Section 3 

SECTION 2

90th Anniversary
Gifts for Alumni
Homecoming & the GI Bill.

SECTION 3
Heads Up
Carlyon Scholar 

SECTION 4
The Play's the Thing
 

“Oh, I have no plans to retire,” says Howard Adams, still at 821 West Broad Street.

HEADS UP!

Saturdays are as busy as ever at Adams Barber Shop on West Broad Street, where owner Howard Adams has been cutting RPI/VCU students’ hair since 1958. Howard began at the former Hall’s Barber Shop, buying the business in 1968. Twelve years ago, Bill Pulley, then owner of Bill’s Barber Shop on Harrison Street between Broad and Grace, joined Howard in the shop.  

You might say that Ron Chandler ’59BS/MC and Roland Peacock, ’62BS/MC were in school with Adams. “Howard was at the Barber School on Broad Street,” while they were at RPI, Ron explains. “We went there because it was so cheap—not free, but almost. When Howard started working at Hall’s, we just followed him there.”  

Howard Adams and Ron Chandler exchange the buzz, while a current student hears a little history. 

Once you find a good haircut why fool with it? Alumni keep coming back, even from out of town. Michael Barnes ’66BS’71MED/E drives from Newport News . Louis Michaux ’59BS/MC and Willis McCauley ’58BS/B also return. “About 30-35% of our business is former and current RPI/VCU students,” Howard comments.  

“Once in awhile,” Roland admits, “for one reason or another I’d get a haircut somewhere else. We had flat tops then, and when I came back, Howard would always kid me that I was getting haircuts from a one-legged man, because it always slanted one way or the other.

"Now, when we come back, we talk about a lot of the people we knew in the past—there were a lot of characters at RPI back then. Homer Handy ’62BS/MC (who has passed away) and Don Pond ’62BS/B are two friends whose names come up often.”

An avid hunter, Howard is always ready to regale listeners with stories of deer stalking. A bigger topic of conversation is the changes on Broad Street over the years. “When we first opened,” Howard says, “There were six new auto dealers in the few blocks around the shop.” Another favorite a few blocks west was Mad Man Dapper Dan’s Used Cars (Would Give Them Away, But My Wife Won’t Let Me). “Those first years, you were lucky to see five new cars on a lot,” Ron adds. 

Bill Pulley seems dubious about that recollection.

“Then in the ‘60s, the area started to go down. Since VCU started expanding, the whole area has made a turnaround. It’s amazing to see. Every time you go, there’s something different.”

Coming up...

What do you remember about shopkeepers, services--eateries-- near RPI? Ads in the theatre program might remind you, of Chelf's, of course, Andy's, or Eton's.  Who else would you like to read about?

Evening college alumni may have some special memories of RPI--let us know!

Carol Edds Owen '58FashionCert/A sent this great Shafer Court story--what's yours?

"During my freshman year at RPI in 1955, majoring in Fashion Illustration, I drove a VERY small car called a Crosley. I was parked on Shafer Street . (Yes, it was open then). When I came out of class my car had been picked up and parked up on the porch of the administration building (Ginter Hall) on the corner. There were a bunch of guys hanging around laughing, sooo I just got in, started the car and went de'clunk..de'clunk..de'clunk down the steps and the curb and .... went on my way...  I had the last laugh but they were good sports about it. Those were good ol' days."

What stories would you like to see? Email memories/photos to memercer@vcu.edu.

Carlyon Scholar

Richard Carlyon  ’53BFA’63MFA, who died in 2005, was a renaissance man, brilliant, creative and charming. He taught in no fewer than five departments at VCUarts—Art History, Painting & Printmaking, Sculpture, Communication Arts & Design, and Dance & Choreography. (Dance! Who knew? But inevitable, with that Fred Astaire-like grace.) Carlyon’s commitment to teaching was honored in 1993, with the Award for Distinguished Teaching of Art by the College Art Association, and again in 2005 with the VCU Presidential Medallion.

Dick Carlyon’s extraordinary intellect, talent, and persona drew standing-room-only crowds to his over-subscribed classes, and his work was part of nearly 100 group and solo shows. Grateful friends and former students established the Richard Carlyon Student Research Fund for Independent Study, to go to an outstanding senior in any of the five departments in which Carlyon taught.

The 2006-07 Carlyon Scholar is Victoria Metz, a senior in dance and choreography. She is using her grant to support her senior choreography project on genetics and creativity.

Roland Peacock (our photographer) looks right at home while waiting his turn.

Ron adds, “It’s old home week when we go down there. We always have a lot of fun.” 

And more to come. Howard will be cutting VCU hair for many more years. “Oh, I have no plans to retire,” he smiles.