Inice Tarrant Recalls Times at East Lake Campus

"...A picture of us studying under the oak was taken, and when my folks saw it they were surprised that I was sitting on the ground and he was there next to me. Shocking for those 1947-48 days!..."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Inice C. Tarrant (Mrs. James R. Tarrant), Howard College Class of 1949, read our request for Samford traditions and memories, and responded with rich images of Howard's East Lake campus.

Yes, I was courted under Sherman Oak. My husband James Richard Tarrant was in charge of the lab materials. This meant he repaired or built everything possible so that we students were able to get back our "breakage fee" of $1 at the end of the quarter. A picture of us studying under the Oak was taken, and when my folks saw it they were surprised that I was sitting on the ground and he was there next to me. Shocking for those 1947-48 days! There were eight of us who were very close at that time. We didn't "date" at first, just went everywhere together. Three of the couples, including Jim and I, have ended up with over 50 years of marriage each.

Being close in the old Science Hall, we were very much influenced by our professors. We shared Dr. Xan (and you can't leave out Mrs. Xan), Dr. Franklin and his wife, Nellie Freels, Dr. Wilcox, who became a "missionary" to Birmingham Southern College, and, in my personal case in the Biology Group, Dr. Fincher, who was my adviser and became president of Carson Newman, from which my daughter graduated. Professors in the other disciplines also made an impact on our lives. Although we were certain majors we never felt separated from the remainder of the school. We knew everyone--all the teachers--and they knew us.

I found myself in two of the pictures of the old campus on the card Samford sent advertising Homecoming, and was brought to remembrance by the others--especially remembering Dr. W. D. Peeples, who went through Physics with me, jitterbugging with Dr. Levin Hazelgrove when he was in the Navy, and so many others. Dementia prevents my remembering all their names but I'll never forget the times.

Sincerely,
Inice C. Tarrant (Mrs. James R. Tarrant) Class of 1949
Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Send your Samford traditions, anecdotes and suggestions for articles about Samford's history to bltwr@samford.edu, and let us know if you have photographs or other items related to your submission. We'll review and compile the submissions, and in the months ahead you'll see some of the stories in Seasons and The Belltower.

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