I remember walking out of Dr. Clark’s English class in Winston Hall on a sunny October afternoon and joining my 6’9” friend Paul Coder for our walk over to Reynolds for freshman basketball practice. Paul had just finished a Design class across the way in Brooks Hall—Paul, besides being an outstanding basketball player was academic-minded and very smart--from Rockville, Maryland and the reason State hung in there with the big guys (Carolina and South Carolina) back then and actually led us to the ACC Championship in 1970 against John Roche and company.

Paul C.

I was fresh from Jim Clark’s artful review of Thoreau and Walden, and Paul was fresh from ambitious lectures on the geodesic dome given by Duncan Stuart and Vernon Shogren (who both assisted Buckminster Fuller with his original design). And according to one of his colleagues, it was Duncan Stuart who worked with Fuller in synergetics and actually designed the first successful lattice structure of the geodesic dome (but never received full credit from Fuller).

Winston Hall (English Department)

Professor Dr. James Clark

Brooks Hall (Design School)

Prefessor Duncan Stuart

Professor Vernon Shogren

Buckminster Fuller and his Geodisic Dome

Montreal Biosphere

'Dear Old' Reynolds

Remember an older lady dropping by Reynolds during practice one afternoon and handing Coach Sloan a hundred-dollar bill to take our entire team over to the Angus Barn that evening. We all went over to thank her, and she was full of smiles and very warmly accepted our thanks.  No, we did not go to the 'Barn' that night, but still a pleasant memory, and remember Stormin' Norman with a humbling smile on his face.  And the Angus Barn is a great experience.

The Angus Barn

They were all smart guys back then—some more serious about their studies than others, but everyone sharp and clever in their own ways—no dummies, that’s for sure.  And one of the sharpest with a very humorous wit was Dan Wells—yes, ‘Dirty Dan’--😊.

Just not anywhere close now to those wonderful days.

My favorite State football game was a thrilling loss to Carolina in Kenan in 1972—Pat Kenney’s diving catch over Lou Angelo in the end zone with time running out, then Dave Buckey’s errant pass into the endzone on the two-point conversion attempt to win the game.  Even State’s amazing win over Carolina recently didn’t really thrill me as much as Pat Kenney’s catch. 

I rarely watch any college football or basketball anymore. But you can still plug for bass or drop an Adams 14 onto a slow run on a Wilson Creek tributary, or settle back and binge on a few Yellowstone episodes. There's lots to do out there w/o getting embroiled in hateful politics.

And a swarthy Beth and her beefy cowboy Rip should help point us all in the right direction.  :-)

Last night for a Christmas feast we did not go in for the usual elegant Thai spread or even Japanese--we opted for fish sandwiches and French fries and Coca Colas at the new McDonalds--and 'it' was really good! 

Merry Christmas and Happy Near Year to all!