The things we're starting to see happen now with the Lincoln County school system are not things that happened overnight.  It's the result of a sliding annual enrollment, as my father spoke of years ago when he worked for the school board and had the laborious task of balancing the County school budget.

It got harder and harder to make ends meet each year with fewer and fewer children attending our County schools which adversly affected the matching State funds.

You might say that we have a price on our heads.

We won't go into the long hours or sacrifices we endured but there's a big change headed towards Lincoln County's way and it's called consolidation, lean and mean.  You see in it other newspapers and hear it on television almost every day and it's man's way of doing business.

This will probably make several families leave our county and perhaps our state forever.

A quick trip through history will remind us that West Virginia was the only state formed due to the Civil War.

I enjoy history because I grew up on property that has been inherited by my family for 7 generations since Hezekiah, brother Milligton and father Parker Adkins fought at the 1st. battle of the Revolutionary War at Tue Ende Wei State Park, Point Pleasant, WV.

To focus your attention on what is probably the most distinguished confederate unit in WV history, the 34th Virginia Cavalry core company, Company A, was formed in Wayne County in September 1861.
 
 
Colonel Vincent Addison Witcher

Commander 34th. Virginia Cavalry
 We must decide now, if we lose Harts High School, will we lose our identity and self esteem...

Our part of Lincoln County was comprised mostly of the 34th. Virginia CSA.  They were called Border Rangers and given special honors and privileges unique during any era of our US Military history.  They were placed under the command of General James E. B. (JEB) Stuart, CSA, Cavalry Commander and not part of the normal command structure under Gen Robert E. Lee.  They were unique in every form of the word and especially in honor and courage.

Gen Stuart died at Yellow Tavern, within 2 miles of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in Late June 1863, therefore never reaching Gettysburg.

July 4, 1863 a newly promoted Gen. George Armstrong Custer, the 5th. Michigan, was armed with the 7 shot Spencer repeating rifles.

Witcher later wrote: "...the 34th. Battalion, which had alone rallied with me, opened upon the 5th. Michigan, sweeping down its ranks with a most deadly fire, killing its Major, capturing its colors, and covering the ground with the killed and wounded men and horses of the 5th Michigan...I was within 30 yards and saw the Major fall, a gallant and heroic man he was..."

Gen Lee was fighting at Gettysburg for 3 days and while retreating back to Richmond it was Colonel Vincent Addison Witcher and the 34th. Virginia Cavalry who lead Gen Lee home.

After the war, Witcher wrote: "I shall never, no never, forget that eventful night when accompanied by one courier, my Adjutant Edwards and Sergeant Major, tears in my eyes, my brave fellows from away over the mountains in West Virginia, laid out in windrows, torn and bleeding. I shall never forget that night or the next mornings parade when I could muster but 96 enlisted men after starting the day with 332 men. Brave fellows, not a slave holder among them."
 
General James E. B. (JEB) Stuart
Commander of Cavalry Forces CSA
 
said "the 34th had made the worse massacre of Alger's command and had piled more dead and wounded men and horses on as little space as he had ever seen on any field."
"Little" Aaron Adkins
b. 15 Aug. 1845

34th. Virginia Cavalry CSA
Lincoln County, WV

My great great grandfather "Little" Aaron Adkins, wounded 3 times at Gettysburg while serving with the 34th. Virginia Cavalry CSA (Border Ranger's), later became Sheriff of Lincoln County.

Aaron's grandson and my grandfather, Sidney Atkins, a WWI veteran and Deputy Sheriff of Lincoln County, was a Lincoln County school board member when Harts High School was built.

Lincoln County was named after the famous president of the Civil War.  Perhaps the thing other counties forget is that Lincoln County was carved out of as many as 6 counties.  That also makes Lincoln County one of the largest counties in the state, if not the largest.

We would not be talking about just a longer bus ride but a trip that could be compared to Daniel Boone riding his pack animal to the state legislature in Richmond, Virginia or Sen. Albert Gallatin Jenkins, BG CSA, who traveled from Huntington to Richmond, Virginia in order to complete their sworn duties to God and country.  Both have left a huge mark upon history.
 
Photograph generously donated by: 
Mr. Harold Ray Smith of Branchland, WV

.

Harold Smith, Author, Civil War Soldiers of The Laurel Hill District.

 Visit our website in which we feature in depth stories concerning the Civil War and West Virginia's history.  Featured by the West Virginia State Archives & History and listed on the Official State of West Virginia website.

http://atkins.freeservers.com/WV/CW

Will we truly make better students, citizens, leaders of our country for the next century if we make them ride a school bus for 2 or 3 hours per day from the hollers of Francis Creek to Hamlin?

Why do home schooled children often make better students than the ones who attend public schools?  Could it have something to do with their environment and the conditions around them?

Study any state and county in the nation and you'll find it's most important for the parents to get involved with the students' learning and mind set in order to create a positive atmosphere in which to learn and grow.

Man's wisdom often trys to answer problems without considering all of the symptoms or causes associated with the condition.

Life is a continuning learning process but if we hope to make our students better and smarter students and Lincoln County a better place to live, who will set the stick and draw the line in the sand?  I for one don't think there's anything wrong with our students or our county.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. -- Proverbs 9:10

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; -- Isaiah 11:2

And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure. -- Isaiah 33:6

That's why God chose to make each and every one of us different but man's way and the government would like to do otherwise.

Change is constant and each person must decide for themself what is right and take a stand and be willing to answer for the decision they've made.

Our founding fathers after signing the Constitution were either forced into bankruptcy, burned out of their homes, beaten or all of the forementioned.

Always be willing to stand up and be counted for your actions or lack of otherwise.

That's our God given right!
 

Quotes from the book: Buchanan County Men in the Civil War, author, Steve Coleman

General Robert E. Lee carried his bible every day, as did General Stonewall Jackson.

Created with

CIVIL WAR
RE-ENACTMENT


Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Psalms 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
 

This article may be freely copied, but only in its entirety with proper credit given to the author.
 

Philip Atkins
(c). 1999 Atkins & Assoc.
http://atkins.net/philip