Reclaimed Memories

his is September 25, 1991. I thought, when I went on to my Waynesboro, Virginia, section of my memoirs that I was through with the Shenandoah period of our lives. Then yesterday I remembered that the little black appointment books started with the year of 1955. I had not even looked at the ’55, ’56 or ’57 ones. Last night and this morning's study of the 1955 one has convinced me that I should put in this section some of the information contained in that little book. Marion and Howard, I think it is important for you to read this section rather carefully. It will give you a better understanding of the pressures your Dad was under, as president of Shenandoah. (Remember that everywhere he preached he went as a representative of the college and was soliciting students. He was constantly traveling and preaching in different churches. When I look at his pastor's record I just do not see how he stood those four years. We would have become rich had he kept the honorariums he received, instead of turning them in to the college.)

January 2, he preached at Junior in the morning, for Lester Grove, a graduate of Shenandoah. At night in Parsons for Bland. (About 250 miles.)

January 23rd,  he preached the homecoming sermon at the Cherry Grove Church near Singers Glen. (Drove 27 miles)

January 30, Adamston Church, in Clarksburg. (For Denver Miles, around 150 miles each way.)

February 5. Cumberland, Md. in a "Youth For Christ" meeting. The pastor here slated him to preach at each of his churches on the circuit. Troy spent from the 5th of February until the 17th on this circuit, moving from church to church. The pastor was a real mountain man. They were at the altar one night and Troy "spied" Sheesley's ankles. He wore no socks and that almost made Troy forget to pray. Such manner of dress was unheard of in 1955, especially in a pastor! (Many, many miles! He came home two or three times during this series.)

February 15, Lions' Club Meeting in Winchester, where he presented the benefits a college could bring to the city. (140 miles)

February 16, Met with James Wilkins, at his place of business in Winchester, concerning the moving of the school. (140 miles)

February 19, Back to Winchester for a conference with Armstrong. Wilkins and Armstrong were working hard to get the college to Winchester. Both these men were wealthy and influential in the city. Troy was still making contacts in Winchester on the 20th and on the 22nd.

February 20, Morning and evening messages in Trinity Church, in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. (240 miles)

February 27, Mt. Olive Church, Hinkleville, in West Virginia. This was the country church near Zylpha and Creede's. (280 miles)

March 4, Preached at Churchville, Va. (70 miles)

March 6, Preached at all three of Fred Edge's churches. Before Sunday School, after Sunday S. and at night. (about 64 miles)

March 10, Bethel Church, Cumberland, Md. (around 250 miles)

March 12, Two weeks of revival services in Petersburg, W. Va. His typical expense account when he was away from home was $3.00 to $3.50 for lodging. Breakfast $.35, Lunch, usually less than a $1.00. Evening meal less than $1.50. He closed this series on the night of the 27th, but he preached three times that day. In the afternoon at another church.    (Each trip he made was 130 miles. He came home two or three times.)

April 3. Left Dayton, Virginia, on Sunday, stayed in North Carolina that night and the next. Interviewing prospective students.

April 5, Overnight in Georgia.

April 6, Began Holy Week services. with Rev. Brill, in Lutz, Florida. He traveled more than 2,000 miles on this trip.

April 16, Attended inauguration for new president of Mary Baldwin College, in Staunton, Va. (50 miles)

April 17, Preached three times on the Antioch Charge. (I do not know where this is located, so cannot figure the mileage.)

April 19, Held a chapel service at the college and that night preached in the town of Shenandoah, Va. (Around 38 or 40 miles.)

April 20, He went to West Virginia and preached at Iron's Chapel until the 24th. (Between 400 and 500 miles.)

April 25, Back home in the office that week and consulting Dr. Craun. His hernia was bothering him.

May 1, Preached in our Elkins Church's Anniversary Message. (Over 200 miles.)

On September 25, 1955, Troy traveled 71 miles; 28th 60 miles; 29th 142 miles; October 1st 272 miles, Oct. 2nd 71 miles; Oct. 3rd 220 miles; Oct.4th 220 miles. This is just a sample of what he was doing constantly!

The week of Oct. 16th he drove 301 miles. He married Browne Bartlett, one of Howard's best boyhood friends, on the 22nd of that week.

Beginning on the 24th of October and ending on November 6th Troy traveled every evening a distance of 66 miles from Dayton to Waynesboro, to conduct the two weeks revival services.

He was in a revival in Churchville in December of that same year, when on the 6th he had a very severe attack of gallstones. Because I was going into Madison College library to do some research he drove my old car to Churchville, so I could have the one with a good heater. He had the attack in the pulpit, but managed to get home before I did. When I got home he was deathly ill and I put him in the car and took him to the hospital. An operation was slated for the next morning, but could not be performed. He had developed pneumonia.

The years of 1956 and until the end of his tenure on June 30th, 1957, continued in this vein. Meetings in Winchester about the moving of the school; soliciting students; two called conferences of the a E. U. B. Denomination about the college, and finally a successful vote to move the school to Winchester; vote occurred June 28, 1956.

We knew that with the called conference of June 26th the fate of the school would be decided. I think the above is sufficient to show you the pressure Pop Troy had been under for four years. He was killing himself and I insisted that he tender his resignation to take place on June 30th. ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH. If the school was to move let someone else carry the ball! If it closed, Troy had done his best, under what he felt was God's leadership. We both wanted back in the Christian ministry.

I am glad he was able to accomplish what he did, but I would not want to go through these years again. Our biggest reward was in the feeling that he had followed God's leading. The school was saved and is now prospering in Winchester.

To you, my two sons, and my other descendents I will have to confess that I have a hard time not to feel bitter that so little recognition has been given your dad and Eugene Tutwiler, for their work and sacrifice for Shenandoah College. I remember one time that Troy returned from a revival series and the money he turned over to the school saved it from being sued for a grocery bill. More than once Tut's generosity saved the school. We knew that if it was ever sued that it would be lost to the church.

When we were at Lyn's this summer she showed me an article in a bulletin from Shenandoah extolling the work of the early leaders and she said, "Not one word of what Troy and Gene did for the school!"

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This has since changed. The Shenandoah College "History" webpage now credits Troy Brady's efforts in helping to save the school. Recently my father Howard Brady, my Uncle, Marion Brady, and I, received a copy of "The Impossible Task", a book written by James Richard Wilkins, Sr. which covers, in detail, all the events that transpired to save the college from its doors being closed forever. This book was sent to us by Jane Pittman of Shenandoah University. (Thank you, Ms. Pittman!) And, the SU's Board of Trustees recently passed a Resolution in Memory of Elizabeth Thrash Brady on February 25, 2003. (Personally, I think I may have had something to do with that since I wrote them in mid-January that I found very little information concerning my grandfather's involvement in helping to save the school. Since that time, they (SU) updated their web page, we received copies of the book, and the resolution have been passed. RmB ) (See also: Pop Troy's Anthology - Elkins & Shenandoah)

I was so amazed when I learned that Shenandoah had conferred an honorary degree on Thomas Coffman. Later, Forrest Racey was here with another man connected with the school and I asked how Tom merited that honor. We knew Tommy and his family well. We had served the little country church where they belonged. When Racey had no answer for me I said, "I figure he was honored to pay someone for a generous gift to the school, 'Forest said, "You are right. Shenandoah got a big donation and Tommy got the degree." This violates my code of ethics! An honorary degree should not be bought!

NEXT - MY 1955 VACATION