The Compass Wednesday, October 26, 1994 3
Editorial
A Viking Legacy
Today, we ask the University family to pause and honor the memory of two
Vikings whose passing cavises deep sorrow and pain: Dr. James Townes, and
Eh-. Eloise Roberts.
Although we feel grief at their deaths, we should rejoice in the accomplish
ments and value of these two individuals. In a time of rampant materialism and
the worship of earthly things. Dr. Roberts and Dr. Townes demonstrated
throughout their lives that they followed a higher spiritual calling—deeiling
with service and love of humanity.
During her twenty-one years of service to ECSU, as both a professor and an
administrator. Dr. Roberts "acquired the reputation of a superior teacher," says
ECSU Chancellor Dr. Jimmy Jenkins. "She "gained the trust, admiration and
love of her students, and the resp>ect of her colleagues."
Here is just one of her many students, Tracy Weathers, commenting on the
influence Dr. Roberts had on her life: "She was more than just a teacher; she was
also your friend. I was crushed when she passed away." Weathers, who had
dropped out of school at one point, credits Dr. Roberts with being "one of the
main reasons I came back to school.
"She wasn't just there to fill your head with information," recalls Weathers,
a senior education major from Elizabeth City. "She brought excitement to the
classroom and to the field of education. And she's the one person who got me
excited about education. There's so much of the negative in education today.
Dr. Roberts made you feel like you could handle it. This school has a tremen
dous loss with her death."
Dr. James Townes served the University "across disciplines, beginning in
1963," according to Chancellor Jenkins. In addition to his role asa professor. Dr.
Townes was also Chairman of the Physical Sciences Department, Assistant to
the Chancellor, interim Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and, at the time
of his death. Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Director of
Summer School.
"Dr. Townes' many achievements serve as a model for a rewarding life,"
Jenkins told The Compass, "encompassing great humanitarianism, persever
ance cind excellence of scholastic attainment. His tenure at Elizabeth City State
University was marked by dedication, his delight in teaching, his great energy
and resiliency, his highly developed sense of humor and outetanding ability in
interpersonal relations."
Dr. Townes, like Dr. Roberts, brought style and excitement to the University
and to the classroom. He was a small man with an enormous heart. And, like
Dr. Roberts, he leaves behind a rich legacy of hundreds of lives touched and
uplifted because he lived.
As with Professor William Butts, who the Viking family lost last year. Dr.
Eloise Robert and Dr. James Townes should serve as role models to us all—
reminders of what life should be about.
The Compass
Campus News Editors Latisha Edwards, Lolithia Underdue
Sports Editor Carlos McCormick
Consulting Editor Reginald Worlds
Advertising/Office l\/lanager Gloria Alexander
Production l\/lanager Paula Armstrong
Graphics Consultant Diane Patterson
Photograpiiers Jamie Jordan, David Friedman
Staff Writers Heather Draughn, Latisha Edwards
Scott Lawrence, Michael Lytle, James Martin
Carlos McCormock, Michael Wellman, Lolithia Underdue.
The Compass is published by Elizabeth City State University students under the direction erf the
Department of Language, Literature arxJ Communication, Dr.LirxJa Rorence Callahan, Chairper
son, and Mr. Stephen March, faculty advisor.
The Compass welcomes letterstothe editor. Lettersshould besentto ECSU BoxSI 5, Elizabeth
City, NC27909. All letters must be signed and include the writer'saddressandtelephone number.
They may be edited for length, datity, and taste, as weK as accuracy and grammar. Because of
limited space, not all letters can be published.
Dr. James Townes, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, died July 21 in
Chesapeake General Hospital.
Poetry
the promise
white, red, yellow
brawn and black shine, they do...
like the breaking of day.
oh, life is color, varied
and the rainbow's kin.
the rainbow is a constant emulator
of our kind and still a reminder;
a wise, resounding promise of opportunity,
has it come once, through, xvithout rain and sun?
Like so is this man...
a promise of the salvation and a fine
display of love xvith his pain or cruelty,
he shines and his black, brown, yellow, red and white
hues all find reason to exist, each apparently different,
merging only to form hope of existing as a body, a rainbow,
a promise.
so, come then, rain,
fall like solid spheres bruising
head and frame, fall heavily...sioiftly!
descend as you may, bring your gloom and gray,
giving desire for the warming, healing star, revealing once
again
our promise.
David Gibson
Elizabeth City State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the
Southem Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate degrees.
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