How N.C. City Raised Money for New Stadium
Article printed in the New Bern Sun Journal regarding fundraising efforts for Ficklen Stadium. This and other articles may be found in the records of the Chancellor's Office, Record Group CH1050, Series 1, Scrapbook File, 1914-1978 in the University Archives.
Citation for this article is: "How N.C. City Raised Money for New Stadium," The Sun Journal,New Bern, NC. April 19, 1962
Inside Story is Like Daring Untouchable Drama in Reverse
GREENVILLE,N.C. (AP) -- The Untouchables they were tagged, this group of men who prowled Greenville’s streets in a big black auto for a week or two occasions [sic].They played the part well. The vehicle, carryingmen, moved slowly down the city’s business streets. It would duck into a parking space.The men would pile out and disappear into a store. In a few minutes they would reappear, step back into the car and move on. The scene was repeated at another business and another.
A protection racket? Hardly. There were no violin cases, no broke-up store displays, no burning gasoline bombs. And yet, in one week they collected more funds - with no foreseeable direct returns to the donors -for one specific project than had ever been accomplished here before.
The Untouchables was what curbstone observers dubbed them but they were known more formally to the business and professional men they called on as The Committee.
Their job? To raise between $100,000 and $150,000 in voluntary contributions to construct a new outdoor stadium for the fast growing East Carolina College. The results? In one week they had pledges totaling between $200,000 and $215,000.
It was last fall that Dr. Leo W. Jenkins, ECC president, approached W.M. Scales, Jr., Greenville insuranceman who has a fantastic record for raising money when worthwhile causes are involved.
He asked Scales to become chairman of the drive to finance a James S. Ficklen memorial Stadium. The 16,000-seat concrete structure was to replace ECC’s 6,000 capacity steel-bleacher stadium. It was part of the college’s efforts to move up in athletics by seeking Southern Conference membership.
Scales agreed to take the job if he could obtain the men he wanted for the committee.
The chairman, “Booger” Scales, is a highly successful insurance man.
There was also Reynolds May, president of a lumber firm and once a star Duke baseball player; R. Wallace Howard, senior vice president of a bank; Howard Hodges Jr., president of a Greenville firm, who once played football at UNC; J. Con Lanier, Sr., a lawyer; James T. Little, president of a sales company; Dr. E.B. Aycock, a physician; David J. Whichard, editor of The Daily Reflector, and Dr. Jenkins.
Little, a close friend of the late tobacconist James S. Ficklen, for whom the stadium is to be named, it was decided, could best approach friends of Ficklen outside of Greenville. Lanier was given the job of contacting tobacco industry personnel who might be interested in contributing to the memorial. Dr. Aycock was asked to contact members of the medical profession.
The remaining six decided to travel as a group.They agreed to take a full week from their occupations to carry on the work. They carefully sized up each prospect and the committee member who felt he could best handle the presentation did so.
The response was enthusiastic beyond expectations. There were even such situations as the businessman who asked what the committee felt his fair share should be. Based on other pledges at the time, the committee suggested $2,000.
He shook his head.“I don’t think that’s our fair share,” he told them, “we’ve talked about it and think our share should be $3,000.” That’s what he pledged.
So when the week’s work ended more than $200,000 had been raised, including $25,000 promised by the college from students, organizations, faculty and alumni.
From this point on, however, the stadium was to face three crises.The first came with the defeat of the state bond issue in November. Thus was lost $50,000 which was to have been used for moving seats and facilities from the old stadium site, making room for a new classroom building.
The committee went to work again raising additional money. It was harder this time but it brought the total to approximately $272,000.
Then came the news that pilings would be needed for the stadium and this would cost an additional $30,000. Finally bids were taken and they ran $389,505, far too high for the money on hand.
None of these problems brought despair.The stadium plans are now being altered, separate bids are to be taken for the piling and a time limit which would have had the stadium ready for the first game next fall will be relaxed.
What’s more, funds are still coming in. A wrestling match sponsored by the committee netted $1,300 and a benefit performance of “Guys and Dolls,” the annual student musical, brought in $1,100.
The James S. Ficklen Memorial Stadium is nearing reality.
