clarion.brevard.edu See what BC alumni are up to on page 4! Volume 85, Issue 22 Web Edition SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935 February 26, 2020 BC alum, bookstore employee dies unexpectedly at 46 By Amber Vance graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Staff Writer During his time at BC, Stewart received several awards which Bret Stewart, a BC alumnus and Kings Creek Bookstore assistant manager, included the Humanities Division Clara C. Gift Merit Scholarship, the died on Monday, Feb. 17. He was 46. Humanities Division Scholarship and the Humanities Division Award Stewart had worked at the campus bookstore for just over two years. “He for Excellence in Environmental Literature, Language Studies and was very dependable and enthusiastic,” said Adam Crane, manager of Kings American Literature. Stewart was inducted into Alpha Chi National Creek Bookstore. “He had an uncanny ability to show up when I needed him.” Honors Society and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership It was because of Stewart’s usual punctuality that Crane felt something Honor Society in 2006. was wrong. “I tried calling him several times,” Crane recalled. When Stewart He continued his education earning a Master’s of Divinity from did not answer, Crane phoned the police to do a welfare check at his home Tennessee Temple University Seminary in 2016. Stewart obtained where he was found. Stewart’s passing is believed to be connected to diabetic a Master’s degree in Theology from Liberty University and he was complications. working on his Master’s in Professional Writing. Stewart was born Thursday, Aug. 30, 1973 in Transylvania County, where “Bret was the type of student every teacher loves to have in class,” he lived for most of his life. Associate Professor of Teacher Education Betsy Burrows said, who Stewart was a graduate of Brevard High School in the class of 1991. Stewart taught him at both Brevard High School and here at the college. “He studied at Blue Ridge Community where he graduated with honors and an was one of the most intrinsically motivated students I have taught. He Associate of Arts degree in 2005. He enrolled at Brevard College in 2005 and loved language, particularly reading British writers like Shakespeare and Chaucer. He re-read “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy every year just for the fun of it. He had a keen sense of humor and was an amazing Dungeons and Dragons role player. I will miss him. He was my student and my friend and it was an honor to know him.” Stewart was an avid reader and writer in several genres. He wrote poetry, fiction, plays and non-fiction reviews of trails and books. Stewart even wrote a few books of his own like “The Dragon’s Lullaby” and “Tales of Transylvania.” Stewart’s smaller works were published in several literary magazines and journals including BC’s own, Chiaroscuro in 2006 and 2007. Stewart was also a member of the Chiaroscuro staff in 2007. The pieces published in the Chiaroscuro were “By the Creekside” in 2006 and “Deal Another Hand” in 2007, both of which were beautiful in how he used rhyme and repetition of phrases to create rhythm. The funeral service for Stewart was Friday, Feb. 21, and was handled by Moody-Connolly Funeral Home. He is survived by his two sons and mother along with several other family members and friends. Those who wish to post memories or condolences should visit the Moody- Connolly website, www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome. com/. Bret Stewart was a remarkable scholar and writer as well as a dependable friend and loving father. Stewart Photo from www.facebook.com/ will be missed in the BC community. Bret Stewart Page 2 Campus News The Clarion | February 26, 2020 By Julie Carter Opinion Editor Remembering Gil Coan MLB and Brevard College legend By Margaret Correll the title of “Minor League Player of the Year” Gil Coan will be remembered as a legendary Layout & Design by The Sporting News. After a few low points and respected member of the Brevard community. in his game and moving back and forth between His hard work and legacy will live on through Gil Coan was a Major League Baseball player the minors and majors, he was called back to the the students and faculty at Brevard College. for teams like the Washington Senators, the Senators in 1947. He had some solid playing Baltimore Orioles, the Chicago White Sox and time and he was recorded to have played over the New York Giants. He died on Feb. 5, 2020 100 games per year from 1948 to 1951 with the By Mickayla Smith at the age of 97 and was the third oldest living Senators. Staff Writer MLB player at the time of his death. Coan was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in Born in Monroe, NC, he went on to Brevard 1953, where he spent several successful seasons. College in 1940, only staying a year, then leaving After the Orioles he was traded to the Chicago Continued from Page 1 and starting work at the Ecusta paper company. White Sox and then to the New York Giants to This job set him up for success in the next few end his baseball career in 1956. Coan moved years, playing for the Ecusta Papermakers in the back to the Brevard area to coach the Brevard Western North Carolina Industrial League. Coan College baseball team for five years after retiring signed to the Washington Senators in 1944, and as an MLB player. started to play in the minor league. Coan was an active member of the community After working very hard, Coan was granted in Brevard in the years after his baseball career. He opened Brevard Insurance Agency in 1962, which is still active and run by his family. THE CLARION He was named a Trustee Emeritus at Brevard College and helped establish the Transylvania SENIOR STAFF Cattleman’s Association. Gil Coan was inducted into the inaugural Editor in Chief Zach Dickerson Brevard College Hall of Fame class in 2004. Managing Editor Julie Carter He was also given the honor of having the Copy Editor Carmen Boone Campus News Zach Dickerson Brevard College baseball field named after him Opinion Julie Carter in 1994. Gil Coan field is home to the current Arts & Life Chloe McGee BC baseball team. Coan in his Washington Senators uniform, c.1948. Aia Andonovska Sports Eleanor Flannery Layout & Design Chloe McGee . Margaret Correll STAFF WRITERS Eli Goodhew Mickayla Smith Sam Hipp Solomon Turner Caroline Hoy Amber Vance Lande Simpson The Clarion is a student-run college newspaper produced by student journalists enrolled at Brevard College. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of the staff of The Clarion. Other opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff or administration of Brevard College. All correspondence should be mailed to: The Clarion, Brevard College, One Brevard College Drive, Brevard, NC 28712, or send E-mail to [email protected] clarion.brevard.edu Letters Policy: The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit letters for length or content. We do not publish letters whose authorship cannot be verified. The 1941 Brevard College baseball team. Coan can be seen third from the right in the front row. February 26,2020 | The Clarion Campus News Page 3 Democratic debate recap candidate should hold themselves to that same were minimal. By Eleanor Flannery standard.” “You don’t have to be in Washington to Sports Editor Joe Biden continued, along with Warren, to matter,” Buttigieg said, in reference to his bring up the allegations many women have work he accomplished as mayor of the once A record 33 million viewers tuned in to watch made against Bloomberg. struggling city of South Bend. Klobuchar was the ninth Democratic Presidential Debate last “We are not going to beat Donald Trump consistently defensive, answering Buttigieg Wednesday night, set in Las Vegas, Nevada. with a man who has who-knows-how-many with blunt sarcasm, “I wish everyone was as Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New nondisclosure agreements and the drip, drip, perfect as you, Pete,” she said. York City, made his first appearance on the drip of stories of women saying they have been Though strife exists among all the candidates, debate stage, where he was not met with a harassed and discriminated against,” Warren one thing they all have in common is the goal warm welcome from his fellow candidates. said. Before Bloomberg could reply, Biden of beating Donald Trump in 2020. With Bernie Elizabeth Warren addressed the misogynistic added, “All the mayor has to say is, ‘You are Sanders recently pulling ahead in the national things that Bloomberg has said in the past. “I’d released from the N.D.A.,’ period,” Biden polls, and winning over the state of Nevada, like to talk about who we’re running against: said. “It’s not whether he apologized or not, he will have to bring his platform forward a billionaire who calls women fat broads and it’s the policy.” and be as transparent as possible to gain even horse-faced lesbians,” Warren said. “And no, Buttigieg and Klobuchar continued back and more support. I’m not talking about Donald Trump. I’m forth, irritated with one another on their policies The next Democratic Presidential Debate talking about Mayor Bloomberg.” and questioning each other’s legitimacy as a will take place on March 15 at 8 p.m., held in Bloomberg has an infamous history from candidate to be president. Klobuchar asserted Phoenix, Arizona.