Gatherin’ old friends together

Ware Shoals alumni head back to school for reunion

October 8, 2006

By BOBBY HARRELL
Index-Journal staff writer

WARE SHOALS — Mayor George Rush and South Carolina state Sen. Billy O’Dell have more in common than experience in politics: Both are graduates of Ware Shoals schools.
Both also attended the Alumni Association of Ware Shoals Schools’ fourth annual Gatherin’ Saturday afternoon on the lawn in front of Katherine Hall.
Dark, cloudy skies and temperatures in the 70s couldn’t keep former Ware Shoals students and their families away: The Gatherin’ brought together about 100 people for socializing and remembering times gone and past.
The association provides charitable and educational support for Ware Shoals schools through fundraising, said Jess Howard, chairman of the alumni association and a Class of 1964 graduate.
He said the association has raised $10,000 from its alumni to replace curtains in the Ware Shoals High School auditorium. Replacing the sound system in the auditorium is the association’s next project.
The youngest person to donate to the association graduated in 2005, Howard said.
He said the idea of an alumni association came to him four years ago when he and friend Sue Tinney went to a reunion. Both felt they should create an organization just for former Ware Shoals students.
Anyone who has walked the grass in front of a Ware Shoals school is eligible to be a member of the alumni association, Howard said.
Ware Shoals’ community is also getting smaller and smaller, and something needed to be done to preserve the good times, Howard said.
“This is the only time we get to see some of these people,” he said.
Since its beginning, the Gatherin’ has been held about the same time as Ware Shoals High School’s homecoming.
Former Ware Shoals homecoming queens from the 1950s were presented at the high school football game Friday night.
Nell Amick Davenport was homecoming queen in 1958. She said she still has fond memories of Ware Shoals. Everything fun when she was a teenager was right in Katherine Hall, including a movie theater, pool hall and swimming pool.
Being back in Ware Shoals reminds her of the good high school times. “There’ll never be any of those again,” she said.
Ken Hill, Class of 1956, lives in Atlanta now but still has fond memories of playing on the Ware Shoals High football team.
He said he grew close to the other players on the team during his time as quarterback.
Annette Derrick worked in the Ware Shoals school system for 43 years.
She said it would be hard for her to pick just one good memory during her time as a teacher and librarian.
Ken Makins, Class of 1976, got the name “Snake” during his time in Ware Shoals schools.
Coach Bob Johnson gave him the nickname based on his skinny stature and his quickness on the basketball court.
“Most people didn’t know my real name,” he said.
Makins said he wasn’t aware of the Gatherin’ until this year. Now he and his family are planning making the trip from Lexington to Ware Shoals every year.

Eagles, Vikings win meet

October 8, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

You could tell autumn was near Saturday morning. The weather was cool and a few leaves were beginning to fall.
However, that wasn’t all that was falling, as a number of local cross country runners times came tumbling down at the All-Lakelands Cross Country Meet at Connie Maxwell.
The Greenwood High School boys team won their side, while the Emerald girls came in first in the girls’ division.
The final boys tally was Greenwood 27, Emerald 36, Greenwood Christian 90, Dixie 107 and Abbeville 128. The final girls scores were Emerald 24, Greenwood 60, Greenwood Christian 65 and Abbeville 77.
The individual boys winner was Greenwood’s Brendan Feucht, who posted his second best career time of 17 minutes, 7 seconds. Emerald’s Stephanie Whitmire won the girls event, breaking a school record in the process, by posting a time of 19:49.
“We’ve been working on getting my time under 20 minutes,” Whitmire said. “It helped me to have (Greenwood Christian’s) Alex Thomas out there pushing me.”
Thomas came in second with a time of 20:25.
“Stephanie is a good runner,” Thomas said. “We kept a good pace. I’ve been pushing to get under 21 minutes, so I’m happy with my time.”
Feucht said he was also pleased with his time, though he did not match his personal best of 16:40. He said he was thrilled to win the All-Lakelands meet, particularly in his senior year.
There was definitely a competitive spirit in the air, as personal best times were being posted all over the board.
The Abbeville girls squad, though it finished fourth in team competition, had one of its best days in recent memory. Each of the top five Lady Panthers’ finishers netted a personal best time.
“I’m really proud of the way my girls ran today,” Abbeville coach Lillian Ferguson ran. They’ve been pushing and pushing to decrease their times. Today was a result of that work.”
While some were pushing for personal bests and Lakelands titles, at least one runner was seeking to simply finish strong. Dixie’s Sarah Cawood had only participated in one race all year because of a complication with scar tissue in her knee. Cawood finished the course in 29:50.
“My knee really hurts right now,” Cawood said, with a laugh. “But I finished in under 30, which was my goal. Plus, my knee held up, which it didn’t do in the first race I ran.”
Emerald coach Emily Polatty was encouraged by both her team’s performances.
“Both teams really performed well,” Polatty said. “This is always a really fun meet, with all these local teams. I’m proud of the way we ran and the times we had.”

Opinion

Mean-spirited is definition of politics in state in 2006

October 8, 2006

“Knowledge of human nature is the beginning and end of political education.” That observation came from Henry Brooks Adams, an important American historian who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1919. It hasn’t changed. We’re all getting an education about human nature and politics these days and it’s not necessarily a positive lesson.
In fact, according to a couple of long-time political observers in Greenwood, they can’t remember a time when such mean-spirited politics was the rule instead of the exception. There have been times, to be sure, when South Carolina politics was an exercise in bitter and sometimes vicious rhetoric. Much of it was racial, although other volatile issues had some people foaming at the mouth ..... figuratively speaking, of course.

THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES on the national level when politics and politicking got pretty mean. For example, during President Andrew Jackson’s presidency - before, during and after - more than words were exchanged in some situations. Then, naturally, the politics surrounding the War Between the States saw some terrible times.
There have been various periods throughout the history of South Carolina and the United States when the political invective stirred antagonistic emotions that affected just about every facet of life.
If anyone expected or hoped that political hyperbole would be a thing of the past, the politicking in 2006 is defined by exaggerations that sometimes make history seem unreal.

THE PARTISAN BICKERING and finger-pointing in Washington have created an atmosphere of pure hatred that affects politics, of course. In the long run, though, it is sure to have a negative effect that injures the reputation of the nation itself, if it hasn’t already.
In South Carolina, never a day goes by when the e-mails, television and newspapers aren’t dominated by irresponsible rhetoric and character assassinations. Anything and everything appear to be fair game for unfair blame-games that turn more people away than they attract.
South Carolina voters are notorious for staying away from the ballot booth. When they are constantly bombarded by childish invective, who can blame them?

Obituaries

Mary Frances Canfield

WATERLOO — Mary Frances Vaughn Canfield, 72, of 59 Eston Page Circle, died Thursday, October 5, 2006, at her home.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Loretta Beckwith Dito

ALTADENA, Calif. — Loretta Beckwith Dito passed away on September 6, 2006, at home in Altadena, CA. Her parents were the late John George Beckwith, Sr. and Mary Simpson Beckwith of Abbeville, SC. Ms. Dito was born on April 29, 1936 in Abbeville, SC, and graduated from Abbeville High School in 1954. She graduated with honors from the Greenwood College of Commerce in 1955. Ms. Dito started her career as secretary to the Very Reverend Moultrie Moore, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina in Charlotte. After further studies, she served in various positions with legal firms in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Her life-long passion was cooking which she combined with world-wide travel. She studied at the Escoffier in Paris, France, and other schools abroad. She used her talents for fund raising as an active member of the Altadena Guild of the Huntington Memorial Hospital, serving as president in 1994-1995.
Ms. Dito is survived by brothers John G. Beckwith, Jr. and his wife, Mary, of McCormick, SC, and Broadus Allen Beckwith of Abbeville, SC; nieces Susan Beckwith Strom of Greenville, SC, Tara Beckwith of The Woodlands, TX, Melynda Beckwith Ciochetti of Moncks Corner, SC, and Jama Beckwith Duckett of Ninety-Six, SC, sister-in-law, Lucile Beckwith, of Columbia, SC; and former husband, John A. Dito of LaCanada, CA; and her many friends including those from the Class of 1954, the Altadena Guild, and the Tea Honeys.
Her family wishes to thank her physicians; Heartland Hospice Services; neighbors and friends for prayers, care, and thoughtfulness during her illness. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society; the Altadena Guild of the Huntington Memorial Hospital; and Trinity Episcopal Church, Abbeville, SC. Memorial services were held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 12th, in the Chapel at Cabot and Sons, 300 North Fair Oaks, Pasadena, CA; and will be at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, October 14th at Trinity Episcopal Church, Abbeville, SC.

Johnny Hawthorne

DONALDS — John T. “Johnny” Hawthorne, 65, resident of 907 Winona Church Rd. husband of Marlene Lollis Hawthorne died Friday Oct. 6, 2006 at Abbeville Area Medical Center.
Born in Anderson, SC he was a son of the late Tully S. and Marie Pearman Hawthorne.
He was retired from Monsanto Manufacturing in Greenwood, SC. He was a member and deacon in Winona Baptist Church, Donalds, SC. Johnny will be remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather.
Survivors are: His wife of 45 years Marlene Lollis Hawthorne of the home; 2 sons Mark Hawthorne and his wife Jean of Donalds, SC, Mike Hawthorne and his wife Alice of Donalds, SC; 3 grandchildren Kelly Smith and her husband Joe, Tonya Hawthorne and Codi Hawthorne.
Funeral services will be conducted Monday Oct 9, 2006 at 2:00 PM from Winona Baptist Church with the Rev.’s Stanley Fuller and Billy Slatten officiating. The burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens, Greenwood, SC.
The body is at The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the home 907 Winona Church Rd. Donalds, SC Sunday evening and afternoon.
Memorials may be made to Winona Baptist Church 1080 Winona Church Rd. Donalds, SC 29638.
THE CHANDLER-JACKSON FUNERAL HOME, ABBEVILLE, SC IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
Online condolences may be sent to the Hawthorne family by visiting www.chandlerjacksonfh.com.

Lucindy Hembree

SALUDA — Lucindy Brewer Hembree, 82 of 318 Arrie Lane, died October 7, 2006 at Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in McCormick County, she was the daughter of the late Sam Pressley and Parrie Bowick Brewer. She was retired from Bigelow Sanford and Strom’s Drugs. She was a member of Troy A. R. P. Church.
She was predeceased by a sister, Marian B. Deal and two brothers, Sam Richard Brewer and Alfred Curtis Brewer.
Surviving is a daughter, Linda H. Wall of McCormick; a granddaughter, Cindy W. Burns, of Saluda; a grandson, Stacey Wall of Atlanta, GA; a great grandson, Cody Timothy Burns, of Saluda; a great granddaughter, Cassie Lynne Burns of Saluda; and a brother, Albert E. Brewer of McCormick.
Graveside service will be 2:00 PM, Monday at Wideman Family Cemetery with the Reverend Roy E. Beckham officiating.
Pallbearers will be Tony Brewer, Sammy Brewer, Jamie Brewer, Leonard Bowick, Perry Brown, Alton Deal, David Deal, Robert Deal, Ricky Creswell Roger Edwards and Dale Colson.
The family will receive friends at Harley Funeral Home & Crematory on Sunday from 6:00 until 8:00 PM.
Memorials may be sent to Saluda Nursing Center, 581 Newberry Highway Saluda, SC 29138.
The family is at the home of her daughter, Linda Wall, 1035 Jefferson Street, McCormick, SC.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory are in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Boyd McCraw

Boyd Lee McCraw, 92, of 401 Center St., husband of Margaret Hazel McCraw, died Saturday, October 7, 2006, at his home.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Bill Richardson

William Frederick “Bill” Richardson, 92, of 108 Lawton St. and Wesley Commons, widower of Gell Morgan Richardson, died Friday, October 6, 2006, at Hospice House.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Florence Walker

Florence Sears Walker, 93, of 1110 Marshall Road, widow of Woodrow Workman Walker, died Saturday, October, 7, 2006, at Wesley Commons.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.