Ouachita Baptist University Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita Ouachita! Ouachita Alumni 12-1-1986 December 1986 Alumni Newsletter Ouachita Baptist University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/ouachita Recommended Citation Newsletter, Alumni, "December 1986" (1986). Ouachita!. 16. https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/ouachita/16 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Ouachita Alumni at Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ouachita! by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. For more information, please contact [email protected]. OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY • ARKADELPHIA, AR • DECEMBER 1986 • Christmas greenery surrounds the plaque above the Centennial time capsule sealed on Founders' Day, September 6, 1986. December 1986 Page 1 'Rigorous and demanding' New chairman of business-economics department promises hard-nosed approach to teaching With 10 years of executive-level "What we have to do," he said, to be a wimp." experience behind him in "the real "is to produce mature graduates, Allison's departmental goals in­ world," Ouachita's Dr. Bob Allison young people who can communicate clude increasing student interest in means business in more ways than and think. That's the difference be­ research, extending a business di­ one. tween simply a good student and a mension to other areas of the univer­ Allison was appointed last spring scholar, he continued. "A good stu­ sity, increasing the liberal arts char­ as chairman of the department of dent is one who can accurately re­ acter of the business program, business and economics and is also flect what a teacher wants on a test. strengthening student placement ser­ the holder of the George Young We want more than that at Ouachi­ vices, revising the curriculum, pro­ Chair of Business. ta, however. The persons we are try­ viding service programs to churches, He received a Ph.D. degree in or­ ing to develop here are young schol­ establishing industrial development ganizational theory and industrial re­ ars who can ask their own questions, projects, encouraging faculty devel­ lations from the University of Mich­ learn to think and leaFn how to find opment and publishing. igan and came to Ouachita from their own answers." "My real dream," he said, "is to Wayne State University. In addition Together with his commitment to to teaching positions there and at do a "quality job of teaching my write a book on 'The Bible and Busi­ Oklahoma Baptist University and courses," he said, he also intends to ness' Jesus walked through life and the University of Michigan, he has include an "explicit" Christian di­ used the common work settings and themes as illustrations of theological also worked as a hospital administra­ mension in his classes. truths. In other words, he talked tor in Seminole, Okla., and in Still­ "This is very important to me," about shepherding, carpentry, agri­ water, Okla., and was an associate he said. "For one thing, such a di­ cultural and stewards, that sort of to the director of the University of mension would make the business thing. Pastors may well understand Michigan Hospital. world a better place because after all, those illustrations, but this is not At Ouachita, he said, his first obli­ honesty remains the best policy and how we make our livings today so gation is to be "rigorous and rele­ that in itself is a distinctly Christian even though the truths are eternal, vant" in his teaching, demanding dimension. It has been my experi­ the examples are somewhat outdated maximum efforts from his students ence to see people in the business or less relevant. Modern examples, it and relating what they learn to real­ world do non-Christian things and it seems to me, would be helpful to rel­ life situations. doesn't work for their companies. Freely admitting that his approach On the other hand, I have repeatedly evancy." is hard-nosed, Allison said students seen the good guys finish first." "In all that we do," he said, "we should be aware that "there are peo­ Asked if he thinks it is possible for want to provide the education that ple who fail. To avoid failure, the a person in the business world to be will enable our graduates to get good students will have to work." The competitive and yet remain a Chris­ jobs or to enter top-quality graduate point of their efforts, however, tian, Allison replied with an empha­ schools. We want them to be what should be more than getting a grade tic "yes." God wants them to be and to go but instead should be focused on "My obligation as a Christian," where their abilities and interests grabbing on to something they can he said, "is to do my best. So being a take them. That is a real joy. I know, • Dr. Bob Allison in his office in Lile Hall. use in life. Christian doesn't mean that I have because I have been there." 11111 In ii'IHI ltr11lld l~r' 111 711 t·71 on ''My bligation as a Christian," where their abilities and interests I rlrlt II 1111 Ill IIIII llr II IIi y ' Il l lr ·sold, "is to do my best. So being a take them. That is a real joy. I know, • Dr. Bob Allison in his office in Lite Hall. usc in life. hri tian doesn't mean that I have because I have been there." INSIDE Death of Earl Verser shocks Ouachita OUACHITA! Earl Verser, former chairman of then contacted Eudora police who President Daniel Grant in an inter­ the OBU Board of Trustees and pro­ found Verser's body in his ransacked view with the Daily Siftings Herald. • Agnes Coppenger vider of the funds for the Verser home at 5:15a.m. Friday. Reported­ Verser was a widower living alone reflects on career, Drama Center, was murdered in his ly, Verser had died approximately 36 on his Eudora farm. He was the page 2 Eudora home Tuesday, October 28, hours before of "blows to the head." owner and president of Verser Ford after apparently surprising a burglar. Allen is expected to be charged dealership, president of the Verser • Jane McCallum vice­ Glen Allen, 21, was arrested in with the murder. It is unclear whether Corporation, and secretary for the president for advertising Fort Worth, Texas, when police or not Verser had past involvement Eudora Banks. He was director of and public relations at stopped him and discovered he was with Allen or if the home had been the Eudora Grain Dryer and the Maumelle, page 3. driving Verser's 1986 Lincoln Conti­ forcibly entered. Eudora Bank Arkansas Rural En­ nental. Allen who had been recently Verser served 12 years as a member dowment Fund. • AEA leaders have paroled had several items belonging of the OBU Board of Trustees, the Verser attended Eudora Baptist Ouachita in common, to Verser in his possession at the last four as chairman of the board. Church where he served as a deacon page 4. time of arrest according to police re­ "Earl Verser was not only an out­ and had been the church's music di­ ports. standing chairman of the Board of rector. • Centennial Achievement Fort Worth officials were unable Trustees, he was a devoted father He is survived by his daughters, Awards, page 5. to contact Verser about the validity and Christian statesman. Few people Ann Swift, Joyce Poole, Jane Galbo of the vehicle when Allen was arrested have given of themselves more gen­ sity in all ways. All of us feel this loss and Karen Verser, and a son Earl Ed • Class Notes, page 6. Friday morning. The Texas officials erously to Ouachita Baptist Univer- in a very personal way," said OBU Verser. Dr. Ed Coulter reviews Centennial year After two and a half years of plan­ ous look at what we are doing and Ouachita," Global Focus Week and ning, Ouachita's celebration of its what we want to do in the future. finally Founder's Day, it was the last Centennial year - which was actual­ And finally, it brought a great one that caused him to wake up ly stretched to 15 months - is now amount of recognition to Ouachita." more than once in the middle of the over. The consensus is that the whole He said the Centennial observance night. thing was an unqualified success. also had caused him to develop an "There were so many things that Now that the pressure is off and even greater appreciation for the could have gone wrong," he said, the passage of time is providing school. slowly shaking his head as if he still some perspective on everything that ·"I think I have a much better un­ couldn't quite believe it. "But every­ has taken place, Dr. Ed Coulter, vice derstanding of the past and of the thing came off without a hitch." president for administration and dedication that people had," he All in all, he said, serving as chair­ chairman of the Centennial, took a said. "And on a personal note, I feel man of the Centennial was "very re­ few moments recently to talk about very good about the way that the warding. It's like setting a goal and exactly what had been accomplished. faculty, staff and students worked accomplishing it and that's a good "I guess the first thing that comes together to make the celebration feeling." to mind," he said, "is that it devel­ come off so successfully." But is he sorry that all the shout­ oped a strong sense of caffieraderie. Of all the major events that in­ ing has stopped and that now it is • Dr.