Volume I. Number 5
Elon College, North Carolina
February 18, 1975
New Black Cultural Society
Celebrates Black History Week
By Diane Costa
A newly established social and
service organization, the Black
Cultural Society of Elon College,
under the advisership of Prof.
Steve Caddell. has been
authorized as a college
organization and is seeking
acceptance by the S.G. A.
The purpose of the society is to
•promote understanding and a
sense of unity among Black
students; encourage Elon
College to achieve a greater
awareness and appreciation of
the culture and achievements of
Black people; attack with vigor
all injustices and inequalities that
may exist on the campus of Elon
College with respect to Black
people; and support and assist in
any way possible the
communities immediately
surrounding Elon College" as
stated in the BCS by-laws.
Membership is open to all
regularly enrolled full or
part-time students at Elon
College. A new member must
"state his reason for seeking
membership; state what he
expects to contribute as a
member of the society with
regard to the organization's
purpose; actively attend
meetings and participate in at
least one project or serve on at
least one committee of the
society; and secure the
affirmative vote of a majority of
the members of the society
participating in a meeting at
which he is proposed for
membership.
Last week the Elon College
Black Cultural Society
participated in National Black
Heritage Week. On Tuesday
morning in conjunction with
College Programs, a program of
hymns and poetry by BCS
members was presented.
Wednesday evening the BCS
sponsored a talk by Dr. Raymond
McLaughlin, professor of history
at NC A&T, on "What it means
to be Black in the Twentieth
Century."
The Rev. Marvin Morgan, a
Burlington minister and Elon and
Duke alumnus, spoke on "The
Standpoint of Theology in the
Black Society" on Thursday
evening.
The BCS is chaired by Rodney
Evans and co-chaired by Don
McLaughlin. It was created by
Elon's Black students to
"provide a social atmosphere for
the Black students on campus,"
according to Chairman Evans.
Luther Byrd, 26 Years at Elon,
Makes Plans to Retire this Summer
By Roy Avery
After 26 years of teaching on
the Elon College campus. Prof.
Luther N. Byrd plans to retire
after the 1974-1975 academic
year.
Professor Byrd is a native of
North Carolina, having grown up
in Mount Airy. He entered
UNC-CH as a history major in
the fall of 1923 and participated
in both cross-country and track.
He worked his way through
UNC serving as director of
intramural athletics and director
of sports publicity, handling the
press program for the opening
and dedication of the Kenan
Memorial Stadium, home of the
Carolina football teams.
Leaving UNC in 1929. Byrd
Prof. Luther N. Byrd
joined the faculty of Westfield
High School where he taught
history and math. He coached all
sports for both boys' and girls'
English Scholar to be
Honored on Awards Day
A new award will be added to
the honors list for Awards Day
this spring. An English Scholar
Award has been approved by the
English faculty to be given to the
English major who is a rising
senior and who, by a vote of the
members of the department, is to
be honored because of
scholarship and qualities of
character. The title of English
Scholar of the Year will be
retained during the recipient’s
senior year.
The award will carry a stipend
which will be applied to the
winner's tuition expenses at Elon
College during his or her senior
year. The money for the stipend
will be contributed by members
of the English faculty to the
college, earmarked for this award
of excellence.
Nominees for the English
scholar award must have
attended Elon College for four
semesters prior to the semester in
which the award is given. A
rising senior English major may
be named by any member of the
English faculty with
endorsement of two additional
members. The winner is
determined by a majority vote of
the full English faculty. The
award can be withheld in any
year in which the department
decides that there is no deserving
recipient. Two awards may be
made the next year if two
persons are considered deserving
of this recognition.
Deadline for Coloniuides
Poems, short stories and all
other works of fiction and art
should be submitted to
Coloniuulesby March 20.
athletics. His track team went 15
consecutive seasons without
losing a dual meet. They won 14
conference titles. As it was
necessary to work a second job
to make a living while teaching,
Byrd served as editor of a weekly
newspaper in Mount Airy ind
also wrote articles for the
Greensboro Daily News and the
Winslon-Salem Joiirnal.
Byrd suspended his teaching
and coaching in 1948 and
returned to UNC-CH to enter
graduate school. He earned a
Master's degree in history. In
1949 he joined the Elon College
faculty to teach journalism and to
serve as director of publicity, a
one-man organization which he
handled for 20 years. There were
only about 500 students in
daytime classes and about 700 in
night classes in the early 1950s.
While holding this job. he
managed the publicity for eight
new dormitories, two new dining
halls, a new student center, a
new library and a gym. Professor
Byrd also served as adviser to
The Maroon and Gold, the
campus newspaper, which came
out twice monthly for 18 years.
The newspaper had its own
linotype and printing press, and
Professor Byrd said "It was good
experience for all the students
who worked with the paper.
Many are working in the field of
journalism today."
Since 1953 Professor Byrd has
been teaching in night school,
and for the last six years has been
teaching history in both day and
night classes. Since 1954 he has
taught more than 45% of the
students from every graduating
class. He has also taught 25
members of the present faculty
and administrative staff.
After his retirement Professor
Byrd plans to spend his time
playing golf and writing family
history, his favorite piistimes.
II
iLk
(Left to right) Students Bill Grabsch, Mike Gilliam, Sharon
Stephens, and Suzanne Prystup caught during rehearsal for
opera "Sunday Excursion.'” (Photo by Ken Toda)
Singers and Orchestra
Present Two Light Operas
By Leslie Carter
On February 14 and 15 the
Elon College Music Department
presented two operas, "Sunday
Excursion," by Alec Wilder and
"The Night Bell" by Donizetti.
The performances were directed
by Prof. Terrell Cofield of Elon's
music faculty and accompanied
by the Elon College Community
Orchestra under the baton of Dr.
Malvin Artley.
“Sunday Excursion." a
curtain raiser, is a simple,
nostalgic story. Two boys and
two girls are returning from an
excursion to New York City.
They are strangers at first, but
become friends before the candy
butcher informs them that the
train has reached their
destination. Principal roles in
"Sunday Excursion" were sung
by Mike Gilliam, Bill Grabsch.
Suzanne Prystup. Sharon
Stephens and Tad Troutman.
"The Night Bell," the second
opera each evening, was set in a
suburb of Naples and was
concerned with Don Annibale,
an elderly Neapolitan
apothecary, who married young
and pretty Serafina. Enrico, in
love with Serafina. planned his
revenge. Two times, as the old
man was ready for bed. Enrico
rang the bell that an apothecary
could not ignore. Enrico posed
first as a Frenchman in need of
wine and then as a singer who
needed lozenges because he has
lost his voice. After all of this,
English Majors
To Meet Wednesday
Students majoring in English
and those who wish to know
more about this major are invited
by the English faculty to a
reception and meeting at 3:30
p.m. Wednesday. Feb. 19 in the
large lounge. 2nd floor. Student
Center.
The Modern Language
Association pamphlet on English
as a preprofessional major will be
available to those wishing copies.
The discussion will be informal
and will cover topics of interest
to mak)rs and would-be-majors.
Don Annibale was completely
worn out but could not go to bed
because it is morning and he is
required on business in Rome.
The principal roles were sung by
Lu Ann Morris, Martha Clark,
Jim Veneris, David Williams and
Zane G. Leake, Jr.
ROTC Course
To Begin in
July Camp
By Jayne Freeman
Col. William B. Neal will be on
campus March 4 to recruit
students for the Army ROTC
program which will be offered at
Elon College in the fall of 1975.
Elon will be the eighth college in
North Carolina to offer such a
program.
The newly created Department
of Military Science will offer
two- and four-year programs for
both male and female students.
Upon graduation, students will
receive commissions as second
lieutenants in the U.S. Army.
March 8 is the deadline for
enrolling in the program to attend
the training camp this summer in
Fort Knox. Ky. Room, board,
uniforms, and travel will be
furnished. The student will also
receive one-half the salary of a
second lieutenant during the
summer training session.
Col. Neal, director of the
program, is chairman of the
Department of Military Science
at A & T University,
Greensboro. His staff consists of
four officers and four enlisted
men. He commands a corps of
123 men and 17 women.
Veterans may qualify for
advance placement in the
program.
Other North Carolitia colleges
offering ROTC programs are;
Appalachian State University,
Campbell College. Davidson
College, North Carolina A&T
University, St. Augustine
College, and Wake Forest
University.