James H. McCune Papers

Call Number

2016.063

1962-2007 (bulk dates: 2001-2004)

3 Hollinger boxes (1.2 linear feet) 

Biographical Note

James "Jim" H. McCune had many different roles in the 32 years that he served with Lincoln Memorial University. Born March 19, 1943 in Memphis, Tennessee, he received a Bachelor of Arts from Lambuth College in 1965.  In 1968 he became the Admissions Counselor for his alma mater and served there until 1974.  Leaving Lambuth, McCune began his career at LMU that same year.  Other positions that he held included Dean of Administrative Services, Director of Special Programs, Vice President for Administration and International Studies, and Assistant Vice President for Constituent Development in University Advancement.  He was an active member of the Harrogate community served as Chairman of the Claiborne County Chamber in 2004 and chairman of the tourism commission from 2000-2001.  He was awarded the Algernon Sydner Sullivan Award from LMU in 1982. and honored by the City of Harrogate for his "civic pride" in 1994.   McCune passed away on June 23, 2006.  The James H. McCune Endowed Vocal Scholarship was established in his memory in 2008 and a small memorial garden was dedicated to his memory in May 2009.  

Biographical Sources: 

• https://www.lmunet.edu/public/uploads/about/presreport/2008_2009.pdf
• https://www.lmunet.edu/public/uploads/academics/Institutional%20Effectiveness/2008-2013_SP.pdf
• Memorial Program in collection

Ralph Stanley:

Ralph Edmund Stanley, also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley was an American bluegrass artist.  Born February 25, 1927 in the Clinch Monutains of Dickenson County, Virginia, he learned how to play the banjo from his mother.  Combining his mother's inspiration and his own natural talent, Stanley and his brother Carter formed the musical bluegrass group the Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys in 1946.  Their first appearances were on radio stations in the Bristol, Tennessee area and soon became in high demand.  Suffering some setbacks during the advent of the rock and roll era, the group was making a comeback when Carter Stanley died of cancer at the age of 41 on December 1, 1966.

In 1976, Stanley was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music from Lincoln Memorial University from which he became known as "Dr. Ralph Stanley.  In 1992, Stanley was inducted into the International Stanley was inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Honor.  In 2000, was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.  One of Stanley's most famous musical works was an Appalachian dirge titled "O Death."  Stanley's version was featured in the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?  He later won a Grammy Award for this work in 2002 at the age of 75.  LMU held two Tribute concerts for Stanley in 2002 and 2003 with the proceeds of the event endowing a scholarship in Stanley's honor.  The Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center opened in Clintwood, Virginia in 2004.

Stanley died on June 23, 2016 from skin cancer.

Biographical Sources:

• Biographical sources in the collection
• http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Bluegrass-legend-Ralph-Stanley-dies-at-the-age-of-88-384205011.html

Ralph Martin Peters:

Born May 9, 1929, Dr. Ralph Martin Peters was a 1944 graduate of LaFollette High School.  After graduating from high school, Peters served in the United States Navy during the later part of World War II.  He earned a Bachelors degree from Lincoln Memorial University and played on both the basketball and baseball teams.  He earned both a Masters and Doctoral Degree from the University of Tennessee.  He had a long career in both public and private education.  He was a coach at Clinton (Tennessee) High School from 1949-1956 followed by serving as both a professor and administrator at LMU from 1956-1963.  He died January 17, 2008.  He then moved to Cookeville, TN where he served as Dean of the Graduate School and Professor of Education at Tennessee Technological University.  He retired from TTU in 1989 after 26 years of service.  He once more returned to LMU to serve as Interim President and as a member of the LMU Board of Trustees.  He was inducted into the LMU Educators Hall of Fame and the LMU Athletics Hall of Fame.

The Peters legacy lives on as the R. Martin Peters Young Alumnus of the Year Award, the Martin and Lorraine Peters Endowed Scholarship and the Lorraine D. Peters Endowed Nursing Scholarship are awarded each year. The R. Martin Peters Young Alumnus of the Year Award is awarded at the Alumni Banquet during homecoming to an individual who embodies his ideals. Additionally the Martin Peters Endowed Fund for Athletics exists to fund scholarships and other athletic needs.

Biographical source: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tennessean/obituary.aspx?n=martin-peters&pid=101570479

Series Notes:

Oliver Otis Howard Statue: Information surrounding the construction, installation, and dedication of the Oliver Otis Howard Statue here on LMU's Quadrangle in 2003.

Ralph Stanley: Biographical information and documents surrounding the two concerts that Stanley performed at LMU in 2002 and 2003.

Clippings: The Clippings series is arranged in alphabetical order according to the name of the newspaper in which the clipping was originally published.  Within each newspaper items are arranged in chronological order.  For those articles for which a date was unable to be ascertained, the articles are arranged in alphabetical order according to the name of the author of the article.

Speeches by R. Martin Peters: Born May 9, 1929, Dr. Ralph Martin Peters was a 1944 graduate of LaFollette High School.  After graduating from high school, Peters served in the United States Navy during the later part of World War II.  He earned a Bachelors degree from Lincoln Memorial University and both a Masters and Doctoral Degree from the University of Tennessee.  He had a long career in both public and private education.  He was a coach at Clinton (Tennessee) High School from 1949-1956 followed by serving as both a professor and administrator at LMU from 1956-1963.  He died January 17, 2008.  He then moved to Cookeville, TN where he served as Dean of the Graduate School and Professor of Education at Tennessee Technological University.  He retired from TTU in 1989 after 26 years of service.  He once more returned to LMU to serve as Interim President and as a member of the LMU Board of Trustees.  He was inducted into the LMU Educators Hall of Fame and the LMU Athletics Hall of Fame.

Biographical source: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tennessean/obituary.aspx?n=martin-peters&pid=101570479

[Identification of Item], James H. McCune Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Lincoln Memorial University, TN, USA.