Southern-Spring 2017

50 / 68

46 / ’southern
’58
Donald Brown of Tuscaloosa had
his seventh book published in
2016. Mr. X and Mr. Y, a work of
nonfiction, reflects on a Calhoun
County double murder that Brown
covered for the Birmingham News
as a young journalist. The book
can be ordered through local book
stores or Amazon. Brown taught
advanced journalism for eight years
at the University of Alabama and
retired last May.
Along with an article, “The First
French-language Hymnal for
United Methodists in Europe and
Africa,” that was published recently
in The Hymn, Dr. S T Kimbrough,
Jr. released a book of poems in
2015 by his deceased son titled The
Cadillac Poems of Steven Forris
Kimbrough 1958–2010. Arabesque
Records also recently released his
new CD, Songs of Freedom, Justice
& Peace . A professional singer,
scholar, churchman, and author
with widespread experience in
these fields, Kimbrough resides in
Durham, N.C.
’59
John Martin retired in 2015 after
spending exactly 50 years with the
Carrington, Coleman law firm in
Dallas. After graduating from BSC
and Harvard Law School, he worked
on voter discrimination cases and
was the first lawyer in the U.S. Justice
Department’s Civil Rights Division
to win a voting rights case in the
Mississippi District Courts. He was
also involved with the admission of
James Meredith at the University of
Mississippi and with the admissions
of Vivian Malone and James Hood at
the University of Alabama.
’62
Edward Hardin Jr., an attorney at
Burr & Forman LLP in Birmingham,
served as president of the 11
Southeastern Chapters of the
American Board of Trial Advocates
during 2015-16. He also served on
BSC’s Board of Trustees.
Ferrell Singleton is working part
time as senior advisor to the head
of school at St. Benedict’s Episcopal
School near Atlanta. Following
his retirement in 2005 as head of
school at Lakeview Academy in
Gainesville, Ga., he started working
as a consultant for independent
schools and nonprofits. He holds
a master’s in psychology from
Furman University.
’64
Award-winning author Dr. Sena
Jeter Naslund was among several
poets, essayists, novelists, and
memoirists inducted into the
Alabama Writers Hall of Fame
Inaugural Induction Ceremony in
Tuscaloosa, Ala., in 2015. Naslund,
who has published seven novels
and two collections of short fiction,
lives in Louisville, Ky., but was born
CLASSNOTES BY PAT KINDALL
Alum profile ’87
(MPPM ’98)
John “J.T.” Dabbs III never
thought all of the hikes, camps, and
outdoor pleasures he enjoyed as a
boy would one day turn into a career.
Following some 29 years of
scouting, Dabbs is the top executive
leading the Greater Alabama Council of the Boys Scouts of
America (GAC), headquartered in Birmingham.
In partnership with the GAC’s local leaders and executive
board, he provides vision and direction to staff members and
to 5,000 adult volunteers who serve more than 27,000 youth
in Central and North Alabama.
“Scouting gave me a deep and abiding interest in the
outdoors, which was reinforced by my experiences at BSC,”
said Dabbs, who studied biology on the Hilltop before
returning some years later for his graduate degree. “The
opportunity to learn from [biology professors] Dr. Dan
Holliman, Dr. Doug Waits, and Dr. Wayne Shew guided my
journey into a career of service and character.”
Dabbs previously served as scout executive for a council in
Austin, Texas, and before that, in Portland, Maine. He began
his professional scouting career in the Birmingham Area
Council in 1987 and became scout executive/CEO of the
GAC in 2011.
A native of Birmingham, Dabbs is an Eagle Scout and an
Order of the Arrow Vigil Honor member and completed
Wood Badge, among many other scouting awards.
He credits Earnest United Methodist Church in Concord,
Ala.—the sponsor of his youth troop—and its volunteer
leaders, along with his parents, for turning him on to BSC as
a choice for college. Dabbs was involved in local scouting for
all four years as an undergraduate.
“My experiences on the Hilltop truly prepared me for a
career that, according to BSC’s philosophy, emphasizes the
notion that its graduates will go out into society and improve
the world at large,” said Dabbs, who is a Birmingham Rotary
Club member and active in the Audubon Society, teaching
regularly at the Audubon Mountain Workshop.
Dabbs also serves as president of the board of the St. Louis-
based group PRAY (Programs of Religious Activities with
Youth) and coordinates the Boy Scouts of America Religious
Emblems Program.
He and his wife, Ginger, have a 13-year-old daughter, Lydia,
whom Dabbs said he will encourage to join the coed scout
program Venturing when she turns 14.
“I plan to continue my work for the Boy Scouts of America
for many years to come with the goal of giving every youth
the opportunity to participate in its life-changing programs,”
he said.
PLEASE NOTE: This issue of Class Notes reflects activity up to
March 2016. Due to delays to the magazine publication schedule,
some updates will not be reflected here. However, we’ll make
every effort to include any news received in the interim and new
information you have to report in the next issue of ’Southern.
We appreciate your understanding. Submit class notes and
photographs via email to .