SILS alumna gives more than $1 million for scholarships

Volume 1 | Issue 1

Spring 2009

SILS alumna gives more than $1 million for scholarships

By Wanda Monroe

“Yoo hoo! What are you reading over there?” Jane Iris Crutchfield called from her bedroom window to the young girl next door. Mary Kay Lanzillotta’s bedroom was directly across from her childhood neighbor, “Miss Iris,” as she called her. Lanzillotta would go to her window and share the title of the book she was reading with Miss Iris, whom Lanzillotta described as an elegant, southern lady who was passionate about reading and learning.

Iris Crutchfield

“Miss Iris thought if she could engage children in exploring through reading, they could do anything,” she said. “If they couldn’t yet read, she would read to them. She would make studying fun and interesting by bringing in artifacts from her many travels to relate to her stories or the books they were reading. She wanted everyone to read, to appreciate and enjoy reading.”

Crutchfield, an alumna of UNC’s School of Information and Library Science (SILS), demonstrated her commitment to learning and the importance of education by bequeathing more than $1 million to the school for student scholarships.

“Miss Iris thought if she could engage children in exploring through reading, they could do anything. If they couldn’t yet read, she would read to them.”
» Mary Kay Lanzillotta

Crutchfield made the gift in memory of her mother, Janie Gammon Crutchfield, who always encouraged Iris to pursue her education. It will benefit SILS’s Susan Grey Akers Scholarship Fund, an endowment “that assists deserving students admitted to the Master of Science in Library Science degree program and distinguished by evidence of professional promise, character, leadership and high scholastic achievement.”

“This incredibly generous gift will provide scholarships to our most promising students for years to come,” said Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, dean of SILS. “We are grateful for this thoughtful and heartfelt gift that will assist in recruiting the best students into our program, and prepare them for success in ways that were important to Miss Crutchfield.”

Crutchfield spent her career as a teacher and school librarian. She taught at the Danville Public Schools in Virginia and later at the Richmond Public Schools. She came to SILS after 19 years of teaching, graduating with a bachelor of science in library science in 1955. In addition to her Carolina degree from SILS, Crutchfield held a B.S. from Mary Washington College and a master’s of education from the University of Virginia. She was a school librarian at the Patrick Henry Elementary School in Arlington, Va., from 1960 until she retired in the late 1970s.

After retiring, Crutchfield traveled extensively throughout the world. In addition to her love of reading, she enjoyed gardening and was active and engaged in her community—especially the Delta Kappa Gamma Society of Female Educators and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Crutchfield was 92 when she died on Dec. 10, 2006. She is remembered fondly by her neighbors and friends.

Lanzillotta was Crutchfield’s neighbor for 40 years and considered her a gracious and thoughtful part of her family. “Iris attended graduations, holiday gatherings and other special events with my family,” Lanzillotta said. “She was a warm and very cultured person who loved children. She loved teaching and had a talent for getting her students excited about reading and writing. She was a treasure.”

Lanzillotta’s daughter, Mary Kay, called Crutchfield an adventurer, constantly on the go and actively involved with children and literacy. “As a children’s librarian, she always had suggestions of books to read or things to explore for my siblings and me. Each birthday we received a book that had been carefully selected and was meaningful for each of us.”

Her favorite memories of Crutchfield were her tea parties. “She would have my sister and me over for tea,” Mary Kay said. “They were very special occasions for us.”

In honor of Crutchfield and to commemorate the gift, the dean will host an annual tea in the name of Jane Iris Crutchfield for the recipients of the Susan Grey Akers scholarships.

About the Susan Grey Akers Scholarship Fund

Susan Grey Akers

The SILS Alumni Association established the fund upon Dean Susan Grey Akers' retirement to provide a fellowship that assists deserving students admitted to the MSLS degree program and distinguished by evidence of professional promise, character, leadership and high scholastic achievement.

Akers was the first dean of SILS from 1932 to 1954, and she was the first female dean at UNC. Akers spearheaded the foundation of the library school at North Carolina Central University. She was noted for her work, Simple Library Cataloging. Akers maintained an interest in the school, its faculty and students until her death in 1984 at the age of 95.