Ouachita Baptist College - Ouachitonian Yearbook (Arkadelphia, AR)

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by Cyndi Garrett nd they’re off! “His Kids” on A« inside takes the early lead ... “Turtells” broke sluggishly, but gaining ground. . . on the outside, holding third, it’s: ‘Gamma Gals” by three quarters of a length ... and there, coming to the head of the stretch, “His Kids’ leads by two lengths ... and breaking through on the inside, here comes the ‘‘Turtells’’! It's “His Kids,” “‘Turtells,” “His Kids,” “Turtells” . . . and it’s “‘His Kids,” win- ning by a wheel! Featured race at Oaklawn? Not quite ... no bets were placed on this race, but 25 $500 scholarships were given away and the Ouachita Student Foun- dation had another great day at the “‘tracks’’ — TIGER TRAKS that is, Ar- kansas’ Most Exciting College Weekend! The women’s trike race, the second of many events during the weekend, was won by “‘His Kids,”’ sponsored by Bill and Betty Hargis. Members of the team were Angela Mobley, Judy Bum- gardner, Wendy Long, and Gretchin Hargis. Taking second place was “‘The Tur- tells,” sponsored by former Ouachita Student Foundation members. Team members were Suzanne Campbell, Leigh Ann Pittman, Bridgett Arendt and Paula Helms. ‘““Gamma Gals,” “TORRO”, the mechanical bull, at- tracted several brave students, including Donna Trigg. DUST FLIES, wheels spin — Gene Whisenhunt experiences the tough com- petition of the men’s bike races. 16 Student Life Fullspeedahead — With Tiger Traks ’81 underway — there was no stopping the fun! sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Earl E. Ver- ser, Jr., pedaled into third place. Mem- bers of the team were Gena Thrash, Karen Verser, Donna Trigg and Con- nie Lawrence. “Come on over to Magic Springs and join the family fun of it!” . . . Magic Springs came on over to OBU and brought live entertainment during the trike race, from the country show... featuring some of Ouachita’s own stu- dent entertainers! And to think the trike race was only the second exciting event of the weekend. Torro, the mechanical bull, kicked off Tiger Traks 81, on April 9, with the Chuck Wagon Bar-B-Q, including Cot- ton Ivy and western wear decorating the Evans Student Center Plaza. Beginning early in the third day of the weekend, the Super Teams contest activated at 8 a.m. High school stu- dents from 20 churches in Arkansas competed in five events: Volkswagen push, relay race, frisbee throw, tug- of-war, and egg toss. Also, Saturday morning, the Tiger Traks Trot and Fun Run began at Rockefeller Field House, while next door, the Celebrity Tennis Classic was in full swing at OBU’s Freeman Dunklin Tennis Center. The Red Riders rode to glory, Satur- day afternoon, winning the men’s Bike Race, “Spud” placing second, and “Sigma Alpha Sigma I,” coming in third in the event. Faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings in one giant bound, stronger than a locomotive ... it’s Superstars! And what a display of en- durance was shown during the ten ath- letic events Saturday afternoon! A. U. Williams Field was the site for the an- nual superstar’s competition involving ten women and ten men. Areas of competition included a run, dodge and jump, softball throw, bowling, tennis, 440 yard run, 100 yard dash, swim- ming, rope climbing, and an obstacle course. Kerri Culpepper won the women’s superstars and Trevor Lavy won the men’s competition. Now if I were going to write the per- fect ending for this, Arkansas’ Most Ex- citing College Weekend, I would say Country singer and songwriter Dave Loggins performed in a fastastic concert, Saturday night, and... But, I’m not going to write the per- fect ending. . . you fill that part in, or I guess you could say the last event didn’t run. . . due to unfortunate Trak weather? It was another season when the odds were high and the wheels were rollin’. GIVING IT THEIR BEST SHOT — Melissa Vonsenden and Sharla Whit- worth race for the finish line in the Superstars competition.

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AFTER IT WAS OVER, Donna McCoy and Amy Tate found that tears were the best way to express their feelings. AS THE BAND PLAYS the last stanza of “The Sinfonians” and the processional comes to an end, the audience stands for the invocation by Dr. Elmer Goble. 18 Student life ™,¥ ° | t rained. Black robes, fears and puddles When rainy skies forced graduation inside, the outcome proved less than disappointing by DeAnna Travis For the first time in years, it rained. When the decision was between a soggy A. U. Williams field and aluminum bleachers with little puddles vs. moving commencement inside Rockerfeller Gym, the choice was dis- appointing, yet obvious. Maintenance crews managed at the last minute to move chairs in and set up sound equipment in an effort to bring the atmosphere traditionally found on the football field inside the gym. At 5 p.m. family and friends crowded close together on the bleachers to make room for even more parents and grandparents. And still people were left standing next to the wall holding babies, reading their pro- grams and occasionally shifting their feet. But as the university band began the processional music, the mood that was created would have been hard to pro- duce in the openness of a football stadium. Emerging from the crowded base- ment the graduates were led by the faculty members — their black robes decorated in colors signifying their de- grees. Through the double row of pro- fessors the seniors entered the gym creating those few moments that would be difficult to recapture — those moments when students looked into their teachers faces with -a new perspective. The teachers had not only watched their students grow academically — but had watched their personalities THE FEELING CANNOT BE RE- PLACED. On May 9, as the 1981 class entered the gym, the closeness between professors and students was evident. mature. Many had extended relation- ships beyond the classroom to help with personal problems, take class trips or sponsor student organizations. fessors that had particularly meant a great deal to them — both smiled or winked or nodded. The closeness was © obvious. Steve Patterson said, “‘was walking through that line. You could sense the teachers’s feeling — that they were ™ proud of you.” Brian Burton and speeches by Kevin Crass and Mrs. Margaret Wright, family and friends scanned through the pro- gram to spot the name on the list of 260 that was the only one that really mat- tered. dered what a graduate felt when he finally shook the president's hand and it ended. Was it sadness? ‘“On the con- trary,’ Steve said, ‘‘that had to be one of the happiest moments.”’ was sung, followed by the processio of “Pomp and Circumstance.” clutched their diplomas and stepped over puddles to hug parents and friends. The emotions of the moment were many — joy, relief and a sen4 tamentalism that was hard to hide. the crowd of black robes, tears andj! puddles, but one thing was certain, it had quit raining. [ ] THE EXPRESSION said it all — it was} over with. Eric Bremmer and Tom Harris) congratulate one another outside. - But when the seniors passed by pro- “The most emotional part for me,” After remarks by class president : From the bleachers, a person won- Everyone stood. The alma mater Finally outside, the class membe For some reason it was hard to leave |