The American Legion Mountaineer Boys State is a week long program focused on government, leadership, and citizenship. The program is open to any male, junior who lives or attends high school in the State of West Virginia. Complete the Application form on http://wvboysstate.org and work with your High School Guidance Counselor or local American Legion Post to get registered. Limited slots are available, so ACT NOW!

Eligibility requirements:
**Male, junior who lives or attends High School in WV
**2.75 or higher GPA
**Involved in leadership and/or civic activities

When and Where:
June 7-13, 2015
WVU Jackson’s Mill

Endorsements:
“Boys State is among the most respected educational programs of government instruction for students… You are the next generation of leaders, and we are counting on you to rebuild America into an even greater nation than we are today.” — Senator Joe Manchin III

Questions? Send us a message through the “contact us” form on our website and we will work to enroll you in this “Week that shapes a lifetime!”

Oce Worthington Smith Jr.

FAIRMONT — Oce Worthington Smith Jr., 76, of Fairmont, passed away on Tuesday, October 14, 2014, at the Arbor’s at Fairmont Nursing Center.

He was born in Barrackville, on January 4, 1938, the son of the late Oce Worthington Smith Sr. and Norma “Polly” Margaret Lough Smith.

Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his loving wife, Carol Ann Bunner Smith.

Oce was raised on a farm in the community of Monumental on the outskirts of that town and was very proud of his heavy American Indian and English/Scots-Irish heritage. He graduated from the old Barrackville High School in a class of 24 students, graduated from Fairmont State College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and went on to do his post-graduate work in political science at West Virginia University.

It is difficult to figure how he ever got

Dr. E. Gordon Gee served as president of The Ohio State University from 1990 to 1997 and again from 2007 to 2013. Prior to his service at Ohio State, he led Vanderbilt University (2001-2007), Brown University (1998-2000), the University of Colorado (1985-1990), and West Virginia University (1981-1985). He returned to WVU to serve as president for a term in January 2014, and was confirmed as the permanent president in March 2014. Gee has served in higher education for more than three decades and in 2009 was named by Time magazine as one of the top-10 university presidents in the United States.

Born in Vernal, Utah, Gee graduated from the University of Utah with an honors degree in history and earned his J.D. and Ed.D degrees from Columbia University. He clerked under Chief Justice David T. Lewis of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals before being named a judicial fellow and

About a month ago, Dale F. Lutman passed away in the hospital at the age of 65. He was a member of his local Methodist church and a member and past Commander of Alderton-Dawson American Legion Post No. 60.

He enjoyed Bingo nights, off-roading in his 4-wheeler, and hunting. He had two daughters, Jody McClintock and Ashleigh Lutman, one sister, Debra Dick, three grandchildren, Michael McClintock, Jr., Cole Franklin McClintock, and Jaxon McClintock, and one niece.

He was born on June 14, 1946 in Martinsburg. He’s the son of the late William Franklin and Anna Lou Etta Lopp Lutman.  He graduate from Berkely Springs High School and served in the U.S. Navy. He was also a Vietnam veteran and a retired warehouseman of AT&T. Mr. Lutman had put in his time and service, went past the call of duty, and passed away in his home state.

The Legionnaire Blue Cap Award is a prestigious achievement, presented to those with years of service in the Legion. Such an honor can only be bestowed onto those in the Legion with a lifetime of dedication, leading by example, and servitude. Some things that are looked at in nomination for the award are offices held, committee appointments, and other awards.

A noble man in nomination for this award can only be addressed as William F. Lancaster, Jr. of Post No. 71. A man of the Legion with such offices as Post Adjutant, Post Delegate, District VAMC Cookout, and District Representative Civic Affairs shows how well he fits for the award. He has been going to National Conventions for 10 years and Department Conventions for 15 years. He was awarded by his post the PUFL (Paid-Up-For-Life) which serves as his dues for the Legion for the rest of his life.

Straight out of

The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America’s birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as ‘Flag Birthday’. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as ‘Flag Birthday’, or ‘Flag Day’.

On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on

We’ve all seen them, the iconic and commanding images of a woman clad in anything but traditional, WWII period garb, rebelling by flexing her arm in resistance to the mechanical, German army and maybe even privately to American men, as well.  This celebrated image is of “Rosie the Riveter”, a stubborn symbol of the woman who can work to support herself, “her man” at war, and the rest of her family, too.

According to History.com, American women “entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers during World War II, as widespread male enlistment left gaping holes in the industrial labor force.”  From the perspective of women in the late thirties and early forties and from that of women today, perhaps the rise of the Germans served them positively.  Had they not had the chance to show the men in control that they really could “do it”, they would likely not have been given