Overheard, out and about, Mrs. Grundy sees all, tells all

Staff

Published Friday, October 17, 2008

Peeping through my Venetian blind, I noticed the pink, daisy mums, a-bloom along the drive up to Covington Hall. They are a favorite with Miss Flora.

This week I took a stroll down an unpaved, country lane, lined with rustic posts, their wires o’ergrown with tangled vines of honeysuckle and red cypress, and, behind them, fields of goldenrod and other “late aftermaths,” as Helen Hunt Jackson called the wildflowers of October in her poem, “October’s Bright, Blue Weather.” I had a copy of the poem with me and read it in stages as I ambled along by “all the lovely wayside things.” October is a wondrous month, regal with the golds of the narrow-leafed sunflowers and asters and the purple of the adjuratum. No wonder that Mrs. Jackson says of the other months, “Ye cannot rival for one hour October’s bright, blue weather.” I thank Miss Ellen Barrow again for introducing me to that poem; it is one that all in “the Dimple of Dixie” should read each October.

Miss Cora brought me a little basket of persimmons this week.

Gertrude Nelson put up some purple-hulled peas for me this week, bless her. That’ll be a treat this winter, Lord willing. Gertrude is a hard-working, generous, tender-hearted lady, optimistic, and kind, a friend in need. You’re blessed if you’re counted among her friends.

Eating lunch this week in Off the Square Cafe, I visited with a former student, Sean O’Rourke and his wife Nancy. We laughed about how Sean, his brother Michael, and their cousin Kerry gave me fits when I taught them in school. Now one’s a preacher, and the other two teach Sunday School! Will wonders ever cease? I want to thank their wives.

I ran into Don and Sandy Pochert at Larry’s; we were trying the Tuesday special of barbecued chicken. These two “newcomers” to Andalusia came to us after 32 years in Florida. Before that they lived the first decades of their lives in Wisconsin. Don’s dad Arthur, in his lifetime, won a wall of ribbons and trophies for his prize-winning dahlias. Sandy has a collection of dolls, including those from Cabbage Patch in Cleveland, Georgia. This couple has made themselves at home here in Dimpletonia and already contributed untold hours of service in many organizations in our county capital.

Speaking of Cabbage-Patch dolls reminds me of the old wives’ tales that new babies are found under cabbage leaves. I was also told, growing up, that babies were brought by the stork, were grown because a watermelon seed was swallowed, and were found in hollow stumps. We all know, of course, that babies really come from Heaven.

So many nowadays decorate for fall and Halloween with bales of hay, scarecrows, pots of mums, and pumpkins. These displays really make our town look “dressed up.” Thank all of you who “prettify” Andalusia.

I wonder if Jeanice (Paul) Kirkland, an enthusiastic and cultured teacher of English at our middle school, will recite James Whitcomb Riley’s most famous poem, “Little Orphant Annie,” this month. I think she knows it by heart. You know, sometimes a piece that a teacher “makes” a child memorize is the main thing a child remembers about a class. Everybody ought to learn a little verse to recite. That gives a person a bit of distinction, of pride, of accomplishment and culture. Memory work is neglected, I fear, in schools; all ought to learn the basic lines of the old poems and bits of prose.

Kim Dyess made a nice, little speech in First Baptist last Sunday morning. He spoke about senior adults in the church, saying that they make up 23 percent of First Baptist and that senior adults, in general, make up l8 percent of Covington County. Kim, who has a good sense of humor, pointed out that, at meetings, senior adults have only one kind of business to consider – OLD business! Yuk! Yuk!

Also Sunday, One Accord, a ladies’ singing group at First Baptist, sang “We Fall Down” to taped music. The group is made of Kay (Weaver) Ingram, Sharon Dyess Davis, Betty Gay, Beverly Farrington, Janet Brantley, Teresa Nelson, Frances Rabren, and Linda Finlin (a newcomer). If there is a better group of lady singers in the county, I want to hear about them.

Dr. Fred Karthaus of First Baptist said that if Satan gets a stand in a man’s life, then Satan will make a stronghold to wage war on that man’s soul.

Dr. Karthaus asked all graduates of the Andalusia High School in classes ending in nine, those being honored at homecoming this year, to stand and be recognized.

One was Mariann (Martin) Chapman, ’79, a houseguest of John and Mary “the Belle of Excel” Hill. Mariann called her visit “Down Memory Lane.” A piano given in memory of Mariann’s mother, Ann Martin, is used regularly in the Baraca Class. Ann Martin was known for her excellent piano playing.

Homecoming at A.H.S. was Friday, October l0, with an assembly in the high-school auditorium, afternoon parade through town and around the Golden Square, football game, dance, and alumni parties.

The Student Governnment Association, directed by Joannie Brannon, and the Usher Club, directed by Nicole Jackson, were in charge of homecoming.

S.G.A. president, Clara Bass, also a cheerleader, presided at the assembly. Clara, who played the lead of Dorothy in the homecoming skit, based on The Wizard of Oz and the theme, “There’s No Place like Andy,” was named homecoming queen later that morning. Also a talented singer, Clara sang “Somewhere over the Rainbow” and led the audience in “God Bless America.”

Other S.G.A. officers are Nate Mack, vice-president, president of the junior class, baseball player, and the “streaker” in the skit, who also welcomed alumni, former teachers, and special guests; Kanesha Leslie, secretary and band member, who gave the devotional; Tara Ward, treasurer and yearbook member, who introduced the skits honoring the classes of l969, ’79, ’89, and ‘99; and Josh Huggins, parliamentarian and band member, who led in the pledge.

Former teachers recognized were Jule (Bradley) Browder, that gracious and lovely soul, attired in a beautiful, pale yellow dress, who taught at A.H.S. l96l – l979; Bebe Greene, who has never missed a homecoming and is now 93, perhaps the oldest living, retired A.H.S. teacher; and Joe Wingard, who at his retirement in 2005 had taught longer than any other person in the school’s history, 39 years, all in the same room (35).

Mrs. Greene, now a resident of Andalusia Manor (nursing home), was brought by her only child, Huey Greene, ’69. She was given a dozen red roses by the S.G.A. and welcomed with a standing ovation.

The students in Maria Smith’s class won the prize for the “Spirit Door,” the best decorated, classroom door for homecoming.

Clara Bass recognized those present from the Classes of l949 and l959 and gave a brief history of each class. One member of the Class of l929 remains. Unable to attend, Myrtle Ruth (Everage) Welch, 97, is a resident of Andalusia Manor. No one from the Class of l939 was present.

All classses, from ’49 up, were asked to shout their class yells.

The veterans present were given a standing ovation.

Several visitors commented that this assembly for alumni is unique to Andalusia High School and that the A.H.S. Homecoming stands out when compared to any other homecoming anywhere.

The second annual Outstanding Graduate Award was presented by last year’s first winner, Robert Brown, ’48, to his classmate, Murray Findley, who received a standing ovation. The award is named in honor of Mr. Brown.

The skits, presented by the undergraduates, were filled with singing and dancing talent, humor, costumes, slides on the walls, and a colorful set. The production, created to honor the alumni, was excellent, especially the part about the Class of l969. The dance routines were particularly well done. The ol’, three-legged dog, Tripod, beloved by the student body of his time, was remembered in one skit.

The leads were played by D’amber Chambers, Glenda; Ashley McDonald, wicked witch; Tushun Culp, tinman; Stephen Darby, cowardly lion; Charlotte Patterson, scarecrow; Topeka Bryant, Toto; and Clara Bass, Dorothy. I understand that the senior classes wrote the skits. Their use of old pictures, flashed on the walls, was a good idea.

Toward the end of the program a choir, directed by Mrs. Dwight Crigger, sang. The Bulldog mascot entered, followed by cheers. Standing ovations were given for the alumni and the underclassmen who performed the skits.

The homecoming court was announced by the principal, Dr. Daniel Shakespeare. Queen Clara Bass and her court were given a standing ovation.

The alma mater followed; and then, dismissal by Dr. Shakespeare.

The parade, which included floats by the freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior classes, club cars, homecoming court, band, football team, alumni, and city officials, wound through downtown from First Baptist.

The classes of ‘89 and ’99 wore matching T-shirts on their floats. Dr. Mike Wells, ’68, came out from his house along East Three-Notch to view the parade, joining hundreds who sat along the parade route, on curbs, on the grass, on trunks of cars, in the mild October air, pupils let out from school for the big day, one, big, happy family. Some of the alumni used hard-rock candy to toss to children along the way; a few mischievous alumni also pelted their poor, old teacher, Mr. Wingard, sitting on a small, brick wall, who did nothing at all wrong except to refer to his former students as “old folks.”

The award-winning floats were the junior float, over-all, and the sophomore float, over the freshman float. The S.G.A. car won over the other cars.

Andy lost to Clarke County that night.

As folks drove onto campus Friday morning, they saw balloons in the school colors, lining “Bulldog Lane,” which winds up by Old Main onto the wide-lawned campus, treasured by thousands of Andalusians.

Reception lines were manned by S.G.A. representatives in the lobby of the auditorium. Here, alumni “signed in.” Potted plants by Jerry Howell decorated the foyer.

Hazel Jordan, ’48, who managed the Bulldog lunchroom for a dozen years, was seen in the lobby.

So was Pete Donaldson, ‘6l, whose wife Ann Bennett once worked in the library at Samford University, Birmingham.

Then came Suan (Riley) Salter and Benny Barrow, both in ’48, perhaps the most generous class in A.H.S. history. Suan would later read during the assembly the tribute to her classmate, Murray Findley, prior to his award, mentioned above.

Bill Dannelly, ‘69, a son of our late newspaper editor, Ed Dannelly, the textbook newspaperman, a character of characters, showed up, laughing and slapping his knee. Ironically, Bill never took journalism in high school.

Sharon Parham, ’56, and I talked of the late Pat Seymour, who taught English and journalism in her tenure at A.H.S.. I met Pat only twice or so; she was an amusing and charming person, quite popular in her day.

Kyle Gantt, ’69, stopped to speak.

I sat between Juleanne (Browder) Veasey, ’68, and her mother, the gentle Jule Browder, a retired teacher of social studies.

There were several double reunions. For example, Bill King, ’69, and his son Parrish King, ’99, both returned to be honored this year. The father and son, by the way, practice dentistry together here in Andalusia. Bill is on the Board of Education for the Andalusia City Schools, and Parrish is valedictorian of his class.

Janette (Burke) Carroll, Margret (Parrish) Scott, Sue (Cannon) Simpson, Bill Johnson, and others of the Class of l949, rode in the parade. This class had a dinner in the North Room of the Country Club last Saturday night.

I ran into Larry Barton, ’69, and his dad Max at the Huddle House Sunday morning after breakfast. Larry said that the Class of l969 had a party Saturday night in the Prestwood Building.

Later I ran into Parrish King, his wife Katie, and his grandmother Pat Smith at Off the Square Cafe. His Class of l999 enjoyed a picnic on the front lawn of the high school last Saturday and then an evening party in the recently renovated Power Plant near our Three-Notch Museum. There they enjoyed food catered by Bill Spurlin of David’s Catfish House and listened to a band.

Another member of ‘99, Alexa Jones, now co-anchors a TV show, Wake Up, Alabama!, between 5 and 7 a.m., on CBS-42 in Birmingham. She’s been “on the air” since September of 2007. Alexa is well known to Andalusians as Miss Alabama, ’05, and second runner-up in the Miss America pageant of ’06.

The Class of l979 met at Beef O’Brady’s for their Saturday-evening gathering.

Rose White, ’79, told me that she was the first girl in Covington County to play on a boys’ basketball team. She was a freshman and played on the team, simply, because there was no girls’ team at the time. Rose’s daughter, Anjelica White Welcher, is a senior this year in the Class of 2009. Her classmates, Lex and Susan (Jones) Short, also have a graduating senior, Alex, as does their classmate, Renae McCrory Smith, Shellie.

The Class of l972 has decided to meet annually instead of waiting for ten years to pass. Last Saturday night they met at Chen’s. One was Terri (Shaw) Patko, who grew up in First Baptist here, playing the piano. She has gone on to compose half a dozen pieces.

The Class of l968 ate lunch at Mendozas last Saturday. Juleanne (Browder) Veasey of Troy took her mother, Jule Browder, one of their teachers. Also invited were Jean Carr, the recent widow of their teacher, Willie Carr, and Joe Wingard, who taught some of the group their journalism after Miss Pat Seymour moved. Present were Reese Broom, Jr., from River Falls; Ann (Spencer) Holmes from Birmingham, whose dad, Lee Spencer, preached at First Methodist here l965 – l970 (Ann is married to Don Holmes, son of our own, beloved Lela Mae Holmes); Ray Gavin from Montgomery; the vivacious Antara Stanley Nowling from Monroeville; Phillip and Loretta (Nelson) Mott from Andalusia; Arthur and Pat (Murphy) Carlton from Fairhope (Pat was our school’s first “Bulldog”); George Boswell; Sue (Williams) Wiggins of Gulf Shores, a daughter of Vernice Williams; Charles Grantham, who retired but has gone back to work; Steve Wiggins of Tuscaloosa (he and Mike Wells played golf when Dr. Wells lived briefly in Tuscaloosa); Sheila (Thompkins) Williams; Danny Gantt of Opp; Dr. Mike Wells; and Kathy Chesser, ‘7l, a guest.

That night the Class of l968 dined at Hilltop.

The Class of l989 enjoyed a party at the home of Kristi (Childree) Phillips after the game Friday night. Then they gathered for a picnic Saturday at Dream Park on the community-college campus. Their masterpiece was their banquet at the Country Club Saturday night.

The dining room was filled with tables set with white cloths and matching cloth napkins and lighted with candles on each table.

The buffet offered chicken tenders, greenbeans, roasted potatoes, a garden salad, yeast rolls, and an assortment of desserts.

A program printed on red paper led the way through three hours of memories, bringing laughter and tears, followed by dancing with Chad Hughes as DJ.

President Janna (Douglas) McGlamory called the gathering to order after a group picture. Class sponsor, Joseph Cecil Wingard, worded the invocation. Later, Jerri Stroud, another class sponsor, joined the group.

Following dinner, Wynne (Wilson) Glenn, the class historian, recognized those in the military, who were greeted with a standing ovation.

Amanda (Bradley) Brown read a beautiful tribute to the five classmates who have died, Vivian Green, Jill (Spann) Andrews, Toby T. Elmore, David W. Bodie, and Robert Lewis Elmore.

Gina (Tisdale) Bennett, the class songster, now a professional singer, sang gloriously. David Wiggins followed with a beautiful solo.

Jimmy Czap, a clever, witty, and entertaining emcee, revisited his class prophecy, “diplomatically” comparing his predictions to reality. He also presented current awards for various “honors,” such as the person most changed.

Jill (Jackson) Gay shared a DVD presentation of childhood and high-school pictures, of their ten-year reunion, of classmates and their families now, and of their beloved Jill Spann. At the end of “A Time to Reminisce” the classmates stood in silence for a long time, not a breath, not a sound, not a motion, as the tears trickled down their cheeks.

Irene (Davis) Butler sponsored one of twelve “Watch” parties in Alabama in her home, Thursday night, October 2, to “watch” the debate between vice-presidential candidates on TV. The “Watch” idea was a project of the American Association of Retired Persons in Alabama. Twenty-six attended, enjoying a variety of refreshments, cheese straws, fruits-and-nuts, chicken-salad puffs and sandwiches, bacon crackers, cola, tea, and coffee. Austin England worded the invocation. The debate was followed by discussion.

Have you noticed that, ever since Roy Parker moved to Auburn, that the Tigers have not done as well?

Rex Butler, M.D., attended his last karate tournament of the season at Albertsville, Alabama, the day after his 56th birthday, October ll. He won first, second, and fourth places, made the 200 Club in his division, and won his divisional award. His daughter Rexanne won second and third places in her division. His son Allen won first, second, and third places in his division. Not bad for an “old fellow”!

S. Daniel Shehan, who moved from here to Savannah seven years ago, celebrated his 66th birthday, October 6, with breakfast at the famous restaurant, Clary’s.

Birthdays coming up this week are those of Christopher Wren, the great, English architect of St. Paul’s Cathedral; Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who wrote “The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner”; and Franz Liszt, whose “Hungarian Rhapsody” may be the most amazing piece of music ever written.

Ask your senior-high student if he can recite the famous stanzas from “The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner,” such as the quatrain beginning with “Water, water, everywhere.”

Oh, there’s so much more to say; but it’s time to close my Venetian blind, gentle reader.