My Last Days at Oakwood
I experienced sad days the entire month of April, 1973 after choir tour and was well aware, when I first walked onto our beautiful campus, that I would have to leave because of the lack of funds…even told my parents I would be satisfied just to get two Quarters at Oakwood “under my belt”. This lack of funds always weighed heavily upon my shoulders, the entire 6 Quarters of matriculation, and prevented me from obtaining the academic excellence I knew I was capable of.
The day of my departure I located my “campus sister” (Pearlie Walton was her name “back in the day”) and asked her to drive me to the bus station. No one knew I was leaving, just as no one knew I was a pianist; I wanted to leave as quickly and quietly as possible.
That dreadful day in April, 1973 and down through the years insignificant me would look into the Heavens and yell aloud or think – “You better not make it possible for me to help someone attend Oakwood”. God had plans for me and that was to influence others I wouldn’t have been able to had I completed my studies. In addition, God responded to my yelling at Him and made it possible for me to financially assist Oakwood students and others not from Oakwood after my early retirement in 2014.
For over 50 years I inwardly grieved about not getting an Oakwood degree. I visited in 1976, 2005, and even played a medley of songs as a guest in 2017 for early morning Alumni Weekend services at the Von Braun; I never thought I could survive doing that in 1973.
I worked at odd jobs for a number of years finally landing one with the state of SC, after undergoing a multitude of tests, and worked for 36 years before early retirement.
2024, I finally resolved my feelings about not getting this treasured degree from Oakwood and have no regrets but anxiously await our Lord’s soon return.
