On October 24, 1993, a plaque was dedicated in Randall Library to commemorate and honor the members of the Order of Isaac Bear, an honorary organization of the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Former Chancellor William H. Wagoner founded the organization as a way to recognize members of the UNCW faculty. These members of the faculty had taught in the Isaac Bear building on Market Street, the original location of Wilmington College later UNCW, and were still employed by UNCW in 1987. The original Isaac Bear building had been an elementary school before it was home to Wilmington College. The former elementary school, Bear Hall on our current campus, and the Order of Isaac Bear were all named in honor of Isaac Bear, the brother of a local businessman.

As inscribed on the plaque, "Founded in 1988, the Order recognizes those who have demonstrated loyalty to UNCW, contributed to the academic quality of the University, or had a significant role in uniting the institution and the community." Listed are charter members Louis Adcock, Mary Bellamy, Walter Biggs, William Brooks, Thomas Brown, Joanne Corbett, Marshall Crews, Calvin Doss, Thomas Lupton, Dorothy Marshall, Duncan Randall, Gerald Rosselet, and Doug Swink. Chancellor Wagoner had an honorary membership. 

In 1991, the Order expanded membership beyond faculty members who worked at Wilmington College on Market Street. Members of the staff and faculty who had contributed to the development of UNCW are invited to the Order. Associate memberships are for people who aided in the founding of the institution and for members of the Board of Trustees.  

More photographs from the plaque dedication

History of the Order of Isaac Bear

A 2007 article about the Order of Isaac Bear in UNCW Magazine

Photo of members of the Order of Isaac Bear, October 16, 2013

40 years ago, three musical acts--the Stories, Lynyrd Skynard, and Heather--played in Hanover Hall at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The venue had a newly installed sound system for the event. Tickets for students were $2.50 in advance or $3.50 at the door.

At the time of the performance the Stories was the biggest name of the three. They had previously released two albums both of which were well reviewed by the music world including Rolling Stone. The group had one popular hit with “Brother Louie.” Wes Knape, a Seahawk newspaper writer, wrote that this had been “a really great song when it was released; however...most of us are tired of it being played so often.”

Lynyrd Skynard had only released their first album in August of 1973 and had not built  up their popularity. Even though they were not nationally recognized, music critics had already begun to hail them as the next big hit to come out of the South. This would prove correct as they would become nationally recognized shortly following their performance at UNCW.

According to students interviewed by the Seahawk, the concert did not exceed their expectations, especially the band Stories. The Seahawk published the thoughts of six students, one of whom did not even attend the concert. The students stated that the new sound system was “out of wack” as the instruments were louder than the vocals. Another complaint was the high number of high school students in the audience. One student protested the high cost of the ticket and suggested bringing in local bands to lower the cost, while another student complained that the bands brought in should be more “well known” and represent a greater variety of musical styles.

List of musical performers at UNCW

Spotlight about Dedication of Hanover Hall

12 years ago, Michael Jordan came back to his hometown of Wilmington, NC, and to the game of professional basketball after retiring in 1998. 

Jordan began his association with Washington Wizards as president and minority owner in 2000. In October of the same year, he brought the NBA team to the University of North Carolina Wilmington for their training camp. A sold out crowd watched the team at the end of their week-long stay in Trask Coliseum. At that time, the Wizards announced plans to return to UNCW in 2001 for their training camp. This move was anticipated by the Wilmington community, but the excitement and anticipation reached a high when Jordan announced that he would return to the NBA as a Washington Wizards player for the 2001 season.

UNCW was immediately launched into national and international news as it would serve as the location where Jordan would make his latest debut. News media from around the country, including ESPN, came to UNCW to cover the event.

Jordan played again with the Washington Wizards in Trask Coliseum in 2002.  In later years, when Jordan was affiliated with the Charlotte Bobcats, UNCW welcomed this club for training camps. 

Sources:

The Seahawk student newspaper--September 7, 2000, p 18

The Seahawk student newspaper--August 30, 2001, p 17

The Seahawk student newspaper--September 27, 2001, p 16

The Seahawk student newspaper--October 4, 2001, p 13-15

The Seahawk student newspaper--October 18, 2001, p 19, 21, 24

The Seahawks tudent newspaper--October 13, 2005, p 9

UNCW Magazine--Fall/Winter 2001

Related:

News articles about Michael Jordan's summer basketball camp at UNCW in 1987.

The North Carolina General Assembly passed the Safe Roads Act of 1983 and stipulated that the law would become effective on October 1, 1983. The law had many parts, but it most specifically dealt with drunk driving. The law raised the drinking age in North Carolina from 18 to 19 for beer and wine. The United States Congress would further increase the drinking age nationally the next year with the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, 23 USC § 158, which mandated that states raise the drinking age to 21 or the government would withhold ten percent of the federal funding for highways. North Carolina complied with the federal law.

Many students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington voiced opposition and protested the fairness of the new law. The Seahawk published editorials against the Safe Roads Act. The treasurer of the SGA even wrote, in an open letter published in the Seahawk on April 16, 1981, that one of the greatest accomplishments of the group during the 1981-1982 school year had been a resolution passed to stand in opposition of the law.

Sixty-five years ago, on September 27, 1948, a group of college students published and distributed the inaugural edition of the Seahawk--a 4-page mimeographed newspaper. This was the first student publication for Wilmington College.

The charter staff members stressed the importance of the Seahawk as a current and future asset of Wilmington College:

“We are proud and honored to be able to have published this small paper as the first “SEAHAWK.” We are gratified to know that we have been the beginning of something which we believe will grow with time as Wilmington College grows. We have made a small beginning but nevertheless, have taken the first step.”

In 1969, Wilmington College became the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).

The first Seahawk staff believed that the student newspaper would become an integral part of campus life with the continued support and excitement from the faculty and student body. In order to garner the support and participation of the student body, the Seahawk staff “extend[ed] to the student body an invitation to criticize [their] endeavors and to flail [their] paper as trash if they so desire[d]. But…also an invitation to contribute something useful or something better.” The vision and hopes of the initial Seahawk staff became a reality in 1958 when the Seahawk became a monthly publication.
 

The Seahawk, September 27, 1948 (PDF)

Digital Seahawk Collection, 1948-1973

How to Search the Seahawk

The Power of Print and Pixels: 65 Years of UNCW Student News - New Exhibit in Special Collections Open Until Dec. 3

John T. Hoggard, William M. Randall, Trustee L. Bradford Tillery, and unidentified College Trustee examine plans for new property. (Photo courtesy of Tyrone Rowell)
 

       On September 18, 1958, the Board of Trustees agreed to purchase land off NC Hwy 132 for Wilmington College's first campus. This campus became the permanent home for the college and eventually the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

The Board of Trustees had previously rejected two possible sites--Hugh MacRae Park and the municipal golf course--due to public controversy.

In 1958 Wilmington College was located in the Isaac Bear Building on Market Street. The Board of Trustees knew the college had outgrown this space and needed another location, but the board did not merely plan for immediate growth. Instead, the members chose a property that would fulfill future needs of expansion. The new property consisted of over 600 acres.

The ability of Wilmington College to purchase the land stemmed from the passage of the North Carolina House Bill 761, An Act to Provide a Plan of Organization and Operation for Community Colleges (1957). It was the first Community College Act in North Carolina. Both Wilmington College and Williston College--a unit of Wilmington College for African American students--were included by name in this act, as they were two-year schools at the time. The act gave the trustees the authority to purchase land deemed “necessary for the proper operation of the college.” It also allowed for the trustees to present the need for a tax levy to the County Commissioners, who would approve a public bond vote. The state would match funds raised by the college up to $600,000 as long as the request was made before June 30, 1958.

Following these guidelines, the Wilmington College Board of Trustees agreed in April 1958 to bring a resolution before the New Hanover County Commissioners. The County Commissioners approved the resolution unanimously and set the bond vote for May 30, 1958. The citizens of New Hanover County voted to support Wilmington College and the bond passed.

Board of Trustees Minutes--April 1, 1958, approved resolution to go before the County Commissioners

New Hanover County Commissioners Minutes--April 14, 1958, approval for the bond vote

Board of Trustees Minutes--September 9, 1958, approved the use of funds to buy land for expansion

Board of Trustees Minutes--September 18, 1958, selected the land on NC Hwy 132 for expansion site

Board of Trustees Minutes--September 22, 1958, approved architect and planned for future growth

Board of Trustees Minutes--December 8, 1958, final approval for the purchase of the land off NC Hwy 132

Unidentified College Trustee, Trustee L. Bradford Tillery, William M. Randall, and John T. Hoggard examine plans for new College property. (Photo courtesy of Tyrone Rowell)
 

 

Marshall Collins and Ernest Fullwood were the first African Americans to attend Wilmington College--the institution that grew into the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).

Fullwood became the first African American student to serve on the Wilmington College Student Senate, and in March of 1966 he was the first African American graduate. Fullwood became an attorney and judge, and Marshall Collins became a minister. Fullwood returned to UNCW on April 17, 2004 to administer the Chancellor's oath of office to Rosemary DePaolo at her installation.

Until September of 1962, African American students attended class at the Williston College campus of Wilmington College. Due to segregation, African American students were not allowed to enroll at the College Road campus.

UNCW Desegregation  

On July 15, 1981, Dr. H. Eaton, chair of the Board of Trustees recalled a meeting he had with Dr. John T. Hoggard in 1961:

It has been 20 years and almost four months to the day since I sat in the parlor of Dr. John T. Hoggard, the Founder of this Institution, and expressed to him my disappointment and concern with the unfairness of the grossly unequal dual program of college education being provided for white students as compared to that being provided for Negro students  ....

A gentlemen’s agreement was reached. With a handshake and no paperwork, Dr. Eaton and Dr. Hoggard agreed that Dr. Eaton would not pursue legal action against the College, and in return Wilmington College would begin admitting qualified African American students in September of 1962 (From These Beginnings: Wilmington College, 1946-1969). 

From the University Archives--This Week in UNCW History: Dr. Eaton was first African American chair of UNCW Board of Trustees, July 15, 1981

1966 Wilmington College graduation program

Memo to the Media: Installation Activities April 14-16, 2004

Marshall Collins' picture, Wilmington College yearbook 1964

Ernest Fullwood's picture, Wilmington College yearbook 1964

Ernest Fullwood on Student Senate, Wilmington College yearbook 1965