Shamrock Alums Enjoy Gathering
Graduates and guests of Barnesville High School gathered at the high school Saturday, July 11, for the annual BHS Alumni Banquet.
Classes hosting anniversary year reunions were 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976 and 1981. The honored class was that of 1976 whose members marked their 50th year.
Susan Timmons Busler, a graduate of that 50th class who was class valedictorian, served as master of ceremonies.
After Busler left Barnesville she was among the first female students at the United States Air Force Academy. A retired Air Force Colonial, who is married to retired Air Force Colonial, Bruce Busler, today serves as a lay minister for the Global Methodist Church in her small southern Illinois community.
A public speaker with a lively delivery, Busler got things off to a bang leading the crowd in her late mother Agnes Amos Timmons’ signature cheer, “Fight, Fight, Fight”. Timmons was, among other things, a champion of girls’ sports, coach, teacher, mentor and friend.
Busler coined a new word to describe graduates and supporters of the Barnesville Shamrocks. they are “Famrocks”…members of the Barnesville community family. Her rhyming banquet intro was peppered with humor containing a host of local historical and contemporary references ending in a crescendo!
Hall of Fame Induction
Following the meal, two graduates were inducted into the Barnesville Area Education Foundation Hall of Fame – Richard Dale “Dick” Gibson, class of 1958, and Tony Householder, Class of 1970. Read more on the induction ceremony here.
Class recognitions
Busler informed representative class speakers of a two-minute rule. Going over the limit risked being hooked away from the podium. An old wooden cane in hand, Busler patiently stood behind each speaker, ready to pounce if needed.
David Jones came close spending much of his time retelling jokes, but no hook. After he finished Busler said she was not aware that there was a joke telling class at BHS in 1956!
Such was not the case for Class of 1971’s Brad Wilson who noted he spent 43 years at BHS – four as a student and almost 40 as an English instructor and coach. Wilson recounted many humorous stories from his high school years paying homage to two teachers, Mary Kinney and Thomas Carissimi.
As funny as Wilson’s reminiscing was, the wood cane, aka hook, came out and it was put to use!
©Barnesville Area News Company Photos
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by 1961 grad Michael (Mick) McCort, while the invocation and and benediction were offered by John Delmas Burkhart, class of 1951. The event ended with the singing of the Alma Mater, led by Virginia Bell, class of 1959.
The annual event was led by the volunteer banquet committee of Lou Ann Swallie, Rita Ann Hall and Polly Sawvel, while BHS Football team members were volunteer servers for the evening.
Barnesville Area News Needs Your Support!
We're dedicated to providing coverage of the local happenings in Barnesville and the neighboring communities.
As a non-profit entity, we rely on the donations of readers like you.
Make a donation today and you'll be helping keep local news alive in the Barnesville area.