October 7, 2002
UMHB dedicates building
___By Mark Wingfield
___Managing Editor
___BELTON--When Bobby and Marietta Parker moved to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 1971, they could not have imagined that one day the campus would feature a major building bearing their names.
___In those days, the Parkers were among only a handful of people who dared to dream any new buildings would be built at the struggling school. But in the 20 years Parker served as president, seven new buildings were erected as the Baptist General Convention of Texas university began to thrive once again.
Jerry Bawcom, president of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, cuts the ceremonial ribbon at the dedication of the university's Parker Academic Center. Assisting is Marietta Parker, widow of former university President Bobby Parker. The building is named in their honor. Photo by David Rowley/UMHB
___Parker died in 1999, but his legacy was memorialized Sept. 27 as the university dedicated the Parker Academic Center.
___The 42,000-square-foot, $4 million building houses the School of Education and the School of Business. It bears the Parkers' names, and its two-story foyer showcases memorabilia from their years of leadership.
___Several hundred people stood in the bright fall sunshine for a 30-minute ceremony that featured comments by Andy Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church of Belton and chairman of the university's trustee board; President Jerry Bawcom; longtime Parker family friend Drayton McLane; Mrs. Parker; Curtis Baird, vice president for administrative and academic affairs; and two students, Sarah Senecal and Justin King.
___Bawcom praised Parker as a man of integrity who embodied the spirit of the university.
___McLane called Parker a "person of vision" who saw what UMHB could become when others had "written off" the school.
___Mrs. Parker acknowledged even she was skeptical of her husband taking the helm of the university in 1971, but she thanked all those--from the custodial staff to the faculty--who had helped build the school to its current strength.
___Of her husband, she quipped, "We were married 53 years, and the only rival I ever had was a lady named Mary Hardin-Baylor."
Send this story to a friend
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook
