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THE VOICE OF WILKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2
WILKESBORO. NORTH CAROLINA
NOVEMBER 7,1988
Happy Thanksgiving
" and Vacation Days
•' * ^ 1
I.ola S. Knox
Staff Profile -
Lola S. Knox
In August of 1974, Mrs. Lola S.
Knox started work at WCC as an
executive secretary in the General
Studies Division. Through the
many changes in the name of this
division, Mrs. Knox has basically
stayed with the same department
to the present time. Mrs. Knox
presently holds the title of Admin
istrative Assistant in the “now-
called” College Transfer and Re
lated Studies Department. Mrs.
Knox said that she enjoys her work
thoroughly. Mrs. Knox is quoted,
“I have come to love the faculty in
this department so much that 1
claim them as my own! They be
long to me and 1 to them!” She also
states they are a very special and
unique group.
Mrs. Knox was born and reared
in the southern farm county of
Drew County, Arkansas. She gradu
ated from Monticello High School
in 1951. Upon graduating from the
University of Arkansas at Monti
cello in 1955, Mrs. Knox received a
B.S. in Business Administration.
With the encouragement of her
husband, Mrs. Knox attended Pied
mont College in Demorest, Georgia
in 1970-1971. At Piedmont College,
Mrs. Knox took education courses
required for a teaching certificate.
M rs. Knox then started teaching at
Stevens County High School in
such courses as business law and
typing. From Stevens County High
School, she went to Hambersham
•Junior High School in Clarksville,
Georgia teaching courses in journal
ism and general business. Then a
decision was made to move to
Wilkesboro, NC in June of 1974.
Mrs. Knox’s thirty two years of
marriage to Dr. Jim Knox, in
structor of biology at WCC, has
rewarded her with three children
and one grandchild who is two
years old. Mrs. Knox said that her
job, housekeeping duties, children,
and parents keep her quite busy.
When she does find some spare
time, Mrs. Knox enjoys trying new
recipes, eating good southern food,
riding their pontoon boat at sunset,
and playing with her grandchild.
In November, Mrs. Knox will soon
have another grandchild to play
with!
Thanksgiving
A legal holiday in the U.S.A. will soon be in our midst.
The fourth Thursday of November will be designated as the
holiday. The day will fall on November 24, 1988. A
Thanksgiving Day proclamation has been issued by our
president. Each president has made the same proclamation
since the presidency of Abraham Lincoln in 1863.
Thanksgiving Day was first celebrated in early colonial
times in New England. The actual origin is probably the
harvest festivals that are traditional in many parts of the
world. After the first harvest was completed by the
Plymouth colonists in 1621, Governor William Bradford
proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayer, shared by all
the colonists and neighboring indians. Gradually the custom
prevailed in New England of annually celebrating Thanks
giving after the harvest.
Basically, the meaning of Thanksgiving has stayed the
same down through the centuries to the present. Americans
will have plenty to give thanks for. We have our freedom to
gather with our families to enjoy a delectable meal. We
choose our religion without fear of persecution. We have
rights to our own ideas, opinions, and a right to make our
own decisions about our lives. We can read God’s word, the
Bible, and not have fear of punishment. Yes, we even have
the right to vote November 8, 1988. We have the freedom to
choose our political leaders. As a nation we are richly
blessed and have a right to be thankful. HAPPY THANKS
GIVING DAY!
SGA Halloween - Masquerade
Dance
On October 25, 1988, the SGA
Halloween-Masquerade Dance was
held. The dance started at 8 pm
and lasted until midnight. The event
took place in the Thompson Hall
Student Commons featuring Dance
Ltd. The event became more fright
ful as students entered with scary
attires. Various students partici
pated in the Annual Halloween
Costume Contest with awards of
twenty-five dollars given to the
first place winner, ten dollars given
to the second place winner, and
five dollars given to the third place
winner. The first place winners,
Danny Icenhour and Steve Faw,
were an odd couple dressed as
females. “The Pink Panther” won
second place. Dressed as the devil,
Donna Mahaffey was the third
runner up. The finishing touch for
the night’s event was completed
with the bright, shinning full moon.
The attendance of the “spooks” did
finally return home safely.
Dr. Bill Richardson
Retirement
When the college first opened its
doors in 1966, Dr. Bill Richardson
was there. When the first truckload
of furniture arrived for a then
nonexistent campus. Bill Richard
son left his desk as Dean of In
struction and, with the other faculty
unloaded the furniture into bor
rowed warehouses. When the old
building that housed the college
needed a coat of paint. Bill Richard
son rolled up his sleeves and paint
ed.
For all of the twenty-three years
he has served this college, Dr. Bill
Richardson has always “rolled up
his sleeves and done whatever it
took to make the right educationni
things happen.”
When the college held its first
class in the children’s department
of Wilkesboro Baptist Church, Bill
Richardson was there to pass out
lap boards because all the furniture
was too small for our students.
More importantly, when Wilkes
Community College was a fledgling
institution seeking its identity,
direction and purpose. Dr. Bill
Richardson was there to help set it
on the path that it has held to this
day ... the path of a balanced, well
informed, and humanistic approach
to all areas of instruction through
out the college.
Dr. Richardson helped select a
dedicated faculty and staff that has
shaped the destiny of the college.
He has, with his wife Mary, given
freely of his time and energy to
Mrs. Mary Richardson
promote the welfare of the people
■of Wilkes County.
Dr. Bill Richardson represents
the best of the leadership that
founded the college. Perhaps the
strongest attribute of Dr. Richard
son is that he has been and continues
to be a totally dedicated, demand
ing, effective and compassionate
person.
He is, to those students and
fellow faculty who know him well,
the personification of the exception
al teacher.
. . . Bud Mayes
Mrs. Mary Richardson will be
retiring from Wilkes Community
College, November 23, 1988. Mrs.
Richardson was here for the founda
tion of the college. She not only
was one of the first employees
beginning in July of 1966, but also
was located in the basement of the
old Wilkesboro School. From that
dungeon it was difficult to believe
that 1969 and a large library would
be a reality. Over the years as the
staff grew some of us took out the
time to have babies and Mary took
time out to start an excellent Child
hood Education program. She came
back to the library to be the acting
Director for a year and stayed.'
Mrs. Richardson has been a valu
able asset because of her warm,
friendly relationship with all users.
For her we wish the best and hope
she will have more time to browse
our collection!
. . . Faye Byrd
Leslie Martir
Student Profile -
Leslie Martir
Leslie Martir was born in Jersey
City, New Jersey. At the age of
thirteen, Leslie and her family moved
to Wilkes county and are currently
living in the Traphill community.
During her high school years,
Leslie was actively involved in
Health Occupations including two
years as an officer. Leslie also
attended leadership workshops each
year in high school. Leslie gradu
ated from North Wilkes High
School in 1988.
Cont’d on Page Two
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