The Victoria College, 1925-2000: A Tradition of Excellence

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Jim Lehrer working on an article for
the Jolly Roger.
But I enjoyed doing it. It was for the students of
the college and I wanted to paint something
they’d enjoy seeing. I hope I succeeded.” 43
Larry Shook admiringly recalled Thurmond
as an accomplished artist, dedicated to teaching,
who “took a special interest in students.”
He found himself a recipient of her attentiveness
during a spring semester Ping Pong tournament
that he was playing in at the Student
Union. Shook remembers he “felt a sharp pull
on my ear and heard ‘young man, I think you
are supposed to be in my art class.’ I turned
around and saw my art teacher, Miss Ethel
Thurmond. She kept hold of my ear as she led
me all the way across the campus and upstairs
to class.” He further remarked that when “Miss
Thurmond retired, I took her place as art
teacher at Victoria College and taught for 27
years. Thanks, Miss Thurmond.” 44
After being scrutinized for a year, the college,
in December 1952, was fully accepted into the
Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary
Schools. The organization’s committee charged
with reaffirmation of the two-year institution
reported at the annual convention in Memphis,
Tennessee, that Victoria College conformed to
the scholastic and other required standards.
Stormont, representing the college, was present
when the announcement was made. 45
The regional accrediting association’s pronouncement
that the college met the academic
criteria came as no surprise to individuals who
knew Stormont. The dean insisted that course
work offered at the college be on par with those
taught at transfer senior institutions. His unwavering
principle of equivalence was put to the
test by the University of Missouri in the early
years of his Victoria College deanship and
emerged triumphantly.
Jim Lehrer, a Victoria College student who
later became the anchor on the highly acclaimed
public television program, the NewsHour with
Jim Lehrer, decided to attend the School of
Journalism at the University of Missouri after he
graduated from Victoria College in 1954. When
he applied, an admissions official at the
Columbia-based university refused to accept all
his credits. Lehrer brought the matter to
Stormont’s attention. The dean became disturbed
and asked how badly he wanted to
attend that university. When Lehrer responded
that it “was a life-or-death” situation, Stormont
replied, “let’s take ‘em on.” The dean sent a letter
to the admissions official criticizing him and
the University of Missouri “for their elitism and
shortsightedness.” He told the person to send
“examinations for every subject you have doubts
about,” and they would be administered “to this
kid, and you can see for yourselves the kind of
person he is and what kind of education we provide.”
The university complied and the exams
(English grammar, basic math, Spanish, and
typing) were administered by J. D. Howell on
four consecutive afternoons. Lehrer “did well
enough not only to be admitted as a full-fledged
junior” but his “English grammar and foreign
language requirements were waived.” 46
In the 1953 state legislative session, the
legislators passed a loyalty oath and made it
an annual requirement for anyone receiving
82 ✦ THE VICTORIA COLLEGE, 1925-2000