Tennessee Tech Centennial
Special Supplement to
Herald-Citizen, Sunday, September 13, 2015
A2 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
19th Hole Club House Abel Gardens Florist & Gifts Academy Sports + Outdoors American Bank & Trust American Way Real Estate Andrea V. Burckhard, LUTCF New York Life Insurance Company Automation Tool Company Averitt Express Awning Worx Bank of Putnam County BB&T Legge Insurance Billings Crane Bilyeu CPA Group, PC Borden Jewelry & Gifts Capshaw Elementary School Carwile Mechanical Contractors Cavender’s The Interior Company Cedar Hills Retirement Center Char CharlesStoneHeating&Cooling Chartwells Cheddar’sCasualCafe Chick-Fil-A Citizens Bank CityScape CollegesideChurchofChrist CookevilleElectricDepartment CookevilleGlass&MirrorInc CookevilleHigherEducationCampus CookevilleMedicalClinic CookevillePlumbing&Electric CookevilleRegionalMedicalCenter Cookeville-PutnamCountyChamberofCommerce Copeland Veterinary Hospital Crest Lawn Funeral Home CRMC Charitable Foundation Cumberland Insurance Agency Cummins Filtration DelMonaco Winery & Vineyards Eddie Farris, Sheriff Elk Mountain Construction Express Employment Professionals FamilyCare Counseling Services Farm Bureau - Willow Avenue
Father and Son Family Medicine Clinic First National Bank First Tennessee Bank Flowserve Corporation Ford Lincoln of Cookeville Freddie Nelson, Trustee Genco Stamping & Manufacturing Co Harold Burris, Register of Deeds Hayes Family Dentistry Heritage Pointe Senior Living Hill Realty Home Instead Senior Care Hometown Family Care Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home Hutchinson Manufacturing Inc Hyundai of Cookeville Identity Group LLC Industry Mart Institutional Wholesale Co Inc Joyce Health Care Judd’s Country Store Lakeland Electric Inc Larry Brown Electronics Larry W. Harkleroad (King Company) LauRes Gift Shop Leo’s Spring Street Market Leslie Town Centre Luna & Herren Investment Group M.E. Industries Maffett Loftis Engineering, LLC Maggart Tire Co LLC Marcia Borys, Circuit Court Clerk Meadows Homes Middle Tennessee Federal Credit Union Mullins Vision Associates NAPA of Cookeville Nashville State Community College Nick’s Restaurant One Hour Martinizing Papa John’s Pepsi Physicians Urgent Care Presley Funeral Home Quality Dental Care Randy Jones, Road Supervisor
Randy Porter, Executive Raymond James Financial Rogers Group, Inc. Ships-n-Trips Stage One Dance Studio State Farm - Elwood Ervin Steve Pierce, Assessor Stroud’s Barbeque Susan Johnson (First Realty Company) Swallows-Newman Insurance Agency Sylvan Learning Center Tammy Atkins (American Way Real Estate) Tasty’s Tennessee College of Applied Technology The Cooke House The Realty Firm Trinity Assembly Turner Construction Company Tutco Inc Twin Lakes Tyler Asher (Country Financial) UniFirst University Barber Shop Upper Cumberland Ear, Nose & Throat Upper Cumberland Tourism Association Vaughn’s Monument Works Volunteer State Community College Watson Metals Wayne Nabors, County Clerk Whitt’s Barbecue Wilson Bank & Trust Winell Lee Mouldings and Hardwoods Wooly’s Club House YMCA
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A3
A4 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Herald-Citizen proud to wish Tennessee Tech happy 100th anniversary Good memories are best shared, and that’s exactly what the Herald-Citizen is doing in this special section honoring the 100th anniversary of Tennessee Tech University . “Tennessee Tech has been such a vital
part of this community that we feel it’s only fitting that we create a publication to recognize their 100th anniversary,” H-C managing editor Buddy Pearson said. “And a lot of people don’t realize it, but Elmer Wirt, who founded the Putnam County
Herald, had a lot to do with getting a state college in Cookeville and helping to create Dixie College and Tennessee Tech.” The special section includes some vintage photos, informative stories and memories shared by H-C employees and subscribers.
Besides Don Foy, the newsroom, ad staff and composing department, special recognition goes out to Laura Clemons, Karen Lykins, Lauren Shull, Kori Riemensperger, Ben Corda and Cody Bryant of Tennessee Tech for supplying information and pho-
tos. A photo credit also goes to Tony Marable. “Everyone has worked diligently on this special publication and we hope everyone enjoys taking a walk down memory lane,” Pearson said.
History-to-journalism convert learned the ropes at TTU “We take converts.” That was my introduction to mass communications at Tennessee Tech University — I had “converted” from history to English-journalism. It was the start of my junior year, and I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life. Or at least narrowed it down a bit. The instructor had asked us — a class full of aspiring journalists, broadcasters, public relations specialists, marketers and advertising agents — to share a bit about ourselves as we gathered that fall morning in 1998 on the third floor of the Roaden University Center, not far from the “news room” down the hall where I would spend many a Thursday night over the next couple of years working on The Oracle, TTU’s student newspaper, and eating Papa John’s pizza with the rest of the crew.
Amy Davis
So I introduced myself, my face flushing red at being the momentary center of attention. I was the “convert.” Well, it was a funny thing for the instructor to say. People laughed. I even laughed. At least it wasn’t bad attention. An introvert like me could
live with that. And I did. It would be painful at times learning to thrive in a career that required me to actually talk to people. But I pushed foward.
Learned to ask “who, what, when, where and why?” Listened. Observed. Took notes. Deciphered meaning. Checked facts. And always wrote stories with the thought: “Why should anyone care about this issue?” The TTU journalism department was — and still is, I’m sure — a fun place to be, with an interesting mix of creative energy. The bold reporter types. The sports writers. The ad designers. And feature writers, like me. Ironically, I was the Oracle sports editor during my senior year (as that was the only opening at the time and I needed some editing experience) and was always asking coaches featury questions like “How do you feel about your team’s victory?” and “What was the best part of the game?”
Fortunately, I had a great assistant sports editor who wrote stories that included scores, stats and such, as well as sportsy lingo like “alley-oop”... whatever that means. (Okay, I just Googled it: “An alley-oop in basketball is an offensive play in which one player throws the ball near the basket to a teammate who jumps, catches the ball in mid-air and puts it in the hoop before touching the ground.” Cool.) All around me, I could see the makings of great editors, publishers, news reporters, entertainment writers, page designers and photojournalists — all of them with the same desire: to get information to the public in an accurate, unbiased, comprehensive, timely and understandable manner. And be the first to do it. “History in a hurry,” we call it.
Now we are the “watchdogs” of the government. We are protectors of the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and the press. We are researchers. We are storytellers. We are also just everyday people who go home to our families after our stories hit the newsracks. Somebody has to do it. In a way, it’s like being among superheroes. The written word is powerful, after all, and with great power does come great responsibility. Even if you are a convert. Amy Davis is a staff writer at the Herald-Citizen. She graduated from TTU in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in English-Journalism.
Feeling connected on campus a welcome factor When I think about Tennessee Tech Center, bonding University, it stirs up a feeling of being with others at the “home”… like being a part of a comwatering hole for munity. But here’s the kicker: I was all things TTU barely on campus most of the time. journalism Yet, I still felt connected. (though, that As someone who had a full-time would have been work week while taking on classes at a nice and I know I full schedule, and commuting back and definitely missed forth to campus several times a day, I out on that). didn’t leave myself much room for exSo I didn’t get tracurricular activities. the whole tradiBrittany I was a journalism major, but unlike tional “college exStovall many of my peers, I unfortunately didperience.” But n’t work as staff on the Oracle or returning to camspend hours each week in the departpus was always heading back to a ment’s hide-away computer lab on the warm, familiar place. top floor of the Roaden University This is probably because I often saw
familiar, friendly faces when bouncing from class to class. Sure, the journalism department is small compared to many others at the school, but, somehow, I seemed to run into a lot of my classmates even far outside of the office or lab. And my professors and advisors were enthusiastic about teaching or making sure I had the best TTU experience I could. They looked out for me and saw to it that I had all my ducks in a row with getting into classes I needed and meeting graduation goals, even if I had done my research and prepared ahead of time. When writing stories or taking photographs of campus for either the Her-
ald-Citizen or the Oracle, I interacted with a variety of people there — from maintenance and grounds personnel to campus police, from support staff in administrative offices to those in the IT department. I spoke and studied with students from different walks of life — a mother who returned to school to finish her education degree. An international student who loved the campus and the city surrounding it. It was interesting, and it left a lasting positive impression. And you can’t beat the infectious school spirit. I can’t count how many times I saw Awesome Eagle prowling around on campus, though I had never been to a game. (Yep, not much of a
sports team fan.) So, yes, I often rushed off campus as soon as any block of classes were over. I’d quickly pace back to my car and set off back to work. Or go squeeze in a quick visit with family or friends. If I was leaving a late class, I usually headed back home to catch up on some sleep. But that didn’t seem to matter for a student like me, because every time I returned to TTU, it was like being welcomed back with open arms. Brittany Stovall is a reporter for the Herald-Citizen. She graduated from TTU with a bachelor’s degree in Communications: Journalism.
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Tennessee Tech Centennial
TTU gave me a glimpse of the world As a student who has earned two degrees from there, a former employee and an adjunct instructor, I have many and varied memories from Tennessee Tech University. But the single greatest impact the university has had on me happened nowhere near campus. In fact, I was on an entirely different continent. That’s because, as a non-traditional student while earning my second degree, I had the opportunity to study abroad. I spent a month in Finland and a few days in Russia, studying healthcare systems in each country, the European Union and generally learning a little bit about each culture. Out of everything I learned from those experiences, I think the two most important things were that I wish I’d studied abroad earlier and stayed for even longer. Several of us from TTU shared the ex-
Tracey Hackett
perience. When our plane arrived in Helsinki, we boarded a train for an overnight trek north to Lapland and its central city, a town about the size of Cookeville, called Rovaniemi, where we attended RAMK, a university of applied sciences there, for two
weeks. While we were there, we visited Lapland’s regional hospital, white water rafted on a river near Finland’s border with Siberian Russia, and hiked in a national park near the Arctic Circle with streams so clean and clear you could refill your water bottle straight from them.
With a population of reindeer that outnumbers that of people in that region, we also had our first opportunity to taste reindeer meat, which is low in saturated fat and tastes similar to beef with a mild gaminess a venison. It’s traditionally served sauteed, on a bed of mashed potatoes and with a side of lingonberry jam and pickles, but when we visted a reindeer farm, we also got a chance to sample fresh reindeer sausages roasted over an open flame. American style restaurants weren’t too prominent there, but Romaniemi does have the distinction of being home to the northernmost McDonald’s in the world. Santa Claus Village there is home to Father Christmas himself — and don’t try to convince me Santa Claus isn’t real, because I know better; he speaks dozens of languages, and we even had our picture made with him. From there, we spent another two weeks
in the town of Pori in the Satakunta southwestern region of Finland and attended SAMK, another university of applied sciences. The town is located not far from the Gulf of Bothnia on the Baltic Sea, and while we were there, we got a chance to visit a lighthouse and see the gulf for ourselves. We also visited Old Rauma, with buildings dating back to the 18th century. Its central square is home to a museum where we saw a demonstration of oldfashioned tatting of Finnish lace. With its lace-making tradition, the town hosts an Annual Lace Week celebration, but it didn’t coincide with our visit. Our hosts at SAMK organized a roadtrip to St. Petersburg, Russia, while we were there too. One of our first stops on that trip was a visit to the Salvation Army office there, where we learned about healthcare issues specific to the city.
We took a boat tour down the Neva River, a bus tour where among the sights was the cottage of city founder Peter the Great, and a walk through the Winter Garden and Palace Square, where the world famous Hermitage Museum is located nearby. Those are only the highlights. The trip was over much too soon, even though we saw and did many other things and learned a great deal. One thing I know, in part because of that trip, is how to say thank you in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian and Finnish. For giving me that experience, TTU — thank you, merci, gracias, spasibo, and kiitos. Tracey Hackett is a reporter for the Herald-Citizen. She graduated from TTU in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in English-Journalism.
Reporter continues legacy left by aunt, uncles, father My story with Tennessee Technological University began WAY before my time — literally. My dad’s oldest sister attended school there when it was Tennessee Polytechnic Institute. My dad’s oldest brother attended and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering (B.S. in Engineering Science and M.S. in Engineering Mechanics). Then, my dad followed in their footsteps. And his youngest brother earned his degree from there as well. (On another note, it’s fun looking through my dad’s old yearbooks and seeing familiar names of professors, even though he was in the business school.) So when I started looking at colleges, I had no idea where to go. Or what to do for that matter. So after spending two years getting the basics under my belt, saving money and living at home, I thought why not look at Tech?
That was 2002. The campus was completely different then. There was no nursing building. No STEM center. No Centennial Park. But the original Eagle (which was sustaining damage from the weather, Laura as I understand Militana now) was there, perched high on Derryberry Hall. And Capitol Quad (which was located where the nursing building is now), which held memories for my dad and his brothers, as that was the all male dorm at the time they came here, was there. (When they demolished it to make way for the nursing school, that helped alleviate the parking issues, as I lived right across the street in Crawford at the time).
I went to TTU with intentions to become an elementary school teacher. That quickly changed when I had to practicum a class in my first semester. Those inquisitive elementary school kids asking questions every five minutes really got to me. I didn’t even finish an entire semester in education as it was that afternoon I changed my major to English-Journalism. And I haven’t looked back since. I worked on The Oracle as entertainment editor, assistant editorial editor and managing editor, along with the yearbook staff. The year I was on the yearbook staff was the year that it went to CD. Yes, CD. The thoughts were to go high-tech and save printing costs (if my memory serves me). While it could have been very creative, it didn’t turn out as much. A few years after that, they went back to print editions.
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I remember spending many nights (some very very late nights) in the third floor offices of the University Center. (On a side note, for a ‘technical’ school, the computers were all around 10 years old at the time. That made getting a newspaper published very difficult, hence the long Thursday nights.) Scheduling classes every semester was not so much fun either. The servers would be overloaded with everyone wanting to register as well. Those Friday mornings during the Oracle’s publication year were not so much fun either. In fact, they’re a blur. I vaguely remember passing the courses needed to graduate. I also met my husband at Tennessee Tech. We cruise the campus every now and then — nearly 10 years after graduating — and are amazed at all the changes the campus has undergone. We’re also amazed at how far we have come. But that’s another story.
My first job following graduation was in Crossville at their three-day a week newspaper, the Crossville Chronicle. I covered school board, business and whatever else needed covering, while learning about layout and other things necessary to know in the world of journalism. I spent (and drove) three years there before an opportunity here at the Herald-Citizen opened. Since I’ve been here (now more than five years) I’ve learned so much and met so many people, not to mention the countless stories I’ve had to cover over the years. Being here in the big city of Cookeville has taught me a lot. And really, it’s all thanks to Tennessee Tech. Laura Militana is a reporter and the business editor for the HeraldCitizen. She graduated from TTU with a bachelor’s degree in English-Journalism in 2006.
A6 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial TTU President
Philip B. Oldham 2012-Present Philip B. Oldham joined the university July 1, 2012, as its ninth president. Oldham previously served as provost and senior vice chancellor of academic affairs at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a position he had held since 2007. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from FreedHardeman University in 1980 and his doctorate in analytical chemistry from Texas A&M University in 1985. He spent a year following his graduate work as a Wellcome Research Fellow at Burroughs Wellcome Co. (Glaxo Smith-Kline) before joining the faculty at Mississippi State University in 1986. Oldham served as head of Mississippi State University’s chemistry department for five years prior to becoming MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences dean in 2001. During his five years as provost at UTC, enrollment grew 28 percent to more than 11,400 students. He led efforts to improve
student retention and graduation rates resulting in a 15 percent increase in freshmen retention in just three years. Under his leadership, UTC established the Center for Advisement and Student Success, created the Math Plaza and initiated UTeaChattanooga to educate future teachers. He oversaw the addition of doctoral programs in advanced nursing practice and occupational ther-
apy as well as the redesign of summer school. Under his guidance, the university raised significant private support, received board approval to create the University Honors College and launched a creative new “Degree in 3” program designed to accelerate degree completion at reduced student costs. Oldham has served on statewide task forces to develop
the new higher education funding formula for Tennessee and to create universal transfer pathways to provide seamless student transfers across all Tennessee public colleges and universities. Along with his administrative accomplishments, Oldham has authored more than 35 peer reviewed research articles in analytical chemistry, along with two patents and approximately 100 conference presentations. His research has been financially supported by the National Science Foundation, American Chemical Society, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Geological Survey and private industry. He has served on a number of scholarly editorial boards and as a peer reviewer for both the NSF and National Institutes of Health. Oldham and his wife, Kari, are proud of their family, which includes three sons (Clay, Paden and Sam), a daughter (Audrey) and a daughter-in-law (Rebecca).
Dr. Oldham looking to put TTU on the fast track to success By BUDDY PEARSON HERALD-CITIZEN Managing Editor
TTU — For almost 100 years Tennessee Tech had just eight presidents. In 2012, Dr. Phil Oldham was hired to become the ninth person to hold the presidency at TTU as the University celebrates its centennial and moves into its next 100 years of existence. “It’s the luck of timing. I feel very blessed and honored to do that,” Dr. Oldham said about being the president during the centennial celebration. “In the
100-year history, I’m just the ninth president. There’s a lot of longevity for presidents here. It’s pretty remarkable.” Dr. Oldham took over the reigns of TTU from Dr. Bob Bell, who retired in 2012 after 12 years on the job. Dr. Bell replaced Dr. Angelo Volpe, who was president from 1987 until 2000. Both Dr. Bell and Dr. Volpe still live in Cookeville and have provided Dr. Oldham with a vast array of knowledge and help of any sort. “They both have been very
gracious. They have offered their assistance at time when it’s appropriate,” Dr. Oldham said. “Otherwise, they have made it very clear that it’s my turn and they are comfortable with that. They have been very supportive and it’s been a good situation.” Dr. Oldham came to TTU without any ties or affiliation with the campus, although he was just down the road at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. It didn’t take long for him to cozy up to the college culture in Cookeville.
“I am very differential to established cultures on campus. Every campus has its own unique traditions and heritage,” Dr. Oldham explained. “There’s always unique local flavors. Every academic department seems to have its own culture and dynamic that I tend to be aware of and differential to. I like to think I came in here with a fresh perspective and an unbiased sort of view of the campus,” Dr. Oldham continued. “I needed to learn the history and the traditions and those values. It was-
n’t hard to do. I was able to understand those things and appreciate them.” Learning the storied history of Tennessee Tech has been a priority for Dr. Oldham since the first day he set foot on campus. He is appreciative of what TTU has accomplished in the past, and more concerned about what it can accomplish in the future. “All public and private universities were created for a different time and different set of expectations than we see today. The world moves so
much faster today. Things are changing so rapidly,” Dr. Oldham explained. “The cost of higher education, the burden of the cost has shifted from the public sector, state government, to the families and the students themselves. Even though the cost of high education hasn’t increased, the sticker price has gone way up for the students. If you are having to invest more of your resources then that raises the bar for what you expect that See OLDHAM, Page A7
Congratulations on your
100 Anniversary th
We Wish You, Your Students, and Graduates Continued Dr. Philip Oldham autographs a sign after his investiture in 2012.
Success in the Future!
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A7
Tennessee Tech Centennial
OLDHAM: Technology vital to TTU success From Page A6
anybody. I think we will be pleasantly surprised when we do.” investment to return to you. Dr. Oldham sees great things Now there is a lot more ahead for Tennessee Tech and scrutiny. What can education its student body. As long as the do for me? If I’m going to abcampus continues to set the sorb student-loan debt, am I standard for technology, the going to be able to pay it off? sky is the limit. “Tech is one of the most af“The way I view it is that fordable institutions in the technology is such a major part country,” Dr. Oldham further of our lives today, regardless of explained. “We consistently what we major in or our career have the lowest student-loan path is. I can’t think of a career debt for our students and we that is not impacted by technolare consistently ranked as the ogy. It’s the tools of the fubest return on investment in the ture,” Dr. Oldham said. “My state of Tennessee. It’s a great view here is that as a technolvalue for the dollar. I like being ogy university, we need to inin that position. That’s where fuse not just an appreciation you want to be.” but a fluency with technology Known for a century as a and a comfort level in technoltechnology school and more ogy with students whether they specifically an engineering are majoring in English or socischool, Dr. Oldham embraces ology or mechanical engineerthat moniker, but sees TTU as ing so they are prepared and much, much more. ready to go to work. We have “Approximately 25 percent of to empower them with those our student body is in the coltools so they can set their own lege of engineering. We have course and define their own fuabout 40 percent of our student ture. It’s about empowering.” enrollment studying a STEM In 25 years, when TTU has discipline which is a higher another anniversary celebrapercentage than most universiDr. Phil Oldham and his wife Kari are pictured with Tennessee Tech head football coach Watson Brown and former tion, Dr. Oldham hopes the ties in size and nature,” said University of Texas coach and Cookeville native Mack Brown at Hometown Champions Night in 2014. next generation can look back Dr. Oldham. and appreciate what has been “There was sort of this diaccomplished during his tenure “We are beginning to talk wise.” We’ve built really good relachotomy that yes, it needs to be and the City of Cookeville Even with Tech’s notable rep- about this now and work on it, on campus. tions. being able to benefit from all a technical institution, but it “I hope they don’t say it’s but there is always sort of a utation and smart value, Dr. “I think we’ve taken it to anof that. He hopes that as TTU also needs to provide teachers what I did, but what happened Oldham wants to see a sense of psychology on a campus and continues to carry the torch for other level not just being a for public education like the while I was here. I’d like to say urgency on campus to do more one thing that holds us back partner but being in a leadertechnology, industries and old-fashioned normal schools and be more. Like technology, right now is we have to have a that we emerged as realizing ship position. The announcedid. There was sort of a bipolar businesses will flock to the the potential that has always he wants to see TTU moving at sense of self-confidence. mission that was baked in from area to partner with the univer- ment of FICOSA coming to There’s a tendency to think be- been here,” Dr. Oldham exthe speed of light. Cookeville is a good example sity. the beginning. It still exists cause we are in the rural part of plained. “Our vision statement of that,” Dr. Oldham continued. “Higher education has got to “Economic development is today. We are an engineering talks about us being recognized get a sense about what we have the south, maybe we can’t “We met with them and it was school but we also have strong something I was interested in obvious they were interested in to get done. We do not have the compete with the big boys. We as the leading technological programs in education and arts when I arrived because my in university in the south. That’s a have to get over that. luxury of sitting around and coming to Cookeville because my past experience I know and sciences and the sciences pretty ambitious goal. I’d like “We have a lot of people on talking about things and studyhow much a university, particu- of Tennessee Tech. After that in general. larly one centered around tech- we were willing to partner with ing things. The pace is just too this campus that are as good as to think that in 25 years people “I’m happy to say the engiwill be able to look at that and fast. Either you are going to get people anywhere. We have to nology, help drive job creation them and have conversations neering component has taken say that during that time we if it’s done right,” said Dr. Old- about how that partnership can out there and do some things or believe in ourselves to the as significant step forward made significant strides toward point where we are willing to you are going to get passed ham. “We’ve put together a re- be beneficial to us and them. since my arrival on campus,” get out there and compete with that.” I’m not sure Cookeville would up,” Dr. Oldham explained. ally strong team here on Dr. Oldham added. have been considered othercampus to help with that. “It has to do with timing and what’s going on in the world. Some of it is timing and some is not. The world has become a different place economically. A couple of decades ago so many manufacturing jobs were being lost, but a lot of them are coming back because the world has changed. “Technological advances is driving so much of the world’s economy. “We are in a really good position in that regard. We are graduating roughly 30 percent of the states engineering graduates annually. The majority of those graduates stay in Tennessee. We have to continually earn it. We cannot sit still just because we graduate good students. It has to be more than that. We are not only teaching the next generation and helping them prepare for the world they are going to face, but we are helping with those technological advances and becoming the go-to place when industries around the state have a question or problem.” Because of Tennessee Tech’s reputation as a technical institute and because it is the state’s leading technology school, Dr. Dr. Philip Oldham wants TTU to become the premier techOldham sees Putnam County nology school in the South.
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A10 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial
Elmer Wirt, who founded the Putnam County Herald, had a lot to do with getting a state college in Cookeville and Elmer Wirt’s great-granddaughter Sarah Watts (left) holds a framed version of the original senate bill establishing TPI while Wirt’s granddaughter Jessie Wirt Watts holds a picture of her grandpa which they found in their attic. helping to create Dixie College and Tennessee Tech.
Complete text of General Assembly bill establishing TPI PUBLIC ACTS OF THE State of Tennessee PASSED BY THE FIFTY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1915 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY CHAPTER NO. 35 SENATE BILL NO. 586 (By J.L. Ewell, John J. Gore, C.P. Freedle & T.W. Wilson) AN ACT to amend Chapter 264 of the printed Acts of the General Assembly of 1909, being entitled, “An Act to Provide for the Improvement of the System of Public Education of the State of Tennessee, etc.,” and commonly known as the “General Educational Bill,” by providing for the
This is the original senate bill which established Tennessee Polytechnic Institutie in 1915. It was found in the attic by Elmer Wirt’s grand-daughter Jesse Wirt Watts.
establishment and maintenance of a school of technology in Tennessee, to be known as the Tennessee Polytechnic Institute. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, That Section 5 of Chapter 264 of the printed Acts of the General Assembly of 1909 known as the “General Educational Bill,” be, and the same is, hereby amended so that the first paragraph of said section shall be in the following language: That six per cent of the general education fund provided by this Act shall be used as a high school fund to encourage and assist the counties of the State to establish and maintain public county high
schools as hereinafter provided, and that two per cent of the general education fund provided by this act shall be used as a fund for the establishment, support and maintenance of a state school of technology to be known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute as provided in this Act. SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That said Tennessee Polytechnic Institute shall be located at Cookeville, Putnam County Tennessee, provided the town of Cookeville and Putnam County contribute and donate $75,000 in cash, or its equivalent, to be used by the Board of Education in providing land and buildings for said institute; provided, however, that said Board of Education is not to
establish said institute until all of said $75,000 is paid as herein provided. SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That said Board of Education may receive contributions of money or donations of property or funds from any source for the benefit of this enterprise, which they shall in good faith dispose of and disburse in accordance with the conditions of the donations. SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That the trustees of colleges, universities or educational institutions shall have the power to give the use of their property to the
State Board of Education for the benefit of said school of technology. SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That in addition to any accepted donations of land, buildings, or money, the income from the fund provided for in this Act for the year 1915, or any part thereof, may be used by the State Board of Education for buildings and equipment for said school. SEC. 6. Be it further enacted, That the State Board of Education shall have the power and authority to purchase land, erect buildings and equip the same, on
such terms as may be considered advisable and advantageous by said Board of Education, and to pay for the same out of funds appropriated or donated for said Tennessee Polytechnic Institute. SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, That said Tennessee Polytechnic Institute shall be made in every respect a first-class institution for the technical education of white pupils between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five years and the most approved method of instruction shall be adopted, and none but teachers experienced and skilled shall be employed.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A11
Tennessee Tech Centennial 1915-1939
Workers raise a flag pole in front of the administration building on the camus of Dixie College which later became Tennessee Polytechnic Institute and then Tennessee Tech University.
A12 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Past Presidents
TPI had three presidents in first 24 years THOMAS ALVA EARLY 1916-1920 Thomas A. Early Thomas Alva Early was the first president of Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, formerly Dixie College. Though some thought TPI should be a “vocationally-oriented school,” many students came to TPI to become teachers, a coveted profession in rural TenEarly nessee. Early began the push for TPI’s first bachelor of science degree in education, which the state approved in 1927. Known for his extension work and his support of the military, Early held a
war training school for draftees, established a rehabilitation program for injured veterans and brought a Student’s Army Training Corps to TPI in 1918. Early helped TTU thrive with meager financial resources. Under his administration, the 1917 state legislature appropriated $100,000 for buildings, which led to the construction of South Hall and expansion of the administration building. Early took a personal interest in helping students who were struggling academically or financially. He passed a mandatory student work policy, requiring every student to work three hours a week to alleviate tuition and fee expenses.
Smith led TPI through the Depression, with budget cuts that eliminated courses and faculty. But there was growth during his tenure as well. Smith oversaw the construction of key campus facilities, including the science, engineering and home economics buildings; heating plant; machine and woodworking shop; president’s home; and dairy barn. Smith was known for advocating a college Q. Smith education despite a student’s poverty QUINTIN MILLER SMITH status. He set up special exams for 1920-1938 prospective enrollees who lacked an Quentin M. Smith Quintin Miller eighth grade diploma and tried to help
students overcome financial barriers to enrollment. Student activities also developed during Smith’s tenure. In 1925, students chose the Golden Eagle as their mascot. The music program grew, and by 1926, the university had an orchestra. Smith advanced TPI’s academic reputation by employing the first faculty members with doctoral degrees, establishing a four-year curriculum in education, and working toward accreditation. TPI awarded its first bachelor’s degrees in 1929. JAMES MILLARD SMITH 1938-1940 James M. Smith James Millard Smith set up a committee to revise the TPI curriculum, dividing the curricula into two major divisions: arts and sciences, and professional and technical. That restruc-
ture led to accreditation. TPI was admitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1939. Enrollment had declined during the Depression, but began to rebound in the late ’30s. In 1938, TPI accepted 100 students who received financial relief through the Works Progress Administration. They could enroll for up to 11 hours J. Smith per term and work up to 100 hours per month at 27.5 cents per hour. More students attended TPI through a special resident training project funded by the National Youth Administration.
Jere Whitson, pictured with his wife, Parizetta, was influential in helping establish Tennessee Polytechnic Institute.
This is one of the first graduating classes from Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, circa 1919.
Members of TPI’s football team are pictured on their way to a game.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A13
Tennessee Tech Centennial
One of the early student bodies of Tennessee Polytechnic Institute photographed in front of the administration building.
TPI students rehearse for the play MidSummer Night’s Dream in 1917.
These are the members of the first TPI orchestra which was formed in 1916.
A14 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
TTU Centennial
Members of one of the early TPI football teams practices on the front lawn of the administration building.
TPI students always enjoyed skit night.
Male TPI students spend an afternoon working on their cars under a shade tree.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A15
Tennessee Tech Centennial
There was a lot of sewing going on in the early days of Tennessee Polytechnic Institute.
Once TPI was established, the campus began to grow with the addition of sidewalks and other buildings around camBuelah Belle Mayfield, circa 1930. pus.
A16 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A17
Tennessee Tech Centennial
1940-1964
TPI students vote for their class sweetheart, a popular occurance for students during this time period. From 1940 through 1964 TPI enrollment grew, graduate programs were added and may renovations were made on campus.
A18 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial
Providing a unique education Where the Tennessee Technological University’s STEM Center is now located on 7th Street was an institution of exceptional learning known originally as the 7th Street School, then Tech Training School and finally Tech Campus Elementary School which educated students from 1949-1976. Tech Campus School, as I fondly call it, was an elementary school serving students from kindergarten through 6th grade and through 9th grade in earlier times. Years ago, the leadership of then Tennessee Polytechnic Institute TPI came up with the forward thinking idea to have a teacher training hands on educational school whereby those wanting to pursue teaching as a profession could try out the latest educational techniques on young receptive minds. Thus the school to train teachers, Tech Campus Elementary was created. From the halls of Tech Campus Elementary School have come many medical physicians, dentist, engineers, military leaders, congressional representatives, business managers, scientists, university professors, inventors, community leaders, brilliant caring teachers but even more important is a group of individuals that value family, maintained lifetime friends and honor their communities daily with their devotion and service. Since this is Tennessee Technological University’s 100th year celebration several of my lifelong Tech Campus classmates decided to share their dear memories of the school that carried on the classroom work when all schools in Putnam County closed except, you guessed it, Tech Campus was always open when snowy weather closed the other public schools in and around Cookeville. Consequently, our summer breaks were longer than most of the other county schools in the system. Tech Campus Elementary School picturesquely set back off of 7th Street and had a long driveway where parents dropped their children off at the front door. There was no public bus transportation system for the Tech Campus students. You had two choices — you walked to school or your parents delivered you each morning and lined up when the school day was over for pickup. I was a late arrival at Tech Campus starting school there about six weeks into my first grade year having begun the first grade at another farther away school until my parents convinced then principal Waldo Powers that I should attend Tech Campus. Believe it or not, we had 43 students in my first grade class. This was long before the No Child Left Behind limited student class size. Each of us benefitted from the love and artistic education of Mrs. Rose Dubois as our teacher. I recently visited the Hunter Museum in California and got to view the original Blue Boy and Pinkie that Mrs. Dubois had introduced us to. I will never see Van Gogh’s Sunflower or the Renoir’s Girl with a Watering Can without smiling and thinking of Rose Dubois. Gifted teachers do really stay with us all of our life. Our TTU student teacher that year was Miss Janie Bassett. In second grade our teacher was Mary Ann Byrom. Each year, we had one or two TTU student teachers that would teach a couple of subjects at the end of their senior year before graduating from Tennessee Tech with a teaching degree in education. To inspire the love of nature and geology, Mrs. Byrom took us on a field trip to the open fields of what
Tech Campus Elementary School was located on 7th Street and educated children from 1949-1976.
now is White Plains subdivision. As a class we were to roam the open fields in search of geode stones. Geode stones are very ugly on the outside, but little did we know that when we cracked the stones open the inside of the stone was full of beautiful crystals that to second graders looked like diamonds. Mrs. Byrom and her TTU student teacher had the class expand their literary skills by also composing individual stories, compiling them in a book format and then we were taught how to bind the book and create a hardback front and back cover. Each student signed the bound book as the authors. What fun! Thanks to Miss Amy Johnson in third grade, we all as a class became members of the Audubon Society Bird Club. Miss Amy was a strict meticulous educator who wanted each of her students to appreciate the beauty of nature and in particular the fine feathered friends-birds. Several times a week we would as a class go outside the lunchroom cafeteria and be seated under a large oak tree that divided the Tech Campus land from the WHUB taller than tall radio tower. Our main objective was to be quiet enough that we could hear and identify various birds. After all we were Audubon Society junior members. Miss Amy Johnson was a former physical therapy assistant at Warm Springs Georgia to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She spoke of President Roosevelt often. You could tell that she held him in the highest regard for the way he dealt with the pain and agony of polio. Miss Amy taught us dances from the Nutcracker Suite. To this day, it is one of our favorite ballets. The variety of learning was so unique and all encompassing. We thought everyone in ele-
mentary school was learning things like this and that all students knew the finest details of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s life as a child music prodigy. During the third and fourth grade years at Tech Campus a special lady would visit our classroom once a week for art education. Our special guest artist was Mrs. Joan Derryberry, the wife of then TTU President Everett Derryberry. Mrs. Derryberry would bring artistic paintings to inspire us, but the thing we loved the most was the beautiful melodic British voice that flowed so eloquently as she spoke. After all, she was Mrs. Derryberry and a building on the TTU campus was named after her. She was like the Queen of Tech to 6-10 year olds. Mrs. Derryberry thought that being artistic and well-rounded also meant that we as students needed to learn the classic cultural minuet dances. Several times each week our class would walk from the Tech Campus Elementary School to Derryberry Hall to practice doing the minuet ever so lovely. As an elementary school age child, we all thought that Derryberry Hall was the largest stage in the world. Only many years later when visiting Derryberry Hall for my son and later daughter’s orientation to college did I then realize how very small the auditorium really was. One of our most brilliant TTU student teachers came to work with us in the fourth grade. Miss Vera Whaley was full of energy and ready to set the world on fire to take learning to a whole new level. Mrs. Mozelle Medley was the regular fourth grade teacher and she had the most amazing southern drawl. Mrs. Medley loved to read to our class after lunch the Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit stories. We would place of heads on our
desks to take a rest but none of us ever went to sleep because we could visualize Brer Rabbit when Mrs. Medley read to us almost as if Brer Rabbit was in our classroom doing all those crazy mischievous things that Brer Rabbit did. Miss Whaley as our TTU student teacher that year proved to be a blessing since Mozelle Medley had to be out of the classroom the second half of the year due to an illness. Remarkably, Mrs. Mozelle Medley, eight years after fourth grade, composed a congratulatory graduation from high school letter to each of our class members. In the graduation letter, Mrs. Medley referenced our individual personalities and the way she remembered us while we were in her fourth grade classroom. Not very many high school graduates receive personalized letters from their fourth grade teachers. What a delight to open that special reflection letter from Mrs. Medley. Every Christmas at Tech Campus we would paint the inside single panes of the glass windows with tempera paint to make the classroom more festive for the holidays. Our music teacher and the TTU music student teachers always made the holidays special by having us practice Christmas music by learning to add chords from the harpsichord, ringing from the bells, tunes on the xylophones and always with piano music. As we gathered each year in the school hallways and sang those old loved Christmas carols, little did we know then how very special we would remember all those voices singing the seasonal songs in unison. Mrs. Marjorie Meadows made our Tech Campus Elementary School library “the place to go” after enjoying lunch
with Mrs. Bruce and Mrs. Fox in the cafeteria. As class captain of the week, you were rewarded by getting to punch meal tickets and set out the Sealtest milk cartons before lunch started. Oh there must have been a national or maybe even a worldwide abundance of black olives, because every meal had black olives on the cafeteria plate for several years. As an aside, unless you consumed all of the olives you were given you were not allowed to go to recess immediately after lunch. A whole lot of black olives mysteriously made their way into the caverns of the empty milk cartons. To this day I do not care for black olives. At Tech Campus Elementary there were many of the TTU faculty’s children and surrounding neighborhood children that attended the grammar school. The faculty at TTU knew that the very best of the developing educational teaching methods were being incorporated into the classroom. Tech Campus was well ahead of other areas in offering the cutting edge innovative teaching skills to its students. Many of my lifelong friends had parents that were TTU educators that left their creative mark on the University that still can be seen years later. The classroom came alive for example when studying Tennessee history. We fashioned salt maps to have a hands on experience of our state geography from the hills of East Tennessee to the Plateau, to the Basin that Nashville sets in, to the flat lands rolling down to the Mississippi delta in Memphis. Moving on to fifth grade we were blessed to have Mrs. Margaret Prescott be our teacher. At that time the latest movement in education was to encourSee CampuS, page 19
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A19
Tennessee Tech Centennial
CAMPUS: No longer in existence From Page A18 age children to read and read faster. The thinking was that faster reading improved the intellect. Mrs. Prescott’s TTU student teacher, Mrs. Burley Cannon introduced us to speed reading. Speed reading was a new method of reading content on a fast moving one line at a time reader machine. The goal was to read faster but comprehend more content. The reader machine concept was so much fun most of us thought of it as a challenge to beat the machine. Fifth Grade also brought the study of how man made work easier thru the ages. We studied the development and utilization of the level, the plane, the incline plane, the pulley, and the use of weight and gravity to make work easier for mankind. As we finished this study we moved into the study of architecture. My team was assigned European architecture. We constructed a gothic cathedral with a true stained glass replica window that was large enough for the 4 of us to sit inside. Notre Dame here we come! We also expanded our knowledge of our own 50 United States. As an assignment we crafted “parade type small floats” for each state and compiled a report. Stand up presentations to the class made each of us more confident and built camaraderie within our student body. Little did we realize were learning to work as a “team”. Nearly daily we would rotate sharing current events which helped make us aware of what was going on in our community, our state and our world. Our class teams would act out being TV newscasters reporting on the seriousness of the Vietnam War. On a lighter note,
College of Education, for sending those inspired and awesome teachers-in-training to expand their love of education and creative teaching enthusiasm for learning on to each of us. We always felt important and protected at Tech Campus School. Students were taught respect for their teachers and their classmates. We do not remember anyone every being allowed to be unkind to others. Our class members feel that is the one reason that students who attended Tech Campus feel so connected to the memories and to the others who went to school there. While the mortar and bricks of the Tech Campus Elementary School are no longer visible, the exceptional early education that went on within those school walls is still living, creating and helping others by the now adult citizens that reaped the rewards of those special early years. Yes STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics were taught on that piece of ground long before the concept of STEM was conceived. All schools in Putnam County except...yes we truly were the exception in teaching and learning because of the close association with Tennessee Technological University. To you Tennessee Technological University for our exceptional elementary educaThis drawing of the Tech Campus Elementary School depicts children playing outside on a winter day. The building is tion and lifelong friendships, we no longer in existence. say “thank you.” we would also write and direct neering department and viewing alty. SRA was a brand new edu- students of Tennessee Techno- Happy 100th birthday! TV type commercials to go along their experiments. The TTU stu- cational method teaching stu- logical University’s extension at the Tech Campus Elementary with our news presentation of the dent teacher experimented on us dents the love of reading. Submitted by Susan Fox by introducing the SRA Reading Mrs. Betty Fincher was our School were prepared to do well day, which was just plain fun. Vandergriff with contribuBy the time sixth grade rolled system. This was a multicolored sixth grade teacher. Mrs. Fincher in life because of that enriched tions from Mark Jared, around we were the upper class progressive level reading pro- was brilliant, creative and in- educational vision that the Uni- Denise Fox Griffin, Mary Lib men and women on our elemen- gram that started at the color red. spired each of us to develop our versity supported. Thanks to all Owens Wilson, Donna tary school campus. All of our When you worked thru all the individual personality and a the former Tennessee Technolog- Tudor, Teresa Hall & Rene’ class members looked forward to reading assignments and made it higher learning appreciation. All ical University faculty, especially Smith Richardson visiting the Tennessee Tech engi- to the purple level you were roy- of us that were privileged to be Dr. Edell Hearn, then dean of the
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A20 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Our Readers Remember
A Tech memory By Allison R. Ensor, B.A. 1957 Frank G. Clement was inaugurated for a second term as governor of Tennessee on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 1955. The Tech band, directed by W. J. Julian, had gone to Nashville to play as part of the celebration. By the time the band got on the road back to Cookeville, it had begun to snow. There was of course no interstate in those days, and travelers on the two-lane US70N between Carthage and Cookeville had to deal with the Chestnut Mound hill. It was bad enough in any circumstances, especially if one got behind a truck or bus, and with snow on the ground, it was much worse. The band bus did its best to get up the hill but had to turn back to Carthage. The courthouse was opened up, and the band spent the night there. I was not a member of the band, but my girlfriend (later my wife) Anne Lovell was. On Wednesday morning, I awoke to find everything covered with snow, but
May Day created a lot of memories for TPI and TTU students throughout the years.
somehow it was not deep enough to call off classes, so I drove to the campus. I soon learned that the band had been stuck in Carthage overnight. Wednesday was the day for assembly or “public programs,” at 10 a.m., and we were told then that the band would be returning on the Tennessee Central Railroad, which still had passenger service at that time. The band would not be dropped off at the depot on Broad Street but would be brought directly to the campus and let off at the Dixie Avenue crossing. My next class was American history with Fred Moore, who told us at the beginning of class that when we heard the whistle blow for the crossing, he would dismiss us. About 20 minutes into the class we heard the whistle, Mr. Moore kept his word, and I hurried over to the tracks to meet my girlfriend, who was exhausted from getting only about 30 minutes of sleep the night before. I vowed never to forget Mr. Moore for letting our class go early, and obviously I never have.
Tech memories, beginning at two years old By Pam Coonce My memories of Tennessee Tech began back around 1953, when I was enrolled at Tech’s nursery school as a two-year old. It was held in small prefab World War II building under huge oak shade trees on what is now the student center location, facing Dixie Avenue. My teacher was Mrs. Charlene Mullins, whom I adored and later had as a professor in Tech’s Home Ec Department. I remember the building was so small that my daddy had to lean over just to go through the front door. Our snacks were graham crackers and orange juice, and I still think of that fun place when eating graham crackers. Around 1960, as I turned 10, my grandmother became dorm mother for Dixie Hall girls dorm, across the street from Derryberry Hall. Oh, I did love spending the
night with her, listening to the girls come in for advice in her living room apartment by the large front doors of the dorm. They all had to pass by her door going to class with raincoats on to cover their shorts when going to P.E. Of course, shorts were not allowed on campus. When taking a bath there, I was allowed to fill the tub full of water to play in, something we were never allowed to do at home, and stay up late walking to each door helping my grandmother lock and chain them on week nights at 9 p.m. and midnight on weekends. She would check the sign-out book to make sure all the girls were in safe. I was a Girl Scout then and our troop leaders, Jo Britnell and Jeannette Lynn, hitched a pony up to a wagon during Girl Scout cookie time and parked it out front of the dorm full of cookie
boxes, drawing lots of attention. We were allowed to go up through the dorm, room to room, selling cookies for 25 cents a box. On weekend nights, the girls had dances out on the dorm patios and my friends and I would hide behind the bushes watching the festivities and loving all the pretty dresses twirling around under the lights. When time for curfew on weekends, my brother and I would roller skate around the front door disturbing the couples saying goodnight. Dixie Hall had a large front porch with massive white columns that covered rocking chairs, where we could watch the Tech hustle and bustle while waiting for our parents. From that porch we would also see all the large, beautiful oak trees that once lined Dixie Avenue, that
Cookeville natives recall fond memories of the old TPI campus.
have sadly been removed for much needed expansion. I cried for days over that! Needless to say, we always wanted to spend the night with grandmother Gertrude Crawford. She treated us on Sundays at the Tech Cafeteria in the old student center on the Quad, which is now human ecology. You could find many local folk eating there be-
cause the food was excellent and very few restaurants existed. May Day festival was always celebrated on the Quad and watching the May Pole dance was unforgettable. We could also walk up and see the basketball games in the old gym which was packed full to the top row with fans each game on weekends.
So much to see and do for a young girl and her brother during those years while our grandmother was employed at Tech. When I hear the chimes each day on campus, I have those wonderful memories come flooding back, reminding me of the importance of Tennessee Tech in my life here in Cookeville past, present and future.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A21
Tennessee Tech Centennial Our Readers Remember
The Eagle landed By Jessie Wirt Watts In the fall of 1952, when I was a student at Tennessee Tech, news was passed around the campus about a special pep rally at 10 a.m. My friends and I were on our way to the pep rally. We talked wondering what made it so “special.” Bill Francis, student body president, came onto the stage. He said to the students “a strange bird has been flying around.” He then opened the curtains on the stage and unveiled the Golden Eagle suspended on wires from the gym ceiling. The student body went wild with excitement. President Derryberry approached
the stage. We did not hear him say a word, but saw the expression on his face. We learned later the real story about the Eagle. The hotel had burned and the Eagle was mounted on a stand in front of the hotel. President Derryberry had tried to buy it from Mr. Harton but he refused to sell it. Three students went to Monteagle two nights in a row to dismount it and bring it to Tech. The boys were in deep trouble until Gov. Clement came to Tech to settle the matter, which he did. The Eagle was mounted on the library for a long time and then moved to the top of Derryberry Hall.
The story of ‘Dammit’ the dog By Steve Moore
Eagle Pep Rally Polly Kidd recalls a special called pep rally to reveal Tech’s golden eagle. She says the cheerleaders pictured above are Marcia Yandle of Nashville, Mary Neal Matheny of Cookeville, Polly Greenwood of Cookeville, Blanche of Nashville and Jan Mitchell of Knoxville. Appearantly a pep rally had been scheduled and when the curtains were opened the eagle was displayed to the delight of the assembly. She says the eagle was taken and hidden until that assembly. After it was revealed, the eagle was taken and hidden again. She says the next week there was another assembly where Gov. Frank Clement appeared and spoke to the students assuring the eagle would belong to TTU and would be proudly displayed properly. And it was.
1. There’s a small gravestone directly across from Derryberry Hall and the flagpole. It’s inscribed “Dammit.” This was a little stray dog what was adopted by the students in the 1960s. He got his name from President Derryberry who said “get away, dammit,” one day when the dog got under President Derryberry’s feet as he was leaving Derryberry Hall. As far as I know, the dog is buried there. 2. In the old gym, invisible to the naked eye when looking at the stage from the gym floor, are two air conditioning ducts leading from two big ACs in the upper windows, stage right. They were used to keep speakers cool
whenever they addressed public programs or graduation. They were cranked up full blast since the old gym is not air conditioned. 3. We beat MTSU one year and coach Eblen was afraid Shinny Ninny would get stolen from the bookstore the following November by MTSU students. So, he, as a Fox Bookstore manager and I hid Shinny Ninny in my storeroom at the stadium under boxes of adhesive tape. For one year. It was a secret and Shinny Ninny made an appearance on game day the next year. MTSU had stolen it previously through an elaborate ruse where several MTSU students dressed in ROTC uniforms and simply walked out of the bookstore with the totem pole.
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A22 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial
Derryberry Tech’s longest-serving president William Everett Derryberry was the university’s longest-serving president and oversaw Tennessee Tech’s largest period of growth. When Derryberry took the leadership of the university in 1940, it had only 700 students, 31 faculty members and a handful of buildings. When he left in 1974, it had grown to 7,000 students, 276 faculty members and a 225acre campus. A Rhodes Scholar and a native of Columbia, Tenn., Derryberry kept the university going despite dramatic drops in enrollment during World War II. He oversaw the integration of the university in the 1960s. Under his tenure, the university’s name changed from Tennessee Polytechnic Institute to Tennessee Technological University. President Derryberry also is responsible for some of TTU’s landmarks and best stories, including the golden eagle that now sits on top of Derryberry
TTU President 1940-1974 Hall and Dammit the dog. In 1952, three students stole the eagle statue from a local hotel to raise school spirit ahead of a football game against MTSU. The original owner eventually agreed to donate the bird to the university. Derryberry sent him $500 as compensation. TTU legend has it that during a speech outside, a stray dog wandered past the president. When it wouldn’t move, Derryberry yelled “dammit” at it and later said that was the dog’s name. Dammit the dog is memorialized on the main quad. Under Derryberry’s watch, the U.S. Army established the nation’s first complete Signal Corps ROTC unit. In 1951, it was the largest Signal Corps unit in the nation. The ’50s were great years
for TTU athletics, with the football team winning its first Ohio Valley Conference championship in 1952. The football field and basketball arena are named for two coaches who served under Derryberry, P.V. “Putty” Overall and Hooper Eblen. Derryberry and his wife, Joan, left their marks on campus. Derryberry Hall is TTU’s most recognizable building. Joan Derryberry wrote the Tennessee Tech hymn, and an art gallery bears her name. The couple established the prestigious Derryberry Award, which is given annually to a graduating senior who has exhibited characteristics that demonstrate potential for future service and effective leadership in American society.
William Everett Derryberry was president for 34 years, longer than any other president in the history of Tennessee Tech University.
President Derryberry’s wife, Joan, wrote the Tech Hymn after a 1943 football game against Vanderbilt because both school’s alma maters used the same melody.
President Derryberry is responsible for some of TTU’s best landmarks and stories, including the golden eagle which is proudly displayed on campus.
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A23
Tennessee Tech Centennial Faculty and Staff
The last of the original faculty, Mr. A.W. Smith, retired in 1956.
Mr. Bartoo was a notable science teacher on campus. The education building is named in his honor.
Tennessee Tech librarians hard at work.
Many of the cooks and cafeteria workers were popular among the faculty and students throughout the years.
Waldo Power advising a student.
A24 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Faculty and Staff/Student Life
Gladys Crawford, circa 1961.
Home Economics teachers Miss Sell, Margaret Johnson and Dorothy Johnson.
Education instructors T.J. Farr and Mr. Lane.
Mr. Philpot in his electronics lab in 1948.
PE teachers Mr. Stowe, Miss Jobe and Mr. Frey.
A student experimenting with guinea pigs in 1948.
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A25
Tennessee Tech Centennial Student Life
There was a live debate between Cookeville residents and Tech students in 1949 regarding Sunday evening movies. Movies were one of the only forms of entertainment in Cookeville at the time.
Throughout most of Tech’s early history, female students were subject to strict rules. In 1949, the university developed a list of approved dating places. Lights in all dorms had to be off, and students had a 10:30 curfew. Anatomy class, circa 1948.
TTU students learned many skills, including typing in the early 1940s.
Art class, circa 1950.
The 1950-51 Tennessee Tech majorettes.
Congratulations on your 100th Anniversary!
A26 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Student Life
The cafeteria was a popular place to study in 1948.
Students listen to a lecture in History class.
Members of the TTU civilian and aviation program.
Coeds enjoy a game of ping pong in the spring of 1948.
A student bakes a pie during Home Economics class in 1948.
A student works on a project in the chemistry lab in 1948. Students working hard in the machine shop.
Congratulations TTU on an outstanding 100 years!
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A27
Tennessee Tech Centennial Student Life
Formal dances were popular among students in the 1940s and 50s.
Students studying in the library in the early 1940s.
Members of the 1941 Business Club.
Members of the student newspaper staff in the late 1940s.
Male students play poker in the men’s dorm.
M Metals etals CONGRATULATIONS! on 100 years of success!
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A28 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Student Life
The Engineers Ball in 1948.
Female students work with rats in the Science lab.
The Tennessee Tech choir, circa 1951.
Male students wait on their dates in the mid-1940s.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A29
Tennessee Tech Centennial Athletics
The athletic staff in the mid 1950s.
The Golden Eagles battled Notre Dame in 1958.
Ohio Valley Conference Tech joined the Ohio Valley Conference in 1949. Since then the Golden Eagles have won 79 conference championships: seven baseball, seven men’s basketball, 19 women’s basketball, 10 football, four each of men’s and women’s golf, seven rifle, two soccer, 10 men’s tennis, one women’s tennis, three men’s outdoor track and five volleyball.
The Golden Eagles captured their first OVC football championship in 1952.
Johnny Oldham won 118 games and three OVC championships during his tenure as head coach of the Golden Eagles.
TTU competing in the OVC championships in 1958.
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A30 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Around Campus
A picture of the American flag being raised on the Quad in the late 950s.
Holding commencement ceremonies outside was somewhat common at Tech until 1950 when it rained and the graduates got soaked. That was the last time commencement was held outside.
The TPI Cafe was a popular hangout for students around Cookeville.
Dedication ceremonies of the Whitson Library.
Congratulations on
100 years of
When WWII ended in 1945, 935 students, faculty and staff had served with 43 having lost their lives. Memorial Gym was named in honor of those killed in action.
Academic Excellence
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A31
Tennessee Tech Centennial Around Campus Homecoming 1947
Even though the weather wasn’t always conducive to going to class, TPI was always open when classes were scheduled.
A sick student takes her medicine during a stay in the Infirmary.
A32 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
TTU Centennial
Happy th 100 Birthday 1915-2015
Ralph’s Donuts, which opened in 1962, has been a favorite of TTU students for more than 50 years.
Ralph’s Donuts a popular place with students By SHELBY SAVAGE Special to the HERALD-CITIZEN
COOKEVILLE — Ralph’s, that’s a place you hear about quite a bit in the town of Cookeville, but why? Ralph’s is great because it opened in the 60s, and still has the low counters all across the front with little stools to sit on. Pick your donut and drink, sit down at the counter, and then they bring you your order with a smile. It is a clean, friendly and fun place to be with some pretty great donuts as well. “I go to Ralph’s at least once a
week, usually more. I love Ralph’s because they are never out of stock on anything, they have a drive-thru, the people there are sweet, it’s been around forever, and most importantly their donuts are really good,” said Grace Smith, a loyal Ralph’s customer and student at Tennessee Tech. What makes Ralph’s different than other donut shops, besides the convenient drive-thru, is that it has been around for so long and still attracts so many loyal, customer, college students from Tennessee Tech. Ralph’s has been providing
quality donuts to the Cookeville area since 1962 and just a few years ago had their 50th celebration of being open for business, with current day reviews of 4.7 stars out of 5. Ralph’s is still a family owned business and is currently being run by Ralph’s daughter Cynthia and her husband, Mark. Ralph opened Ralphs’s Donut shop in September 1962 along with his wife Evelyn. Nearly 200 dozen donuts are made each day fresh and ready to be eaten by hungry customers. Ralph’s has been a favored spot in the community for years.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A33
Education most powerful weapon is the
which you can use
to change the world.
~Nelson Mandela
“Thank you, TTU, for all the memories. I’m grateful not only for the time I spent at Tech, but for all the university means to Putnam County and its citizens!” Randy Porter, Putnam County Executive
Tennessee Tech is the heart of our community, and I am proud to not only serve as your Register of Deeds but to know that I am from such a great area that supports the future of Putnam County. Harold Burris, Register of Deeds
I am honored to live in a community with a university that exemplifies excellence in all areas. As a result of this excellence, it continues to grow and expand. As Sheriff of Putnam County I will continue to assist in making Tennessee Tech University and Putnam Co. a safe place. Eddie Farris, Putnam County Sheriff
Great university, great community! Congratulations Tennessee Tech University and thanks for being such a huge part of Putnam County. Randy Jones, Putnam County Road Supervisor
I cannot begin to express what Tech means to me and my entire family. Tech plays an avid role in our school system and in our community. My wife, Emily, graduated from Tech as did our son, Blake. Our daughter Abbie is currently attending Tech and plans to graduate in December. Guess one could say, “We are a “whole-heart” Tech family. Steve Pierce, Putnam County Property Assessor
Congratulations on 100 successful years! During my 31 years working at the University, I made lifelong friends and gained valuable experience that allowed me the opportunity to be elected as Circuit Court Clerk. Thank you TTU for what you mean to our community. You will always hold a special place in my heart! Marcia Borys, Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk
I’ve been blessed to see the growth of Tennessee Tech through the years. We live in an awesome community with great folks who make every day a blessing to my family and me. Wayne Nabors, Putnam County Clerk
Congratulations TTU! I am proud to have earned my BS Degree in 1977 and Masters in 1979 from TTU. I’ve enjoyed supporting TTU athletics for over 30 years! Freddie Nelson, Putnam County Trustee
Congratulations on your Centennial Anniversary
A34 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial 1965-1989
On Wednesday, May 18, 1966, more than 1,500 folks from the community joined some 4,500 students on the quadrangle south of Derryberry Hall to celebrate Tennessee Tech’s 50th Anniversary.
How Sweet It Is...
Congratulations Tennessee Tech, on your first
100 years and best wishes for
A “We Like Tech” march was held by members of the community to help celebrate Tennessee Tech’s 50th Anniversary.
continued success in the future!
From your friends at the
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A35
Tennessee Tech Centennial 50th Anniversary
President Everett Derryberry and his wife Joan cut a giant 50th anniversary cake emblazoned on top with a golden eagle.
The students, faculty and staff who attended the 50th anniversary were treated to music (above) and more than There were five food lines which served 1,200 pounds of barbecue to the folks who turned out to celebrate Tech’s 50th $8,000 in prizes (below). anniversary.
A proclamation recognizing Tennessee Tech’s 50th Anniversary was read during the ceremonies in 1966.
Congratulations!
1
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A36 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial
Tennessee Polytechnical Institute becomes Tennessee Technological University In the words of President Everett Derryberry, “the most significant event in TPI’s fortyeight-year history” occurred on February 16, 1965, when the Tennessee General Assembly unanimously passed the bill for TPI to become a university. The bill was signed that same day by Governor Frank G. Clement, and the name change to “Tennessee Technological University” took effect on July 1, 1965. Cookevillians Jared Maddux and Vernon Neal introduced the bill in the Senate and House of Representatives, giving TPI the status that President Derryberry and other campus and community leaders had sought since 1950 when the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce had
composed such a resolution. The chamber resolution proposed that gaining university status would make Tech “to Tennessee what Georgia Tech is to the state of Georgia.” Gov. Clement, after signing the measure elevating Tennessee Tech to university status, told President Derryberry it is “well deserved” recognition of a great school under great leadership. June graduates were the last to receive TPI diplomas while August graduates were the first to recieve their university diplomas. Portions of the story is an excerpt from practical work: 100 Years of Dixie College and Tennessee Tech.
Visit the TTU Centennial Celebration online at www.tntech.edu/centennial
On Feb. 16, 1965, Gov. Frank Clement signed a measure elevating TPI to university status. Attending the signing in the Governor’s office are (from left) Education Commissioner Howard Warf, TPI president Everett Derryberry, Gov. Clement, Senate Speaker Jared Maddux, Rep. Vernon Neal, House Speaker William L. Barry, and Sen. Lee Mathis, chairman of the Senate education committee.
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A37
TTU Centennial Our Readers Remember
Just a few memories of TTU by betty moorman Dodson There are many wonderful memories that I have from Tennessee Tech. I knew about Tennessee Tech as a young kid as my dad was a professor there in the late ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s. The names Kittrell, Pennebaker, Henderson, Derryberry, Bruner, Brown, Prescott, Lewis and Johnson were not just names of buildings, but were professors who were part of the Tech family when I was growing up. As Tennessee Tech was our family’s livlihood, there was no
question as to where I would attend college after Central High School (aka Foundation Hall). Because my daddy’s area at Tech was math, he encouraged me to go to the business route. I was much more suited to taking shorthand under Virginia Plummer and business communications under Dr. William Bonner whan I was learning math under Dr. Moorman. I went with business but later got certified in math too. At the time I attended Tech, there were only about 3,000 students. Sororities and fraternities
Congratulations TTU!
were just getting started. The highlight of the year was homecoming, and it was fun working in homecoming floats. Dr. Vernon Allen was responsible for the chemistry float, and he would have a group over to his house (a couple of houses down from Foundation Hall) to decorate the department float. It was usually finished the night before the parade. For the weekend, yellow mums with purple ribbons were the homecoming tradition for the girls. See RemembeR, Page 39
Owner & Employees of Cavender’s Who Are Proud Graduates of TTU: Ernie Cavender, Rebecca Mix Watson, Robert Brady, David Brady
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38— HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Past Presidents
Arliss Lloyd Roaden 1974-1985 Wallace Samuel Prescott 1985-1987 Arliss Roaden TTU’s academics and visibility grew during the presidency of Arliss Lloyd Roaden. The university created its four-year nursing curriculum, which produces a significant majority of qualified health professionals in the Upper Cumberland. In 1975, Roaden set up the Office of University Research. To attract distinguished research professors, Roaden created university research chairs in history, physics and engineering. In 1984, the university received two state research centers of excellence — the Center for Manufacturing Research and the Center for Management, Utilization and Protection of Water Resources. Roaden also established the Office of University Development. By 1983, the university’s endowment exceeded $1 million for the first time. In 1985, TTU had $1.5 million in contributions in a single year. With Roaden at the helm, TTU’s commitment to the arts and music deepened. The university built the Bryan Fine Arts Build-
Wallace Samuel Prescott had a long association with TTU. He came to TPI as an engineering student in 1943, and he joined the faculty in 1946, teaching five elementary surveying courses. He earned his master’s degree in 1952 at The University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. at the University of Illinois in 1961. He became dean of faculty at TPI in 1962. Prescott served as chief academic officer during part of Derryberry’s presidency and as provost and vice president during most of Roaden’s tenure. Prescott accepted the interim presidency after Roaden’s departure, coming out of retirement to serve a university in transition.
ing and acquired the Joe L. Evins Appalachian Center for Craft near Smithville, Tenn. The center promotes excellence in the American crafts of clay,
fibers, glass, metals and wood. In 1985, Roaden left TTU to become executive director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Former TTU President Wallace Prescott has two schools in Putnam County named in his honor — Prescott South Middle School and Prescott South Elementary School.
A four-year nursing curriculum and the Office of University Research were a couple of the significant improvements to TTU during Arliss Roaden’s tenure as president.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A39
Tennessee Tech Centennial Our Readers Remember
How I became the only female to live in the men’s dorm By Jayne Newman Barns 1978 TTU grad
It all started during my sophomore year when I, Jayne Newman, was asked out by sophomore Richard E. Barns Jr. to attend a basketball game in January 1976 between TTU and our rivals MTSU. The game was held in Memorial Gym and there was not an empty seat. The basketball games held at Memorial Gym were so much fun because you felt close to the action. We were sad when they built the new gym because watching the games never felt the same. Now back to my story. After the game which Tech men’s won, we were walking back to Richard’s car, which was a 1974 Gremlin, when we noticed that he had three tires that had been slashed and were flat. I could tell that he was upset, but he didn’t Jayne and Richard Barns first met at Tennessee Tech and want to show it in front of me since it was were married in 1977 before graduating in 1978. our first date. We were able to laugh about
it later. Now, he had to figure out how to get me home on time. Richard was a Resident Assistant in Evins Hall located in Capital Quad and he found a friend who loaned him a car so he could take me home. He asked me if he thought that my father, Hackie Newman, would notice that we came back in a different car and I said yes. He was always sitting in the living room by the big picture window and he could see when we came home because there was a lamp post by the driveway. We continued dating and got engaged in July 1976, but we decided to get married the following summer before our senior year. As fate would have it, Richard received a Head Resident job in Miller Hall located in Smith Quad, which included an four room apartment, a few weeks before we got married on June 18, 1977. So, that is how I came to live in the men’s dorm in 1977. Richard and I were the first members
of our families to graduate college and we both got our Bachelor of Science degrees from TTU in December 1978. Richard went on to get his Master’s and Educational Specialist degrees at TTU, too. We are still married after 38 years and have two sons: Christopher Barns and Jason Barns, both of whom graduated from college. Christopher is an electrical engineer and Jason is a graphic designer. Christopher married Kim Duff and they have two sons: David and Jacob. Both Chris and Kim graduated from Tennessee Tech. Jason attended TTU and then had to transfer to ETSU in order finish his degree, since Tech did not offer a degree in graphic design. Richard has been working at Tennessee Tech since 1975 and is still there today. I worked at TTU for several years, but have been working at the City of Cookeville since 1989.
REMEMBER: A few memories
Memories of Tech to last a lifetime
From Page A37
My memories of Tennessee Tech started at an early age. My family lived three blocks from the campus. I went to the Tech Campus Elementary School, known to others as Tech Training School. Tech Campus School was used for training future teachers from the education department. I still remember those wonderful teachers our class had ... Mrs. Dubois first grade, Mrs. Byrom second grade, Mrs. Johnson third grade, Mrs. Medley fourth grade, Mrs. Prescott, fifth grade, Mrs. Fincher, sixth grade, Mr. Fincher, seventh grade, and Mr. Jared, eighth grade. Mr. Powers was our principal and Mrs. Meadows was our librarian. All were outstanding! Lots of people loved the old Tech Campus School. I can remember the 50 year celebration of Tech. Do some of you remember the bicycle race around the quad that was 50 laps? I believe the Tech fraternities were the ones in the race. Growing up around Tech I went to most of
Because ROTC was in its prime then, there was the military ball which gave us girls an opportunity to attend this annual event. Then there was also public programs in which attendance was mandatory for freshmen and sophomores. It was a credit course. Tech never closed, no matter how much snow Cookeville got. We were reminded of this on WHUB’s school closing announcements, “All schools in Putnam County are closed with the exception of Tennessee Tech and Tech Training School.” Spring fling week brought big names to Tennessee Tech for concerts such as Dionne Warwick and Tom Jones. Spring also ush-
ered in panty raids which challenged the dean of women, Elizabeth Murphy, and dean of men, “Mutt” Quillen. Most classes were confined to buildings around the Quad which made for a vibrant student community. Many students lived on campus and spent weekends at Tech. Student life revolved around the “student union” which is now South Hall. The favored place for a midnight break from studying was Ralph’s Donut Shop. Date night would be a meal in the cafeteria and a walk to the Princess Theater. Tennessee Tech was a great place to attend college. These are just a few of the wonderful memories I have of Tech.
By Wayne Simcox
the sporting events. I remember Coach Tucker and all the great teams he had. There were many hard fought battles with MTSU on Thanksgiving Day. To the winner went a totem pole named Shinny Ninny; MTSU called him Harvey. I wonder if we could get him back? How about it, Coach Brown, let’s schedule those Blue Raiders and beat ‘em and bring Shinny Ninny home. Playing our high school football games on Overall Field brings back great memories. Remember basketball in the old Tech Memorial Gym? Remember Ron Filipek scoring 48 points in a game? The game with Tennessee in the N.I.T. in the Hooper Eblen Center and all those Tech Squares. On the day Elvis died it was announced that he had signed a contract to perform at Hooper Eblen. I was a bat boy for the baseball team when they played at the old, old baseball field. The field was below the old football stadium with the big white clock that kept the time in the football game. It had a track around the field
that had black gravel on it. The seats were made of concrete down the third base line. My fondest memory of Tennessee Tech happened in the fall of 1972. That’s when my sweetheart, Hazel, and I would have lunch everyday. I would pick her up while she waited on the steps of Jere Whitson Library with that beautiful smile of hers. Where does time go? I remember laying in bed and hearing the Tech clock chime at every quarter hour. At eleven o’clock each night the chimes would play the Tech hymn. Tennessee Tech has given many thousands of alumni great memories of their school. The faculty and staff over the years have been led by great presidents. Tech has been good to my family. My wife and I, along with our daughter, are proud Tech graduates. We are all filled with Tennessee Tech memories. Happy 100th birthday, Tennessee Tech! As Bob Hope would say, “Thanks for the Memories!”
Congratulations TTU!
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A40 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Past Presidents
Angelo Anthony Volpe 1987-2000 Volpes Angelo Anthony was the university’s seventh and the third longest-serving president in TTU’s history. At the time of his retirement, his presidential tenure was longer than any other serving public university president. He was the first TTU president to have a doctoral degree, with a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Maryland. During his tenure, the university completed a $21 million capital campaign, which included one of the largest one-time gifts in the university’s history. The university’s endowment grew from $1 million to $27 million. The athletic and academic programs also drew acclaim. On its way to Atlanta in 1996, the Olympic torch passed through campus to fanfare played by TTU music groups. A TTU student was selected to be the torchbearer to take it to its next destination. Volpe saw the construction of the recreation center, agricultural pavilion and the library, now named after him and his wife, Jennette. He also fought for funding to keep the Appalachian Center for Craft open to continue its educational mission. Today, the center offers concentrations in five areas, as well as artist in residence programs and community programs and classes. Under Volpe’s leadership, the university created two chairs of excellence and established the Women’s Center and the Leona Lusk Officer Black Cultural Center. The legacy
of the Volpes continues in the architectural consistency of campus, the community relations fostered through Walton House receptions, and a prestigious annual scholarship for a freshman math major.
Dr. Angelo Volpe and his wife Jennette came to Tennessee Tech in 1987, after a 10-year stint at East Carolina University.
Volpe brought diversity, fundraising mindset to TTU By BUDDY PEARSON HERALD-CITIZEN Managing Editor
TTU — How does a Roman Catholic, Italian, New Yorker become president of Tennessee Tech? He applies for the job. Dr. Angelo Volpe became president of Tennessee Tech University in 1987 after answering an ad in the Chronicle of Higher Education. At that time, Dr. Volpe had been at East Carolina University, where he was the vice chan-
cellor for Academic Affairs after being the chairman of the chemistry department and dean of Arts and Sciences. “We had just gotten a new chancellor and I had three options,” said Volpe. “I could stay vice chancellor, which I enjoyed; I could go back to teach, which I really enjoyed the most; or, the next logical step was to go for a presidency.” Dr. Volpe applied for several presidency positions, including Georgia Southern and
New Hampshire. After going through the lengthy interviewing process at TTU, Dr. Volpe was given a couple of weeks for he and his wife, Jennette, to think it over. So, Dr. Volpe pretty much made up his mind and pulled his name out of consideration at the other institutions he had applied at. But, he was worried that another candidate was gong to get the job. Nevertheless, Dr. Volpe was offered the position and accepted it whole-heartedly.
Dr. Angelo Volpe shares a laugh during his inauguration ceremonies in 1987.
“I made the right decision,” Dr. Volpe said. Even though he was a yankee heading to a southern institution, there wasn’t much of a culture shock. Dr. Volpe says that his culture shock happened long before he came to Cookeville. “My culture shock was when I left Brooklyn and went to Maryland for graduate work. That was culture shock,” said Dr. Volpe. “There was just streets and grass — no sidewalks. I kept asking ‘where
are the sidewalks.’” After spending seven years in Maryland, 11 in New Jersey and 10 in North Carolina, Dr. Volpe and his wife have made Cookeville their life-long home for the past 28 years. Upon arriving at TTU, Dr. Volpe wasn’t looking to come in and make a lot of changes right off the bat. He had a different approach. “Coming in fresh from the outside, I was about an outsider as an outsider could be. I wasn’t going to come in and
be a game-changer,” Dr. Volpe said. “My plan was to talk to people and see where they are and where they want to be. I wanted to listen for the first six months or so. That worked out.” Dr. Volpe said his management style was MBWO — management by walking around. He also credits the help of former president Dr. Wallace Prescott with his transition to his new job. See VOLPE, Page A41
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A41
Tennessee Tech Centennial VOLPE: Increased endowment, established chairs of excellence From Page A40
Mayberry Chair of Excellence were created. Dr. Volpe’s impact was also found in athletics, where the TTU teams prospered despite budget issues. Continuing his quest for diversity, the women’s soccer team was created under Dr. Volpe’s reign as president. “The emphasis was to do the best we could with the resources we had available and increase diversity,” Dr. Volpe said. “Football was hanging in there. I have to apologize because I expected women’s basketball to win the OVC and go to the tournament every year. I think I started taking them for granted.” Volpe’s influence in athletics spread wider than just Tennessee Tech’s campus. He was president of the Ohio Valley Conference, helping to guide the presidents of the other institutions on athletic matters. Dr. Volpe was inducted into the TTU Sports Hall of Fame and the OVC Hall of Fame. He says maybe his biggest honor was getting inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., for attending every major league ball park after he retired. Once Dr. Volpe decided and announced he was going to retire, he was anything but a lame duck president. He used his final days to raise money for the campus library, which now bears the name of he and his wife. “I announced my retirement about a year and a half before I actually retired,” Dr. Volpe said. “I went on a farewell tour to big-time donors. We raised two-and-a-half million dollars for the library because it’s something everyone uses, that everyone can benefit from.” Even though he had been working hard for and enjoying his time at TTU for many years, Dr. Volpe said he wasted little time in enjoying retirement. “I tell people it took me all of 45 seconds to get adjusted to retirement,” Dr. Volpe said with a laugh. “There’s no secret to success in retirement. You just have to have two things. One, be financially comfortable and, two, have a lot of interests.” Dr. Volpe says he stays busy
“One of the biggest things and most positive things for me was Dr. Prescott staying around for a few months,” said Dr. Volpe. “That was a tremendous help getting acclimated and learning the culture of Tennessee Tech.” There were several things Dr. Volpe wanted to do once he listened to his faculty and student body at TTU. And most of them required money. “First off, if I had known 1987 and 88 were going to be the high budget marks, I would have enjoyed it more because the budget really tanked in 1989 and we never fully recovered,” Dr. Volpe explained. “I traveling with his wife, readwanted to increase diversity on ing and, of course, following campus. When I was at Eastern his beloved New York YanCarolina, it was like 15 perkees. He also has an office on cent African-American. When campus and is available to I got here, we were like two help the university in numerpercent. I asked, ‘Where are ous ways. all the African-American stu“It’s like a retired ball player dents?’ Someone said, ‘Anwho still helps the team out gelo, look around the region. with PR,” Dr. Volpe said. There are no African-AmeriSince his retirement, the can recruits.’ I said then let’s Volpes have continued to live go where they are and we in Cookeville while Tennessee tried. We increased some but Tech has hired two presidents. not to 15 percent.” Dr. Bob Bell was Dr. Volpe’s In his efforts to increase disuccessor and in 2012 Dr. versity the Black Cultural CenPhilip Oldham was hired after ter was created along with the Bell’s retirement. Women’s Center. “I told Bob and Phil, both, it “I wanted to increase divercan be an awkward situation sity and I had plenty of help,” having not only one president, Dr. Volpe said. “A lot of peobut two presidents here,” Dr. ple contributed.” Volpe explained. “First of all, An academian, who professed that’s a testament of his love for teaching, Dr. Volpe Cookeville. When I was workalso wanted to make sure TTU ing I would tell people that I maintained its academic excellove it here and Jennette and I lence. are going to stay here and peo“Budget or no budget, I ple would say ‘yeah, right.’ 16 didn’t want that to change. We years later, we are still here.” really had to work hard.” Having three college presiAnother area Dr. Volpe condents in the same town is centrated on was fundraising. pretty unique, especially when “We had about a million dolthey all three are from the lar endowment. Not to take same university. anything away from Dr. Derry“I told Bob and Phil any time berry, but his attitude on you want to call on me, I stand fundraising was ‘I don’t want ready to help any way I can,” your money. If you give me said Dr. Volpe. “I guarantee money, you can tell me how to you two things, though: I will run my university so take your never come into your office money and shove it,’” Dr. with unsolicited advice and I Volpe explained. “If somebody will never be out there giving gave us $250 I’d have to get any kind of encouragement to my jacket and get a picture someone who has a problem. with them. We’ve come a long As far as I can see, they are way since then.” doing great jobs. End of Dr. Volpe started with the story.” College of Business. With the help of Paul Isbell, a few million dollars was raised. That was just the prelude to an allout capital campaign. “We did a survey to see how much money was out there for us to raise and it was around $15 million,” Dr. Volpe recalled. “We started in 1990 and for the next few years we raised $23 million. When I left we were well north of $30 million in the endowment. I think it’s around $50 million now.” With the money starting to roll in, Dr. Volpe continued to focus on the academic side and was able to create two chairs of excellence. Under Dr. Volpe, the Owens Chair in the Dr. Angelo and Jennette Volpe enjoy riding in the 1988 Homecoming parade. College of Business and the
Dr. Volpe raised more than twoand-a-half million dollars during the final days of his presidency for the TTU library which was renamed in his and his wife’s honor.
A42 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Faculty and Staff
Mrs. Charlotte Middlebrooks looks on during a class in the computer center in 1975.
Mr. William Lewis
Dr. James Wattenbarger, for whom Tennessee Tech’s fine arts building is named, conducts the BSO in 1972.
Joan Derryberry works on one of her many paintings.
HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY TTU!
Mr. CV Bruner
Dr. Leo McGee
TTU Graduates in the Nick’s family, from top left: Matt Wilson (2001), Dwayne Huntley (1986), Nick Philson (2001), Steve Huntley (1988). From bottom left: Nichole Wilson (1999), Tracie Huntley (1986), Kim Huntley (1989 & 2005)
from your friends at
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A43
Tennessee Tech Centennial Athletics
Cheryl Taylor became the Golden Eaglettes all-time leading scorer with 2,526 points during her four-year career (1983-1987), finishing second all-time in rebounding with 1,532.
Golden Eagle linebacker Jim Youngblood was an All-American at TTU and later went on to a successful career in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
TTU Sports Hall of Fame Since its creation in 1975, the TTU Sports Hall of Fame has inducted 168 members, whose photos and biographies are featured in the Hall of Fame Gallery in Eblen Center. 1975 Inductees Preston V. (Putty) Overall (1923-67)--Football, Basketball, Track, Baseball Creed Denton McClure (1937-39)--Football, Track B. Holmes Neal (1937-39)--Football Tom Fann (1950-52)--Football James Dearing Miller (1920-25)--Football 1976 Inductees Malcolm P. Quillen (1930-33)--Baseball, Football Raymond H. (Bull) Brown (1933-37)--Baseball, Basketball, Football, Track Elwin W. (Wink) Midgett (1930-34)--Baseball, Basketball, Football Sidney McGee (1939-68)--Sports Information Emmett T. Strickland (1933-36)--Football, Baseball, Basketball 1977 Inductees Hooper Eblen (1941-74)--Basketball, Baseball, Football, Track, Tennis, Golf Kenneth Sidwell (1955-56)--Basketball Joe B. Sills (1927-31)--Football, Baseball, Basketball Wilburn Tucker (1941-67)--Baseball, Football Eddie Watson (1922-28)--Football, Baseball, Basketball 1978 Inductees Benton Bilbrey (1940-43)--Track, Football, Baseball Huland Draper (1937-40)--Baseball, Basketball Jack Van Hooser (1951-54)--Football, Baseball Lonnie Warwick (1961-63)--Football Homer (Rudy) Schmittou (1959-62)--Football, Track 1979 Inductees Carl S. (Cotton) Barlow (1936-39)--Football, Baseball Tom Chilton (1956-57)--Track William Dupes (1949-51)--Football James S. Hagan (1957-60)--Basketball Flavious Smith (1948-52)--Football, Basketball 1980 Inductees Albert Jobe (1927-30)--Football, Baseball, Basketball, Track Jim Ragland (1960-63)--Football Marshall (Stick) Taylor (1953-56)--Football, Basketball David C. Williamson (1927-33)--Football, Basketball Larry Schreiber (1966-69)--Football 1981 Inductees Frank R. Adams (1927-31)--Football Lowell Smith (1958-61)--Football James A. Carlen (1924-27)--Athletics 1982 Inductees David Baxter (1958-61)--Football Kenneth Broyles (1950-53)--Football Bannis Norris (1931-35)--Basketball, Baseball Virgil Rains (1949, 1952-54)--Football Ray Thomas (1957-60)--Football 1983 Inductees Edward Gracey (1939-42)--Golf, Football, Track Gordon Mason (1957-61)--Football Charles Pangle (1943-45)--Football, Baske ball, Baseball W. J. Shumaker (1957-59)--Football Jim Youngblood (1968-72)--Football 1984 Inductees Edward F. Etzel (1971-74)--Rifle William C. Francis (1949-52)--Football Don Cook (1948-51)--Baseball, Basketball Tommy Hackler (1959-60)--Football Edd Zegarski (1942, 1947-48)--Football, Track 1985 Inductees Earl Carrier (1929-34)--Football, Baseball, Basketball Ray Carter (1970-73)--Rifle Homer Hamdorff (1936-39)--Football, Baseball, Basketball Charles (Chuck) Kriese (1970-72)--Tennis 1986 Inductees Glen (Pete) Davis (1938-42)--Basketball, Football Elois Grooms (1972-75)--Football Mike Hennigan (1971-72)--Football Ron Shumate (1957-61)--Baseball, Basketball 1987 Inductees R.L. Highers (1940-43)--Football, Baseball, Basketball Frank Jones (1972-76)--Basketball L.C. (Lusk) Stubblefield (1938-42)--Football, Baseball 1988 Inductees Everett Derryberry (1940-74)--Administration Herbie Merritt (1956-59)--Basketball Dana Winningham (1972-75)--Football Kenneth (Moe) Wright (1955-57)--Football 1989 Inductees Noble Cody (1952-90)--Athletics James M. Gaylor (1951, 1955-57)--Football, Baseball Gayle Burgess-Hastings (1975-76)--Basketball James G. (Red) Jarell (1944, 46-49)--Football, Basketball 1990 Inductees L.D. (Speedy) Carden (1946-50)--Basketball, Football Pam Chambers-Compton (1976-80)--Basketball Bobby Nichols (1960-63)--Golf Johnny Oldham (1955-64)--Basketball 1991 Inductees Ray Drost (1958-64)--Football, Baseball Ron Filipek (1964-67)--Basketball Rod M. Fitz-Randolph (1976-80)--Rifle Joseph (J.R.) Mulvihill (1967-69)--Football
1992 Inductees Robert Aylward (1970-73)--Rifle Jerilynn Harper (1979-82)--Basketball Jim Harrison (1943-49)--Baseball, Football Marynell Meadors (1970-86)--Basketball coach, Volleyball coach 1993 Inductees Marc Burnett (1977-82)--Basketball Dr. William Headrick (1941-43)--Basketball, Baseball Pam Cassity Smith (1973-77)--Basketball Don Wade (1968-82)--Football 1994 Inductees Murray Cunningham (1973-76)--Football Don J. Henderson (1946-49)--Football, Baseball Ed Hooper (1940-1998)--Athletics Hubie Smith Jr. (1950-56)--Golf 1995 Inductees Ed Burns (1975-79)--Football Kurt Fitz-Randolph (1976-80)--Rifle Rodney Moore (1975-79)--Track 1996 Inductees Eldon Burgess (1962-96) and #Gene Davidson (1962-98)--Broadcasting Wayne Pack (1970-73)--Basketball Kim Tunnell-Suiter (1982-85)--Volleyball Mike Winchester (1972-75)--Baseball 1997 Inductees Wayne Anderson (1977-80)--Football Donley Canary (1973-77)--Baseball Jim Newkirk (1980-89)--Rifle Cheryl Taylor (1983-87)--Basketball 1998 Inductees Juan Escudero (1986-88)--Tennis Bruce Harris (1955-57)--Basketball Bob Joye (1967-80)--Football Derek Lane (1984-87)--Baseball 1999 Inductees Jim Cornelius (1985-88)--Golf Johnny Donnelly (1989-98)--Fan Melinda Clayton Hatfield (1986-90)--Basketball Elaine Proffitt Keagle (1978-82)--Rifle 2000 Inductees Bill Branch (1949-52)--Football, Baseball C. Stephen Lynn (1966-69)--Tennis Melanie Marshall (1986-89)--Volleyball, Basketball, Softball, Golf John D. Wall (1950-53)--Track Lana Ward (1987-90)--Rifle 2001 Inductees Matt Bulow (1987-90)--Tennis, Paralympics Angela Moorehead (1988-91)-- Basketball Matt Stark (1977-80)--Rifle 2002 Inductees John Fitzpatrick (1969-72)--Football Todd Kemp (1985-88)--Baseball Roschelle Vaughn (1990-92)--Basketball 2003 Inductees Becky Murray Isom (1982-85)--Volleyball Stephen Kite, Sr. (1982-86)--Basketball Steve Moore(1968-83)--Athletics Trainer Raymond Slonena, Sr. (1980-84)--Rifle Barry Wilmore (1982-85)--Football 2004 Inductees
Anthony Avery (1986-90)--Basketball Beth Keylon (1992-94)--Softball Andrea Roark (1990-93)--Softball Delores Wheatley (1969-2004)--Academics 2005 Inductees Leonard “Sonny” Allen (1951-54) -- Football Scott Baerns (1985-88) -- Baseball David Mays (1974-98) -- Baseball Coach 2006 Inductees Shawn Monday Smith (1986-90) - Basketball Cecilia Ramsey Fisher (1988-91) - Basketball Angelo Volpe (1987-2000)- President Melanie Gray Walker (1991-95) - Golf Bill Worrell (1981-2006) - Basketball Coach 2007 Inductees Dr. Thurston Banks (1973-2006), Administrator Stacy Hughes Britt (19866-89), Softball Dr. David Larimore (1976-2006), Administrator Eddie Scott (1951-54), Football, Track Ryan Weeks (1986-89), Football 2008 Inductees Chris Hedman (1986-90), Tennis Mark Maberry (1994-97), Baseball John “Shakey” McClellan (1964-2007), Supporter Rachel Melchiorre (1994-97), Volleyball Tom Pack (1986-90), Golf 2009 Inductees Dena Adams Fairley (195-98), Cross Country, Track Jim Bishop (1967-71), Football, Baseball John Moorhead (1955-59), Football, Track Tony Stone (1955-59/1967-73), Football/Coach Branon Vaughn (1995-99), Football 2010 Inductees Steve Hawkins (1984-87), Baseball Diane Seng Haynes (1996-00), Basketball, Volleyball, Track Brandy Henry Kleeman (1999-00), Softball Gene Palmer (1956-60), Track, Cross Country 2011 Inductees Ralph Broyles (1959-60), Football Chad Evitts (1997-2000), Football Angie Duncan Hyche (1983-87), Volleyball James "Redbone" McMillan (1958-61), Football Esra Bayburt Roan (1994-98), Tennis 2012 Inductees Kenneth Fults (1958-61), Football Janet Holt Baker (1998-2002), Basketball Grant Swallows (1998-2001), Football Randy Smith (1996-2006), Coach/ Administrator 2013 Inductees Kylie Crouch (1997-2001), Golf Stephanie Dallmann (2001-03), Softball Wes Gallagher (1996-99), Football Lupita Hernandez York (1998-2002), Tennis Damien Kinloch (2001-03), Basketball 2014 Inductees Casey Benjamin (2001-03), Baseball Stephanie Busch Warren (1997-00), Volleyball Howard Cochran (1969-72), Football Aaron Hupman (1971-72), Rifle
A44 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Student Life
A couple of TTU cheerleaders do a cheer during a bonfire/pep rally in 1967. Lines were sometimes long and students had to wait and register in 1982.
Congratulations TTU!
100 Years of Excellence Dr. Kevin Hayes Dr. Sandra Hayes Dr. Katherine Whitaker
Call Today: 931-526-1614 www.HayesDentistry.com Members of Tennessee Tech’s Greek society work on a homecoming float in the 1970s.
620 East 10th Street, Cookeville, TN 38501
Congratulations Tennessee Tech on 100 years of Academic Excellence. BUILDING COMMUNITIES FROM THE GROUND UP Crushed Stone • Sand & Gravel • Asphalt Paving • Road Construction
American family-owned since 1908, Rogers Group endeavors to be the primary choice for customers, communities, employees, and suppliers.
Operating in nine states throughout the Midwest and Southeast, Rogers Group offers high-quality products and services at competitive prices. • Crushed Stone • Sand and gravel • Asphalt paving • Road and bridge construction
Rogers Group’s Core Values: unwavering integrity, excellence in every undertaking, and placing the highest value on people.
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A45
Tennessee Tech Centennial Student Life
Faculty yearbook advisor Hix Stubblefield and a student look over the newest edition of the Eagle in 1966.
The Golden Girls gear up for a performance during a home game at Tucker Stadium.
The UC was a popular spot for shooting pool in 1974.
Students enjoy a ride during the 1976 homecoming parade.
Dwight Henry prepares for Homecoming in 1975.
A46 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
TTU Centennial Traditions
Eagle Bait is the pep truck that drove around Overall Field following each Golden Eagle score from 1966 until 1993. Also, a term used to refer to opponents during the '50s and '60s. Fans would yell, "Eagle bait, eagle bait," as the opposing team took the field.
Since 1985, the traditional showering of "Tech squares" after the first Golden Eagle basket during a home basketball game is known as the “Blizzard.” Winters are milder now that "Tech Squares" are no longer available in the dorms.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A47
Tennessee Tech Centennial Student Life
Tech student James Thomas Davis was one of the first Americans killed in Vietnam. He died in a Viet Cong ambush as he was returning from a mission near Saigon, Dec. 22, 1961. He received the Army Commendation Medal for his service in the third radio research unit from May to December of that same year.
A Tech professor and several students conducted a “cosmouse” experiment in 1970. A mouse was installed in a rocket, which was shot 3,000 feet in the air to see what would happen to the mouse’s heart and respiratory rates. Both increased.
Judd’s Country Store
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A student gets painted up during Derby Days in the 1970s.
A pair of students enjoy a good meal from the cafeteria in 1968.
A48 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A49
TTU Centennial 1990-2015
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The Color Run has become an popular annual event for TTU students.
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A50 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Our Readers Remember
TTU grad returns to Cookeville The best piece of advice my journalism professors gave me at Tennessee Tech can be summarized in six words. Always be nice to the assistant. This advice is common sense, but being polite to administrative professionals has helped me throughout my journalism career. Kindness can get you copies of overnight police reports, someone’s weekly schedule or — even better — an exclusive interview. Kindness can also mean being warmly welcomed when returning to Tech to start a teaching career. Returning to Cookeville is surreal, but it feels like home. The city still has not one, but two, locally-owned donut shops. I live five minutes away from the apartment my friends and I rented as plucky upperclassmen in 2011. At TTU, what I once called South Patio has morphed into Centennial Plaza. But the
most meaningful detail is that I teach alongside the professors who fostered my love of journalism when I was a nervous freshman. Print isn’t dead. It’s evolving, thanks to technology. This was made very clear working at a daily newspaper, my first job as a TTU graduate. My decision to move from Tennessee to Nevada to earn a master’s degree in journalism was based on people increasingly getting their news on their mobile devices. Social networking websites made hashtags and emoji ubiquitous, and onlineonly publications blossomed. I wanted to know how to best leverage these tools and trends to tell the best possible story and share news in a meaningful, relevant way. Participating in a digitally-focused graduate program was very fulfilling. Ultimately, however, it is the writing skills and ethical foundations I developed as a TTU student
that help me craft succinct stories, headlines and Tweets. I like asking journalism students to write six-word stories. It’s a creative exercise that challenges people to carefully choose their words for the greatest impact. A journalist is responsible for doing that every day. If the next batch of TTU journalism students understands this, then consider me a “happy face emoji.” The other thing I want them to remember is this: Always be nice to the assistant. Christine Seiber graduated Tennessee Tech University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. She received her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno in May 2015. More info: www.christineseiber.com.
Clark family shares long history with TTU My husband and I, A. C. and Katherine Terry Clark, have had family at Tennessee Technological University from the time it was Dixie College until the present time 100 years later. My father, Jewell W. Terry attended Dixie College where he played football in 1916. Today we have two granddaughters, Katie and Lauren Clark, attending TTU where they major in Agriculture Business and English. From my Father’s day to the present, more than 26 members of our family have attended TTU. We were both born in Clay County, but had we never met until the end of World War II when we were both students at TTU. Although we lived only seven miles apart, A. C. attended high school Willow Grove (before the building of Dale Hollow Dam) and I attended high school at Celina High School. When he returned home from the Army, he visited his sister at Tech. His sister was my roommate and, as they say, “the rest is
history.” We were married on March 18, 1948. All five of A. C.’s siblings attended TTU, as well as four of their spouses and several of their children. My sister, Aenona Terry Harper, also attended TTU graduating in Home Economics Education. My major was mathematics and A.C. majored in agriculture. I was the first female president of the TTU Mathematics Club. In 1948, I graduated Magna Cum Laude and was voted Miss Tech. I taught school in Clay, Pickett, and Putnam for 15 years. A. C. worked 35 years for the UT Agriculture Extension Service and ended his career as commissioner of Agriculture under Governor Ned Ray McWherter. Our education at TTU has served us well. We are now in our 90s now and live in Cookeville. Our four children attended Tech. Sandra Clark Shepherd received her Master’s Degree at TTU in educational psychology and was regional supervisor for Tennessee
Vocational Rehabilitation Services. She met her husband, Ken Shepherd, at TTU where he graduated in mechanical engineering. Our daughter, Patricia Clark Taylor, met her husband, John Taylor, at TTU. John was a professor of military science in the ROTC department at TTU. He has a Master’s Degree in European history from Tech. Patricia graduated from Tech with degrees in political science and history. She went on to receive her law degree and was a lawyer and assistant commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. When Patricia and John met, she was vice president of the student body while John was the graduate assistant to the student senate. They reconnected some years later. Our son, Dr. Jim Clark, is dean of humanities at Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina. Our son, Eddie Clark, graduated in agriculture from Tech and is the Ten-
Members of the Army ROTC Golden Eagle Battalion are part of the football traditions at Tucker Stadium, firing their ceremonial cannon after every TTU score. The U.S. Army Cadet Command threatened to shut down Tech’s ROTC program as well as a dozen others across the nation in 2013. In part due to an outpouring of support from Tech alumni, community members aand Tennessee elected officials, the 13 programs were instead placed on a two-year probation. The Golden Eagle Battalion successfully met each of the probation criteria last year. The second year review will be held in the spring.
nessee Farm Bureau field representative for the Upper Cumberland area. His wife, Sarah Palmer Clark, is a CPA and graduated from TTU in accounting. Our grandson, Kent Shepherd, and wife, Christy Bennett Shepherd, are teachers and received their B.S., M.A. from TTU. Kent went on to receive his EDS from Tech. Another grand-son, Dr. Garrett Shepherd, graduated from TTU and is an optometrist in Cookeville. His wife, Joriel Cook Shepherd, graduated from TTU in human ecology. That accounts for our family except for one grandson, Brad Clark, who is a junior at Cookeville High School. I’m sure he will go to TTU. We also have six greatgrandchildren in the Cookeville area. We see no immediate end to this Clark tradition of attending TTU. The Clark family has been blessed to live in Cookeville and to have the advantages TTU brings to our community.
Visit the TTU Centennial Celebration online at www.tntech.edu/centennial
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015 — A51
TTU Centennial
Livingston, TN
Cream City a long-standing TTU favorite By SHELBY SAVAGE Special to the HERALD-CITIZEN
For the last 87 years Cream City Ice Cream Shop and Coffee House has been open for business, but for the last five years it has been a place that is very popular for Tech Students. It is a place that is so monumental to the community and right around the corner from Tennessee Tech. Students really enjoy their cold, creamy, ice cream cones, milkshakes, and malts, with 32 ice cream flavors to choose from. “I love cream city because of the delicious ice cream, the Tech discount, and the college student atmosphere,” said Kayla Bates, a junior at Tennessee Tech. Located in the heart of downtown Cookeville on 119 W. Broad St., it is believed that the original construction for the building was in 1928. Since then the building has been giving to the community in many different ways over the years. W.R. Whitaker originally purchased the building for $20,000. The original company that owned the building shipped locally made butter to Chicago. In later years, ice cream and flavored ice was made and sold to drug stores and restaurants. They operated with 40 employees, making shipments to 14 counties. It wasn’t until later that Mr. Whitaker’s son changed the name of the company to Cream City Ice Cream. In May 1950, the Cream City neon sign was erected on top of the building, weighing three tons. It was the largest neon sign between Nashville and Knoxville and people drove from far and wide to see it, it was a big tourist attraction. The sign is still functional and is one of the most photographed subjects among the city of
Congratulations on your
100
th
Anniversary! Cream City Ice Cream Shop and Coffee House has become a popular spot for TTU students.
Cookeville. In 1961, Cream City began distributing ice cream to Kroger and in 1986 Mayfield purchased Cream City from the Whitakers to shut them down because they were becoming such a major competitor. The building has been an accounting office, café, and T-shirt distributer named Cream City Tee, and everything in between since 1986. It wasn’t until five years ago that Cream City started to sell ice cream from the building. The Savage family, Karen and Chris, have owned Cream City for the past three years. “I think the community support and the location of it being downtown are my favorite things about owning the store. A big part of why we chose to run the store is because it is such an important significance
to the community. The community supports us and we want to support the community,” said Karen Savage. The ice cream in Cream City is homemade from Mike’s Ice Cream on Broadway in downtown Nashville. Cream City offers a discount for Tech Students and finds any way to get involved and give back to the community. There’s a back room in the building, painted blue, with a lot of seating and a fish tank. It is a very relaxing room, great for studying. There are many loyal college student customers that have been going to Cream City for years because it is such a monument to Cookeville. Cream City Ice Cream Shop and Coffee House was awarded Best Desserts in the Upper Cumberland for three years in a row (2013, 2014 and 2015).
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A52 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, September 13, 2015
Tennessee Tech Centennial Past President
Robert Roy Bell 2000-2012 Robert Roy Bell became the university’s eighth president in 2000. He joined the TTU faculty in 1976 in the College of Business, and he served as its dean from 1991 to 2000. Bell received his M.B.A. from the University of Florida in 1970, and he earned a doctoral degree in organizational leadership there in 1972. Bell honored the vision of TTU’s founders to give Tennesseans access to a quality, affordable education. In 2010, 97.6 percent of new freshmen at TTU were Tennesseans. The university saw 11 straight years of enrollment growth under Bell, reaching a record high enrollment of 11,768 in Fall 2011. During Bell’s tenure, distance education programs grew more than 1200 percent. Online degree programs played a part in TTU’s military-friendly status, as designated by G.I. Jobs and Military Advanced Education magazines in 2012. Like previous presidents, Bell insisted that TTU remain affordable. Work-study programs and scholarships endowed by generous alumni are among the financial aid offerings available to TTU students. In 2011, TTU distributed more than $92 million in federal, state and institutional aid to students. During Bell's administration, the TTU endowment grew to $59.5 million, more than double its value at the start of his presidency. During Bell’s tenure, Princeton
Review named TTU a “Best Value College” three times, and Institutional Research & Evaluation Inc. consistently ranked TTU as one of “America’s 100 Best College Buys.” Bell set his sights on TTU becoming a leader in education in the STEM disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. He garnered support for the construction of Ray Morris Hall to house the Millard Oakley STEM Center, which opened in 2010. In less than two years, the center provided hands-on learning experiences for more than 10,000 pre-K to college students, educators and residents throughout the Upper Cumberland. During Bell’s presidency, the university also secured
funds and constructed the Nursing and Health Services Building, allowing the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing to expand its programs. New residence halls also were built under Bell’s leadership. The Cookeville community embraced Bell and his wife, Gloria, throughout his tenure. Gloria Bell worked to honor TTU’s artistic heritage by bringing award-winning roses and local artwork to prominence in Walton House. Gloria Bell also helped design the university flag to represent the strengths of Tennessee Tech University — a proud spirit, a solid academic reputation and a foundation of character and commitment that are indicative of TTU’s culture.
Bell made tough decisions during tough times By BUDDY PEARSON HERALD-CITIZEN Managing Editor
TTU — Tough times call for tough decisions, and Dr. Bob Bell certainly made his share during his 12 years as president of Tennessee Tech University. When Dr. Bell took over for Dr. Angelo Volpe in 2000, the university had a large endowment and a growing student base. But, the budget was on a downswing and continued to spiral downward for quite some time. “At my first faculty meeting I pulled out Austin Wheeler Smith’s book on the early Tech history,” Dr. Bell recalled. “I said to the faculty we are in a tough financial time and if you look at the history of this university, that happens about every 10 years. It’s a cycle. Every president has gone through some tough financial times, but I think ours got a little tougher both here in the community and here at Tech more than I had anticipated. “It’s not unusual for a state university to hit tough times,” Dr. Bell continued. “You have to tighten the belt a little bit and settle down. Being a Business Dean, I knew how to do that. It’s not much fun. It’s not as much fun as I could of had if I had unlimited budgets.” While crunching budget numbers may have caused some stress on a day-to-day basis, the bi-product of what the university was producing kept Dr. Bell positive and upbeat. “There were some great things hap-
The Millard Oakley STEM Center was constructed during Dr. Bob Bell’s tenure as president at TTU.
pening too. We have great students,” Dr. Bell said. “You have to go out and see the students every day or two and remind yourself of why Tech is there and why we are there. We continued to grow and get better and have the highest quality students several of those years.” Even coming from the school of business, Dr. Bell knew that Tennessee Tech’s moniker was engineer-
ing. That is an identity he didn’t want to change. “Tech’s reputation across the state is that it is an engineering school and that’s one reason why the academic quality perception and the academic quality reality is there. We attract the best and the brightest students,” explained Dr. Bell. “Engineering is and was an important part of TTU. “I met with the engineering faculty
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and I told them you are the flagship of this campus,” continued Dr. Bell. “I’ve always known that and always felt good about it. You don’t have to be the biggest of the units on campus, you just have to keep producing good engineers.” While TTU continued to produce quality engineers, Dr. Bell wanted to emphasize the nursing program. So, Dr. Bell began an effort to establish a
school of nursing building. “One of the things I said in that first year was that we would build a school of nursing,” Dr. Bell recalled. “We’ve needed one for 30 years and it’s time to build one. We didn’t have the money to build one so I had to go raise quite a bit of money to build one.” The fruit of Dr. Bell’s financial labor resulted in the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing Building being built. Not long after the completion of that beautiful structure, the Millard Oakley STEM Center was created. That state-of-the-art building is for the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It also supports a campuswide initiative to enhance existing models and develop new educational strategies in STEM-related fields. It was the generosity of Millard Oakley that helped make both the nursing building and the STEM Center come to fruition. “Millard Oakley came forward first with the nursing building and helping raise money with the Vince Gill concert. It really turned out well,” Dr. Bell said. “Then Mr. Oakley got excited about STEM. He just really caught fire on both of those projects and gave more than I asked him too. It’s fun to build those relationships and to get them to understand the vision and make it their own.” Raising money was a primary focus of Dr. Bell’s presidency. He let it be See BELL, Page A54
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TTU Centennial
Dr. Bob Bell was influential in securing the financing for the Whitson-Hester School of Nursing Building which features Bob and Gloria Bell Hall.
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Tennessee Tech Centennial BELL: Business background helped make fundraising easy From Page A52 known right away that his management style was geared more toward collecting funds to enhance and improve the university. “I told the faculty that we were the strongest university in the state and they would not see a lot of me on campus because they didn’t need a micromanager on campus,” Dr. Bell explained. “We needed to be in Washington and in Nashville and out raising money. The provost was going to be the chief operating officer and I was going out raising money. “It’s something I learned to do in Business School,” Dr. Bell said of fundraising. “It’s like hunting. You know you aren’t going to bag an animal every time you go to the woods, but you sure are going to celebrate when you get a big one. That’s the same way with fundraising.” While buildings were being erected and fundraising campaigns were flourishing, budget struggles continued to plague the TTU administration. It finally came to the point where programs had to be cut, including the storied rifle program and the successful women’s tennis program. “Those were tough decisions,” Dr. Bell admitted. “We made those in the context that we were eliminating a lot of other student opportunities than just athletics. You take out industrial engineering and say we have to put it on a shelf for a while. It was gutwrenching decisions for the campus. I lettered in tennis in college so that was a tough decision. I really did try to rely on the best judgement of the campus leadership. We stayed well in tune of the long-term thinking.” Despite eliminating the rifle and women’s tennis programs, athletics did flourish under Dr. Bell. There were major renovations made to Tucker Stadium and the Eblen Center. The completion of the Averitt Express Baseball Park and the creation of Tennessee Tech’s phenomenal strength and conditioning center are a couple of jewels in Dr. Bell’s construction crown. “When you get visitors to campus, you want a pretty campus and an inviting campus. You want to talk about the safety of the campus, especially if it is the 19-year-old undergraduate that comes in,” Dr. Bell explained. “I tried to always have a construction crane on campus building something. We built resident halls, a nursing building, a STEM center and athletic facilities. That’s just important.” Dr. Bell is also credited with hiring the first full-time athletics director at Tennessee Tech. Mark Wilson was chosen to the fill that role in 2004. “Hiring the athletic director is one of the most important decisions I’ve made. That was a home run,” Dr. Bell said. “We wanted to make sure we wanted to get it right. It was the first time we had a full-time athletic director and I struggled with that. Dave Larimore had done a really solid job while wearing a bunch of other hats. He was an advocate for having a fulltime AD. We got Mark Wilson and that was just a great catch.” A student-athlete himself in school, Dr. Bell was a huge advocate of TTU athletics. He and his wife, Gloria, could be found at most any home event. “Gloria and I fell in love with the student-athletes,” said Dr. Bell. “The football team probably got us first,
but women’s basketball, the NIT run with the men’s basketball team, women’s softball, it was all fun. Obviously, athletics is the front porch of the university. It may not be the central core, but it’s what people see of the university.” Buildings are also something people see at Tennessee Tech. Even though there were several advances made in construction on campus, Dr. Bell says he would of liked to have done more. “I had a lot of ideas in the early years. The main thing was build some buildings,” explained Dr. Bell. “Tennessee Tech has great history. It’s celebrating its 100th year, but we have some old buildings in the state university portfolio. We knew everywhere we looked there was opportunity for renovation and growth. Often the buildings are so old that it’s less expensive to tear them down and build a whole new structure. We had all these ideas and dreams. There were things I asked every dean to give me ideas for their units.” One idea Dr. Bell had at the end of his presidency was to stay on through this year’s centennial celebration. But, he decided to retire in 2012, three years shy of TTU’s 100th anniversary. “I didn’t see it through the Centennial. I made that decision in 2011. I wanted to so bad,” Dr. Bell said. “That would be so cool to do it. We did the 2009 celebration and that was nice. I asked myself if I really wanted to step back because it was going to be fun the next few years. But, the other side of me would say ‘you are going to be turning 70, do you really want to do this?’ It really does burn you out. You come home dead tired.” One of Dr. Bell’s fondest moments as the president came during his first year on the job when he came home dead-tired after a long day at the office. “I came home late one night during my first year. I may have been teaching, I can’t remember. My son John was home working on his master’s,” Dr. Bell recalled. “I pull in the driveway and put the car in the garage. I’m dead and the doorbell rings. John answered the door and said there is a group of students who wanted to see me. I’m thinking ‘aw man, I left home at daybreak and I’m getting Construction was a big part of Dr. Bob Bell’s presidency. Now he and his wife Gloria enjoy retirement by home at 10:30.’ So, I walk up to the supporting the Golden Eagles at athletic events. front door and here is the entire Kappa Delta sorority and they brought me milk and cookies and they sang the Kappa Delta lullaby. They did that every year during my 12 years. That sort of refreshes you a little bit.” When Dr. Bell stepped away from his post, he became the second TTU president to retire and still live in Cookeville, following in the footsteps of Dr. Volpe. And, just like Dr. Volpe, Dr. Bell now became that retired president who was still around and willing to lend a helping hand to newly-hired president Dr. Phil Oldham. “Angelo stepped away and said he was here if I needed him. I tried to do the same thing with President Oldham,” Dr. Bell said. “I knew him before as Angelo knew me. I said I am going to be John the Baptist. He said I must decrease so you must increase. I said I wasn’t going to be looking over his shoulder and he put a picture of all of the former presidents over his shoulder in his office. How funny is that?”
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Tennessee Tech Centennial Faculty/Staff
Prof. Mary Pashley, a member of the economics faculty, performs in local music and theater productions; she's pictured here at the Bryan Fine Arts Building.
Michael “Birdie” Birdwell is a history professor who is Jeff Roberts serves as the well-known for his research Faculty/Athletic Represenon Alvin. C. York. tative.
Joyce HealthCare Andy Smith, a member of the English faculty, is faculty head of Tech's "Tree House" living and learning village, which includes environmental issues as part of its mission.
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Congratulations Tech on 100 years! Agriculture Prof. Billye Foster at the Hyder-Burks Agricultural Pavilion just north of Tennessee Tech's main campus.
Robert Owens, an alumnus of Tennessee Tech, is assistant vice president for minority student affairs and director of its Black Cultural Center, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2015.
Marvin Barker was provost and vice president for Academic Affairs under both Dr. Angelo Volpe and Dr. Bob Bell.
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Tennessee Tech Centennial Athletics
Golden Eaglette head basketball coach Bill Worrell retired after 20 years with the women’s basketball program. During his tenure, he posted a 408-189 overall record, including a 244-68 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference. His teams won 12 regular season and eight OVC tournament titles, leading his squads to eight NCAA Tournament appearances. He was named OVC coach of the year four times and was inducted into the Tennessee Tech and OVC Hall of Fames.
The Golden Eagle 20012002 basketball squad enjoyed the most successful season in program history. TTU posted a 27-7 overall record, including a 151 mark in the OVC. TTU won the OVC regular season championship and then advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT before losing to Memphis.
The Golden Eagles captured the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA FCS playoffs for the first time in school history, posting a 7-4 overall record including a 6-2 mark in the OVC.
Cookeville native Watson Brown returned to his hometown in 2007 to become the head coach of the Tennessee Tech football team. Brown guided the Golden Eagles to an OVC crown in 2011 and his team has had the highest GPA among football teams in the OVC the past two seasons.
Larry Schreiber had his number 34 retired after becoming TTU’s all-time leading rusher with 4,420 yards.
TTU Retired Numbers Tennessee Tech University has honored a handful of former student-athletes by retiring their jersey or number. The first retirements were the numbers 34 (Larry Schreiber), 53 (Jim Youngblood) and 90 (Elois Grooms) in football. Since then, the policy has been adjusted and the University no longer retires numbers, but does retire jerseys to recognize an individual's success and accomplishments. Golden Eagle Jerseys that have been retired: BASEBALL No. 18 (David Mays) MEN'S BASKETBALL No. 23 (Stephen Kite) No. 32 (Earl Wise) No. 40 (Kenny Sidwell) No. 42 (Jimmy Hagan) WOMENS BASKETBALL No. 21 (Pam Chambers) No. 30 (Jerilynn Harper) No. 33 (Cheryl Taylor) No. 40 (Emily Christian) No. 41 (Angela Moorehead) No. 50 (Janet Holt) No. 51 (Diane Seng) Golden Eagle Football Numbers that have been retired: FOOTBALL No. 34 (Larry Schreiber) No. 53 (Jim Youngblood) No. 90 (Elois Grooms)
Golden Eagle All-American shortstop Dylan Bosheers was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in June after wrapping up a remarkable career at TTU. Bosheers was the first middle infielder from TTU to ever be drafted. Tech also continued it’s Ohio Valley Conference-leading streak of having a player drafted for the eighth consecutive year under head coach Matt Bragga.
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Tennessee Tech Centennial Students have taken an active role on campus for 100 years By SHELBY SAVAGE Special to the HERALD-CITIZEN
TTU — From the beginning in 1915, when a group of local businessmen and civic leaders convinced the state of Tennessee to establish an institution of higher education in Cookeville, local girls and boys finally had the opportunity to study at a public college close to home. In the past 100 years, students at Tennessee Tech have always had an active role in their campus life. The origins of the Golden Eagle In the past, students received the chance to have a vote in a very important decision for the school. Ever wonder how TTU decided on the mascot the Golden Eagle? In the first quarter of this century, Tennessee Polytechnic Institute was a tiny school located in Upper Cumberland region where Golden Eagles were plentiful and always soaring above the upland forests. It’s easy to understand how early students and faculty could narrow their choices for their athletic team’s nicknames to “Golden Eagles” or “Mountaineers.”On Feb. 14, 1925, the nickname “Golden Eagles” was officially adopted. The school newspaper, The Oracle, printed a story that outlined the efforts of a committee to suggest several possible nicknames to the athletic association members for their consideration. The two most popular names were the “Golden Eagles” and the “Mountaineers,” and the association, by a vote of 139-18, proudly declared its decision. It wasn’t until 27 years later that the Golden Eagle mascot actually found its way to the campus. Several brave Tech students took on a rainstorm to capture a huge block-tin eagle statue from a resort hotel in Monteagle. They painted the more than sixfeet eagle gold and hung it from
Whether it was choosing a mascot, starting Greek organizations or participating in community service, TTU students have always had a voice and been active on campus.
the rafters for public inspection at the following day’s basketball game in Memorial Gym. Governor Frank G. Clement, a lifelong friend of the hotel owner, was in Cookeville to speak. He worked out a compromise between his friend and the school students, who wanted to retain the eagle as their mascot. Over the years, a wide variety of artwork and drawings have been used to represent the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. Some of those include a drawing which appeared in media guides in the mid 1970s, and a cartoon-style mascots in the early 1980s that was dubbed “the purple chicken” by Tech students. Another example of student activities on campus was in 1957 when then-dean of TTU Anne Marshall tried to ban kissing on campus. The Oracle called the ban “contrary to the laws of human nature.” Perhaps as a result of the ban, students began talking about going to the “submarine races,” a code for couples who did not want to be disturbed. It is unclear how long the term was used on campus. The first fraternity Another way students were active on Tech’s campus in the past was during the year of
1963, when the first fraternity came to “campus.” The fraternity’s name was Sigma Phi Delta (currently known as Sigma Alpha Epsilon). “There were seven original members, founders, of SPD and I was the 10th member,” William Cameron said. “I personally knew all of the original members besides one, because back then instead of semesters we had quarters and his were already over. “Back then, fraternities were outlawed because they were known as bad, getting involved with too much drinking and too much trouble. We called it a fraternity though and we had meetings in our dorms. There were 10 members when I was in it and about 15 when I graduated and went to law school.” Sigma Alpha Epsilon has come a long way in these past years. They recently built a new house in March of 2014 but back in 1965 they had to rent a house for them to use. At that time they had 25 initiated members and most of them lived in the house. They called their rental house the Greenhouse. It was located on the corner of Willow Avenue and 4th Street. It was where they held their gatherings and meetings. “Some of my favorite memo-
Tennessee Tech students have always been active on the campus and in the community. In 2008, TTU teamed up with Putnam County Habitat for Humanity to build a house for a local family.
ries were a lot of parties, service projects for the school and community, and I helped plan the first luau on what we called ‘rattlesnake island,’ but there weren’t any rattlesnakes there,” Cameron said. Luau is a tradition for SAE to this current day. All of the members and whomever they decide to invite go to an island, pitch tents, have a fire, and stay out there all weekend. Sigma Phi Delta officially signed their Sigma Alpha Epsilon Charter about 10 years after they were founded. “When my grandson, B.J. Wood, was initiated into SAE I changed my membership and got initiated into SAE as well,” said Cameron.
The Eagle Card In 2003, the Eagle Card system was put into place. “It was to assist us in our efforts to provide a better service to our students, relative to meal plans, campus safety, etc.,” Marc Burnett, vice president of student affairs, said. “I do remember several alums calling to voice their displeasure. It’s interesting that it mostly had to do with changing the tradition of the quarter/semester stickers that were placed on back of the old IDs. I was a bit sentimental over that myself as I still have mine somewhere with at least 10 stickers on it.” The cards were unpopular at first because they meant that entrepreneurial students were no
longer able to sell their meal tickets to others. Twelve years later and the Eagle Card is the official identification card for the university. Eagle Cards are valid for the duration of your education at Tennessee Tech. They are very important and a great way to keep track of every student. The card serves in the following capacities: photo ID, campus debit card (you can deposit cash on the card), resident hall access, laundry facility access, barcode for library use, access to fitness center, access to athletic events, and encoded with selected meal plans. Not only are they very useful on campus, but also are very helpful to receive discounts in and around the community.
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Tennessee Tech Centennial
In 1997, Roger Crouch (above) became the first alumnus in space. Fellow alum Barry “Butch” Wilmore also made it to space as the pilot of the space shuttle Atlantis on STS 129 and later as the commander of the the international space station, commander 42.
Manufacturing and Industrial Technology students get practical experience in the Foundry, one of Tech's oldest buildings still in its original form.
A Tech team has entered in the mini-baja design competition every year since 1977, winning 12 first-place finishes - making TTU Baja the leading national champion overall.
Congratulations on on your your
The Appalachian Center for Craft celebrates its 35th year in 2015.
Centennial Anniversary! Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation. ~John F. Kennedy
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Tennessee Tech Centennial Student Life
Tech's resident assistants engage with their undergraduate peers in both social and ac- Graduation is the highlight for any TTU student. Tech has commencement ceremonies every May and December. ademic activities.
The first fraternity on campus was Sigma Phi Delta which is now Sigma Alpha Epsilon. SAE has come a long way, recently building a new house in March of 2014 but back in 1965 they had to rent a house to use. At that time they had 25 initiated members and most of them lived in the house. They called their rental house the Greenhouse. It was located on the corner of Willow Avenue and 4th Street. It was where they held their gatherings and meetings. Tennessee Technological University is accredited by the Greeks are always entertaining during the homecoming Southern Associaparade. tion of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees. Tennessee Technological University's mission as the state's only technological university is to provide leadership and outstanding programs in engineering, the sciences, and related areas that benefit the people of Tennessee and the nation.
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TTU Centennial
Awesome Eagle displays the Tech flag, designed in 2003 by then-First Lady Gloria Bell.
Awesome Eagle is a two-time national champion. Awesome won his division for the first time at the Universal Cheerleaders Association’s national mascot competition in 2014. Awesome won it again in 2015, which was also the first year Grandpappy Eagle was invited to the competition. Tech is the only school in the history of the competition to have two mascots compete.
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Tennessee Tech Centennial Around Campus
Thousands of students compete each year in intramurals on campus.
Country music recording artist Josh Turner, who took the stage in Eblen Center in 2014, is one of many artists, who have performed at Tennessee Tech. Other artists include the Goo Goo Dolls, Vertical Horizon, Neon Trees, Vince Gill, Rodney Atkins and Daryl Worley.
Admiral Vinson Smith, a 1974 graduate of Tennessee Tech and member of its Foundation Board of Directors, speaks to incoming freshmen at fall convocation. Admiral Smith is The Walton House continues to be the home to the president of Tennessee Tech. It was built in 1962. one of several notable speakers to appear on campus every year.
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