Still Pictures, 24th Bell Reunion, 2013

Need I remind you to click on each image to make it bigger and therefore getting more out of it?

Monty Calhoun, Jackie Gaskin, Hal Victors, and Bobby McEntyre

Brothers Bill and Ken Chaney.

Gene Groover

Dave Clackam

George Wallace

Horace Armfield

Calvin Wallace

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Larry Sparks

Paul Saine

Monty Calhoun & Sandy Ramsi

Mickey Carlile

Sara Polk

Floyd Polk

Charles Dawson

Marvin Young, David Cain, and Horace Armfield

Faye Murner

Phyllis Murner

Joyce Jackson Denard & Melvyn Denard

Parks Groover & Charles Dawson

Paul Roper

Robert Martin

Hal Vickers

Jack Gentry

Tommy Townsend

Joe Harshbarger

Marvin Young

Jerry Kirkpatrick

Ray Dneard

George Prince, Grady Smith, & George Wallace

Richard Otis Edwards & ?

Rex Knight

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Doug Davis

Marvalyn Bolding Long & Brenda Moroon?

Rupert Raines & Bobby McEntyre

David "Baby Bird" Green

Arnold Guest & David 

Baby Doll or Doll Baby

Remember the movie BABY DOLL?  It wasn't about a baby named Doll, or a doll named Baby.  It was about a sexy spoiled teenager and her flirtation with the older folks in town.  I think it might have been written by Tennessee Rivers but don't hold me to that.  It has the flavor and pace of a Tennessee Rivers play turned movie.  I remember we either had to go to Cartersville or the Cobb Theater to see it - they both had movies that made the censors shake their heads.

This was in HUMBUG #1, in the 50s, after editor Harvey Kurtzman left MAD, after his second humor -satire magazine TRUMP folded after two issues.   HUMBUG was his 3rd experiment. of Harvey being his old publisher. 

The story was written by Harvey Kurtzman and illustrated by Georgia's own Jack Davis.

24th Bell Reunion, Sept 28, 2013

The Last Concert for the Season

The last concert for summer series on the Marietta Square at Glover Park was last night.

Maybe I am getting old and cranky, but I felt out of my comfort zone.  The music was loud, it was much too crowded, and people were in my face, you could hardly move.

Next year, if we remember we are going to sit out on one of the perimeter side walks.  The music is better that far away.

Paul Roper and his new spiked-hair-do.

Getting More Pictures Mileage

Back when I was a Boy Scout in the late 1940s out troop 132 went to several Scout Jamborees in Vinings, Georgia, at Camp Bert Adams.  Camp Bert Adams in Vinings was just down the road several miles.    It was still in Cobb County, near the Chattahoochee River.  

Camp Bert Adams is now in Covington and has been for at least 30 years.  Here are Rocky and Adam camping  at C.B.A. in Covington (racking up picture mileage):

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

Here is one of my relatives I came across in my research.  It is just another example of the old saying, "I never promised you a rose garden.":

Harvey "Harve" Pinckney Ray [6291] was born on 13 Feb 1872, died on 8 Dec 1935²² at age 63, and was buried in Iotla Bapt Cem, Iotla, Macon County, NC.

General Notes: Harve was a merchant and teacher in the Ilotla community.  He shot himself in the head and left a note to his wife.

Harvey married Minnie Lee Yonce [6303] [MRIN: 2357], daughter of Jacob L. Yonce [6304] and Louisa McBride [6305], on 11 Apr 1901 in , Macon Co, NC.⁴⁰ Minnie was born on 12 Apr 1878, died on 6 Jan 1943 at age 64, and was buried in Iotla Bapt Cem, Iotla, Macon, NC. They had seven children.

2012 Bell Reunion of Video. 2013 Next.

Above is the 2012 video of the Bell Reunion.  The 2013 Bell Reunion is just 3 days away.  It will be at Horace Orr American Legion on Greshm Avenue, Marietta.  Come and see old friends and enemies; roll some drunks.

2011 Bell Reunion Video

Some people thought I was plugging a reunion for the Bell Family, not the Bell Gang.  Watch this video and see if it looks like all those people are related.  The original name of this annual reunion was the Bell Gang Reunion.  Doesn't it look more like a gang more than a family?

Why would I make an open invitation to a family reunion?  Snort!

Now, back to business.  The Bell Reunion for 2013 will be this Saturday, September the 28th.  People will start drifting in about 9:30 or so, afraid they might miss something.  And it will last all day.  The blessing for the barbecue lunch will be at 2:00pm.  Be sure to be generous when it is time donate - the Bell Family will appreciate that.

Checking Out THE COMPANY YOU KEEP

We watched the movie THE COMPANY YOU KEEP.   It starred  and was directed by Robert Redford.  It is about a handful of men and women in their  late 60s and 70s who have respectful careers, such as lawyers, college professors, judges, and so who haven't seen each  other in years, yet they had something very important in common with each other.

They changed their names and were fugitives of the law, namely, the FBI.   In their youth they were organized left winged idealistic radicals.  The belonged to the same group, the weather underground. .   

One of their exploits went wrong and somebody was killed- this part was vague, or I nodded, I forgot which.  The FBI has been after them since.   The FBI wanted to catch them, even though it had been 50 years.... the FBI wanted them so badly, maybe not because of the death, but because they have been hunting them for 50 years a so.  They were a challenge.  A young news reporter was inexperienced enough to ask questions and look where the FBI didn't and flushed them all out.  That is about all you need to know.  I think it was fairly good.

It also starred Julie Christie, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Richard Jenkins,  Terrance Howard, Sam Elliott, and Jackie Evancho (her first movie).

Bell Days Are Here Again

Above:   Benny and Ann Thurmond and Jackie Gaskin and Sandy Ramsey at the 2012 Bell Reunion.

Speaking of the Bell Reunion, you will get to see old friends  and enemies.  Just check your weapons in at the sign-in table.  The next one is this coming Saturday , and as always so far, at the American Legion in Marietta. - There is no concrete time to be there.  Just be there by 2pm for the blessing.  If you are hungry, maybe it will be a quick one.

Hot Times at the Strand Theater

We went to the Strand Theater last night to attend the premiere off a movie about Kennesaw Mountain National Park.  It was a film about Kennesaw Mountain's role in the Civil War.  The name of it was something like KENNESAW, THE LAST MOUNTAIN..

Every ticket was sold.  There was organ music and harmonica music.  There were also speeches. ... and more speeches.

See the picture above of a birds eye view of the Strand's lobby?

Looking at the lobby I thought of back when I was a kid the concession stand was on the right as you walked in.  Which reminded me of the time I had some fireworks.  Fireworks were against the law.  My daddy was chief of the Marietta Police.  I did not tell him of the fireworks I possessed.

One day, when no one  was home except me,  I couldn't resist getting my fireworks out of my hiding place and look them over.  I shot a few fire crackers.  And, I lit a Roman Candle.  In broad daylight why would anyone light a roman candle?  I did and started shooting out a blaze of white-hot flames.  It burnt my hand terribly.  I was in agony.

But, Daddy being the chief of police prevented me from  seeking help.    I walked to the Strand Theater.  Inside, I bought a large Coke.  I submerged my right hand into the cup and watched the movie.  I think I sat through that movie more than twice.  I don't remember what the movie was and I doubt if I could tell you then either, I was in so much pain.  I told the girl selling concessions about my hand and how I needed to keep it in ice.  She told me to keep my cup and she would give me refills.

I don't know what chemicals Coca-Cola has in it, but I think its properties along with the ice got me through my ordeal.

My parents never knew.

Bell Reunion Next Saturday, Sept the 28th

This is the 2006 Bell Reunion.  A couple of people thought I was plugging a Bell family reunion.  Nope!  Bell is a state of mind.  It celebrates our days at Larry Bell Park in the 40s, 50s, and 60s.  We played sports, we played in the creek, we got into fights, we swam in the pool, bowled, and some of us played pool in the basement, under Pop Smith's watchful eye.  Not that it matters, I remember Pop Smith lived on East Dixie Avenue, near where the corner of Butler Street.

Donna Mullinax

Siblings Jean & Alton Caudell and Terry Townsend.

SUNDAY FUNNIES!! Battle of Chicamauga!

I have had this story from EC's FRONTLINE COMBAT on SUNDAY FUNNIES before.  But, because I went on a downtown Marietta tour of Civil War Hospital Sites which their biggest bulk of patients came from the Battle of Chicamauga, I thought I would run it again.  I hope you don't mind, if you do, complain to management.  Art by Georgia bred and fed Jack Davis.

Marietta CSA Hospital Sites Tour

The above video is by no means everything Brad said.  It is just bits and pieces of what he said, and might have even  been taken out of context.

I went on a walking tour of downtown Marietta Saturday.  It was put on by the Marietta Museum of History.  It was not just a walking tour, I pretty much know myself around there, it was a tour to point out Confederate hospital sites about around the downtown area almost 150 years ago.

Brad Quinin

The tour was given by Civil War researcher and writer Brad Quinin.  It was enjoyable seeing him get carried away with a subject he knows much about and wants to share it.  I wish I could retain all he told us - the names I forgot as soon as he told us, the names  went in one ear and out the other.  I do not retain names very well.

The facts and the incidents were very impressive.   Brad had plenty of stories and quoted parts of many letters of people who were there.... he has did his research frontwards and backwards and might even talk about it in his sleep.

The three churches on Church Street served as hospitals when he wounded men arrived from Chickamauga, Also the Mason Temple, where the First National Bank Building is , the Kennesaw House,  The Georgia Military Academy, and other buildings.  Of course, other buildings outside of the downtown area also.  For instance I know Noonday Baptist Church about seven miles north of town was a hospital for the wounded.

Brad told us of a unique  revolving system that supplied them with help:  When a person first arrived he would get the best treatment and surgery they could give him.  When they got better, to the convalescent stage, they did light duty, and as the got even better they helped out with medical jobs - they became nurses, and they carried that know-how back to the battlefield with them.

Brad told us of several mixed up and swapping of bodies and cemetery markers which became too confusing for me to follow, but it was interesting.   

He mentioned that Atlanta had a small stockade of Yankee soldiers in one of the corners of Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta.  I thought to myself, "Ahah!  So that is why James Andrews  (Andrews Raiders) was hung  very near Oakland."

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Amy Reed

Marietta Museum of History curator Amy Reed was on the tour to give Brad a helping hand and to help herd the fifteen of us in the same direction.

It was a great educational tour.

As I mentioned there were 15 of us.  Two of the fifteen were Chief of Marietta Police Dan Flynn and his lovely wife.  The Chief is a very nice guy.  Amy introduced us and told him that my father was also once Chief of the Marietta Police.  I told him it was in the late 40s and early 50s.  He threw in that was before he was born.  He is a very nice guy.  He told me he was Chief of the Savannah Police before coming to Marietta, which once he told me, I remember reading that, or Anna reading it to me, and before that he was with the Miami Police.  I didn't know that.

He said something to the effect that normally he is in different attire, which I took him to mean his chief of police's uniform.  I said, "Today you are undercover."

Bell Reunion Pictures 2006 to 2013

These are all the pictures I have take at the Bell Reunions from 2006 to 2012.

The Old Fashion Way

At the new Woodstock Mall the other day Anna was in the market for a new watch.  We looked at watches at a couple of stores.  The first store  we went into that had watches had a watch display of many watches of many shapes and sizes.  A sign said their watches were 50% off.  I asked the salesman about the 50% off sign.  He said it is 50% off on the second watch you buy.  He went on to say there is an additional 25% if you do something, and then another 10% if you jump through another hoop.  I was tempted to ask to repeat that, not that I cared what the prices were, I just wanted to see if could remember all that again - which is sort of why people asked a certain carhop at the Yellow Jacket Drive-In near Tech to repeat the ice cream favors that had.

But, I like to buy watches the old fashion way:  A shady character jerks you in an alley as you walk buy and he asks you would you like to buy a $500 watch for $25, it just fell off the truck.  You say, you don't like that style and he pulls his arm shirt sleeve up and gives you a wider selection.  They just don't have alleys like that anymore in these fancy outlet malls.

Water Over the Dam

Dick Sullivan

Vernon Dean

Dick Sullivan, ,above, saved my life one time. True. He jumped in and saved from an underwater current that took me down Sweetwater Creek when I was about 4 years old.

On the right is Vern Dean, which was just the opposite, we almost had a confrontation, when I was about 9 years old at the Larry Bell Park Swimming pool 

Now, all that is water over the dam, and this 2007 Bell Reunion I bet neither one thought of that, but me. That is what reunions are all about. You can do the same on Saturday, September, the 28th, at the Bell Reunion at Horace Orr American Legion, Marietta, Georgia.

Everything Has to be Someplace - the Rule of the Universe

I bought a new tarp several months ago.  I haven't used it yet, it is still in the plastic.  Today I was wondering where to put it and I decided to but it  in the storage space behind the seats in the truck.  Why in the storage space behind the truck's seats?  I answered, "Because everything has to be someplace."

True!  Have you heard of something that was no place?

Everything has to be someplace!  It is simple physics.  But, I haven't heard anybody actually say that.  I think I made a new discovery that no one else has thought of.

Remember the time we talked Einstein's Theory of Relativity?  In the whole theory, someplace it  is says "Matter or energy cannot be created or destroyed."  And I think we should add an amendment that  says "matter has to be someplace."   We will call it the Edwin T. Hunter, Jr. Amendment.

And also, do I get some kind of royalty checks  for this new insightful discovery? 

The Bell Reunion is a State of Mind

2008 Bell Reunion

Frank Owenby

Sheila Wester Johnson and David Green

All  three above smiling like the fools they were as teenagers.

If you grew up in Marietta, Georgia, when you attend the Bell Reunion a week from Saturday, on September the 28th, your mind will transgress itself back to your carefree years as a teenager as you will find yourself among your childhood friends, who also just transgressed.  You will be walking around smiling like a fool just like you did as a teenager. 

Bell Reunion Executive Planning Committee

Chefs for the 2009 Bell Reunion:  Rupert Raines & Ken Chaney

C.W. Connor at the 2009 Bell Reunion.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye.  I was a spy at the Executive Board Bell Gang Reunion Tuesday night.  I sat right in the middle of them while they made their intricate plans and they didn't even notice me.  Imagine that.

Here is the scoop - who  was picked to bring the chop onions?  It was decided that someone would bring whole onions and they would chop them on the site.

Also, what time should it begin.  Somebody said, "Early!"

How early?

What about 9:00am?

Somebody else said they would be there at 8:30.

Then someone else said , "It doesn't matter... people will want to get there early."

It was decided that the blessing for the food will be at 2pm.

Then the next question,  "When does it end?"

Some one said, "Late as anybody wants to stay".

Somebody said, lets say "Ending at "?"".

So, the hours are pretty much set in stone now.

Remember, on your planner reserve September the 28th from "early to ?"

Bell Reunion on the Saturday, September the 28th.

The 2010: Bell Reunion:  Faye Murner, Jackie Gaskin (driver) and George Prince.

The Bell Reunion is just a week from this coming Saturday.  It is almost here!

It will be held at Horace Orr American Legion Post in Marietta, Georgia.

MAD About MAD; MAD At MAD

I grew up on MAD comic books.  True.    After we moved from the Clay Homes my grandmother and her daughter moved in the Clay Homes.   When we visited them I usually went next door to visit my friend and schoolmate Archie Richardson. 

Archie was quiet but had a laugh that sounded like a hoot-owl and he had the ability of peeing all way up to the top of the wall at the boy's urinal trough in the basement of Waterman Street School.  It was something we admired him for.  Such talent!

Once when visiting Archie he had a new comic book I had never seen before.   The title of it was MAD.  It was so different, so daring, so anti-establishment I instantly fell in love with it.  Archie had issue number 4. the one that featured Wallace Wood illustrating SUPERDUPERMAN! 

It did not take me long to buy up the back issues and found other kids who liked MAD and we were always trading and stealing MADs from each other.  I studied it in detail.   I studied their method of punch-line deliveries, boldness of big print, I studied it all.  I knew I owed all my MAD knowledge in personality ingrained  from the editor, Harvey Kurtzman.

I remember in about the 8th grade I was reading the latest MAD, which had promoted  itself to a magazine format, looked differently.  The punch lines were not surprises - it seemed the Harvey Kurtzman had changed his style - like have ever heard of a comedian explaining his own jokes?  Well, MAD was doing that, which is a sin in the sophisticated-style of humor department.  Your audience either gets it or they don't.  Drop the bombshell joke and move on. 

This was MAD issue #30 or 31, if I remember correctly.  Also that had a couple new artists:  Don Martin and Bob Clarke.  Don Martin was pretty good but I didn't like Bob Clarke, his art was too fluid.  I looked at6 the credits page to see what other changes they slipped in.  Harvey Kurtzman was no longer editor.  Albert Feldstein was editor.  I knew of Albert Feldstein.   He was the editor of the EC horror line of comics, such as TALES FROM THE CRYPT. 

I didn't know at the moment that Harvey Kurtzman was offered a  better job for a proposed bigger and better humor/satire magazine by Hugh Hefner, publisher of PLAYBOY.  The new magazine Kurtzman was over was called TRUMP.   It lasted two issues.

After TRUMP was HUMBUG and then HELP.

Harvey probably left after issue number 27 or 28 but because they worked  on material for advance issues, MAD had enough Kurtzman material to last it for maybe a half year or so.

After that Kurtzman had a long history of heading different magazines, but other than MAD, he will probably be most remembered for his and Will Elder (the artist) cartoon strip story ANNIE FANNY in PLAYBOY.

I disliked the new style MAD took on with Al Feldstein as editor.  I forgot to mention that Kurtzman took his artists with him to his different magazines, mainly Will Elder.

However, if I liked it or not, doesn't count, because MAD increased circulation.  It had a broader mass appeal.   But I still didn't like Al Feldstein - and didn't until I met him face to face.

He is a very likeable guy.

I met him at the DragonCon in Atlanta about a dozen years ago.   He smiled the whole time I talked to him.  He nodded and smiled when I told him the problems I had with his humor  vs Kurtzman.  He was still a lovable guy!  He was editor of MAD for over 30 years and made it a financial success, along with the help of the publisher William Gaines.

Also at DragoncCon that year I met Denis Kitchen.  He was an underground cartoonist who found his niche not in drawing, but in publishing.  He started Kitchen Sink Press and I thought did very well in publishing off beat kinds of things, until he went bankrupted.  This picture was before he went bankrupted.  We had a nice conversation.

Last but not least, well, none of them are least - is Skip Williamson.  Skip is also aN underground cartoonist who lived in West Cobb, on Gordon Combs Road.  He also is a very likeable guy and one time he, our common friend Bluto, and I drove around all day and drinking beer.  Those were the days I wish there were more of.

Now, I am back with MAD.  I receive a digital subscription.  It has changed again.  This time the humor seems more wry, a little bitter, maybe more like if Lenny Bruce or Paul Krassner was the editor..

Bell Reunion 2010 Video

A Fly On The Wall

I have said many times that doing family research is like looking at person information, skeletons in closets, reading private mail - really invading some people's privacy, of course many years after their death.

Here is another person letter checking on her brother and his family.  No cell phones back then:

Letter from Nancy Moody Fowler to her brother William Moody:

Pearsin Mills, Ala                          Apr 8, 1894

My Dear Brother,

after so long a time I will received your letter was so glad to hear from you once more but I was sorry to hear about Charlie a being cripple.  I am not as stout as I have been.  This year Jack's family is all well at present.  They have a rite smart corn planted and had powerful freze heir.  It killed of all the fruit and it throud Jack behind with his crop.  He is going to plant about 15 acres in cotton this year.  I want you to write me how maney of the girls is married.  Where is Alfred? Tell Sarah I be glad to see her and all the rest of them.  Bill and I want you to write as soon as you get this card.

So good by.

                                Nancy Fowler

Nancy married John A. Fowler [5172] [MRIN: 1876] on 12 Jan 1843 in , Cherokee Co, GA. John was born in 1823 in , , SC and died before 9 Apr 1855. They had five children: Jackson, Andrew J. Hansell, Miciah Ann, Margaret, and Elizabeth Easter.