Moving forward for local history

It's comforting to know that Bob Hodson can still conduct an open meeting. He really can.

One could say that Bob was in rare form at the Monday, July 15 special meeting of the membership of the Highland County Historical Society. But that would be inaccurate. (He and I have a history, as it were.)

Bob was, in fact, in his typical form: 99 percent business, complemented with 1 percent of his wonderful sense of humor.

The issue of the day was – as concerned citizens and alert readers already know – the future of the Highland County Historical Society.

Bob Hodson has a considerable stake in this august body. After all, he was there for its formation in 1964 and he served as its first board president many years ago. He is not, by any measure, a "johnny-come-lately."

Addressing the recent discord within the organization, Bob said: "We need to preserve the written record of Highland County, and I expect trustees to do the job. I think it's pretty sick when I see what's happening. People are resigning and saying 'I can't be a part of this.' We need some healing."

Without question, the society needs some healing.

Perhaps the initial treatment was applied Monday evening. Time – a specialty of any Historical Society – will tell. It always does.

"I'm here because of those old-timers (who founded the Highland County Historical Society)," Bob said to approximately 75-80 people packed into the Highland County Administration Building's basement conference room. "They're all gone," he said. "For 50 years – almost 50 – there was harmony. When things go wrong, you have to take action."

Make no mistake, Mr. Robert Hodson took action.

Bob mentioned many of those early recorders of Highland County's history. One, of personal note, was my second-grade teacher at Concord Elementary School, Violet Morgan.

It would be a difficult task to convince me that a kinder, sweeter person than Miss Morgan has existed on this earth. All these years gone by, and I still remember the day that my best friend, Richard Garrett, and I got into a fight in Sugar Tree Ridge. I cannot tell you why we were fighting. Violet Morgan stopped the fight. She told us we ought to be ashamed of ourselves, and ordered us to shake hands and go play ball. We did.

But I digress – as I tend to do.

The fact of the matter is this: Because of people like Bob Hodson, there is a Highland County Historical Society. Simply put, without such people, the society would not exist.

In this opinion, not nearly enough acknowledgment is given today to these society founders. On Monday night, however, Bob was well-prepared to deliver a history lesson. (Maybe there should have been a few homework assignments, too.)

After Bob's address, and with a 75-percent approval (in a 47-16 vote by ballot), a motion to re-organize the society leadership passed.

The two most outspoken critics to the society membership's action were former trustees Bob Lambert and Mary Todd Hardeman, (the latter whose daughter was the paid director).

On Monday, Bob Lambert told the membership: "The former president engaged in activities that were illegal – illegal under federal law – that put the society at risk. We discussed some – I would say – credit card irregularities or bank transactions that were very questionable under a former director's care. When I suggested that we investigate it, I was told 'Don't make waves.'"

"As a board member and as someone who's a good steward of the public money in everything that I do, I thought that it should have been investigated," Lambert said.

These allegations are very serious, indeed. If accurate, the allegations are serious. If inaccurate, they are even more serious. By his own statements, he implicated both a former president and a former director.

Mr. Lambert said he was told "Don't make waves."

Mr. Lambert also has said (incorrectly) that the society does not receive public dollars. It has. He also has insisted he's not a public official with the Highland County Convention and Visitors Bureau. (That's debatable.)

But with his right hand over his heart Monday, he said: "As a board member and as someone who's a good steward of the public money in everything that I do, I thought that it should have been investigated."

If a board member and former board president felt so strongly about the alleged illegal activity, reasonable minds may wonder:

• Why, as a "good steward of the public money," didn't you pursue and demand said investigation?

• And, how do you explain your appearance of complicity in the alleged coverup in the alleged illegal activity?

Granted, if someone in such capacity has evidence that "The former president engaged in activities that were illegal – illegal under federal law," and evidence that "We discussed some – I would say – credit card irregularities or bank transactions that were very questionable under a former director's care," I would agree that an investigation was in order on both the former president and the former director, as well as those who were complicit.

Moving on, let me say this: It was good to see so many society members in attendance Monday night. There were doctors, lawyers, a former judge, a civil engineer, a nuclear engineer, professional educators, former public servants, my friend Mayor Dick Zink, Mary Wharton was there, and some wonderful lady from Lynchburg in a stylish summer hat, young people, old people, society members, non-members, Democrats, Republicans, maybe an Independent or two, too. There were multi-generational families (including mine) in attendance.

And just in case things went south in a hurry, we had two coroners in attendance. How do you top that, Craig Turner?

All in all, and regardless of the ultimate outcome of the decisions made on Monday, one thing's clear: By having this open meeting, society members have made the first step toward regaining ownership of the organization. That's good.

Yes, as Bob Hodson said, there's work to be done. Many society members who attended this special meeting will be called upon to answer when that proverbial work bell rings. And it will. Very soon.

Bob is giving the society 100 days to right the ship. After the annual meeting on Oct. 17, I suspect Bob and Dorothy will be planning their annual trek to Daytona Beach Shores, Mike McCarty's offer notwithstanding.

This is just a personal observation, but I truly believe that people like Jean Wallis, Margaret Van Frank, Midge Rose, et. al, have the society's best interests at heart today, just as much as they did in past years. This might be a good time to lend some support and appreciation for their respective efforts, past, present and future.

Lastly, I will add this to those who have asked why there has been only one comment posted to our online story of Monday's meeting (made by Bob Lambert). The honest answer is this: We had so many comments about a previously scheduled paranormal investigation at the Scott House that I was more confused than a man with a newspaper in a haunted outhouse. (Dave Burkard might know a different line to that joke.)

I am not kidding. The Highland County Press website has received at least 10 comments today demanding that the historical society allow the "Ghostbusters" groups to set up shop in the Scott House. (They call it Scott's Mansion.)

While I'll never belong to any society which would accept the likes of me as a member, I'll offer this alternative to the Ghostbusters group: Maybe you can find the ghost of Jim Beam or J.T.S. Brown at the Eliza Jane Thompson House. What do I know?

We'll end this weekly rant with two historical quotes:

• Edmund Burke supposedly said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

• Danté (Alighieri) said a few hundred years earlier: "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality."

The majority membership of the Highland County Historical Society in attendance on the Ides of July will have no problem looking Burke or Danté in the eye.

Highland County's "Old Guard" was most impressive. Thanks.

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.