Like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, I am a respecter of tradition. In addition to Randolph County residents, students and alumni of Davis & Elkins College experience the annual fall tradition on our campus and throughout the town known as the Mountain State Forest Festival. Concluding this past weekend, the 88th festival is now history, and like the 87 before it, the event was a grand opportunity for Elkins and D&E to shine.
The college and the festival have been intricately linked for decades. Campus facilities host numerous events and welcome thousands of people to our hallowed grounds. The front lawn of campus is commonly known as Coronation Hill for a good reason. The script accompanying the elaborate pageantry that transforms Maid Sylvia into Queen Sylvia was originally written by Davis & Elkins College Professor Claire Fiorentino. British royalty could take a few lessons in pomp and circumstance from the coronation of Queen Sylvia. It is a grand production and a treasured tradition. I am honored each year to participate in the coronation ceremony. From my vantage point on stage, I have a unique view of the royal festivities.
The Grand Feature Parade, held this past Saturday afternoon, is without question the biggest event of the year in Elkins. Walking in the parade among the sea of red from our hundreds of student-athletes, as they wave D&E flags, is an impressive site coming down the main street of Elkins. Lisa and I joined the College’s own royalty, Miss D&E and Mr. Senator, along with the college mascot to lead the impressive D&E delegation. Each year, we are amazed by the thousands who line the parade route as it snakes through town. Participating in the spectacle brings a sense of gratitude and joy as our community comes together to celebrate our forests, our community, our children and youth, and our civic pride.
As I walked the parade route and waved to the huge crowds, I was struck by the outpouring of support from so many along the route as they saw our contingent of students. We heard cheers and shouts such as, “We love D&E!” and “Go Senators!” As we passed by, one supporter shouted, “God bless D&E.”
God has blessed D&E, as well as this community. At least for a time, we come together to celebrate and appreciate the beauty of this land we call home, the people who are our neighbors, and the community that is a vital building block of the quality of life we enjoy. Along with the carnival rides and food, the lumberjack contest, concerts, craft fair, coronation, parade, and all the rest, there is also the tradition of coming together as a community to celebrate where we are, who we are, and whose we are.
For all of us who are fortunate to live in this area, whether for a few years as a student or a lifetime, our journeys intersect among these mountains. We celebrate this at the Mountain State Forest Festival. If we are reflective and wise, we will celebrate this every day that we are blessed to breathe the mountain air, interact with one another, and be enriched by the traditions that bring meaning and joy to our lives.
The journey continues….
Chris A. Wood
President
Davis & Elkins College