Page 42 - October 2023 Issue.indd

Remembering Max everything imaginable using the life
of George Washington as a backdrop,
Chambers from the cherry tree tale to the French
and Indian War to Valley Forge -- and
by Chad Dean then again from winning the War for
Independence to symbolically handing
We need another Max Chambers, who over his sword to the Constitutional
was born in the year 1900. Convention that used him as the frame-
work for what a president should be.
For those of you who were not yet born
The spectacle even concluded with a
or not yet living here when he was in
joint performance from members of the
his prime, I will bring you up to speed.
CRHS and NCHS marching bands, who
For much of the 20th Century, Caroline
surprised the packed house by high-
County benefitted from the presence of

stepping through the North Caroline

a firecracker of a gentleman with limit-
auditorium doors in formal parade attire
less energy, ideas, and a desire to serve.
playing a rousing medley of patriotic
I encountered Max late in his life and
tunes. I can still vividly see the standing
early in mine, but of course the X-Y
ovation and hear the robustly enthusi-
axis intersection could only be at one

astic cheers in my memory. The quintessential Max Chambers
predictable junction: local history.
As a ten year old, I enjoyed a bird’s eye
An octogenarian with no concept of in itself is not overly spectacular though
view of the proceedings. I was some-
“retirement” age, Chambers produced certainly commendable; what impressed
how cast as young George Washington
an original stage production called me most was the annual CCHS banquet
without even auditioning or knowing
“A Debt of Gratitude” that saluted the menus Chambers lorded over as its long-
that such a production was in the works;
federal bicentennial in April of 1989. time president. Based on old county
they needed a kid so I was willingly

What a show it was. The play covered newspaper reports I have archived over

and eagerly drafted into service. To this the years, it seems as though the society
day, despite declaring in third grade went to great lengths to serve authentic
that I would be a historian for a living, period dishes as a nod to the stately
I have no idea who suggested me but I colonial roots of Caroline: suckling pig,
enjoyed my time in the spotlight just sugar-cured hog jowl, Cornish hens,
the same. I could not tell a lie as the diamondback terrapin stew, Scottish
child version of GW, but I could sing broth, winter cress, cracked hominy,
a solo: my couple bars of “I Would Be giblet gravy, pumpkin tarts, and shrub
True” assuredly stole the show. Or not. cocktails were just some of the culinary
What ended up being most memorable options while Max was in charge. I wish
for me, other than angrily missing a I had a time machine for the food alone,
baseball practice for dress rehearsal, was but I will settle for knowing that my
meeting a number of iconic Caroline grandfather served a turn as president
County movers and shakers including aft er Max had stepped down to focus
Max Chambers himself. That genera- on his many other projects. Maybe one
tion of local leadership is almost entirely day I will be aff orded the same oppor-
deceased now and sorely missed. Very tunity, and if so, our membership will
few people in positions of influence eat quite well.
today remember or understand how
things used to be here; now you know Back to Max and his Caroline County
why I entered the public arena when I dance card. Believe me, Chambers had

did and continue to fight for all forms myriad other projects. Local newspaper
of historic preservation. editors must have been fascinated by
him and thankful for the content he

The aforementioned event was not the generated because almost every issue

first history rodeo for Chambers; some in my collection has at least one quote
three decades before, it was Max who from him or a story about any one of
founded the Caroline County Histori- a number of his irons in the fire; this
cal Society. Apparently he had a fl air for went on for decades. Though far from

the dramatic. The organization meeting a complete listing and in no real order,

drew at least one hundred people to the here are some of the notable contribu-
Denton High School auditorium. Th at tions Max made to the community:
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