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

By Mrs. C.R. Grundy (Contact) | Andalusia Star-News

Published Saturday, November 14, 2009

Peeping through my Venetian blind, I noted the postman, Mr. Windham, coming up my walk with a package. It contained three old yearbooks from the Andalusia High School – l937, l94l, and l953 – sent me by Marion W. Tisdale on behalf of the children of James Arthur Wilson, Anne Folmar, Dr. James A. Wilson, Jr., and Mary Kathryn Wilson. The books had belonged to Mr. Wilson, who was graduated from A.H.S. and later taught there 36 years, l8 of them as principal, the record. I shall pass the annuals on to the Heritage Room at the high school. The yearbook name, by the way, Memolusia, was made from “Memories of Andalusia.” The first one was published in l930.

Miss Priscilla Primme and Miss Purdie Birdie motored to Birmingham this past week and reported familiar sights north of Montgomery – the Confederate Memorial Park, the large Confederate flag, the clockwise water wheel, the counter-clockwise water wheel with its cut-out of a red devil saying, “Go to church or the Devil will get you,” fall leaves, Durbin Farms (where they stopped for peach ice cream), and the Cracker Barrel in Calera, where they stopped for lunch.

Seen at Off the Square Cafe were Mary Lynn (Pierce) Edgar, Sidney and Polly (Wilder) Waits, Bob Carter and his son David, and Mark and Debbie Maraman.

I spoke with Jimmy and Debbie (Boswell) Grimes during the lunch buffet at Tabby D.’s Veterans Day. They seemed filled with all the joys of life. Dining with Alvin and Betty Earnest, we three caught up with the latest news and views. The Neal King family, Mary Wilson, Wilma Tillman, Naomi Castleberry, Herb and Sue Carlisle, Maggie Shelley, and Elmer and Myrtis Davis were among the many Dimpletonians enjoying the fried pork chops, cabbage, hominy, fried eggplant strips and fruit pie. I won’t tell who had seconds.

The Covington County Education Retirees Association met November 4 at Country Folks, Florala, for its monthly meeting. Lunch there followed the program.

Geraldine Boothe of Opp, past president, presented a devotional, followed by the pledge and welcome, extended by President Joe Wingard. Secretary Elaine Chavers of Opp read the minutes and treasurer’s report. Committee reports were made by Kim Dyess (membership), Carolyn Davis (legislative), Dean Morris (social), and Evelyn Larigan (publicity).

Canned goods were collected for the needy, a state-wide project of the Alabama E.R.A. this year.

Mention was made of state president, Johnny Davis, and his recent death. A state official, Otis Brunson, was reported in recovered health.

Two special dates were announced, November l7 for Retired Teachers’ Day (I suggest former students take one of their retired teachers to a meal) and November 16 – 20 for American Education Week.

The next meeting of the CCERA was set for December 2 at 10 a.m. in the Opp Chamber of Commerce to hear the Opp High School Voices. Each retiree is asked to take a covered dish, a wrapped Christmas gift to exchange, and another canned good.

Allen Miller of Opp, vice-president of the CCERA, arranged the program, an update on the financial state of retirees, especially in light of the bad economy, presented by Janice Charlesworth, executive secretary of the AERA from Montgomery. Mrs. Charlesworth almost guaranteed an increase in the cost of health coverage for teachers, active and retired, to be paid by the teachers.

I don’t know what the CCERA would do without Opp retirees. Andalusia is just not doing its proportionate share of the work.

This past week has brought the birth dates of the following: Martin Luther, the German Catholic who had so much influence on “the Protestant Reformation”; Oliver Goldsmith, the Irish poet who penned “The Deserted Village”; Friedrich Schiller, the German poet who wrote the play about William Tell, the Swiss hero; Thomas Bailey Aldrich, an American author; and Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish novelist, short-story writer, and poet, whose classics include Treasure Island, A Child’s Garden of Verses, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The first line of Goldsmith’s “Deserted Village” reads, “Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain.” This gave the name to the town of Auburn and Auburn University and the alliterative nickname, “loveliest village of the plain,” as well as the student newspaper, The Plainsman.

Some rich person or a collection of poor should put up in Auburn a statue of Goldsmith with that quotation on the pedestal. The statue could be a copy of the one of Goldsmith, standing in Dublin, Ireland, in the court of its university.

Schiller’s play about William Tell was made into an opera by Rossini. Its “Overture” is probably the most popular and best known in the world. Many know it as the musical theme of a radio, television, and motion-picture show called The Lone Ranger.

My friend, the Portly Gentleman, motored up to Birmingham this past weekend to his college alma mater, Samford University, for its homecoming. I shall let him take the pen at this time and share his adventures.

“As I turned off Lakeshore Drive onto the lovely campus of Samford, I sang, as is my custom, the old alma mater so dear to my heart – not the new words. (The idea! Changing the words to an alma mater! It’s just not done!)

“I was so early that the registration table was not ready; so I passed the time, talking with another graduate, Miss Betty Bigham of Mobile, Class of l959, a retired teacher who taught primarily science for 33 years. She was the third generation of her family to attend Howard (as Samford was known prior to l965-l966). Her mother was a Parker, one of the well-known Baptist Parkers. Her great-grandfather, W.A. Parker, baptized (Major) Harwell Goodwin Davis when Davis was only 17 in First Baptist Church of Thomasville, Ala. Davis went on to become a prominent Alabamian and president of Howard; the library on campus bears his name.

“Betty had spent two years on the old campus at East Lake (also in Birmingham) and two on the new campus (circa l957) at Lakeshore. We knew some of the same staff, such as Dean Percy Pratt Burns, the noted Shakespearean scholar. We especially enjoyed talking about Dr. Myrtis Kurtz, who taught English and did her doctorate on Percy Bysshe Shelley, an English Romantic poet.

“Betty had once rescued Dr. Kurtz’s dog, Chief, after he had run away. That endeared her to Dr. Kurtz when Betty took her class.

“We stumbled over each other, telling Kurtz stories. Betty’s favorite was of St. Patrick’s Day when Dr. Kurtz came in green – suit, stockings, shoes, even her hair.

“For the second time in five years I was first to register at homecoming.

“Betty and I went over to the new, attractive Brock Recital Hall for the annual alumni meeting, a report of progress since last year.

“There we ran into the much respected, dignified, and sedate Dr. Sigurd Bryan, retired religion professor. Betty had been one of his students his first year at old Howard.

“Betty and I sat with Dr. Lonette L. Berg, executive director of the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission. From her we purchased copies of Dr. Wayne Flynt’s history of Alabama Baptists.

“Evensong followed in the Hodges Chapel, perhaps the most beautiful building in Alabama. The evening, worship service was led mainly by Samford’s famed A Cappella Choir, conducted by Timothy Paul Banks. The service included hymns, anthems, scripture, prayers, responsive readings, the organ, collects, and a homily, all ‘high-church.’ There was no applause throughout to interrupt the solemnity.

“I was surprised upon hearing the memorable Howard Goodall arrangement of ‘The Lord Is My Shepherd.’ It is what I know as the theme song of a British ‘sit-com,’ The Vicar of Dibley.

“Another revelation to me was Eric Whitacre’s musical setting for e.e. cummings’s ‘hope, faith, life, love.’ The anthem’s harmony was like echoes of gold and silver bells. (I did not capitalize the name of cummings or his title on purpose because lower case is his trademark.)

“When we sang ‘O God, Our Help in Ages Past,’ I thought of the late Louise (Bozeman) Barrow, who named that hymn as her favorite.

“The music of Charles Villiers Stanford was used throughout the hour. I highly recommend it to local musicians.

“At the end the A Cappella Choir sang its traditional theme song, ‘Beautiful Savior.’ That was a sound as if from Heaven.

“An alumni banquet followed in the University Dining Hall. I was assigned to a table with Mary Wimberly, Mary Louise Hodges, Bob Taylor, Elouise Williams, and Michael and Terry Morgan.

“Mary, Michael, and Terry work for Samford.

“Elouise has children who have attended Samford.

“Mary Louise is the widow of Andrew Gerow Hodges, for whom the chapel is named. Her grandmother was a Wingard. We found in the history of the Wingards by Dr. Wayne Johnson that we and Dr. Johnson are cousins.

“Mary Louise’s guest was Dr. Bob Taylor, brother to our own Luther Taylor. Bob, a widower, was born and reared in Andalusia and left A.H.S. to attend Marion Military Institute, being graduated in l944. (Marion inherited the old Howard campus in Marion, Ala., where Howard had begun.)

“Others with whom I talked at the banquet were Dr. John and Dr. Frances Carter, the faithful, capable, educational couple who provided leadership for aspiring teachers, including me, for so many years at Howard; Dr. David and Bonnie Chapman (he serves as dean of Howard College; I traveled with David and Bonnie to England); Dr. Lee N. Allen, my brilliant history professor, whose history of Samford is being edited for publication; Catherine Bryant, Dr. Allen’s lovely, dynamic, and energetic wife, once in charge of Alabama’s Women’s Missionary Union, the editor of the student newspaper when I was a freshman, the lady who directed me into English over journalism and thus changed the course of my life – for the better, I hope; Dr. Sigurd and Sara Bryan (Sara, reared in Evergreen, once babysat a young John Croft); and Andy and Jeanna Westmoreland (he is president of Samford and a courteous, endearing, and humble representative of the school).

“Three alumni were honored at the banquet, Michael and Carolyn Robinson, and Dr. Eric Motley, who Dr. Westmoreland predicted would be a presidential candidate one day. Gentle reader, if you have not heard yet of Eric Motley, you will.

“I stayed two nights at the Tutwiler Hotel in downtown Birmingham, known for its traditional elegance.

“In the Davis Library Saturday morning I attended the lecture of a Christian author, Carmen Acevedo Butcher, who teaches at Shorter in Rome, Ga. Her inspiring words included a recitation of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ in Old English. She claimed that the Internet is killing politeness, letter writing, memory, daydreaming, footnotes, mobility and patience.

“Next came the homecoming parade around campus with even a kazoo corps, much to my amusement. My ol’friend, Dr. Mark Baggett, with whom I have traveled to England, Ireland and Scotland several times, watched the parade with me. He has been named chair of the English Department and teaches classes in English and law. He is a friend in need and in deed, a fine fellow worthy of being a hero in a Dickens novel. I offered him regards from Sue (Bass) Wilson, who has also traveled with the Baggett Tours. (Miss Sue! She runs this town; she do!)

“Dr. Baggett introduced me to Kathy (White) Curtin, daughter of Dr. Bob White, once pastor, like his dad, of First Baptist, Montgomery, now executive director of the Georgia Baptist Convention. Bob and I were fellow students at Samford in our youth.

“To watch the parade, I sat on the bench with the statue of Mr. Beeson, one of Samford’s greatest benefactors. Bob Taylor, a gentleman of quality, and Mary Louise Hodges, a beautiful and gracious lady, joined me. It was a beautiful, Indian-summer, gloriously golden day! Cool breezes floated autumn leaves through the hazy sunlight.

“Waddling over to the cafeteria for lunch, I stopped in to see the daughter of Joe and Ruthie ‘Sister’ Dunn, Jennifer Hall, who works for the University.

“In the ‘Caf’ I ran into my cousin, Kathy (Merrell) Southall, and her husband Buck, who now live in Birmingham and care for her mother, Frances Merrell. They were on campus as guests of the Homecoming Grand Marshal, James Briscione, a teacher in the Institute of Culinary Education in New York, whose acquaintance they had made through their children. Briscione gave demonstrations of cooking as part of the homecoming activities.

“After dining I spent an hour, talking with Bill and Carol (Fishburne) Nunnelley, at a gathering of journalists. Bill has been with Samford publications for some 45 years. Carol, who was editor of the student newspaper, the Crimson, when I was a sophomore, wrote for the Birmingham News for 36 years and is still a professional journalist. She was just inducted into the new wall of fame for Samford’s Journalism and Mass Communication Department.

“I kept trying to locate Judith Anne Dansby, one of our own, now a student at Samford, only to find that she was in Montgomery with her mother, Jennifer (Smith) Dansby.

“I had parked my sedan atop a hill (Samford is built on hills) and had to huff and puff my way back to it. I offered some young people a dollar to carry me, but found no takers. ‘Oh,’ thought I, ‘too many petit fours! too many petit fours!’ as I climbed the Huffy-Puffy Hill.

“Before heading for the Tutwiler, I drove up to Mount Royal Towers, a retirement home, to visit Guy Wiggins, one of our own, once an active member of our Baraca Quartet. I found Guy, 94, about to watch the Alabama game, in his new room, No. 211. He seemed in good mind, good spirits and good health. I hadn’t been there any time when in came his lovely daughter, Suzy (Mrs. Mike) Murphy. We gossiped. Her son Morgan, who did write for Southern Living, has earned his business degree from Oxford University, England. He is now dealing in classic cars. He currently owns and is restoring a car that belonged to King Edward VIII of England. Suzy and Mike went over for Morgan’s graduation last May. Morgan, who has written humor columns for the Star-News, is one of the funniest, most interesting men living.

“I stopped in Homewood at Savage’s Bakery, celebrating its 70th anniversary, for petit fours, placed, of course, in a white, paper box and a cold plate of chicken salad, which I ate for supper in my room at the Tutwiler. (Don’t you just love that name!?)

“Sunday morning I attended a worship service in Hodges Chapel. Among those on program was Dr. Harold Hunt, Class of l954, instructor, 1963 – 1997, my ol’ professor of speech, who prayed the memorial prayer. Among the dead of the preceding year were Edwin Graves and Dr. Philip D. Wise. Edwin, Class of l965, was one of a well-known family who attended Samford. Philip, Class of l970, was one of Andalusia’s finest. He was taken by cancer. Only a couple of years ago, I heard him preach the Sunday service in Hodges Chapel.

“Dr. Hunt, by the by, no matter what age, still appears youthful and boyish. (He paid me to say that.)

“Sitting in front of me in chapel were Dr. and Mrs. Gene Black. Now retired, he once directed the famous A Cappella Choir, celebrating this year its 70th anniversary.

“We were singing ‘Blessed Assurance’ when I realized I wouldn’t be able to ‘get through it.’ I broke down and wept, overcome by memories of my dear, old alma mater.

“I had hoped to see, more than anyone else, my dear old professor of English with whom I had taken so many courses. I had about given up when in came Dr. Ray M. Atchison and his sweet Doris.

“If ever a character stepped from the pages of Charles Dickens, it was Ray Atchison. To endear him to Dimpletonians, the best man at his wedding was our own beloved L. C. (Luther Cross) Mullins.

“After church, I walked my ol’ friends to lunch in the ‘Caf’; and we talked and talked some more.

“Being with the Atchisons was like going back in time and being with someone who has already gone to Heaven, someone you never expected to see again, like a mother or father, a grandparent. It’s just too good to be real, but it is!

“One of our subjects was Dean Percy Pratt Burns, a legend of sorts, once a teacher of English at old Howard. We laughed over a botched introduction of Dr. Burns by a nervous, younger person – ‘and now, durn Burns, uh, burnt beans, uh, Dean Burns!’

“We spoke of Dr. Joseph L. King, another English professor at old Howard, who was cremated and whose ashes were scattered in Thoreau’s Walden Pond. His wife’s ashes followed after several years.

“I was saddened to learn that Dr. Edgar Arendall, the long-time pastor of Dawson Memorial Baptist in Birmingham, had died. He preached there when I was a college student. Dawson sent buses each Sunday morning and night to transport us students without sedans to church and back.

“I was proud to learn that at the Golden Bulldog Brunch this year that Doris (Teague) Atchison won a clock for being the earliest female graduate in attendance at Samford’s homecoming. It’s called the Lockmiller Award. She follows in the steps of her husband, Ray, 88, who won the award for the men’s division a few years before.

“It was my dear, old teacher, Dr. Atchison, who, along with another of my beloved teachers, Dr. J. L. King, selected quotations about bells for inscriptions on the set of bells that ring daily over the Davis Library. The two had been selected for this honor by then President Leslie Wright, during whose tenure I attended the ‘hallowed halls.’

“I asked Dr. Atchison if they had used any quotations by Longfellow. He assured me they had.

“I enjoyed these precious moments with the Atchisons as we talked of family present and friends departed.

“I could see by Doris’s circle of friends that she is an active and positive force in university society.

“There are so many good adjectives to describe Dr. Atchison that I am reluctant to leave him as a theme.

“Adjectives that readily come to mind are whimsical, delightful, young-at-heart, ever interesting and interested, amusing, Dickensian, energetic, lively, eager, friendly, and endearing.

“Following lunch, I headed south in my sedan, homeward bound.”

I thank the Portly Gentleman for his account. Now, gentle reader, I want to encourage each of us to be in his place of worship this weekend. Fare thee well.