Class reunion tries the writer’s patience
ASHS Column for 05 10 07
Jerry Simmons
At the Century High
School reunion a couple
weeks back, I had a most
unusual experience. One
of the older men at the
event came up to me and
said he liked these
columns, but there was
a problem: we (meaning
Margaret Collier and I)
didn’t "tell the truth."
I had to ask what he
meant by that, because
we tell what we know
and if we aren’t sure it’s
true, somehow we make
that clear.
He proceeded to tell
me that I didn’t even know
where the old jail was.
I replied that I knew it was
near the L&N tracks
between Hecker Road and
Front Street. He then said
that I didn’t know why it
was torn down, and I agreed with him; I don’t know why it was torn down.
When I asked him if he knew, he said he did, and I said for him to tell me then I could write about it. He said, "No. That’s for you to find out. The person who told me is dead."
With my eyes wide open by this time, I was incredulous. "If the person who told you is dead, and you know, but you won’t tell me, how do you expect me to write about it?" He shrugged his shoulders as if to say it wasn’t his problem.
I laughed, hardly believing I was engaging in this conversation with someone who was so obviously baiting me, but he wasn’t done with me yet. He then asked me if I knew where the old convict camp was and I answered that I did. "Do you know what they did down there?" I told him one of the things they did was work on the local roads.
Of course, that wasn’t the right answer. He told me they were vagrants and were arrested because they had no money in their pockets.
Of course, this is the first I’d heard about this particular camp doing that, and I would have found it difficult to trust this statement, had I not recently read in a 1902 newspaper an account of a man treated horribly for a minor infraction of the law. This happened in the 1920s in central Alabama, and he served a year with beatings and whippings every day even after he stopped being insubordinate. I’ll bring you a report on this in the near future.
Anyway, by this time, my patience was wearing thin at this contradictory exchange and I had raised my voice enough that several bystanders turned to see what was happening. I sat down and the gentleman said, "I can really get you going, can’t I?" I replied that he was able to do just that.
Anyway, I am telling my side of what happened for his benefit, so I can offer my apologies for being less than sensitive. I worried about this for a couple of days afterward, because the way I acted wasn’t becoming to the "Eddie Simmons’ image" expected of me. I am sorry, sir, and hope you will look over my reactions.
****
That brings me to another point. I found that there are surely lots of folks who read this column, because the subject of my last column was brought to my attention many, many times over the last couple of weeks. One fella got everyone’s attention at a fellowship lunch at church and make the announcement that he wanted to be sure they knew "that fellow over there (pointing to me) is Eddie Simmons’ little brother!"
****
We lost two old time residents of Century last week, Sam Ptomey and David Mayo. I didn’t know Sam well, but he lived in Century during the early years and fascinated everyone in the formative years of the ASHS with his tales of the old days.
David Mayo was brought up at the head of Mayo Street in Century, in a house about where Carver-Century school’s cafeteria is now. He is one of many grandsons of Mark Mayo, the farmer who is considered by many to be the Patriarch of Century. It was Mark Mayo’s property that made up the bulk of the land purchased for the town and mill.
Two men whose families and friends will miss terribly. Our condolences go out to these families.
****
Not the least of things going on locally is the work being done by the Flomaton Centennial Committees. Last Friday we had a "Remember When" session at the Flomaton Antique Auction building, the old Jackson Theatre. Since I am writing this Friday morning and my deadline is later today, I can’t report how it went. Maybe elsewhere in this issue there’ll be a report by one of the Ledger’s finest. I am to do a PowerPoint presentation there of some 190 old pictures, most of which came from my friend, Jerry Fischer.
Speaking of whom, as of this writing his surgery is to be Monday, May 7. Margaret will report on him next week, along with Jerry, Jr., who is undergoing surgery the following day, the 8th.
****
Don’t forget the recipes and pictures we’re asking you to submit for our cookbook. Betty Amerson brought a whole stack of old cookbooks in and some were better than 100 years old! I never heard of "cow-foot jelly" before. Have you?
Saturday, May 12, ASHS is hosting the quarterly Panhandle Historic Preservation Alliance meeting at the Leach House Museum. This alliance is for museums from Blountstown to Pensacola to Okaloosa County to Century to join together, pooling their skills, knowledge and resources. We believe it’s been a great advantage to us already in just knowing the members of the other groups. So if you’re one of our members, you should try to be there – we’re gonna have old time music with harmonica, bass fiddle and banjo, Don Sales promises homemade ice cream, and some of our ladies are providing the dinner-on-the-ground type meal. We think it will be enjoyable for all who can make it.
****
Old 100 should be rolling into town next Thursday, the 17th, if present plans go according to schedule. Stay tuned – we’ll let you know as soon as we can.
Y’all come.
Century High School band on Church Street, marching toward Mayo, circa 1940. The old Century Drugstore is in the background. The colors were red and grey and during the thirties the school was known as "Yellowjackets. At one time, I'm told, they were called "Greyhounds." "Blackcats" came later. This picture is courtesy Leroy Findley who thinks one of his Findley cousins was in this band. If anyone has any more knowledge of this, please let us know.
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This page last modified on Saturday, May 19, 2007