State legislators visit Batesville, Lyon

A delegation of state legislators toured the Batesville community July 24 and 25, visiting sites such as FutureFuel, Bad Boy Mowers, LaCroix Optical, the White River Medical Center and Lyon College. They wrapped up their tour with a luncheon in the Bevens Music Room on the Lyon campus. The legislators, most of whom hold seats on various committees pertaining to forestry, economic development and agriculture, were looking at what Batesville and Independence County can contribute to the state.

The late Dr. C. Fitzhugh Spragins '57 will be honored with a posthumous Service Award for his contributions to Lyon athletics. Dr. Spragins was a longtime leader in education, church and civic affairs in Batesville and a beloved member of the Lyon College community. He died March 10, 2005, at the age of 69. Dr. Spragins was a member of the Lyon College family almost his entire life. His father, John D. Spragins, was president of Lyon from 1942-52. Spragins Hall on the Lyon campus was named in honor of his father and the Spragins family.

Martin Jacobs '75 played basketball for the College. He attended Phillips County Community College in Helena from 1970-1972, where he led the Ozark Conference in rebounding and was an All Conference selection in 1972. From 1972-74, he attended Lyon College where he earned MVP honors at the Thanksgiving Holiday Classic during the '72-'73 season, and was an honorable mention All Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference. The following season he was an All Conference AIC selection, All District 17 selection and he led the AIC in rebounding. In 1974, he earned MVP honors at the All-Arkansas Classic College All Star game.

Tammy Peten '92 played basketball and was a standout talent on the track and field team. For four years straight, she was Outstanding Athlete and All AIC in track, and made it to the National Track Qualifier in 1990. Also that year, she was named NAIA All American in the Heptathlon and was invited to the U.S. Olympic Training Camp for the Heptathlon.

Brandi Love Higginbotham '94 played basketball for Lyon for four full years, earning All AIC distinction from 1992-94, and All District 17 honors in 1992 and 1994. Also in 1994, she won the Winnie Marable Award, which is given to Lyon's outstanding female student athlete

Lyon College will soon be rolling out the "red carpet" again as it begins its 2007-08 academic year. The "Red Carpet Days," slated for Aug. 17-19, will welcome new students. Upperclassmen are scheduled to move into residence halls Sunday, Aug. 19. The first day of classes will be Aug. 21.

Lyon College faculty and staff will gather Wednesday, Aug. 15, for the annual all-campus luncheon in Edwards Dining Hall. At the luncheon, President Walter Roettger will deliver his welcoming remarks, new faculty and staff members will be introduced, service awards will be presented and the Staff Member of the Year will be announced.

Friday is also the annual "move-in" day when new students and their parents move the students into the residence halls. Lyon faculty, staff and upperclassmen pitch in to help with the moving in.

A reception will be held for students and parents at Bradley Manor, hosted by President and Mrs. Roettger, at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17.

A number of special activities will greet the students and parents when they arrive.

Representatives of area businesses, churches and service organizations will be set up in Edwards Dining Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to welcome and provide information to the students. Bank representatives will be available to set up accounts for students.

"Goodie" bags filled with coupons and other promotional items from businesses and churches, along with maps and useful information, will be given to the students and parents. Door prizes will be given away to students who register at the event.

An orientation program for first-year students will begin after lunch. The new students are divided into mentor groups facilitated by upperclassmen and faculty and staff members. The mentor groups not only assist during orientation but will continue to support the new students as part of the college’s first-year advising program.

The matriculation convocation will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Brown Chapel. At the matriculation convocation, the new students and new faculty members sign the Roll of Honor, signifying they will abide by the college's Honor Code.

Parents will depart campus immediately after a farewell luncheon at noon Saturday in Edwards Commons. The new students will continue with orientation activities in the afternoon.

On Sunday, a worship service will be held at Bryan Lake at 10:30 a.m., followed by more orientation activities through Monday.

A full schedule of activities for new students and parents and other orientation information is available on the Lyon website at www.lyon.edu. Click on the Red Carpet Days button to go to the information.

Lyon College will welcome new students and their parents at its third and final summer orientation Thursday, August 16. About 50 students along with approximately 100 guests are currently scheduled to attend.

The Summer Orientation events are tailored for students who have sent in their enrollment deposit and will be attending Lyon in the fall as freshmen.

Students will meet with mentor groups, have their ID picture taken, get parking permits and have an opportunity to receive assistance with business office matters, computer and mailing services, financial aid and other areas of interest.

The day begins with at 10 a.m., various sessions and events will be held throughout the day, giving parents and students valuable insights into what to expect at Lyon College such as meeting their roommates, touring the residence halls, an introduction to Lyon’s Honor Code and Social Code, shopping at the bookstore.

Lunch is provided from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., and the day concludes at approximately 3:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the College at (800) 423 2542, or by e-mail at: admissions@lyon.edu.

Old Independence Regional Museum will host a book signing and lemonade on the lawn following the Water Carnival parade on Saturday, Aug. 4. As has become a tradition, the lemonade stand  will be under the pecan tree at the front of the museum at 380 South Ninth from 11a.m. – 1 p.m. Dr. George Lankford, author of Reachable  Stars, will be inside to talk about and sign copies of his newest book at 11:30 a.m. Come in out of the heat to enjoy his talk and the museum exhibits. The program is free.

Lankford’s most recent book, Reachable Stars (University of Alabama Press 2007), concerns the ways ancient north Americans used the stars to create stories and traditions. The author takes his research a step further to compare the stories Indian groups told about the constellations , and which told the same stories and which did not. What does that suggest about the societies they created and interrelationships among them?

Folklorist George Lankford is professor emeritus at Lyon College in Batesville where he served as endowed professor and chair of Social Sciences. He has written numerous books and articles including Looking for Lost Lore: Studies in Folklore, Ethnology, and Iconology and edited Bearing Witness: Memories of Arkansas Slavery, Narratives from the 1930s WPA Collections.

Old Independence serves a 12-county area: Baxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Marion, Poinsett, Sharp, Stone, White, and Woodruff. Parts of all these present-day counties comprised the original Independence County in 1820s Arkansas territory.

The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Admission in $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and $1 for children. The museum gift shop features many books and locally made items. All gift shop proceeds support museum programs. The museum is located at 380 South Ninth Street, between Boswell and Vine Streets in Batesville.

For more information, call (870) 793-2121.

 Sports

Lyon College President Dr. Walter B. Roettger has announced the appointment of Kirk Kelley as Director of Athletics at the College. Kelley assumes his duties in the position, effective immediately.

Natalie Fuqua, a corner infielder from Martin, Tenn., has signed to play softball with Lyon College for the 2008 season.