Biographical Text
Professor Emerita of History Ruby Jeanne Lanier (October 30, 1934-) was born in Hickory, North Carolina. She attended Lenoir-Rhyne College from 1952 to 1955, receiving an A.B. degree in elementary education. In 1959, she received an M.A. degree in elementary education from Appalachian State Teachers' College (now Appalachian State University) and, in 1971, an Ed.D. degree from Duke University. Lanier taught elementary school for four years in Hickory and at Appalachian's Laboratory School for seven years after receiving her master's degree. She served as an assistant professor at the College of Charleston from 1971 to 1974, teaching social studies, language arts, reading methods, and children's literature. Lanier initiated and supervised a summer enrichment program for inner-city children and developed educational materials for the Upward Bound and Neighborhood Youth Corps programs. Dr. Lanier joined the faculty at Appalachian State University in 1974 to teach North Carolina social studies. In 1977, participating in the history and elementary education departments' joint-appointee program, she taught a course in language arts and another in children's literature. From 1975 until retirement, Lanier taught courses in state and local history and North Carolina history, and, from 1980 to 1994, she also taught a course in world civilization. In addition to her outstanding teaching, service, and research efforts, one of Lanier's most remarkable contributions was the planning and directing, along with Beulah Campbell, professor of children's literature at Appalachian State, of workshops, conferences, and study tours. In 1976, they planned and directed a highly successful summer workshop and tour for elementary and secondary school teachers and librarians on the American heritage in children's literature, which was called "one of the most valuable projects sponsored by Appalachian State during the bicentennial year." Lanier and Campbell also planned and directed for teachers and librarians summer-study tours of children's literature and history in the British Isles (1977), in Scandinavia (with professor of community planning and geography Ole Gade, 1979), and in New England (1982), where they met authors and illustrators of award-winning children's books. They planned and directed a number of workshops and conferences, including the Intercultural Language Arts Festival in 1977; the 1979 International Children's Literature Festival, funded by the North Carolina Endowment for the Humanities; and, in 1983, a conference, "Understanding the Black Experience in Children's Literature." Over the years, Dr. Lanier conducted a number of workshops for teachers, historical societies, and other groups on teaching and writing state and local history. One of the most important projects in which she was involved was funded by the North Carolina Humanities Committee: "State and Local History in Public Schools." Lanier, George Antone, chair of the history department; and Natalie Taylor of the North Carolina Museum of History co-directed a series of regional workshops across the state that brought together academic historians, public school teachers, local historical societies, and representatives of the North Carolina Division of Social Studies in an attempt to improve and enliven the teaching of state and local history. Lanier served on numerous university committees or councils during her tenure at Appalachian State, including the Institutional Studies and Planning Committee (chair, 1977), Teacher Education Council, Academic Policies and Procedures Committee, Re-Admissions Committee, Joint-Appointee Planning Committee, Appalachian Studies Advisory Committee, Native American Committee, Multi-Cultural Education Committee, and Alpha Chi Honorary Society Advisory Committee. In addition to her teaching responsibilities and active service on departmental committees, Lanier established the History Learning Laboratory in 1978 and served as its director until 1985. The laboratory provided help to individual students who wished to improve their reading, note-taking, and other study skills. Dr. Lanier served effectively on institutional, state, and regional committees and boards, including the executive board (and assistant editor) of the Journal of the North Carolina Council for Social Studies, the board of directors of the Western North Carolina Historical Association, and the board of the Watauga Historical Society. In 1974, Lanier published her book Blanford Barnard Dougherty, Mountain Educator, for which she was awarded the Thomas Wolfe Literary Award. For the public schools, she developed a series of filmstrips entitled Carolina! Carolina!, completed in 1988, a five-year project funded by the North Carolina Humanities Committee, the North Carolina Division of Social Studies, and Appalachian State University. In recognition of her excellence in teaching, professional advancement, and service to her university, Lanier was awarded the Outstanding Teacher Award in 1977. She also received the I.G. Greer Distinguished Professorship in History in 1983 and was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Society. In 1996, Lanier retired from Appalachian State in order to devote full-time to writing. The university Board of Trustees approved her appointment to faculty emerita status in December 1998. Sources: Appalachian State University files and long association. -Dr. Richard D. Howe
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