Welcome to the Ackerman School
Reunion E-Letter! The E-Letter is sent
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** Make plans
now to attend our next Ackerman School Reunion on
Saturday April, 27, 2002 at the Ty Cobb Complex on
the campus of Ackerman High School.
LIMITED-EDITION PRINTS OF
ACKERMAN, MS
The Choctaw County
Historical and Genealogical Society, in
cooperation with Mr. Tommy Thompson, has for sale
limited-edition composite art prints of the town
of Ackerman, MS.
These are signed
and numbered prints made from Mr. Thompson's
original pencil drawings. They are a composite of
several buildings in Ackerman which portray the
historical and architectural heritage of the
town.
Mr. Thompson, who
is an artist and illustrator, is the owner of
Village Prints of Florence, AL. A native
Mississippian, he studied at Mississippi State
University and later supervised the art and
photography division of the Mississippi
Agricultural Experiment Station. In 1984, he began
his unique business of making composite pencil
drawings of small towns which were then printed as
limited editions.
Of the 150 original
prints, the Historical and Genealogical Society
has approximately 40 remaining prints for sale.
The society is excited about having these prints
to offer and is using the proceeds to further its
efforts to preserve the local and family history
of Choctaw County.
The cost of the
prints is $35.00 each, or $30.00 each if 3 or more
are purchased at the same time. The cost for
mailing is $5.00. The Choctaw County Historical
Society welcomes anyone interested in joining our
efforts.
To place an order
you may call Juli Hughes, (662) 285-6337 (day)
(662) 285-6833 (evening) or Lenore
Griffin, (662)
285-6080 (day) (662) 285-6056 (evening) or e-mail jgriffin@telepak.net.
You may also place your request by writing CCHGS,
P. O. Box 1382, Ackerman, MS 39735.
Choctaw County News
James W. Blackwood
Nine time Grammy Award winner,
Dr James W. Blackwood, Sr. died at 11:50 am CST on
Sunday, February 3, 2002 following complications
related to a stroke. Born August 4, 1919, he was
82. Mr. Blackwood was the last member of the world
renown Blackwood Brothers Quartet.
James Blackwood has been
nominated for the prestigious Grammy Award
thirty-one different years. He is once again in
the list of Grammy Award nominees (at the age of
82) for his final project recorded with Ann-Margret,
the Jordanaires, and The Light Crust Dough Boys.
The Gospel Music Association has presented Mr
Blackwood with its highest recognition, The Dove
Award, seven times for being the top male vocalist
in his field. His impressive list of accolades and
achievements includes an honorary doctorate from
Golden State University (1983), numerous
"Lifetime Achievement Awards," the most
recent given to him by the Germantown, Tennessee
Arts Alliance in 2001. Dr Blackwood was an intense
man of faith who was most honored when the
Assemblies of God bestowed upon him their highest
recognition of achievement, "The General
Superintendent's Medal of Honor" in 2001.
The music of James Blackwood and
The Blackwood Brothers has entertained and
inspired an impressive list of personalities who
have shaped Americana, including former American
Presidents, and Elvis Presley. The late Presley,
who always referred to James respectfully as
"Mr. Blackwood," was very outspoken
regarding his admiration for the Blackwood family.
James and his quartet sang at both funeral
services for Elvis Presley, and Presley's mother.
The current Attorney General of the United States,
The Honorable John Ashcroft, is among the enormous
list of devoted friend and admirers of James
Blackwood.
The Story of Dr James W
Blackwood, Sr is a true American tale of triumph
over hardship. In 1934, James, along with his
brothers Doyle and Roy, and nephew R.W. Blackwood,
Sr. founded The Blackwood Brothers. Having once
been Mississippi sharecroppers, the four men
refused to let such humble beginnings hinder their
passion for music. In 1954, The group became the
first to ever present gospel music to the masses
on network television with an unforgettable
appearance on the CBS program, "The Arthur
Godfrey Talent Scouts."
The voice, face, and name, James
Blackwood has been seen and heard world wide on
every major television and radio network, and most
recently on the extremely popular Bill Gaither
Homecoming Videos (which have given new life to
the genre James Blackwood loved so dearly).
Although Dr James W Blackwood,
Sr was the last member of the original Blackwood
Brothers, his legacy will live on through the
lives and talents of his sons, Jimmy Blackwood of
Memphis, TN, and Billy Blackwood of
Hendersonville, TN, who each have active and
successful careers in the gospel music and
ministry fields, and many nephews and nieces, the
offspring of the other members of the original
group, who will continue to carry the family torch
as well.
Dr Blackwood is survived by his
wife of 62 years, Mim, his two sons and their
wives, six grand-daughters, two
great-granddaughters, and three great-grandsons.
He will be best remembered as
"Mr. Gospel Music," a title given to him
by the people who loved him. However, James
Blackwood said on countless occasions that the
ultimate prize of his existence would come not
from people, but from his deep belief in the Bible
passage found in the book of Matthew 25:21. He
longed to hear his Lord Jesus say, "Well
done, thou good and faithful servant."
Funeral services will be held
Thursday, February 7, 2002 at First Assembly of
God on Walnut Grove Rd, in Memphis, TN at 1:00 pm.
Memorial and funeral arrangements have been made
by the Roller Family Funeral Home of Memphis, TN.
Funeral Services will be
Thursday, February 7, 1:00 pm at:
First Assembly of God
8650 Walnut Grove Road
Memphis, TN 38120
Memorials may be sent to:
Gospel Music Trust Fund
PO Box 144
Goodlettsville, TN 37072
Southern Gospel Music
Association
PO Box 6729 Sevierville, TN 37864
The first Homecoming is
planned for Ackerman High on November 17 when
Ackerman plays Eupora. The old grads are
cordially invited to attend this occasion
together with the entire public. The Queen
will be elected in secret by the football
team. The Queen along with two maids will be
presented during the half-time.
The Ackerman High School
Student Council Officers for this school year
are: Mary Jo RAY, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.
E. RAY, is President; Leon GARNER, son of Mr.
and Mrs. C. E. GARNER, is Vice-president;
Bobbye Nell KING, daughter of Mr. W. A. KING,
is Secretary; Mr. Clovis STEELE is the
Advisor.
** NOV 26, 1949 **
Ackerman's
First Homecoming was a huge success. Delores
OSWALT, the Queen, was escorted by Captain
Jackie HEMPHILL. The maids, Bobbye KING and
Margaret WOOD, were escorted by Co-Captains
Dorris OSWALT and Darnell FULGHAM. The queen's
attendant was Jane RAY, a senior, and was
escorted by Henry OSWALT. The junior attendant
was Shirley McHAN who was escorted by Billy
KEMP. Sophomore attendant was Mary E. WELLS
who was escorted by Freddy HUNT. Freshman
attendant was Martha Jane McMINN, escorted by
Ronald MARTIN. The little girls who served as
train bearers were Sue Ellen WRIGHT and Anne
CARLISLE. The pages were John C. EUDY and Van
HEMPHILL. Ackerman won the football gave over
Eupora by a score of 28 to 6.
Jane Robinson Hamby
AHS Class of 1969
Jane
Robinson Hamby, 50, a school counselor, died
of heart failure Wednesday, January 23, 2002, at
St. Dominic's-Jackson Memorial Hospital. Services
were on January 25 at Old Lebanon Presbyterian
Church with burial in Old Lebanon Cemetery.
You may submit information
for consideration in the next Ackerman School Reunion
E-Letter by sending it to:
Ackerman School Reunion
E-Letter
Buddy Smith, Editor & Webmaster
3348B Hwy 6 Plantersville, MS 38862
Phone: (662) 401-1724
Email: buddy@classof1969.net
