Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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A da in Nine o'clock on an overcast Monday morning. The soun playing some church hymn covers the Horseshoe as students classes. A door of the president's house opens, and Dr. Thor starts his walk to work. "Let's go to work," he says briskly. He can't get far. First a professor stops him for a short < Then a student greets him, introduces himself and tells J< mother had met him at an airport once. He invites Jones to 1 Rock Hill. "'''m serious," he says. "The next time you're in Rock Hill see us." The walk continues. As he passes students, he extends a ning," and some students return the greeting. He approaches the Administration Building by the back er a back door man," he says. ARRIVAL Up the back stairs. Stride into the office. Good morning. The first visitor of the day greets Jones in the outer offi personal problem involving red tape. Jones hears what the F to say, talks with him, and advises him on possible solutions. As the professor leaves, Vice-president for Business Al Brunton enters. He has a list of things to discuss with J concerning buildings and expansion. 1 4 ohiwo day.*~ the 1 :s of chimes Outside typew i walk to 9:05 nas F. Jones Jones has th Graff has worl :onversation. conscientious. ines that his, It is she wi 'heir home in meetings. Thi very free with come by and no one who rea Harriet McP "'good mor- how to reply letter. He doe trance. "I'm Beth Gayde make the visii out there. After Brunt ce. He has a says Pattersoi >rofessor has Jones upon Sc fairs Harold Then Dr. R< >nes, mostly talk with Jon Miss Gayden Story I photos HARRY While they are waiting for the call to come through, Jones and Morrison discuss the Maryland game. "It was a terrible weekend," Jones says. "I feel like I was personally defeated." They talk about the game and conjecture on the national ranking. The call still hadn't come through so Jones rings up the receptionist. The WATS line is not available, so Jones tells her to call person-to person. J%,;~ fie of. rriters and telephones are begir ree secretaries on whom he re ed for Jones for four years. Ji io arranges his life. She see ; is sometimes a hard thing t( his time. He has told the secret Ily wants to see him should be i Aaster writes most of the letter 'yes,'' ''no,' ''cold" or "warm sn't dictate many letters. n receives the visitors and ansi 'ors feel comfortable and to rer on leaves, Dr. William Patters i has been with a university prc outh Carolina laws, customs anc BASK ETBALL >bert Morrison, dean of the Schc s about getting a Nobel Prize to try and find the man. ind by HOPE When it finally does come through, Jones is told that the man is out of town. Finally there is time to talk. He says that he reads two or three books a week but never in the office. He doesn't have time. He also says that it is a slow day, and that a couple of appointments have been cancelled. PlANS At 11:35. Jones goes over to Thomas Faris' office. Faris is director of planning. Jones asks to see the plans for some of the new buildings. Brunton wanders in, coffee cup in hand. They toss around ideas for the Law School and the parking garage. Entirely different plans are made, then forgotten. They talk and thrash about suggestions and doubts. Jones is concerned about the uniformity of building design and the flexibility Qf the plans. . "We change our. minds on the hour.',' Brunton says. 12:30, and Jones is coerced into going to the Faculty Dining Room for lunch. lie walks briskly and steadily to Russell House. When he enters Russell House, he cuts through the Giamecock Room. Some students wave or greet him with a "HI, President Jones." Some just locik, appearing as though they think they've seen this man somewhere before but don't know where. Others pay no attention. Faculty members react the same when he enters the faculty dining room. Jones grabs a soup and sandwich plate and searches for a clean table. He finally spots two law professors and sits with them. Jones chats quietly with the twvo until they leave. As he orders another cup of hot tea, an education professor sits down. After lunch. Jones talks with Patterson and Kenneth Toombs, director of libraries. APPOSITION? .Jones does not often show emotion. He doesn't take out his anxieties on his staff. But now he seems preoccupied. -le is concerned a bout a headline in l'he Gamecock. "Faculty to op ose stadium allocation." He says t s misleading, because only one acuIty member commented in the trticle. He then makes some frank, iones t, yet off- the- record com mnents on the whole matter of the 1.'7 million dollar Brice will. Elaine Graff hands him a letter. Jones has called a meeting of the 4fter daily di meetings, evei University Pre ake a break j 00 ining to sound off. lies to run the office. Elaine 3nes describes her as ''very s to his appointments and ) do because Jones is often aries and his assistants that urned away. 's. Jones says he can tell her '--and she can compose the Ners the phone. Her job is to iind Jones that they are still on, provost, come in. Jones 'sident since 1948, and keeps I traditions. >ol of Pharmacy, comes in to winner to speak. Jones tells academic dearis, but now he says he must confer with Patterson on the letter. The deans are arriving for their three o'clock meeting, but Jones is still in Patterson's office. He hurries out and enters the con terence room. Twenty minutes later he rushes into his office to take a phone call. "Finished so soon?" someone asks. "No. I've just got to answer the telephone. That's life." "You're smoking your cigar." "I'm listening."! Jones says that he smokes cigars when he is listenting-in meetings and such. At other times, he chews gum. As he re-enters the con ference rooms, he relights his cigar. CONSULTATION The meeting is over a little past four. Dr. Willard Davis, vice president for academic affairs, is waiting with two biology professors, one from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the other from Har vard. They have been evaluting and studying the biology department. It is almost five. The secretaries in the front office are slowing down, waiting for the end of the day. In his office, Dr. Harry Varney, Jones' assistant, leans back in his chair, clasping his hands behind his head. Jones has said earlier that Varney was the one who "keeps a lot of things off my shoulders." Varney once coached a high school football team and Jones often calls him "Coach." cussions and ia busy sident can ~or humor. Dr. Thonu Right now Varney has just finished the day's work on a self study report, which must be made for accreditation of the school. "I don't know of anytime he has to himself," Varney says as he shows some Xerox copies of ap pointment pages kept by Elaine Graff. These appointment schedules show that Jone's days vary greatty, and that no two days are ever the same. One day the schedule included several lun cheons, three scheduled ap pointments and a speech. A lot of different people come to see Jones. But their purpose in coming is not often noted in the Mo1 Jan] appointment book. Some are paren.ts who come to see Jones about getting their, chidren back into school. Oth6r* are Student Government officers, University Union officers or just students who come to see Jones about matters they have to discuss with him. Other visitors are deans, professors, staff members--and the news media. Jones meets often with local newspapers and television reporters. QUITTING TlME~ As the secretaries are leaving. Jones walks into his office with a sF. Jo load of correspondence r his arm. Harriet McMaster has takon his notes and comments and has composed a number of neatly. worded letters. He begins to sign them. He chuckles at some, frowns at others. but signs them ad. His secretary has done a good Job. Varney walks in. He and Jones talk for a while. then Mike Grler, assistant dean for car4pus relations whom Jones calls' his 'rmouthpiece." saunters in. Varney is leaving. Grier tak a seat because the phone is ri furiously. and has been ev 11, ?71 -mmm .---amanea minute or two. Jones answe4 his own phone after five. I Jones. Varney -aqGd.iCr .4tave all agreed that itiwas Ard Varney had saTTFearli days are hectic After the letters have bp signed. Jones takes a bundle mail and heads down the stairs and across the Horseshoe o: home. If's been an unusally warm day., A few touch football games ar ending. Those same chimes were playing that same hymn. But now the day is over.