Commencement

May 15, 2017

1:00 PM

Despite the soaring temperature, a number of brave souls ventured out to watch the Commencement exercises in our 117 year old un-airconditioned auditorium!  Davidson Punch was in high demand at the reception in the Rotunda which followed Graduation.

The Commencement address was given by Mr. David M. Powers of Raleigh.  A native of Saint Pauls, Mr. Powers attended Robeson Country Day School.  He is the founder of Powers Strategies, LLC in Raleigh, where he and his wife reside.  It was a pleasure to hear him speak, and many "old-timer's" enjoyed his reminiscences of his days at RCDS.

Commencement was also the occasion for the debut of our newly rebuilt organ.  The Flora Macdonald Educational Foundation acquired a console from a 1950 Moller instrument that had been displaced and, utilising this, Dr. Mark Andersen of Lumberton rebuilt our organ as a digital instrument.  Dr. Andersen studied on this very instrument under Dr. Charles Gildersleeve Vardell during the latter years of Flora Macdonald College.  After graduating from the Sorbonne in Paris and an international career in music, Dr. Andersen returned to this area where he learned about our organ and immediately took an interest in reviving it.  He has been most generous with both his time and talents in giving this venerable instrument life once again.