Liberty School, Liberty Cemetery, Mtn. Grove Cemetery, Arkansas

Vandals hit the old schoolhouse and church building breaking out practically all the windows, overturning pews,
and damaging tables and a radio on Friday night, November 5, 2004. Also vandalized was the adjoining Mt.
Grove/ Rogers Cemetery. Thirty-five tombstones were overturned causing permanent damage to some which
broke on impact. A $1,000 reward is being offered by the cemetery association for arrest and conviction of
guilty parties. Contact Sonny Dickey at 501 627-6006. Paris Police Department is doing an investigation on the
incident. Photos by Bruce Dickey Repair UPDATE Nov 30, Below...

In the photo to the right is J.P. Dickey, 12, of Russellville. He and his dad, Bruce Dickey of Russellville,
re-installed thirty monuments to their pedestals. The one in front of J.P. in the photo above is a marble
marker for Confederate States of America soldier Lewis Apple. After re-erecting this monument, J. P.
found an American flag and placed it beside the grave to honor Mr. Apple.

Sonny Dickey arrived with his tractor and front end loader to hoist the final five monuments to their rightful
place. Sonny is President of the Rogers Mt Grove Liberty Cemetery Association. Other board members are
Don Corbin, Lila King, Bruce Dickey, and Bob Dixon.

NOTE: Sunday November 14, 2004 The American flag placed at the grave of Mr. Apple, was found
broken off at the ground level and thrown a few feet away. The vandalism continues. The
American Flag was even ripped off the dowel and then the broken dowel and flag were thrown to
the ground. It never occurred to me that someone would be offended by placing an American
Flag at the grave of a CSA Veteran, at least not 139 years after the end of the American Civil War.
The land of the free, the home of the brave, and a few bigoted vandals. I just happened to have
one more flag in my truck so he got another flag to honor him again, just a few days after Veterans
Day. I may just have to move onto the property with my shotgun and a few rounds of buckshot.

November 14, 2004 Continuing efforts to repair damage to the Liberty School and church house. Margaret
and Bruce Dickey returned to Huckleberry Mountain in an effort to clean up the old school house on
Sunday afternoon. Margaret vacuumed broken glass from the floor and swept glass fragments from
underneath the old pews. The window frames were removed and new glass is being ordered to repair the
windows to use again.

Sonny will pick up the frames and take them to his shop at Havana, the old Ray Tygart station where he and
Flow have their resale business. The windows openings looked rather bare and forlorn from inside the old
school and church house. Sonny went to school in this old building taught by Ms. Catherine Eikleberry
Rogers. Bruce Dickey has a few class photos from around 1916 which was taught by Mr. Cravens that year.
The photos came into his possession when long time mountain resident passed, Lydia Dickey Still Whitwell.

Repair UPDATE - November 30, 2004

Sonny called and set up a time to work on replacing the forty broken panes in Liberty School House. He had the
fire cranked up nicely when we arrived a little after 9 A.M. We, being my mom, Margaret Dickey, and myself,
Bruce Dickey, and our host, Sonny Dickey at the Havana Arkansas Shop he owns, formerly Ray Tygart's Store
and Gas Station.

We proceeded to work installing glass panes Sonny had found and prepped for the occasion. The glazing
followed installation of the glass with push points. It is tedious, but we managed to save 54 dollars a window by
doing it ourselves. Sonny replaced four frames with some he found and plans to paint. Some of the material was
donated by Jim Hugh White. We are getting close to reinstalling them in the building now. As an additional
effort to keep them from being damaged, we plan to install inner window panel covers of plywood which can be
removed for use fairly quickly.

Thanks to many who have sent a donation to help, Sonny knows who you are. It's really appreciated. Contact
Sonny Dickey at 501 627-6006 if any other folk would like to help with upkeep of the schoolhouse and cemetery.