When a second high school was going to be built in Fayette County in the early 1980s, it was going to be placed in Peachtree City.

On the drawing board, it was given the name “West Fayette High School.”

Now, we knew that there would be a healthy rivalry between these two schools, and felt it needed a name more meaningful to the county.

This land was ceded from the Creek Indian Nation, with its principal chief, (sort of like the governor) being one William McIntosh. Yes, he was half Creek Indian; his mother was Senoya He-ne-ha, and his father was a Scotsman, William McIntosh.

Most named-schools take many years to establish a rich history, and here was an opportunity to name a school that would already have that rich background.

I have always expressed my belief that our new schools should be named for a school that was here at one time, or was historically significant to this county.

The school superintendent at that time was Fayette County native Jerry Stinchcomb. His father was the longest-serving sheriff here until Randall Johnson.

Jerry and I both felt that the school should be named “McIntosh High School” and proceeded with that thought.

The great-grandson of William was Chief Waldo Emerson “Dode” McIntosh, who served the Creek Nation as principal chief in Oklahoma, from 1962 to 1972.

He would come each fall to the Scottish Highland games at Stone Mountain and would often stay with my children and me.

I knew that if the students could meet him they would feel differently about their school’s name. The principal allowed me to have a few minutes and gathered the students in cafeteria. The school had opened with just freshmen and sophomores.

I introduced them to the chief, whom I had come to admire so much I would have literally cut off my right arm for him.

He spoke to an enraptured audience for almost two hours. And they were hooked.

He asked which student was the president of the sophomore class and took out a $100 bill from his wallet and presented it to the class. It is still framed and hanging in the school. Each year he sent the school a $100 bill until he died.

He sent them various Indian items which they proudly placed in the school library.

I would like to end this article here, but a guilty conscience compels me to add one more piece of information.

I learned recently that before the school received its official name, the students had already ordered personalized school items with the name “West Fayette High School” on them.

Oops. I was glad to learn also that after their personal encounter with Chief Dode McIntosh they forgave me.