The two of us spent a combined total of 33 years as members of the faculty at Wofford College. When Ellen arrived, the Great Oaks Hall in the Milliken Science Building did not yet exist: real oak trees were growing there. When Byron arrived, the interior of Old Main had not yet been historically restored, and its concrete-block walls and linoleum floors had all the charm of a well-appointed correctional institution. The Village was still just a dream stirring somewhere deep down in a very soft spot in Michael S. Brown’s heart. Back then, the men’s basketball team had never even been to the NCAA tournament.
Looking back, we are impressed by how much our presence improved the place.
Seriously though, in the past few months we have come to realize that we will never completely separate ourselves from Wofford College. Sure, we packed up our offices, sold our house, and moved into a different house and offices here at the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University. The physical process of moving isn’t all that hard when hired professionals do all the heavy lifting, and our new responsibilities here light us up with high hopes for the good work ahead.
Yet we are discovering how deep are our ties to Wofford and the community that nurtured us through the very best years of our lives. Could it be that none of us who has come to be a member of the Wofford family can ever fully detach ourselves from it? Nowadays we understand better why so many members of the 50th-year class make the pilgrimage back to Wofford for graduation. They wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Who knows, maybe the two of us just might sneak in amongst them one of these fine Sunday mornings in May.
We look back on a kaleidoscope of good memories: jumping roundhouse back kicks in our 8am karate class with Mike Ayers, the deep camaraderie of the faculty/staff dining room, shared celebrations of milestones like tenure, birthdays, marriages and the births of children, and those countless beautiful moments when students forgot about time and tasks and just let themselves get caught up in the joy of learning.
We will be looking forward to news from Wofford. We wish we could be there for some of the great events that are coming up: the opening of the Richardson Center for the Arts, and the rush of imagination and creativity in that great, big, beautiful space right there in the heart of campus. We wish we could be there when the Terriers open up the new Richardson Indoor Stadium, capture the conference title, go back to the Dance and this time win that first-round game.
When these things happen, as they surely will, tilt your ear toward the distant south – way down here – and listen for the sound of two lifelong Terriers cheering right along with you.
Thank you for 33 great years; we miss you. And please give Miss Rita a big hug from both of us.
Warm regards,
Byron and Ellen