Correspondent

Families across the New River Valley watch plenty of TV shows, but they could be watching a home-grown war of the wits at their local high schools.

Mountain Academic Competition Conference (MACC) is the name of the local brain game most people are missing. It usually takes place on Monday evenings, and it can give adults a glimpse of what a smart, motivated high school student can accomplish with practice, a competitive spirit, and a love of knowledge.

MACC is a competition that pits school teams against each other without a single spherical object; it is not a sport.

It takes place on a stage and it includes tension and drama, but it isn’t a play.

There are judges present, but it is not a court case.

Willing kids, with both intelligence and nerve, volunteer to be on MACC teams at each area high school. The teams represent each of the four core academic areas: English, science, math, and social studies. A fifth team is the all-around team, comprised of students able to field questions on multiple subjects, including business, philosophy, religion, the visual arts and music, in addition to core subject areas.

The first part of the season includes matches that allow all five teams from one school to face off against the five teams from another school. Each team starts with a round of 10 directed questions. During this part of the competition, team members can collaborate and agree on an answer if they do so within 20 seconds.

In the next round, each team faces fast-paced toss-up questions, where quick, accurate thinking is essential. One team’s members have to know the answer and buzz in before members of the opposing team. No conferring is allowed.

“The tension gives me adrenaline and makes me work harder,” Kim Jennings said. A senior at Auburn High School and captain of the social studies team, she said the toss-up round is her favorite, even though it is also the most challenging phase of the contest.

Scores for all the matches are recorded and posted on the internet, so each team from each school can see exactly where they stand. At the end of the season, in March, there will be a bracketed tournament to determine the winner of each district. Then, another all-day contest, Super-MACC, takes place, determining the top teams in each category.

Accidental secret

MACC is unintentionally a well-kept secret. It lives in the shadow of local schools’ well-developed sports programs.

“Unlike sports events, people don’t usually hear about the matches,” explained Alanah Horning, captain of Christiansburg’s English MACC team. “It’s a very quiet and intense process.”

But there was some polite noise Monday night when Eastern Montgomery traveled to Auburn for a match. There was applause for correct answers, and sometimes opponents were applauding each other. Picture that at a sports event.

A MACC meet involves about 40 participants, including time-keepers and judges, and there were only about 60 people in Auburn’s auditorium Monday evening.

“My friends don’t think of MACC as cool,” said Auburn’s Anne Peters, a senior and captain of the science MACC team. “But I don’t mind. I still choose to participate.”

“Teachers and school staff support us more than friends,” said senior Steve Shelton, a member of both the social studies and all-around teams at Christiansburg High School.

Adding hours to school day

At a practice Monday at Blacksburg High School, the all-around team started their session with refreshments. Later that evening they would travel to Giles County High School to compete. Buzzers were set up in the classroom of Karen Costen, a social studies teacher and sponsor of two MACC teams.

Sam Bernhard, a senior, was quick to sound the buzzer when Costen called out questions. He demonstrated that being captain of both the social studies and all-around teams has given him confidence, as he attempted many practice questions and got most of them right. None of the team members had seen the set of questions Costen was using, she confirmed.

Most students polled said their friends rarely attended their matches, but Bernhard had a few words of encouragement. “This year more people have come (to watch MACC matches) which is really exciting for me and my friends who play MACC,” he said.

Christiansburg High School’s math team practiced Tuesday afternoon in Dee Davidson’s classroom. She sponsors the math team and coordinates the school’s MACC program.

“I want to start by saying you guys did a great job last night,” said Davidson. “I was so, so impressed with you.” CHS’s math team beat Floyd’s Monday evening.

Then she brought out the review questions. There have been matches going on for 27 years, and all the previous questions are fair game for practices. There were probability problems and lengthy equations and complicated questions about polygons and triangles.

Sitting in desks, which they had already been doing for 6½ hours, students puzzled and computed and attempted each question. When they struggled, Davidson stood at her overhead projector to show them how to tackle the problem.

Looking over one question before posing it to her team, Davidson quipped, “The probability of getting the answer to this one in 20 seconds is zero.”

Jiyun Chang, CHS math team captain, said her favorite part of the competition “is the teamwork utilized to solve slightly longer problems.” She said her goal is “to make my team proud and not lose points.”

Chang said Davidson sometimes sweetens the practice session with homemade brownies.

Calculating the gains

“I’m getting leadership experience from being captain,” Julie Greider said. A Blacksburg senior, she heads up the English MACC team. Greider said she gets nervous at matches, but added her nervousness “probably helps me be more alert.”

Matt Moschella, a senior and captain of Christiansburg’s All-Around team, said he values the camaraderie of being on the MACC team as well as the knowledge he gains. He described the split-second decision that is critical to winning the toss-up round: “You have to balance your chances of beating the other team to the buzzer with your assuredness that you know the correct answer.”

“I gain knowledge and a feeling of accomplishment when we win,” said Shelby Brooks, a junior at Radford High who is captain of her school’s English team.

AHS senior Kelly Jennings is captain of math MACC and twin sister of the school’s social studies captain. “I gain friends who share the same interests and a greater knowledge of the subject,” she said.

“I get to apply everything I have learned in science to answer MACC questions,” said Jeff Feng. He is captain of Radford’s science team and has been participating since eighth grade. Last year he started the season as the only member of the science team, but succeeded in recruiting some friends. Participating in MACC, Feng said, has taught him that “winning involves taking chances.”

“The most challenging part is staying focused when you have a string of questions that the team struggles with,” said Radford’s Daniel Hawke, a junior and captain of the social studies team. He said he expects to put in about 60 hours of practice for MACC this season, plus another 25 hours at competitions.

MACC, which started in Southwest Virginia back in 1985, now has participants in 17 schools. MACC’s success inspired the Virginia High School League to launch its Scholastic Bowl contest, according to Karen Trear, MACC coordinator at Auburn High.

These days there are enough MACC teams to have a show-down between the Eastern and Western counties of the area. Radford marks the western boundary of the Eastern District MACC teams. The Western District teams lie between Pulaski and Grayson.

On Monday night you can see the action in person. Auburn will travel to Floyd County to compete. Eastern Montgomery will host Narrows. Blacksburg will compete against Christiansburg at CHS. Radford will travel to Giles. Matches begin at 6 p.m.

Chris Lee, Christiansburg’s science MACC team captain, said he won’t be letting the tension of meets get to him. “Getting an answer wrong isn’t the end of the world,” he said. “I’m just there to have a good time and compete.”

The program offers low-cost and free services such as bicycle recycling, repairs and education

with a focus on serving economically challenged members and youth of the New River Valley

Blacksburg’s Beth and Jerry Lohman had been thinking about alternative transportation in the New River Valley for a long, long time.

They wanted to start a transportation program that would help those who could not afford transportation.

“It’s strange how this project got going. We had done a lot of traveling particularly in the New England Area (Vermont). Each time we visited the area we heard about a Bicycle Free Program for those that needed transportation. There were other programs tied into it and we decided to take that model program and bring it back to the NRV,” said Beth Lohman.

That was the beginning of how the New River Valley Bike Kitchen began and within 60 days or so it will become a reality.

“We began looking for a location in Blacksburg. We contacted a lot of different places but just couldn’t settle on one.”

Through a partnership with Virginia Tech’s Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships (CSECP) and the Town of Christiansburg, the NRVBA will kick off its first Bike Kitchen program in Christiansburg.

“What’s really interesting is how the word got out that we were looking for a place to house the Bike Kitchen, somebody suggested talking to Art Price, now retired Christiansburg Parks and Recreation Director.

Photo by David J. Bisset This is the back of the Christiansburg Recreation Center where the Bike New River Valley Bike Kitchen will be located. The program will offer low-cost and free services such as bicycle recycling, repairs and education with a focus on serving economically challenged members and youth of the New River Valley.

“I was attending a luncheon,” said Beth Lohman and Art (Price) was at the luncheon and he said he liked the idea. He said that in back of the Christiansburg recreation Center, he had space. So, we talked some more and called upon Christiansburg Town Manager Barry Helms, and Barry thought it was a good idea. It’s right on the BT (Bus) Route and it really is in the center of many things. All of sudden, it was the perfect location,” said Beth Lohman.

The program offers low-cost and free services such as bicycle recycling, repairs and education with a focus on serving economically challenged members and youth of the New River Valley.

The Bike Kitchen focuses on providing bicycles for transportation use to the 19 percent living below the poverty line in the New River Valley.

Concepts similar to NRVBA’s Bike Kitchen exist across the United States and primarily serve the economically disadvantaged, according to Lohman.

“With the help and support of the community, The Bike Kitchen is excited to succeed and be able to truly benefit those in our community who need help,” said Volunteer Coordinator Matt Pollmann.

Pollmann said he worked for AmeriCorps last year wanted to try his hand at something different. “I was doing a year of direct service and hands-on projects and I felt directing The Bike Kitchen would be a unique and different project.”

Pollmann said The Bike Kitchen hopes to bring in volunteers across the New River Valley to learn the skills to assemble bicycles as well as learning how to bike safely. The volunteers will be able to earn a free bicycle, helmet, lock, and lights with a certain amount of hours of work put in.

“We are very fortunate to have Matt join us,” said Lohman. “He’s got a great outlook. He’s a very positive person and since he has come on board, he just has helped the program by leaps and bounds. I can’t say how lucky we are to have him join us.”

Pollmann said the new non-profit organization is based out of the Christiansburg Recreation Center on South Franklin Street. But before the space can be fully utilized, the workspace has to be heavily renovated. Some renovations include running electricity, fully insulating the walls, and other necessary repairs.

“We are working on private donations as well as corporate donations to get the funds to fix up the Christiansburg Recreation Center. Donations can be given on our website or by contacting me personally and we are always accepting donations to help our cause,” said Pollmann.

“We have contributions from Walmart and Target and I’m working on finding a couple of more businesses to help,” said Pollmann.

In order to help reach its goals and help its cause, the Bike Kitchen is currently looking for volunteers or donations. They are holding a raffle with a Jamis bicycle going to the winner. Pulaski Bikes donated the bicycle and all the proceeds will go towards funding The Bike Kitchen.

Story by Reporter David J. Bisset

Only a few knew or cared when Peter Forney decided on the leadership service plan that would lead him to becoming an Eagle Scout.

The project Forney chose was to mark the gravesites of all the veterans at Sunset Cemetery in Christiansburg.

Sunset Cemetery began in 1857 and was owned by the family of Dr. Joseph Edie. The 20 plus acres of land was purchased from the Edie family in 1891 and became a public cemetery located on South Franklin Street.

Photos by David J. Bisset Boy Scout Peter Forney displays the notebook that has the list of veterans that are buried in Sunset Cemetery in Christiansburg. Forney found almost 900 veterans from the Spanish War to the present.

Forney is a 17-year old Christiansburg High senior. He plans to major in music next fall at Radford University. He has risen in the ranks of Boy Scouts from Tenderfoot to Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life, earning merit badges along the way. He then had a tough decision to make.

“If you don’t get the Eagle project done by the time you turn 18 you just never will,” said Forney. “For a long time, I never thought I’d achieve this goal.”

Forney had a hard time deciding whether or not to go through with the Sunset project because he had spent most of his life in Connecticut and at first did not know much about the cemetery and its significance to the area. He was unfamiliar with Montgomery County, as were his parents, but now is clearly pleased with his decision.

“From the second grade through my freshman year of high school, I lived in Connecticut,” said Forney.

Forney’s father, Captain Dan Forney, accepted a position at Virginia Tech and the family relocated to Christiansburg when Peter was a high school sophomore.  Captain Forney is a professor of naval science and commander of the Naval ROTC Unit at Virginia Tech and is currently deployed in Afghanistan.

When Forney’s family moved to Virginia he had to adjust to a new life. He decided to remain a Boy Scout, but was unsure whether he would finish his final project.

“I’ve been at CHS two years and to tell you the truth, I wasn’t even sure that I’d accomplish my goal of becoming an Eagle Scout,” said Forney. “There are many changes when you have to adjust to when leaving one area for another.”

Forney stayed focused when it came to the Boy Scouts and Troop 42.

“It was strange the way I got my service project. One scout had suggested it and then he felt it was too big a project to do. I thought about it, too. I didn’t know if I could do it, either,” said Forney. The project idea was to database all of the veterans’ graves in Sunset Cemetery, making each grave easy to find.

Forney pondered the idea for a long time. He had talked to his mother, Debbie, and Scoutmaster Gary Brumfield about the project.  They encouraged him to go forward.

Forney hoped the project would keep his mind occupied so he would not worry about his father’s departure to Afghanistan. There, Captain Forney is responsible for the well being of 2,300 sailors. He left the summer before his youngest son’s senior year at CHS, not exactly what any teenager would like in his final year of high school.

Marking the graves of all the veterans that are buried at Sunset would be an ordeal.  Yet, if it were accomplished, it would mean something to families who have relatives buried at Sunset Cemetary and to all who want to honor veterans.

“We got the approval and started in November marking the grave sites,” said Forney.

“Ann Carter gave me a data base on the cemetery. The cemetery is marked off but there are graves that you can barely read because they have been washed off due to the elements,” said Forney.

Forney and seven other scouts from Troop 42 began the work of marking all the veterans buried in Sunset.  The scouts were split into two groups and began working three and half hours daily.

Forney had been told there were 600 or 700 veterans representing every war the United States had participated in since the Spanish War.

“We found two men who had died in the Spanish War. The majority of the gravesites of veterans are men who had died in World War I and World War II.  There are some Korean War veterans buried here and Vietnam and even a few from the Civil War. It was amazing,” said Forney.

Instead of the 600 or 700 veterans buried there, Forney found 894 veterans, “give or take two or three.”

“What we did was cross reference those names and where they are buried. We have all the graves of veterans marked so that on Veterans’ Day they can all be recognized,” said Forney.

Once the project was completed in December, there was little time to celebrate.

“I signed off on the project just before the Christmas break and then Mom and I had to rush to Florida to visit my grandmother. She is fine now but there was a concern,” said Forney.

Forney’s other concern was written all over his face when he discussed the project recently. He was concerned about his dad, and whether he could come home when Peter receives the Eagle Scout Award.

“Right now it is cutting it close but I think Dad will be able to visit us. I have a birthday on February 12. I turn 18 and just before that I will become an Eagle Scout and Dad is expected,” said Forney with a grin on his face.

Forney said that that he made a notebook on the veterans buried at Sunset Cemetery for everyone he thought needed one.

“I want to thank Ann Carter, my scout leader (Gary) Brumfield, the VFW for their help and Kevin Poff, who is in charge of the cemetery. I gave each one a copy of what I accomplished,” said Peter.

“I think what Peter and the other scouts did is very impressive,” said Poff. “I’ve been at Sunset a long time and this data base with the names of all of the veterans will serve as a guide for anybody who needs to view it. I knew the cemetery had 600 or 700 veterans buried here, but to say it is almost 900 veterans buried here and know where each is, says something about what Forney has accomplished. It says a lot about the type of kids that are in this Boy Scout troop and growing up in Montgomery County.”

The Bruins (5-7, 0-2 RRD) staked out to an 18-10 lead after the opening quarter. The Spartans (8-4, 1-1 RRD) went on a 15-1 run the second quarter to take a 25-19 lead at the half.

Salem continued to hold the upper-hand in the third quarter as they extended its advantage to 39-29. In the fourth quarter, the Bruins outscored the Spartans 17-9 to make the final margin 48-46, Salem.

Photo by Wendell Jones Blacksburg's Destiny Etuk(22) and Salem's Matt Hill (14) battle for a rebound

Destiny Etuk and Eric Krurich had 12 points each to lead Blacksburg. Eric James finished with 10 points.

Tyler Treski led Salem with a game-high 15 points and Matt Hill added 12 points.

Blacksburg  18  1  10  17- 46

Salem  10  15  14  9- 48

Christiansburg runs past Hidden Valley

After falling behind early, Christiansburg came storming back to knock off Hidden Valley 58-43 in a River Ridge District boys’ basketball game last Friday night in Roanoke.

The Titans (5-6, 1-1 RRD) took a 14-11 lead after the first quarter. The Blue Demons (9-0, 2-0 RRD) rallied back in the second quarter to a take a slim 27-26 lead at the break.

Christiansburg outscored its hosts 12-5 in the third quarter to extend its advantage to 39-31 heading into the fourth quarter. The Demons continued to hold the Titans at bay in the final quarter, as they claimed the 15-point win.

Brenden Motley led Christiansburg with a game-high 17 points and Kam Johnson added 12 points.

Malik Williams paced Hidden Valley with 12 points.

Christiansburg  11  16  12  19  – 58

Hidden Valley  14  12  5  12  – 43

Alexander leads Radford over Auburn

Jordan Alexander scored a game-high 27 points including five 3-pointers, as he helped lead Radford to a 76-55 Three Rivers District boys’ basketball win over Auburn last Thursday night in Riner.

The Bobcats (5-4, 1-0 TRD) jumped out to a 24-19 lead after the first quarter and increased their advantage to 43-26 at the break.

The Eagles (4-8, 0-2 TRD) mounted a small comeback in the third quarter, as they cut their deficit to 52-40 heading into the final quarter. Radford outscored Auburn 24-15 in the fourth quarter to claim the 21-point road win.

Paul Parcell and Isaiah Phillips added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for Radford.

Jesse Rutledge led Auburn with 15 points. Marshall Jones and Jake Shelburne chipped in with 12 points each, while Dustin Simpkins added 10 points.

Radford  24  19  9  24-76

Auburn  19  7  14  15-55

Floyd County cruises past East Mont

Floyd County placed four players in double-figures as the Buffaloes ran away with an 85-43 Three Rivers District boys’ basketball win over Eastern Montgomery last Thursday night in Floyd.

The Mustangs (3-11, 0-3) staked out to an 11-10 lead after the initial quarter. The Buffaloes (10-1, 1-0 TRD) came back in the second quarter to take a 34-22 halftime advantage. Floyd County outscored East Mont 21-10 in the third quarter and 30-11 in the fourth quarter to cruise to the 42-point win.

J.T. Shrader paced East Mont with 13 points and Kendall Sisson finished with 10 points.

Brandon Lemon led Floyd County with a game-high 19 points and 12 rebounds. Caleb Tanner tossed in 17 points, Preston Neukirch scored 13 points and Danny Velasquez added 12 points and 16 rebounds.

East Mont  11  11  10  11- 43

Floyd County  10  24  21  30- 85

Photo by Wendell Jones Blacksburg's Micheal Ayers (15) and Salem's Sam St. Fleur (34) battle for a rebound

Whether from his classroom, his many books, his radio broadcasts, public lectures or riverboat study tours, many people in the New River Valley recognize Robertson as a nationally acclaimed expert on the Civil War and, until May of 2011, a popular Virginia Tech history professor.

Robertson, a widower, took a new wife 14 months ago.  In May he delivered his last lecture before retiring from a teaching career that lasted over four decades.  Now he has one more major change ahead, as he leaves Blacksburg to take up residence in a new home in Westmoreland County.

Photo courtesy of James Robertson James I. "Bud" Robertson, Civil War expert and Virginia Tech Alumni Distinquished Professor Emeritus in History, is, as always, surrounded by books. He leaves later this month to begin a new life, after living in Blacksburg for the past 45 years. This formal picture appears on the back flyleaf of the book jacket of his latest publication, "The Untold Civil War."

Last week he listed the things that were taken care of:  His house on the New River is sold.  His Blacksburg house at 405 Stonegate Drive is under contract, the movers are scheduled, and he and his wife have purchased a new home.  They take ownership at the end of the month.

“It overlooks the Potomac River,” said Robertson last week, of his new home.  “I wanted to live on the water, and the Potomac is so expansive there, I can just barely see the Maryland shore.”

His new home, called Eagle Nest, is in the quiet community of Oak Grove.  “It’s just a crossroads with a Shell Station,” he said of his new hometown.  He also joked about the fact that the nest atop the nearest river buoy is the handiwork of an osprey, not an eagle.

He and his wife, Elizabeth (Betty) Lee, opted for a larger home than the one he occupies on Stonegate.  Redecorating a spacious home has been a dream of his wife’s, he explained.

Robertson admitted the move is not without emotion.  “I’ve been in Blacksburg for 45 years, over half my life,” he said.

Civil War legacy

Robertson grew up in Danville, and it was in that former capitol of the Confederacy that his passion for Civil War stories was born.

“I inherited my interest in the Civil War,” he said.  “My grandmother Robertson lived to her 90s, and I can remember sitting on her lap listening to stories.  My father was a Civil War buff.”

The City of Danville was the terminus for the railroad upon which the Confederacy relied for supplies, Robertson said.  Supply trains returned with a cargo of prisoners.

Six Danville tobacco barns were converted into prisons for Union soldiers.  Four of the six were still standing when he was a youngster.  He recalls a boyhood adventure during which he explored a tunnel under one of the buildings that Union soldiers dug, probably by hand, so they could escape to a nearby river.

It has been the human stories of the Civil War that illuminated Robertson’s lectures, inspired his radio broadcasts, enlivened the writing in his two dozen books and provided him with text for his most recent publication, National Geographic’s “The Untold Civil War:  Exploring the Human Side of the War.”

“You can’t teach history without understanding the emotions of people,” Robertson said.  “And God knows the Civil War brought American emotions to the breaking point.  “I’ve had the good fortune to bring stories about human beings to students.”

Robertson’s classes at Virginia Tech were held in the university’s large Colonial Hall in Squires Student Center.  As his reputation and popularity grew at Tech, students scrambled to take his course and sometimes decided to sit on the floor rather than miss the opportunity to experience his lectures.

“I have lectured all over the country,” he said, “but I will miss the students at Tech the most.  There is just something special about them.  Of course I realize I may have a little bias there.”

He said he sometimes succeeded at getting 350 students to laugh at a humorous story he told them, but a better day was when he could get half that many to cry over “the human factor” in one of his illustrative tales.

Most memorable classes

Robertson wiped away a tear of his own when he recalled two days that will stand out among his memories of his teaching career.

“One was the Monday after the (April 16) massacre,” he said. “There were 350 students in Colonial Hall and it was deadly silent.  I told them, ‘You will never again in your life have as many people wanting to share your grief.’”  Then he got them to talk about their feelings for the entire class period.

Another day he will long recall is his final lecture.  He said over 500 people crowded into the same lecture hall.  “There were two generations,” he said, of people he had taught who had come to say goodbye.

He said he has been so busy lately he hasn’t had time to dwell on missing his life as a professor.  “But sitting on the banks of the Potomac, I am sure I will become nostalgic and even teary-eyed when I think of the students,” he predicted.

Robertson said the success of his latest book, “The Untold Civil War,” caught everyone involved by surprise.

“It’s exciting,” he said of the fact that the book, which came out in October, has already been through multiple printings.  The first printing sold out in four days.

Comparing two of his works, Robertson said he had always considered his magnum opus to be the 957-page “Stonewall Jackson:  The Man, the Soldier, the Legend,” but his “The Untold Civil War” appears likely to sell more copies.

“They found pictures I didn’t know existed,” he said, complimenting the National Geographic staff.  He was fascinated by their ability to digitally restore damaged photographs.  The 350-page book contains 132 of Robertson’s stories and a collection of 475 illustrations.

Illustrious career

Robertson’s reputation as a Civil War expert dates back at least as far as 1961, when President John Kennedy appointed him Executive Director of the National Civil War Centennial Commission.

He arrived at Tech in 1967 after undergraduate work at Randolph-Macon and after earning his master’s and doctoral degrees from Emory University in Atlanta.

At Tech, in addition to teaching, he served since 1999 as Executive Director of the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies.  On behalf of Tech, he helped amass the second largest collection of Civil War resources, exceeded only by the collection at the Library of Congress.

He calls completion of his documentary “Virginia in the Civil War:  A Sesquicentennial Remembrance” his greatest achievement. The film, which was his idea, is part of the library in every public school and every community in the state.

“It’s accurate,” he said of the documentary.  “It’s not politically correct.  We told the story with all its warts and birthmarks.”

It was during a visit to Randolph-Macon to present their commencement address that Robertson met Josh Billings, the man who donated 7,000 Civil War books to Virginia Tech.

“Would Virginia Tech like to have my Civil War collection?” Billings asked Robertson.

“Better than the Pope would like to have Catholics,” Robertson said he replied.  He sent a van on four different trips to pick up Billings’ collection of books, diaries and letters.

Now it is Robertson’s turn to donate.  He is taking his personal library with him to Westmoreland County, and is packing the boxes himself.  Another 200 boxes—titles Virginia Tech already owns—will go to Randolph-Macon.

What would he advise a young history professor to emphasize in his career?

“Keep the human element,” said Robertson, reaffirming his belief in his hallmark style.

Then he suggested another history lesson for which he sees a need.

“There is only one thing that holds any democracy together, and that is compromise,” he said.  “We lost that in the 1850s and we are currently losing that ability again.  That’s why we see a nine percent approval rating for our Congress.”

His future

Idle time during retirement is not a concern for Robertson.

He already has a lecture series scheduled for February in Phoenix.  He plans to fulfill his Virginia State Senate appointment as a member of the executive committee of the Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.

He is interested is seeing the adoption of a new state song for Virginia and has sought support from Virginia Speaker of the House William J. Howell in the project.

The American Queen, a 400-passenger Mississippi Riverboat on which he lectured in the past has been resurrected, and he has two lecture tours scheduled in August.

He wants to see the 1860 census made accessible so that Virginia citizens have the opportunity to seek connections to ancestors whose lives were touched by the Civil War.

And he wants to encourage people like April Danner, his former student, who is working to preserve Montgomery County’s cemeteries.  “Did you know we have over 400?” he asked.

When Robertson talks about his future, the eyes that were teary earlier are sparkling again.

He said people in Westmoreland County’s historical society “have already contacted me indirectly.”  A businessman there told him, “A lot of people are waiting for you.”

He won’t say whether he will accept or not, but one of his publishers is making overtures about another book project.

“I may have to commute to Randolph-Macon to use my books,” Robertson joked.

By Pat Brown

Correspondent

The dog, a stray female mixed border collie, was believed to be four or five years old when captured by the Montgomery County animal control officers, according to the News Messenger article from 2003.

The stray gained notoriety locally in 2002 after being seen in Windmill Hills, a northwest Christiansburg neighborhood. She had an uncanny ability to recognize animal control officers and their vehicles and had repeatedly escaped their attempts to trap or capture her.

Gussie

With the help of Windmill Hills residents Tom and Maria Kington, who befriended the dog and eventually coaxed it into the garage, animal control officers were finally able to catch the collie without incident.

“I’ve never had one like this…that was this hard to catch. We even darted her twice and still she managed to escape before the sedative took effect.  She’s a very smart dog,” reported then Chief Animal Control Officer Harvey Waddell at the time of the capture.

“We wanted to do everything we could to avoid shooting her, but we were running out of options and time and faced continued complaints from some residents.

“Fortunately, the dog never behaved aggressively toward us, and we received no reports of her biting or threatening.”

“It’s a happy ending,” said Waddell in 2003. “We’re glad we could resolve the problem in the neighborhood, and equally glad we could accomplish that without losing the dog. Ms. Kington, by taking her in, really saved her life.”

After capture, animal control sent the dog to a clinic in Radford for medical care and then she was moved to the Montgomery County Humane Society for adoption.   But did the collie find a forever family?

Fast forward to this week, when the News Messenger heard from Trish Hayes of Bangor, Maine.   Hayes explained that a rescue group from Freeport, Maine became involved and listed the dog on Petfinders.  Hayes wrote the following in an email to the paper:

I was fortunate to be chosen to provide her a new home.  I named her Gussie and she has been with me since November 2003.  She is now about 13 years old.

Gussie came with a lot of issues, but since I had experience working with special needs border collies I was prepared to be patient and work with her.

Gussie spent most of the first six months or so looking away from me whenever I spoke to her.  She tries to be invisible when she gets stressed.  Fortunately she got over that behavior with me, but she will still go invisible when she is in stressful situations.

She also had a huge fear of men – especially men wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.

We live in a small close-knit subdivision where most of the men made it their mission to become friends with Gussie.  She has accepted their friendship but it has taken her a long time to trust them.  She has become quite attached to a few males and will happily spend time with them if I am not available.

I am always her first choice though.  Gussie has been going to day care once a week for about five years – she was one of the first dogs to be enrolled when the day care opened.  She almost wasn’t accepted because she was so timid.

Fortunately, she made the cut and it has made a world of difference in her.  In addition to a fear of people she was also afraid of other dogs.  Day care has broadened her world and she is now happy to meet and greet other dogs.  She doesn’t play much but will run with the dogs at day care.

Gussie is getting old and suffers from hip issues, the effects of the Lyme Disease that she arrived with, and recently a cancerous tumor was removed, but overall does well for her age.

I’ve wanted to send an update for a long time and have tried to locate Maria Kington, but haven’t been successful. I feel it’s important for the people involved to know that there was a happy ending for Gussie and the good work they do is appreciated.

Hayes went on to explain that the photo she sent was taken at a fundraiser for the local SPCA.  “Gussie was not really happy to be photographed but tolerated it for ONE shot,” Hayes wrote.

It did not take long for the News Messenger to locate the Kingtons, who still live in Windmill Hills.

“I remember that dog well,” said Tom Kington this week. “It was one of the smartest animals I’d ever seen. It took us a while for it to like us. My wife would put food out on a plate and the dog learned to trust us and that was the way we were able to capture it. Gosh that was a long time ago,” he said.

Maria Kington said that she would leave food out each night, first near the woods, and then closer and closer to her house.  Finally, the dog came to the Kington deck and then into the garage.  Maria Kington said that she insisted that the dog not be put down, but placed for adoption, before she allowed animal control to take the animal.

The Kingtons said they knew that the collie had been adopted in Maine, but that was the end of the story until now.  “I’ve always wondered what happened to her,” Maria Kington said.  Now she knows for sure that the months spent coaxing Gussie out of the woods were well worth the effort.  Hayes has found the Kingtons, so all of Gussie’s rescuers can share happy memories of the joy brought to many by one smart stray.

Published January 7, 2012

Wilson, who was surrounded by his family and coaches and dressed in a coat and tie, ran for 1,709 yards this season, breaking Ryan Williams single season rushing record of 1,655 yards set in 2009.

The ACC Player of the Year is projected to be the third running back taken in the draft by ESPN analyst Todd Mcshay, likely late first or early second round, and could better his stock at the NFL combine.

Earlier in the week, Jayron Hosley, a junior cornerback, announced he would enter the draft.

Submitted from Virginia Tech

“I remember when I was younger my uncles and aunts would be there (Times Square),” said Tom Morris, who was visiting the New River Valley over the holidays. “I’d get them to tell me the stories about going to Times Square and seeing the ball drop.”

Morris said near the stroke of midnight, “Auld Lang Syne,” originally written by Robert Burns in 1788, would be sung.

“It was part of the tradition. My relatives said the lyrics had been refined over the years. The song asks whether old friends and times will be forgotten and promises to remember people of the past with fondness. You know when you are young like that you don’t know the words, but you know the how the song sounds,” said Morris.

Morris explained that the first ball used for Times Square had been made from iron and wood and had been about 400 pounds. The “time ball,” as it was called, had been commissioned by Alfred Ochs, who was the owner of the New York Times, in 1907.

“I think the weather had something to do with the way it was made.  When I was older, I was told that the ball was made of Waterford crystal, six feet in diameter and tipped the scale at over 1,000 pounds. I remember that so clearly,” he added.

“You know it’s funny what you recall and what you don’t. When you get to be a certain age, some things just come back real easy. Sometimes I can’t even tell you what I had the other day for breakfast. I guess it wasn’t important,” said Morris.

Growing up, Morris always believed that Times Square was the place to be at the stroke of midnight.

“Even to this day, I still think about New York’s Times Square and that song. I still make a resolution, too. It’s not a very good one, but I just hope to get up every morning and enjoy the day,” said Morris.

The tradition of the New Year’s Resolutions goes back to around 153 B.C., according to books on the subject.

Janus, a mystical king of early Rome, was placed at the head of the calendar. With two faces, he could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the start of each year.

The Romans began a tradition of exchanging gifts on New Year’s Eve by giving one another branches from sacred trees for good fortune. Later, nuts and coins imprinted with the god Janus became more popular gifts.

In the Middle Ages, Christians changed New Year’s Day to December 25, the day also set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Then, they changed it to March 25, a holiday call the Annunciation. In the 16th century, Pope Gregory XII revised the Julian calendar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to January 1.

Although the date for New Year’s Day is not the same in every culture, it is always a time for celebration and for customs meant to ensure good luck in the coming year.

In the United States, the kiss shared at the stroke of midnight is derived from masked balls that have been common throughout history. As tradition has it, the masks symbolize evil spirits from the old year and the kiss is the purification into the New Year.

The News Messenger asked residents who were shopping or otherwise out and about on the last day of 2011 to share their New Year’s resolutions. None talked about a kiss at the stroke of midnight.

“My New Year’s resolution is to go to church more,” said Freddie Surver of Montgomery County.  “The United States (people) need to have more religion in their lives.”

“My resolution is for the Lord to take out of me every bad thing that is in me and replace it with nothing but good things,” said Susan Rees of Montgomery County.

“My resolution is to do more good,” said Sabrina Davidson-Ratcliffe of Christiansburg.

“My resolution is to do a better job of keeping up with distant friends,” said Bonnie Smith of Montgomery County. “I didn’t do as well as I should the past year.”

“I hope that friends don’t see my obit in the paper,” said Stanley Scrubbs of Elliston.  “I know that sounds a bit strange, but that’s my resolution.”

“I’d like to get rid of all the junk that I have at my home,” said Denise Fauteuf. “If I could do that then I’d move to Floyd County and enjoy Floyd Fest,” the Herndon native said.

Zach Demme of Montgomery County said he doesn’t want to see any blue lights from a police crusier flashing in his car’s mirror when he’s driving to work.

“I don’t want to get a speeding ticket any time in 2012,” said Demme as he headed to the Christiansburg Food Lion Grocery Store.

“My resolution is just to be grateful for each day and not complain,” said Susie Harr of Christiansburg.

“I want to get more work,” said Romanz Perdue of Pilot.

“You know, I’m glad you asked me,” said Buck Wrenn of Christiansburg. “Every year I make one. It hasn’t changed. I want to get thinner, but I’m not any thinner than I was last year, but I can continue to make it,” said the military veteran.

Along those same lines was Shirley Linkous of Christiansburg.

“I just want to lose weight. If I can do that in 2012, it would be wonderful,” she said.

“I want to eat healthier and if that leads to losing weight, I’m for it,” said Melodie Daigneault of Radford.

Not everyone wanted to lose weight or clean a house.

“I want to add an addition to my home in 2012,” said Paige Helm of Floyd County.

“ “My New Year’s Resolution is to try and raise a baby at the age of 50,” said Sherry Dellinger of Christiansburg. “I guess you could ask me again in a year from now and see how I am doing,” she added.

“Yes, I have several resolutions,” said Steve Harr of Christiansburg. “The one resolution I think is the most important to me is to make a two-and-half year old have a better life in 2012,” he said.

“I want to have a better year than last year,” said Robin Price of Blacksburg.

“My resolution is that I think we all need to be happier. Don’t you think, if we were all a bit more happy, life would be better?” said Billie Cooper of Christiansburg.

Margie Vitale of Christiansburg said she had two resolutions.

“My husband and I moved and I didn’t tell my family of my new address. So of course all the Christmas cards went to the old address. If it had not been for the post office people knowing my new address, my Christmas cards would have been sent back to them. So my first resolution is to make a phone call every day to one member of my family. I come from a family of 12,” she said.

“The second resolution I have is that I want to be more diligent about my health. You don’t realize how important your health is until you wake up some morning and fall out of bed or you complain of aches and pains. You need to see a physician and find out what are the problems and what can be done to cure the problem,” said Vitale.

With the first week of the New Year here, one can only hope those that those that made resolutions will have stuck with them so far.   If they have, then we’re all living in a kinder, cleaner, healthier, happier and safer community.

Written by David J. Bisset

Correspondent

Among your New Year’s resolutions, you may want to promise yourself that you will make a visit to the Montgomery County Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center at 300 South Pepper Street in Christiansburg. Located in a quiet residential part of town, the museum has fascinating collections and displays, plus a history of its own.

The building itself dates back to 1852, when it was constructed as a Presbyterian manse on property donated by the Craig family. Bricks for the home were fired on site.  For many years the structure housed the Pepper family; in 1983 it became a museum. Be sure to notice the structure’s “step up room,” which people built “to keep away evil spirits,” explained Sue Farrar, museum director.

“We are purely Montgomery County,” said Farrar, adding that the building is intended to serve all the county’s communities, not just Christiansburg.

Docent Jacob Mitchell has an entire group focused on guessing the purpose of a wooden device he rolls across Montgomery County Museum’s library table. Watching Mitchell are, clockwise, visitors Audra Slabach of Christiansburg and her children Jacob, 8, and Greta, 12, Rhonda Smith of Christiansburg, a museum docent, and Jane Mitchell, a museum docent and grandmother of Jacob Mitchell. To find out what the large rolling device actually is, visit the museum and ask to see the Traveling Trunk Show. PHOTO BY PAT BROWN

Meet the artist

The museum is also an art gallery, featuring works by member artists in changing exhibits of about 25 paintings.  Your favorite local artist is likely to be represented there, and you might even spot the pastels or paint strokes of a friend or neighbor. On January 5th there will be opening of an exhibit of works by Blacksburg resident Charlotte Chan and a “Meet the Artist” reception from 5 to 7 p.m.

A permanent exhibit contains historical artwork of nineteenth-century folk artist Lewis Miller.  While a resident of Pennsylvania, Miller visited family in Christiansburg and eventually made his home here. Among his many works are scenes from around Montgomery County.  He also produced a famous valentine that constitutes one of the museum’s proudest and most valuable pieces. His works are shown in Williamsburg, Richmond, New York, and his hometown of York, PA, among others.

Books about Montgomery County or by area authors are on sale in the museum’s book room, including a museum-backed compilation of 18 authors called “Virginia’s Montgomery County.” Genealogy sources and a nearly complete collection of The News Messenger dating back to 1935 attract many visitors who are tracing their lineage.  “We get an unusually large number of people from Ohio,” Farrar noted.

Community contributes

Some of the museum’s showcases are devoted to private collections.  For example, in commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America, several local men loaned personal keepsakes to the museum for a temporary exhibit of two or three months.

A Civil War exhibit includes artifacts on loan from five other contributors.  Designed to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War, the museum’s exhibit has been in place for part of its nine-month stay. It closes in June.

“Everyone loves history here,” Farrar said, “more than anywhere I’ve lived.  Most people grew up here and have an intense investment in the community.”

A copy of an 1866 listing entitled “Colored Persons of Montgomery County” is a recent  acquisition of the museum.  Farrar said the original eight-page document was discovered in the basement of the county courthouse.  It is unique in its detail, as it lists former slaves, their spouses, their children and their last owners.

Did you know Montgomery County once had three natural springs that drew tourists?  View photographs and learn about them at the museum.

Have you heard of a local man who manufactured soda called “Banner Cola”?  The museum has the pistol he used for “security” when he delivered door-to-door.

While visitors are perusing the exhibitions on the first floor, it is likely that volunteer Jean Galloway will be hard at work on the second.

She studies and catalogs items donated to the museum.  The history, age and donor of each item must be recorded.  Galloway then photographs each artifact.   Her research enables museum board members to decide whether the item is important enough to display and store in the museum’s permanent collection.

“She has just given herself to it,” said Farrar, of Galloway’s many hours of work.  Galloway is also the museum board’s secretary and has served as board president.  In addition, she takes care of the museum Web page.

Outreach

Montgomery County Museum keeps a “Traveling Trunk” that docents can show visitors.  They can also take it to schools and to nursing homes.  It holds a copy of the Virginia Gazette and numerous mystery items.

“This is a real important part of our outreach program,” Farrar said.  “You take an object, ask children to look at it and decide what it is.  We’re using the method of inquiry to teach children to problem-solve.”

Board member Jim Page loaned the museum the interesting artifacts, which were in use between 1775 and 1825.

The museum also reaches the public through field trips and history chats, but not during winter.  Farrar said bad traveling weather makes her cautious about scheduling such events in the winter.  The first history chat of 2012 is slated  for March 10, and the subject is the Civil War.

Farrar reaches out to college and high school art instructors to bring student works into the museum.  Christiansburg High School students will be showing works in March, followed by an exhibit of Radford University students in April.

Sherry Wyatt is in charge of maintaining computer records of all the museum’s holdings.  One of her current projects is to digitize the large collection of photographs of Dr. D. D. Lester.  A local dentist, Lester took thousands of photos of Montgomery County landscapes, structures and individuals beginning in the 1890s and continuing into the 20^th Century.

Digitizing his works will enable the museum to protect the originals while allowing visitors to view his vast collection on computer.  In addition, quality copies of the photographs will be available for purchase by individuals.

Currently Montgomery County Museum has 250 active members, nine trained docents and numerous volunteers.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, except major holidays. By calling ahead (so that a docent may be scheduled) you can visit the museum’s historical Craig Cemetery on Park Street, where Lewis Miller is buried.

To find the Montgomery County Museum, travel east on Franklin Street.  Pass the courthouse and start up the hill that leads out of Christiansbusrg.   Turn left onto Pepper Street and look for the museum’s sign on your right.

“People always ask, ‘Where is that museum?’” Farrar said.  But she hopes people all over the county will get to know the museum and its location.  “One of my goals is to have that question end.”

Submitted by Jon Fleming

Once again this year, ornate trees sponsored by local businesses and organizations line the hallway at the Inn at Virginia Tech.

This tree is decorated by the New River Valley/Radford Chapter of "Project Linus", an organization that provides homemade blankets to those in need of comfort. They have given over 20,000 blankets to area children. Please visit www.nrvprojectlinus.org for more information.

This tree is decorated by the local 4-H chapter, and includes many vintage photographs tracing the history of Virginia Tech's connection to 4-H.

Ornaments made by Kipps Elementary kindergarten school students and Children's Nest preschool students decorate a snowman tree sponsored by Hometown Appraisal Services.

Fairy tale candies and marshmallow ornaments decorate this tree provided by Designs by Duncan.