Biographical Text
Professor Emeritus of English Graydon Poe Eggers (October 13, 1903-), college professor and administrator, was born in the Mabel community of Watauga County, North Carolina. He is the son of John F. and Maude Bailiff Eggers. Eggers graduated from Elizabethton High School, Tennessee, in 1921. He earned a diploma from Appalachian Training School in 1924, B.A. degree from Carson-Newman College in 1927, A.M. and Ph.D. degrees from Duke University in 1932 and 1938, respectively. Dr. Eggers was an Austin Scholar at Harvard University in 1932-33 where he studied Shakespeare under Dr. George Lyman Kittredge. Eggers married Daisy Williams (September 16, 1918, in Mountain Park, North Carolina ) on December 22,1938. She is the daughter of C.W. Williams, founder of Mountain Park Institute, and Bessie Pfaff Williams, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The couple are blessed with two sons: John Landrine Eggers (November 15,1941, in Boone, North Carolina -), graduated from Davidson College with an A.B., and earned his M.S. in chemistry from Clemson University. He is a career officer, LTC, in the United States Army and a graduate of the Army's Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is currently serving at the Pentagon. John Eggers married Vivian Bullock (July 22, 1942 -), of Georgetown, South Carolina on January 25,1964. Vivian is the daughter of Theron and Marjorie Bullock. John and Vivian have one daughter, Lisa Daimar (June 6, 1965, in Anderson, South Carolina ), who is a student at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Graydon Poe Eggers, Jr. (September 6, 1946, in Boone, North Carolina -) graduated from Wake Forest University with an A.B., and served in the United States Air Force for four years (1968-72). After serving as Band Director of Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem for four years where he was named Teacher of the Year, he entered the field of real estate investment brokerage and management He and his family currently reside in Boone. Graydon Eggers, Jr. married Carolyn Anderson (April 9,1951 -) of Kingsport, Tennessee, on December 20, 1970. Carolyn is the daughter of Charles Anderson and Ruth Badger Anderson, of Kingsport. Graydon, Jr. and Carolyn have two children: Marci Carol (March 22, 1974, in Winston-Salem -) and Graydon Andrew (July 4,1976, in Winston-Salem -). Graydon Eggers, Sr. began his long career at Appalachian State University in 1927 and served as chairman of the Department of English from 1946-1969. During his distinguished career as a university professor and administrator, Eggers still found the time to write scholarly books. His verse translation of The Owl and the Nightingale was published in 1955, and The King's Quair in 1972. He also wrote unpublished verse translations of Robert Mannyng's Handlyng Synne and Gower's Confessio Amantis. His doctoral dissertation at Duke University was on The Social Novel in England, 1832-1890. Dr. Eggers was also the first football coach of Appalachian State University in 1928 and was an assistant football coach during 1929-32. In the absence of all coaches for one year (1944-45) during World War II, he coached basketball, spring football, and baseball-he was given honorary membership in the Lettermen's Club in 1945. Also, at this time he was the scoutmaster of the college's Boy Scout troop. Eggers served as athletic committee chairman for twelve years, 1948-60, and during that time served as chairman of the North State Conference for one year. In 1970 Eggers edited the University's decennial Institutional Self-Study as required by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Dr. Eggers retired from full-time teaching and administration in 1970. He was invited to give the graduation address at the University's 1969 summer commencement exercises. Earlier that year when he announced his retirement, he remarked: "This has been a most rewarding career for me because I believe that teaching is one of the great professions. I have said before that it is on a par with the ministry and with medicine. If you have taken care of a person's mind, body and spirit, you have done justice to him." In 1945 the Rhododendron was dedicated to Dr. Eggers and, again, in 1964 he received co-dedication honors along with his wife, Daisy. And in 1971 Eggers Residence Hall was dedicated to Dr. Graydon Poe Eggers and his brother, Dr. Herman Roland Eggers. Eggers Residence Hall, rising nine stories above the campus, and costing more than $1,170,000, is the tallest building at Appalachian State University. The Eggers English Major Scholarship was begun by the Department of English at Appalachian State University in 1969. Additional gifts from the Eggers family and friends have increased the scholarship to a full year's expenses for a deserving English major at the junior or senior level. Sources: Appalachian State University files. Dr. Eggers' personal files, personal interviews, and long association. - Dr. Richard D. Howe
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