Finnis Ray Derrick, Ph.D.

Appalachian State University

Universities and colleges--Faculty

Dr. Richard D. Howe

1987

Biographical sketches

Boone (N.C.)

https://www.geonames.org/4456703/boone.html

1980s

2000-2010

Professor Emeritus

Professor Emeritus of Biology Finnis Ray Derrick (May 1, 1911 - ), retired college professor and administrator, was born in Irmo, South Carolina, the son of O.J. Derrick, a farmer in Irmo, South Caro­lina, and Anna Lowman Derrick. Derrick has five brothers and one sister. Derrick is married to Margaret Koon Derrick, and the couple have two children. Their son, Ray L. Derrick, is an attorney in Columbia, South Carolina and has a son, Joey, and a daughter, Ann. Their daughter, Margaret E. Derrick, is an English teacher in Lugoff, South Carolina. Margaret is married to Stephen DeGroat and the couple have one son, Stephen, and a daughter, Kara. Derrick went to Chapin High School and graduated in 1929. In 1934 Derrick graduated from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina with a B.S. degree in biology. He received his M.S. degree in biology in 1937, also from the University of South Carolina. His thesis was "A Preliminary Ecological Survey of Liberty Township, Pickens County, South Caro­lina." While working on his M.S., Derrick was a faculty member at Liberty High School in Liberty, South Carolina where he taught science until 1939. In 1939 Derrick went to Greenville Senior High School in Greenville, South Carolina where he taught science until 1941. He then became a faculty member at Richmond Academy in Augusta, Georgia where he taught biology. Derrick served as chairman of the Biol­ogy Department at Augusta Junior College in Augusta, Georgia, from 1943 until 1946. Derrick came to Appalachian State Teachers College (now Appalachian State University) in 1946 as an assistant professor in the Department of Biology. At this time Derrick and Ida Belle Ledbetter (deceased Professor Emerita of Biology) were the only two faculty members in the department. During this period Derrick received further academic training at Auburn University, the University of Virginia and Duke University. Derrick became the first chairman of the Biology Department in 1954 just prior to receiving his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina in 1955. Under his leadership the department grew from two faculty members to thirteen faculty members. He gave up the chairmanship in 1973 to teach full-time. Derrick's valuable leadership in the department aided greatly in the institution's transi­tion from a teachers college to university in 1967. While at Appalachian, Derrick served on the Advance Placement and Honors Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and the Summer Quarter Council. In 1968 the responsibilities of these three committees were assumed by the University Committee on Academic Policies and Procedures on which Derrick also served. Derrick also served on the University Committee on Per­sonnel for three years. In recognition of his achievements in research and teaching, Derrick was ap­pointed to the Graduate Faculty in 1973. In 1974 he received the Trustees Award for Excellence in Teaching for his contributions to the teaching profession and the university. He is also listed in Who's Who in Education and in American Men of Science. In 1974 Derrick served as a Joint Ap­pointee between the Biology Department and the Department of Secondary Education. In this capacity he served as both a consultant and supervisor of student teachers. As consultant, Derrick helped to set up an outdoor learning area for South Elementary School in Mooresville, North Carolina. He also helped to evaluate the biology curriculum and acted as the liaison between Appalachian State University and Hibriten High School in Caldwell County and West Wilkes High School in connection with the Carnegie Experiment, where high school students re­ceived college credit for biology in conjunc­tion with the Admissions Partnership Pro­gram. He also spent time studying and evalu­ating the biology curriculum at Needham Broughton High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. He served on the Governor's Task Force for setting up curriculum in resource use education for elementary teachers. Derrick was active in the North Caro­lina Education Association, the National Association of Biology Teachers, the North Carolina Academy of Science where he was Director of the District Science Fair, the North Carolina Wildflower Preservation Society, the Conservation Council of North Carolina, and the Human Betterment League of North Carolina. He was also chairman, for North Carolina, of a national conservation project carried on by the American Nature Society and the National Association of Biology Teachers. During his tenure at Appalachian, Derrick received six grants from the National Science Foundation for summer science programs at ASU for high-ability high school students. He also received a grant from the National Science Founda­tion for a summer program for training ele­mentary teachers in resource use education. Derrick's love of the outdoors prompted him to serve as a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts and as the county chairman of the Forestry Committee for the Northwest North Carolina Development Association. He was also chairman of the Environmental Studies Council and director of the Institute on Environmental Education. Derrick's publications include: "Values of Ecological Surveys to High School Teach­ers," in South Carolina Education, 1938. "A Conservation Project," in Wildlife in North Caro­lina, 1953. "Changes in Trout Fishing in Western North Caro­lina," in Faculty Publications, ASU, 1967. Derrick retired from his position at Ap­palachian State University in 1976 but taught for two more years as Professor Emeritus of Biology. He also taught one section of "Aquaculture" for the biology department during the spring semesters of 1980 and 1981 and one section of "Woods, Trees, and Shrubs" in the Earth Studies Program for three consecutive fall semesters 1981 -83. He was supervising instructor in biology for the Appalachian Partnership Program from 1980-85. He continues to assist with ASU's Continuing Education Program-Wildflower Weekend-each spring. The Derricks are active members of the Boone United Methodist Church where Derrick has served as chairman of the Offi­cial Board, as president of Methodist Men, and as a steward. In his retirement Derrick experiments in farm pond management of fishes, espe­cially in culture of hybrid bream and cage culture of trout and tilapia. He has developed and maintains a wildflower and nature trail, and conducts tours along this trail for garden clubs, schools, senior citizens, or any inter­ested group. Derrick boasts that one can see more species of wildflowers in a one hour walk on this trail than any other place in North Carolina except for a few publicly maintained botanical gardens! Derrick also assists garden clubs in maintaining the Daniel Boone Native Gardens. Additional activities occupying Derrick's busy "retirement" include: helping to organize a local unit of the National Asso­ciation of Retired Persons, and serving as its president for two years; serving on the New River Mental Health Area Board since 1980; and serving on the Boone town planning board since 1981. Sources: Appalachian State University files and personal correspondence. - Dr. Richard D. Howe