Morene E. Grant talking into mike at the 2006 Rockport High School Reunion. Mike is being held by Bobby Sublett. Fred Grant is pictured in left foreground and Chester Werncke, right foreground.

Morene Everly Grant was a 1936 RHS Graduate and married Fred Grant, a 1938 Graduate. More complete write-up on this couple in another stat. They are Owensboro, Kentucky residents. Bobby Sublett is holding the mike. More complete write-up on Bobby in this stat, as well as another stat.

Chester "Chet" Werncke is not a RHS graduate, but married one. He married Wanda Barnard, a 1944 Graduate. They reside on a farm near Greenville, Indiana.

Fred T. Grant, 88, of 34 Orchard St. Fern Terra Suites, Owensboro, formerly of Louisville passed away on Monday Nov. 19, 2007, at Owensboro Medical Health System. He was born in Ohio County and graduated from Rockport High School. He attended Western Kentucky University. Fred owned and operated Grant's Barber Shop in Louisville for 42 years, until he retired. He was a 45 year member of Bethany United Methodist Church in Louisville and became a member of the Settle Memorial United Methodist Church when he moved to Owensboro. He was 65-year member of the Masonic Lodge. He was an avid gardener, had farmed some in the past and was a Kentucky Colonel.

Fred married Maurine Everly and they recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. In this union, there were five children, Ronnie Dean Grant and wife Patricia Baldwin of Beaver Dam, Beverley Ann Grant McEnroe and Donna Margaret Grant, both of Owensboro, Fred Kenneth Grant of Bowling Green, and Kevin Woodson Grant and wife Jeri Allen of Louisville, a brother, 13 grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.

Services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Glenn Funeral Home chapel, conducted by the Rev. Brad Woods. Burial followed in Owensboro Memorial Gardens. Memorial contibutions may be made to benefit the Fairview/Mason Cemetery in Rockport, Ky., c/o Imogene Taylor, 837 N. Main St., Beaver Dam, KY 42320.

The proceeding obituary information was taken from the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer.

Picture of the four Rockport Graduates was taken at the 2006 Rockport High School Reunion on September 2, 2006. They seem to be enjoying the get-together and the conversion.

Mr. Paul Benton and Mrs. Morene Everly Grant are pictured in the center. Morene, a 1936 Rockport Graduate. married Fred Grant, a 1938 Rockport Graduate. Fred worked in Owensboro as a barber. Unsure whether he had his own shop or if he worked for someone else. Morene taught school in the Daviess County School system until retirement. They make their home in Owensboro, KY. To my knowledge there are five children.

Truman Everly is pictured on the left. Morene is the sister of Truman Everly. Truman was a 1940 Graduate of Rockport and a lifelong resident. Soon after graduation he married Martine Stewart, a Rockport Classmate. Unsure of the Everly's earlier life and of places lived and worked, but when Peabody Coal Company set up Ken Mine, Truman was able to secure a good job at this Echols Area location. A family of three girls was raised in Rockport. There are several grandchildren. After retirement and family raising years were over, Truman and Martine, moved to Beaver Dam, then to Bowling Green. Martine died a few years ago and Truman moved to Florida.

On the right is Colleen Hoskins Stewart. She is also a lifelong resident of Rockport and a 1947 Graduate. After getting a degree in education, Colleen taught in the Ohio County School System until retirement. She and her husband, Glen reside in Rockport off Highway 1245.

Pictured above is photograph of Rockport High School. The photo was probably taken in the early fifties. In the early nineteen hundreds, there was no school building in Rockport and any teaching was done in public places like church buildings and even a saloon. By 1908, the people of Rockport were beginning to realize that a high school was needed and a two-year high school was established. This new school building was built on Bluff Street. In 1925 a four-year high school was established with the first graduating class in 1926. All went well for a few years and Rockport High School was producing high school graduates. Then in 1933, the nice school on Bluff Street burned and the students were back to attending school in churches and other buildings. A short time later, an entire block of buildings in Rockport caught fire and burned. Some of these buildings were being used as school rooms. The students were moved once again to churches and other buildings. Later in 1933, plans were made to purchase land and build a new school building. This new school was to be built by the WPA (Work Projects Administration-A Federal project created by the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration) and located on highway 62. Several local residents were hired by the WPA to help construct the new school. Two years later and in 1935, Rockport students were moved to the new school building. In 1937 a gymnasium was added and soon afterwards the newly constructed Rockport Water System was tied into the school's water system. During this period to time, the students either ate in local restaurants, went home to eat or brought their lunch. In 1949 a cafeteria was started. The stage was used for the new cafeteria and the kitchen was located just off stage. Mrs. Ida Mae Kennedy and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Nell Kennedy were hired as the new cooks. In 1954 a new cafeteria was built. By now this new school system had been in use for a little over twenty years and was producing some fine citizens, as well as giving those that wanted a higher education, the background to go on to a higher level of knowledge. Life was good in the fifties and life was even better in small towns like Rockport in those great years of the early fifties.

Changes may be inevitable, but most people over thirty resist changes. In the mid-fifties, changes were occurring in the school system of Ohio County and the small towns were losing their local schools. Consolidation was the new by-word and the new idea for a better education for the students. Maybe so, maybe not, but the people in charge of the paychecks, in their infinite wisdom, made the decision for one large high school in Ohio County instead of the eight small schools. In 1956, the last graduating class of Rockport picked up their diplomas and Rockport High School was no more. In 1957 the high school students went to Beaver Dam and the schooling of grade school students continued at Rockport. After all, Rockport still had a school building with students and all was not lost. Although the older students were being transported to Beaver Dam to continue their education, the younger Rockport students were still able to attend the school of their choice. Conditions were good, but more problems and changes were forthcoming. In September of 1967, Rockport students had registered for another school year and had started the education process of another term when the school building mysteriously caught fire and burned. Another sad period of time existed for the people of Rockport and this time, there would not be another school building built. Again, the people that controlled the monies were adamant in their decision to not build another building in Rockport for the purpose of educating the local youth. Instead, a nice school building was constructed at the intersection of Highways 62 and 85. This school would later be known as Western Elementary and students from Rockport, Centertown and McHenry would be bussed in for their education.

Information from Shirley Smith's book, "History Of Rockport and Echols" was used in the writing of the above two paragraphs. Thanks Shirley.

See you......
jrd