Spring 2011 - The Talon

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THE MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY

Central and the Civil War Sesquicentennial

1 1 0 2 G SPRIN

To Alumni and Friends of Central Methodist University: This has been a truly extraordinary year for Central Methodist University! Our growth in enrollment at all sites has been a wonderful affirmation of the quality of the CMU experience. Regardless of which program or site a student pursues, the hallmarks of Central—superior academic quality and close personal attention—should be much in evidence.

Our annual Reunion Weekend in April prompts us all to reflect on the strengths of our past as an institution as well as on the promise of the future. My husband David states that the banquet at which we recognize our distinguished alumni is his favorite event of the year because it is here that the values and goodness of the Central Methodist experience are reflected in the lives and passions of our alumni. Central alumni do indeed carry out the mission of the institution and do truly make a difference in the world through academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership, and social responsibility. It is not uncommon for our recipients to state that it surprises them to receive an award for “simply” doing what they love to do.

This concept links perfectly with the emphasis on “vocation” or “calling” that we will be considering this next year through both curricular and co-curricular initiatives.

Central Methodist is a charter member of the Council of Independent Colleges’ network on Vocation in Undergraduate Education, and we have been represented at two national conferences on this subject. Vocation links, to paraphrase Frederick Buechner, “the heart’s great gladness” with “the world’s great hunger.” Another definition of vocation might be “what you love to do that serves others.” I believe that a Central Methodist education guides students to find their vocation or calling and helps them become all that they are meant to be. The lives of our alumni attest to this truth.

Service to others has become an integral part of the Central experience too, evidence of the “social responsibility” mandate of our mission statement. Our annual Service

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Day on April 14 engaged hundreds of students, staff, and faculty members in projects all over Howard County. This year there were no campus-based tasks and all were accomplished somewhere in the broader community. Many residents look forward eagerly to the teams that come to their homes and yards and complete tasks that they have been unable to do.

In this issue we are considering our history at the time of our founding, or shortly thereafter. This year, 2011, marks the beginning of the Civil War, and there was considerable activity in this region during that time. All Central folks know the story of the Union troops being housed in Brannock Hall, with their horses below.

Historic markers around campus indicate the site of The Battle of Fayette, and the Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources has placed an interpretive sign near the Student and Community Center commemorating that fight. Many people coming to campus today comment about how “peaceful” it seems; obviously that descriptor did not always apply.

It is awesome to me to think of our founders and of all who have gone before us in this special place. If only the walls of Brannock, Howard-Payne, T. Berry, and Cupples could talk...to say nothing of Givens Hall and, of course, Classic! As demolition work goes on inside Classic Hall in preparation for its total renovation as a center for music and the arts, history is peeled away so that only the exterior will reflect its original construction in 1911. Still the sturdy, strong foundation is the basis for the “new” Classic...and so it is with our university: built on the strength of our tradition, we daily reach new heights in excellence and service.

Thank you for your support for all our highest priority projects, and thank you for the many ways that you demonstrate your love for this special institution. May our lives always reflect the very best of Central’s values and ideals.

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THE MAGAZINE OF CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY 5

Table of Contents President’s Message................................2 Graduation............................................ 5

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Selecman Award ....................................7 Campus News ........................................8 Student Awards.....................................10 Alumni Reunion.......... ..........................12 Distinguished Alumni Awards................14 The Birth of Central........................... ....20 Central’s First Families..........................22 Extended Studies....................................28

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The Battle of Fayette..............................33 Bingham...............................................46 Meisel Gives Fleer Lecture......................49 Mission Trip to El Paso..........................56 Puyear Joins Board................................59 CMU Leadership Institute.......................60 Passion for Friendship............................62

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Eagle Athletics.......................................63 Alumni News........................................72

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Technology at CMU

Senior Administration

Jenny Martin Anspach

Dr. Marianne E. Inman, President Dr. Rita Gulstad, Vice President and Dean of the University

New things and big changes is the theme for my column this time. There has been a lot going on lately!

Last summer we launched the new athletics website and it’s been a huge success.

We’ve recently added a new web address for the athletic site, visit www.cmueagles. com and check it out!

The biggest change since the last Talon you might have already noticed... the main university website (www.centralmethodist. edu). After we launched the new athletic site it was very apparent that the rest of the university website needed a facelift. We started the redesign process last summer and we launched the new design in midMarch. It was a massive undertaking, but we are happy with the result and hope you are too!

On our new website there is a social tab where you can see what posts have recently been made to the CMU Facebook (www. facebook.com) and Twitter (http://twitter.com) pages. If you don’t interact with CMU on either, you can just visit the CMU website to see what is going on! Photo of the Day is still a great way to interact with fellow alumni and current students and we’ve just started CMU Tuesday Trivia on our twitter feed. Follow us on Twitter, submit the right answer and get a chance to win some cool CMU swag. We’ve also added a Flickr page to our social media resources. Flickr allows us to share more photos from CMU with the world in a very easy format. You can find the profile page at www.flickr. com/photos/centralmethodist.

Away from websites and social media, the Office of Technology Services has big plans for computers across campus as we are migrating to Windows 7 and Office 2010 over the summer.

This along with normal summer updates and system upgrades keep the tech department very busy while students are away.

A few ongoing projects include evaluating a document imaging solution as a possible way to reduce paper and improve workflow between all of our campuses; increasing campus bandwidth before the fall semester to meet user needs; and virtualizing many systems in the server room in an effort to conserve energy, maximize our server investment, and increase system uptime.

Jay Webster, Vice President for Campus Life, Dean of Students, and Director of Athletics Julee Sherman, Vice President for Finance and Administration Donna Merrell, Vice President for Advancement Chad Gaines, Vice President for Information Services Cover design by Jenny Martin Anspach; photos, clockwise from top: Howard County Courthouse in 1864, Howard Payne Hall, Centenary Chapel, CMU updated football field and track, architect’s rendition of Classic Hall, Student and Community Center, “Bloody Bill” Anderson, earliest Brannock, and leap-frogging on campus (center).

Talon Editorial Staff and Contact Information Don Cullimore, Executive Editor 660-248-6238 dcullimo@centralmethodist.edu Cathy Thogmorton, Editor and Graphic Designer 660-248-6391 cthogmor@centralmethodist.edu Tracy Crowe Jones Director of Alumni Relations 660-248-6234 tjones@centralmethodist.edu Jenny Martin Anspach Graphic and Web Designer 660-248-6629 jmartin@centralmethodist Kelcey Zutavern Sports Information Director 660-248-6358 kzutaver@centralmethodist.edu

Central Methodist University prepares students to make a difference in the world by emphasizing academic and professional excellence, ethical leadership, and social responsibility.

– Mission Statement

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Corrections It is our pleasure to announce that Shirley (Yeoman) Gibson ’54 is alive and well and living in Reeds Spring, Mo. We sincerely apologize for the erroneous announcement of her passing in the Fall 2010 Talon.

On page 45 of the 2010 Fall Talon Susan (Markland) Donnelly ’70 was mistakenly referred to as Susan (Donnelly) Markland ’70.

Sam Cleveland ’59, a percussionist in the band photo at the top of p. 23, 2010 Fall Talon, asserts that the photo is not of the Concert Band and claims they were not good enough to be that band. The Talon maintains that they are a handsome lot, regardless of their position in the order of 1955 music.

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Graduation

CMU sends students into the world Four years of study, growth, experience, and fun culminated in a day of celebration for the graduating seniors at Central Methodist University on May 7 as they robed for Baccalaureate and walked across the stage at Commencement to receive their diplomas. Approximately 204 students from the Fayette campus received undergraduate degrees and 16 received graduate degrees.

In addition, some of the 78 additional eligible students from CMU’s Extended Studies Program, including its regional campuses in Sedalia, Clinton, Lake of the Ozarks, and Columbia, attended the Fayette Commencement to receive their undergraduate degrees. Several hundred more students will receive undergraduate or graduate degrees this school year from CMU’s other regional campuses throughout the state.

Baccalaureate began the day Saturday morning in Linn Memorial United Methodist Church, where students were welcomed by its minister, the Rev. Eric Moore. Music included “Beautiful Savior” and “Homeland,” performed by the CMU A Cappella Choir with accompaniment by the CMU Brass Ensemble.

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Lucas Endicott (below right), CMU campus chaplain and a student favorite, gave the Baccalaureate address, titled “Planted by Streams.”

Originally from Southwest Missouri, Lucas graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications and Religious Studies from Missouri State University, Springfield, in 2003. He also holds a Master of Christian Studies degree, with a Concentration in Church History, from Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, 2008, and a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton University, New Jersey, 2010.

Before coming to CMU in July of 2010 Lucas worked for several non-profit organizations and churches across North America, including the General Board of Global Ministries in New York City.

He served as director of young adult ministries with Schweitzer United Methodist Church in Springfield, 20042006; as public relations director with the Springfield Victory Mission, 2003-2004; and as director of youth ministries with Willard United Methodist Church, 2001-2002.

Among his academic honors, Endicott was selected as a Summer Wesley Research Scholar at Duke University in 2008 and was awarded the Senior Fellowship in History at Princeton Theological Seminary in May 2010.

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Commencement was held in the afternoon at Puckett Field House. The CMU Concert Band performed “American Faces” by alumnus David Holsinger ’67.

The Rev. Robert (Bob) Farr, who captured his audience last year as the Baccalaureate speaker, this year spoke on “Nothing is Impossible” to the Commencement audience after being honored by Central Methodist University with an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity.

Farr serves as the director of congregational excellence for the Missouri Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

He also leads the Healthy Church Initiative for the Missouri Conference and teaches workshops across the country.

Born in Independence, Farr was raised in the small town of Creighton. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Communication from Central Missouri State University (now University of Central Missouri), Warrensburg, in 1981 and a Master of Divinity degree

from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, in 1985.

Farr has served United Methodist churches since he was 18, beginning as a student pastor in 1978. He was founding pastor in 1990 of Grace United Methodist Church in Lee’s Summit. During his 10 years as pastor at Grace, church attendance grew to more than 500 and he organized a daughter church in 1998 called Hope United Methodist Church in Lone Jack, which grew to more than 100 members in a small town of 400 people. Farr then served as pastor of Church of the Shepherd in St. Peters, a suburb of St. Louis, where he relocated the congregation and increased church membership from 450 to more than 1,100.

Farr is the author of a recently published book entitled Renovate or Die: Ten Ways to Focus Your Church on the Mission.

Kristi Williams (left) and Cate Anderson accept their commissions into the U.S. Army as part of Commencement exercises. They both graduated with degrees in nursing.

Two complete Honors Program Two students received special recognition in a private ceremony honoring their superior academic efforts. Lisa Scrivener (left) and Melissa Williams completed a rigorous Honors Program, which included undergraduate theses written in their respective fields.

Lisa, a summa cum laude graduate with majors in business and Spanish, wrote a paper titled, “Hate to Burst Your Bubble, But . . . Contributing Factors to the Housing Bubble and Their Connection to the Current Financial Crisis.” Her thesis advisor was Sally Hackman, 6

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associate professor of business and accounting.

Melissa, who also graduated summa cum laude, was an English and Communication Studies major. Her thesis was titled “Making Connections from Marvell to Modern Media: Using Response Poetry to Tie Blogs into the Literary World.” Her advisor was Dr. Annette Van, assistant professor of English. Dr. Richard Bradley, associate professor of history and political science, is director of CMU’s Honors Program.

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Selecman Award winner Lacey Eaton Lacey Eaton was honored as the 2011 recipient of the Selecman Achievement Award Saturday, May 7, during commencement ceremonies. It is the university’s highest award for students.

Eaton, who graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in music performance, was among more than 200 students from the Fayette campus who received degrees. She is planning to continue her studies in vocal music this fall as a graduate student at the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

A 2007 graduate of Fayette High School, Eaton is the daughter of Frederick and Sheri Eaton of Fayette.

The Selecman Achievement Award is named after Bishop Charles Claude Selecman, who was a member of the Central College Class of 1898, a College Curator in1913-1914, and the third president of Southern Methodist University, 1922-1938.

Selecman, who received an honorary doctorate from Central in 1916, established the Selecman Achievement Award in 1957.

He directed that the award be presented to the student who displayed the following characteristics to an extraordinary degree: good citizenship on the campus; scholarship; religious, leadership, moral and spiritual qualities; and outstanding achievements.

While at CMU, Eaton studied voice under the direction of Dr. Susan Quigley-Duggan, CMU assistant professor of music and director of the opera program. She

has been continuously on the Dean’s List since becoming a full-time student at CMU in the spring of 2008 and graduated with a 3.992 (out of a possible 4.0) GPA. A member of the CMU A Cappella Choir and Chorale and CMU Band, Eaton received numerous other honors while a CMU student, including the Helen Puckett Thogmorton Excellence in Music Award, R. Paul Drummond Memorial Award and recognition as the Alumni Association Outstanding Senior.

Eaton was also selected as Homecoming Queen in the fall of 2010. She was a member of several student organizations, including Sigma Alpha Iota (women’s music fraternity), for which she served as president, Sigma Epsilon Pi (Honorary Social Fraternity), Alpha Chi (National Honor Society) and Omicron Delta Kappa (Honorary Leadership Society).

Eaton, who won first place in the state in the Young Artist’s Vocal Competition at the Music Teachers National Association competition in Kirksville in early November, also received Honorable Mention during the MTNA Midwest Regional Division Competition in Sioux Falls, S.D., in January.

In February, Eaton placed second in her division of vocal competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing in Kansas City. Earlier, in October, she took third place in another competition sponsored by NATS. This past summer, Eaton was selected to participate in a performance internship with the Asheville Lyric Photos, clockwise from Opera in Asheville, N.C. above right: Lacey The summer opera program receives the Selecman is structured to give career Award from President guidance and provide outInman; with major professor Susan Quigley- reach performance experiDuggan; as Homecoming ence and administrative Queen; being sung to as experience under the umPhi Mu Alpha’s sweetheart; starring in Pirates of brella of the professional Asheville Lyric Opera.

Penzance.

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Campus news

New executive director of marketing communications Veteran higher education administrator Kent W. Propst of Peru, Neb., has been named executive director of marketing communications for Central Methodist University, announces CMU President Marianne E. Inman.

Propst, who has an extensive background in public and media relations, marketing, alumni relations and budgeting, will begin his new duties June 15. He replaces Don Cullimore, who is retiring at the end of June after 14 years with CMU. Propst will assume direction of a three-person staff that handles CMU marketing, public and media relations efforts, as well as sports information, web content and university publications.

“We are very pleased that Kent will be joining Central Methodist University in this critical administrative capacity,” Dr. Inman says. “He brings considerable experience in areas that are key to CMU’s continued growth on the main campus and its expanding statewide presence.”

Propst brings to CMU nearly three decades of wideranging experience in higher education administration.

His most recent position was as executive director of

Central says goodbye Central paid tribute to several members of the faculty and staff who are leaving CMU at a reception in April.

Retiring were (below, left to right,) Dianna Shallenburger, Don Cullimore, Judy Strodtman, Merle Masonholder, and R.G. Kirby. As a group, they brought a wealth of experience, and they left behind a total of 68 years of benefit to CMU. Shallenburger, associate professor of accounting and a C.P.A., has taught at Central since 1983, thus leading

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the Peru State College Foundation, Peru, Neb., where he directed all development functions, including major gifts, annual fund, planned giving, alumni relations, and also served as board liaison to Peru State College.

Propst also spent 20 years with Peru State College between 1983 and 2003, initially as director of college relations and subsequently as vice president for college relations. As such, he was responsible for directing the college’s public relations, marketing and publications programs and for oversight of college web content and the sports information department. He also served on the President’s Cabinet, including involvement in hiring and strategic planning committees.

Between 2003 and 2008, Propst served as vice president for community relations for North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He returned to head the Peru State College Foundation in 2008 at the request of college officials seeking to implement institutional changes in foundation operations. Propst earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism with academic distinction from Peru State College in 1981. He and his wife, Becki, have purchased a house near Fayette. They have two grown children. in the ranks of years served. Cullimore has served as the director of public relations since 1997 and has also been in charge of marketing and advertising for Central’s home campus and its rapidly growing outstate presence. Judy (Johnmeyer) Strodtman ’66 has been the extended studies coordinator for CMU where she has worked for 10 years. Merle Masonholder retired as associate professor of physical education but also spent some years as the head football coach; he came to Central in 2002. Kirby began a second career when he came to Central, having served as assistant superintendent of the Raytown School District. He has served for seven years as Central’s director of plant operations.

Shallenburger and Masonholder were both given emeritus status at Commencement ceremonies in May. In addition to these retirees, three other familiar faces will no longer be seen on campus. David Fortel, a counselor here for 12 years; Dionne George, who has been a resident director for four years; and Dr. Carl Franks, assistant professor of English since 2008; have all left to pursue different interests.

Central says a very fond farewell to all of these remarkable people.

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Campus news

First Humanities Conference a success On April 7, the inaugural Humanities Conference took place in the Student and Community Center. It showcased various works, literary reviews, and projects developed

by Central Methodist humanities students. The students were asked to address a concept related to subject provided by senior faculty, then develop a conclusion worthy of discussion. The event focused broadly on topics like “Paying Attention to Language,” concepts such as “Good and Evil,” ideas surrounding “Pain and Suffering,” and matters involving “Art and Storytelling.” Each participating student presented a response to the chosen subject and participated in a brief question-and-answer session about his or her findings. Dr. Kevin Carnahan, assistant professor of philosophy and religion, notes that “the conference brings together many ideas, perceptions, and ideologies shared by members of the CMU community.” In addition, he says, “It gives our undergraduates an opportunity to gain invaluable experience taking part in a conference.

“The conference has also provided for a rich and exuberant atmosphere,” he adds, “as part of CMU’s attempt to revitalize campus life.”

Dr. Jeremy Reed, assistant professor of English, agrees.

“The conference exceeded all expectations,” he says, “and produced a great platform for a tremendous array of talented students to collaborate on their analysis of world

Students shared their positions through formal presentations (right) and less formal approaches (above).

literature.” He adds, “I am extremely pleased with the attendance and participation we experienced during the conference and predict that future events will follow suit.”

Plans are already in the works for a second Humanities Conference next spring.

Trustees approve plans for new student housing

During its April meeting, the CMU Board of Trustees approved recommendations by the senior administrative staff to build new student housing that will accommodate anticipated future growth in the number of students on the Fayette campus.

Vice President for Campus Life Jay Webster, along with Vice President for Finance and Administration Julee Sherman and other staff members, provided board members with an overview of campus housing needs with a view toward housing expected student numbers in the next nine years. With the fall 2011 enrollment expected to be around 1,200 – which would represent a record fall enrollment for the fourth consecutive year – current campus housing accommodations are close to reaching their limit.

Projections of possible future enrollment by the year 2020 run in the range of 1,500 students or more on the main campus.

Webster, Sherman and other staff members visited several other university and college campuses in the Midwest recently to see what types of housing were in place or had been built to accommodate additional numbers of students. From these visits, they developed a series of recommendations for the April presentation to the Board of Trustees.

“The concept idea we’ve been settling in on,” Sherman says, is four buildings, each building being two

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stories with four individual apartments. Each apartment will have four bedrooms with a combination kitchen and living room area.” This will provide housing for 64 upperclass students.

A washer and dryer will be provided in each apartment. The exterior of the buildings most likely will be brick. Parking will be provided for each resident.

The new student housing will be located on land on the north side of the campus donated to the University by brothers Robert ’57 and Bill Kountz, both of whom live in Fayette. Construction will start this year, with completion scheduled for August 2012.

New Director of Plant Activities Derry Wiswall will be joining CMU June 6th as our new director of plant facilities. He will replace R.G. Kirby, who is retiring at the end of June.

Wiswall is a Fayette native and 1997 graduate of the University of Central Missouri – Warrensburg. His previous employers include Midway Electric and Septagon Construction. Wiswall and his wife, Lisa, and their family reside in Fayette.

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Campus news

Student honors and awards for 2011 Campus Awards Selecman Achievement Award Lacey Elizabeth Eaton This award is presented to the graduating senior who has displayed the following characteristics to an extraordinary degree: good citizenship on the campus; scholarship; religious, leadership, moral, and spiritual qualities; and outstanding achievement. (See article p. 7)

Human Relations Prize Joseph Scott Garrett, Jr. The Human Relations Prize honors the graduating senior who most shows “promise in human relations and human adjustment.” Joe graduated magna cum laude with a double major in business and computer science.

Victoria Award

Lisa Marie Scrivener

In Memory of Victoria Beecroft Cutter, this award is presented to the graduating senior who in the opinions of faculty and students best exemplifies the ideals and purposes of the college during the 2010-2011 academic year. Lisa graduated summa cum laude with a double major and completion of CMU’s Honor Program. (See p. 6) She was also kind enough to present her 55-page thesis to alumni during the Alumni Weekend.

Department Awards Department of Accounting, Business, and Economics

Entrepreneurship Excellence Award: Antonio Brown

Departmental Fellow, 2011 – 2012: Debra Heggemann

Susan Estill Award for Total Business Excellence (Senior – female): Stephanie Sullivant

Nobel Emmett Baskett Scholarship in Business: Alexa Fox

Gentry Estill Award for Total Business Excellence (Senior – male): Joseph Garrett

Accounting Excellence Award (rising senior): Randy Barta Marketing and Advertising Excellence Award: Kayla Yount Business Education Excellence Award: Katie Moore Banking and Finance Excellence Award: Brecht Madalijns International Business Excellence Award: Lisa Scrivener General Business Excellence Award (formerly Management Excellence Award): Molly Blackford 10

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SIFE Leadership Awards (left to right): Kayla Calvin, Adam Morton, Lisa Scrivener, Daniel Vachalek, and Joe Garrett

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Campus news Estill Entrepreneurship Award: James Kristopher Judd

Outstanding Clinician: Kirsten Malone

Outstanding Senior in Accounting, Business and Economics: Adam Morton

Wiedel Award: Andrea Parks

Lisa Powell Goessling Merit Scholarship: Shannon Dickerson

Music - Spring Awards (photo below)

Wall Street Journal Award: Olivia Herlein

Division of Humanities Hern Award for Excellence in Religious Studies: Kellie Handy T. Cecil Swackhamer Award: Anthony Hall

Social Sciences Divisional Honors General Lewis M. Means Award for Excellence in the Study of Political Science: Robert R. Humphrey, Patrick McVey Judge Andrew Jackson Higgins Award for Excellence in Pre-Law Studies: Joseph Taylor White, Stephanie R. Sullivant

Lacey Eaton: Missouri Teachers National Association Student Achievement Recognition Award, Sigma Alpha Iota Collegiate Honor and Scholastic Awards; Hannah Lilienkamp: Dane Nelson Memorial Award; Jessica Dean: ACDA National Student Choral Musician Award, Hickman Award, and Raney Winter Award; Joe Garrett: Phi Mu Alpha Scholastic Award; Jeremy Montague: Phi Mu Alpha Collegiate Honor Award; Molly Blackford: Dr. Joseph E. Geist Award in Performing Arts; and Pearse Hutson: Mo. Federation of Music Clubs Dr. Ed and Vivian Nelson Piano Award. Not shown is Kelsey Jeffries: Martin E. Kooi Excellence in Theatre Arts Award.

Dr. Robert Barker Award for Excellence in Sociology: Raeley Marie Hart Award for Excellence in Criminal Justice: Danielle Overstreet Award for Excellence in Psychology: Danielle Taylor Martin E. Kooi Memorial Award for Excellence in Communication Studies: Melissa Williams Communication Department Student Media Award: Hannah Kiddoo Dr. Harold Sunoo Award for Excellence in History and Political Science: Cody Wayne Bair

The 2011 class of Sigma Epsilon Pi National Honorary Society was inducted in April. These students represent the top 10 percent of the senior class.

Pi Gamma Mu Award for Scholastic Excellence: Joseph Taylor White

The pinning ceremony, the culmination of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, was held the night before Commencement.

Thirty-six students graduated from the program this year at the Fayette campus. Here, Megan Hess (left), director of nursing and chair of the Health Professions Division, pins Beth Martin, who also was honored with the American Nurses’ Association Award.

Nursing Missouri League for Nursing: Jenna Hansen American Nurses’ Association: Beth Chauncey Martin

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Alumni Weekend Members of four different class years returned to the Central Methodist campus for the weekend of April 8-10 to celebrate their student days at Central and to participate in ceremonies recognizing distinguished alumni of the university.

Honored were members of the Classes of 1941, 1946, 1951 and 1956. During the Alumni Awards Dinner Saturday night in the Student and Community Center (SCC), the Distinguished Alumni and Young Alumni Awards were presented to former students.

Activities on Friday included a presentation by senior Lisa Scrivener of her senior thesis in economics, a studentalumni forum, and a social gathering for classes at Sonja’s Bistro. The Class of 1951 also met for dinner at Emmet’s on the square. The highlight for some former students was the opportunity to take a hard-hat tour of Classic Hall in the midst of its demolition phase. Most of the returning alumni had classes, especially humanities classes, in Classic before the building was mothballed in 1981.

President Inman opened Saturday’s activities with remarks on “Central Methodist University - Today and Tomorrow,” followed by a question and answer period. Campus tours were available and alumni also had the chance to watch CMU’s dynamite track and field team compete on the recently refurbished facilities at Davis Field and Hairston Track. The baseball team played Missouri Valley in the afternoon, following the Reunion Class Luncheon and class pictures.

The highlight of the reunion weekend was the President’s Reception and the 65th Annual Alumni Awards Banquet, which honored two alumni, Steven Minning’75 as a CMU Distinguished Alumnus and Allicia (Young) Baum’98, who was awarded the CMU Young Alumna Award (see related article).

Although fewer alumni stayed until Sunday, those who did were rewarded with the Jazz Choir performing in Linn UMC for church services, a brunch, additional baseball, and the senior recital of vocal major, soprano Lacey Eaton.

Friends from the class of 1956 find time to get caught up.

From left: Dotty (Gould) Luther, Jane (Ash) Belew, and Caryl (Stinson) Staples

Photo right, Bill Holman ’47 (left) and Norm Drissell ’51 discuss the state of affairs.

Below, right: Margo (Youngstrom) Chapman ’51, David ’51 and Carol Butler enjoy the performance by the CMU Jazz Choir (lower left).

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CLASS OF 1956 (left to right) Bill Armontrout, Caryl (Stinson) Staples, Jane (Ash) Belew with husband Joe Belew ’53, and Dotty (Gould) Luther with husband George Luther ’55 photos above, at top: Norm ’51 and Ruth Drissell ’53 (seated) visit with Earlene (Snider) Whitener’51. lower: Dorothy (Snyder) Wallace’49 and good friend Anne (Brower) Ledbetter ’49 have their own reunion.

CLASS OF 1951

(proudly indicating the $51,000 they raised for A Classic Renaissance Campaign)

Front row (left to right): David Butler, Earlene (Snider) Whitener, Bill Cooley, Margo (Youngstrom) Chapman, Janet (Jacobs) Gooding, Joan (Chandler) Bowes Back row: Miles Whitener, Marion (Sherman) Cooley, Bob Brown, Paul Calvert, Norm Drissell, and Bill Armontrout Spring 2011

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Distinguished Alumni Awards Two persons were honored by Central Methodist University at the Alumni Awards ceremony during the Alumni Weekend Saturday night banquet. The alumni awards are among the University’s highest honors.

The CMU Young Alumni Award: Allicia (Young) Baum ’98 Receiving the Young Alumni Award was Dr. Allicia (Young) Baum ’98 of Ozark, Mo., an occupational therapist at the Children’s Center in Springfield. The Young Alumni Award is presented annually to alumni who have been out of the university fewer than 15 years and have strong commitments to community and university service and have demonstrated high personal achievements.

Allicia (Young) Baum is an outpatient therapist at the Children’s Center in Springfield. She also is a member of the National Health Services Corp. and has worked to aid in the insurance reform in the state for families dealing with autism. Outside of her professional responsibilities, she is an active member of Ozark United Methodist Church and volunteers with youth and children in the community.

A native of Joliet, Ill., Baum earned her bachelor’s degree cum laude in psychology from Central Methodist University and a master’s degree and doctorate in psychology from the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Mercy Medical Center and North Iowa Community Mental Health Center in Mason City, Iowa.

Baum and her husband, Paul ’98, are active members of the Ozark United Methodist Church, where Paul is the choir director and Dr. Baum is a leader in the children’s Sunday school program.

Allicia Baum accepts the Young Alumni Award (above); left, her husband, Paul, introduces Allicia at the banquet.

From left, Steven Minning, President Marianne Inman, and Allicia Baum after the award ceremonies.

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The CMU Distinguished Alumni Award: Steven Minning ’75 Receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award was Steven Minning (Class of ‘75). Formerly from Washington, Mo., Minning is a New York City-based internationally-known artistic director of theatrical productions.

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented annually to former CMU students who have distinguished themselves in their professions and in their service to the university and to society.

Steven Minning has spent the past 30 years performing, choreographing, directing and producing artistic productions all over the world. Currently, he is the artistic director for the Toronto production of Billy Elliott. He also recently served as artistic director for Cirque du Soleil’s show Dralion in production throughout the Pacific Rim. Minning’s credits include director and choreographer for Gypsy with Rita Moreno, dancing in the original Broadway production of 42nd Street, choreographic associate to Tommy Tune for The Will Rogers Follies, and resident, supervising resident, and associate director for international and national companies of Disney’s The Lion King, directed by Julie Taymor.

A native of Washington, Mo., where he still has family and graduated from high school in 1971, Minning earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Central Methodist University Steven Minning (above, right) accepts the CMU Distinguished Alumni Award. He was and a master’s degree in the arts/theatre from presented by Dr. Joe Geist (left), professor emeritus of English and curator of The Emporia State University.

Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art.

Minning a show-stopper for students Music and theatre students had a rare opportunity to peek into the world of large-scale live theatre when they met with Steven Minning in the afternoon prior to the awards ceremony.

Steven talked with the students for nearly an hour, giving them insight into the world of theatre—off-Broadway, on Broadway, and on the road. He also discussed the path he personally took that has led to his success.

He credited his success, in part, to a healthy dose of luck—being in the right place at the right time—coupled with a willingness to take small steps that would lead to the larger openings he sought. He reminisced about performing at dinner theatres, making cold contacts, and networking everywhere he could on his climb to his current position as one of the most in-demand directors in the world.

Currently, as resident director of Billy Elliott in Toronto, Minning says his job is to ensure that anyone who comes to see the show sees essentially the same show as those who see it on Broadway.

The students who came to visit Steven (in photo, right) were joined by former classmates, some faculty and staff members, and his hosts for the event, Dr. Joe Geist and Prof.

Tom Yancey, who taught him while at Central and who keep close tabs on his ongoing professional progress.

It was an encounter the students are unlikely to forget.

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Campus news

Student discovers ancient starfish hiding in plain sight

By Dr. Dan Elliott, professor of biology Graduating senior Lisa Scrivener may have stepped into the scientific unknown with a recent find—on the CMU campus! She found a starfish fossil which might be a yet-unidentified species.

Lisa first found the fossil last fall as she was walking on the sidewalk along the north side of T. Berry Smith Hall. In the spring semester, she took Geology 102 (Historical Geology), which requires a fossil collection.

When we started to talk about specifics about that collection, she mentioned to me that she was sure she had seen a fossil starfish in the foundation of T. Berry. We took a look and sure enough there it was!

Further looking produced about five more starfish.

Unfortunately, when the foundation blocks were “finished” they were deliberately “dimpled” so that the finish was rather fancy for the late 1890s. The dimpling process has destroyed about half of the exposed surface of the fossil. If the dimpling has destroyed the upper surface of the starfish, there will be no way to identify it other than as a starfish. If the lower surface was destroyed and the upper surface is embedded in the limestone, the fossil can be removed from the limestone and identified.

I have been given permission by President Inman to remove the starfish Lisa found. Once it is removed by using a power drill and a hardened drill bit, I will sub-

merge it in diluted hydrochloric acid for two or three weeks to slowly dissolve the limestone matrix surrounding the fossil, which is not made of limestone, so the acid will not dissolve it.

Once it is out of the matrix I hope the top of the starfish will be clearly visible. If so, Dr. Dan Blake of the University of Illinois will probably be able to identify it, since he is the world’s leading authority on fossil starfish. If he can’t identify it, that means it is a new species!

If the top half of the starfish has been destroyed in the dimpling process I will probably seek permission from the president to remove another fossil from the foundation. I will probably keep doing this until all the starfish are removed from the foundation or until I get one good one with the dorsal surface intact, so it can be described and named.

Sadly, it will not be named for Lisa, as that is not the practice with fossils. Still, it would be exciting to be able to claim rights to a fossil never before found.

Radio station has active spring When the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Inc. (IBS) announced finalists for this year’s IBS Golden Microphone Trophy Awards, Dr. Kristin Cherry, assistant professor of communication studies and sponsor of the CMU radio station, was delighted. Her radio students were nominated for six awards. The competiton was fierce with much larger universities also named, including DePaul and SUNY. Honors were awarded at the IBS annual conference in March and Central came home with a first place honor for Nick Stellwagen in the category of Best Sports Update. Students who had been nomiFayette Boy Scouts visited the Eagle Radio station this semesnated include Kendra Smith for Best Newscast, Melissa Williams for ter as part of their work toward a badge.

Best Promo Series and for Best Station Contest/Promotional Event, Matthew Koontz for Best Station Promo, and Stellwagen for Best Public Service Announcement. Cherry hopes to improve the performance of Eagle Radio at next year’s awards.

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Faculty and staff honors Dr. Kevin Carnahan, assistant professor of philosophy and religion, was a Fondren Lecturer at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas, during that institution’s Minister’s Week in February.

He participated in a dialogue with D. Stephen Long on Christianity and War, led a workshop on conflict in Israel and Palestine, and participated in a panel discussion on United Methodism and War. The same month he participated in a conference on the state of graduate studies in religion at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Carnahan earned his master’s and doctorate at Perkins and has taught at CMU since 2009.

Cynthia Dudenhoffer, director of CMU’s Smiley Library and assistant professor of library sciences, recently received a scholarship to attend the annual conference of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). The scholarship was awarded based on her essays, her curriculum vitae, and a recommendation from Vice President and Academic Dean Rita Gulstad.

The conference took place in Philadelphia March 30-April 2 and included keynote speakers, presentation of scholarly papers, and exhibits. The more than 300 sessions available were designed to help librarians direct their libraries toward current information and current means of sharing information.

Dudenhoffer was one of 60 scholarship awardees chosen from 190 applications. The scholarship defrayed her cost of attending the conference.

Dudenhoffer earned her B.A. and M.L.S. athe the University of Missouri and joined the CMU staff in 2006.

Dr. Dan Elliott, professor of biology and curator of The Stephens Museum, has been honored by the Missouri Archaeological Society. In April the society presented the organization’s Distinguished Service Award to him. Awarded relatively infrequently, the service recognition is considered by many to be the society’s most prestigious award given to a non-professional archaeologist.

Elliott has been a member of the society for more than 30 years and served seven years as vice-president, from 1985 to 1991, and six years as president, 1991 to 1997.

Currently he is president emeritus and an active trustee, serving for 14 years since stepping down as president.

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Dr. Nancy Hadfield was honored during the Commencement exercises on May 7.

President Inman recognized her with the Kincaid Award, a departmental award that recognizes significant contributions to education.

Hadfield currently is director of professional education and chair of the Division of Professional Education, which oversees the education program for all CMU campuses.

Dr. Hadfield accepted the award on behalf of the Division of Professional Education. She has been with Central Methodist since 1990 and held the positions of senior member of the English Department and chair of the Division of Humanities prior to her current position.

Numbers continue to rise The opening spring semester enrollment of 1,125 students at Central Methodist University in Fayette marked a significant increase over January 2010 and represented the highest number of students ever to be on campus for the traditional second semester, President Inman announced in January.

“This enrollment trend has now occurred for the fourth consecutive school year,” she said. “It clearly shows that people throughout Missouri and elsewhere are recognizing Central Methodist University’s high quality, highly personalized educational opportunities.”

The 2011 spring semester enrollment included 1,069 full-time students and 56 part-time. This number represents 95.6 percent of the fall enrollment.

Keeping pace with the 2010 fall semester’s record high enrollment of 1,176 on the main campus, which was nearly 12 percent more than the previous fall (1,052), the January 2011 enrollment also represented a nearly 12 percent increase over January 2010. The recent increases in main campus enrollments mirror a trend at CMU’s Extended Studies program facilities.

Spring semester enrollment at CMU’s 10 regional campuses and other extended studies sites (exclusive of dual credit locations) totaled well above 1,400 plus approximately 141 graduate students.

The university is also represented at approximately 100 high schools throughout the state through its dual credit program, which allows academically qualified juniors and seniors to take college-level courses from CMU. During each of the past two school years, more than 2,300 high school students have enrolled in CMU’s dual credit program.

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Campus news

Criminal justice students continue to advance The Central Methodist University student chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association recently won six trophies in national competition against more than 500 other college students in the world of mock criminal investigations.

The occasion was the annual Criminal Investigation Competition at the American Criminal Justice Association’s (Lambda Alpha Epsilon) national convention in Memphis, Tenn., at the end of March.

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Teri Haack, who had coached the CMU team to its first overall win in national competition in 2008 in its first time to compete at the event and against a number of much larger schools, once again led the team.

Academic tests were taken in five areas: Juvenile Justice, Lambda Alpha Epsilon knowledge, Police Organization, Corrections, and Criminal Law. Students also participated in crime scene investigation simulations, a physical agility course, and the firearms competition.

Following the 2008 overall national win, Haack and her team of CMU students were honored at the Missouri State Capitol, when members of the Missouri Senate presented them with a resolution commemorating their significant win in intercollegiate national competition. This year, the CMU student team took one first-place trophy, a second-place trophy, and four third-place trophies in the national competition.

“I’m very grateful for each student’s contribution to our winning efforts this year, as in every year we compete,” says Haack. “They worked together extremely well in the Memphis competition. Each member brought a certain strength to the team competition—they were just marvelous!”

Haack says the national competition is “getting tougher every year,” especially from the much larger universities CMU students must compete against. “However,” she adds, “I’m proud of the fact that percentage-wise (based on the number of students in each team and the number of trophies each team wins) CMU won a greater proportion of trophies than any other school in the competition.”

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Prof. Teri Haack, middle row at left, arrives with her students in Memphis. Lower left, Deanna Quisenberry runs the agility course.

Region Three, of which CMU is a part, won the trophy for Outstanding Region because of the number of trophies won by CMU’s small, 10-person team.

Comprising the CMU student team of all criminal justice majors were: Andrew Shelley, a senior from DeSoto, Mo.; freshman Collin Teal of Springfield, Mo.; James Rowe, a junior from New Cambria, Mo.; Nicholas Glandon, a junior from New Franklin, Mo.; Allie Leiva from West Hartford, Conn., a junior; Danielle Overstreet, a senior from Carrollton, Mo.; Deanna Quisenberry, a junior from Columbia, Mo.; Julie Hubbard, a junior from Glasgow, Mo.; senior Brandon Draisey of Higginsville, Mo.; and junior Jeremy Simmons from Dixon. Mo. Trophies won by the CMU Team were: Third Place—Juvenile Justice, professional division, Teri Haack; Third Place—LAE knowledge, upper division, Deanna Quisenberry; First Place—Physical agility (age 25 and under), Collin Teal; Second place—Physical Agility (age 25 and under), Jeremy Simmons; Third place—Physical Agility, female (age 25 and under), Deanna Quisenberry; and Third place—individual firearms, upper division, Jeremy Simmons (score of 429-7x).

The students are all members of the Pi Lambda Alpha Chapter of the national organization, Lambda Alpha Epsilon. Haack, who earned her law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, has been a member of CMU’s Social Sciences faculty since 2003 and teaches criminal justice classes.

Competition in the Criminal Investigation event is an intense involvement that requires each student team to analyze a mock homicide scene, collect evidence, and then write an extensive crime scene report, which is evaluated by a team of expert judges.

Haack and her students say they are looking forward to competing again next year.

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Psychology students fare well Dr. Elizabeth Gold, assistant professor of psychology at Central, reports multiple successes for her students at recent conferences.

The students made three oral presentations and two poster presentations in April at the Missouri Academy of Science.

Senior Electie Minix took a first place in oral presentations regarding social and behavioral sciences.

She presented her survey research titled “Technology Dependence: Facebook Addiction.”

Taking third place in a similar category was Leremie Shaffer, also a senior. He shared the results of his single subject behavioral research on “Promoting Response Variability and Stimulus Generalization in Collegiate Wrestling Takedowns.”

In the social and behavioral sciences poster presentations, second place went to junior Whitney Turner for presentation of her content analysis research, titled “Cosmopolitan Magazine: A Study of Sex Articles and their Emphasis on Safe Sex.” These successes follow on the heels of a fine showing in November at the sixth annual Missouri Undergraduate Psychology Conference.

Dr. Elizabeth Gold, on back row at right, with her students at the Missouri Academy of Science.

In that conference, junior Adam Russo placed first in the non-empirical poster session. He presented an entry titled “Changing the Pharmacological Approach: Interdisciplinary Approaches for Treating Depression in the Elderly and the Increased Efficacy Associated with It.” Also presenting at that conference were Whitney Turner and senior Rebecca Moser. Together they presented a non-empirical paper on “Personal Communication Patterns and Conflict.” These students are shown in the photo above with Dr. Gold.

Our future is in your hands...

Help Central Methodist University continue its mission of preparing students to make a difference in the world by making a gift to the Central Excellence Fund.

For more information, contact Peggy Robb at 660-248-6239 or email probb@centralmethodist.edu.

Make a gift or schedule payments online at: http://cmalumni.centralmethodist.edu/cef Spring 2011

Above, Adam Russo displays his winning poster.

Below, Dr. Gold is flanked by Rebecca Moser, left, and Whitney Turner.

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Campus news

The birth of Central Methodist

by John O. Gooch, Ph.D. ’60

The birth of Central Methodist grew out of a combination of factors – the increasing Methodist emphasis on education and nurture; the desire of the Fayette community for a college; the success of Howard High School; and the commitment of influential leaders.

The first of these factors was the increasing Methodist emphasis on education and nurture. Two graduates of McKendree College in Illinois, Wm. Thomas Lucky and Nathan Scarritt, came to Fayette and opened Howard High School in 1844. It opened with 7 pupils, but grew quickly and was adopted by the Missouri School that “it had achieved and continued to hold for many years, the largest enrollment of any school in the state and was notable for the excellence of its instruction.” (History, p. 133) In 1851-52 there were 338 pupils in the high school—172 males and 166 females. Note that this was a co-educational institute, a real rarity anywhere in the midnineteenth century. In 1853, a boarding house was built on land adjacent to the high school building and was occupied by President Lucky and the female department of the high school. (Apparently, prior to this boys and girls had both slept in the high school building and this led to some inappropriate behavior. The feelings about that incident led to the building of the boarding house.) The boarding house itself was the first part of what became HowardPayne Hall and Howard Female College.

In 1854 the main building burned and Professor Pritchett put the boys “in other places.” They seem to have boarded around the town and met for classes in church basements. This development was the beginning of separate schools for boys and girls, eventuating in Central College and Howard Female College. But the success of Howard High School was a key factor in the birth of

Central Methodist University.

A third factor was the desire of the citizens of Fayette for a college. The state of Missouri was preparing to establish a university sponsored and funded by the state, and Fayette citizens lobbied hard for the university to be located in their town but failed. Disappointed by their inability to get the university, the town fathers looked elsewhere.

The fourth factor was influential leaders. At the 1852 session of the St. Louis Conference of the M.E. Church, South, Nathan Scarritt and David Rice McAnally offered a resolution on the establishment of one college of the highest grade and invited the Missouri Conference to join with them in the venture. The resolution stated that there had to be an endowment of $100,000, the first $50,000 of which had to be raised and on hand before the college could begin operation. In addition, $25,000 would be needed for a building. The two candidates to become the conference college were Fayette and St. Charles College.

The latter was in financial difficulty and the conference was none too pleased with its operation, so the choice fell on Fayette as the seat of “a literary institution of the highest order.”

The curators appointed by the St. Louis and Missouri Conferences met with the trustees of the High School in Fayette on February 4, 1854. Ownership of the site of the high school was transferred to the new board of curators.

The price was $5,000 to build a classroom building attached to the boarding house of the high school. This was the first addition to what we know as Howard-Payne Hall.

The Board of Curators apparently began its corporate existence in 1854 because the great seal of the college bears the words “Incorporated 1854.” The charter bears the date March 1, 1855, and was accepted and adopted by the

Left, Nathan Scarritt and David Rice McAnally, were the driving forces behind the establishment of “the central college,” supported by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Scarritt was the first president.

Right, A.A. Morrison succeeded Scaritt as president.

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Left, William Thomas Lucky, along with Nathan Scarritt, established Howard High School in1844 in Fayette.

Lucky became the first president. In the 1850s it became Howard Female College.

Right, a plaque honoring David Rice McAnally still graces the walls of Brannock Hall.

Board in December 1855. Although the charter refers to “the central college,” there was no official name for the school written into the charter. For more than 100 years, it was known as “Central College,” but only in the 1960s was there an official name registered with the State of Missouri, “Central Methodist College,” a salute to its founding heritage. (The writer recalls great mirth on the part of some seminary friends when the name situation made the news.)

The college opened in 1857, even though the terms of the conference resolution had not been met. The building (now Brannock Hall) had been built, but the money to pay for its completion had not been raised. Apparently the builder was very patient about receiving his money, but the issue of indebtedness was a thorn in the side for many years. In addition, the $50,000 in endowment had not been raised. The curators were uncertain about opening the college, but the local residents were insistent and lobbied heavily for its opening. The curators got around the resolution on a technicality – they opened “provisionally” and operated on a provisional basis until the outbreak of the Civil War. There were 144 students and three faculty when the school opened in September of 1857. Nathan Scarritt was the President and Professor of Language. C. W. Pritchett was Professor of Mathematics, Mechanics, and Astronomy, and Eli R. Offutt was the Principal of the Preparatory School. Tuition

was $17.50 per session, meaning either per semester or per course, probably the former. The first graduate was Samuel C. Major in 1858. Many of today’s students would love to know how he was able to graduate in one year!

The answer lies in his work at Howard High School prior to its demise and merger into Central College.

Presidents in the early years of the school were Nathan Scarritt (June 1857–June 1858), A.A. Morrison (June 1858 –March 1860), C.W. Pritchett, Interim (March 1860–June 1860), and W.A. Anderson (June 1860–June 1861).

The closing session of the 1860-61 school year was held the same day that Bates’ Iowa Regiment marched through Fayette enroute to the Battle of Springfield.

Because of the war and the Federal occupation of Fayette, the curators formally discontinued the college in1861. It would not reopen until after the close of hostilities.

Dr. John Gooch is a frequent visitor to CMU’s Smiley Library in Cupples Hall. A minister and historian, he has for some years been organizing the United Methodist archives that are housed there.

Early presidents of Central included C.W. Pritchett (left) and W.A. Anderson.

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Campus news

Building a strong college: the early families

by Cathy Thogmorton, editor, and Robert Rackley, researcher

Editor’s note: The class year, as far as known, is in parentheses following each alumnus’ name, due to the fact that parts of three centuries are represented in this article. No distinction has been made between those who graduated and those who did not.

Studying Central’s families from the Civil War forward is rather like trying to unravel a thread only to find it knotted with another thread that must also be unwoven, and another and another. All of us—related by blood or love of this institution—make up the fabric of CMU. Each of us brings our own texture, color and strength, and each is needed to complete the cloth.

The Leonard, Kingsbury, and Markland families can trace their connections to Central Methodist University back for more than a century and a half. These families helped establish the college, attended here, taught here, and have supported the institution in numerous ways.

Along the journey, they have become entwined with each other and with other Central families. Looking at them provides snapshots of not only their heritage, but ours.

Many families have long ties with Central, some perhaps as long as these three. The Talon hopes that everyone will see these three families not as exclusive but as representative threads of the vast fabric that wraps us all into Central Methodist University.

The Leonards No examination of Central’s early years would be complete without looking at the Leonard family.

The first Leonards moved to Missouri in 1819 from a Welsh clan of iron forgers from New England. Abiel came to Howard and Cooper counties in the Boonslick to teach.

That did not last long, apparently, as he was appointed an attorney for the first judicial district of Missouri in 1824.

At one time, after he had worked to find the postmaster of Franklin guilty of forgery, the two fought a duel. Fortunately, Abiel won, killing his opponent. Unfortunately, dueling was a crime in Missouri, and he was disbarred and fined $150. However, based on his reputation, the General Assembly rescinded the disbarment (although not the fine).

In 1830 Abiel married Jeanette Reeves, whose father helped to lay out the Santa Fe Trail. They settled in 22

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Photos of the front and back of Abiel Leonard’s beautiful antebellum home, Oakwood. The property still has the original smokehouse, ice house, and slave cabins. Although Abiel had slaves, he was an ardent supporter of the Union cause.

Fayette, and he built Oakwood for her (most recently the home of staunch Central supporters Jasper and Elizabeth Meals [1938]). Seven children were born to them.

Abiel’s daughters, Mary Loenard Everett (1849) and Martha Leonard Smith (1851) both graduated from Howard High School (which became Howard Female College in 1859) before Central came into existence.

One of Abiel’s sons, also Abiel, attended Central sometime prior to 1870. He went on to get a number of degrees, and he served in the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church during the 1860s-1880s in Missouri and Kansas.

He was consecrated Bishop of Salt Lake, Utah, in 1888; his district covered Utah, Nevada, and much of western Colorado.

Another son, Reeves, was in charge of a group of Union soldiers during the Civil War who took up residence in Brannock Hall. (See story p. 33.)

Reeves’ daughter Jeanette married a Spencer. Her daughter, Helen Spencer, in turn, married Paul Burcham (1935) who graduated from Central College then returned to teach mathematics. The threads get woven and the fabric grows.

Nathaniel, Abiel’s brother, joined him in Missouri in 1825 and purchased acreage south of Boonville (in presentday Bunceton) that he named Ravenswood and successfully raised horses and mules.

Nathaniel’s son, Charles E. Leonard, was a captain in the Missouri State Militia during the Civil War. He took over the farm and continued to raise highly desirable Shorthorns. Like Abiel, he served as curator for Central, from 1883-1914. Fortunately, he married money. He and Bishop Abiel Leonard (left) Photo from the 1905 Picturesque Fayette

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Campus news claim membership in the first graduating class for Central’s Associate Degree in Nursing. (It has been replaced by CMU’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing.)

The latest Central thread in the Leonard cloth is Charles and Sara’s son, James F. (Jamey) Leonard (2010).

While at Central, he was a member of the Collegian staff, Lambda Alpha Epsilon, and Tau Kappa Epsilon (formerly Delta Sigma Psi). Jamey, with some assistance from his half-brothers Mitch and Nelson, is fixing up Ravenswood, which had fallen into disrepair in recent decades, and has reopened it for tours.

The Kingsburys

Above, Jamey and friends in front of Ravenswood; below, Jamey demonstrates the Regina music box, which he says sometimes plays by itself.

wife Nadine built the present house at Ravenswood.

Their son, Nelson (Nathaniel Nelson Leonard) and his second wife hosted lavish events at Ravenswood, with a portable dance floor on the front lawn, live music, and lanterns in the trees. It must have been magical.

One of Nelson’s children, Charles Willard (1936), opened Ravenswood to the public in the 1950s.

Nathaniel’s great-grandson, another Charles E. Leonard (1959), played basketball for the Eagles and pledged Sigma Alpha Chi fraternity. His first wife, Martha (Marty) Hutchison Ferry (1958), is a highly respected realtor in the Boonslick area, including Fayette, and active in the Boonslick Historical Society.

Charles’ second wife, Sara (Young) Leonard (1976) can

Martha (Marty) Hutchison Ferry can claim kinship in both the Leonard and Kingsbury families. She lives on ancestral Kingsbury land.

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After Jeremiah (Jere) Kingsbury, born in Massachusetts, became a successful trader of goods, he bought a claim in Franklin Township and moved to Missouri in 1818. He farmed, raised livestock, and had extensive apple orchards, establishing an “apple dynasty.”

He provided travelers settling in the Boonslick with supplies, including whisky from a still on his farm. He also peopled the Boonslick with his progeny. His successful business acumen allowed him to give farms to each of his nine surviving children.

Many of their children and the generations since have attended or graduated from Central Methodist University.

The family probably sets the record for number of Central alumni—at a whopping 160 since the first granddaughter, Martha Ann Tindall Megraw attended Howard Female College in 1858, and her cousin, L.S. Kingsbury, attended Central in 1862 (clearly, one of the last pupils before Central closed its doors during the Civil War).

Martha married Joseph Megraw, who built many of the houses in Fayette, including two grand Victorian beauties that still stand—the Arthur Davis House, currently belonging to CMU Admission Counselor Braxton (1964) and Judy Engel Rethwisch (1965); and the Ferguson House on South Main--and Howard County’s second courthouse in 1857. His son, William J. (1880), built many more.

Jere’s daughter Lucina married Cordell Tindall, and her farm is one of several still in the family. Her grandson,

Above, the Lilburn Kingsbury home near New Franklin

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Campus news Oct. 1977 by Lilburn’s Cordell Tindall II (1935) friends and relatives was a highly respected in honor of his 93rd agricultural journalist, birthday. Lilburn speaker, and photographer founded the Howardin Missouri. He joined Cooper Historical the staff of the Missouri Society (now the Ruralist in 1937 and beBoonslick Historical came its editor in 1955, a Society) and served position he held until he as its first president. retired in 1979. He was He avidly collected appointed to important items throughout his councils and committees life, finally settling on by three different goverantique buttons. nors of the state. The farm, In 1937-38, he now a Century Farm for Two of the most famous Kingsburys, Lilburn, left, and Warren, who is signing recorded and cataloged having been in the same family at least 100 years, is copies of his compilation of Lilburn’s letters in a book titled Hobby Horse Rider. every inscription on Observing is Mike Hirsch, former faculty member at Central and once mayor of every tombstone in owned by Connie (Tindall) Fayette.

Howard County (more Shay (1960) and her husthan 200 cemeteries), a band. Like her father, she is one of the region’s recognized historians and is active in mammoth undertaking.

Although not encouraged in his love for music and the Boonslick Historical Society and Fayette Area Heritage with little training, Lilburn became a self-taught musiAssociation, among others. cian. He played the organ at the Methodist Church in Jere’s great granddaughters, Nancy Hutchison New Franklin for years and had several of his composiHackman (1948) and Martha (Marty) Hutchison Ferry tions published. He dedicated one, “Djalma,” a piece for (1958) also still own part of the original Kingsbury land. piano or organ, to Miss Etta Lee Estill (from another of the They weave threads from two of these historic families— founding families of the Boonslick), but sadly noted that Kingsburys and Leonards—into the material of CMU. the dedication “bore no lasting benefit.”

A grandson of Jere, Robert T. Kingsbury II (1896), Lilburn spent two years studying at Central but introduced techniques for getting apples to market, assurproudly declared he had no college degree from anying the apple dynasty would continue. The MKT (Katy) where. He continued the Kingsbury “apple dynasty” until railroad conveniently stopped in Estill (for those alumni 1958. who don’t remember Estill, it sits about halfway between Dr. Warren Taylor Kingsbury (1925)—unlike his good Fayette and New Franklin), making shipping apples to a friend and uncle, Lilburn—had a bachelor’s degree from number of locations simple.

Central, a master’s from University of Missouri-Columbia, Eleven years after Robert attended, his son, Lilburn and a doctorate from New York University. His career enKingsbury (1907), followed suit. Lilburn was a true compassed a broad range of educational and philanthropic Renaissance man, a writer, historian, musician, and pursuits from high school English and social studies philanthropist. He wrote a column called “Lilburn Says” teacher to professor emeritus of Arizona State University, in the 1970s and 80s for the Boonville Daily News and from director of the March of Dimes to president of the also published in the Kansas City Star and the St. Louis American Training Laboratories. Central honored him Post Dispatch and Globe Democrat. The very first Central with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1975.

Methodist Hall of Sponsors Scholarship was funded in While at Central, Warren belonged to Kappa Delta Pi, Many of the Kingsburys are buried here in Clark’s Chapel Scribblers, and the Aristotelian Literary Society. He was cemetery. On a hill overlooking the Missouri River, it is a the sophomore class president and a C-Club member, letpeaceful and lovely spot. tering in tennis.

Having failed to get his uncle to do so, Warren compiled Lilburn’s letters, newspaper columns, and stories into two books, A Man of Many Letters and Hobby Horse Rider, about Lilburn’s many hobbies. He quotes his uncle’s writing, “As far as hobbies could carry me, I have ridden them most of my life. I have even changed horses in mid-stream.”

Two love stories that strengthen the threads running through our fabric come to light in the Kingsbury clan. In one, Martha Palmer Kingsbury (HPC 1914) met her love, Albert Ross Hutchison, while he was a Central student liv24

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Campus news ing in Givens Hall. In the other, the Rev. John Kingsbury (1943) married Sarah Livermore Kingsbury (1949). Sarah was a founding member of Central’s student chapter of the American Guild of Organists in 1947-48. Sarah and John spent years as missionaries, teaching in Turkey.

The Marklands The earliest Markland at Central was a late-comer compared to the Kingsburys and Leonards. Luther Markland (1874) attended Central soon after it reopened following the end of the Civil War. However, at least three dozen of his progeny and relatives have been in school here since.

Mary Elizabeth Walkup Markland (married to Asa King Markland) graduated from Howard Female College in 1891, a year before it was financially buttressed by Moses Above, Mary Elizabeth Walkup Markland, the U. Payne and artist, as a girl. Below, Mary Elizabeth with her became Howardhusband Asa King Markland.

Payne College.

Mary Elizabeth was an accomplished artist, and many of her works—landscapes, portraits, and animals—survive today.

Her brother, James E. Walkup (1898) was the grandfather of Sara Walkup Drummond (1971), who currently is the librarian in the Glasgow School District. At Central she pursued theatre and belonged to Alpha Psi Omega (Honorary Dramatics Society), the English Club, and Student NEA. The most noted person from the Markland family is arguably Mary’s grandson, William Asa Markland (1941), who is widely known in the Boonslick and the state of Missouri. Bill Markland has been a farmer, historian, antique dealer, and state representative. By age 20 he was teaching and serving as principal of a school, and he served as principal or superintendent of schools for the next 37 years in Harrisburg, Glasgow, and Fayette.

While still active in public education, Bill bought an antique store in Armstrong that he, his wife, and his children all tended. (An interesting side note: the building had once housed an embalming room at the rear, a saloon in the basement, and a dance hall on the second floor! Sadly, it was razed several years ago.) As a member of the Missouri legislature for many years, Bill represented Howard County and parts of Randolph and Boone coun-

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Mary Markland Jarboe (left) and Susan Markland Donnelly now operate Rosewood Antiques in Fayette, an interest learned from their father, Bill.

ties. Like many members of these three families, Bill took his turn as president of the Boonslick Historical Society.

Two of Bill’s daughters, Susan Markland Donnelly (1970) and Mary Markland Jarboe (1975) adopted their father’s interest in antiques; and, after first careers in education, they now own Rosewood Antiques in Fayette.

The most recent graduate of Central Methodist University from this clan is Amanda Frink Frevert (2008), Bill’s great-granddaughter, offspring of his daughter, Linda Markland Frink, who attended Central briefly.

Amanda is amazing in her own right. She majored in athletic training at Central with a minor in biology. In the middle of her college career, she had to take time off to receive a kidney transplant. Since then she has graduated, become a certified athletic trainer, and is finishing her masters of public health at The University of Missouri Columbia. The threads remain strong and true.

Among Bill’s cousins is a highly respected businessman of Fayette, Glenn Collier (1950) and his wife, Betty, who also attended Central for a short time. Glenn is the grandson of the artist Mary Elizabeth Walkup (and owns a piece of her work).

As a Navy sailor in World War II on the U.S. Wasp in the Pacific arena, Glenn’s crew shot down the last Japanese kamikaze plane of the war.

He spent a short time in the insurance industry before he began selling cars. Collier Auto Sales, begun by Glenn’s father in 1937 as Fayette Body and Paint Works, operated for 70 years, giving it the second longest tenure of a business in Fayette, second only to Clatworthy’s Readyto-Wear. Many Fayette and Central people have confidently bought cars from Glenn through the decades. In 2007 Glenn was chosen the Business Leader of the Year for Fayette even though he had retired earlier in the year.

Betty, an accomplished genealogist, volunteers at the Fayette Public Library. Her heritage and that of her husband make genealogy an appropriate avenue for her energy.

The early fabric of Central College/Central Methodist University was woven with strength and purpose by these and other families. We all have an obligation to keep it that way.

Central Methodist University

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Campus news

C W

Creating Healthy Eagles

Wellness at CMU The concept of wellness advocates a balanced approach to life and includes social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, intellectual, occupational, and physical components. The CMU wellness committee was formed in 2009 and is committed to promoting healthy development of the mind, body, and spirit of the members of the Central Methodist University Community through physical exercise, health and fitness awareness, educational programs, and recreational activities.

The Central wellness committee has sponsored several on-campus events for faculty and staff including two open gym events where the community was encouraged to walk during their lunch break. The last open house was held March 17 and showcased all of the exercise facilities on campus.

A Health and Wellness Expo was held in the Student and Community Center for the entire CMU community on March 24. The Expo was organized to bring awareness about different health and wellness services in the Fayette area, and to give different wellness establishments an opportunity to promote their services. Dionne George, Photos from the Wellness Expo, from top: students, faculty, and staff had the opportunity to get their blood sugar levels evaluated; Fayette dentist Dr. Jessica (Grasdorf) Quint ’97 sponsored a dental booth where one of the demonstrations involved the proper way to brush one’s teeth; Dionne George, resident director of Holt Hall, organized the expo for the CMU wellness committee.

the Holt Hall Residence Hall Director, organized the expo that included 23 booths which offered health and wellness information to students, faculty, staff, and members of the Fayette community.

Free health screenings were offered for dental health, blood sugar levels, hearing ability, blood pressure levels, and body fat levels. Healthcare services included physical therapy, massage therapy, cosmetology, and reflexology.

CMU Health and Wellness EXPO booths were staffed by athletic trainers, testing for body fat; nursing students, testing for vision, hearing, blood sugar and blood pressure; campus ministry and counseling center, discussing spiritual wellness, emotional wellness, and suicide prevention; the career center, discussing occupational wellness; and Greek Life, discussing social wellness.

Additional pictures from the event can be seen on the CMU Flickr page at: www.flickr.com/photos/ centralmethodist.

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Central Methodist University

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Campus news

CMU blood drive sets record for units collected The CMU Office of Student Development completed a successful blood drive in March that set a new record for units of blood collected during a CMU blood drive.

Sponsored by the CMU sorority, Sigma Pi Alpha, the blood drive resulted in 69 units of blood being collected, 16 more than the blood drive goal of 53 units—the amount collected during the November blood drive and an all-time high record for CMU, according to Salum Stutzer, CMU associate director of campus life. Several successful blood drives have been held on the CMU campus since December 2008.

Stutzer said the March blood drive included 13 firsttime donors and a total of 82 persons who signed up for the blood drive, though not all donated blood.

“Thanks to everyone who donated blood at The American Red Cross blood drive on March 30, a new school record of 69 pints of blood was collected,” says Deanna Cooper, donor recruitment representative for the Columbia Red Cross office. “Each pint of blood can be divided into three components—red cells, platelets and plasma—giving our [CMU] blood drive the possibility of impacting 207 lives,” she adds. There are more uses for blood than many people may realize. Whole blood often is needed for surgery patients and trauma victims.

A single car accident victim, for example, can require as many as 100 pints of blood. Cancer patients may also need significant amounts of blood during their chemotherapy treatments.

Medical professionals visit

Psyched chicks

On February 23, the annual Medical Professions Career Panel was hosted by Central’s Science Department and alumna Dr. Holly (Toler) Boyer ’94, a member of the CMU Medical Professions Advisory Board. The medical panel consisted of Dr. Jessica (Grasdorf) Quint ’97, DDS; Matthew Morris ’94, MOT, OTR/L (photo, left); Mike Tipton, a new head physical therapist from Peak Performance; and Dr. R.F (Dick) Taylor, veterinarian from Howard County Veterinary Service; as well as Dr. Boyer (photo, below, with students), a physician at Boone Internal Medicine Associates in Columbia, Mo. The panel discussed preparation for and expectations of their individual medical occupations.

Seventy students attended the career panel and many students stayed after the event to talk one-on-one with the participants. The panel was facilitated by Dr. Michael Tilley, CMU assistant professor of biology.

Psychology 345 focuses on the study of classical and operant conditioning, approaches that help explain much of human behavior, particularly behavior that may seem irrational.

Generations of psychology majors dread these studies as difficult and “less than exciting.” This spring, Dr. Elizabeth Gold, assistant professor of psychology, enhanced the course with applications to make the principles more relevant and help students separate behavioral learning from cognition (thinking)—and to have a little fun. The students trained chicks to do tricks by using applied principles such as shaping and chaining and positive reinforcement.

Gold (on left in photo below) had demonstrated her own use of this teaching technique on chickens earlier in the school year at the regularly held Friday Forum.

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Central Methodist University

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Extended Studies

Key appointments made in CGES staff positions Three key appointments have occurred recently with CGES (College of Graduate and Extended Studies) staff.

Stephanie Brink, who has served as coordinator of the CGES Nursing Program since August, has taken on new responsibilities as director of online programs for CGES. Interviews are ongoing to hire an additional person for the CGES staff to assist Brink with the CGES Nursing Program.

Brink earned the degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing from CMU in 2005 and a Master of Science in Nursing from St. Louis University in 2010. Prior to joining the CMU staff last year, she worked as a nurse with the University of Missouri-Columbia health care system.

Brink’s mother, Dr. Shirley Peterson, served for many years as CMU’s director of nursing and, after leaving that post, as associate dean for CGES and advisor for the CGES nursing program before retiring last spring.

Are you looking for a way to get involved?

The Alumni Association needs

YOU! Board members are expected to: • participate in alumni functions • attend three board meetings a year • serve as an advisor to the University • be passionate about Central!

If you would like more information or would like to apply to become a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, visit http://cmalumni.centralmethodist.edu, or contact Tracy Crowe Jones ’94, director of alumni relations, at tjones@centralmethodist.edu or 660-248-6234.

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Spring 2011

Heather Weber was named assistant dean of the Adult Degree Program (ADP) at CMU’s St. Louis Campus in March. She oversees the staff and operations of all programs at the two CMU locations in the St. Louis area.

Weber has been working for CMU in St. Louis since December 2009. She served as the director of student services when the Adult Degree Program (ADP) was launched and helped develop policies and procedures for the new program. The first cohort of 13 students began taking classes in February 2010, and as of this summer, the ADP will have more than 200 students enrolled.

Prior to coming to CMU, Heather worked in admissions, advising and enrollment at a number of colleges and universities, including St. Louis Community College, Johnson County Community College, and the University of Central Missouri. She earned the Master of Arts in Counseling from Truman State University and the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Missouri.

Jeffery Williams has been appointed as the education coordinator for the CMU-Park Hills campus.

He accepted the position after retiring last year from the Farmington R-7 School District, where he was the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Williams served for 25 years in public education as a classroom teacher, school counselor, building administrator and district level administrator.

He earned his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Education Specialist degrees from Southeast Missouri State University.

Central Methodist University

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Extended Studies

CMU and Ozarks Technical College sign agreements The presidents of Central Methodist University and Ozarks Technical Community College signed articulation agreements Dec. 14 establishing partnership programs between the two institutions at the OTC Waynesville Education Center.

CMU opened a regional campus in January on the Waynesville OTC campus in Waynesville, Mo. Dr. Inman and Dr. Higdon signed articulation agreements that formalize the rights and responsibilities of students transferring between the two institutions and enables OTC students to make a seamless transfer into CMU to pursue a four-year degree after completing their first two years of study at OTC. The CMU-Waynesville campus will also accept students transferring from other two- and four-year colleges and universities and will be Dr. Hal Higdon, president of Ozarks Technical Community College, and Dr. open to area residents seeking to complete a fourMarianne Inman, president of Central Methodist University, sign the articulation year degree or to take individual courses in areas agreements in a ceremony in December 2010 for classes to begin this year. of study to be offered. Classes will be held in the evening to accommodate working adults. Semesters will run for eight weeks.

CMU degree programs and courses offered at the Waynesville campus and covered by the articulation agreements include the Bachelor of Science in Business, beginning with the first term in January. Additional degree programs that may be offered later, depending on need, may include the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, the Bachelor of Science in Child Development and the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.

Grant encourages students to attend college Central Methodist University and State Fair Community College have received a joint $99,000 grant from the Missouri Department of Education to implement a program to increase the number of low-income Missourians able to attend and succeed in college.

The one-year grant has provided start-up funds for CMU and SFCC to develop a project called Advantages of College Education (ACE). The project provides college access services to more than 53,000 students and residents throughout SFCC’s service region.

On April 1, ACE conducted a variety of activities designed to help boost college attendance rates and to develop relationships with high school staff members to further the goals of the grant.

Pat Gillman, SFCC College Opportunities director, observes that every community and school district has different needs.

“The focus of this project is to identify those activities which will have the most benefit for each unique community,” she says. “We’ll assess those needs at the beginning of the project and continue to collect data so we can make improvements throughout the year.”

The primary activity provided information on financial aid and completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Advisors were available to help

Spring 2011

individual students, parents, and nontraditional students through workshops at high schools and community centers.

Other activities included: Workshops and assistance for A+ program coordinators and the Adult Basic Education/GED/English as a Second Language program; Creation of a resource library warehouse, an alumni mentor program, and an adult stop-out program to contact students who stopped attending college and provide information to help get them back in school; Stipends for high schools to help pay for meals, transportation, printing, and coordination for students to attend SFCC’s annual College Fair and Career Day; Promotion of college visits and the ACE program; Development of a middle school outreach program to make students and parents aware of the benefits of a college education; and Informational workshops for high school counselors, faculty and A+ coordinators.

SFCC and CMU already provide a 2+2 degree program to students in SFCC’s 14-county service area, which provides a seamless transition for students who want to complete their four-year degrees.

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Extended Studies

CMU-Park Hills Campus holds 20th Commencement Central Methodist University alumnus Lindy LaChance was the keynote speaker May 14 at the Central Methodist University-Park Hills Commencement in the Mineral Area College (MAC) field house. Students from the CMU-Poplar Bluff Campus also took part in commencement ceremonies in Park Hills.

Dr. Marianne E. Inman, president of Central Methodist University, and Dr. Rita Gulstad, CMU vice president and dean, conferred degrees on more than 200 students from the Park Hills and Poplar Bluff CMU campuses. Dr. Steven Kurtz, president of Mineral Area College, was present to give greetings to the graduates.

Central

business, finance, and accounting for CMU at its Park hills campus since 1997.

LaChance was one of the early students in the CMU-Park Hills 2+2 program before completing his degree—a Bachelor of Science in Accounting— on the Fayette campus in 1993. In addition to the CMU program on the Mineral Area College campus, he has also taught on the East Central College campus, and was one of the first instructors to offer online courses to CMU students. LaChance also earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Fontbonne University in St. Louis and is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Missouri.

Top, Lindy LaChance ’93 brings the Commencement address on the 20th anniversary of CMU’s first graduation at MAC.

Methodist University-Park Hills began classes in 1989 on the MAC campus. This year’s commencement marked the 20th anniversary of the first class of students to graduate from the CMU-Park Hills campus.

It was the largest class of graduates in the history of CMU-Park Hills.

LaChance is the CFO of Black River Electric Cooperative in Fredericktown, Mo. He is also chairman of the board of the Missouri Electric Cooperatives Employee Credit Union, which was recently recognized as the toprated credit union in the nation by independent research firm Callahan & Associates. In addition to these duties, LaChance is an adjunct professor of business for Central Methodist University and he has taught courses in

Left and below, snapshots of before, during, and after graduation.

Alumni Book Award established An Alumni Book Award to assist new students enrolled in their first term on the Park Hills campus was announced Friday evening, May 13, at the alumni reception in Farmington. The plan is to provide $150 for books to a new student with financial need. As we go to press, the fund balance is $450, so three students will receive awards in fall 2011.

Funds for the book award will be contributed by alumni of the Park Hills campus to Central Methodist University. The amount contributed in a fiscal year will 30

Spring 2011

determine the number of awards available for the following fiscal year; for example, if alumni contribute a total of $1,500 by June 30, ten students at the MAC campus may receive book awards in their first term at MAC between July 1 and June 30. CMU staff on the MAC campus will manage the award process and write the checks to the bookstore to pay for the award recipients’ books.

If you’d like to contribute, please contact Alan Marshall at 660-248-6260 or agmarsha@centralmethodist. edu.

Central Methodist University

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Extended Studies

MAC 20th anniversary alumni gather at reception CMU alumni who graduated from the Park Hills campus gathered Friday evening, May 13, at Warehouse Bar-B-Q in Farmington. Alumni from the first graduating class in 1991 received a special invitation, and 19 percent of that first class attended.

a degree in business, Dave has also earned an MBA. His wife, Tammy, joked that she found a husband and an education at the Mineral Area campus. Like Dave, Tammy has continued her education, earning master’s and specialist degrees in education.

Brownie Conway ’91 and Sharon House ’91 became lifelong friends while preparing themselves to teach. They now teach in the same school. Melissa Stack Schwarzen ’91 is an early childhood educator and loves it; her 200Left, the guests at the CMU reception enjoyed getting reacquainted and talking about their experiences at MAC and CMU. Below, five of the original MAC students who graduated in 1991 (from left): Melissa Stack Schwarzen, David Henry, Sharon House, Tamara Henry, and Brownie Conway

Alumni Director Tracy Crowe Jones asked each person present to introduce her/himself, give their class year, major, and current occupation. David Henry ’91 began by saying he lived in Ellington, Mo., when he heard the radio announcement that Central Methodist College was coming to Mineral Area to offer baccalaureate degrees. This was welcome news because he was working and could not drive to Cape Girardeau for classes, had they been offered in the evenings. In the 20 years since he graduated with

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mile roundtrip to attend the reception meant she had the longest drive of those in attendance.

Lindy LaChance ’93, an accounting major, is the chief financial officer for Black River Electric Coop and an adjunct professor for CMU. Shanda Arnold ’09 and Barbara Hargiss ’09 earned their degrees in sociology and psychology and Barbara is working on her master’s in counseling.

Clearly, alumni of Central Methodist are making a difference in the world regardless of the campus from which they graduate.

Interact with alumni, current students and other Central folks, Post your own Central photos to the wall, Stay up-to-date with what is happening at Central.

Use a smart device to scan the QR code above.

Spring 2011

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Campus news

CMU noted by business journal Central Methodist University was recognized by the St. Louis Business Journal in March 2011 as having one of the 25 largest college and university alumni groups in the greater St. Louis area. Central ranked 20th in the poll with a total of 4,544 living alumni in St. Louis, St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren, Franklin, Washington, and Jefferson Counties, and the city of St. Louis. Also included were colleges/universities in eight counties of Illinois.

Central’s alumni association was established in 1873, 19 years after the chartering of Central College.

This marks the third year CMU has appeared on the annual list, which is researched and compiled by the Office of Advancement.

Alumni who attended the CMU Alumni Weekend in April had the opportunity to tour, attired in appropriate hard hats, the construction zone that is Classic Hall.

They reminisced about classes held there in earlier days and discussed with R. G. Kirby, director of plan operations (left), the progress toward transforming Classic into a state-of-the-art building. When finished it will house The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art, practice rooms for the full Concert Band and A Cappella Choir, and individual practice rooms for the Swinney Conservatory of Music, which has outgrown its current space.

R Classic enaissanc A e

s

..

.th e next 100 year

For more information contact: Stephanie Lewis 660-248-6397 slewis@centralmethodist.edu Alan Marshall 660-248-6260 agmarsha@centralmethodist.edu Keep track of the transformation of Classic Hall at http://cmuclassichall.wordpress.com 32

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The Battle of Fayette: a small skirmish with large implications

by Cathy Thogmorton, editor

In September of 1864, “Bloody Bill” Anderson led a ragtag gathering of 300 pro-South guerrillas against 50 Union soldiers in a Fayette garrison. When the battle ended, the rebels had suffered nine casualties, five left behind in Fayette. No one in the blockhouse garrison died.

Throughout Missouri, in skirmishes and battles, the state accrued the dubious ranking of third most Civil War battles in any state. As the United States of America approaches the bicentennial of the Civil War, Talon looks back at the Battle of Fayette and its impact on the town and on what is now Central Methodist University.

Missouri held a unique place in the politics of the Civil War. Neither North nor South, it sat on the border of the battle over slavery. It had entered the Union as a slave state in 1821 (only two years before Fayette was incorporated as a town), a compromise in which Kansas was admitted at the same time as a free state—all part of the Missouri Compromise. But the state was also BOTH North and South, with the Mason-Dixon line severing Missouri through the southern counties of the state. Missouri lay in the middle of the conflict, and Fayette lay in the middle of the state.

Hence, in this area, which wore its moniker of “Little Dixie” proudly for more than a century after the Civil War, it was common for family members to fall on separate sides regarding the question of slavery, arguably the primary cause of the war. Here brothers fought brothers and fathers fought sons. It was a bloody, painful time for all; and it took generations for those wounds to heal.

Central College had been chartered, prior to the war, in 1854 in a deal with Howard High School, brokered by

Judge Abiel Leonard (see article p.22), which transferred all property to Central in exchange for the college building a wing onto the Howard High School next door (which has morphed into the current Howard-Payne residence hall). Classes had begun in 1857, even as the storm clouds of discontent were amassing, and the college had already graduated six students when the Civil War began with the attack by Confederate forces on Fort Sumter off the coast of Charleston, S.C., on April 12, 1861. Central College felt the stirrings of conflict begin, and the curators closed its campus--which at the time consisted only of Brannock Hall—in June 1861.

Only two teachers, Professors Anderson and Pritchett, brazenly continued to hold classes well into the conflict. Even they had to stop in 1863 when fighting in the area increased and Federal (Union) troops appropriated Brannock Hall for their own use.

Early photos of Brannock Hall (left, note the different heights of the towers) and Howard Payne Hall, which began its existence as Howard High School, then became Howard Female College before ultimately merging into part of Central College in the 1920s.

r th no ng a lo th e as Gl w go ad Ro

gathered for attack

X

Union Blockhouses

Lucky St.

q

q

Sears-Clark house (1835) 408 N. Church

Swinney Tobacco Co.

X

Thad Jackman shot

First Main ended here

W. Spring St.

q

First Main (now Main St.)

W. Elm St.

W. Davis St.

W. Morrison St.

W. Walnut

This map shows locations of the attack on Fayette. The yellow, green, and brown lines indicate the routes taken by the guerrillas.

They rejoined at the point of attack north of the campus.

The map also includes residences and buildings that were standing at the time in Fayette that are still in use today (with the exception of the Howard County Courthouse, which burned in 1886).

Portraits of all the Howard County courhouses can be seen on the top floor of the current courthouse.

through cemetery to Rocheport

Uriel Wright bldg.

(1828-32)

Second Main (now Church St.)

Water St. (now Linn Ave.)

Boone-Watts-Carson house (1834) 404 N. Church

Black man wearing blue shot

X

Shepard Davis house (1826) 208 S. Main

q

Crews house (1830-40) 310 S. Main

q

William “Bloody Bill” Anderson Photo courtesy of the Missouri State Archives

During the war Brannock Hall served as a garrison for Union forces. Stories remain that the soldiers housed their horses on the main floor and quartered themselves on the second and third floors.

Fayette was often visited by Southern sympathizers—guerrilla fighters or “bush-whackers,” as they were known. An article from the Central Collegian newspaper, dated Nov. 16, 1931, details a memory from Henry S. Pritchett, the son of the Rev. Carr Waller Pritchett, one of the intrepid teachers in Brannock who refused to bow to the war. Henry Pritchett writes of moving into town with his mother and siblings in 1864 or 65 for safety during increasing “bush-whacking” excursions against Fayette.

These guerrillas operated between the lines of the armies and, according to Pritchett, robbed indiscriminately.

“Whenever General [Sterling] Price got the better of the Union troops,” Pritchett relates, “the bands, under the leadership of [William] Quantrell and Bill Anderson, were very much to the fore even in Fayette. I remember with great distinctness watching one of these gentlemen try to ride his horse up the college steps, and when he did not succeed, he drew his revolver and fired several shots into the open door.”

[Note: Quantrell is also spelled Quantrill,

depending on the source.]

The Battle of Fayette itself was apparently conceived

by Quantrell’s partner in arms, “Bloody” Bill Anderson.

Quantrell supposedly disagreed with Anderson’s plan to attack the Union garrison in Fayette, but Anderson would not be deterred. It is believed that Quantrell actually attended the raid but stayed near Howard High School instead of participating.

Dr. Robert Wiegers, CMU professor of history, sets the stage for the attack that followed: “The Battle of Fayette began as a raid but turned into a battle. The main purpose was to draw Union forces away from campaigns in the east by seizing Fayette when the local Union garrison was patrolling to the north. By 1864, Fayette was a town of several thousand but was much reduced in population due to years of partisan fighting in the Boonslick.

“On this September [day], the temperature was likely in the high 90s, humid and rainless. Confederate guerillas disguised in Union blue slowly clattered up the dirt surface . . . Clouds of dust may have obscured the true purpose of the counterfeit Union column as it neared the Courthouse until a shot rang out and mayhem followed.”

According to a first-hand account of the battle by a Fayette man, a Southern sympathizer named Hamp Watts who took part in the attack, the men came into to Fayette from the south, via the Rocheport Road. The troops rode past the city cemetery and up First Main Street (the current Main St.) as far as the south edge of the courthouse square.

Watts’ record indicates that apparently the bushwhackers were more into fighting than discipline, since one guerrilla had shot at a Black man at the corner of First Main and Walnut because he was wearing “Yankee Blue.”

The early shot, against direct orders, warned people in Fayette of the impending attack and allowed those around the square to take shelter in the courthouse, where they could take pot-shots at Anderson and his men.

The rebels split forces at the square.

One segment proceeded up First Main, past the college to the north edge of town, the town itself ending just north of Brannock Hall. A second section of troops moved up Second Main Street (now Church St./Hwy. 5), while yet a third group followed Water Street (now Linn St.) north to the area of the current Lucky Street.

It would seem they were making

a show of the entrance, as little fighting ensued until the three segments reunited at a heavily wooded ravine believed by many to be in the area behind the current McMurry Hall.

Thus far, their progress had not been challenged, although Watts relates that Union Private John Patton shot and killed a horse out from under one guerrilla near the courthouse and that another Union soldier shot and killed rebel Thad Jackman at the site of the Swinney Tobacco Factory, which occupied the space where Swinney Conservatory of Music now stands.

Enraged by that act, the rebel forces raced to attack one or more blockhouses that sat approximately where the Mabee Recreation Center now sits. Anderson ordered a frontal attack by 75 of his men over roughly 100 yards of open field. Although some of them made it to the cabins, which they attempted to set on fire, the attack failed.

Three times they attacked, each time with less success.

Anderson finally called for a retreat.

Frustrated and angry, the bush-whackers stormed the town, stealing what they could from the locals and then raging out of the town toward Glasgow. They had suffered multiple casualties and hauled the dead and wounded they

could recover in the backs of stolen wagons. According to Watts’ recounting, they left behind a final bit of arrogance, a young Union soldier, Pvt. Tom Benton, whom they had shot in the back, scalped, and tied to a fence under a sign that read “This is how we do business.”

A week later Quantrell and Anderson led their guerrillas north and assuaged their frustration of defeat by burning the town of Centralia to the ground.

Dr. Wiegers explaines the power of the loss. “The major result of the Battle of Fayette,” he says, “was the following Centralia Massacre, a crime perpetrated in part out of the need to avenge the Fayette fiasco as much as for the opportunity to strike back at the Union. But the town

The Stephens Museum has ammunition and weaponry from the Civil War, as well as two Confederate caps and other artifacts. Noted Central Professor T. Berry Smith, for whom the building is named, wrote a poem about the Battle of Fayette.

Left, a first-hand account of the Battle of Fayette, written by guerrilla participant Hamp Watts, was published by the Fayette Democrat-Leader in 1913.

At that time Watts was 65, making him 16-years-old when the incident occurred in 1864. His account is titled The Babe of the Company, an Unfolded Leaf from the Forest of Never To-Be-Forgotten Years. Watts admitted the attack was foolhardy and describes the initial attack: “Not one of the enemy could be seen, but the muzzles of muskets protruded from every port-hole, belching fire and lead at the charging guerrillas.” Guerrilla Frank James is reported to have said of the battle, “[T]his was the most scary, as well as the most dangerous, place I have any recollection of ever being in.”

The Fayette City Cemetery maintains a marker for the Confederate guerrillas who fell in the Battle of Fayette. Two graves are also there, and markers for three other soldiers.

and college might have suffered in like fashion had the guerrillas won that September morn.

“Historians love the ‘what ifs’ of history,” Wiegers notes.

“What if the guerrillas had succeeded in taking the Union garrison and won control of Fayette? What might the fate of the county seat, the college, the future of Fayette be like today?

“We know successful guerrilla raids typically meant the banks were robbed and prominent citizens intimidated, or worse if they were Union men. Economically, the

town of Fayette would have suffered a great loss in stolen cash, have had citizens robbed or killed and business establishments sacked and potentially burnt to the ground.

“The college may have suffered as severely, or even worse than the town,” Wiegers continues. “Take as a guideline the Union treatment of Central’s Brannock Hall—which they used merely as a barracks, yet they trashed. The guerrillas, had they battled into the building, might have burned it in spite, just because of the Union occupation. A destroyed Brannock might well have meant an end to Central College in 1864. At the least, it may have delayed a resumption of college activities in the near future.

“The Fayette Courthouse was defended by Union men who put up a successful defense. But if it had been seized, the destruction or demolition might have been catastrophic for Fayette. In a postwar Mid-Missouri, the county seat might have been moved to Glasgow with its river access, which would have reduced Fayette to a market town, devoid of county government.”

“Considering the ‘what ifs’ of history,” Weigers concludes, “Central College and Fayette dodged the greatest threat to their collective history by surviving the Battle of Fayette in 1864.”

Editor’s Note: As sometimes occurs in the heat of battle, facts get muddled and passed on as truth. There are inconsistencies in the information available on The Battle of Fayette, not the least of which is the date. According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the battle occurred on Saturday, Sept. 24, 1864. However, according to the first-hand account by Hamp Watts, the date was Sept. 20, a Tuesday. The United Daughters of the Confederacy, who established monuments in both Fayette and Higginsville honoring the Confederate soldiers who died in The Battle of Fayette, also date the battle on the 20th. The Talon simply shares the information available and makes no judgment on the accuracy of the various sources. The ambiguity seems to fit very well with the muddied posiiton of Missouri during the time of the Civil War. The Talon expresses appreciation to Travis Young’ 01, Fayette historian William Lay, and Dr. Bob Wiegers for their research and compilation of information which made this article possible.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has established a marker detailing the Battle of Fayette, which sits on Inman Plaza between the Student and Community Center and T. Berry Smith Hall (shown in photo, left)

Campus news

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Dr. Barbara Hamel, dean of CMU’s Swinney Conservatory of Music, has announced that the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) Commission on Accreditation has notified Central Methodist University that it has continued CMU’s long-standing accreditation as a higher education school of music.

“This is wonderful news to share,” Hamel says.

“We’ve been notified that the NASM Commission on Accreditation voted to continue CMU in good standing.

Our next full review will be in the 2019-2020 academic year.” Ten years is the maximum period for which accreditation can be granted.

Hamel observes that the accreditation process is a thorough and lengthy undertaking. “We started writing our self-study two years ago and submitted it to NASM in February 2010,” she says. Hamel was the primary author of the self-study with input from all full-time faculty. Dr. Ron Shroyer, now retired, was serving as dean of the conservatory during the self-study and the visit and wrote a substantial portion of the optional response, she noted.

A visiting team of reviewers came to campus last April to observe classes and lessons, conduct interviews, and tour Swinney Conservatory facilities. At its November meeting the NASM Commission formally voted to approve CMU’s continued accreditation.

“The Swinney Conservatory of Music has been a member of NASM since 1950,” Hamel notes. “We are excited to

continue this tradition of excellence.” Central Methodist University has an excellent reputation in music education.

The CMU Band was organized in January 1910. Twentyone students, under the direction of fellow students R.W. Carroll and N.W. Brickey, prepared selections for a concert tour through Missouri in March 1912. The band continued under student leadership until World War I. Following establishment of the Swinney Conservatory of Music at CMU in 1925, leadership of the band was formally placed under the direction of music faculty.

Professor Skip Vandelicht is CMU’s current director of bands.

The A Cappella Choir was formed in 1932 and began giving fall concert tours in 1933. The CMU Chorale is one of four choirs—Jazz Choir, Chorale, Conservatory Singers, and the combined group, the A Cappella Choir—within the music program of the Swinney Conservatory of Music at CMU. Dr. Claude Westfall is CMU’s current director of choral activities.

The Central Methodist University Alumni Band was started by the late Keith House, who was hired as director of bands in 1972. He was appointed dean of the Swinney Conservatory of Music in 1984, a post he held until he retired in 1995. Although House died in August of 2005 at the age of 79, the Alumni Band Concert continues to be an extremely popular annual event at CMU. This year’s Alumni Band Concert is slated for June 18.

Music students win scholarships

Scene shop helps PET projects

Each summer the jazz organization We Always Swing, a not-for-profit in Columbia, provides scholarships for promising young jazz musicians to summer jazz camps.

The development of and increase in instrumental and vocal jazz groups on the CMU Fayette campus has encouraged several students to apply for scholarships.

Ryan McClouth, adjunct professor of music, says We Always Swing provides about five scholarships each summer.

“The application entails a form and an audition tape of students improvising,” he says. “Students are then judged based on their audition and interest level.”

The scholarships cover nearly the full amount of a summer jazz camp hosted by either Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri–Kansas City or by Jamie Abersold in Kentucky, both leading jazz pedagogues and advocates.

Camps generally last a week and are loaded with theory classes, jazz musicology classes, ensemble tutoring and rehearsals, and master classes, each led by a leading jazz performer or pedagogue.

Last summer two of Central’s students were granted scholarships: Pearse Hutson, most commonly seen on the piano or in the percussion section; and Johnathan Daniels, a trombonist. Both perform with the CMU Swift Kicks and Hot Licks T-Berry Basement Band, directed by Skip Vandelicht, director of bands at CMU.

The scene shop of The Little Theatre has been assisting the United Methodist PET project, based in Columbia, Mo. The project is best known for building and shipping PETs, or Personal Energy Transportation devices, that assist people with disabilities--primarily in third world countries--that prevent them from freely moving about.

In addition to building PETs, the church and community organization ships donated sewing machines to women worldwide to enable them to make clothing for their families and also to make clothing items to sell.

The scene shop this year has used scrap plywood from sets to build shipping boxes for these sewing machines.

Sophomore Dalton Henry (photo, left), a member of The Little Theatre’s scene shop, with a stack of shipping boxes headed to Columbia, built from specifications and a prototype sent them from PET.

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Campus news

Pirates steal the stage at Opera Fest For its winter opera offering this year, Swinney Conservatory of Music presented three performances of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance in February in the CMU Little Theatre. Each spring the CMU Opera Workshop offers up opera performed by faculty and students of The Con. The Pirates of Penzance (aka, The Slave of Duty) was created by the kings of comic opera, Gilbert and Sullivan.

The opera’s official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City in December of 1879, Gilbert and Sullivan’s fifth collaboration for stage productions.

The story centers on Frederic, who, having completed his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He meets Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley, and the two young people fall in love. Frederic, however, discovers that he was born on Feb. 29, and so technically only has a birthday each leap year. As his apprenticeship rules state that he will remain apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday, technically he

Thomas Arnold ’79, CMU adjunct professor of voice, performed the role of the Major-General.

Featured in small select scenes were CMU students Hannah Swoboda, Danielle Perez, Brittany Losh, Kristen Jennerjohn, and Michael O’Neill.

Joining the cast for the large ensemble numbers were 17 CMU students.

The operetta was directed by Dr. Susan QuigleyDuggan, CMU assistant professor of music. Kelley Head ’81, CMU adjunct professor of music, accompanied on piano, with additional instrumental accompaniment provided by Dr. Ron Shroyer, adjunct professor of music and retired dean of the Conservatory; Jo Ellen Shroyer ’79, adjunct professor of music; Ted Spayde ’70; Dr. Dori Waggoner ’92, assistant professor of music; Dr. John Perkins, associate professor of music; and CMU students Joslyn West, Josh Hall, Deborah Litwiller, and Janie Delcour.

must serve for another 63 years! And so the madcap romp begins.

Featured performers in The Pirates of Penzance were students Lacey Eaton, a senior from Fayette, singing the role of Mabel; Alex Kirby, a sophomore from Columbia, as Frederic; Dane Johnson, a freshman from Columbia, as the Sergeant of Police; Aubrey Taylor, a freshman from Columbia, as Ruth; and Khobic Johnson, a junior from Waynesville, as the Pirate King.

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Service Day

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April 14, 2011

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Campus news

MMEA gathers CMU alumni Every January Central hosts a shops, serving on MMEA reception for all alumni who atcommittees, and directtend the Missouri Music Educators ing their school bands Association (MMEA) annual meetand choirs for the highly ing. The conference is held at Tanselective concert events Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, Mo., interspersed throughout and CMU hosts an open house on the conference. Central the Thursday evening of the conMethodist is also very ference. The field of music educavisible among the leadertion is a long-standing strength at ship of MMEA. Several Central Methodist. MMEA, besides alumni serve as district being a beneficial learning event presidents and hold The All-Collegiate Choir at MMEA included these eight CMU students (left to right): Michael O’Neill, Hannah Swoboda, Khobic for educators and music students, committee positions, Johnson, Calley Rogers, (conductor Dr. Richards Sparks), Rebecca has also become a mini-reunion for including President-Elect Shroyer, Alex Kirby, Kristen Jennerjohn, and Dane Johnson.

Central alumni. It’s nearly imposKevin Lines ’86. The sible to walk the lengths of the halls reception is a great time without running into someone who attended Central or is for old friends to catch up with each other, for alumni to a current student attending as a student member of MENC: meet students who will soon be joining them in the field of The National Association for Music Education (known as music education, and to pause for a moment to enjoy being Music Educators National Conference 1934-98). During the part of the Central Methodist family. multi-day event many of our alumni are leading work-

American Recital held by music fraternities The Theta Omicron Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota and the Beta Mu Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha at CMU presented their American Music Recital in April. The program featured a mixture of vocal and instrumental solos, duets, and small and large ensembles, with selections performed by members of both fraternities and Conservatory faculty and staff. All music in this annual recital is composed or arranged by Americans.

The recital included compositions by Duke Ellington, Scott Joplin, Kurt Weill, Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, Lalo Schifrin, Leonard Bernstein, and CMU Student Brian Thode, plus an Appalachian Folk Song arranged by former Dean of Swinney Conservatory Ron Shroyer.

In addition to honoring their American roots, the recital supports the fraternities’ goals to advance music in the local communities and America at large.

At a reception following the recital, members of Sigma Alpha Iota held an “Autograph Auction” of such great names as Peyton Manning, Tony Romo, Charlie Daniels, Betty White, Gloriana, Debbie Reynolds and others.

Photos, from top: retired Dean of the Conservatory, Dr. Ron Shroyer, performed a clarinet duet with his daughter, freshman Rebecca; Aubrey Taylor and Lacey Eaton prepare to purr their way through “We are Women” from Candide; the full chorus of SAI and Phi Mu Alpha members, conducted by Jessica Dean, perform “The Awakening” by Joseph Martin.

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Campus news

Chott comes home to teach workshop Acclaimed film and television actor and comedian, Bill Chott ’91 (photo, left) was on campus April 25-27 to direct improv-comedy workshops for Central students. He conducted a two-day improv acting workshop, followed by a student performance for the public on the third evening in the Little Theatre.

CMU’s Cultural Affairs

Committee and Student Government Association jointly sponsored his appearance.

Students attending the workshop learned the important skills of improv, including listening and mutual support.

Among his many acting involvements, Chott currently plays Mr. Laritate in Disney’s television series “Wizards of Waverly Place” and teaches improv in Los Angeles. He has written and performed on “The Dana Carvey Show” and on “Saturday Night Live” and in skits with Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell.

Chott trained in Chicago at The Second City and ImprovOlympic and worked with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Horatio Sanz, among others, while there. He helped found both The Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater and The Improv Olympic West.

Chott teaches adults, children, and corporate employees, and he donates his time and energy to important causes like Special Olympics. In the 2005 movie The Ringer with Johnny Knoxville, he portrayed Special Olympian Thomas. Chott has also appeared in movies, including Galaxy Quest and Dude, Where’s My Car? and on the television series “Third Rock from the Sun,” “Freaks and Geeks,” CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” and “ER.” He is a founding member of “Opening Night: The Improvised Musical” and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with “Baby Wants Candy.” He was in the very first “Armando Show” in Chicago and the first “A.S.S.S.C.A.T.” in New York.

He has taught improv classes several times at Central in the last several years.

For more information about Bill Chott, his career, his experience and personal life, check out his blog: All Things Bill Chott.

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In one exercise, Chott leads students in building images and then naming them. He encouraged students to think outside the box and support each other. Here, one person strikes a pose, a second joins and freezes. Then the taglines fly!

Next, the first person thanks the second and leaves, while a new member comes in and supports the pose of the person still frozen.

Read The Talon Online!

Log on to the CMU Eagle Connection at: http://cmalumni.centralmethodist.edu Check the “I’d like to receive the Talon online” box under the “Home Contact Information” tab in your account.

After choosing this option, you will receive an email notification when the Talon is available.

For more information contact: Tracy Crowe Jones ‘94 , director of alumni relations, at 660-248-6234 or email tjones@centralmethodist.edu.

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Campus news

Concert Band tours central and eastern Missouri

The Central Methodist University Concert Band (above) began its annual tour March 10 and played fourteen concerts over a six-day period. The tour included visits to high schools and churches in central and eastern Missouri. This year marked the 85th Annual Tour for the band.

Skip Vandelicht (photo, inset), CMU assistant professor of music and director of bands, directed the 70-plus member band. The band played at Moberly HS, Macon HS, St. Stephen UMC in Troy, Mexico HS, Paris HS, St. Andrew UMC in Florissant, First UMC in St. Charles, Charleston UMC, Farmington HS, Festus HS, Salem-in-Ladue UMC, Fayette HS, and Fulton HS. The CMU Concert Band repertoire included “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite” by K.L. King, “Andrea Chenier” by Umberto Giordano (arranged by Andrew Glover), “Mannin Veen” by Haydn Wood, “Grandchildren” by Ronald Shroyer, “Emperata Overture” by Claude T. Smith, “American Faces” by David R. Holsinger, “Mother Earth Fanfare”

by David Maslanka, and “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa.

The band performed its annual home concert March 27 and another on April 30. Soloists during the April concert included CMU Associate Professor of Music John Perkins on trumpet, students Donald Heaton and Rebecca Shroyer in a clarinet duet, and voice student Lacey Eaton, soprano. The CMU drumline gave a pre-concert performance.

Joint concerts jazz up campus The CMU Jazz Band and Jazz Choirs presented a joint concert to end first semester, then teamed up again in April for an end-of-year send-off.

The Jazz Band, under the direction of CMU Director of Bands Skip Vanderlicht, is known by the whimsical name “The CMU Swift Kicks and Hot Licks T-Berry Basement Band.” The 23-piece band performed a number of popular jazz compositions first semester that included “How High the Moon,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “Count Bubba.”

Second semester the repertoire included “That Old Black Magic,” “Satin Doll, “Better Get Hit in Your Soul,” and “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To,” among others.

The Jazz Choir, under the direction of Dr. Claude Westfall, director of choral activities, presented a winter musical program that included “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Georgia” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” and in the spring, “In the Still of the Night,” “It Had to be You,” and “76 Trombones.” The members sang those songs and other standards for the alumni who gathered in reunion in April (see photo p. 12).

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Campus news

Annual Music Fest an alumni draw Seventy-five school bands, choirs and other musical Dustin McKinney ’08, East Buchanan MS; ensembles and soloists participated March 4 in the annual Vanessa Edwards Miner ’92, Fayette; Central Methodist University Music Festival on campus.

Josh Myers ’02, Fayette; Music directors from the 53 schools, representing Chuck Moore ’91, Fulton; 48 communities, guided apJ. West ’00, Hallsville; proximately 2,500 high school, Melissa Duren ’96, junior high, and middle school Harrisburg; students in juried performances.

Melissa Wincek ’10, In addition to the large groups, Keytesville; competitors included small Jennifer Carr ’04, Kingsville; instrumental and vocal groups, Todd Oberlin ’07, as well as soloists. Each presentaMoberly HS; tion received a rating from one to Amanda Reed ’10, five, with one being the highMoberly MS; est. Students were also advised Jamie Bishop ’87, Renick; and encouraged in their musical Bridgett Randolph ’97, pursuits. Professional musicians Smithton MS, Todd Oberlin ’07 conducts his Moberly High School choir. and music educators judged the Columbia; and performances.

Cyndee Cavole ’01, Performance locations were spread across the Central

Waynesville MS. campus. This year marked the 33rd anniversary of CMU’s In addition, a number of alumni musicians, some from Music Festival, which is run by the Swinney Conservatory the CMU faculty, added their expertise to the day by servof Music. ing as judges, including Larry Bennett ’69, David Goodwin More than a dozen alumni were welcomed back with ’79, Ginger (Knierim) Royston ’71, Kelley Head ’81, Lynn their students to compete in the Music Fest: (Seward) Fryer ’83, Loyd Warden ’06, Kevin Lines ’86, and Cheryl Lines ’87, Bueker MS, Marshall; Scott Kuhlman ’95.

Rose Wilburn ’00, Community R-VI, Ladonnia;

A Cappella Choir presents concerts The A Cappella Choir presented two concerts this semester for students and the public.

In March, the first concert featured an array of music, including “Ave Maria” by Franz Biebl, “Come Sweet Death” by J.S. Bach, “Dies Irae” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the traditional “Beautiful Savior” by F.M. Christiansen. In addition to the full choir, the men and women of the choir each performed several numbers.

In May, just prior to commencement, the full A Cappella Choir performed Mozart’s Requiem. Featured soloists were CMU Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Susan Quigley-Duggan; Adjunct Professor of Music Thomas Arnold ’79; Assistant Professor of Music Ron Atteberry; and guest artist Dr. Ruth Robertson, who teaches voice at Lincoln University and privately.

This year marks the 78th anniversary of the establishment of the A Cappella Choir.

The performances were conducted by Claude Westfall, CMU assistant professor of music and director of choral activities, along with Ron Atteberry, assistant professor of music, and students. Adjunct Professor of Music Kelley Head and CMU music student Pearse Hutson accompanied on piano.

The 93-member CMU A Cappella Choir is one of the cornerstones of the Swinney Conservatory of Music. It was organized by Professor Luther T. Spayde in the fall of 1932 when 55 students, faculty and townspeople expressed

Spring 2011

a desire to sing in a choir for church services. Claude Westfall became the eighth director of the choir and of choral activities in 2008.

The Church Street Boys, the latest offering from the Swinney Conservatory vocal department, make their inaugural foray into music performance on the steps of the Cox Rotunda in the Student and Community Center in April. They sing everything from spirituals to contemporary songs and were well received by the lunch crowds.

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Bingham: a special exhibition The year 2011 marks the 200th birthday of one of the great artists in American art, George Caleb Bingham. To honor this special occasion, The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art on the Fayette campus of CMU has partnered with The Friends of Arrow Rock to bring an exciting exhibition to mid-Missouri. The exhibition, titled Bingham in the Boonslick: A Bicentennial Celebration, boasts more than 30 works by Bingham, including several pieces that have not been in a gallery show before; plus a smaller exhibit of works by one of his students, William Morrison Hughes of Fayette.

George Caleb Bingham was born on March 20, 1811, in Virginia. In 1819, his family decided to move west, and they settled in the Boonslick area of Missouri, the Boonslick area being Saline, Howard, and Cooper counties. Bingham found his passion for art at a young age and began honing his skills. In 1833, he began painting portraits and decided he could make a living as an artist. Throughout his life, Bingham painted approximately

Frederick Moss Prewitt, 1834/1835

by George Caleb Bingham (1811–1879) Oil on Canvas 26 ½ x 22 ¼ inches On extended loan to The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art from the Prewitt Family (Susie Koonse Fiegel, Christie E. Koonse, Julie Koonse Sturm, Randy K. Koonse, Steven K. Koonse, Candace E. Koonse)

1,000 works, ranging from portraits to genre paintings.

Bingham in the Boonslick: A Bicentennial Celebration opened on April 2 at the Arrow Rock State Historic Site Visitors Center where it will remain until July 30. The exhibition will then move to The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art where it will be open from August 14 to October 30.

In addition, a special exhibition catalogue was created for this anniversary show that includes color photographs of all the pieces in both the Arrow Rock and Fayette exhibitions and a full biography of Bingham. Catalogs may be purchased for $10 at either location.

Mrs. Robert Aull (Matilda Donohoe), 1837

by George Caleb Bingham (1811–1879) Oil on Canvas 26 ½ x 22 ½ inches On loan to The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art from J. Y. (‘66) and Mary E. (Henderson) Miller (’70)

Mrs. George Caleb Bingham (Sarah Elizabeth Hutchinson) and son Newton, 1842

by George Caleb Bingham (1811–1879) Oil on Canvas 25 x 28 ½ inches Catalogue photograph courtesy of Sotheby’s, Inc. ©2010 On loan to The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art for this exhibition

by Dr. Robert Doroghazi

Lithograph of The Emigration of Daniel Boone, or Daniel Boone Escorting a Band of Pioneers into the Western Country Painted by George Caleb Bingham (1811−1879), 1851 Lithographed in 1852 by Claude Régnier in Paris, France, and printed there by Lemercier; published by Goupil & Co., New York and Paris 22 x 26 inches Collection of Friends of Arrow Rock, Inc., Arrow Rock, Missouri

Planning on visiting the Gallery? Be sure to bring a smart device!

QR codes, like the one to the right, can be found scattered throughout the gallery. If you are interested in knowing more about a particular piece, open the QR code reader on your smart device, scan the code and the audio will load. Most clips are between three and five minutes in length.

The Funky Box on the Right

The square image to the right is called a quick response code - QR code for short. If you have a smart device (iPhone, iPod touch, Droid, Blackberry, etc.) with a QR code reader, scan the code and it will take you directly to a specific website. This code will take you to The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art website. You can download a free QR code reader online using the application store on your device.

This technology was first utilized in The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art during the March 2011 show.

Campus news

Saints and fairytales at the Ashby-Hodge in combination with original poetry or lyrics,” she exThe spring exhibition at The Ashby-Hodge Gallery plains in an artist’s statement. of American Art was “Saints and Fairytales: Neo-Surreal Saults’ work has been displayed at numerous venNarrative Constructions by Lynn Graznak Saults.” ues, including the July 2009, Saults is a fiber artist from “Demented Little Rabbits” Columbia, Mo., who crafts duo show with Fran Lakatos at surreal and satirically humorCranky Yellow, St. Louis; Flax ous pieces using sewing and Gallery at Art Dimensions, St. knitting and other skills. Her Louis; Koken Art Factory, St. three-dimensional works often Louis; Tangent Gallery, Detroit, have explicit written elements Mich.; the November 2009, or “lyrics.”

“Danse Macabre III” in London “I am currently exploring and Nottingham, England; and making art from the collision numerous other shows, inof disparate, even opposing cluding several hosted by the elements: fiber, knitting, weavColumbia Art League. ing, spinning, stitchery, several Also featured were kinds of felting, printing [of] Mermaid Rabbit, a mixed media sculpture “Highlights of the Collection à la original photos on silks, beading by artist Lynn Graznak Saults Yancey.” and various sorts of construction

Plein air inside the gallery Billyo O’Donnell grew up on a Missouri farm about 70 miles west of Saint Louis. One of nine children, he spent his boyhood roaming the forests and streams, fishing, hunting, and creating art in the vast fields and forests surrounding him. It has proven good fodder for his adult life as an artist.

Today, O’Donnell is recognized as one of America’s leading plein air landscape artists, painting outside, using natural light. In 2001 O’Donnell began a project that would define his life for the next seven years. He painted a scene in each county of Missouri plus Saint Louis. The result was 115 paintings that will be showcased in The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art as the summer show. In addition, a book was designed around the paintings, Painting Missouri authored by Karen Glines.

The exhibition is titled “Painting Missouri (Plein Air Paintings Representing 114 Counties in Missouri).” The show runs June 12 - July 21, 2001, with a reception for the artist on Sun., June 12, 1:30-4:30. At 2 p.m. that day, O’Donnell will give a gallery talk. Both he and Glines will be available all after-

noon to sign copies of their book, which was awarded the Governor’s Book Award in 2009.

Among his many honors, O’Donnell was included in a traveling exhibit and book, Sea to Shining Sea, comprised of 50 of America’s top landscape painters.

He has artwork in galleries across the United States and is a member of the St. Louis Artists’ Guild Board of Directors, the California Art Club, the National Oil and Acrylic Association, and the Missouri Citizens for the Arts Board.

O’Donnell also encourages others to go out in plein air to try their hand at painting and to experience the work of other artists. He founded the project “Artists Along the Katy Trail” and organized the Forest Park Paint Out. Beginning June 13, summer hours at the gallery will be Tues.-Thurs., 1:30-4:30 p.m.; it will be closed weekends.

Counties from the collection shown here are Ray (at top), Saint Louis (right), and Gentry (left).

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Fleer lecturer Meisel sets stage for service Wayne Meisel, director of faith and service at the Cousins Foundation in Atlanta, Ga., presented the The 2011 Gilbert and Ruth Fleer Lecture for Excellence in Values-Based Education April 12 on the Fayette campus.In his presentation, Meisel spoke on “Why Serve? Why Now?” Meisel marks the third person to deliver the Fleer Lecture, which was established in 2009 in honor of alumni Gilbert and Ruth Fleer of Bentonville, Ark. Prior to assuming his current position, Meisel served as president of The Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation, which supports scholarships for low-income students at 22 schools in the Southeast and Midwest through the Bonner Scholars Program. In return, each scholarship recipient performs 600 hours of community service a year.

Meisel graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University. He was a John Harvard Scholar for the highest academic achievement and was awarded a John Finley Traveling Fellowship. With this fellowship Meisel walked from Maine to Washington to champion student and campus involvement in community service.

As founder of the internationally known Campus Outreach Opportunity League (COOL), Meisel created a platform for students and graduates to lead, sustain, and challenge their peers to serve others and bring about positive change. Working with COOL from 1983 to 1989, he set the tone for youth-run/youth-led organizations.

His efforts brought about coalitions between and among individuals, campuses, local communities, and all levels of government that today are actively engaged in program conduct and policy implementation.

For his activism and leadership, Meisel is the recipient of a Lyndhurst Career Prize, an award given out by the Lyndhurst Foundation of Chattanooga, Ten. Also, he was previously named by Time Magazine as one of the “Top 40 Under 40” leaders in the nation.

Meisel has served on the National Boards of Directors of the Independent Sector, COOL, and The New Grange School, a nationally acclaimed school for youths with learning disabilities. He was also a founding board member of the President’s Commission on National and Community Service and Teach for America. He is the author of two books, Building a Movement: Students in Community Service and On Your Mark, Get Set, Go: From Student Ideas to Campus Action. He has also edited two books of quotes: Men About Men and Light One Candle.

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Gilbert Fleer ’55 earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Central Methodist; a bachelor of divinity degree from Drew University School of Theology, Madison, N.J.; and a master’s and an educational doctorate, both in guidance and counseling, from Texas A & M University. He was an assistant professor of religion at CMU from 1959 to 1965 and is now retired as a social science professor from Western Texas College and as a United Methodist counselor. Ruth Fleer ’58 attended CMU and later earned her bachelor of science degree from Texas A & M University and master of education degree from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. The Fleers attended this year’s lecture.

“We were extremely pleased to announce the establishment of the Fleer Lecture and to mark its inaugural presentation in April of 2009,” said CMU President Dr. Marianne Inman. “Gil and Ruth Fleer had a vision to enhance the spirit of excellence at Central Methodist University. Their passion for their alma mater where they

Meisel had students list ways they saw themselves improving the world and stick the ideas to the wall.

met, their strong support for leadership development, and their commitment to opportunities for future generations of students, led them to make gifts to the University celebrating the Central experience. This enabled Central Methodist to establish the Gilbert and Ruth Fleer Fund for Excellence in Values-Based Education.”

Students go to leadership forum Three student leaders at Central Methodist University were invited to attend this year’s Governor’s annual Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values in Jefferson City. Graduating senior Otonye Jack, sophomore Travis Brobst, and freshman Liz Hanes visited with Gov. Jay Nixon and listened to him, Carolyn Mahoney, president of Lincoln University, and Mel Tjeerdsma, football coach at Northwest Missouri State University.

The three students were selected by campus administrators at Central for their qualities of leadership and responsibility.

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Campus news

“The play’s

Romeo and Juliet

The Central Methodist University Little Theatre presented Shakespeare’s classic play “ Romeo and Juliet” in February.

In the classic tale of the Montague-Capulet feud, fighting erupts and the families ultimately implode when their children, Romeo and Juliet, fall in love against the historical wishes and traditions of their feuding families.

Performing the two key roles were CMU students Joshua Kirby, a senior theatre major from Armstrong, Mo., as Romeo, and Kate Kellner, a sophomore English major from Strafford, Mo., as Juliet.

Other student performers included Cliff McComb, Jordan Brennan, Roger Weaver, Daniel Primm, Molly Blackford, Brenna Wheeler, Abby Bostic, Caleb McComb, Cameron Yates, Darrell Bailey, KaeLeigh Brown, and Kelsey Jeffries.

Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to antiquity. Its plot was based on an Italian tale, translated into verse as The Tragical History

of Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke in 1562 and retold in prose in Palace of Pleasure by William Painter in 1582.

Shakespeare borrowed heavily from both, but to expand the plot he developed supporting characters, particularly Mercutio and Paris. The play is believed to have been written by Shakespeare between 1591 and 1595.

Howard County residents and the CMU campus community were invited to attend the play one night as guests of the university as part of Howard County Cultural Night, which also included a tour of The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art. The play was produced in association with McDonald’s Restaurant. CMU Assistant Professor of Theatre and Director of the Little Theatre Mark Kelty directed the play; Shamika Pegue, a sophomore biology major was assistant director; Ivan Chagas from UMKC designed the set; and Chuck Thompson, CMU adjunct professor of theatre, served as technical director.

Top row, from left: “Tell me, daughter Juliet, How stands your disposition to be married?”

“Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take.

Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.”

Bottom row: “No, ‘tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but ‘tis enough,’twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man.”

“Death, that hath suck’d the honey of thy breath, Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty: Thou art not conquer’d; beauty’s ensign yet Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, And death’s pale flag is not advanced there.”

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the thing”

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Central’s Little Theatre presented in April, as its last offering of the school year, the Tony award-winning musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The play is a one-act musical comedy conceived by Rebecca Feldman with music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin and additional material by Jay Reiss. In this comedy, six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grownups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make one a loser.

An unusual aspect of the show is that four real audience members are invited on stage to compete in the spelling bee alongside the six young characters. The 2005 Broadway production, directed by James Lapine, earned good reviews and box-office success and was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two, including Best Book.

Performing the roles were CMU students Jeff Byous, Daniel Primm, Cameron Yates, Jordan Brennan, Josh Kirby, Roger Weaver, Calley Rogers, Brenna Wheeler, KaeLeigh Brown, and Kelsey Jeffries.

CMU Alumnus Earl Bates ‘61 and his wife, Sunny, helped produce the play. CMU Associate Professor of Theatre and Director of the Little Theatre Mark Kelty directed the play with student Abby Bostic as assistant director, and Chuck Thompson as technical director.

Festival in Iowa benefits theatre students

by Daniel Mullan, student writer Every year university and college theatre groups that want to share ideas, concepts, and interpretations of theatre gather at The American College Theatre Festival in Ames, Iowa. In order to do this, many attend and participate in some form of a performance, ranging from workshops and auditions to monologues and plays.

The festival is also a great place for students to polish their resumes. It provides a starting block for aspiring actors, playwrights, directors, stage managers, makeup artists, and many more in the Midwest who want to gain experience performing in front of other participants, mentors, and judges. The annual event enables students to showcase their talent through individual auditions and collaborative productions.

In addition to the showcase, another major attraction that draws students to the festival is the regional auditions for the Irene Ryan Scholarship Competition, a national competition held in Washington, D.C., where students compete for a $3,000 theatre scholarship and the chance to perform in front of artistic theatre directors, actors, producers, and casting agents from all over the United States.

This year is Central’s seventh year participating in the festival, and 11 students attended—Josh Kirby, Darrell Bailey, Kelsey Jeffries, Kaeleigh Brown, Molly Blackford, Kate Kellner, Jordan Brennan, Brenna Wheeler, Abby

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Bostic, Kara Overly, and Roger Weaver.

The group’s mentor, Dr. Mark Kelty, associate professor of theatre and director of The Little Theatre at Central comments, “Each of our productions receives feedback from outside respondents, usually professors at other campuses in our region. This provides our students another perspective on their work. The responses heighten our awareness of the importance of excellence in all aspects of our work, from publicity to all technical areas to the physical and psychological preparation involved in acting.”

Of the 11 who went, eight participated in the Irene Ryan Scholarship Competition. Two students in particular—Josh Kirby and Darrell Bailey—impressed judges enough that they were on the “brink of advancing.”

Darrell, Josh, and Roger were cast in the faculty directing showcase, with Kelty as the director. One student, Abby Bostic, was cast in a 10-minute play.

Nine students auditioned for professional work in summer stock theatre, and two received call backs, including Jordan Brennan, a theatre major who managed to land a professional job working at the Brownville Village Theatre, Neb., during the summer.

Kelty also served as a mentor for the 10-minute scenes and had a role in the faculty acting showcase.

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Niedt offers master class in classical guitar

Flash Mob

American guitarist Douglas Niedt performed at Central the evening of March 30, in the Kountz Recital Hall, after having taught a master class earlier in the day to CMU music students.

Although known as a classical guitarist, Niedt has a broad repertoire, including film, jazz, Celtic, boogie, and American theater music.

During his concerts, in an informal manner, he often includes commentary, information, and anecdotes about the guitar, its music, and himself; and he had an easy, conversational style with the students who attended the afternoon class.

A native of St. Louis, now living in Kansas City, Niedt began his study of the guitar at the age of seven. By

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the age of 14, he had received first prize awards in national competitions sponsored by the American Guild of Music. International recognition followed when at the age of 17 he won the Chet Atkins International Guitar Competition in which 300 guitarists were entered.

Niedt has since studied guitar at the Juilliard School, with the Segovia Master Classes in Spain, and with masters Pepe Romero, Narciso Yepes, Christopher Parkening, Jorge Morel, and Oscar Ghiglia. At the age of 21, he made his New York debut in Carnegie Recital Hall.

A published author of music books, Niedt also has produced numerous music videos.

Central’s Cultural Affairs Committee and Student Government Association cosponsored Niedt’s visit.

You may have seen video of a seemingly spontaneous dance in a subway station or in a mall. The surprise move, called a “flash mob,” landed in the Bergsten Dining Hall on a sunny April day. Emerging as though at random, the stage movement class members moved to an open area and produced a well-choreographed dance to sudden music, then melting away as the strains ended and the cafeteria erupted in applause.

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The Eyrie Players: making a difference through theatre

by Daniel Mullan, student writer The Eyrie Players are a student-based theatre group from CMU who put on various theatre performances in Mid-Missouri to raise money for local need-based causes.

The non-profit group has been lighting up the stage with dramatic comedies since 2008, and has raised more than $8,500 for students, professors, and Missouri residents.

The group was established by Dr. Mark Kelty, associate professor of theatre and director of The Little Theatre.

The group currently comprises CMU graduates as well as current students, Candra Galiley, Mike Temple, Clint Verner, T.J. Mcbroom, Darell Bailey, Shay Bray, and Amy Prater, and William Woods University student Allie Ward.

The Eyrie Players, directed by Kelty, hit the ground running their freshman year as an organization in 2008.

Their first show was at the Ragtag Cinema in Columbia, with a marvelous summer comedy-drama called Lobby Hero. A play written by Kenneth Lonergan, where a young security guard named Jeff, is drawn into a local murder investigation, where loyalties are strained to the breaking point.

The proceeds from Lobby Hero went to a 22-year-old student from the University of Missouri who needed a kidney transplant. Kelty knew the student through his daughter, a former classmate at Hickman High school. He also knew the student’s mother through her involvement in community projects and theatre-related events. The student has gone on to become a high school music teacher in the Kansas City area.

The Eyrie Players wasted no time in their sophomore year as an organization, performing this time at MU’s Corner Playhouse in Columbia. The Eyrie players once again enthralled their audience, picking up the pace with Mauritius, a play written by Pulitzer Prize nominee Theresa Rebeck. The play centers on two sisters who inherit a stamp collection that may be worth a fortune.

Many of the characters try to out maneuver each other as

they attempt to reap the possible rewards.

The money raised by Mauritius was donated very close to home this time. Dan Springer, an adjunct CMU theatre arts professor, had been diagnosed with esopageal cancer. The money helped support him through a regimen of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, and currently he is doing well. Springer teaches technical and set design classes and created the sets for CMU performances of The Hollow, Charley’s Aunt, and Book of Days.

The Eyrie players also raised $1,000 in 2009 for another MU student and Columbia resident, who was diagnosed with lymphoma and had minimal insurance coverage. Another success story, she is now a pharmacist in Columbia and engaged to be married this fall.

The Eyrie Players showed no signs of slowing down with their third comedy-drama in their junior year as an organization. They brought to the auditorium of the Missouri United Methodist Church in the summer of 2010 a masterpiece called I’m Not Rappaport. Written by Herb Gardner, the play takes place on benches in New York’s Central Park where two 80-year-old men, opposite in demeanor and drive, join forces to maintain their independence from muggers and do-gooders.

More than $1,500 was raised, which went to a memorial endowment honoring the late Nancy Thompson Jones, retired CMU professor of voice, who died last spring. A vocal music teacher and professional performer for more than 50 years, Professor Jones had served as associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) at CMU’s Fayette campus after she retired from teaching voice.

Currently, The Eyrie Players have no plans to perform in the summer 2011; however, that could change. In the words of Dr. Kelty, “The door is still wide open if we have a cause to perform.”

National Players return The acclaimed Maryland-based National Players performed Shakespeare’s romantic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream on March 7 in The Little Theatre.

The CMU Cultural Affairs Committee and Student Government Association hosted the production.

“One of the central tenets of Shakespeare’s worldview, and what he is saying with Dream, is that love is not just a feeling between two people, but how we find completion of ourselves in another person,” notes Clay Hopper, director of the production. “Love is the way we connect to ourselves and become who we are. Even more importantly to me, ‘Dream’ makes the case that illusion is an essential component of love.”

The National Players originate from the Olney Theatre Center in Olney, Md., which is funded by an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive, and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Campus news

Capturing consumers in the digital age

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For more information, contact Peggy Robb at 660-248-6239 or email probb@centralmethodist.edu.

Make a gift or schedule payments online at: http://cmalumni.centralmethodist.edu/cef

The Central Excellence Fund is the single most effective way to make an immediate impact in the living and learning environments of Central students.

One Click One Minute One Student

On March 7, 2011, the CMU Communications Department teamed with the James C. Denneny, Jr., Career Development Center to co-sponsor the event “Capturing Consumer Consciousness in the Digital Age.” As brand manager for Nestle Purina, alumna Amanda Culbertson-Kraemer ’03 talked with students about her typical workday and skills needed as a brand manager. She also demonstrated how technology and social networking have changed the way employers market to consumers. CulbertsonKraemer’s presentation incorporated video media that caught students’ attention and gave them real life examples of marketing to today’s world.

Lunch was provided to the fifty-four students who attended the event.

Motleys give glimpse of Negro Baseball League Byron Motley (bottom photo) is a filmmaker, singer, photographer, and author. He is also the son of Bob Motley (top photo), the last surviving umpire of the Negro Baseball League.

Together this duo visited CMU in February and wowed the eclectic audience who came to meet father and son as a part of Central’s celebration of Black History Month.

The inspiring pair shared with the students Bob Motley’s memories of his time as an umpire.

They have co-authored a memoir called Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants and Stars: Umpiring in the Negro Leagues and Beyond (2007 Sports Publishing, LLC), which profiles a decade from the mid-1940s through the mid-1950s when Bob umpired such baseball legends as Satchel Paige, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, and Willie Mays.

The memories Bob shared reflect his experiences as a young man growing up in a segregated south, as one of the first African-American marines, and as a professional Negro Baseball League umpire.

“This is not an African-American story,” Byron writes on his website, “it’s an all-American story.”

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Byron’s documentary film Negro Baseball Leagues - An American Legacy aired in May on PBS stations across the country. The film contains historic interviews with such legendary figures as Hank Aaron, Dr. Maya Angelou, Willie Mays, Walter Cronkite, President Bill Clinton, Retired Secretary of State Colin Powell and others.

As an off-shoot of this campus presentation, the Office of Student Development took 35 students to

visit the Negro League Baseball Hall of Fame in Kansas City, Mo. While in the city, the students ate at renowned Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque and took in the CMU vs. William Jewell basketball game.

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Career EXPO opens doors for students On February 17, the James C. Denneny, Jr., Career Development Center hosted the sixth annual Career EXPO (photos, right). This event provides a great experience for students to interact with employers and look for potential jobs. This year 70 recruiters on behalf of 59 organizations attended the event, along with 234 students, 32 faculty and staff members, and 38 volunteers. A few of the large organizations that attended included True Manufacturing, Frito Lay, U.S. State Department, and the Social Security Administration. Along with employers, the Career EXPO hosted recruiters from graduate schools, the armed forces, study abroad programs, and nonprofit organizations. A total of 12 alumni were represented at the event. (For a complete list of the organizations that attended, check out the Career Development website.)

In the month leading up to the EXPO, the Career Development Center hosted a series of power lunch workshops geared toward preparing students for the event. These workshops focused on successful interviewing tips, the art of mixing and mingling, and how to find one’s dream job. The Center also hosted resume reviews in advance where students received free business cards for attending.

“I liked how the students had their own business cards,” notes Jason Stegall, a recruiter from True Manufacturing.

Both recruiters and students found this year’s Career EXPO to be a success.

“The Career EXPO landed me an internship interview at a Fortune 500 company!” senior Jonathon Moseley proudly says. “It is one of the many excellent opportunities that the Career Development Center has to offer.”

Senior Leremie Shaffer adds, “The Career EXPO was a great opportunity that allowed me to gain valuable skills with real application for future success.”

When asked about her opinion of the Career EXPO, Tracy Grindstaff, a recruiter from Cleveland Chiropractic

In photos above, both students and recruiters find opportunity at the 2011 Career EXPO.

College, stated, “Your [CMU] students are always the most prepared, professional students I meet. That speaks volumes for this school. I love CMU!”

Secret Service on campus share insights into their world This year the CMU Criminal Justice Department and the James C. Denneny, Jr., Career Development Center cosponsored the “Secret Service Information Session,” and the “Careers in Secret Services” event. On March 1, 2011, Special Agents Carlos Dallis and Chad Simmons, who are assigned to the Kansas City, Mo., field office, provided a sneak peek of their “secret world” to interested students.

Both agents spoke about a typical day in the life of a secret service agent and gave a detailed analysis of what the job’s duties entail. Computer-based attacks, financial crimes, and violations of laws relating to counterfeiting were just a few of the topics mentioned at the event.

Forty-three students attended the main event, followed by thirty-one students attending the informational lunch session.

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CMU students take mission trip to El Paso

by Lucas Endicott, CMU campus chaplain Mexico is a dangerous place. Drug lords currently rule the streets, the government appears powerless to stop violence and, as a result, people are dying in disheartening numbers every day. One of the most violent cities in Mexico is Ciudad Juarez. Located in the northern part of the state of Chihuahua, Juarez shares a mountain valley with the American city of El Paso, Texas. From the sky, it appears that one city stretches below. It is a different story, however, on the ground where two distinct cities coexist, divided by a thirty-foot tall fence.

Fourteen students and staff from CMU’s campus ministry group travelled from Fayette to El Paso over Spring Break in March. Our aim was to love and serve a sister school with which CMU has enjoyed a long relationship—Lydia Patterson Institute. Lydia Patterson Institute was founded in 1913 by a Methodist laywoman who determined to educate children by setting up schools in the homes of Mexican Methodists. The school now has a permanent home in the Segundo Barrio neighborhood of El Paso and boasts an enrollment of nearly 400 students. The school is supported by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church and impressively places 95 percent of its graduates in colleges and universities where they often receive full scholarships Central Methodist University and Lydia Patterson have partnered in education since the 1960s. Currently, CMU offers full-tuition, room and board scholarships to two LPI graduates. Through the generosity of CMU, several students have received access to a top-notch university education, an education that changes the course of their lives.

As the new chaplain at Central Methodist, I began to plan a spring break mission experience last summer.

As I planned, one student who is very involved with campus ministry encouraged me to consider leading a group to El Paso to serve Students worked stocking food at the Food Bank (left) and setting up a tent at LPI. Right, CMU and LPI students take a break.

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at a place called Lydia Patterson Institute. Herself an LPI alumna, Esther Macias told me of the condition in Juarez and the commitment of the school, and shared the impact she believed we could make. It soon became clear that LPI would be a wonderful place to serve in mission, and Lydia Patterson did not disappoint!

Central Methodist served LPI for four days. In that time our group painted, cleaned, organized, taught classes, coached sports, and much more. CMU students were able to share meals with students from Mexico who risk their lives every day to walk through the most dangerous part of Juarez in an effort to gain a better education. Central’s work saved LPI hundreds of dollars and helped keep students in classes.

In the process of serving, we too were changed.

Central Methodist students now have personal friends living in desperate situations. Central Methodist students now pray with and for people who are grasping for hope.

Central Methodist students now are committed to encourage students and families who are risking much for a better future. This spring break, CMU became a better place, more in touch with the larger human experience thanks to experiences in El Paso.

The story will not stop here. Our connection with LPI will continue, and we will travel to other places as we live out the vision and mission of Central Methodist University.

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Student wins modeling contest Katie Gladbach has been chosen as one of 12 young women across America to become a new model for Maurices clothing line. The chain looked for girls who love fun, fashion, and giving back.

In her application letter to the company, Katie details the horrible experience of growing up with a defective bone structure in her face that caused her to have a severe underbite and a crooked jaw all the way through high school. Fortunately for her, a 10-hour surgery last June cor-

rected the problem, and even though she wore braces on her teeth for part of this school year, the difference in her appearance was startling.

Applying for the modeling opportunity, she writes, was a step toward rebuilding her shattered self-confidence.

As a winner, Katie gets a photo shoot by Maurices in her hometown of Marceline, $1,500 in Maurices clothing, a flip video camera, and $7,500 for a makeover of her favorite charitable organization in Marceline.

Maurices, according to its website is the leading small town specialty store “for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude.� It operates more than 760 stores in 44 states.

Katie will be featured in Maurices’ fall, holiday, and spring advertising campaigns.

Katie Gladbach, looking beautiful even before the braces came off

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Class of 1961 50th Reunion October 7-9, 2011

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Dr. James M. Luetjen Golf Tournament

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July 15, 2011

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Hail Ridge - Boonville

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For more information, or to register online, visit www.cmueagles.com

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Campus news

Radtke plaque dedication reflects power of a life During his life Jonathan Radtke ’90 inspired many of his friends, professors, coaches, and players on the Central Methodist baseball team. Although his life was cut short by an automobile accident in 1995, Jon continues as a positive influence for those who knew him.

In the fall of 2010, those friends dedicated “The Symposium” to his memory.

The Symposium is a deck near the softball outfield from which one can watch both softball and baseball games at the same time while discussing the ways of the games and the way of the world.

In February, a plaque honoring Jon’s memory was dedicated in T. Berry Smith Hall. Its location, by design, is just outside the office of Dr. O.A. (Berre) Robinson,professor of philosophy at Central since 1978, and a favorite professor of Jon’s.

The plaque clearly honors both men, Radtke and Robinson, who had three loves in common--Baseball, Philosophy, and Softball--and ends with the unforgettable saying, applicable to all three of those endeavors, “Come Prepared!”

The unveiling of the plaque was attended by Central personnel “Doc R.”Robinson; softball coach Pat Reardon; baseball coach Fred Smith; Alan Marshall, director of individual giving; and President Marianne Inman (across the back in photo above) and from Jon’s family, his sister Beth and his parents Faith and Don (in front and in photo, right). The photos were taken by Beth’s close friend Scott Matthews.

Most people can only hope to have the continuing influence on friends that Jon has had, even 16 years after his passing.

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Puyear joins Board of Trustees of his life at Central, Elizabeth (Hamann) Donna T. Puyear (photo, right) has been Puyear. She graduated in 1988 with a elected to the Central Methodist University degree in music education and belonged to Board of Trustees. Although not herself band, choir, and Phi Beta Fraternity for the an alumna, she has many ties to the CMU Creative and Performing Arts (the foreruncommunity. ner of Sigma Alpha Iota on campus).

She graduated from Indiana University The Puyear’s daughter, Jill, studied with a bachelor degree in 1955 and was a education and graduated from Central in speech and hearing therapist prior to her 1983. She, too, met her future spouse in marriage to husband Robert (Bob). They live Fayette, Brett Nolker, class of 1985. He was in Chesterfield, Mo. also a music education major and active in Puyear brings a strong sense of servant choir and band, also a Beta Mu member of leadership to the Board. She is a lifetime Phi Mu Alpha. He has since earned his dochonorary member of Kingdom House, a torate and teaches music at the University United Methodist social service agency Donna Puyear, new member of of North Carolina – Greensboro. in Saint Louis, and serves on its board of the CMU Board of Trustees Donna Puyear’s return to active duty at directors. She has also been awarded the CMU seems almost a foregone conclusion.

Kingdom House Donor Partnership Award and the U.S. Presidents Volunteer Service Award. She and She was for many years a member of the unofficial Saint Louis Mothers Club, which met sporadically to update Bob are also very active in Green Trails UMC. each other about the progress in their families and to supThe Puyears have two adult children who attended port each other and Central Methodist.

Central in the 1980s and sparked a lifelong love of the It seems a small step to bring that support back into institution in the entire family.

Son Tim graduated from Central in 1985 with a degree focus as a member of CMU’s Board of Trustees. in business, although his membership in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia speaks to his love of music. He also met the love

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Campus news

CMU Leadership Institute: a dream becomes reality

by Michael D. Pope, United Methodist Church Liaison

“We need [people] who dream of things that never were.”

John F. Kennedy, 35th President of The USA speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963

Dr. Marianne Inman, president of Central Methodist University, and Dr. David Kerr ’67, senior pastor of Salemin-Ladue United Methodist Church, St. Louis, dared to dream of an educational leadership event that would be true to our Wesleyan heritage of connecting our Christian faith with knowledge and good works. Thus, the CMU Leadership Institute was born.

The predecessor of this annual educational leadership event, conceived in 2006, was CMU Clergy Day Apart, offered in the fall of 2007 and 2008. It was initially designed for clergy only. However, as clergy recommended that we include laity in these events, the event quickly evolved to an event that incorporated all church leaders.

President Inman realized the need to expand the outreach for this leadership event and called a meeting early in 2010 with the Rev. Bob Farr, director of Congregational Excellence, Missouri Conference, and me as CMU United Methodist Church liaison. That discussion ultimately led to the event now known as the CMU Leadership Institute (CMULI).

We moved the event from the fall to spring to avoid conflicts with fall congregational programs. That change, along with engaging leadership from some of the brightest and most influential leaders on church growth, has greatly enhanced the attendance and participation of both clergy and laity.

Bishop Robert Schnase, new to Missouri at the time, was our keynote speaker in 2007. He spoke on the five fruits of effective congregations, which has now become a best-selling book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations (2007, Abingdon Press). Sue Watson ’81, then-director of the office of pastoral excellence, Missouri Conference, shared the podium and outlined the essential relationship between the transformational needs of the church and identifying, recruiting, training, and motivating leaders to meet those needs.

Mike Graves, the William K. McElvaney visiting professor of preaching and director of continuing education at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, was our keynote speaker in 2008. He led nearly 40 clergy in a stimulating presentation and discussion on a unique model of preaching, which he referred to as “listening to the listeners.” David P. Atkins, J.D., executive director of Missouri United Methodist Foundation, also spoke about the role of that foundation and introduced many pastors to

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the foundation’s scholarships for UMC students, including the popular Dollars for Scholars (DFS) program.

Last year, the Rev. Adam Hamilton, founding pastor of The United Methodist Church of The Resurrection, Leawood, Kansas, one of the largest congregations in our denomination, brought our keynote address on “Why the UMC is uniquely positioned for the Next Great Awakening.” The Rev. Bob Farr, who helped shape the CMULI, spoke on the topic “Renovate or Die.” Bob’s expertise on church growth, particularly growing churches with multiple locations and diverse ministries, is well documented. The attendance far exceeded our expectations with more than 180 registering for this outstanding event.

This year’s leaders for the institute included Tim Stevens, executive pastor of Granger Community Church, a UMC congregation in Granger, Ind., and the Rev. Karen Koons Hayden, director of pastoral excellence, Missouri Conference (photos left).

For 13 years Tim Stevens has helped that church congregation Tim Stevens, above, and grow from 350 to more than 5,000 the Rev. Karen Koons Hayden, below, made members. His relevant topic was presentations at the 2011 “Strategic Leadership Skills for Leadership Institute.

Reaching a Younger and Diverse Population with the Gospel.” His also brought copies of his books, Pop Goes the Church book and the Simply Strategic trilogy. Rev. Hayden, who is relatively new to the Missouri Conference, gave a lively and challenging afternoon presentation explorimg the topic “Escaping Our Christian Bubble: Sustaining Relationships with College-age People.”

The UMCLI continues to blossom from the seed of a Clergy Day Apart five years ago. Next year’s event on May 8, 2012, will feature Will Willimon, resident bishop of the Northern Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church. Bishop Willimon is a popular speaker, author, and leader in our

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Campus news UMC denomination. His topic will be announced in upcoming CMU and Missouri Conference publications.

There is no registration fee for the Central Methodist Leadership Institute, and lunch is provided free of charge, courtesy of Salem-in-Ladue UMC, the Office of Congregational Excellence, Missouri Conference, and CMU.

Pre-registration for next year’s event may be sent at any time to me, Michael Pope, at www.centralmethodist. edu/leadershipday.html. For more information, please contact me at mpope@centralmethodist.edu or by phone at (877) CMU-1854 or (660) 248-6390.

United Methodist Groups Visit CMU

by Michael Pope, UMC Liaison Their presence may go undetected by most of us who experience the daily milieu of Central Methodist University, but United Methodist Church groups add a distinctive flavor to the cornucopia of campus life at Fayette. While we may not notice their presence among us, many of us have seen the results of their work on campus and in the Fayette community.

Since I arrived at CMU in 2006 and started working as the United Methodist Church liaison, I have had the privilege of hosting many UMC service groups—youth groups, individual church mission teams, United Methodist Women’s (UMW) groups, and NOMADS, a traveling group of church RV-ers who tackle community service projects across the U.S. These groups have added to the cleanliness, beauty, and functionality of our campus and community by doing a multitude of tasks, ranging from painting and cleaning to landscaping and repairing. Some groups are small and some large, but the spirit of service that each group brings to us links them--and reflects one of the missions of our University, servant leadership.

Of course, Central also regularly hosts non-service Missouri Conference groups. In addition to the CMU Leadership Institute (see article p. 61), the Local Pastors Licensing School, the School of Lay Ministries, and the UMW Cooperative School of Christian Missions all meet on campus. EXPLORE, a practical leadership camp for UMC senior high school students, is planned for the summer of 2012.

Many UMC groups may come to serve, but in return they get to experience the academic, athletic, and cultural events that CMU has to offer. They take campus tours, shop at the CMU Bookstore, and visit The Stephens

Museum and The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art. They also sample the good food from Fresh Ideas Food Service and from a variety of Fayette’s restaurants.

So, the next time you’re admiring the CMU campus grounds or noticing how nicely painted a building is or how clean your student’s dorm room is when you come to CMU, remember that it might be because a member of the United Methodist Church—whom you don’t even know— has played a significant part in everyone’s enjoyment of CMU. It’s one of the reasons that Central is such a great place to be!

MUMF Grant for Lighting The CMU campus community is always ready to implement solid and practical ways to “go green, and a recent $3,500 grant awarded by the Missouri United Methodist Foundation (MUMF) helps accomplish this goal. Grant funds recently provided by the MUMF helped cover the cost of purchasing energy efficient light fixtures in the Linn Memorial UMC Rice H. Cooper Parish house. Ever since an energy audit was conducted on the campus several years ago, CMU has made steady progress in converting existing fixtures and systems on campus to those that will save both energy and expense. CMU is realizing an estimated 34 percent savings with the new lights installed, which provides a total payback in only 9.3 years. Labor to install the lights was provided by CMU Plant Operations.

All MUMF Foundation grants are made possible by the Foundation Endowment, which exists and continues to grow, thanks to the generous support of United Methodists across Missouri.

Are you 70? Do you have an IRA? You could make a tax-free gift in 2011.

Contact Donna Merrell, Vice President for Advancement, for details 660-248-6214 dmerrell@centralmethodist.edu Spring 2011

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Alumni news

A passion for friendships inspires gift to CMU

by Stephanie Lewis, director of development As a child, Harry Hickman ’48 was captivated in Classic Hall, he found it most fitting to make a by music—a passion that gift in their memory to A blossomed during his years Classic Renaissance, a $5.4 at Central. It was that million campaign to renosame love of music and vate historic Classic Hall the special bond formed into a center for music and with friends at Central that the arts. And because Bill inspired Harry to make his Wright was an avid basketlargest gift ever to Central ball player, Harry chose to Methodist University. make a gift in his memory to Harry, who grew up in the Athletic Boosters. A seat a small Illinois town, moved in Puckett Field House will to Fayette in 1939 with bear an engraved plaque inhis family. He graduated dicating Harry’s special gift from Fayette High School in Bill’s memory. in the spring of 1940 and Harry speaks pasenrolled at Central College sionately about Central (now Central Methodist and its mission and cares University) that fall along deeply for the success of with 25 of his 55 high her students. In recent Harry at a recent Homecoming with good school classmates. While at years, Harry established two friend Rev. Dan Adkison ’72 Central, Harry established awards for graduating mufriendships with many of the sic students, The Hickman other students on campus—many of whom remained Award for Achievement in Vocal Music and The life-long friends.

Hickman Award In early March for Achievement 2011, Harry in Instrumental made a most Music. He takes generous gift to great pride in his Central Methodist support of Central in memory of and the Swinney four very dear Conservatory friends—J.C. students.

Patrick ‘43, Central and Mary Frances music will for(Patrick) Rouse ever play a major ‘43, Dorothy role in the life of (Patrick) Maupin Harry Hickman. ’47, and William “Bill” Wright ‘49. Because Mary And, in turn, Harry Hickman will forever play a role Frances, J.C., and Dorothy were siblings and bein continuing the legacy of excellence in education at cause Harry shared many fond memories with them Central Methodist University.

Harry speaks passionately about Central and its mission and cares deeply for the success of her students.

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Eagle Athletics It has been a spring sports season to remember at Central Methodist University. After setting 12 new school records during the indoor season, the men’s and women’s track & field teams have combined to break 11 outdoor records this spring. Not to be outdone, the CMU softball team has set six individual and two team single-season records, including tying the record for wins in a season with 37, along with two individual career records. The Eagle baseball team has one new single-season record, and is closing in on several other season and career records as well. Meanwhile, the CMU men’s and women’s golf teams have had their share of success this season as well. It has certainly been a strong spring for Central Methodist University athletics, and will undoubtedly bring the 2010-11 year to a close on a high note!

Baseball The Central Methodist baseball team improved throughout the season to finish the regular-season with a 22-22 record. The Eagles were 16-12 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, which landed them third in the eastern division and earned them a trip to the HAAC postseason tournament for the first time since 2004. At the tournament, the Eagles went 0-2, ending their season with a 22-24 record.

CMU swept their four-game series over Evangel University and Missouri Valley College, while splitting a four-game series with Lindenwood University.

The Eagles only lost two HAAC series during the regular season, a two-game series against Benedictine College and a four-game series in which the Eagles went 1-3 against HAAC champion Culver-Stockton College.

The Eagles swept the HAAC player- and pitcher-of-the-week honors on March 28 after posting a 3-1 record in doubleheaders against William Jewell College and Evangel University the previous week. Sophomore Steve Bazner (Waterford, Mich.) led CMU with a .500 batting average on the week to earn player-of-the-week honors. Freshman Rhett Quinlan (Boonville, Mo.) received the pitcher-of-the-week award after pitching a complete-game shutout win over Evangel.

The following week, junior Freddie Cabrera (Isabela, Puerto Rico) was selected as the HAAC pitcher-of-the-week.

Cabrera earned complete-game shutout wins over Evangel and Lindenwood to earn the honor. On April 17, Cabrera recorded 10 strikeouts in a win over Clarke University, which helped him break the Central Methodist single-season record for strikeouts. Cabrera finished the season with 78 strikeouts, which is 16 more than the previous CMU record held by Cory Cowsert and Todd Anderson.

Cabrera was one of four CMU players to receive All-HAAC honors at the end of the season, earning first-team honors as a starting pitcher. Senior Thomas Brown (Columbia, Mo.), who moved into the top 10 on CMU’s career lists for sacrifices and doubles this season, was selected to the All-HAAC second team. Brown was also selected as the HAAC Rawlings Gold Glove second baseman for his outstanding fielding throughout the season. Senior first baseman Tyler Belt (Macon, Mo.), who is now in the top 10 on Central Methodist’s career list for triples, and sophomore third baseman Steve Bazner (Waterford, Mich.) each received All-HAAC honorable mention honors for the season.

Belt was also named to the Capital One Academic All-District First Team, which puts him on the ballot for Academic All-American.

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Softball The Central Methodist University softball team returned to the top of the Heart of America Athletic Conference with its second HAAC regular-season championship in the past four years this season. The Lady Eagles saw their best season in school history come to an end in the HAAC tournament championship for the third straight season, though. CMU ended the season with a loss to NAIA No. 22 MidAmerica Nazarene University in the HAAC championship, finishing with an overall record of 41-15. It was the first season of 40plus wins in school history. In addition to the single-season wins record, the Lady Eagles set 10 other individual and team records. After all of the success this season, head coach Pat Reardon was selected as the HAAC coach-of-theyear for the third time in the past four seasons.

Freshman Aubrey Utley (Trenton, Mo.) was named the HAAC softball pitcher-of-the-year and first-team All-HAAC after an outstanding first season with CMU. Utley was selected as the HAAC softball pitcher-of-the-week on two consecutive weeks in March. She went on to set two CMU single-season records this year. In her first collegiate season, Utley became the first pitcher in Central Methodist softball history to reach 20 wins in a season, finishing the year with a record of 24-4. She also had a single-season record 10 shutouts, while pitching 24 complete games on the season.

On March 28, sophomore shortstop Jordyn Tolliver (Centralia, Mo.) was selected as the HAAC player-of-the-week.

Tolliver had posted a .533 batting average with three doubles and two homeruns as CMU opened conference play with sweeps of Evangel University and Avila University. Tolliver finished the year with a single-season school-record nine homeruns as the Lady Eagles set a record with 38 homeruns as a team.

Senior third baseman Stephanie Sullivant (Liberty, Mo.), who played in 208 out of 212 career games and started in 206 of those games, rewrote three records this season.

Sullivant tied her own school record with a team-leading 20 doubles, which ranks in the top 10 in the NAIA this season. Her six homeruns this year also moved her to the top of the career homeruns list with 17.

Sullivant also crushed the career RBI record, finishing with 149 in her highly decorated career. Sullivant and junior first baseman Kayla Yount (Olathe, Kan.) were also recognized for their excellence in the classroom as they were selected to the Capital One Academic All-District Softball Teams. Sullivant was a first-team all-district selection for the second straight season, while Yount was named to the all-district second team.

Sullivant joined Utley, Tolliver, and sophomore Erika Reinagel (Kelso, Mo.) on the All-HAAC first team.

Defensively, Yount broke the single-season fielding records for chances and put outs, with 438 and 418, respectively. Junior catcher Rebecca Lipsey (New Hartford, Mo.) finished this season with a 1.000 fielding percentage, which ties her atop the single-season list in that category. Overall this season, the Lady Eagles had 38 additions to the individual single-season top 10 and career top 5 lists. Lipsey was the lone CMU player to be named to the All-HAAC second team. Meanwhile, Yount, senior Danielle Taylor (Milan, Mo.), junior Kelsey Johnley (Troy, Mo.), and freshman Mary Kate Townley (O;Fallon, Mo.) each received All-HAAC honorable mention honors.

New CMU Softball Records Rebecca Lipsey: Single-Season Fielding Percentage (1.000) Stephanie Sullivant: Single-Season Doubles (20), Career Homeruns (17), Career RBI (149) Jordyn Tolliver: Single-Season Homeruns (9) Aubrey Utley: Single-Season Wins (24), Single-Season Shutouts (10) Kayla Yount: Single-Season Chances (438), Single-Season Put Outs (418) TEAM: Single-Season Wins (41), Single-Season Homeruns (38) 64

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Track and Field - Indoor Highlights abounded for the Central Methodist track & field teams throughout the indoor season, with 12 new school records set—six on the women’s side and six on the men’s. CMU had eight athletes qualify for and compete at the 2011 NAIA Indoor National Championships, and finished with four All-Americans. The CMU men came away from the indoor conference championships with their first-ever Heart of America Athletic Conference team title, while the women finished a strong fourth at the HAAC Championships. And Head Coach Jeff Hoskisson was named the HAAC Men’s Indoor Coach-of-the-Year for the second straight season.

Senior Edward Stewart (Kingston, Jamaica) set four new CMU records, and his record in the 60-meter hurdles also set a new NAIA National Championship meet record of 7.89 seconds during the semifinal of the event. Stewart successfully defended his NAIA National Championship in the event, leaning to win by .02 of a second in the final.

Stewart’s other three school records came in the 55 meters, 60 and 200.

Sophomore Roscoe Robinson (Huntsville, Mo.) broke the school record in the men’s long jump several times during the season, but saved his best for last. In a dramatic event final at the NAIA Indoor National Championships, Robinson took the lead on his final jump of the competition with a personal-best and school-record mark. The next athlete out-jumped Robinson to earn the national title. Robinson finished as the NAIA runner-up, joining Rashon Fisher as the only male jumpers in school history to earn All-America honors.

Junior Lucas Manring (Stockton, Mo.) clocked a personal-best time in the 800 final at the NAIA Indoor National Championships to finish as the national runner-up. Manring sprinted to the finish to edge out the third-place finisher by .04 of a second. Earlier in the season, Manring had added his name to the record books, with a new CMU record in the 600.

Although, she didn’t set a school record, sophomore Kate Fulton (Branson, Mo.) became the first CMU women’s athlete to earn NAIA AllAmerica honors since 2005 and CMU’s first-ever female All-American in a field event. Fulton cleared a personal-best height to finish third in the high jump at the NAIA Indoor National Championships. Fulton’s mark was just one-quarter inch shy of tying the current CMU school record.

Four other CMU women set school records throughout the indoor season. Junior Rebeca Barajas (Ashland, Mo.) broke the record in the triple jump with a big leap at the HAAC Championships. Sophomore Shelby Garrigus (Cleveland, Mo.) and freshman Michelle Momo (Fort Worth, Texas) each set two new records. Garrigus broke the CMU record in the 55 hurdles and the indoor pentathlon, while Momo set records in the 60 and long jump. Meanwhile, sophomore Amelia Truex (Bunceton, Mo.) now owns the CMU record in the 60 hurdles.

NAIA Indoor Qualifiers Edward Stewart: National Champion, Men’s 60 Hurdles Roscoe Robinson: National Runner-Up, Men’s Long Jump Lucas Manring: National Runner-Up, Men’s 800 Kate Fulton: 3rd Place, Women’s High Jump Mike Hernandez: 7th Place, Men’s Mile Rebeca Barajas: 10th Place, Women’s Triple Jump Shelby Garrigus: 16th Place, Women’s Triple Jump John Lehman: 22nd Place, Men’s 60 Hurdles

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CMU Indoor School Records Rebeca Barajas: Women’s Triple Jump (11.55m/37-10.75) Shelby Garrigus: Women’s 55 Hurdles (8.95), Pentathlon (2,628 points) Michelle Momo: Women’s 60 Meters (7.96), Long Jump (5.25m/17-2.75) Amelia Truex: Women’ 60 Hurdles (9.82) Lucas Manring: Men’s 600 Meters (1:21.69) Roscoe Robinson: Men’s Long Jump (7.32m/24-0.25) Edward Stewart: Men’s 55 Meters (6.39), 60 Meters (6.84), 200 Meters (22.48), 60 Hurdles (7.89)

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Track and Field - Outdoor The CMU track & field teams picked up with the outdoor season right where they left off indoors. During the regular-season meets, the Eagle men and women combined to set 14 new school records. Twelve athletes have qualified for the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 26-28 in Marion, Ind. At the HAAC outdoor championships, the CMU men won nine of the 23 events, led by senior Edward Stewart (Kingston, Jamaica), the men’s most valuable performer of the meet. Stewart won three individual titles at the meet, posting NAIA automatic-qualifying times in all three. The CMU women had two event champions at the HAAC outdoor championships. Freshman Michelle Momo (Fort Worth, Texas) recorded an NAIA automatic-qualifying time to win the 100 meters. Sophomore Kate Fulton (Branson, Mo.) also posted an NAIA automatic-qualifying mark to win the high jump. Overall, the CMU men and women combined to break eight school records, and posted 10 NAIA qualifying marks at the meet.

During the season, Central Methodist had nine different athletes named Heart of America Athletic Conference athletes-of-the-week 19 times. Sophomore Roscoe Robinson (Huntsville, Mo.) received HAAC men’s field athlete-of-the-week honors four times during the season for his performance in the long jump, which has included posting NAIA qualifying marks at all six meets, as well as breaking his own school record in the event.

Junior Rebeca Barajas (Ashland, Mo.) also collected HAAC athlete-of-the-week honors four times this season. Barajas was named the women’s field athlete-of-the-week three times for her outstanding performances in the long jump, triple jump and high jump. She received the women’s track athlete-of-the-week honor after shattering the school record in the 100-meter hurdles, and running a leg of the record-setting 400-meter relay in the same meet. She has also broken her own school record in the triple jump this season.

Meanwhile, Stewart and sophomore Amelia Truex (Bunceton, Mo.) each earned HAAC track athlete-of-the-week honors three times this season. Stewart’s school-record time of 13.93 seconds in the 110 hurdles is the fastest in the NAIA this season, and his time of 14.0 at the Drake Relays is the fourth-fastest time in the NAIA. Stewart finished fourth in the event at the Drake Relays, and was the only non-NCAA Division I athlete to make the final of the 110 hurdles. Stewart also broke his own school record in the 100 at the HAAC championships. In addition, he has teamed up with freshman Derek Freeman (Salem, Mo.), sophomore Colin Fultz (Munford, Tenn.), and Robinson to qualify for the NAIA Outdoor Championships in the 400 relay.

Truex earned HAAC women’s track athlete-of-the-week honors the first three weeks of the season as she set and re-set the school record in the 100 hurdles. Although Truex’s hurdle record has since been broken by Barajas, she has continued to have a strong season in the hurdles and long jump.

Momo, Barajas, and sophomores Katie Gladbach (Marceline, Mo.) and Shelby Garrigus (Cleveland, Mo.) teamed up to break the CMU record in the women’s 400 relay by 0.4 of a second at the Drake Relays. Overall this season, the record has now been broken three separate times, and improved by nearly 0.8 of a second total. Garrigus has also had a solid season in the long and triple jump events. She has qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Championships in both events, while also improving the long jump school record by more than one foot as she became the first CMU women’s athlete to surpass 18 feet in the event. In the high jump, Fulton broke her own school record and posted an NAIA automatic-qualifying mark by clearing a height of 1.68m/5-6 to win the event at the HAAC championships.

The CMU men’s and women’s throwers have set school records in five of the eight throwing events this season. Sophomore Maurice Coon (Lakeland, Fla.) broke two school records at the UCM Mule Relays. Coon bettered his own record in the hammer throw by more than 11 feet. In the shot put, Coon broke a 40-year-old school record previously set by Paul Thompson in 1971. Coon recorded a throw of 15.52meters/50 feet 11 inches in the event, becoming the first men’s athlete in CMU track & field history to surpass 50 feet in the shot put. Coon improved on his shot put record with a toss of 15.69m/51-5.75 at the HAAC championships.

Two newcomers to the javelin throw have also left their marks. In just the second track meet of his career, sophomore Anthony Layne (Kansas City, Mo.) broke the previous school-record mark by nearly 13 feet. He added two more feet to the record a couple weeks later, but sophomore Cody Cross (Moberly, Mo.) surpassed Layne’s 66

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Athletics record with a throw of 53.41m/175-3 at the UCM Mule Relays.

The CMU women’s throwers have also had a strong season, with sophomore Melissa Morrow (Lawson, Mo.) and freshman Lindsey Blackwell (Denton, Texas) each putting their names in the record books. Morrow improved the CMU school record in the hammer throw by nearly five feet at the ASICS-CMU/Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Invite. She added two more feet to the record at the HAAC championships in May. Blackwell destroyed the CMU record in the discus throw by nearly 20 feet at the UCM Mule Relays. Blackwell recorded a throw of 42.16m/138-4, which was just seven inches shy of qualifying her for the NAIA Outdoor Championships. At the HAAC championships, Blackwell broke the javelin throw record by more than 11 feet.

Last year, the Central Methodist men and women had six different athletes score points at the NAIA Outdoor Championships. Stewart was the lone All-American as he finished third in the 110 hurdles. The Eagles will be aiming to improve on those numbers at the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

NAIA Outdoor Qualifiers Rebeca Barajas: Women’s Triple Jump Maurice Coon: Men’s Shot Put Derek Freeman: Men’s 4x100 Relay Kate Fulton: Women’s High Jump Colin Fultz: Men’s 4x100 Relay Shelby Garrigus: Women’s Triple Jump, Long Jump Mike Hernandez: Men’s 1,500 Meters

John Lehman: Men’s 110 Hurdles Lucas Manring: Men’s 800 Meters Michelle Momo: Women’s 100 Meters Roscoe Robinson: Men’s Long Jump, 4x100 Relay Edward Stewart: Men’s 110 Hurdles, 100 Meters, 200 Meters, 4x100 Relay

CMU Outdoor School Records Rebeca Barajas: Women’s 100 Hurdles (15.48), Triple Jump (11.50m//37-8.75) Lindsey Blackwell: Women’s Discus Throw (42.16m/138-4), Javelin Throw (36.82m/120-10) Kate Fulton: Women’s High Jump (1.68m/5-6) Shelby Garrigus: Women’s Long Jump (5.61m/18-5) Melissa Morrow: Women’s Hammer Throw (44.87m/147-2) Michelle Momo, Rebeca Barajas, Katie Gladbach, Shelby Garrigus: Women’s 4x100 Relay (49.44) Maurice Coon: Men’s Hammer Throw (51.58m/169-3), Shot Put (15.69m/51-5.75) Cody Cross: Men’s Javelin Throw (53.41m/175-3) Roscoe Robinson: Men’s Long Jump (7.57m/24-10) Edward Stewart: Men’s 110 Hurdles (13.93), 100 Meters (10.57)

Former CMU Standout Stroupe Wins Race Walk at U.S. Indoor Championships Former Central Methodist University track standout Patrick Stroupe won his first career U.S. indoor national title in the 3,000-meter race walk Feb. 26.

Stroupe, a native of Armstrong, Mo., clocked a time of 12 minutes, 31.24 seconds to win the event at the U.S. Indoor Track & Field Championships. Stroupe’s time was more than 37 seconds faster than the runner-up finisher.

Stroupe, who completed his collegiate career in 2007, was an eight-time NAIA AllAmerican in the indoor and outdoor race walk during his career at Central Methodist.

Stroupe was a five-time NAIA national champion in the race walk for CMU. He won back-toback indoor titles in 2006 and 2007, while winning the outdoor race walk in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Stroupe was also a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete in cross country and track & field for Central Methodist.

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Golf Two freshmen have been key additions to the CMU men’s and women’s golf teams this season. Chelsea Damer (Joplin, Mo.) and Ty Lieberman (Boonville, Mo.) consistently led their teams at tournaments throughout the season.

Damer capped an outstanding freshman season at Central Methodist with a ninth-place finish at the Heart of America Athletic Conference women’s golf championships May 2-3. Damer shot a 184 to finish just three strokes shy of earning All-HAAC honors. Her finish at the conference tournament was Damer’s fifth top-10 finish in six tournaments in 2010-11. Senior Rachel Keim (Carterville, Ill.) also had a solid season for the CMU women. Keim had two top-10 finishes on the season, highlighted by winning the individual title at the Hannibal-LaGrange Spring Invitational April 18-19. Keim’s title helped lead the CMU women to a runner-up team finish at the Hannibal-LaGrange Spring Invitational.

On the men’s side, Lieberman has been the highest finisher for Central Methodist in six of the eight tournaments he competed in this season, and he has finished in the top 12 of all eight tournaments during his freshman campaign. Lieberman’s highest finish on the season was a tie for fifth at the Missouri Valley College Fall and Spring Invites.

Sophomore Nathaniel Oliver (Republic, Mo.) has also had another strong season for CMU, despite battling injuries during the spring season. Oliver had three top-12 finishes in five tournaments, including a tie for seventh at the Avila Fall Invitational.

Women’s Basketball A youthful Central Methodist women’s basketball team finished its 2010-11 season with a 5-25 record overall. The Lady Eagles’ season was highlighted by three big Heart of America Athletic Conference wins, including victories over two teams who finished in the top four in the HAAC standings.

In a Dec. 4 contest against Avila University, freshman Nakia Robinson (St. Louis, Mo.) scored a career-high 20 points, including a CMU single-game record 17 free throws, to lead the Lady Eagles to a 57-49 win. Central Methodist added another key win on Feb. 15 against MidAmerica Nazarene University. The Lady Eagles trailed by one at halftime, but held MNU to just six points in the first 10 minutes of the second half as CMU turned the deficit into a 12-point lead.

The Lady Eagles maintained a double-digit lead much of the second half, before finishing with the 60-49 win. Four days later, sophomore Raylyn Nuss (O’Fallon, Mo.) posted career-highs of 28 points and seven assists to lead the Lady Eagles to a 77-74 win in overtime at Benedictine College.

Central Methodist had four players receive honors following the season. Jazmynn Hutchings (Des Moines, Iowa), the lone senior on this year’s squad, received All-HAAC honorable mention honors. Hutchings finished the season second on the team with 8.69 points and just less than one steal per game. Hutchings scored 835 points in her fouryear career with the Lady Eagles, playing in 114 career games at CMU. She was also a three-year team captain. A trio of juniors was recognized as 2011 Daktronics-NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athletes. Sarah Foster (Anna, Ill.), Alexa Fox (Columbia, Mo.), and Catherine Kyle (Fayette, Mo.) were among the 127 juniors and seniors from across the country to receive the honor for maintaining at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale.

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Sami Dunger Joins 1,000-Point Club Junior Sami Dunger (Wildwood, Mo.) became the 14th player in Central Methodist University women’s basketball history to surpass 1,000 career points in the Lady Eagles’ loss to Graceland University on Feb. 5, 2011.

Dunger scored her 1,000th point on a layup with 2:39 left in the game, before adding a three-pointer with 1:11 left. After three seasons, Dunger has compiled 1,068 career points, which ranks 13th on CMU’s all-time scoring list.

She has led the Lady Eagles in scoring during each of her first three seasons at CMU, boasting a career scoring average of 11.9 points per game.

Sami Dunger (in middle, above) is bracketed by women’s head basketball coach Andi Brooks and Michael Brooks, assistant coach.

Men’s Basketball The CMU men’s basketball team ended its 2010-11 campaign with a record of 11-19 overall and 5-15 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Eagles, who battled injuries to several players throughout the season, ended the season by winning three of their final four games. Fourteen of the team’s losses were decided by 10 or fewer points this season.

CMU opened the season with a 14-point win against William Woods University Nov. 3, in one of just two home games the first month of the season.

The Runnin’ Eagles split games at each of their three early-season tournaments – the Bosch Financial Classic in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; the Daytona Mitsubishi Shootout in Daytona Beach, Fla.; and the HAAC/KCAC Classic in Leavenworth, Kan. Central Methodist opened HAAC play with a 71-50 win over Missouri Valley College on Dec. 2, 2010, but lost the next nine HAAC games before earning an 8044 win over Culver-Stockton College on Jan. 24, 2011.

In the final half of the conference season, the Eagles finally started to get healthy. They got a big win in overtime against Baker University on Feb. 3, when senior Curtis Smith (LaBelle, Mo.) drained a three-pointer over two defenders with less than two seconds remaining in regulation. Smith scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Runnin’ Eagles to the 85-80 win. Smith followed that performance with a 21-point effort in a two-point loss to Graceland University Feb. 5, which helped him earn HAAC men’s basketball player-of-the-week honors.

CMU got another big win at home on Feb. 14 when senior Jake Clark (St. Charles, Mo.) scored a career-high 31 points to lead the Runnin’ Eagles to a 9484 win over MidAmerica Nazarene University. On Feb. 19, Central Methodist dominated to earn the team’s first win at Benedictine College since Dec. 4, 2004. The Runnin’ Eagles shot more than 50 percent from the field and forced 24 turnovers in the game to cruise to a 66-42 win over the Ravens. Smith and Clark led the way offensively with 19 and 15 points, respectively, in the win.

Central Methodist then rallied for a 61-59 win at Culver-Stockton to end the season on Feb. 24.

Clark earned All-HAAC honorable mention honors following the season, after leading CMU with 14.6 points and 5.92 rebounds per game. He finished the season ranked seventh in the NAIA with a 59.2 field-goal percentage. Clark scored in double figures in 20 of the 25 games in which he played during the season, including five 20-plus point efforts.

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Athletic Awards

Estes Prize In Athletics Edward Stewart

Darla Pannier Outstanding Female Athlete Stephanie Sullivant

James M. Luetjen Award Jacob Heppner

Cavanah True Eagle Award Matt Fraley

Moz Rahmatpanah Champions of Character Coach Award

Sherry Wells Champions of Character Student Award

Dustin Menk Champions of Character Team Award Football

NAIA & HAAC Scholar-Athletes Ryan Adams Randy Barta Shawn Beard Tyler Belt Bradley Carter Andrew Cline Cody Davis Shannon Dickerson Caitlin Essmyer Ryan Flanagan Sarah Foster Alexa Fox Kyle Gibson Katie Gladbach Jamie Gray Kellie Handy 70

Caleb Haynes Jacob Heppner Caitlin Holman Andrew Homfeld Brittney Hotsenpiller Rob Humphrey Kelsey Johnley Holly Jones Rachel Keim Jacob Kleyh Catherine Kyle Erica LaBoube Tabatha Leaton Kayla Leeser Alexandria Leiva Rebecca Lipsey

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Ryan Mallady Lucas Manring Tommy McGowan Dustin Menk Melissa Morrow Raylyn Nuss Tyler Padgett Amber Pinson Deanna Quisenberry Briana Raterman Elizabeth Robb Lauren Robb James Rowe Kayla Schmidt Lisa Scrivener Jamie Spencer

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Stephanie Sullivant Lyndsey Talbot Danielle Taylor Brent Tegerdine Garrett Thomas Nikole Torno Melanie Touchette Mega Turner Cody Wallingford Taylor White Natasha Windsor Kayla Yount

Athletics

2010-11 HAAC Athletes-of-the-Week Women’s Track & Field Amelia Truex (Track: Jan. 10, 2011; March 21; March 28; April 4) Michelle Momo (Track: Jan. 17, 2011; Jan. 24; Feb. 21) Shelby Garrigus (Track: Jan. 31, 2011; Field: March 21, 2011) Kate Fulton (Field: Jan. 31, 2011; Feb. 21) Rebeca Barajas (Field: March 28, 2011; April 4; April 18; Track: April 11, 2011)

Women’s Cross Country Elise Schreiber (Sept. 6, 2010) Lisa Scrivener (Oct. 4, 2010) Football Bryant Jackson (Offensive: Nov. 8, 2010) Tyler Belt (Defensive: Nov. 15, 2010) Men’s Soccer Murun Altankhuyag (Oct. 25, 2010) Men’s Basketball Curtis Smith (Feb. 7, 2011) Men’s Track & Field Edward Stewart (Track: Jan. 10, 2011*; Jan. 31; Feb. 7; Feb. 21*; April 4; April 25) Mike Hernandez (Track: Jan. 17, 2011; April 18) Roscoe Robinson (Field: Jan. 24, 2011; Jan. 31; Feb. 7; Feb. 21; March 21; March 28; April 4; April 11) Maurice Coon (Field: Feb. 14, 2011; April 25) Lucas Manring (Track: April 11, 2011) Anthony Layne (Field: April 18, 2011)

Baseball Steve Bazner (Player: March 28) Rhett Quinlan (Pitcher: March 28) Freddie Cabrera (Pitcher: April 4) Softball Aubrey Utley (Pitcher: March 14, 2011; March 21) Jordyn Tolliver (Player: March 28, 2011) * Edward Stewart was also named the NAIA National Track Athlete-of-the-Week on these dates.

Hairston Hall of Fame Inductions 2011 Join CMU on September 10, 2011, for the annual inductions into the Hairston Hall of Fame.

Inductions will be held during half-time of the CMU vs. Avila football game which begins at 6:00 p.m.

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Alumni news

Greetings to the alumni Today, Central’s Alumni Association represents more One of the real privileges I’ve had as president of the than 15,000 former students in all 50 states and 20 counalumni board is to take part in the annual commencement each May on the main campus. At the close of the proceed- tries. I encourage you to be actively involved in alumni ings the board president rises to bring a brief word of wel- activities. Whether you’re a new graduate or one who has been away for many years, it’s come to the newly-minted graduates as my hope that you’ll return to the they become members of our associacampus often to renew those ties that tion. To some extent it’s a formality, bind you forever to this great instibut in a broader sense it’s an opportune tution. Especially, I hope you will time to articulate something of both protect the date of October 8, which is who we are and what we are as proud Homecoming this year. There will be members of the CMU community. All new photos and memorabilia for you of us today are the sum of those who to enjoy in the CMU Living History have gone before, profoundly indebted exhibit, which has been a major underto men and women who in earlier years taking of your association. blazed the trail.

Finally, a parting note. In the So recently, the sounds of Pomp and Circumstance again echoed Above, Jim Steele accepts from Pastor Andre newspaper business when the linoFulton of St. Paul UMC a community service type operator typed “30” it meant through the rafters of Puckett Field award during the Martin Luther King Jr. break- he was done for the day. For me this House. Again a new crop of Central grads with degrees in hand fanned out fast. It was one of many awards that have been will be “30” as I complete my term as bestowed upon Jim this semester. president and cycle off the board after to make their mark on the world and, nearly 10 years of service. It has been in doing so, they joined a magnificent a memorable and enjoyable experience and I’m gratecloud of witnesses who have been part of CMU’s history ful to all those who have assisted and spoken words of for more than 155 years. encouragement.

In relation to its relatively small size, Central has produced more than its fair share of leaders in the professions, We’ll see you down the road. in business, in the arts, and in education. I’m sure that Jim Steele ‘64 many of our 2011 graduates will be among that number.

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Third Thursday coffees

Alumni senior awards

Join us for a walk down memory lane at a Third Thursday Coffee near you. Every Third Thursday of the month during the academic year, the Office of Advancement hosts informal gatherings in the greater Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan area for alumni and friends of the University. These gatherings offer the opportunity to catch up with old friends as well the opportunity to meet new folks from your area. A representative from the Advancement Office will share news from Central with those who are present.

Be sure to watch your mailbox for a postcard outlining the dates for the Third Thursday Coffees later this fall. You can also check the CMU website, www.centralmethodist. edu, for additional details. If you would like to host a coffee in your home, please contact Tracy Crowe Jones in the Alumni Office at 877-CMU-1854, ext. 56234 or via email at tjones@centralmethodist.edu.

Reservations are not required, although advance notice of your attendance is greatly appreciated so that we may confirm the availability of space. We hope you will join us for one of these informal gatherings so you can reunite with friends from the past and connect with some new ones.

As part of the end of school, the Alumni Association continued its tradition of honoring outstanding seniors with the Outstanding Senior Awards, presented at the senior luncheon on the Friday prior to graduation.

As recommended by faculty and staff, the awardees for 2011 are: Etsubteru Assefa, summa cum laude, who received a Bachelor of Science in biology; Lacey Eaton, summa cum laude, who received a Bachelor of Music in performance and was named the winner of the Selecman Award; Joe Garrett, magna cum laude, who received a Bachelor of Science in business and computer science and who was CMU’s Human Relations Award winner; Stephanie Sullivant, summa cum laude, who received a Bachelor of Science in business; and Melissa Williams, summa cum laude, who received a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies and English and completed an honor thesis for Honors in English.

For all graduates of CLAS—College of Liberal Arts and Science—the CMU Alumni Association once again provided montages of the campus.

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Alumni news Newsmakers Norm Drissell ’51 was inducted into the Crystal City School District Hall of Fame for his professional and personal accomplishments and his dedication of service to others.

Dick Blount ’55 received the Columbia Value Diversity Award as an advocate for social justice in the community. Blount began Open Door Ministries, which operates out of Missouri United Methodist Church, and promotes LGBTQ acceptance.

Nancy (Pear) Hoerst ’55 authored the book David, God’s King, which focuses on how even one who was close to God’s heart was not always perfect - and neither are we.

John Hutcherson ’56, current CMU Trustee, was inducted into the Vanderbilt School of Medicine’s Quinq Medical Society, recognizing his 50 years in the field of medicine.

Larry Dimond ‘58 was appointed to the Fayette city council after the April 2011 election.

Bishop Albert “Fritz” Mutti ’60 and wife Etta Mae were honored in Dallas, Texas, as they received the first Leadership Award from the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund. After losing two sons to AIDS, they spent their 12 years serving with distinction in the East and West Kansas Conferences, while volunteering their time to parents and stricken individuals coping with the challenges of HIV, eventually establishing the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund.

Donald Armitage ’64 is Cantor Emeritus of Augsburg Lutheran Church and has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership, and excellence in music.

Frank Hideg ’64 is a chiropractor and has served for 30 years on the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. He was honored in 2007 when the city of Paducah named the field in Brooks Stadium after him. Hideg coached Paducah’s American Legion Post 31 team for 23 years, compiling a record of 831-273, winning

six state championships, and producing four major league players.

Jim Steele ’64 sold the Fayette Advertiser/ Democratic Leader newspapers, in operation for over 171 years. He was publisher for the last 10 years. He will continue his civic involvement and plans to make a project of putting Fayette’s history into a museum.

Robert “Tad” Perry ’65, a current CMU Trustee, was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives from District 24 in central South Dakota. After a successful career in teaching, he has spent the past several decades serving as an effective advocate in state government.

Jan (Gift) Addison ’67 was appointed the Fayette Mayor in January 2011. She is believed to be the first woman mayor since the town’s founding in 1823.

Ginger (Knierim) Royston ’71 received the Luther T. Spayde Award for significant contributions in vocal music at the Missouri Choral Directors Association annual conference in July 2010. She is proud to have been a member of the A Cappella Choir under Dean Spayde. She retired in 2008 after 37 years of teaching in Salisbury.

Karen Robnett ’72 teaches adult education and literacy at Moberly Area Community College.

Parl Hummel ’73 retired from the Boeing Company after 34 years. He is now employed

by Booz Allen Hamilton as a management consultant assigned to support the Air Force Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, O’Fallon, Ill. Becky (Cochran) Huntsman ’73 was chosen as the 2011 Osage Educator of the Year. She teaches language arts, speech, and drama at Osage Middle School.

Mike Mueller ’73 recently published his autobiography, The Quantum Ping and Other Stories from My Life. The book is a 60-year journey from his boyhood days in Fayette to the times he’s spent traveling the world.

Susan (Lusby) Steele ’77 was elected to served as the municipal judge for Fayette, Mo. Nancy (Morrison) Nesvik ’78, a silk designer and custom art designer and illustrator, has created holiday cards promoting the Gulf Coast following the destruction of Hurricane Ivan and the BP oil spill. She has sold more than 10,000 cards.

The annual gathering at Les Bourgeois was held April 28, 2011 in Rocheport, Mo.

Spring 2011

David Fox ’83 is the executive director of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. He has been serving in leadership roles with the

Central Methodist University

MBCA for more than a decade and has been the head basketball coach at Jefferson City High School for the past 17 seasons.

James Hazlett ’84 is the owner and manager of the Brickhouse Sports Bar & Grill in Fayette.

Clarence Smith ’84 played percussion for the 2010 Christmas album, “Comfort & Joy” produced by Ransomed Productions.

Gretchen Deaton ’85 is chief brand officer for the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. She has been with the YMCA since 1990.

Deanna (Dockmeyer) Colbert ’86 won the Nov. 2010 election in Lincoln County, Mo., to become the first-ever elected auditor for the county.

Robert Davis ’86 is vice president, global energy services, for GreenHouse Holdings, a publicly traded leading provider of energy efficient solutions and sustainable infrastructure products. GreenHouse Holdings is located in San Diego, Calif.

Tim Kerns ’91 is serving as judge on the district court bench in the 19th Judicial District in Colorado.

Laurie (Wilfond) Sundhausen ’91 is a partner with the accounting firm of Crouch, Farley & Heuring, PC. The firm has several locations throughout southeast Missouri.

Brad Blakemore ’95 coaches the Hallsville High School girls basketball team which took third place at the Missouri High School State Tournament.

Jeanne (Allen) Kuhlman ’95 is an assistant principal at Ray-Pec High School in Raymore, Mo. Sarah (Martens) Cavanah ’96 is the band instructor at Chillicothe High School.

Michael Smith ’96 is the head coach of women’s basketball at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. Amanda (Fritz) Mueller ’97 was elected partner of the law firm HelperBroom LLC. She works in its St. Louis office in litigation.

Todd Anderson ’98 coaches the Hermann High School girls basketball team, which was runner-up at the Missouri High School State Tournament.

Mary Beth Elders ’98 has been appointed pastor to Manchester United Methodist Church in the Gateway Regional District.

Shad Becker ’99 has been promoted to vice president of lending for the Rolla locations of Town & Country Bank.

Nicole (Vieth) Stacey ’99 is the head softball coach at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo.

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Alumni news Richard Nixon ’01 is an assistant football coach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. He was also named the St. Louis Rams/U.S. Army Missouri Coach of the Year for 2010.

Deborak Riekof ’01 is the prosecuting attorney for Howard County, Mo. Kelley Sybert ’01 is the announcement coordinator and obituary writer for the St. Joseph News-Press in St. Joseph, Mo. Dr. Ed Doisy ’68 and Dr. Clay Albert ’68 met in Del Mar, Calif., after a 43-year separation thanks to the CMU alumni directory.

During their time together, they figured out they have the same barber!

Ryan Stone ’99 has published his first book, The Best Road Yet, fictional stories loosely based on Licking, Mo. Laura (Pauly) Templeton ’99 was named director of women’s and children’s services at St. Mary’s Health Center in Jefferson City, Mo. Van Vanatta ’99 is the new football coach at Hazelwood Central in St. Louis, Mo. As defense coordinator he helped lead the team to state championships in 2008 and 2009.

Marti Brizendine ’00 is second vice president of Jefferson City Bank in Jefferson City, Mo. Trevor Frounfelter ’00 is a project engineer for Phillips Plastics in Hudson, Wis. Charles Barker ’01 is an infrastructure engineer at H&R Block in Kansas City, Mo.

Jason Baker ’02 earned his master of public affairs degree from the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri.

Melissa Gable ’02 received her Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership in December of 2010.

Nicki (Kretzer) Victor ’02 is teaching 9thgrade health and 8th-grade U.S. history at Jefferson Junior High School in Columbia, Mo. Mary Pat Whiteside ’02 teaches college preparatory English and dual credit college English at Chillicothe High School. She is also the English department chair and the senior class sponsor.

Jon-Yves Bellers ’03, former commander of the 1140th Military Police Company at Fulton, is now the assistant training and operations officer for the 110th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Kansas City, Mo. Adam Caldwell ’04 has been appointed associate pastor of Salem-in-Ladue United Methodist Church in St. Louis, Mo.

Amanda Hutsel ’05 is a research assistant for the Pacific Whale Foundation located in Maui, Hawaii. She is studying the mark-recapture of humpback whales off the coast of eastern Australia. She is responsible for the South Pacific humpback whale catalog.

Aaron Price ’05 is a lab manager with the Spiritwood North Dakota Cargill Malt Facility.

Andrea (Shikles) Larrison ‘06 is the owner of Children at Play Photography in Russellville, Mo. Damon Collins ’07 is teaching health and P.E. and also coaching basketball in the Linn County R-1 School District.

Patrick Stroupe ’07 finished third at the 2011 U.S.A. 50 Km Race Walk Championships held in January in California; and in February, he won his first career U.S. Indoor National title in the 3,000-meter race walk. (See article page 67.)

Teddi Walker ‘07 is a stylist at Salon 730 in Fredericksburg, Va. Tammy (Butler) Kearns ’08 is an associate at McCrary Law Firm, Columbia, Mo., specializing in bankruptcy and family law.

Kate Gruenewald ’08 is a site specialist on England for International Studies Abroad. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Wendy Dickey ’09 graduated from Kansas State University with a Master of Arts in political science-international relations.

In Memoriam

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Lorene (Tharp) Winkleby ’32 Los Altos, Calif.

Oct. 1, 2010

Grace (Jones) Buchholtz ’39 Sedalia, Mo. March 29, 2011

Robert Phillips ’42 Rochester, N.Y. March 7, 2011

James Miller ’44 Bethany, Mo. Feb. 23, 2010

Freeman Alsop ’36 Oakton, Va. Nov. 29, 2010

Eleanor (Wood-Young) Langford ’39 Fayette, Mo. March 28, 2011

Nancy (Lockridge) Skillman ’42 Liberty, Mo. Jan. 10, 2011

Rowena (Thorp) Via ’44 Blue Springs, Mo. Dec. 29, 2010

Elinor (Eberhard) Myers ’36 Chelsea, Vt. June 27, 2010

Grace (Peterson) Hodge ’40 Alexandria, Va. Oct.15, 2010

Richard Albert Frisby ’43 Fayette, Mo. Dec. 20, 2010

Henry Conrad ’45 Boca Raton, Fla. July 10, 2010

Celia (Blevins) Eudy ’37 Dardanelle, Ark. Jan. 8, 2011

William Rosegrant ’41 Kalamazoo, Mich.

Aug. 8, 2010

Robert Louis Snider ’43 York, Pa. Dec. 10, 2010

Philip Doisy ’45 Webster Groves, Mo. Oct. 17, 2010

Mary Virginia (Ream) Herrick ’37 Independence, Mo., Feb. 10, 2011

Lucille (Wells) Stout ’41 Fayette, Mo. Jan. 20, 2011

Robert Doisy ’44 Columbia, Mo. May 21, 2010

Jamie (Simpson) Brady ’46 Shawnee, Kan. Dec. 5, 2010

Dorothy (Dinkelkamp) Smith ’37 San Diego, Calif.

Sept. 12, 2010

Charlotte (McColl) Hill ’42 Kansas City, Mo. Jan. 11, 2011

Frank Harlan ’44 Asheville, N.C. April 15, 2010

Dorothy Elizabeth (Adair) Land ’49 Houston, Texas Jan. 29, 2011

Christina Marie Porter ’38 Centerview, Mo. Feb. 7, 2011

Lucille (Davis) Howell ’42 Fayette, Mo. Dec.21, 2010

Mary Bess (Myers) Kincaid ’44 Richland, Mo. Jan. 9, 2011

Viola Jean (Kling) Lykins ’49 Albany, Mo. July 3, 2010

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Alumni news Joshua Hall ’09, Airman First Class, graduated from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Zach Niemeier ’09 is assistant vice president at Commercial Trust Company with branches in Fayette, Mo., and Hallsville, Mo. Jason Pax ’09 works as a tax staff I associate for Williams-Keepers LLC in Jefferson City, Mo. Michael Yetman ’09 works at News Radio 960 KZIM located in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Jessica Bretana ’10 is a graduate assistant for the Lindenwood Lady Lions soccer team.

Rhonda Pfister ’10 is the Iron County Hospital controller. She has been employed at the hospital since 2008.

Otonye Jack ’10 participated in the 24th annual Governor’s Faith and Leadership Forum held in Jefferson City, Mo., in January 2011.

Marriages Mary Settle ’81 and James Paul Ginetz were married on Aug. 7, 2010.

Jennifer Black ’97 and Richard Grisham were married on Oct. 23, 2010.

Paula Boulware ’03 and Matthew Bross were married Oct. 9, 2010.

Zachary Bopp ’05 and Melissa Meyer were married Oct. 15, 2010.

Robert Cowsert ’05 and Melissa Kathryn Mar-

shall were married Oct. 23, 2010.

Dr. Jeannette Scahill ’50 of Kansas City, Mo., died April 4, 2011. After attending Central Methodist she received her master’s degree from the University of Wyoming and earned her PhD at the University of Iowa. Dr. Scahill taught in public schools in Kansas, Wyoming and New Mexico as well as at Central Washington State, Texas Tech, and Central Missouri State.

She completed her career after spending 26 years at the University of Iowa.

A widely published author, she was a national presenter and served as president of the Iowa Association of the Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. In 1984, Dr. Scahill received Central Methodist's Distinguished Alumni Award.

At her memorial service “Beautiful Savior” was sung and notated in the program as the Central Methodist University Hymn. She loved sports, travel, and theatre, and participated in many activities at Christ United Methodist Church in Independence, Mo.

Mark Hoehne ’07 and Jessica Jarvis were married Nov. 6, 2010.

Jessica Fox ’09 and Matthew Riechers were married June 12, 2010.

Jenna Ryan ’09 and Kristopher John Feldmann were married July 17, 2010.

Casey Voss ’09 and Thomas Tobben were married July 10, 2010.

Eddie Dickey ’10 and Tabatha Leaton ‘13, were married May 21, 2011.

Ashley Straatmann ’10 and Adam Monroe were married Sept. 10, 2010.

Births Stacy (Veihl) Huffington ’94 and husband Thomas announce the birth of their daughter, Sophia Estelle, born Sept. 30, 2010.

Nancy Reed Meyer ’95 and husband Billy announce the birth of their son, Liam Creighton Meyer, born Aug. 27, 2010.

Henry, born Nov. 23, 2009.

Sherry (Withington) ’95 and David Reetz ‘82 announce the birth of their daughter, Lacie Dawn, born Nov. 10, 2010.

Courtney (Schwartze) Jeremy ’03 and husband Todd announce the birth of their son, Paxten Michael, born Nov. 12, 2010.

Laura (Maubach) Bray ’00 and husband Brian announce the birth of their daughter, Avery Marie, born May 22, 2010.

Mary Kate (Henke) Livingston ’03 and husband Nicholas announce the birth of their son, Oliver Allen, born April 21, 2010.

Erin (Paulsmeyer) ’02 and Marty Gerloff ’04 announce the birth of their son, Grayson

Abby (Brummit) ’03 and husband Morgan Mayer ’02 announce the birth of twins, Kinley

Walter Moore, Jr. ’49 South Bend, Ind. Sept. 24, 2010

Leo Edward Chorn ’56 Cordele, Ga. Nov. 14, 2010

Martha (Garrison) Holt ’62 Ballwin, Mo. March 4, 2011

Herschel Leroy Nickerson ’70 Salisbury, Mo. Dec. 22, 2010

Rodney Elmore ’50 Excelsior Springs, Mo. June 12, 2010

John Deck ’56 Richmond, Ky. March 22, 2011

Terry Cannon ’67 Jefferson City, Mo. Jan. 31, 2011

Terry (Hitt) Davis ’73 Fayette, Mo. Nov. 26, 2010

Florence (Windsor) Hillyard ’50 Lenexa, Kan. Jan. 10, 2011

Max Hair ’56 Savannah, Ga., Dec. 21, 2010

Anne Downing ’67 San Antonio, Texas Nov. 5, 2010

Tom Wheelehon ’73 Hillsboro, Mo. March 7, 2011

Oren Kesler ’50 Chula Vista, Calif.

Feb. 2, 2011

Duane Hartley ’56 Athens, Ga. Oct. 4, 2010

Douglas Radney II ’67 Woodland, Calif.

Jan. 2, 2011

Mary (Soday) Frank ’78 Columbia, Mo. Jan. 9, 2011

Roy Otto Werner, Jr. ’51 Marion, Ill. Nov. 21, 2010

Clayton Craghead ’58 Fort Wayne, Ind. March 12, 2010

Richard Riggs ’67 Hayward, Calif.

May 18, 2010

Nancy (Carlson) Straube ’83 Virginia Beach, Va. Nov. 30, 2010

Hector McDonald ’52 Rolla, Mo. Aug. 18, 2010

Paul Marshall Douglas ’58 Kimberley, British Columbia Dec. 31, 2010

Glenda (Amick) Wolfe ’67 Boonville, Mo. Dec. 29, 2010

Todd Phillips ’91 Macon, Mo. March 31, 2011

Donald William Meyerhoff ’53 Chesterfield, Mo. Oct. 29, 2010

Paul Charles Thompson ’59 New Franklin, Mo. Dec. 11, 2010

Alex Lewandowski ’68 Lenexa, Kan. March 6, 2011

Kurt Alan Wise ’97 Monett, Mo. Feb. 17, 2011

Joan (Hammond) Moon ’55 Fayette, Mo. Feb. 18, 2011

Gayle Johnson ’60 Memphis, Mo. April 8, 2011

Mary Rae (Markland) Gray ’70 Overland Park, Kan. Oct. 13, 2010

Brett Lynn Tiefenauer ’08 Desloge, Mo. Sept. 10, 2010

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Alumni news and Reagan, born Sept. 9, 2010.

Tina (Conrow) and Brennan Scanlon, both class of ’03, announce the birth of their daughter, Braylee Marie, born Oct. 17, 2010.

Jade Lauber and husband Aaron Price, both class of ’05, announce the birth of their son, Tucker Louis, born Oct. 19, 2010.

Maria (Reid) Bickell ’06 and husband Danny announce the birth of their son, Reid Aidan, born Oct. 27, 2010.

Angel Spooner ’07 announces the birth of her daughter, Elysse Frances, born Oct. 4, 2010.

Margaret Compton ’08 and husband Dustyn announce the birth of their daughter, Lyllian Fay, born Nov. 29, 2009.

Jennifer (Schoch) Shepard ’10 and husband Brett announce the birth of their son, Corbin, born Feb. 20, 2011.

e Noted Passings

Jim “Spider” Clatworthy ’59 of Fayette, Mo., died Feb. 11, 2011. A Fayette native, Spider was known by many Central alumni as classmate and friend.

Several members of his family attended CMU. He was the son of Urlyss ’29 and Jane (Hammer) ’30; husband of Peggy (Davis) ’63; brother of Thomas ’67; and father of Robert Clatworthy ’96 and Cindy (Clatworthy) Schluckebier ’06.

Spider joined his father in the family business, Clatworthy’s Ready-to-Wear, in the early 1960s—for decades, a Fayette institution on the north side of the square.

For many alumni, no Homecoming was complete without a visit with Spider.

He was dedicated to the Fayette community and served on the CMU Alumni Association Board of Directors. He was a representative for the American Red Cross, a member of the Missouri National Guard and an active member of the Fayette First Christian Church.

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Jane Louise Chick ’51 of Brookfield, Mo., died April 27, 2011. Born in Fayette, Mo., May 31, 1929, she was the daughter of Marvin and Louise (Abel) Turner, part owners of the widely known Alsop & Turner Drug Store in Fayette.

On June 24, 1951, Jane married James W. Chick ’51, who preceded her in death Jan. 15, 1998.

Jane received an associate of arts degree from Colorado Women’s College in Denver, Colo. and a bachelor degree in music education from Central College (now Central Methodist University). She taught French and vocal music for Brookfield R-III School District from 1960 until 1994 and continued to substitute teach.

Jane played the piano and organ for various churches and vocal groups as well as for weddings and funerals. She attended Trinity United Methodist Church in Brookfield where she had been a pianist and choir director. She was a member of Linn County Retired Teachers Association, Missouri Retired Teachers Association, and a 50-year member of Chapter AG of P.E.O. Survivors include three children, Dianne C. Riley and husband Theron of Columbia, Mo.; Ellen C. Nelson and husband Tim of Kearney, Mo.; and Loran Chick of Jefferson City; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She is also survived by brother-in-law, Thomas Chick ’52 and wife Judy of Kansas City, Mo.; and granddaughter-in-law Mallory (James) Nelson ’08.

In addition to her husband, Jane was preceded in death by brother James Marvin Turner Jr. ’50 and a grandson, Dane W. Nelson ’08.

Friends of Central Martha (Beimdiek) Adair of Boulder, Colo., died Aug. 17, 2010.

Mrs. Adair, wife of Dr. Norman Adair ’36, who preceded her in death, was a great supporter of Central Methodist throughout the years. The Adairs left a lasting legacy on campus with gifts that supported the Adair Weight Room in the Mabee Athletic Facility.

Katharine Alexander, mother of longtime trustee Fred Alexander ’58 of Fayette, Mo., died March 22, 2011.

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Robert Arbaugh of Springfield, Mo., died Feb. 2, 2011. He served on CMU’s Board of Trustees from 1971-1979.

Rev. Arbaugh was preceded in death by his wife, Mabel (Miller) ’47.

Walter Hermann Eikermann died Jan. 20, 2011, at Gasconade Manor Nursing Home. Eikermann was employed by Central Methodist University from 1962 to 1980 and for most of that time headed the school’s maintenance department. While in Fayette, he established Eikermann Heights Mobile Home Park (now Hilgedick’s) and was an active member of the Fayette Optimist Club. He also served on the city council. While on the Central staff he was among those who set up Howard County’s first emergency responder service, which was at that time headquartered on the college campus.

Cynthia Montgomery of Fayette, Mo., died Nov. 23, 2010. She was the wife of current Central employee, Mike, who has been with CMU since 1980. Cynthia worked in student development and financial aid from 1998-2002. Mike’s and Cynthia’s children, Clint ’98 and Laura ’04, both attended Central. She was from a long line of Central staff, faculty, and alumni, including her father-in-law, Bob Montgomery, who is remembered by many Central alumni as the supervisor of buildings and grounds until his retirement in 2002.

Earl Shostrom of Urbandale, Iowa, died Jan. 10, 2011. Mr. Shostrom was the parent of alumnus Keith Shostrom ’82 and a member of the Central Founders Circle.

Henry Summers, friend and supporter of the University, and parent of Linda (Summers) Robb ’65, died on April 5, 2011. Summers was a prominent businessman and monumental civic leader in the Fayette and greater Howard County communities.

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Alumni news

New president assumes reins of Alumni Association Judy (Engel) Rethwisch ’65 (right) succeeded Jim Steele as president of the CMU Alumni Association in April. She had been serving as vice president. The new vice president is John Cheary ’70.

Rethwisch retired in 2000 after 35 years of teaching speech, drama, acting, technical design, creative film, and television in public schools, primarily in Affton, Mo. During her career, she produced more than 70 plays and coordinated numerous theatre and interdisciplinary projects. She continues to be the fine arts coordinator at Affton High School.

She was honored by Affton High School during its 150th Anniversary Celebration with the naming of the Judith E. Rethwisch Auditorium.

She established the Affton Center Stage Community Theatre (ACT) in 1987 and is still its executive director.

The adult-oriented group produces three shows a year.

She was also a charter member of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) and has served as president.

Rethwisch received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in speech from Central Methodist College (CMU) in 1965

and her Masters of Arts Degree in Theatre from Lindenwood University in 1983. She is married to Braxton, long-time admissions counselor for CMU, a 1964 graduate. They maintain homes in both Fenton and Fayette.

John Cheary (right) was elected vice president at the same alumni meeting. John graduated from Central in 1970 with a degree in music education. He received a master’s in education from Southwest Missouri State University. While here he was active in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and band, where he was assistant director.

After graduating, Cheary taught secondary music until he retired. Since that time he has established the Affordable Moving Services Inc. in Branson, Mo., and serves as its president.

John is married to Jackie (Allred) ’82, also a music education major at Central. They live in Hollister, Mo. Cycling off the Alumni Board due to term limits were Dee Woodward’55, Jim Steele’64, and Mindy Gregory’93.

The board welcomed Stephen Johnson’56 to the board.

Others who are interested in serving on the board should contact Tracy Jones’94, CMU director of alumni relations.

Snake: an alumnus remembers

by Rolland Love x’61 My roommate at Central College, Fayette, Mo., was Max Nickerson (class of 1960), but everyone called him Snake. He helped his dad run Nickerson’s Zoological Gardens. Snake was my roommate during my freshman year and always had a stash of exotic wild meat, rattlesnake being one of his favorites and mine as well after I adapted to the idea.

Snake had been bitten by a cottonmouth when he was a youngster and lost his index finger down to the second joint. His trademark, in addition other things, was sticking the stub of his finger up inside his nose so it looked like the entire thing was submerged. He did this mainly after consuming a significant number of beers.

One day he brought a 12-foot python back from Nickerson’s Zoo, which he kept in a cage under his bed and fed mice and the occasional small rabbit. Most terrible about the snake being present in our small dorm room was a strong odor similar to that of ancient earth which hung heavy in the air at all times.

At my request, Snake bathed the ‘big’ python in the shower; at the time the creature happened to be shedding a lot of skin. So, the drain clogged up and the system backed water into the stools, which then overflowed from the restrooms where we lived on the second floor. The flood caused extensive damage to the ceilings and items below, like hi-fi 33 1/3 and 45 record collections and Playboy magazines . . . .

The next day after the snake skin induced the flood, a sign appeared at the entrance of the shower, “no bathing snakes in the shower.”

Rolland Love is an award-winning author and actor. He teaches writing, storytelling, fishing, and outdoor skills.

Editor’s Note: This same snake appears in my memory from when I was perhaps seven; the year must have been 1957. Max and about four of his friends (perhaps Rolland included) brought the snake to our apartment in McMurry Hall. It was the middle of the night in the life of a child, and Max had brought the snake down to take its medicine, which was being kept cool in our refrigerator. My dad, “Dean T,” awakened my sister and me to meet this snake, and we were allowed to pet it. Memories like that—or a snake bath—stay forever in one’s memory.

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The voice on the other end of the line during Spring Phonathon probably belonged to one of these students!

Front row (l-r): Brad Carter and Ricky Massana; middle row: Amy Meyer, Electie Minix, Toni Weatherford; back row: Kaity Eversmeyer, Kristen Henry, Melissa Williams, Tiffany Bartholomew, Merikate Novak

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Spring 2011

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Calendar of Events

June

3-5: Summer Light Performance Workshop, Kountz Recital Hall 4: Boonville Clydesdale Tour and Picnic 12: Reception for the Artist in The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art 12-July 21: “Painting Missouri: Paintings Representing 114 Counties in Missouri” by Billyo O’Donnell assisted by Karen Glines 18: Alumni Band 22-26: Juneaway to New York City

July

6-8: Instrumental Camp, Swinney Conservatory 15: 20th Luetjen Golf Tournament, Boonville 17: St. Louis Zoo Gathering 19-22: Piano Ensemble Camp, Swinney Conservatory

August

2: Commencement - Union 4: Commencement - St. Anthony’s Medical Center 14: Reception in The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art 14-Oct 30: Bingham in the Boonslick: A Bicentennial Celebration (1811-2011) 23: Classes Begin in Fayette

September

October

1: Band Day 5-7: Little Theatre Production 6: Gaddis Lecture, Richard Dailey ’71, speaker 7-9: Homecoming 2011 20: Third Thursday Coffee, Kansas City & St. Louis 23: Gems of Vocal Literature 28: Halloween Organ Concert 29: Eagle Tailgate, football vs. Evangel, Springfield

November

5: Eagle Tailgate, football vs. SEMO, Cape Girardeau 6: Choir Concert 11: Chamber Music Recital 17: Third Thursday Coffee, Kansas City & St. Louis 17-22: Chorale Tour 21-27: Thanksgiving Break

December

1: Sigma Alpha Iota Christmas Concert 1-4: Little Theatre Production 4: Choir Concert 8: Jazz Choir & Jazz Band Concert 9-10: Student-directed Theatre Production 10-15: Finals Week 11: Band Concert 16-Jan. 8: Christmas Break

5: Fine Arts Celebration 10: Hairston Hall of Fame induction 15: Third Thursday Coffee, Kansas City & St. Louis 24: Family Day, football vs. Culver-Stockton

http://cmalumni.centralmethodist.edu Classnotes

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