Painting the Water Tower
New details on decade-long Trojan tradition declassified with Troy Citizen exclusive!
By BILL RICE, JR.
Once upon a time, it was a tradition for certain fearless Charles Henderson High School students to paint the water tower behind the school’s 100 Building.
Because the history of this tradition has never been told - and because the statute of limitations has long since expired - I decided to put on my investigative reporter hat and tell the main parts of this story.
Author’s note: Names of the (possibly) guilty - including myself - have not been changed. Indeed, as this story will reveal, several of the main suspects grew up to be attorneys, law enforcement officers and myriad civic MVPs of our community.
It all started with “Moe Noodleman” …
Every tradition starts with one person and, in this tale, that person may or may not be one Dan Smith (who grew up to be sports editor of The Messenger, director of the Troy Department of Parks and Recreation, a world-class photographer and chief bottle washer of the Troy University Homecoming/Appreciation Day Parade (among other civic duties).
Mr. Smith provided a statement to respond to the “false accusations” he may have started this tradition (see Reader Comments for full statement).
While Smith makes no confession, he did confirm that in high school he was “an aspiring writer of a comic strip for The Trojan Myths, with the main character being Moe Noodleman.
“Moe had quite the following .. So it stands to reason that someone would climb that tower, paint ‘Moe ’77’ in red letters, and blame immediately be cast in the direction not only of myself, but my innocent friends Larry Grant and Randy Pemberton,” said Dan in his official statement.
Added Smith: “To this day, Randy, Larry and I continue our search for the ‘Real Painters.’ “
All that is known is that someone climbed a 142-foot water tower and, per Dan’s statement of innocence, one “young man had a wire metal handle of a half-gallon of red paint clinched between his teeth … while the other held tightly to a mop as the ascent began.”
Debra Davis, a former journalist, confirmed via Facebook that Moe Noodleman “was somewhat of a mythical creature.”
When discovered Monday at school, the artists’ work created a buzz heard throughout Troy.
Probably unbeknownst to the artists, they also started a tradition of future graffiti artists (at least those with no paralyzing fear of heights.)
Per my research - and observable historical evidence - nine successive CHHS graduating classes also possessed students crazy enough to climb the water tower carrying paint buckets and brushes.
These classes all had nicknames which ended up on the water tower for all to see (at least the south side of the water tower).
These classes and their nicknames were:
1977 - MOE ’77
1978 - Cronies ‘78
1979 - Clan ‘79
1980 - Clowns ‘80
1981 - Shades ‘81 (also known as Champs).
1982 - Crew ‘82
1983 - Sasquatian Dogs ‘83 (aka “Heroes”).
1984 - The Force of ‘84
1985 - The Tribe of ‘85
1986 - Born to be Wild
1987 -RAD ’87.
UPDATE: See bottom of this story for new intelligence that suggests the Class of ‘88 may have secretly painted the water tower the following year.
While this author is still trying to uncover all the graffiti artists (and win my first Pulitzer for Investigative Journalism), I have developed credible sources who have identified possible graffiti artists.
For example, it’s possible my brother Rush’s great friend, Mark Davis - the quarterback of the football team - might have been involved in 1979. (Important disclaimer: The CHHS nickname for that graduating class was spelled with a C not a K).
From my reporting, it seems possible that Tim Archer, the son of a beloved Troy University basketball coach, may or may not have painted “Clowns ’80” on the water tower his senior year.
Greg Barnette, who grew up to drive freight trains, may have also been involved as Barnette added a cryptic and possibly incriminating post on Facebook: “(The top of the water tower) was higher than it looked from the ground.”
(UPDATE from Tim Archer via Facebook: “I have intel telling me there were three involved in 80, two of which have not been ID’ed.”) NEWER UPDATE: The daredevil artists were Archer, Scott Little and Mark Dailey, per a new source (See today’s Reader Comment for more info).
“Persons of Interest” for the Class of 1981’s contribution to the rapidly-filling Water Tower canvas would include Barry Tucker, the quarterback of the state championship football team, and Bob Andress, a defensive back on the “Champs of ’81.”
UPDATE Subscriber Ken Williams sent me a Trojan Myths article that confirms that “Shades ‘81” is what was painted on the water tower, although the class also dubbed itself “Champs” (since they were state champions). The Myths articles includes a photo of the “Shades” group - about 8 guys - all wearing shades in the photo.
Like Smith, Tucker has yet to make a full confession. As fate would have it, Tucker later became the chief investigator for the Alabama Bureau of Investigation.
Wrote Tucker on a Facebook thread that generated a flurry of activity yesterday:
“As a retired Special Agent with the ABI, I learned to remain silent regarding issues that I may or may not have plausible deniability. Bob may have more insight as to the aforementioned criminal activity.”
Lee Pittman, who grew up to be a high-ranking officer in the Air Force, may or may not have been the main crew member from “The Crew of ’82” (one of two class nicknames that rhyme).
Partial discloser: This correspondent may or may not know who painted “Sasquatian Dogs ’83” on the water tower.
Possible daredevil artists include David Floyd, Al Curtis and the late Charles Bradshaw (See upcoming Troy Citizen for details of this Spring 1983 caper and the backstory of this inspired class nickname).
Curtis can confirm how dangerous this prank was because David Floyd’s flash light may have come loose, fell 20 feet, and hit Al in the head as he was climbing down the ladder.
While not a confession, Al did volunteer on Facebook that “I still have scars today.”
It all ended with “ RAD” …
The tradition of painting the water tower might still be going on today if not for fortuitous developments that brought an abrupt end to this perilous rite of passage.
(Actually, the tradition was bound to end because there was no space left to paint class names on the water tower).
The CHHS Class of ’87 made history in several important ways.
For example, this was the first class where a gaggle of close-knit co-eds painted the water tower.
As one participant (who will remain nameless - but her initials may be VCG -) reported, “It was a party,” of up to 11 classmates, mostly girls, who played Picasso in Spring of ’87.
Furthermore, this group painted “RAD ’87” on the water tower “over two nights.”
Thirdly - and most significantly for this story - the accomplices decided to add the initials of the artists/participants.
Working from this intriguing clue, officers with the Troy Police Department were quickly able to identify the guilty parties.
Not only were all of the primary suspects called out of class to go to the dreaded principal’s office, they later all met their parents - at the police station!
Thus ended the tradition of painting class nicknames on the Fire House water tower.
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Denouement …
No doubt deciding “enough-is-enough-of-this-teenage-tradition stuff,” City employees promptly secured the entrance to the ladder.
As detailed in a footnote in the Reader Comments, a future professional painting project added a “Troy University” inscription on the football-stadium side of the water tower, a project that might have ignited a campus-wide beautification project.
For the historic record, RAD class members who participated in 1987’s red-letter event may have included Melinda Boothe Curtis, Virginia C. Green, Christy Clark Pittman, Elizabeth C. Stallworth, Beth Barnes, Betsy Jinright Leigner, as well as Chris Oliver, Dake Davis and James Jordan (among possible other classmates).
Per one source, Alison Williford Ellis was not there, but her initials were painted on the tower anyway (perhaps suggesting a possible frame job?)
While none served time at Holman Prison or at the juvenile prison in Mt. Meigs, all were ordered to perform community service for many Saturdays to come, including re-painting the bottom section of the water tower where the artists proudly left their initials.
Long-time Troy Police officer Benny Scarbrough supervised the weekend details.
According to one source, “Uncle Benny” often brought donuts to the high school convicts before they started that weekend’s penance.
Several sources reported they will never forget being called out of class and then meeting their parents - who were not amused - at the police station.
Still, at least for a few more months, their art work remained for all Trojans to see and admire.
One (possible) graffiti artist reports driving by the water tower after being questioned by detectives. Per this interview subject, her uncle - perhaps Manly Green - was in the car and said, “it takes some people longer to climb Fool’s Hill.”
Forty years later, Elizabeth Colquett Stallworth added her assessment.
“We were feral children back then!”
A final first-hand report from a possible accessory (me) …
Before artists ascended the water tower, they had to first scale a fence with barbed wire at the top.
On a Saturday night in late Spring 1983 - thank you, God - I had recently sprained my ankle so I was on crutches watching my friends climb the water tower. After they finished painting “Sasquatian Dogs ‘83” onto TWO sections of the tower, all three climbed down the 120-foot ladder.
After successfully descending this ladder, My friend Charles Bradshaw caught himself in the barbed wire of the fence that surrounded the Water tower and fell 10 feet to the ground right next to me (the “lookout.”)
In my mind’s ear, I can still hear the thud … but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a happier person in my life.
“What are you doing?” I asked Charles.
What Charles was doing was … kissing the ground!
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” said Charles.
… Monday morning at break, most CHHS students eschewed a trip to the Break Shack to get Twinkies and apple juice. Instead, most Trojans gathered between the 100 and 200 Buildings, looked up at the water tower and wondered what crazy Sasquatian Dogs did that. (I knew, but I wasn’t talking.)
The answer is nobody would have done that … unless some mythical figure known as “Moe Noodleman” hadn’t once been a student at the same school.
While it took almost five decades, the backstory of one of the great traditions in Troy history has now been declassified by The Troy Citizen on-line newspaper.
Water Tower By The Numbers …
12 - Number of human beings who’ve walked on the moon.
20 to 30 - Approximate number of CHHS alumni who have painted a class name on a water tower.
10 - CHHS graduating classes that painted the water tower.
7 - Number of water towers in Troy today.*
142 - In elevation, feet from the base of the tank to the top of the bowl of the water tower on George Wallace Avenue.*
Source: Ethan Mount of the Troy Utilities Department
A few of the Sasquatian Dogs
Mike Tedder (far right) coined the term “Sasquatian Dog,” a zany term which became so popular with members of the Class of ’83 that a few of them painted it on the water tower. Also pictured (left to right) Bill Rice, Jr., Al Curtis (who may have been a part of the painting detail), Philip Walters and Mike, who is now a pastor at a church in Florida. (Photo, from school yearbook, compliments of Mike Tedder.)
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UPDATE (Nov. 3, 2024) ….
NEW INFORMATION: Did the Class of ‘88 pull off a secret coup and paint the water tower again?
New information has emerged - from a source deemed highly credible - which suggests the CHHS Class of ’87 was NOT the last CHHS class to paint the water tower.
Per this source, who asked to remain anonymous, the Class of ’88 pulled off a daring and audacious mission and painted the Water Tower the following year - information that has remained “classified” with the public until this very day!
According to this source, who said he/she was not part of the painting crew, the Class of ’87 and ’88 had a long-time rivalry that was maybe friendly, but maybe not.
According to a written statement forwarded to this reporter:
“Yes they were RAD 87 …. We were BAD 88 with ‘HangLoose’ as our Mantra.
“… The BAD part was intentional because it really seemed to get under their skin and fueled the much-loved drama.
“… As we started to plan our assault on the Water Tower, someone alerted authorities and the jib was up. At the time, rumor had it that the Class of ’87 played a role in alerting authorities … but the truth was it was one of our teachers who found out and was concerned about the well-being of all involved and the danger of the whole thing.
“… Obviously the rumor of Class of 87 ‘snitching’ got a lot of traction … The plan was to leave “RAD 87” on the water tower and paint “HangLoose” with the hand gesture for HangLoose just off to the right side but, once the “they-snitched” rumor took hold, a new plan was devised.
“There was some extra patrolling being done by TPD as well as Troy State Police (their office was right beside the water tower) so it was decided to assault the tower on a Sunday night if memory serves …
“The new plan was simple and, in our young minds, the final stake into the heart of 87: Change R to B and 7 to 8. That night “RAD 87” became “BAD 88” with a small HangLoose hand to boot …”
The rest of the account proves why this tradition definitely needed to end … and pronto:
“One of the assaulters had a Wal-Mart flashlight slip from his back pocket on the way down and hit a fellow juvenile, who was already on the ground at the bottom of the ladder, in the head, knocking him briefly unconscious.
“I might be a little off on some minor details but this is a factual story. It was truly a remarkable coup and the names of the innocent must remain unknown simply because no one was ever caught. The most suspected rabble rousers all had alibis that checked out during questioning and the feat was pulled off by a handful of brave members of BAD 88. It was just a great testament to the closeness of our class and lessons learned from RAD 87.”
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The following statement was released by Dan Smith:
While I can neither confirm nor deny that I was involved in the painting of the water tower adjacent to Charles Henderson High School, I will thank you for this opportunity to hopefully provide some insight into the atrocities of that cool Spring evening of 1977, with temperatures in the low to bid 60's, winds light and variable, barometric pressure at about 30.85 and steady, with visibility being reported as unlimited at the Troy Regional Airport, while at the same time clearing my good name and character of said deed.
All of us Seniors of 1977 held that pristine, battle-ship gray water tower without blemish in the highest of regard, and would have never dreamed of two young men climbing that spire, as one young man had a wire metal handle of a half-gallon of red paint clinched between his teeth as he climbed, while the other held tightly to a mop as the ascent began.
As anyone with the Class of 1977 will tell you, I was an aspiring writer of a comic strip in The Trojan Myths, with the main character being Moe Noodleman.
Moe had quite the following, and as Herman Gunter is my witness, Moe even came in second place in SGA voting that year, as a write-in candidate.
So it stands to reason that someone would climb that tower, paint Moe '77 in red letters, and blame immediately be cast in the direction not only of myself, but my innocent friends Larry Grant and Randy Pemberton.
Anyone that knew Randy, Larry and myself back in those days, knows that we were likely at the library, studying as we always were, for the sake of our love and respect for that gem atop a hill.
To this day, Randy, Larry and I continue our search for the "Real Painters."
… I hope this clears up many of the false accusations I have had to endure over the last 47 years. - Dan Smith.
UPDATE (5:40 p.m): I added another photo showing the bottom of the water tower in 1987. This was key evidence for Troy Police Department detectives assigned to the case.