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Feaver accepts award for the late Procter
OKLAHOMA CITY – Two luminaries in the colorful history of the University of Science and Arts were inducted into the prestigious Higher Education Hall of Fame this month. And for the sixth time in his presidency, John Feaver took the stage to accept the award on behalf of one of them, the late Dr. C. Dan Procter (1905-1987), the sixth president of the college.
“Dan Procter’s legacy follows the great leaders and visionaries who nurtured the Oklahoma College for Women to prominence,” said USAO President John Feaver, before an audience of 1,000 at the Oklahoma Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum on Oct. 7. “Through the years, I have been privileged to accept this award on behalf of five OCW greats. I consider it a priceless honor.”
Besides this award for Procter, Feaver previously has accepted the honor for OCW’s fifth president, Mell Achilles Nash (1996); philosopher and educator J. Clayton Feaver, his father, (1998); legendary fine arts educator Frances Dinsmore Davis (2002); historian Anna L. Lewis (2003); and OCW’s visionary fourth president George Washington Austin (2004).
“From OCW emerged some of Oklahoma’s finest educators,” Feaver said. “Masterfully guiding the institution through World War II and the resulting nationwide enrollment declines at exclusively women’s colleges, Dan Procter was regarded as a dynamic and engaging visionary who oversaw a prosperous period of renewal at OCW. He remains, among our alumni, one of the most beloved of campus leaders in our 100-year history.”
Dr. Charles Dan Procter became the sixth president of OCW in 1943, following the resignation of President M. A. Nash, who resigned to become the first chancellor of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
A prodigy, the 38-year-old Procter had been highly successful in all his previous undertakings. A graduate of Ada High School and East Central State College, he became a high school business teacher and went on to complete two advanced degrees at the University of Oklahoma. In 1939, he was president of the Oklahoma Education Association, and in 1942, was appointed to the State Board of Education.
Leading the college through a lean and troubling wartime, he built a new student union, renovated housing and built Nash Library, dedicated in 1950. He also built a new education and home economics facility, Gary Hall, dedicated in 1950, and renovated the Administration Building and Austin Hall. He persuaded Jane Brooks School for the Deaf to move on campus.
In 1958, Procter left higher education for a corporate position in Houston, where he eventually would retire as chairman of the board. But his contribution to the Sooner State – thoughtful leadership, discerning vision, political acumen, and strategic planning – cause him to be remembered still among the best leaders in Oklahoma higher education history.
The other person connected to USAO who was inducted to the Higher Education Hall of Fame this year was Emily Blanton Smith (1904-1975). Smith graduated from OCW in 1927 and then earned a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1936. She served as dean of the Altus Junior College, today known as the Western Oklahoma State College, from 1933-43.
Smith was heralded as saving the institution from near collapse in the 1930s, when enrollment fell to 27 students. She built the enrollment to 600 and led the college to receive a national award from President Franklin Roosevelt’s National Youth Administration program. She launched an aviation department and was certified herself in meteorology, aerodynamics and navigation, so there would be an instructor in aviation after male instructors were called to serve in WWII. And, despite physical handicaps, she learned to fly, worked on her doctorate, and launched another career after WWII.
A member of her family accepted the award on her behalf.
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Transformations
What comes to mind when you think of the word, “Transformation”?Do you have fantastic thoughts of people or things changing into something amazing for example, Clark Kent turning into Superman or Bruce Banner becoming the Incredible Hulk or possibly something a little more down to earth like a caterpillar miraculously changing into the beautiful butterfly?
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GRADY COUNTY FAIR RESULTS
Plants
Potted Plants
(Several varieties combined)
First: (Adult) Ann O'Bar
Second: (Adult) Joyce Riker
Third: (Adult) Jallane Link -
AROUND THE AREA
SEPTEMBER 2
Poetry Reading
• When: Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
• Where: Eduardo’s Mexican Restaurant, Private Room, 3127 S. 4th St., Chickasha
• Details: Featured Poet is Carol Hamilton, writer, storyteller and Poet Laureate of Oklahoma 1995-97Hamilton’s website is www.carolhamilton.org. There is no admission fee to attend the Poetry Reading, and refreshments are available for purchase. For more information, contact Rockford Johnson, 224-0160 or 317-7506. -
Duncan nips Chicks for straight-game win
Duncan got their eighth match win of the season Tuesday, beating Nancy Waters’ Lady Chicks in straight games at the Activity Center.
The Chicks looked like they had a little hangover from Monday night’s tough road loss at Tecumseh, coming out flat again and dropping their first two games by identical 25-17 scores.
They came out firing on all eight cylinders for game three, running out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of a 7-0 run with Shelby Crosley serving, but the Demons battled back to tie it late and the Chicks let it slip away, 25-21. -
STATE SPORTS BRIEFS
NORMAN (AP) — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has named walk-on Patrick O'Hara as the starting place-kicker for the seventh-ranked Sooners.
Stoops said on his radio show Tuesday night that O'Hara won the competition with Jimmy Stevens, freshman Michael Hunnicutt and redshirt freshman Bryce Easley. -
OSU's Gundy still learning on job
STILLWATER (AP) — Mike Gundy hasn't lost his love for dialing up the right play to keep Oklahoma State's offense purring along.
That passion, which he has called the most enjoyable part of his job as head coach, was bred into him as an offensive coordinator. And he is a former starting quarterback for the Cowboys. -
Whimsical metal work, jewelry part of big art show at USAO
A showing of whimsical metal work and jewelry is scheduled to be on display at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma during Helen’s Show Sept. 10-Oct 1.
The show will feature the work of USAO graduate Helen Shafer. The exhibition will be open daily during normal business hours in the Davis Hall Third Floor Art Gallery on the USAO campus. The show is free and open to the public. An opening reception is scheduled Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the gallery. -
High-speed chase lands 1 in jail
A high-speed motorcycle chase down Highway 81 last Wednesday landed a Ninnekah man in jail and a felony charge of eluding a police officer.
Court records show that James William Hutchins, 21, blew by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Timothy Parrish at U.S. Highway 81 and County Road 1460 and was clocked going 144 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.
Parrish reported that he was sitting stationary at that location at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 25 when he observed a red motorcycle traveling southbound. He engaged his emergency lights and siren and pulled onto the roadway behind the Triumph motorcycle. -
5 inmates denied parole
Parole was recently denied for five Grady County inmates serving sentences with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
The following individuals were denied at the August Pardon and Parole Board meeting:
• Jeremiah Daniel Cline, who is serving a five-year sentence for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and a five-year sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, began his sentence in August 2008.
• Warren P. Diego, who is serving a 15-year sentence (10 years PTS) for lewd molestation, began his sentence in February 2009. -
Judge recuses herself from pharmacy case
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state district judge has stepped aside from the first-degree murder trial of a pharmacist accused in the fatal shooting of an unconscious would-be robber.
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Transformations
