Jenna Guzman curated this story which The Appalachian originally published April 5, 1940.

Yesterday morning in a campus wide vote held during the chapel period, Catherine Morris defeated Bill Robertson in a close race to be the first president of the Appalachian Student body. Both candidates are outstanding members of the rising senior class from which all nominations for the position were made. Out of 732 votes cast, Morris received 397 to Robertson’s 335.

Catherine Morris is a junior from Stanley, N.C., and has made an enviable record since her entrance here. Last year she was invited into the International Relations Club, having made the honor roll each quarter since being at Appalachian. Morris has during the past year has been a member of the Student Council and was one of the committee chosen to construct the recently adopted constitution.

Candidates for the president of the student body were nominated Wednesday morning at a meeting of the junior class. Six nominations were made from the floor. They were Tim Daughtery, Catherine Morris, Bill Roberston, Zenna Halsey, Margaret English, and Arendall Warman. After two votes, by the class these nominations were reduced to Morris and Robertson, who were then voted upon by the student body.

Morris’ election marks the functional beginning of the new constitution. Today and tomorrow special class meetings will be held for the purpose of nominating candidates for the new student council for the next year. These members will be chosen next Tuesday in a campus wide ballot. Following these, class officials for next year will be voted upon as specified in the new plan of government.