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VOL. 4, NO. 9
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT, N.C.
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 24,1989
m
V
n
1-95 stranded
take shelter
at Wesleyan
DOROTHY SPRUILL REDFORD GREETS STUDENTS AFTER TALK. (PHOTO BY K.A.S.)
Reading kicks off Symposium
By TERRIE ROBERTS
Allan Gurganus started out
the 1989 symposium by reading
an excerpt from his book, Oldest
Living Confederate Widow Tells
All, and giving the N.C.
Wesleyan Press a thousand dollar
contribution. “I’m giving the
contribution to say thank-you to
the press and Terry Smith for
their help.”
Gurganus’ ties with the col
lege began years ago. He had
taken some classes before he was
“wisked away to the Navy.” This
was the first time he had read this
excerpt to a group and the first
time a reading had been held in
the Student Activities Center.
Daisy Thorp introduced Gur
ganus as a “faithful friend” and
added that she had “found a
treasure, a collected and treas
ured friend.” Gurganus then be
gan talking about his past and
added that he was the son and
nephew of preachers as he began
reading about a lady’s experience
as a Sunday school teacher.
The reading started off with
the woman saying that her
“brightness in learning amounted
to cutting the right number of
pies and telling a blue bird from a
bluejay.” But she began teaching
a group of nine to 11 year olds
lessons from the Bible with a
type of puppetry theater using
acorns for puppets.
She began her first lesson by
announcing “it’s showtime, little
Christians — come and get it.”
But after her first lesson she had a
bad feeling that it was too sinful
because it was fun. She then real
ized it was a way of following
God’s word and continued with
her storytelling.
“The kids love the undullness
of the visual arts,” she said at one
point as others snubbed her pup
petry or called it a flea circus. She
continued on for many years un
til a preacher ridiculed her and
she stormed out, not to teach
again.
By GREGORY STREHMEL
On Feb. 18, at 5:30 p.m., 1-95,
64, and bypass 301 were closed
because of excess snow on the
roads.
“The student activities center
at North Carolina Wesleyan Col
lege has been designated as an
emergency shelter from the 1-95,
64, and bypass 301,” campus
minister Dr. Carleton McKita
said.
“The Young Men’s Christian
Association (YMCA) in Rocky
Mount, and Coopers school in
Nash County were also opened as
designated shelters,” director of
Red Cross Rosalie Lemieux said.
The Student Activities Center
was immediately opened at 6
p.m. when the first people started
coming in. At 6:30, the Student
Activities Center was over
crowded.
“We counted around 600
people on campus,” Johnny
Francis, assistant food manager
said.
At 11 p.m., 350 people were in
the Student Activities Center,
100 people were in the Student
Union building, and 150 people
were in the gym.
“We set up tables and chairs:
for the people in the student ac
tivities center, and we provided
them with coffee, hot chocolate,
juice, milk, hotdogs, and sand
wiches,” McKita said.
“The Marriott Food System
provided the people with drinks
and food,” volunteer helper Eric
Schreiber said.
“We then opened the cafeteria
at 6:30 because of excess people
in the student activities center,”
Lemieux said.
“1 came to Wesleyan College
because all the hotels in Rocky
Mount were already full at 7:30,”
Ken Steward, a 41 year old man
from Berwick, Pa. said.
“I really can’t imagine how
much work and effort these
people are putting in for us,” a 38
year old woman from Richmond,
Va. said.
“The service that these people
are providing is terrific,” a 25
year old carpenter on his way to
Tampa, FI. said. “I would like to
know if we could leave a dona-
(Continued on Page 4)
College doubles United Way contribution
The close of 1988 found many
area businesses and wganiza-
tions presenting special enve-
l(^s to the, Rocky Mount Area
United Way. Each was honoring
a commitment to support this
organizati(xi which responds to
human service needs in the area.
North Carolina Wesleyan Col
lege is an annual participant in
the Rocky Mount Area United
Way campaign.
This year, faculty, staff and
students supported the campaign
with their pledges, their ideas,
their creativity and their time. A
combinaticxi of these four re
sulted in an extremely successful
campaign. The pledges totalled
$7,171.83, which more than
doubled last year’s effort.
At the beginning of the on-
campus campaign. President
Leslie H. Gamer, Jr. said, “As we
approach that time each year
when we traditionally acknowl
edge our own good fortune and
reaffirm our responsibility to the
community, we look forward to
the chance to continue otu" sup
port of this worthy organization.
It was 25 years ago this year that
the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
reminded us from a Birmingham
jail that injustice anywhere is a
threat to freedom everywhere.
The United Way directs our vol
untary contributions to relieve
social economic oppression so
that qjportunity might be en
hanced in this community.”
Dr. Gamer served as the chair
man of the Needs Assessment
Committee for the Area United
Way.
Staff member Jane Batts and
Vice-President Ray Kirkland
were instrumental in the organi
zation and success of the drive.
Addressing the faculty and staff,
Ray Kirkland said, “Thanks to
you, it has been a very successful
campaign.”
Wesleyan students partici
pated in the campaign as well. To
support the United Way, faculty
and staff members served soft
drinks and tea to students for tips
on Thursday, Dec. 8 during
lunch. The novice waiters and
waitresses-included: Dean
Marshall Brooks, Dr. Gamer,
(Continued on Page 4)