R. E. Peppy Blount at Hangar 25
(See pictures below of this event, and of the Hangar)

Peppy Blount, Big Spring High School graduate of the Class of 1943 (seated), chats with Jesse F. Hernandez ('41) before signing his book and high school annual.  Blount flew B-25 bombers in World War II, and Hernandez was a ground crewman supporting B-24's.

Peppy came home from the war to attend the University of Texas, and five months after flying his last mission in combat, caught a spectacular pass thrown by legendary Bobby Layne, out-jumping Doak Walker, Paul Page, and Dick McKissack.  That 33-yard pass earned a touchdown, a  Southwest Conference Championship, and a trip to the Cotton Bowl for the Texas Longhorns.

Peppy was elected to the Texas Legislature at age 21, the youngest member ever, and served three terms in the legislature before becoming a judge in Gregg County in East Texas.

He was in Big Spring to sign copies of his book We Band of Brothers, which just came out in a second release.  He also sold and autographed copies of his book Mama's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up and Play Football.  He timed the visit to Big Spring to coincide with Homecoming 2000 at Big Spring High School.

Standing appropriately close to Blount is long time Big Spring newspaperman (and a favorite citizen) Joe Pickle, who moved in 1999 to Austin to live with his son.

This is the original or copy of the original score of the song that has done so much to "keep us all as one" through these years which have come since each of us graduated.

Peppy said that he and Helon told their mother, Alma Blount, that the school needed a song.  She picked a Sousa waltz, according to Peppy, and penned the words of Dear Old Big Spring High just as we sing them, putting it to the selected music.  Some minor arranging of the music was later done, according to Peppy, but we owe our song primarily to Mrs. Blount.

There is another version of this story.  If this one is true, we can forgive Peppy if his rememberer is affected by many years, and the fact that he was just a boy when the song was written.  Who isn't prejudiced toward his own mother?

Jean Conley Hubbard, class of '48, tells the slightly different version.  She remembers playing under the table at the Blount's house while her father, Dan Conley, and Mrs. Blount worked on the piece. Here is a picture of a handwritten score of the song, presumably the original or a blowup of the original, which is in the BSHS Museum.  In this yellowed manuscript, Mrs. Blount has allowed Mr. Conley top billing on the arrangement, and shares the credit for the words with Elouise Haley.   Pictures of the three are at the right of the manuscript.   Isn't re-creating history fun?  And aren't we all grateful to these three people for giving us the magical song?

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