Death claims Arelia Adams,
former college bursar
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Yvonne Elioson folks to physics professor George Hazelton obout her occeptance info East
Carolina University's physical therapy program.
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Eliason excels academically;
to major in Physical Therapy
Miss Arelia Ruth Adams, who
served 18 years as Chowan’s bur
sar until her retirement in 1970,
died on April 12,1985.
Miss Adams came to Chowan in
1952 after serving 21 years as ex
ecutive secretary-treasurer rf the
American Legion Auxiliary of
North Carolina. She served two
presidents. Dr. F. 0. Mixon and
Dr. Bruce E. Whitaker.
A Holly Springs native. Miss
Adams graduated from Fuquay
Springs High School, attended
Wingate, and graduated from
Hardbarger’s Secretarial School in
Raleigh.
Varied Duties
During her first eight years of
service, until 1960, her duties in
cluded those of the bursar,
business manager, secretary to the
faculty, secretary to the president,
secretary to the associate to the
president, and secretary to the
Board of Trustees.
During an interview just prior to
her retirement, she commented
laughingly that she had also served
as maid and janitor and added,
“I’ve done a little bit of
everything.”
“Growth a Miracle”
She termed Chowan’s growth
during the administrations of Mix
on and Whitaker a “miracle.” She
said: "This college has had God’s
Retired professor
dies in Boykins
Mrs. Frances White Coleman,
79, retired professor of English and
religion at Chowan, died on June 2,
1985 at Boykins, Va. The funeral
was held at Boykins Baptist
Church with burial at Beechwood
Cemetery.
Surviving is a sister. Miss
Catherine Wilroy White of
Boykins.
Mrs. Coleman served-at Chowan
from 1953-1968. Stated the
chaplain, Dr. Hargus Taylor: “A
native of Virginia, she crowned a
long and distinguished career as
teacher with 15 years of classroom
instruction at Chowan teaching in
both the fields of Religion and
English. She is one of those persons
who was truly ‘at home’ in the
classroom.
“I suspect that if she were asked,
however, she would probably point
to her role as advisor to the Baptist
Student Union on campus its one of
the most rewarding experiences of
her career among us. She still
delights in ‘her boys’—and girls—
whose leadership in BSU proved to
be a prelude to continued active
leadership in the church life of
those communities to which they
have moved since Chowan days.”
Mrs. Coleman and her late hus
band maintained a home in
Boykins following her retirement
in 1968. For the last few years, she
was a resident of Nansemond Con
valescent Center, Suffolk, Va.
Mrs. Coleman was the founder of
the Boykins Baptist Church
Library.
blessing on it because it’s a
miracle—a plain miracle—how far
we’ve come.”
Miss Adams said her greatest
satisfaction throughout the years
had been to have a part in helping
the students. “But for Chowan
many young people who come
from families of moderate means
would not have received an educa
tion,” she said.
At her retirement, the Board of
Trustees presented resolutions of
appreciation to Miss Adams. The
Board offered their “profound
gratitude and appreciation” for
her “faithful and devoted service.”
iN MEMORIAM
Class of 1904
Mrs. Julia Scarborough Nicholson
Class of 1915
Mrs. Myra Aumack Saunders
aassof 1916
Miss Clara Wheeler
Class of 1918
Mrs. Laura Gay Long
Class of 1926
Mrs. Jessie Marie (Parker) Chappell
aassof 1928
Mrs. Mary Hoggard Watson
Yvonne Eliason of Windsor is in
a position that any student would
envy. She is the “center of atten
tion” of her science professors
after being accepted as a transfer
student into the physical therapy
program at E^t Carolina Univer
sity.
On her part Eliason, a Chester-
town, Md. native, wants to shine
the spotlight on Chowan and her
professors “for the help that they
have given me.”
Her physics professor, George
Hazelton, explained that com-
petion for admission into the ECU
physical therapy program is very
stiff. “You have to be a junior to
enter the program and only the top
one-fourth of all the applicants are
accepted.”
Meets All Requirements
Eliason is enrolled in the pre
physical therapy program. She
said that the program meets all of
ECU’s prerequisite requirements
including physics, math, and
chemistry courses. Her more than
adequate scores on the national
allied Health Occupations Aptitude
test evidenced the strength of
Chowan’s science department,
Hazelton noted.
She said studying physics “has
been a big help. It forces you to
develop and practice problem
solving abilities.” She said her
chemistry studies under Dr. Garth
Faile and biology and zoology
under Gilbert and Linda Tripp
have also been a big help. “I came
to Chowan with a very weak
background in science and math.
Needless to say, I am very pleased
to be accepted into a field like
physical therapy.”
Changes Goals
At 28, Yvonne Eliason is older
than the average Chowan student.
After graduating from high school
and taking a year of vocational
training she worked for seven
years, first as a dental assistant
and then as a dental technician.
But she said she wasn’t satisfied.
“I decided to go into physical
therapy because it is a rewarding
and challenging career that pro
vides the opportunity to aid in the
well being of others. Physical
therapy is a growing field. It is ex
pected to be one of the top ten
career fields for the next ten
years.”
Eliason said she chose Chowan
because she felt she would need the
atmosphere of a small campus.
She says she does not regret her
decision. “E^ve^ybody, both ray
professors and the administrators,
have been very helpful. Not only
have they given me a good
academic background, but they
have been interested in my per
sonal development as well.”
Her academic record indicates
the progress she has made.
Academic Honors
Last year she received the
Highest Scholastic Average for a
Freshman award and was a com
mencement marshal. She has also
been named to Who’s Who Among
Students in American Junior Col
leges. She holds a Presidential
Scholarship, which is the college's
top scholarship awarded annually
to six students chosen from a stu
dent body of approximately
900.!‘We’re proud of her,” said Lin
da Tripp, echoing the sentiments of
her other science professors. “It’s
an honor to be accepted into East
Carolina’s physical therapy pro
gram. You have to be a top student
and show a great deal of promise.”
In response, Yvonne says,
“Thank you Chowan College.”
THE CHOWANIAN
USPS 715-880
Chowan College. Murfreesboro, North
Carolina, a standard junior college
controlled by the Baptist State Con
vention of North Corolina ond founded
in 1848. Printed, designed and edited
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School of Grophic Communications at
Chowan College. Send change of
oddress notices to The Chowonion,
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Published six times a year in February,
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MURFREESBORO. N. C. 27855
Outstanding Professor in Business
Students in the Department of Business selected Mrs. Andrea
Eason as Outstanding Professor for the 1984-85 year. The award
was presented by Sheri Light of Colonial Heights, Va. An In
dependence, Kan. native, Mrs. Eason came to Chowan in 1969.
Mrs. Eason, who received her masters in business education
from VPI, lives in Sunbury. Light, a Hopewell High School
graduate, served as an officer in several honor business
societies. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steve M. Light of
14416 Walthall Drive.
PAGE TWO—The Chowanian, July, 1985