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Sunday, October 28, 2018
Memorial to remember train wreck victims
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
A memorial remembering
five Gainesville Junior College
students killed in a 1968 train-
car wreck will be placed next
month at the University of North
Georgia.
Ricky Boleman, Mike Gil
lespie, Lanny Sewell, Don
Cooper, all of Gainesville, and
Juliann Whitney, of Athens, died
after a train collided with their
car Jan. 25, 1968, at the Mundy
Mill Road railroad crossing.
Hall County commissioners
Richard Higgins and Kathy Coo
per as well as Gainesville school
board member Sammy Smith
have worked on a memorial for
the students.
Higgins said last week the ded
ication is set for 2 p.m. Nov. 18.
Law officers told The Times in
1968 the train was “unable to stop
for a mile and a half after the col
lision because the impact of the
crash apparently damaged air
lines to the diesel’s brakes.”
“If you had to pick and choose
the nicest people in your class,
you couldn’t have handpicked
a nicer group of boys. Loved
everybody, friendly, kind, big-
hearted,” classmate Jean Bran
non previously told The Times.
The marble memorial is in the
shape of a podium and has an
inscription on a plate.
It reads:
“On January 25,1968, five col
lege students perished in a tragic
train car accident adjacent to the
campus. The tragedy stunned the
college and the community and
left gaping holes in the lives of
their families and friends.
The editor of the Gainesville
Daily Times penned ‘They were
splendid youngsters who held the
promise of meaningful participa
tion in community life.’
Ricky Boleman, Donn Coo
per, Mike Gillespie and Lanny
Sewell, all of Gainesville, died
along with Juliann Whitney of
Athens — five members of the
college’s freshman class.
This memorial is placed in
remembrance of the lives lost
and memories still cherished
today.”
The inscription ends with a
quote from Isaiah: “Trust in
the Lord forever, for the Lord,
the Lord himself, is the rock
eternal.”
Smith wrote in an email that
UNG officials will oversee the
placement adjacent to the stu
dent center.
In Mumnry
On January 25. 196*. Iiv« rotluga lludvnli porimhod
•n i tragic tram car accidant adiacani to lha campus
fha Iraqedy stunned the college and the community
and left gaping holes in the live* at IImhi families
and friends
The editor of the Gainesville Daily Times penned
'They were splendid youngsters who held the promise
of meaningful participation In community lifa'
Ricky Bolaman. Donn Cooper. Mike Gillespie and
Lanny Sewell, all of Gainasville. died along with
Juliann Whitney of Athens five members of the
colleges freshman class.
This memorial is placed m remembrance of the
lives lost and memories still cherished today
'Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the
Lord himself, is the rock eternal*
Indian 26 4
For The Times
Friends, classmates and families will gather to
place a permanent memorial to five students
who died in a train-car accident adjacent to
the Gainesville Junior College (now UNG)
campus in January 1968.
Unvarnished history lesson
Photos by AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
James Longstreet, portrayed by Thomas H. Rasmussen, speaks during an event, Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Piedmont Hotel.
Longstreet Society ‘here to tell the story of the Civil War’
BY KENNETH HUCKS
khucks@gainesvilletimes.com
The Longstreet Society, an
organization founded in dedi
cation to Lt. Gen. James Long
street, showcased documents
and historical re-enactments
at the Historic Piedmont Hotel
on Saturday, all in the name of
educating locals on the gen
eral’s legacy.
Longstreet, a Confederate
general during the Civil War,
became a pariah in the south
following his conversion to the
Republican Party and change
in favor for the end of slav
ery. This negative perception
is something the Longstreet
Society aims to dispel through
education and modern con
text, according to President
C.J. Clarke IV.
“The elephant in the room
is that he’s a Confederate gen
eral,” Clarke said. “But when
people find out what he did
after the war, he’s actually
been said to have a lot of Abra
ham Lincoln in him. Abraham
Lincoln didn’t initially want to
end slavery but as time went
on that’s where everything
led him. General Longstreet
wasn’t against slavery, but as
time went on he had relation
ships with African-Americans
Liam Peeples, 4, of Gainesville, points at various Civil War figurines during an event at the Piedmont
Hotel on Saturday, Oct. 27.
and became really strongly
aligned with civil rights and
women’s rights.”
At the time, Longstreet’s
support of civil rights issues
he fought against as a Confed
erate general was viewed as a
betrayal among Americans in
the south, resulting in politi
cal isolation. However, Clarke
says Longstreet’s change in
values is an example of a
changed perspective due to
education and new informa
tion, leading the general to
advocate for the freedom of
slaves.
Despite Longstreet’s shift in
support, the Longstreet Soci
ety doesn’t aim to cover up his
past as a Confederate general,
instead it uses it to underscore
how the man changed as time
went on.
“We don’t fly a Confeder
ate flag here and there’s not
one at General Longstreet’s
grave,” Clarke said. “But we
do have Confederate flags
■ Please see LONG, 4C
GAINESVILLE
Woman
injured in
crash on
Green Street
BY NATE MCCULLOUGH
nmccullough@gainesvilletimes.com
One woman was injured shortly after mid
night Friday in a single-car crash on Green
Street in Gainesville.
The impact of the crash could be heard in
The Times building. The heavily damaged
vehicle came to a rest on the sidewalk in
front of The Times’ parking lot.
A man who had stopped his own vehicle
was seen tending to the female driver of the
wrecked car.
Responding safety workers transported
the woman to an area hospital. According
to Gainesville Police Sgt. Kevin Holbrook,
the woman was in stable condition when
transported.
The crashed vehicle was removed shortly
before 1 a.m. The roadway going south
bound on Green Street was closed for about
an hour.
Photos by NICK WATSON I The Times
A man comforts a woman involved in a crash
early Saturday, Oct. 27, on Green Street.
Safety workers tend to a woman who was
involved in a car crash on Green Street at
Academy Street in Gainesville early Saturday
morning. The woman was transported to
the hospital.
CARRIED AWAY AT THE HARVEST BALLOON FESTIVAL
AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
Molly Napien screams while on a spinning ride during the Harvest Balloon Festival at
Sterling on the Lake on Saturday, Oct. 27. More photos on page 3C
ON THE TRAIL TO SOME SWEET TREATS
AUSTIN STEELE I The Times
Kasey Pursley of Pinnacle Bank hands out candy during Trick or Treat on the Trail at
Midtown Greenway on Saturday, Oct. 27. More photos on page 3C
