Winter 2003 fromfrom thethe PresidentPresidentdeskdesk ofof thethe A Christmas (Tree) to Remember t was December, 1952, the Korean War was on, the economy On my daily rounds, each morning my eye coveted those was in a slump, and everybody was cautious about money— statuesque trees, looking so worthy of good homes, with signs Ieven if they didn’t have much, and we didn’t. As I rounded that said: $6, $8, $10. Other homes were aglow with trees and the corner of Park Avenue and W. 44th Street, my shoulder bag decorations abundant. Christmas music was all around— was almost empty of the 68 morning newspapers I dutifully dis- Christmas was coming! tributed daily. Small vapor clouds of breathing marking my trail A paperboy’s Saturdays were spent collecting for the week’s in the early cold, I strode toward home and breakfast past the newspapers, and I often ended up with $15 or $20, most of sign reading “Terry Webb’s Used Cars.” Heavily chromed, snow- which I surrendered early Sunday morning when the route man topped ’50s-era Pontiacs, Buicks and Fords offered themselves as came. On the dining room table, while everyone was getting a shiny wall along the corner sidewalk. It was about the first of ready for church, we stacked up sufficient half-dollars, quarters, December, the time each year when they surrounded the cars dimes and nickels to pay for the week’s quantity of papers, and with Christmas trees. I suppose Terry’s idea was that if people whatever was left over was mine to keep. won’t buy a car in December, maybe they’ll at least buy a tree. Somehow one Saturday a couple of weeks before Christmas, The best ones were staked straight up, as though a forest popped I ended up with $9 and, with Mother’s permission, my brother up overnight among the DeSotos and Dodges of the used car lot. and I pulled a sled the few snow-covered blocks to the car lot. Maybe it was the aroma of the evergreen, but that morning I Flush with a wad of dollars in my pocket, using our own caught a serious case of the Christmas spirit. Reaching home, I judgment, we picked out one of the comely, long-needled, $8 proposed that we buy our Christmas tree early so we’d have more trees—long needles cost more and my father never afforded such time to enjoy it. Mother, ever an optimistic realist, gently extravagance—roped it to the sled, and proudly pulled it home cautioned that we probably would not have a tree until later, over snow-glazed pedestrian pathways. Readily decorated with when they were discounted. bright lights and tinsel, with all our family’s favorite things, it Our household operating procedure was this: a few days was the centerpiece of our Christmas and one of the best before Christmas, when vendors cut prices, lest they be left with purchases I ever made. leftovers, our father would hunt out the cheapest advertised tree- Re-warming the memory of that experience reminds me seller, be certain that last-minute markdowns had been made, how much it means to us to invest in things that mean a lot to and negotiate a still lesser price. Triumphantly, we would tie a others! Christmas tree to the back bumper, get it to our driveway, and with a lot of huffing and puffing, wrestling with whatever makeshift tree-stand we could rig, we’d hoist it upright, hoping it wouldn’t fall over. From our family of seven children, whoever was available would trim the tree, sing carols around the piano, Thomas E. Corts and reminisce about Christmases past. Artificial trees were President becoming more realistic as live trees got more expensive, and neighbors were switching to man-made, re-usable varieties; but, despite limited resources, our house held out for the real thing. Contents Winter 2003 Vol. 20 No. 3 2 Two Faces of Iraq Publication Number: Samford student Mary Smothers and recent USPS 244-800 graduate James Kling ’02 are serving in varying capacities in Iraq. Their reports provide a glimpse of Seasons Staff what it’s like in the Middle East hot spot. William Nunnelley Editor 8 Trendy, or Barometer of Mary Wimberley Quality? Associate Editor Unlike some universities, Samford emphasizes Sean Flynt undergraduate research. Arts and Sciences Dean Page 4 Contributing Writer David Chapman discusses how this helps students, Janica York whether or not their goal is graduate school. Publications Manager Jana Peairson 10 Editorial Assistant Samford Trailblazers Samford, then Howard College, began admitting Scott Camp Graphic Designer women on a regular basis in 1913. But a few women Caroline Baird Summers attended as early as the 1890s. Sean Flynt’s story Photographer provides a picture of two such pioneers, Annie Judge and Eugenia Weatherly. Samford University 12 A Major Success Alumni Association Samford salutes its major donors in a program Officers 2003–04 reflecting what their contributions have meant to Page 10 the University. Bennie Bumpers ’63 Sonya Bumpers ’63 25 Co-Presidents The Changing Alma Mater One of Samford’s most lasting traditions is the Tom Armstrong ’73 singing of the Alma Mater. But while the custom Vice President has endured, the Alma Mater itself has changed Brooke Dill Stewart ’95 several times. Jack Brymer traces the development Secretary of the song we sing today. Seasons is published quarterly by Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Drive, Page 15 Birmingham, Alabama 35229, and is dis- 4 Homecoming tributed free to all alumni of the University, 6 Alumni of the Year as well as to other friends. Periodical postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama. Postmaster: 9 Preserving History send address changes to Samford University Alumni Office, Samford University, 15 Class Notes Birmingham, Alabama 35229. 19 Births Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Institution and welcomes applications for 20 In Memoriam employment and educational programs from all individuals regardless of race, color, age, 22 Sports sex, disability, or national or ethnic origin. 24 Sports Extra www.samford.edu Page 24 [email protected] Cover: Fireworks light up Samford skies at ©2003 Samford University Seasons Magazine Online Homecoming. Go to: www.samford.edu/pubs/seasons S POTLIGHT ‘I drove the same spot no more than an hour later’ ary Smothers faced block,” she wrote Nov. 4. close. They hit the the reality of war in “Yesterday, on the mail run, compound next to ours. By MIraq last summer. a truck hit an IED (impro- the grace of God, no one Now, she faces the vised explosive device), was there. This company omnipresent danger of its killing one and injuring two. moved to our compound aftermath. She’s not sure They were part of another two days ago, but of course there’s much difference. unit that shares our the Iraqis didn’t know that.” Smothers is the Samford compound. The IED was After the mortar attack, senior who was three right outside our gate. I a U.S. artillery battery was months shy of graduation drove the same spot no set up inside the compound. when her Alabama National more than an hour later.” Now, when enemy mortar Guard unit was activated Life goes on, and with fire comes in, U.S. artillery last March. She’s been in it, life’s routines. But in Iraq, returns the fire. The first Iraq since June. not much is routine. time their artillery fired “Months after the war “Last night I was out back, Smothers and her unit has ended, Americans are running when all of a didn’t know it was friendly. still being attacked and sudden, a mortar attack,” When they were told, “It killed,” she wrote recently. she wrote. “I was truly almost became a party.” Atop the Presidential Palace in “It seems that as long as we scared and ran to the In the midst of all the Baghdad, Mary Smothers is remain here, the war will building. There were 12 violence, Smothers came framed by pillars holding giant never end.” rounds fired, so loud and so upon a pastoral scene. Her busts of Saddam Hussein. Smothers is a member of the 214th Military Police. She’s serving currently as a driver for her unit’s colonel. Driving a Humvee can have its drawbacks. “Sunday, one of the Humvees was hit with a bomb made into a concrete “I just hope we don’t unit was motoring to check lose anyone else,” she said. on two of its platoons when “It’s like we’ve become explosives were discovered immune to hearing about in the main roadway. To people getting killed every avoid the danger, they took day. A terrible thing.” a dirt farming road. Mary’s parents, Jim and “We were in a rural area Sinikka Smothers of near the Euphrates,” she Talladega, Ala., added a said. “Very fertile area, postscript. everything was green. We “Mary was able to call saw water birds, a ferret, a late last night, and sounded rabbit and butterflies. We very good. She said they were right next to a farm, finally have some of the and slowly about 12 new, armored Humvees— children came out to see us. not enough for everyone, We gave them toys and but they are appreciated. candy.” She also said there was one The farmers then hot shower, and she was approached and gave the able to use it once, which soldiers vegetables— she really enjoyed.” I eggplants, potatoes, tomatoes and okra. “I could have stayed there all afternoon,” said Smothers. “Truly a different world out there.” But the reality of her Smothers visits with some Baghdad residents.