Ruth Reid - Furman Mentors
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RUTH REID
When I arrived at Furman in the fall of 1959, Ruth Reid was already a fixture in what was then the Department of Physical Education (now Health Sciences).
I was certain that because I was a football player and had to miss class occasionally on Friday and Saturday — yes, back then we had class on Saturday — that Ruth (of course, I never called her Ruth when I was a student and could not for many years afterward) would fail me in all her classes. She expected her students to attend class every day and had no sympathy for football players.
Ruth was a good badminton player and particularly loved to beat those of us who were athletes. It was not until I was a senior that I could beat her. She did not accept that particularly well, but I sure enjoyed it.
Back then, a physical education major also had to take water safety with Ruth. I put this off until my senior year, when I finally had no choice, and managed to get through the course.
When I look back at my time at Furman, I realize how much Ruth meant to my academic and professional development. As a freshman, I didn’t like Ruth very much. By my senior year, I thought maybe she was OK. When I went to graduate school, I learned what she had really taught me — and how valuable it was.
Ruth was dedicated to Furman and to the physical education program. She pushed students hard and made it clear when she did not think you were giving your very best.
I was the speaker at Ruth’s retirement in 1985. I value Dr. Ruth Reid and what she did for students so much that I led the way in establishing a scholarship in her name.
— JERRY THOMAS ‘63