THE FALCON'S EYE - Pfeiffer - Pfeiffer University

THE HE 

By Liz Carlton 

The Falcon’s Eye 

took flight in 1928 with 

meager beginnings. 

Originally known as The 

Torch, the paper’s first issue 

was published in 1928. It was 

the year Pfeiffer (then 

Ebenezer Mitchell School and 

Home) introduced its first 

junior college curriculum. 

“The first issue 

basically consisted of jokes, 

poems and who’s dating 

who,” University Archivist 

Jonathan Hutchinson 

confessed. 

Although the paper’s 

first issue wasn’t much to 

speak of in terms of content, 

it became the first step 

toward a college newspaper 

that would be a voice for 

growth and improvement, 

and cover relevant events 

occurring on campus and 

across the nation. 

In 1942, Pfeiffer was 

accredited as a junior college. 

Three years later, in October 

1945, The Torch became The 

Pfeiffer News. According to 

the paper, the name change 

was a conscious decision to 

“combine the best of the old 

FALCON’S ALCON’S 

www.pfeiffer.edu/media/falconseye/fall10.pdf 

with much that is new and 

thus measuring up to the 

unfolding of a wider future.” 

By the 1960s the 

paper was in full swing, 

releasing weekly issues 

under a dedicated, studentled 

staff. It was an intense 

process that included 

assigning and writing 

articles, typing them without 

the help of a computer, 

designing the layout and 

then proceeding to the 

printing process at The 

Stanly News and Press 

where it was also proofed 

over several hours. The 

process was arduous. 

“Many a Wednesday 

night, my roommate tells 

me, I fell asleep holding on to 

the new Pfeiffer News, 

sitting up in my bed, staring 

at it,” said former editor-inchief 

from the class of 1968, 

Margaret Earley Whitt. “I 

loved my time in the 

newsroom—the work, the 

laughter, the seriousness 

with which we took on our 

various challenges… The 

many tasks that our staff 

was called on to perform 

EYE YE 

FLIGHT OF THE FALCON: 

82 YEARS OF REPORTING 

contributed greatly to the 

person I became.” 

Over time, the 

newspaper has covered 

several major points in 

history, from Pfeiffer’s first 

accreditation to the 

assassinations of John F. 

Kennedy and Martin Luther 

King Jr. The newspaper 

addresses issues on campus 

and inspires change. 

“The Falcon’s Eye is 

a powerful source of news to 

the campus community,” 

Journalism Professor 

Charisse Levine said. “It is a 

place where problems can be 

exposed, successes 

triumphed, and real 

communication fostered. 

Stories in the newspaper 

have informed our 

community, sparked change 

and influenced many areas of 

the University.” 

In the fall of 1995, 

Pfeiffer News became The 

Falcon’s Eye and has 

continued to develop and 

advance. By 2006, an online 

edition of what is now a 

monthly publication was 

released with every issue and 

in 2009 Pfeiffer’s newspaper 

embraced the use of social 

networking. The editors use 

these websites as a way to 

get readers involved through 

poll questions, live updates 

and discussion forums as 

well as keeping Falcons upto-date 

with news tweets that 

are texted directly to their 

cell phones the moment 

something breaks. 

“Since technology has 

been changing over the past 

few years, The Falcon’s Eye 

needed to stay current and 

follow trends like Facebook 

and Twitter,” Editor-in-Chief 

Birgit Arnold explained. 

“[These days it’s] essential to 

have a Web presence much 

like other college newspapers, 

so I was super excited when 

we actually turned all these 

plans into reality.” 

Throughout the past 

82 years, Pfeiffer’s 

newspaper has endured the 

evolution of each generation, 

but its mission remains the 

same: to deliver news and 

issues to students, staff and 

villagers, past and present. 

Pfeiffer University Fall 2010 Page 1


By Sawyer Wyrick 

Misenheimer, the 

home of Pfeiffer University, 

has only been an 

incorporated “city” of North 

Carolina since 2003. The 

decision to incorporate 

resulted from a 1998 

purchase of a large lot of 

land by a community 

outsider. When the 

residents of Misenheimer 

uncovered detailed 

blueprints stating the land 

would be manufactured 

into a 380 foot deep quarry, 

they joined forces to 

preserve Misenheimer’s 

small town charm. 

“The Stanly 

County Planning Board 

never gave the proposed 

zoning change a positive 

recommendation to the 

Stanly County Board of 

Commissioners, and the 

Stanly County Board of 

Commissioners 

unanimously rejected the 

proposed zoning change,” 

current Misenheimer 

Mayor, Peter Edquist, said. 

Although the board 

rejected the zoning change, 

North Carolina state law 


THE CREATION OF THE VILLAGE 

allows for the same plan to 

be proposed a limitless 

number of times. This 

inspired the residents of 

Misenheimer to take control 

of their community’s future, 

and during a 2002 meeting 

the idea of incorporating the 

village was proposed. Sixty 

members of the community 

attended this meeting, and 

almost all of them raised 

their hands in favor of 

incorporation. Consequently 

a 12 member committee was 

formed to pave the way to 

becoming the incorporated 

Village of Misenheimer. The 

support for the cause was 

overwhelming, with 90 

percent of registered voters 

living in Misenheimer 

agreeing to incorporation. 

The Village of Misenheimer 

was officially created in June 

2003. 

“Incoporation allows 

the village to control their 

growth, allows for smart 

growth and allows the 

village to provide their own 

police protection and other 

services,” Village Police 

Chief Tracey Wyrick said. 

Misenheimer’s first mayor signs charter 




By Kaitlyn Mullis 

Every student knows 

what Pfeiffer University 

looks like today. It’s the focal 

point of the Village of 

Misenheimer, with its eleven 

residential buildings spread 

over 23 acres. It would 

surprise many that the 26million 

dollar campus they 

have grown so accustomed to 

began as one building in 

Lenoir, NC. 

The college moved to 

Misenheimer in 1910, when 

the village had the name 

Misenheimer Springs. The 

first building built was an 

all-purpose building which 

served as classrooms, dining 

space, and a residence hall. 

Cline Hall was built 

in 1913, and was initially a 

boy’s hall. It was named after 

Mrs. A. B. Cline, the Bureau 

Secretary for the Woman’s 

Home Missionary Society, the 

group who helped jumpstart 

what eventually became the 

college we know today. The 

building was torn down in 

1935 in order to build the 

Cline that still stands, 

housing the Bonner Scholars. 

“I actually find that 

kind of cool. It makes me feel 

like I am part of history,” 

current Cline resident Kerri 

Baker said. 

Merner Hall, built in 

1935, was the next dormitory 

to be constructed. It has not 

changed much over the 

years, except for the 

building’s wing, which was 


HISTORY OF THE HALLS 

added later after the hall 

opened. Merner Hall is 

named after the family name 

of Henry Pfeiffer’s wife, Mrs. 

Annie Merner Pfeiffer. 

Beside Merner that 

same year, Rowe Hall was 

initially an all-girls dorm. 

It’s named after Mrs. John C. 

Rowe, who was once the 

Recording Secretary of the 

New York East Conference of 

the Methodist Episcopalian 

Church. 

Washington Hall 

came along in 1942. The 

building that boasts 30 living 

units for 61 residents was 

actually first used as a boy’s 

dormitory, although now it is 

an all-girls dorm. It’s named 

for the brother of Mr. Henry 

Pfeiffer, George Washington 

Pfeiffer. There is a plaque in 

the building that says it’s 

also named for America’s 

first president. 

James Center was 

first used as apartments for 

the school’s faculty when it 

was built in 1954. The new 

building cost roughly 

$60,000, and is named after 

Mrs. Harry James, who 

served on the Board of 

Trustees for the college. 

Foote Hall and 

Kluftinger Hall, now known 

as just Kluft, were both built 

in 1955. Foote got its name 

from Mrs. Gustavus A. 

Pfeiffer, whose maiden name 

was Louise Foote. Kluftinger 

Hall is named in honor of 

Henry Pfeiffer’s mother, 

Barbara Kluftinger Pfeiffer. 

This building was totally 

renovated in 1981, and 

residents enjoyed the new 

addition of air conditioning. 

Plyler Hall joined 

Kluft and Foote in the Mid- 

Quad region of the campus in 

1956. It began as an allfreshman, 

all-male dorm, 

and was named after Mr. C. 

D. Plyer, a friend of the 

college who resided in 

Misenheimer. Mr. Plyer is 

noted for donating money to 

Pfeiffer, usually for groceries. 

Six years later, 

Vaughn Hall was built. It 

began as a three-story hall 

with 47 living units and 94 

male residents, much like it 

is today. It’s named for Mr. 

and Mrs. Harry Vaughn. 

Mrs. Harry Vaughn served 

on the Pfeiffer Board of 

Trustees for many years. 

In 1964, Ervin Hall 

was built with the same 

housing capacity as Vaughn 

Rowe 1935 


Hall. The dorm was named 

in honor of Mr. Paul Ervin, 

who served as the Chairman 

of the Pfeiffer Board during 

the hall’s construction. 

All together, Foote, 

Kluft, Plyer, Vaughn, and 

Ervin cost $679,000 to build 

at the time. In 1985, if these 

buildings were to be replaced, 

it would cost approximately 

$2,565,844. 



By Sherika Laughlin 


BUILDING 

Ervin Ervin- Ervin Named after Paul 

Ervin, Chairman of the 

Board of Trustees. 

Foote Foote- Foote Named after Louise 

Foote. She was married to 

G.A. Pfeiffer, youngest 

brother of Henry Pfeiffer. 

Goode Goode Hall- Hall 

Hall Named after 

Ms. W.H.C. Goode: She was 

instrumental to the 

Methodist Society. 

James James Apartments 

Apartments- 

Apartments 

Named after Blanche Merner 

James. She was the niece of 

Annie Merner Pfeiffer and 

was a member of the Board of 

Trustees along with her 

husband Harry James. 

Cline Cline- Cline Named after Mrs. 

A.B. Cline. She served on the 

Women’s Bureau and was a 

member of the Woman’s 

Home Missionary Society. 

Kluftinger Kluftinger- Kluftinger Named after 

Henry Pfeiffer mother’s 

maiden name Barbara 

Kluftinger. 

Merner Merner- Merner Named after Annie 

Merner Pfeiffer. 

NAMES 

New New Hall Hall- Hall Named New Hall 

because it was the newest 

place to live on campus. 

Plyer Plyer- Plyer Named for C.D. Plyer 

of Misenheimer. He ran a 

general store right down 

from the street from Pfeiffer. 

Many say if it wasn’t for his 

generosity to Pfeiffer during 

the depression Pfeiffer would 

never have survived. 

Rose Rose Garden Garden Garden Apartments 

Apartments 

Apartments- 

Apartments 

Named after the rose garden 

in front of the Apartments. 

Rowe Rowe- Rowe Named after Mrs. 

John C. Rowe. She was 

associated with Woman’s 

Methodist Society and was a 

secretary of the Methodist 

Woman’s Society. 

Vaughn aughn aughn- aughn Named after Mr. 

and Mrs. Harry C. Vaughn. 

Both longtime friends of 

Pfeiffer worked with 

Woman’s Home Missionary 

Society. 

Washington ashington ashington ashington- ashington Named after 

George Washington Pfeiffer, 

brother of Henry Pfeiffer. 


TRADITIONS & SYMBOLS 

By Amber Covington 

Have you ever 

wondered what the story is 

behind the different statues 

and symbols around campus? 

Pfeiffer is covered with 

landmarks that explain the 

history of the University. 

One prominent 

symbol is the Class of 1971 

Falcon gift. Their donation of 

a statue is a landmark that 

stands in front of Goode Hall. 

“It’s very nicely 

constructed,” sophomore 

Jamie Acala said. 

One of the most 

known landmarks is the 

University’s seal that was 

created by John Suitch, a 

Pfeiffer student in 1939. 

The seal includes 

symbols of a plough, a book 

and a torch which was the 

name of the student 

newspaper of that time. As 

tradition says, “Do not step 

on the seal” in the Student 

Center because “You will not 

graduate on time.” 

“I don’t know if it’s 

true or not, but I’m not going 

to take the chance to find 

out,” sophomore Brittany 

Rice, who takes great pains 

to jump over the seal, said. 

Another widely 

known marker is the sundial 

that stands between Merner 

and Rowe halls. The sundial 

was donated as a gift from 

the contractor, Mr. and Mrs. 

Otis Poundstone, to Henry 

and Anne Merner Pfeiffer in 

honor of the opening of the 

new buildings on November 

17, 1935. After the sundial 

was revealed, it became the 

center of the campus between 

the women’s residence halls, 

Rowe and Merner, and the 

men’s residence hall, Cline. 

During the 1936-37 school 

year, the Order of the 

Sundial was established as 

an honor society on campus. 

During this time the sundial 

was used as a meeting point 

for friends and saying the 

final good nights for dates. As 

for tradition today, the 

sundial is good luck, 

especially if you are on your 

way to take a test or final 

exam. 

“If you believe the 

sundial brings good luck then 

it is true,” senior Aaron 

Kepley said. 

Just take a stroll 

around campus. The 

landmarks of Pfeiffer’s 

history are everywhere. 




When [people] pass by the campus of Pfeiffer University, they are immediately 

stricken with the nobility that is our school. On Black and Gold Day, even the life-sized 

statue of Miss Emily Prudden plays along and becomes transformed into a “pfan” of the 

Pfeiffer Falcons. 

Although it is difficult to comprehend that Pfeiffer University has been here in 

Misenheimer for so long, it is impressive that the school continues the dream that Miss 

Emily had in the early days of Oberlin School. 

After applying, and having b en accepted into attendance of our school, tours begin 

and the wonder that is Pfeiffer University soon weaves its magic around your heart, mind 

and soul. You become Pfeiffer, and it becomes you. 

-Stephanie Edwards Kluttz / Class of 2011 

By Stephanie Edwards 

Kluttz 

As University 

Archivist Jonathan 

Hutchinson tells it, back in 

the 20 th Century, one student 

paid for her fall tuition with 

three chickens and spring 

enrollment cost her a cow. 

My how things have 

changed. Today, an academic 

year of Pfeiffer tuition costs 

more than $20,000. Throw in 

a meal plan (more than 

$3,000) and a private room in 

New Hall ($7,028/year) and 

we’re a long way from paying 

with livestock. 

In 1985, to attend 

what was then Pfeiffer 

College, one would have paid 

BY THE NUMBERS 

$ 1,947.50 per semester. 

Room and board would have 

cost an additional $1080. 

In 1885, there were 

not many public education 

schools. This was what 

prompted Miss Emily 

Prudden to open a school for 

children. Contrary to popular 

belief, this was not just a 

school for girls. According to 

many accounts, Prudden 

accepted bartering as a way 

to pay for attending the 

schools. 

“When she began her 

schools, she ran them on 

roughly $300.00 per year, 

and that was her own 

money,” Hutchinson said. 

“Imagine living in rural 

areas, where there was little 

education or money. People 

paid for their children’s 

education with what they 

had, which happened to be 

chickens, eggs or even cows.” 

The Oberlin School 

Prudden began to teach 

farmers and their children 

the basics of education as 

well as farming. That model 

eventually became Oberlin 

Home and School, and moved 


from its original location at 

the foot of Lick Mountain in 

Hudson to Misenheimer, 

where it is still located today. 




WHAT DOES PFEIFFER MEAN TO YOU? 

“MEETING MY FUTURE WIFE LAURA BETH, 

MEETING MY BEST FRIEND DAVID ANGELL, 

AND LEARNING WHO I AM.” 

–JOSH JENKINS ‘10 

TECHNOLOGY AND 

COMMUNICATION MILESTONES 

By Lydia Nance 

Pfeiffer has seen drastic technological and communication changes in the span of 125 years. Here 

are a few of the major advancements. 

• First car and van bought by Pfeiffer ------ mid 1940s 

• First student cars allowed on campus------ mid 1950s 

• One of the first telephones on campus ( in President’s house) ----- 1953 

• Pay phones in dorms -----1954 

• Switchboard operators------- 1950s-1990s 

• First computer (took up one whole room) -----1970’s 

• Radio Station (located in Stokes, operated on and off) ----1960-80s 

• Newspaper 

The Torch-----1928-44 

Pfeiffer News-----1944-95 

Falcon’s Eye-----1995-present 

• Online classes----early 2000s 

One of Pfeiffer’s first telephones-1950s 




By Brittney “Sha” Rice 

Dorm life in the 

years of 1885 and 1985 was 

very different from dorm life 

now. During the academic 

year of 2009-2010 the cost of 

a private room was $2,844 

per semester, and to reserve 

a room residents had to pay a 

$100 non refundable fee. 

Although in 2010 

room and board may cost 

more, residents definitely 

have more freedom. In the 

early years of Pfeiffer, the 

7pm - 10pm block was study 

time for everyone. No one 

was allowed to be doing 

anything other than studying 

or doing homework during 

these hours. 

Along with 

designated homework hours, 

there were “Dorm Mothers” 

instead of a residence 

assistant. The “Dorm 

Mother”/parent was normally 

a woman, whether it was a 

male or female dormitory. 

“These women were 

mostly in their fifties and if 

they were married the couple 

would be referred to as dorm 

parents,” University 


Hutchinson said. “I wouldn’t 

refer to living on campus in 


DORM LIFE 

THEN AND NOW 

“Women had more rules than men. In the older catalogs there was one page of rules 

the men had to follow and about eight pages of rules the women had to follow.” 

1885 as dorm life simply 

because everyone was in one 

building- guys on one side 

and girls on the other side.” 

“Women had more 

rules than men. In the older 

catalogs there was one page 

of rules the men had to follow 

and about eight pages of 

rules the women had to 

follow,” Hutchinson said. 

When a female 

student wanted to go out on a 

date it was required that she 

have a chaperone or go on a 

double date. Before and after 

these dates the woman had to 

sign in and out of the room 

and could not re-enter after a 

certain time without her 

laminated student 

identification cards. 

“I remember when 

boys were on one side of 

campus and girls were on the 

other and we couldn’t stay 

the night in a dorm of the 

opposite sex,” an anonymous 

former Pfeiffer student said. 

Male students could 

only sunbathe in their 

dormitory’s immediate lawn 

area and women had to 

sunbathe where they were 

not visible to male students. 

Because this was a 

time period where everyone 

wore their “Sunday best” to 

class, students were only 

allowed to sport shorts if they 

stayed in their rooms or 

behind the dormitory 

buildings where they were 

not visible from the road. 

The 1985 catalog 

stated, “The use of tobacco of 

any kind or intoxicating 

liquors was absolutely 

forbidden.” Today alcohol is 

allowed as long as you are of 

age and inside a room and 

tobacco is allowed outside 

within a certain amount of 

feet from buildings. 

When dinner was 

ready the entire dorm would 

go together and sit together 

while eating family style 

with their dorm mother. 

Depending on the dorm 

mother the resident may 

leave when he/she was ready 

or had to wait on his/her 

dorm mother to finish her 


dinner and then everyone 

would leave together. 

“I couldn’t deal with 

that because I might not like 

everyone in my dorm and 

when I am done and ready to 

go I will leave when I please. 

But I guess it was just the 

times,” current student 

Shelley Reese observed. 




ACCOMPLISHED ALUMNI 

By Ruth Dimmett 

Herman A. Stone ’64: President and CEO of Consolidated Theatres 

Dana Rader ’80: Golf Pro 

Lawrence Wheeler ’65: Director of the North Carolina Museum of Art 

Don Maddox ’64: Judge 

Herbert S. Clarke: ’47 Weatherman 

Antonio Harvey ’93: Professional basketball player 

George “Pat” Waters ’65: Grandson of General George S. Patton and businessman 

J. Keith Crisco ’64: North Carolina Secretary of Commerce 

Alice Johnson ’79: VP of Food Safety, Government Regulation and Public Affairs 

at Butterball, lLC and former President and CEO of the National Turkey Federation 

Braxton Bailey ’60: Los Angeles Dodgers 

Catherine Breeden ’69: FBI 

Heidi Honecker Grant ’87: Department of Justice 

Warren Knapp ’66: Asheboro Elastics 

Nick Lefko ’37: Soccer coach 

Sam Russell ’75: NASA scientist 

Lee Kinard, Jr. ’50: Television anchor 

J. Keith Crisco 

Dana Rader 


PFEIFFER PFARMING 

By Jacke Rockwell 

“Back in the 1880’s, 

Pfeiffer was mostly farmland; 

the food that students ate 

was grown on the grounds we 

walk on today,” University 


Hutchinson said. “Around 

the 1930’s, cows and 

chickens would be accepted 

in the form of tuition if 

students could not pay.” 

Back then the 

farmlands, orchards and 

livestock provided all the food 

for the students and gave 

them jobs. Up until the 

1950’s students would do all 

the landscaping around 

campus . 

Dr. Wick Sharpe, the 

President and “Father of 

Pfeiffer College”, wanted to 

make the school as selfsustaining 

as possible, in 

continuation of what Emily 

Prudden was already doing. 

“Back in the 1880’s, 

if you were to take a walk 

down what is now Pfeiffer 

Place, you would find an old 

farmhouse and a small 

orchid,” Hutchinson added. 

Now if you were to 

take a walk down to Pfeiffer 

Place you will find remnants 

of an orchard and also find 

the old farmhouse still 

standing. Even today, the 

farmhouse is used as 

residence for staff members. 



By Birgit Arnold 

Most students only 

know Pfeiffer for the four 

years they attend the 

University, but some of the 

faculty who teach them have 

been here a lot longer than 

that. 

Professor Eugene 

Pickler came to Pfeiffer 

almost 50 years ago. 

“My wife had already 

been teaching speech at 

Pfeiffer for a year when the 

Dean approached me and 

asked me if I would teach an 

economics class,” Pickler 

said. “I said yes, but told him 

I would quit after a semester 

if I didn’t like it. I liked it 

and I’m still here.” 

While teaching at 

Pfeiffer Professor Pickler 

maintained his day job as a 

member of the family poultry 

business. 

“I’ve never been more 

than part-time. While I was 

in the business, I taught an 8 

am, then went to work and 

came back at night for office 

hours,” he said. 

Student life was also 

different when Pickler 


VETERAN INSIGHT 

“As long as I’m having fun, I’ll keep teaching. And I’m still having fun.” 

-Eugene Pickler, Economics Professor since 1961. 

started at Pfeiffer, especially 

for female students. 

“Girls had to wear 

skirts and it was very 

unusual to have women in 

your business or economics 

classes. The head of the 

business department then 

told me that ‘women do not 

have a brain for business’. 

That sentiment has 

thankfully changed today.” 

As to students’ 

attitude toward college, 

Pickler sees a change 

happening: 

“If there is a 

difference between the 

students then and students 

now, there are more students 

now that don’t know what 

they’re here for. They have 

less ambition than they used 

to,” Pickler said. 

“When I started 

students had parents that 

grew up in the Great 

Depression that pushed their 

children. Now as a product of 

our culture, we are getting 

rich, fat and lazy. Students 

everywhere have less of a 

concern about getting ahead 

than they used to and other 

countries will get ahead of 

us,” he added. 

History Professor 

Juanita Kruse, who has 

taught at Pfeiffer for almost 

30 years, agrees. 

“Students are 

definitely tied to their 

parents more and there is a 

lot more parental 

involvement,” she said. 

But other things 

haven’t changed. 

“We have always had 

about the same number of 

history and social studies 

majors and the quality of 

students’ work is still about 

the same as it used to be,” 

Kruse said. 


As for Pickler, he is 

staying put. 

“How long I can still 

teach, of course, depends on 

my health. But I like to be 

productive and besides 

teaching I don’t have any 

hobbies. So as long as I’m 

having fun, I’ll keep 

teaching. And I’m still 

having fun.” 

Pickler 



By Liz Carlton 


FOOD, WITH A SIDE 

OF FRIENDSHIP 

The cafeteria has 

been the watering hole of 

college life for generations, 

serving as a source of 

physical sustenance and 

social interaction. But 

throughout the years, the 

setting in which Pfeiffer 

students have fed their 

appetites has changed. 

From switching 

buildings and renovations to 

even the way we partake in 

meals, the cafeteria has been 

through its share of growth 

and alteration. 

It began in 1935, 

when Goode Hall was first 

built. What is now known as 

the Grace and Cameron West 

Art Gallery originally served 

Pfeiffer Cafeteria- Goode Hall 1960s 

as the cafeteria. Students 

would be served in a family 

setting, seated at long tables. 

Each table was divided up by 

dorm and students were 

expected to dress formally for 

the occasion. 

“It was the dress 

code,” University Archivist 

Jonathan Hutchinson said. 

“Not only would you need to 

dress for meals but also for 

classes and other campus 

functions.” 

But all of that would 

change in 1964 when the 

communal dining area was 

transferred to the Stokes 

Student Center. Other than 

several cosmetic renovations, 

much of the dining 

experience has remained the 

same. The food is served in 

the same assembly line 

fashion of the 60’s. But the 

heart of the cafeteria remains 

the same. 

“The cafeteria has 

always been one of my 

favorite hangout spots,” 

confessed ’09 alumnus 

Jonathan Ester. “Often I 

meet someone that I hadn’t 

previously spoken to at 

lunch; some of which are 

really close friends now. The 

limited space coerced people 

to sit with those they didn’t 

know and during the time 

sitting together you get to 

know other people.” 



THE KNAPP’S 

WHERE IT’S AT 

The Knapp Health 

and Fitness Center is a great 

contribution to student life at 

Pfeiffer University, a place 

everyone on campus has 

visited at some point. 

Students know they can go 

there when they feel like 

blowing off some steam in the 

weight room, shooting some 

hoops with friends, or even 

just relaxing in the lounge 

with a cup of coffee and a 

bagel. The Knapp provides 

many different opportunities 

to students around campus. 

The Knapp Sack, a café that 

was built on one side of the 

Knapp Center just a few 

years ago, is a perfect place 

for students to hang out with 

friends and get a real coffee 

house style feel while still 

being on campus. 

“I love being able to 

stop by the Knapp between 

my classes to grab a 

blueberry muffin and a 

smoothie. The lounge is very 

relaxing,” Pfeiffer student 

Alex Barry said. 

The Knapp 

basketball gym itself is well 

over 50 years old, but has 

been renovated so that 

students who do not play on 

the university basketball 

teams can still have access to 

a great facility. 

“It’s nice being able 

to come shoot around in the 

Knapp whenever I feel like it 

and not have to worry about 

the basketball team running 

me off the court for practice,” 

senior Frank Pouchet said. 

The Knapp Center’s 

intramural sports program 

also provides students who 

are not members of 

university sports teams the 

chance to participate in 

athletic competition. 

“It’s nice to be able to 

play on a team and just have 

fun,” senior Ryan Kerr said. 

The center is also 

home to a weight room and 

fitness center that you can 

find filled with students and 

athletes nearly every day of 

the week. Not only does the 

Knapp provide students with 

some good coffee and athletic 

opportunities, it also provides 

a good number of work study 

jobs for students who are in 

need of a few good paychecks. 

“I really enjoy my job 

at the front desk. The work 

is not too bad and the hours 

are good,” senior Cory 

Roberts said. 



By Cory Roberts 

Pfeiffer University 

seems to have a large 

number of students 

returning to their alma 

mater. The ones that choose 

to come back have a similar 

reason for continuing their 

careers here. 

“It feels like home,” 

Dr. Ann Crutchfield, 

Professor of Education, said. 

“The thing that continues 

from year to year and decade 

to decade is that the people 

who work at Pfeiffer care for 

the students that are here.” 

Steve Harrill, 

Professor Of Music, agrees. 

“I just love 

everything about Pfeiffer,” 

Harrill said. “The family 

atmosphere this campus has 

always had is attractive. I 

met my wife here and I am 

still in contact with many of 

my friends from my years as 

a student.” 

Harrill and 

Crutchfield were Pfeiffer 

students at the same time, 

from 1973-1977. Pfeiffer’s 

campus and student life were 

quite different in those days. 

“The student body 

was bigger back then, there 

were about 1,000 students,” 

Harrill said. “Also, there was 

no air conditioning then, 


PFEIFFER STUDENTS 

RETURN “HOME” 

everyone had fans in their 

windows.” 

Students back then 

still had to earn cultural 

credits. For those who 

complain about them now, we 

have it much easier. 

“We had to earn 120 

cultural credits in four 

years,” Dr. Crutchfield said. 

“Some of the most memorable 

events at Pfeiffer were 

culture credit speakers.” 

“I will never forget 

hearing Vietnam prisoners of 

war speak,” Crutchfield 

continued. “President Jimmy 

Carter and Representative 

Bill Hefner were memorable 

as well.” 

There was one night 

at Pfeiffer that Harrill will 

never forget. 

“In the 70’s there was 

a streaking craze all over the 

country,” Harrill said. “One 

night when the choir was 

returning from a concert in 

Charlotte we noticed several 

cars parked up and down 

either side of Highway 52. 

We pulled in front of Rowe 

and noticed several students 

running around naked. That 

was a very memorable 

night.” 

As professors they 

have many different and 

equally important memories. 

“Getting an email 

from a student telling me 

about how successful they 

have become is really great,” 

Dr. Crutchfield said. 

“It is very rewarding 

to see a student mature over 

four years,” Harrill said. 

“Some of my best memories 

Harrill 1974 

have been with my students. 

Going to London and 

Armenia in 2004 was great. I 

will always remember senior 

recitals and the many great 

concerts we performed both 

as a student and as a 

professor.” 

Since accepting his 

position at Pfeiffer, Harrill 

has never looked back. 

Crutchfield 1970s 


“I have never 

regretted taking this job,” 

Harrill said. “This is the 

most enjoyable job I have 

ever had.” 

Harrill does have one 

piece of advice for current 

Pfeiffer students. 

“Enjoy these days, 

they are the best of your life 

and they will go way too 

fast.” 



MAJOR CHANGES 

By Brandi Sifford 

Many things at 

Pfeiffer have changed since 

1885, but through it all, 

Pfeiffer’s commitment to 

high quality academics has 

remained true to its values: 

“The Nature to Serve. The 

Knowledge to Lead.” 

Pfeiffer was created 

in 1885. It was a home school 

founded by Emily C. 

Prudden. The home school 

taught the basic reading, 

writing, math and Latin. 

“Pfeiffer was not a 

college until the 1920s. 

Before then it was an 

elementary school,” 

University Archivist, 

Jonathan Hutchinson, said. 

Pfeiffer did not officially 

become a four year college 

until 1956. 

Music and English 

were two popular majors in 

the late 1950’s and early 

1960’s. 

“Music was probably 

the most popular major in 

the 1960’s. They just took 

what was already here and it 

exploded,” Hutchinson said. 

English was popular 

because it has always been 

available as a major. 

“English has been 

part of the curriculum since 

the turn of the century,” 

Dean of the School of 

Humanities, Dr. David 

Heckel, said. 

In the mid to late 

1960’s the AIM (Academic 


Incentive Motivation) 

program was implemented. 

This was created to give 

students at Pfeiffer a 

complete educational 

experience. 

“For example, if you 

were an English major or 

concentration, you would 

take some of the sciences to 

get a well rounded 

education,” Hutchinson 

explained. 

“Everything changed 

as well, the grade scale… 

they did not use letter grades 

and GPA’s were calculated 

differently. While in some 

ways the AIM program was 

successful, it ultimately did 

not work out and things 

were changed back to more 

of what it was before the 

AIM program in the mid to 

late 1970’s,” Hutchinson 

said. 

As times changed, 

the interest in academic 

majors did too. 

“Pfeiffer has changed 

its personality from a 

Liberal Arts school to a more 

professional orientation. 

Most people are going into 

majors because they want to 

get a degree that leads into a 

career. I think a lot of times 

this is driven by parents,” 

Heckel said. 

As of 2010, Business 

is the biggest major at 

Pfeiffer followed closely by 

Education and Criminal 

Justice. 


CHURCH HAPPENS: 

THE HENRY PFEIFFER 

By Kerri Baker and John 

Howard, Jr. 

The Henry Pfeiffer 

Chapel has been said to be 

the heart of the Misenheimer 

Campus. This building was 

erected in 1942 in memory of 

Henry Pfeiffer through a gift 

given by his wife, Annie 

Merner Pfeiffer. The Pfeiffers 

provided well over $40 

million in their lifetime to 

multiple colleges and 

universities, both in the 

United States and across 

several other countries. The 

original organ in the chapel 

was donated by G.A. Pfeiffer, 

whom the library is named 

after. 

The chapel is the 

location for Wednesday 

morning chapel services for 

the Misenheimer campus. 

Other events take place in 

the chapel, as well – music 

performances, weddings and 

awards ceremonies. 

Graduation used to be held in 

the chapel until the student 

body outgrew the space and 

had to move to the 

gymnasium. 

“Back in the day, we 

had a service on Wednesday 

mornings as well as on 

Sunday mornings for those 

who didn’t have a church to 

CHAPEL 

go to,” current pastor Dana 

McKim said. “It was during 

my time at Pfeiffer that 

Sunday morning services 

were eliminated.” 

In 2005, the chapel 

was renovated for the second 

time – and proved to be the 

most extensive renovation 

thus far. Music classes and 

offices for music faculty were 

placed in the back of the 

building. This was when the 

chapel became known as both 

a religion and a music 

building. 

On May 2, 2007, the 

Village Church of Pfeiffer 

University became an 

officially chartered church in 

the Western North Carolina 

conference of the United 

Methodist Church. More 

than 50 people became 

members that day, and the 

baptism of Pfeiffer alumnus 

Celsa DeJesus also took 

place. 

“It was an incredible 

honor being the first person 

to be baptized in the Village 

Church. The gravity of the 

situation didn’t really sink in 

until I was actually being 

baptized. I look back on the 

entire experience as an 

evolution into something 

great,” DeJesus said. 

The Reverend Chris 

Hughes became the first 

pastor of the newly chartered 

church. 

In July 2009, 

alumnus Reverend Dana 

McKim returned to Pfeiffer to 

become the second pastor of 

the newly chartered church. 

The Chapel 

1940s 



By Cory Roberts 

College is a place 

where people come to learn, 

meet new friends and 

possibly fall in love. In some 

rare and very special 

instances, the love will last 

forever. That was the case 

when Tracey met Ingrid. 

Before Misenheimer 

Chief Tracey Wyrick was 

keeping Pfeiffer safe, he was 

just another student trying 

to get a degree. One day 

while hanging out in Vaughn 

Hall, Chief Wyrick met the 

lady he would one day marry. 

“I met Ingrid in 

1988,” Wyrick said. “When 

she walked into the room I 

knew deep down, 

intrinsically, that we had a 

connection.” 

But Wyrick thought 

he missed the opportunity of 

a lifetime. 

“Sadly for me, she 

left that night and I did not 

know where or how to 

contact her,” Wyrick said. 

Resigned to the fact 

he may never meet the lady 

of his dreams again, Wyrick 

and a few friends decided to 


HANDCUFFS TO MY HEART: 

THE WYRICK LOVE STORY 

attend a popular 

establishment in Charlotte. 

As Pfeiffer fate would have it, 

he would get a second chance 

to steal her heart. 

“When I arrived I 

noticed the most beautiful 

woman on the dance floor,” 

Wyrick said. “I mentioned to 

my friend that I thought I 

knew that lady and he said I 

was crazy, that I would never 

know a lady that beautiful.” 

But Tracey decided to 

act anyway. 

“Ingrid was dancing 

with her brother and I did 

ultimately ask her to dance,” 

Wyrick said. 

This chance 

encounter in a Pfeiffer dorm 

has led to a flame that still 

burns today. The Wyricks 

have been married for over 

twenty years and have two 

children, Sawyer and Sierra. 


“I think it’s funny 

that my parents met in the 

same dorm I live in now,” 

Sawyer said. “I never 

thought of Vaughn as a great 

place to fall in love, but my 

parents have made it work.” 



By Rodd Baxley 

Darrell Hatley is a 

cut above the rest when it 

comes to the barber business. 

Hatley’s “Head Quarter 

Barber Shop” has been beside 

Pfeiffer University for 28 

years and counting. 

“I’ve seen a lot of 

students, professors, and 

presidents come and go 

throughout my years here. 

I’ve made a great deal of 

friends as well,” Hatley said. 

“One of the many 

things I’ve enjoyed over the 

years is watching the Pfeiffer 

Basketball Team play. 

[Former] Coach Dave Davis 

is an energetic man and it 

was funny watching him 

strut up and down the 

sidelines,” Hatley said. 


THE BARBER OF MISENHEIMER 

Many students go to 

“Head Quarter Barber Shop” 

to get “back in shape”, 

whether it is an appointment 

or a walk-in. 

“For the most part 

the students are great kids 

who focus on school. Many of 

them have been in my shop 

and the hairstyles come and 

go, and come back again. 

There have been many 

different trends,” Hatley said. 

Whether you go in for 

a haircut or just good 

conversation, a trip to 

“Headquarters Barber Shop” 

will be anything but “shear” 

agony. 

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By Ruth Dimmett 

Sharon Bard, current 

Director of Facilities, started 

her 29 th year at Pfeiffer 

University in 2010. This 

Pfeiffer graduate became 

attached to the school when 

she attended here in the late 

1970’s. As a young adult 

Bard was an active member 

of the United Methodist 

Church and felt a pull toward 

Pfeiffer. 

“I came to Pfeiffer for 

Christian education,” Bard 

said. 

At Pfeiffer, Bard had 

a core group of friends 

including Dr. Jim Gulledge 

and Dana McKim, who now 

also work at Pfeiffer. Though 

Bard came to Pfeiffer for the 

Christian education program, 

she graduated with a degree 

in social work. Bard greatly 

enjoyed her years of schooling 

at Pfeiffer. 

“I realized this is 

where I wanted to be,” Bard 

said. “I have known this 

since I was a senior here.” 


FALCON STAYS IN THE NEST 

“This has always been an environment of learning and one of wonderful and interesting 

opportunities and challenges.” – Director of Facilities and former Pfeiffer student Sharon Bard 

She worked various 

jobs on the Pfeiffer campus 

until she became the 

manager of the bookstore. 

During this time as 

manager, Bard became 

involved in some auxiliary 

services. Her job morphed 

into working in facilities as 

she helped build a 

relationship between the 

maintenance department and 

the residence halls. This 

relationship grew into the 

position Bard currently 

holds. She has been the 

Director of Facilities since 

1995. 

Pfeiffer has evolved 

immensely since Bard 

became the Director of 

Facilities. 

“I have seen huge 

changes and I hope they have 

been for the betterment of the 

students and the experience 

you are having now,” she 

said. 

As Director of 

Facilities Bard has been 

involved in many projects, 

including the renovations of 

Merner Gym, Jane Freeman, 

Henry Pfeiffer Chapel, 

Washington Hall, Stokes 

Student Center, Cline Hall, 

the tennis courts and the 

construction of New Hall and 

the Harris Science Annex. 

The Facilities Department is 

currently focusing on 

improving the campus with 

respect to governmental 

regulations (EPA/OSHA) by 

implementing a new 

Environmental Management 

System. 

“I have been very 

fortunate to have wonderful 

mentors throughout my 

college years and my 

employment years,” Bard 

said. “This has always been 

an environment of learning 

and one of wonderful and 

interesting opportunities and 

challenges.” 




By Rodd Baxley 

Have you ever had 

the feeling that someone or 

something was watching you 

on campus? Have you ever 

heard or seen something that 

couldn’t be explained? If the 

answer to these questions is 

yes, then you may have 

reason to believe there is 

something paranormal or 

supernatural going on at 

Pfeiffer University. 

“Strange things have 

happened at Pfeiffer and the 

ghost stories have increased 

over the last few years,” 

University Archivist Jonathan 

Hutchinson said. 

Fabio Rivas, a 

Pfeiffer student in the 1940s, 

had his appendix removed in 

the infirmary, which is now 

the Rowe building. Rivas died 

while in the infirmary from an 

embolism. His funeral was the 

first to be held in Henry 

Pfeiffer Chapel and his resting 

place is located at Wesley 

Chapel Cemetery. It is said 

that on a moonlit Friday night 

at midnight, if you walk by 

the chapel you can hear the 


HAUNTED PFEIFFER 

organ being played. Rivas 

was a music major. 

The legendary 

hauntings continue to this day. 

“When I first moved 

in Washington Hall, I had 

heard that a lady had called 

the cops about my room and 

had reported some weird 

incidents,” Pfeiffer senior 

Gabrielle Riggs said. “When I 

moved in I noticed that my 

box fan had been moved and 

I saw the closet door open 

on its own while it was 

latched shut. I kept my Bible 

open for the first few months 

of that year.” 

Stories have been 

reported from nearly every 

building on campus. But most 

of the reported incidents have 

occurred in the dorms. In 

Rowe there have been 

reports of strange noises that 

resemble a hospital cart and 

also complaints about a door 

that won’t shut. In Cline there 

is a “secret third floor” in 

which a woman in white is 

said to reside. 

One of the more 

intriguing stories happened in 

the fall semester of 2009 in 

Vaughn Hall. Vaughn Hall is a 

boy’s dorm and it is said that 

a girl showed up one night on 

the third floor looking to take 

a shower. She asked a few 

boys to watch the door for 

her while she was in the 

shower to make sure no one 

sneaked in. After waiting a 

while the boys decided to 

check on the girl to see if she 

was fine. The girl was gone. 

“It was so weird 

because we all watched her 

walk in there and she never 

came out. I didn’t know what 

to say,” freshman Van Gray 

exclaimed. 

“The thing that I find 

intriguing is the fact that I hear 

all the same stories every 

year from new students,” 


“Some students come 

to me and I can see the fear 

in their eyes when they tell me 

what happened, which makes 

me wonder about what they 

have seen that could’ve made 

them react like that,” 

Hutchinson added. 





DREAM TEAM 

By John A. Goble, Jr. 

Looking back at the last 125 years of Pfeiffer University, it is important to appreciate 

the great athletic achievements of Pfeiffer’s programs. The Falcon’s Eye talked to former 

Men’s Head Basketball Coach Dave Davis about a hypothetical Falcon all-star roster. 

Here is Coach Davis’s all-time “dream team” for Pfeiffer Basketball. 

Tony Smith ‘92 

The Suffolk, VA product is Pfeiffer’s all time career scoring leader. He finished his 

collegiate career with 3,350 points. 

Antonio Harvey ‘93 

Harvey found himself outside of the 1993 NBA Draft, but eventually got a roster spot 

on the Los Angeles Lakers. Harvey played on six different NBA teams. He now is a 

radio broadcaster for the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Rico Grier ‘05 

Grier played at Pfeiffer from 2001 to 2004. He averaged 16.5 points and 5.1 assists 

per game and helped lead the Falcons to a record of 31-3 and an Elite Eight appearance 

in '04. He was the CVAC Player of the Year as a senior. 

DeMario Grier ‘07 

Grier finished his career at Pfeiffer with a staggering 25.5 points per game. 

Nem Sovic 

Sovic, who hails from Belgrade Yugoslavia, played at Pfeiffer from 1997 to 2000. 

He averaged better than 20 points per game in his final two seasons and finished 

with a career scoring average of 17.5 points per game. He was named the CVAC 

Freshman of the Year in '98 and the league's Player of the Year and Athlete 

of the Year in 2000. 

Rico Grier 

Demario Grier 


A SHORT BUT 

LEGENDARY STAY 


Even though Coach 

Robert Parry was only at 

Pfeiffer for a short period of 

time, he recorded some of the 

biggest wins in school 

history. Parry played tennis 

and wrestled while attending 

Pfeiffer from 1966-1970. In 

1975 Parry returned to take 

on the challenge of being the 

head coach for Men’s Soccer. 

In his first season at Pfeiffer 

the team set a school record, 

scoring 90 goals in 16 games. 

He also set a school record for 

margin of victory by 

defeating Atlantic Christian 

15-0. The Falcons finished as 

District 26 Champions with a 

record of 13-3 and the rookie 

coach took home the Coach of 

the Year Award. 

In Parry’s second 

season the team struggled, 

finishing with a record of 8-5. 

It was still a winning season, 

but not nearly as satisfying 

as the previous one. 

“Our guys just had 

big heads on their shoulders 

that season after our 

successful season before,” 

Coach Parry recalled. 

In Parry’s third 

season the team went on a 

nine game winning streak, 

but the best was yet to come. 

In Parry’s fourth and final 

season at Pfeiffer the team 

won yet another District 26 

Championship while picking 

up a few of the most 

legendary victories in school 

history along the way. 

During the ‘78 season 

Parry’s Falcons defeated 

Virginia, North Carolina 

State and Duke on the road. 

“We had over 600 

fans travel with us to Duke. 

We actually outnumbered 

their fans,” Parry recalled. 

Long after leaving 

Pfeiffer, Parry began 

coaching Men’s Soccer at 

North Stanly High School, 

where he led his team to a 

State Championship in 1993. 

Coach Parry may have only 

been at Pfeiffer for just four 

seasons, but his success has 

made an everlasting 

impression. After Parry’s 

coaching career at Pfeiffer 

came to an end his players 

rewarded him with a plaque 

embroidered with the 

sentence, “Thanks Coach, 

You taught us far more than 

soccer.” 



By John A. Goble Jr. 

Pfeiffer University 

has a rich history in many 

areas, and sports is no 

exception. 

“Pfeiffer’s history in 

sports is quite exceptional for 

a school of its size,” Pfeiffer 


Hutchinson said. “There 

have been some incredible 

runs over the years.” 

One sport that has 

been around for quite a long 

time on campus is baseball. 

The legendary coach Joe 

Ferebee helped put Pfeiffer on 

the map in the 1960’s. 

Ferebee won a total of 677 

games during his tenure at 

Pfeiffer, as well as winning 

10 conference championships, 

and even went to the national 

championship game in 1968. 

Ferebee coached 42 players 

that signed professional 

contracts. He is a member of 

eight Hall Of Fames 

including Pfeiffer’s, the 

NAIA, as well as the ACA 

(Americas Coaches 

Association). 

“Joe Ferebee will 

always be known as the 

legendary baseball coach 

around here,” Hutchinson 


SPORTS HISTORY 

said. “He loved Pfeiffer 

University.” 

Men’s Basketball has 

seen a few special years as 

well, including a NAIA 

Championship game 

appearance in 1995. Coach 

Bobby Lutz helped Pfeiffer 

reach a lot of success on the 

court, and there wasn’t much 

drop off when former Head 

Coach Dave Davis was hired. 

“The program has 

seen its fair share of good 

players over the years,” 


One of the greats was 

Suffolk, Virginia native Tony 

Smith. Smith is Pfeiffer’s all 

time career scoring leader. 

He finished his collegiate 

career with 3,350 points. 

Antonio Harvey is 

also an historic name 

associated with Pfeiffer 

Basketball. Harvey attended 

Pfeiffer from 1991-1993. 

Harvey went on to play in 

the NBA with six different 

teams after being left out of 

the 1993 NBA draft. Harvey 

is currently a radio analyst 

for the Portland Trail 

Blazers. 

More recently, Rico 

Grier was a legend in his 

own right at Pfeiffer. Grier 

played at Pfeiffer from 2001- 

2005. He averaged 16.5 

points and 5.1 assists per 

game over his career and 

helped lead the Falcons to a 

record of 31-3 and an Elite 

Eight appearance in ’04. He 

was the CVAC Player of the 

Year as a senior. 

“The students loved 

Rico,” Hutchinson said. “He 

Pfeiffer Basketball 1970s 

definitely left his mark on 

the basketball program 

here.” 

When the CVAC 

named its all-time conference 

team in 2007, Grier, his 

brother DeMario Grier, and 

Nem Sovic found themselves 

on the team. Pfeiffer had 

more players named to the 

team than any other school. 

Pfeiffer has definitely 

seen its share of success in 


sports. Current students are 

hoping to see Pfeiffer make 

history during their college 

years. 

“I would love to see a 

title run of some sort during 

my time here,” student 

Kalvin Griffin said. “I can’t 

wait to see it all unfold.” 



Homecoming 

1970s 


Cheerleaders 1960s 


Ball 1950s 




STAFF LIST: 

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: 

BIRGIT ARNOLD, CORY ROBERTS 

LAYOUT EDITOR: BIRGIT ARNOLD 

FACULTY ADVISOR: CHARISSE LEVINE 

PHOTO EDITORS: 

DAVID HAYNES, JAMIE ALCALA 

SPORTS EDITOR: 

SAWYER WYRICK, JOHN GOBLE 

STAFF: 

KERRI BAKER 

RODD BAXLEY 

ELIZABETH CARLTON 

RUTH DIMMETT 

BRITTNEY “SHA” RICE 

STEPHANIE KLUTTZ 

SHERIKA LAUGHLIN 

KEITH MOORE 

LYDIA NANCE 

AMBER COVINGTON 

KAITLYN MULLIS 

JACKE ROCKWELL 

BRANDI SIFFORD

THE FALCON'S EYE - Pfeiffer - Pfeiffer University

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