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This is my last article on Homecoming, at least for this year. The most recent was at my prep school, Randolph-Macon Academy.  Tracey gave me permission to drive up to Orange, Va. and stay with my roommate, Bucky Hill and his wife, Gwen, at their home and we drove into Front Royal the next day.  Bucky is a careful driver and more careful than me, so he drove on the mountain roads.  The foliage was beautiful and the leaves were turning and falling as Bucky drove.

It was my 55 year reunion and Bucky and I were the only classmates there but there was plenty of old students there.  I bet there were 300 attending.  Friday night we had a dinner and we got to sit with Col. Wesley (the Head Master) and had a nice conversation with him.  R-MA is now at 314 students, the most ever.  They had been as low as 250.  Back in the day it stayed full and we were interested to know that 3% of the students are from outside the country.

Saturday was a full day!  We got up and ate at The Apple House in Linden, Va.  If you are ever up in the Shenandoah Valley area, you better eat there, You’ll be missing something if you don’t.  Please tell George McIntyre you know me and Mac Currin, and get some apple and cinnamon doughnuts while you are there. He was underclassman and a teammate of mine.

After that, Bucky and I went to brunch at Reddick Field and it was nice.  After the Corp marched in, they did the neatest thing. They called everyone’s name who had died in war that went to R-MA and the Corp spoke out, “Died on the Field; Honor Sir”!  The football team won the game and it was off to Motel to get ready for George’s home for dinner.

George McIntyre would be a perfect Washingtonian and he is as humble as can be. Done a lot for the Academy and done a lot for Warren County.  We ate steak and shrimp for dinner that night and sat around and just talked, and the more we talked, we got better and the Academy got bigger.  Doug Huthwaite was there and he knew everyone attending.

The Apple House bought 10 books from me.  So, if you go to the Apple House, buy a book.  My friends, some from as far away as California, purchased a copy.  Washington gets mentioned throughout the book.  If you need a copy, call me or Tracey.  Just got 30 in! Let us make Washington proud!!! Do your part!!

They were the best of times with the best of friends and in the best of places, Washington, N.C.!  The Original Washington!!

Harold Jr.