Story Published:
Sep 5, 2010 at 6:17 PM CST
Story Updated:
Sep 7, 2010 at 10:42 AM CST
The organizers of Saturday’s Baxter Street Fair could not have asked for a more beautiful day for the celebration. Classic cars, bounce houses, food booths, and much more surrounded the railroad tracks running through the middle of Baxter.
A parade featuring some classic cars, youth sports teams, scout troops, candidates and/or their supporters running in the November elections, and a few clowns (not to be confused with the politicians) circled the downtown area.
There was a tempting array of food choices including barbecue, catfish, southwest egg rolls, fresh squeezed lemonade, and homemade ice cream. Several local crafters and artists displayed their work and offered it for sale. Area churches sponsored children’s activities, food booths, and provided information about their ministries.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency brought a captivating collection of snakes and lizards that children and adults alike waited in line for a chance to hold.
Representative Henry Fincher welcomed the crowd and introduced Mayor Jeff Wilhite. The mayor extended his thanks to the fire department, the police department, and area churches for their involvement in making the event a success. He called several local dignitaries to the platform including Senator Charlotte Burks, Kathleen Airhart, former Upperman High School teacher and current Director of Putnam County Schools, and George Halford,, President of the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout his remarks, Mayor Wilhite referred to education as the focus of this year’s street fair celebration. This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the Baxter Seminary and the 50th for Upperman High School. He reminded the crowd that the schools in Baxter hold a reunion each May and encouraged alumni to make plans to attend.
Others who spoke celebrated the education system in this growing community. “Baxter is the fastest growing community in Putnam County,” affirmed Dr. Airhart.
The featured speaker and Grand Marshall of the parade was Commissioner Greg Gonzales of the TN Department of Financial Institutions. A native of Baxter, Gonzales has been involved with Tennessee banking oversight for over twenty-five years. According to Gonzalez, “Education is the centerpoint and focus of today.”
He expressed his thanks at being chosen for the honor and accepted the honor “as an example of all who have had a chance to succeed because of the work of those in the Baxter educational system.”
He gave tribute to the Upperman family for establishing the legacy of learning in the community. He mentioned several people by name who had played valuable roles in the development of a thriving educational organization in Baxter including Arnold Brown, Frank Medley, and the Shanks family.
He spoke of teachers who had been influential in his life and countless others: Maria Swallows, Clara Jared, and Iris Phillips of Upperman High School as well as Hannah Hall, Selma Johnson, and Doris Shanks from Upperman Elementary.
He compared those who believed in the importance of education in this rural community to Kevin Costner’s character in the movie Field of Dreams. “If you build it, they will come” was not only the motto for Ray Kinsella but for the framers of the Baxter education system. “And they did come!” Gonzales declared.
Following Commissioner Gonzalez’s remarks, the praise band from Crossroads Community Church entertained the crowd. Pastor Ron Burnett and other members of the church provided the sound engineering for the event.
Those in attendance continued enjoying good food, good music, and good times throughout the rest of the day. Baxter’s Street Fair is an annual event of which the citizens of the community can be proud.
