Bill Durham, a frequent contributor to my articles, recently had occasion to visit with our longtime friend and schoolmate, Joe Arrowood. He came away with a profound reminder of the positive influence the Red Shield Boys' Club had on our young lives and submitted the following text:
The week of Oct. 18, 2015 was melancholic for many residents of Johnson City; a demolition crew felled the Legion Street Recreation Center, joining the ranks of numerous other historical structures. Recently, area folks shared their fond memories of the facility with the Johnson City Press. Today's column provides a brief history of the Center.
Charter members of an effort to build the center were J.M. Carter (president), Robert F. Smith (vice-president), Howard Johnson (secretary-treasurer), Ted Jilton, Roy Feathers, Lawrence Owens, William Whittimore, Kent Neufer, J.J. Jilton, Eric Herrin, Mrs. and Mrs. Jimmy Smyth, Edna Frances, J.R. Jilton, Sells Blevins, Sam Cooper, William Jenkins, Bill Billings, Kathleen Goodin, Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Cowell, Nelson Burris, Roy Well, Joe Walker, Ted Burton and Nathan Thorp.
The subject of the Red Shield Boy's Club has become a favorite subject with my readers with two of them adding their comments about the organization: Norm Andrews and Dick Church.
Thanks to a few individuals who shared their memories of the Red Shield Boys' Club in response to my request in my Oct. 13th column. I will feature several more in upcoming columns. The first comes from Dick Church.
In April 1954, the Johnson City Press-Chronicle offered information about the Red Shield Boys' Club. In part it said: "The next time you hear someone say, 'What's this younger generation coming to anyway?,' tell him that the younger generation is probably growing up to be just as good, if not better, citizens than their forebears, thanks to, among other things, the efforts of the Red Shield Boys' Club."
Between 1950 and 1957, my family lived on Johnson Avenue, directly behind the playground of Henry Johnson School and within sight of the west end of Kiwanis Park. The view of Buffalo Mountain from our house was always there to enjoy.
I received a note from Mike Jennings, golf professional for Pine Oaks Golf Course on Buffalo Road in Johnson City, saying, "Bob, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. In preparation for that event, I put together some items relating to our history that I acquired mainly through word of mouth and some old newspaper clippings.
On May 22, 1926, the news came out that the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was rapidly becoming a reality. The project grew from the dream of a few enthusiasts to the actual and determined intention of the majority of the citizens in this section of the country, generating more supporters than any other project ever launched in these parts.
Today’s column is dedicated to my uncle, Ray Reaves, who passed away recently at the age of 97. In the early 1950s, Hazel and Ray Reaves, my aunt and uncle, introduced their young son, Larry, and me to a card game known as Authors. Hazel taught fifth grade at Boones Creek High School for years and never missed an opportunity to impart knowledge to youngsters who visited her home. Her sparking our interest in the pastime was obviously aimed more at education than entertainment, but we received a healthy dose of both.
A Johnson City Staff-News writer, Carroll E. King, took an East Tennessee and Western North Carolina (Tweetsie) Railroad pleasure trip on July 9, 1933 between Johnson City and Linville Gap, North Carolina to enjoy the stunning, rarely seen surroundings that were inaccessible by automobile.
