Story about book brings memories of old schoolmate

To the editor:

I'm writing about the article "Taking a Page From Childhood" by Sam Blackwell. It is always refreshing hearing about an old schoolmate. I attended Jacksonville High School with Ricky Bragg, author of "All Over but the Shoutin'," the United We Read book for the coming year. He was a year ahead of me in school.

I read the book when it was first published. Whenever I make a trip back home to Jacksonville, Ala., I visit with his mama a wee bit. She is a doll and a soft-spoken woman, as has been said.

Thanks for giving me a bit of home.

BAMA BRITTAIN ALTOM

Jackson