316 A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR This place is my home. I mean that literally, and figuratively. My parents met at Harding in the fall of 1995. And married after graduation, in 1998. My dad has always joked that he does not know how he got here. Here, being still in Searcy and still at Harding. When I was 2 my mom was selected to be the dorm mom for Cathcart. And there we lived, with 250 freshman girls for 7 more years. The front lawn became my backyard and the girls became my sisters. I rummaged through their rooms, stole their candy and played for hours. Sleepovers in the lobby with the couches smushed together were the highlight of my life then. I will never forget bike rides on the front lawn, and summer swims in the fountain taking advantage of an empty campus. My relationship with this place is deep and with depth comes complexity. But also with depth comes an innate understanding. I am honored that I was able to guide the creation of the 100th Petit Jean. Because in so many ways the history of Harding is a history of me. This book has truly been a labor of love. I have spent over 500 hours digging through the archives, reading old manuscripts and dissertations and working with a staff that have become my new “college girls”. I have stayed in my office more times than I can count. At one point I did not know if it would come together. But here it is and I am proud to say it did. I am grateful that I was able to tell the story of my home. Of who she was 100 years ago, who she is today and who I hope she will be tomorrow. I do love this place, and I pray that the words and the photos throughout this book honor, all of her, well.
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