Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-01-09
Mr.. Lang sLetter

NestorvilIe last Saturday brought tile
first issue Of the Progressive for the
year and the FIRST copy of the paper
to me since coming to this vicinity
which would have come to the above
address. 1t was ''chock' full Of in
terosting information. We read and
reread the we'll written and comprs )
hensive article of our young friend
M. p. Boyles on the Importance Of
Physical Education. We read this ar
ticle with consuming interest and
while the article seemed to be adj
dressed to the citizens of your com
munity yet the very truthful and per-
tinent facts brought out in the article
should not only be read and put into
practice by your community but by
every community, village, city and
county in the state. The physical
development Of the boys and girls
the young men and women of our
country who will be the ones Of the
future TO carry on the work for COM
ing generations is Of predominant
Importance. We heartily indorse the
idea of military training for our
young men as means Of Physical
Culture and discipline whether we
have any wars in the future or not
land we pray we may never have)
not withstanding the great loss Of
life and property in the world war
that has passed and very much de-
plored there will be thousands Of
young men returned to their homes
and society who will be better citizens
by having been disciplined and train
ed. It is asid that "War brings out
the best in men"
We were glad to see in the locals
that our old friend Philip Hill, son of
Edwin Hill had returned from Utah
and would make his future home in
his native county we remember that
he was fellow pupil and attended
school taught by Capt. John Rile !
Phillips near his old home on Mud
Gut in the year Of 1869 and 70. But
it was few years after this we be-
came better acquainted and learned
to love him as friend. We were
both working for ]. G, johnson in
hay harvest. Mr.. Hill was a yoang
man and the writer weak ambi-
tious boy doing his first work in the
harvest field with more seasoned
men. Mr.. Hill used all his know
ledge and patience to teach us how to
thrust our English Waldron scyths
into the grass with the "heel to the
ground, that it might cut the grass
with the least fatigue. We always
found him to be gentleman and a
friend.
Another gritty lad who attended
that same school was Hannibal H.
Coontz, Sr., son Of Isaac Coontz,
on whose land the cabin
stood in which the school was taught.
Hannibal had been suffering with
white swelling for some time on one
of his lower limbs between the ankle
and knee-there were two sores be-
tween Which there was piece Of
sound flesh holding a small piece of
bone which had worked out. DR..
Parsons the family physician advised
him to allow him to cut this out but
ne would not allow it, but in few
days took his pen knife severed the
flesh and removed the bone himself.
He still continued to attend school
recovered and is still able to do con-
siderable work. Robert McCutcheon
Of Belington, was county Supt. Of
schools at that time and visited this
school.
1t was with deep sorrow that we
learned of the death of the late Fitz-
hugh Hill, of Denton, Co. Texas. He
was son of Capt. Hannibal Hill,
as he was called his father joined
the Barbour Greys and was with the
0oiiiSuSA"tC lolSco az Hiiippi WfieH
the Federal forces made the attack
June 3, 1861. He returned with the
Southern forces to Laurel Hill. In
1862 he returned to Barbour Co. ana
collected some men who with others
were mustered into service and form
ed company of the 62nd Reg. Va,
Of Imbodeus command Of which Cap
tain Hill was chosen Captain.
He served with his regiment thru
out the war. In 1863 he made al
unsuccessful attack on Beverly and
was severely wounded. The Federals
thought his wounds too serious for
him to be removed but Major J. F.
Harding, now of Elkins went into
Beverly under cover of darkness with