Dahlia A. Lautares . . . Dean of departmental secretaries
Biographical sketch of Dahlia Lautares. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives.The citation for this article is: Lautares, Dahlia. "Dahlia A. Lautares . . . Dean of departmental secretaries," Pieces of Eight, June 1, 1987.
Editor's Note: Dahlia Lautares was 18 years old when she arrived at East Carolina (ECTC) as a student in 1942. She will retire July 30 after 35 years of service as an ECU employee, including faculty secretary. Social Studies secretary and secretary to the History department since 1967. She agreed to write the following memoir for Pieces of Eight.
When I graduated from Fuquay-Varina High School in 1942, my cousin and I decided to "go away" to college and we chose East Carolina Teachers College. Because of wartime gasoline rationing, we took the bus to Greenville. I noticed the land ws flat and there were no hills. I turned to my cousin and said, "I would not live here for anything in the world. It's too flat." I did not plan to stay.Forty-five years later and in a place I have come to love and call my home, I am still at East Carolina University.
We moved into Jarvis Dormitory, ECTC's enrollment was small, about 1,000, and the delightful part was that we knew or recognized everyone.
Two dining halls were located in the Old Cafeteria building. Each quarter we ate "family style" with the same eight students. We dressed very casual for all meals except Sunday noon and Thursday dinner when we were required to dress more formal. Almost nightly, prior to the meal, we gathered in the lobby where Camille Jernigan (Mrs. Kenneth Hite) played the piano and we sang.
Social Life at ECTC
Our daily schedule consisted of breakfast and going to classes followed by a rest period of one hour. Then back to classes and then dinner. After dinner, for one hour, we were free to go to Wright Auditorium for social dancing. A student was assigned to operate the juke box and since we had only 40 male students, it was necessary for the girls to dance with each other and have girl-break. If we went out with friends, it was necessary to sign out. If we left the campus by car, we were required to go to Cotten Hall and introduce our escort to Miss Morton, the dean of women. Dorm doors would be locked at 10:30.
The campus was flooded with servicemen on weekends. They came from Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, Elizabeth City (Coast Guard) and approximately 200 Marines were stationed at Greenville airport. We met and became friends of entire battalions prior to their leaving for overseas. On Saturday nights we would have dances in Wright Auditorium, with bands and beautiful decorations. The girls dressed foraml and the Marines wore their dress blues. It was a beautiful and happy occasion.
The young men would leave for overseas and the war zones. Often when they returned they made their way back to East Carolina. We were sad to hear that many of our former friends had been killed in action. I recall one girl waited anxiously for a letter from her Marine friend. It finally arrived and was almost totatlly spliced. The censor had written on the side of the letter: "Your boy friend still loves you, but he talks too damn much."
I will always remember the silence in the dining hall when it was announced that President Roosevelt had died."
Great Deal of Turmoil
The campus was in a great deal of turmoil at this time. Our president, Dr. Leon Meadows, was being accused and later charged with embezzling funds. A mass meeting was called and he attempted to talk to the students but was "booed." I knew little about the situation but felt very sad when I saw this fatherly looking man walk off the platform with head bowed and tears rolling down his face.After Dr. Meadows' resignation, Dr. Howard McGinnis was appointed to serve as acting president and later Dr. Dennis Cooke was selected to be the new president.
When attending physical education classes we were required to wear coats over our gym suits until we reached the gym or athletic field. When spring rolled around we were allowed to go up on the back side of the roof of Flanagan Building where we would be totally out of sight while taking our sun baths.
Memories and a Keepsake
Former faculty members that I had classes under were Dr. Robert Browning, Dr. Audrey Dempsey, Dr. Lucile Turner, Miss Emma L. Hooper, Dr. Meredith Posey, Dr. Hubert Haynes, Dr. Paul Toll and Miss Laura Rose. Mrs. Marguerite Perry of the ECU foreign language department, was also a member of the faculty. In later years when the Old Austin Building was being demolished I purchased a chair for a keepsake from my former history classroom. The war ended, and many of the Greenville veterans returned from overseas and frequently came to the campus. On one particular Sunday night, while I was serving as parlor hostess, I met a young man from Greenville who would later become my husband, John Lautares. We were married in 1947. I worked a short period of time for Mr. Fitzhugh Duncan, Business Manager. Dr. John Messick became the new president at ECTC. The Student Stores had been operated by college students and Mr. Wendell Smiley, the librarian, was the advisor. The first full-time manager, Mr. Lloyd Bray, from Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, was employed to operate the Student Supply Store and I asked to serve as the first secretary. I worked in this position for four years and retired for a short period of time to care for our little ones.
A New Mimeograph
My next position was faculty secretary. Since the departmental offices had no secretaries a new faculty secretary position was created. This office was located in Old Austin Building and it was a busy office. Faculty from the entire campus brought work to this office. I even recall materials being brought in from faculty from the Wahl Coates Training School. The typewriter and mimeographing machine operated manually. I will always remember my first electric mimeographing machine. I was in the Business Office (Spilman Building) and upon seeing Mr. Duncan in the hall, I asked if I might have an electric mimeo machine. He very kindly invited me into his office to discuss it. Upon entering his office he took a seat behind his desk, motioned for me to sit down, and in a very serious businesslike manner inquired as to why I needed the machine. I immediately began to cry and he said, "There, there Dahlia, don't cry, you may have an electric mimeo machine." I eventually received a new electric typewriter which is still in use in the Archives and Manuscripts Department. I still carry a very possessive and fond feeling for this typewriter. Mrs. Eleanor Coleman joined me in the faculty secretary office as a co-worker. Dr. Messick retired as president of ECTC and Dr. Leo Jenkins became the new president in 1960. Eventually the faculty secretary office was dissolved and I was asked to join the Social Studies Department as their first secretary. Dr. Paul Murray was chairman. Faculty members included were Dr. John Howell, Dr. Hubert Coleman, Dr. Howard Clay, Dr. Al Fahrner and Dr. George Pasti.
In the 1960s the Social Studies Department was separated into several different departments. Dr. Herbert Paschal became the chairman of the history department and I worked for 16 years with Dr. Paschal. Following Dr. Paschal was Dr. Fred Ragan and I worked with Dr. Ragan for 7 years. Dr. Jenkins retired as Chancellor, followed by Chancellors Thomas Brewer and John Howell. 1986 brought a new chairman to the Department of History, Dr. Hugh Wease.
The years have been full and busy. We have had four children, John III (deceased), Marsha, Sharon, and David. We look forward to visiting our children and grandchildren and I plan to continue as a hostess at Sweet Caroline's Restaurant. Most of all I plan to visit my mother who is 94 years old more frequently.
I will miss East Carolina University, my history faculty, and the many friends that I leave behind. I frequently hear people say that they can hardly wait until they retire. These words and thoughts are foreign to me. My one request from my department is that I be apointed Administrative Secretary Emeritus.
Dahlia Lautares Also Remembers . . .
In Dahlia Lautares' 35 years of service at East Carolina University, there are some secrets which have never been told until now. One is about the time that historic Old Austin building nearly burned down. An employee left a light bulb burning under a glass copy stand in the faculty office one night and it ignited papers which were smoldering and smoking when Dahlia Lautares discovered it next morning.
"We never told Mr. Duncan about that," she says. "I don't think he ever knew how close we came to losing Old Austin."
One day Dahlia Lautares had no one to keep her baby and brought the child, blanket and diapers and all, to work with her in the Student Supply Store.
They fixed a crib for the baby in a file cabinet drawer. Dahlia went to work keeping one eye on daughter Marsha.
"Finally, the manager, Mr. Bray, came around and said he admired my loyalty and willingness to work but he said if Mr. (Fitz) Duncan came by he might not understand.
"He gave me the rest of the day off."
