In memory of Barbara Bush
Published 9:17 am Friday, April 20, 2018
<p>Courtesy of Marilyn Schraeder</p> <p>In 1990, the Harlan Musettes welcomed Former First Lady Barbara Bush during her visit to Harlan County.</p>
<p>Courtesy of Marilyn Schraeder</p> <p>Former First Lady Barbara Bush gestured to make her point clear during a brief press conference where she fielded reporters’ questions following her appearance at Southeast Community College’s commencement program in 1990. (Daily Enterprise photo by Chris Jones)</p>
<p>Courtesy of Marilyn Schraeder</p> <p>Following her visit to Harlan County, the Harlan Musettes received a letter from Former First Lady Barbara Bush.</p>
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a story that appeared in the May 5, 1990, edition of the Harlan Daily Enterprise. It was written by former staff writer Mark Bell.
Rain disrupted the ceremony but could not dampen the spirit of 127 graduates of Southeast Community College or First Lady Barbara Bush who delivered the main address during the school’s 25th annual commencement Friday.
“I like anniversaries and Southeast’s silver, 25th, is a significant one,” she noted during her speech. “It means you’ve got staying power, that you have put down roots and you have established traditions.”
Kentucky’s tradition had been in producing American leaders, she said.
“If the work you are doing here at Southeast is any indication that tradition of leadership will not soon change,” she added.
The most eagerly anticipated and most meticulously planned graduation in Harlan County’s history was plagued by the one circumstance that could not be controlled. The weather caused havoc with the event right from the start.
Graduation exercises were delayed from a scheduled 6 p.m. start by about 30 minutes when Mrs. Bush’s helicopter was unable to fly directly into Cumberland due to strong and gusting winds.
Instead, she landed in Wise, Va., and rode in a motorcade to Pennington Gap, Harlan and then up U.S. 119 into Cumberland. A public reception for Mrs. Bush prior to graduation was held in her absence.
Despite this delay and the threatening clouds, a crowd estimated at 2,000 filled the college’s lower parking lot anticipating her arrival.
Then just prior to Mrs. Bush’s formal introduction, while the Harlan Boys Choir was singing “I Love America,” the sky opened up, robbing parents, family members and friends of the graduates the opportunity to hear the President’s wife speak.
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Barbara Bush, 92, died April 17 in Houston, Texas. She and President George H.W. Bush were married in 1945. Public repose was held beginning Friday at noon at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. A private funeral service for 1,500 guests is scheduled for Saturday.
