1963 Was Major Development Year at Chowan
The bright side of 1963 for Cho
wan College was an unprecedented
column of progress. The Chowan
Board of Trustees adopted an op
erating budget of $1,000,000.00, the
first in the 115-year history of Cho
wan College. The combined fall
enrollment reached a total of 967.
On June 3, 1963, 183 young men
and women were graduated, repre
senting the largest class in the
history of the college.
Academic Progress
The academic records of Cho-
vvan students reflect the high qual
ity of students being admitted to
the student body. The adviser-ad-
visee system inaugurated by Cho
wan's Dean, W. C. Morrisette, has
had considerable influence in
bringing about this improvement.
Chowan has an active Phi Theta
Kappa organization, the national
junior college honor society requir
ing a superior academic record for
membership. A Chowan sopho
more, Miss Jerry Joyner, became
the first North Carolina student to
be elected as National First Vice
President. Miss Joyner had a 3.0
scholastic average on a 3.0 system.
Fourteen new members were
initiated into the Alpha Pi Chapter
of Alphi Pi Epislon, the National
Secretarial Honor Society for sec
retarial students of superior schol
arship, personality, and character.
Honor Scholarship
The Board of Trustees inaugu
rated a Competitive Honor Schol
arship program consisting of 23
competitive scholarships plus a
number of one-hundred dollar
scholarships for valedictorians and
salutatorians. These scholarships
are granted on the basis of demon
stration of academic ability, moti
vation, and seriousness of purpose
with slight consideration being
given to financial need. Students
interested in the Competitive Honor
Scholarship program are required
to apply to the college, be fully ac
cepted and take competitive
examinations. Additional scholar
ship aid is rendered to ministerial
students, students interested in re
ligious education who are certified
by their local Baptist churches,
children of ministers, and stud
ents from the Baptist Children's
Homes of North Carolina.
Evening classes were held on
campus for the first time this year.
Meeting from 7:00 to 9:50 p.m..
Monday through Thursday, they
include such courses as English,
Government, Geography, Biology,
Shorthand, and Typing.
Dr. Bernice Kelly Harris, a well-
known teacher and author from
Seaboard has, for two semesters,
taught a non-credit course in crea
tive writing. Dr. Harris’s course
has been highly beneficial to many
Chowan students and has brought
high acclaim to Chowan’s acade
mic program.
Three other courses were added
to the curriculum: an accelerated
mathematics course for advanced
students who are able to move
ahead rapidly; remedial reading
for students who desire to improve
speed and comprehension; and be
ginning and advanced Spanish
(French and Latin are also offer
ed).
The college now requires the
college board with no cut-off score
for admissions. The admissions
committee referred a total of 130
to the college preparatory program
which began last summer. This
program was designed for high
school graduates whose college
board scores and high school re
cords indicated that they might
encounter difficulty in college. 'The
course consisted of English, Alge
bra, Reading and Orientation. A
total of 85 students enrolled in the
course.
Chowan is accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools, our regional accredit
ing agency, and by the North Caro
lina College Conference. It is a
member of the American Associa
tion of Junior Collges, the Council
of Protestant Colleges and Univer
sities, and the American Council
on Education.
Library
Mrs. Neva Campbell, Librarian
at Chowan College, has announced
that the Chowan College Library
now houses approximately 14.000
volumes exclusive of government
documents. Several volumes are
now on order and a number of
books have been donated to the
college library by friends of the
college.
The Chowan library was recently
designated by Representative Her
bert C. Bonner to become a United
States Government Depository to
receive publications of the United
States Government under the se
NEW MEN'S HALL — Known as "Dorm B", the newest residence hall for men on the campus is mo
dern in every respect, including air-conditioning. It is three stories and houses 216 students. You will
want to inspect this Hall when you attend the annual Alumni Association meeting May 2.
lected plan of distribution. As a de
pository library, the Chowan lib
rary will be permitted to receive
one copy of all publications of the
U. S. Government, except those
determined by their issuing com
ponents to be acquired for official
use only or those required for
strickly administrative or opera
tional purposes and have no pub
lic interest or educational value
and, of course, publications clas
sified for reason of national se
curity. Once a library has been
designated a depository, it cannot
be removed from the list except in
the case that it may desire to
vacate the privilege.
The need for a new library at
Chowan College is acute. How
ever, until such time as funds be
come available, officials are taking
steps to alleviate crowded condi
tions. The new classroom building
will relieve, temporarily, the lib
rary situation. The Department of
Business will move into the new
classroom building and the space
now used by this department will
be adapted for library space. This
means that the seating capacity
will be doubled and additional
W
GRAPHIC ARTS GROWS - The new addition to the School of Graphic Arts has doubled the floor
space, adding a new photographic studio and laboratory, large classroom, two attractive offices (all
of these are air-conditioned), plus additional space for plant equipment. A new ATF Chief 126 off
set press has been installed, a Heidelberg press, a Repro press, and coming soon, some additional
new and very modern, equipment that will revolutionize much of the typesetting courses. Your visit
to Chowan on May 2 for the Annual Alumni meeting must include inspection of Graphic Arts.
space will be provided from library
stacks, reading rooms, and refer
ence volumes.
Faculty
The official academic year be
gins with the dean of the college
meeting for one week with the
heads of the departments. This
time was spent in organizing and
evaluating problems of study and
in making recommendations for
policy changes. The faculty work
shop followed and during this time
the entire faculty and staff met
and studied various policies of the
college under the theme of "The
Responsibility of the Professor”
One of the outstanding reasons
for a highly successful year was
the fact that the faculty attempted
to do quality teaching and dem
onstrated a good spirit, dedication
and loyalty. Three faculty mem
bers have asked for and been
granted leaves of absence in order
to study toward their Ph.D. de
grees. Nine additional faculty
members studied at various col
lege and universities during the
past summer.
Dr. Bela Udvarnoki, formerly
chairman of the Department of
Social Science, retired in May of
1963. He was elected by the Board
of Trustees to become Professor
Emeritus.
Summer School
The 1963 summer school session
was probably the most successful
that has ever been held at Chowan
College. During the first term 197
students enrolled. For the second
term 147 students registered.
Physical Growth
Chowan has had a phenomenal
percentage growth in student pop
ulation. In September of the year
it opened with 886 regular students.
Additional part-time and special
students brought the number to a
total of 967, by far the largest en
rollment in the history of the col
lege. During the same period of
time the plant evaluation increased
from less than $1,000,000,00 to well
over $3,000,000.00. Plans for a new
dormitory for 200 women and an
addition to the cafeteria, with a
student store and related facilities
underneath, are virtually com
plete. Also, consideration is being
given to the need for a new in
firmary.
The many friends of Chowan Col
lege are giving more money each
year to its development program.
Though income from all sources
has not kept pace with needs, re
markable progress has been made.
A new 216-bed dormitory for men
was opened in September. It is a
modern structure which is fully air
conditioned. During the summer,
through the generosity of Mr. J.
Henry Jones of Red Oak, the col
lege was able to construct a hand
some new driveway with parking
facilities located between it and
the old drive. Pine Drive now
serves as a walkway. Mr. John 0.
Askew, III, of Harrellsville. has
graciously provided funds for a
new entrance to the campus which
is lighted at night reflecting the
name and founding date (1848) of
the college. Miss D. Emily Barnes
had made possible the installation
of an electric carillon bell system.
Under the leadership of Coach
James Garrison and with the help
of many friends of the college, a
new athletic field was constructed
and used for the first time last
fall.
Two significant gifts were re
ceived in November. From the es
tate of the late Charles H. Jenkins
3f Ahoskie, Chowan received ap
proximately $60,000,00 designated
for General Endowment, Only the
income from the,se funds will be
used for the operating purposes of
the college through the years to
come. The other, and largest gift
in the history of the college, was
made by Mrs, Texie Camp Marks
of Boykins, Virginia and by her
three children-Mr, Paul Camp
Marks, Mrs, Felix Arnold and Mr,
Robert F. Marks, Jr, The Board
of Trustees has a policy whereby
donors who provide at least 51 per
cent of the contract price of a
given building may designate the
name. The classroom which will
be named “Robert Marks Hall", is
scheduled to be completed in
March and will cost more than
$405,000.00, Other un-named donors
have made and are making un
heralded or un-named gifts which
mean much and are appreciated
by the entire Chowan Family,
Mr, Oscar Creech, a trustee and
chairman of the committee on
grounds, directed the landscaping
of the campus which will compli
ment the new drive and under his
direction a number of shrubs and
trees were transplanted and 186
dogwood (both white and pink)
were placed around the new drive
The maintenance director reported
additional accomplishments: an
addition to the president's home
with the maintenance staff doing
the work; an addition of a 20 by
70 foot dressing room on the gymn
asium; two new tennis courts built
through the generosity of Mr. Hun
ter Pope of Enfield; the placing
of seven drain basins and 900 feet
of drainage pipe; aided in the con
struction of a new concession
stand; poured walkways in front
of the Columns Building and gymn
asium; replaced the floor covering
in the science building; aided in
the paving of the driveway to the
gymnasium; helped to place new
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FOR JANUARY, 1964