THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996            TAG: 9609130215
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 03   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Eric Feber 
                                            LENGTH:   58 lines

TOWN TALK

Birth of school spirit

In case you haven't heard, there's a new high school in town - Hickory High School, home of the mighty Hawks.

In this first year of its existence, the school will experience many firsts.

Last Saturday it experienced its first varsity football game, held at Great Bridge High School stadium because Hickory's stadium is still under construction.

According to Kenny Stuart, life-long Chesapeake resident and recreation specialist with the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation Department, the game's attendance was something to behold.

``Man, it was like when we were going to school!'' said Stuart, a proud Great Bridge High School alumnus whose daughter, Meredith, attends Hickory High. ``The visitors' side of the stadium was slam full, just like the times when we had those intense football rivalries, when everybody went. It was good to see people support the game and the school. I even noticed some curious Great Bridge people come out to see the game, too.''

Although the Hickory Hawks lost the game to Ocean Lakes High School of Virginia Beach that night, Stuart said the school won on spirit alone.

The Hickory fans savored the exploits of running back Robert Cornelius, a 5-foot-7-inch, 140-pound junior who wears number 5 on his jersey.

Cornelius' two touchdown runs really ignited the crowd - especially his first score, the school's very first football score.

Stuart said it was a sight to behold.

``He broke down the sidelines and just ran it in - a 69-yard run,'' Stuart said. ``I was looking at the crowd, and everybody was standing and cheering when he was running down the field. The people were screaming like crazy.''

One fan in particular was swept up with the enthusiasm and spirit of the Hickory supporters.

``School Principal Linda Bird was just jumping up and down,'' Stuart said. ``She yelled, `I feel like I have just given birth!' ''

Now, that's school spirit!

Wrong base, good deed

In last week's Town Talk we told readers about good Samaritan Navy chiefs who visit the Cedar Road Autumn Care Senior Center each year.

Every summer they show up ready to entertain the residents, visit with them and prepare a ``old-fashioned summer cookout.'' And every Christmas they arrive as seafarin' Santas, throwing the residents a yuletide party. Recently they even purchased a new color television for the residents' recreation room.

But the chiefs' home base was incorrectly identified. They didn't come from the Norfolk Naval Station, as we stated in last week's column. Rather the 70-member strong Chief Petty Officers Association hailed from Chesapeake's own military facility, the Naval Security Group Northwest in the Hickory section of the city.

And since we're talking about these goodwill chiefs, they received a plaque from the nursing facility at that recent summer picnic. The award recognized the group for its efforts over 20 years in bringing some happiness and companionship to Autumn Care's residents. by CNB