SAS Alumni Weekend

Alumni and friends will gather at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School today through Sunday, May 31–June 2, at the SAS campus to celebrate the school’s annual Alumni Weekend. 

St. Andrew’s-Sewanee, which was formed by the merger of Sewanee Academy and St. Andrew’s School in 1981, welcomes the alumni of its parent schools, including St. Mary’s School and the Sewanee Military Academy. The full schedule can be found at <www.sasweb.org>.

Council Hears Update on Garbage Fees and University Farm

by Leslie Lytle
Messenger Staff Writer

At the May 20 meeting, the Sewanee Community Council received an update on the scheduled garbage collection rate increase and confirmed meeting dates for next year. Farm manager Gina Raicovich gave an overview of the goals and methods of the University farm. 

Superintendent of Leases Barbara Schlichting announced a $1.25-per- month increase in the residential garbage collection fee. Contract negotiations in 2011 set the rate for the past two years at $22 and called for a 75-cent increase effective July 1, 2013 (a 50-cent increase in the contractor’s fee and a 25-cent increase for recycling pickup). The additional 50-cent increase is necessary because landfill fees will increase $1 per ton on July 1.

The council decided on a slightly different meeting date schedule from the dates proposed in April. For the 2013–14 academic year, the council will meet on the fourth Monday of each month, with the following exceptions. The council will meet on the third Monday in April and May; the council will not meet in December and July.

University farm manager Gina Raicovich said the mission of the University farm is educational, with an emphasis on connecting the coursework of students in all subject areas, from biology to political science, to the farm’s methods and activities. Raicovich assumed the role of farm manager a year ago. She remarked on the students’ “excitement” about learning practical things such as how to drive a tractor and about making the connection between the agricultural and natural world, a discipline she referred to as “ecological agriculture.”

The goal of the farm is “to increase diversity, not detract from it,” Raicovich said. She gave the example of goats that eat invasive species of weeds. She pointed out that different animals favored different plants and taking that into account, a field may harbor chickens one year, followed by vegetable crops, followed by pigs. The farm’s footprint encompasses the fields surrounding the old dairy and barn. The old dairy barn will be used for classroom and meetings space, as well as storing equipment.

Council representative Dennis Meeks expressed concerns about pigs, citing the odor and “hog lot” appearance of fields where pigs were pastured. Raicovich explained that the rotation system called for pigs occupying a field for two weeks to graze, root and fertilize; then the field would be planted in vegetable crops, and the pigs would be rotated to a different site. After several rotations, the pigs would be returned to the original field to forage again. 

“The focus is on sustainable livestock production, as opposed to feed lot operations,” she said. Martin Knoll, professor of forestry and geology, reviewed the areas earmarked for livestock and said the vegetation buffer was more than adequate to prevent waste from entering Lake Cheston.

Several council representatives pointed out that part of the Fourth of July fireworks viewing area was in a livestock-vegetable rotation site. Raicovich said it was only a small part of the viewing area, and she would probably move the pigs for the July 4 event.

Referring to an issue raised in February, Schlichting reported that the Lease Committee reviewed the lease policy related to dogs and concluded barking dogs qualified as a “nuisance.”

Laura E. Saxton of the University’s human resources department recorded the minutes for the meeting. 

The next Council meeting is Monday, June 24.

TDEC Lifts Water Advisory for Little Fiery Gizzard Creek

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has lifted a 13-year water contact advisory for Little Fiery Gizzard Creek and several of its tributaries in the Tracy City area of Grundy County. TDEC Deputy Commissioner Shari Meghreblian presided over a May 17 ceremony to announce the advisory lift. She was joined by Senator Janice Bowling, Representative Charles Curtiss, Tracy City Mayor Larry Phipps and Monteagle Mayor Marilyn Nixon, along with other local elected officials and members of the community. 

The water contact advisory was originally issued in 2000 due to operational problems at a small wastewater treatment facility at the Tracy City Elementary School and the presence of failing septic tanks at individual homes. 

“This is great news for Grundy County, and today’s announcement is due to the efforts of many individuals and organizations, including both state and local governments, to expand sewer service into areas of Tracy City,” said Meghreblian. “Connecting homes, the elementary school and various businesses to the sewer service has resulted in decreased pathogen levels in the Little Fiery Gizzard watershed, and TDEC believes the public warning to avoid contact with the water is no longer necessary.” 

The Tennessee Water Quality Control Act requires that TDEC post signs and inform the public when bacteria in water or contaminants in sediment or fish tissue cause public heath to be unduly at risk from exposure. In 1999, elevated fecal coliform levels were found in Little Fiery Gizzard Creek, a tributary to Big Fiery Gizzard Creek. The elevated levels of bacteria were of particular concern because of the potential that children could come in contact with these streams within Tracy City. Additionally, there is a popular swimming area on the Little Fiery Gizzard within South Cumberland State Park, just downstream of the city. 

Additional sampling in 1999 documented that pathogen levels in the state park were safe, but were elevated upstream in Tracy City. Because of this elevated risk, the public was advised to avoid contact with Little Fiery Gizzard and several tributaries within Tracy City, and signs were posted in early 2000. 

In response to this public health issue, Tracy City and Monteagle officials accelerated negotiations for a connection between the two cities so that sewage from Tracy City could be transported to and treated at the Monteagle facility. In 2010, the sewer was expanded beyond the elementary school, and businesses and homes were connected to the new sewer system. Repairs to existing sewer lines were also completed. 

In 2010 and 2011, TDEC documented reduced pathogen levels in Tracy City area streams and will continue to monitor the area. In the meantime, the staff has begun the process of removing the posted warning signs in the area. 

Last year, TDEC announced that the seven-year sewer connection moratorium for the town of Monteagle had been lifted due to major improvements made to the town’s wastewater treatment plant and collection system and the town’s ability to meet the requirements of an Agreed Order issued in January 2005. 

In September 2009, Monteagle received $6.2 million through Tennessee’s State Revolving Fund loan program and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars to begin infrastructure improvements. The project was funded with a 20-year, $3.72 million loan with an interest rate of 1.79 percent. Forty percent of the funding was in the form of principal forgiveness, which does not have to be repaid.

As a result of this funding and the town’s aggressive and consistent approach to resolving issues, Monteagle began operation of its Wastewater Treatment Plant #3 in December 2011. With the capacity of 500,000 gallons per day, 90 percent of the town’s infiltration and inflow has been removed from its collection system. In addition, manholes were replaced, and all of the old sewer lines were eliminated. 

As part of Monteagle’s overall improvements, local plant operators have implemented a Capacity, Management, Operations and Maintenance Plan and a Sewer Overflow Response Plan. Both Wastewater Treatment Plants #1 and #2 have been removed from service. 

With more than 2,900 employees working across the state, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is a diverse and dynamic department, serving the state by safeguarding the health and safety of Tennessee citizens from environmental hazards; protecting and improving the quality of Tennessee’s land, air and water; and managing Tennessee’s 54 state parks, 83 natural areas and a variety of historical or archaeological sites. 

For more information about the department, go to <www.tn.gov/environ​ment>. 

SUD Considers Water Loss Remedies

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the March 26 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, SUD manager Ben Beavers reported that SUD’s unaccounted-for water loss continues to increase. A lengthy discussion followed about how to address the problem.

Unaccounted water loss is the difference between the amount of treated water SUD produces and the amount accounted for in metered sales. SUD’s water loss year-to-date is 28.3 percent and was 29.1 percent in April. The two causes of unaccounted-for water loss are inaccurate meters and supply line leaks. Beavers said the annual cost to SUD is $62,000, the cost of producing the leaked water plus the loss in revenue from meter inaccuracy.

In the 2013 budget, SUD committed funds to replace all customer meters. In 2012, SUD’s water loss was 33 million gallons. Beavers estimates replacing the meters will eliminate 5 million gallons of water loss annually, increasing revenue by $24,000.

The next step would be to install supply-line flow meters to locate line leaks, Beavers said. Metering all of the district’s supply lines would require 15–20 meters at a cost of $6,000 each. (Outlying areas could be monitored with seven meters, but the supply lines in town are looped, making the metering task more complex and costly.) The board discussed using the $50,000 budgeted for studies for purchase of supply-line flow meters. 

Commissioner Ken Smith asked about SUD’s contract with the University regarding Lake Dimmick. By the provisions of the contract negotiated after the 2007 drought, SUD pays the University $10,000 annually for emergency use, with an annual rate increase of 2 percent. SUD would also be required to pay a per-gallon rate for the water withdrawn. Several commissioners argued that SUD should pay an annual permission-to-use fee or pay for the water withdrawn, but not both. Smith said that SUD should contribute to maintenance of the lake, but $5,000 annually was adequate. The board voted to authorize Beavers to consult with SUD’s attorney about how to renegotiate the contract.

Reporting on the operation of the utility, Beavers said nearly 13 inches of rain fell in April in two rain events. During both, SUD experienced bypass incidents in the wastewater collection system. He said almost all systems in the state experienced bypass incidents in April, and most of the overflowed water was rainwater.

The next meeting of the SUD board is scheduled for June 25.

The Messenger is on Break. Next issue on Friday, May 31

The Sewanee Mountain Messenger is on break right now. The paper will be back in print on Friday, May 31.  The office will re-open at 9 a.m., Tuesday, May 28.

Happy Memorial Day!

Sewanee Woman’s Club Honors Gibson

The Sewanee Woman’s Club finished up its year of lively programs with Henry Hamman’s personal account of the years that he and his wife, Kathy, spent as expatriates. These were years in which they gained the insights of those who stay in place long enough to learn appreciation for the variety of mind-sets encountered in foreign settings – the difference between travel and tourism.
Connie Gibson received the 2013 Honorary Member award. Her contributions of astute judgment, good humor, time and energy for the benefit of Emerald-Hodgson Hospital, the Community Action Committee, All Saints’ Chapel, Morton Memorial Church, the Sewanee Woman’s Club and her unstinting support of the Sewanee girls’ basketball team have earned her immense admiration and appreciation.
Since 1930, the SWC members and guests meet on the second Monday of each month for lunch and a lecture, except for the summer months. The Garden Club will be arranging another tour of local gardens in June. The annual Holiday Tour of Homes is staged by the Club to raise funds and to promote awareness of  Sewanee’s charms.
Each year, grants are made to area organizations. Donations for 2013 will be given to the Sewanee Summer Music Festivals, St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Fringe Theater Group, the Community Action Committee, The Grundy County Arts Council, the Mountain Center Food Ministry, and the Franklin County Humane Society's Animal Harbor.

University Awards More Than 380 Degrees to Graduates

The University of the South’s 2012-13 academic year came to a close May 10–12 with three ceremonies marking graduation weekend on the Mountain. A Convocation for the Conferring of Degrees was held May 10,  to recognize the 42 students who completed their studies at The School of Theology. The preacher for this year’s commencement service was the Rt. Rev. Robert Christopher Wright from the Diocese of Atlanta.
The second ceremony marking commencement weekend began Saturday morning as the 331 members of the College class of  2013 followed the University faculty into the Baccalaureate Service in All Saints’ Chapel.
Four honorary degrees were presented during the service to David Brooks, David H. Charlton, Jonathan T. Howe, and Lacy H. Hunt II, C’64. Brooks, author and New York Times op-ed columnist, gave the Baccalaureate address and received a standing ovation from students and their families at its conclusion. His talk combined humor, philosophy and appreciation for a liberal education. The talk is available on the University website: <http://news.sewanee.edu/life/2013/05/13/videos-from-commencement-weekend-now-posted>.
Academic processions and the sound of  bells marked the beginning and the conclusion of Commencement ceremony on May 12. The procession of graduating seniors was led by valedictorian Jenny Liles of Little Rock, Ark., and salutatorian Tamás Kubik of Budapest, Hungary. Jonathan Brenes Salazar, an Environmental Studies: Policy major from Monteverde, Costa Rica, was recognized with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallion for character, leadership, and service to the University and the Sewanee community.
Liles, an English and Biology double major, spoke in her valedictory address of the sense of community on the Mountain, of   learning from professors to expect more from themselves, and of  the relationships that show her class that they are not alone. By continuing to embrace the ideals of the University and carrying those values forward, then “wherever we land, wherever we live, wherever we love, we will know that we are not alone. We are Sewanee, and that makes us family.”
The University’s Sewanee School of Letters, which enrolled its first summer master’s degree students in 2006 and granted its first degree in 2009, granted eight Master of Fine Arts degrees, and three Master of Arts degrees this year.
The University awarded 331 baccalaureate degrees (265 Bachelor of Arts and 66 Bachelor of Science degrees). Vice-Chancellor John McCardell left the graduates with his prayer that “the education you have received here and the experience here that set you on your life’s course will, in the words of our beloved baptismal liturgy, mark you as one of Sewanee’s own forever.”
The final event in an eventful graduation weekend came to a close with the faculty and guests lining the sidewalks outside the Chapel, allowing the new graduates of the Class of  2013 to pass through and receive applause, cheers and embraces.

SAS Commencement Weekend, May 17–19, Class of 2013 to Graduate

St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School will graduate the Class of 2013 on Sunday, May 19, at the school’s Outdoor Altar.
The year-end festivities begin with the Baccalaureate service at 5:30 p.m., Friday, May 17. The Baccalaureate speaker will be the Rev. Ellis Mayfield, retiring director of athletics and longtime SAS faculty member.
Following the service, seniors and their guests will proceed to the Senior Banquet in the Robinson Dining Hall. The evening ends with the Senior Lead-Out and presentation of the “Annies” in McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts. This event is an opportunity for each senior to be recognized with a poem or song written and performed by members of the SAS faculty.
Saturday, May 18, is Honors Day. The Honors Day ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at the Outdoor Altar (please note that this is a different time than in previous years). A reception sponsored by the Parents’ Council will be held in Simmonds Hall after the ceremony. Students’ creative work will be on exhibit in the adjacent Art Gallery at that time and throughout the weekend.
The Commencement Eucharist and Exercises begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning. Following the service and the official closing of the school year, there will be a reception in the Spencer Room.
The 44 members of the Class of 2013, who have garnered a record $3 million in merit and financial aid, will matriculate in the fall at outstanding colleges and universities across the country, from Colorado State University to Bowdoin College in Maine.

SUD Agenda

The Sewanee Utility District Board of  Commissioners will meet at 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 21.
The agenda includes: approval of agenda, approval of  March 2013 minutes (as distributed), the general manager’s report and the financial report.
Unfinished business on the agenda: update on the constructed wetlands study.
New business: Lake Dimmick agreement.
There will also be time for visitor comments and announcements. The June meeting will be on Tuesday, June 25.

Bike Tour to Support the Mountain Goat Trail

Have fun, learn about Sewanee, support a great cause, and start Memorial Day weekend right with a bicycle tour of Sewanee, led by Woody Deutsch of Woody’s Bicycles, on Saturday, May 25.
For a $100 donation to the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance, you can join Woody for an easy and fun two-hour spin around the sights of Sewanee. Woody will even provide a bike if you need one. Along for the ride will be Sewanee biology professor Deb McGrath to share her knowledge of the natural wonders of the Mountain.
For more information, go to <www.mountaingoattrail.org/news-events>, stop by Woody’s in downtown Sewanee, or email <info@mountaingoattrail.org>.
The Mountain Goat Trail is a rail to trail community outdoor recreation project to convert an abandoned railroad right-of-way into a multi-use recreational corridor between Grundy and Franklin Counties on the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee. All donations to the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance are tax-deductible.

Sewanee Graduation Events Begin Today

The University of the South’s 2012–13 academic year comes to a close, today through Sunday, May 10–12, with three ceremonies marking graduation weekend at Sewanee. Commencement and baccalaureate ceremonies will be held for students from the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Theology and the School of Letters.

Commencement for conferring of degrees for 2013 graduates of the School of Theology will be in All Saints’ Chapel on Friday, May 10. Three honorary degrees will be presented during the School of Theology commencement.

The baccalaureate service will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 11, in All Saints’ Chapel; it will also be shown on closed-circuit TV in Guerry Auditorium. Journalist and author David Brooks will give the address. 

Commencement ceremonies for the College and School of Letters will be at 10 a.m., Sunday, May 12, in All Saints’ Chapel. Tickets are required for seating in All Saints’ Chapel and McClurg Hall; tickets are not required to watch the ceremonies on closed-circuit TV in Guerry Auditorium. Approximately 330 students are expected to graduate from the College, and 11 from the School of Letters.David Brooks, David H. Charlton, Jonathan T. Howe and Lacy H. Hunt II, C’64, will receive honorary degrees during Baccalaureate. 

More information about the honorary degree recipients follows:

David B. Brooks has been writing op-ed columns for the New York Times since 2003, columns much acclaimed for their civilized commentary and analysis. He has been a contributing editor at Newsweek and the Atlantic Monthly. Brooks was previously a senior editor at the Weekly Standard and worked at the Wall Street Journal prior to that, covering Russia, the Middle East, South Africa and European affairs. He is a frequent analyst on National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” and is the author of three books, the most recent being “The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement.”

David Holland Charlton is a long-time leader in the Episcopal Church and in secondary education. Since 1988, Charlton has been the chief executive of Church Schools of the Diocese of Virginia, which owns and operates six Episcopal college preparatory schools in five Virginia cities. Charlton was headmaster of Christchurch School in Middlesex County, Va., from 1995 to 2000, and the school honored him by naming Fine and Performing Arts Center after Charlton and his wife. Charlton previously served in administrative posts at Virginia Episcopal Theological Seminary, the College of William and Mary and Franklin & Marshall College.

Jonathan T. Howe is retiring after 19 years as president of the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. Following graduation with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy, Admiral Howe’s career included simultaneous service as commander in chief of Allied Forces Southern Europe and commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe. He also served as chief of staff, Seventh Fleet in Japan, and deputy chairman of the NATO Military Command in Belgium. The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations have long supported projects at Sewanee; a new grant from the foundations will help launch Sewanee’s new place-based program for first-year students this fall.

Lacy H. Hunt II, a 1964 graduate of Sewanee, is an internationally known economist, executive vice president of Hoisington Investment Management Company and vice chairman of HIMCO’s strategic investment policy committee. He is the author of two books and numerous articles in general and financial periodicals. Previously, he was chief U.S. economist for the HSBC Group and has served as senior economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. He earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his Ph.D. in economics from the Fox School of Business and Management of Temple University. He has been a visiting professor at Temple University and at the University of the South, and continues to return to Sewanee to lecture and speak with students.

What To Do With All That Stuff? Donate It To These Organizations!

by Pagie Wilson C’14, Messenger Intern

Spring cleaning, moving out of a dorm, leaving Sewanee for a new adventure: all these are great opportunities to leave your housewares, clothes and other items you no longer need with agencies that help people across the Mountain.

The Franklin County Convenience Center, 132 Missouri Ave., accepts all recycling except for glass. This is a new location for the center. To recycle glass, take it to Sewanee’s PPS warehouse on Kennerly Avenue.

Sewanee’s Hospitality Shop, located at 1096 University Ave., accepts clothing of all sizes, and also takes children’s toys, books, gift items, housewares and small appliances. There is a donation bin behind the building.

The Community Action Committee in Sewanee accepts nonperishable food items, cleaning supplies (laundry detergent, cleansers) and paper products such as paper towels and toilet paper. It is located at 258 Lake O’Donnell Rd.; 598-5927.

For prescriptions that are either expired or no longer needed, take them to the Sewanee Police Department for safe disposal.

Blue Monarch, a residential program to help women and children in abusive situations, is in need of different sized sheets, ranging from crib sheets to king size, cleaning supplies and towels. To make a donation call (931) 924-8900.

The Appalachian Women’s Guild accepts children’s and adult clothing, small household items and non-perishable food items. It is located at 492 Main St., Tracy City.

Bicycles in working condition can be donated to Woody’s Bike Shop, 90 Reed’s Lane, Sewanee.

The Franklin County Library accepts donations of books, audio books, CDs, DVDs and videos. It is located at 105 S. Porter St., Winchester; 967-3706.

Goodwill bins are located in nearby cities: at 361 Kimball Crossing, Jasper; 1905 N. Jackson St. #120, Tullahoma; and 2161 Hillsboro Blvd. #5, Manchester.

Finally, remember that no one wants things that are broken, dirty or incomplete. If you wouldn’t give an item to a friend, think twice before donating it to one of these organizations.

Crafts Fair at Shoup Park

The Sewanee Arts and Crafts Association May 2013 Fair will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, May 11, at Shoup Park on University Avenue in Sewanee. Exhibitors scheduled to participate are:

John Adams, Appalachian brooms and wood hiking sticks; Carroll Anderson, book binding and terrariums; Phillippa Anderson, copper enameling objects; Apples Gone Wild, gourmet and caramel apples, caramel sauce; 

Bob Askew, watercolor and oil paintings, note cards and prints; Ginny Capel, Sewanee Sweets, vintage recipes and baked goods; Tom and Susan Church, woodworking; Barbara Coffelt, stained glass; 

Coyote Cove, soap, bed and bath products; Reilly Earle, woodworking; Heather Foley, creatures made from repurposed wool sweaters; Drex Freeman, wood-stained glass kaleidoscopes;

Sandy Gilliam, photography; Burki Gladstone, pottery; Preston Greer, Miss Pokey’s old-fashioned lemonade; Shyanne and Megan Griffith, homemade baked goods; Marcus Hilden, blacksmith; 

Jasper King, chainsaw-carved wooden bowls, jams and jellies; Norman King, native American crafts; Bill Knight, handmade wooden toys and lathe-made items; 

Bill Mauzy, wooden bowls; Randy McCurdy, flowers under glass;June B. Miller, creations from metal and earth; Becky Miller/Judy Tew, purses, dolls and baked goods; Sherry Nickell, flame-worked glass; 

Christi Ormsby, clayware; Ben Potter, copper, tin angels; Claire Reishman, pottery; Luise Richards, travel sets, totes, aprons and towels; Rustic Greenhouse, plants, herbs and ferns;

Darlene Seagroves, quilts, bird feeders, aprons and potholders, pillows;Jeanie Stephenson, bronze sculpture; 

Carolyn Tocco, oil paintings, note cards; Sarah Vance, Cudzoo Farm, goat’s milk soap; Carol and Glenn VandenBosch, mosaic originals; 

Ron Van Dyke, recycled metal creatures, furniture; Margie Vandewalle, watercolors; Debbie Welch, Full Circle Candles; Enid York Hancock, jewelry, Celtic motifs, small copper sculpture; and Laurel York, kudzu baskets, lino block prints.

The Art of Power and Politics

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham will discuss “The Art of Power and Politics” at 4 p.m. today (Friday), May 10, in Guerry Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

A book signing with Brooks will be 2–3 p.m., Friday, May 10, at the University Bookstore.

Brooks will be on campus as the University’s Baccalaureate speaker on Saturday, May 11. 

Brooks has been a New York Times op-ed columnist since September 2003 and is the author of three books. Meacham, a 1991 Sewanee graduate, received the Pulitzer Prize for “American Lion,” his 2008 biography of Andrew Jackson. His most recent book, the New York Times best seller “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power,” celebrates Jefferson’s skills as a practical politician. 

Executive editor and executive vice president of Random House, Meacham is a contributing editor to Time magazine and a former editor of Newsweek.

The Culprits Release New Album

The Culprits have released their first full-length album, Alive Enough, now available on iTunes, Spotify and other Internet music sites.

Comprised of Sewanee natives Zach Blount, Nick Evans and Will Evans, The Culprits worked on this project with Grammy-nominated producer John Keane of Athens, Ga. Keane is best known for his work with Widespread Panic and R.E.M.

Keane brought his “years and years of experience working as a professional producer. His fluency with the recording programs and ability to get every particular sound we wanted on the record was incredible,” said Blount.

“He was also able to give us feedback and advice on the songs themselves,” he said. “Working with him, we were able to get a polished yet somewhat gritty sound comprised of much guitar and harmony layering that we are very proud of. He was inspiring to get to know and to work with throughout the process of recording and mixing.”

The new album contains eight songs: six new songs, as well as two reworked tracks (“She Loves the Beat” and “Around Around”). Artwork for the new recording was created by Quinn Evans, who is a cousin of Will and Nick.

Now that all the band members are attending different colleges (Blount and Nick Evans are at Davidson, and Will Evans is at University of Virginia), they work together via Skype and email to share material and offer feedback to one another. Nick has been in Germany this past semester, but the group has managed to keep working across the continents.

“We even recorded some of the tracks on the album by sending each other the project files for the songs and adding our specific parts in our dorm rooms via our personal recording equipment,” Blount said. 

“With the Internet we find it easy to keep The Culprits going, and we enjoy the challenge of promoting and recording while across the ocean from each other,” he said.

The group is gathering in Germany later this month to play a couple of shows in Berlin. It will be the first time they have played at a live venue together since July 2012.

The Culprits’ musical escapades began when they were students at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School. Nick and Will, coming from a musical family, began to dabble with a borrowed drum set and a used electric guitar. Zach was invited over and after starting out on guitar, he eventually stole his dad’s bass, and The Culprits began. 

“We are very grateful for Sewanee,” Blount said. “We owe much of our inspiration to the town and all of our ‘Sewaneesian’ supporters.”

Zach is the son of Mary and Steve Blount. Nick and Will are sons of Amy and Jon Evans.

For more information about The Culprits, go to <www.theculprits​music.com>.

—Reported by Laura Willis

St. Mary’s Sunset Serenade Set for September

St. Mary’s Sewanee: The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development is pleased to announce that  the Fourth annual Sunset Serenade will be on Sunday, Sept. 1.

The Sunset Serenade is a fund-raiser and a friend-raiser. “We love welcoming new friends to The Center and sharing special moments with lifelong friends,” says executive director Thomas Morris.

 The event will start at 5 p.m. with musical entertainment by Noel Workman and Friends. A tapas menu will be offered by Lee Towery Catering. The evening will also include a silent auction and conclude with a magnificent sunset over the bluff. 

Reservations are required by Monday, Aug. 26. Contact Pratt Paterson at 598-5342 or email <pratt.paterson@stmaryssewanee.org> for more information, to make a donation to the silent auction, or to volunteer. For more information about St. Mary’s Sewanee and its programs, go to <www.stmarysewanee.org>.

Farm Development on Breakfield Road

By Gina Raicovich and David Haskell , Special to the Messenger

The University Farm is growing, and we need your help. In the coming months, we’ll be bringing beekeeping and small livestock operations to Breakfield Road. Our new projects will teach us what kind of operations will best complement the land and the educational mission of our program. They will also give our summer interns some great opportunities for hands-on learning. These are exciting developments, and we hope that the community will enjoy seeing these examples of education in action. 

Over the next couple of years, what are now abandoned agricultural fields and outbuildings will be filled with new life, enlivening the view along Breakfield Road. This spring and summer you can expect to see goats and pigs in the paddocks around the barn and old dairy, cover crops in the fields next to the old dairy and chickens in the University garden. These projects will entail the need for close attention to neighborliness and animal welfare by the larger Sewanee community. In particular, it will be important to honor the existing Domain rules about dogs: keeping them under control at all times. University rules currently do not allow dog owners to leave their pets to roam unsupervised; adherence to this rule will be all the more important as the University’s agricultural projects continue to grow. 

Even the most well-mannered of family pets can forget its good upbringing if it gets in with livestock. 

The livestock will be well-fenced, and we ask that visitors not reach inside the fencing or attempt to feed the animals. Please enjoy the animals’ antics and beauty from outside the fence. This will ensure the welfare of both people and animals. Dietary novelties or food “treats” can be particularly dangerous. 

Too much attention, especially boisterous attention from strangers, can also cause harm. If you are interested in visiting with the animals please refer to our website, <www5.sewanee.edu/academics/farm/>, for special events and volunteer hours when farm personnel will be available to help you.

The changes on Breakfield Road are part of the University’s plan to renew and refine the agrarian practices that were a part of life on the Mountain for many decades. This work is part of a larger sustainability initiative, aimed at making the University a national leader in environmental studies. Our goal is to grow an ecologically sensitive agricultural operation that will feed bodies and minds. 

SAS Players Preview “The Ants” Before Fringe Festival

St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School’s theatre program offers its final production of the year, “The Ants,” Friday through Sunday, May 3–5, in McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts. The show tonight, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, are at 7 p.m.; the Sunday, May 5, performance is at 4 p.m. 

This production of “The Ants” will be presented in August when the troupe travels to the 2013 Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

“Thank you to the entire Sewanee community for supporting the work of the St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School Theatre this school year as we fund-raise our way to Scotland,” said Robie Jackson, SAS performing arts coordinator. 

“If you saw our production of ‘The Ants’ last year, you will be seeing quite a different version of the show this weekend,” Jackson said. 

The production is one hour in length, is appropriate for all ages and combines humor, science, imagination, music and the writings of world-renowned entomologists E.O. Wilson and Bert Hölldobler. 

Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $10 for students. Jackson emphasized that no one will be turned away, “If last year’s prices ($10 for adults and $7 for students) fit your budget more comfortably, please feel welcome to use these admission prices,” she said.

Next year, all SAS productions will return to the regular admission price.

SCC Upcoming Events

The Sewanee Children’s Center (SCC) is having its spring meeting and pot-luck dinner for the membership and interested families at 5:30 p.m., today (Friday), May 3, in Cravens Hall, 435 Kentucky Ave., Sewanee. Member families are encouraged to bring a dish to share. Child care will be provided.

On Saturday, May 4, SCC is hosting a community children’s fair and a concert by “Farmer Jason” at Cravens Hall. The fair begins at noon with food and games; at 1:30 p.m., there  will be a concert by award-winning musician “Farmer Jason” Ringenberg. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children. 

Brooks and Meacham Talk About Power and Politics

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham will discuss “The Art of Power and Politics” at 4 p.m. Friday, May 10, in Guerry Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

A book signing with Brooks will be 2–3 p.m., Friday, May 10, at the University Bookstore.

Brooks will be on campus as the University’s Baccalaureate speaker on Saturday, May 11. 

Brooks has been a New York Times op-ed columnist since September 2003 and is the author of three books. He has been a senior editor at the Weekly Standard, a contributing editor at Newsweek and the Atlantic Monthly and is a commentator on “PBS Newshour.” Brooks is also a frequent analyst on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

Meacham, a 1991 Sewanee graduate, received the Pulitzer Prize for “American Lion,” his 2008 biography of Andrew Jackson. His most recent book, the New York Times best seller “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power,” celebrates Jefferson’s skills as a practical politician. 

He is also the author of “Franklin and Winston” and “American Gospel.” Executive editor and executive vice president of Random House, Meacham is a contributing editor to Time magazine and a former editor of Newsweek.

Summer Music Festival Announces 2013 Season

The schedule for the 57th season of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival has been announced and includes a blend of traditional activities and new events and venues, including an event at the new golf course. More than 30 concerts, 13 of which will be free to the public, will be presented by 200 students, 25 faculty artists and five guest artists in over seven venues around the Cumberland Plateau. 

The season will commence with the Opening Night Gala on June 22, when the Festival Orchestra, an ensemble comprised of the 2013 faculty artists and guest artists, will perform under the baton of Maestro Más-Arocas works by Mason Bates and others.

Traditional concerts include the Faculty Artist Series, Saturdays in the Garth and Symphony Sundays that will highlight unique modern and traditional repertoire combinations such as “The Rite of Spring,” Symphonie fantastique and Shostokovich Symphony No. 5. A world premiere of an orchestral piece named “Entre Dos Luces (Solea por Bulerias)” by SSMF double bass professor Sidney King will also be performed on July 7 by the Cumberland Orchestra. The SSMF will host world-renowned conductors including Cristian Macelaru, Carl St. Clair, Christopher Warren-Green, Katherine Kilburn and the newly appointed SSMF Conductor-in-Residence, Octavio Más-Arocas. Full details of the season and ticketing information can be found at <ssmf.inticketing.com>.

The second Hike to a Concert will take place on the bluff-view hole of the new Sewanee golf course on July 3. A hike, led by the Sewanee Outing Program, will occur before the concert, ending directly at the golf course for concert time. In addition, a bike ride, led by Woody Deutsch from Woody’s Bicycles, will also start before the concert and will take participants around the Sewanee campus to key highlights, including the Cross, Green’s View, the Chapel of the Apostles and others before ending at the golf course. Reservations are required for these events. 

A new feature this year is the inclusion of the Blue Chair Tavern as a concert venue. All Wednesday night concerts will be streamed live at the Blue Chair Tavern on the big screen TV, where patrons can enjoy a refreshing beverage along with world-class music. A special thanks to this year’s corporate sponsors: Joseph’s Remodeling, Myers Point, Locals, the Blue Chair and the Sewanee Business Alliance, along with all of the individual donors and supporters who make this unique musical experience possible.