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

Mrs. C.R. Grundy

Published Friday, July 31, 2009

Peeping through my Venetian blind, I saw two of the Covington girls, Miss Cora and Miss Flora, coming up my walk with fresh figs and phlox for me, bless ‘em.

Greeting them at my door, I invited them in for some summer lemonade and a bit of talk.

I asked why they had the American flag up this date over at Covington Hall and was told that August l is the birth date of Francis Scott Key, who penned the lyrics of our national anthem.

Miss Flora told me of two other birthdays, coming up this week, those of Percy Bysshe (rhymes with fish) Shelley and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, both English poets. Tennyson, said she, was a better poet even than Shakespeare when it comes to poetic variety. She reminded me of Tennyson’s most famous lines, “’Tis better to have loved and lost/ Than never to have loved at all.”

I met for the first time (July l3) the precious, little son of a former student of mine, Christy Lane (Thomasson) Clanton. Matthew Hampton “Hamp” Clanton was born January 11, 2009, to Christy and her husband, Andy Clanton, now living in Grove Hill. The joyous occasion was during a visit to Hamp’s maternal grandparents, old friends of mine, Curtis Hampton and Margie (Jacques) Thomasson. Curtis weighed Hamp to see how much he’d grown, using a set of old scales that once had belonged to Margie’s former landlady, Mrs. W. M. Thweatt. Hamp weighed in at 2l pounds. Oh, yes, it was the eve of Margie’s birthday.

Dr. J. Wayne and Lenora Johnson spent three days in Washington, Ga., a lovely, old, Southern town filled with ante-bellum homes and history, the last “capital” of the Confederacy, so that he could “root,” research genealogical information.

I guess we all know what Lenora, “the Lass of the Wiregrass,” did while her husband “rooted.” Fill in the blank: ______ till you drop.

Our own Betty Greene’s daughter, Priscilla, and her husband Ray Moore, who live in Washington, took the Johnsons out to lunch. The girls went a-touring later.

Leaving Washington, the Johnsons stopped in Beaufort, Ga., for Lenora to shop in the famous Mall of Georgia.

They motored on through the beautiful mountains of North Georgia to a medical seminar in Chattanooga, which Wayne attended for three days.

During their stay in Chattanooga, the Johnsons took a three-hour tour on a riverboat up the Tennessee River, shopped in Hamilton Place Mall, visited a tourist center, housed in a railroad terminal and named for the Chattanooga Choo-Choo of World War II fame (there was a song about it), “did” the aquarium, took tea, “antiqued,” looked over that “new-old” area, North Shore, ate ice cream, sat in the park, dined in the Gardens Restaurant in the Choo-Choo area, and enjoyed the Sunday brunch in their hotel. The old railroad station, by the way, is celebrating its l00th anniversary.

I want to mention the death of a dear friend, fellow teacher, and fellow columnist, Isabel Williams, who passed away July l2. Her column, “Town Talk,” was always upbeat, informative, and classy. Isabel was friendly, positive, sophisticated in all the right ways, appreciative, informed, and a Christian lady with the highest standards – she was class itself.

I took supper the middle of July at Johnson Hall with Wayne and Lenora. The only other guest was the kinetic Jo Mosdell. Conversation centered upon past and future travels (Lord willing). Lenora served Gus Smith’s recipe for corn, freshly shelled butter beans, tea biscuits, pork loin, tomatoes topped with mozzarella cheese and dribbled with Vidalia-onion dressing, and chocolate cobbler for dessert. The Portly Gentleman would have smiled to see bread plates upon the table.

Mrs. Gotrocks of Greenville told me that Greenville used to be called Butlerville. The name was changed because a number of new citizens moved in from Greenville, S.C. That was in the days, Colonel Covington said, when “the majority ruled. Today, minorities of all sorts rule. ‘Big Brother’ sees to that. It’s a nation where the Bill of Rights seems now to include the ‘right’ to do anything one pleases, no matter what God says. The main ‘right’ is this: ‘I shall do as I please. Others must respect me, even if I am wallowing in sin. Others must not try to stop me in word or deed or even attitude. Above all, others must not find fault, because that will hurt my feelings; and ‘Thou shalt not hurt my feelings!’”

Is it true, Sidney Waits, that the Old Federal Road parallels I-65 between Montgomery and Mobile?

I went out to Andalusia Manor the other day to see Myrtle Ruth (Everage) Welch and found her and a number of others, shelling peas. I was told that this is a regular activity in the nursing home. It brought back happy memories, although, I confess, I was never overly fond of shelling peas; but there is a simple joy in that summer-time chore.

Clay Clyde “Clydie” Clump told me it rained July l5. He was all excited because he believes, like so many others, that if it rains that date, we’ll have regular rains for the next forty days. As I’ve reported before, July l5 is St. Swithin’s Day, named for an English saint in the Christian church. I have actually stood at his grave outside the entrance to Winchester Cathedral in England.

Joe Wingard tells me that he dined at the Fantail Seafood Buffet in Millbrook July l6 with Terry Jay Coker and his wife Carol Sue (Brown) and their lovely daughter, Ashley, of Naples, Fla. The Cokers also maintain a home in Montgomery. Carol Sue and Joe grew up together on Bradley Drive in Montgomery and finished Lee High School in l962 – long-time friends. Carol Sue’s mother, Mrs. Orvis Brown, well known in Montgomery social circles in her time, was reared in Garland, not too far from “the Dimple of Dixie.”

Mrs. Gotrocks tells me that the new school over at Georgiana has been named the Butler County Magnet School and seems about finished.

Driving to Birmingham recently, I noticed that many of the highway banks are being cleared of growth and planted with grass.

The other day, driving my sedan through the verdant forests of Alabama, and listening to my sedan radio, I was much pleased to hear a station play “Les Preludes” by Liszt, one of the grandest pieces the ear can hear.

I caught Miss Priscilla Primme, the English teacher, trying to teach a young clerk at a local shop how to count change rather than rely upon a machine.

The Murals Committee met July 20 in City Hall (the former Andalusia High School and East Three-Notch Elementary School). Pat Palmore, chairperson, Robert Anderson, Hazel Griffin, Willie Thomas, Mary Lee Howard, Elaine Manning, and Joe Wingard discussed the fourth mural for “the Heart of South Alabama,” as Sue (Bass) Wilson calls our town (“Miss Sue; she runs this town; she do!”) The artist, Wes Hardin, who has painted the first three Andalusian murals, was present to take suggestions. This fourth mural is already taking shape on the wall of Cedar Creek Merchandise on Church Street.

Taking lunch at Tabby D.’s, I was pleased when a former student, Eric Horton, came up and visited. He had dropped his older son at Auburn for a baseball camp and was on his way to the beach to fish with some of his old Andy buddies. Eric is now retired and lives with his wife and two sons in Cartersville, Ga., home of the Shaw industries, which have so positively affected Andalusia.

I thought of Eric’s, wonderful, Christian parents, Frank and Edna, two pillars of the Baptist church here, as fine as they come, the “salt of the earth.”

I asked about Eric’s other three siblings. Jan is retired, too, and lives with her husband and two offspring near Atlanta. Ron and Ken, both affiliated with the Bible churches of Texas, live in Ft. Worth. Ron has four children; Ken, two. I recall these two older Horton boys, who attended Andalusia High School under the great James Arthur Wilson and Miss Clyde Simmons and “made” preachers, both, models of scholarly habits and exemplary character.

As Eric and I talked, up came Andy Little, a friend of Eric’s and another former student, who owns Subway and Hook’s here, and another former student, Miss Allison Law of Montgomery and her mother Joyce (Wilder) Law. The ladies had been going through Mrs. Wilder’s things. The late Inez (Moye) Wilder was, at her death, the oldest living graduate of the Andalusia High School.

I also had a chance to talk with Mike and Janet Beste and their lovely daughter, Cara Russell; the vivacious Johnny Duggan, Wes Thomasson, whose valedictory address at A.H.S. was one of the best in its history; Benny “the Mayor” and Esther (Jacobs) Barrow, his much better half; Ward and Sue (Franklin) Taylor, Herb “the Barbecue King” and Sue Carlisle, and Alan and Sue Brown, whose claim to fame is that she is Betty Baldwin’s sister.

Sue Taylor told me that her and Ward’s Lance and his wife Jennifer Anderson have three sons, who are now in the Andalusia City Schools and the fifth generation of their families to attend. That was exciting news! Life goes on!

I received a nice note of late from one of Mayor Chalmers Bryant’s sons, Bruce, who now goes by the name of “Chuck” and lives in Palmetto Bay, Fla. I recall Mayor Bryant’s running a restaurant here called the Pit (on River Falls Street, mainly), always wearing bowties, even when out of style, like Editor Ed Dannelly, and serving as mayor several times. He gave unselfishly of much of his life to this town and served it well. Bruce has two older brothers, twins, named Keith (“Bird”) and Kim (“Bleater” – not sure of the spelling).

Representatives of teachers in our area who belong to the Alabama Education Association, which is almost every teacher, met July 27 in Hillcrest High School, Evergreen, to kick off the academic year by securing AEA supplies for the year from the District 24 director, Vivian Jones of Brewton. District 24 of the AEA includes Conecuh, Covington, and Escambia counties.

Attending from Andalusia were Jimmy Ponds, now serving his second two-year term as president of District 24 and his second year as president of Covington County teachers; Ethel M. Robertson, who retired last year; Emma Locke, on medical leave this upcoming year; Nancy Crosby, who works in Superintendent McAnulty’s office; and Joe Wingard, who is serving his second two-year term as secretary, although retired.

A potluck supper was provided by those attending, and door prizes were distributed. They included gas cards valued at $35 and Wal-Mart cards valued at $50.

The next meeting is set for September l4 at 6 p.m., Lord willing, again in Evergreen, but at Reid State Technical College. All AEA members are invited to attend. A supper is being planned by Escambia County.

Representatives of the Alabama Education Retirees Association, District 9 (Southeastern Alabama) met July 29 in the Enterprise City School System Service Center to kick off the academic year by hearing reports from a variety of officials, including Johnny Davis, president of AERA; Janice Charlesworth, AERA executive secretary; Barbara Arnold of Enterprise, district director; Otis Brunson, area coordinator for l4 years now; and Sarah Swindle, vice-chairperson of the Teacher Retirement System of Alabama.

Attending from Covington County, earning third place for attendance, were Kim Dyess, Allen Miller, Elaine Chavers, Earl and Dot Jones and Joe Wingard.

Refreshments and door prizes were provided.

Members of the AERA in Covington were asked to take canned goods to each meeting this year as part of a state-wide project to feed the needy. The first CCERA meeting is set for September 2 at l0 a.m. in the new elementary school in Opp on Highway 33l North, next to the Opp Library.

Insurance agents warned teachers that next year, if not this, their insurance premiums will likely increase.

The following was submitted by Betty Mitchell, a dear friend.

“Thursday, June 4, Betty Mitchell and her ‘Buskoteers’ headed out to Tuscumbia, Alabama.

“We stopped in Cullman for lunch at the Cracker Barrel.

“We arrived at our hotel, the Cold Water Inn, and were amazed at how beautiful it was. It had a winding staircase and some of the most gorgeous flower arrangements I had ever seen. We were very excited!

“Our tour guide met us at our hotel, and we headed out for a tour of Freedom Hills and the world’s only Coon Dog Cemetery. You have to have been a great coon dog or you couldn’t be buried there. We were greeted by a Mr. Bishop, who gave us the history of the cemetery, which was founded in l937. He knew quite a few people from Covington County that we also knew. Then a Mr. Womack entertained us with some great music. He’s from the Shoals area and a great musician, one who played with Little Richard for l5 years!

“We had a wonderful dinner at the Claunch Cafe. David Claunch, the owner, told us about his parents, who owned a restaurant, and how he worked there in the summer when he was home from college. When he had been graduated, his dad handled over the keys. The rest is history.

“After dinner we walked across the street to the beautiful Spring Park where we were to see a laser water show to the tune, ‘Stars Fell on Alabama.’

“One of the most unusual things was an Indian carved out of a tree that lightning had hit. A man carved it with a chainsaw. We also saw a beautiful lake with ducks, waterfalls, and a tree that was three million years old.

“Friday morning we were up to a wonderful breakfast with homemade apple and peach tarts. We were off to the Tuscumbia Depot where Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan traveled by train in and out of Tuscumbia. Then, we motored to Ivy Green for a tour of Helen’s birthplace. It was at Ivy Green at the pump that Helen first understood sign language.

“Next we had lunch at the Palace, an old-fashioned drugstore. We had hamburgers, chips, and an old-fashioned Coke float. Boy, was it good!

“We had some shopping time in the shops before heading to a pillow factory. They showed us how a pillow is made from the washing of the feathers to the shipping off to hotels. Grayson Gavras of Fairhope (Norma Gavras’s grandson) got to make his own pillow. Oh, did we get to buy some pillows!

“Then our tour guide gave us a surprise by carrying us by the dam.

“Our next stop was at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame where we toured the exhibits of Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette, Rose Maddox, and Sonny James. Then we did a recording of ‘Amazing Grace,’ which we’ll have for sale real soon! We had a lot of fun, doing the recording.

“Then we went back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. We ate at the Rocking Chair Restaurant. They had some great catfish.

“After dinner we went to the play, The Miracle Worker, the story of Helen Keller. It was wonderful!

“Saturday morning, after another good breakfast (with tarts!), we started toward home.

“We stopped at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament off I-65 near Hanceville. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The chapel was done in gold. It covers 324 acres. The money was donated by three families who wished to remain anonymous.

“This was one of the best trips I have taken. There are so many wonderful things to see and do in Alabama. Everyone should see the Shrine.

“Our bus driver was J.J.; he has carried us on many trips and is everyone’s favorite.”

I want to thank “Miss Betty” for her delightful report.

Attending her tour were Arnie and Hazel Cobb, Vernon and Mazel Wiggins, Ferrolyn Elmore, Vernon and Agnes Ingram of Red Level, Ed and Patsy Bennett of Geneva, James and Nell Allen of Opp, James and Joy Simmons of Opp, Gladys Trawick, Lela Bradley, Clay Carroll of Bonifay, James Summerlin, Frances Ptomey, Faye Carroll of Bonifay, Bea Miller, Jo Ray, Callie Bennett of Opp (Mickey’s daughter), Betty Bass, Amanda Jo Vaughn of Geneva, Caroline Canaday of Lillian (Diana Bledsoe’s sister), Carolyn Johnson, Rebecca Maddox, Norma Gavras, Grayson Gavras of Fairhope, Betty Hall of Freeport, Dorothy Waldrop of Opp, Judy Buck, Vivian “Moo Moo” Miller, Neal and Kitty Wyatt, and “Miss Betty.”