A special Founders Day College Coffee March 9 recognized the contributions of Dr. Ned Brannock, an 1899 Elon graduate and member of the faculty from 1908-1955. Details...
A white oak tree was planted in the Academic Village during College Coffee to commemorate Founders Day. President Leo M. Lambert welcomed members of the Brannock family, including his daughters, Madge and Edith, who were on hand for the occasion. President Emeritus Earl Danieley, who took chemistry under Dr. Brannock as an Elon student himself, reminisced about his mentor and friend.
“He came to the classroom not to demonstrate his own knowledge, but to assist, inspire and motivate his students,” said Danieley. “He had a high standard for excellence.” Danieley recalled that Brannock “enjoyed a good story and he enjoyed people.”
Prior to College Coffee, family members and friends gathered for a reception in the main rotunda of McMichael science building, where photos of Dr. Brannock and science equipment in use during his career were on display.
A native of Alamance County, Ned Brannock worked throughout his undergraduate days at Elon to earn his tuition, graduating in 1899. He taught in public schools for several years before earning a master’s degree from Elon and joining the college faculty as a chemistry professor in 1908.
He also worked for four summers, 1920-1924, as an assistant in the chemistry department at Columbia University, where he received another master’s degree in 1925. He did further graduate work at The Johns Hopkins University and the University of North Carolina.
For many years, he served as chair of the chemistry department at Elon, in addition to his duties as curator of buildings and grounds and faculty recorder. He retired from the faculty in 1955, teaching part-time and serving as a consultant to Carolina Biological Supply until his death in 1961 at age 88.