Canebrake Beach by John M. Keith

Author:John M. Keith [Keith, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Canebrake Beach, NewSouth Books, fiction, Jim Crow, Civil Rights Movement, short stories, novella, race relations, racial tensions
ISBN: 9781603062329
Publisher: NewSouth Inc.
Published: 2012-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

Epilogue 1971–2000

In the fall of 1971 Byron Ashford agreed to continue as Principal of Morganville High School for the following year and settled permanently in Morganville after he and Sally Rutledge were married in the spring. When the city and county schools merged, he became Principal of Davis County High School. J. W. Moss stayed on the city school board and was elected chairman of the county board after the merger. Byron and J. W. worked together to create one of the most progressive school systems in the state. In 2000, the year that Byron retired, he was recognized with the Georgia Educator of the Year Award. Although he never finished his doctoral dissertation from Vanderbilt on the poetry of the Carolinian divines, he did receive a doctorate in school administration by attending many summer sessions at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

J. W. Moss became one of the wealthiest men in north Georgia. He used his lumberyard to launch a building supply company that eventually opened branches all over the state of Georgia and even in eastern Alabama.

In 1972 Earl Harris accepted a coaching position in Atlanta. His basketball teams won so many state championships that Byron lost count of them. Byron and Earl saw each other occasionally at professional conferences. Although they continued to exchange Christmas cards, their friendship became just a polite acquaintance within a few years.

Irene Ashford lived to see Byron and Sally married. Although she died while Sally was pregnant with their first child, Irene knew that it was a girl and would be named for her. Her delight in her son’s marriage and the anticipation of the birth of her granddaughter undergirded the happiest year of her life.

Mose and Judy continued to date after they went to the University of Georgia, he on an athletic scholarship and she on an academic scholarship. They broke up during their sophomore year. After she graduated, Judy moved to California, where she married and reared her family; she rarely visited Morganville. Mose became a professional football player of considerable renown; and his generous support of the Davis County schools, both financial and personal, was one of the factors in their success. Mose was a frequent and greatly adored speaker at Davis County sports banquets.

Elmo and Tancy Jones continued to enjoy their retirement in Morganville. They were attentive and almost daily visitors during Irene Ashford’s last weeks of life. Elmo and J. W. often traveled together to sporting events, especially to see Mose play. Although the Joneses and Mosses ate supper together several times a year, Sylvia and Tancy remained rather cautious and suspicious of one another.

DeLane Moss was released from prison for good behavior after serving a little more than four months—he’d been sentenced to a six months term. He moved his used cars to south Georgia and opened a lot near Albany. Like his elder brother he expanded his business and over the years purchased several other lots and became moderately wealthy, although he was far less successful than J.

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