Tom Harp Returns to Barnesville for Alumni Banquet
by Jay Phillips, Barnesville Area Education Foundation
Tom Harp, 1945 Barnesville High School graduate currently living in Pinehurst North Carolina, returned to Barnesville to celebrate his 80th class reunion.
Harp had his driving license renewed recently, however this time his step son Malcolm “Cam” Cameron took the driving honors for the trip to Barnesville.
Tom Harp is a Barnesville legend who was quite a football player who has had an impressive coaching career. He played football at Miami University and Muskingum College. He started his coaching career at Carrollton High School and moved to Massillon where he won a State Championship for the Tigers.
His college coaching career was impressive, as he has held coaching positions at several major colleges and universities. Among them were Army, Cornell, Duke, Navy and Indiana State.
During his coaching career, Harp was innovative and was an inspiration to many players, coaches and students of the game of football. At Army, he innovated the “lonely end/ lonesome end” concept and coached sensational 1958 Heisman winning player, Peter J. Dawkins.
Perhaps none was more influenced by Harp, than his step son, Cam Cameron. Harp guided him as he achieved head coaching positions at Indiana University and with the Miami Dolphins, including assistant coaching positions in the NFL with the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and a winning a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, as well as college stints at Michigan and LSU.
Harp and Cameron had a very busy and enjoyable weekend. Friday, Harp was honored at Muskingum University, as the home coaching area of the football stadium was named in his honor. They were also given a tour of the new stadium facilities at Muskingum University.
On Friday afternoon they enjoyed a tour of Shamrock Stadium by Coach Blake Allen. Both were impressed by Coach Allen and with the alumni support provided for the stadium improvements. Friday evening, Harp enjoyed dinner with his classmate from 80 years ago, Jean Davies.
Saturday came and Harp and Cameron rode in the parade behind the alumni marching band and later enjoyed lunch at the Blue Moon Tavern/Biergarten.
On Saturday evening they attended the Alumni Banquet and had the opportunity to see Harp’s nephew, Dan Plumly inducted into the Barnesville Area Education Foundations Hall of Fame.
Plumly was unable to attend, however, and Cam Cameron provided Dan’s acceptance comments. It was indeed an honor for both, as Dan and Cam have been brothers for life, and remain so to this very day.
Harp spoke for his 80th year class reunion. He shared memories of his school days, his coaches, his teachers, his time as a football player and other memories of BHS. Once again, most attendees at the Alumni Banquet agreed, Harp at 97, was as lively and as entertaining as any speaker at the alumni banquet.
Sam Reynolds was also inducted into the Hall of Fame and attended the banquet with his class as they were celebrating their 50th year reunion. His comments summed up the entire evening well. “That was my first alumni banquet and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was also the first by most of our classmates and they all commented and shared the feeling about how well it was done and how enjoyable the evening was. Thank you for all you do and I hope to return more often.”
Please remember the alumni banquet is always the second Saturday in July. Therefore, mark your calendars as the next alumni banquet will be July 11, 2026.
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