Are We There Yet? Viewfinder
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
winter 2011 EastThe Magazine of easT Carolina UniversiTy eCU climbed from a teachers college to a major university and medical center by always reaching for the next level. Are we there yet? viewfinder PirAtes HAve Hooks who needs a sword or an eye patch when you can show Pirate pride with the finger hook? the Boneyard student section in the new horseshoe at Dowdy-Ficklen stadium was full of hooks at Homecoming. winter 2011 EastThe Magazine of easT Carolina UniversiTy FeAtUres are we There yeT? 18 It’s been a long climb for East Carolina,By Mary Schulken the scrappy ’79 little teachers college that fought epic battles to become a major university and medical center. Have we arrived? And if so, how do we know? sToCKing The PanTRY 18 2 8 Just two years out of college, SamBy Steve Wornom Tuttle ’90 co-founded The Pantry chain of convenience stores and grew it into nearly 500 28 locations. In the second act of a stellar business career, he’s again proving he can spot business opportunities that satisfy consumer appetite. EASING The oUCh 3 2 Cecelia Valrie ’99 is identifying newBy Marion ways Blackburnto help sick children feel less pain and lead more normal lives. The UMPire of eligibiliTy 36 Tim Metcalf, who’s responsible for keepingBy J. Eric ECUEckard out of trouble with the NCAA, relies on a 484-page book of rules. And the rules change every year. DePArtMENTS 32 froM oUr readers ..................3 36 The eCU rePorT . 4 winTer arTs CALENDAR . 16 froM The CLASSROOM . 32 PiraTe naTion . 40 CLASS noTes........................43 UPon The PAST......................60 froM The ediTor winter 2011 EastThe Magazine of easT Carolina UniversiTy Volume 9, Number 2 is published four times a year by East East Carolina University Are we there yet? Division of University Advancement While she was researching material for the cover story in this issue, 2200 South Charles Blvd. Mary Schulken ’79 talked with alumni and friends who exhibited Greenville, NC 27858 varying degrees of the famous ECU chip-on-the-shoulder attitude. Some she talked to had it bad, relating vivid memories of times h when they perceived ECU’s dignity was slighted in the public square EDITOR or on the football field. Others seemed to have much less of this steve tuttle ’09 aggrieved underdog attitude. Younger alumni didn’t know what she 252-328-2068 / [email protected] was talking about. ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER That’s when it occurred to us that you can often predict how an Brent Burch alumnus feels about East Carolina by what it says on their diploma. If yours says East Carolina College, you probably have a bad case of PHOTOGRAPHER Forrest Croce the chip because you were here when the school really did suffer at the hands of state budget writers, a time when it was ridiculed on editorial COPY EDITOR pages for aspiring to become a university. Jimmy rostar ’94 If your diploma says East Carolina University, you probably have CONTRIBUTING WRITERS either a mild case of the chip or none at all, depending on whether you Marion Blackburn, J. eric eckard, graduated before or after the medical school opened in the early 1980s. Bill F. Hensley, kara Loftin, Anna Logemann, Peggy novotny, steve row, Mary schulken ’79, That was one of the more interesting things we discovered while karen shugart, Meagan williford digging into the origin of East Carolina’s redheaded stepchild CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS mentality and how Leo Jenkins used it to rally the troops during epic Jay Clark, Doug smith battles with the powers that be in Raleigh. CLASS NOTES EDITOR At first we didn’t understand why younger alumni exhibited hardly any Joanne kollar trace of ECU’s classic underdog mindset. They gave us blank looks [email protected] when asked how it felt to graduate from an up-and-coming institution that could achieve great things but for…. They were quick to set us ADMINISTRATION Michelle sloan straight: We didn’t go to an up-and-coming anything. We graduated from a major research university with highly regarded schools of h business, education, nursing, communication and fine arts. One with Assistant VICE Chancellor a nationally acclaimed medical school, an engineering program and a FOR UNIVERSITY MARKETING school of dental medicine about to open. One that’s becoming pretty Clint Bailey hard just to get into. That’s when Schulken and I began to wonder: Maybe East Carolina has East Carolina University is a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina. It is a public doctoral/ arrived. One hundred years after Robert Wright first began “to dream research intensive university offering baccalaureate, master’s, dreams and see visions” for the school’s future, maybe it’s time to specialist and doctoral degrees in the liberal arts, sciences declare victory in the school’s long battle for acceptance and respect. and professional fields, including medicine. Dedicated to the achievement of excellence, responsible stewardship of the What a long, strange trip it’s been. Are we there yet? How do we know? public trust and academic freedom, ECU values the contributions of a diverse community, supports shared governance and guarantees equality of opportunity. ©2011 by East Carolina University Printed by Progress Printing U.P. 11-046 63,500 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $36,455 or $.58 per copy. 2 froM oUr readers My MotHer wAs A BeCkwitH girL education. She was the mother of seven Thanks for the article on Kate Beckwith [the children, all of whom graduated from North read East online at elegant lady principal who taught the social Carolina’s public universities. All three of her www.ecu.edu/east graces during East Carolina’s earliest days]. daughters graduated from East Carolina. She My mother, Sarah Gilliam Daniels, was was grandmother to 21 grandchildren, all of there in 1923–25 and I’m sure she brought whom are college graduates. Several of her the values she learned from Mrs. Beckwith grandchildren graduated from ECU, including back with her and carried them forward in one who was one of the first graduates of the her teaching career in Halifax and Franklin medical school. All of her great-grandchildren counties. She came to ECTC on who are of age have graduated from four- a state grant that required her year institutions as well. Mrs. Clark created to teach in a poor county. She a legacy of education that began at East taught in Halifax County a few Carolina and continues to this day. Mrs. Clark years before coming home in passed away in 1990 and was always proud Franklin County to teach there. of her affiliation with East Carolina. sarah gilliam I followed a lot of women in — Williamston How do i subscribe? my family who graduated from Betty D. Clark ’56, AnotHer Miss nortH CAroLinA send a check to the eCU Foundation. East Carolina and taught school. I have a how much is up to you, but we suggest Bible that belonged to an aunt signed by It has been brought to my attention that my a minimum of $25. your generosity is name was left off the list of ECU alumni appreciated. Dr. Wright in 1927. I have bricks under n 252-328-9550 the cupola for my mother, my daughter and who are former Miss North Carolinas. I n www.ecu.edu/devt myself. My youngest daughter, Michelle was Miss North Carolina-USA for 1989 n [email protected] Susan Moser ’88 ’96, taught there for two and placed in the top 15 at the 1990 Miss Join the Alumni Association and receive years. I have a question about something my USA pageant. In addition, I was awarded the a subscription as well as other benefits “Betty Lane Evans” swimsuit award at the and services. Minimum dues are $35. mother alluded to over the years: In those n 1-800-eCU-grad days, did schools require women to stop Miss North Carolina finals in 1985. Thanks n www.piratealumni.com n [email protected] teaching if they got married? for your attention to this and I look forward — Wake Forest to visiting ECU for some football! Join the Pirate Club and get the magazine Bob Daniels ’59, — Raleigh as well as other benefits appreciated by Editor’s note: Jacqueline Padgette ’90, sports fans. Minimum dues are $75. We put that question to Jo Ann Editor’s note: n 252-328-4540 Norris of the Public School Forum of N.C. in This discussion started two years ago n www.ecupirateclub.com n [email protected] Raleigh. Her answer is yes, many school districts with a Timeline itemBetty noting Lane the 50thEvans anniversary of the crowning of ’58 as Miss would not employ a married woman. “I have had Contact us somewhere a copy of the duties of teachers and North Carolina. The story said five other alumnae n 252-328-2068 the prohibition of marriage was in the list,” Ms. were later chosen either Miss North Carolina n [email protected] or Miss North Carolina USA, a rival pageant. n www.ecu.edu/east Norris says, adding that the ban likely gave rise to Customer service the phrase, “old maid school teacher.” Since then we have had letters from three alumnae To start or stop a subscription, My MotHer-in-LAw wAs, too pointing out omissions to the list. With the additionJoan or to let us know about a change of of Ms. Padgette, the list now stands at 10: address, please contact lisa gurkin, I am the daughter-in-law of Essie Woolard Melton Anita [email protected] or 252-328-9561 Clark ’14 who was quoted in the [story Johnson ’58 in 1956;Patsy Evans Gail in Wood 1958, in 1969, in 1971, send letters to the editor to about Mrs.