Spartan Echo

Section: News

Larry Jordan hard at work.

Throughout the past years, it would not be out of the ordinary to stroll the Hamm Fine Arts building and notice sets of dry clay footprints prevalent in certain areas. Though this may have proven mildly annoying to some, an even bigger impact is now felt because those footprints will never be seen again.

"You could always tell he was around by his tracks," Professor Linda Brady said, "I miss his tracks and I fondly miss him."

These tracks belonged to Lawrence Jordan, or "Larry", as his coworkers knew him. Jordan passed away March 17, 2007 of a protracted illness.

After receiving his Ph. D. in Art Education, from Pennsylvania State University, Jordan opted to reunite with his South Carolina roots as an Associate Professor of Art, at Francis Marion University, in his family's city of Florence. As with his 14 year stint at Norfolk State, Jordan set out to revolutionize his department from the beginning.

"He was very ambitious about his ideas for academia and art," said Steven Gately, Associate Professor of Arts at Francis Marion University.
Not only did he single handedly construct the biggest gas-fire kiln in South Carolina, he also built the school a ceramics building from scratch.

While his credentials speak for themselves, Jordan never lost sight of those who needed him most-- students. Professor Chinedu Okala of Norfolk State's Fine Arts department echoes these sentiments.

"He never saw any reason for a Norfolk State student to feel inferior," Okala continues, "He believed that his Penn State education was entirely possible at Norfolk State, and that his students were talented enough."

If those kinds of beliefs are any indication of Jordan's love for his students, then the tears in the eyes of many a Spartan student at his memorial signify that the love was returned tenfold.

While Jordan's words have proven inspirational to some, the manner in which he carried himself spoke volumes about his character to those that looked up to him.

"He was a powerful little guy," said David Bouknight, a student of Jordan.

Bouknight recalls many times he offered a helping hand to Jordan when it seemed as if he were struggling with heavy equipment. No matter how many times he asked, as if on cue, Bouknight could rely on Jordan to politely decline his aid.

"I never would have known he was ailing. He was always so independent," said Bouknight.

Because of the three years Jordan spent in the armed forces during the Vietnam War, his eternal resting place is the Veterans Cemetery in Florence, S.C. As those who knew and loved Jordan bid him farewell, they serve as a reflection, that like the infamous prints in the Fine Arts building, Jordan left his mark everywhere his feet could take him.

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