Date: 10-14-22 Name: Christopher Bershers Address: Coushatta, LA Race: White Sex: Male Age: 35 Charge: Battery of a police officer
Date: 10-17-22 Name: Spencer T Jones Address: Winnfield, LA Race: White Sex: Male Age: 43 Charge: Illegal carrying of a weapon by a convicted felon
Date: 10-17-22 Name: Christopher Hoskins Address: Winnfield, LA Race: Black Sex: Male Age: 30 Charge: Direct contempt of court (x3)
Date: 10-18-22 Name: Joseph Audrisch Address: Winnfield, LA Race: White Sex: Male Age: 42 Charge: Fugative from Winnfield PD
Date: 10-18-22 Name: Shannon D Farmer Address: Winnfield, LA Race: Black Sex: Male Age: 33 Charge: Felony theft
Date: 10-19-22 Name: Hunter Ross Address: Goldonna, LA Race: White Sex: Male Age: 26 Charge: Failure to appear
Date: 10-19-22 Name: Joshua D Pearrie Address: Winnfield, LA Race: Black Sex: Male Age: 47 Charge: Warrant (Theft under 1,000)
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
In the hunting club where I hold membership, Two Creeks, we have several deer hunters who collect their venison every season. In fact, we have more than a few members who bag more than one deer each year.
One member, however, holds the “most deer recovered” award and he has won it going away. Last season, he had seven deer to his credit.
Wait, you say. Isn’t the season limit per hunter six? Is he going to get in trouble by being responsible for seven? Not likely. Let me introduce you to what most of us consider the most valuable member of Two Creeks Hunting Club. You might think “Spot” is a peculiar name for a hunter but in this case, it fits perfectly; he’s white with a round brown spot etched on his forehead.
Every other member of our club has two legs; Spot has four. He’s a dog, a blood-trailing dog and a good one. Spot is suspected to be a mixture of Catahoula Cur and if research by his caretaker, George Seacrist, is correct, he also has an exotic sounding bloodline as part of his lineage, Dogo Argentino.
Whatever his pedigree, Spot was the primary figure in the recovery of seven wounded deer last season. He found three the season before, one of which was a doe I shot that high-tailed it through a dense thicket. Within five minutes after releasing him, Spot was standing over my doe.
One Saturday in particular, Spot was the sleuthhound on the trail of three wounded deer that day. He found them all.
One of the deer, a fine 8 point buck George Seacrist had shot, left the scene without a trace of anything to indicate he had been hit. It took Spot all of five minutes to find the buck.
“The bullet didn’t exit so there was no blood trail to follow. I don’t know if Spot was finding drops of blood we never saw or if he winded the deer, he went right to it,” Seacrist said.
“Spot is a foster-dog that was brought to our kennel, Petite Paws Pet Hotel. Somebody had left him in a crate with a bag of dog food when he came to us,” Seacrist continued.
“A neighbor of ours has a Catahoula that is a good blood trailing dog and since I suspected Spot had some Catahoula in his bloodline, I thought he might make a good blood trailer so I started working with him.”
Seacrist trained Spot by taking him to his ground blind with him so he could see what it was all about. He was very quiet and got to see deer and hopefully get an idea of what he would eventually be tracking down.
“If I hunted in an elevated stand, I left him at the truck in a crate. If one of our members shot a deer, they already had instructions to let me know and just sit tight until I could bring Spot to the site. I would put him on a leash and let him follow the blood trail and he picked it up really quick,” Seacrist said.
Seacrist said he learned early on that Spot had a good nose and it was just a matter of giving him exposure to what he was supposed to do. Over the last few seasons, he has developed into an excellent blood trailer, helping hunters recover and retrieve deer that might otherwise have been lost.
Who is the most valuable member of your hunting club? Do you have someone who is hard working and willing to go above and beyond to make your club more successful?
We do. I’m thinking of nominating Spot for club president if we could just break him from hiking his leg on every bush he sees.
It never fails, if there’s a bass tournament on the Red River, there will usually be some kind of issue or controversy. But for some reason, with most events on the Red, crybabies seem to come out of nowhere and want to complain about something they heard or saw someone do. Probably every tournament director that’s ever put on an event on this body of water has had to deal with accusations about an angler who THEY think did something illegal. Now they won’t necessarily have any proof, but they will complain hoping it will lead to the angler being disqualified from the event.
This year’s Bassmaster Central Open out of Red River South Marina was no exception and not without controversy, as former Natchitoches, Louisiana, resident and Major League Fishing Pro Keith Poche took top honors and finally conquered the mighty Red River. This was Keith’s first win on the Red River after several top-10 finishes. The Red fits Keith’s style of shallow-water fishing, which is why he’s had great success. But a few years ago in a previous Central Open event, Keith was accused of cutting a pipe in front of a culvert down in Pool 4 to gain access to backwater …. which was proven that he never did. Some anglers just can’t stand it when another angler outsmarts the rest of the field by thinking outside the box. “Outsmarts” may not be the right word, but more that they took a risk another angler would not.
In this year’s 2022 Central Open event, Pro Angler Keith Poche decided to fish out of the same 18-foot aluminum boat with a 90-horsepower engine that he has used all year. While the rest of the field fished out of twenty- and twenty-one-foot fiberglass boats with 250 horsepower engines. These bigger boats limit anglers as to where they can fish, especially when it comes to reaching certain backwater areas that are true honey holes that the Red River is famous for. But this 18-foot aluminum boat did allow him to do just that….get into backwater other anglers could not. There was nothing illegal about what Keith was doing.
Understand, B.A.S.S. does not restrict what size boat you can fish out of in a Bassmaster Central Open event. However, a rule states, “Whatever boat you start the season out of, you must finish the season in that same boat.” For Keith, that was the case, as he’s fished out of this same aluminum boat in all of his previous Bassmaster Open events.
Here’s the controversy that occurred. With Keith leading going into the final day, someone decide they were going to make it awfully hard for him to win this event. Another angler or anglers (not yet determined) who did not make the final day cut launched their boat at 11:00 PM the night before the final day and went to the rock jetty cut Keith was going through off the main river and placed big rocks at the mouth. This prevented Keith from being able to go through it and get to his backwater area. As Keith arrived at the rock jetty cut on the morning of the final day, he saw that someone had tried to eliminate his only path through the rocks. There is a B.A.S.S. rule that states, “At no time may an angler get out of his boat to gain access to any backwater area.” But a strange thing occurred as Keith called the tournament director and informed him of what had taken place. Two suspicious observers who had followed Keith to this cut on the final morning voluntarily got out of their boat and moved the rocks. At no point did Keith ever ask these guys to do this, and he said they were acting very strangely. So, then he began to wonder, could these be the guys who tried to sabotage the cut in the first place? In the meantime, Keith just had to make sure he did not violate the rule of physically getting out of his boat to gain access.
Now from this angler’s perspective, it would be a great way for these two guys to look innocent by attempting to help Keith out. I mean, who would ever suspect the two guys who got out of their boat to help Keith by removing the rocks? Not sure, but maybe they felt guilty and realized what they had done the night before just was not right. Maybe they wanted to try and make things right by being good Samaritans and moving the rocks. Hmmm, now I don’t pretend to be Sherlock Holmes, but it is something to think about.
For this Central Open event, Keith committed himself to the idea of staying in shallow water and getting into backwater areas that other anglers could not. These were fish that had not been pressured by other anglers during the official practice period. Keith did his homework and found a way to make it happen and got the job done to secure the victory. But some anglers did not approve of the way he secured the win. So rather than going the extra mile as Keith Poche did, they chose to take unadvised action by doing something immoral and unethical. In the end, Keith Poche prevailed and conquered a body of water, that as Keith put it, “has been a thorn in his side.” Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and don’t forget to wear your sunscreen!
This year’s Fall Festival will be held on Monday, October 31st from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM in downtown Winnfield.
This year’s Fall Festival will include:
Jump Houses
Costume Contest Location: Beside the Courthouse on the Pea Patch side Starts at 5:30 PM. Age Groups: 0-3 yrs, 4-7 yrs, 8-10 yrs, 11-13 yrs, 14-17 yrs, 18 yrs +, & theme groups Pets (one category)
To Pre-Register for the costume contest scan the code on the flyer below.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest Drop off location: Police Jury Office (Courthouse) Drop pumpkins off Thurs, Oct 27 or Friday, Oct 28 from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Age Groups: PreK-1st, 2nd-5th, & 6th-8th
Groups or individuals interested in participating in Trunk or Treat, spots will be available along Main Street between the Courthouse & The Social Coffee House. Main Street will be blocked off at 4:30.
Hot Dogs, Chips, & Drinks will be located in front of the Courthouse.
Trunk or Treats will be lined up from the Courthouse to The Social Coffee House.
Awards will be given out for the costume contest and the pumpkin decorating contest.
This year’s sponsors: First United Methodist Church Autumn Leaves Nursing Home First Assembly of God First Baptist Church The Family Church South Winnfield Baptist Church Winn Parish Police Jury Pilot Club
NATCHITOCHES: Michael “Too Too” Washington June 22, 1967 – October 5, 2022 Service: Saturday, October 22 at 11 am at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
Tommy Stephens March 13, 1963 – October 18, 2022 Service: Tuesday, October 25 at 4 pm at Hickory Grove Congregational Methodist Church, located at 8579 La Hwy 6 in Robeline
Timothy Jarrett Gourdon February 19, 1972 – October 11, 2022 Service: Saturday, October 22 at 2 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
Lillie Mae (Walker) Durr February 20, 1926 – October 13, 2022 A wake will be held on Friday, October 21 from 5 pm until 8 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches with services following on Saturday, October 22 at 10 am. Burial will follow at Beulah Methodist Cemetery in Marthaville
Floyd Antley, Sr. November 20, 1926 – October 15, 2022 Service: Friday October 21 at 2 pm at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home
SABINE: Linda G. Leone December 5, 1947 – October 18, 2022 Service: Friday, October 21 at 1 PM at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church
Jamie Wilson May 11, 1938 – October 16, 2022 Service: Friday, October 21 at 10 am at Warren Meadows Funeral Home in Many
WINN: Mary Elizabeth (Love) Heard November 1, 1964 – October 18, 2022 Service: Monday, October 24 at 2 pm at Crossroads Baptist Church in the Sharptown Community
Laverne Braswell August 4, 1936 – October 19, 2022 Service: Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10 am at Zion Hill Baptist Church
Joyce Washburn December 25, 1927 – October 15, 2022 Service: Friday, October 21 at 2 pm in Garden of Memories Cemetery, in Winnfield
RED RIVER: Ronnie Glen Cox March 28, 1947 – October 17, 2022 Service: Friday, October 21 at 11 am at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel
Donald “Big Don” Roy Rector February 10, 1956 – October 15, 2022 Service: Saturday, October 22 at 11 am at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel
Saturday, October 8th, the young men and women of Winn Parish (grades 9-12) had the opportunity to take their imminent homecoming experiences to the next level! Thanks to the innovative thinking of Sharda Foster, Winnfield native and founder of “Scholarship Sis,” over 25 participants convened for two separate events centered around the concept of fine dining, etiquette, and numerable other valuable skill sets necessary for transitioning successfully into the next stage of their lives.
Charm School (the young ladies’ session) began after noon at Winn Parish Library, within the meeting room. With no lack of strong female leads in the room, including Phyllis Booker of Louisiana Girl Rock, For Their Future Foundation, Christina Gray of Gray Area Financial Services, Renoda Turner-Washington of Diverse Commonalities LLC and author of 21 Pearls, and Martreica Fobbs of Confident Girls Rock Ministries, the young ladies in attendance dove right in. Topics and instruction of the afternoon included dining etiquette, poise, posture, heel selection, “God-fidence,” “classy isn’t costly,” and much more.
G School (short for gentlemen’s school, the young men’s session) began at 3 pm within the Recreation Center. Their session was guided by the men of Gamma Psi and the Grambling Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, including Winnfield natives Stephon and Steven Wilson. The brothers of both branches traveled from Grambling, TX, and Ruston, LA, to give back their time and knowledge that Saturday afternoon. Kappa Alpha Psi’s objective is to “Inspire service in the public interest,” a statement made evident by the consideration and care put into the instruction. Topics covered that afternoon include chivalry, the protocol for escorting your date, ethical business, and dress attire, ending with a brother-to-brother educational tie session. Both chapters were grateful for the opportunity to speak to the young men, standing by their motto, “Achievement in Every field of Human Endeavor.”
Ms. Foster has been overwhelmed by the community’s positive response and says Charm and G School will return in Spring 2023 with new content and more speakers! If you would like to sponsor or contribute to this initiative, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Foster as soon as possible to ensure that next year’s opportunity is bigger and better! Sharda would also like to take the time to thank her 2022 sponsors: Big Birds Wingz and Seafood, Twisted T’s Kitchen, Ada Hall Councilwoman of District 2, Ebony’s Essentials, and Mayor Gerald Scooter Hamms and any others that contributed to the day.
Have an event you would like covered by the Winn Parish Journal? Email WPJ Reporter Kaycie Kile at wpjreporter@gmail.com with a request to attend your event or to submit a summary of your event for publication.
Tuesday, October 11th Winn Parish Library opened its doors to the community kiddos to spread a little bit of the spooky season spirit with the chance to paint their own pumpkin!
Thank you to Miss Monica, the library’s program coordinator, for another carefree afternoon of laughter and creativity! We appreciate the library and staff for providing a safe space for our parish families to get out of the house and make these holiday memories!
Don’t forget to check out the library’s event calendar for what’s next this October. You can find it through the Winn Parish Journal and Winn Parish Library Facebook pages!
Have an event you would like covered by the Winn Parish Journal? Email WPJ Reporter Kaycie Kile at wpjreporter@gmail.com with a request to attend your event or to submit a summary of your event for publication.
All Hours Fitness is a 24 hour fingerprint access gym. Offering a kids area, ladies area, private coaching, changing rooms, Precor/Other cardio, Cybex/Other strength, free weights, tanning, and a lot more!
Call or contact today to get a local gym membership! Here is how you can below. 📍Address: 6252 HWY 167 Winnfield, La 71483 ☎️ Telephone: 318-628-4000
At the time of publishing Kate’s Krewe has raised $14,667! Keep going Kate’s Krewe, lets help Kate reach her $20,000 goal.
Time for “Ride Ataxia-Dallas”, scheduled for November 5th, 2022 the annual Fund Raising Ride dedicated to raise funds for research and development of drugs to treat Fiedreich’s Ataxia(FA), a rare neuromuscular disease that effects some 15,000 people worldwide.
This will be the sixth year that Kate Walker, daughter of Jason and Rachel Walker, granddaughter of Dr. Jimmy & Helene Walker and Bo & Chris Walker and she will participate in the ride. Kate is no longer able to ride her recumbent trike, but she still goes to give moral support and see her many friends that also have FA.
The ride usually attracts some 600 participants of which about 75 to 100 of them are FA patients that are able to ride. There are three routes to choose from- 6, 17, and 42 mile options. There is also a 1.5 mile walk and even a virtual participation option. Come join us and enjoy a fun time while helping us raise funds.
The goal for this year is $175,000, the same as it was last year and we managed to raise $190,000 of which Kate’s Krewe (team name) raised over $20,000 of that total. Kate is hoping to meet or exceed that amount this year and we can do it with your help. To contribute go to her website https://www.makeithappencurefa.com/kate and click on Donate to Kate’s Krewe. Any and all donations will be greatly appreciated. There are also tee shirts available for a limited time and they can be ordered off of the same website.
The whole Walker family wants to thank everyone for their continued support and ask that you please keep Kate in your prayers.
For more information about rideATAXIA and FARA, visit curefa.org
Pictured above: Kate Walker in previous Ride Ataxia-Dallas fundraiser
Goldonna Christmas in the Park Pageant Committee is overjoyed to introduce the pageant director, Mikalee Sawyer.
Mrs. Sawyer has been active in the pageant world since 2018. Her passion was birth when she won her first title, 2018 Teen Miss Saline Watermelon Festival. In 2019, she was crowned the 2019 Miss Saline Watermelon Festival queen, and reigned until July of this year when she crowned her successor. During 2019-2022, she traveled all over the state visitng many different fairs and festivals, gaining and exchanging knowledge of all the different festivals and their history. Louisiana through the eyes of a festival queen is an experience like no other. When she joined the Christmas in the Park committee this year, the idea of having a pageant came up, she was instantly excited and started to glow.
“Pageants are most definitely my forte and I am forever thankful that the committee is allowing me to be the director of their first ever pageant,” shared Sawyer.
She went on to say, “My main goal for the pageant is that all the contestants have fun and enjoy being on stage, showing off their personalities. Goldonna Louisiana has built its community around its people and have always been so loving. My family is local to this area, but I also cannot wait to see what is in store this year!”
She is personally inviting everyone she knows to join her, Friday, December 9, 2022, for the Christmas in the Park parade where the official queen will be celebrated.
The Pageant will be held on November 19, 2022 at Goldonaa Elementary School Auditorium at 9:00am.
Girl’s categories for the pageant include: Infant Miss (0-11 months), Baby Miss (12-23 months), Toddler Miss (2-3 years), Tiny Miss (4-5 years), Little Miss (6-7 years), Petite Miss (8-10 years) Jr Miss (11-13 years), Teen Miss (14-16 years), Miss (17-20 years).
Boy’s categories for the pageant include: Baby Mister (0-23 months), Tiny Mister (2-3 years), and Little Mister (4-5 years).
The deadline to enter is Tuesday, November 1, 2022. The pageant link can be found on Facebook at https://fb.me/e/1Q0tAujls
The committee is also collecting donated items to assist them in hosting the Chicken Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on November 6th. For the price of $10 you will enjoy chicken spaghetti, green beans, roll, dessert and a drink. One hundred percent of the profits will go directly to the festival to offset expenses. The committee will deliver eight or more plates if you schedule ahead of time. You can pre-order with Eugene Garner (318-663-1148) or Jennifer Smith (318-413-7761).
Picture Day for the Goldonna Wildcats is Wednesday October 26th. Students may wear their best clothes for photos. They are also working hard and in the planning phase for the return of the Fall Carnival. Mark your calendars for October 28, 2022. They are selling split the pot tickets and they are also selling Deer Corn raffle tickets again.
Please contact the school office for your tickets.
The school is also celebrating Red Ribbon Week from October 24th thru October 28th. On Thursday, November 17th, grandparents will be able to enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner with their Wildcat. The cost is $5.25 per adult. You must RSVP and pay by October 21st.
Goldonna Assembly of God recently announced their 2nd Annual Fall Carnival. This family friendly event will be held on Saturday, November 5th from 5:00 to 7:00pm. Join the church family at 105 Talley Street for all of the fun.
Goldonna Baptist Church Kingdom Kids is up and running! Literally. Buses are busy all over Goldonna picking up and dropping off children. They meet every Wednesday night at 6:00pm and get to enjoy a great meal while they are at the church. The GBC will observe the Lord’s Supper on the 5th Sunday of October. After church lunch will be served in the Fellowship Hall. The youth group is serving biscuits and sausage every Sunday before Sunday school which starts at 10:00am.
The church is also planning a “Trunk or Treat” on Saturday, October 29th from 4:00 to 6:00. They will serve hotdogs grilled by Mr. Roy Dupree…brown paper bag style with chips. And of course, lots of candy!
As you can see there is always something wonderful going on in the hills of Goldonna. Christmas in the Park is gearing up and still needing volunteers for this jolly ole festival. Please contact Mayor Smith if you would like to be on the committee. Bring your ideas and get ready to start planning for the jolliest year yet!
Susan G. Komen is more than the name of the leading foundation in breast cancer education, screening, and research. She was a daughter, sister, wife and mother who like too many women developed breast cancer, fought it and eventually lost her battle to breast cancer. She was 36 years old. Her sister, Nancy Brinkman, started the Susan G. Komen foundation in 1982, two years after her death as a way of fulfilling a promise she made to her sister. Her goal, and that of the Susan G. Komen Foundation to this day, remains eradicating breast cancer as a life-threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening, and treatment. If you have never heard the story of Susan G. Komen the woman, and that of her sister Nancy, I encourage you to visit the Susan G. Komen Foundation Website at http://www.Komen.org. Although touching, frightening, inspiring, and encouraging, their story is not unlike many of women around our communities and the world.
Unfortunately, chances are that everyone knows someone with breast cancer. One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. In 2022 alone, it is estimated that there will be 287,500 new cases of breast cancer in the United States, 3,970 in Louisiana alone. Estimates are that 43,550 women will die of breast cancer in the U.S. in 2022, 690 in Louisiana. The risk of breast cancer increases directly with age. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women over their lifetime, but it is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women age 20-59. It is important to know that a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer continues to increase after the age of 60.
Early detection is the single-most important factor in the treatment of this disease. Current recommendations are for all women to have annual breast examinations by a physician and to perform monthly self-breast examinations. After the age of 40, all women should have mammograms every year in addition to continuing her annual physician exams and monthly breast self-examinations according to the American Cancer Society. Some women are at increased risk for developing breast cancer and will have different recommendations for screening and early detection. It is imperative that each woman checks with her doctor to find if she fits into one of these groups.
In addition to October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, several area Susan G. Komen affiliates are holding annual activities. On October 29, 2022, the Susan G. Komen New Orleans Race for the Cure® and MORE THAN PINK WALK will be held. November 4, 2022, through November 6, 2022, in Dallas, Susan G. Komen 3-day walk will also be held. This is a 60 mile walk over three days. Other events including Wacoal’s Fit for the Cure, BigWigs Gala, and other events. These events are also held nationwide and even internationally. Susan G. Komen has chapters in Shreveport, Bossier City, Monroe, Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. 75 percent of the funds raised at the Race remain here in Louisiana to provide breast health research, diagnostics, screening, treatment, services, and education for uninsured or underinsured women. The remaining 25 percent goes to fund national research to discover the causes of breast cancer and, ultimately, its cure. This is an opportunity for everyone in our community to support this worthy cause. For more information about these and other events, including contact information for your local affiliate clubs visit http://www.Komen.org.
Dr. James Lee serves as the Coroner of Winn Parish. He is a General Surgeon and Surgical Oncologist who has been practicing in Winnfield for over ten years. Dr. Lee attended the University of Colorado for his medical degree. He completed his residency in Surgery at the University of Oklahoma before completing a fellowship in Surgical Oncology and Endoscopy at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY. Dr. Lee and his wife Scarlett live in Winnfield with their son and are active in the community.
It almost seems like the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag has been around forever. I would wager that from an early age most of us stood at attention, placed our right hand over our heart while facing the American flag in class, and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. For most Americans, it’s as easy to recite as counting from one to ten. Although we have recited the pledge countless times throughout our lives, we still include the strategically placed pauses which were designed to aid in memorization. The Pledge of Allegiance, however, has taken many forms and has evolved through the years. In the late 1880s and early 1890s, patriotism was waning due to the difficulties of the Civil War. In 1887, Captain George Balch, a Civil War veteran, drafted the first known pledge to an American flag to help teach children, especially immigrant children, loyalty to the United States. In addition, Balch helped distribute American flags to classrooms. His pledge was quickly adopted by schools across the United States. It read:
“We give our heads and hearts to God and our country; one country, one language, one flag!”
It left something to be desired but remained the accepted pledge until the 1923 National Flag Conference. Each time Reverend Francis Bellamy heard the pledge he shuddered. In 1892, Bellamy drafted his pledge and submitted it to The Youth’s Companion, a popular children’s magazine, as part of a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in America. Bellamy drafted his pledge to be short, to the point, and, most of all, respectable. Bellamy’s pledge read:
“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Bellamy’s pledge soon caught on in classrooms as well. Two pledges of allegiance would have certainly been confusing. The Youth’s Companion included a schedule of events, which included Bellamy’s pledge to celebrate Christopher Columbus’s arrival and pushed for its universal use in all schools throughout the United States. In an act of patriotism after reading newspaper and magazine articles about Columbus, including the one in The Youth’s Companion which included Bellamy’s pledge, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States at the time, declared October 12, 1892, as Columbus Day. Despite Balch’s best efforts, Bellamy’s pledge became more popular.
Many people worried that Bellamy’s pledge was not precise enough. They were concerned that immigrants who recited “I pledge allegiance to my flag” could become confused and could be pledging allegiance to the flag of their birth country. At the 1923 National Flag Conference, delegates altered Bellamy’s pledge. This version reads:
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States, and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The words “of America” were added after “the flag of the United States” the following year. On June 22, 1942, nearly two decades after the National Flag Conference, Congress officially adopted the following Pledge of Allegiance:
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Something is still missing from the form as we know it today. On February 12, 1948, attorney Louis Albert Bowman recited the Pledge of Allegiance at a meeting of the Illinois Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Bowman was the chaplain. Bowman added two simple but important words which have occasionally caused controversy. With every recitation of the pledge, he included his own addition. Those two words were “Under God.” The new addition to the pledge quickly spread. On Flag Day, June 14, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law which made Bowman’s addition official. Thus, the Pledge of Allegiance is as we know it.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The wording of the Pledge isn’t the only part of the recitation which has changed. While reciting the pledge, each of us places our right hand over our heart. To remove that hand during the pledge feels nothing less than disgraceful, almost blasphemous. Along with the wording of the pledge, Bellamy created what became known as the Bellamy salute. Rather than placing our hand over our heart, Bellamy’s salute was done by outstretching the right hand aimed toward the flag with the palm down. The Bellamy salute was the official salute to the flag from 1882 until December 22, 1942, when Congress officially replaced the Bellamy salute with the right hand over the heart. It was ultimately replaced because Bellamy’s salute was adopted by Germany as the Nazi salute.
Students in 1941 pledging allegiance with the Bellamy salute
You ever been around friends and remember something funny and start laughing and can’t stop and of course, they ask why and you can’t explain?
Me too. Happened Saturday night.
All I could tell them was I’d seen dress rehearsal for a play earlier in the week and would be going to the Sunday matinee and was already laughing — was in tears — thinking of different parts. Whatever I could tell them would not translate; I’m not that good of a communicator.
Sometimes, you’ve just got to experience it.
Full disclosure: these next few moments with you will be about a play that my own personal child is in.
But also, full disclosure, it’s funny, and if you like to laugh, you should go.
It’s Popcorn Falls, it’s at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Shreveport Little (But It’s A Big Deal) Theatre And Really Not That Little. The run ends with Sunday’s matinee. A coffee table book celebrating the theatre’s first century is on sale in the lobby too; only 400 pictures in there so … think about it. I’ve spent hours enjoying mine.
So, Popcorn Falls. It isn’t Shakespeare. (Although The Bard is mentioned!, stud that he was.) It’s genius and sophisticated, but sophisticated in disguise. Here’s the Associated Press nut graph:
“The sleepy town of Popcorn Falls is forced into bankruptcy when a neighboring town and villain threaten to turn the place into a sewage treatment plant. The town’s only hope – open a theater! Two actors play more than 20 roles in a world of farce, love, and desperation, proving once and for all that art can save the world.”
Northwest Louisiana is so blessed to have 5-star talent in all phases of local theater. You can’t swing a cat without hitting somebody who is a bona fide director, set designer, actor, or prop whiz … we’re so lucky. There is a stage and there is air and everything else has to be created. Moods. Sense of place. Drama. Comedy. Music. Suggestions of silence. People are amazing, what they are able to create out of nothing.
Popcorn Falls is an example. A two-man show. The actors never really leave the stage. Less than 100 minutes with a 10-minute intermission. And none of those minutes is “filler” because every second, even the scene changes, have a purpose.
So, Casey Allen, my physical son, is one of the actors, and Barry “the Pride of Grand Cane” Larson, who has teamed with Casey in so many things that I feel as if he’s my backup son, except he doesn’t look like me, is the other actor. They are scared to death before any play they are in starts — it’s like the Boston Celtics’ Bill Russell throwing up before every game — but they are perfectly at home on stage. Strange and familiar dynamic.
But that’s what makes this and most other plays I’ve seen here good: they care. Casey and Barry. Director Sean Dion and the subtle “add-ins” he created. Tom Serio’s set. A rolling table (you’ll see). Riley Keene’s stage managing. The sound from Barry Butler, the best in the biz. The lighting. On and on. Even the work of “Intimacy Coordinator” Liesl Cruz. (See it and you’ll know.)
Happy for everyone because I know what they’ve invested and how much joy and honesty they bring to the day’s work. They made me laugh. Still are. It feels as if they’ve created something just for you. For no one but you. When theatre is “done right,” that’s the magic that happens.
