New London, Texas – In a small East Texas community, the memory of a tragic event has been largely suppressed. Nearly 87 years ago, a devastating explosion took the lives of almost 300 students and faculty members, including Ardyth Davidson, the sister of John Davidson who was born three years after the tragedy. Despite growing up with minimal knowledge of the incident, the impact of the explosion still resonates within the community.
John Moore, a guest speaker at the recent “Day of Remembrance” memorial ceremony in New London, highlighted the historic event where a spark from a shop sander ignited natural gas beneath a school building, leading to the catastrophic blast. The memorial service, held in the West Rusk School Auditorium, brought together around 100 individuals to honor the victims and reflect on the significance of the tragedy in local history.
The aftermath of the 1937 explosion, documented by a young journalist and later discussed by renowned reporter Walter Cronkite, left a lasting impact on those involved. It wasn’t until a television documentary in 1973 that the community began to openly discuss and commemorate the tragedy, leading to the formation of an alumni association in 1977.
For Jean Davidson, dedicated to preserving the memory of the event through volunteering with the West Rusk Alumni Association and the London Museum and Cafe, the annual memorial program serves as a platform to honor the lives lost and educate the wider East Texas community about their shared history. Renowned for her commitment to keeping the memory alive, Davidson emphasizes the importance of expanding participation in the memorial events to involve not just former students but also the entire community.
Danny Dorsey, a board member of the alumni association, stresses the significance of remembering the tragedy as a means of connecting and uniting the community. By acknowledging the collective loss and commemorating the lives lost, the annual event serves as a poignant reminder of the impact of the explosion on a whole generation of individuals.
As the community continues to grapple with the legacy of the 1937 explosion, the efforts to preserve the memory and honor the victims remain essential. Through annual memorial programs and ongoing community engagement, the tragic event in New London serves as a somber but crucial chapter in the shared history of the East Texas community.