Page 77 - some-stuff-i-wrote-and-some-stuff-i-didn't-(2011)-h-morris-williams

Some Stuff I Wrote (2001) H. Morris Williams

Twenty-four years of “temporary duty” ... Luther O. Collier once agreed to serve as

temporary Scoutmaster of Methodist Troop 87 just long enough for his son Luther to complete his
Eagle Scout requirements — but he then continued as Scoutmaster for twenty-four years and saw

forty-seven members of his troop become Eagle Scouts. Still living here are George Ferree, Tommy
Ramsey, Donnie Joye, Frank Powers , Wendell Wheeler, Ken Cox, George McColskey, Andy

Johnson, Howard Van Arsdall, Doug Tannenbaum and Paul Vann. A plaque at Camp Lord Baden-
Powell honors Collier and his wife Helen for their service to scouting.

CHS lady track stars ... In 1941, two of Lake City’s great female track athletes were
Marilyn Bevans and Dot Mikell. In fact, they were so good, that both participated in the Pan Am

Games (Olympic try-outs) in Havana, Cuba, and both placed in their events.
They also played basketball... Randall Jackson played football for CHS in the early 1960s

under Coach Wink Criswell and went on to play nine years in the NFL for the Chicago Bears.
Randall is also remembered as a high school basketball star, where he made honorable mention All­

America and led CHS to the finals in the state tournament. This calls attention to an athletic
coincidence. Both of CHS’s first NFL players (Randall and Pat Summerall) were also All-Slate

basketball players who led their teams to the state tournament. Pat’s 1947 CHS team won the state
championship.
Our 1942 CHS football captain... Theo Mitchelson was our Tiger football captain in 1942

and won a football scholarship to the University of Alabama. He was such an outstanding student

that he received special honors from Alabama Gov. Jim Folsom and UA President John Galliger.
Theo then worked for State Farm Insurance thirty-seven years, rising to the position of deputy
regional vice president. Theo died of pancreatic cancer less than one year after he retired. At his

funeral, the minister said, “While Theo was making a living for himself, he also made living
worthwhile for all the rest of us.”

Keeping your word ... Vera Ferree is a retired Lake City school teacher. She has an old
photograph of one of her relatives who had a beard nearly to his knees. The photo dates back to the

Civil War and there is a poignant story behind the beard. When the bearded man was a teenager, he
and young friend were about to leave to go fight in the war. As best friends, they shook hands and

agreed not to shave until they met again. The friend was killed in the war. True to his word, the
surviving friend grew into an old man and never shaved again.

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