Biographical Text
Professor Emeritus of Administration, Supervision and Higher Education Guy T. Swain (October 28, 1925-) was born in Columbia, North Carolina. He married the former Barbara ("Bobbie") Redditt, and the couple has one son, Guy Timothy, Jr., who was born on November 14, 1956. Swain attended High Point College and earned a B.S. degree in business administration in 1949. He went on to earn his master's in educational administration from Appalachian State University (1952) and an Ed.D. degree in education administration and supervision from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, (1968). His doctoral dissertation was entitled "A Study of the Organization and Administration of the Curricular Program in the Public Senior High Schools of North Carolina." Swain began his career at Shoals and Westfield high schools in Surry County, North Carolina, where he taught from 1950 to 1953. In 1953, he moved to Stony Point School in Stony Point, North Carolina, where he served as principal until 1956. Swain then became principal of Jonesville School in Jonesville, North Carolina. In 1959, he organized East Rowan High School in Salisbury, North Carolina, and served as the schools first principal. He was the principal of J.H. Rose High School in Greenville, North Carolina from 1962 to 1966. Swain acted as director of curriculum of Nash County schools in Nashville, North Carolina, for two years before organizing and serving, from 1968 to 1971, as the first principal of Southern Nash High School in Bailey, North Carolina. Southern Nash High School was recognized by a number of newspapers in the southeastern United States for its success in integration efforts under Swain's leadership. Swain was also principal of Rose High School when that school integrated. In 1971, he assumed the principal's position at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, North Carolina, where he remained until coming to Appalachian State University in 1972 as a professor of educational administration. Swain's university activities included directing a staff development workshop, in 1973, for twenty-eight LEA staff development directors from across the state and advising seventy-five M.A. degree majors in administration in the Pembroke graduate program sponsored by Appalachian State. He was also a member of the following committees: the College of Education Grading Committee, the Personnel Committee-ASHE, the University Admissions Committee, the Dean's Grant Mainstreaming Committee, and the Faculty Handbook Committee. Dr. Swain has been involved in a number of organizations, including Phi Delta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi, and the Horace Mann League. In 1974, he was elected co-teacher of the year in the Department of Administration, Supervision, and Higher Education and in 1975, he was chosen teacher of the year in the department. Swain was also a member of the following organizations: North Carolina Association of Educators, National Education Association, NCEA Division of Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Middle School Association, American Association of School Administrators, National School Public Relations Association, and National Organization of Legal Problems in Education. In addition to his busy teaching career and his participation in professional organizations, Swain was involved in many other professional activities. He was appointed by the state superintendent to serve on a number of state committees, including Secondary Education in the 1980s, 1971; Educational Media Services, 1970; Foreign Languages, 1964-66; Health Services, 1963; High School Athletics and Activities, 1962-65; High School Curriculum, 1961-63; High School Standards, 1961; Co-ordination of Public School Libraries with Public Libraries, 1957, and Vocational Education, 1968-70. Swain also served as consultant and speaker for many primary and secondary schools across North Carolina. In 1976, he was a panelist at the Assistant Principals' Conference in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and he served on the NCAE State Legislative Committee from 1964 to 1967. In January 1987, the Appalachian State's Board of Trustees approved Dr. Swains appointment to faculty emeritus status. Swain and his wife took the Russian (1995) and European (1996) trips with the Appalachian Alumni Tours. The couple now lives in Greenville, North Carolina. Sources: Appalachian State University files and long association. -Dr. Richard D. Howe
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