Forget cookies, pass the rifle
Girl Scouting has always been about more than selling cookies, as our Mystery Photo illustrates. Learning to handle a rifle properly was also part of the experience of these Cadettes, the age division currently for girls in sixth through eighth grade.
“The girls were learning firearms safety at the Claysville Community Center, instructed by Harvey Taylor,” said Carolyn Lawler, who was the girls’ leader when the photo was taken.
Lawler, of Claysville, called us and identified the girls, including her daughter, Cheryl, who is showing Tammy Wright how to hold the gun. She also was able to confirm the identity of the woman seated in the background at far right as Ida Lou Taylor of Prosperity, wife of the instructor and scoutmaster. Mrs. Taylor died in November 2012.
According to her mother, Cheryl Lawler Shaw is a nurse living in Xenia, Ohio, with her husband, Dean, and children Kelsey and Nicholas. She and other members of the Lawler family were back in Claysville for a sad occasion: the funeral of Cheryl’s father, James W. Lawler, held on the same day the Mystery Photo was published. Mr. Lawler was well known as a volunteer for Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, Claysville Volunteer Fire Department, Special Olympics and Washington Hospital Auxiliary.
Craig Wright emailed us to identify his aunt, Tammy Wright Bethel, who also now lives in Ohio. Tammy wasn’t absolutely sure she’s the one in the picture, but she was quite sure the girl on the left is Patty Vanderhoof Bane. The three Cadettes were also named by Lew Irwin, who recognized his classmates from the McGuffey High School Class of 1982.
We were able to track down one of those classmates – Patty Vanderhoof Bane – through Facebook and other social media, although we didn’t have to look far. She still lives in Claysville and has worked for the past five years as a technician for Curtis LTC Pharmacy in Washington. She is married to Shane Bane and has three children: Stephanie Martin, Aaron Martin and Tyler Martin.
Of Girl Scouts, Bane said, “I loved it.” And does she remember the day the photo was taken?
“Oh, yes,” she said. “The badge we created for Girl Scouts was the first of its kind, for firearms safety.” She’s kept an article about the program and knows the scene was captured on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1978.
There’s a photo on her Facebook page of Bane holding her grandson, Vaughan. Her smile in that picture and the one nearly 38 years ago are identical.
“Oh, yeah, that’s my smile,” Bane said.
Although Bane has an idea who the girl second from left, with her face turned to the side and obscured by shadow, might be, none of our other readers could confirm the identification.
Look for another Mystery Photo in next Monday’s Observer-Reporter.