June 2000: Vol. 79, No. 3

WRITE US!
Kent Hannon
Stegeman Coliseum/301A
UGA, Athens, GA 30602

E-MAIL US!
khannon@uga.edu

Attic trip rekindles UGA memories, mischief

I have been in the attic going through old boxes that have been closed for years. In one box were memories from my UGA days. Some 30 years ago, I lived at the Sigma Chi house on South Lumpkin. As I went through this box, I was taken back to those wonderful days and the roar of the crowd on a Saturday afternoon in November. I remember the fires on the railroad tracks all Friday night as our Dawgs were going to meet Pat Sullivan and his Auburn Tigers for the SEC championship. I remember the excitement as "Pistol Pete" came to town with the LSU Tigers and we cheered for him to score 100 points. I remember when the military draft numbers were called out at the basketball game, and I knew that I was to be drafted upon graduation. Those 30 years have gone by mighty fast, and now at age 50 I'm digging through an old box filled with those days of the past.

Sometimes my memory fails, or maybe I let the story grow a little larger than it really was. Take, for instance, the Kent State incident and the protest at the UGA administration building. The truth is, most of us were sitting along fraternity row watching girls and drinking something other than tea, when we saw some "long hairs" marching down the street. They were chanting something, and many just fell in behind them to see what they were going to do. They marched to the administration building, and some went inside. The occupation was on, or at least until the State Patrol showed up.

I remember seeing a lot of "long hairs" running out the building and then some huge trooper walking out behind them. The fact was, most of us were just there to watch. When the beer ran out, most went back to the house.

I'm sure some saw it differently, but 30 years does take a toll on your memory. The one thing I did that was daring was to steal the Phi Mu dinner bell. After 30 years, there in the bottom of the box was that bell. I had forgotten it all these years. It was because of a girl I liked; I took it to remember her. Well, she dropped me soon after that! As a Baptist preacher, I must return it and set the record straight. I got the address yesterday from the Bulldog web site, and now I've got to get it polished up and returned. I hope they forgive me after all these years. By the way, if they press charges, do you send the alumni magazine to jail?

REV. JOHN L. (LARRY) LANE (BSEd '72)
Brunswick

George Burns would say, "I ain't the least bit dead"

One of George Burns' jokes was that the first thing he did in the morning was read the obits in the paper. If he didn't find his name, he went ahead and had breakfast. Well, the other night I read the obits in the March 2000 issue of Georgia Magazine to see if I knew any of the names. I did my own! But I had breakfast the next morning anyway. I didn't feel the least bit dead. Someone must have confused me with Edward C. James of Bishop who died last year. I assure you that Edward C. James Jr. of Watkinsville is still alive. I must be since I made my contribution to the Annual Fund in January of this year.

EDWARD C. JAMES JR. (BSA '48, MS '62)
Watkinsville, Ga.

Crowe initiated Oxford program's success

When I read the Georgia Magazine article on Oxford ["Oxford Bound!" Dec. '99), it reminded me of the Oxford experience I had as a UGA student in '86. The summer program had about 30 students, primarily from the history department, who took a concentrated class on British history, as well as British lit with a tutor. We lived and studied at Oriel College and enjoyed dinners in its cathedral-like dining room. Like the students of today, presenting the weekly paper—on top of an endless stream of historical excursions and cultural activities—made for a very arduous, but in the end more enriching experience than most of the summer programs my friends attended.

For the present success of the Oxford program, some credit must go to the late Charles Crowe, who nearly single-handedly organized the annual summer program which gained UGA a superior reputation at Oxford throughout the 1980s. Because other staff in the history department questioned the validity of his program, he limited it to students with solid academic credentials and ran a very rigorous instructional program. Dr. Crowe loved Oxford and its effect on his students, and I am sure that if he were here today he would be extremely proud of what Judy Shaw has done to expand upon his vision. I recall that summer as one of my favorite UGA experiences, and I am glad that even more students of today have the opportunity to learn from this unique experience.

COURTLANDT SMITH (AB '89)
Charleston, W.V.

Too Southern? or totally chic?

I read with interest, Susan Wessler's article ["The UGA Century/Research," Dec. '99]. I was impressed by her acumen and scholarly achievements. UGA is fortunate to have an individual of her caliber as a faculty member. However, I was dismayed by her initial impression of Georgia as being too Southern for her. I wonder if "too Southern" could be construed as a euphemism for being backward or non-intellectual. After having the opportunity to live and travel throughout the U.S., I have discovered that one's accent or geographic origin is not synonymous with intellect.

I am very proud to be from the South. Interestingly, being "too Southern" is now considered to be chic in many circles.

D. CONRAD HARPER, M.D. (BSPh '79)
Cincinnati, Ohio

Maxie Foster was first black athlete

The reference to the first black athlete in Georgia Magazine ["The UGA Century/Time Line," Dec. '99] is incorrect. Maxie Foster (BSEd '72, MEd '74), an Athens native, was the first black athlete at UGA in 1968. Maxie was a fine quarter-miler and captain of the first UGA team to defeat Auburn in a dual meet in 1972. I truly look forward to each issue of Georgia Magazine. It provides alumni with timely information about current issues and also gives us wonderful historical material about the university.

JIMMY TUGGLE (BSEd '70, JD '74)
Captain, 1970 UGA track team
Carrollton

(EDITOR'S NOTE: We should have said that basketball player Ronnie Hogue, BBA '77, was the first black athlete to compete in a major sport at UGA.)

"Wild Bill" excelled south of Mason-Dixon

The Back Page item about William Tate ["A Man for All Seasons," March '00] was entertaining. "Wild Bill" used to tell the story of how he won every track meet south of the Mason-Dixon Line, but never won north of it. Finally, returning by train from a northern meet, he saw out the train window the northern cemetery at Marietta. He exclaimed, "There lie the Yankees who couldn't run!" Thanks to "Wild Bill," who was at UGA when I was, as well as Sue Fan, who made possible my book from the UGA Press, The Journal of Archibald C. McKinley.

BOB HUMPHRIES (BS '51, MS '55)
Marietta