Tfie PenduCum
YSlume XVI, Number 1
Serving the Elon College communlly
Thursday, August 31, 1989
This ircc was just one of many that fell during tlie tomado-lilte slorm that swept llifougli Elon in Juno.
Storm brings wind, rain, and damage
Mindy Schneeberger
Pendulum Editor
Students just returning for the
fall semester would hardly know it
oy looking at the campus, but
Elon was the site of a devastating
storm early this summer.
Around 7:15 on the evening
June 16, a tornado-like storm
•■ipped though the Rlon College
area, leaving $300,000 worth of
damage in its wake.
After a spring of unpredicUible
and often dangerous weather,
including a number of tornado
warnings and watches, the
campus had already been
thoroughly drenched on several
occasions. Yet none of the
previous storms could match the
powtr of the one which struck
during the first session of summer
school.
The gale appeared almost
without warning and vanished as
fast as it came. In a mere 15
niinutes, however, 50 mile per
hour winds managed to wreak
havoc upon many of the buildings
and trees on campus.
The roof of Beck Pool was
just one victim of the wind and
rain. Damage was so extensive
that observers could actually sec
the sky while standing inside the
building. The roofs of Mooney
and Duke buildings also suffered
damage. Another casually was
Adams House. Three trees
crashed upon the roof of the
historic building now used by the
ROTC. Additionally, the
recently-opened Powell Tennis
Center suffered an estimated $3000
worth of damages.
Across the campus, llghtpoles
and trees were twisted and bent.
Fifty of Elon's namesake oaks fell
victim to the storm, as did a great
many pine trees in the northern
portion of campus.
Vice President for
Administrative Services Bob
Poindexter asserted that another
six to ten trees will be lost within
the next few months because of
damage incurred by the storm.
Poindexter says that the total
bill for damages and repairs will
probably reach $300,000. Yet
very little of the damage can now
be seen.
Crews began cleanmg the
debris by daybreak the morning
after the storm, and they have been
working since then to restore the
campus. Poindexter says that the
Schoo/ has big plans for first
class of Leadership Fellows
clean-up process is "95-plus
percent" complete; but even as
recently as last Thursday morning,
workmen could be spotted on the
roofs of Mooney and Duke. The
clean-up effort has been slowed
substantially by summer
rainstorms.
While the damage to property
was extensive, no injuries were
attributed to the storm.
Poindexter said that he feels very
fortunate" that there were few
students on campus at die time.
Director of Housing Lee
Proctor reported that only about
65 students were being housed In
Jordan Center facilities during the
summer semester, and perhaps
around a fourth of those residents
were present during the storm.
Proctor said that because the storm
rose so suddenly, no evacuation
effort was organized. There was
no damage to any of the "Oaks"
facilities, although the campus
lost power until late Saturday
afternoon.
Because of the power outage,
the campus dining service set up
two charcoal grills on the patio of
the Grille, and students as well as
cleaning crews enjoyed eating the
foods that could not be preserved.
by Mindy SclineelM'igor
1‘or ihc lirsl tiuic in lUou's
history, tho collogc has opiMUMl ils
doors to a grouj) of "I cndciship
I'ellows." 'I'hese ((‘ndors luiitul out
the school's thrcHvpatl "follows"
program, which also iiK'hules
Honors students anfl North
Carolina teaching fellows. I asi
school year, the Admissions
Office targeted 197 nominees who
demonstrated boih academic
success and extracurricular
involvement.
Nominees must have attained
either a minimiun 3.0 grade point'
average or a score ol at least 10(X)
on the SAT. Additionally, each
potential fellow had to be
involved in at least lour
extracurricular activities during his
or her high school years, holding a
serious leadership role in Hi least
one of them.
Of tlie nominees, 80 students
were named "finalists" and were
granted $1000 scholarships.
These awards are renewable each
year, dependent upon the
individual's academic and
leadership performance. I'ellows
arc obligated to maintain a
minimum 2.5 OPA, successfully
complete the yearly objectives
outlined for them, and remain in
satisfactory disciplinary standing
at tlie college.
As for academic and campus
involvement, these students will
be enrolled in leadership
development classes, various
lecture scries, community
internship projects, and travel-
study programs.
Lela Faye Rich, Director of
Pre-Major Advising, said the
intention is not to separate thef^e
students from the rest of the
population, instead, she said, the
group wilfbiiiig sonn: in
iIh' campus iiiul ".'u t ns Icavrn" by
{Hiding new iilcas iiiul inspiring
ulhci sliKltMU*? to pnrlicipnte in
catn()us and coininuuiiy nciivitics.
The LA'iuIcrslup I VIIows will
be enrolled in sperially-dc'signed
nion 101 classes, however, 'riiesc
courses serve to case the stuilent's
transition to college life and
involve group activities outside
class, llie group has been divided
into five sections. I’acully
members Nancy Midgeite, Robert
Pelley, John Mitchell, James
Drummond and Rev. Richard
McBride have volunteered to head
the classes. The future of the
program depends upon the fellows
themselves, according to Ms.
Rich.
Members of Rlon's chnpler
of Omicron Della Kappn, a
national honor society which
recognizes campus leadership in
both students and faculty, are
helping orient the fellows.
During the summer, the fifteen
student members of ODK each
contacted four or five fellows by
mail. This relationship will
continue throughout the semester.
Ellen Gagnon, Assistant to
the Dean of Admissions and
Financial Planning and
the staff member who cfKudiniiles
the nomination pnx'ess nnd annual
initiation ceremony, hopes that
this leadership fellows-ODK
member link will nuiure an
Impressive group of inductees in
the fall of 1991.
According to Gagnon, "One
of my great expectations for
Omicron Delta Kappa would be
that a large portion of these
incoming leadership fellows be
tapped for membership In their
junior year."
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