In Memoriam Lloyd Cline Sears was born May 13, 1895, one of nine children of James Matthias and Martha Ellen Hunter Sears, on a farm near Odon, Indiana. He enrolled in the academy of Cordell Christian College in 1908 and received his high school diploma in 1912. He immediately enrolled in the college program and received the B.A. degree in 1916. The course of his life in Christian education had already been charted from the impact made on him by J. N. Armstrong, R. C. Bell, B. F. Rhodes and other teachers at Cordell. He was employed upon graduation to teach English at Cordell Christian in the fall of 1916 and during the next four summers he completed requirements for the B. A. degree from the University of Oklahoma. During 1920-21, he completed the M. A. degree at the University of Kansas and, during 1925-35, he completed the Ph.D. degree at the University of Chicago, primarily during Ieaver of absence in 1928-29 and 1934-35. He achieved a distinctly superior academic record at every institution, majoring in English and minoring in philosophy. He was baptized into Christ by R. C. Bell in 1910 and began preaching almost immediately thereafter. In 1917, he married Pattie Hathaway Armstrong, the daughter of J. N. and Woodson Harding Armstrong, the president and first lady of Cordell Christian. When Cordell closed in 1918, he joined the faculty of Harper College in Kansas. In 1919, he was apLloyd Cline Sears pointed Dean of Harper after the Board had brought Armstrong to Harper as President. When Harper and Arkansas Christian College at Morrilton merged to form Harding in 1924, Armstrong and Sears became the first President and Dean, respectively, of Harding. Dean Sears continued as Dean until his retirement in 1960, as Chairman of the English Department until1963, and as Professor of English until retirement in 1966. His Ph.D. dissertation on ''The Problem of Evil in Shakespeare" was considered an outstanding work by his major professor at the University of Chicago and several prestigious universities sought to employ him, but he was dedicated to Christian education at Harding. After his retirement as Dean, he completed two of his five books - For Freedom, a biography of J. N. Armstrong, and The Eyes of Jehovah, a biography of James A. Harding. He was active in educational and civic affairs and was deeply respected by fellow educators throughout Arkansas. Dean Sears was very versatile. In his early years at Harding he served as debate coach and produced a number of outstanding teams. He was an excellent actor, playing lead roles in several major lyceum productions. He also painted sets that were used for years at Harding. He also had a beautiful tenor voice and a "green thumb'' when he could find time to garden. He was a good administrator; John Anthony Myers, a 19-year-old junior at Harding, drowned on Sunday, August 3 while swimming in the Little Red River. Myers was a member of Cloverdale Church of Christ. He was also a member of Knights social club and the Timothy Club. A missions major, he had participated in campaigns and was planning to continue his mission work in Argentina. Survivors included his wife, Kimberly Moses Myers; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Myers of Hamilton, Ohio; a sister, Miss Lynn Myers of Hamilton, Ohio; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Okey Myers of Blue Creek, W.Va. and Mr. and Mrs. Norman Ross of Clendenin, W.Va?!!/J> he was a good preacher; he was a great teacher. But as his eyes and ears began to fail seriously and his back became more bent and his steps more feeble, he longed to depart this life and be with Christ and loved ones who had preceded him. He died November 17, 1986, at the age of 91, in a Searcy hospital following a brief stay. The January 15, 1987, Gospel Advocate carried a fitting tribute to his great life of Christian service. Dr. Joseph E. Pryor, who followed him as Dean commented: "I never realized when I as a boy of six first met him in the summer of 1924 at Morrilton that over the next 62 years he would make such a significant impact on my life. Although I was a chemistry/mathematics major in college, I took Shakespeare and Chaucer my senior year just so that I could have him as a teacher. He was one of the three greatest teachers I have ever had. His preaching made a great impact on my life and I never heard him preach a sermon that was not meaningful. He was a great elder at the College Church for about 50 years. He was held in very high respect by his peers in Arkansas higher education for his scholarship, his wisdom, his integrity, his humility, his dedication, his kindness, and his genuine Christian character. Students loved him for these same qualities and dedicated the 1928, 1937, and 1967 Petit Jeans to him. He left both ~arding and the church a great legacy. <®> John Anthony Myers Memoriam 381
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