THE VIKING CHRONICLES IS GOING ON VACATION

There will be no new postings on the blog site untill Thesday, June 1.  It is time to go motorcycle riding. 

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THE BIVOUAC OF THE DEAD

As we approach the solemnity of Memorial Day, it is a time to stop and contemplate those many heroes who fought and willingly sacrificed their lives throughout our long history so that we might have the freedom that we now enjoy.  I would hope that our government leaders would reflect upon those sacrifices and not handle those freedoms in a careless manner.

There was a gentleman, a Kentuckian named Theodore O’Hara who  wrote a poem about 1847 titled “The Bivouac of the Dead”.  This poem was written in honor of the many Kentuckians that died in the Battle of Buena Vista, fought during the Mexican-American war.  I have read it many times and am touched each time that I do.  Perhaps you have to.

The first verse appears in National cemeteries including Arlington.  It is a rather long poem but well worth your taking the time to read it.  It is easily found on the internet and I think you will find that reading the history of the poem and the controversy it has been through as enjoyable as the poem itself.

The following is the first verse:

The muffled drum’s sad roll has beat

The soldiers last Tattoo;

No more on life’s parade shall meet

That brave and fallen few.

on Fames eternal camping ground

Their silent tents are spread,

And glory guards, with solemn round

The bivouac of the dead.

.

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CAN YOU IDENTIFY THESE FOLKS?

Below are three pictures from the reunion of 1996.  These are again from the Catholic center in Louisa, KY.  I don’t think I can identify them.  If you know please put your reply in the comment section. 

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

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JUNE 11th, 1997, BIRTH DATE OF THE FORT GAY HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

     Often people ask when was the FGHS Memorial Scholarship first started?  It was founded on June 11, 1997.  The idea of a memorial to Fort Gay High School had circulated for some time but without direction had never taken shape.  Many things had been discussed informally but had not come to fruition.

     A  meeting was scheduled for the above date and approximately 15 people were invited to attend and discuss the formation, funding, and naming of the scholarship.  The meeting was scheduled to be held at the Louisa, KY hospital.  Charles Frasher generously provided the meeting space.

     In attendance at the meeting were Richard Plymale, Fred Reid, Charles Topping, and Charles Frasher.  We had hoped for a larger group to provide input and ideas as to the name, mechanics, and how best to fund the scholarship, however that was not to be.  Those four in attendance decided to proceed gamely ahead. 

     After much discussion it was decided to form the scholarship, name it in memory of our old high school, provide it explicitly for students from Tolsia High School, and to fund it through The Marshall University Foundation.  It had been determined that to provide an endowed scholarship that we could direct, that it would be necessary that we have $10,000.00 in the fund. 

     All of the decisions made at that meeting were taken back to the board and discussed, refined, and approved over a period of time.  To provide initial funding a $500.00 CD that was being held in the Alumni Association’s treasury was cashed and provided the initial grant to a student from Tolsia.  An appeal was then made to several members to donate $1,000.00 each so that the scholarship could be rapidly endowed and enable the Alumni Association to direct it.

     All that has been written in these short paragraphs did not occur over a short period of time.  It took  several months and a lot of hard work by several people to finally bring it all to fruition and several years to bring it to the point that it is at today.

     After this meeting, Fred took Charles Topping and myself to lunch at Joan’s grocery near the hospital.  Great sandwiches for about $1.50 each as I recall.  Charles Frasher could not attend the lunch as he was working as the pharmacist at the hospital at that time.  I am not sure that we ever thanked Fred for lunch and if we didn’t, here goes, “THANK YOU FRED”.

     I am attaching a photo of Charles Topping giving me the first dollar donated toward the scholarship.  Fred is standing off to the side in the picture thinking about lunch.

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NEW PROJECT!!!!!!!

Good afternoon everyone.  I was looking at some pictures I have from some past reunions.  They are courtesy of our beloved past secretary, the late Charles Topping.  I am going to start posting three or four each day, perhaps more, and perhaps they will bring back pleasant memories to some of you.

I will identify some of the people in the pictures some I won’t.  If you know them please post their identity  in the comments section.  Also if you have their email address, you might email them and let them know they are on the blog site.  If you do please give them the blog site address.  So here goes.  I will not identify these.  These are from the 1997 reunion which was held, I believe at the Catholic Church in Louisa.  DO YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE?  Also you may send me pictures that you would like placed on here and I will do it.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

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FORT GAY HIGH SCHOOL GROUNDS CLEANUP

Paul Salmons and Rhonda Dotson have announced a cleanup of the grounds surrounding the old high school building.  The cleanup will be held on Saturday, June 5.  For information as to time, what to bring, etc.  you may contact Paul at psalmons@hotmail.com or Rhonda at rhondadotson@yahoo.com.

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DOROTHY REID NOE AND DAUGHTER LORETTA

This is a picture submitted by Patty Wallace made at the interment of Nebert Noe at Fort Gay cemetery.  Many of you attended FGHS with Dorothy , Nebert’s widow and sister of Fred Reid.  We do send the sympathies of all of the FGHS alumni to the family.  Dorothy is on the left and their daughter, Loretta, on the right

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“WHERE’S WALDO”?

This is a picture of Patty Wallace on her birthday (she will have to tell you which one) and Mothers Day.  This is certainly a lovely group of young ladies.  It is hard to tell them apart by age and that is the reason Patty wore sun glasses so that you might be able to identify her.  The other ladies left to right are Beth Frasher, Joyce Frasher, Sara Wallace Henry, Patty, and Rebecca Wallace Pugh.  What a fine family.

Happy belated birthday and Mothers Day, Patty.  I believe this picture was made at a resort in Virginia.

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RAMBLINGS OF A RETIRED MIND. APPROPRIATE FOR MOST OF US

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MORE GOLF NEWS

 Time is rapidly approaching for the Fort Gay High School Memorial Golf Tournament benefitting the FGHS Memorial Scholarship.  We are so appreciative for those  that have participated in and supported the golf tournament in past years.   Golf hole support sponsorships have become a large part of the income from the golf tournament.  As with all of the Alumni Association’s activities, one hundred percent of the income goes to support the scholarship.   We are again  asking for alumni and friends to continue this support through a golf hole sponsorship. 

Golf hole sponsorships are $100.00 per hole and may be had by either individuals or by groups.   Letters will be going out in about two weeks to those who have supported sponsorships in the past.  These sponsorships may be made in the form of a memorial to someone or in the name of whomever you choose. 

Those electing to make a sponsorship at this time should send their checks to our golf  chairman Joe Damron, Route 1, Box  613, Fort Gay, WV 25514.  Phone  304 261 7000.   Checks should be for $100.00 and made payable to FGHS Alumni Association and marked for golf sponsorship.

This year we will be getting additional tournament promotion through the Marshall University Alumni Association.  They send promotional information to all of their alumni promoting the various alumni club golf activities throughout the United States.  They have agreed to add us to this promotional list.  This potentially could be a great assist.  We do thank Tish Littlehales, Director, Alumni Relations, Marshall University for this big assist.

We again will have a golf team supported by Marshall playing in our tournament  Marshall has not missed a year since the tournament began in providing this support and for this we thank Don VanHorn, Steve Hensley, and the rest of the group. 

The FGHS alumni board again wishes to thank all for their past support and looks forward to receiving that support again this year.

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