Written and contributed by Liz Beavers, Editor, Mineral News & Tribune
A long-time keeper of the history of Keyser and the surrounding area who said he
earned his first college credit from Potomac State College when he was only in
second grade was honored with a special homecoming at that institution on Tuesday,
September 23.
Carl Dennison Avers, known to most as “Denny,” attended Potomac State College from
1959-1961, going on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering
at West Virginia University.
In recognition of his illustrious career in that field, as well as his lifelong efforts in preserving the history of the area, Potomac State chose him this year as a recipient of the Whitmore/Gates Award.
While Avers was unable to attend the initial ceremony in the spring, he was able to return home on September 23 to see his name written in granite on the Duke Anthony Whitmore/Henry Louis Gates Jr. Scholars Wall.
Those chosen for the Whitmore/Gates Award must be an alum of the college who has previously produced a scholarly work of outstanding quality. While Avers has contributed many pieces of historic value, he is best known for his book, This is Our Home — A History of Trinity Lutheran Church, Keyser, West Virginia, published in 2019.
A friend of Avers noted, however, that the book was so thorough in its research that it could be considered a history of Keyser itself.
Avers was honored with a reception at the Mary F. Shipper Library on the PSC campus Tuesday, where he was greeted by many old friends and fellow history buffs, as well as college staff and the campus president himself (Dr. Jerry Wallace).
He was introduced to the gathering by Batson Sheets, PSC Class of 2021, and vice-president of the PSC Alumni Association, who noted of Avers that winning the West Virginia Golden Horseshoe Award in 1956 “launched his passion for learning about local history.”
Since then, he has received numerous awards for his efforts to preserve and share local history, including being awarded the Order of Crozet, the Mineral County Historical Society’s highest honor, in 2019; being named a Distinguished West Virginian by then — Gov. Gason Caperton in 1996; being honored with the PSC Alumni Achievement Award in 1998; and being recognized as a West Virginia History Hero by the State Department of Arts, Culture and History in 2021.
In his remarks, Avers noted the “Three Fundamental Truths of My Life” which contributed toward him becoming the person he is today:
- “I was blessed with wonderful parents.
- “Since the day of my baptism, I have been blessed to be a member of Keyser’s Trinity Lutheran Church; and…
- Keyser was a wonderful place to grow up.”
Noting that both of his parents attended Potomac State College, Avers said his parents encouraged his education, beginning at a young age.
“I earned my first credit hours at Potomac State in 1950 ... for taking piano lessons,” he said. “It was a one-hour piano lesson each week, and I got one hour of credit, and they kept track of them.
“When I went to Morgantown years later to study engineering, one of the curricular elements was non-technical electives. … So, I went to the registrar’s office, and I said, ‘Can I take credit for some of those piano lessons I took?’ And by durn, they gave me three credit hours,” he said, noting that the first of those credit hours was earned when he was only in the second grade.
Avers spoke fondly of his days at Potomac State, noting that he had learned many life lessons “playing Bridge in the old Student Center” on campus. Many college faculty and staff at that time were deeply involved in the community and made a lasting impression.
“The characteristic of dignity that was pervasive in the faculty of this institution,” he said, “had a major impact not only on me but also the community. The faculty and staff of Potomac State lifted the community intellectually, culturally, economically, and ethically. I cannot understate the impact of Potomac State College,” he said.
Following the reception in the library, Avers was joined by PSC president Dr. Jerry Wallace, Director of Development Megan Webb, other representatives of the college, and friends at the Whitmore/Gates wall for photos and sharing stories.