The Messenger

March 22, 2005




Evidence of the late Col. James R. Blackwell's love for the West stands on the campus of Madisonville Community College.




The bronze sculpture "Repentance," located between the John H. Gray Building and Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, was dedicated Monday in Blackwell's memory.




"It's a true honor to be here today with family and friends who knew my dad," Nancy Blackwell said, blinking back tears. "Those of you who knew him, know he always had a story."




His love of the West grew from a family trip to Colorado in the early 1970s. He was later transferred to Denver with the U.S. Air Force.




"Having the statue here in Madisonville hopefully will open up an invitation to see the West," Nancy said. "It was very dear to our dad, and we leave it in Madisonville, where he wanted it to be."





Blackwell -known as "The Colonel" - was born in Sturgis and graduated from Madisonville High School before making a career with the Air Force.




He first saw the statue during a trip to Santa Fe after his retirement.




Blackwell contacted artist Walt Horton and asked to have one made.




"Repentance" tells the story of an encounter between a little boy who is hunting and a bear he encounters. The boy sends an arrow into the bear's rear end, then as the shaft dangles out of the bear, who is scarcely injured, he hides the bow behind his back.




The 5-foot sculpture stood in Blackwell's Madisonville backyard for several years. It was moved to MCC in September 2004, three months after Blackwell's death. The gift, valued at $90,000, was made as part of the Fulfilling the Promise fund-raising campaign.




"When I became president, I said, Wouldn't it be nice to have a sculpture - or many sculptures - on our campus?'" said Dr. Judy Rhoads, MCC president. "It's a piece of artwork, but it's also a thought-provoking piece of sculpture."




The dedication program included remarks by Richard L. Frymire, who served with Blackwell in the Kentucky Air National Guard, and poems read by students Lisa-Anne Morran and Ryan Watson.




Blackwell emphasized the importance of education, his children said.




Nancy recalled going home from high school one day and telling him she wasn't sure about going to college and that she wanted to become a flight attendant.




"The Colonel just about blew a gasket on that one," she said. "Dad had a real passion for education, for having us expand our minds and continue to grow."




His son, Jeff Blackwell, recalled when MCC's first building was constructed in 1968.




"I was about 6 years old and Dad would take us out here to see the building go up," Jeff said. "He was really proud of Madisonville having a college."




Rhoads told of seeing a family have their picture made with the sculpture just the other day.




"We want to assure you that we will take great care of the bear," she said, "and that (Blackwell) will be remembered always by the bear being here."