But, as the old idiom goesthat’s what happens when you’re having fun! It is truly remarkable for us to note that with this spring 2014 issue of Statesboro Magazine we celebrate 15 years of showcasing the best people, places, and events that our area has to offer.
It’s amazing that we never run out of good people to interview and good stories to tell, but that’s our Statesboro. The good people of our town work to make it the most wonderful place in the world to live, work, and play, and that’s not true everywhere. We are a very special community, as our pages reflect, and we thank you for providing the great stories and adventures that are chronicled in each issue.
In this issue that marks our milestone, we have chosen to celebrate with the history of the Archibald Bulloch Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution who are commemorating their 50 th Anniversary this spring. See how five decades of dedicated lady patriots have influenced our community for the better.
About the Cover
A 15-year cover retrospective. Cover designed by Melanie Schmermund. Here’s some trivia for you – Award winning photographer Frank Fortune has the distinction of photographing every Statesboro Magazine cover, except for two. Let us know which two you think were not photographed by Frank, and be entered into a drawing for a free two-year subscription. editor@statesboromagazine.com
Inside, we also visit the Bennett Grove School, a one-room schoolhouse in northwest Bulloch County, built in 1918 by Benjamin Bennett to educate black students from the immediate area.
Now a part of the Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center in Portal, the school’s history is being documented with help from Georgia Southern.
We also look to the future in this issue with a story about a new television show premiering soon about two activities Southerners love to do – fishing and eating. Anglers & Appetites shows how community partnerships can bring economic development and great marketing opportunities.
We hope you enjoy our 15th Anniversary issue, and we look forward to telling your stories for many years to come.
Proud publishers of Statesboro Magazine, Weddings by Statesboro Magazine, and GSU’s official football program – FLIGHT!
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Fr A nk Fortune
Frank is the national award winning photographer who holds the distinction of shooting 14 years’ worth of covers for Statesboro Magazine. He recently retired from GSU after having been responsible for capturing the university’s history on film and video for 30 years. throughout his career Frank’s enjoyed all aspects of photography, including sports, still-life, landscape, and architecture. He and his wife, Mandy, are the proud parents of children, Jack and Cate.
Inger Wood
Inger Wood is a historic preservationist living in Bulloch County. She earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Georgia, Athens, and studies the historic architecture, built environment, and cultures of Georgia and the Southeast. She is currently involved in projects with Georgia Southern University, the Society for Georgia Archaeology, the Bulloch County Historical Society, and the Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center.
News & Notes
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B oddiford
Wins n ational FFa Pr oficiency a war d
Knapp Boddiford, of Southeast Bulloch High School’s National FFA Organization Chapter, was selected as the national winner of the Fiber and/or Oil Crop Production Proficiency Award Program during the 86th National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, late fall 2013. This is the second year in a row that a SEBHS FFA student has been honored with a national proficiency award. Mary Catherine Cromley won in 2012 in the area of Specialty Crop Production for the development of her own agribusiness of growing ornamental gourds.
Boddiford is a 2013 graduate of Southeast Bulloch High School. He qualified as a finalist for his convention honor before graduating last May. He was one of 49 National Proficiency winners selected from across the United States, and one of five Georgians selected. He received a plaque and $1,000 in prize money.
Currently Boddiford is a freshman at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, GA. He is majoring in Diversified Agriculture, and is also working with NESPAL, a Tifton based group of Ag technology researchers who are employees of the University of Georgia.
Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, Walking
Humbly. — Micah 6:8
J n amed g eorgia Souther n’s aVP of Marketing & Communications
Georgia Southern University has selected Jan Bond as the new Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Bond will lead brand development initiatives, marketing campaigns to attract and retain students, and share the success stories of the University with a national audience.
Before joining Georgia Southern, Bond served as the executive director of marketing and communications at Ashland University in Ohio and assistant vice president of marketing and communications at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. A native of Ohio, Bond is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), American Marketing Association (AMA) and Counsel for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Bond received her bachelor’s degree from the Art Academy of Cincinnati in 1990, a Master of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University in 2009, completed Ph.D. coursework in public administration from Florida Atlantic in 2012 and last year began working toward a certificate in marketing strategy from Cornell University.
“J udy & L iza : T oge T her a gain ” a T T he P a C!
Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, well known especially for the “Wizard of Oz” and “Cabaret,” are respectively brought to life on stage by Suzanne Goulet and Denise Rose during the two-act show. Viewers are transported to a time when the mother and daughter stars were shining on stage together and are able to experience their wonderful energy and the love they had for each other.
Unlike the usual “tribute show,” this performance not only recreates the looks, voices and dance steps of the legends, but it also conceptualizes the mother and daughter being reunited to do one more show together. The show features signature songs from Judy such as “Rockabye Your Baby,” “The Man That Got Away” plus dancers join her in “Swanee” and “Get Happy.” From Liza, viewers will hear “Ring Them Bells,” “Cabaret,” “I love a Piano,” “I’m Glad I’m Not Young Anymore” and many other songs associated with the star. Tickets for Georgia Southern students are $10, $20 for faculty and staff and $24 for all other patrons. To purchase tickets, contact the PAC Box Office at 912.478.7999 or visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu/pac.
C o L onia L h ouse of f L owers n amed to 2014 b ulldog 100
Colonial House of Flowers was recognized as the No. 62 fastest growing business owned or operated by a University of Georgia graduate during the 2014 Bulldog 100 Celebration .
Colonial House, led by 1997 UGA alumna Christy Hulsey, specializes in personal flower deliveries.
The Bulldog 100, coordinated by the University of Georgia Alumni Association, recognizes the 100 fastest growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni. More than 800 nominations were received for the 2014 Bulldog 100. The class includes companies of all sizes, providing services and products in a variety of industries, including advertising, staffing, real estate, pest control and mixed martial arts. Companies as far west as Texas and Kansas, and as far northeast as New Jersey, made the list this year.
To view the complete list of the 2014 Bulldog 100, photos from the event and 2015 sponsorship information, visit www.alumni.uga.edu/b100. Nominations for the 2015 Bulldog 100 will be accepted until May 31, 2014, at that website. s T uden T s n amed B L ue r i BB on f ina L is T s for M t V College television a war ds
Georgia Southern University students were named Blue Ribbon finalists in the 35th Annual MTV College Television Awards sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts Foundation.
The College Television Awards are a national competition recognizing excellence in college student-produced video, digital and film work. Judged online by members of the Television Academy who are professionals working in each respective discipline, entries are awarded based on excellence in overall production.
The series, “Just Wild” was produced entirely by students at the newly developed Multimedia Development Center in collaboration with the staff at the Georgia Southern University Center for Wildlife Education and The Lamar Q Ball, Jr. Raptor Center. The conservation-based series, which aired on GeorgiaSouthern.tv, features efforts to protect and regulate ownership of exotic animals such as tigers, monkeys, and others not native to the United States.
(L-R) Jeremiah Womble with the gSU Multimedia Development Center, student producer a llen Lincoln, Steve Hein, director of the Wildlife education Center, and art berger, director of the Multimedia Development Center, pose with the University’s mascot, Freedom.
Allen Lincoln, Chris Ocampo, AnnNell Byne, Tim Hunt, and Jake Taylor were the student producers and directors of the series. The three finalist episodes selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel will be featured at the event in April. It will be hosted by Tom Bergeron, the host of ABC-TV’s “Dancing with the Stars.”
P or T a L ffa w ins
s i L ver a T n a T iona L s
Portal Middle High School’s FFA Chapter was awarded a Silver emblem in the National FFA Meats Evaluation and Technology Career Development Event (CDE) held during the 86th Annual National FFA Convention at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, late fall of 2013. Portal FFA represented Georgia as state champions, and was one of 43 teams from other states participating in the event. Led by their advisor, Dr. Tom Marshall, the school’s Agriculture teacher, team members Josie Barnes, Kimberly Phillips, Kyle Phillips, and Brantley Spence, also each received individual Silver emblems in competition against 159 other participants.
(L-R) FFa advisor tom Marshall, Josie barnes, Kimberly Phillips, Kyle Phillips, brantley Spence, and a representative from Cargill, one of the event sponsors.
The comment I get the most is that “Statesboro is so lucky to have such a quality magazine for our size city.” BBWH Insurors has advertised in the Statesboro Magazine since the beginning and look forward to each and every issue that comes out.
Highest Regards, Bryan R. Burke President BBWH Insurors
Since its inception, Statesboro Magazine has been a cornerstone of our community. It is a rich chronicle of the people and culture that makes Statesboro unique.
W. Bede Mitchell, Ed.D. Dean of the Zach S. Henderson Library
During my 50 years in the Boro, I have been blessed with many exciting opportunities to put words on paper! One which is close to the top took place when, in 2000, Andrea Powell and Mike Bowen visited me with their burgeoning thoughts of developing The Statesboro Magazine and would I be willing to serve as the editor for the first 36 months. Always willing to help dreams to move to reality, I accepted Ric Mandes Statesboro Magazine Columnist
I think of Statesboro Magazine as the merging of past and present of Bulloch County. It provides a view of the county that no other resource does and is becoming an archival place for future citizens of Bulloch County.
Dr. Lynn Futch Dean for Library Services Ogeechee Technical College
Like so many other unexpected amenities for a town our size, Statesboro and Bulloch County are fortunate to have a high quality dedicated community magazine. Best Wishes for your continued success.
Douglas H. Lambert, President Southeastern Hospitality Services, Inc.
This is an excellent publication for informing the citizenry about important issues and events that affect our community in a positive manner. The staff has always been courteous and a pleasure with whom to work.
Karl E. Peace, Ph.D., M.S. Distinguished Cancer Scholar (AKA The Man from Alligator Creek)
It is a wonderful “history of the present!” I always enjoy learning about those folks whom I’ve known for years and their contributions to our community. Statesboro Magazine is on the cutting edge of information and entertainment. It’s always a joy to read. Thank you for 15 great years!
Lynda Williamson Georgia Power Company
It does not get any better. If you want to read about Statesboro, along with award winning photography, then select the Statesboro Magazine, the best of the past, present, and future. Statesboro Magazine, it is worldwide!
Bill T. Akers Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Through its vivid photography, well written editorial, and invaluable partnership, Statesboro Magazine enables the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences to present its premiere concerts, productions, exhibitions, lectures, and other events to residents and visitors of the area. Andrea Bennett Director of Communications & Outreach College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Georgia Southern University
No one tells the stories or captures the spirit of our city and people like Statesboro Magazine. It makes a wonderful first impression and we always get positive comments from our visitors. The magazine is also a great tourism partner showcasing the best that Statesboro and the area has to offer through compelling stories and beautiful special features.
Heidi Jeffers, Executive Director Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau
For more than 10 years, Statesboro Magazine has been a valuable education partner in helping us publish and distribute our annual report and communicate the successes of our faculty and students. Thank you Statesboro Magazine for all you do to showcase Bulloch County Schools and our community.
Hayley G. Greene, CCC Public Relations & Marketing Specialist Bulloch County Board of Education
Statesboro Magazine elevates our community by always capturing what makes our area special and it sets us apart from other communities our size. The quality of the magazine always exceeds my expectations and gives me a sense of community pride every time I pick it up and read it from cover to cover.
Tim Chapman, Executive Director Averitt Center for the Arts
Statesboro Magazine gives a formal face to all of the things I love about our town. It takes the “secrets” of Statesboro and broadcasts them to everyone else. And it does so with the touch and feel of a publication that most only associate with the largest of cities. We now “look” like we have always imagined we wanted others to see us.
Darin Van Tassell Owner, Hackers & the Clubhouse
Congratulations Statesboro Magazine for 15 years of showcasing our area; the area I’m so blessed to represent in the Georgia Senate.
Jack Hill Georgia State Senator
I look forward to each issue and the “unique” stories of Bulloch County. I’ve been here all my life, (and six generations before me), but realize each time that I have something new to learn.
Bulloch County is blessed!
Martin G.
Waters, Ed.D., Principal Statesboro High School
It allows Public Safety to stay abreast of our community from a personal and professional standpoint We often use this information to help provide better services to our community, from a potential new community project being explored, to a large industrial or commercial business - we can always depend on timely and accurate information from Statesboro Magazine! Wendell Turner Statesboro Director of Public Safety
The best thing about the magazine is your unbridled honesty, integrity, devotion to fair representation, and dedication to excellence. You challenge the community of Statesboro to confront their fears, prejudices, and personal aspirations all while loving the goodness in your town without reservation.
Christopher Leggett, M.D.
We keep copies to share with friends who visit and often use features as our guide for memorable outings. Thank you to Statesboro Magazine for 15 years of sharing what is so great and inspiring about our community!
You do an amazing job of showcasing our great heritage of “Community” that we have all grown to love here. Through your magazine any reader can appreciate all the wonderful qualities of Statesboro. Congratulations on your success in capturing the people and stories of this great place we all love to call home!!
Ashley Hines Ellis, Executive Vice President BBWH Insurors
Statesboro Magazine showcases a wide variety of our community’s amenities and strengths, and its presentation reflects the style and grace we hope to portray. People will call or drop by the Chamber just to see if we have copies of the newest edition they can nab.
Phyllis H. Thompson, President Statesboro-Bulloch Chamber of Commerce
Whether the stories and photos are about very special people, businesses, education, or generally showcasing the great place in which we live, your magazine always presents our community in the best possible light. I am very proud we have Statesboro Magazine to present this enviable lifestyle to the rest of the world.
Andy A. Burns Business Owner & Developer
I look forward to receiving the latest edition of the Statesboro Magazine. The Bulloch area is a vibrant and growing area of Georgia and Statesboro Magazine does a great job of keeping us updated as to the happenings in the area. I always enjoy the articles that you have about the interesting people and places in our area. I always learn something new from each edition. Keep up the good work and best wishes,
Although I live in Macon and travel the country for work, I make it down to “the Boro” often and consider it a second home. Statesboro Magazine keeps me up to date, and the staff is great, especially if you have a question about the town or GSU. It far exceeds many other city magazines. Keep up the great work and congratulations on 15 years. Here’s to another fantastic 15 and more!
Bill Geddy
Principal & Chief Sales Officer WMe3, Inc. – a Sales & Marketing Consultancy By showcasing the tireless dedication to service of so many, the many businesses and individuals who work so hard to make this community the unique and wonderful place that it is, and to celebrate those who came before us, Statesboro Magazine has become the face and “unofficial” record of who we are and what we strive to be. Thank you for putting a public face on the heart and soul of our community.
Jan Moore, Mayor City of Statesboro
Butch Parrish, State Representative District 158
Statesboro Magazine is a publication I treasure. It connects our past, present, and future through vibrant reflections of people, places, and things that make our community strong. Congratulations!
Jan Tankersley, Representative Georgia State House
Thanks for promoting our city for the past 15 years with articles and photos about events and people. You do an outstanding job. I am looking forward to reading Statesboro Magazine for another 15 years.
Joe Brannen Former Mayor of Statesboro
We congratulate you and your magazine for helping tell Statesboro’s and Bulloch County’s story.
Tom Couch
Bulloch County Manager
For fifteen years, Statesboro Magazine has been serving the greater Statesboro community by highlighting all the many things that make this area such a special place to live, learn, work and play. Congratulations on your 15th birthday; but more important, best wishes for your continued success! Looking forward to this year’s The Write Place.
Brooks A. Keel, Ph.D., President Georgia Southern University
The picture of our community painted by the writers and contributors to the magazine certainly reminds us of what a blessing it is live in Statesboro and inspires others to consider moving their homes and businesses to our area
Thank you for all that you do for Georgia Southern University and for your work and dedication to our community!
Russell Keen, Vice President Georgia Southern University Government Relations Community Engagement
East Georgia Regional Medical Center is proud to have partnered over the past several years with Statesboro Magazine. The commitment we receive from Statesboro Magazine and its associates in providing us with quality advertising and hospital informational coverage is tremendous. Congratulations on 15 years of service to our community!
Bob Bigley, EGRMCCEO
Statesboro Magazine is a great partner with downtown Sylvania in promoting our special events and in placing us on the regional calendar. The special section on our Livestock Festival made the magazine a keepsake for many in our community. We have regular visitors that come into the DDA office and the Soda Shop Gallery to pick up the latest edition.
Hilda Boykin, Manager Downtown Development Authority of Sylvania/Classic Main Street
I moved here with my family 20 years ago looking for a nice quiet place to raise my children. I am proud of the way my children have turned out as they have grown and proud of my adopted hometown in her growth. Well wishes as the journey continues. Don Poe 2011 Statesboro Kiwanian of the Year
Statesboro Magazine has been one of the most important economic development tools supporting Statesboro Bulloch County
The magazine is a great mirror for our community.; helping us to appreciate the many blessings we enjoy here, and helping us understand how to share those blessings with future citizens
Benjy Thompson, CEO Development Authority of Bulloch County
Statesboro Magazine has done a phenomenal job capturing the essence of what makes our community great. The staff at Statesboro Magazine is nothing short of amazing. It is my sincere prayer that even greater things are to come, and in the year 2029, we will be celebrating 30 years of excellence!”
Alvie Coes, Adjunct Faculty Member Ogeechee Technical College
I always take a current copy of Statesboro Magazine to show to others at my District Attorney meetings around the state. Everyone is always impressed. Statesboro Magazine is a well-done, classy publication that showcases the people of this community and shows what my hometown, (and this area in general), has become. Best wishes for continued success!
Richard A. Mallard District Attorney
Statesboro Magazine brings out the best in our community. It reminds us of who we are and of what we have to be proud. The magazine brings out the charm of our Downtown and the people that make it wonderful.
Allen Muldrew, Director DSDA & Main Street
Statesboro Magazine represents all that is good about Statesboro. Through the years we have enjoyed the magazine’s insight into the life and times of Statesboro and Bulloch County. Dawn Cartee, Ph.D., President Ogeechee Technical College
I know of no other publication which has done so much to promote such pride in our cities and county. Your presentation through excellent photography and timely features showcases our community at its best. I am always eager to see the next publication because it is so informative and fun to read about our local citizens and relevant activities in our area. Thank you for this great service you do for Bulloch County.
Garrett Nevil, Chairman Bulloch County Commission
As the project coordinator for the Bulloch County Historical Society, I think Statesboro Magazine has been an incredible tool to let our community know of our many contributions. At our home, we really need two subscriptions! Bill and I read it from cover to cover. This publication is a tremendous asset to our town.
Virginia Anne Franklin Waters
15Years Celebrating
are Fish
BITING
Thank goodness the fish were biting the day Dave Zelski and Phil Proctor, creators of cable television show Anglers & Appetites, visited Black Water Preserve with a camera and production crew. Producers of the show about adventures in fishing and preparing the fresh catch for dining, the duo were in town last fall to film a segment titled “Baitin’ Up in the Boro” to be aired soon on the Fox Sport South network.
by Jenny Starling Foss
photos by Frank Fortune
“this
time the City of Statesboro played a big role in facilitating the production of Anglers & Appetites, even providing two of the city’s best fishermen for leading roles.”
– Proctor
Fresh
Zelski, host of a variety of programs on Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB), including Lawmakers, Georgia Business Report, and Georgia Traveler, joined colleague Proctor, best known for his work on Georgia Traveler, CNN, Headline News, and Turner Sports, to create the show that blends two of the South’s favorite pastimes – fishing and eating. The fast-paced show moves from boat to table in about half an hour, but filming can take up to two or three days depending on location.
There was no chance involved in choosing Statesboro as the program’s destination. Plans for the show, the actors, the cooking, and the meal were made over several visits to various locations in the county, but the first stop for Zelski and Proctor when location scouting began was the office of Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Heidi Jeffers.
“the people are as friendly and hospitable as anywhere I’ve visited. It’s like being around family and good friends.” – Proctor
“there’s nothing I enjoy more than good food and Statesboro has its share. My taste buds were singing in happy harmony after my meal.” – Proctor
“It is so inspiring to see how much the people of Statesboro love their town, their fishing, and of course their football!” – Zelski
“David and Phil know our community from their visit last year to film a segment for GPB’s Georgia Traveler on ‘farming, feasting, and fun times’ at Hunter Cattle Company, which can still be viewed at www.GPB.org,” said Jeffers.
“As part of our mission to promote Statesboro as a tourism destination, the SCVB has been sending location shots and story ideas on area attractions to GPB and the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Film & Television Division since July of 2013, when Statesboro was certified as a Camera Ready Community,” she stated.
“Camera Ready” means our community is prepared to facilitate incentives, offer location diversity, production resources, and professional support to make any size production from commercials to feature length movies a success. According to GDEcD’s website, in 2012 alone, television networks, Hollywood studios, production companies, and independent producers invested nearly $3.1 billion in Georgia.
For Camera Ready, Jeffers partnered with the Bulloch County Development Authority and the City of Statesboro to streamline permitting and other red-tape for those wanting to film here. In the past couple of years, Anglers & Appetites seems to be one in a growing trend of TV production companies or programs that have highlighted local residents and locations around Statesboro.
This time the City of Statesboro played a big role in facilitating the production of Anglers & Appetites, even providing two of the city’s best fishermen for leading roles. Zelski and Proctor chose Statesboro City Councilman Travis Chance and the Department of Engineering’s Building Inspector Sterling Starling to do the “casting” on board with Zelski.
Proctor said, “David had a ball fishing on the Ogeechee River and at Blackwater Preserve hooking a variety of fish including the sweet and tasty Jackfish.”
The fresh catch of the day was cooked up at Heath Robinson’s downtown restaurant, 40 East Grill, by Chef Jace and served to a delegation of lucky Statesboro diners in the Hall, a banquet and events room out back. “Chef Jace at the 40 East Grill already had a Statesboro-style fish fry in mind for when we arrived back in town with the catch,” Zelski stated.
Making sure the film production crew had a great experience while working in Statesboro seems to have already paid off.
Proctor gave a good review of the hospitality shown by the SCVB and the City when he stated, “First, the people are as friendly and hospitable as anywhere I’ve visited. It’s like being around family and good friends. Next, there’s nothing I
“Visit Statesboro. You’ll be glad you did.” – Proctor
enjoy more than good food and Statesboro has its share. My taste buds were singing in happy harmony after my meal.”
In the close knit film and TV production community, positive comments travel almost as fast as the crews themselves. The Georgia Film Division takes notice when a town makes it easy for film companies to do business. GDEcD understands the positive intangibles this brings to an area. Every time a segment is filmed showcasing what Georgia has to offer, it’s like free marketing of our state’s (and our area’s), many assets to potential visitors and tourists around the country.
Like Proctor, Zelski was also impressed with the service he and the crew received while on location. “Phil and I love to discover destinations, restaurants, and adventures for people to enjoy. We had been to Statesboro many times and knew this booming area had a lot
to share. Once we talked to Heidi Jeffers, she hooked us up with some local anglers and Heath Robinson of the 40 East Grill, and the episode came together like magic.”
Zelski continued, “It is so inspiring to see how much the people of Statesboro love their town, their fishing, and of course their football!”
“Don’t take our word for it,” Proctor said, “experience if for yourself. Visit Statesboro. You’ll be glad you did.”
Catch Anglers & Appetites, “Baiting Up in the Boro,” premiering Saturday, April 5th, at 10:30 A.M., on Fox Sports South. The episode will repeat several times over the spring and summer. It will also be available on iTunes after the premiere. n
The support that the Ogeechee Technical College Foundation receives through financial and in-kind gifts is critical to the success of the 2014 iGot (I Give to Ogeechee Tech) campaign. Thank you for helping Ogeechee Technical College provide EDUCATION with PURPOSE!
Miss your chance to give? Log on to www.ogeecheetech.edu/give to make your donation today!
The Ogeechee Technical College Foundation PO
Bennett Grove School
A
Historic School Educates Once
Again
by Inger Wood
Bon this spread by
Inger Wood
enjamin Bennett was born into slavery in 1856 in Brinsonville, Georgia, a small town in what is now Jenkins County. He was seven-years-old when the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, and nine when freedom came to him with the end of the Civil War. He learned to farm by his parents’ side, and when he married Lois Wiggs in 1882, they started their own farming family. Together the couple had thirteen children, with eight surviving to adulthood.
photos
In 1917, Benjamin Bennett purchased roughly 125 acres in the northwest corner of Bulloch County, and moved his growing family to this homestead just above Portal. It wasn’t long before Mr. Bennett found the need for a local school for his children. At that time, the closest schools for black students, Johnson Grove and Scarboro Grove, were several miles away from the family’s home. Mr.
Riggs School, Bulloch County, 1915: from “Educational Survey of Bulloch County.”
Bennett carved out a parcel of his own land, and with the help of neighboring families, built a schoolhouse around 1918 that remains to this day.
The Bennett Grove School is a oneroom, clapboard building measuring just 25 feet long by 14 feet wide. One teacher educated up to sixty students here, using natural light supplied by four windows for class work. This simple structure
Aerial photograph: the only historic image of the school, 1941, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Digital Library of Georgia.
The Veazy School, Greene County, GA, 1941: similar to what Bennett Grove would have looked like inside, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
The
served children in the Portal area in the first through seventh grades for thirtyfour years until the school was closed in 1952. By the time Benjamin Bennett died in 1941, he had seen two generations of his family attend the school he created.
Bulloch County, like much of the nation, was once dotted with these one room schoolhouses, the classic structure for education in rural areas until the middle of the twentieth century. As the numbers of these schools dwindle and the people pass away who remember the significant role they played in rural communities, it has become increasingly important to preserve what remains. There is a chance to do exactly this with Bennett Grove, the last standing oneroom African American schoolhouse in the county.
Portal’s Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center (WHHRC), which has already saved the historic Willow Hill School from demolition, converting it into a community center and museum, received the Bennett Grove School as a donation. The Willow Hill School was founded in 1874, and was the oldest continually-operating school in Bulloch County when it closed in 1999. The two schools share alumni, with many students graduating from Bennett Grove to Willow Hill, which taught through the tenth grade. In partnership with Georgia Southern University, the WHHRC has engaged in a long-term project surrounding the Bennett Grove School. A symposium to raise interest in preserving Bennett Grove, made possible by a grant from the Georgia Humanities Council, took place on February 8th. The event included presentations about the school’s history and future, the unveiling of a Bennett Grove exhibit, and a fieldtrip to the schoolhouse.
The first phase of this project has been to establish a detailed history of Bennett Grove, but scarce records make this difficult. An aerial photograph taken by the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in 1941 is the only known historic image of the school, which stands in the center of the picture. Even at such a great distance, this photograph contributes to the Bennett Grove
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story. The faint lines branching off of the dirt road and disappearing into the woods show where students walked to school frequently from the surrounding countryside, wearing down paths to the point of being visible from an airplane.
An invaluable resource about the history of the Bennett Grove School is the collective memory of the people who were there. Drs. Alvin and Gayle Jackson of the WHHRC have recorded dozens of interviews with former Bennett Grove teachers and students over the last three decades. Combining these interviews with the remnants of the schoolhouse fills in the historical details.
As it stands today, the building has no source of heat, but that was not the case when the school was in use. Former student Willie Alice Heard Johnson remembered, “We had a potbellied stove for heat in the winter. The parents would have to cut the wood and pile it outside the schoolhouse for their kids. The boys would carry the wood in the schoolhouse and put it into the stove, and class would resume.” Although the old stove is long gone, pieces of the chimney supports remain in the rafters of the building.
Bennett Grove also once had a front porch shading the front entry. Agnes Araminta Young described taking water breaks there. And Pearl Lee Harden Parrish recalled the porch also served as a stage. She said, “Every Friday, the school had a Christian program where the students would stand on the porch and give speeches in front of fellow classmates and their parents.” Siding over the school’s front door shows that a porch roof has been removed.
Historic pictures of similar schoolhouses in Georgia have proven to be another great resource. If a photograph of the interior of Bennett Grove did exist, it would look much like this 1941 image of the Veazy School in Greene County, with students seated on benches around a woodstove. And a photograph of the Riggs School from the 1915 “Educational Survey of Bulloch County” shows how Bennett Grove may have appeared when it was first built, complete with a front porch and a wood shingle roof.
“Every
Friday, the school had a Christian program where the students would stand on the porch and give speeches in front of fellow classmates and their parents.”
– Pearl Lee Harden Parrish
Moisture, termites, and time have taken their toll on the school’s structural integrity, and now Bennett Grove is in need of repairs. Once the building is stabilized, the WHHRC plans to move it to the Willow Hill campus, where it will be preserved and utilized in conjunction with the existing center. At Willow Hill, Bennett Grove will have a new life as a one room schoolhouse museum.
Bennett Grove was born from strength of community and reverence for education, and it was these values that sustained Bennett Grove through decades of discrimination. The Bennett Grove Schoolhouse is a memorial to African American education in the period between the Civil War and the Civil Rights Era, and it has the potential to regain its position as a focal point of the community, continuing its original mission of educating new generations n
MEDICAL CENTER PHARMACY
50thAnniversary Archibald Bulloch Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
by
Their Patriots bear the names of families we know in Bulloch County: Anderson, Brinson, Cone, DeLoach, Durden, Everett, Groover, Hodges, Lane, Lanier, Lovett, Parrish, Rowe, and Tillman. We see these names in our cemeteries, on our street signs, and above the doors of local businesses. They represent the men who fought for America’s independence, honored today by their descendants, members of the Archibald Bulloch Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).
Jenny Starling Foss photos by Frank Fortune & Statesboro Magazine Staff
Charter & Organizing Members
Nevil, Gerstle DeLoach
Neville, Marguerite Nunnally
Collins, Helen Snooks
Kennedy, Bertie Mercer
Blitch, Josie Helen Mathews
Foy, Ida Teresa Bird
Averitt, Jessie Olliff
Banks, Laura Smith
Beasley, Elise Baggs
Hagin, Lucille Cannady
Moore, Ava Phillips
Cone, Jeanette Grace
Demmond, Mary Groover*
Robbins, Edna DeLoach
Adams, Althea DeLoach
Kennedy, Mae
Robbins, Patricia Mathewson
*Only surviving charter member
Organized on February 29, 1964, with 17 charter members (sidebar), the Archibald Bulloch Chapter carries out on the local level the mission of the National Society, which according to President General Lynn Forney Young is “to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism [which] is as relevant today as it was when our founders established the Society.” Her administration’s theme is “Honor Our Heritage – Focus on the Future – Celebrate America!”
For 50 years the dedicated members of the Archibald Bulloch Chapter have been honoring their Patriots and veterans of all wars through special programs, charitable endeavors, and commemorative events held throughout the community. Members live the motto: “God, Home, and Country.”
In 2013 -2014, the Archibald Bulloch Chapter will hold commemorative ceremonies for 14 national holidays: from September 11th to July 4th, Veteran’s Day to Memorial Day, each observance is celebrated to keep the memory of our Patriots alive, “to promote the development of an enlightened society, and to foster patriotic citizenship.” A group of patriots themselves, the local Chapter stands ready to highlight history for local citizens through local observances. For example in February of this year, observances were held for Georgia Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, President’s Day, and Washington’s Birthday. Each year the chapter holds a Constitution Week Tea and a Georgia Day banquet as well.
The Chapter also gives scholarships for area middle school and high school students through an annual American History essay contest. Students from county high and middle schools, both public and private, are encouraged to write an essay on differing patriotic themes. Winning contestants are honored at an awards ceremony and reception each spring.
Chapter
Regent
Officers 2013 – 2014
Jan Brown Anderson
First Vice Regent .................. Martha Middlebrooks Wells
Second Vice Regent Verdery Boyd Kennedy
Chaplain Linda Nessmith Akins
Recording Secretary ............. Alice Budack
Corresponding Secretary Brenda Yates Steadman
Treasurer Patricia Lamb Long
Registrar................................ Andrea Patrick Leonardi
Historian ................................ Nancy Allen Trapnell
Librarian Gloria Tillman Leeb
Annual DAR Awards
Three Generations
Good CitizensWinners
American History Essay Winners
The Archibald Bulloch Chapter also bestows the annual DAR Good Citizenship Award to an area high school student, and honors award winning members of local ROTC units as well.
According to Past Regent Elizabeth (Libba) Cook Smith, who has served as Public Relations & Media Chair for many years, these special community events and celebrations are a way of keeping us aware of our country’s great heritage.
“We believe the principles upon which our country was founded must be remembered and preserved. At every meeting we keep the history of our democracy alive by reciting The American’s Creed, The Preamble to the Constitution, and The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. We sing The Star Spangled Banner and recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Georgia Flag as well. We are all a part of history. Keeping these traditions alive preserves our heritage for the next generation of patriots,” she said.
Members of the Archibald Bulloch Chapter NSDAR not only preserve history, throughout the past fifty years the Chapter has reached many milestones and honors, creating a little history of their own. In 1984, Libba Smith was chosen as the First Georgia Regent of the Year and Esther Mallard was chosen the Georgia History Teacher of the Year. In 1989, Lynn Walshak was Georgia Regent of the Year, and in 2002, Imogene Brannen was given the honor.
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The American’s Creed
I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a Republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect Union; one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.
I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag; and to defend it against all enemies.
- William Tyler Page, 1917
To document the Chapter’s history, members create scrapbooks which contain photos, documents, and ephemera from each year’s work. Awards for superior documentation of the Chapter’s events are given at the state and national level. The oldest scrapbook on hand dates from 1973-74.
Members of the Chapter have been recognized for other honors as well. Regent Jan Anderson was honored on the national level in 2007 for her Constitution Week Report and again in 2008 with a Historic Preservation Award and a Historic Preservation Medal for her work in preserving the Oak Grove one-room school house. The schoolhouse is now a feature of Georgia Southern’s Garden of the Coastal Plain. In 2007, Libba Smith received national recognition for her work on Publicity for Good Citizens. Past Regent and American History Chair Pat Long has been recognized for her work in American History with the GSSDAR Silver Tray for American History.
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In addition to the many accolades received by the Chapter’s members, many milestones have also been reached, including the publishing of several historical books. In 1981, a book on Archibald Bulloch’s Revolutionary Ancestors was produced. After mapping Bulloch County’s cemeteries, five books of cemetery records were produced between 1975 and 1983.
Other good works from the Archibald Bulloch Chapter include the marking and dedication of the graves of revolutionary soldiers James Mikell, William Cone, David Alderman, Henry Parrish, James Jones, and John Tillman. The Chapter placed a memorial plaque in the Statesboro Regional Library in honor of member Hulda Kelly, who won the GSSDAR State Award for Genealogical Records for 17 consecutive years before her death. An American flag with stand was presented to the Averitt Center for the Arts by the Chapter, and a tree was planted along the Blind Willie McTell Trail. In addition, the Archibald Bulloch Chapter of NSDAR has begun marking various local historical events by presenting wreaths at the dedications. In 2010, the Chapter made modern history when a website was developed by Fay and Jimmy Adams.
Thursday, February 27th , 2014 marked the 50 th Anniversary of the Archibald Bulloch Chapter NSDAR and to commemorate this event, a luncheon was held in the Rev. H. William Perry Fellowship Hall of First Baptist Church. To mark the occasion, state officials, past regents, members, and guests enjoyed a special appearance by Jill Samples Cremens of Marietta, GA, as she performed the role of Scarlett O’Hara, the heroine of Margaret Mitchell’s beloved Southern novel, Gone with the Wind . Jill shared features of the gown she wore depicting Scarlett at the barbeque at Twelve Oaks.
Special guest of honor at the banquet was the only living charter member, Mary Demmond. Statesboro Mayor Jan
Past Regents
1964 - 65 Nevil, Gerstle DeLoach*
1965 – 66 ........ Moore, Ava Lea*
1966 – 68 Foy, Ida Teresa Bird*
1968 – 70 Averitt, Jessie Olliff*
1970 – 72 Neville, Marguarite Nunnally*
1972 – 74 ....... Freeman, Bertha*
1974 – 76 Register, Alvaretta Kenan*
1976 – 78 Lamb, Frances*
1978 – 80 ........ Deal, Frances Cook
1980 – 82 Watson, Helen Proctor
1982 – 84 Smith, Elizabeth Cook
1984 – 86 ........ Denham, Elizabeth Kelley*
1986 – 90 ........ Walshak, Lynn Grice
1990 – 96 McCrosky, Corlyn Weekly*
1996 – 98 Curry, Frances Parker*
1998 – 02 ........ Brannen, Imogene Groover
2002 – 03 Curry, Frances Parker*
2003 – 06 Akins, Linda Nessmith
2006 – 08........ Long, Patricia Lamb
2008 – 10........ Meikle, Sue Rippon
2010 – 14 Anderson, Jan Brown
*deceased
Moore made history for the Archibald Bulloch Chapter when she presented a Proclamation by the Mayor and City Council of Statesboro which read, “I, Jan J. Moore, Mayor of the City of Statesboro, do hereby acknowledge February 29, 2014 as the 50th Anniversary of the Archibald Bulloch Chapter DAR for the years of service on a local, state, and national level. In witness thereof, I, Jan J. Moore, have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Statesboro to be affixed this 26th day of February in the year of our Lord, Two thousand fourteen. n
The People Meet in I Want to
Heaven
by
Jan Marie Page For Mrs. Kim Burnette’s English Class
There are many questions that are constantly asked about death. How will I die? Will I die peacefully? Will I go to heaven? It’s funny how we all ask these questions, knowing we may never get the answers. Though no one likes the idea of death, many of us don’t enjoy our lives either. In the book, The Five People You Meet In Heaven , Eddie is very unhappy with his life and the choices he made. When he goes to Heaven he meets five people—a man that he never knew but killed, a man he never thought he would see again, and a woman he never knew, but that impacted his life in every way. He sees the love of his life once again and meets that one little girl whose life he actually ended. Reading about the five people he met and what they taught him definitely makes you wonder. Who will I meet in Heaven? If I could choose, who would these people be?
One of the people I would love to meet in Heaven is my great-grandmother, MaMa. Not a holiday goes by without someone saying, “Jan Marie, you would have loved MaMa!” They talk about her good cooking and the way she made everyone feel special. I wish I could put myself back in the time when my mom and her brothers walked around on MaMa and Granddaddy’s farm during the fall days when they would shoot skeet or go fishing. I would love to see what all the fuss was about, but mainly I would want to tell her what amazing things her daughter and grandchildren have accomplished, even though I’m sure she already knows.
The second person I would love to meet in Heaven is my grandmother’s best friend, Mrs. Ceya. It would really be like a reunion because I had known this special lady my whole life. She was my grandma’s sewing partner, T.V. show buddy, “partner in crime,” and very best friend up until the very day she died. Not long before she passed away, she and my Mamoo (my grandmother) redid our house and I became extremely
close to her. I was only about eight years old, but she became like a second Grandmother to me. (She would probably spank me if she heard me say that!). I would love to see her again, see how she likes Heaven, because I know she’s there right now probably laughing and ordering everyone around. Mrs. Ceya was good at that. She is forever in our hearts.
The last person I would like to meet in Heaven is my great-great grandmother, Granny. This was the name my Big Daddy (my grandfather) called her. She must have been one tough woman, great cook, and an amazing Grandma because she is someone he always talks about. When his parents divorced, his Granny swept in and took over raising him. I’ve heard and read about the many lessons she taught him along the way. All I know is if my Big Daddy can write the books and articles about her that he has, she must be something. I would love to see her because after all, the way she raised him affected how he raised my mom and how she raised me.
Death—it’s a five letter word that means so much. It causes mourning, suffering, pain, anger, and many other emotions. But death isn’t all about sadness and the unbearable pain people feel when they lose someone dear to them. Death is about love and celebration, but most importantly, death is a beginning. Because the day we die is also the day that we finally get what we all want. We become perfect. n
Editor’s Note: Jan Marie is the daughter of Terry & Deanne Page. Big Daddy is Statesboro Magazine columnist Ric Mandes, Deanne’s father.
Book
Waiting For We’ve
POPULAR: V int A ge W isd O m f OR A m O de R n g eek , a memoir by Statesboro teen Maya Van Wagenen will be released from Dutton Penguin Books on Tuesday, April 15th. Advance orders may be placed for both hardcover and digital editions at Amazon.com; BooksAMillion.com; BarnesandNoble.com; US.PenguinGroup.com and Walmart.com . Copies of the book will be available at the local Books-A-Million store on the release date.
Since landing her two-book deal with Penguin, Maya has been featured as one of Time Magazine’s 16 Most Influential Teens of 2013; HuffPost Teen’s list of The 13 Most Fearless Teens of 2013 and in the March 2014 70 th Anniversary issue of Seventeen Magazine. A Today Show veteran, Maya will again be interviewed by the NBC morning program on April 15th. The film rights to Maya’s first book have been optioned by DreamWorks Studios and screenwriter Amy B. Harris has been tapped to pen the script n
Maya Van Wagenen, 15, author of Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, a memoir about her experiences following a popularity guide written in the 1950s by former Ford model Betty Cornell. Maya’s photos by Cheyenne Ellis for Seventeen Magazine.
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new Year New,A
I’mnot much of a New Year’s reveler. The holiday seems out of place, as if the date was a random choice because all others were taken or, more likely, picked just to extend the Christmas season. It’s not only that I’m party weary after the over-indulgence of Christmas, New Year’s celebrations are anticlimactic and the traditions less clear. For me, the New Year means little more than the frustration of having to remember to write new numbers on checks and letters.
In my family we celebrate the New Year with bread. It’s a bit more exciting than it sounds because the loaf – more like a sweet dense cake – contains three hidden coins. Whoever finds a coin in their slice is assured good luck throughout the year. But the best part for me is making the bread. I like kneading it with the heal of my hand over and over until it’s shiny and elastic then I take a small piece and roll a thin rope of buttery dough between my palms, shaping it into the numbers of the new year to place on top of the rising bread.
It occurred to me this last New Year’s, with bread dough up to my elbows and the shadows of late afternoon tip-toeing into my house, that we should mark the beginning of a new year when the earth does, not in the dark and cold of January when everything is dormant. After all, renewal is at the heart of our New Year’s wishes. We want a clean slate, a new beginning.
That’s exactly what Spring brings, and nowhere is that
Stephanie Tames is a writer and yoga instructor.
Her publications include The Washington Post Magazine, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Nature Conservancy Magazine, Self, and Parenting. Her online publications include Salon. She has been a commentator for Georgia Public Broadcasting, and is a regular contributor to Statesboro Magazine.
more true than here. No matter how long I’ve lived here I’m always a little amazed by the intense colors, abundant flowers and rich variety of our Spring. It comes on fast and big: azalea and magnolia flowers as large as dinner plates, and city streets lined with white and pink dogwoods. It’s a celebration in itself, and like any good hostess, Spring invites you to the party. Who doesn’t get caught up in the promise of renewal by getting on their knees and digging in the still warming dirt? For some, like me, this simple act is like a prayer. Spring is the definition of optimism, a literal “new leaf.” You don’t have to make up traditions for a New Year celebrated in the Spring, it comes with its own already in place.
So I think we should move New Year’s to Spring, at least ceremonially.
And what of my special bread with its hidden coins? I see it a little differently now. The modest act of making the bread, kneading the dough, and coaxing the yeast to come alive, is in its own way a symbol of the earth reawakening. And for those who find the hidden coins it isn’t luck they necessarily seek, but the hope of personal renewal.
So every January I’ll still make my bread and I’ll still struggle to remember to change the date on my checks. But I plan to save my New Year’s resolutions and celebrations to the time when the ground beneath my feet comes alive and all things seem possible. n
Most of us are impressed by bigness; small things mean little to us. Recently, I was doing some research on rivers. There are thousands of websites on the Amazon River in South American which is 4,195 miles long. A team of explorers from National Geographic traced its beginning to a narrow, two-inch-wide stream in the Andes Mountains of Peru. As it makes its way northeast out of the mountains it is fed by tributaries and begins to grow in size and power. In some places it becomes 30 miles in width and is so deep that a ten-story building could be placed down in it and be completely covered. At the Amazon’s mouth in Brazil the river is 200 miles wide, and the water comes out with such force that fresh water can be found several miles out in the Atlantic. It is a huge, huge river.
I am so awed by bigness that I have to stop and remind myself that small things can be important, too. In fact, I grew up ten miles from Falmouth Springs which carries the title of the smallest river in the world . I wonder how many times my friends and I went out to Falmouth during my teenage years. That little, tiny river came out of the ground as a cold springs, formed a creek-like river that flowed about 400 feet, and disappeared back into the ground. We always thought it went underground a few miles and came out into the Suwannee River, only three or four miles away.
In size and power, Falmouth Springs is nothing when compared to the Amazon. But in my memory Falmouth occupies much more space than the Amazon ever will. I still can feel the thrill of swinging on a rope out over the springs and feeling my heart skip a beat as I dropped into the icy deep. Maybe I ought to develop a new way of thinking. Little things can be important if they stir big memories and feelings.
We should never underestimate the importance of little things.
Often we dream of having great big opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others. But when I stop to think things
Bill Perry grew up in Live Oak, Florida, a small town just south of Valdosta, GA. After graduating from Stetson University, he earned three degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2004, he retired as pastor of First Baptist Church of Statesboro after serving that congregation for 22 years. He and his wife, Margaret, registrar of Statesboro High School before her retirement in 2005, have two daughters, five grandsons, and one granddaughter. Bill has been very much involved in community life in Statesboro. He is an avid reader and has been a runner since 1973.
through, it’s the people who are faithful in the small duties that get the chance to do the big things.
Early in my ministry I was pastor of a church in Southwest Georgia. After we had been there for a couple of years the church surprised Margaret and me by giving us a trip to the Holy Land. We couldn’t believe it! What an experience it was to walk in the country where most of the Bible took place. When we returned home the deacons gave us a list of the people who made the trip possible. Some gave hundreds of dollars. Some gave a few dollars. Each gift was recorded. As I looked over the list I was as impressed by those who gave little as I was by those who gave much, for I knew the people well enough to know that even the small gifts involved making sacrifices.
I’ve learned that if I am impressed only by that which is large and noisy I will miss some monumental blessings. Sometimes the small and quiet events and people are just as significant. Never underestimate the importance of little things. n
LOOK AROUND
o gee C hee T e C hni C a L
C o LL ege h os T ed Statesboro/Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours thursday, February 20, 2014 In the Joseph E. Kennedy Building Lobby
f irs T g eorgia
s ou T hern d ay
a T T he C a P i T o L
University officials and representatives visited the capitol on thursday, February 6, 2014, for the first-ever Georgia Southern Day at the Capitol. the day also included an address to the House of Representatives by University President Brooks A. Keel, Ph.D.
the of Simon Song
It is often said: moving about in the past has its advantages and is not all that dark! I suppose we find a sense of “at ease” with these trails leading to “once upon a time!” And if the travail into the past is where we chose to hide or spend most of our time, then it, like other mental activities, pushes a harmful imbalance to our reality! We move into freeze frame. A paralysis!
For me, that somewhere in past tense comes at night! It is a wonderful visionary epilogue to my meditative/prayer time. It comes as I stretch out upon my fulfilling a visit with my God! Trained well by my Granny during my ten years with her, I sit in my den on the sofa and with eyes open I look to the comfortable easy chair and talk to Him. “He is there, Rickie! So talk to him. Tell him what is on your heart whether it be something you’ve accomplished or the need for His blessing and strength to face a mountain!”
Those solid canons shared with me by Granny took place seventy-one years ago in her small white cottage with pretty green shutters!
Now In the quiet of late hour, I move through my dwelling to bed and with His having listened to my offerings. It is then I return to that hamlet of Dock Junction held together by three
Ric Mandes, a popular essayist, retired after 27 years as Director of Public Relations and Development for Georgia Southern. His memories about growing up and living in South Georgia inspire his writings. He’s a published author and former newspaper columnist for the AJC.
dirt lanes all ending at the tide driven inlet which we called the canal. With no planned arrangement, I move to recall! One of my all time favorites was sitting in my thirteenth year listening to my across-the-branch neighbor, Simon Overstreet, play the piano and sing, “I Come to the Garden!”
I would see Simon only during the summers, his break from the Macon School for the Blind! To this very moment I still feel the leap of faith taking hold of me as I watched his sightless eye encased in uncontrolled darts as his deep wondrous voice convinced me he had seen the dew on the roses. And he has walked with Him and talked with Him?
A nd during those summer days how Simon would run free and all out down the lane with his brother, Jennings, guiding the way to our watery respite, the canal. There we would be a bunch of naked boys, soon to become men, laughing and leaping, while Simon blind as a bat made fun of our private parts. “Rickie,” he would chortle, “all your girlfriends are in for a big disappointment with that tiny package!” And now I smile into my evening tide as I recall this chapter of Simon.
Earlier in my writing years, I penned an essay on Simon for Beau Cutts, editor of the Sunday Dixie Living section for The Atlanta Journal/Constitution ! And it all came back to me how Simon filled my summer days with a joy and being wonderfully captured by his open spirit!
Late that Sunday when Beau published the essay, my phone rang. It was Simon whom I had lost touch with as we grew on into high school and my being drafted to serve 24 months in the U.S Armed Forces! “Rickie,” he shouted, “thank you kindly for your story and our summers together! But what I want to know is how you getting along with the wimmen? You remember my prediction way back then!”
Oh my, what a pause! Then he blessed me with “Rickie, I live in Calhoun with my wife Sara Betty and our little girl! I make a good living tuning pianos.” Another pause. “Yes, Rickie, my little girl can see!”
As I mentioned earlier, there are many warm echoes which fill my mind as I lie in bed returning to my past and recalling those ten fulfilling years living with Granny.
Especially about Simon! My buddy! My friend!
In that Garden, loved by his wife and little girl! n
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”
