Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 29, 1990                   TAG: 9004300457
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARK LAYMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WITH ALGEBRA IN PAST, EX-SECRETARY TOPS CLASS

The former secretary had been out of high school six years, and she suddenly realized she had forgotten everything she knew about math. "I went home and I was so upset," she recalled. "I told my husband it wasn't going to work."

But with a lot of encouragement from her husband, Fenton, she stuck it out. And on Saturday, she graduated at the top of Roanoke College's Class of 1990.

Childers, a business administration major, racked up a cumulative average of 3.99. An "A-" in business law - "which is supposed to be one of our easiest classes" - spoiled a perfect 4.0.

It's not the first time an adult student has been a valedictorian at Roanoke College.

As far as anyone can recall, though, it's the first time the valedictorian has been nearly eight months pregnant. The Childers' first child is due June 6.

The class's salutatorian, Terri Austin, was an adult student, too. She got a full-time job in the college's computer lab after graduating from high school, which gave her an opportunity to take classes at no charge.

"Once I started, I wanted to get a degree," she said. "I've never been the sort of person to do something halfway."

Six years later, she made it, with Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and statistics.

For the time being, she hopes to keep her job in the computer lab. "I'm taking Monday off to go shopping and coming back to work on Tuesday," she said.

The senior class also included a celebrity of sorts: Anne Merchant, whose daughter, Natalie, is the lead singer and songrwiter for the rock band 10,000 Maniacs. Merchant moved to the Roanoke Valley from Jamestown, N.Y., three years ago and enrolled in Roanoke College as an art major. Her daughter visited the campus and attended a senior barbecue with her last week.

Boston Globe publisher William Taylor told the 304 graduates - his son among them - that the decline of communism and the easing of international tensions offers them "uncommon opportunities and uncommon responsibilities . . . Lady Luck has been good to you."

He also urged them to help others learn to read and write. Half of this country's 100 million workers read at below the 9th grade level, he said. "America is not preparing its young people today - you are the exception - for the `Information Society' of tomorrow."

The senior class raised $13,000 to purchase three flag poles for the college's Thompson Memorial Boulevard entrance. The class gift was dedicated to Jan Smoyer, a student from South Carolina who died of malaria last summer after returning from a study trip in Africa.

The sky looked threatening all afternoon, and Gring thanked Chaplain Paul Henrickson for holding back the rain while diplomas were handed out on the college's front lawn.

It began to sprinkle just as the choir finished singing the college's alma mater hymn and Henrickson delivered the benediction.