Friday Award Honors Retired Profs

The Association of Retired Faculty presented the William C. Friday Award for Distinguished Service in Retirement to professors emeriti Barbara M. Parramore and David B. Greene at a luncheon in their honor May 21 at the University Club.

Parramore, who retired in 1996, is a tireless advocate for public education. She has worked to help teachers enhance arts education through programs at the Carolina Ballet and the North Carolina Symphony, supported the  Umstead Coalition and spearheaded the development of a significant archival exhibit chronicling 4-H history. As a result of her participation in the Moral Monday movement, Parramore was handcuffed, jailed and fined.

Greene is a passionate scholar who retired in 2006. He spends two-thirds of the year at his second home in Guatemala. Greene volunteers with an organization called TEACH: Toward Educating America’s Children, building and supporting schools in rural, poor, eastern Guatemalan villages. Perilous jeep, boat and horseback travel gets him to remote places to interpret for the Minister of Education in meetings with non-Spanish-speaking village elders and Maya students. Greene also raises and contributes funds for students to continue their education beyond that provided by TEACH. His work facilitated academic programming and construction financing of a middle school serving a group of remote villages. A musician and musicologist of note, Greene also serves the Central American Seminary of the Syriac Orthodox Church, translating pastoral letters and radio broadcasts, teaching English classes and performing organ music for services.