Spring 2011
PROMENADE THE GEORGE PEPPERDINE COLLEGE NEWSLETTER
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In This Issue 3 7 Did You Know?
News, updates, and resources for GPC alumni, including online access to archived Promenade issues.
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GPC Student Body Presidents -Remembering Terry Giboney (’61)
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Pepperdine Inspires a Life of Ministry
Beloved alumnus, administrator, and husband leaves a lasting impact on Pepperdine.
Dr. Edwin Follick (MA ’57, MP ’77) recalls the aspects of Pepperdine that contributed to his calling as a chaplain and priest.
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Blazing the Trail for Waves Women
Meet Carmen (Landrum) Boothe (’38), member of the first Pepperdine graduating class.
Songbird’s Memories Carry Sweet Sound
Barbara (Logan) Lamb (’60) and sister strengthen bonds through GPC’s music program.
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What Pepperdine Means to Me
Pepperdine lent grace and purpose to alumnus Bernard Wiesel (’50)
Tim Tift and Bill Watkins: Colleagues and Friends for Over Sixty Years
The story of two alumni and the similar paths they discovered over a lifelong friendship.
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GPC Photo Album
This issue features a photographic memory book of the original GPC dining hall, graciously donated by the family of the late Mrs. Alice Louise (Peterson) West (’42).
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The Legacy of GPC Football Continues
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Four Generations of Shipps Ride the Pepperdine Wave
Pepperdine Football Scholarship Program and the faithful football alumni who support it.
The legacy family story of Dr. Glover Shipp (’48, MA ’67)
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Class Notes
Brief updates in the lives of our fellow Waves.
In Memoriam
Rembering the lives of fellow alumni recently passed.
Upcoming Events
A look ahead at opportunities for alumni to stay connected to Pepperdine.
We want to hear from you! The Promenade newsletter needs your stories! If you are an alumnus of George Pepperdine College, please submit articles about your personal memories of days at the original campus at 79th and Vermont. We are also interested in hearing the interesting stories of your activities since graduation. Share these precious memories with your fellow alumni by sending your story of anywhere between 300 and 800 words to the GPC Alumni Affairs office at the following address:
By e-mail:
gpc@pepperdine.edu
ARTICLE LEGEND SC = Seaver College GSBM = Graziadio School of Business and Management SOL = School of Law GSEP = Graduate School of Education and Psychology SPP = School of Public Policy
By mail: GPC Alumni Affairs c/o: Promenade Newsletter, TAC 311 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263-4348
Please also send along any photos you have to compliment your story. We will gladly scan the photos and mail the originals back to you upon completion of the publication.
Promenade Staff Editor • Matt Ebeling (’99) Graphic Designer • Matt Mosher Cover Designer • Gayle Wheatley (’00) Production Manager • Jill McWilliams Copy Editor • Vincent Way
Steering Committee • Jon Washington (’63), Bob Andrew (’58), Norma (Wade) Young-Mahaffey (’61) Contributing Writers • Bob Andrew (’58), Edwin D Follick (’57), Bernard Wiesel (’50), Barbara (Logan) Lamb (’60), Dr. Bill Watkins (’62), Jon Washington (’63), Sam Lagana, Dr. Glover Shipp (’48, ’66)
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Did You Know?...
Just as there were in the memorable days of George Pepperdine College, there are still many ongoing happenings in the world of Pepperdine as well as a variety of resources aimed at serving you.
Did you know about some of the following?
Campus Life Project Pepperdine University is staging an exciting series of improvements to the Malibu campus that will enhance the quality of life for our existing student body, the local community, and visiting alumni. There are several exciting components to the project ranging from student housing improvements to a state-of-theart 5,000-seat events center that will be the new home of many athletic programs, concerts, lectures, and other events! We invite you to learn about the vision for Pepperdine’s future by reviewing the plans and participating in the process by contributing your comments, questions, and support. To learn more, visit www. pepperdine.edu/campus-life-project. Boundless Horizons Andrew K. Benton’s inaugural paper as the seventh president of Pepperdine University explored his commitment to strengthening scholarship, resources, community, diversity, and heritage at Pepperdine. Ten years later, “Boundless Horizons” provides a glimpse of the progress made toward these promises given to the Pepperdine community and describes the University’s many opportunities for the future. We invite you to read this special message to all Waves at www.pepperdine.edu/president/ boundlesshorizons. We are also happy to mail you a copy upon request.
Legacy Applicants When your relatives are considering following in your footsteps by attending Pepperdine University, we would love to keep a watchful eye over them, guiding them and helping to ensure that they get the closest look possible by our office of admission. We can help arrange campus tours, connect the applicant with alumni in their fields/majors of interest, and flag the applicant in the admission system as being a “legacy applicant,” because by attending Pepperdine, they would be carrying on your family legacy as Waves! Promenade Online The Promenade newsletter can now be found online in an easy-to-use page flipping format. This online offering will not take the place of future mailings of the newsletter to your home, but it provides an easy way to access past issues, e-mail to a friend, or print out pages. Visit the site at seaver.pepperdine.edu/alumni/promenade. Let Me Count the Ways There are dozens of meaningful, fun, and engaging ways to stay connected to your alma mater. We have compiled our top 20 in the form of a handy online listing. Check it out! There is something for everyone. You will find the link at the top of our “Stay Connected” page at seaver.pepperdine.edu/alumni/connected.
For additional information on any of the above information or other needs, we always encourage you to contact us anytime toll free at (800) 767-2586 ext. 5 or by e-mail at gpc@pepperdine.edu. †
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GPC Student Body Presidents –
Remembering Terry Giboney (’61)
By Bob Andrew (’58)
Terry Giboney left his mark on both Pepperdine campuses, fi- years, returning to the nally rising to the level of associate provost on the development States six months after their first daughter was born. team in Malibu. Later their family grew by However, the bookmarks he used to win election as student body another daughter and a son. president on Vermont Avenue in 1960 were among his earliest Terry making his acceptance speech marks. Those thin bookmarks that said “Giboney for President On coming home, Terry as student body president, George for Cooperation” earned him a slim victory in the tight race with first taught fifth- and sixthPepperdine College. (April 8, 1960) grade classes while working Hasty Arnold (’61, EdD ’85). on a master’s degree in administration and completed his secondTerry had wanted to take all of his courses at a Christian college ary education credential requirements. Later he became an assisbut, like many students from large families, finances altered his tant principal and then a principal for the La Habra City School plan. His two years majoring in engineering at Citrus Commu- District. nity College gave him enough training as a draftsman to land a good job that paid for all of his Pepperdine tuition that his schol- After completing his doctorate in higher education at USC, Terry moved to the Monrovia School District where he served as assisarship didn’t quite reach. tant superintendent of personnel and curriculum. Eventually he Midway through his term as student body president he mar- stepped up to superintendent of the school district in Whittier. ried Susan Huff (’62), thereby elevating her not only to Susan Giboney but also to “First Lady” on campus. They lived in Nor- All this time he was also serving in various capacities for Peppermandie Village, although they often would travel on weekends so dine. First he served on the Pepperdine Alumni Board and various committees. Later he was elevated to the Board of Regents Terry could speak at youth rallies. for Pepperdine University. “These years at GPC were great years for us and brought confidence and increased faith to Terry and gave him leadership ex- Finally, Pepperdine president David Davenport asked him to unperiences that directed his future,” Susan recalled. During those dertake the associate provost position. years, she said, J. C. Moore was his mentor who really helped him with the student government budget. Dr. Norvel Young also in- “We were happy with our work and church and were not eager to cluded him in many administration discussions that taught Terry move,” Susan recalled, “but decided to give it a try.” a lot, she said. Over the years all three of the Giboneys’ children graduated from Those experiences may have led Terry to change his life’s focus from engineering to education, especially since Susan was already starting to teach while he worked on his teaching credentials. Afterward they went to Japan as teaching missionaries for three
Pepperdine University. Terry was working happily in the provost position in January 1995 when he was diagnosed with cancer. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy that year seemed to have conquered the problem, Susan said. “We thought it was gone and just opened another ministry for us,” she recalled. However, the next June the cancer returned and Jerry died a “faithful and courageous death at home on campus on December 6, 1996.” With a touch of pride, Susan added, “There were almost 1,000 people at his funeral that was held in the Firestone Fieldhouse.” †
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Inspires
Pepperdine
a Life of Ministry for Dr. Edwin Follick (MA ’57, MP ’77)
Dear Editor Ebeling: The Fall 2010 Promenade arrived at my personal office a few days ago. This always brings back memories of walking down the Palm Tree Lane, eating at the Oasis, and passing by Marilyn Hall.
a professor of chemistry. Both must be credited with giving me a wonderful background.
Now life has been very good to me and the Lord must be thanked for all his benefits. The outcome of Pepperdine? I earned a theology degree in London, then immediately afterward joined the military as a chaplain’s assistant. I then became involved in eduBriefly, my time at Pepperdine was from 1955 to 1957, and then cation from junior high through junior college and on to profrom 1976 to 1977 while on sabbatical. Basically, I left Cal State fessional schools—healing arts, law, and theology. Probably my Los Angeles with the desire to do advanced work in England most important role has been serving as a chaplain in many venwhere my mother was born and some family remained. In Brit- ues. Don’t hold it against me, but I became an Anglican priest ain, the BA (Hons) was expected and Cal State had regulations over half a century ago, which enabled me to interface with requiring either a college position or a year of experience for many of the problems in the human condition and also serve their master’s programs at this time. Now being subject to mili- in a number of the social events devolving to the ministry. Even tary service, time issues were constrained. My father had met this weekend, a great celebration of an Italian couple renewing Dr. Hugh Tiner in the course of his church involvement with wedding vows after 50 years of marriage will be a delightful time people going to Pepperdine, so it was natural for me to apply. in sharing Christ and his redemption of mankind.
The rest is history. If recalled correctly, Dr. Woodrow Carleton Whitten was the chair of social science and his teaching and counsel to me were invaluable. Dr. Woodrow Wilson Scott was more than realistic in his courses in sociology and provided a wonderful foundation. Dr. David Provost enlightened me in political science, and Dr. Milton Rickels was more than insightful in bringing the essence of English literature to the social sciences. I should mention Dr. Wade Ruby and Dr. Walter E. Magnuson,
Here are a few pictures of graduations, weddings, and service on the river ships of Europe as chaplain. Still, it is always remembered that Pepperdine afforded me the foundation for this ministry of service and the many blessings received. With highest regards and all blessings, Ed †
Dr. Follick performing one of his favorite duties, officiating at a wedding.
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Blazing the Trail for
Waves Women By Bob Andrew (’58)
The cover photo from last September’s Founder’s Day celebration had people asking a variety of questions. Many Seaver students, who had never met George Pepperdine in person, were asking, “Who’s that man in the white pants?” Pepperdine alumni from the old Vermont Avenue campus were asking each other, “Did you know there was a woman in the first graduating class? Who is she?” That answer is Carmen (Landrum) Boothe (’38). Now 96, she was the first woman to ever graduate from Pepperdine and is the oldest living alumnus. Carmen completed two years at David Lipscomb College in Nashville, Tennessee, and one year at a business school in Bowling Green, Kentucky, before transferring to Pepperdine in 1937 when it opened. “Lipscomb was just a two-year school then so I couldn’t get a bachelor’s degree there, and the University of Kentucky—where my father originally wanted me to go—wouldn’t recognize the religion credits from Lipscomb. It would have taken me over two years to get a degree when Pepperdine could do it in just one,” Carmen explained during an interview at her Hollywood area home. “My father liked the idea of Pepperdine, notably that Batsell Baxter, the Lipscomb president, was to be the first president at Pepperdine. Also, my matron at Lipscomb, Ms. Middlebrooks, had been hired as Pepperdine’s matron of dormitories.” Carmen was relieved when her father agreed to send her by train to the West Coast. “I had wanted to come out to California for a long time, but my dad had thought it was too expensive. Father
was a merchant in Kentucky, and despite being in the depths of the Great Depression, we were seemingly one of the few not living on welfare. Even so, we didn’t really have enough to pay for a year of college.” After a great deal of hard work through jobs of her own such as her student employment in the registrar’s office, paired with her father’s financial support and perhaps a bit of providence, Carmen was able to chart a course to complete and afford her final year of school at George Pepperdine College. “What does it cost now, about 10 times what I paid?” she asked. Not all of her college jobs were enjoyable, Carmen recalled. “When I first got out here I worked for about a day or two for the Southwest Wave, a little weekly paper in the area, selling ads. But when the people called in, I couldn’t understand their accents,” she said with her Kentucky clarity. “One man wanted to run an ad for his place ‘right over here on Wess Tern Avenue,’ ” she recalled. “But I had just gotten here. I didn’t yet know about Western Avenue or other places in the area.” Carmen remembered seeing the unfinished yet very attractive dormitories upon her initial arrival to the Vermont campus— still lacking all the fittings and special touches that would come later—and was impressed, “I believe Mrs. Pepperdine decorated these rooms herself!” She turned out to be right. “In fact,” she added, “the only buildings on campus were the administration building, the dining hall and the two dormitories, which were not quite finished”. As a result she and other students stayed for a while at the William Penn Hotel, which was owned by the George Pepperdine Foundation, until the campus housing was ready for them. What students does she particularly remember?
Carmen (Landrum) Boothe (‘38) and her classmates–the very first Pepperdine graduates–showing off their diplomas.
“Well, it was all new so there were only 130 or 140 of us,” she re-
A RT IC L E S 7 called. “I knew Helen Mattox, who later married Norvel Young, but she was a junior, a year behind me”. Carmen remembered that Norvel Young had also attended Lipscomb with her. Asked what activities she recalled, Carmen said she and a friend had gone to the opening of Knott’s Berry Farm in Orange County. “It didn’t have any rides, but it had a jail you could get your picture in,” she said. “It was like a farmer’s boarding house with long tables to eat at. The boysenberry jam on the tables reminded me of home.” After college Carmen went to work for George Pepperdine himself at his Western Auto Supply office, just a few miles from
Songbird’s Memories
campus. She earned about $80 a month to fill the inkwells on his desk and take his notes as he dictated to her. When Mr. Pepperdine decided to sell his shares in the company one year later, she learned firsthand of his trademark kindness as he wrote letters of recommendation for her to several banks. As a result, Carmen was hired by Bank of America where she worked for many years. At Bank of America, she met her late husband, Donald Boothe, a housing developer. They moved around the country as his work dictated, but she remained in banking until she retired in her 80s. †
Carry Sweet Sound
I arrived at the old campus of Pepperdine in the fall of 1959 full of enthusiasm. I was especially lucky because my sister, Hazel (Logan) Hanvey (’60), was a senior at Pepperdine that year. My roomie was Pam Callahan and suite mates were Joyce Beasley and Clora Anne Click. We hit it off right away. All four of us tried out for chorus. Mr. Umberson, the choral director, wanted only the best for his chorus. He told us he might only have 10 singers but they would be good! I grew up singing in my family and was in the chorus in high school and did not think I would have too much of a problem entering Pepperdine’s chorus. My sister Hazel was already a member. Pam, Joyce and Clora Anne made the chorus and I did not. I cried and Mr. Umberson told me that I was not breathing from my diaphragm. My what?! He laughed and said he would work with me for about an hour a day for two days and if I did not make it then, that was it. Well, I worked very hard and learned to sing from my diaphragm. Chorus was a wonderful experience and our tour in the spring topped off the year. During the first month of school, I ended up being tossed in the Dolores fountain about six times, ruining a few outfits. It became a thing to grab me and throw me in, but finally I think the guys gave it up. I remember the great times at the Oasis and talking late at night with all my friends. The Wizard of Oz was a treat because my sister was in it and also Pam and Clora Anne. In fact, Clora was the Sorceress of the North and Joyce was Dorothy. It was a great production from beginning to end. The music department was going to do a musical review show featuring some of the great songs of the past and all of us tried out for parts. One of the songs was a girl’s trio who would sing “Deep Purple,” actually wearing purple gowns. Once again my sister Hazel made it and Joyce also. They were looking for a third part and trying out different girls to see who would blend
By Barbara (Logan) Lamb (’60)
with the two already picked. I got up on the stage and sang with them and the director said, “You and Hazel have incredible blend and sing great together.” Hazel smiled and said quietly, “That’s because we are sisters.” Great memory! That show was also a smash hit. Before the school year was out, Sharon Fitzpatrick (’63) and I talked about how only boys could try out for cheerleader since only girls tried out for song girls. I came from the South where all cheerleaders were girls and I had cheered before. Sharon agreed with me. (I hope she remembers this.) We started a petition to let girls try out for cheerleader and it passed! Then after going through all this trouble, I did not return the next year. After leaving Pepperdine, I attended college in Florida. I married Jim Lamb and we had three children and currently live in Tampa, Florida. I worked for 15 years for a small junior college as athletics secretary and then for a few years as a medical assistant. We have four grandchildren. Our oldest daughter, Denise, was killed at the age of 41 in a car accident. A 17-year-old man ran a stop sign driving a cement truck and hit her on the driver’s side. She died instantly leaving two children. I am now retired and spend my time writing. I have written and published a novel titled Apache Windigo under my pen name, Jaycee Logan. I have also published a short story, The Winning of Mary Margaret Murphy, under my real name. Currently, I am at work on my second novel. I write a daily scripture-inspired e-mail to over 90 women—friends of mine and women I know from church. Pepperdine remains one of the bright lights of my life, and I have been blessed with many! †
A RT IC L E S 8
What Pepperdine Means
to Me
By Bernard “Berney” Wiesel (’50)
After serving in the Army in WWII, I returned to the apartment of my parents in southwest Los Angeles. I had very little ambition or direction in my life. All I wanted to do was sleep. My wise father said, “You need to go to work or go to school.” I asked, “What are the other options?” “There are no other options,” he answered. Dad suggested that I take a short streetcar ride down Vermont to Pepperdine College. College? A ridiculous suggestion. I had never been much of a student, but I went to check it out.
I wandered into the president’s office. In a moment, out came a tall, distinguished man—Dr. Hugh Tiner. He shook Bernard “Berney” Wiesel (‘50) my hand and enthusiastiand his wife, Rosalie. cally welcomed me. Then he walked me to the dean’s office. There, Mr. Pullias (later Dr. Pullias) also welcomed me and counseled me, suggesting that I audit a couple of classes. Fortunately, the G.I. Bill paid my college expenses. I attended classes and reaped the immense benefits: education, training, individual attention, friendliness, and kindness and caring from instructors that affected my entire life. At Pepperdine, I discovered that I could not only take classes but also enjoy getting an education, achieve goals, and prepare myself for a life of service. I became an educator. I was a teacher, vice principal, principal, and resource specialist over a long, happy career. The experience of being a student at Pepperdine College gave me confidence, a sense of integrity, purpose, and giving to others. And another very important thing: it gave me a strong spirituality.
Bernard (bottom row, sitting in desk chair) and his Blackfriars student club, which presented a series of one-act plays throughout the school year.
Sixty years later, I express my deep gratitude to Mr. George Pepperdine and every instructor and staff member for helping me to get a life! †
Tim Tift & Bill Watkins Colleagues and Friends for Over Sixty Years
By Dr. Bill Watkins (’62, EdD ’87) Edited by Jon Washington (’63)
Tim Tift (’62, MA ’63) and Dr. Bill Watkins first met when Bill’s family moved to 118th Street in Hawthorne, California, in December, 1949. Tim lived two houses from Bill’s new home, and Tim and Bill and their families have been close friends since then.
out of his hands. It went end-over-end, two full houses away into the Watkinses’ yard. Bill’s grandmother was seated at a patio table with a metallic awning. The bat landed atop the awning with an unbelievable noise.
As kids, Tift fondly recalls Bill’s mom, “She would child-sit me. My mother would say to me, ‘Check with Mrs. Watkins. If she says okay, you can do it.’
“I still remember that sound. Bill wasn’t home so I had to drag myself to his front door and apologize and assess the damage. I just know that the awning saved his grandmother’s life.”
[The Watkinses] had an avocado tree and she introduced me to that delicacy. Also, I remember tasting lobster. I still enjoy those items today.” Tim also tells of a friendly baseball duel (using tennis balls) that ended in near disaster.
Then there were Bill’s “mind games” to contend with. “Bill was one and a half years older but never was a bully. When I was 8, Bill told me that if the ice cream truck came down the street playing music it was because the truck was out of ice cream. I didn’t catch on that he was kidding until I was 11,” Tim recalled, smiling.
“I was pitching to a neighborhood friend. He was using a heavy bat and when I threw him a nasty curve, he swung and the bat flew
Tim and Bill went to Dana Middle School and Hawthorne High
A RT IC L E S 9 School, where Tim was an outstanding basketball player. Following high school, Bill graduated in 1957 and Tim graduated in 1958, Tim received a scholarship to play basketball at George Pepperdine College under the legendary coach Duck Dowell. Bill, not being sure if he wanted to be an engineer or a poet (remember, this was the period of the “Beat Generation” of poets, writers, and coffeehouses in North Beach in San Francisco and in Venice Beach on the west coast), went to El Camino Community College. The coffeehouses and the urge to be a poet won out, and Bill majored in English. After spending a summer working on Catalina Island with Dr. Hasty Arnold (’61, EdD ’85), a friend from church, and a group of Betas (Dave Skersick [’60], Ron Keppler [’61], and Bryan Watson [’61]), it was clear that Bill was going to transfer to GPC and rush the Betas, which he did in February 1960. Tim, in the meantime, had continued to excel as a student and athlete. He was the team captain and played on some of GPC’s most successful basketball teams. Tim was selected for “Who’s Who in College and University Students” in 1962. Tim also was a member of Beta Tau Delta. Following graduation in 1962, a year of student teaching, and Tim working on his master’s degree, Tim and Bill each went into teaching in 1963. Tim became the head basketball coach at their alma mater, Hawthorne High School, and Bill, with the help of a family friend and high school Sunday school teacher, Bob Kingston (’54), began teaching English at El Segundo High School. Tim’s career as a basketball coach was on the fast track. After coaching at the high school level at Hawthorne and Dominguez High Schools, Tim was selected to be the assistant basketball coach at the University of California, Irvine in 1967. In 1969 Tim was named the head coach. At that time, Tim was the youngest Division I coach in the United States. Tim was recognized by Pepperdine with the Dolores Award in 1979. In 1963 Tim married Marilyn Aston (’62), and their family grew in the South Bay area with two sons, Randy and Brian. In addition to coaching the basketball team, Tim taught classes in the department of physical education at UCI. In 1988 Tim was named the chair of the academic unit of physical education. When that academic unit was eliminated in 1994, Tim’s faculty full-time equivalency was moved into the university’s department of education. Tim began teaching in that department’s graduate and undergraduate programs. His students at UCI call him “Coach,” and they greet him with this name as he walks through the halls and as he enters the class. Tim is truly a celebrity at UCI, and he will Dr. Bill Watkins (left) and Tim Tift (right).
Dr. Bill Watkins (’62 EdD ’87) speaking to the class of longtime friend Tim Tift (’62, MA ’63) on financing public education.
always be “Coach” no matter who is leading the Anteaters on the basketball floor. Tim retired from his full-time position in 2005 and has been on faculty recall on a part-time basis since that time. While Tim was coaching and teaching at the university, Bill taught English at El Segundo High School, and moved to El Segundo in 1972 with his wife Carol and their two children, Carrie and Eric. In 1980 Bill became the assistant principal and then in 1984 the principal at El Segundo High School. With an Ed.D. from the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), Bill continued in administration as the assistant superintendent and finally retired as the superintendent for El Segundo Unified School District in 2001. Bill currently serves on the board of education for the El Segundo Unified School District and the Southern California Regional Occupational Center and, with Dr. Hasty Arnold, serves on the board of VISTA Charter Middle School in Los Angeles. Throughout the years, Tim and Bill have seen each other at Hawthorne High School and Pepperdine events. While Bill has been out sailing, playing golf, and enjoying retirement, Tim has continued to teach classes at UCI in the education department. When it became apparent to Tim that Bill’s valuable lifetime body of work and knowledge of educational leadership needed to be shared, Tim began to invite Bill to guest lecture at two of his undergraduate classes. For the past few years, Tim has asked Bill to be a guest lecturer on leadership and school finance, teaching, and administration in public schools. “As I walk into Tim’s class, with the students taking notes on laptops (and I am sure ‘Tweeting’ each other and friends) and with presentations being made with special projectors and whiteboards,” says Bill, “it is clear that this is another time from when we took notes in Dr. Smythe’s and Dr. White’s classes and watched them write on a chalkboard. But most important, it is fun having lunch after the class with a friend that I have known for over 60 years.” Tim’s and Bill’s lives have followed parallel paths at Pepperdine, in their careers in education, and with their families. Tim has been married to Marilyn for 47 years, and Bill and Carol will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in August, 2011. †
photo album 10
GPC
Photo Album
This ongoing Promenade section showcases your GPC memories told from your own eyes, with a little help from your camera! This issue features the former students and staff members of GPC’s student dining hall. Courtesy of Louise West on behalf of her mother, the late Alice (Peterson) West (’42), a fantastic memory book has been donated to the Pepperdine University Archives. This small book, called the “Pepper Diner,” showcases photos of the students and staff who worked together to operate the school cafeteria during the 1937-1938 school year, the first that George Pepperdine College was in operation. It served as a sort of yearbook for these students to remember the bonds they forged and the impact they made on the student body during these crucial, early months of building a college. Introducing the book was the following heartfelt message to the dining hall student workers from Ms. Martha P. Middlebrooks, the matron of the women’s dormitories and dining hall employees: To my co-workers in the dining hall— Our associations at George Pepperdine College have been very pleasant; our work together, I hope, has been very profitable. All of it has served to endear you to me.
Miss Martha P. Middlebrooks, George Pepperdine College dean of women and adviser to the student dining hall staff.
The object of our Pepper-Diner is to preserve a record of those happy, busy days in the dining hall, where so many pleasant contacts and stimulating friendships have developed. Your genial smiles and courteous service, together with your wonderful spirit of cooperation, have created an ideal environment for Mrs. Towery and myself, as well as for the students.
I hope that each of you knows definitely the goal toward which you are advancing and that through service, this cheerful group will enjoy as a reward our founder’s objective, “a foundation of Christian character and faith which will survive the storms of life.” Continue to give to George Pepperdine College the best that is in you, and students of future years will benefit by your contribution to the spirit of the college. You boys and girls have been an unfailing joy to us all. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to see the same radiant faces from our dining hall family circle another year. Martha P. Middlebrooks The Pepper Diner memory book boasts dozens of messages, poems, recollections of key events throughout the school year, and of course, photos. A few have been presented here to give you a glimpse of the dining hall experience for the student employees of Pepperdine’s very first year.
photo album 11
Now it’s your turn! Send in your favorite snapshots from your days at George Pepperdine College! Tell your GPC story through these cherished images. “Candid” shots are preferred. Black and white photos are sufficient. All you have to do is mail your photos to us at the following address: Pepperdine University, GPC Alumni Affairs, Attn: Matt Ebeling – TAC-311 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263-4348
Student employees find comraderie during a break.
We will then scan the photos and promptly mail the originals back to you. You may also opt to scan the photos yourself and e-mail them to matt.ebeling@
pepperdine.edu.
Please ensure that you scan at a high resolution (at least 300 dpi). Be sure to include with each photo an explanation of whom or what appears in the photo and its significance to you and your personal experience as a Wave! †
A rare glimpse at a quiet din
ing hall usually bustling wit h students.
Dining hall cooks preparing
student meals for the day.
A R T I C L E S 12
The Legacy of
GPC Football
Continues
By Sam Lagana, Associate Vice Chancellor, Athletics
Each year, the glorious days of yesteryear come to life for a unified band of men who once donned the blue, orange, and white football jerseys of George Pepperdine College. They played for pride and passion and to be a part of something bigger than themselves. The story of Pepperdine football is one that started with success, at the first kick-off season. This band of brothers, many having served their country, prepared themselves to enter a world full of vigor, attended classes, practiced on the gridiron, and competed with some of the nation’s best as they played a game they loved and America loved to watch. Early teams captured a national championship and left a legacy for which following teams could aspire. As the years went by, the men and their game continued to serve as ambassadors for George Pepperdine College. Many would migrate from 79th and Vermont to the campuses of Southern California’s growing school systems as teachers, coaches, and administrators. Some would enter the business world, and others took to political tracks as they proved that GPC had prepared them well to be people of purpose, service, and leadership. As their life journeys continued and flourished, so did the common bond of GPC football which drew them ever closer to one another over time. Their love for Pepperdine and what the school provided them—an outstanding education in an intimate setting—called them to give back. As this band of brothers celebrated one other and the game of football, it became clear to some that leaving a legacy—even after
the football program was retired at Pepperdine—was the right thing to do. A historical plaque was designed and manufactured by the men to celebrate all the coaches and players who wore the Waves football uniform. A scholarship fund was started to offer student athletes the opportunity to receive some financing for their education for those who needed a bit more time past their four years of athletic eligibility to earn their degree. Thanks to these men of heart, new Pepperdine athletes will always learn of and be supported by the GPC football legacy. Gatherings of these men are held annually to meet the winners of the Pepperdine Football Players Scholarship Fund. In addition, a yearly meeting at Trani’s Sports Restaurant in Long Beach continues the bonding and discussions of games of years gone by and provides an opportunity for an update on athletics at Pepperdine. Last spring, then athletics director John Watson joined the annual Trani’s luncheon as he mingled with superstars of the Waves lore. A number of the football players—among other GPC alumni—reunite each year at the “M.I.T.A.Y.” (Made It Through Another Year) luncheon and usually sit together as a unit. Pepperdine is proud of its football legacy and the men who continue to perpetuate it in an effort to raise Waves of stature for years to come! For more information on the Pepperdine Football Players Scholarship Fund, please contact us at (800) 767-2586 ext. 5 or gpc@pepperdine.edu. †
Pepperdine football alumni gathering at one of their favorite spots, Phil Trani’s, in Long Beach, California.
A R T I C L E S 13
Four Generations of
Shipps
Ride the Pepperdine Wave Dr. Glover Shipp (’48, MA ’67)
I first saw the Vermont Avenue campus in September 1939, just two years after the school began. My father, C.H. “Harvey” Shipp, had decided to go back to school, so we loaded our goods onto a homemade trailer and headed south from my grandparents’ dairy farm in western Oregon. We had never been to Los Angeles but headed south on the coast route. Our trailer broke down at Santa Rosa, California, and had to be given an overhaul. Turning inland from there, we journeyed through the San Joaquin Valley. Going up over the steep ridge route, our old car overheated several times, but we finally made it down into the San Fernando Valley, then covered with row after row of orange trees. Arriving in the late afternoon at Pepperdine, we were placed in the home of a family that was traveling. Renting a house near the campus, we settled in as best we could. My parents both signed up for courses at the college and I was enrolled at the large Bret Harte Junior High School. Having come from a three-room country school in Oregon, I suffered intense culture shock at Bret Harte. My dad, adept at all kinds of construction, was soon hired at the college to pour sidewalks and help build some of the campus structures. One day he sat with Mrs. Pepperdine, trying out different color swatches on buildings, to determine what would become the infamous “Pepperdine blue.” Later, he would serve as night watchman for the campus. He then became minister for the young Hawthorne Church of Christ. We eventually would move to Hawthorne, but meanwhile I had a special job on campus. Before the days of electronic scoreboards in the gym, it was my assignment to keep basketball scores on a large chalkboard. In the spring of 1943, Dad transferred to the new North Sacramento Church. That meant more family and school disruption. My younger brother and sister and I survived, and I graduated in 1944 from Grant Union High School. In September 1944, five years after our first pilgrimage to Pep-
perdine, I enrolled there as an art major, at the tender age of 17. Entering college with $50 and some art supplies, I needed a job urgently. Eugene White, the art department head, came to my rescue. I became his student assistant and remained in that position for five years. A professor who showed special concern for me was Dr. W. B. West, Jr., who gave me and my roommates free taxi service to the York Boulevard Church, across the city from the campus, for four years. Other professors of note in my college career included Hubert Derrick and Bill Stivers, Spanish teachers extraordinaire. I also recall Bible professor Joseph White, basketball coach A. O. Duer, music professors Russell Squire and Neil Hill, English professor Wade Ruby, and J. Eddy Weems, track and field coach who took a chance on me with a track scholarship. This was the era of president Hugh M. Tiner and dean E. V. Pullias. Pepperdine gave me much, so I tried to repay the favor. When a sophomore, I was asked by the sports editor of the Graphic to design a visual image for the Waves name. So was born Willie the Wave. This was followed by the opportunity to serve in the Knights, the men’s service organization, the Scholarship Society, and Frater Sodalis, becoming president of each. Then came the greatest honor and responsibility of all—student body president, leading the largest enrollment ever, made up principally of ex-G.I.s. My senior year saw the enrollment of my younger sister, Twila, and my fiancé, Margie Smith (’48). Then came graduation in 1948 and an additional year of graduate study. After 13 years following my profession and teaching, I was hired by Pepperdine to lead its program of public relations and publications. My first assignment was to sign 10,000 letters on behalf of the infirm George Pepperdine. Shortly later my difficult task was to cover, with my colleague, Bill Youngs, the death of Mr. Pepperdine on behalf of the college. This was a time of transition for the school. Its location and limited space for expansion called for an eventual move to a new
A R T I C L E S & C lass notes
14
location. President M. Norvel Young and vice president Bill Teague had the monumental task of keeping the school safe and financially sound in a neighborhood that was becoming incendiary. It was also a challenging time for me and our growing family of four sons and an adopted daughter. I enjoyed our Thursday night basketball games, trading elbows with Pat Boone, vice president Teague and others. While serving there, I was privileged to receive an M.A. degree in communication. From that preparation, I went on to receive three additional degrees elsewhere. Then came the opportunity to journey to Brazil, where I developed a religious publications program for the Churches of Christ, coordinated evangelistic campaigns, helped build a Bible camp, trained future Brazilian church leaders, and preached and taught, remaining there for 18 years. During that period, four of our five kids, Gerald (MA ’80), Mark (’77 SC, MS ’89), Terry, and Cindy, left for that long trip to Pepperdine—the third Shipp generation to enroll. Three of the four
married fellow students, with Mark marrying Pepperdine employee Sheree Moore. Gerald continued his education, receiving a master’s degree in family counseling. His wife, Gina (’89 SC), also graduated from Pepperdine. Mark distinguished himself as a musician, being a member of the Singing Travelers. Later on, he worked in the personnel department. He earned two degrees there and then went on to Princeton, where he received two additional degrees, including a doctorate. Now fast forward to 2006. Mark’s daughter, Rachel (’10 SC), decided to carry on the Shipp tradition by enrolling at Pepperdine—the fourth generation. She graduated with honors in 2010 and is now working toward a graduate degree in child psychology at Columbia University. All of us Shipps rode the Pepperdine Wave in style. We owe much, indeed, to our alma mater. Pepperdine gave us a spiritual and academic foundation on which we built our later life. It also gave us personal attention, a commodity not always present in academic environments. †
Class Notes
Take a peek at what a couple of your fellow alumni are up to!
1958
Mr. Leonard R. Pamplin was the subject of an article in the Abilene Reporter News publication highlighting a life of service as a sailor, missionary, barber, preacher, and musician. Read the article by searching for “pamplin” at www.reporternews.com and opening the article entitled “Sax player has met people through his music as a barber.” Leonard has resided in Abilene, Texas, with his family since 1979.
1962
Dr. William “Bill” J. Watkins was selected by the El Segundo Chamber of Commerce as the El Segundo Citizen of the Year for 2010 in recognition of his years of working with the El Segundo Unified School District and for his significant community involvement.
What are you up to? Any news to share? Please send your class notes to us anytime: By mail: GPC Alumni Affairs c/o: Promenade Newsletter, TAC 311 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263-4348
By e-mail: gpc@pepperdine.edu
I n memoriam
In Memoriam
We take this time to remember those Waves who have recently passed, and we celebrate the impact they made on fellow alumni and the world around them.
Mr. Harry Bascom (MA ’70)
Dr. Leonardo M. Marmol (’60)
Mr. Robert E. Billings (’55)
Mr. George R. Morrison, Jr. (’46)
Mrs. Juanita “Pepper” (Miller) Calvert (’47)
Dr. Robert B. Nichols (’42)
Mr. Edward A. Capparelli (’50)
Mrs. Shirley “Dene” Reed (’49)
Dr. J. Richard Chase (’53) Mr. Frank K. Chen (’50) Mr. Daniel W. Conlogue (’52) Mr. Jack A. Dahlstrum (’50)
Mrs. Gladys M. (Timboe) Rhea (’50) Ms. Naomi E. Robinson (’49) Mr. Delwin B. Schneider (’50) Mr. Luther O. Self (’61)
Mrs. Eloise (Merritt) Drake (’47) Mrs. Christine M. (Abajian) Seropian (’67) Dr. Paul W. Egertson (’55) Mr. John D. Shirley (’40) Mrs. Faye ( Johnson) English (’42) Mr. William M. Evans (’46) Mrs. Juell G. (Chapman) Finnegan-Faydock (’62, MA ’66) Mr. James R. Gerken (’68) Dr. Edwin C. Grubbs (’55)
15
Mr. Sid Shue (’55) Dr. Donald R. Sime (’49, MA ’51) Mr. John Skandera (’48) Mr. Lowell R. Spangler (’44)
Dr. Robert E. Hall (’51)
Mr. Jack B. Utley (’50)
Mr. Robert J. Kingston (’54)
Mr. Donald A. Walker (’61)
Mr. Gary Lashley (’63)
Mrs. Ivon Walker-Allen (’71, MS ’75)
Mr. Donald Lee (’54)
Mr. William D. Ward (’58, MS ’78)
As you learn of the passing of George Pepperdine College alumni, please contact GPC Alumni Affairs at (310) 506-4348 or gpc@pepperdine.edu.
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THE GEORGE PEPPERDINE COLLEGE NEWSLETTER
Pepperdine University Malibu, CA
24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263-4348
Upcoming Events April
Early April
Admitted-student receptions (regional) – Meet prospective Pepperdine students at a gathering near you, and share your love for the school. Ask us for a list of cities.
4/5-4/9
Pepperdine Theatre: Romeo and Juliet
4/30
Seaver College graduation and “Waves of Success” luncheon – Join us as we welcome our newest alumni with a special gathering following commencement.
May
5/3 - 5/6 68th Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectures 5/14
September Early Sept.
“Rock the Brock” Senior Class Student Party at Brock House
Step Forward Day (volunteer with fellow alumni and students)
9/21
Founder’s Day (Malibu Campus)
October
10/14-10/16 Waves Weekend (the ultimate annual gathering of Waves, including a nostalgic tour of the original campus and the official kick-off of Pepperdine’s 75th Anniversary Celebration)
Pepperdine University Associates Dinner
For additional information on these and other alumni events and opportunities, contact us at (310) 506-4348 or gpc@pepperdine.edu.
Stay connected with George Pepperdine College Alumni Affairs and your classmates online! You can connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for the most up-to-date information about what’s going on at your alma mater. You’ll be able to share videos, photos, and stories, as well as participate in online discussions related to your business industry. We hope you’ll join us online! http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/alumni