ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, August 9, 1996 TAG: 9608090012
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: Out & About
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS-BANKS
Tramp! Tramp! Tramp! the boys are marching,
Cheer up, comrades, they will come,
And beneath the starry flag
We shall breathe the air again
Of the free land in our own beloved home.
- George Frederick Root
In 1917, they sang "Over There" as they marched into France. They wanted to let the world know that the Yanks were coming.
In 1941, they sailed into the blue Pacific waters surrounding Pearl Harbor. Japanese aircraft sank 18 ships there on that infamous day in history, Dec. 7.
In 1965, they marched into South Vietnam. Their orders were to protect American bases threatened by North Vietnamese troops.
They were the soldiers and sailors who went off to fight for the United States.
"For Love of Country - a History of Soldiers and Sailors from Floyd County" is the new exhibit at the Old Church Gallery and Floyd County History Museum.
"I'm really pleased with this exhibit," said Kathleen Ingoldsby, one of the museum directors. "It's a very personal exhibit that truly represents the Floyd community."
Ingoldsby said the exhibit spans five foreign conflicts: the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War.
Photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, maps, uniforms, provisions, personal items and letters written to and from servicemen and women are part of the display.
"The letters are especially interesting," noted Ingoldsby. "The tenor changes so much over the years."
Among the artifacts, you'll see gas masks from World War I (Germany initiated the use of poison gas in 1915) and a copy of "A Sailor's Log," the personal memoir of Rear Adm. Robley D. Evans, the most famous personality of the Spanish-American War. Commander of the USS Yorktown in Chile, Evans - known far and wide as "Fighting Bob" - was born in Floyd. This record includes a chapter on his boyhood in Floyd.
The exhibit also features a 1918 photo of Harmon Shelor in his World War I uniform and leather leggings. Shelor never saw combat, however, because he was disabled by the flu epidemic.
He returned to the Black Ridge section of Floyd County where he farmed and later became well known as a leather craftsman and basket maker. He died in 1988.
Another interesting item in the exhibit is a postcard sent to Oscar Sweeney Jr. in 1918. "I am sorry you have to go to camp," reads the message on the back of the post card. It's signed "Your Best Friend."
"Apparently, he had a lot of girlfriends," Ingoldsby said. "He had lots of letters from them."
In addition to the postcard, the exhibit also features a canvas shoulder pack belonging to Sweeney. It's decorated with artwork - portraits of himself and his girlfriend, Clara - that he had commissioned in France while he was serving there.
"From both World Wars, we have artwork that the soldiers had done on their off time," Ingoldsby noted.
Sweeney returned to Floyd County after the war and worked as a storekeeper in the Little River section. His granddaughter, Ann-Margaret Shortt, is the guest curator for this exhibit.
The exhibit will continue through Sept. 21 so that children from schools in the area can see it. It will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Saturday. Special tours may be arranged by calling 745-2979.
The Old Church Gallery is at 110 Wilson Ave. off East Main Street in downtown Floyd. Admission is free.
MUSICAL LEGACY: A couple of the best known groups in gospel music these days will be in Riner tonight.
Jeff and Sheri Easter and The Sauls perform in concert at 7:30 in the Auburn High School auditorium. The two groups will be singing all your gospel favorites.
If you're familiar with the Easter Brothers and the Lewis Family - two legendary gospel music groups - you may recognize Jeff and Sheri Easter. Jeff, who hails from the Easter Brothers, is married to Sheri of the Lewis Family. The two, along with their group, have won several awards, including the Dove Award and the Christian Country Award.
The Sauls aren't new to gospel music, either. The trio has 30 years of combined experience. Stacy Saul, son of gospel singers Jack and Betty Saul, started his musical career at the ripe old age of 7. He's now married and has a son of his own.
Joining Saul are Eddie and Sherry Richards, a husband-and-wife team. These two have been singing together for several years.
Tickets for tonight's concert are $8 at the door. Kids under 10 get in free.
WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? How about the monthly fish fry put on each summer by the Mount Tabor Ruritan Club? The next one is Saturday. Those Ruritans will be serving up the good eats from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Mount Tabor Nursery School picnic shelter in Blacksburg.
The all-you-can-eat meal includes fish, fries, coleslaw, cake and drinks. The cost is $5 for adults or $3 for kids under 12. All proceeds benefit community projects sponsored by the service club.
Saturday's gathering comes with an exciting side order. The Mount Tabor 4-H Vaulters will impress you with their gymnastic stunts on horseback.
For more information, call 961-3315.
LOOKING FOR A LITTLE ADVENTURE? How about a little mystery, intrigue, love or laughter?
Look no farther. The Lamplighters at the Radford Public Library have it all at their annual used book sale. You'll find books, books, books this weekend.
The sale starts at 10 a.m. today and runs until 5:30 p.m. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday hours are 2 to 5 p.m.
Money raised at the sale goes right back to the library to support all those great reading programs.
If you have books you would like to donate, call the library at 731-3608.
LENGTH: Long : 115 linesby CNB