1954-1972

Basil Willis Is First ECJC ChoctawGraduate

Although there are several Choctaw communities in and around our five county area, this year will be the first year that a Choctaw student has graduated from East Central Junior College, Decatur. The distinction of being the first Choctaw to graduate from East Central goes to Basil Har– rison Willis. Basil is a 1965 ·graduate of Choctaw Central High School in Neshoba County. While in high school, Basil won many honors. He was the vice president of his class in his freshman, sophomore, and sen– ior years. He was amember of

the Choralairs, the Square Dancing Club, and was salu– tatorian of his graduating class. After graduation from Choc– taw Central, Basil attended Southeastern State College, in Durant, Oklahoma tor one semester. He then entered East Central in the fall of 1966. Record collecting, making bead-work, and dancing are but a few of Basil's hobbies and special interests. He says that he enjoys all kinds of dancing from the traditional Choctaw ceremonial dances to the bug– aloo. He, however, hastens to add that his sister does the bugaloo better than he does. Basil is especially talented with his bead work, an almost dying talent among many of the Am– erican Indians. A picture of one of his works appeared on a publication from a college in Oklahoma. Basil is the first of seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Willis. He has two sisters and four brothers. Basil's father is a mainten– ance engineer at Choctaw Central High School, and · !rls. mother is one of the dieticians there. His older sister, Lois, is the 1967-68 Choctaw Indian Princess of the Mississippi tribe. His younger sister is only two years old. Basil's four brothers are still at home with his parents, and three of them are in school at Choctaw Central. Basil, a member of the Bet– hany Baptist Church in Neshoba County, is a member of the BSU at East Central. He is majoring in elementary education. For the past two semesters he has been on the honor roll with a grade point average of better than 3.00. After graduation froi;n .junior .: college, Basil plans to attend ·j Delta State College where he will continue his studies in elementary education. When he haj completed his work for the B.S. degree, Basil plans to teach in one of the seven Choc– taw schools of Mississippi. When asked what one thing stood out most in his mind about ECJC, Basilreplied,"The atmosphere at East Central is very friendly, and it is a won– derful institution for those who are really seeking knowledge."

.. •·· .. ~ ..

...