Former WCC Professor, Allen P. “Al” Jennings, has published a book about his life in Fries, Virginia. Jennings is an Associate Professor, Emeritus of Physical Education. He taught at WCC from 1970 to 1992. The college’s athletic fields are named in his honor.

Saturday…My Day to Wear the Underwear!: A book about life in “old” Fries

My name is Allen Jennings (Al) and I was born and raised in the small mountain cotton mill town of Fries, located on the northern side of the New River in Grayson County, Virginia. This book is the result of my desire to record and share all that I saw, lived, laughed about and loved during my years in the paradise of Fries as it existed in times gone by.

The main theme is that of a mountain people who lived in a so-called “Utopian” cotton mill town. This was a paternalistic society where their very existence depended on a benevolent dictator who, behind the scenes, was the unquestioned ruler of the town. Many stories in this book illustrate the fears, insecurities, tribulations, disease epidemics, and hopes of life in a cruel and extended economic depression. Special memories of sons and daughters who took up arms in World War II and defeated the greatest military armies (German, Japanese & Italian) ever assembled in the history of mankind are recalled. Many sons of Fries made the supreme sacrifice for their country and came home in a pine box — as the old song says, “keep a light in your window tonight, your wandering boy is coming home”.

Some of the best memories are about individuals who had a great sense of humor, passed down the traditional mountain tales or just simply had a colorful or hilarious nickname. Occasionally the real names (or nickname) of persons described have been changed to protect their true identity. For example, when Thunder Gunter and Lightning Barrett really got caught stealing Ed Funk’s chickens!

This book also remembers some of the people who are “legends of Fries”, such as Chiney Alderman, Harve “Rattlesnake” Hendricks, Bruce Smith (renowned Chief of Police) and Gordon “Gondy” Carico, among others.

Fries is the most unique town I have ever known and I wanted to capture the simple everyday life, moments of comedy or joy or tragedy and the people who made Fries such a wonderful place. There never was and never will be another such town. It was the greatest — we had it all, except money of course! I was blessed to have been born and raised there and I’d like to share that blessing with you.

Available now! For more information, visit http://www.frieshighschool.com or contact Don Bond (beckett43@hotmail.com) or Temple Davis (temple1943@comcast.net).