Dean Priest From Harding student to teacher Here to stay Dean Blackburn Priest was born May 7, 1939, in Columbia, Tenn., into a family of six. with two brothers and a sister. Priesfs early life was spent in the Co lumbia area where a deep love for music was developed. While attending Central High School in Rockwood, Tenn., the young musician became a member of the Midlanders Quartet. The foursome sang frequently for a variety of functions and even servo ed as the warm·up gTOUp for Jerry Lee Lewis on one occasion. Upon graduating from high school, the l8'year-old Tennesseean had what he called "one of the hardest decisions of my life," It involved the choice to continue his music career or enroll in Har· ding University with his newly· found girlfr iend, Carolyn Pogue. Priest had been introduced to Carolyn, his wife-to·be, by Wayne and Doris Ball, a couple he credits with having e tremendous influence on him. The sweet. southern-voiced Pogue was a music eduction major and encouraged her avid suitor to travel Arkansasward and involve himself in Harding's music field. Priest did so quickly. He was a charter member of Harding's Belles and Beaux troop. With this group of performers, he spent a memorable time in the Far East on a usa tour. "Back in those days," said Priest, "you had to either act or play an in· strument as well as sing to get in the group. So. I learned three notes on the bass fiddle, just one song. to tryou t with." Although the bass fiddle was not his expertise, music was. After an initial failure, which Priest called "a major disappOintment to me," the second·semester freshman joined Harding's A Cappella Chorus and eventually served as its president. He also sang in the school's male quartet, which accompanied the chorus on tour. Soon Priest branched out to other areas of campus life. He changed his major from music to math "because I wanted to do something else for my living," He served on the Student Association Council and was elected president of his social club. Mohicans. during his junior year. Eventual ly the married Priest was named to Who's Who Among Stu· dents in American Colleges and Universities and graduated from Harding in the spring of 196\ with a B.S. degree in mathematics. Shortl y after receiving his diploma, an open ing needed to be fil led in the HC math department. Priest sped through his master's program at the University of Mississippi in 10 months and returned to Searcy as a 23-year,0Id teacher. For the next 19 years. with the exception of a three year abscence to complete his Ph.D., Priest served on the Universily,faculty. Upon his return in 1969, the mathematician was promoted to chairman of his department. In the field of math, Priest has done more than simply teach. He has published a number of articles in the Fibonacci Q u art erly. Mathematics Teacher and other mathematics journals. He has presented papers at meetings of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and American Mathemat ics Society in such cities as New York, Orlando. Atlanta and St, Louis. Also in his field, this year's dedicatee is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, a national honor schOlarship society, and Pi Mu Epsilon. the na, tional mathematics society. The rest of Priest's time is spent playing his favorite sport, racquet· ball, raising a family and serving his God, This deacon of the College church of Christ has worked on the Worship Committee since 1969. He has brought up his children in the Christian community and credits the school and the church with a profound and good influence. "It has been a real b lessing for our kids to have Christians to date and be their friends, Carolyn and I wonder sometimes if we could have suceeded elsewhere." said Priest. In 1976. at the age of 37, Priest became enraptured in a mania which has claimed many hours of his last six years. Priest's wife blames Cliff Sharp for teaching the family the sport of racquetball. However. with all the time spent, Priest has found much success. His most prized trophy is the first one he received in winning the consolation bracket of Arkansas' class C state division. Since then. the racquet enthusiast has added some hardware for first place as the Arkansas Class 0 sing les winner and other tournaments. The humble teacher gives much thanks to Harding. "Harding did a lot in turning my life around. The music, the atmosphere and the men here were like nothing I'd ever seen before," Words of love and admiration come quickly when speaking of Priest. His wife and marriage part· ner of 22 years commented, "He's got drive. He's high ly motivated. It seems that he goes to the extreme to accomplish whatever it is he wants to do." Perhaps a teachers' greatest critics. though, are his students. Because of h is influence on the l ives of many students, Priest received the Distinguished Teacher Award in 1970. Roy Barnes, a math major from Searcy. summed up his feelings and certainly those of many others who dedicate these pages to this man by saying, "He teaches like he's excited about the subject. He relates well to the students, too. kind of like the Neale Pryor of the math department. He's different in that he works you really hard and yet is considered a good teacher." Priest added that he and his family plan on being in Searcy, Lord willing, for many years to come. 'TIl always be indebted to Harding for he lping me out, and I'm glad to be a part of the school now," he said. In addition to Dean Sr. and his wife, Carolyn, the Priest family includes Teresa Long of Atlanta, Ga., Chery l , Matilda, Lauri and Dean Jr. Because o{ his sensilivity, humili· ty, courage, patience, and love {or the Lord, he has become an outstanding husband, {ather, teacher and athlete, bul most of alt, our {riend. We, the Senior Class of 1982. have chosen to honor this servant of our Lord by dedicating our Petit Jean to him. Dean Priest ~ -JimmyAflen 1. VERY at ease, Dean Priest eryoys Jim Henderson:S chapel program. 2-4. PRACTICE makes perfect for the ardent racquetball player. 5. ON his way through the Student Center, Priest stops to help one of his students with a problem. 6. AUGUST 29, 1980 was a happy day {or the Priest Family as they added a son to their number,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==