Dixie Gallaspy, or Miss Dixie, as she’s affectionately known by her young charges, has once again taken a class of young girls and in a week’s time, turned them into fledgling young women, armed with a lot of knowledge and information that they learned at the hands of her Smoky Creek team, as well as the nearly two dozen teachers who came in to give the girls lessons about choosing a career, telephone manners, individualism, setting goals, making choices, manners… the list goes on and on.

Many of Miss Dixie’s students are the daughters and granddaughters of women who were Smoky Creek graduates themselves and wanted their girls to have that same experience.

“Smoky Creek Summer School for Girls is not only about charm, good manners, knowing how to present themselves in all social activities and looking and being their best, from first base on the ball field to a formal black tie dance,” said Gallaspy, as she talked about the purpose of her school.

“It is also a week of learning about life itself and getting advice on how to have a better life,” she said.

Gallaspy also noted that more than 30 community leaders and top professional ladies and gentlemen come year after year to share with the girls advice and experiences that have had lasting positive influences on these students’ futures for the 26 years she has been running her school.

“The speakers love presenting their sessions and they make the reputation of the school one of the most unique of all schools of its kind anywhere.”

This 26th class was special, said Gallaspy, and its graduation was dedicated to Mary Haaga, “a perfect example of the social and personal graces taught at Smoky Creek School.”

“The Class of 2013 was outstanding,”she said, “and we enjoyed these young ladies so much. We hope they made some lasting friendships, had fun, but also learned a lot by being a student at the school.”

As she does after every class, Miss Dixie has already begun to plan for next year. The dates for next year will be June 2-6, so that Smoky Creek’s 27th class will be over before Bogalusa’s Centennial celebration kicks off the last weekend in June.