A prolific proofreader
Nell Smith has been checking Furman copy since 1971

For more than a quarter of a century, Nell Smith has been Furman's wordsmith. In the assembly line of university publications - brochures, newsletters, press releases and magazines - few have been released without receiving the once-over from her eagle eye.

She has a penchant for proofreading and is a stylebook stickler. Her favorite columnist is James J. Kilpatrick. Go figure.

Smith joined the Furman staff in 1971 and, pencil in hand, began poring over university copy after longtime editor Marguerite Hays asked her to proofread a draft of Furman Magazine.

"Before it went out, Mrs. Hays wanted it to be perfect," says Smith. "I guess she rubbed off on me. I'm not happy unless it is perfect."

Smith, however, does not check only for subject-verb disagreements, capitalization errors, misspellings, run-on sentences, inconsistencies and comma splices. She verifies names, dates and facts, and scours alumni directories to confirm graduation years, majors and spellings. Nothing goes unchecked.

"When somebody sees his or her name in print, it takes away from the excitement if the information is not correct, and it just takes a minute to check," she says.

Aside from proofing, Smith's primary job for most of her years at Furman was to work with the news service. But as her proofreading reputation grew, departments other than University Relations (now Marketing and Public Relations) began forwarding her copy.

"They knew that if Nell saw it, it would be right, or at least as close to right as it was going to get," says Jim Stewart, Director of Periodicals. "No doubt a few folks also fainted when they saw how many mistakes she found."

A native of Gaffney, S.C., Smith graduated from Spartanburg Junior College (now Spartanburg Methodist College) in 1955 with an associate's degree in secretarial science. After acing a civil service test, Smith took a job at the Provost Marshal's office at Fort Jackson, S.C.

When her husband, Ray, a jet and helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps, was transferred to the Marine Air Station in Beaufort, S.C., in 1957, Smith left the workforce and would not return until her husband retired from the military in 1971 and the couple and their two children, Lisa and Scott, moved to Greenville.

Smith first came to Furman as a temporary employee but was hired full-time months later by Ben Bagwell, then Director of University Relations.

Now, 30 years later, Smith is ready to give her proofreading pencil a rest. Although she will continue to edit class notes for Furman magazine, she will retire as a full-time employee in December.

"It's been wonderful working at Furman and getting to know not only the employees but their families as well," she says. "The work I've done as a proofreader has been very fulfilling. I've loved the work and the people."