8
Bl
VolUME XIX, NUMbER :
DECREE
L ErrovERS
“Founders Day” from p.1
recipients today, because a college
is founded for many reasons, not the
least of which is that it has students
in it.” Continuing, Newbold said, “The
jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes once
said, that a mind, once it is stretched
with a new idea, never regains its
original dimensions.” “The idea of a
college grew in the hearts and minds
of the Rocky Mount citizens and the
United Methodist Church, has never
regained it’s original dimensions, it
has grown in a way that the founders
would have hoped but never would
have imagined.” With these comments
President Newbold introduced Student
Government President Tony White, II,
who addressed the audience.
On behalf of the student body, Mr.
and deals that led to the building of
North Carolina Wesleyan College.
Following Dr. Johnson’s address,
several awards were presented to
staff members, faculty and students.
The ceremony was concluded and
everyone was invited to join together
for a reception in the lobby of the Dunn
Center.
During the reception, this reporter
had the opportunity to speak with some
of the award recipients and faculty
members;
Distinguished Staff Member Award
recipient Brad Wingo told The Decree
that he was, “Honored” to have
received this award, continuing that,
“being a graduate, I have a lot invested
y
. . . . ; ..ilt t' 4 -
. .;. ...MOXS'-''''-'
' S" ■■ V . X X ♦ * I
Students, Faculty and Guest gather in the loby of the Dunn Center
White thanked the Board of Trustees,
for their “constant contribution of time
and energy" and the faculty and staff
for their “selfless approach to helping
students in achieving their goals,
academically and in life.” President
White spoke of the sacrifices made by
others who came before the current
student body and of how the students
should “pick up that torch of setting
goals and achieving them.” Concluding,
President White said, “I think we owe it
to ourselves, the students, and to the
tradition of the college, to leave our
mark here at Wesleyan, and I suggest
we leave our mark in achievement.”
Following President White’s address.
President Newbold then introduced Dr.
Allen Johnson, Professor Emeritus of
History and Geography, who delivered
this year’s convocation address.
Dr. Johnson’s elegant yet plain
spoken manner captured the attention
of each person in attendance.
Entertaining and educating the
assembled crowd, he spoke of himself
and his life at North Carolina Wesleyan,
by paraphrasing the former North
Carolina Secretary of State Thaddeus
Eure, and proudly announced, with a
gleam in his eye and a wry smile, that
he “was the oldest rat in the Wesleyan
barn.” In introducing the topic of this
year’s address Dr. Johnson told the
crowd that he would be telling a story
and asking, “What else would you
expect from a historian, but a story?”
Full of enthusiasm and humor. Dr.
Johnson guided the assemblage from
the Presbyterians announcement in
the mid 1950’s, to merge three junior
colleges in the eastern part of the state
into a four year liberal arts college, in a
city yet to be named, and on through
the many twists, turns, negotiations
in this school.” “1 believe in this school
and of the good students it can turn out
and I hope I am an example of one of
those.” Asked how he felt about the
fact that many students looked to him
as a role model, Mr. Wingo commented
that, “being a role model I think is
important to always keep in the back
of your head, to always live your life
and display actions that are indicative
of the way you think you should live
your life. I think that you may not
realize that folks are looking, that
folks are listening all the time in every
circumstance, but they are. So being a
role model carries a lot of responsibility,
I think all the staff members and faculty
members at Wesleyan are role models
and do a superb job in living there lives
and in portraying activities that are
appropriate to that role.”
2003 Exemplary Teacher Award
recipient Dr. Amy Karnehm-Willis,
when asked what receiving this award
Dr. Amy Karnehm-Willis
meant to her said, “First of all, I was
very surprised but very honored. This
is a wonderful honor to have from the
college, in knowing that those who
decided came from both students and
faculty that’s really special to me. I
do work hard and strive to be a good
teacher so it was really nice to be
recognized.” Asked if it made it more
special knowing that students had a
part in choosing her for the award. Dr.
Willis said, “absolutely, I feel that a lot
of what I do everyday is for them. I
am trying to be a better teacher and
I feel that through my community
involvement, that I take very seriously,
I can bring more to the classroom.”
Before the end of the reception I was
able to speak with Wesleyan President
Dr. Ian Newbold. Asked to comment on
the days activities Dr. Newbold told me,
“I thought it was a terrific way to honor
the- founders, to honor the scholarship
winners, to honor our faculty and our
staff many of whom received awards.
I thought it went very, very well.” I
asked Dr. Newbold, if there were one
thing he could do to try and encourage
students to come out and participate
in next years ceremonies, what would
it be? He said, “I think we have to
look at ways to get students to come
to this because its worthwhile to the
students to learn about the college, its
background, its past, what many, many
people did. Tony White talked about
that very issue, the SGA Pesident, how
students are here today because of
the work and sacrifices and dedication
of many, many people, and I think we
need to sit down, I don’t know how, but
we need to think of ways we can get
students to come to founders day.”
RF
osing
The other day a fellow student said
to me, “Man, I am so tired of not being
able to hear what’s going on in my
class because of people running
their mouths while the professor is
talking.” I know what he means. As
I talk to other students, I hear of this
same problem over and over again,
You have to wonder what’s going on
with this. Really there are only three
possibilities: 1. The class has an
abundance of rude people who don’t
want to learn and don’t care if you
can or not, 2. The professor has no
control over his or her class, or 3. A
combination of both.
I’m bothered by this, because it
seems to be ok for some to disrupt
classes because your bored or don’t
care about the subject. If you are a
“class room socializer”, give us all a
break and stop during class. If you’re
a professor who let’s this happen take
a look at the students who are not
talking, THEY ARE NOT HAPPY! If we
all exercise a little mutual respect, we
can make the learning process here
at good old Wesleyan a much more
productive and enriching experience
for us all.
The comments contained in “Parting Shot” are
those of Ron Fitzwater and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the faculty or staff of North
Carolina Wesleyan College or The Decree's
faculty advisor. Rebuttals should be directed
to; ncwcdecree@journalist.com if full use
ncwcdecree2@journalist.com
Pearsall Library
Hours for
Finals Week are
announced
Source: Katherine Winslow
For EXAMS, we have extended
Library hours as follows:
Mon, Dec. 1 -Thur, Dec.4 8:00
am - 2:00 ann
Friday, December 5 8:00
am - 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 6 9:00
am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, December/ 1:00
pm - 1:00 am
Monday, Dec. 8 8:00 am
- 2:00 am
Tuesday, Dec. 9 8:00 am
- 1:00 am
Wednesday, Dec. 10 8:00
am - midnight
Thursday, December 11 8:00
am - 6:30 pm
Friday, December 10 8:00
am - 5:00 pm
Sat.- Sun., December 11-
12....CLOSED
NoRih Carolina WesIfvan CollEqE Rocky Mount, NortM CaroUna 27804