NEVC students honor Buckles

Submitted photos Students and staff at Northeast Vernon County High School held a special gathering to honor World War I veteran Frank Woodruff Buckles, who attended Walker schools as a youngster.

The faculty and students at Northeast Vernon County R-I honored the life and service of World War I Veteran Frank W. Buckles. Frank Buckles was the last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I. Buckles died Feb. 28, at the age of 110. He attended Walker schools from 1911 to 1916, completing grade 9.

Employees at the school located a book about the history of Walker Schools in the high school library. In this book written by Neoma A. Foreman in 1992, the employees identified a picture of Buckles taken in 1916 in front of the old Walker High School. He is believed to be 15 years old at the time the picture was taken and is shown in the front row, wearing a coat and tie with his hat removed for the picture.

A photo from the 1992 history of Walker Schools, with students attending in the 1915-'16 school year. Front row: Ruth Walton, Wood Buckles, Bessie Stackhaus and Nellie Adcock. Back row, Paul Deering, Edith Gilpin, Ina King, Lamb (first name not available), Stith Mead, Evelyn Pritchett, Myro Mitchell, Beulah Bell and Winford Marquis.

In recognition of his service, some students of Northeast Vernon County R-I High School gathered around the flag which had been lowered to half-staff in his honor. The principal spoke briefly about honoring veterans; then the students posed for a picture.