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.
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.
As I’ve mentioned before, my grand-father’s entire family is from Jacksonville, and I’m rather versed in Troy. I love your style of regional journalism. It turns out that our culture is both reflected and preserved in our media. God bless the Rices.
My Rices are from Erwin, TN. My family there is the Goreys. There is an author at the university of Alabama who has written about Jacksonville, and I’ve reached out to him.
I also note that, beginning in 1978, five successive graduating class nicknames started with the letter C. After the Moe Gang started the tradition, the "Cronies" started the C-letter class tradition. (This might be explained by the fact Charles Henderson High School - aka "Chuck High" - starts with a letter C).
Alas, my class of '83 departed from this tradtition with the "Sasquatian Dogs." After us, no class used a C-name for their nickname.
BTW, spelling "Sasquation Dogs" was a challenge in itself ... and took a lot more paint!
... I didn't mention it in my story, but the CHHS Class of 1988 might have plotted to continue the tradition even with all of the extra security and safety measures now employed at the base of the tower. Fortunately, this did not happen. However (per multiple sources), if the tradition had continued - and for the record - the Class of 1988's nickname/mantra - what WOULD have been painted on the Water Tower - was "Hang Loose."
Greg Wilkes added some excellent details about the "Moe Noodleman Gang," circa 1977. He said it all started in Mrs. Swisher's journalism class:
The Moe Noodleman Gang, class of 1977. Much to Mrs Swisher’s chagrin, MNG was born in her journalism class in 1976.
Some of its members spent considerable time at the Zippy Mart (Now a Japanese restaurant) banging away on the Red Baron pinball machine while out selling ads for the school paper, Trojan Myths.
MNG was also known to plant false announcements on the school’s morning intercom during homeroom.
Our vice principal was fond of reading out out car tag numbers and vehicle descriptions that needed to be moved to their correct parking places, only to become flustered one morning when she read out the info for her own car, courtesy of the Moe Noodleman Gang.
A story I wrote for Troy Life magazine on the transformation of Troy University’s campus shows that this very water tower might have gotten the beautification momentum started.
By all accounts, Janice Hawkins spear-headed the effort to beautify the grounds of Troy University (now considered “Alabama’s most beautiful campus,” a claim I think is true.)
I interviewed Mrs. Hawkins and she related a story from the Hawkins’ first year in Troy in late 1989.
Excerpt:
“Mrs. Hawkins was enjoying a campus walk with friend and long-time faculty member Dr. Phil Kelley when they stopped to rest at the football stadium. While sitting on the bleachers, Mrs. Hawkins looked over at the water tower located between CHHS and the fire station.
“If we could only get that water tower painted and at least add a Troy University logo,” she told Kelley.
Kelley proceeded to give his friend a pep talk, imploring her to “not get discouraged.”
Soon after this, Mrs. Hawkins had a conversation with then Troy Mayor Jimmy Lunsford and secured a commitment to re-paint the water tower.
“I was so excited,” she says.
***
After making the water tower prettier, Mrs. Hawkins was off and running on other projects!
(The City of Troy then went “all-in” on impressive water towers with its beautiful water tower on Highway 231 probably one of Troy’s best-known landmarks today).
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.
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.
Now that is an EPIC TALE!
As I’ve mentioned before, my grand-father’s entire family is from Jacksonville, and I’m rather versed in Troy. I love your style of regional journalism. It turns out that our culture is both reflected and preserved in our media. God bless the Rices.
Thank you, John. I wonder if we are related?
My Rices are from Erwin, TN. My family there is the Goreys. There is an author at the university of Alabama who has written about Jacksonville, and I’ve reached out to him.
I cannot stop laughing at "and because the statute of limitations has long since expired..."
Here's one from Australia that involves abseiling over the edge of a cliff tethered to a jeep: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-04/castle-hill-saint-story-immortalised-in-new-book/101500820
not just a little spray can stuck in somebody's back pocket, but a whole gallon of house paint and a mop
now that's gangsta!
I also note that, beginning in 1978, five successive graduating class nicknames started with the letter C. After the Moe Gang started the tradition, the "Cronies" started the C-letter class tradition. (This might be explained by the fact Charles Henderson High School - aka "Chuck High" - starts with a letter C).
Alas, my class of '83 departed from this tradtition with the "Sasquatian Dogs." After us, no class used a C-name for their nickname.
BTW, spelling "Sasquation Dogs" was a challenge in itself ... and took a lot more paint!
... I didn't mention it in my story, but the CHHS Class of 1988 might have plotted to continue the tradition even with all of the extra security and safety measures now employed at the base of the tower. Fortunately, this did not happen. However (per multiple sources), if the tradition had continued - and for the record - the Class of 1988's nickname/mantra - what WOULD have been painted on the Water Tower - was "Hang Loose."
Greg Wilkes added some excellent details about the "Moe Noodleman Gang," circa 1977. He said it all started in Mrs. Swisher's journalism class:
The Moe Noodleman Gang, class of 1977. Much to Mrs Swisher’s chagrin, MNG was born in her journalism class in 1976.
Some of its members spent considerable time at the Zippy Mart (Now a Japanese restaurant) banging away on the Red Baron pinball machine while out selling ads for the school paper, Trojan Myths.
MNG was also known to plant false announcements on the school’s morning intercom during homeroom.
Our vice principal was fond of reading out out car tag numbers and vehicle descriptions that needed to be moved to their correct parking places, only to become flustered one morning when she read out the info for her own car, courtesy of the Moe Noodleman Gang.
A different era of misspent youth…
A story I wrote for Troy Life magazine on the transformation of Troy University’s campus shows that this very water tower might have gotten the beautification momentum started.
By all accounts, Janice Hawkins spear-headed the effort to beautify the grounds of Troy University (now considered “Alabama’s most beautiful campus,” a claim I think is true.)
I interviewed Mrs. Hawkins and she related a story from the Hawkins’ first year in Troy in late 1989.
Excerpt:
“Mrs. Hawkins was enjoying a campus walk with friend and long-time faculty member Dr. Phil Kelley when they stopped to rest at the football stadium. While sitting on the bleachers, Mrs. Hawkins looked over at the water tower located between CHHS and the fire station.
“If we could only get that water tower painted and at least add a Troy University logo,” she told Kelley.
Kelley proceeded to give his friend a pep talk, imploring her to “not get discouraged.”
Soon after this, Mrs. Hawkins had a conversation with then Troy Mayor Jimmy Lunsford and secured a commitment to re-paint the water tower.
“I was so excited,” she says.
***
After making the water tower prettier, Mrs. Hawkins was off and running on other projects!
(The City of Troy then went “all-in” on impressive water towers with its beautiful water tower on Highway 231 probably one of Troy’s best-known landmarks today).