What a great Jellico High School homecoming this year!!!
The weather was ideal but I cannot credit the Homecoming Committee for that. However they deserve our thanks for the super job they did in all other aspects. Their organizational skill and hard work were very evident.
Ronnie Dabney had the music in the park that Friday afternoon and Robert and Dessie Johnson presented the bluegrass/gospel that evening. The parade prior to the game was a lot of fun for all those involved and everything at the game and following the game came off with only a few hitches. Even Charles Hackler's young horses remained calm in spite of all the excitement and traffic.
Saturday's activities included the usual alumni gathering, a lunch with great food and an assembly that honored two distinguished members of the alumni - the highly successful Mr. Dick Davenport who now owns one of our nation's largest optical companies and Dr. Raul C. Powers who has operated a successful and well known eye-care practice in Clinton, Tennessee for the past forty plus years.
The assembly was followed by several full and impromptu class reunions, an alumni dinner again with great food and a concert/dance.
The concert/dance did not get off to a good start but ended in nothing byt praise for the "Boys Night Out" band. There was difficulty with adjusting the volume of music to the gymnasium and the early songs did not fit the tastes of some in attendance. But the proper volume was finally attained and the music moved more and more toward the audience's preference. Before the night ended, the crowd had grown back and almost everyone became involved. In fact the band played for several additional minutes due to numerous requests. All in all it turned out to be one of the best, if not the best, we have ever had.
But the biggest "hit" of the weekend was, without question, "The Walk Through the Years". So many stopped the follow "The Walk" that the hall became almost impassable at times. Some lingered so long looking at the complete display that they were late for other planned activities (I was one of them). And the Alumni Committee members say that they want to expand it even more next year.
(But the greatest value of "The Walk" may have been the fact that it presented solid evidence to one and all that I did indeed once have a full head of hair - and dark hair at that).
I can't say enough good things about the great job done by Rev. Bill Branam, Georgia Branam, Cathy Vann, Majorie Johnson, Janet Johnson, Pam Weaver, J.T. Meredith, Alvin Evans, Tim Webb and everyone involved with the committee.
They and the city of Jellico had a lot of help from Catherine Queener, Norma Young, Mollie Creekmore, Betty Sowders, city employees, the Jellico Police Department, Jellico Utilities employees, faculty and student volunteers and numerous others whom I am unintentionally leaving out or who may have made contributions of which I am unaware. But I do sincerely appreciate everyone and every contribution made toward an activity that is so important to our town and our local businesses as well as to Jellico High School.
I also want to thank the Community Health and Development Team for their efforts over the homecoming weekend to raise money for the seasonal banners for our downtown. It was great to see all of those folks involved - many of whom were not alumni but who want to see the continuation of the improvements that are currently being made to our downtown.
Even Jellico Community Hospital Administrator Jim Bunch was taking his turn with a milk jug.
It's great to see our entire community once again coming together to work for the betterment of Jellico.
And the improvements made in Jellico to date certainly gained the attention of our out-of-town visitors. I don't believe that I have ever received so many compliments as I did over the homecoming weekend.
One Ohio couple stated that they attended homecoming this year to again see their former classmates and friends but mainly to see the positive changes taking place that they have read and heard so much about. And they were not at all disappointed.
Another couple from that same state told me that they plan to retire within a year or so and want to return here to live. They said that they hope to find a place within the city limits so they can "vote for my reelection for what I have done". I told them that I have no plans following completion of my present term but to be sure and follow through with their plans just in case I do decide to run again.
(A local resident involved in that conversation said that he and another individual have discussed becoming candidates for the Council in the next city election if I do run for reelection. According to that person, neither has previously had any intent or even a desire to serve on the Council. But he stated that they see progress being made and believe they can provide me support on the Council to continue that progress. In my opinion both would make good Councilmen and I hope they do run for the Council even if I do not seek a second term.)
One visitor told me that what has been done to our downtown has been "miraculous" (local resident Mr. R.L. Bolden often tells me that also). I certainly appreciate the praise. But I always empasize that it is not the result of a miracle but one brought about through hard work and determination. And I always point out too, that an awful lot of work still remains to be done to bring our town to where it needs to be.
Several visitors commented on the situation with the City Administrator vacancy. All said that their towns and cities hire and elect local people to manage their governments. And in his comments following receipt of a "Distinguished Alumni Award" to Davenport, the honoree termed Jellico people as "capable of doing anything". According to Davenport, Jellico factory workers are the best and Jellico's medical school graduates are the best. And he travels to a lot of areas and functions (including a presidential conference dealing with American businesses) and has the opportunities to evaluate and compare their performance. His words almost echoed my comments in this column last week.
And Davenport's later lavish compliments concerning the downtown renovation and revitalization project were very gratifying to me since he serves as Treasurer of the Charleston Local Development Corporation, a committee to restore the historic downtown district of Charleston, South Carolina.
I certainly received great encouragement from Davenport and a lot of other visitors who asked me to stay on the job until it is completed.
I am extremely impressed with the fact that 9,000 people (including repeaters) have now called up my column on the internet. But it was an awesome feeling to actually meet many of those in person.
I had alumnus after alumnus to tell me that they now await each week for it's posting on www.jellico.com/jellico/jellico.htm. (And of course many informed me that they receive the Jellico Advance-Sentinel through subscriptions.)
Condy Alley, now living in Alabaster, Alabama, told me that he had been rememering Estil Roundtree's popcorn stand and almost passed out with shock when my comments concerning that topic came up on his monitor. Mrs. Hazel Euliavee Todd Bradley of Clinton, Tennessee raved about my article concerning Yellow Row and Frog Level. (But Mrs. Bradley also said that I was wrong about everybody having one pair of shoes available to them. She said that you had one good pair available to wear to school and church. Otherwise you went barefooted or wore hand-me-downs or a previously worn out pair). She also demanded equal time for Branam Hill and I plan to write about that section in next week's column since I promised her I would do so.
Another lady suggested that I reprint and bind all previous articles into book form and sell them at homecomings. I certainly appreciate the suggestion but everybody already has access to them through the internet site "archives". And they apparently are well disseminated. Several told me that they print hard copies of the column and then pass the copies to family, friends, neighbors and former Jellico residents.
In fact one man told me that he regularly prints out this column and posts copies on the bulletin board where he works. Although no other former Jellicoan is employed there and although most have never even been to Jellico, he says that the articles are well read because they contain interesting information about a small town - his hometown. That is truly a great compliment.
And I have never written this column with a profit in mind. I simply do them to provide information and enjoyment for our local and out-of-town readers.
It was great to see Joe Paul and Phylis Faulkner at homecoming this year. Jellico has not seemed the same to me since their move to Chattanooga.
No matter how badly you felt, when you happened to meet Phylis you could not help but leave feeling much better after having talked with her. Her sunny disposition would lift anyone's spirits.
And Joe Paul laid the foundation for many of the physical improvements at our high school. His efforts followed by the combined efforts of his successors, and certainly Mr. J.L. Davis, eventually helped to bring about our new high school.
The fellows who regularly play in the "Old Timers Baseball Game" thanked me for what I wrote about them in an earlier article. But they also asked me to mention the batting prowess still possessed by A.B Foreman. From the reports I have received, A.B. is the leading hitter and "knocking the ball around the lot like it is a ping-pong ball".
I have not seen A.B. play baseball but I warn everyone to stay clear of him in pick-up basketball games. He claims all rebounds and pity anyone who gets in his way when he charges the backboard.
Sandra Kidd, a Jellico Electric and Water System employee, suggested having a large Blue Devil flag prepared and displayed on a downtown utility pole for homecoming. It is a good idea but it came too late for this year. However I discussed it with Mike Blankenship at Mike's Graphics and he plans to prepare a large Blue Devil flag for Homecoming 2000. He also plans to make the same flag on a scale small enough for displaying on vehicles, for the alumni parade of classes, etc.
The "Old Fashioned Night" still plays upon the memories of some of our long time residents. After reading my comments concerning some of the things discussed that night, Mr. James Head requested that I mention a lady in this column that several residents will probably recall and one that did an awful lot of good work in this area - Miss Mary? Bain, a very well known local Registered Nurse. (Few ever called her anything but "Nurse Bain" so no one seems to be certain of her first name. But those who knew her certainly have not forgotten her.)
Nurse Bain was present when a lot of us made our entry into this world. And she was usually present when, as kids, we had to endure the torture of all tortures - getting a "shot". But her voice was so soft and caring that she usually calmed us down short of outright mutiny against that needle that we envisioned to be the size of a number two pencil and a foot long - and with a dull point at that.
Other names from that era that have come up include Mrs. Becky Jeffers (mentioned by my sister Margaret) and Mrs. Nona Steely Vermillion (I don't recall who brought up her name that night).
If I had had any idea that the "Old Fashioned Night" would have sparked the interest that it has, I would have asked Mrs. Bessie Steely to sponsor several such activities this past summer. But I sure plan to do that next year. And just as soon as the weather is warm enough to start.
Anyone who thinks having downtown activities such as the "Old Fashioned Night" does not pay off for a town should talk to the residents of Williamsburg. Two weekends ago they had a large group of motorcyclists come to town for a charitable cause and some estimated they added $25,000.00 to the local economy. And the group was extremely cooperative and was invited back for future weekends. This past weekend, Williamsburg had a "Jeep Jamboree" that included 172 jeeps and 300 visitors. The two days brought in $75,000.00 of "outside money".
Just think what $100,000.00 in extra income for nine days would mean to Jellico's business. And there is almost no overhead cost for the involved towns.
That is why Councilman Jim Dobson and I have been working so hard to make a success of our weekend activities in the downtown park. And we have had good success so far. We plan to be even more successful in the future.
I hope to set up an autumn display on our downtown stage after discontinuation of our Friday night activities. I would also like to light it at night. As I mentioned last week, other towns are beginning to decorate their downtowns for the changing seasons and the displays add a lot to their appearance.
I reported a few weeks ago that I would simply not have the time this year to develop "Christmas in the Park" but that I hoped that someone would carry on with the event that has become so popular.
Robert and Dessie Johnson have indicated that they may explore the idea of continuing that project if no one else does. (Mrs. Cathy Vann was very instrumental in setting up the displays for the past two years but I do not know if she plans to be involved again this year.)
But as I indicated previously, if no one does continue with "Christmas in the Park", then we will need to develop some plans for the downtown utilizing the new stage.
Ronnie Dabney asked me to name and thank the sponsors of "Saturday Nights in the Park":
Barton's Storage Buildings, Llewellyn Furniture Store, Judy's Hair Styles, J.L. Cooper Car Lot, Ray's Superior Market, Heritage Pizza, Jellico Drug, Douglas Auto and Car Wash, Jim and Ruby's, Danny's Somerset, Home Builders, Janies Beauty Shop, John Leach, Buckners Trough, Morgan Brothers Construction, Jerry's Market, Joyces Beauty Shop, Taylor Barber Shop, Davenport Fire Works Store, and Interstate 2000.
A special thanks is extended to Lowes Arts and Crafts, Sue's Ceramics of LaFollette, and Dessie Smiddy for their contributions.
All contributions are sincerely appreciated and we hope that everyone will get involved again next spring.
Final Note:
Our football team is currently concluding one of those seasons that most teams experience at some point in time. But as I have said before, the playing experience being gained by our very young Freshmen and Sophomores cannot but help in the future.
Although I am sure that our coaches became discouraged, this may have been their best coaching performance of any year. Keeping the team together and playing hard under the adversity that this group of young men has suffered is no small accomplishment. Coaches and players alike can take great pride in the efforts that they have made and there are brighter days ahead.
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