West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Telling West Virginia's Story
Alderson Broaddus University says it will hold a service in memory of former President Richard Shearer this weekend.
The “Service of Remembrance” is set for 7 p.m. Saturday in Wilcox Campus on the university’s campus in Philippi.
Shearer died on Oct. 6 at his home in Philippi. He was 95.
Shearer served as Alderson-Broaddus’ president from 1951 until he retired in 1983. He was inducted into the Alderson-Broaddus Battler Hall of Fame in April along with his son, Richard Shearer, Jr.
A bank official in Philippi says Alderson Broaddus University has defaulted on repayment of bonds totaling more than $36 million.
BCBank president and CEO Jeffrey Goff told The Exponent Telegram that the university failed to make required payments after either the second quarter or the third quarter.
Alderson Broaddus spokeswoman Ashley Mittelmeier told the newspaper that the private university is having financial difficulties. She says the school missed the payments as it worked with bond holders to restructure some terms.
Mittelmeier says Alderson Broaddus President Richard Creehan and the school’s board were aware of the situation.
Creehan announced last week that he will resign, effective Dec. 18. He said it was time to “hand over the reins to someone with a different perspective and skill set.”
While the International Film Festival gets underway in Charleston, in another part of the state, a man is working to bring film back to his small town.
Russ Stover is trying to restore the Grand Theatre in downtown Philippi, to make it an attraction to cinema enthusiasts in the area. Stover says in that part of the state, it’s very difficult for film lovers to go see movies.
“I want to open instead of just another theater showing new movies, I want to open a revival theater. I can show what the people want to see, and that is something that isn’t done around here. If you want to see a documentary, you’ve got to go to Pittsburgh or Morgantown if you’re lucky, or you have to wait until it comes out on disc,” Stover said.
Stover would like to screen older movies at the theater, like films from Alfred Hitchcock and other iconic movie makers. But getting it open won’t be easy.
In other parts of the state, older theaters have been demolished, like the two downtown theaters that used to be in Fairmont.
Others are vacant and basically abandoned, like the Warner Theatre in Morgantown. But there is at least one example of what Stover is trying to accomplish, in Shepherdstown, where a restored historic theater shows movies and hosts concerts. Stover is certain a restored Grand Theater, like the one in Shepherdstown, will be successful.
“I’ve seen too many of these wonderful old places turn into parking lots. A place like Philippi that appreciates its history, it’s something you want to save. With the way the college is expanding, I’m surprised other businesses haven’t moved into Philippi,” said Stover.
Stover is trying to raise the money for the theater, and he’s far away from that goal. But he’s hoping he’ll be successful in bringing cinema back to Philippi.