Fiddling & Football & Fun
Equals MHC Homecoming
Mars Hill College bubbled with activity last weekend as three big
events coincided: homecoming, the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival,
and the Guilford football game. Mountain musicians offered some of the
finest fiddling to be heard anywhere; homecoming queen Melanie Hall
and football queen Carol Hawk were crowned ; women stitched quilts ; the
Rural Life Museum gave a preview at its new home on campus; the
Center next door displayed its programs and products; Drew and Louise
Langsner demonstrated how to hew a poplar log and other techniques of
country woodcraft; old-timey cooks produced mouth-watering cider,
sausage biscuits, and apple butter; and a woman brewed up a bubbling
batch of lye soap. Oh, and Mars Hill beat Guilford 10-7 to keep itself
undefeated this season.
A BALLOON on a windy day is
almost as unwieldy as it is un
predictable. Crew members
struggled with it for over an hour
at the college athletic field, finally
deciding to wait for calmer
weather.
TALL HAROLD GARRISON bends to tend to
a customer from Miami. Harold brought his
finely-crafted wood-shaving flowers and an
assortment of walking canes. His flowers,
carved from white maple, contain as many
as 400 curly shavings each.
QUILTING is an old habit with mountain
people, and the oldest-fashioned way to share
work and gossip. Here Katherine Rice and
Inez Rayburn of Black Mountain help out on
a quilt by Liona Rice of Mars Hill, as
passersby stop to chat.
EXTENSION HOMEMAKERS of Madison
County produced enough good mouth
watering pickles and preserves to win no
fewer than 76 ribbons this year. Doris
Roberts, who works with the Extension Ser
vice as a nutrition aide, tends the exhibit.
LIZ SMATHERS SHAW and her
husband, Lynn Shaw, fiddled both
onstage and on the campus lawn
for much of the weekend, drawing
enthusiastic crowds wherever
they went.
NATIVES AND VISITORS joined
on the college campus for some
spirited square dancing, accom
panied by a full string/fiddle
band.
Memories Of Molasses
Letter To The Editor
Editor the News Record;
When I glanced over the
front page of The News
Record this morning, and saw
the article "Making
Molasses", plus the vivid
pictures of the "cane patch",
the cane mill, and the
"boiling down" of the cane
juice, it set me reminiscing,
bringing back poignant
memories of yesteryear.
But just imagine my sur
prise when I read your
editorial quoting from my
book "Home in Madison
County" which was published
by East Tennessee State
University a few years ago. It
brought tears to my eyes!
In fact, the whole paper is
so full of interesting, newsy,
homey items and good pic
tures, that I would like for you
to please mail a copy to each
of my five daughters and my
sister.
With kindest regards to you,
and to "Pop" who has been so
faithful over the years.
LENA PENLAND PURKEY
Knoxville, Tenn.
Sunday Night Singing
.Heard And Seen _
By FOP
Baseball fans had a real treat last week
during the playoffs between Pittsburgh and
Cincinnati and also between the Orioles and
Angels... imagine, the first three games go
ing extra innings and the great comeback
by the Angels who trailed 9-1 and then
almost won the game in the ninth inning
before losing 9-8. The playoffs were the
most interesting I can remember. (Except
for the fourth game between the Angels and
s). In addition to the great plays by
the camera work was excellent
' the announcers.
Way back while I was playing high
baseball and also playing in the
County League, we didn't know
to wear batting gloves, sliding
. bibs, pine tar and rosen
much less "doughnuts"...
' three bats and maybe three
baseballs... that was when we had roun
dhouse curves, drops, knucklers, etc., not
sliders, etc. But we had a lot of fun anyway.
Every time we had a game we had to beg
enough money to buy a ball or two. We
weren't blessed with the large baseball
gloves and mits worn today. I can well
remember putting a sponge in my thin and
worn first baseman's "pud" when "Snake"1
Carver was pitching and also in high school
to catch the rifle-like throws of Carl Bryan,
Warren Ramsey and others... today, they
call it velocity... in my playing days we call
ed it speed and great throwing arms. How
things change!
The first touch of "real fall" has been in
evidence for the past several days... in ad
diton to the flake or two of snow in the
higher elevations, there has also been some
light frosts. Maybe a few more frosts will
mornings have been nippy and invigorating
and a blanket at night feels real good... the
Autumn colors will be at a peak in a few
days and there's nothing ihore beautiful
than the mountains this time of year.
It's always nice to hear of former
residents and subscriberrs who read this
column... a few days ago, the Arnold
Hensleys of Piano, 111., were visiting in the
county and Mrs. Hensley told me she
always read this column... others who have
moved to various other places have told me
or written that they enjoy Heard and Seen.. .
I appreciate this.
I certainly did appreciate the unique
message I received last week from some of
the gals at the Waynesville Mountaineer
including Betty, Brenda, Jacki, Vicki and
Patri... they are a fine group... I'm going to
visit them and the rest of "the gang" as
soon as I can see my way dear.
' -.1 . .
The regular second Sunday
night singing will be Oct. 14 at
the Alexander Baptist Church
beginning at 7 p.m.
Groups taking part in the
singing will be Bear Creek
Quartet, Alexander Church
singers and others. All
singers and listeners are
welcome.
Jean Francois Champollion ?
deciphered the hieroglyphs on '
the Rosetta Stone in 1S22.
The News -Record
NON-PARTISAN IN POLITICS (USPS 388-440)
ALAN H. ANDERSON. Editor
JAMES I. STORY, Editorial Consultant
And Columnist
Published Weekly By
Madison County Publishing Co. Inc.
BOX 369 MARSHALL. N.C. 28753
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