Chowan College - Chowanoka Yearbook (Murfreesboro, NC)

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A large number of students, faculty, staff and Mur- freesboro citizens assisted in covering the roots of the Constitution tree. Providing special music was Ben Sutton, Carla Chamblee, Valerie Sutton and Dr. James Chamblee. With the college bell tolling 200 times to signal the beginning of the ceremonies, Chowan College, with the Murfrcesboro communitv par ticipating, celebrated the Bicentennial of the Constitution in September with rousing speeches, a variety of music, banquets, presentation and salutes to the American flag, and the planing of the campus Constitution Tree. It was a great day, commented one professor, for it made you feel proud to be an American. SGA president Bill Garvey presided and welcomed the crowd of young and old assembled beside McDowell Columns, and introduced the college stage band, and a choral group of college personnel. Cecil Davis, president of the BSU. gave the invocation, and local Boy Scouts president the flag. The keynote speaker for the tree planting ceremony was Charles Paul, Professor of Social Science, who concluded his remarks with may each of us hope, and pray, that the emphasis of this bicentennial year will be in- strumental in spreading a clearer understanding for the Constitution of these United States of America. Later in the day, former Congressman G. William Whitehurst delivered an address in McDowell Columns to trace the history in the formulation of the Constitution. An engraved marker was placed at the base of the Constitution Tree signifying the occasion, and to remain for those who will be at Chowan College for the many, many years to come. Constitution Day 17

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Charles Paul. Professor of Social Science, was the keynote speaker at the planting of the college ' s Constitution Tree. Tree is planted in observance of Constitution ' s Anniversary Amid an approaching storm, a large crowded gathered for the historic program. Bill Garvey,(far left) president of the SGA, presided at the indoor ceremonies. Former Congressman G. William Whitehurst was the featured speaker at the evening program. 16 Constitution Day

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Fall drama production well done! Chowan Players present Devil ' s Disciple . SHAW AT CHOWAN A Review by Ken Wolfskill George Bernard Shaw made enough money from a New York production of The Devil ' s Disciple in 1897 that he could devote himself entirely to writing for a living It seems ironic that the socialist and social critic, most famous to us, pro- bably, for Pygmalion, should make a bundle exploiting the American au- dience ' s taste for melodrama Like the novelist who writes a pot-boiler so he can afford more senous work, Shaw resorted to an easy plot and simple characters, and attacked hypocnsy. a subject Amencans have always loved to hate about themselves. Still, the melodrama — setting staunch hero and distressed damsel against overwhelming circumstances and bad, bad folks — allowed Shaw to caricature the hypocnsy he despised, throw a few barbs at English arrogrance. and even suggest what seem to some to be his dangerous notions of the super- man So the play is interesting for G B S. enthusiasts and fine amusement as an example of nineteenth century melodrama Mrs Sandra Boyce ' s production of the play The Devil ' s Disciple , in the fall semester, had impressive moments with a fine cast Joyce Elliott, as a shrewish. Bible-quoting, self-righteous bigot, overwhelmed with her tyranny. Hargus Taylor quite realistically, smoothly, and interestingly, carried a difficult scene as the voice of Shaw ' s intellectualizing General Burgoyne The Leading Man, Richard Dudgeon, played by Fabian Rathbone, is best, perhaps, when, in the last scene, he takes on an added dimension — confusion and anxiety — to his character of man-of-the-world Jennifer Grooters, the maiden In distress, sus- tained the difficult air of breathless vulnerability, making a very attractive heroine The production went for laughs, however, as though melodrama, like ' The Young and the Restless, is not funny enough by its very nature Instead of either laughing at sentimentality presented senously of being able to sentimen- talize about pathetic people, we are asked to laugh at cartoons of life. The open- ing scene had the self-nghteous Mrs Dudgeon berating a dull-witted son, played convincingly by Chris Glasby Because he was made to play the drooling fool, he was really funny, and the audience did not have to be disturbed at all by the mothers abuse Indeed, the mother ' s important characterization is sacrificed for the fool Though the production was thus confused at times, asking the audience to laugh and think at the same time, there were also very witty caricatures, most notably in Mr Glasby, but also in Lisa Kirby. as the irregular child in the cor- ner, and in Jerry Weisman. a very clever performer, playing both Uncle William and the Sergeant The play was chosen for the fall production, in this bicentennial year, because the story involves the American Revolution But It was chosen also because It was written by one of the most important dramatists in literature Mrs Boyce is, thus, not only responsive to the area ' s cultural needs and desires she is also dar- ing 18 Fall Production