Founding dean of students donates items to NCSSM-Durham

by Brian Faircloth, NCSSM communications specialist

October 13, 2023

Mike Collins and his wife, Sally, recently donated to NCSSM items from the school’s early years of operation. Collins was NCSSM’s first dean of students.

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Mike Collins, NCSSM’s first dean of students, returned to campus recently to donate a framed black-and-white photograph of the entire student body, faculty, and staff that was made on the very first day of classes at NCSSM in 1980. At that time, the school was still in transition from a shuttered hospital to a high school. Power tools and buckets of paint stood along walls outside classrooms, and there was no functional cafeteria; the school’s 150 students walked down the street to a nearby elementary school cafeteria for meals.

Over 40 years later, NCSSM is regularly noted as one of the best public high schools in the entire country. Its campus in Durham now serves 680 students in its Residential program, and reaches thousands of students and teachers throughout the state each year through outreach and online programs. In 2022, NCSSM innovated once again when it opened a second residential campus in Morganton, NC, that now has a full complement of 300 students calling it home.

“NCSSM was truly visionary,” Collins says, “and every person in that photo was a risk taker. Every person in that photo made a decision to, in many cases, leave behind good situations to be there, and I admired the ability of the faculty, the staff, the kids, and their parents to look beyond the moment and see the opportunity and what it would lead to.”

Though Collins, who spent four years with the school and helped implement the school’s admissions process, describes his vital contributions to NCSSM’s history as “modest,” his admiration of the school and its people has remained constant.

“NCSSM more than survived,” he says. “It has taken a leadership role and has been a good example for what can be done, not just in North Carolina, but in other parts of the country, as well. Whenever I’ve looked at that photo, I’ve felt a sense of pride in what the students did, and what they’ve done since.”

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[This article originally published online at NCSSM.edu in the News page.  It can be found with this link: https://www.ncssm.edu/news]

Trip to Hanging Rock (Prompt #6 - Moving In)

Description and Lyrics by Clovis Perez

The trip to Hanging Rock was indeed a great experience! So unforgettable that I wrote a song about it, right after the trip!

Attached is a picture of the lyrics, from the original notebook I've kept all these years. As for the melody, I will have to make an effort to retrieve it from my memory, since I didn't even write down the chords. But I kind of remember how it goes.

What's impressive is that I cover most of the aspects that Michelle mentioned in the article: the apple cider (of course it was non-alcoholic, but Karen started giggling a lot, so we joked that she was drunk from drinking the apple cider); Polly's cooking; the bonfire, the fact that we didn't climb and so forth. The bones in the woods, from what I remember, refers to the fact that we did find the bones of a dead animal in the woods, during the exercise proposed by Mr. Eilber.

Lyrics to "Trip to Hanging Rock":

It all started when Polly decided

To organize a trip

She announced it out loud  in front of a crowd

And some people decided to take a risk

No cold, no rain, nobody could have stopped the fun at hanging rock

We had a lot of fun but everybody also helped a lot

Karen got drunk with some hot apple cider

We sang many songs around the camp fire

Polly cooked food that was much better than good

We found a lot of bones in the woods

We slept outside pretty close to each other

We couldn't climb, but we'll do it some other time

Oh, members, let's not make this the last

Oh, members, we need a little rest

From school

Oh, members, let's not make this the last

Oh, members, We need a little rest

lets start planning the next

We'll do our very best

Camping Trip (October 1980)

By Michelle Zimmer

First published in the NCSSM newsletter - Dialogues, in November 1980

NCSSM student, Michelle Zimmer, describes a recent school outing

CAMPING TRIP

On the afternoon of Friday, October 3rd, a small group gathered in the front of the Main Building and waited impatiently to commence a 2 1/2 day camping trip to Hanging Rock, N.C.

Among these bold enthusiastic individuals were Dean and Mrs. Collins, Joe Liles and Andy Minnis, who acted as chaperones for the students going on the trip.  Students were Karen Angell, Tom Glesne, Joe Hall, John Humphrey, Scott Johnson, Clovis Perez, Shauna Tilly, Anita Warner, Polly Weister and Michelle Zimmer.

Finally, after packing all food and goods into one van and Dean Collins' station wagon, they began their 3 1/2 hour journey.  The campers reached Hanging Rock State Park around 10 o'clock and immediately set up camp.  The hot apple cider with nutmeg that was later served took some of the nip out of the cool night air.

Saturday morning, after the arrival of Mr. Eilber, the campers gathered with compasses and maps for a lesson on orienteering over which Mr. Eilber presided.  The students then broke up into groups of 3 or 4 and made their way to Hanging Rock upon which lunch was eaten.

That evening, after a delicious meal prepared by Polly and friends, everyone sat around a big bonfire.  Jokes were told, spooky tales were whispered and songs were sung late into the night.

Everyone awoke to a drizzle and drippy Sunday.  They broke camp, and everyone went to explore some rocky cliffs to see if the weather was fair enough to rappel.  Dr. Britton, who had arrived Saturday afternoon with his family, felt that the conditions were unsafe, so everyone prepared to return to Durham.

Around 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, the students arrived at their dorms.  The trip was over, but it would be a long time before it was forgotten.

Michelle Zimmer

Fayetteville N.C.

From Odyssey yearbook - From left to right - 

Karen Angell, Anita Warner, Michelle Zimmer, Charles Eilber, Shauna Tilly, Tom Glesne

From Dialogues - Standing - Michelle Zimmer, Charles Eilber, Shauna Tilly, Tom Glesne (leaning), Andy Minnis, Polly Weister, Scott Johnson.  Sitting - Clovis Perez, Dean Thompson, Karen Angell, Anita Warner.  Photographer - Joe Liles?

[Page 7 of Dialogues newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 1; November 1980; NCSSM Digital Collection]

Wyche House Single Room (Prompt #6 - Moving In)

by Henry Kuo

I remember learning early on of one other familiar person (besides my home school classmates) accepted to NCSSM that first year - John Humphrey from Sanford.  We had actually met at a summer camp during a summer at Appalachian State University.  We communicated by mail (as there was no internet, no email, no cell phones, no texting) and learned during the summer prior to moving in that we both were assigned single rooms on the second floor of a dorm called Wyche.  On move in day, I remember Jon Miller helping us unload and move in.  I had the first room on the right when entering the second floor.  John Humphrey was a few doors down on the left.  Maybe, because of our single rooms, maybe because of our past relationship, but John and I hung out together a lot those first few days.

At first I was kind of sad not to get a roommate.  Thought it might be a bit lonely.  But, after moving in, I learned what a privilege it was to have a single room.  It was spacious and of course private.  I could come and go without regard to disturbing a roommate.   I could choose my own times to go to sleep and wake up without regard to a roommate.  And, perhaps the best, others liked to come to my room to hang out so as not to disturb their own roommate.  My room shared a wall with the Resident Advisor Branson Brown's apartment.  We all know Branson was married to Joanie, and Joanie was pregnant.  It was not too long after move in day, that Brennen was born.

It was not bothersome, but I could hear Brennen cry on occasion.  I am sure that meant they could hear noises from my room, such as the early alarm clock, and the late night talks.  Reason I am sure, one night we were up talking in my room into the early morning hours, and Branson came over to tell us in a not so pleasant voice that we were keeping them up.  I often wonder what he heard us teenagers talking about.

I have always felt a special relationship to Branson, Joanie, and Brennen - and to this day, I have a relationship with them.  Maybe that all started because of the proximity of our rooms.

New Place, New Friends, New Games

 New Place, New Friends, New Games

By James Lisk, June 16, 2025

In the introduction to James F. Cooper’s The Pioneers, the publisher writes “...the author had more pleasure in writing The Pioneers than the book will probably give to any of its readers.” I expect the this statement is also applies to this shorter recollection.

I felt odd when school started in August 1980. In my home town of Randleman, my brothers and  buddies were back in school while I was at home reading The Pioneers and helping mom. Older friends starting college were also gone. Adding to the oddness, my younger but taller brother was starting high school, moved up to the varsity football team, and connecting with my buddies, leaving me largely out of the loop. Picking-up my brother from football practice, I could see my marching band friends practicing in the distance and felt left-out.

Dorms opened for us students at NCSSM on Sunday, September 7, 1980 and I was excited to start. Mom, dad and all three of my younger brothers came along to help me move in.

Getting one of the rare single rooms in the “Main Building” was a pleasant surprise. After years of sharing a bedroom with my little brother, I had a room to myself! The dorm room was clean, though my mom insisted on giving it another cleaning.  I noticed that there was no lock on the door nor mirror in the bathroom. Fortunately, I brought a small mirror from home. The lock seemed un-needed.

After moving in and saying good-bye to my brothers and parents, I started to meet the other guys on the hall. In rooms close-by were Michael Riddle and Brian (Paul) Habit who became life-long friends. I soon met Lee Bulwinkle, Alex Rimberg, Tony Hefner, Dwayne Raiford, Walter Gordon, Chuck Long, Marshal Mauney and many other, all with diverse personalities, and eager to make friends. At dinner, I tried to get to know folks a bit better and was surprised by the number of students who were more interested in subjects other than science or math. The “Student Handbook 1980-1981” lists a dance that first evening, but I don’t think I stayed long.

Monday was exploring around the campus, learning about the dorm sign-out cards and similar administrative items. Our first work-study assignments may have been given then. At least one student wanted to discuss The Pioneers. Back in the dorm, I had a long philosophical conversation with several of the guys, which included Marshall describing reaching a trance-like state when he played his violin.

The first all-student meeting, held in what would soon be the library, may have been on that Monday, or later that week. Dr. Eilber assured us that the E.K. Powe dining was temporary, and asked us to speak up about our needs. One guy from my hall (not me!) suggested that we needed “a passion pit” for co-education romantic interaction, though his word choice was a bit more succinct. All of us students became silent, certain that this was not what Dr. Eilber was wanting to hear. The teachers’ and administrators’ faces responded with emotions ranging from amused to horrified. Dr. Eilber’s reply was essentially “no”: student lounges would be well-lit, open-doored, with limited hours for studying and socializing, and effectively chaperoned by residential advisors.

The New Games on Tuesday were designed to build a sense of community; and since then, I’ve since seen similar games in professional team-building events. These were cooperative activities, without winners or losers. 

In one game, each person took a turn standing in the middle of a circle, with everyone else lying on the ground, feet towards that person, forming a circle with arms up. The standing person would then fall backwards and be caught by the people on the ground and passed around the circle, then propped up again. I declined to be the standing-falling person, recalling a similar “trust-fall” in Boy Scouts being interrupted by a prankster. But I clearly remember one girl, with shoulder-length dark hair and the pettiest face, closing her eyes and falling back. For some reason, I really wanted to reach up and touch her as she went around, but alas, the fellows on either side of me had longer arms than me. Seven years later, I married that girl, Beth Kennedy, but that is getting ahead of the story.

Another game had two teams running across the field, one trying to tag and “catch” the members of the other team. Anyone who got through to the other side became the taggers on the next round. Near the end, Beth and I were left with only a few folks on one side and just a few moments to introduce ourselves before we were “captured” by the other side and ushered to the next event.

The New Games clearly worked. By the time classes started, I was comfortable in my new home and confident that a good year lay ahead of us.

All Over Tarnation (Prompt #6 - Moving In)

I remember two things about moving in to the School of Science and Math in 1980.  I remember walking around... a lot; and I remember meeting people... a lot of people.

We started meeting people the minute we set foot on campus.  I have no idea who I met first.  It could have been a member of the "Residential Life" staff... or maybe a teacher... or an administrator.  It could have been my first residential advisor (RA), Branson Brown, wearing his baseball cap.  It could have been another student, or a parent, carrying boxes from their car.  

We were all pulled up on the already aging, chip-seal road; parking as close as we could get to the road's hard curb with its faded yellow paint; parking in front of the dorms or on the wide, looping circle in front of the 1908 building, with it's Mission style, taupe stucco walls and terracotta roofing tiles.

At some point, the parents went to the Parents' Orientation Meeting, and we were left to meet and greet people on our own.  I imagine I was getting to know my first roommate, as we unpacked our stuff in the Wyche House dorm.  I found out in due course that Gary was an avid bicycle rider, even competing in bicycle races.  (We both had nice bikes, so it was a theme of mutual interest.)  He told me he was a little pigeon-toed and that gave him a slight aerodynamic advantage when riding.  I have no idea what personal disclosures I made about myself.  I've forgotten the rest of our conversation; but I could tell right away that he was a good guy, forthright and honest.

It wasn't long before I was meeting people from all over the state.  I had to get out a map of North Carolina to find all the places.  There were people from places out west, like Mocksville, Statesville, Hickory, and Drexel - places I'd seen on road signs on Interstate 40, on the way to the mountains.  There were people from the coast, like Manteo, Elizabeth City, and Wilmington - places on the way to the beach.  There were people from the big cities, like Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, and Charlotte; and people from the cities in between, like Sanford, Pittsboro, and High Point.  ...People from Scotland Neck, Bear Creek, Waxhaw, and Horseshoe.  ...From Rose Hill, Maple Hill, and Chapel Hill.  We all lived in North Carolina; but we spoke with slightly different regional accents.

There were "Black" people, "White" people, and people of the Lumbee Indian Tribe.  There were people of South Asian ("Indian") descent, Chinese descent, Japanese descent, Korean descent, Persian descent, Arabic descent, and Brazilian descent.  (...But none of Mexican descent, that I can recall.)  We all came from different family and ancestral backgrounds.

Despite our differences in hometown, race, and heritage; we were all excited to be in Durham, at the School of Science and Math.  We all had that in common.  We were all a little bookish.  It wasn't long before we began to realize just how nerdy we were.  And we could talk like nerds, out in the open!  We could do nerdy things without fear or stigma.  We could sit and discuss math, robots, computers, and science (or science fiction).  We could brandish a Rubik's cube in public; and we frequently did.  (There was a bit of a Rubik's cube craze in the Fall of 1980.  We spent time with each other to learn how to solve the puzzle; to learn the sequence of moves that could help us switch the colored corner pieces of the cube, so crucial to completing the challenge.)

During our first week on campus, orientation gave us ample opportunity to meet nearly every other member of the entering class.  We met during RA floor meetings on day one; and while roaming the halls before curfew.  We met during bus rides to Duke Homestead during our tour of Durham.  We met at the Pig Pickin' and square dance on our first Saturday in town (after 3 days of class).  We had to awkwardly pair up to "Dosey Doe" at the "Hoe Down".

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When we weren't meeting one another in class or in orientation, we were walking. Only one day after arrival, we were on our feet.  On that Monday morning we had a class schedule walk through, so that we could find our classrooms when classes began on Wednesday.  We were walking back and forth, from our dorm rooms, to the the classrooms in the basement of Hill House, to the side entrance of the Main Building, and up to the classrooms on one of the upper floors.  We were looking for the science classrooms, the American Studies classrooms, the mail room, the computer lab, the library, the art studio, maybe even the administrative wing.  We were free to explore, within limits.  You see, there were many "off limits" areas; places still under construction and unsafe to explore (which made them all the more tempting to see).  

One of the places that wasn't ready was the cafeteria.  In the first week of our stay, the cafeteria was not open.  Some necessary equipment had not arrived.  So, we had to walk to the cafeteria at E. K. Powe elementary school, two and a half blocks away.  We walked up and down Ninth Street to the "Icky Poo" cafeteria, twice a day.  With 149 students in transit, it was like a parade, passing Durham Fire Station number 2, morning and evening.  Those firemen must have been greatly entertained.  I think that most of us students were not; grumbling or muttering curses under our breath; or laughing at the absurdity of our situation.  If the cafeteria seating had been just a bit bigger, that would have helped; but most of it was designed for the children.  There were a limited number of adult sized tables and chairs.

(The main entrance to NCSSM as we would have seen it when returning from the E.K. Powe Cafeteria, two and a half blocks south, on 9th street.  Photo by Erik Rasmussen - 1996)

In week two student life became so much better.  Our cafeteria was ready for us, in the basement of the "brick addition".  Now we had adult sized chairs and circular tables, practically at our fingertips.  No more parades down Ninth street  for grub.

But the school wasn't done testing our fitness.  At some point early in our stay, the head of  our physical education class (seemingly an afterthought in our school's plan of instruction) had us jog around the south parking lots.  You see the school had no track... or field, for that matter.  Instead of on a running track, our test run took place in a parking lot, beneath ancient oak trees, beside the former patient pavilions of Watts Hospital (which were waiting to be converted to additional dorms in the coming years). 

When a soccer team formed, later in the fall, we did our "conditioning" by running a mile and a half down West Club Boulevard (past Northgate Mall) to another elementary school, which had an all-purpose field that we could use for training.  There was no other way of getting to the training field, and so no way to avoid the conditioning runs that were required.

Not all walking and jogging was mandatory.  As time went by, we made friends, and made excursions off campus with our friends... voluntary excursions.  We went to Northgate Mall to play arcade games like Galaxian or Asteroids... and later, Centipede or Defender.  We were warned to be vigilant when walking to Northgate Mall, because we were passing through Walltown, a neighborhood deemed somewhat unsafe by the School; but we were willing to take that risk, to get away from our homework for a while; to play classic arcade games, like Pacman, on a console with sturdy pushbuttons and a joy stick.

(A typical scene at the Land of Oz arcade at Northgate mall in the 80s.  Photo credit - Patrick Pritchard)

Alternatively, we might walk up Broad Street (which was considered somewhat safer), and get ourselves a nice sandwich at the Grinderswitch subway shop.  This little business became so popular, that one time our dorm got together a group big enough to order and eat a 10-foot long sub.  I don't know how we did it, or where we ate it, but we felt like we had accomplished a pretty magnificent feat; and Grinderswitch with their crazy group-sized sandwich promotion helped make it happen.

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Over time, we spent less time walking and talking.  We met just about everyone on campus that there was to meet.  We hooked up with a group, or with several groups of friends.  We made close friends; boyfriends and girlfriends.  We began to feel less lost, all the time.  We came to know our way around campus.  We no longer wandered around looking for the right door or breezeway.  

Over time, we had less time for exploring and socializing.  We had to go to class.  We had to go to required labs.  We had to do our homework; which kept coming, in a seemingly endless stream.  We also worked on Saturday morning projects or independent study.  We sat through dedication week speeches and seminars.  We went to off-campus sites to perform community service, and went to on-campus sites to do our work service.  We had tons of requirements and tons of expectations. 

And yet, we still got involved in other activities.  We immersed ourselves in music or art or sporting activities.  We joined wind ensemble, chorus, or dance.  We took photos and developed them in the darkroom, or created screen-printed posters and t-shirts.  We played intramurals or table tennis or Ultimate frisbee.  We began joining clubs and planning activities.

We were going to school and learning, and then going back to our dorm rooms and studying (or procrastinating).  We were busy fulfilling academic expectations, or taking a break and burning off steam.  Before that, during the first few weeks of school, we met everyone and we walked seemingly everywhere.  But after those first few weeks, the days of walking all over tarnation... and meeting people from all over tarnation... had come to an end.

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(E.K. Powe Elementary School - Site of NCSSM cafeteria meals for the first week of school in 1980.)

(Durham Fire Station 2, on Ninth Street, in Durham - Site of a twice a day parade of hungry students.)

(Front and back of the 1980-81 NC Transportation Map)

Moving in and First Weeks on Campus (Prompt #6)

Getting a letter from my soon-to-be-roomie, Alison Newby, in the middle of August made the prospect of moving on campus that much more real - she sent an awesome letter and an adorable photo of her and her prom date from their Sr-Jr prom.  Moving in was exciting as I had never lived away from home until that moment.

The dorm, Hill House, was, in retrospect, a hot mess - and I do mean hot. Alison had the foresight to pack a large fan but that did little to make this less hot - just more dusty!  We were on the 2nd floor, room 216 and our two twin beds were arranged on either side of the double sided desk. I have no recollection of actually studying at that desk, but I'm sure I must have.

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Orientation took place in the beginning of September and while I have the list of activities, all I seemed to have saved was a tongue depressor from Dr. Knowles presentation. I went to look him up in the yearbook but alas, we didn't include a photo of him. As part of the yearbook team that first year, looking back I wish we had labelled more of the photos and dated them - a lot of those memories run together in that first year. I am glad we put everyone's name, home address and birthday in the back of that first Odyssey.

Evidently, here is what we did for Orientation, other than a presentation from Dr. Knowles - I don't recall what we did when we were sick other than cut class:)

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I was lucky in that I already knew several classmates - Sarah Krigman was a good friend of mine from Durham Academy since 3rd grade and we quickly became friends with our roommates and theirs. I believe that's how I become friends with Amy (Chis) Gilbert.  For some reason, we formed a little group we named the Digressants - ha, what could we have possibly been digressing from - unless it was a riff on something Dr. Clarke had said in a class. 

By the way, the photo shows Karl, Jamie, Michael, Johnny, Marshall, Darryl, Eugene, and Robert. I have a good number of these old school, kodak prints - no selfies in the 80s!

There is no way that our group of bright eyed and bushy tailed 14 - 15 - 16 year-olds would have noticed or understood the angst and efforts of the adults trying to get all this stuff together in time for the school to operate as hoped. All we knew was that this was FUN - being away from home, living in a dorm, exploring the campus, breaking rules, meeting other bright but slightly nerdy kids who were, for once, just like us! And all in the same boat at the same time. 

Sidenote: Looking back, I would not wish to have been one of those adults:) I still don't envy anyone who was or is willing to be an RA! I had a 15 year old once, no thanks to several hundred of them. I'm so grateful she is in her 20s now. 

But I recall how quickly friendships coalesced, how even though friend groups or even cliques were formed, no one was really left on the outside of anything - we were all in this experiment together and there seemed to be someone for everyone.  I am still amazed at how many couples then are still couples now - and that some of your kids got to go to NCSSM as well.

That's the thing I remember the most about those first few chaotic weeks - the sense our class was in this event together and that everyone was a friend as we experienced something new to all of us, at the same time. Old rules did not apply, everyone - students, faculty, staff - we were all making up the rules and processes as we went along and we were at the same step at the same time and we were loving every minute of this new adventure!

[Durham Morning Herald - September 13, 1980]

Writing Prompt #6: Moving In

Prompt #6: Write a story about a memorable experience that occurred (outside of the classroom), or a memorable person that you met, within the first few weeks of your move to the NC School of Science and Math.

Deadline: June 16th

Blog site landing page: https://half-sheet-of-paper-workshop.blogspot.com/

Blog site posts page: https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts

Details: When you moved to NCSSM you met people from all over the state of North Carolina; and you started living in a boarding school (probably for the first time).  Write a story about the people you met or the things that you did in the first few weeks of your stay.  (Don't write about your academic experiences yet. That will be the subject of an upcoming prompt.)  Maybe you met someone from a place that you never heard of.  Maybe you were exposed to people from different cultures for the first time.  Maybe you noticed a big change in your daily routine.  Think of something or someone memorable and unique, and create a story to share that experience.

[Durham Herald-Sun, September 8, 1980]

Background:

Excerpt from 1982 Odyssey

That first year holds so many memories for us.  At first we were a bit shy, for we knew no one, but friendships sprang up quickly and naturally.  We smile as we recall Orientation Week, the ceiling falling in Director Eilber's office, and P.D.A. being banned.  Exciting things were constantly happening, and everything we did made history.  We loved being a part of it all; we loved being "pioneers" and "risk-takers" in the new "living/learning experiment" even if we got tired of hearing these phrases at times.

[Page 20; 1982 Odyssey yearbook; DigitalNC.org website]

Schedule of Activities at NCSSM, listed in the 1980 school calendar for September and October 

9/7/1980 (Sun) - Opening Day at NCSSM: 
  10:00 am - Dorms open. Students arrive by 3 pm 
  12:00 noon, 3:00 pm - Parents’ Orientation Meetings
  7:30 pm - RA Floor Meeting. 
  8:30 pm - Dance.

9/8/1980 (Mon):

  8:00 am - Opening Convocation with Director Eilber; Library

  9:00 am to 12:30 pm - Class Schedule Run-through

9/9/1980 (Tues):

  8:50 - 12 Noon - Tour of local libraries

  2 - 5 pm - "New Games" with Paige Pratt

  9:30 pm -  Bedtime Story with Rena Lendstrom

9/10/1980 (Wed) - Classes Start. 8:00 pm - Open House

9/12/1980 (Fri):

  All School Dinner

  Residence Halls Open House visitations

9/13/1980 (Sat) - required ½ day for faculty and students

  8:30 am - 2:30 pm - Tour of Durham 

  6:00 - Pig Pickin’.

  8:30 pm - Square Dance

9/14/1980 (Sun) - Ice Cream Social

10/3/1980 - Hanging Rock camping trip*. 2 and 1/2 days trip.
10/6/1980 - 10/11/1980 Dedication Week
10/11/1980 - Dedication Day Ceremony

[Taken from the Calendar of the 1980-81 Student Handbook. NCSSM Digital Collections.]

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Report to the Board of Trustees - October 1980

About a month after the students moved in, the school's director, Charles Eilber, wrote this frank description of all the last minute arrangements that had to be made to accommodate the new arrivals.  It gives one a good idea of the difficulties encountered, even after at least a year of planning and preparation.

Even though he credits the Durham City Schools for feeding the students for the first week; he doesn't quite acknowledge the scope of the effort that it must have taken (or the behind the scenes drama that must have occurred) to send 149 eleventh graders walking two and a half blocks down 9th Street, to have their meals at E K Poe elementary school; probably an indelible memory for each of those students. 

Unfortunately the description of the orientation activities (including the Tour of Durham that took place during the first week), which was originally enclosed with the report sent to the Board of Trustees, is not included with the report in the NCSSM digital collection, and may be lost to history.

This report signals the culmination of the efforts of many persons over the last three years - we have a school open and functioning.  One hundred forty-nine fine young people are being taught and guided by a staff whose dedication to our students and commitment to the success of the School is of the highest order.

I wish you could have witnessed some of the events of the past few weeks to get a sense of the coming together of the people who share the goal of creating this school as a living/learning community.  Faculty, administrators, and staff were here over the entire opening weekend to greet the students and their parents, help them move in, and - before their arrival - even to move furniture, sweep corridors, mow lawns, and make the campus as attractive as is possible at this time.

Remodeling of facilities was not complete, and in some areas is still not done.  So, for the past three weeks classes have moved from room to room to keep ahead of painters, a last minute delay in the arrival of kitchen equipment forced us to call on the Durham City Schools to feed our students for a week, not all books and equipment arrived on time, and electrical and plumbing problems surfaced by the dozens.

Despite all that the students are hard at work, and have shown great patience at some of the temporary situations that arose with the occupancy of these old buildings.

Not only is a challenging academic program off to a good start, but the residential life program of guidance, clubs, sports, and social/recreational activities is underway - some of it initiated and being organized by students.

[Charles Eilber; Directors Report to the Board of Trustees (October 1980); NCSSM Digital Collection]

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Regional student selection

The school had a mandate to represent all of North Carolina; taking students from as many counties as possible.  Representatives from the School of Science and Math went to each of the eight Regional Education Centers, first to speak with school superintendents, in person, about the proposed new school; and then, a second time, to get feedback from parents, students, school personnel, and community representatives.  In addition, interviews and testing of semifinalists were performed in each of the educational districts; and an even distribution of students were selected from each of the regions.  According to the first edition of the school newsletter, "Dialogues", published in November, 1980: 

Today, after a year of preparation, Charles Eilber, Director, can look back on the selection and admission of 150 students from 63 of North Carolina's 100 counties, and the hiring of an outstanding faculty... 

After a few weeks of classes, students are beginning to feel at home.  They are a varied group -- nearly a quarter are minority students, half are male and half female, and they come from a variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds. 

[Dialogues Vol. 1, No. 1; November 1980; NCSSM Digital Collections]