50-Year-Reunion

Bluefield High School, hail to thee, spirit of our youth. Inspiration, here we’ve found – wisdom, strength, and truth. Bluefield High, Bluefield High, a song we raise to thee. In thy name, we grasp the stars, and always loyal be. Bluefield High School, hail to thee, school without a peer. To thy precepts, we’ll be true – strive both far and near. Bluefield High, Bluefield High, we owe to thee a debt. Love and knowledge, here we’ve found, and we shall not forget. Behind every great song, there is a story. As a sophomore at Beaver High School, the “ castle on the hill, ” Kitty Ross, was called to the office of assistant principal, Lec Fretwell. During the long walk there, she worried and wondered what might be wrong. Instead of something amiss, Miss Fretwell championed the diligent, talented student with a daunting task, “ Kitty, we don ’ t have a school song. I want you to write one. ” Another student had been selected to choose the tune. After careful consideration, he decided on “ Aura Lee, ” a melody from the Civil War. We would later know the tune from Elvis Presley ’ s “ Love Me Tender. ” The conscientious student worked diligently, and at last presented the words to the BHS administrator. She was very pleased, and knew she had selected the perfect student for this monumental task. When we were working with the BHS centennial, I had the privilege of hearing this story from Kitty Ross Nelson, wife of respected dentist, Dr. James Nelson, and mother of Jim Nelson, “ the Voice of the Beavers, ” and Kathy Nelson, local educator. She was so proud that the school song had become such an important part of BHS history and heritage. At a football game during the centennial year, we honored Mrs. Nelson and presented her with flowers as she stood on the football field, as loyal Beavers sang those words once again. Surprisingly, the author reflected that she had one regret – the word, “ precepts. ” She said she later wished she had used the word “ memory, ” instead of precepts. Fast forward to our years at BHS – at the conclusion of every Pep Rally in the gym, (in a high school that was completed in 1957, the year many of us were born), the Stage Band would play the alma mater, and we would sing verse one. And some of us would literally reach our hands upward as we sang the line, “ In thy name we grasp the stars. ” We never were quite sure if we were being disrespectful in our moment of fun . . . As sophomores, Miss Olivia Hill made us memorize those words in English class. Think about that for a minute. This educator who had left her beloved Park Central High School, as a result of integration in 1969, now embraced the value of heritage -- even at her new school. Back then, it would have been, “ Beaver High School, hail to thee. . . “ words by Kitty Nelson Beaver High School, class of 1945 That was only 30 years before we graduated! It seems like so much longer.

I required my students to memorize it, too.

It ’ s a beautiful, simple, profound song. Some alma maters are kind of trite and simplistic. Every word of these two verses has a timeless and honest sentiment. Even back then, it ’ s apparent that “ We believe ” was who we were as Bluefield Beavers. “. . . and we shall not forget. ”

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