2013

' WEEKOF jl

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7/31/2013 6:00:00 AM Vickers keeps memories alive with words By STEVE SWOGEnNSKY Sports Editor

Ovid Vickers has been a Ne;hoba County Fairgoerand observer for sS years. The long-time East Central CnmmunityCollege English instructor, now retired, has written many articles about the Fair and made observation;

He is a columnist for The Fair Times, a daily paperdistnl>llted on the

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Fairgrounds.

He sums up his defirution ofthe Fair as folio'•>:

"What is most interesting about the Fair is that no day is the same at the Fair; Vickers said. "Different people come to visit. Unexpected e-ents take place. It's all partofthe Fair. 'The Fairstays dormant for 51 "'eeks oftheyear. But for one week, it is very much alive and has a spirit all of its own. People grow up going to the F~ir and then move away. But like when bears knowwhen it is time to hibernate. they seem to migrate back to the Fair almost eve!)•year," Vickers said. Vickers has been coming to the Ncshoba Cnunty Fairsind! he first moved to Decatur and started1eaching at f.ast Central CommunityCollege in 1955. He only planned to stay one year but fell in love with Mississippi life and ne~.oer left. He met his bride here, a Neshoba County girl named Carol ln 1982 when an openingcame, he built his own cabin 334-D. But after all this time, bestill calls ~fa "ne"·comer" to Fair life. He sa\·es his memories ofeach Fairyear in a scrapbook.

Ovid VIckers

Vickers is as much a writeras he is a teacher and bas composed hundreds ofcolumns and articles that appeared in The Neshoba Democrat, the Union Appeal andThe Scott CountyTimes. But he stopped writing his weekly column a while back. "I love to write and have since 1 w·.1s a student," Vickers said. "My eyesight is failing now. I quit wTiting the column but r still write. My fingers know the keys on the keyboard and Carol is my proofreader." Earlier this summer, be publilihed a book on the historyofECCC, titled: "The East Central 1 Kne-.·: A Histol)· of F..ast Central CnmmunityCnllege." "East Central Cnmmunity College became a college in 1928," Vickers said. "When I lin;t came in 1955. some ofthe original facull) "-as still here. "When I started as a teacher. there "ere about 8oo peopleon campus and e\'Cl)'One kne" e~.·el)-one," Vickers said. "Most ofthe faculty ln·ed on campus. Vel) fe--• students e~.oen bad cars then, and today, parking is a problem." Vickers noted manychanges over theyears. For example, nobody takes shorthand an)more. The college, which grewout ofan agriculture school, no longer has an agriculture program. And does an)body e-·en know what a slide rule ill anymore, or how to use one? ln his book about ECCC, Vickers talks about such longtime faculty as Mrs. Stelle Newsome, who taught home economics; Mrs. Janice Sullivan, who taught cducatjon; and, Mr. Frank Cross who taught chemistry. "East Central has had some outl.1anding teachers o,·er the )'Cars; Vickers said. "This book CO\'ers the history from the beginning in t928 through today." When he finished writing his book, he ga,·e the transcript to the college found.ttion which published it. All proceeds "ent to the college.

Vickers said there were around 40 copies still available for sale.

In addition to writing. Vickers enjo)~ tra,'eling. He bas been to Europe 1-1 times and lastyear visited SL Petersburg, Russia "I Jo,·e to go; he said.

VirkPr" ">till \"'o'TitP~ fnr thP F.AiiOt C"f!'nh'AI nuhHNttinn -rhf' WArrior,.

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CARTHAGINIAN--- ---- NEWTON COUNTY APPEAL _ _ _

SCOTT COUNTY TIMES _ _____ SPIRIT OF MORTON-------- WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL __ MERIDIAN STAR------- CLARION-LEDGER ______