LAST EDITED: June 17, 2020 at 5:00PM EST
Hamilton Field - Does a new chapter mean a new name?
Saturday, I took a trip to Brandenburg to see the plywood-covered storefronts, the Confederate monument still standing, the beautiful murals untouched, the other statues along the river walk removed for safe keeping, and the ever-growing footprint of MCHS with its' expanded Vocational School and athletic fields. A friend asked me, "Do you think they will rename the football field when all is done?" Honestly, I hadn't thought about it. But, since this was my grandfather's name he was talking about, I decided to look into the new construction project and see if anything about the name Hamilton Field had been mentioned.
Returning home, a did some research into the project. Well, not much, actually. It didn't take long to find the May 10, 2020 article by Matt Tyson of The News-Enterprise titled ATHLETICS: New Track, other athletic facility improvements ongoing in Meade County. After reading, I pondered two questions. The writer mentioned that Meade County Athletic Director Todd Clanton had been with the school system since 2008. I wondered, "Does he know why the football field is named Hamilton Field?" And, when the Greenwaves open their Home schedule this fall, will I still listen to the broadcast hearing the words "from Hamilton Field in Meade County" as I tune into WMMG-FM 93.5?
As I chewed on those two questions, it inspired me to create this page, a personal dedication to my grandfather for whom Hamilton Field is named. I do not know if the name Hamilton Field will remain, but I would be glad if it did. Then again, maybe it is time for a change. Either way, I hear construction is set to be completed by the Fall. So, Meade Countians, here's my tribute to the man whose name has been broadcast on Friday nights home games ever since WMMG-FM 93.5, (Home of the Greenwave) broadcast the words "it's Friday night here at Hamilton Field" way back on the evening of August 25, 1972.
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did pulling it all together. Go Waves!
As I chewed on those two questions, it inspired me to create this page, a personal dedication to my grandfather for whom Hamilton Field is named. I do not know if the name Hamilton Field will remain, but I would be glad if it did. Then again, maybe it is time for a change. Either way, I hear construction is set to be completed by the Fall. So, Meade Countians, here's my tribute to the man whose name has been broadcast on Friday nights home games ever since WMMG-FM 93.5, (Home of the Greenwave) broadcast the words "it's Friday night here at Hamilton Field" way back on the evening of August 25, 1972.
I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did pulling it all together. Go Waves!
Hamilton Field was dedicated and named on Friday night, October 18, 1968 at 7:45pm
Hamilton Field was dedicated in the name of my late grandfather, Robert Francis Hamilton, Sn.(1909-1968). As stated in the Meade County Messenger of October 17, 1968, "He served on the Meade County Board of Education for several years and made many worthwhile contributors to the Meade County School System and its youth." Let me take you back to that night 52 years ago to begin my story. Having just finished writing, I now understand it had a profound effect on the last 52 years of our family.
Robert F. Hamilton, Sn.- before the School Board, "Childhood"
Robert F. Hamilton, Sn.- before the School Board, "Daddy Boat" and his 1937 Flood selfless act
I had the pleasure to speak with elders, outside of my immediate family, who knew him well. Other children (I was only 4 when he passed), remembered him as "Daddy Boat". As a younger man , he worked a boat on the Ohio River, out of Cosmosdale, named the Cormorant. During the 1937 Flood, he went missing for over 2 weeks. His wife and friends feared he died in the high waters.
When he did reappear, it was to tie-off the Cormorant to a stately oak tree that stood atop the hill in downtown Brandenburg in front of the Old Brandenburg Courthouse. [Can you envision the river *that* high?] He hitched a ride as far as Ekron, walked overland to his house about 3 miles north of Big Spring, arrived home in the dead of night, and collapsed on the couch. He slept for two days. When he gained his strength, Robert explained to his wife Elizabeth that while gone those 2 weeks, he had been back and forth throughout Southern Indiana, rescuing people from their rooftops and such, as the 1937 Flood put so many people in such dire peril, he just had to stay out there and try to help all he could. |
Robert F. Hamilton, Sn.- The School Board Years, beginning by filling an unexpired term
Robert F. Hamilton, Sn.- The School Board Years, representing Woodland and Big Spring Precincts
Robert F. Hamilton, Sn.- The School Board Years, re-elections in Woodland and Big Spring Precincts
Every Board member can tell you that it's not their regular paying job, though you wouldn't know it as hard as they work to improve the educational opportunities for the citizens of Meade County. Robert was no different. he believed "Experience is the Best Teacher".
Filling an unexpired term of a resigning member in February 1946, he gained experience that allowed him to run unopposed the following November in the Woodland and Big Spring Precincts. Re-elected to the Board in 1950 and 1958, he was named Chairman in January 1953, serving his last 13 years as Chairman of the Board, before being defeated at the polls in November 1966. Robert served the Board just shy of 20 years. Maybe it was "just someone else's time", to quote my own dad. Paul E. Sheeran won that November 8, 1966 board election for the Flaherty (Big Spring) and Woodland Precincts. He and his wife, she was President of the Flaherty PTA, were raising 7 children in the school system at the time, and campaign ads promised "equal education for all students", according to his paid promotional from 03NOV1966. I check the archives to found out how many students were attending Meade County Schools in 1966, and in updating this post, I found the answer on the front page of the August 31, 1967 local paper. |
Robert F. Hamilton, Sn.- The man beyond the Board
Three years after he became Chairman of the Board, Robert's father-in-law and lifelong farmer Sam J. Bunger, passed away. Robert then became more involved in the regional organizations focused on new methods of farming.
Robert now took active roles in the advancement of modern farm techniques within Meade and surrounding counties. Robert became a one of many exemplar Soil Conservationists, working with adjoining districts of Hardin, Hart, Laure, Green, and Taylor counties. The term "chairman" must have suited him, as he was chairman of the Poultry committee in Meade County by January of 1956. Someone in your family probably bought eggs laid in the wooden chicken house that still stands today about 1/2 mile east of the intersection of Highways 333/1600 as you head toward Flaherty. Robert's youngest son, Sam Hamilton, was in charge of raising 1000 laying hens there each year for most of his school years. Sam says, "Cleaning eggs at night kept me busy & out of trouble. The egg Co-op was great as long as it lasted." |
Pictures below, Farm Bureau President Robert F. Hamilton stands center-frame amongst the panel reviewing "Results of New Agricultural and Marketing Research as Viewed in the Department of Agriculture". Research had been carried on by cooperative work between the Agricultural Research Administration of USDA and state agricultural experiment stations. There were three major phases of this research, and they would be described as follows: 1) research on Production, 2) development of new uses and wider use for Farm Products, and 3) improved Marketing for Agricultural Products.
Robert was member to the conference meeting that discussed a successor for Mr. Granacher, County Agent from 1945-1954. Robert and the entire Meade County farming community owned greatly to Mr. Granacher. During his time here, Granacher developed the county agricultural program which had for its main point the soils and crops program, pasture improvement, expanded poultry and beef cattle programs. Mr. Granacher was active in the establishment of a soil laboratory in the local extension office, the purchased and development of the Meade County Fairgrounds.
Robert's name, alongside others in the Meade farming community, appeared regularly in news print throughout the remainder of his life. He was active in both the Knights of Columbus and served as Farm Bureau President, pictured below attending an American Farm Bureau luncheon in Washington D.C.
Robert F. Hamilton, Sn.- Hamilton Family Honored at Homecoming
Robert F. Hamilton, Sn. passed away in 1968 after a battle with cancer. His believe that "Experience is the Best Teacher" was passed from father to son (and, on to me. You see, I'm the little boy holding the binoculars at the Hamilton Field dedication that night 52 years ago.)
Whether in farming or in pursuit of excellence in education, Robert F. Hamilton, Jr., would carry on where his father left off. |
Robert F. Hamilton, Jr.- The torch is passed from father to son
My dad, Robert F. Hamilton Jr., performed the Ground Breaking for the new Vocational School on the Friday morning of August 16, 1974, exactly one week before radio station WMMG-FM 93.5 would once again be broadcasting at full power since the tornado of April 3. The radio station had started broadcasting at 5:30pm on August 23, 1972. The station would broadcast "Meade County Greenwave Football at Hamilton Field" beginning later that week on the evening of August 25, 1972. [Note: the FFA at 75, Posted by Meade County FFA Chapter is in the top corner of the image below, because I clipped the image from a video circulated online promoting FFA. This image was included in that video. Dad and sons (Alan, David, and myself) were *very* active FFA.]
GROUND BREAKING -- Ground was broken last Friday morning for the new vocational school Pictured above, Bobby Hamilton, chairman of the Meade County Board of Education, shoveling dirt; left to right, Ernest Simpson, president of Simpson Construction Co., which has contract to build the building; Jack Kunnecke, former chairman of Board of Education; Stuart Pepper, county School Superintendent; Mrs. Jackie Ferguson, chairman, faculty advisory committee for vocational education; Hamilton; Carl Lamar, assistant state superintendent in charge of the Bureau of Vocational Education; Wallace Roseman, chairman citizens committee for vocational education; David Wilson, assistant superintendent of Meade County Schools. (I enhanced and colorized the Staff photo a found after Bobby passed dated 22UAG1974)
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Martha Jane Hamilton Memorial Nursing Scholarship for Meade County graduates
Nursing was more than a vocation for Martha Jane Hamilton. It was her dedicated service to the profession that inspired her husband, Bobby Hamilton, to establish a scholarship in Martha’s memory.
The Martha Jane Hamilton Memorial Nursing Scholarship is awarded to Meade County High School graduates pursuing a career in nursing. The scholarship is for up to full tuition at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College. For 45 years, Martha dedicated herself in service to others at Hardin Memorial Hospital and Ireland Army Hospital. Martha loved caring for her patients, and they loved her. She also enjoyed training nursing students as they prepared to enter the field she dedicated her life to. From this experience and love, her family chose to honor her legacy by establishing a scholarship. Throughout her life, she inspired many people in the nursing field. Now, through the generosity of her family, she will continue to inspire nurses forever. To get started setting up a scholarship fund, or for additional information, please contact Davette Swiney at 270-737-8393 or by email at [email protected]. |
Hamilton Field - Additional highlights I discovered while composing this page.
Researching for this article was a trip back memory line for me, and it left me with one more question, when the project is complete, with the Plots of "Death Valley" still be painted on the pressbox as mentioned in the article from October 5, 1978. It did say that names would be "painted on and ... remain from that day forward."
I had to chuckle when I found these next two clippings. Both by R.E.Davis, both about Little League Football, and both with different names for the football field. I paused and wondered, "I hope R. E. Davis didn't get reprimanded by the editor for the 24AUG clip, but I never found another example of the football field called MCHS Football field after that!
How many of you can recall listening to that first broadcast
"Meade County Greenwave Football from Hamilton Field"
Live on WMMG-FM 93.5 in 1972?
"Meade County Greenwave Football from Hamilton Field"
Live on WMMG-FM 93.5 in 1972?
Final thoughts on the name "Hamilton Field" and what the future may hold
But first, a final highlight, this time from 2005MAY25. I actually drove from my home in Oldham County to the packed parking lot reaching out past the Vocational School to sit on a hillside and watch the graduating Class of 2005 Commencement. My sister, Mary June Hamilton, nationally recognized and awarded storyteller and author, was due to deliver the commencement address. One of my proudest moments at Hamilton Field (but don't tell her I said that). Next time I walked into Dad's house, his first words were "How did it go?" as he was obviously proud that his daughter had been selected for such a prestigious honor. And, for her to return and give that commencement address on the field named after his father? Priceless.
My father, like his father before him, proudly served as a member of the Meade County Board of Education for 14 years, with 12 of those years serving as Chairman. He missed only one meeting the entire 14 year stretch! Wow! And, like his father before him, he continually advanced agricultural development in Meade County, sharing knowledge with tours of, and projects on, our 600 acre farm. As recent as 2019 when he passed away, a portion of our farm was selected by the University of Kentucky Agriculture College for a soybean test plot project.
Hidden Spring Farm was one of seven statewide test plots for the University of Kentucky. I was present to help the UK crew hook up their high tech planter so they could commence sowing over 100 varieties of soybean on May 16, 2019. The UK team installed atmospheric monitors to gather data on rain, wind, evaporation. That equipment included a device to a depth of two feet monitoring how water seeps into soil.
Hidden Spring Farm was one of seven statewide test plots for the University of Kentucky. I was present to help the UK crew hook up their high tech planter so they could commence sowing over 100 varieties of soybean on May 16, 2019. The UK team installed atmospheric monitors to gather data on rain, wind, evaporation. That equipment included a device to a depth of two feet monitoring how water seeps into soil.
I, along with brothers Alan and David, remain active on Hidden Spring Farm, at the intersection of Hwy 333 and Hwy 1600 in southern Meade County. If you ever pass our way, give a wave and remember that we are all Meade Countians. We are all neighbors!
And now, my *final* thought about the name Hamilton Field. I remember Dad telling me that he announced his retirement from the school board because "all his kids had graduated, and it was someone else's time". Maybe that's what will/should happen with Hamilton Field. For myself, I *hope* the name remains unchanged, honoring not only the legacy of my grandfather, but also that of his father, as together they served a combined 25 years as Chairman of the Meade County Board of Education. The name Hamilton Field might then serve to honor the legacy of both men.
If and when the name does change, I ask that those making that decision contact the Hamilton family before we read it on the internet, news print, or hear it broadcast on the local airwaves.
As for me, that would be 'rite' neighborly of ya'll!
For everyone who took the time to read and share this look back at the life of two outstanding citizens of Meade County, I say "Thank You".
"GO GREENWAVE!"
And now, my *final* thought about the name Hamilton Field. I remember Dad telling me that he announced his retirement from the school board because "all his kids had graduated, and it was someone else's time". Maybe that's what will/should happen with Hamilton Field. For myself, I *hope* the name remains unchanged, honoring not only the legacy of my grandfather, but also that of his father, as together they served a combined 25 years as Chairman of the Meade County Board of Education. The name Hamilton Field might then serve to honor the legacy of both men.
If and when the name does change, I ask that those making that decision contact the Hamilton family before we read it on the internet, news print, or hear it broadcast on the local airwaves.
As for me, that would be 'rite' neighborly of ya'll!
For everyone who took the time to read and share this look back at the life of two outstanding citizens of Meade County, I say "Thank You".
"GO GREENWAVE!"
All Photos, unless otherwise noted, taken by Jeff M. Hamilton.