to his credit five other
books, the last of which is the “Lone
some Road.”
A special feature of Honors Night
will be a reception honoring Mrs.
Estelle A. Eaton in recognition of her
book of poems, “Out of My Dreams”,
recently published by Christopher
Press. At the reception Mr. Redding
will comment on the book of poems.
representatives of alumni and stu
dents; and twelve members of the bi-
racial Board of Trustees.
In the inaugural address Dr. Rid
ley stated his objectives and his
fundamental beliefs. He emphasized
more efficient teachers, an increase
in enrollment, and an expanded cur
riculum.
“While we shall always remain
within the bounds of economy and ef
ficiency,” declared the speaker, “we
shall not refrain from presenting full
requests for financial support neces
sary to build at Elizabeth City the
kind of college in which we believe
and for which we must sacrifice.” The
president showed his deep concern
for the growth, improvement and
progress of this institution.
Dr. Ridley closed his address by
giving to the audience his fundament
al beliefs in; the triumph of truth;
die cssciiiial and undeniaole dignity
President and
Mrs. Ridley at Home
President and Mrs. Walter N. Rid
ley will be At Home to members of
the graduating classes and their fami
lies, along with alumni and friends
at the president's residence from 5:00-
6:30 following the commencement ex
ercises at Elizabeth City State Teach
ers College on Sunday, May 24.
College Presidents Assemble for the Inaugurotion
First Freshman; My mother has
a beautiful pop-up toaster.
Second Freshman: My mother’s
toaster is an Indian model ... it
sends up smoke signals.
ALUMNI DAY
Saturday, May 23, will be Alumni
Day at Elizabeth City State Teachers
College. Alumni from many com
munities and states will meet and in
addition to transactional business and
events will culminate the day with an
alumni dance to be held Saturday'
evening in Williams Hall. '
Adviser Entertains Staff
Members of the Newsletter staff
were entertained at the home of Mrs.
E. H. Mitchell on Monday, May 4.
After a business period with Sara
Heckstall presiding, each of the
seven graduating seniors gave ex
pressions of appreciation for the ex
perience with the Newsletter. Others
commented on making the paper bet
ter next year. Visiting the staff were
Adrian Jones and Doretha Williams
who expressed interest in the publi
cation.
Refreshments were served buffet
I style. During this time members
engaged in lively conversation, telling
of some of their escapades while at
the CSPA. Reluctantly, the affair
had to break up, and the students re
turned to the campus, having had a
pleasant evening.
Family Week-End Held At S.T.C. May 15-17
process; and a Higher Power which
directs our ends.
On these beliefs he took his stand
to do all in his power to promote
the common welfare of the people
and to assure the institution of the
type of program of which all can be
proud and which we can believe and
support.
This day took its place in the pages
of the history of the Elizabeth City
State Teachers College.
Noted Leaders In Inaugural Program
The Honorable N. Elton Aydlett,
member of the Board of Higher Edu
cation. presided at the Inaugural ex
ercises in Williams Gymnasium.
The prelude “Chorale in A Minor”
(Continued on Page 4)
The week end of May 15-17 was
set aside as Family Week End. All
parents were invited to come to the
campus to see and find out more
about campus living.
Many of the parents arrived on
Saturday morning, and by Saturday
noon a large number was on the
campus.
“Parents Want to Know”, an in
formal discussion, was held on Satur
day afternoon. It was led by Coach
Caldwell, Dean of Men, who an
swered many questions that parents
have about college life.
A program on Saturday evening
featured a commencement, with Helen
Johnson writing to her mother a let
ter which explained some of the ac
tivities at the college. Performances
by the Dance Group, Women’s Glee
Club. Class in Gymnastics; a piano
solo by Catherine Bartlett; and a
monologue by Lula Roberts were ac
tivities that were enjoyed by the visi
tors.
Baccalaureate
Service May 24
Students, parents, faculty, alumni
and friends will participate in a spe
cially planned baccalaureate service
at Elizabeth City State Teachers Col
lege on Sunday morning. May 24,
at 10:30 o'clock in Moore Auditorium.
■Among the participants on this pro
gram are Hezekiah Cooker, president
of the graduating class; Sara M.
Heckstall, president of the Women's
Government Association; Mrs. Idonia
E. Rogerson, alumnae; Mrs. Helen
M. Caldwell and Mrs. Estelle A.
Eaton, members of the college fac
ulty. President Walter N. Ridley and
Dean Leedell W. Neyland will give
opening and closing statements on the
program. Special musical selections
will be rendered by the Choral En
semble under the direction of Miss
Evelyn A. Johnson, with Mr. Winston
A. Bell, organist.
Waiter; "Here’s your soup, sir.”
Sir: “There's a fly in my soup.”
Waiter: “That’s o.k. we won’t
charge you for it.”
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Former president, Dr. S. D. Williams, greets Dr. Ridley immediately
after the close of the inaugural ceremonies.