Founders Day helps campus to recall roots

Mary Cunningham / Reporter

While campus is expanding with construction, Elon is proving that just because it is moving into the future, does not mean the past will be forgotten Founders Day will take place March 9-14 to celebrate Elon's history and founding and also honor an influential member of the Elon community. The official Founders Day is March 11 and this  year marks the 117th year since the chartering of the college.

Starting Thursday at chapel and ending on Tuesday at College Coffee Elon will be honoring Dr. A.L. Hook as part of Founder's Day. College Coffee will be in the academic village where Hook's relatives will be in attendance, a tree will be dedicated in his honor and a former student of his will speak. Look for Founder's Day trivia on E-net where students have a chance to win prizes.

"Dr. Hook did all kinds of things, he's really a renaissance man," said Dean Smith Jackson, vice president and dean of student life.

Hook joined the staff of the college in 1914, after graduating from the school in 1913. Hook was a professor, chair of the physics and math departments, dean of the college, dean of students, registrar and even taught an aeronautics course.

"He probably did more kinds of service for the college than anybody ever did," said Dr. Earl Danieley, president emeritus. Along with his official roles in the college, Hook was a general handyman, he ran the clock system in the classrooms, aided multiple presidents and he even helped wire on of the buildings.  Hook dorm is named after him.

Hook was a member of the faculty for over 70 years. Rumor has it that he attended every graduation during that time. He died on graduation day in 1985, where there was an empty chair in his honor.

"Founders Day is meant to commemorate the chartering of the college,"said Danieley. Founder's Days started as a way to raise money for the college in 1939.  To celebrate the first 50 years of the college and help the get the college out of debt, President Smith organized Founder's Day. The celebration honored the first dean of the faculty.

Smith also introduced the Elon College Golden Anniversary Club, which there was a $50 membership fee.

Since then Founders Day has been celebrated sporadically.  Each year someone who has done a lot for the college is honored. Other honoree's include W.S. Long, W.W. Staley, E.L. Moffett, President W.A. Harper and Ned Brannock. Also included in the celebrations have been speakers, tree dedications, ground breakings and corner stone layings.

Though Founder's Day has not been and annual event, the Founder's Day committee hopes to make it annual. There was supposed to be a celebration in 2005, but the calendar was just too full to fit it in, according to Jo Williams, special assistant to the president and member of the Founder's Day committee.

"We do hope to make it an annual tradition," said Williams. "So we all have an appreciation of, an understanding of our past and our history and who helped make his institution what it is today."

Contact Mary Cunningham at pendulum@elon.edu or 278-7247.

Photograph courtesy of Elon University's Archives and Special Collections Department, Belk Library

President L.E. Smith (right) watches as Dr. J.U. Newman (left) plants a memorial tree in 1939 at the first celebration of Founder's Day. North Carolina Governor Clyde R. Hoey stands directly behind it.

Jerome Sturm / Photographer

President Emeritus Earl Danieley (left) and President Leo M. Lambert look on as members of the Brannock Family, Madge and Edith, plant a white oak tree in the Academic Village last year to commemorate Founders Day. Dr. Ned Brannock was recognized at last year's Founders Day.

Photographs courtesy of Elon University's Archives and Special Collections Department, Belk Library.

Committee members (from left to right) Col. Junius H. Harden, Dr. George S. Watson, Dr. William S. Long, Dr. J. Pressley Barrett, and Dr. James W. Wellons selected the site for what is today Elon University.