Jones "Cal" Calvin Koonts

Dr. J. Calvin "Cal" Koonts, 80, resident of 10 Haynes St., husband of Cortlandt "Corky" Morper Koonts, died Saturday, March 5, 2005 at his home.

Born in Lexington, NC, he was a son of the late Harvey Hill and Elsie T. Koonts. Dr. J. Calvin Koonts earned his AB degree, Magna Cum Lauda from Catawba College and his MA and Ph.D. degrees from George Peabody College. After several years of teaching of Boyden High School, in Salisbury, NC, in 1949, he joined the faculty of Erskine College, where, in addition to holding various administrative posts, he was elected the first Chairman of the Faculty. Dr. Koonts received several fellowships and scholarships for postdoctral study. They included study at Harvard, U.C.L.A., Oxford, and a Fulbrigtht Grant to study education in Pakistan.

Dr. Koonts arrived in Due West in the fall in 1949 to begin a long and fruitful career to developer and head of the Education Department of Erskine College. He brought with him a strong belief in the worth of teacher education and a determination to develop at Erskine a program for which it could be proud. During his 41 years of service to Erskine, he has seen this aim flourish, and graduates of "his" program have distinguished themselves in the teaching profession and in related administrative areas. "Teachers of the year," college professors, college presidents, superintendents, principals, curriculum coordinators, and thousands of teachers dedicated to teaching young people have "sat at his feet."

While directing the teacher education program at Erskine, he contributed to progress of the program in the entire state. He organized the ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT TEACHING (now the ASSOCIATON OF TEACEHR EDUCATORS) in South Carolina, serving as its first and twenty-fifth president and State delegate to the National Convention on numerous occasions. He was an active member of the SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATON OF COLLEGES OF TEACHER EDUCATION, serving as president and executive board member. He served on the State Board of Education and, in 1964, was one of 15 Americans chosen to study education in Pakistan. In addition to these contributions, he served on the Board of Trustees at Piedmont Technical College, the Board of Advisors for Gardner-Webb College and on the Board of Trustees for his alma mater, Catawba College, which conferred on him an honorary doctorate. Dr. Koonts is listed in WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA.

Though his life was dedicated to the teaching of teachers, he found time to excel in other areas as well. Most notable, perhaps, is his writing of poetry. His writing first attracted notice when he won the Frantz Essay Award as an undergraduate at Catawba College. Since then he published a number of books of poetry. A SLICE OF THE SUN, his fifth book of verse, was his contributions to the 1976 Bicentennial and includes poetry which won the William Gilmore Simms Poetry Prize in 1973, the Unicorn Prize in 1974, the Lyric Poetry Prize in 1975, and in 1977 the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Award. These awards were made by the Poetry Society of South Carolina. Dr. Koonts is one of a number of South Carolina literary figures with connections to Erskine listed in a brochure called "The South Carolina Literary Tour" and printed by the Palmetto Book Alliance, an affilitate of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress. Dr. Koonts is also named several times in the INTERNATIONAL WHO'S WHO IN POETRY, Cambridge, England.

Dr. Koonts served on the town council of Due West and was a member of the Due West ARP Church, where he served as a deacon and an elder.

Survivors are: Wife, Cortlandt M. Koonts of the home; Son, Carlisle Woodson Koonts and his wife Linda of Hartsville, SC; Daughter, Camille Koonts Stein and her husband John of Medford, N.J.; Grandchildren, Taylor and Cameron Koonts and step-granddaughter Je Ne' New; Grandchildren, Christopher, Eric, Caroline and Will Stein; Sister, Mrs. Hilda Koonts Comfort of Gulfport, Mississippi; Niece, Mrs. Ralice Ostrom Gertz of Greensboro, NC; and Nephew, Ralph Kenneth Ostron of Irm, SC.

Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, March 8, 2005 at 11:00 AM from the Due West AR Church with the Rev. Calvin Draffin and Dr. James Bell officiating. The burial will precede funeral services in the Due West ARP Church Cemetery.

The body is at The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home. The family will receive friends Monday, March 7, 2005 at the residence, 10 Haynes St., Due West, SC.

Memorials may be made to the J. Calvin Koonts Education Scholarship Fund at Erskine College in Due West, SC 29639, or to the Due West ARP Church, Building Fund, Due West, SC 29639.

The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home of Abbeville, SC is in charge of arrangements.