Members of Atkins High class celebrate 60-years of life
SPECIAL TO THE C HRONICLE
. A happy 60th birthday cel
, ebration rang out at the Ivy
Arms Center on 2nd Street. It
was held on June 26 for the
Atkins High School Class of
1965.
Approximately 30 of the
b. classmates tellow shipped by
J talking <$out old times, shar
" ing pictures and class annuals.
- playing games, lots of music
and food! Most have already
turned 60 years old or will be
in a few months.
Cameras flashed through
out the evening. The DJ was
Danny Ijames. He played the
^ oldies but goodies. The food
Members of the class in their party hats.
I CXas* st fe3
t .1 I
was catered by beloved class
mate Connie Fletcher and
family. Everyone wore a
birthday hat and gathered
around the beautiful cake with
60 candles and blew them out.
It was a very exciting and
enjoyable evening.
Members came from far
and near for the occasion from
places such as Oklahoma.
Georgia and North Carolina
The celebration ended on
Sunday with a breakfast,
catered by Ossie Hairston
Catering and a church service
at the First Baptist Church on
Highland Avenue.
The committee members
did a wonderful job putting
the event together, Members
expressed gratitude for Lois
Hanes Young, George
(Choppy) Johnson, Shirley
Peoples Bishop and Alberta
Hayden Mickens. After hugs
and farewells to one another,
it was off to their separate
ways until they meet again in
the future.
{"Friends" reunite to raise money
*" SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The Friends of the
School of Education at N.C.
A&T State University, a 20
year-old support organiza
? tion recently reactivated by
J Dean Lelia L. Vickers, has
t launched a campaign to
t raise funds for student
p scholarships in time for the
? opening of the new School
' of Education building.
Z Mary Purnell, an A&T
Z graduate and retired official
I with the state Department of
? Public Instruction in
5 Raleigh, serves as chair
~r woman of the Friends of the
! School of Education, which
| is made up of alumni,
| retired and active faculty
| metnbers and administra
te tors, community supporters
! and public schools person
| nel.
[ The group's purpose is
J "to support and strengthen
J. the School of Education's
' mission of developing
E teachers and other school
personnel." Purnell says
J she and other Friends are
J keenly aware of the nation's
J shortage of teachers and the
J role A&T plays in address
? ing that shortage.
"Having been in educa
[ tion all my life and knowing
J the need for good teachers , 1
1 think the Friends have an
? obligation to do all we can
? to ensure that the state pro
' vides students the best edu
? cation they can get and the
' best teachers we can find,"
i she said.
? The Friends are continu
A&T Phcrto
Friends of the School of Education members, Dr. Myrtle Sampson, first row, from left, Mary Purnell, Dr. Jesse Marshall, Dean Lelia Vickers; (mid
dle row, from left) Dr. Mel Swann, Dr. Miriam Wagner, Linnie B. Foster, Margaret Foskey, Mary Peek, Dr. Charles Hayes, Dr. Vivian Barnette;
(back row, from left) Dian Williams, Dr. James Battle, Dr. Fred Wood, Dr. Larry Powers, Dr. Morris Peterkin, Dr. Stephen McCary-Henderson and
Dr. Patricia Whitfield. Not pictured: Dr. Dorothy Barnett, Dr. Isaac Barnett, Dr. Velma Speight-Buford, Sharon Hoard, Dr. Walthea Cobitz, Dr. Katie
Dorsett, Nelda Bynum, Dr. Karen Guy, Walker Sanders, Faye Sharpe, Georgia Williams and Michael Fleming.
ing the work envisioned by
the administrators who initi
ated the organization in
1987: raising money for
scholarships.
The early success was
due to the work of individ
ual members such as
Sampson. Dr. Vivian
Harding Hampton, the late
Ann Kornegay, Georgia
Williams, who was the first
recording secretary, and for
mer Greensboro Mayor
Carson Bain, who was the
group's first treasurer. Other
early members included the
late Coach Bert Piggot and
faculty members B. W.
Harris, who presented plans
for the first fundraiser, and
J. Niel Armstrong, who was
the group's first chairper
son.
The Friends awarded
numerous scholarships
ranging up to $1,000,
depending on funds avail
able. to students chosen
based on criteria including
financial need, personal
motivation and GPA.
Among the early high
lights of the Friends history
was a $20,000 gift that
Greensboro businessman
Michael B. Fleming made in
honor of his late housekeep
er, Emma Wilson, a long
time member and soloist in
the choir at Greensboro's
Bethel AME Church.
Although the Friends as
an organization became
inactive between deans, the
generosity of "friends" such
as Fleming has continued to
play an important role in
providing support for the
School .
The group's fundraising
plan is to use many avenues,
Purnell says. Among these
are soliciting pledges from
Friends members, direct
mail appeals to alumni,
businesses and School of
Education faculty, selling
bricks for a memorial wall
or walk at the new building,
and a resumption of Friends
fundraising banquets.
The organization hopes
to attract more supportive
alumni, retirees and other
allies to become official
members, and invites all
who are able to do so to
contribute to the campaign.
Some generous pledges
already have been received
from current Friends mem
bers, including $25,000
from Sampson, more than
$15,000 more from Fleming
and $10,000 from Purnell.
For information about
joining the Friends of the
School of Education at
North Carolina A&T, con
tact Purnell at 336-272
2795. Contributions can be
sent to the NC A&T
Foundation, 200 N. Benbow
Rd., Greensboro, NC 27411 .
Donors should make checks
payable to . he NC A&T
Foundation and write
"Friends-The School of
Education" in the memo
line.
Johnson
from page B14
i old men in funny clothes do on television.
! Their attitudes about golf eventually change, the
! coaches say. Some develop a passion for the
I sport that extends beyond the summer and the
; clinic.
Kierra Brown is a case in point. The 1 2-year
i old has been attending the clinic each summer
for the past four years . She had never played golf
f before then. Now it is something that she does
? n't want to live without.
I "It is my second favorite sport," said Brown,
<? a talented all-around athlete who still claims bas
w ketball as her top love.
? Golf also comes in a close second for Tony
i .Hall. The 18-year-old has been coming to the
i clinic since it started. The clinic is providing
! Hall with a scholarship, which he will put
;? toward his freshman year at Johnson C. Smith
j University this fall.
"I am going to play football in college." said
Hall, the son of Sam Puryear Jr., a city native
! , who is now the assistant golf coach at Stanford
I University, "but I will always play golf. It is a
J; relaxing sport.
5 Participants like Brown and Hall, those who
* return each year and develop a true respect for
? golf, make Johnson proudest. When he started
i the program, he \y:nt into his own wallet to buy
? supplies and snacks for the kids. He even shut
? tied the kids to and from the clinic. Today, the
J program receives some funding from Network
| 2000. an organization made up of retired and
| current African-American Reynolds American
. employees.
p- Johnson started the clinic because he wanted
i to give young people something positive to do
| during their lazy days of summer. Johnson's love
J for children is well-known. Before he retired, he
J dedicated his entire prpfessional career to teach
' ing and coaching. As a School Board member,
i he is known for making surprise visits to schools
I to check on those who take part in the golf clin
! ics.
j Brown says he has become a role model to
| her and many others.
"He doesn't have to do this for us. He could
> just be at home relaxing, but he still cares about
? us," she said. ?
? Even Johnson would concede that relaxing
* would not be a bad idea, especially on days like
1 Tuesday when the temperature was above 90
degrees. He has had his share of health problems
over the years and doesn't get around the golf
! course as effortlessly as he once did. But the
! resilient Johnson has no plans to end his clinic or
J pass it along to someone else.
J "These kids energize me," he said. "And
1 they need to know that somebody cares about
i them and their future."
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r
One in a
Thousand
'? Leadership W inston-Salem has inspired
in me a renewed interest and commitment
for making our community one that future
generations can he proud to call home "
Mr. John W. Lucas
Deputy Fire Chief. City of Winston-Salem Fire Dept.
Leadership Winston-Salem. Class of 2007
(
Slnct 1984, Leadership Winston
Salem has provided a foundation of
information and inspiration for more
than 1000 leaders in Forsyth County.
There's no better way to focus your
passion and form the connections to
make a positive difference In our
community than to participate in this
life-changing program.
Leadership Winston-Salem
is accepting nominations
and applications for the
Class of 2008 now.
For more information, call 723-1002
or visit www.leadershipws.org.
Don't wait! Application deadline
is July 31".
, ( }0
To educate. wrmect and , ?
enerjfue leaders to serve ^ '
and improve theTcommmily ( j