ANACOCO–Billy John Burns, a native of Anacoco, will be available immediately following the 11 a.m. worship service at First Baptist Church here Sunday, May 3 to sign copies of his book, "One Last Stroll Down Memory Lane," which details his life in Vernon Parish in the early 1930's.
Burns, who suffered from club foot and hand, spent much of his life from age 5 to 14 at Shriners Hospital for Children in Shreveport, where he underwent at least eight painful surgeries on his hands and feet. Eventually, the deformity was corrected and Burns went on to become a school teacher and later a principal.
"I sometimes look upon my life as a roller coaster ride," Burns writes in his memoir. "At times it seemed that when I was down, I would be going up, and when I was going up, I would soon be coming down. This fact became very apparent during my stays in the Shriners Hospital. Early in life I would occasionally wonder: Why me? I realize now that God had a special plan for my life. he gave me enough disabilities to keep me in line, and at the same time he endowed me with a willingness to work and a spirit to persevere. He also gave me what it took to ultimately succeed in my chosen vocation."
The book, filled with personal memories both funny and tragic, also includes details about Vernon Parish and the surrounding area that history buffs would find invaluable and those in search of particulars might find fascinating.
For instance, given the rivalry that exists even today between Anacoco and Florien basketball teams, locals can appreciate the fact that Anacoco, during Burns high school days, played on a dirt court shaded by three sycamore trees.
"One tree root grew above the surface of the court," Burns writes. "Visiting teams, unaware of this root, would bounce the ball off it and give us an advantage. It was comical watching the boys' team from Florien deal with the root problem. They, of course, had a school gym they were used to playing (in)."
Burns, a member of Airline Baptist Church in Bossier City, taught 31 years at Anacoco High School, retiring in 1985. While at AHS, he served as the girl's basketball coach, the librarian, year book sponsor and assistant principal. He recently retired as principal at Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport.
He and his wife, the former Judy Coriell, make their home in Bossier City.
Burns' book can be ordered online at amazon.com under the author's name.
Anacoco, La. —
