Marian Nacke

In Denver, Colorado, Marian Nacke Teeter read the Reader’s Digest condensed version of Louis Adamic’s article about Black Mountain College. She recalled that her family had a "radical viewpoint politically" – they were socialists – and she was not interested in traditional schools.

The communal nature of the college as well as the forested mountainous setting appealed to her. She also was pleased that the college was "far from home." She applied and was granted a scholarship.

At the time Black Mountain College was located in the Blue Ridge Assembly buildings, "a Southern palatial place with these big white columns." Teeter was interested in literature and music and in the first year read Ernest Hemingway and Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past in Fred Mangold’s class.

She also took music appreciation with John Evarts, John Rice’s Plato class and drama with Robert Wunsch. Her second year at Black Mountain Teeter eloped with a student, an episode which lasted only briefly. She recalls that John Rice arranged for her return to the college and that "They welcomed my back. I wasn’t in disgrace in any way. I was probably considered kind of wild and unfortunate." She passed the Senior Division exam and planned to graduate in music.

She took part in drama productions including Xanti Schawinsky’s Spectodrama. Midterm her fourth year Teeter left the college to move to New York. She married David Way, a former student who was living in the city. Although she hoped to continue her studies toward graduation, she did not have the support system in New York necessary to realize such a plan.

At first the Ways shared an apartment with Robert Sunley and another former student, and David Way worked for P.M. magazine. After the birth of their son Anthony, they moved to New Jersey. After about three years in the New York area, the Ways moved to Idaho where David Way’s family lived. There David Way worked on a construction job. When his parents moved to Los Angeles, David and Marian Way also moved to the West Coast.

After her divorce from Way, Nacke married Robert Teeter, a carpenter. For many years she worked in offices while rearing Anthony and their son Lawrence. In her forties she returned to school for her B.A. degree and her M.A. degree in school psychology.

She worked briefly as a school psychologist until the position was eliminated in the Reagan cutbacks. In 1938, Marion Teeter’s younger brother Frank Nacke joined her as a Black Mountain student. He was killed in an accident at the college in August 1940.

Biography written by Mary Emma Harris for the Black Mountain College Project.

Alternative Names: Marian Nacke Teeter

Relationships

Brother: Fellow BMC Student, Frank Nacke

Black Mountain College Project

Mary Emma Harris interviewed Marian in 1998 and the transcript is available from Appalachian State University under The Mary Emma Harris and Black Mountain College Project, Inc. Oral History collection.

Topics: Hearing about BMC – application process – travel by train – classes – Fred Mangold – John Rice and Rice class – work program – drama with Wunsch – college dances – Rice/Albers conflict – Rice resignation – music with Allan Sly and John Evarts – Senior Division examination – apolitical atmosphere at college – elopement and return to BMC – Roy’s bar – hikes in mountains – mealtimes at college – Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard visit – importance of BMC – post BMC education – effect of no grades