Mrs. Edna Metzinger of Sperryville, a member of the

Mrs. Edna Metzinger of Sperryville, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, told of the procedures for tracing genealogy and the challenge and satisfaction in helping a family trace its ancestry. In an example of a bit of local “detective” work, Mrs. Metzinger said that Kelly Brown, a former student at RCHS, is a seventh generation “daughter” descended from William Smith, a Revolutionary War patriot from Rappahannock.

Charles K. (Pete) Estes, the Piedmont District’s representative on the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors, outlined the history and development of Sperryville. He told how Sperryville became a thriving commercial center as a stop on the Thornton Gap Toll Road, a pivotal position between New Market, Culpeper and Warrenton. Interestingly, during the War Between the States no large army wanted to get cornered in Sperryville, he said, because it was a place where large armies simply couldn’t maneuver.

In addition, the students attended a public meeting to hear Congressman D. French Slaughter; learned about the weather from Channel 4 News weather watcher Dennis Wingfield; and visited the Fauquier Democrat offices in Warrenton.

According to the young people from RCHS, during the two-week study of The Mountain, they were impressed by the seriousness and the spirit of the many people who took time out for them. All gave the impression that they really cared about Rappahannock’s community, past, present and future. “We had the feeling that people really wanted to balance life in the Blue Ridge to make room for people while preserving nature; to plan for growth; to provide opportunities for those of us who may want to pursue careers here,” wrote Brendan Finnerty. “We are reminded of what forester Lyttelton Wood said: ‘Every component has an important effect on every other part. . .and man is the most dominant animal.”