Robert Beal accepts Bible 64 years later
Posted April 13, 2012
Robert Beal, class of 1948, and his wife, Gladys, were guests on April 13 in chapel. They were on the Webb School campus for the presentation of Mr. Beal’s Bible – something he missed out on when he was a senior at Webb.
The presentation of the Bible is and has been a long-standing tradition at The Webb School. Founder Sawney Webb kept the curriculum and the moral standards of the school in a strong Christian context. And, up until approximately 20 years ago, the Bible itself was the diploma.
Mr. Beal, a native and resident of Little Rock, was the seventh in a family of nine children. After his father died when he was 14, he was enrolled as a sophomore at Webb.
Mr. Beal spent most of his career in real estate sales and management. He became president and now is chairman emeritus of the Board of Directors of Little Rock-based RPM Management Co. He has received three national awards from the Institute of Real Estate Management Foundation. During his career, Mr. Beal said he believed in surrounding himself with capable, competent people to mentor – a practice that has contributed to the success of RPM.
Mr. and Mrs. Beal, a retired nurse, have a daughter, a nurse practitioner, who lives in Little Rock.
“Mr. Beal, we are pleased that you have come all the way from Little Rock for this presentation,” said Ray Broadhead, head of school. “It reflects the strong bond you have with The Webb School and reinforces for the class of 2012 and the underclassmen the importance of the Webb experience to their lives.” He added, “It is our privilege to complete that experience you began more than 60 years ago by presenting this Bible to you today.”
Accepting the Bible, the alumnus described many aspects of the Webb he knew. He added that he learned a lot of life’s lessons at The Webb School that have served him well in his personal and professional life. “I learned you don’t have to lie, cheat and steal to get along, your word is your honor, and you don’t have to do things on the sly.”
