CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- About 450 knights and ladies of the West Virginia Golden Horseshoe Society visited the Capitol on Friday to reminisce about that long-ago test.

The Golden Horseshoe contest started in 1931, and more than 15,000 West Virginia students have been inducted into the society.

Twila White was part of the West Virginia Club in her Wirt County school in the early 1960s, and set her sights on winning the Golden Horseshoe at a young age.

"It was kind of the nerd thing to do," White said, "but it was a big deal."

Every year, eighth-graders across the state take the Golden Horseshoe exam, which tests them of their knowledge of West Virginia history. About 220 students representing each county are knighted as knights and ladies into the society every year.

White took the test in 1961.

"It was fill-in-the-blank. It was lengthy, and spelling counted," she said. "[You had to know] flowers and flora, and you had to know how to spell, too."

She remembers the only questions she missed on the test were of current history, specifically what airlines were in the state.

Her trip to Charleston in 1961 for the award was the first time she'd traveled outside Wirt County.

"We were little farm kids, and we all were so impressed by the [lush] carpeting in the governor's office," she said.

"And the indoor plumbing," her sister, Juanita Lockhart, added.

"It was a bigger deal back then than it is now," White said.

Today, with the interstate highways, it's easy to travel to Charleston. In the 1960s, she said, it was difficult and expensive.

The last reunion at the Capitol for the knights and ladies of the Golden Horseshoe was in 1996.

White said the highlight of this year's reunion was seeing 16 past winners get knighted.

Most of those knighted Friday had taken the test in the 1940s during World War II, and could not get to Charleston because of gasoline rationing, she said.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- About 450 knights and ladies of the West Virginia Golden Horseshoe Society visited the Capitol on Friday to reminisce about that long-ago test.

The Golden Horseshoe contest started in 1931, and more than 15,000 West Virginia students have been inducted into the society.

Twila White was part of the West Virginia Club in her Wirt County school in the early 1960s, and set her sights on winning the Golden Horseshoe at a young age.

"It was kind of the nerd thing to do," White said, "but it was a big deal."

Every year, eighth-graders across the state take the Golden Horseshoe exam, which tests them of their knowledge of West Virginia history. About 220 students representing each county are knighted as knights and ladies into the society every year.

White took the test in 1961.

"It was fill-in-the-blank. It was lengthy, and spelling counted," she said. "[You had to know] flowers and flora, and you had to know how to spell, too."

She remembers the only questions she missed on the test were of current history, specifically what airlines were in the state.

Her trip to Charleston in 1961 for the award was the first time she'd traveled outside Wirt County.

"We were little farm kids, and we all were so impressed by the [lush] carpeting in the governor's office," she said.

"And the indoor plumbing," her sister, Juanita Lockhart, added.

"It was a bigger deal back then than it is now," White said.

Today, with the interstate highways, it's easy to travel to Charleston. In the 1960s, she said, it was difficult and expensive.

The last reunion at the Capitol for the knights and ladies of the Golden Horseshoe was in 1996.

White said the highlight of this year's reunion was seeing 16 past winners get knighted.

Most of those knighted Friday had taken the test in the 1940s during World War II, and could not get to Charleston because of gasoline rationing, she said.

For many students during that time, the eighth grade marked the end of their education. Many entered the work force or went to work full time on their family's farm, said Thornton Roberts, a Wirt County Golden Horseshoe winner for 1958.

Samantha and Sarah Frazier, twins from Boone County, were knighted in 1998.

The test was part of their eighth-grade curriculum. They said they probably wouldn't have done as well on the test if not for their teacher.

"Our teacher was really into it," Samantha Frazier said.

It was also Ludwig "Lue" Criter' teacher who helped to get into into the society. 

Crites, from Hardy County, was knighted in 1947.

"I wasn't studying for it," he said. "I was farming."

Crites traveled to Charleston on Friday with his children and grandchildren.

He remembers walking every day barefoot to his one-room schoolhouse, and being amazed when he was named a winner of the Golden Horseshoe for his county.

He also remembers the fight he put up when his teacher tried to take him and the other students to Charleston for the knighting ceremony.

"I had on a pair of worn-out shoes and dirty socks," he said. He also had on a pair of pants that were way too small.

"Talk about embarrassing," he said. "I looked like a deer with his tail up."

Crites' teacher wouldn't let him get out of going, and gave him his blazer and hat, then put him in the car and they were off, he said.

"I was kidnapped," he joked, but Crites said he is grateful his teacher pushed him to go.

"When I saw the city, I thought it was the first and last time I would see it," he said. "It was a big thing for a farm kid from Moorefield to come here. How I was smart enough to make it, I don't know."

Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.