OLDSCHOOL: Members of the Corps of Cadets gather on the porch at the Vickery House, across from Price Memorial on the campus of the University of North Georgia, then the home of Latin and Greek instructor Professor Elias Benton Vickery. The photo was taken around the turn of the century. (Photo/UNG archives)
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A Proud Tradition (continued)
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Chamber of Commerce and Holly boards, was an active member of Rotary and served four terms as Dahlonega’s mayor, 1985 through 1990 and again 1995 through 2000. Both of the Hill’s children also opted to attend UNG. Current Dahlonega City Manager retired Col. Bruce Georgia is another NGC graduate who returned to the community. Georgia also served his last years in the Army as a professor of military science at UNG. After six months in the position, he said, “we decided to stay. We loved the people and the atmosphere. The community seemed like a perfect way of life—not a big city and the people seemed to wrap their arms around you. I’ve never felt like an outsider here. That’s not always
the case for the military everywhere you go.” Besides being the City Manager, Georgia has also served on the County Planning Commission, is involved with the local Boy Scouts and a member of Rotary. Retired Ranger Stan Kelley is in his 10th year as the Lumpkin County Manager. Prior to serving in that position he was a deputy with the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office for 12 years. His first experience with Dahlonega was going through Ranger School at Camp Frank D. Merrill in 1977. He returned to Camp Merrill as a Ranger Instructor in 1982, remaining until 1986. “I took the opportunity to be assigned here real quick,” he said. “It’s so much like home.”