About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 2018)
OUR REGION Shannon Casas Director of Content | 770-718-3417 | news@gainesvilletimes.com She Strnes gainesvilletimes com 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
