The Charleston Daily Mail from Charleston, West Virginia • Page 18

Problems At 'State? Criticism Puzzles McNeill Sails Pail CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, OCT U. 1976 'FLOATING WHITE HOUSE' Ex City Man Presidential Host On Mississippi Riverboat Tour Bv REX WOODFORD Of The Daily Mail Staff Hang on to bat rail Mr. President, the fooling could be real slick." That was a nervous Capt. Clark Haw Icy, master of Ihe famed Mississippi riverboat Natchez, cautioning President Fnrd not to gel too close to the giant, churning paddlewheels that Kg drive the steamer on its daily excur sions from the port of New Orleans. Late last month.

Charleston native Pfj Hawley ItacHhe uneasy pleasureof hav ing the President and Mrs. Fnrd aboard Tora whistlestop speech tuur ol Mississippi river towns. Between slops, the President asked the captain for a tour of the boat and his interest ill the paddlewheels took him along the narrow, wet walkway, causing Hawley's concern. "It was a wonderful day for the Natchez and the river, but not one I'd like lo repeal on a weekly basis," is Capt. Hawyley's after the fact asssess menl of responsible fur the welfare of a president For eight hours.

And prinr to that eight hour trip when JOHANNA K1SHKK OfTtelNrilyMiilSiiff Wmi Virginia Slate College President HaTold McNeill is puuled by recent criticism llut his ad mini sir at ion is rarfced with dissension, has a morale prubleni diid freedom uf press ion ujsh ihtn would spKily what they're miking about su wecjtndealwilhil." said McNeill Ax far as know ii exists here It we have a morale problem. we should review it and gel rid of it And lu lell you the truth, I'm not sure how much dissension crisis." There is at iC3Sl one dissident among I lie ranks al WVSC. however. He a Tom Hut to. president of WVSC chapter of the American Association of University Professors An unknown assail "Freedom of expression? As ant attacked Hutto early Monday martv tar as I know it exists here whon he fl noise iar as I snow it exists nere.

bjrtyjnl. He was temporarily blinded McNeill in Ihp incident. The 41 year nld biologist lias linked the assault with his reputation as an outspoken critic or the college's administration. He received letter Friday warning him to "shut up and set out of AAUP or you're a dead man." McNeill said he is hopeful that Hut to's assailant will be ajiprfJi ended "to provide an answer" to speculation about the Incident "1 would like hi clear up the nutter, particularly since it has gotten nasly since Hutto pot said McNeill, who had a "curdial luiiversatiuii" with Hultu Monday when lie visited him in the hospital. The college president is philosophical about the barbs thrown uul at his administration.

"The dynamics here are somewhat puzzling," he said. "Criticism that this adminis Iratlon does not promote Treedom of expression is ironic." He explained that the Faculty Senate was established in 1974 when faculty members Tell they rould not express themselves freely. TV reason lliat the Faculty Senate was 'created In the first place was so facuily members cuuld have a mechanism through which they could have an input about that affected them," said McNeill. the Natchez became the floating White House, there was a shakedown by secret service men. "Every spot on the boat, everyone on the boat was checked uul." says Capt.

Hawley. "Frog men even checked the bull inch by inch." Bui the pressure eased off once the mighty Natchez began her levee to levee tour. Eased off. lhat is. except when Capt.

Hawley had to dock the 285 foot long boat at postage slamp sizc piers where crowds waited to hear the President's IIWI.RY AMI FRIENDS Clark llawlev. Charleston their lour ol the boat. Hawley began his riier i naliic and captain of ihe riverboat Natchez demonstrates Charlestnn as a calliope player. Ihe heals steam calliope to President and Mrs. Kind during winced at charges by Hulto thai the college climate is conducive lo a lurk of "freedom from the terror ol physical McNeill said.

"I'm lost on that me!" "If it cxisls. the tirsl thing we wanl to do is stamp it uul. We must gel to the bottom ol the whole McNeill also denied charges lhat taculty meetings at the college are closed to Ihe press. "All ol the faculty meetings lhat have ever called have always been open. WVSC will be enhanced by the community college compo nent which presently is being implemented with some class I 'U i.Vu to es to begin next fall, according to McNeill leaders were distributed at a recent football game charging thai the college trill cease as a four year liberal arts institution once the community college component is in swing "The community college will only be a component that will provide three tracks a student could follow at West Virginia McNeill explained, adding that his first prnspcclus was presented to the Board of Hejenl 18 months ago "The whole idea is lhat it will be an integral patt of WVSC." he said.

The concept is not lo piggyback a community college component onto the four year institution, according to McNeill, who said the component will provide a college parallel, career education and cunlintting education. We'll draw out a lot ot stunents mat would never have eonelo college. "McNeill said, adding thai manyol the two year community college students may continue Inrraigh four years at WVSC having once matriculated A number of programs will be transferred Irom WVSC tn its community college component. These include courses in accounhng. management, fire protection technology, criminal justice, social work, recreational services and auto mechanics Kulurc offerings based on identified needs in Kanawha Valley, according lo McNeill, are in business, commerce, portography, data processing, inventory control, physical therapy, engineering graphics and chemical technologies.

"1 hale to see the component tied up with Ihe recrnl cnnlroversy." said McNeill "I haven't heard the say anything negative about it." The college president theorizes lhat part ol his trouble could stem an underlying resistance to change at WVSC But we cannot carry on our academic programs exclusively as we did 20 years ago. Ihe institution has lo keep up wi th the needs as they are luday." he said. lie sees Ihe community college component as a possible line that will increase the number of four year students. Olher improvements CKpected at Ihe collrge include upgrading the physical plant, the cafeteria and (acuity credentials. "We have an advantage here over most ycar schools." he said.

"We have the opportunity to have an interracial, Iniercullural exchange that most schools rtois't fie added, however, lhat WVSC no lunger is considered a black school because blacks make up less than one luurthof the enrollment. "Here, one ran truly get an education in terms ol gelling along with people." be said. McNeill said he has nn intenlion of bringing about change tor change's sake. He describes himself as being neither abrasive, an Uncle Tom black las critics have charged I or as gentle as a dove He said. "I like lo think of myself as an administrative leader.

I like it here and 1 took the job because il was a challenge." FLOATING WHITE HOUSE Thai's what the minim Mfccn President and Mrs Eord used Ihe pipulnr New llrli Mississippi steamer Nalehei became one day last month i MUrslou steamer fnr a preJideallal mmpaientolir. words, shake his hand and greet Hie First Lady. Bui all went well and Ihe 3a minule lour nf the boal left Capt. Hawley wilh a warm feeling for the President and his wife "1 sincerely enjoyed the time 1 spent showing them the Natchez. They are very warm, sincere people.

The president steered the boal for ahout 20 minutes and did a good job of holding her steady in a brisk side wind. "He's extremely easy to talk to. He asked a lot ol questions in the engine room. He didn't uh huh you like he was not listening, like a lot of important people do I josl enjoveil him iinmens A special flagpole was installed on the Natchez to fly presidential flag and Capt. Hawley says the boat crew would have likeii to have kept il lor daily excursion runs but the secret service wouldn't allow it So.

the flagpole now Hies Hie dag the city ol New Orleans. Aboard ship, a ldrge room on the Lop deck that is normally a concession stand was redone and refurnished and became the presidential suite, complete with sofas, chairs, study desk, table lamps, furnished by a New Orleans department store There was one crisis during the presidential trip alnng the Mississippi A newspaper editor wilh the presidential parly collapsed ol a heart attack and. according to Capt Hawley, "was a dead man until the president's personal physicial gave him emergency treatment, restoring his heartbeat." The editor was transferred to a smaller boal and rushed by helicopter to a hospital Capt Hawley. because of his one day association with the President, became an instant celebrity sorting oul requests for national radio talk shows and for lelcvison appearances, bul for this veteran merman who is only 40 years old, thai was not too unusual. He has been a popular interview subject since the day he walked aboard the excursion steamer Avalon in Charles Ion, played one verse ol "Cruising Down The River" on Ihe boal 's calliope and was hired on the spot by Ihe boats captain.

Hawley was then a Morris Harvey sluiienl and 19 years old In lime be became, at age 24. the youngest riverboat captain in history, became co master of the fainou Delta Queen oul of Cincinnati, then captain of the Belle ol Louisville 'the old Avalon refurhished' and then was selected to boss Ihe $4,700,000 Natchez when she was buill in Louisiana fur the New Orleans lounst Lrade When Capt. Han ley first gol inlo the business ol working aboard riverboats. it was a seasonal thing and he would return to Charleston lo work at the Schwann May store during wintertime His job is now fulltime except lor vacations when be usually comes to Charleston to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs.

Stumer O. Hawley al No. 7. jUth SI. South Ruflner and a brolher.

Kenneth who lives next door in what is referred to as "Ihe Hawley compound." The Natchez is berthed at Jackson Square wharf in the heart of the lamous French Quarter where Capt Hawley resides. The sicamer weighs 1.3B4 Inns and is capable ul handling 1.600 passengers Its two steam engines and drive assemblies are not new. dating back over 50 vears. much of il coming frum ihe old Clairton which once pushed coal barges on the Mnnongahela River There is an antique, all copper and steel steam whisilc Irom a tugboat and the Natchez bell Irom the old riverboat Queen City is inlaid with 250 silver dollars to i mprove its tune. The ralliope was espcially designed and built in Cincinnati and is really a series uf whistles arranged in horseshoe fashion and sounded by steam and Capt.

Hawley contends thai to play this instrument, you have to be more'bf a plumber than a musician This is the Natchez the president chose lor a river tnur And this is the Natchez lhat is captained by Clark Hawley once a landlubber from Charleston..