Chowan
A newsmagazine for alumni, parents and friends
WINTER 1996
Volume 41 Number 4
Today
^nm^uraUon of President (Stanley Q. JQoll
^ursday. ^pril il, 1991
A full scope of festivities to celebrate the inauguration of President
Stanley G. Lott will begin Sunday, April 13, 1997. Austine Evans, vice
president for student enrollment, has been selected to chair the Inaugu
ration Steering Committee.
Committee members include, Lisa Blockus, Randy Brantley, Jim
Chamblee, Joe Colaric, Brenda Gordon, Frank Lowe, E. Vincent Tilson
and Ken Wolfskill. Representing trustees on the committee are, Lynette
Bunch, Bob Spivey and Clement Yancy. Laura Allgood and Jeremy Funk
will represent students.
Seven subcommittees have been formed to manage the variety of ac
tivities associated with the event. Mark your calendar now for a very
special week in the history of Chowan College.
Chowan receives largest estate gift
in the history of the institution
Miss Ruth Thomas, alumna from Class of 1912, leaves more than $1 million
Chowan College has received more than $1,000,000 through
a bequest of the late Ruth M. Thomas of Cofield, an
alumna who was a strong financial supporter for the
college throughout her entire adult life.
The bequest is the largest gift in the history of Chowan Col
lege, according to E. Vincent Tilson, vice president for develop
ment.
“Through her deeds, influence, support and constant encourage
ment, Ruth Thomas enriched the lives of many young men and
women at her alma mater,” Tilson said. “She was not only a
strong benefactor of Chowan College, but she made many signifi
cant contributions to her community and to
her church and did so quite often with a quiet
and dedicated spirit.”
Through the distribution of the Ruth
Thomas Estate, the college received $108,000
in bequest funds, $800,000 in cash through
the distribution of a trust fund and $156,000 in
real estate.
“Throughout the years before her death,
Ruth Thomas was a major benefactor of the
college,” said Tilson. “She contributed toward
various campaign drives for library expansion
and cafeteria construction and to establish
scholarship funds for needy and worthy
students. She also donated timber and farm
lands to Chowan. Other members of her
family have strongly supported the college,
also.”
The Thomas family has had a longtime
association with Chowan.
Mary Green Mitchell Thomas was a
graduate of Chowan Baptist Female Institute
in the Class of 1876. Her two daughters
were also graduates—Mary, Class of 1902,
and Ruth, Class of 1917.
Thomas’ fether, R. R Thomas, served
several terms on the board of trustees from
1883 to 1916. He was chairman of the board
in 1889 when the name of the institution first included the word
“college.”
A brother and sister also served on the college’s governing
board. W. A. Thomas served two terms on the board of trustees
in 1954-58 and 1960-64, and Mary Thomas served a one-year
term in 1947.
“The Thomas family had an abiding faith in, and love for, this
institution of Christian higher education,” noted Tilson. “It is a
genuine and everlasting source of satisfaction to all of us that she
remembered Chowan College in her last will and testament. Her
life and spirit will live through the college for many generations to
come.”
“The Thomas
family had an
abiding love for
this institution. ”
TOTAL
‘‘Day for
Chowan*^
Successful
Leaders in the seventh annual Day for Chowan campaign, proclaimed victory at the Ella
Cobb Camp President’s Home Nov. 7. The goal of $160,000 was surpassed as volunteers
and their spouses applauded a total of $176,093.32. Proudly displaying the results were,
from left: Larry Joyner, event co-chair, and Laurie Bass, director of Chowan's annual fund
and Day for Chowan, along with Tommie Hill, event co-chair, and President Stanley Lott.
1