Catherine Browning introduced our guest speaker, the Reverend Dr. Louis "Smokey" Oats, the headmaster of the new Trinity Episcopal School located in Charlotte. Immediately you could feel the enthusiasm in Dr. Oats as he began. Ribbing his Episcopalian denomination, he commented that they are into "titles" and recounted a story of three proud mothers who each in turn told of their sons becoming a bishop, a priest, and the pope. A fourth mother explained that though her son did not own any particular title, at 6'11" and 340 pounds, when he entered a room everyone said "0 my God"!
     Dr. Oats is from Morristown, Tenn., and is a graduate of the University of the South in Sewanee. He received his doctorate at Columbia Theological Seminary.
     Dr. Oats opened Trinity Episcopal School on August 23, 2000, in temporary facilities at their permanent location in Charlotte's uptown First Ward. The Trinity School vision started as parallel thoughts of St. John's and Christ Episcopal churches here in town. This first year is home to 118 kindergarten through 5th grade students and 7 teachers located in 9 TLC's (temporary learning centers).
     They have 128 applications for the 2001-2002 school year and will add one section of 6th grade next year, and 7th and 8th grades in the next two years. Ultimately, Trinity Episcopal School plans call for enrollment of up to 360 students in kindergarten through 8th grade.
     The school, located uptown at 9th and McDowell Streets, purposely positioned itself there in order to serve all of Charlotte and to be a diverse private school. Currently the school has 18 minorities; this is too low according to Dr. Oats. Trinity is truly an urban school with all uptown as its campus. Students regularly visit and use services provided by the Mecklenburg Aquatic Center, Discovery Place, the Public Library, the Afro-American Culture Center, Bank of America for programs, and the Community School of the Arts.
     The school's seven teachers were chosen from more than sixty applicants interviewed. They all identify themselves as having been called by God to be teachers. They are charged with creating a strong academic environment that emphasizes literacy, writing and computations and promotes spirituality and character development.
     Dr. Oats met with Latin, Country Day, Providence Day and other private schools in and around our region to come up with the best of the best programs for his students. Trinity has a weekly chapel that all students must attend on Friday, and Dr. Oats invites the public to attend.
     Dr. Oats seeks to make all decisions based on the best interest of the child. He routinely speaks with parents and children for feedback.
     He asked teachers to identify parents who in their eyes do not satisfactorily support their children. Re-enrollment kits for next year were not mailed to these families, who are being met with individually to stress the need for parental involvement for children to succeed at Trinity. These meetings have gone well so far.
     Questions followed Dr. Oats' comments;
     • On faith based initiatives: he hopes government will provide funding to help maintain the diversity of schools like his.
     • On the cost of tuition: it is currently $7,900 and will increase to $8,500 next year. The 6th grade will have a tuition expense of $8,800.
     • On the criteria for accepting applications: the child must be developmentally ready to learn and work at grade level. If transferring they should be in the top one-half of their class.
     • On other similar schools: Trinity is uniquely modeled after the best practices of local and regional Christian and non-Christian schools.
     • On minority representation: he would like for the 18% to be higher, but didn't give a percentage.
     • On a permanent campus: they have plans for a 3-story 73,000-square-foot facility. They hope the building will be ready for school in the year 2004.
    Susan Hutchins introduced our two visiting Rotarians and our thirteen guests.
     Bill Wood gave the health and happiness report, and Thomas Moore taught us to sing "All I Want Is a Bowl of Butterbeans." Frank Martin gave our invocation.
     Three new members were introduced: Suzanne Fetscher, director of the Charlotte Art Colony; Gary A. Scott, general sales manager for Alien Tate Realty Company; and Jeff Wise, owner of Consensus Consulting Company.
     Today's head table included Suzanne BIedsoe, David Anderson, Frank Martin, Don Carmichael, Ned Fox and Catherine Browning. President Don reminded everyone to sign up for the annual Rotary joint council meeting to be held February 27.
     Mac McCarley introduced Niomi Annata, our Rotary International Scholar from Tokyo, Japan. Niomi, attending Queens College this semester, is a graduate student studying to be a dance critic.
     Don reminded us that additional signups for Habitat House should contact Tom Robertson. He also reminded us of the new member sign-up contest.

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New Member

LLOYD RUSSELL RANSON, JR.

2001

Electrical Services, Manufacturer's Rep.

Power Reps., Inc.
1615 Coventry Road (28211)
704-442-1000
FAX 704-442-1200

email: rranson@bellsouth.net

     Russell Ranson is president of Power Reps, Inc., a manufacturer's representative firm selling electrical services, rather than products, to the industrial market. He founded the business in 1995.

     Russell first moved to Charlotte in 1946 in the first grade. He graduated from Myers Park High School and from Duke University with a degree in electrical engineering. He was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. Upon graduation, he joined Westinghouse Electric Corp. His career included assignments in Chattanooga, Birmingham, Memphis and back to Birmingham prior to relocating to Charlotte in 1980 as engineering services district manager. He retired from Westinghouse in 1994.

  Russell remarried to his Myers Park High sweetheart, Anne Oberfell Booth, in 1987. They have three children and are pleased that they all live in Charlotte: Ellen Moore, who, together with her husband Brian, recently returned from a seven-month trip around the world visiting eighteen countries; Russell Ranson III, vice president of Crosland Land Co.; and Julien Booth, investment management consultant with Team Vest, LLC. Russell and Anne are the proud new grandparents of Lloyd Russell Ranson IV.

     Russell is an elder at Myers Park Presbyterian Church and serves on the Board of Friendship Trays and on the Older Adult Wellness Council of the United Way.

     Welcome to Charlotte Rotary, Russell.

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