NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

4/16/2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES - A new book fondly remembering three central Louisiana sawmill towns has been published by the NSU Press at Northwestern State University.

"The Tale of Three Sawmill Towns," was written by T.C. Smith, a 93-year old retired minister and author from Columbia, S.C., who lived in the towns of Alco, Long Leaf and Meridian, Louisiana, as a child. Alco was in Vernon Parish, Long Leaf is in Rapides Parish and Meridian was in Evangeline Parish.

Smith will attend a book signing Saturday, April 21 at the Southern Forest Heritage Museum and Research Center in Long Leaf. Copies of the book are $25 and will benefit the Southern Forest Heritage Museum. The book signing is part of the Museum and Research Center's annual Machine Shop Day. Events begin at 10 a.m.

"I hope I can keep the memories of these places alive a little longer. I like to relive things as I get older," said Smith. I attended the homecoming at Longleaf each year. One of the people there told me I should write a book. I was back there four years later and they said what about the book, so I figured I should work on it.

"I am fortunate to have a good memory, so once I began writing I was able to remember a lot of details."

Smith lived in all three communities and recalls that they were built alike. Each had a commissary and a church.

"One of the few differences was in currency used at the commissary," he said. "Meridian had metal money called bat-eyes used only at the commissary. Alco had punch outs which ranged from a nickel to a dollar and Longleaf had both."

Smith has written 14 books including several religious books and books he authored for the U.S. Navy.

A 1938 graduate of Louisiana College, he received a master's and doctorate from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. Smith served as a U.S. Navy chaplain during World War II and had a 30-year naval career on active duty and in the reserves. He retired as a captain.

Smith also taught at Southeastern Theological Seminary, the University of Chicago, Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley and Furman University. He also taught at American University in Beirut while on sabbatical from Furman. After retiring, Smith taught at Davidson College for five years.

"The Tale of Three Sawmill Towns" contains photographs and drawings illustrating buildings, equipment and some of the people who lived and worked in the towns.

Copies of the book are available from the Southern Forest Heritage Museum and Research Center. For more information, call (318) 748-8404 or go to www.forestheritagemuseum.org.

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