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OUR VIEWJohn B. Eubanks Jr.For half a century and more, John B. Eubanks Jr. was a familiar figure as ticket taker at Aiken High School football games.A local historian, Attorney Ed Cushman, can recall that in about 1930-31 he attended football games at the old Kalmia Polo Field — now surrounded by Rolling Wood Road — and encountered Mr. Eubanks with his cigar box exacting 25 cents for admission. There was no fence; admission was on the honor system.Youthful * ‘gatecrashers’ * would not want to face the displeasure of Mr. Eubanks. As Aiken Institute’s seventh-grade arithmetic teacher, he maintained a tight ship in the classroom by the simple expedient of twisting the ears of young boys who were delinquent in their behavior.At that time, John Eubanks was about eight years out of Clemson, having graduated in civil engineering in 1922. He never practiced his profes-, sion, instead taking a teaching job. He taught at Aiken High — originally the Aiken Institute — for 48 years.Mr. Eubanks’ contributions and the esteem in which he was held are reflected in a letter written to this newspaper by Robert M. Cook, who was student body president at Aiken Highin 1948: “As a teacher, he was frank, firm, fair, faithful and friendly,” Mr. Cook wrote. “He worked at every student function selling tickets — football, basketball, baseball, dances, etc. He was Mr. Aiken High.”Consistency ranked high in Mr. Eubanks’ order of priorities. It was said he never missed an annual class reunion at Clemson, He was also a regular at Clemson football games and an avid supporter of the Clemson Iptay Club.He lived in a house on Park Avenue that is a landmark, having been in his family at least since 1855. His mother, Mary Hannah Harbers, was a member of a family which once operated a drugstore on Laurens Street.His father moved to Aiken from the White Pond area about the turn of the century and operated a service station.Mr. Eubanks never married. In past years he enjoyed nothing more than visiting at the old fire station near his home and in later years the City Barber Shop, where owner Chris Sanders remembers him fondly.He had a wealth of knowledge of Aiken history. He was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Leonard Williamson Sunday School Class.In the spring he realized he could no longer live alone, and he moved to Mattie C. Hall Nursing Center. But declining health didn’t deter himfrom one more Clemson class reunion. A cousin drove him to that event, where he was the oldest member of the class present. He was 90 years old.With his death on Aug. 27, Aiken has: lost .an; esteemed member of aThe school’s John Eubanks Athletic-Award was established' in Mr. Eu- dwindling group of ‘-‘Old Aikenites.” banks’honor. He-will be missed.
Newspaper Details
Aiken Standard
Aiken, South Carolina, US
Sat, Sep 07, 1991
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
NA, 02 Feb 2022
Other Publications Near Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken Daily Mail
Aiken County Rambler
Aiken County Register
Aiken County Journal
Aiken Standard
