Coming Home to Clearwater

By Dale McMillan

The Simmonses are an unusual family. Each in their own way exhibits servants hearts, love of family, home, country, and a strong Christian faith. They make a full circle in this writing, with each in their own way contributing.
The period covered by this story was a period of upheaval in America. Integration was in full bloom, the peace movement and the Vietnam War, The Kennedy and King assignation took place during this period. George Simmons has his hands full as he guides Clearwater through safe passage during this era. Ike Simmons comes of age and aids George as he charts the course through integration of Clearwater schools. Chassity, Mamie, and Woodrow are in the middle of everything; each contributing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 25, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465361042

Dale McMillan

Dale McMillan retired from a long career in the petrochemical industry. After building a home, shop, three barns, and restoring a log cabin built originally in 1854, he tried his hand at writing fiction at age 67. He has written 17 other books since that first release. He lives on a small sand hill farm just outside Henderson, Texas with his invalid wife, Janell and two dogs, Marcie and Sherlock.

Book preview

Coming Home

to Clearwater

Dale McMillan

Copyright © 2011 by Dale McMillan.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2011915608

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4653-6103-5

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4653-6102-8

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4653-6104-2

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 1

Clearwater, Mississippi would never be the same—the queen was dead. Marie Simmons was a refined and cultured lady, possessing a mystique that captivated everyone in Clearwater County. Although a very private person, she left a trail of friendships throughout the county and state.

After a private burial, Clearwater County residents attended her memorial to honor her life: both black and white turned out in mass. Marie and her husband Alex touched many, many lives giving hope and encouragement as well as financial help when needed. Since Marie never officially became a member of the church, which she attended with her family, she was at odds with the church’s pastor. Marie’s refusal to break with her Episcopalian heritage and join the minister’s church was a burr under his saddle for 30 years. George asked Ike Simmons to preach her funeral service. Ike was eloquent, having worked hard on his message and crafting it to perfection. Many of the attendees had not heard him speak and they were simply bowled over by his ability. Several of the farm families remembered him as that little nigger boy that worked at the Simmons warehouse and gin. The fact that he now held a degree from a prestigious university was a difficult hurdle to scale.

Ike stressed in his message that Marie Simmons was one person who lived out her Christian faith in every aspect of her life. He portrayed her as consoler, and counselor to many, advisor, nurse, encourager and friend—the essence of what Christ desired for all.

Although difficult, George gave a eulogy for his mother. Chassity also spoke briefly, along with each of Marie’s grandchildren, Margaret Muller, Mary Jo Coleman and George Paul Simmons. They were all brief but eloquent as they remembered their mother and grandmother. Clementine Applewhite, soon to be Mrs. George Paul Simmons also brought a brief remembrance of the lady who shaped and molded her life and character.

Engaging Ike to bring the memorial address landed all of the Simmons on a list kept by the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission. The Mississippi State Legislature created the commission, according to their description, to protect the sovereignty of the great State of Mississippi and her sister states from federal government interference. In reality, its purpose was to preserve a segregated society and to oppose school integration. In secret, the commission harassed and spied on activists, and anyone else who was sympathetic to the black person’s plight and branded many of them as racial agitators and communist infiltrators. The commission worked diligently to discredit any person or group of persons who spoke out against segregation and for integration.

The creation of the Sovereignty Commission was one of those events in our nation’s history when good men went astray. Although they were sincere in their mission, their mission was wrong. Lives were lost and others ruined—not the intent of the commission, but a result of overzealous individuals. Lies and innuendos were often accepted as fact, simply because they enhanced a point of view. Names were turned over to law enforcement agencies for surveillance and many of those names wound up in the hands of the Ku Klux Klan.

All of the Simmons, black and white, every Simmons tenant—even Brother Zeke Willis—a humble man, landed on the commission’s list of individuals to be watched. The activities of the commission simply divided the town of Clearwater down the middle with Sheriff Adams, Dr. Adams, Mike McClusky and many of the town businessmen on the commissions list. Even Luther Steagall made the Sovereignty Commission list. The mayor, city manager and most of the police force were on the opposite side. There was one balancing factor, which later proved to be a very rich blessing. Mavis Smith, the chief town WAG and the wife of the city manager, became a Chassity Simmons fan after Effie Ruth DeLosuer’s graduation address. When Effie Ruth graphically pointed out that Chassity kept her from committing suicide, Mavis Smith’s heart was won. Although Chassity was one of her favorite targets before Effie’s address revealing her intended suicide plans, Mavis simply could no longer berate Chassity Simmons. In fact, she became very, very defensive of Chassity and kept her husband in line. Mavis ruled the roost at home and Bill, her husband, was terrified of her. He kept no secrets from Mavis because his secretary revealed everything that went on at City Hall, until she started having an affair with Mavis’ husband, Bill. Her tattling ceased at that point and Mavis’ suspicion rose. Mavis eventually regained control.

The winds of change were blowing all over the South and a festering cauldron was just about to boil over. In December of 1955, Rosa Parks became the mother of the civil rights movement. Mrs. Parks was a seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama when, because she was tired and weary from a long day of hard work, she refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. The bus driver immediately had her arrested. She was tried and convicted of violating a local ordinance.

Her act of courage sparked a citywide boycott of the bus system by blacks that lasted more than a year. The boycott raised an unknown clergyman named Martin Luther King Jr., to national prominence and resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing segregation on city buses. Over the next four decades, she helped make her fellow Americans aware of the civil rights struggle.

*     *     *

The year was 1962. It was late August. Mary Jo was entering her second year of medical school. She and Stu Coleman married earlier in the summer, just as soon as Stu finished his degree in Agricultural Engineering. True to their word, they eloped and held feet to the fire for the promises made to give them cash rather than having a big wedding. The night of Margaret’s wedding, George, Chassity and Marie, in a moment of jest, each offered them five thousand dollars if they would simply elope and spare the family the trouble and expense of a big wedding. The fifteen thousand dollars boost, along with the savings that Mary Jo had from her work at the warehouse, situated her and Stu very well financially. Stu was working as a charter pilot for a small air service out of Durham. He was also working to complete an apprenticeship with an aircraft mechanic in order to become a certified aircraft mechanic. Stu was positioning himself to become a missionary pilot after Mary Jo finished medical school. Since he received a school deferment to finish his education, it did not take long for his name to come up for the draft. After his notice to report for a physical examination came, he quickly joined the Air Force for four years. Stu had no intention of pounding the ground with his feet when he could be flying an airplane. After a serious all night talk, Stu and Mary Jo mutually agreed that she would stay in school and finish while he was in service.

Stu was an exceptional pilot and that caused problems for him in the Air Force. His choice was to fly the faster more maneuverable fighter jets, but since he was a crop duster before entering service, the Air Force decided he needed the discipline of flying bombers. He was sent to school to learn to fly B-52 bombers. With his experience and engineering background, flying bombers proved to be no problem at all, and within a few months, he was flying with the Strategic Air Command. This proved to be a great place to spend his service time since his duty was in the states. That allowed him to spend almost one weekend per month with Mary Jo.

Hans Mueller was working on his PhD in political science at Georgetown University, along with his work at the State Department. Margaret was a freelance writer and doing well.

George Paul and Clementine arrived back at Mississippi State after a brief visit home between the second summer semester and the fall term, only a few hours before the call came informing them of Marie’s death. They were embroiled in a small spat over dating other people. Chassity was adamant that they needed to date others before they settled down. She harped on that all during their visit home. Clem was in favor of giving that a try—GP was not. This resulted in a confrontation of wills and they were both miserable. Each loaded up on course work during the regular school term, and they were taking summer classes in order to finish in three years. Chassity constantly admonished and struggled to keep them from getting married until they finished college. She had been successful, but now that Marie was gone, the task of fending off the impending wedding appeared insurmountable.

Marie’s passing devastated Clem. She was very clingy and seemed to fall apart each time George Paul was not by her side. Because of her mother’s mental illness, Marie influenced Clementine’s life more that anyone. Often, when things got really bad at home, Clem ran to Marie. Marie quietly helped her through her emotional trauma and put all of the pieces back in place. Chassity finally took her aside and engaged in one of her mother/daughter lecture sessions. Chassity exhibited little patience with those who engaged in self-pity.

She closed her lecture with the statement, Now girl, you stand up and be a Simmons the way Grandmother Marie would want you to.

This one simple statement from Chassity became one of those moments that cements and bonds a relationship. Clementine became uneasy around Chassity, because she was so adamant that she and George not get married until they graduated and for them to play the field a bit in order to be sure that they were right for each other. This made Clem feel that Chassity did not approve of her. The lecture made her aware that her future mother-in-law already considered her as part of the family. That spoke volumes to Clementine.

Many thought that George Paul and Clementine would tire of each other and wind up marrying someone else. Even though not engaged, no one in the Simmons’ clan believed that George Paul would even consider marrying anyone but Clem. In reality, everyone would have been heartbroken had that happened. All of their friends encouraged them to date other people, but that always turned out to be a disaster. Clem dated other boys a few times, generally in a group setting. George on the other hand simply could not bring himself around to asking another girl to go out with him. It would have broken his code of honor. Chassity was overly concerned about this. She was afraid that he would have regrets later that he had not known other girls. George Paul finally broke down and discussed the situation between himself and Clem with his dad.

He stated, Dad, I really do not want to date other girls.

George retorted, Well, who said you had to?

Well, no one, but just about everybody tells us we should, so that we will be sure before we get married.

G. P. could see his dad’s jaw tighten. George looked at his son and replied, Son, you have a mind—use it. We do not allow other people to do our thinking for us.

George went on to tell his son that once he dated Chassity, he felt no desire to date anyone else. He continued, I knew immediately that she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I love your mother and I do not desire and have never desired someone else in my life. If you truly love Clem, cherish her and put other women out of your mind.

Dad, I truly love her, but I love her enough to let her go, if she finds someone she loves more than me.

George looked stunned but then he exploded, Bulls**t,—the first time G. P. had ever heard his dad use a bad word—don’t tell me that. There is no way you would stand back and let another man take her away from you. Now quit fooling yourself and admit your true feelings. If you love that girl as much as I think you do, you tell her, and let her love you back. Quit playing with fire. You go buy her an engagement ring, put it on her finger and tell everyone else to keep their hands off.

G.P. stood looking at his daddy for a very long moment and then smiled, turned on his heels and went to his car. He drove straight to the Applewhite’s, and told Clem to come with him. Clem simply got up and went to the car. She could tell by his manner that something was up. Neither spoke on their five-mile drive into Clearwater; George drove straight to a jewelry shop.

G P went in and told the shop owner, We want an engagement ring.

The jeweler asked, About what price range, Mr. Simmons.

Clem had not spoken until now and she answered, Something not too gaudy. I do not like a lot of jewelry.

G P looked at her and smiled. She sounded exactly like his mother. He turned to the jeweler and answered, Whatever she wants.

The jeweler went to the case and removed a three quarter caret diamond. Clem slipped it on and held it up for George to look at.

He asked, How do you like it?

Clem answered, I love it.

We will take it. How much?

$300.00. George.

G.P. reached for his billfold and took out a check. He simply wrote out the check and handed it to the jeweler. He and Clem walked out of the shop engaged.

On the way, back to the Mansion, Clem was quiet for a few moments, but she finally asked, What happened to dating other people?

George looked at her for a moment and then replied, I’ll kill any other man that touches you.

And I will scratch the eyes out of any hussy that touches you.

They both burst into laughter.

Clem and George spent the rest of their trip to the Mansion telling each other of their love. It was a cleansing moment. All pent up frustration faded away. Ever since they received word of Marie’s death, their emotional state deteriorated. Clem was on a date with a young man who had pestered her constantly to go out with him ever since she arrived as a freshman. They were in several classes together and he would have gladly wrestled her away from George if possible. All evening he tried to put his arm around her but she felt repulsed by his advances. He grabbed her and kissed her goodnight when they arrived back at the dorm and she walked into the dorm feeling like a ‘tainted’ woman.

George was waiting at her dorm with the news of his grandmother’s death when she came in. Already in a state of frustration, when she saw him waiting in the lobby, she became angry that he was spying on her and started to lash out at him. He raised his hand and simply said, Clem, grandmother died this afternoon. We need to make plans to go home; that is, if you are going.

This stung her and cut to the core. She was already feeling guilty about being on a date with someone else, and especially the kiss. George’s hurt look pierced her heart. She ran to him, threw her arms around him and wept, with her heart breaking.

When she could finally speak she replied, Of course I am going. She is my grandmother too.

G. P. and Clem left very early the next morning and drove to Clearwater. Both were very quiet, with each locked in their thoughts. Clem felt that GP was angry with her because she dated someone else. She was guilt ridden during the entire date, feeling that she really did not want to be with someone else. GP was extremely anxious and agitated when the call came from his dad that his Grandmother died. These two incidences melded together pushed their emotions to overload. Clem was wishing she could run to Grandmother Marie and pour her heart out to her. Marie was always a sounding board for her frustrations.

George read his son perfectly. He knew immediately, by George Paul’s demeanor, that something was up between him and Clem. He observed the way Clem looked contritely at GP, and he reasoned out that she had dated someone else. She looked exactly like Chassity after her date with W.O. years earlier after a little spat when they were dating. It was evident that both were miserable.

*     *     *

When they arrived at the Mansion with Clem’s engagement ring, Chassity went through the roof.

She asked, Why in the world did you pick this time to get engaged?

G P. stated simply, Dad told me to.

Chassity looked at George and he simply turned his palms outward and shrugged his shoulders. Chassity was speechless.

Clem ran to her future father-in-law and hugged him. He hugged her back and kissed her on the top of the head.

Chassity finally got her voice back and asked, Why George? Why?

They are both miserable! Can’t you see that? It is time for them to quit beating around the bush and get on with their lives. It is not anybody’s business what they do and it is time for them to start doing their own thinking. All I told him was, if you love her as much as I think you do—then go for it.

George turned and walked out of the room. His old dapple mare, Trixie had gone on to the happy hunting ground and he had bought a young spirited mare. Although she had thrown him once, he saddled her and headed out for his thinking spot on the creek. The mare, Dolly, was very spirited, so he just decided to let her run. She flew out of the corral and did not stop running until she got to the bluff overlooking the creek. She made every attempt to throw George off and into the creek, but he was prepared for her antics and simply turned her and made her run some more. She finally tried to slow her pace, but George put the quirt to her and made her run until she was totally winded and ready to settle down. She was not a happy camper; she slung her head, and snorted to display frustration with her master. When George finally got off back at the creek, he walked around in front of her and addressed her as madam.

Madam, if you are going to live on a Simmons farm, you are going to learn some manners. I feed you well and I expect some respect out of you. If you choose to continue this behavior, the tankage plant down the road will be happy to receive you for the glue factory.

George was holding her under the chin talking to her in a firm manner and forcing her to listen. He tied up the horse to a branch and walked down to his favorite thinking spot by the slow moving stream. George was well aware that his nudge to George Paul could backfire on him if the marriage did not work out. He was also cognizant of the fact that Chassity was going to question his counsel. George also worried that George Paul and Clem made this decision during a time of bereavement—not a good time to make life commitments. He was engaged in some very heavy thinking.

After thinking through all of the issues, he concluded that his counsel was sound. He decided that if he arranged George Paul’s marriage he would pick Clementine. He reasoned that they seemed to think with the same mind—one could start a sentence and the other could finish it. They both held strong Christian values. They were intellectual equals, but foremost in his mind was the fact that he knew in his heart that they had been in love all of their life.

With that concluding thought in mind he straddled Dollie and made her run all the way back to the mansion. As he unsaddled her, he gave her one more warning, Old girl, for your sake, I hope you learned something today.

The horse snorted and shook her head as if to say, I learned not to mess with the boss.

George smiled, gave her a few oats and headed to the house to face Chassity. She was waiting in the kitchen with Mamie allied with her. Chassity immediately went to her fighting stance—hands on hips, feet firmly planted. Her look did not set well with George and she immediately knew by the look on his face that this was not a good time to start a confrontation. George was normally calm and collected, but once he thought things through, he was very, very bull-headed. Chassity backed off a bit and dropped her hands to her side.

She began, Why George? Why? I am just trying to understand.

Chassity put on her most sincere look, but it was real. Her mind was not able to grasp George’s reasoning. They discussed the fact that George Paul and Clementine were too young to get married. Now George had almost ordered GP to buy Clem an engagement ring.

George did not answer for a moment; he simply stood looking at Chassity and Mamie. Mamie was a basket case since Marie’s death. GP’s action added to her stress.

George asked, Is there any coffee?

Mamie jumped up and said, Sho dere is coffee, baby. Lets me git ju a cup.

Mamie went to pour coffee and George motioned for Chassity to sit down at the table. She responded to his request. She sat at the corner and George sat down at the end. After thanking Mamie for the coffee and taking a big sip, George looked at Chassity and Mamie. He had not noticed Woodrow sitting at the opposite end of the table almost in a trance.

George greeted, Why hello, Woodrow. You were so quiet I didn’t even see you.

Woodrow smiled slyly and retorted, I knows when to keeps my mouth shut, Mr. George.

George burst into laughter and replied, Well, this is probably a good time, Woodrow.

He then turned to Chassity and continued, "Chassity, I know you are angry. We have worked hard to try to keep those two kids from marrying until they are a little more mature. Neither of us objects to their marriage—we simply want them to be old enough.

Well, I came to the conclusion that we were making them miserable. Encouraging them to date other people was very bad advice. Do you remember the story in the Bible about the man who found a precious gem in a field and he went and sold everything he had and bought the field?

Yes, I remember that story. What does that have to do with this?

Well, GP has a precious gem. It is time for him to buy the field.

Chassity shot up out of her chair and hands went immediately to her hips, George Simmons! Don’t you dare start quoting the Bible to me to justify your actions.

Chassity saw George’s jaw tighten. This always frightened her. She quickly apologized.

George, I am sorry. I am just trying to understand.

Mamie, amazingly quiet for her, spoke up and admonished, Baby, ju tell Mis’ Chassity why ju dun it. She just trin to unnerstan.

George looked at both and then began, Chassity, telling those two to date other people was very bad advice. They love one another and they belong together. If we are not careful, we are going to mess that up. How would you have felt if I had gone out with someone else after we started dating?

Chassity sat stunned for a moment and then she replied, I would have scratched the hussy’s eyes out.

Well, why is everyone advising them to date other people?

Chassity was one of the greatest proponents of George and Clem dating others in order to be sure of their love for one another. George’s words cut deep.

George continued quietly, Do you really think our son is any different from you, Chassity. How do you think he must feel when someone else takes the woman he loves out on a date, and how do you think Clem would feel if George was out with someone else? They have been given very, very bad advice and they have tried to follow it.

Chassity began to think back. George was quiet when she harped on Clem and GP to date other people. She simply thought this was because George loved Clem like a daughter and really wanted her and GP to marry eventually. She suddenly became aware that her reasoning did not consider their real feelings.

Tears began to stream down her cheeks. George took her hand. Looking deep into George’s eyes, Chassity gushed, I have been a fool, George.

No, you haven’t been a fool, Chassity. We didn’t ask to be placed in the situation. Clem didn’t ask for it either. We simply have to play the cards we are dealt. George Paul and Clem truly love each other. It is foolish to try to keep them apart any longer.

Chassity sat reflecting on their life with Clem growing up almost as part of their family. She remembered the back door bursting open and the little girl slipping in, sitting down beside GP, popping open a biscuit and covering it with gravy, and then she would turn and smile at George Paul. It happened almost every morning when her mother was home from the hospital.

Mamie spoke up and remarked, Well, Mis’ Chassity baby, guess ju and I gonna haft to eats our crow and like it. George huny dun thought it through. As usual, I ‘fraid he is right.

*     *     *

So, GP and Clem went back to school engaged. Their relationship grew even stronger and blossomed. Clem found a small church out in the country from Starkville that needed a pianist. She and George began to attend and soon GP was leading the singing. The church loved them. Soon after that, they were teaching a youth Sunday School Class.

Life went on in Clearwater with all of the Simmons missing Marie. a grand lady. No one missed her more than W. O. Applewhite did.

*     *     *

The year 1962, was a troubling year in Mississippi. On September 30, James Meredith arrived at Old Miss to enroll for classes. This caused turmoil and riots on the campus, which spilled over to other campuses. Mississippi State felt the ramifications. George Paul was elected to the student counsel. When he spoke out in favor of integration all of the other members on the council voted to ask him to resign and give up his seat on the council. The environment of the council deteriorated to the point that George felt he could no longer function as a viable member, so he acquiesced to their wishes. The faculty advisor along with all of the members of the council made every attempt to disgrace him and drive him out of the University. George hung tough though and stayed in school.

Clem wrote a paper for one of her classes pointing out how much the separate but equal concept for schools was costing the state of Mississippi. Although exquisitely crafted, she received a D on her paper.

The tires on both Clem’s and George Paul’s cars were slashed along with racial slurs painted on with an enamel paint that was very difficult to remove. Chassity had counseled George and Clem just as Old Alex Simmons counseled her years earlier, when you stand against tradition; you just have to stand and take it.

George was not quite as open minded, and this incident was the straw that caused him to get involved. He called the college president. No one ever knew what they discussed, but since George was one of the school’s greatest benefactors, the harassment stopped almost immediately, especially harassment from the faculty. Both GP and Clem were pulled out of class and engaged in a grueling exchange with the Sovereignty Commission. This act angered George. He called Marie’s nephew, who was elected to his dad’s seat in congress, and he got the FBI involved. Many of the people who were employed by the Sovereignty Commission could not stand a close scrutiny of their past, so when the FBI came on the scene, they disappeared.

Neither GP nor Clem had any real problems after George got involved. The FBI on the scene frightened away the student thugs that were harassing them. Somehow they also learned that GP’s daddy had been a CIA operative during the war and that his brother-in-law was an ex German SS officer turned double agent. There was a therapeutic scare factor in these two facts, which frightened off the perpetrators of the harassment. No one knew how that information leaked out, but George hired a private investigator to go to the University and poke around a bit to see if he could find out who was responsible. GP surmised that the PI could have been responsible for the information leaking out.

Clem and George Paul spent their last year in a friendless environment, but with the support of each other, their love and commitment simply grew. They graduated at the end of the second summer term in 1963 finishing their degrees in three years. The down side was that GP was embittered toward the University and it took him years to overcome the feeling of resentment that had built up during this time.

Next year, 1963 was a very significant year in the movement toward integration. Harvey Gantt enrolled in Clemson University in South Carolina, the last state to hold out integration of State schools, on January 28, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph Abernathy, and Fred Shuttlesworth were arrested in Birmingham, Alabama for Parading without a permit during a march protesting segregation in businesses.

Dr. King wrote his now famous, Letter From Birmingham City Jail, on April 12, 1963. Clem used a paragraph from Dr. Kings letter in a speech, which she made in a public speaking class.

The part of the letter she quoted was: Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging dark of segregation to say, Wait. But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five-year-old son who is asking: Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?; when you take a cross-county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading white and colored; when your first name becomes nigger, your middle name becomes boy (however old you are) and your last name becomes John, and your wife and mother are never given the respected title Mrs.; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of nobodiness then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience.

Clem closed her speech with the statement; I have often wondered just what it would have been like to be born black and to feel the hot wind of racism every time I walked down the street. Every time I see a black child in its mother’s arms, my heart breaks for that child and I think, There, but for the grace of God, go I’."

The classroom was deathly quiet as Clem sat down after her speech. The speech was a bold move that took courage to deliver, but it was a speech whose time had come. The younger the crowd, the more likely they are to not be prejudiced, because prejudice is a learned experience. College students were more open and accepting and Clem’s stock went up in the eyes of her fellow classmates that day.

About fifteen minutes of class time was left after Clem’s speech, but the professor wisely commented, Miss Applewhite, you have given us much to think about. I think we will dismiss class for today and all of us will reflect on what you have told us—class dismissed."

Several students went to the Student Union Building for refreshments. One girl commented over her coffee, I hate her. I just absolutely hate her."

Several asked, Why? Why do you hate her?

Because she is bright; she is beautiful, and besides that she has a lock on George Simmons.

This brought a burst of laughter all around. It was well known; she thought George Paul Simmons was the purttiest thang she had ever seen.

A young man in the crowd added, "And he has his chastity belt on her too."

That ended the discussion about Clem, but the effects of her paper would linger on in the minds of these students for a long, long time. These types of bold moments began to make changes, and slow progress in the tedious and deliberate move toward integration began.

*     *     *

George Paul and Clem considered eloping, but since Clem and Joan were very close, she decided that she could not do that to her stepmother. Besides, there were extenuating circumstances. The small country church where Clem played the piano and George led the singing, while they were in high school, wanted to give them a wedding and reception. W.O. and Joan became members of the church also, so after discussing the plan, they decided to accept the churches offer. GP and Clem were accepted and loved by the church from the day they arrived to assist with the first service. There was little doubt where they would plant their lives when they returned to Clearwater.

*     *     *

George Paul and Clem were planning to live in Marie’s house after their wedding until GP’s number came up for the draft. Since he had gone to school on an educational deferment, he knew that it would not be long in coming. His name was on a waiting list to join the Air Force just as Stu had done, but since the Viet Nam war was beginning to heat up, the Air Force was over their quota. George took flying lessons and received his pilot’s license while in high school, and he actually worked some at crop dusting.

*     *     *

Chassity went through the very difficult task of dispersing Marie’s possessions. Clem and George received first choice of what they wanted to keep in the house. Margaret and Mary Jo had opportunity to choose what they wished to keep. Everything the Simmons did not wish to keep was dispersed among Simmons tenants, just as Marie requested. Each family received a remembrance of her. Much of her fortune was given away. She left ten million dollars to the Simmons Library, adding to the perpetual fund she had already established. Ten million went into the Alex and Marie Simmons scholarship fund. Thirty million went to the Simmons Philanthropic Foundation for Benevolent Causes. Twenty million went to establish a Clearwater Agricultural Museum. She left ten million to establish a Missionary Foundation to support Mary Jo, Lou Ann and Leon in their Missionary work. This came as a total shock to all three. Lou Ann and Leon were independent missionaries. Since they were not appointed by a denomination or missionary board, their support came from individuals. Marie, George and Chassity were funding their work and serving as their board. George recruited Ike to fill Marie’s place on the board. Marie’s foundation gave them a sense of security. Since her funding was always generous, they worried about what would happen when she died. There was no cause for worry because Marie took care of that.

Mary Jo immediately began receiving support from the fund, which gave her and Stu a financial boost. They were actually able to set up a savings account to save up enough money to help purchase an airplane when Mary Jo finished medical school. Stu earned good money as a charter pilot and he was able to support them. They were saving all of the money from the foundation.

Marie left two hundred thousand dollars to the small country church where GP and Clem served. In her mind, she already had them placed, married and back serving in the church, and she wished for the church to be adequately funded. She was right on target. She specified that the money was all to be used to modernize the building and build a new education and recreation building. The small country church became one of the first churches in the area to have a family life center.

Brother Zeke’s church, Brother Willie’s church and Harmony House were each left with funds to modernize and expand. Almost every church in Clearwater was specified to receive some funding from Marie’s estate except First Baptist where she actually attended with her family. Since she was still Episcopalian, the pastor worked diligently for years to try to get her saved, and he was rather vocal in his sermons that some in their midst who thought they were saved needed to come forth and repent. He always looked directly at Marie when he made these comments. She proved in her will that you do not mess with the queen.

George was very amused with his mother as she deliberately left First Baptist out of the will. She did not say a word about her reason; she simply made a list of those she wished to support and gave it to George. He looked down the list and commented, Mom, I don’t see First Baptist on the list.

She responded, Oh really! Well, my pen is out of ink.

They both burst into laughter, but that was all that was said. That was a touchstone moment for George that he smiled about for years to come. It was so much like her character—a very private person, congenial, good-natured, but with a very strong code of ethic.

Marie’s estate totaled over two hundred fifty million dollars. She left the rest in a trust fund stating that each grandchild could draw out up to ten million to start their own business if they chose to do so. George and Chassity had free access to the trust if needed. It was not needed because each of them was well on their way to earning their own fortune. Earnings from the trust were to be used for philanthropic causes.

Clearwater would never be the same after Marie’s passing, but she left her mark, which would be felt for many, many years to come.

Chapter 2

Clearwater county taxpayers and voters were embroiled in a battle most of 1962. A suit was filed by the NAACP in Federal District Court alleging that the county Black schools were sub standard. In order to fend off forced integration, the school board voted, over George’s serious objections, to build a new black high school. George proposed that, since integration was inevitably coming anyhow, the money should be used to expand and refurbish Clearwater High School. This suggestion polarized the board against George. The atmosphere became so strained that George did not seek reelection to the school board.

The newly elected chairman was simply in over his head. He was a good man, a successful farmer in the area, but totally inept at managing the school board. He did not know parliamentary procedure—he did not keep records—he became easily flustered and forgot what was going on in the board meetings. He had no idea how to prepare an agenda for the meetings.

While chairman of the Board, George always instructed his secretaries to send out reminders of the date of the regular monthly meeting, and send a copy of the agenda to the Clearwater Daily for publication in the newspaper. The new chairman did not. One month, he was embroiled in harvesting, and he and the vice chairman, forgot the meeting. They were called, since several matters needed attention. The rest of the board had to wait for the chairman to show up in order to conduct their business, thus delaying the meeting causing it to extend late into the night. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. One old farmer who was a very early riser exploded. In no uncertain terms, he told the new chairman exactly what he thought of his ability to chair the school board. There was assent from all the other members who were present and he resigned the post on the spot. He figured out early in his tenure as board chairman that following George Simmons was a huge undertaking. Board meetings simply became a sounding board for parent complaints. Both the superintendent and all of the school principals where becoming more and more disturbed that instead of backing the school administration, the board always acquiesced to parents with petty complaints. Jack Boone the superintendent and Mike Nelson each went to George complaining that the board was ruining the school and destroying moral.

George pointed out to each of them that they were unsupportive in his fight for reason. Jack Boone was very racist. He was very outspoken at one of the board meetings when building the new high school was discussed. He came to the meetings with all kinds of so called facts and figures extolling all of the negative factors involved in integrating the schools. He stated that what would happen was that black boys would be dating white girls, and that school standards would be lowered to accommodate black students who were behind the white students academically.

George pounced on this statement and reminded him that just a couple of meetings earlier; he argued that the schools were equal according to his facts and figures. George became rather sarcastic and kidded Jack that he needed to tune up his facts generator. Jack was a person who liked to play the numbers game and dig up all kind of obscure facts and figures to prove his point. George’s comeback totally cut his legs out from under him and angered him.

Jack Boone and Oscar Riley shared a ride to the meeting together and Jack berated George almost all the way home. Oscar finally got a word in, Jack, if we lose George Simmons on that school board, we are in deep trouble. He saved my job once, as you well know, and he has always been supportive. You know, all of the Simmons kids have graduated. He might just decide to back out and let us self destruct.

After a moment of reflection, Jack commented, Oh my! There are some good men on the board but there is not a businessman among them. George Simmons has guided each one of them both on the board and in their private life.

After Fred Tooney resigned as Chairman, one of the members asked, Is there any way we could get George Simmons to come back as an advisor and chair these meetings?

No one knew if this was legal or not. One old fellow, Mr. Jim Bentley, who had been on the school board for 25 years spoke up and informed, There is one way. All eyes went to Mr. Bentley. He continued, I can resign and we can call a special election and git George back on this board where he belongs.

The Vice Chairman, who was now chairing the meeting, asked, are you sure you wish to do that Mr. Bentley?"

I’m shore.

Tony Bing, the vice Chairman, acting as Chairman since Fred Tooney resigned, asked, Mr. Bentley, do you want to put that in the form of a motion?

Mr. Bentley smiled and replied, Well I would if I knew how.

Tony turned to Jack and asked, Mr. Boone, will you help us word this motion?

Well, I can try. This is a very unusual piece of business. Now Mr. Bentley, you wish to resign and recommend to the board that we call a special election to replace you on the board, but you also wish to recommend that this board cast your support to George Simmons as your replacement.

That is what I want to do.

Jack pointed out, Well, Mr. Bentley, we can put all of that in a motion but I need to point out to you that I am not sure George can be re-elected because of his position on the integration issue.

Mr. Bentley was still not to be denied. "Well, by dam, I guess it is time to find out which is more important to folks, our kid’s education or our prejudice."

Therefore, the board accepted Mr. Bentley’s recommendations, put them into the form of a motion, and passed the motion unanimously.

Bill Turner the newspaper editor discovered that the board meetings were a heyday for news and he recorded every dot and tittle of each meeting. He captured this in its entirety.

As soon as the paper hit the street, George started receiving phone calls admonishing him to run for the position on the board. He knew immediately that he would seek his old position, but he was un-committal in his response. When Chassity heard the news she asked, George, you are not going to get back into that mess are you?

She then answered her own question, Of course you are!

They were sitting at the table with Mamie and Woodrow when this discussion took place. Woodrow slapped his legs and laughed at Chassity.

Mamie answered for George, Why, course he is baby. He jus’ had to teaches dem a little lesson.

George would not commit at first when approached about seeking re-election to the board. From town gossip and observation, he knew the new black school construction was in a very big mess. Chassity went out to look at the site, before the slab was poured, and reported what she observed. Site preparation was very inadequate. It was evident to her that they were about ready to start pouring the slab and it was painfully obvious that inadequate steel was in the foundation. She asked to see a copy of the specifications but that request was denied. She called the concrete company and instructed them to refuse delivery of ready mix. This caused a real stir in Clearwater. During the contractor’s spat with Chassity, a huge rainstorm occurred. The inadequate site preparation caused a mudslide, which, in turn, resulted in mud running into the forms and filling up many of the beams, requiring that all of the steel be taken out of the forms and the beams cleaned out. George in the meantime obtained a set of specifications from the architectural firm who drew the plans for the school. Chassity was right. About half of the steel called for in the specifications was left out.

At the regular board meeting, George asked for permission for Chassity to make a presentation to the board on her assessment of the construction. The vice chairman of the board, called all of the board members and they agreed to listen to Chassity. George suggested that the board send a copy of the meeting agenda to the newspaper before the meeting. This suggestion was followed and the night of the board meeting, the room was packed to overflowing, requiring the meeting to be moved from the regular meeting room to the auditorium. The acting chairman was so nervous he could hardly speak. He finally just gave up and asked Jack Boone the, superintendent, to chair the meeting.

Jack took over, dispensed with the regular business, and then presented Chassity. George cautioned Chassity to keep her discussions on a professional level and she came with her engineer personality fully tuned up. She was dressed in an exquisitely tailored business suit, every hair was in place and she wore very little makeup. Chassity looked and acted professional, and in fact, she was. She had spent hours studying the plans and making calculations.

She arose with her attaché case and went to the podium. The auditorium was deathly quiet. She paused before she began and finally said, I really do not know where to begin—I have been meddling again.

This brought a chuckle from the audience—from everyone except J. D. Bradshaw, the general contractor for the new school construction. He had sub let the contract for the foundation to Arlis Stanton a local concrete contractor. J. D. had not watched the project as well as he should and Arlis tried to slip one by him. He was tremendously embarrassed by what happened, and he was angry with everyone: especially Chassity Simmons.

Chassity continued, "I drove by the new construction site a few days ago and stopped to take a look, just out of curiosity more than anything else. When I looked at the foundation forms and saw the steel in place, I asked one of the workmen if they were ready to pour. He informed me that they were, and in fact were planning to start pouring early the next morning.

I noticed that that the amount of steel in the beams appeared to be very inadequate. Concrete makes a good pillar or post, but it does not make a good rope. If there is not adequate steel in concrete, it will crack and separate when stressed. Most concrete will stress crack, but if it has plenty of steel in it, it will hold together and the cracks are of no consequences. Concrete that cracks and separates is tremendously hard to repair and is most cases the repairs are woefully inadequate to restore the building to its proper state.

Chassity went on to explain that after going home and making calculations, she felt obligated to stop the concrete delivery, because tax dollars were involved. When she finished her discourse on concrete, everyone in the building knew a lot more about concrete than they did when they arrived, including J. D. Bradshaw and Arlis Stanton. She ended her dissertation with a call for questions from the audience. There was none.

Jack Boone asked if anyone in the audience wished to rebut anything, she had said. Arlis felt that he had to offer some defense for leaving out the amount of steel called for in the specifications.

He was gracious to Chassity and thanked her for her explanation and then he commented, Mrs. Simmons, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the specifications. I just went by standard practice. I dun built lots of buildings with that amount of steel in them and ain’t had no problems.

Chassity, still at the podium addressed his statement. Mr. Stanton, if the building was on sand, you might possibly get by with that level of steel. This building is being built on the side of an old red clay hill. That clay dries and shifts like crazy. If I had been the engineer on this building I would have required bellbottom piers.

This ended Arlis’ objections. Neither he nor J. D. wished to be forced to go back and add piers. George was sitting in the back observing and he knew that Chassity scored a direct hit. Not many people at the meeting knew what bell-bottom piers were, but Arlis and J. D. knew. They knew that to dig the piers would require having a truck brought from either Memphis or Jackson. They did not relish the thought of the trouble and expense associated with that…

Several people were disappointed at the meeting. They came to see a show, thinking that Chassity Simmons and Arlis would get in a cuss fight. Arlis was well known for blistering the paint on the barn with his language and Chassity did not take anything off anyone. Most were utterly amazed at Chassity’s professionalism. Almost everyone present knew of her engineering degree, but simply never considered the fact that she really was an engineer. After a meeting they all knew and were very much impressed.

*     *     *

It took a couple of months for a special school board election to take place and almost another month to get George back in the saddle as chairman. The foundation was poured and the super structure was almost complete. George asked Chassity to look over the specifications and the bid for the new school and she went over everything with a fine toothed comb. She discovered that nothing was included in the bid for off site preparation—no provision for sewage treatment, no funds to have services brought in, for water, gas or electricity. Since the school was outside the city limits, none of these services was readily available. A temporary electrical service was provided by the power company for construction.

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