More Than A Vacation Takes Magical History Tour
Bob Shupe (’72), Paul Hubble (’68), Gary Hall (’69), Earl Hawkins (’69), Coach Moore, Brad Fellows (’67), David Via (’51)
Participants in the 18th annual E&H alumni college, More Than A Vacation (MTAV), became the first alumni to officially celebrate the college’s 175th anniversary.
The four-day event began with a “Magical History Tour” of campus where alums were greeted at several stations by well-known college staffers who shared bits of campus history. President Rosalind Reichard kicked things off at the Tobias Smyth House telling the tale of how the college got started. College archivist and author of the upcoming E&H pictorial history book, met the group at Wiley Hall to talk about the College’s role during the Civil War when campus buildings were used for a hospital. Executive assistant to the president, Mark Graham (E&H ’85), chimed in at the alumni plaza to tell stories about fascinating E&H alumni. Henry Dawson (E&H ’62) met them near the duck pond and told funny stories of student days. And the evening concluded with Dr. Charles Sydnor (E&H ’65) speaking at the sailor statue about the Navy V-12 program at EHC.
It was a night of revelations for many, and a great way to remember the impressive legacy of Emory & Henry College.
The MTAV event continued with events that focused on other entities celebrating anniversaries this year, including Dr. Jack Roper’s talk on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, and Dr. David St. Clair’s address on the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Lighter anniversary moments included a knock-down drag-out Disney trivia challenge in honor of Disney World’s 40th anniversary.
The MTAV road trip this year took participants to Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina, where they visited Moses Cone Manor, ate at the Daniel Boone Inn, and toured the athletic facilities at Appalachian State University. The surprise treat for the day was an unplanned appearance by head ASU football coach, Jerry Moore, who took it in stride when Earl Hawkins (’69) smiled and reminded him that EHC beat ASU 6-3 in 1962. Coach Moore took everyone on a tour of the ASU locker room and personally led everyone onto the football field for a photo op with all the E&H alums present who had played football against ASU in the past.
MTAV concluded with a trip to the Barter Theatre to see Elvis Has Left the Building. Many good-natured alums wore fake mutton chop sideburns to the event so that there appeared to be a whole section of Elvis’s sitting together. After the play at Stage II, even the actors shared a good laugh with alumni over the stunt.
Mark your calendar early for next year’s event set for August 1-5, 2012.
