THE CHOWANIAN
Volume 5 — Number 1
Murfreesboro, N. C., November, 195S
Subscription: $1.00 a Year
'The Planting
Of The Lord'
By Rev. Oscar Creech
Saturday, July 20, 1951, was an 1
important day in the history of
Chowan College—it was decision
day when the committee was
to secure a president for the col
lege. Rev. Lonnie Sasser, Dr. W.
R. Parker and Mr. Walter Evans
composed the committee to find
a president. During the previous
week, the fourth man interested
in the presidency had met with
the committee at Murfreesboro.
He was offered the position and
promised to send a letter to Mr.
Sasser and one to Dr. Parker to
reach them by Friday night,
July 19th. On Friday night Mr.
Sasser had still not received a
letter, so he telephoned Dr. Par
ker to find out if he had heard.
Dr. Parker informed him that he
had not received a letter from the
applicant, but that Mr. Claud
Gaddy of Raleigh had called him,
saying that Dr. F. Orion Mixon
might be available if approached.
Mr. Gaddy and a few friends at
Caswell Assembly a few days be
fore talking about Dr. Mixon de
cided he would be a good man for
president of Chowan College; but
neither of them had mentionedi
their decision to him. Saturday
morning a letter came from the
last applicant, stating that it was
the hardest question he had ever
faced and asked for more time to
decide, promising to let the com
mittee hear Monday. It was now
near twelve o’clock noon.
Dr. Mixon had been pastor of
the Tabernacle Baptist Church
in Raleigh for about eight years
and was convinced it was time
to make a change. On this im
portant Saturday, he had promis
ed to give ar. ar.cv.cr tc a church
of 2,000 members in Charleston,
S. C., which had called him. All
the week before he had felt more
and more that he should not ac
cept the call, and he was greatly
burdened for several days with
the uncertainty of what to do or
where to go; praying that the will
of the Lord might be revealed to
him. Friday night was spent in
restlessness and prayer. Saturday
morning, still troubled, he went
to his office at the church, but
returned home about eleven
o’clock. On his way, a firm assur
ance suddenly gripped him that
he was going to make a change.
Immediately the burden was lifted
from his shoulders and he went on
home with a song in his heart.
He hurried to his wife and said to
her: “We are not going to stay
here, and we are not going to
Charleston, but we are going
somewhere.” He went to his room
and fell across his bed, praying
for direction from the Lord as to
where to go.
About this time, Mr. Sasser in
Murfreesboro telephoned Dr. Mix
on, saying he was calling him
about becoming president of
Chowan College. After a brief
conversation, the answer was, “I
will go, if you want me.” That
sent a thrill through the heart of
Mr. Sasser, for he at once felt
that Dr. Mixon was the man for
the place. That afternoon at the
meeting of his committee, he
presented Dr. Mixon’s name. Two
of the committee members, be
fore going to this meeting, had
been influenced to believe that it
was too late to try to get a presi
dent, that not enough students
could be secured to justify open
ing the college that Fall. Not one
paid application was in hand. But
when Mr. Sasser announced that
Dr. F. O. Mixon of Raleigh would
accept if elected, the whole situa
tion changed and the atmosphere
of uncertaintly cleared away
quickly. The committee soon
agreed upon him with enthusiasm,
and by telephone asked him to
meet with the full Board of Trus
tees on the following Monday
night, July 23rd. (Monday a letter
came from the other applicant
stating that he would not accept.”
At the meeting that Monday
night. Dr. Mixon was elected at a
See PLANTING, Page 4
Chowan's Growth Will
Live As a Monument
To Dr. F. Orion Mixon
By his works we knew him!
He Breathed the Spirit of Life
Editorial from Hertford County Herald
The enduring monument to the memory of F. Orion
Mixon is and will be a living Chowan College.
There, where he came to the end of a busy and
fruitful career with untimely and shocking suddenness
Sunday afternoon, he leaves an institution of hope and
usefulness to mankind into which he literally breathed
the spirit that raised it from the dead.
Throughout the Koanoke-Chowan section, indeed
throughout the state and beyond, the activity and influence
of this busy and active man will be sorely missed. Dr.
Mixon was more than the president of a small and little-
known junior college tucked away in a remote agri
cultural area of Northeast North Carolina. He was a
preacher strong in his convictions, able in the presen
tation of his views, and strong in the councils of his
religious denomination.
He was an affable man with a gift for pleasant
companionship and human understanding. With these
attributes he combined a deep faith in God, in his fel-
lowmen, and in himself in getting done these things which
would serve mankind and do honor to his faith and to
his God. He was a preacher who put into action his
faith and his conviction.
Out of his faith and his action came the rebirth of
Chowan College. His talents of friendship, of persuasion
and leadership he gave unremittingly to building a solid
foundation for the school for which he accepted respon
sibility and dedicated his life when others with less
faith and willingness to serve had given it up for lost.
For his faith, his dedication and his action, the people
of the Roanoke-Chowan owe him and his memory an
everlasting debt of gratitude.
Someone said of the famous
17th century English Architect,
Sir Christopher Wren: “If you
want to knovvf what he has done
look around you.” Similarly that
remark could be fittingly applied
to t4e service rendered Chowan
College by the late Dr. F. O.
Mixcn.
During his administration of
five years the main building has
been reconditioned and many
new modern buildings erected,
in 1953 the Graphic Arts Building
was completed. Just this past sum
mer an addition brought the
liuilding to almost twice its ori
ginal size. This houses one of the
fastest growing departments of
Chowan College. With the recent
addition of equipment its value
has been raised to more than
$75,000.
The same year a Vocational
Building was constructed. The
following year a boys’ dormitory
was erected. The same year funds
were raised for a new gymnasium
with eisht classrooms adjoining, i
In 1956 a $75,000 Science Build-
'ng and a $17,000 Student Center j
was completed and ready for use '
at the opening of school. |
When Dr. Mixon became presi
dent the institution was tottering
under the weight of an embarras-
ing debt of sixty thousand dollars.
(hrough a sound program of
financing Br. Mixon had reduced
this debt to significant propor
tions.
One of Dr. Mixon's heart de
sires was to have the college ac
credited by the Southern Asso
ciation of Colleges. Mr. Claude
Gaddey, Executive Secretary of
the North Carolina Council on
Christian Education, in a letter
to the Presidents of the other Bap-
itst Colleges on November 7 said,
“I am very much encouraged with
the prospect of favorable report
and full accreditation by the asso
ciation. I wish so very much that
all of you might see the many
evidences of fine work on the
part of Dr. Mixon in assistance
in preparation for accreditation.”
Vice President
Seeks Students
Rev. Creech is Acting President
m
REV. OSCAR CREECH
Members of
Staff Express
Their Regrets
The following statements,
made by new staff members of
Chowan College, show their ap
preciation of Dr. F. O. Mixon:
J. Brooks: Chowan College was
so very close to Dr. Mixon’s
heart that he gave himself com
pletely to its future. One soon
learned to respect his devotion
to this cause and to admire and
love him for his sincerity, frank
ness, and loyalty. We count it a
privilege to have known and to
have worked with such a devoted
servant of the cause of Christ
ian Education.
Dr. McCready: He was a va
liant and statesmanlike man,
utterly devoted to a great task-
saying, with Paul. “This one
thing I do and doing it supreme
ly well.” Mr. Marable: Although
I had not known Dr. F. O. Mixon
long, I shall cherish forever the
memory of our friendship.
Mrs. Ross: I thought a lot of
See MEMBERS, Page 4
REV. ROSS CADLE
Rev. Ross Cadle, vice presi
dent of the college, will continue
to represent Chowan at high
schools throughout Eastern
North Carolina and Tidewater
Virginia, seeking to interest Se
niors to enroll here.
Since coming to Chowan :>om
the Apex Baptist Church, Mr.
Cadle has done an outstanding
job in public relations for the
college. He is popular with the
student body and takes active
interest in sports and other acti
vities here.
Mrs, Cadle is assistant libra
rian at the college and a daugh
ter, Betsy, is a student.
The executive Committee of
Chowan College has appointed
the Rev. Oscar Creech acting
president of Chowan until a pre
sident is named to succeed Dr.
F. O. Mixon.
Mr. Creech was pastor of the
First Baptist Church of Ahoskie
for more than twenty-five years
and has been the associate to
the president for the past several
years.
A special meeting was called
by J. Craig Revelle of Murfrees
boro, who is chairman of the
executive committee. The sole
purpose of this meeting was to
appoint the acting president.
All members of the executive
committee were present and
unanimous in their decision.
Before his appointment as act
ing president, Mr. Creech travel
ed over much of North Carolina
making friends and soliciting
funds for the college.
Mrs. Mixon to Continue Here
Mrs. F. Orion Mixon, who has
been chairman of the Depart
ment of Religion during the time
her husband was president of the
college, will continue her duties
here.
“This is where I want to live
and work,” Mrs. Mixon told a
Chowanian reporter.
Since coming to Chowan, Mrs.
Mixon has developed the depart
ment of Religion into one of the
most outstanding divisions of the
college through her untiring ef
forts and devotions to her duties.
She has had great influence
upon her students and given to
them a desire to take a more ac
tive part in the programs of
their churches.
MRS. F. ORION MIXON