Xi State President, 1959-1961

Ival Woodring Aslinger, twelfth president of Xi State, was born December 18, 1905, at Sugar Grove, Watauga County, North Carolina. In 1914 her parents, Daniel and Julia Harmon Woodring, moved with their three daughters to Sullivan County, Tennessee.

After completing the third grade in North Carolina, Ival attended the Cedar Grove School in Bluff City and then entered Washington College High School from which she was graduated in 1924 as salutatorian of her class. Because of the misfortune of losing both parents while she was still in high school, Ival found it necessary to work in order to defray her college expenses. In 1927 she received the Bachelor of Arts degree from Carson-Newman College, graduating cum laude. Since that time she has done graduate work at the University of Tennessee.

In 1927 Miss Woodring began her career, teaching mathematics for one year at Eidson High School; English and French for one year at Bluefield College, Bluefield, West Virginia; and mathematics for five years at Park Junior High School in Knoxville. In 1935 she was married to Elmer Noel Aslinger, director of vocational and adult education in the Knoxville City Schools. Since there was a ruling that no married woman could teach in the Knoxville schools, Mrs. Aslinger happily resigned her position at Park Junior High School. From 1935 to 1942 she owned and operated a grocery store.

After her husband entered the service in 1942, Mrs. Aslinger rented their home and accompanied him as he was moved to various places of assignment. During the time of his service overseas, she worked as mathematician in the Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen, Maryland. Soon after her return to Knoxville at the close of the war in 1945, she accepted a position as instructor of mathematics at the University of Tennessee. Two years later she moved to Bearden High School in Knoxville, where she has remained for more than ten years.

Mrs. Aslinger has a fine record of service to the Delta Kappa Gamma Society. She held the offices of treasurer of the Zeta Chapter for four years and president for two years. In addition to her contribution as president of Xi State, she has held the following committee assignments: chairman of the State membership committee, member of the State expansion committee, and member of the International membership committee.

Mrs. Aslinger was elected chairman of the mathematics section of the East Tennessee Educational Association in 1958. In the same year she served as faculty advisor to the Parent-Teacher-Student organization in Bearden High School. She holds membership in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Tennessee Teachers of Mathematics Association. She is a member of the Calvary Baptist Church, where she teaches a class of adults.

A person of many interests, she has traveled extensively in the United States and Canada. One of her hobbies is flower arranging. She is a member and a past-president of the Westwood Garden Club in Knoxville.

The fact that Mrs. Aslinger has had a student to win in the State mathematics contest for the past three years is an indication of her superiority as a teacher.

Recently, a friend said of her: "Ival Aslinger is held in high esteem by her colleagues in the teaching field. She is a natural leader who possesses unusual wisdom and practical ability."

Source: Light from Many Candles: A History of Pioneer Women in Education in Tennessee, by Lucille Rogers. Published by Xi State, Delta Kappa Gamma.McQuiddy Printing Company, Nashville, 1960. Transcribed for this site by Char.