How’s Your Dog?

I don’t know about you but I’m a real softy when it comes to my pets. I’ll be blogging here regarding a childhood history featuring a menagerie that included everything from dogs, hamsters, parakeets, turtles, rabbits, goldfish, to nine ducks named after the New York Yankees and a $40 (unbroken) donkey named Mr. Bones.

So, perhaps it won’t surprise you when I share this moment of love lost from my little dog Winnie.

I was playing golf with my usual foursome. And after nine holes we stopped by the clubhouse for refills and libation.

As we waited to tee off at the number ten tee my friend Charlie McLamb cruised up in his cart and, said, “Cairns, how’s your dog?”

I was totally taken off guard by the question and without missing a beat, while wiping tears from my face I said, “Well, we had to put Winnie down. And Alyce and I were just talking about this last night and came to the conclusion that we just couldn’t take it again.”

As my emotions built and I wiped more tears away I explained that our pet days, sadly, were over.

Then I saw the look on Charie’s face as he nodded to the clubhouse. “Cairns, I was talking about your hotdog. This snack bar tuna sandwich is awful!” 

 20) NC State’s Past Predicts Future

NC State’s recent successes in athletics has been a wonderful reminder of the good old days.

That said, speaking of the good old days, this brief history of NC State University probably won’t come as a surprise to our readership. Located in Raleigh, NC, NCSU is a public land-grant research university known nationally and internationally for research and as a leader in the technologies.

The founding came in 1884 by a group of influential leaders known as the Watauga Club. These young visionaries, which included William Joseph Peele, Josephus Daniels and Walter Hines Page, was a progressive organization that championed causes that would help map the state’s future.

The Wataugans were dedicated to improving roads, to more modernized farming, and to better schools for North Carolina’s students. So, looming behind these goals was an idea that would bring about the establishment of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts. This goal was achieved in 1887 when the doors opened at North Carolina State.

Today, the Watauga Club, made up of NCSU movers and shakers, honors those who have provided distinguished service to North Carolina State University.  And speaking of pride, again, it isn’t limited to our athletes and athletics. Distinguished service--in teaching, research and extension--has resulted in impressive rankings posted in NCSU’s alumni magazine:

• #1 best public college in North Carolina (Money)

• Top 1% of universities worldwide (Center for World University Rankings)

• #4 veterinary medicine program nationally (U.S. News & World Report)

• #6 best value among public universities nationally (U.S. News & World Report)

• #7 online graduate engineering program nationally (U.S. News & World Report)

• #7 online MBA nationally (Princeton Review)

• #8 in MBA programs with the best return on investment (Poets & Quants)

• #10 in undergraduate entrepreneurship nationally (Princeton Review and Entrepreneur)

• #12 graduate engineering program among public universities (U.S. News & World Report)

• #15 nationally in online graduate computer and information technology programs (U.S. News & World Report)

• #16 graduate statistics program nationally (U.S. News & World Report)

On a lighter note, there’s something else those early founders may have been pleased to see. In the spring of 1987, NC State brought creativity to the celebration of  its Happy 100th when a video crew of university employees presented 1980s celebrities with an opportunity to join the celebration.

With the cameras rolling, Bob Hope wished NC State a happy 100, quipping, “A hundred, whose your chancellor there now, George Burns?”

Pat Boone sang Happy Birthday. Joe DiMaggio took a swing in State’s honor. Willard Scott, The Today Show’s weather man, wore an NC State Happy 100th hat; Bob Costas, multiple Emmy winner,  worked a crossword puzzle identifying the seven letters across answer for “centennial university.” MASH star Larry Linville (Frank Burns) joined the group of more than 20 celebrities with the good wishes. Kathryn Crosby (Bing’s wife), star of stage and screen, wished NC State many happy returns.  Leslie Nielsen, star of Airplane, landed a birthday greeting.

Video cassettes featuring the good wishes were wrapped in birthday paper and delivered as Public Service Announcements to local and national TV stations, allowing thousands of viewers to join the celebration of  NC State’s 100th birthday.

And to top it off William C. Friday, President of the University of North Carolina System, interviewed on NC Public TV, actors dressed in period costumes who—as the original Wataugans---shared their inspirations for this college that would grow to become one of the country’s most prestigious universities.  

A bit light-hearted way to help celebrate such a prestigious 100th year?  Perhaps, but considering the creativity found in that original group of Wataugans, one would think that William Joseph Peele, Josephus Daniels and Walter Hines Page would have approved and done so with great N.C. State pride.