TigerSharks Win 10th League Title

The Sewanee TigerSharks competed in the 2013 Race League Championships at the Fowler Center on July 16, winning its 10th consecutive championship.

Hundreds of swimmers, parents and friends came from the surrounding region for the event, in which eight other teams participated. There were more than 65 swimming events as part of the championship.

The day was full of tight competition, fast swims and numerous broken records. Coach Erin Neil (C’16) stepped up to fill in for long-time TigerShark coaches Max Obermiller and Anna Obermiller, who had to be away for a family emergency. Coach Neil, along with parent Nicole Noffsinger-Frazier, rallied the team to win the championship title in Coach Max’s honor. Second place went to the CATS (Manchester/Tullahoma), with the Winchester Swim Team finishing in third place. 

More than 400 swimmers participated in the meet, including more than 80 young people on the TigerSharks team. 

High-point honors for the TigerSharks were awarded to Edie Paterson (girls 8 and under) and Zolon Knoll (boys 9–10). New race league records were set in the boys 9–10 100-meter freestyle relay comprised of Porter Neubauer, Zolon Knoll, Morgan Moulton and Harrison Hartman with a time of 1:11.44; the mixed 8 and under 100-meter medley relay comprised of Edie Paterson, Jackson Frazier, Libby Neubauer and David Dolak with a time of 1:33.59; and the boys 8 and under 25-meter breaststroke record was broken by Jackson Frazier with a time of 24.02. 

New TigerSharks team records were also set by the mixed 13–14 100-meter medley relay team (1:01.81) of Benjamin Mills, Sam Smith, Erin Berner-Coe and Anna Fox; the girls 13–14 100-meter medley was set by Erin Berner-Coe (1:21.56), the girls 15–18 50-meter backstroke was set by Bonnie Wakefield (34.57), and the boys 8 and under 25-meter breaststroke (24.02) was set by Jackson Frazier.

Messenger Print Edition on Break—Next Issue on Aug. 9

The Messenger is taking its two-week summer break. Our office will reopen Monday, Aug. 5, and we’ll be back in print on Friday, Aug. 9.

Janet Graham joins me in thanking our dedicated supporters: the loyal advertisers who know the value of an ad in the Messenger; the Sewanee Community Chest for past support and the University of the South, whose donations to this publication encourage conversation and cooperation in our community.

I am grateful to all our columnists and contributors—Phoebe and Scott Bates, Jean and Harry Yeatman, Annie Armour, John Bordley, Virginia Craighill,
Patrick Dean, Buck Gorrell, John Shackelford, Margaret Stephens, Peter Trenchi, Pat Wiser and
Francis Walter—who make us laugh, learn and see the world in new ways. 

I also want to acknowledge the important contributions of staff members April Minkler, Ray Minkler and Sandra Gabrielle; staff writers Leslie Lytle, K.G. Beavers and Kevin Cummings; and interns (at the paper and at TheMountainNow.com) Sarah Beavers, Sarah Butler and Marisa Wilson.

Finally I want to thank you, our readers, who faithfully read the Messenger each week and give us honest, thoughtful feedback. 

Our community is stronger because of your commitment to this Mountain. –LW­

McDermott Opens 24th Sewanee Writers’ Conference

Celebrating its 24th summer session, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference will run from Tuesday, July 23, through Saturday, Aug. 3, and feature readings, panels and lectures by distinguished faculty and nationally recognized editors, publishers and literary agents.

The conference will begin with a reading by fiction writer Alice McDermott at 8:15 p.m., Tuesday, July 23. All readings and lectures are free, open to the public and held on campus in the Mary Sue Cushman Room of the Bairnwick Women’s Center. 

McDermott is the author of six novels—”A Bigamist’s Daughter,” “That Night,” “At Weddings and Wakes,” “Charming Billy,” “Child of My Heart” and “After This.” She received the National Book Award in 1998 for “Charming Billy.” Her articles, reviews and stories have appeared in the New York Times, the New Yorker, USA Today, Ms., Redbook, Mademoiselle, Seventeen, Commonweal and the Washington Post. A recipient of the Whiting Writers’ Award, the Corrington Award for Literature, and a three-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, she is a professor at Johns Hopkins University. 

The following eleven days will feature a variety of lectures and events. A complete Conference schedule can be found on page 7, or online at <www.sewaneewriters.org/confer​ence/schedule>. Authors’ books are available at the University Book & Supply Store.

The conference will include readings by National Book Award and 2013 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award Winner for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing Tim O’Brien, Pulitzer Prize-winner Claudia Emerson, Pulitzer Prize-winners and former Poets Laureate of the United States Robert Hass and Mark Strand, 2012 Rea Award Winner for the Short Story Richard Bausch, Mildred and Harold Strauss Living Award Winner Diane Johnson, Pulitzer Prize-finalist Christine Schutt and PEN/Malamud Award Winner for Short Fiction Elizabeth Spencer. Additional readings will feature award-winning poets Daniel Anderson, Andrew Hudgins, Maurice Manning, Conference Director Wyatt Prunty, Mary Jo Salter, A.E. Stallings, Sidney Wade, Caki Wilkinson, best-selling and critically acclaimed fiction writers Tony Earley, Randall Kenan, Jill McCorkle, Erin McGraw, Steve Yarbrough, and esteemed playwrights Daisy Foote and Dan O’Brien. 

Editors from Algonquin Books, the American Scholar, Blackbird, Grove/Atlantic, the Hopkins Review, the Kenyon Review, Knopf, the Missouri Review, New Directions, Northwestern University Press, the Oxford American, Penguin, Poetry, and the Weekly Standard will discuss publishing. 

Supported by the Walter E. Dakin Memorial Fund established through the estate of the late Tennessee Williams, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference offers instruction and criticism to writers through a series of workshops, readings and craft lectures in poetry, fiction and playwriting. Lectures and readings will be in the Mary Sue Cushman Room of the Bairnwick Women’s Center on Mississippi Avenue, one block south of University Avenue. Admission to all public events is free, but space may be limited.

For more information, call 598-1654 or visit the Sewanee Writers’ Conference website at <sewaneewriters.org>.

Food Truck is New Addition to Mountain Dining

Behind Mooney’s Market and Emporium is the newest addition to the Mountain restaurant scene, the Crescent Cafe. The Crescent Cafe is a food truck, specializing in vegan and vegetarian fare. It opened June 27.

“So many customers were asking for take-away, ready-to-eat food items while shopping at Mooney’s, having a commercial kitchen was the next step,” said Joan Thomas, owner of Mooney’s. “And, I always knew it was going to offer only vegan and vegetarian food.”

“Joan had a vision that a commercial kitchen offering good, healthy food was needed,” said cook Lucinda Hawkes. Thomas bought the food trailer, and Hawkes stepped in to be the cook.

As a grocery store, Thomas is allowed to have a deli as long as it is permanently anchored. “The food truck is not mobile,” said Thomas. Thomas still plans to sell ready-to-go food out of the store during the week.

Hawkes uses her own kitchen recipes for the Crescent Cafe menu. As a vegetarian for the last 10 years, she has tweaked many recipes to find out what works best and tastes good. Hawkes uses local products, mostly organic, whenever possible. The menu items are made from scratch, except for the veggie dog.

“Lucinda knows good, healthy cooking. Menu items are low in fat and salt, and the food tastes good,” said Thomas.

The menu will change weekly, with such offerings as black bean and sweet potato burgers, black-eyed pea hummus and kale smoothies. Hawkes plans on offering more gluten-free options in the coming weeks.

The Crescent Cafe is open Thursday through Saturday only, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All foods are packed for take-away. Patrons can dine outside or inside on the porch. Customers can also call ahead at (931) 924-7400 or (423) 994-0419 for carry-out orders.

Mooney’s Market and Emporium sells local food, gardening supplies and antiques and art on consignment. The store is located at 1265 W. Main Street in Monteagle.

County Fails to Pass Budget—Process and Planning Problems Prevent Passage

by K. G. Beavers, Messenger Staff Writer

The 2013–14 Franklin County budget did not pass at the full commissioners meeting on July 15.

“This was not directly about the special resource officer program (SRO) or the proposed 5-cent tax increase,” said county commissioner Johnny Hughes. “The concern I have is the way the budget process was handled this year.” 

“In the past, we have had budget workshops where we could talk with department heads before the budget was sent to the full county commission for a vote. This year, all the department heads took their budgets to the Finance Committee in June. Then the budget was presented to the full county commission with little discussion,” said Hughes. County commissioners received the full budget on July 3. 

“The county commission has either been doing the budget process wrong for the past several years, or we did it wrong this year,” said Hughes.

One of the main points of concern is how to pay the estimated $400,000 yearly for the SROs. On January 25, the county commission approved a budget amendment to fund the SROs. At that time, Finance Director Andrea Smith pointed out that if this budget amendment passed, the county commission would need to raise taxes, as there were no cuts to be made to pay for the program. 

The county has a maintenance of effort to meet because of this vote. “We voted for this program, and we have to pay for it,” said Hughes.

In the proposed 2013–14 county budget, funding for the SROs was to come from a 5 cent property tax increase. Many county commissioners were against a tax increase. Some county commissioners wanted to pay for the SROs through the county general-purpose fund balance. Other county commissioners think the Franklin County school board should pay for the SRO program with basic education funds.

“Each commissioner had their sticking point on this budget. My sticking points are that the highway department is being forgiven approximately $400,000 for their debt obligation, and the dead-stock removal agreement failed in a June 17 commissioners meeting for lack of a motion. But when we got the budget, the $55,000 was back,” said Hughes.

“We cannot expect the $232,000 BEP money coming to the schools to be used to pay for the SROs either. The money can be used for school safety, but the money was not specifically earmarked to pay for security.

“One option is to raise the property tax. The second option is to take the entire amount out of the fund balance. I think a third option is needed where we cut the highway department debt forgiveness down to $200,000 and take the rest out of the fund balance. 

“We will still be facing the possibility of raising taxes. The county commission has a lot to discuss.” 

Franklin County Director of Schools Rebecca Sharber has called a special school board meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, July 22, to discuss the possible ramifications of the delay in having a finalized 2013–14 budget. 

The county commissioners will have a budget workshop at 6 p.m., July 29, in the conference room of the Annex Building. That budget will then go to the Finance Committee in a specially called meeting on Tuesday, July 30. The full county commission will meet to vote on the budget on Thursday, August 1.

Sewanee Professor Leads Study of Laws of Life Contest

Sewanee Professor Leads Study of Laws of Life Contest

by Marisa Wilson, Messenger Intern

In the Fall of 2012, the University of the South was awarded a grant of $1.1 million from the John Templeton Foundation to support psychology professor Sherry Hamby’s research on the Laws of Life Contest in Franklin County.

The Laws of Life Contest was created in 1987 by the Templeton Foundation to promote moral character development in middle and high school students through the writing of essays on concepts such as the Golden Rule and “honesty is the best policy.” The contest originated in Franklin County, where Templeton was born and raised, so the foundation selected this area for further research. 

Hamby’s project will be the first systematic evaluation of the contest by studying how participating in the writing contest has affected the growth and development of character in past contestants.

The data for the study will be collected from people in Franklin County and the bordering counties; Hamby hopes to have 3,000 completed surveys and 200 open-ended, qualitative interviews, making the study one of the largest research projects conducted in rural Appalachia. The surveys will cover personal strengths such as generosity, interpersonal skills, and conduct in the face of adversity, and the interviews will explore these strengths further by allowing interviewees to discuss topics not covered in the survey. As a thank-you for their help, those who complete surveys and interviews are given Walmart gift cards.

The 36-month long project began in April. Hamby and eight staff members (seven are current or past Sewanee students) have collected 800 surveys from both contest participants and those who did not submit essays to the Laws of Life Contest (as a comparison group). These surveys have been completed by people who would have been in middle or high school when the contest began more than 25 years ago through last year’s essay writers; those surveyed range in age from 12 to 48. Hamby said that the wide age range makes this study unique in that both adolescents and adults will be included in the same data pool.

“A lot of time people look at either kids or adults, and this [study] will allow us to really see what developmental patterns occur across [ages] 17, 18 and 19,” said Hamby.

On preliminary results, Hamby comments, “People who really poured themselves into that essay, and really spent a lot of time working on it, and really shared something they felt was important about themselves in it are showing quite a bit higher scores on a lot of different measures of character development.”

Another interesting point Hamby has seen so far is the importance of employment as an area where one exhibits strengths and may experience adversity, and she hopes to explore that further as the study continues.

One of the groups surveyed by Hamby decided to donate the Walmart gift cards they were given in exchange for their participation in the research to a woman who had lost her house in a fire.

“[This] is a perfect example of generosity which is one of the strengths that we are studying in the project,” said Hamby. “It was neat that not only are we studying it, but we are also providing an opportunity for people to be generous through their research participation.”

Hamby’s final results will be published in a series of journal articles, and she will present the project at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention next month. The results of the study will also be published in a booklet aimed at the general public.

Blount Announces Run For Circuit Judge

Steve Blount of Sewanee, a senior assistant district attorney for the 12th Judicial District, announced this week that he is seeking to serve the people of the district in the position of Circuit Court Judge Part III. 

“I am excited for the potential opportunity to serve the citizens of the 12th Judicial District in a new capacity. I have served in the position of assistant district attorney for over 20 years, and I look forward to continuing my service from the bench,” Blount said.

Judge Buddy Perry just announced that he would not seek re-election to the position, thereby leaving an open seat in the circuit court system. There are three circuit judges and one chancellor serving the district, with one vacancy needing to be filled in the 2014 election. The 12th Judicial District is comprised of Bledsoe, Grundy, Franklin, Marion, Rhea and Sequatchie counties.

“A trial judge should be experienced, fair, honest, just, firm, respectful, able to show compassion and hard working,” Blount said. “I believe I have the experience and attributes that would serve and benefit the citizens of our district. It has been nearly 45 years since we have had a circuit judge in our judicial district who had experience as a prosecutor. ” 

Blount is a graduate of the University of the South; he earned his law degree at Florida State University.

After representing the citizens of the district in private law practice for 10 years and with more than 20 years serving the citizens while in the district attorney’s office, Blount said he believes he has the experience and knowledge required to handle the responsibilities of the judgeship. 

“Judge Perry has honorably served as one of our trial judges since 1986. It would be an honor to carry forward the strong tradition of experience and devotion to justice that Judge Perry provided,” he said. 

In 2012, Blount was honored by being elected as a Distinguished Fellow of the Tennessee Bar Foundation. Only 3.5 percent of all Tennessee attorneys have been elected as Fellows of the Tennessee Bar Foundation.

Blount was a founding member of the Drug Court TEAM of the 12th Judicial District. He holds the position of chairman of the Drug Court TEAM and serves as the vice-president of the 12th Judicial District Drug Court Foundation. 

He said, “Judge Perry has spent the last eight years establishing one of the strongest and most successful drug court programs in the state of Tennessee. It is imperative that this program continues in our Judicial District and I will strive to carry out Judge Perry’s legacy in this area.

“As a circuit judge, I will always honor and uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee,” Blount said. “I believe the roll of a judge is to rule and adjudicate following the laws passed by the legislature. A trial judge should not legislate from the bench nor attempt to write law. 

“Justice can and will result if a judge follows the laws on the books, applies logic and reason, draws on ample legal and life experiences, adds compassion where deserved, understanding when needed, sternness where appropriate, and uses good old-fashioned common sense,” Blount said.

“That’s my pledge to the citizens of the 12th Judicial District when I am elected to this judgeship.” 

Married to his college sweetheart, Mary, for almost 30 years, they have two children, Zachary, a rising sophomore in college and, Emily, a rising senior in high school. 

He is a lay leader at Otey Memorial Parish, and is a member of the Winchester Rotary Club. 

For more information, visit <www.steveblount4judge.com> or go to his Facebook page, “steveblount4judge.”

John Michael Hurt & Jay Faires Perform Tonight

Friday Nights in Sewanee Angel Park continues with John Michael Hurt and the Jay Faires Band beginning at 8 p.m., tonight (Friday), July 12. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring their chairs and blankets to enjoy the music. University Avenue will be closed at 6:30 p.m.; food and drinks will be available, and local restaurants will be open.

Hurt began playing music in the 1960s at the age of twelve. From 1966 to 1976, he traveled the eastern United States as a working musician. After leaving the music scene, he performed occasionally with friends until 9/11, when he was inspired to write and perform again. He has released one progressive rock album and has another on the way.

Jay Faires released his first CD, “Huntsville City Limit,” when he was 13 years old. Now at 16, Jay has opened for artists David Allen Coe, Rhett Akins, John Anderson and Chris Cagle. He plays blues, rock, folk, reggae and bluegrass covers, and writes and performs blues and rock. Jay is a rising senior at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School.

On July 19, Friday Nights in the Park will present The Slim Chance Band. The festivities will continue each Friday through the month of July and is made possible by the Sewanee Business Alliance and local sponsors.

Poetry & Tea at Rivendell

Leigh Ann Couch, award-winning poet and managing editor of the Sewanee Review, will read from her poetry as part of an afternoon tea and garden walk at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 27, at Rivendell Writers’ Colony in Sewanee.

“Leigh Ann’s poetry will be the perfect connection to our enjoyment of Rivendell and its outside spaces. We’re honored to have such an integral part of the Sewanee literary community as our guest,” said Carmen Thompson, director of Rivendell. 

Poet Alan Shapiro has said of Couch’s work, “The metaphorical richness of Leigh Anne Couch’s ‘Houses Fly Away’ is in service to and informed by a marvelous richness and complexity of mind and heart.”

Couch’s poems have appeared in the Western Humanities Review, Shenandoah, Salmagundi, Gulf Coast Review, Cincinnati Review, Carolina Quarterly and other journals. 

Her chapbook, “Green and Helpless,” was published by Finishing Line Press, and her first book, “Houses Fly Away, “was winner of the Zone 3 Press First Book Award. She lives in Sewanee with the writer Kevin Wilson and their sons, Griff and Patch. 

To reserve your place for the reading and tea, contact Thompson by email, <carmen@rivendellwriters​colony.org>, or call 598-5555 and leave a message. The cost is $25 per person, and seating is limited.

Rivendell Writers’ Colony is developing a nonprofit entity to inspire the imagination by providing educational opportunities for aspiring writers through programs, workshops and residencies. 

Go to <rivendellwriters​colony.org> for more information.

50th Annual Cottage Tour and Bazaar at Monteagle Assembly on July 19

The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly Woman’s Association will be holding the 50th Annual Cottage Tour and Bazaar on Friday, July 19. 

Seven historic cottages located within the Assembly’s grounds will be open, as well as the auditorium which was built in 1927 and the gymnasium, built in 1884. 

Bazaar shopping, a variety of lunch options and the bake sale will take place on the shady mall at the heart of the Assembly. Tours run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The bazaar is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 

The ticket price includes a special floral demonstration featuring Ralph Null, a nationally renowned floral designer, at 1 p.m. in Warren Chapel. His beautiful creations will be auctioned at the end of the demonstration.

The bazaar will feature many well-known artisans and a few newcomers displaying their fine arts and crafts. The bake sale will include delicious home-baked treats. Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the Assembly Office or by calling (931) 924-2286. Tickets on the day of the tour are $20, available at the North Gate of the Assembly.

This annual event helps fund ongoing financial support of area nonprofit organizations, as well as the restoration of historic properties inside the Assembly. 

Celebrating its 131st year of continuous operation, Monteagle Sunday School Assembly is interdenominational and fulfills its original charter and mission through a variety of educational, spiritual and cultural activities for all ages. From the hundreds of such Assemblies patterned after the Chautauqua Institution in New York in the late 1800s, only 13 remain active today. In 1982, its 100th anniversary, Monteagle Sunday School Assembly was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.

Since its first session in the summer of 1883, the Assembly has run continuously and thrives today. 

More information about the Assembly can be found at <www.mssa1882.org>.

Important Information for July 4th in Sewanee

Following a longstanding tradition, the Sewanee community Fourth of July celebration will be held, rain or shine, with a few exceptions:

Because it will be raining cats and dogs, the Cats’ Meow and Mutt Show planned for Manigault Park have been canceled.

Regarding the dunking booth; if steady rain occurs around 10 a.m., then the dunking booth activity will be canceled.

The parade will be held, rain or shine, unless there is thunder and lightning. If it is thundering and lightning at noon, the parade will be canceled.

If weather permits, the air show and airplane rides will take place in the afternoon.

The Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department will determine by 6 p.m. on July 4 if the fireworks will still take place that night.

Events STILL taking place at this time include the Flag Raising, the Arts and Crafts Fair, the Cake Contest, the University Archive’s Civil War Collection, carillon recital, pie eating contest and the SSMF students and faculty brass quintet concert.

At this time, alternate rain venues for the Sewanee Chorale, Davidson Local, and nail clippings for your dog have not been determined.

The July 3 Hike to a Concert alternate rain venue will be decided by 2 p.m. today.

The July 3 street dance will still be held at 8 p.m. Rain location is Cravens Hall.

The Fourth of July committee will keep you informed as best they can with any updates.

MSSA Woman’s Association Cottage Tour and Bazaar

One of the cottages on the tour.

The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly Woman’s Association will be holding the 50th Annual Cottage Tour and Bazaar on Friday, July 19.
Seven historic cottages located within the Assembly’s grounds will be open, as well as the auditorium which was built in 1927 and the gymnasium, built in 1884.
Bazaar shopping, a variety of lunch options and the bake sale will take place on the shady mall at the heart of the Assembly. Tours run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The bazaar is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
The ticket price includes a special floral demonstration featuring Ralph Null, a nationally renowned floral designer, at 1 p.m. in Warren Chapel. His beautiful creations will be auctioned at the end of the demonstration.

The bazaar will feature many well-known artisans and a few newcomers displaying their fine arts and crafts. The bake sale will include delicious home-baked treats. Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the Assembly Office or by calling (931) 924-2286. Tickets on the day of the tour are $20, available at the North Gate of the Assembly.

This annual fund raising event helps fund ongoing financial support of area nonprofit organizations, as well as the restoration of historic properties inside the Assembly. 

Celebrating its 131st year of continuous operation, Monteagle Sunday School Assembly is interdenominational and fulfills its original charter and mission through a variety of educational, spiritual and cultural activities for all ages.  From the hundreds of such Assemblies patterned after  the  Chautauqua Institution in New York in the late 1800s, only 13 remain active today. In 1982, its 100th anniversary, Monteagle Sunday School Assembly was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.

Since its first session in the summer of 1883, the Assembly has run continuously and thrives today. More information about the Assembly can be found at <www.mssa1882.org>.

SSMF Concerto Finalists Announced

During the past week at the University of the South campus, more than 76 Sewanee Summer Music Festival students competed in the first and second rounds of the 2013 Jacqueline Avent Concerto Competition. Students were required to apply to the competition by May 31. They performed their concerto movements in front of a select group of judges by memory.
After the first round, the semifinalists performed in Guerry Auditorium in front of the entire student body and a wider group of judges. After deliberation and careful consideration, the judging committee announced the repertoire for the competition concert and the student performers who will play their concerto in front of the community. The students will perform with the prestigious Festival Orchestra, an orchestra comprised of faculty guest artists and other guest artists. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 18.
The finalists are:
Jill Chronister, cello, Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Opus 104;
Ryan Snapp, cello, Saint-Saens’ Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Opus 33;
Ryan Kirkconnel, tuba, Gregson’s Tuba Concerto;
Abigail Kent, harp, Handel’s Harp Concerto in B-flat major;
Michael Hoover, flute, Hüe’s Fantasie.
The Jacqueline Avent Concerto Competition is one of the most unique performances of the whole music festival. The community is encouraged to attend the concert and witness the tremendous talent of these young musicians.
To purchase tickets and read more about these students and pieces, please go to <ssmf.inticketing.com/events>.

Boy Named Banjo at Angel Park

The band Boy Named Banjo (Barton Davies, William Reames and Will Logan) will perform at 8 p.m., Friday, July 5, at the Angel Park in Sewanee. Community members are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets on which to sit at this free, family-friendly event. University Avenue will be closed off at 6:30 p.m., and food and drinks will be available.
Boy Named Banjo writes and plays music that is strongly influenced by bluegrass and Americana. Davies and Reames are rising sophomores at Sewanee. Their song “This Light” was featured in the Sewanee video filmed by Stephen Alvarez.
Friday Nights in the Park will continue each week through the month of July.
On Friday, July 12, John Michael Hurt  and the Jay Faires Band will perform.
The Sewanee Business Alliance is an informal group of business owners and leaders in Sewanee that promote, plan and execute community and business projects to improve Sewanee’s image and strengthen the economic welfare locally.
To learn more about or to become a member of the Sewanee Business Alliance contact John Goodson at 968-1127.

New Event for the Cats’ Meow

Grumpy human.

Morose feles.

Only “morose feles” can win the grumpiest competition.

This year’s Cats’ Meow has a special enticement for animal lovers. For every entry into the contest, an anonymous cat lover will make a $10 donation to Animal Harbor. Bring your cat and help the shelter.
For cats only, the categories to enter include biggest, smallest, look like my human, grumpiest, most impressive ear fur and/or toe fur and the cat with the most “catitude.” Humans may have to help their feline friends with the best-decorated carrier category.
See pages 8, 12 and 13 for all of  the fun “Apple Pie Fourth of  July” information.

Civil War Sites in Sewanee

Cornerstone site.

by Marisa Wilson, Messenger Intern

With the Fourth of July being the 150th anniversary of the Army of Tennessee battling in Sewanee, I went to see the many Civil War sites in the area. The first historic marker I visited was the sight of the original cornerstone of the University of the South. The school’s founders laid the cornerstone of the first University of the South building on October 10, 1860. Although the building, including the cornerstone, was destroyed by Union troops on July 13, 1863, a symbolic cornerstone was placed in the original location. The new cornerstone is found along a short walking path off of University Avenue near the Sewanee Inn.
Another Civil War-related site in Sewanee is Rebel’s Rest. The site, located at the junction of Georgia and University avenues, is where the home first stood before the Civil War of one of the University’s key founders and lieutenant general in the Confederate Army, Bishop Leonidas Polk. The first two log cabins of postwar Sewanee were also erected on this spot in 1866. Now located on this historic site is a house which is used to accommodate Sewanee visitors.
Near the intersection of highways US-41A and SH-56 is the site of the last Battle of the Tullahoma Campaign, which took place on July 4, 1863. The battle extended 2 miles southwest of the modern-day plaque, which commemorates the battle. At this battle Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans commanded the Union army while Gen. Braxton Bragg commanded the Confederates. The battle was one of many that took place in the area as the Union Army pushed toward Chattanooga.
Other historic sites in Sewanee include the University of the South cemetery located on Georgia Avenue  and All Saints’ Chapel located along University Avenue. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith and the Rev. Francis Asbury Shoup are buried there. They fought as Confederate generals during the war. At the time of his death in Sewanee, Kirby Smith was the last surviving man who had been a full general in the war.

Along the wall facing University Avenue in All Saints’ Chapel is a series of stained glass windows chronicling the history of the University, including a window depicting the original cornerstone of the University being blown up by Union troops.

For more information on the history of Sewanee, visit the Sewanee Trust for Historic Preservation located at 400 University Ave. or visit one of the many events about Sewanee and the Civil War that will be held around town on July 4.

Sort Recycling With Care

Joe B. Long reports that residents are not separating materials as carefully as they should. When recycling items are not sorted properly, the items are put in with standard trash, defeating the purpose of recycling. If you participate in the recycling program, Long asks that residents please remember the following guidelines.
All recycled items must be sacked in blue bags, available from the University Lease Office, 110 Carnegie Hall, or at the Physical Plant Services office on Alabama Avenue, or at the PPS warehouse on Georgia Avenue.
Bags should be placed on the side of the road no later than 7:30 a.m. on the morning of pickup. Items to be recycled must be sorted and placed in separate bags. If plastic bottles are mixed in with tin cans, the entire bag goes to the trash.
Aluminum cans: Rinse the cans and store with other aluminum materials such as clean aluminum foil and pie pans. Crushing the cans is optional.
Tin cans: Tin cans need to be rinsed before storing, but the labels do not have to be taken off. The end of the can does not have to be removed. Crushing the cans is optional.
#1 (PET) Plastic: Remove the lid and rinse out the container. This category includes two-liter drink bottles, peanut butter jars and plastics that are stamped with the recycling triangle with the number 1.
#2 (HDPE) Plastic: Remove the lid and rinse. Some examples in this category are milk jugs, detergent bottles and plastics that are stamped with the recycling triangle with the number 2.
Mixed Paper: Flatten paperboard boxes from cereal, crackers and other items.
Among the unacceptable items are plastic shopping bags such as those used at grocery stores and drugstores; cardboard milk or juice cartons; boxes with food products stuck to them; wax-coated cardboard; polystyrene pellets (packing peanuts) and Styrofoam inserts.