Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists Spring 1992

29 Pages·2017·1.96 MB·English

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Alumni Newsletter University Archives & Publications
Spring 1992
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Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists
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Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists, "Southern College of Seventh-day Adventists Spring 1992"
(1992). Alumni Newsletter. 131.
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OPENING COMMENTS
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VOLUME44,NUMBER1
Tribute to the Past DorisStickleBurdick
Editor
IngridSkantz
EditorialAssistant
MarkdeFlutter
This issueofSouthern Columnsisa special CoverPhoto
one for students in Dr. Lynn Sauls' Maga-
zine and Feature Article Writing class. Each
ofus was involved in deciding the theme SouthernCollege
and finding and writing stories. As editor, I'd like to
thank my classmates for helping make this an issue DonaldSahly
wecould be proud ofand many thanks to Dr. Sauls President
forhis patienceand his good advice to betterour FloydGreenleaf,'55
articles. AcademicAdministration
Since Southern is celebrating 100 years ofservice,
DaleBidwell
wedecided to takea lookback at what made us Finance
what we are today. We havea lot tobe proud ofin
thiscollege and it is ourdesire that after you have WSitluldieanmtWSoerhvliecress
finished reading this issue, you too will feel someofthispride. This is our
tribute to thepast, with the hope that it willhelp you makea commitment to the JackMcClarty
Development
future.
RonBarrow
Admissions/CollegeRelations
JamesAshlock
Alumni/CollegeRelations
Brenda K. Pooley DorisBurdick
Pubucations/MediaRelations
Student Editor
Pleaseaddressalumni
correspondenceto:
SouthernCollege
AlumniAssociation
P.O.Box370
Collegedale,TN37315
[phone]
FAX[phone](X)l
COVER; Everycollegecampus
has itsadministration building, its AlumniAssociationOmcERS
1992-1994
classrooms, and its labs. Buta doll
house? Thecampus structure most DavidWinters,'71
distinctively Southern'sown is the I'resident
restored Doll House, built by]im
VerleThompson,'69
Thatcherforhis littlegirl. It was President-Elect
from Thatcher that theoriginal 280-
acre Limestone Valley StockFarm HowardKennedy,'57
PastPresident
waspurchased toaccommodate the
campus when theschool moved in
1916 after25years in Graysville. Southern Columns is theofficial
Pictorially tying thepast to the magazine of Southern College of
futureare Bo Bengeand Bethany Seventh-day Adventists, published
Canosa. Iftime were to be, theycould bytheAlumniAssociationtoprovide
news and information to former
graduate in theclassof2009. See students, residents ofthe Soutliern
page4forthesagaoftheDollHouse. Union,andotherinterestedparties.
Copyright1992bySouthernCollege
ofSeventh-dayAdventists.
VOLUME NUMBER
2 • 44, 1
ATRIBUTETOTHE PAST • A COMMITMENTTOTHE FUTURE
The President Comments
When
Cake
the
Has One
Hundred
Candles
ehavecometogethertodaytocelebrate lookbackonusandsay, "Theydidagreatjob"?Ipray
a milestone in the history of Southern thateachofuswillconsiderthisquestioncarefully. It
mm^
College. An event like this draws us is ourresponsibility to do so.
W mW togetherandgivesusanopportunityto Those who began this school 100 years ago never
^^^M reflect upon the past as well as to look intended it to last 100 years. Their expectation of
where we are going in the future. Christ'ssoonreturnwasforemostintheirminds.This
1 consider it a privilege to be presi- school was to prepare youth to meet God in the very
dent ofSouthern at this special time in near future. That is still our goal here at Southern
itshistory.Ibelieveeachofusshouldbeboththankful College. It is my desire to keep that hope of Jesus'
and proud for this opportunity to be a part of what return ever before us. I believe that event will take
Southern College is all about in this significant year. place in my lifetime.
"Happyarethosewhodreanuireamsandarereadytopa\/ It is not my wish to plan and build so we can
theprice to make them come true," said a man named L. celebrate 200 years or even 125 years. How is it with
J. Suenens. Many in the history of this school have youtoday? 1 would askthateachofushererightnow
beenherebeforeus.Whatweseeheretodayisadirect takea few moments torededicateour—selves toChrist
resultoftheirdreams,theirsacrifices,andtheirability and Hisservice.Jesusiscomingagain andSouthern
to work. We are fortunate to enjoy the fruits of their Collegeexistsonly forthatend. Ifwhat wedo here is
labor. not directed to that goal, it is a waste of all that has
Weneedtopaytributetomanytoday:board mem- gone into this school. We can not and will not waste
bers who have served and guided, alumni who have ourrich heritage,itsenergyand sacrifice. Wemustbe
generouslygiven,theCommitteeof100whosestrong goodstewardsofagreatgift.O—urtestliesinourability
financial support has built buildings and improved to keep this college on track to make it everything
ourcampus in so many ways. God would haveitbe.Ourheritagedemandsnoless.
Ialsowould paytributetothecurrentfaculty. 1am We must remain committed to the principle that
continually impressed with the talent, theability, the education however logically reasoned or brilliantly
dedication to the task, that 1 see from day to day. expressedisemptyandvaluelesswithoutJesusChrist.
1wanttoalsotaketimetoexpressmyappreciation Our philosophy teaches us to recognize that all
tothestudentbody. I'vebeenpleasedthisspecialyear achievementsoftodaycomefrom and belong toGod
that—we havea special group on campus. The leader- and God alone. 1 believe in the future of Southern
ship intheSA,RA'sinth—edormitories,CARE,Cam- Collegeand 1 believein the futureofeach one ofyou
pus Ministries and CABL isso great, thebest in the here. This isa placeofvision, a placeofdreams,built
six years I have been here on this campus. 1 have brick by brick, dream by dream. This is one of the
particularly noticed a strong spiritual tone and the finest college campuses in the nation. Let us, today,
response we see in outreach and religious programs. rededicateourselves to its mission.
{\\\
This morning we need to ask ourselves, Wlwtam I
contributing to Southern College? Will this school be a Condensedfrom remarksbyPresidentDonald R. Sahly
better place because I have been here? Will history at theJanuary 23 Centennial Assembly/Birthday Party.
Cover Story
More Than
a
Yellow
Little
House
byJennifer Speicher
TodaytheDollHouseistheonlyremainingstructurefromtheThatcher
farm,purchasedin 1916fromJimandGraceThatcherfora newcampus.
Among somelargeand beauti- Thecollege purchased theacreage almost had to go outside to turn
ful apple treesJames in 1916. Two years later Lynn Wood around."
Thatcherbuilt a littleone- became president and the Doll House PresidentWood's officemoved to
room yellow doll house for his became his office. "The Doll House the "crackerbox," the original
daughter, Evadne Lois, as a place for was barely large enough for the commissary from the old plantation.
her and other little girls ofthe president's rolltop desk, a tiny pot- The little house found a new location
community to play. bellied stove (not even 25 inches tall), over the hillside on the edge ofthe
He didn't know that 100 years a corner stand for my typewriter, and campus. There it was used to store
later it would represent primitive one extra chair," recalled Grace beekeeping supplies.
beginnings ofSouthern College. Kelsey Keith, Wood's secretary. "We After the house was moved closer
to the heart ofcampus, itbecame a
quarantine house for some students
whocontracted smallpox. Later it
became a shoe repairshop.
Onceagain, the Doll House was
relocated. At the current location of
Daniells Hall it was used as a
dormitory fora few ofthe women.
Next, it served as a small prayer
room for the students.
During the 1924-25 school year,
the house served asa musicstudio
which wasaffectionatelyknownas
the "Grafonola." Lowell Butler,a
J.
voiceand piano teacher, used the
building as his studio. According to
Dr. EdytheCothren, formercuratorof
Southern College's Heritage Mu-
seum, "Professor Butlercoined the
nameGrafonola, which he derived
from the gramophoneand pianola
instruments." To make thebuilding
resemble a gramophone, Butler
installed a crank handle on the side
ofthe building, and on the front he
painted several measures ofmusic
and the words "Brighten thecorner
where you are."
The playhouse then moved just
beyond the site ofthe old Tabernacle,
where it was used asa storehouse for
VOLUME NUMBER
4 • 44, 1•
seed and lateras a toolshed. The
house moved again in 1947 to a site
next door to the administration
building in use at the time, Lynn
Wood Hall. There it was used to
store old furniture.
In 1958 the miniature house was
purchased by a gentleman in the
Collegedale community foruseasa
bathhouse near his pool. The college
and Student Association made
arrangements tobuy back the yellow
doll house in 1960.
In 1973 the education department
used the Doll House for recruiting.
It was transformed into a little red
schoolhouseand placed in the
college mall for display during
HelenDunchtck,jssocwfeVPforfinanceandfiritlokcreditor,looksbackoveracollectionofstudent
College Days.
publications.
Later, in 1978 it housed the
microwave relay for thecollege's
radio station, WSMC-FM.
On December4, 1980, the Alumni
Association voted to restore the Doll Capturing
House to a central place on the
campus. "I had known since 1960
about the Doll House," said William Memories
Taylor, now retired. "I thought the
college needed a landmark for the
institution, something to remember
the old days."
Thecommitteedesignated $5000 by Sherrie Piatt
from the Alumni Loyalty Fund for
the restoration. "I found pictures of
the original Doll House and drew up
plans to have it restored to its
original state," said Taylor. The Doll
House moved to its permanent I he Southland, Triangle, or The firststudentedited paper. The
location between the tenniscourts I Southern Memories? The Southland Scroll, was distributed on
and the Village Market. JL. Southland Scroll or Southern June 5, 1929. Theadministration
A dedication ceremony was held Accent?Jokeror Eccos? Strawberry appointed EdytheStephenson
October24 during the 1981 Alumni Festival? Throughout the years, Cothren to be theeditor. "We had a
Homecoming weekend. Evadne school publications havecomeand contest to choosea name for the
ThatcherSmith, the first owner of the gone. Names havechanged. New paper," said Cothren. "The person
playhouse, flew in from Michigan. traditions havestarted. who won would not have to pay the
She added one last memory to her May 30, 1920, was when the first registration fee the next year."
store ofplayhouse memories by student publication, the Sojuconian, WalterOst won by entering the
making the curtains that still hang appeared, writes Elva Gardnerin A name "TheSouthern Scroll," which
in the little house. IIM SchoolofHis Planning. The name was was modified to "TheSouthland
taken from thecollege name. South- Scroll," writes Dr. Dennis Pettibone,
ernJuniorCollege. C. A. Woolsey in hisbookA CenturyofOiallenge.
was the editor ofthis publication, The Southland Scroll was published
soJpehnonmifoerreSjpoeuircnhaelriissma which hol—ds the record forbrief until thebeginning oftheGreat
existence only one issue. Depression in 1930.
major. Jenniferisa
newswriterinthe The first yearbook. The Southland, In 1938 the yearbook resumed
PublicationsOfficeand was published in 1923 by Merwin publication as The Triangle, standing
specialassignment Thurber. "Individual pictures of for the three facets oflife: physical,
editorfortheSouthern faculty members and seniors were mental, and spiritual. Irma Lee
Accent. set in triangles, the school emblem." Osteen was the editor.
SOUTHERN COLUMNS
• 5
In 1945, The Trianglechanged its Keele. "The faculty asked us to do Southern Memories editorAmy
name again, to Southern Memories. anothershow the next year." Beckworth says, "This year'syear-
"Alan Bush won thecontest for Thesecond year they used three book is going tobedifferent from
coming up with the new name," says screens and nine projectors. "We mostothers. It will have a centennial
Page Haskell, 1945 yearbook editor. rented the equipment from Atlanta," and history section and pictures
That sameyeara new name for says Keele. "Wepicked it upa week from alumni weekend."
the papercame aboutinan interest- before theshow and then started 24- Strawberry Festival has two
ing way. Recalls editorFrances hourshifts working on it." Keele says editors, Mike Magurskyand Ed
Andrews, "Faculty member Dr. the president told them ifthey used Schneider. "We have added two
Daniel Walther had a decided the show as an excuse to skip classes more projectors and screens," says
Germanaccent. He said, 'These he would shut it down. Schneider. "Thatbrings the total
students talkwith such a southern Keele says, "We neverever projectors to 14." Magursky says,
accent I can't understand them.' thoughtaboutstarting a tradition." "Weare alsohaving some new
From this commentcame thename The 1991-92 school year's publica- special effects."
Southern Accent." tions have made theirown changes Through the years a constanthas
In 1956 theJoker, a pictorial and maybe even started traditions. been change. Ifour past helps
directory ofstudents, arrived on JokereditorJanene Burdick says, "I indicate the future, morechanges
campus. "SA PresidentJohnny Gulp was trying to thinkofsomething will come. IIII
came up with the idea," says editor special to add to theJokerfor the ^^H
Helen Case Durichek. Gentennial." That something special
}okerwas changed to Eccos in 1966 is a color insertwhich guides the
when Larry Bogar was editor. "Our readeraround campus with pictures
sponsor, Don Yost, said the name and copy about each building.
'Joker' had a negativeconnotation to Southern Accent editor Daryl Gole
Jesus. Hebegged usto acceptthe plans toenter the paper in two
name 'Eccos' which is Greek for contests: one fordesign and writing,
'There they are, lookat them.'" and another forcartoons.
Two years later, in 1968, both
names appeared on thecover. Says
editorJohn Lauer. "None ofthe
students liked the name Eccos."
In 1970 thejokercame out about
two weeks afterregistration. "We
planned theJokerall summer," says
1970-71 editorJim Gress. This year's
editor cameclose to that record. A
124-page volume with 24 pages of
colorwas released 20 daysafter
registration.
In 1979 a multi-media slide show
started on campus. "Throughout the
year, my roommate, Keith
Langenberg, and I had takena lot of
slides," says Don Keele, one ofthe
producers. "One night in March we
realized we had enough to do a year
in pictures. We then received permis-
sion to doa show atStrawberry
Festival which then consisted of
games, ice cream, and strawberries.
It was meant tobe a stress relief
before finals."
Keele and Langenberg spent the
next several weeks getting the
production ready. Their room, Talge
216, became theiroffice. They used
two projectorsand six slide trays to
produce the45-minute show.
"Everyoneabsolutely loved it," says
VOLUME NUMBER
6 • 44, 1•
sandsand thousandsand thou-
A sands" ofdocuments, mostly board
Century and faculty meeting minutes, dating
from the school's beginnings in
Graysville to the present. Healso
Challenge read school and denominational
of
publications, and documents of
Tennessee history.
He researched in theSDA Room
ofMcKee Library on campus, area
libraries, theSouthern Union Confer-
byJennifer]as ence headquarters, and theGeneral
Conference archives. He also trav-
eled to people's homes. Pettibone
estimates he interviewed 125 people,
Sixty-three years ago, students May of 1892. "It continued until the bothby phoneand in person.
at SouthernJuniorCollege first ofJune, then adjourned for the "I have tried to keep thebook
weredismissed from classes, summer. School started for real in from being all rosy, because I believe
and the faculty and students gath- the fall ofthat year." the readers havea right to know
jered in the chapel fora major Pettibone unearthed previously both the triumphs and the prob-
highlight ofthe school year: to hear unpublished information. "Oneof lems," Pettibone said.
Herbert Hoover's inauguration the most interesting single experi- Dr. Jim Ashlock, directorof
Iaddress on a radio. "It was all very ences I've had was discovering that alumni, said the main goal ofthe
inspiring, and served to impress Southern had a black teacherin the book is to show the full story ofthe
anew upon our minds the wonders 1890s/' he said. Anna (orAnnie) college in an exciting format. "The
ofradio," one onlookersaid. Knight, a nurse, taught nursingand book is foranyone interested in
I This is one small scene in hygiene onesummerat what was Southern College, especially those
Southern's past as r—ecorded inA then Southern Industrial School. who have attended here," hesaid.
CenturyofChallenge The Ston/of "I was very careful to makesure Pettibone said he also hopes the
Southern College, a book tobe re- everything I wrote was true," book will be read by future adminis-
leased in May 1992 as partof the Pettibone said. "I had to have trators. "I want to give them a new
college's Centennial celebration. documentation orevidence, and I perspectiveofthe college to show
Author Dr. Dennis Pettibone, want to clearly distinguish between them where we'vebeen and how we
history professorat Southern, spent research and statements ofopinion." got where weare today."
the past two years researching and Pettibone said he has read "thou- Nine peopleareactively involved
writing the book. "It unravels
myths and re-molds some theories
about the college," hesaid.
Forexample, Pettibone discovered
that, contrary to popular rumor,
none of the teachers at Graysville
Academy wereactually involved in
theChain Gang when religious
persecution broke out in the
Graysville and Dayton areas in 1894.
"Several Graysville teachers and
church members werearrested,
however, and served time injail
previous to theChain Gangarrests,"
he said.
Pettibonealso found the pub-
lished date ofthe very first day of
classesat GraysvilleSchool,
Southern's predecessor, in doubt. "It
was said to have started on Feb. 20,
1892," exclaims Pettibone, "but it
couldn't have been then. That wasa
Sabbath!" He believes that the school
actually began in late April orearly intDern.'iMeiwtecdheslclorTehsieolf,peleofpt,lesopnerosfonParlelsyidiennthiLseroesTehaireclh(f1o9r2A2-2C5e)ntchuartysowfiCthhalDleennngies. Pettibone. Theauthor
• SOUTHERN COLUMNS • 7