The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 75, No. 25, Ed. 1, Friday, November 20, 1987 Page: 3 of 8
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Boulah Cain Arvin wavo3 her familiar whlto hankie to crowds In Moody Coliseum on her 104th birthday the last she celebrated
on the ACU campus. Since 1085 students have helped Mrs. Arvin celebrate her birthday In Cross Plains where she lives in a
nursing home.
An old photo of a younger Mrs. Arvin as she
probably looked when she attended ACU
then Childors Classical Institute in 1908.
'ffyaftftfy 3iint6daty eulaA f
In 1906 the great San Francisco
earthquake rocked the city causing
$350 million in damage add levying 452
dead. ' J"
Theodore Roosevelt was serving his
second term as president of the United
States.
And 26-year-old Beulah Cain enrolled
at Childers Classical Institute as one of
its 25 original students.
San Franciscans have rebuilt their ci-
ty; Ronald Reagan now lives in the
mite House; Childers Classical In-
stitute has become ACU; and Beulah
Cain Arvin will celebrate her 107th bir-
thday Tuesday as the oldest living
alumnus of the university.
When "Aunt Beulah" as she has
come to be known at ACU enrolled at
Childers Classical Institute the campus
was where the Coca-Cola plant now
stands on North First Street.
Mrs. Arvin was born Nov. 24 1880
in a log cabin in Lee County Texas
and remembers being at Childers for
about a year. After leaving the school
she worked as a stenographer for awhile
and in 1917 married Major Andrew
Arvin.
She was engaged to the major for
almost 25 years before they were mar-
ried not in a church but in a Model T
Ford in the middle of a street in Cot-
tonwood. The major died in 1977 at
age 96.
Mrs. Arvin said she has always en-
joyed riding in cars perhaps explaining
the unusual venue for her wedding. But
the centenarian who was 23 when the
Wright Brothers took ofFat Kitty
Hawk has yet to try an airplane ride
and "I don't aim to" she said.
iif vTw world ww he been fought t
since Mrs! Arvin attended school here '
and ACU's enrollment is more than
160 times what it was then. But time
and growth haven't made Mrs. Arvin
forget ACU and ACU certainly hasn't
forgotten "Aunt Beulah.
ACU celebrated its 75th anniversary
in 1980 the same year Mrs. Arvin
celebrated her 100 birthday. She came
to ACU Nov. 24 1980 for a party and
the day was proclaimed "Beulah Cain
Arvin Day."
Chancellor John C. Stevens then
president of the university presented
Airs. Arvin with the silver coin com-
memorating the 75th anniversary of the
university that was numbered 100.
She attributed her longevity then to
"serving the Good Lord" and though
her hearing isn't as sharp as it used to
be she said as recently as last year that
she reads her Bible every day without
the aid of glasses.
Mrs. Arvin celebrated five birthdays
at ACU with the students in Chapel. A
specially decorated golf cart called the
"Beulan Buggy" transported her to
Moody and around the campus.
She has been presented with giant
birthday cards a rocking chdr and an
ACU blanket on past birthdays and has
become a favorite of the student body.
"Aunt Beulah" traditionally waved a
handkerchief to the crowds in Moody
in response to the thunderous applause
that greeted her.
In 1984 the last year she celebrated
her birthday in Moody students were
handed tissues as they walked into the
" coliseum. The students wavedihe
tissues' back' at Mrs. Arvin in response
to her familiar hankie and then saluted
her with a wave that went around the
coliseum three times.
Since 1985 celebrations have been
conducted in Cross Plains at the Colo-
nial Oaks Nursing Home where Mrs.
Arvin lives. On her 105th birthday
most of the Big Purple Band about 100
other students and members of the ad-
ministration went to help celebrate.
They took with them a giant cake and
card signed with messages from the
student body. The band played "Hap-
py Birthday" and students spent time
visiting with Mrs. Arvin and her fami-
ly. A quieter celebration was requested
last year and representatives of the
Students' Association and Dr. Robert
D. Hunter senior vice president of the
university joined family members and
nursing home residents in wishing Mrs.
Arvin a happy 106th birthday.
A similar party is planned for this
year. Blaine McCormick SA president
said no major gift is planned for Beulan
because "all she really needs is people."
Hunter a friend of Mrs. Arvin's fam-
ily also will attend the celebration this
year. He has written Willard Scott the
weatherman on NBC's "Today Show"
asking him to announce Mrs. Arvin's '
birthday on the air.
If he does he will be announcing
more than just a birthday. He will an-
nounce a part of ACU history.
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Mrs. Arvin rides In a decorated golf cart dubbed the
"Beulah Buggy" on her 103rd birthday In 1983.
Story by Dawn-Elizabeth Troat
Photos courtesy of ACU Communication Services
.' ?
People worth more than sum of skills
I went into the doctor's office with a
very sore throat and a slight fever two
weeks ago knowing exactly what he
would do.
"Looks like a strep infection" he
would say take a culture and send me
home with a penicillin prescription and
instructions to drink a lot of fluids.
One hour and one blood test later I
came out of his office with confirmation
of my suspicions. I had a strep infec-
tion; I had the penicillin prescription; I
had to drink a lot of fluids.
I also had mononucleosis which my
doctor informed mc was a virus that
couldn't be treated; I would just have to
wait it out and get plenty of rest.
The duration of the weekend was
miserable; then my throat started feel-
ing a lot better. After that mono made
me sleepy but it really wasn't too bad.
The treatment was the tough part.
I was instructed to stay home for a
week. I was not to attend classes; I was
not to attend club; I was not to work on
the Optimist' I was not to work at the
Olive Garden.
I enjoyed spending my Monday mor-
ning sleeping and my Monday after-
noon watching soap operas and reading
magazines. Monday night I was
halfway through watching "AH" when
I realized I was no longer enjoying be-
ing sick.
The Optimist office received about
four phone calls from me that night to
sec how things were going. I was sure
things would fall apart without me and
I wanted to be sure people knew I was
available in case of emergency.
our treat
dawn treat
LHBKHLv
Imagine my amazement when Candy
Holcombe calmly informed me not to
worry about the Optimist because
everything was going fine.
I continued to be amazed throughout
the week.
The Optimist come out on schedule
the Olive Garden stayed in business
our club meeting went as planned and
all my classes continued to meet.
All without me there.
For awhile I was hurt by the realiza-
tion that everything went on without
me. But when you have to stay home
being quiet for a week you eventually
find time to think some things out.
I started with thinking about what
Candy actually said on the phone. She
didn't say "everything will be fine."
She said "We miss you but everything
will be fine until you get back."
I've always wanted to be needed but
I've been confused for awhile about the
difference between my hreplaceability
and the irreplaceability of my skills.
But when I thought about it and
listened to people like Candy who said
they could do my job but missed me I
realized that there is a difference be-
tween my worth as a person and my
worth as an employee student or lead-
er. The restaurant could find another
waitress. My teachers could find
another student. Club could find
another president. The Optimist staff
could find another features and news
editor.
But that's OK. Because thank God
my friends reminded me that they
couldn't find another me. Knowing I
could stop being productive and still be
needed and loved made being sick tol-
erable. Mistakes aren't as much of a tragedy
when you realize your worth isn't just
the sum of your abilities. Just being a
clilld of God and being yourself makes
you priceless.
It's on invaluable lesson and I'm glad
I figured it out this week.
But I still wouldn't recommend get-
ting mono.
IUkb;
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 75, No. 25, Ed. 1, Friday, November 20, 1987, newspaper, November 20, 1987; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101426/m1/3/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.