| Sources |
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 8 Nov 2015.
Upland Chronicles: In a time of war, seven empty chairs
BETTY ANN DELOZIER
Written in honor of my father, Robert Eldridge DeLozier Sr.
During the spring of 1943, the fervor of the impending high school graduation was in the air. Families were as excited as their children, the graduates-to-be. The rough economic times triggered by the war, combined with the absence of numerous men throughout rural Sevier County, often resulted in many teens trading school for the workforce in order to help support their families.
Although jobs were scarce, this farming community did present some jobs replacing the men who were away serving their country. These young workers helped save many crops. This, in return, rendered them a little extra money that was used to keep their own non-land owning families fed and sheltered.
However, even the thoughts of war could not diminish the intensified spirit felt by those involved in Class Night, Baccalaureate Services, and the Pomp and Circumstance of their “cap and gowned” youth – the youth who would proudly walk across a stage, shake the hand of the principal, and receive the purple ribbon wrapped scroll that decorated their diplomas.
At this time, World War II was continuously on the minds of most Americans. Young men and women were far away from their hometowns, serving their country in an effort to shield their homeland and its people, young and old. Because of the pride felt by the families who had children graduating from high school, the thoughts of war were put away for a few hours, and the country residents seemed at ease and joyful. The senior class of Sevier County High was thrilled to the point of being giddy as they decorated the auditorium.
The girls were talking about the attire they were wearing under their gowns, and the boys were discussing their upcoming ambitions, which included military service, work and the furthering of education. As the students put the finishing touches on the hallway side of the auditorium doors and swept the floor one final time, a downhearted feeling moved through the air as a senior sponsor was seen.
The senior sponsor gently opened the double doors and crossed the threshold carrying what appeared to be several of the esteemed caps and gowns. The eyes of the graduates trailed after the instructor as her hushed steps carried her to the seating area. She stood motionless for a moment, as though her thoughts were restraining her movement.
After taking in a long, unhappy, near silent breath, she began her mission of quietly unfolding the dark garments and placing them one at a time across several seats that were located in the front row. After the gowns were placed, the teacher paused as though she were assessing each of the seven seats.
She completed this reverent assessment by approaching each covered seat and standing face forward, back straight, arms at her sides. The appearance of this stance reflected the image of a soldier’s posture immediately following an officer commanding “attention”.
After a moment, the students realized the purpose of their teacher’s somberness, and one by one, the left their standing positions and took a seat near the aisle. With stoic faces and aggrieved hearts, the students watched as their teacher skillfully arranged, straightened, and tucked the fabric a bit at a time, until she was satisfied that the first gown was arranged to her satisfaction.
Then and only then did she move to the next seat to begin the dignified placement of the next gown. The arrangement of the gowns took on a ceremonial tone, which likened to the Changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery or the folding of the American flag when a United Sates military veteran is laid to rest.
With the last of the seven seats draped, the teacher stepped away from her work to observe the finished products. Out of the pocket of her skirt she brought a cotton lace trimmed handkerchief and raised it to her eyes. A few moments later, she turned to the graduation caps, which laid on the edge of the stage. She began to fold back the brown paper wrappings of the first seven.
Strangely enough, there were seven students sitting, silently observing the caring and emotional labor of their teacher. The seven students collectively realized the struggle this ordinarily unemotional educator was having as she attempted to complete her undertaking. One at a time the seven young men and women walked to the outer edge of the stage, picked up a brown paper wrapped cap, and unwrapped it. The students then waited for the teacher to take it from their hands and place it with its selected graduation gown.
As each cap was placed in its ideal spot, the teacher called the name of a senior classmate of the Sevier County High School Class of 1943. The names were called one by one, and the caps were placed with the caring touch of the teacher on the back right corner of the gowned seat. One, two, three, four, five, six, and seven were carefully counted off.
The seven students and the teacher stood silently in front of their work. As each member of this subdued sentry walked past the seven draped and capped seats, gentle hands reached out to put their own personal finish on a sleeve, fold, and even the tassel of the cap. No one spoke. Only eye contact and the nod of the head were needed among the eight who had just united in an exceptional moment.
The draping of the seven empty chairs was an instance of time shared among fellow Americans during a dreadful period in history, and the tenor was that of comrades who united during the attainment of a shared goal.
In the spring of 1943, a few weeks before their graduation from Sevier County High School, my father, Robert Eldridge DeLozier Sr., and six other male students were drafted into the military and sent to boot camp. From there they served in several facets of World War II. On that graduation night in 1943, the owners of the caps and gowns, which draped the seven empty seats, were far away from home and family.
These young men, some whose faces had never seen a razor, were serving their country as dedicated soldiers who had only a few months before been carefree hometown boys of Sevier County, Tennessee. These young men were called to serve their country, a call thatthey naively and proudly answered. All seven returned home following their service.
Copyright 2015 Betty Ann DeLozier. All rights reserved.
The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics or would like to submit a column, contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or ron@ronraderproperties.com.
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 22 Mar 2005.
Robert E. DeLozier,Sr.
August 07, 1924 - March 22, 2005
Birthplace: Sevier County,Tennessee
Resided In: Sevierville Tennessee USA
Visitation: March 24, 2005
Service: March 24, 2005
Cemetery: Shiloh Cemetery, Pigeon Forge
Robert E. DeLozier, Sr. age 80 of Sevierville, died Tuesday, March 22, 2005.
He was a member of First Baptist Church in Sevierville, an Air Force veteran of World War II and participated in the D-Day Invasion, a longtime employee of Temple Milling Company, a member of the Sevier County Volunteer Fire Department and a member of the Sevierville Lion’s Club.
Mr. DeLozier was preceded in death by his parents Lyman and Emma Temple DeLozier.
Survivors:
Wife: Melba R. DeLozier
Children: Robert E. DeLozier, Jr and wife Fran, Betty Ann DeLozier and husband Cam Ryan, Joe DeLozier wife Pegge
Daughter-in-law: Marsey Williams
Grandchildren: Stephanie Safaie and husband Hamid, Allison, Sam, and Jac Catlett, Robby DeLozier, Ned DeLozier and wife Claire, Will, Davis, Garrett, Janie Beth and Kennah DeLozier
Great-grandchildren: Ella and Eva Safaie, Ned DeLozier, Jr.
Sister: Anna Frank Hammer
Brother-in-law: Kenneth Robinson and wife Sue
Honorary pallbearers will be the Sevier County High School Class of 1943, Troop Carrier 438/USAF, Kenneth Robinson, Cam Ryan, Bill Hammer, Jimmie Temple, and the DeLozier-Temple cousins.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to National Parkinson Foundation, Inc., P.O. 116931, Atlanta, Georgia 30368-6931 or First Baptist Church Building Fund, 317 Parkway, Sevierville, TN, 37862.
Funeral service 7 PM Thursday in the West Chapel of Atchley Funeral Home. Graveside service 1 PM Friday in Shiloh Cemetery. The family will receive friends 5-7 PM Thursday at Atchley Funeral Home, Sevierville. (www.atchleyfuneralhome.com)
- [S147] Find a Grave, (Memorial: 28130142).
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name Robert Eldridge De Lozier
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 14 Jun 1946
Event Place Smith, Tennessee, United States
Gender Male
Spouse's Name Melba Louise Robinson
Spouse's Gender Female
"Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93N-JW2B?cc=1619127&wc=Q63S-156%3A1589264485%2C1589374758 : 23 December 2016), Smith > Marriage licenses, 1942-1950, > image 549 of 1016; citing Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties.
|
Search | Advanced Search
1924 - 2005 (80 years)
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
= Link to Google Maps