THE CHOWANIAN
Volume 5 — Number 2
Murfreesboro, N. C., December, 1955
Subscription: $1.00 a Year
Chowan College Accepted For Accreditation
J
Dr, Udvarnokl To Help
Hungarian Refugees
By JOHN McCREADY
Baptists will be proud of a special
service to the thousands of Hun
garian refugees at Camp Kilmer,
New Jersey, which has been made
possible by one of their North Caro
lina Baptist institutions. Dr. Bela
Udvarnoki, native of Hungary and
for the past five years a professor
at Chowan College, at Murfrees
boro, left Thursday, December 6th,
for New York and the near-by
camp, to aid his stricken feltow
countrymen. He went as an official
representative of the Baptist World
Alliance, at the request of Dr. Paul
Caudill, chairman of the Alliance’s
Committee on Relief. He had been
granted a temporary leave of ab
sence by the college’s Acting Presi
dent, Rev. Oscar Creech. Fellow
members of the faculty offered to
give generously of their time in
teaching his classes while he is
away. They and the students are
happy to have him rpder this ser
vice, though he will be greatly
missed, as one of the most popular
and beloved teachers at Chowan.
Dr. Udvarnoki has spent alto
gether more than a dozen years in
the United States. His first sojourn
here was for the purpose of study
ing at the Southern Baptist Theo
logical Seminary. There he attained
a number of degrees, including the
highest—the Ph.D. He then return
ed to his native land, where he
was chosen as president of the
Baptist Theological Seminary at
Budapest and of the Hungarian
Baptist Convention, and became
acquainted with most of the native
Baptist ministers of Hungary. He
C3me to th6 Unit6d Ststss for th6
second time in 1947 for a speaking
tour, at the invitation of Dr. Swan
Hawart, new pastor of the First
Church of Lumberton. During this
second visit he received word
through a Hungarian government
official in this country, that he
would be arrested if he returned
to his native land, which had been
over-run by the Russians. He there
fore, on the completion of his speak
ing tour, which had taken him into
® 1 - n r\Qofr»r
ate. This was at Gatesville, not far
from Murfreesboro. After several
years as pastor he was persuaded
by the late Dr. F. 0. Mixon, Presi
dent of Chowan, to come to that
institution, the oldest of the Bap
tist junior colleges in the state. For
five years now he has headed the
Department of Social Sciences; this
year he is teaching Psychology and
See REFUGEES, Page 4
Students Compete
For Scholarships
Chowan College students are be
ing allowed to compete for the
first time for the Morehead Scho
larship at the University of North
Carolina. This scholarship was
created by John M. Morehead a
liberal donor to that institution.
The winning student will receive
$1250, a session, totalling $5,000, for
the four years. This should take
care of his education over the
period.
The scholarship will be based
upon academic standing, leader
ship, and citizenship. One’s finan
cial needs will have no bearing on
the case. The purpose of the More
head Scholarship is to contribute
future democratic leaders. Two
students from each junior college
in North Carolina will be able to
compete, and five will be chosen.
On January 15, the candidates
will visit the University of North
Carolina for personal interviews
and tests. The winners will be se
lected by a screening committee.
Although the competition is keen,
those who fail to win this scholar
ship will be in line for another
scholarship.
Mr. Eugene Williams will an
nounce soon in chapel when there
wili be a conference to discuss re
quirements. Other members of the
local faculty committee are Acting
Red Cross Aided
By Dr. Udvarnoki
Dr. and Mrs. Udvarnoki spent
part of their Thanksgiving holi
days in New York. They were
there to interview the Rev.
Emery Gabos, a Baptist minis
ter, who escaped from Buda
pest. Rev. Gabos was among
the first 60 refugees flown to the
United States. Rev. Gabos along
with his wife, daughter, and son
brought much good news to Dr.
Udvarnoki. This news was con
cerning the safety of his brother
and two sisters. Since that time
Dr. Udvarnoki has received a
very short note from his sister
saying she has escaped from
Hungary. In the note she told
him to contact the Red Cross
for father information. Im
mediately Dr. Udvarnoki did so
and learned that she was safe
and is hoping to arrive in the
United States very soon.
Several days later Dr. Udvar
noki was asked by the Red Cross
to come and serve as a transla
tor for the refugees as they en
tered this country. He gladly
accepted the invitation and is
now there doing this duty.
In the home of Dr. Udvarnoki
there is a short wave radio over
which he listens to broadcasts
from Hungary through the
“Voice of America.”
Mfs. Udvarnoki, the former
Miss Ruby Daniels, was a Bap
tist missionary to Hungary m
1935. She returned to the United
States and renewed the acquain-
i tance of Dr. uavarnoki when he
came over in 1947. They were
married about four years ago.
We are all very proud ot Dr.
Udvarnoki, and our prayers are
with him as he serves, this, our
country, by helping with the
Hungarian refugees.
Secretary Added
To Chowan Offices
Miss Patsy Futrell a former
graduate of Chowan College has
recently returned to her Alma
Mata to take the job as secretary
in the office of the Vice-President.
Miss Futrell is a two-year sec
retarial graduate of Chowan Col
lege. During her two-years here
she took an active part in several
activities. They are as follows:
Head Cheerleader, Glee Club, Mem
ber of B.S.U. council, also she was
a Cheerleader her Freshman year.
Most outstanding in the events dur
ing her two-years at Chowan was
that of being chosen Queen of the
State Junior College Basketball
Tournament. We are all happy to
have her with us and wish her all
the happiness in the years to come.
Mrs. James Brisson whom we all
know has come to take a position
as what we might call a roving
secretary between the office of the
Bursar and the office of the Vice-
President. As we all know Mrs.
Brisson is a very talented person
and we are very happy to have her
with us.
President Oscar Creech and Mr.
;s.r/.'n”s!";=rpS;
Competition For
Trip To England
Offered Students
An Englishman, Mr. Charles
Marland, a Quaker who was visit
ing the Ed Browns in Murfreesboro
for some days, spoke at our chapel
service, and also visited some of
the classes.
In his chapel talk, which dealt
with the subject of peace, he offer
ed a one month’s trip to England
to the student who turned in the
best essay, of about two to three
thousand words on “The Abolition
of War.”
The contest seemed likely
to be confined to students of only
two colleges-Chowan and Guilford.
The latter, as most of us know, is
a Quaker or Friends institution lo
cated near Greensboro.
Those of our students who are
interested should write Mr. Mar
land for further details. It would
be highly advisable for them to
ascertain first, however, just how
many in our student body are ser
iously interested; for it is unlikely
that the prize trip would be given
unless a fair number at least take
part. And another thing that may
be assumed is that the essays sub
mitted on the subject would have to
be of real merit if the prize could
be expected to be awarded.
Those who are interested should
contact Mr. Marable of the De
partment of English. And they
should write Mr. Marland at the
followinj^ addrc'iS; Mr Charles
Marland; Friends Word Commit
tee; 20 South 12th Street; Phili-
dephia, Pennsylvania.
Mixon's Dream
is Realized
Ever since the late Dr. Mixon be
came president of Chowan College
in 1951, it was his primary aim that
the institution become accredited
by the Southern Association of Col
leges and Secondary Schools. About
two years ago at a meeting of the
board of Trustees, Dr. Mixon ex
pressed this desire.
The movement was set on foot
when Dr. Mixon had representa
tives of this agency to visit Chowan
College unofficially and point out
the limitations that would debar
accreditation. The visitors were
frank and made recommendations
for improvements in the library.
Steps were promptly taken to
follow this advice, and in Septem
ber several representatives of the
association visited Chowan and ex
pressed gratification over the
marked improvements that had
been made. They recommended
that Chowan file an application for
membership in the association.
In November a third and final
inspection was made by Dr. Curtis
Bishop, President of Averett Col
lege, Danville Va. and Mr. Doyle
W Boggs, principal of Hartsville
High Shcool, Hartsville S. C. These
men were most favorably impress
ed with the new buildings and the
library improvements. They urged
that the application be presented
to the December meeting of the
Southern Association.
Dean J. Irving Brooks represent
ed Chowan College at this meeting
of the Southern Association in
Dallas, Texas. On December 7, the
assembly granted Chowan College
See MIXON, Page 4
Englishman Visits
Chowan College
Mr. Charles Marland of Elng-
land visited Chowan Colleee sev
eral days last week. Mr. Marland
addressed the student body and
visited several classes. His theme
was the importance of univer
sal peace for the good of human
ity. Mr. Marland pointed out that
the people of no country want
war and that everybody should
work for its preventio'i. He feels
that better understanding amone
the people of the various land?
will offset the rattling of sabres
by various government lehders
and dictators.
Mr. Marland is spending this
week at Guilford College and
will visit Duke University and
other high schools and colleges
in this area. During his stay in
Murfreesboro he was the guest
of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin P. Brown
Born in London, Mr. Varland is
a retired government official,
having been attached to the pos
tal service. In devoting his last
years to the cause of world peace,
he has visited India, China, Rus
sia, and sections of Africa. He is
horoughly acquainted with the
major English poets, and can cite
lengthy passages from the class
ics.
Writing for the Norfolk Vir
ginian-Pilot, Kay Doughtie Se-
vell said of Mr. Marland; “He
'vill be 78 this Christmas, and he
is visiting America for the first
time. Charles Marland is a tall,
lean gentleman with bright blue
eyes, hair like dandelion brown
down, and a wonderfully humor
ous face”.
Mr. Marland says that hfe be
gins at 60. He feels that after a
man retires and is liberated
from the necessities ot earning
\ livelihood, he can rediscover
he purposes of life.
Mr. Marland has a treasury of
nteresting personal ex;ierien-
ees. He lived through World
War II in London. He said:
“I endeavored to give poise and
confidence to people who were
scared, by being with them calm
ly durin? air raids in and
around London.”
As soon as World War II was
over Mr. Marland went to
to the war weary people. He
taught English to some of the
400,000 refugees for whom the
Danish government was provid
ing shelter. He later taught
English in Sweden, Norway, and
^^inland.
-
Literary Meeting
Miss Wright Attends
On Friday December 7th, Miss
Margaret Wright, Librarian and
Mrs. Thigpen, secretary to the
President, Oscar Creech of Cho
wan College represented us at the
North Carolina Literary and His
torical Associational meeting in
Raleigh, North Carolina.
During this meeting Mrs. Thig
pen and Miss Wright had the privi
lege of sitting next to Miss Flet
cher, a historical novelist of the
state of North Carolina.
Student Government
Writes Constitution
The members of the Student
Government headed by Lynn Grice,
President, along with the advisors
are busy drawing up a constitu
tion for the Student Government.
The committees and their members
are as follows: Membership—Mr.
Alligood and Leroy Travathan;
Legislative Department — Miss
Hicks, Betsy Cadle, and Jo Allen;
Judicial Department—Mr. Bickers
and J. W. Glover; Executive De
partment—Mr. Bishop and Robin
Clair; Quorum Nominations-Miss
White and Wayne Davis; Miscel
laneous Organizations—Mr. John
son. and Elizabeth Warrick.
We are all anxiously awaiting the
completion of the constitution.