Honor Where It's Due

It's been a few days since I've made time to post. Let me begin to catch up with this note about

Thursday. It was the final employee luncheon of the year at CCU, and Dave Faust had invited me to attend, since he was saving his tribute to Evelyn for that occasion.

This lunch is sponsored each year by the alumni association. It's a nice lunch, with door prizes, and awards for years of service and other honors. 

Dave called Evelyn to the front and made these remarks (I asked him for a copy, so we can keep and remember them here):

Evelyn Taylor is retiring after 34 years of teaching here at CCU.  She started serving as a professor back in 1979.
In 1979:

• Jimmy Carter was president of the United States.

• Harvey Bream was president of Cincinnati Bible College & Seminary.

• A postage stamp cost 15 cents.

• "Saturday Night Fever" was the album of the year.

• The hostage crisis in Iran occurred.

• McDonalds introduced the Happy Meal and Sony introduced the Walkman.

• A gallon of gas cost 86 cents.

• The Three Mile Island nuclear accident occurred.

• Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister of England.

• And Evelyn Taylor began teaching at CCU!

When I think of Evelyn, certain words come to mind:  Reliable.  Dedicated.  Gracious.  Student-focused.  She has consistently gone the extra mile, whether by grading papers, having students in her home, or simply driving the tough commute down I-75 each morning.
I also think of the word "inspiring."  Evelyn has inspired her students to be teachers, children's ministers, ministers' wives, and missionaries in other lands.  She has inspired students to write well, and to understand and serve people through all different stages of human development.  As an adoptive parent I appreciate the way she has given a voice to adopted children and their needs.
Whenever she was asked to serve on a committee or help with a project, she provided a reasonable, wise, and encouraging perspective to the group.
Evelyn, our faculty and staff will miss you.  Our students will miss you.  But we're glad to know we will still see you around here a lot in the years ahead.  Thank you for your service to CCU.

 On behalf of the school, he presented her with a beautiful crystal vase, engraved with a note of appreciation for her 34 years of service. It was all very nice.

Evelyn is walking through a string of "lasts." That was her last employee luncheon. She taught her last class Friday and will give her last exams as a full-time teacher, followed by her last graduation next week. She plans to teach one class as adjunct faculty next year, going in for the blocked class just one day per week. That will make the transition easier, I think.

That class will be in the afternoon, so no more morning rush-hour commutes. And no more freshman English term papers. She's rejoicing about both of those!