Biographical Text
Professor Emerita of Language, Reading and Exceptionalities Marjorie E Farris (October 16, 1929-), was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the western part of that state. Farris received a B.Ed, degree in elementary education from the University of Miami (1958) and an M.S. degree in elementary education from Kansas State College (1964). She also attended the University of Georgia, where she earned an Ed.D. degree in reading (1970). From 1958 to 1965, Farris taught elementary school in Miami, Florida; Jasper County, Missouri; and St. Petersburg, Florida. For two years she was the director of the Corrective Reading Program for Pinellas County schools in Clearwater, Florida. She then became an instructor at the University of South Carolina. She also served as visiting faculty and clinic director at the University of Illinois before joining the faculty at Appalachian State University in 1970. Farris earned the rank of professor in the Department of Language, Reading, and Exceptionalities in 1975, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in reading education with special emphasis on diagnostic and remedial procedures of reading problems. She also served as chair of reading education from 1978 to 1982 and as area coordinator of the reading program from 1985 to 1990. Her off-campus (extension) teaching included Hickory (1973-75), Pembroke (1974-76), Rutherford County (1971), Shelby (1971-72), Caldwell County (1978), Winston-Salem (1976), Buncombe County (1970-71), and the University of Virginia, Independence (1975) and Chilhowie (1978-79). During her tenure at Appalachian State, a most notable accomplishment was Farris' establishment and direction of the campaign to fund the Uberto Price Scholarship in Reading Education. The first scholarship was awarded for the 1990-91 academic year. Farris served on various university committees, including her Departmental Personnel Committee, the Commencement Planning Committee, the Curriculum Planning Advisory Committee, the Second Major for Elementary Teachers Committee, the Computer Advisory Committee, the Faculty Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure, the Summer School Advisory Committee, and the Admissions Committee. In addition, she was coordinator in 1984 for the Annual Reading Symposium, co-director of the Uberto Price Annual Reading Symposium (1988-90), and advisor for the student division of the North Carolina Association of Educators (1985-93). She also was an advisor in the General College and a member of the Graduate Council. Her service included an off-campus assignment as director of the Appalachian House in Washington, District of Columbia, in the fall of 1990. Regionally, Farris served as director of Region IX, Eta State (North Carolina), Delta Kappa Gamma Society International; president of the Alpha Gamma Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, educational honorary society for Watauga and Avery counties; treasurer of the North Carolina College Professors of Reading; treasurer of the Appalachian State University Unit of North Carolina Association of Educators; and president and treasurer of the Appalachian State Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. Farris' professional affiliations include holding positions as member, International Reading Association; member, Program Committee and Student Membership Committee, North Carolina Council of International Reading Association (NCCIRA); chair, Committee to Celebrate Literacy, NCCIRA; president, STAR Reading Council; and president, Greater Appalachian Council of the International Reading Association. Dr. Farris' publications and presentations include the following: • "School Partnership." The Journal Patriot, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, May 16, 1991. • "Abstractness of Oral Language as a Predictor of First Grade Reading Achievement." Dissertation Abstracts, Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfilms, 1971. "Moving Toward Integrated Literature Based on Instruction." Presented with Alice Naylor at the Fifteenth Southeast Conference of International Reading Association, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 1991. "Parental Involvement-An Action Project." Presented with Rebecca A. Sharpe at the North Carolina Council of the International Reading Association, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1991. "North Carolina: A Rich Heritage." Literary Works by Young Authors, no. 1 & 2 (1985). (Judged and edited with J. Patrick Knight and others, North Carolina Council of the International Reading Association) "Instructional Program in Standard English." Presented with Richard Rystrom and Judy Smith at the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 1969. Farris also acted as a consultant for several community and regional organizations. She was curriculum consultant for Watauga County, developing the summer school curriculum model "Parent Involvement" (1990); program evaluator for the State Department of Public Instruction, Western Carolina University (1986); consultant for the Watauga County Principals' Project, Boone, North Carolina (1978-79); consultant for a regional workshop on adult basic education, Boone, North Carolina (1976); evaluator of Reading Curriculum Guide, Harnett County public schools, Lillington, North Carolina (1975-76) ; program evaluator for Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville, North Carolina (1973) ; consultant and instructor for Teacher Corps, Ashe County, North Carolina (1973-74); and diagnostic evaluator of reading problems, handling approximately one-hundred-fifty reading cases each year from 1970 to 1978. Farris retired from Appalachian State in June of 1993. Her most recent travel includes trips with Appalachian alumni to the Greek Isles (1998), Scandinavia/Russia (1995), and Alaska (1994). She resides in Boone, North Carolina and spends her winters in Florida. She enjoys reading and needlework in her spare time. Sources: Appalachian State University files. -Dr. Richard D. Howe
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