Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Nancy Thnrnn Strom, family, future , A\\. ?v.\v?y<*y.> -?Wv - ?... .V AVMV. , ^..w : >' -' ; ? , iy <>i nww a v?^.. iif Dematteis i. 1 IU bpedK Phil Dematteis, libertarian candidate for governor, will speak on present-day politics Oct. 10 at 7:30 D.m. at the Clariosonhic Hall on the third floor of Legare college Iatiakuc ^ j Teenv Buns 1 Spirit of'76 ATLANTIC II Senators' n MiinkiAr d&jSjt&\ /ttSsBU?^SBS5Mn^&!2&tki tmBSPfBBM SUUBE C?eC 634)63?r4ea-St, i BACKGAMMON f TAHBUIMMT : BVWHnfllRKNI vary Twsday night starting at 7:30 $50** cub prize few lond... By Janice Wood Graduate Assistant The pale blue eyes of Nancy Thurmond made striking contact with the eyes of her audience as she politicked for her husband's public life. The same blue eyes danced as she discussed with her audience several aspects of her private life as a wife and a mother. A 31-year-old former Miss South Carolina, she is the wife of U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., who is now 75 years old. ilkt m. mans to m. a ii?t-i "? un i.rtinrua luursMttty ii^iu in the middle of an intensive blitz of South Carolina colleges," Nancy said she was here to "touch base with students" in re-election efforts for her husband. RAPnncp ohp i? st TIST omHnntp she said, this was her top-priority school. "We're here frequently since we live nearby on Waccamaw Ave." She added that the four Th'irmond youngsters often swim in the physical education center pool. Nancy said that she runs into former boyfriends during some of her USC visits. "And it reminds them that Strom won out over them." "I WAS A STUDENT at Duke University when I became Miss South Carolina, and I took a year off. I became acquainted with Strom during that year/' Nancy said. "We were on the same platform many times/' she said of the functions she attended as the title Holder. Mrom taught me now to square dance at the York Grape Festival." "I went back to Duke, and I IaaItoJ C* 11? iwncu ivi naiu iu auuiu a mils. We talked about his big world of politics and government and my little world/' Nanoy said. She transferred to USC on Thurmond's suggestion to finish a degree in English and later entered law school here. It was a joint decision, she said, that she leave law school in favor of marriage to Thurmond and full-time support of his political career. "STROM WANTS ME to finish my law degree someday," Nancy said. "But I can't foresee having the time for it. And I have no political aspirations." Now the mother of four children, ages seven, five, four and two, Nancy said, "When I was a girl I dreamed about having four children, and we are fortunate to have two of each (gender)." She said that she had been concerned that the "fish bowl life" the young Thurmonds led as the offspring of a senator would have adverse effects on them. "But they're extremely well adjusted unH hnrvnv-irn.liu*lru philHron Tltov nmmappj fjW viuiui VU. A1IVJ BH see a lot of Strom and go running with him sometimes." Nancy has written a book on the care of preschool children. "Mother's Medicine" will be available in March. She added that the publisher had it ready for MAIAOCA AQH?llAI* fKlC tfOQP Kllf t vivaov vat uw uuo j v?* y didn't want it tied in with the campaign." NANCY SAID that she plays a supportive role in the marriage. "I'm happy being a homemaker and happy to be a sounding board tor my nusDana. She said that her senatorhusband "brings home enormous amounts of work, but he has a fantastic philosophy. Once the battle is over, he shuts it out." "I'm not hung up on the 'political widow syndrome.' I enjoy having ideas bounced off me," she said of her husband's habit of discussing with her the matters he faces in the j Senate. 1 Also involved in her husband's \ campaign, Nancy recently completed a "people-to-people" tour in 1 her husband's behalf; her children 1 a ^.1 ?1 il. i kiii. iravcicu wiui iter ui a uuuper. we covered 10,000 miles in 10 weeks." 1 Nancy said that while her ' campaigning is generally "low-key 1 and casual," she is always ready to "recapitulate his positions on the ! issues." | ADDRESSING THE ISSUE of hor hnoKanH'o arauio) fn hlanbo liMUK/iMiu u u|/|^?u w uinvni)J Nancy said, "Black people were excited about getting to meet Strom's family. Some told me they had split their ticket to vote for tiim ?? IIIUI. Nancy also commented on another campaign issue ? her husband's refusal to debate his opponent, Democrat Charles IITh.Mll cn.~ ? 1 ?I liL-i l ug navcuci. one ca|uauku ulttl this refusal mirrors a 1948 decision of President Harry Truman. Thurmond, the presidential nominee of the Dixiecrats (a group of Southern Democrats who op posed Truman), asked to debate the other candidates. Truman, declined the offer, Nancy said, because he considered himself the leader and c:d not want to "generate an audience" for his opponents. "Strom nas said tnat lie will retire after one more term," Nancy said. "As much as I'd like that, I can't envision the day when he won't be so busy."