Pryor Scrapbook Clippings, 1945-2000

N~ 73 Harding vs. ·UA-Monticello October 31, 1981 Homecoming 2 p.m. $1.00 Dr. Joe Pryor - A Man Of Many Hats He sits silently, intent upon the game before him whether it be . basketball or football. He moves little except to start the football clock or to tabulate a basketball score. He is the unseen partici– pant in all Harding home athletic competition - Dr. Joseph E. Pryor, Dean of the University. "Dr. Joe," as he is affectionately known by all, has been keeping the t ime at football and the score at basketball games for approx– imately 24 years. In fact, he began when intercollegiate athletics were evived at Harding in 1957. "The coaches asked me to serve in those two capacities," Dr. Joe aid, "and since I was very interested in the program, I ac– cepted it and each year I've been asked to .continue." In t he ·early years of Harding athletics, Dr. Joe kept the time from the sidelines for the football games, and he has many memo ries of hours spent in freezing drizzle keeping the clock. He now keeps the ti"me from the press box located on the south side of the field. The clock operator is really a fifth official in football as is the of– f icial scorer a third official in basketball : "He' s there to officiate t he game," Dr. Joe commented, "and has to be completely impar– tial. He can't be emotionally involved outwardly." Keeping the time and score isn' t the only involvement by Dr.Joe in the Harding athletic scene. He serves the University not only as an academic administrator, but also as an athletic administrator. ·seei ng the need for Harding to become involved in inter– coll~giate athletics, three men - Dr. Clifton L. Ganus, M . E. Ber– ryhi ll and Dr. Pryor - . began to push for intercollegiate athletics at · Hardi ng in the late 1950's. The intercollegiate athletic· program was adopted by the faculty in 1957 and Harding was admitted to t he A rkansas Intercollegiate Conference in December, 1958. A t hree-man faculty athletic committee was appointed to oversee and direct t he athletic program with Ganus, Pryor and Ber– ryhil I being selected for that task . The Facul ty Athletic Committee has now grown to 12 membe rs, and Harding is competing in eight intercollegiate sports. The function of the committee is to recommend policy for inter– collegiate athletics at Harding, recommend .changes in policy for the A IC faculty representatives to consider and to formulate policies for the cheerleaders. Once again, that is not the only boundary of Dr. Joe' s involve– ment in the athletic-academic scene. He also serves as the f acuity representative of Harding to the AIC and in this role is also a par– ticipant in the eligibility ·certification of Bison athletes . "I've seen a definite increase in the overall caliber of athletics," Dr. Joe commented . "In football, it is true both in the ability to play and the overall quality of the student athlete. One thing I am pleasantly pleased with . is the numerous comments that I have heard relative to the commendation of the quaIity of our coaches. I think our program is a positive influence for good in sportsman– ship in the conference." A Distinguished Alumnus of Harding and one of the most respected educators in the nation, Dr. Joe also serves as faculty ad– visor of the Petit Jean yearbook, national secretary-treasurer of the Alpha Chi honor scholarship society, and sponsor for the TNT men's social club. · Dean of the University since 1960, Dr. Pryor is a native of Sear– cy. He earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Lo,t1isiana State Univer– sity and returned to Harding in 1944 as professor of physical science. In 1972 he was riamed vice president for academics. Dr. Joseph E. Pryor is a leader at Ha"rding University, both inside and outside t he classroom. The professor of physical science, Dean of the University, Vice President for Academic Affairs, AIC Faculty Representative, is truly a man able to wear many different hats.