USA > Georgia > Coffee County > Ward's History of Coffee County > Part 15
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glittering uniforms of the general and his staff, their courtly manners, and the sorrows they expressed over the surrender.
The Fussell Family
The great tract of land lying in Coffee County, coming from the west, was owned by the Fussell family. A granddaughter in this family married Mr. Daniel Newbern, and their children were: Emma, Winnie, Billy, Dan, Jesse and Eula. Two of these, Mrs. Micajah Vickers (Winnie) and Mrs. Cottingham (Eula) now live in Douglas.
Another granddaughter, Miss Mary Fussell, married Mr. Duncan McLean, and they still live on a section of these lands. Mrs. M. F. Head, who was Mary Ella McLean, lives in Douglas.
The new road leading to the bridge at Jacksonville Ferry passes through these lands, the old fields of which were among the most fertile and most diligently cultivated "Befo' de Wah."
Plantation Memories
About three miles out from the river, which is at Sapp's Still on this road, there is a ridge from which may be seen the blue hills of Telfair County across the river. At some points this is a beautiful panorama which spreads out before one on clear days. It is only of these plantations in this valley that I make mention.
The McLean Family
The next plantation to the east of my father was the Archibald McLean estate. These were Scotch
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people, and were great sheep raisers. A sheep shear- ing at their river home was one of the festive occasions of the eighties.
The tombstone at Oak Grove Cemetery has these two inscriptions : "Archibald McLean, born March 16, 1818. Died January 6, 1900." "Margaret Ann Mc- Lean, died February 4, 1888, aged 46 years, 4 months, and 11 days."
The latter was a daughter of Mr. Duncan McRae, of Telfair County, a member of the Scotch colony that settled that county in 1807. She grieved sadly over the death of their eldest son, Albert, who was killed in battle near Griffin, Ga., during the War Between the States, in 1864. He was a member of Company B, Artillery Battalion.
The other children were Flora Ella, Mary, John, Duncan, Anderson, and Frank.
The youngest, Frank, married Miss Ophelia Graham, of Telfair County, January 22, 1890, and their "Infare" at the McLean home following the marriage was one of the festive occasions of that period. She was a most lovable person, and was ever afterward a friend of my mother, a good neighbor and church member.
Their children were: Walter, Edna, Frank, Lola Mae, Roy, Jewell, Oscar, and John. Walter died early, and Frank was in service in the World War twenty- two months, eighteen of which were spent in France, while Roy was in service eighteen months, spending eleven months in France. They have been residents of Douglas for some years.
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Reverend Monroe Wilcox
The first wife of Reverend Monroe Wilcox was Miss Mary Wooten, and her simple marker at Oak Grove has this inscription : "Mary Wilcox, born Feb. 28th, 1835, died June 16, 1887."
Their children were Augustus and Marvin, and the following daughters: Pet, William Hogan, of Mystic; Katherine, named T. L. Pickern; Elizabeth, named M. E. Yarbough, who died; and Cora, now Mrs. Wil- liam Denton.
This good man served Oak Grove Church for many years, and his son, Gus, who died about 1926, kept the church and Sunday school going after all of the old river families had moved away, his family still being devoted to its welfare.
Beyond Rocky Creek
Next to the Mclean estate was the plantation be- longing to Aunt Narcissa Frier, formerly Mrs. William Ashley. Then came the treacherous and turbulent Rocky Creek, beyond which I know very little. There were the families of Wiley Byrd, Abraham Minchew, John Pickern, Colonel Manning, Colonel Hammond, Matt Ashley, the Paces, Taylors, Currys, Hinsons, and many others.
Colonel Manning married an Ashley, I think a sister of Matt Ashley. I heard people speak of the large number of slaves he owned before the war. There was considerable wealth on this portion of the river road, which, of course, was wiped out with the freeing of the slaves in 1863, and practically all of the old families drifted away from their plantations and left them in the hands of strangers.
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Speaking of Rocky Creek, which was practically the dividing line of the two sections of the river road, one is charmed with the wild beauty of this stream, for it is one of ruggedness and mystery.
The Picnic Rocks
Its ruggedness begins with the great grey boulders of the picnic rocks, known in former times as "falling waters," for there was quite a water fall at this spot which was near the home of Major McNeill, one of the pioneer naval stores operators from Robeson County, North Carolina, who gave the place its name.
From there on to the Ocmulgee River, there were two great cliffs lining each side of a wooded stretch through which this stream flowed, great grey boulders with crevasses in them, and others poised perilously on top of each other just as though there had been a great upheaval there in the days gone by.
Dr. McCallie, State Geologist, once said that such conditions indicated oil beneath a surface. At any rate, it excites the wonder of visitors to see these great boulders balanced as though they might topple over, but never do.
The River Boats
I recall the steamboats on the Ocmulgee, some of them being the "City of Macon," "City of Hawkins- ville," and "Lumber City," the latter being the prop- erty, I think, of Captain Eli Wilcox.
Captain John L. Day, of Lumber City, had a line of steamboats named for his children, the "Tommy Day," the "Ida Barrett," and the "John L. Day." Later he built a more pretentious boat and named it for his son who had died, "The Harry G. Day."
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There was quite a celebration when this boat made its first trip up as far as old Jacksonville Ferry, which was almost opposite our plantation. The new boat was in charge of Captain Charley Phillips, and he treated the entire village of Jacksonville and its countryside to a free ride back to Barrows Bluff, on our side, for a fish fry.
Flowers Blossom Unseen
However, neither visitors nor natives venture very far in this wild solitude because it is known as a refuge for rattlesnakes and wild goats that scamper away at the sight of a human being.
Great magnolias, white dogwood, wild azaleas, grandfathers beard, Judas tree, crabapple, wild phlox, purple violets, and other woodland beauties, each spring blossom unseen along this stream, for it is in spring that it "goes on a rampage," and halts the motorist or traveler of any kind, for no bridge had been built over it when I last saw it.
During the War Between the States, those who would not fight hid out in the rocks, searchers almost catching a group of them once in a cave known as "The Billy Goat House," where their fire was found still burning. Heavy rains in recent years have filled in the caves to a great extent, and perhaps in years to come they may be hidden in drifting sand.
The Big Fish Fry
The fish were caught and prepared by Mr. Tony Howell and Mr. John McLean, whose naval stores products furnished the boats with chief cargoes.
Happy negro men fried the fish, cooked the bread, made lemonade with "Boughten Ice," families
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brought great hampers filled with good things to eat, and altogether it was one of the most notable and festive occasions of that period.
The big boat with its bright red roofs and fresh white painted sides, grey decks and big water wheel delighted my young mind as we all went aboard in line to inspect its plush carpeted cabin, state rooms, dining hall, and upper decks. It was one of the most memorable occasions people had enjoyed since "Befo' de Wah."
The Old House
This old house in which I was born was a double- pen log affair ceiled inside with wide, smooth boards, and weatherboarded outside, porch all the way across front, shed room and side porch, and previously the big kitchen had been set quite a distance from the house, in case of fire it was easier to save one or the other. There was a dining room adjoining the kitchen for good weather, and another indoors for unpleasant weather.
From time to time portions of the original dwelling had been torn away and the good lumber utilized in adding necessary rooms for our family. Lumber was not available then, all this having been sawn at Lumber City and floated up on barges, and all the bricks for the chimney and tall pillars had been made in Macon and hauled down in wagons.
Rooms were designated as "Cousin Lizzie's old room," "Mary and Ellen's room," the "Preacher's room," and the "Company room," and so on. Later a kitchen and "Blow way" were added and the old kitchen converted into a dairy.
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The Cotton Industry
Raising cotton was still the order of the day when my father, Capt. Boyd, began his married life on the plantation. And although the old gin houses and storage houses had fallen into a state of decay when I first began to observe operations, the old loom house was in a fair state of preservation, and considerable weaving was done by my mother, aunts, and my oldest sister. There were wonderful bedspreads, heavy white cloth, and "Blue Jeans."
Working thread into "hanks" for the loom on the old warping bars was a delight to me. And the spinning wheel was ever a source of fascination to us. Carding bats of white, fluffy new cotton with which to pad quilts was, also, most intriguing, and gathering indigo for dye furnished us many happy excursions into the woods and blossoming hedges.
My father carried his cotton in wagons to market. It brought anywhere from four to six cents, which could not have helped much with our finances.
Old Slave Quarters
The old slave quarters had fallen into a state of decay, and many houses had been torn away to re- build a sufficient number for our use, leaving a row of old wells and chimney mounds.
The slaves had literally played "Turn over the Fruit Basket" in their restlessness, so that the old ones moved away and we had a remnant of the Hatton and McArthur negroes from across the river, and the Hammonds, Mannings and others of our side.
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An orphaned colored child reared by Aunt Narcissa Frier, and who was her little body servant up to the time of her death, lives in Fitzgerald at the present time, and is an excellent seamstress and is well edu- cated. The majority of them were trained to be excellent cooks, laundry women and seamstresses.
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The Ku Klux Klan
The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan has become a permanent, nationwide organization comprising mil- lions of the best citizens of the nation.
The Douglas Klan No. 105 Realm of Georgia. Konklave assembled pledge and adopt the following resolutions as part of the program for the year 1930 :
A firm defense of the Constitution of the United States and to assist in creating in the minds of the people a finer, better understanding and appreciation of what it means to live under the Glorious American Flag.
1. To aid in a strict law enforcement program.
2. To assist and co-operate with city and county officials in the apprehension of bootleggers, rum runners and whiskey makers.
3. To assist and support any movement which will furnish and provide healthful and wholesome recrea- tion for the young people.
4. To defend, patronize, support and attend all Protestant American Churches and Institutions, par- ticularly the Churches and Public Schools.
5. To uphold and defend the Holy Bible as it is written.
6. The unwavering devotion to our sacred duty as Klansmen.
"In the name of our fathers, for our country, our homes and each other."
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The Douglas Cemetery
The Douglas Cemetery is one of the most beautiful in South Georgia. It is located about a mile north of the city. It is on high, rolling land. A great deal of attention has been given the cemetery by the ladies of Douglas. Several years ago the cemetery was planted with trees and shrubbery. Some of the trees are : Arborvitae, Juniper trees, but the most beautiful of all are the tall trees called Italian Cypress. They grow forty and fifty feet high. The limbs are very short and cling to the body of the tree. They are very beautiful and very scarce in South Georgia. The Douglas Cemetery has scores of them.
The ladies of Douglas have an organization, the pur- pose of which is to keep the cemetery clean and to keep everything in order on the grounds. This ceme- tery is not an old cemetery and is not as large as some other cemeteries in Georgia, but is so well kept and the tombstones are so beautiful and so varied that they lend a charming beauty to the grounds that few other cemeteries have. Perhaps it is the only cemetery in South Georgia that has a mausoleum. Those contained in the mausoleum are : John Marshall Ashley, born July 31st, 1861, and died October 28th, 1916. John Marshall Ashley, Jr., born February 4th, 1915, died October 24th, 1916. John Wooten Clements, born October 15th, 1848, died March 31st, 1925. Isabel McRae Clemens, born October 17th, 1851, died August 21st, 1929. John R. Slater, died Sept. 7th, 1930, age 38 years.
Other persons buried in the cemetery are: Joe F. Gaskin, Private 328 Inf. 82nd Division (World War), died October 13th, 1918. John Tanner, born January 8th, 1881, died March 1st, 1928. Harrison Kirkland,
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born January 6th, 1866, and died March 19th, 1929. Daniel Vickers, born May 28th, 1873, died July 7th, 1919. J. I. Hatfield, born December 14th, 1861, died August 7th, 1920. Oscar Rudolph, born June 13th, 1861, died May 26th, 1929. Alexander Jardine, born September 3rd, 1866, died August 4th, 1913. R. J. Cornelius, born 1887, died 1927. Mrs. Frances Over- street, born May 6th, 1872, died January 17th, 1919. Alice Clemens Terrell, born April 7th, 1873, died August 26th, 1917. Boyce Gaskin, wife of W. M. Gaskin, born February 23rd, 1848, died October 4th, 1910. Fannie Lott, wife of Daniel Lott, born February 28th, 1815, died October 28th, 1897. Daniel Lott, died June 19th, 1872, age 77 years. Lucinda Lott, died
March 17th, 1848, age 51 years. John M. Lott, Sr., born 1831, died October 6th, 1907. Mrs. Mary Jane Lott, born January 28th, 1837, died December 11th, 1910. Henry Peterson (Hal), died November 11th, 1878, 57 years of age. Martha Peterson, died February 11th, 1905, 76 years of age. Benajah Peterson, born April 10th, 1860, died August 1st, 1915. Minnie V. Sellers, born August 5th, 1859, died March 10,
1912. Willis McDonald, born July 8th, 1871, died October 15th, 1906. Annie Henson Kirkland, wife of V. W. Kirkland, born November 26th, 1859, and died September 8th, 1915. Frank L. Sweat, born March 19th, 1866, and died September 16th, 1915. B. H. Tanner, born March 17th, 1861, died December 24th, 1920. Rosa Ann Tanner, born October 27th, 1867, and died December 17th, 1910. Mother Brice was born October 2nd, 1846, and died September 18th, 1915.
David H. Kirkland was one of the first merchants in the town of Douglas. The Kirkland store stood
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about where the Chevrolet place now stands. He was born in 1835 and died February 15th, 1865. He was the first man who was buried in the Douglas Ceme- tery. George R. Briggs was born December 29th, 1839, died October 12th, 1924. Sallie Peterson, the wife of Henry Peterson, died 1891. Rev. C. W. Infinger was born August 22nd, 1856, died March 23rd, 1896. Tobitha T. Infinger was born December 27th, 1849, died January 1st, 1923. R. G. Kirkland was born October 13th, 1860, died March 22nd, 1920. John McLean was born January 5th, 1860, and died May 15th, 1909. Judge Calvin A. Ward was born December 20th, 1857, and died April 18th, 1926. Emma J. Ward was born February 18th, 1866, and died March 19th, 1921. Desdemonia Ward was born 1847, died May 3rd, 1902.
Dr. Henry C. Whelchel, born in Hall County, Geor- gia, in 1861, and died 1929. Maggie F. Goodyear, born April 15th, 1862, and died September 10th, 1926. Duncan S. Goodyear, born November 1st, 1857, died January 17th, 1929. Thomas Shelton Deen, born Sep- tember 11th, 1855, died October 11th, 1901. Mary E. Deen, wife of T. S. Deen, born January 30th, 1856, died August 12th, 1918. Thomas S. Price, born 1870, died 1927. Lula Drew Price, born 1879, died 1927. Captain John W. Price, born February 31st, 1839, died March 5th, 1922. Sarah A. Ward, born May 3rd, 1834, died October 26th, 1918. Widow of John F. Ward, Company C, 50th Georgia. "Who now sleeps in an unknown grave near Fredericksburg, Virginia." A beautiful Confederate flag is carved on the slab cover- ing this grave. Annie Canova Ward was born June 4th, 1867, died January 29th, 1926.
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The Public Schools
In the early days of Coffee County and before the War Be- tween the States, there were very few and very poor schools. Most of the teaching was done by a class of tran- sient teachers whose learning was limited to the rudiments of PROF. MELVIN TANNER Superintendent County Schools of Coffee County. the three R's-Read- ing, 'Riting and Rithmetic-a n d whose powers of dis- cipline lay largely in their ability to wield the rod. During the four years of the war, practically no schools were operated. The period of reconstruction witnessed little change for the better. With the adoption of the State Constitution in 1877 provisions were made for a system of common schools for giving instruction in the elementary branches of an English education to be paid for through state appropriations made and authorized by the Legislature.
Gradually the school spirit in Coffee County began to rise. J. Monroe Wilcox, a local Methodist minister, a saintly man, and a progressive citizen, was elected County School Commissioner by the newly constituted County Board of Education.
The meager state income being the only means of
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public support, the schools established were taught in country churches and in little log buildings erected through community co-operation. The school term was limited to three months, taught largely through the summer. Few teachers were paid more than twenty- five dollars per month. The Commissioner and Board of Education paid off annually, usually the first Mon- day in January.
Following the administration of Commissioner Wil- cox, W. B. Tarrent succeeded to the office, followed by W. H. Love, Malcom Meeks, John Fussell, Jeff Kirk- land, Melvin Tanner, J. H. Williams, J. G. Floyd, H. C. Roberts, and again Melvin Tanner, the present incumbent.
In the year 1900, Coffee, then the largest in area, 1123 square miles, of any county in the state, had eighty white schools and forty colored. The income for the support of this large number aggregated ap- proximately $8,000.00. Five years later, 1905, the number of schools, white and colored, had been re- duced to about eighty. The income by this time had grown to $12,113.41, all derived from the state.
About the year 1900 the city of Douglas, through Legislative Act, established an independent, or local system.
Broxton and Nicholls also established local systems which operated as independent units until 1927, when Broxton by vote of its citizens came back into the County School System. In 1929 Nicholls followed suit. Douglas continues to operate as an independent system.
Until 1911, the county schools had no income other than the state appropriation. In this year the citizens
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voted to levy a countywide school tax not exceeding five mills, the constitutional limit under what was then known as the McMichael Act. Up to this time no effort had been made to give high school instruction in the schools comprising the County System.
Through consolidation there are now five local tax districts in the county, viz: Ambrose, Broxton, Nicholls, Pridgen, and West Green. There are also two county line units-Lax and Temperance-that have voted local district tax. Nicholls District main- tains a Senior High School on the state accredited list. The other local tax districts are maintaining Junior High Schools operating eight months.
More than four hundred pupils are enrolled in the high school departments. The income from all sources including district tax for school year 1929-30 aggre- gated approximately $65,000.00.
The public school system of Georgia and Coffee County was based on the Constitution of 1877. Before that time the schools were operated by the parents of the pupils. All sorts of books were used, some of which are as follows: "Webster's Blue Back Spelling Book," was used in all the schools. It was a great book. Full of information of all sorts. The principles of spelling and reading were taught in this book; in fact, it was a standard spelling book in the schools of that day. Among other books was "Smith's Arith- metic," "Smith's Grammar," "McGuffie's Readers," etc.
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A slate and a pencil were used for working math- ematies. Copies set by the teacher and sometimes Copy Books for writing were used. A black board was seldom seen in a school room. The main work in the school was to teach the three R's, Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmetic. The three R's have now developed into "Rah, Rah, Rah." Another book in use at that time was the Confederate Speller. It was after the order of the Blue Back Speller, but not as large a book. Much of the reading matter was quotations from "Poor Richard." I will give you a sample as I remem- ber it :
"He that will steal an egg will steal an ox."
"Never buy a thing because it is cheap."
"Pride goes before a fall."
"A rolling stone never gathers any moss."
"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
"When Adam was created,
He dwelt in Eden's shade
As Moses has related,
Ten thousand times ten thousand
Creatures swarmed around,
Before any bride was made, Or any Mate was found."
"God has a thousand musicians on every hill and ten thousand in every valley."
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Teachers Coffee County Public Schools, 1930-31
Ambrose School
Mr. W. M. Melton, Mr. Thomas Gregory, Miss Alma Watson, Miss Ruby Smith, Miss Polly Fletcher, Miss Julia Harper, Miss Lydia Vickers, Miss Maxie Mixon, Miss Gussie Mixon.
Broxton School
Mr. D. Foster, Mr. J. W. McCallum, Miss Beulah Harden, Mrs. E. J. Newbern, Miss Hanna Neal Jones, Miss Lucille Keene, Miss Mattie Talley, Miss Zella Barwick, Mrs. Rubye Brown, Miss Frances Cason, Miss Irma Willis, Miss Gladys Kilpatrick, Miss Emma Blount, Mrs. J. W. McCallum, Miss Gladys DuBose.
Nicholls School
Mr. V. E. Glenn, Mr. Clement Carton, Miss Marion Laine, Mr. E. M. Thompson, Miss Beatrice Meeks, Miss Miriam Anderson, Miss Alice Parker, Mrs. Stanley Martin, Miss Maude Griswold, Miss Rita Taylor, Mrs. A. P. Meeks, Mr. E. D. Gilliard.
West Green School
Mr. J. O. Wingard, Mr. Jim Tom Bush, Mrs. Jim Tom Bush, Miss Mildred G. Carmichael, Miss Elvira Jackson, Miss Erma Cross, Mrs. J. O. Wingard, Mrs. L. L. Denton.
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Pridgen School
Mr. E. M. Horne, Miss Lucille Lewis, Miss Arloa Pridgen, Miss Blanche England.
Rocky Creek School
Mrs. W. C. Smith.
Rocky Pond School
Mr. E. C. Wideman, Mrs. W. J. Cavenaugh, Miss Rubye Burkett.
New Forest School
Mr. M. B. Allman, Miss Lucille Douglas, Miss Johnnie Byrd.
Sears School
Mr. Ira Moore, Mrs. Myrtle Harrell Gillis.
Stokesville School
Mrs. Estelle Robinette, Miss Vera Gillis, Miss Estelle Gillis.
Ward School
Mrs. W. R. Vickers, Mr. Felder Vickers, Miss Ger- trude Kirkland.
Vickers School
Mrs. D. P. Mckay, Miss Beatrice Vinson.
Vickers Chapel
Mrs. Dorris Brown, Miss Bonnie Sumner.
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St. Illa School
Miss Lillian Tanner, Miss Gladys Griffis.
Salem School
Mrs. Fisher Gaskin, Miss Annie Clough, Miss Myrtice Griffis.
Sunny Side School
Mrs. J. S. Wilkerson, Miss Vida Lou Kight.
McClelland School
Mr. Pittman Vickers, Miss Bessie Butler.
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Douglas Public School Teachers
High School
Mr. J. L. Fortney, Supt .; Mr. F. M. Chalker, Prin .; Mr. J. A. Pulley, Coach; Miss Esther Strong, Super- visor ; Miss Elizabeth Neal, Supervisor, Public School Music ; Miss Miriam Edwards, Teacher of Expression ; Miss Vivian Smith, Teacher of Piano; Miss Elizabeth Voigt, Librarian; Miss Agnes Saunders, Dom. Science ; Miss Mary Stanford, Latin; Miss Marion Coile, His- tory; Miss Willie Pearl Davis, French; Miss Agnes McNair, Math.
Elementary
Miss Marion DuBose, Miss Myrtle Jackson, Mrs. Esther Clements, Miss Melva Coffee, Mrs. Milton Cole,
-
Miss Fannie Mae Norman, Miss Blanche Thornton, Mrs. G. L. Spivey, Miss Olive Rogers.
Primary
Mrs. Melvin Tanner, Miss Sybil Shelnutt, Miss Corinne Jackson, Miss Nora Huss, Miss Lola Mae Mc- Lean, Miss Lucy Hall, Miss Carolyn Hall, Miss Eliza- beth Brown.
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South Georgia State College
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