November 17, 2009

Once upon a time many moons ago there lived in a beautiful valley in what is now northeast Georgia, a lovely Cherokee princess named Toccoa. One day, beautiful Toccoa met Wild Waters, the chief of a hostile tribe, at the foot of a high waterfall in Cherokee land. Never before had Toccoa seen such a handsome brave. His hair was long and black, and his eyes sparkled more brightly than those of any of the braves of her tribe. His laughter mimicked the rippling of the stream below the falls, and his words were like the fragrance of Cherokee roses

More than 500 students of Toccoa Falls entered the armed forces during World War II, and a number were killed in action. The school erected the stone gates and metal archway just below Fant Hall as a memorial to those who paid the supreme sacrifice. In 1942, wartime restrictions brought one change that later became a tradition at Toccoa Falls. Because of limitations on travel, students were retained on campus during the Thanksgiving holiday. Parents and friends who could come were invited to the campus for a Thanksgiving Day barbecue. Homecoming Day was changed from the commencement weekend to Thanksgiving