the hospital before the spring semester began . Born in Memphis, T enn. , on May 10, 1932, the daughter of B. T. and Margaret Whitaker , she was educated in the public school of that city , graduating from Central High School in the spring of 1950. She enroll - ed in Harding College that fall and graduated with honors in the spring of 1954 with a double major in English and journalism. She was quiet and unpresumptuous but exhibited outstanding leadership and versatility . Dr. Harris was a member of the A Cappella Chorus , Girls' Glee Club and Girls' Sextet. She was a member of the Press Club all four years and edited the Bison both her junior and senior years. Both years she was editor the Bison won both the General Excellence Award and the Sweepstakes in the newspaper contest of the Arkansas College Publications Association. She was a member of Regina social club and served as vice president for two years and then was president her senior year. She was queen of the Delta Iota's men's club was secretary-treasurer of Alpha Chi and was elected to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. During 1954-55, she participated in the Arkansas Experiment in Teacher Education funded by the Ford Foundation and subsequently completed her Master's degree. She then served as Assistant to the Director of Publicity for two years. One of her duties was writing the script for the "Hymns from Harding" program carried by more than 200 radio stations. During this time, she met Jack D. Harris , a Harding graduate who had returned to earn the M.A.T. degree . She and Jack were married on August 10, 1957 and they moved to Illinois, for a short time, before Jack became an administrator in the Memphis sehoal system. Mr. Harris taught in Memphis from 1967 to 1978. During this time she pursued graduate study at Memphis State University , completing the M. Ed . in 1969 and the Ed.D. in 1976. She joined the faculty of the School of Education in the fall of 1978 and in 1983 was selected to receive the Distinguished Teacher award. She was a member of the International Reading Association, Council for Exceptional Chil - dren, Kappa Delta Pi education SOCiety and the College church of Christ. She was highly respected by her colleagues both on campus and throughout the state. At the time of her death, Dr. Harris was Vice President of . the Arkansas Teacher Educators of Reading and was a member of an Arkansas Elementary Council committee that was preparing a handbook on activities for elementary physical education appropriate to each grade level K-6. She conducted a Summer Reading Clinic each summer that had helped many youngsters while training teachers. Survivors include her husband, Jack D. Harris of Memphis; her mother and stepfather , Margaret and Carney Moore of Memphis ; two sons, Lee of Memphis and Bob of Harrison; a brother , Robert Whitaker of Nashville, Tenn. ; and two grandchildren. t:'Iff&. Harding Academy in Searcy stands as a living legacy of Perry Shipley Mason who died January 12, 1985, at the age of 73, in a Searcy hospital. He joined the Harding faculty in the fall of 1946 as Superintendent of the Academy, he developed the Academy into a fully accredited school by the North Central Association - a highly recognized high school with an outstanding academic program and an equally outstanding co-curricular program. ~/ Mason was born October 28, 1911, in Irene, Texas, the son of Joe T. and Florence Shipley Mason. After graduating from the Irene High School, where he was an outstanding football player, he enrolled at Abilene Christian College in the fall of 1930 on a football scholsarship and graduated in 1934 with a major in history. He had an outstanding football career at ACC as a "pulling" guard who blocked for the ball carrier. He then played professional foot - ball for the Texas Rangers, now the Dallas Cowboys , but he resigned after a few months because he did not want to play on Sunday and he abhorred the language and conduct of many of his associates. He immediately began teaching and coaching at Haskell High School where he remained for six years . His college sweetheart was classmate Elizabeth Brewer from Memphis, Tenn., the daughter of the late G. C. Brewer who was one of the truly outstanding gospel preachers of the last generation. They were married on August 27, 1935. In the fall of 1940, Mason began an association with Abilene High School as coach and history teacher which was interrupted in 1941 by World War II. Mason served four years in combat intelligence, obtaining the rank of captain . Two of these years were spent overseas in the European theater. After his discharge , he was an active m~mber of the American Legion for the remainder of his life and served as Commander of the Searcy ArmstrongCa ldwell Post 106 during 1961. He was an ardent advocate of Americanism and worked dosely with Dr. George S. BeJ;lson for many years in the work of the National Education Program . Following World War II , he accepted a teaching and coaching position for 1945-46 at Humes High School in Memphis , Tenn. He then accepted an invitation to head Harding Academy in Searcy. His wife also joined the Harding faculty in the fall of 1946 as an art teacher, retiring in December of 1983. Mason pursued graduate study after beginning his teaching career , obtaining the M.A. degree in history in 1939 from Peabody College in Nashville , Tenn. , primarily through summer attendance. After joining the Harding faculty , he pursued doctoral study at Vanderbilt University. He was a longtime member of the Searcy Kiwanis Club, serving as President in 1961. He also served as Lt. Governor of the Missouri-Arkansas District Kiwanis Club. He was a member of Phi Alpha Theta, national honor society. Mason was baptized into Christ by Foy E. Wallace, Jr. , in September of 1926 and remained a faithful Christian throughout his life. For a number of years , he preached every Sunday, beginning in 1950, and he served congregations in Brinkley , Remmel and Plummerville . He is survived by his wife , Elizabeth of Searcy; a son, Dr. Perry Mason, Jr., Chairman of the Chemistry Department of Lubbock Christian College; a daughter, Molly M. Noble of Searcy; and six grandchi ldren. falf41f:. •
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