THROUGH
MOUNTAIN MISTS
Early Settlers of
Their
Descendants...Their Stories...Their Achievements
Lifting the
Mists of History on Their Way of Life
By: Ethelene Dyer Jones
The weather was already hot,
even in the
“cool” mountain region in the shadow of Blood and Bald Mountains in
North
Georgia on Saturday, June 4, 2011 as members and friends of the Bryon
Herbert
Reece Society gathered at the Reece Farm and Heritage Center just north
of
famed Vogel State Park for the first annual meeting held at the farm,
the
eighth annual meeting of the Society.
The weather did not deter the
spirit, or
even the comfort, of those gathered under the newly-erected pavilion on
the
grounds of the Reece Farm. It was a day
of celebrating and rejoicing. The cool mountain breezes vied and won
over the
intense rays of the sun, and everyone present knew they were
experiencing
history—even making it—by being a participant at the first annual
meeting of
the Society to be held on the Reece grounds.
I heard from participants, “This
is a
miracle!” And so it was, as earthly
projects go, to have come so far in only nine years since the initial
organizational meeting of the Society in 2003. The stated purpose of
the Byron
Herbert Reece Society reads: “to
preserve, perpetuate, and promote the literary and cultural legacy of
the
Georgia mountain poet/novelist, Byron Herbert Reece.
In addition to enhancing both knowledge of
and appreciation for his writings, efforts will be made to honor his
way of
life, with particular emphasis on his love of nature and his attachment
to
farming.” (from membership brochure).
And the miracle of Saturday,
June 4, 2011,
lay in the fact that we were meeting at the Reece Farm and Heritage
Center, still a work-in-progress, but
far enough along to be able to see and celebrate the restoration of the
Reece
family home as the Welcome Center, his writing studio, Mulberry Hall
(in
progress), the barn and corncrib and other out buildings, a parking
lot,
pedestrian trails, and the open-air pavilion under which we met down
the former
cornfield a ways from the house.
At the helm of this nine-year
effort Dr.
John Kay, first chairman of the Society, and his wife Patti of Young
Harris
were honored with an engraved plaque thanking them for their selfless
and
intensive volunteer service during these nine initial years. We all
joined in a
hearty and rousing “thank you!” At the
head of every noble endeavor is a leader who is inspired with a vision,
the
ability to lead others, and the skill of promoting without being
dictatorial. And Dr. John Kay has
provided that consistent and quiet leadership, supported always by
Patti who
shares the same ideals and dreams of the purposes of the Reece Society. We salute and thank them.
Saturday’s event on the farm
also featured
as our program guests, Dr. Jim Clark and Friends, who have recorded a
dozen
Reece poems on disk entitled in Reece’s own lines, “The
Service of Song.” This
professor of Southern Literature and Writer-in-Residence at Barton
College at
Wilson, NC sang and played his instrument as he and Terry Phillips,
guitarist,
of Nashville and Katy Adams, guitarist and harmony singer, of
Greensboro
thrilled us with five renditions from “The
Service of Song,” the words of which are Reece’s poems: “I Go
by Way of Rust and Flame,” “The Stay at Home,” “Lest the Lonesome
Bird,”
“Monochord” (a Petrarchan sonnet), and “Mountain
Fiddler.” This last poem was
included in our packet as a laminated bookmark for us to take home,
read and
enjoy at leisure.
Prominent in the progress has
been chairman
of the Reece Farm and Development Committee, Mr. Fleming Weaver who has
headed
the effort in plans and progress of the restoration and buildings. In his presentation, he gave special credit
to Architect Garland Reynolds who designed the complex and gave his
time and
expertise free of charge to the Society.
Bringing greetings were Mr.
George Berry,
former chairman of the Georgia Department of Tourism and Trade, who, in
his
remarks, stated that some remarked it would be a “cold day” when the
Reece
Center would be developed, but that it is a “hot day” (namely June 4
when we
were meeting at the site) for the bold project honoring Reece, for he,
his
works and his memory are at the heart of the project. Dr. Ron Roach,
vice-chairman
of the Society, brought greetings from Young Harris College and stated
that
Reece can hardly be thought of apart from his association with the
college and
poet-in-residence/teacher there. Nephew
of the poet, Terry Reece, in words akin in spirit to those of his
uncle,
remembered as a child being with his mother, Lorena Duckworth Reece,
and his
siblings Tommy, June and Connie (a baby on a blanket) in the very spot
of the
pavilion as they hoed the field of corn that grew where the pavilion
now
stands. He spoke of the rhythm and flow
of Wolf Creek that meanders through the farm and of the majestic hills
that
form the backdrop of the Reece farm. He
thanked the Society for preserving the site for posterity.
Some of the other projects of
the Society
in its nine-year history have been “Reece in the Schools,” headed by
chairman
Carol Knight. Present to read her poem
was the 2011 winner of the youth poetry contest, as well as Valerie
Nieman,
poet and novelist, winner in the adult division, who read her poem,
“Apocrypha,” introduced by contest chairman Rosemary Royston who
coordinated
the first poetry contest.
Union County Commissioner Lamar
Paris, was
prevented by another obligation from being present.
His contributions were noted by Chairman Kay,
who read a letter of commendation from Mr. Paris for the hard work and
progress
made to date on the Center, as well as the recent work of Winkler &
Winkler, local contractors, who brought the project from a
near-standstill when
the original contractor could not continue with the project.
After lunch under the tent,
served by
Sodexo of Young Harris College, tours of the facility arranged by
Fleming
Weaver and his committee, completed the full and celebratory day. Groups formed at the barn and corncrib, and
especially at Mulberry Hall, the restored writing studio Reece built
for
himself after he erected the “new” home for his parents (now the
welcome
center). At Mulberry Hall, about-to-be
Eagle Scout Tucker Knight calmly and confidently explained why he had
chosen
restoration of the interior of Mulberry Hall as his project.
Present was Karen Deem, partner
in
Deem-Loureiro Productions Inc., who headed “Vocies…Finding Byron
Herbert
Reece,” the video recently aired on Georgia Public Television and now
in
nomination for an Emmy Award in the category of educational and
documentary
films. Ms. Deem is working on
interpretive educational signs that will be on display about the farm
site. Present also were Dr. Bettie
Sellers of Young Harris College and Dr. Helen Lewis, a retired
Appalachian
Studies professor, who headed the interviews for “The Bitter Berry with
Friends,” remembrances from people who knew Reece.
Mr. and Mrs. John Pentecost were
recognized. This couple has donated
their extensive collection of Appalachian farm and home tools and
household
implements to the Society for display at the site.
Since 2003 much progress has
been made
toward “preserving, perpetuating and promoting the literary and
cultural legacy
of Byron Herbert Reece.” Highway 129
from the old courthouse in Blairsville to the top of Neel Gap is now
the Byron
Herbert Reece Memorial Highway, by act of the Georgia Legislature. I,
for one,
am grateful that I signed on as a charter member of the Society nine
years ago
in 2003. Go to the Society’s website to
keep abreast of progress. In the future
(not for a while, for more work is in process) plan to visit the Reece
Farm and
Heritage Center, or better still, find out how you can help in this
bold
project. And if you haven’t yet read
works of this mountain farmer/poet, find his four books of poetry and
two
novels and become a fan of this literary genius and his works.
What a great day of celebration
was June 4,
2011!
c2011 by Ethelene Dyer Jones; published June 9, 2011 in The Union Sentinel, Blairsville, GA. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
[Ethelene Dyer
Jones is a retired educator,
freelance writer, poet, and historian. She may be reached at
e-mail edj0513@windstream.net;
phone 478-453-8751; or mail 1708 Cedarwood Road, Milledgeville, GA
31061-2411.]
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