Annie Kernodle Hill ’53 is a retired teacher. She taught for more than 37 years in schools across the United States and even spent some time teaching in Germany while her late husband, Billie Hill, was in the U.S. Army. She lives in Gibsonville, N.C.
Class Notes ’30s Jesse W. Harrington ’39 attended Elon during the Great Depression and recalls having to miss a semester on occasion. But with the help of his family, he kept coming back and graduated as president of the Class of 1939. In the professional world, Jesse encourages alumni to seek a job that has the possibility of becoming a passion.
’40s Edna Tuck Lunsford ’46 is proud of the progress Elon has made since she was a student and can hardly believe that little Elon College is now a university. Edna has many fond memories of her Elon days, particularly the Ladies Hall, the Senior Oak and Whitley Auditorium. She advises current students to study hard because education is a necessity for success in the future. She lives in Leicester, N.C. Dorothy Williams Darden ’47 met her sweetheart, David Darden ’50, while a student at Elon. Together, they have five children, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. They live in Suffolk, Va. John D. Moody Jr. ’48 enjoyed his time as a student at Elon. When he thinks about his alma mater, his concern is for the current students. He knows that they are the leaders of the future and he hopes that they are being inspired in body, mind and spirit. He lives with his wife, Faye, in Yanceyville, N.C.
’50s William Greene Rudd Jr. ’50 thinks that Elon is a great institution both when he attended and today, and he’s grateful for the friends he met. He fondly remembers J. Earl Danieley ’46 as a student and then as a professor. “Dr. Danieley is and always will be ‘Mr. Elon,’ and I will never forget him,” Rudd writes. He encourages students today to work hard and prepare for what looks to be a difficult future. He lives in Eden, N.C. 30
the magazine of elon
The Rev. John G. Truitt Jr. ’53, a David F. Ingram ’52 thoroughly proud Elon alumnus, is impressed enjoyed his Elon days and the time with the quality of today’s Elon stuspent hanging out in the veter- dents, the beauty of the campus and ans’ apartments with good friends the expansive study abroad program. Bob Furr ’49 and his wife, Dolly. While he has many wonderful memoHe must have mentioned the good ries of his Elon days, none compares times he had at Elon a time or two to the day he met his future bride, to his children, because both Angie Dolores Hagan Truitt ’53. He says, Ingram Hodnett ’75 and Scott “she was a smart girl, but somehow I Ingram ’78 are Elon alumni. David got her to marry me anyway.” The lives in Gretna, Va. Truitts live in Elon, N.C.
Throughout the year, Elon’s Golden Alumni president sends birthday cards to alumni who’ve eclipsed their 50-year reunions. The president asks these alumni to share their remembrances of and hopes for their alma mater with The Magazine of Elon and, occasionally, one of these letters merits a full run. Current co-presidents Dee Atkinson ’57 P’81 P’96 and Mona Scott Atkinson ’57 P’81 P’96 received such a note this spring from Florine Ray Culbreth ’40 and her husband, Howard Crawford Culbreth ’42.
Ronald E. Black ’54 fondly remembers his experience with the choir and having the opportunity to travel to New York, Virginia and even to Boston, Mass. He remembers a particularly wonderful performance that the choir gave in the Washington National Cathedral. He is amazed at Elon’s growth since his days on campus and hopes that today’s students are taking advantage of the wonderful opportunities available to them. He lives with his wife, Carole, in Rising Sun, Md. Nancy Bain Lewis ’56 has too many wonderful memories of Elon to list. She is happy to see that Elon has grown in both size and academic
PURE GOLD
Dear Mona and Dee, When we graduated from Elon in the early ’40s, Elon was not accredited. It was still recovering from the Great Depression. I feared my credits would not be accepted at the University of Hawaii, where I planned to complete my fifth year. However, they were accepted, my goals were met and I taught in Hawaii for 20 years. Although we have been on campus few times because we both moved out of state after graduation, it is so obvious that Elon has made gargantuan progress in all areas. We are all so grateful for the wise decisions of Elon’s leaders and the generosity of the alumni and supporters. (Oh! We’re frustrated with one continuing struggle: Appalachian State is still defeating us in basketball, just like 1942!) Without a doubt, my favorite memory of Elon is that I met the love of my life at the entrance to the colonnade by the (Carlton) library. His life was spared as a Navy pilot during World War II, giving us 67 years of married life, three sons, four good careers and thousands of games of golf. We are blessed. My advice to students as they prepare for life after Elon is to research your talents with all the help you can get. Know thyself. Study what interests you the most. Set your goals for a career your freshman year. Yes, your plans may change, just as the economy and trends of our civilization change, but be goal-oriented and build a good work ethic. Best wishes, Florine Ray Culbreth ’40 and Howard Crawford Culbreth ’42 Idaho Falls, Idaho