At its monthly meeting on Sept. 10, the Richlands Ruritan Club was entertained with a unique sporting program. Dr. Russ Amundson, a retired neurosurgeon and resident of Lewisburg, spoke to the club about the sport of fencing. Dr. Amundson has worked with fencing clubs in central North Carolina before retiring.
He explained the history and development of swords through the ages. Swords started with cavemen using clubs and sharp sticks to protect themselves and settle conflicts. They evolved into more sophisticated weapons with the use, first of bronze, then progressing to iron and then steel. Each metal gave the sword a new set of features to enhance its use. Human culture had its effect on swords. From the use of swords for warfare, man progressed from a cutting and slashing sword to weapons with a thinner blade to penetrate the chinks in armor plate. The rapier was carried by gentlemen in the Renaissance Age as a personal defense weapon and a means of settling arguments. It even became a form of male dress. Fencing schools proliferated across Europe to educate men in methods of sword fighting. With the advent of gunpowder, the sword was relegated to a gentleman’s sport.
There are three types of fencing swords. The saber is a cut-and-thrust weapon, and points are scored with hits above the waist. The epee has a blade with a triangular cross section, and points are scored with touches on the full body. The foil is a lighter, rectangular bladed weapon and points are scored only on the toro excluding the head, arms and legs. As a sport, fencing relies on speed of movement and reaction. In fencing competitions, the scoring is recorded by the use of electronic connections. Judges are used to monitor the scoring.
Dr. Amundson demonstrated several techniques of fencing with cuts, parries and ripostes. The Carnegie Fencing Club will begin fencing classes on Sept. 30 with two weekly sessions (Tuesdays and Thursdays) for three weeks. All interested people are invited to these sessions at Carnegie Hall to learn about an athletic and entertaining sport.
In the business meeting, the Ruritans distributed the tickets for their annual gun raffle. This year’s prize is a SAR 9 mm Black Alloy pistol with two magazines. See your local Richland Ruritan member for a ticket. The proceeds from this raffle are used to support the Ruritans’ commitment to local charities in the community.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Richlands club made a charitable donation to the Carnegie Fencing Club.
The Richlands Ruritans club meets on the second Wednesday of each month for a dinner meeting at the Calvary Methodist Church on Midland Trail East in Richlands. The Ruritan Civic organization is a national network of clubs working together for a stronger America. The Ruritans’ focus is to support community services in small towns and rural communities across America. The Ruritans, founded in 1928 in Holland, Virginia, are celebrating their 97th year of service to local communities. The Richlands Ruritans Club provides scholarships to local college students and 4-H campers.
For further information or questions please contact James Tate, 540-798-6044 or jptateifa@aol.com.
