Getting into the new school (Prompt #3)

By Grace Han Cunningham 

Honestly if it weren't for all of the scraps of papers, test scores and letters I received during the application process, I would have very little recollection at all of the process. The only thing I do remember was the onsite visit with my Dad to the Durham campus.

My scrapbook tells me a fuller story, beginning in the spring of 1980 when my Dad submitted a nomination. Dad received a confirmation letter from Ola F. Stringer on Feb 14, 1980 and I received an acknowledgment letter with the Application for Admission. This letter mentioned a special Visitation Team that would be in the area in March or April to answer questions; and details would be sent later. 

I, like everyone else, took my SAT on Sat 3/22/1980 at Jordan High School in Durham. We were snail mailed our scores and on the paper, our school code was 341077 and NCSSM was listed as a nonpublic school with less than 100 students. We self reported activities, interests and awards, as well as our high school GPA and grades, we listed our part time hours worked, there was a lot of self reported information on the Student Report! My ethnic group was shows as "Oriental" - my how times have improved. I scored 590 for both the verbal and math section. 

One April 19, 1980 I was invited to interview and undergo additional, in-person testing at 8:00 am at the Carroll Junior High School in Raleigh. I have no recollection of what happened on this date but I did save the letter and my name tag! I do recall meeting Ola Stringer but only vaguely. 

On May 9, 1980, I received a letter stating that I was selected as a semifinalist. Out of 900 fellow 10th graders, 225 were selected as semi-finalists. We were then invited, along with our parents, to tour the school on Saturday, May 17, 1980 at 9:00 am. When we got there, we were given another letter stating along with the tour of the campus, the dorms, etc, the School decided to forego any further interviews and would be making final selections based on the data received and we should hear back within the next week. This letter was signed by Charles R. Eilber, our fearless Director.

On May 30, 1980, I received a Letter of Acceptance, which I had to sign and return no later than June 6, 1980. The letter stated "We are pleased and honored that you will be with us this year. You, and your fellow students, will be part of a unique and truly exciting endeavor, the beginning of a new school." We were further instructed that we would receive further information over the summer.

Now, all the letters were on the old letterhead - brown and orange logo (now referred to as the 'flaming diaper' and oh-so-cool font with no caps. It was very 80s. They all appear to be hand typed for the address line and probably copied for the body; and all hand signed by both Ola F. Stringer, Head of Admissions, and Charles R. Eilber, Director. I seem to recall they all had offices in the Main Bldg. where the dark panel wood offices of the hospital executives must've been. 

And looking back, I imagine that school faculty and staff were creating structure, curriculum, rules, etc making stuff up as the need arose and as the weeks progressed. 

The Durham Sun ran a short article on who was selected for the school on Saturday, May 31, 1980. Twelve students from Durham and Orange Counties were among the first class of 150 students. The article even listed our home addresses! Six were from Durham - me, John Armitage, Tricia Townes, Beverly Adams, Christopher Staffa and Amy Gilbert. Janeen VandHooke was listed for Hillsborough. and 5 students were from Chapel Hill - Susan Anderson, Clovis Peres, Doug Appleyard, Sean Campbell and Sarah Krigman. Students from nearby counties included Angela Jean Royster, Suellen Howell, Richard Arnold II, Percil Watkins and Alex Daughety. Our class of 150 represented 63 of NC's 100 counties at the time.

For the on campus visits, I have one memory of sitting in the cafeteria or some large room in the Main building with my Dad, looking around at all the other students and parents. The parents were the only ones paying attention to the speakers - we heard from faculty and residential staff; from Admissions, Senior Staff, etc but the students were excited and not paying much attention to the talking heads, I know I didn't! I remember thinking that the students looked smart and not at all the typical high school stereotypes.

I'm fairly certain I sent in my letter of acceptance the same day I received it. I was ready to move on. I finished up year 8 at Durham Academy and went with family to celebrate at Carowinds!! Y'all remember Carowinds - the self proclaimed "Entertainment Capitol of the Carolinas"?

The summer passed quickly and the next thing I knew, I was getting a letter from my roommate, Alison Newby!