Davidson firefighters helped remove a large tree limb that fell on wires on North Main Street May 15. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Firefighters responded to a several alarm malfunctions over the past week, as well as an oven fire on Pine Road and a two-vehicle collision on I-77. Emergency workers helped clear a large tree limb that was blocking North Main Street, and a kitten was rescued from a storm drain on Kiser Corner Lane in Summer’s Walk. The kitten was left with Davidson Police. Read the full story

Davidson Class of 2012 marched out of Chambers Hall for the last time Sunday, led by class president Faheem Rathore. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net

On a sunny spring day under the oak trees, 449 students graduated from Davidson College Sunday in a ceremony that included one honorary degree, community service awards to two students and the local leader of Habitat for Humanity, and teaching awards to two veteran faculty.

Davidson doesn’t invite outside graduation speakers, so it’s up to the president to deliver a send-off to graduates. This year, that task fell to first-year President Carol Quillen. The ceremony, including her remarks, seemed aimed at conveying themes of diversity and inclusiveness. Read the full story

Davidson College on Sunday announced one of the largest gifts in its history, $25 million from an alumnus to support The Davidson Trust, its program to ensure that students can graduate without loans. The donation came from Edward L. “Ted” Baker, a 1957 graduate and former Davidson trustee. Mr. Baker is the retired chairman of Patriot Transportation Holdings Inc. and lives in Jacksonville, Fla. Read the full story

Dang, that's loud, says John.

As grads and their families take one last, long look around campus this weekend, Davidson College senior writer John Syme offers a trip up to the roof of the Chambers building – a place few get to go. In a 2006 “Daybook” column on the college website titled “Up On The Roof,” he marvels at the view and calls it a “Davidson moment.” Read his report on Davidson.edu. And while you’re doing that, here listen to the sound of those bells.

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RELATED STORY: May 18, 2012, “Graduating: 449 seniors to march out of Chambers on Sunday.”

Clouds over Chambers Hall at Davidson College. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

Graduates march out of Chambers Hall in May 2011. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net file photo)

On Sunday at 9:50 a.m., the 449 members of Davidson College’s Class of 2012 will file out the door of Chambers Hall and onto the college lawn for a ceremony that will send them into the world. Sunny skies and a temperature in the 70s are forecast for this year’s ceremony under the oaks.

The ceremony will wrap up a weekend of events. (See the schedule on Davidson.edu.) Graduates and their families were starting to turn up on Main Street Friday morning, shopping or grabbing a coffee or a bit before graduation activities began later in the day. Read the full story

The Davidson College campus is sparkling this week after the refreshing rains of a few days ago.  Commencement weekend is almost upon us and we welcome families of graduates from near and far to our delightful town.  Just remember that parking will be at a premium through Sunday afternoon so be prepared to wear comfortable shoes and hike a bit.

Around Davidson has news today of mini-reunions celebrated by Jean Jackson at the beach and Rae Fangmeier right here in town.  We also report on a new award-winning author, Lizzie Barteldt. Read the full story

Firefighters struggled to contain a large outside fire May 6 that started in a collection of about 80 large hay bales of East Rocky River Road. Nearby fire companies all provided firefighters and water-supply vehicles. Also over the past week, firefighters removed four Davidson College students from a stalled elevator and helped police search for the 11-year-old boy who went missing. Details on these stories and more (along with a tally of the week’s medical calls) may be found below. Read the full story

"La, la, la" (Anna Prushinski photo)

I had a dream that Dodger was running free in Richardson Stadium at Davidson College, which is against the rules. I was crawling across the rubbery track, doing a breathlessly dreamy slo-mo “fail” at getting to him. He dashed merrily about the artificial turf field, paying no mind to the authoritative benchmarks of the gridiron, nor to me. La, la, la! he went, happy. “Doooddggerrr!” I went, unhappy.

Rather than burden ourselves here with tortured interpretations, I posit the dream as archetype: Spirited soul instinctively running free, gleefully heedless (happy) of the synthetic culture of benchmarks we construct with our increasingly compulsive content manipulation and the resultant aggravation of inbred psycho-social neuroses (unhappy). Read the full story