By Bobby Bice
With May being the month for high school graduations, I thought I would select a photo from my collection that touches base on continuing education. The accompanying image shows the five children of Howard and Maud (Weaver) Hurst. The Hurst Family lived along Haywood Road, just outside of Shinnston. While seeing an old photo of siblings is far from unusual, the little “story” behind this photo is the fact that each sibling graduated Shinnston High School and went on to attend Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi. I don’t remember having ever met the youngest child, “Butch”, but I did know the other four siblings in the photo.
Lois, the oldest of the Hurst children and seated at center in the photo, was born in Clarksburg and spent her early years of education at the Alta Vista Grade School in the Broad Oaks section of Clarksburg. Her parents moved to Shinnston where Lois graduated with the class of 1928. She went on to attend A-B College. She married a man who later became a minister while she played piano for dozens of churches; they had no children. Lois was a teacher in her early years, but later became a published author of poetry and short stories and was active in a local Shinnston poetry club, The Rhymers.
Bernice, standing at back in the photo, was a Shinnston High graduate with the class of 1929. She went on to attend A-B College, where she excelled as part of the women’s basketball team. Her career stayed with educating young people, eventually becoming a principal in the Harrison County school system. She married and had one daughter, who many will remember as being their physical education teacher, Jo Ann Jones.
Theda, seen at left in the photo, was the middle child and youngest of the three girls. She graduated Shinnston High School in 1934 and headed to Philippi to be the third of the family to attend A-B. Theda later spent many years working in Washington, DC. She married twice and had one daughter, also named Theda, who is well remembered as a Shinnston and Lincoln High School teacher, “Mrs. Tichenor”.
Robert, referred to as “Bob”, is shown at right in the accompanying image. He graduated Shinnston High School in 1937. While attending SHS, he excelled in basketball and was offered a scholarship to attend A-B College. While there, he met and married his wife and became the father of one daughter. Bob was drafted into the Army for service during World War II and spent 33 years being employed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Howard, known as “Butch” to Shinnston-area childhood friends, but referred to as “Cap” by his lifelong adult friends, was the youngest of the Hurst children and is being held by his oldest sister, Lois, in the photo. He graduated SHS in 1942 and then headed off to the army after being drafted into WWII. While home on furlough, he got to spend time with his niece who he said had grown into a little “nick-nack.” From that moment on, the niece began being referred to as “Nick-Nack”. As she grew older, the name got shortened and she became widely known as simply “Nack” (Mrs. Tichenor mentioned above). After the war, Butch headed to A-B College, where he graduated and then began a long career of working for both the B and O as well as the C and O Railroad. Like his brother Bob, Butch’s railroad employment lasted for 33 years. He spent much of his career as a railroad Police Officer. “Butch” died in 2017 at the age of 92, leaving behind a wife and two children.
And that is this month’s story behind the photo!
