I don't know about everyone else, but I enjoyed the JHS homecoming last weekend although I didn't have much time to devote to it. Responsibilities of my job kept me busy at school on Friday until almost kickoff time for the football game. I had a Saturday morning school activity to attend; came back to Jellico High in time to just miss my class's annual gathering; ate the alumni dinner; spoke during the Alumni Assembly with some notes that I hastily put together on the history of alma mater; rushed back to Whitley County High to see our elementary girls play in the finals of our school system's elementary basketball tournament; and eventually made it to the reception and dance on Saturday night. To say that I was one tired individual on Sunday morning ranks among the understatements of the year. But I am sure those who organized and worked the entire homecoming weekend were even more tired than me.
(I was surprised by the number in attendance at the assembly who later told me that they were unaware of the fact that we once had two separate school systems and two separate high schools in Jellico. The Jellico City High School sat next to the First Baptist Church and the Jellico Campbell County High School was located on Florence Avenue where the Tabernacle is now located. Sometimes it is very difficult to clearly identify at which high school some events took place and exactly when we combined into one school. I had always heard the date as sometime around 1935 when the beautiful Jellico City High burned to the ground and the city of Jellico decided to disband its school system and join the county system to include sending all students to the school on Florence Avenue.. But following the assembly, a lady told me that she went to the lower grades at the city school and that it was actually destroyed in 1931.. I learned more from her than she did from me and she sure cleared up a lot of questions that I have always had concerning that momentous occurrence in the history of alma mater.)
The annual alumni assembly this year was truly outstanding - and with the possible exception of my presentation - very interesting and entertaining. All who organized and presented the program did a fine job - and especially the very moving concluding tribute to our late alumnus SSgt Barton Siler who was killed in Iraq.
(I was asked by several if the homecoming parade can be reinstated. I informed them that I thought it had been discontinued due to insufficient interest but that if enough folks once again decide to get involved, that sponsors might consider restarting the parade. I for one like to see the vintage cars and trucks and especially those driven by students who graduated the model year.)
During the time that I did have to talk to alumni members who were present, I had folks from Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and even one fellow from California just to name a few states, that informed me that they regularly read this column on the Internet. I greatly appreciate them and others that took the time to tell me of their enjoyment of my writing. Some of my past subjects they brought up included "turning folks out of church" (one lady said that my article on that subject settled a long standing disagreement between her and her husband concerning that earlier church practice), "yellow jackets", "blackberries", "milking of a cow", etc..
And I guess the greatest compliment came from a lady who stated that what I write about Jellico reminds her of Mayberry on that once popular television series. I took that as a compliment because Mayberry idealized small town America and for Jellico to be compared - no matter how remotely - to Mayberry is an honor. And it goes without saying that we have individuals in Jellico that remind us of all of the characters on that show. (But I hope that I don't resemble the bungling mayor. If I do I will sure try to "nip it", "nip it", "nip it".)
We have so many activities now taking place in Jellico that I am having difficulty keeping up with them - and that's great. As I have written many, many times in the past, the more positive things we have taking place in Jellico, all the better. I have no idea what was going on last Tuesday night as I returned from our elementary football games at Whitley County High but the Community Conference Room in the Tramell Building appeared to be full of folks while someone was apparently making a visual presentation of some kind. It's really good to see that facility receiving such constant use.
According to my schedule, our next activity in the downtown will be the Community Pig Roast that has several sponsors who will provide both free food and local entertainment. (Saturday, November 5th). And of course we have our annual Veterans Day Observance at the Veterans Monument on Friday, November 11th when SSgt Siler's name will be added.
Sometimes when I really get discouraged concerning the progress that we are attempting to make in Jellico, I receive an e-mail from Condy Alley who has lived in Alabama for several years but who keeps up with developments in our town as closely as he did when he lived here. He dearly loves Jellico and he never misses a homecoming or any opportunity to come home.
As usual, he sent me an e-mail concerning the homecoming and the changes that have been made since his last visit and he is very, very complimentary of the improvements he has seen within the past few years. His comments are especially meaningful since he sees the changes after they are accomplished which is a totally different perspective from someone who lives here and drives through town virtually every day.
My work schedule prevents me from going to the new coffee shop, "A Common Ground" except on a very irregular basis. But all that I have talked with who have had the food and drinks served there, speak very favorably concerning what they have tried.
As I have written several times in the past I hope folks will continue to support the new business. It will be good for our downtown by providing a "watering hole" where folks can meet and eat in a very friendly atmosphere. (But some say that they send for carry-outs for lunch for themselves and their co-workers and the carry-outs too are very good.)
On an entirely different topic, I want to again mention the fact that we have one of our state's best horseshoe pitchers in Jellico as was demonstrated again at this year's Fall Fest. When you pitch against Alla Faye Rutherford you don't expect to win - you just hope to not get too badly embarrassed. For the life of me I can't understand how she does it since she holds the horseshoes and pitches them in such an awkward appearing manner that it looks as if she is throwing them away. But they somehow end up around the stake for "ringers" time after time, after time. Even if she happens to miss - the shoe still is very, very close to the stake.
She apparently tired of beating the best she could find in Tennessee and recently entered the all men competition at Barbourville, Kentucky that coincidentally just happened to include a top pitcher from Tennessee as well. I understand that she bested all of those fellows in a "ringer pitch out" by throwing 16 ringers out of 20 pitches and I am surprised she didn't do even better. (I once witnessed her throwing something like 19 or 20 out of 22.) As a reward for her performance she brought home three trophies including one huge trophy.
Wonder if Alla Faye qualifies for some kind of female (or male) horse shoe pitching record?
Someone asked me recently if I had noticed all of the motorcycles that we now seem to be having come through Jellico. Indeed I have. And with the current price of gas, the manufacture and purchase of motorcycles is reportedly increasing by leaps and bounds all over America.
Motorcycle riders include a very wide cross section of America. The idea of the typical cycle rider that was portrayed in some old movies is far from the true picture. (I love to see TV video clips of those veteran cycle riders when they make their pilgrimage to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. each year to honor their fallen comrades). And social clubs of bike riders are becoming more and more common throughout the country.
A club was recently formed in Kentucky called UBAD which on first glance can possibly give the wrong impression. But the acronym actually stands for United Bikers Against Drugs Motorcycle Association Incorporated. It lists it self as "Christian - American - Biker" and states that its "vision is to compel both active and inactive bikers, sponsors, faith based organizations and concerned citizens to get informed and get involved".
I know some of the folks that have formed that organization and they are outstanding citizens of their communities. They invite others to join them. Contact Gary Linville 859/302-2431
I always wanted to ride a cycle but two very bad experiences definitely ended that dream for me. Hitchhiking home from Cumberland College one hot day, a distant relative of mine picked me up to double on his cycle. Before the ride was over, without question I would have jumped off if I could have. But we were traveling far too fast for that and it seemed that we were laying down almost to the pavement when we passed vehicles. I could hardly stand alone when we got to Jellico.
Several years later I decided that I might could ride a dirt bike and so I asked a friend to let me try his out. And I was doing pretty well too - until I tried to circle the house, cut too quickly and turned over into a rose bush. I'm not certain that my body still doesn't contain some of the briars. I've always heard and repeated, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!" That sound's good but it definitely did not apply to me in that case. I wanted no more of it and to the best of my recollection, I have never been back on a motorized bike or cycle since then. (But then again, it seems that in a weak moment I did one time get on behind Charles Allen and went for a short spin on his cycle.) But they do look like great pleasure to those who can comfortably ride and control them.
It never hurts to say thank you and Hailey Crockett and Harvey and Joyce Jones have asked me to say thanks to some local merchants including Douglas Grocery, Buck's Hardware, Steve Morgan CPA, Ray's Superior Market, Dollar General Store and Unique Hair Designs for the help they provided to their daughter and granddaughter, Charley Crockett, in a recent fund raising for Boston Elementary School. Charley is in our Boston Elementary kindergarten and was chosen as our Football Princess for 2005.. (How do you like her name -Charley Crockett? Got a nice ring to it doesn't it. I love it!)
I occasionally get requests to run announcements, etc. in these notes and I am always happy to do so. Just let me know what you want me to announce and in most cases I will be happy to do so - depending of course upon the nature of the announcement.
E-mail me at: mayor@jellico.tn.us
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