(left to right) Alumni Director David Moore, Director of Development
Wendy Edgar, and Vice President for Development Lee Logan

Antique Car Donated By 2000 Commencement Speaker

Joe Black, a member of the Class of 1969, and his wife Kathy, a 1970 graduate, of Buena Vista, Colo., recently donated a 1931 Ford Model A Roadster to Erskine College. Erskine Vice President for Development Lee Logan said, "The car is in excellent condition. It's a convertible with a rumble seat, and Joe and Kathy want it to be enjoyed by the college in parades and on special occasions."

The Blacks moved to Colorado in 1996 after Joe had spent 15 years in the textile industry with Spartanburg-based Milliken and Company, then built and sold his own consulting firm. They are active members of the Erskine Alumni Association. Joe has served as a Living Endowment co-chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees and was chosen as Erskine College commencement speaker in 2000. In his commencement address the successful businessman advised students, "You are going to have wonderful successes and wonderful failures. Just always remember to fail forward."

Joe Black is the author of Passing Through: Reflections on Life and also of two previous books, The Attitude Connection and Looking Back on the Future.

Logan, who flew out to Colorado a few weeks ago and made arrangements to transport the car to South Carolina, enjoyed his time with the Blacks, and as a special bonus, got to meet a previous owner of the car.

"I had the pleasure of visiting Joe and Kathy in their beautiful home," Logan said. "I also met Tom Hoit, a dear friend of Joe and Kathy from whom they bought the car a number of years ago. Tom had restored the car when he bought it before selling it to them."

Logan did not actually take the wheel of the antique car in order to bring it to South Carolina, but it was an adventure nonetheless. "I rented a trailer and truck and made my way back the 1,781 miles from the Blacks' home to Erskine," Logan said. The car drew crowds wherever he stopped along the way.

"The car is a great way to make new friends," he said. "One man tried to buy it as we were both going 65 miles per hour down an interstate highway. He just held up his checkbook and mouthed the words 'How much.'"

Logan answered the would-be purchaser with one word –"Priceless."