{"id":16689,"date":"2018-12-22T13:10:14","date_gmt":"2018-12-22T18:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=16689"},"modified":"2018-12-22T13:16:41","modified_gmt":"2018-12-22T18:16:41","slug":"christmas-will-be-even-more-special-for-tusculum-alumna-as-she-celebrates-100th-birthday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/alumni-featured\/2018\/christmas-will-be-even-more-special-for-tusculum-alumna-as-she-celebrates-100th-birthday\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas will be even more special for Tusculum alumna as she celebrates 100th birthday"},"content":{"rendered":"

Birthdays are always special and develop additional meaning when they fall on a cherished holiday.<\/h3>\n
\"\"

Tusculum University recently presented items to Ann Beeson Gouge in celebration of her 100th birthday.<\/p><\/div>\n

This year, Ann Beeson Gouge\u2019s birthday, which will take place on Christmas, carries even greater significance. The Johnson City resident will turn 100 years old.<\/p>\n

A 1940 graduate of Tusculum College, which became Tusculum University<\/u><\/a> in July, Gouge is a member of a prominent family at Tennessee\u2019s oldest higher education institution. For her extended family at Tusculum and those who know her in the region, the occasion provides the opportunity to reflect on her accomplishments and the contributions of her relatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe congratulate Ann for achieving this milestone and thank her for the way she has led a classy life that has reflected so positively on Tusculum and our region,\u201d said Dr. James Hurley, the university\u2019s president. \u201cAnn left our campus as a student more than 75 years ago, but thankfully, she remains involved with Tusculum. She and her family continue to inspire us as we educate the next generation of leaders, and they will always have a special place in our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gouge, a widow with one child, Janet, is a granddaughter of Thomas Samuel Rankin, who earned three degrees there. He then developed deeper roots with his alma mater by teaching ancient languages for 45 years, serving as bursar and treasurer for 25 years and sitting on the Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n

Tusculum recognized his commitment by naming a campus building Rankin Hall, which now houses the coaching and athletic administration offices.<\/p>\n

Leadership by the Rankin family continued when one of Gouge\u2019s uncles, Raymond, an alumnus, served as Tusculum\u2019s president from 1951-65. Many other family members have attended Tusculum and earned degrees there. Tusculum\u2019s institutional advancement team, now led by Jill Salyers, has collaborated with these alumni during their post-graduation years.<\/p>\n

Gouge lived in Haynes Hall \u2013 enjoying the fireplace \u2013 as a Tusculum student and worked in the library and as a waitress in the cafeteria. She graduated with an English degree and a minor in music.<\/p>\n

\u201cA funny memory from that time was one of the student waitresses in the cafeteria was real character,\u201d Gouge said. \u201cAlso, a friend didn\u2019t like a dessert one time and tossed it harder than intended, causing it to stick to the ceiling.\u201d<\/p>\n

And how did Gouge spend her spare time while she was a student?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talked about the boys,\u201d she said with a chuckle. \u201cWe also went swimming in the pool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gouge\u2019s mother, Elma, graduated with a degree in music from Tusculum in 1909 and later taught that subject at East Tennessee Normal School, which subsequently changed its name to East Tennessee State University. She soon became known as an outstanding piano teacher and vocalist in Johnson City and shared her love of music with her children. Her husband, D.R. Beeson Sr., played banjo in the Glee Club and entertained his Boy Scout troop.<\/p>\n

All of the children \u2013 Gouge, Mary Beeson Ellison, Betty Beeson Helms and D.R. Beeson Jr. \u2013 learned to play the piano, and when they were young, they traveled around the area as the Beeson Family Orchestra. When she was a student at Tusculum, Gouge was involved in the small orchestra conducted by her sister, Mary.<\/p>\n

In addition, Gouge played flute in the orchestra when she studied at ETSU to receive her teaching certification. She was asked to participate after a male friend introduced her to the music director there.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Ann Gouge, right, and fellow 1940 Tusculum graduate Margaret Gaut pose outside the Scott M. Niswonger Commons on the Tusculum campus in Greeneville.<\/p><\/div>\n

Music has been a major part of Gouge\u2019s adult life, too. She played the flute, piano, violin and viola and was a founding member of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, for which she played for 40 years. She also performed at special events at Tusculum, at fashion shows and in churches. She taught string instruments in the Johnson City school system and wrote \u201cThe Carolina Choo Choo Train\u201d for the Tweetsie Railroad, which the company used for a long time.<\/p>\n

As for her siblings, Ellison graduated from Tusculum in 1937 and then earned a master\u2019s degree at Eastman School of Music and a doctorate in music from the University of Miami. Helms received a degree in music theory from Eastman School of Music. Besides the piano, Beeson Jr. played the flute.<\/p>\n

Many longtime Johnson City residents will recall Beeson Sr. and Beeson Jr. for their many years as distinguished architects. Their last name is listed first in the Beeson, Lusk and Street firm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Birthdays are always special and develop additional meaning when they fall on a cherished holiday.<\/h3>\n

This year, Ann Beeson Gouge\u2019s birthday, which will take place on Christmas, carries even greater significance. The Johnson City resident will turn 100 years old.<\/p>\n

A 1940 graduate of Tusculum College, which became Tusculum University<\/u><\/a> in July, Gouge is a member of a prominent family at Tennessee\u2019s oldest higher education institution. For her extended family at Tusculum and those who know her in the region, the occasion provides the opportunity to reflect on her accomplishments and the contributions of her relatives.<\/p>\n

Read the full article…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[91,7,19,1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nChristmas will be even more special for Tusculum alumna as she celebrates 100th birthday :: Tusculum University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/alumni-featured\/2018\/christmas-will-be-even-more-special-for-tusculum-alumna-as-she-celebrates-100th-birthday\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Christmas will be even more special for Tusculum alumna as she celebrates 100th birthday :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Birthdays are always special and develop additional meaning when they fall on a cherished holiday. This year, Ann Beeson Gouge\u2019s birthday, which will take place on Christmas, carries even greater significance. The Johnson City resident will turn 100 years old. A 1940 graduate of Tusculum College, which became Tusculum University in July, Gouge is a member of a prominent family at Tennessee\u2019s oldest higher education institution. For her extended family at Tusculum and those who know her in the region, the occasion provides the opportunity to reflect on her accomplishments and the contributions of her relatives. 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