BTL Fall 2009: Toombs no more?
By James Shepard
As both a fairly new Demosthenian and a history major, the Toombs trip was of great inter-est to me.
The opportunity to visit a historical site with which I have a real connection with is always ex-citing for me, and Robert Toombs is certainly someone I would like to know more about. As with so many Demosthenian events, the Toombs trip was both full of tradition and quite a bit of fun.
However, this trip also had a distinct sadness. As we walked through Bobby T’s beautiful old house, looking through all of the rooms and learning about his remarkable life, we noticed that most of the furniture kept in the house had been tagged and many personal effects boxed.
Due to state budget shortages, the house has had its hours drastically cut, and it seems that it may close to the public altogether. With the visible reminder all around us that such a valuable part of Georgia’s and particularly Demosthenian’s history could be lost, the trip seemed particularly important.
It reminded us how fragile the record of our past is, and how important it is for us to do all we can to preserve it.
Fortunately, we were all able to drown out this sobering reminder with loads of greasy food from the Big Chick, as per tradition.
While I deeply hope that the site is kept open, I would encourage all of those with an interest in the great Robert Toombs to see it while they still can.
