Lamar-Monroe County GaArchives News.....Merrill Sappington Leaves Monday To Enter U. S. Naval Academy:  Cadet Makes Outstanding Record at Gordon Military College June 22, 1939
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Elaine Turk Nell http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00017.html#0004116 January 10, 2006, 12:24 pm

Barnesville News-Gazette June 22, 1939
     Merrill Homer Sappington, son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer A. Sappington, left 
here Monday for Annapolis, Maryland, where he has enrolled as a student in the 
United States Naval Academy.
     Young Sappington was graduated Summa Cum Laude from Gordon Military 
College this spring.  During his school days here he made an excellent 
scholastic and military record.  As a student of Gordon Grammar School he was 
the winner in essay contests for three successive years when he was a member 
of the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades.  He also won the Civitan medal 
presented to the pupil with the highest average in American history.
     He was the winner of the declamation medal offered during his sophomore 
year in high school and was presented the Sophomore scholarship award given by 
Dr. C. H. Willis the same year.  In his junior year he was again the winner in 
an essay contest.
     Merrill was valedictorian of his class as he graduated from high school 
in 1937 and maintained his scholastic level through Junior college.  He was 
captain of Company E during the year 1937-'38.
     For the past three years he has been a member of the Gordon Sabre club.  
Last year he served as a member of the staff of Taps, Gordon Annual, and was 
editor of the Reveille, school newspaper.
     Rifle Marksmanship
     Sappington has long been recognized for his skill as a marksman.  He was 
first a member of the Junior National Rifle Association, and later a member of 
the Gordon Rifle team and a member of the ROTC rifle team.  While encamped at 
Ft. McClellan, Alabama, he won the trophy for the highest scorer there and was 
elected to represent the Fourth Corps area at Camp Perry, Ohio, last summer.  
At Camp Perry he captured the trophy offered the highest scorer from the 
Fourth Corps Area.
     As a member of the rifle team of Company B, Georgia National Guard, he 
has also won many honors.
     High Ranking Scout
     Long a member of the Boy Scouts of America, Sappington has attained the 
highest rank offered in scoutin--the Eagle Scout rank.  He has won 42 merit 
badges, twice the number required of an Eagle Scout.  Since becoming an Eagle 
Scout he has been awarded the bronze, sliver and gold palms.
     Merrill has been of great assistance to local scoutmasters during recent 
years.  He has served as assistant scoutmaster and has aided in directing many 
of the scout's activities.
     Joins Smith of Forsyth
     At Annapolis Sappington will be a classmate of Richard Parker Smith of 
Forsyth.  Smith also left an outstanding record at Gordon and was graduated 
Summa Cum Laude this spring.

Additional Comments:
Merrill Sappington's skills as a marksman continued to be acknowledged during 
his years at the Naval Academy.  He was captain of the Small-Bore Rifle Team,  
was named to the All-American Rifle Team in 1942, and was presented the 
Secretary of the Navy's Rifle Trophy at graduation.  [according to an obituary 
from an unnamed newspaper dated 3 Dec. 1983.]

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