Eight decades of Golden Horseshoe winners gathered at the State Capitol Friday for a reunion that drew more than 300 recipients of the scholastic honor.  A member of the first class of Golden Horseshoe honorees from back in 1931 was in the crowd.

The Golden Horseshoe is given to eighth grade students who score the highest on a test about state history.

Louise Welch Simmons was a Golden Horseshoe honoree from Ritchie County in 1946.  She never was never knighted as a Lady of the Golden Horseshoe, though, because, "Japan had not surrendered yet.  Gasoline was still rationed.  Tires were hard to get.  They didn't even have a knighting that year."

But 63 years later, she was finally recognized along with 14 other recipients who missed out as well.  They were knighted and received their pins.

Simmons says she wouldn't have missed the event for the world and dedicated her induction to the rest of the 1946 Ritchie County honorees.  "I think I'm the only one left the year that I got the Golden Horseshoe.  I think all the rest of them from Ritchie County are gone now, so I'm here for them too."

Ivan Richardson of Logan County also missed out on his ceremony during WWII.  He says he was happy to be honored by his state.  "Just proud of West Virginia," he says.

The Golden Horseshoe recipients and their guests were treated to lunch and then a tour of the new State Museum.