Distinguished Alumnus of 1956
Biographical sketch of Z.W. Frazelle, alumni award winner. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives.
Citation for this article is: "Distinguished Alumnus of 1956" Alumni Bulletin, Volume X, No. 3-4, Sept.-Dec. 1956.
Z.W. Frazelle, principal of the Kenansville high school, continues to win honors and hold positions of distinction.Currently he serves as a director fo the North Carolina Education Association's magazine, North Carolina Education.
Frazelle is the 1956 East Carolina College Alumni Award winner. He was graduated from ECC in 1943 with the Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Commerce and Mathematics, and in 1948 received his Master of Arts degree in Business Education and Administration. He is the 17th recipient of this honor award.
As a student here, Frazelle held offices in several campus organizations, including the Men's Student Government Association as secretary-treasurer and later as vice president. He was a member of the staff of the Teco Echo, a student newspaper, the Young Democrats Club, the Math Club and Phi Sigma Pi fraternity.
Frazelle entered services with the United States Navy as an apprentice seaman, USNR, March 13, 1942, training at Northwestern University, and after services as a midshipmen he left the Navy November 1, 1943, beginning school work at his home in Richlands for two years before re-entering East Carolina for graduate study.
In 1948, Frazelle began his professional career in educational administration in Kenansville, the Duplin county seat. There he is a part of the community life as a member of the civic and religious organizations.He had an active role in the historical pageant, "The Duplin Story," which commemorated the 200 years of Duplin's patriotic, religious, educational and agricultural achievements.
At the age of 17, Frazelle was elected to the board of stewards in the Richlands Methodist Church.His membership has since been transferred to the Kenansville Methodist Church where he is church school superintendent.
In his profession, Frazelle has membership in the Duplin unit of the NCEA, the National Education Association, and the North Carolina Principals Association.He is a member of the Lions club and is zone chairman of the clubs in his area.
A member of the Sterring Committee of the Research Project studying the educational program of the Duplin county schools under agrant from the Kellogg Foundation, Frazelle has contributed to the development of a project advancing and strengthening public education for the citizens of the county. He advocates vocational training and higher education and encourages students of his high school to continue their education beyond the secondary school level.
An alumnus of East Carolina, Frazelle joined the ECC Alumni Association's chapter in Greenville while doing graduate study. He has been president fo the Greenville-Pitt, Onslow, and Duplin alumni clubs, and has served two terms as alumni association district director.
Son of Mrs. Ethel Cox Frazelle and the late Zack W. Frazelle, he has extensive family connections in the Onslow-Duplin area. Two brothers, Mervin H. and Gerald Cox Frazelle, several cousins, and his wife, the former Jean Gurganus, attended East Carolina.Already plans have been made for the college education of the Frazelle's daughter, Deborah Lynn -- at East Carolina, of course.
In 1948 a brief fling at politics brought Z.W. Frazelle in the spotlight when he ran for state treasurer on the Democratic ticket. Another candidate won, but Z.W. recalls that his experience won for him many friends and an opportunity to enhance his knowledge of human relations.
