By Hoyt Tuggle
BUFORD, Ga. | As a former Georgia State University (GSU) student, I have many memories of my time there as a night student. I enrolled in Georgia State in 1968, eight years out of high school. I was married, had two children, two jobs, and wanted the college education I had earlier foregone.
Tuggle
I had many classes in the old circular multi-storied parking garage that had been converted to classrooms. There were no elevators. You walked up the inclined ramps to go from floor to floor. Two fellow Gwinnettians who experienced this ahead of me were J. D. Caswell and Boyd Duncan.
The president of the college was Dr. Noah Langdale, a burly 6’ 1” 250+ lb. former tackle at the University of Alabama. He was a member of the distinguished Langdale family of Valdosta, and had degrees from the Harvard School of Law and its business school. He became president in 1957, when the college was known as Georgia State College of Business Administration. It would become Georgia State University) in 1969 under his tenure.
Langdale
Dr. Langdale would walk the inclines of that old classroom building at night between classes, stopping the students, asking their names, how were things going and what could he do to make things better for them. I met him so often that at times I would hear him yell, “Hoyt, wait up”. He, Dean Kenneth England, and Colonel Culp, gave me the encouragement to participate in college activities even though my time was limited.
During my time at GSU, new buildings were constantly being erected, and filled. By the time I graduated the campus was totally different than when I began.
When I walked across the stage to get my degree in 1972, my eyes met Dr. Langdale’s and I saw the biggest grin on his face. I shook the largest hand I have ever shaken as he said, “Hoyt, I am so proud of you”. He said that to most, if not all, of the graduates that day. That’s the kind of leader he was. He was essential to the success of GSU and he was, above all else, a “student’s president.”
I will always think of him when GSU crosses my mind. Here is a link to Dr. Langdale’s (Noah’s) obituary.
Without Noah Langdale, GSU would not be what it is today.
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