While the yearbook changed names to "Tusculana" later, "The Seal" was the record of the 1916-17 academic year and did feature the familiar Tusculum seal on the cover and this decorative cover page.
Jennie L. Bailey, daughter of alumna Lela Willis Witcher, stopped by Tusculum’s Office of Alumni Relations recently with a treasure from 100 years ago.
Bailey was bringing a gift from her family to present to Tusculum, a 1917 yearbook. Known as the “The Seal,” the yearbook showcases Tusculum as it was 100 years ago and her students during the 1916-17 academic year.
The yearbook features photos of the students in each class, academic and extracurricular clubs, events on campus and athletics. Student life at Tusculum was quite active as the bad roads of the era left the campus isolated from nearby communities. Students had to rely on themselves for amusement outside their studies. Dancing was poplar and parties for various classes and student groups featured charades, trivia contests and other games popular in the era. Fall mountain day, in which the entire student body traveled to the Smokies for an outing, was a highlight of the year. There were boys’ and girls’ glee clubs, literary societies, debating clubs and student dramatic productions.
Tusculum in 1917 was smaller than the campus of today. The primary buildings on campus were McCormick Hall, Old College (now the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library), the Garland Library (then known as Carnegie Hall), Craig Hall (now Welty-Craig Hall), Virginia Hall and the newbie on campus, Haynes Hall. Built in 1914 to help address a housing shortage, Haynes Hall was serving as residence hall for female students and housed the Home Economics Department. An outdoor stage, constructed in 1915 behind the Library, was used for commencement, theatrical productions, musical performances and other events to take advantage of the beautiful scenery on campus and help relieve overcrowding that sometimes occurred when these events were held in the chapel inside McCormick Hall.
Behind Haynes Hall and along the southern boundary of campus was the College Farm. A gift from Tusculum Benefactor Nettie McCormick allowed for the purchase in 1915 of 75 acres bordering campus on the south and southeast for the purpose of establishing a working farm. The farm was to provide needed foodstuffs and revenues for Tusculum as well as provide a means for students to earn financial aid by working on the farm. In 1917, when the United States entered World War I, wheat was sown on the farm in large scale to produce as much food as possible. The farm proved to be unprofitable for Tusculum and the land was leased out to a local farmer in 1919.
Dr. Charles Oliver Gray, one of the most influential president's in Tusculum's rich history, was leading the institution through a challenging time as the country entered World War I.
During the 1916-17 academic year, patriotism was strong on campus and within a month of war being declared in April 1917, a third of the male students had left to either enter the armed forces, to go to work in munitions factories or back home to help raise foodstuffs on their family farm. Several faculty members left as well to enter military service. Serving in the war were 43 Tusculum undergraduate students, 18 alumni and seven faculty members. Due to the war, the May 2017 commencement was a scaled down event without much of the pageantry that typically accompanied the celebration.
Five Tusculum students gave their lives in the conflict, and in 1921, a flag base and staff was erected and dedicated on campus to the students who made the supreme sacrifice in the war. Five oak trees were also planted in front of the library in their memory. The flagpole and its base were rebuilt in the 1960s with the memorial plaques retained from its predecessor.
In the patriotic fervor of the era, one of the Tusculum’s most enduring and recognizable symbols was also built, the Arch. Constructed at the end of the sidewalk leading directly out from the front entrance of McCormick Hall, the Arch was built by one of Tennessee’s foremost stonemasons, J.T. Ponder.
’90s
Pam Bird Johnson ’95 will be one of the competitors in the annual Tri-Cities Dancing with the Stars event in June, a fundraising event for Steppenstone Youth Treatment Services. Johnson works in her family business, Roberts Furniture in Greeneville and also travels the NHRA drag racing circuit with her husband, Allen Johnson ’81 and his Marathon Petroleum Pro Stock Race Team.
Dr. Sharon Cannon ’96 of Chattanooga, TN, has published a book, “Women of the Bible: the good, the band & ugly … then and now.” The book is available on Amazon.com. Sharon is the owner of Cannon Public Relations.
Robbi Stivers ’98 of Knoxville, TN, has accepted the position of vice president for business and finance at California State University, Chico. He will begin his new position on May 1. Stivers has been serving as executive director of the Office of Capital Projects since 2011 at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and earlier served as director of the Office of Capital Projects Division of Real Property and Space Administration. In his role as lead liaison for University of Tennessee statewide operations, he interacted with executive-level administrators and senior public officials as the chief official overseeing facility-related operations, acquisitions, leases, capital projects and budgets. Prior to joining the University of Tennessee in 2000, he spent 15 years in the financial services industry, most recently as senior vice president and commercial loan manager at First Tennessee Bank. In his new position, Stivers will manage several departments including Financial Services, Human Resources, Facilities Management and Services, Planning Design and Construction, University Police Department and other offices that are integral to the successful management of the campus.
Dwayne Collins ’99 of Morristown, TN, has been appointed to a new leadership position within the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security. Collins will be assisting Department Commissioner David W. Purkey with special departmental projects implementing high priority statewide initiatives. Collins had been serving as a supervisory agent for the Bureau of Operations. Collins began his public safety career as a law enforcement officer with the Morristown Police Department. He progressed through the ranks, leading him to the Office of Homeland Security. As the Homeland Security Supervisory Agent for the Bureau of Operations, Collins supervised agents in East, Middle and West Tennessee. The Operations Bureau conducts partnership programs with state and federal law enforcement agencies, enhancing security measures. Collins is also an adjunct instructor for the Criminal Justice Department at Walters State Community College.
’00s
Dr. Jonathan Feathers ’01 of Johnson City, TN, has published his second book, “So Tell Me: A Primer for Vocational Ministry Applicants.” It is available through www.wipfandstock.com and on Amazon.com in paperback, hardcover and as an e-book. Jonathan can be reached at www.jwfeathers.com.
John Cage ’08 of Spring Hill, TN, has been appointed financial aid director at Columbia State Community College. In his new position, Cage will be responsible for the customer service environment, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations and providing overall leadership and innovation in implementing financial aid policies, procedures and programs. Cage previously worked in financial aid at his Alma Matrer, Hiwassee College and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
’10s
Sean Cotten ’11, who is also Tusculum’s all-time home run leader, was a member of the winning pit crew at the 2017 Daytona 500.
Amber Jeffers ’11 was recognized as WJHL-TV’s “Educator of the Week” for the week of March 6. Amber is in her sixth year of teaching at Ottway Elementary School in Greene County. Four of those years have been in first grade, another in kindergarten and she helped in fifth and sixth grade. Amber attributes her success as a teacher to making the students feel cared for from day one.
Joseph Elphingstone ’15 has been accepted to medical school at the Medical College of Georgia.
Priscilla Watts Foulk ’50 of Rolling Hills, CA, passed away February 22, 2017. While at Tusculum, Mrs. Foulk’s talent and national ranking in tennis enabled her to play on the men’s tennis team because at the there was no women’s team. After graduating from Tusculum, she joined the U.S. Air Force and served in Europe, Asia, Hawaii and Florida, rising to the rank of major. Earning a master’s degree in education, Mrs. Foulk settled in southern California in 1960 and worked as a special education teacher in the Palos Verdes Unified School District for 29 years before retiring in 1989. She served on the Board of Directors of the Watts-Campbell Company of Newark, NJ; was an avid gardener, and for many years was the hospitality chairman of the South Bay Geranium Society. Mrs. Foulk enjoyed playing tennis and golf, upholstering and refinishing furniture, and completing sewing and needlepoint projects. She also traveled extensively.
Mary Louise Jordan Maxwell ’50 of Kingsport, TN, passed away March 18, 2017. Mrs. Maxwell was a retired teacher in the Sullivan County School System, having taught many people from different walks of life for more than 30 years. She was a member of the Sullivan County Retired Teachers Association and the Long Island Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mrs. Maxwell was also an avid gardener and a very talented china painter.
Jerry Lee Roberts ’67 of Greeneville, TN, passed away March 6, 2017. Mr. Roberts was retired from General Telephone Electronic Data Services of Tampa, FL. After retirement, Mr. Roberts returned to his hometown of Greeneville. He was a member of Hartman’s Chapel United Methodist Church, where he had held numerous offices including Sunday school class teacher, trustee and church treasurer. His survivors include his wife of almost 49 years, Linda Banks Roberts ’67 and sister-in-law Barbara Banks Davenport ’64.
Arthur Jocher ’73 of Blythe, GA, passed away on December 12, 2016. Mr. Jocher was a licensed physical therapist and at one time was the director of physical therapy at Lakewood Hospital. He had a private practice on Long Beach Island with his former wife, Barbara Block. While practicing physical therapy in Sarasota, FL, before moving to Georgia, he also had a flight school training helicopter pilots. A veteran, Mr. Jocher served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot with the rank of chief warrant officer and was awarded the Air Merdal for Meritorious Achievement from 1968-1970.
Betty Smith Bigham ’89 of Athens, TN, passed away on Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. Mrs. Bigham gave back to the community as a librarian, teacher and active leader of the Junior Beta Club at Mountain View Elementary School and McMinn Central High School for more than 30 years. She was an active member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Etowah for more than 40 years. Mrs. Bigham enjoyed mentoring children of all ages, especially her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.