Fielder’s Choice
It was indeed a busy four days but at the same time an enjoyable four days.
It was a pretty typical four days in the life of a journalist. The job is no respector of holidays or weekends.
Friday morning, I attended the Veterans Day ceremony on the courtsquare hosted by Marshall County and the City of Holly Springs.
Veterans Day and the events that surround it should all make us pause and be thankful for our freedoms – for the great privilege of living in the United States of America.
The ceremony began with a stirring rendition of the National Anthem, sung by Sharon Goodman-Hill.
Veterans, city and county officials, school children, and all attendees joined together in standing and saluting the flag and singing.
“Oh! say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
“What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
“Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
“O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
“And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
“Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.
“Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
“O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”
David McElreath, a decorated soldier who now teaches at the University of Mississippi, was the guest speaker. He particularly urged the young people to be the future leaders and heroes.
Friday night, I was on the road to Canton Academy for a state semi-final football game. Marshall Academy’s outstanding season ended at the hands of the top-seeded Panthers.
Congrats to the Patriots on their success, and congrats to all of our football teams across Marshall County for their tremendous efforts on the football field this season.
The South Reporter staff takes great pride in covering our local athletes.
Saturday morning, it was time for one of the annual events that I look foward to the most – the Rust College Founders’ Day parade.
This year’s did not disappoint. In fact, it was likely the biggest and best ever.
I walked along Memphis Street, from in front of the Bank of Holly Springs all the way to the Eddie Lee Smith Multi-Purpose Building, snapping in the neighborhood of 120 photos.
As I snapped and snapped, many along the parade route shouted, “Hey, Mr. Barry” or others said, “Mr. South Reporter, take my picture.”
That’s always encouraging – the good folks of Holly Springs recognizing the editor and wanting their photos in their community newspaper. The parade started at 11 a.m. I left at 1 p.m., and it was still going. According to a post-parade report I received Monday, it rolled for almost three hours.
It was a beautiful day for a parade, and this Rust College parade is the highlight of any year in Holly Springs – no doubt about it.
Then Sunday, I left church a little early and attended the Rust College 150th Founders’ Convocation.
It was an uplifting program filled with encouraging words and songs from everyone on the program, including guest speaker Rev. Dr. Jerry Young.
Congrats to Rust College, 150 years old and still going strong.