Thursday, December 18, 2014

Thomas Announces Plans to Leave SAS in June

The Rev. John Taliaferro Thomas, head of school at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, has accepted a position as head of school of Frederica Academy on St. Simon’s Island, Ga. Thomas joined St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School in 2008 and served as the second head in the 33 years since the school was formed by the merger of St. Andrew’s School and Sewanee Academy. He will continue in his current position through June 30, 2015.

In accepting Thomas’s resignation, Richard Westling, president of the board of trustees, said, “The Board of Trustees joins me in thanking Fr. Thomas and the Thomas family for their seven years of service to SAS. Under Fr. Thomas’s guidance, the school completed construction of McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts, Wade Hall for the Sciences, and the Chamberlain- Reishman Wing of Simmonds Hall. Fr. Thomas oversaw curricular changes, schedule changes, and many administrative and staff transitions. During his tenure the school conducted an important visioning process, developed a strategic plan, successfully achieved reaccreditation, and celebrated the centennial of St. Andrew’s Chapel.”

In tendering his resignation, Thomas wrote, “While my family and I will be leaving St. Andrew’s-Sewanee, we do so with gratitude for seven years of growing and changing together. I am ever grateful to the board, administration, faculty, staff, parents, and many friends for maintaining and enhancing the mission and ministry of this unique and special school.”

The SAS board has engaged Carney, Sandoe & Associates and CS&A search consultant Marguerite Lloyd to guide the school through the search for an interim head for 2015–16 and a new head of school to begin in July 2016. 


A celebration of Fr. Thomas’s tenure and his and his wife Janice’s many contributions to the Sewanee community will be announced later this spring.

Christmas Yard Display is Testament to Holiday Cheer, Love for Mom

by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer


Rosebushes are woven into the sprawling Noel vista, which is speckled with hundreds of glowing lights, all essentially powered by love.

Mary Elizabeth “Tibby” Tucker decorated the yard of her Kennerly Road home in grand fashion at least as far back as the early 1980s. Santas, camels, reindeer, wise men and snowmen populate the grass and still brighten the Sewanee night off Highway 41A.

A puddle of inflatable Santa lies at the foot of the porch waiting for the breath of life, as a jolly man steps from the door of the house wearing shorts and a black pullover, a rust-colored Chihuahua in his arms. Freddy Tucker instantly feels like a friend, and his joy about his candy cane-dappled yard is infectious.

After Tibby died in 2011 at age 85, he continues the decorating tradition as a testament of love to his mom and a gift to the community he holds dear.

“I miss my mom,” he says, “not just at Christmas, but the whole year. She started all this, and I just kept it going.”

Freddy, 51, unpacked the decorations the day after Thanksgiving, and with some help from his girlfriend, Gail Parsons, finished the yard in about two weeks.

Friend Robin Gottfried, executive director of Sewanee’s Center for Religion and Environment, grew up in a rural area of Maryland not far from Washington, D.C., where people prided themselves on their Christmas displays.

“Freddy’s yard brings back memories from when I was a kid, and it brings a lot of happiness to people,” Gottfried says. “It’s a great tradition that he feels strongly about. Freddy has a strong sense of community, and of sharing and giving for the community.”

Beneath a plywood manger, Joseph is cloaked in a faded turquoise robe and stands alongside Mary, chips of paint missing from her face as she cradles a gleeful baby Jesus in her arms.

Freddy says the nativity scenes were some of his mom’s favorites. Tibby worked for the University of the South for more than 50 years. In 2011, a few months before she died, their house burned, but the Christmas and Halloween decorations survived; they were stored in the basement as Sewanee Housing Inc. helped rebuild the home. Dixon Myers, coordinator of Sewanee’s Outreach Ministries, was part of the rebuilding.

“Frankenstein and the Virgin Mary were actually living together in the basement of the house, and Frosty the Snowman was down there with the mummy,” Myers says laughing.

Like Gottfried, the yard art takes Myers back to his childhood.

“It’s a really beautiful place, and everybody drives by there,” he says.

As three Santas, an angel, and a host of other characters stand sentinel along the edge of the road, Freddy laments that more people don’t decorate at Christmas.

“I think each person ought to at least put out one ornament, a tree, a light or something. Don’t you? People say these decorations mean Christmas to them,” he says, “and if it snows on them, boy do they get excited.”

Freddy’s home is located near the corner of Kennerly Avenue and Highway 41-A.

SUD Board Approves 2.5 % Rate Increase

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer


At the Dec. 16 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, the board voted on a number of issues critical to the future of the utility, including authorizing a 2.5 percent rate increase.

At the November meeting, SUD manager Ben Beavers suggested SUD defer some capital improvements to avoid a 10 percent rate increase in 2015. Beavers submitted the revised budget to SUD’s consulting firm Raftelis Financial, Inc. Raftelis recommended SUD increase rates 2–3 percent in 2015 to accommodate the revised budget.

The board considered various scenarios, weighing SUD’s capital improvement goals against the funds needed to accomplish these. A modest 1 percent rate increase in 2015 would require a 2 percent increase in 2016 in order for SUD to break even. SUD board president Cliff Huffman expressed concern about deferring necessary capital improvements and stressed the importance of SUD’s revenue sustaining SUD’s expenses.

The board voted to approve a 2.5 percent rate increase for 2015. They project a 1 percent increase in each of the subsequent four years.


Top among SUD’s capital improvement goals is detecting causes of unaccounted-for water loss—the difference between water produced and water registered as passing through customer meters. Beavers said that 8 percent of SUD’s water production cost is for unaccounted-for water: 22 million gallons in 2014, 23 percent of the water SUD produced.

To more accurately track water sales, SUD recently switched to monthly irrigation-customer billing instead of quarterly billing. A software error resulted in some irrigation customers being billed for sewer service. Beavers said the customers will be notified and their bills adjusted.

Beavers updated the board on the contract licensing use of SUD property for the trial wetlands slated for construction at the SUD wastewater treatment plant in conjunction with a research project undertaken jointly by the University of the South and the University of Georgia. 

The license gives the researchers the right to operate as if they owned the land, provided the use does not interfere with operation of the wastewater treatment plant. Because SUD receives federal funding, law forbids the utility from giving up property rights by granting an easement to the researchers. SUD’s attorney, Don Scholes, drafted the contract. Beavers provided project coordinators Deborah McGrath and Scott Torreano and University attorney Donna Pierce with a copy of the contract for review.

The board nominated Ronnie Hoosier to run for the office of SUD Marion County commissioner. Huffman’s term will expire in January; Huffman is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. The nominating process remains open until Jan. 13. Prospective candidates need to submit a nominating petition with the signatures of 10 SUD customers residing in Marion County. Petitions are available at the SUD office.

The board approved Beavers’ recommendation of the accounting firm Allen, McGee and Associates (AMA) to perform the 2015 audit. AMA received high marks from other utilities. The firm will save SUD $1,400 compared to the accounting firm SUD employed in 2014 and promised to complete the audit in two months. Last year SUD had to wait until September for a final draft.
The SUD board meets next on Jan. 27.

Festival of Trees at Heritage Center

The fifth annual Festival of Trees is now on display at the Grundy County Historical Society Heritage Center. There will be an open house and reception to celebrate the festival, noon–4 p.m., today (Friday), Dec. 19. The display of 10 decorated Christmas trees will remain through the month of December. 

In addition to the trees, there are displays of a Victorian Dickens village and a Beersheba Springs village made of birdhouses by Bud Whitman. 

Several organizations have worked with the staff at the Heritage Center in developing the displays. Mountain Heritage Preservation Society, Myers Hill Methodist Church and Discover Together have provided trees that reflect their respective missions. 

A tree representing a snowman has been decorated by Janelle Taylor of Pelham. Neil Price of Foggy Mountain Liquors has provided a tree decorated with antique ornaments. The anchor tree of the display was decorated by Barbara Myers of the Heritage Center.

The displays extend from the Lulu Estelle Robbins and E.L. Hampton Assembly Hall to the Donald G. and Marian V. Savage Exhibit Hall. The Exhibit Hall includes a miniature Victorian Dickens village. There is also a display of birdhouses depicting historical buildings in Beersheba Springs designed and constructed by Whitman.

The Heritage Center is open 10 a.m.–4 p.m., weekdays, and 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Saturdays; it is located at 465 Railroad Ave., Tracy City. There is no admission fee for the festival.


The Festival of Trees has been organized by Barbara Myers, Heritage Center library staffer. For more information or to participate in the festival, contact Myers at (931) 592-6008. The Lulu Estelle Robbins and E.L. Hampton Assembly Hall is available for use by area organizations; contact the Heritage Center for scheduling and other information. 

Updated Deer Cull Map for 2014


Thursday, December 11, 2014

School Board Donates Land for Farmers’ Market

by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer


The Franklin County Board of Education met on Dec. 8 and agreed to give property to the county for a new farmers’ market building.

The pavilion for the Southern Middle Tennessee Farmers Market of Franklin County will be on land primarily owned by the school system. The board agreed to let the county use 0.87 acres between the old Franklin County High School football stadium and Dinah Shore Boulevard for the 50-foot by 150-foot structure. 

The current open-air farmers’ market, which is also on school system property, will move just down the street to the pavilion, which is being funded by a $42,000 state grant that the county will match. Helen Stapleton, District 5 county commissioner, said she is excited about the farmers’ market expansion. 

“It’s a win-win for the county,” she said. “The food is fresher and healthier, and the profits will support our farmers right here and will get spent here. I’d love to see the school kids learn gardening and perhaps sell their produce to fund school projects. They’d learn a valuable lesson in science, survival and economics.”

John Ferrell, the Franklin County agent for the University of Tennessee Extension Service, said the goal is to have the pavilion completed before the market opens in April.

The land donation includes a stipulation that the property will revert back to the school system if the pavilion is not built or the market goes out of business. 

School board chairman Kevin Caroland said the contribution is a good faith gesture to benefit the community.

Responding to a request from the City of Winchester, the school board unanimously supported rezoning its property at the old Franklin County High School area from R-1 (low-density residential) to C-2 (commercial highway service district). The rezoning will clear the way for the farmers’ market, but the change is also needed if the state awards a proposed vocational-technical school to the county, which could be on that property. 

In other business at the Dec. 8 school board meeting:

Caroland announced that Jan. 19 is the final day that the Tennessee School Board Association will accept applications for the new Franklin County director of schools.

Rebecca Sharber, who is retiring as director this summer, gave an overview of how the school system uses state and locally mandated testing and assessments to develop improvement strategies. Testing data is used to create both district improvement plans and individual school improvement plans, which may include new learning programs and adjusting areas of focus, she said. 

In addition to planning based on annual tests, teachers meet weekly and use assessment data to share strategies and make action plans as part of Professional Learning Communities.

Board member Adam Tucker requested the presentation during the November board meeting and said he may have additional specific questions for Sharber on how testing data is utilized. Sharber said she will provide board members with individual school improvement plans and information about the “Study Island” software program used by students. 


During a Dec. 2 public forum with Tucker hosted by the Sewanee Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization, people in attendance heavily criticized the amount of required testing programs.

SUD Board Opening

The SUD board is seeking nominees to run for the office of SUD Marion County commissioner. SUD board president Cliff Huffman’s term will expire in January; Huffman is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. Nominees must be SUD customers and must reside in Marion County; however, all SUD customers may vote in this election.

SUD is an independent government agency. It is governed by a five-person board of commissioners who are elected by the ratepayers. Any ratepayer can run for a seat. 

Water treatment and distribution and wastewater collection and treatment are the responsibilities of the board. They set the rates, set the budget, deal with regulatory agencies and plan for the future. 

Prospective nominees should contact the SUD office by calling 598-5611.

2014 Deer Cull Opens Thursday

The 2014 Sewanee Deer cull will begin on Thursday, Dec. 18. Hunting is allowed Thursday, Dec. 18–Sunday, Jan. 4. All zones will be open to archery hunting for approved hunters. There is no hunting on Wednesday, Dec. 24, or Thursday, Dec. 25.

Muzzle loaders and shotguns will be allowed in outer zones to approved hunters. All trails will remain open at all times. Bow hunters will maintain a 100-yard safety zone around trails and fire lanes.

Domain manager Nate Wilson said there are no changes to hunting locations or times from last year. A copy of the maps is on page 14; the map, hunting rules and a shared Google map of hunting times is available at <http://domainmgt.sewanee.edu/resources/2014-university-deer-hunt>.
Wilson said the results of the 2014 fall deer census were very encouraging. 

“The results indicate that the population is responding to our increased management and showed average density in deer per square mile to be half what it was in 2013,” Wilson said. The deer population is “25 percent of the population indicated during out first census in 2010. Our hope is to reach our target density of 25 animals per square mile by next year.”


For more information contact Wilson at 598-1268 or email <wnwilson@sewanee.edu>.

Jump Off Fire Hall Holiday Bake Sale

Enjoy cider and cookies with neighbors and the Jump Off volunteer firemen, 3–5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13. Festively wrapped holiday baked goods will be for sale, so come and check some names off your gift list and support our first responders at the same time.

Open Re-Enrollment Deadline Monday for Affordable Care Act

People who enrolled in the Affordable Care Act insurance plans last year need to re-enroll by Monday, Dec. 15, to keep their insurance. New enrollees have until Feb. 15 to participate in the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace. 

The South Cumberland Plateau Health Network, in partnership with the Medical Foundation of Chattanooga, is offering free assistance, 2–6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 15, in the Grundy County Heritage Center, 465 Railroad Ave., Tracy City. Certified plan navigators and application counselors will be onsite to help. 

Anyone interested in enrolling must bring the following information:  proof of identification, social security numbers and birth dates, pay stubs and W-2 forms, policy numbers for any current coverage and an  email address. For more information contact Nancy Ridge at (423) 622-2872.


Jim Peterman reports that it is also possible to get free assistance signing up by calling regional broker American Exchange, (888) 995-1674.. For more information contact Peterman at 598-1482 or email <jfpeterm@sewanee.edu>.

Holiday Music Offerings

Sewanee Chorale
The Sewanee Chorale will perform its Christmas concert at 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 14, in All Saints’ Chapel. The concert will feature the music of John Rutter, one of the most prolific 20th-century Christmas composers. The concert will be under the direction of Gary Sturgis, his fifth year as conductor for the Sewanee Chorale. Kathy Sturgis joins the chorale as piano accompanist. Also performing will be Jane Hawkins of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl., on the bowed psaltery. 
The concert is free and open to the public. For more information contact Gary Sturgis at (931) 636-5294 or email <gksturgis@gmail.com>

Classical and Big Band,
Vocal Students

The voice students of Susan Rupert will perform on Saturday, Dec. 13, in St. Luke’s Chapel. Two group performances will feature a variety of musical styles. At 5:30 p.m., classical students will present a selection of art songs, old English songs, and an aria or two. At 7 p.m., the Big Band/Broadway section will join with the Sewanee Jazz Trio (Noel Workman, Bob Burns and Garry Collins) to offer golden oldies and popular Christmas melodies. The event is free and open to the public.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Lighting Sewanee’s Christmas Trees

Today (Friday), Dec. 5

4 p.m. Snacks and music in the University Quad
4:30 p.m. Quad tree lighting
5 p.m. Cookies, cocoa and caroling at Angel Park
5:30 p.m. Angel Park tree lighting


Santa and the Grinch will be available for photos. Everyone is encouraged to bring food and/or unwrapped new toys. All donated items will go to the Community Action Committee or Operation Noel. In case of inclement weather, the Quad tree lighting will be cancelled; the Angel Park post-tree-lighting activities will move inside to the Blue Chair Bakery & Tavern.

The Visiting Squad • by John Shackelford and friends

THE VISITING SQUAD

by John Shackelford and the students in Claire Reishman’s Writing Workshop class at
St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School


Every time SAS student Isabelle Sutherland leaves the Mountain for her home in Michigan she is asked, “Where do you go to school?” She often responds, “The middle of nowhere.” 

It is difficult to explain St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School to those who don’t instantly recognize this hidden Tennessee gem, and Isabelle habitually finds herself resorting to a story to express the school’s unique charm. These anecdotes describe campus-wide events, classroom experiences, and personal interactions with students and faculty. It seems that only through descriptive imagery and first-hand accounts can one truly explain the individual nature of an SAS experience. 

In October veteran English teacher Claire Reishman returned home to Virginia to attend her mother’s funeral. Her Writing Workshop class gathered to compose and compile notes of personal gratitude in hopes of easing her grief. The students felt the need to give back to their mentor in the same way Claire gives to them, every class and every meeting. Her loyal group of 14 eclectic high school juniors and seniors collaborated to compose a book of poems, notes and creative letters that she could read upon her return.

The following week, when Claire received the book from the students, she paused for a moment. She then said to her class, with tears in her eyes, “You guys... you wrote!” The class may have written weekly assignments for Mrs. Reishman, but they wanted to say more: “We are more than a class, and you are more than our teacher. We are all family.”

When Margaret Wilson of Sewanee (with her mother, Elizabeth, and her older sister, Helen) took a trip around the world, Margaret received immense support from her teachers at SAS, who helped her plan her online courses, her schedule for the following year and made sure that she would have access to all the materials that she would need to complete her schoolwork. Margaret found that while she would be away from the school for an entire year, she was given extraordinary assistance and encouragement from SAS without hesitation. Although it can be incredibly difficult to live on a different continent while attempting to be a successful student, Margaret felt it would not have been possible without the patience and aid she received from the faculty at SAS. 

Vanessa Moss first heard of SAS from a brochure mailed to her by her grandmother Sarah Carlos, another longtime St. Andrew’s-Sewanee teaching legend. At the time the school seemed like a dream far out of Vanessa’s reach. When she felt dissatisfaction at her much larger and less personal school back home, she often resorted to visiting the SAS website and considering the opportunities that seemed impossible. After two years on the Mountain, she now insists that real life exceeds her expectations. The theater program has been welcoming, instructional and rewarding. What she found in Sewanee was not something hidden in the smiles of the photographs she yearned for two years ago. She found herself.

Isabelle is from Michigan, Margaret traveled the world, and Vanessa came at the invitation of her grandmother, but what students find at SAS is more than just variety. The school is a homespun quilt constantly being rewoven by the small but diverse student body and everybody gets to bring their own yarn. Students come from all over the United States, and indeed, from across the globe. This school that some might think is in the middle of nowhere actually attracts teenagers from Europe, Asia, South America and Africa. Within weeks of each school year, they somehow become a family. There is also variety in classes, afternoon programs and athletic teams.

Almost every student at SAS is involved in more than one or two afternoon programs. Matthew Baranco does swimming and mountain biking. Isabelle Sutherland is heavily involved in the theater program and is an SAS Ambassador. Tommy Oliver plays golf, soccer, runs cross country and wrestles. Fey Shen is committed to volleyball, basketball and tennis. 

Will Pratt came from a public school with more than 2,000 students and believes the small, tight community of St. Andrew’s-Sewanee makes it both easy and fun to learn. “At St. Andrew’s-Sewanee, I am not just another kid in the classroom of 20 to 30, I am Will Pratt who is trying to do his best to succeed, and the teachers know and care about what I am doing.” 

Mpilo Ngomane also came from a public school in Nashville and initially believed the small school setting was not for him. After a short time he realized how much he enjoyed being able to really know his teachers on a personal level. Mpilo calls some teachers by their first names and loves eating lunch or dinner with a faculty member. He says that his teachers are invested in his successes and also in the learning moments of his failures.


When SAS students are asked the question, “Where do you go to school?” the answer is different for each person. Some may even say, with a knowing smile, “It’s in the middle of nowhere.” But SAS is also a school in the middle of somewhere: a place where everyone is family. A place that you may not know now, but once you’re there, it will remain part of you for a lifetime.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Holiday Concerts in Sewanee

The Sewanee Symphony Orchestra will present its second concert of the 2014–15 season at 7:30 p.m., today (Friday), Dec. 5, in Guerry Auditorium. “Celebrate the Season” is the theme of the concert, an opportunity to hear favorite Christmas tunes. The program will include three dances from “The Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky; “Sinfonia Pastorale” by Tartini; “Christmas Around the World,” a medley of Christmas melodies; and “Christmas Festival,” a medley of Christmas music arranged specially for the Boston Pops. 

The Sewanee Praise Gospel Choir will have a Christmas concert at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, in St. Luke’s Chapel on campus. Come hear this amazing group of talented college students and community members sing praise and gospel music. 

The St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School Winter Concert will be at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, in McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts on the school’s campus. Join the middle and upper school choruses and the upper school chamber ensemble for an evening of seasonal music, classical, jazz and rock performances. 

The Sewanee Chorale will perform its holiday concert at 3 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 14, in All Saints’ Chapel. For more details see page 14.


All of these events are free and open to the public.

SUD Rate Increase Probable in 2015 • Nominees Needed for Marion County Seat

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer


At the Nov. 24 meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Sewanee Utility District of Franklin and Marion Counties, SUD manager Ben Beavers proposed reducing the 2015 budget by $110,000 to avoid a sharp rate increase.

To comply with Tennessee Utility Management Review Board standards, SUD must show a net positive income in 2015, since SUD didn’t show a net positive income in 2014 due to the cost of installing automated meter reading technology. SUD’s consulting firm, Raftelis Financial Inc., recommended SUD increase rates 9–10 percent in 2015.

Beavers suggested putting off painting the water tank until 2016 and reducing by half the amount allocated for wastewater collection system repair in 2015; these two changes would reduce the proposed 2015 budget by $110,000.

On the recommendation of the board, Beavers will revise the budget and send it to Raftelis for review. Beavers estimates only a 3 percent rate increase will be necessary with the budget revision. In the past four years, SUD raised rates twice, in 2011 and in 2013.

Another possible savings in 2015 could come from a reduction in office staff. Currently, the office staff consists of Beavers and two office employees. One employee is leaving in mid-December. Beavers said a part-time employee might be sufficient to maintain the level of segregation of duties required by the comptroller to provide oversight for authorizing expenses and making deposits. Beavers will wait until February to make a decision about hiring to see how efficiently the office operates with a staff of two and what the needs are. Hiring a part-time employee instead of a full-time employee could save SUD $20,000 or more per year.

Beavers revisited the issue of ownership of the trial wetlands slated for construction at the SUD wastewater treatment plant in conjunction with a research project undertaken jointly by the University of the South and the University of Georgia. Beavers consulted with SUD attorney Don Scholes, who said a deed transferring ownership of the constructed wetlands to SUD upon completion is not necessary since SUD already owns the land. Scholes recommended a document licensing the University of the South to proceed with construction. Scholes will consult with University attorney Donna Pierce and draft a document for the board’s review.


In regard to the related question of project funds being set aside to decommission the wetlands site if the project did not continue, Beavers said the amount could not be determined until the design was finalized.

University forestry professor Scott Torreano, the wetlands project construction manager, said he planned to have a design for SUD to review by mid December. Torreano anticipates the wetlands will be ready for planting by graduation.

The SUD board is seeking nominees to run for the office of SUD Marion County commissioner. SUD President Cliff Huffman’s term will expire in January; Huffman is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. Nominees must be SUD customers and must reside in Marion County. Prospective nominees should contact the SUD office by calling 598-5611.

In December, the board will meet a week early, on Dec. 16.

SES Teachers & Parents Meet with Tucker • Many Concerned that Testing Has Gone Too Far

by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer

“I’m feeling mandated to death,” said Rachel Reavis, a fourth-grade teacher at Sewanee Elementary School. During a Dec. 2 forum with Adam Tucker, Franklin County Board of Education District 5 representative, Reavis said it is a juggling act for teachers to give students a well-rounded education and meet the overwhelming testing requirements. About 30 attended the event, hosted  at the school by the SES Parent-Teacher Organization. The topic of greatest concern was the amount of mandated testing. 

Parent Janna McClain, a former academic interventionist in Murfreesboro, said her son will take nine mandated tests this year in pre-K. “Who thought that was a good idea? As a parent it would be helpful to know what it is our teachers are being forced to do,” McClain said. “I think the rationale is to prepare for these tests that are connected to dollars, so we have to do more and more tests,” she added. “I understand mandated testing, but I don’t want my child tested nonstop.”


Tucker, who lives in Sewanee and was elected to the school board in August, is an attorney for the city of Murfreesboro. Tucker said he welcomes ideas from the public and wants to see what can be done at a local level to reduce excessive or unnecessary testing. Reavis noted that even as a teacher it is difficult to understand what political body is requiring what testing program. 
Some of the tests are mandated by the local school district as part of reading and math programs, while other tests are state-mandated but co-opted by the federal government to determine allocation of funding and judge performance levels of schools, teachers and students, Tucker said.
“The pendulum has swung to excessive testing,” said SES principal Mike Maxon. “There needs to be a balance.” Certain programs that involve mandated testing also require additional interventions in specific areas, which can be detrimental because it draws students away from other core subjects and creative learning.
“With many of these kids the way to reach them is through art, through something that is the nontraditional classroom and [you can’t reach them if] you’re pulling them from that class,” Tucker said.
Not only are students pulled away for interventions, but teachers are spread thin, as well. The need for education interventionists at SES was a popular sentiment for many in attendance. 
“If this is the future of education with federal and state mandates, we’re going to need reading specialists, math specialists, interventionists, not calling on the music teacher, the art teacher, the guidance counselor to be offering these interventions,” Maxon noted. “You only have so many hours in the day.”

Erin Cassell, vice president of the Sewanee Elementary PTO, has four children in school and said over-testing impacts their self-esteem. It “makes some of my children feel less than others,” Cassell said. “That’s an issue for me, because they’re not less, they’re just different and have different strengths and weaknesses. Their value as a student is tied to a number on a test, and that’s not true.”
Tucker said there is valuable data generated that can help students and teachers improve, but there is more to a person than a test score.

“I would hate to see a student reduced to a number, with that number representing their value as a student, as a person, or their ability to achieve, to perform, to have a career, to be happy, and it shouldn’t come to that,” he said.

Other topics at the forum included:

Tucker briefly discussed the need for an increase in funding for schools from the Franklin County government. County Commissioner Helen Stapleton, who represents District 5, said she fully supports increasing funding. The county has not increased school funding for more than 10 years, and the school board does not have the authority to generate money through taxes or referendums. Tucker said Tennessee is one of only 11 states that does not allow school boards’ funding control.

One parent said there was too much waste of food during the Thanksgiving lunch at Sewanee Elementary last week and suggested using the leftover food for compost and implementing a program similar to Project Green Fork in Memphis.

Tucker talked about the state’s report card for Franklin County schools and said Sewanee Elementary outperforms the average school in Tennessee on the TCAP.

He also spoke about the search for a new director of schools. Current Director Rebecca Sharber is retiring this summer. The Tennessee School Board Association is conducting the search and had received 10 résumés prior to Thanksgiving. The school board will begin the interview process in late February or early March.

Grundy County Chosen for Local Foods, Local Places Program

The White House Rural Council announced on Dec. 3 that Grundy County/Tracy City was among 26 communities in the United States named to its Local Foods, Local Places initiative.

This effort is designed to help rural communities as they seek creative approaches to integrating entrepreneurship, environmental management, public health and other place-based considerations into successful economic planning. Local food development is often a key part of the strategy.
Local Food, Local Places will provide technical support to integrate local food systems into community economic action plans, help revitalize struggling downtowns and preserve farms and undeveloped land.

The local effort was developed and submitted under the auspices of the municipality of Tracy City and Grundy County, and builds on the work of South Cumberland Community Development Partnership, Grundy County Health Council and Diabetes Coalition, Tracy City Farmer’s Market, South Cumberland Food Hub, Downtown Sidewalk/Mountain Goat Trail Connector Project, Tennessee Main Street program, the University of the South’s program and the Chattanooga Area Regional Council of Governments-Southeast Tennessee Development District.

“This award means that in the coming months, a team of experts will visit and have workshops to help us design concrete steps to improve our community,” said Emily Partin of the Tracy City Business Club. Among the pieces of the project will be local food, tourism and travel, and health issues.

The 26 communities were chosen from among 316 applicants.


A team of agricultural, transportation, environmental, health and regional economic consultants will work directly with the communities to develop local food projects they proposed. 

Local Foods, Local Places is a federal initiative providing direct technical support and expertise to community partners integrating local food systems into regional economic action plans. Under this effort, a team of federal agricultural, transportation, environmental, public health and regional economic experts will work directly with communities to develop specific local food projects. These efforts will make a significant impact in the communities participating in the Local Foods, Local Places initiative. 

Local Foods, Local Places is a unique partnership among the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The initiative draws on the Administration’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities, USDA’s Seven Strategies for Economic Development, and other place-based strategies to address regional challenges. 

Local Foods, Local Places will provide direct technical support to selected communities to help them develop and implement action plans promoting local food and downtown revitalization. 

55th Festival of Lessons & Carols at All Saints’ Chapel

The 55th Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols will be at 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, and at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 7, in All Saints’ Chapel.

Through the ticketing procedure introduced in 2013, seats are reserved in advance. Based on this year’s reservations, all three services are expected to be at or near capacity.

However, people who do not have reservations, but who would like to try to attend a service in the event that any seats are available, may have the opportunity to attend the service as a walk-up guest. 
Walk-up guests can register for the onsite wait list in Convocation Hall two hours prior to the start of each service. The seating of walk-up guests will begin 30 minutes prior to each service, and guests must be present to receive tickets. Tickets will be issued based on the number of no-shows and on a first-come, first-served basis. 


Seating is not guaranteed for walk-up guests. For walk-up guests not receiving seats, the service will be live-streamed in Guerry Auditorium.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Sewanee Christmas Tree Lighting

Sewanee’s third annual Tree Lighting will be on Friday, Dec. 5. 

The University will again join with the community for this year’s event. Students and community members will gather at 4 p.m. in the Quad for music and snacks. The tree lighting will be at 4:30 p.m.
Music, cookies and cocoa will begin in Angel Park in downtown Sewanee at 5 p.m. 

A Sewanee fire engine will carry Santa Claus and friends from the Quad to the village around 5:15 p.m. The tree lighting at Angel Park will be at 5:30 p.m.

Santa and the Grinch will be available for photos. 

The Sewanee Chorale will lead Christmas caroling. Everyone is encouraged to bring food and/or unwrapped new toys. All donated items will go to the Community Action Committee or Operation Noel. 

In case of inclement weather, the post-tree-lighting activities will move inside to the Blue Chair Bakery & Tavern.


This event is cosponsored by the University and the Sewanee Business Alliance.

Civic Association Learns Ways to Save Resources

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Representatives from the Sewanee Utility District, Elk River Public Utility District and Duck River Electric Membership Corporation were on hand at the Nov. 19 Sewanee Civic Association dinner meeting to offer timely advice on how to save energy and water.

Sewanee Utility District (SUD) provides water for the mountaintop regions of Franklin and Marion counties. SUD manager Ben Beavers offered tips on how to keep water bills low. Simple things like turning off the water while you brush your teeth and limiting the time you spend in the shower can add up to huge savings, Beavers said. 

He recommended composting rather than using the disposal, using a rain barrel to catch water for gardens and yards, and running the dishwasher and clothes washer only when full. Dishwashers and clothes washers using far less water are now available, Beavers added. He suggested using unsweetened Kool Aid to check for a leaky toilet flapper: pour the colored drink mix in the tank and wait overnight to see if colored water seeped into the toilet bowl. If a leak exists, get it repaired.
In preparation for cold weather, Beavers advised insulating pipes and making sure the water was turned off and spray nozzle removed from outside garden hoses. A burst pipe or hose can leak eight to fifteen gallons per minute, costing the customer $11 or more per hour.

Elk River Public Utility District (ERPUD) is a nonprofit business that supplies natural gas to Franklin and Coffee counties. Marketing representative Levoid Baltimore said the present abundant supply of natural gas has some very positive consequences. 


ERPUD can buy one-third of its capacity in the summer when the cost is low and can lock in low prices with long-term contracts. On the commercial side, the low cost of natural gas is bringing companies that moved overseas back to the United States, creating jobs. Baltimore offered several tips for saving energy in the cold weather: set the thermostat lower; purchase a programmable thermostat that can be set to turn down the heat when no one is home; invest in energy-efficient windows and seal windows and doors with weatherstripping; install a dual-fuel heat pump; and buy energy-efficient appliances. A tankless water heater can save customers 30–50 percent on their natural gas bill. For customers struggling with paying their bill, financial assistance is available through numerous agencies, including South East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (SETHRA), Good Samaritan and the Salvation Army.

Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) is a nonprofit, member-owned cooperative with more than 71,000 members in a six-county area. Patrick Hannah, manager of the Decherd/Sewanee district office, provided an overview of DREMC’s Beat the Peak program, designed to encourage customers to use less electricity during high-demand periods when the cost to DREMC is high. DREMC notifies participants of expected high-demand periods by text or e-mail, and the customer can take energy-saving measures like turning down thermostats. 

Another DREMC program offers customers an opportunity to buy shares in the DREMC Community Solar Farm. Participants’ electric bills are credited with a proportion of the solar farm’s production each month, with the initial investment recouped in 10–12 years. DREMC energy advisor Pat Garrett announced a new rebate program beginning Dec. 1 that will help customers recover the cost of making energy-saving home improvements and purchasing energy- efficient appliances. See details online at  <www.DREMC.com>.

In the business portion of the meeting, Civic Association President Kiki Beavers updated members on the Community Chest fund drive. Donations of $48,000 have been pledged toward the goal of $101,000.

Parks committee chair Stephen Burnett reported the committee had chosen a playground equipment company for the planned renovation of Elliott Park. The company is preparing a mock-up showing proposed equipment and facilities. 

The Civic Association’s next meeting is Dec. 17.

Tennessee Craft–Southeast Holiday Tour Dec. 6–7

The annual 2014 Holiday Tour of Fine Craft will be 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, and 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 7. The studio tour features art by members of the Tennessee Craft–Southeast (formerly CAST-TACA) and members of the St. Andrew’s-Sewanee faculty.

As in past years, the St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Art Gallery will host a full exhibit featuring the work of artists in the Tennessee Craft-Southeast through Thursday, Dec. 11. Most works featured in the exhibit, as well as SAS student-designed holiday cards, are for sale. Art will also be for sale in the Spencer Room, located on the SAS campus, and in the SAS art studios.

Also participating in the tour are numerous local artists including Bob Askew, oils and watercolors; Anne Griffin, fiber arts; Jasper King, chain saw-carved wooden bowls; Bill Mauzy, wood; Mary McElwain, silverplate flatware jewelry; G. Sanford McGee, metal/mixed media; 

Christi Ormsby, clay; Ben Potter, cut metal figures; Claire Reishman, clay; Archie Stapleton, clay; Jeanie Stephenson, bronze; and Merissa Tobler, pottery.

Maps for the studio tour are available in the SAS Art Gallery, as well as at other stops along the tour. Follow the bright yellow signs across the Mountain and beyond to see the unique variety of artist and artwork on the tour, including works in pottery, jewelry, glass, wood, textiles, paintings, prints and much more.


The SAS Art Gallery is located in the center of Simmonds Hall. Gallery hours are Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., and by appointment. For more information about the holiday tour go to <www.tennesseecraft.org/southeast>.

CAC Celebrates 40th Anniversary : Four Decades of Caring for the Greater Sewanee Community

The Community Action Committee turns 40 years old in 2014. In 1974 community members who worshiped at Otey Memorial Parish formed the CAC as an outreach ministry of the church. In the ensuing years, other local churches joined Otey to provide food and assistance to members in the Sewanee community. 

There will be a luncheon celebration to commemorate this achievement at noon, Sunday, Dec. 14, in Claiborne Parish Hall at Otey. All are welcome to attend.

From the beginning of CAC, the first Sunday of the month was designated Pantry Sunday. Church members were asked to bring canned goods so that groceries could be distributed once a month to the CAC clients. CAC also purchased food from Kroger to ensure that the bags of food would be nutritionally balanced. For 26 years the CAC offered groceries once a month to about 20 families. 


In 2001 CAC began its partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee in Nashville. Second Harvest is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to serve food banks and soup kitchens with high-quality food at a low cost to its partner organizations. CAC regularly orders between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds of food every two to three months. This partnership with Second Harvest continues and has proven to be CAC’s best ongoing source of non-perishable foods for clients. Pantry Sunday continues, as well, offering people the opportunity to donate food items and toiletries. Fresh produce has also been available through local gardens and from a distribution center in Winchester. 

CAC also provides assistance with utility bills, housing, education needs and dental care. CAC serves the greater Sewanee area (including Midway and Jump Off) and the Sherwood community. 
CAC is an outreach ministry of Otey Parish. It is governed by a board composed of community members, representatives of local churches, the University and the School of Theology. Partner churches include St. James Episcopal Church and Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 

The Rev. Betty Carpenter is the CAC director; volunteers from across the community and area schools help keep the office open, bag groceries and assist with new projects. The University also provides the CAC with students in the Bonner Scholars Program. Community lunches, container gardens and the quilting project are programs that have recently been launched. For more information about CAC or its anniversary event call 598-5927.

—by Pixie Dozier,
Special to the Messenger

Housing Sewanee’s New Home Uses Upcycled and Donated Materials

Housing Sewanee, Inc. will host an open house and dedication of its 16th home on Saturday, Dec. 6. The open house will be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; the dedication ceremony will be at 11 a.m.

The recipient of this house is a lifelong resident of the Mountain. As a grandmother raising grandchildren, she is very excited about the house’s completion. She has been active in the building process, and her grandchildren have enjoyed meeting the Sewanee students and community members who have volunteered on the project. 


For this project, Housing Sewanee was dedicated to “building local.” Many of the materials used in the project have come from the local community. Unlike the previous houses, this project has incorporated building practices that align with the goals of the University’s Sustainability Committee. 

Some of the unique features of the new home are: framing lumber was harvested and milled within a 30-mile radius of Sewanee to reduce the carbon footprint; recycled materials were used as often as possible, including recovered paneling from the old Sewanee Inn, second-grade flooring from the new Sewanee Inn project (used for flooring and milled into baseboard, crown molding, window and door trim); windows, door units, shower units, vanities and excess wire were donated from various job sites; and construction includes highest-grade insulation and special insulation techniques.

Dixon Myers, head of HSI, estimates that 300–400 volunteers worked on the project, compiling several thousand hours of free work, minimizing labor costs.

Housing Sewanee Inc. is a nonprofit organization modeled after Habitat for Humanity. Since 1993, Housing Sewanee has built homes for area families in need, including the elderly, the sick, the physically or mentally disabled, and grandparents raising their grandchildren.

To get to the project: From the Sewanee airport, travel south on Highway 156 for five miles. After Taylor Road, there will be orange traffic cones on the right and a sign directing parking in a field. 

The driveway and housing site are about 50 yards from the field. The address is 18535 South Pittsburg Mtn. Hwy. 

For more information call Myers at 598-1156.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Sewanee EMS Will Integrate With Grundy EMS in January

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer


Sewanee Emergency Medical Service (SEMS) will be integrated into Grundy Emergency Medical Service (GEMS) under a new plan outlined by University Provost John Swallow in a press release on Nov. 18. At present, both SEMS and GEMS offer transport with ambulances docked on campus. Under the new policy, which goes into effect in January, SEMS emergency medical technicians (EMTs) will travel with the GEMS unit. The 12-member SEMS team consists entirely of EMT-certified student volunteers.

In 2011, under the tenure of Police Chief Jim Parrott, the service area of SEMS was reduced from the greater Sewanee area to on-Domain calls, according to Doug Cameron. Cameron retired after 30 years of service as an EMT with SEMS. At the time of the policy change limiting SEMS to on-Domain calls, many of the EMTs were community volunteers who lived off campus.

No community members participate as SEMS volunteers currently, making the service unavailable during holidays and summer vacation, when the students are gone. Backup support from GEMS dates back to 2007 when the University entered into an agreement with GEMS to improve response time in the Sewanee area when SEMS volunteers were not available or in limited supply. GEMS began parking an ambulance on the Domain. Previously, when SEMS was not available, Sewanee residents waited for an ambulance to travel 13 miles from Winchester. The GEMS on-campus unit now operates out of and docks its ambulance at the Mabel Ward building next to Southern Tennessee Medical Center/Emerald-Hodgson Hospital.

When the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center (known as Franklin 911) receives a call requiring an ambulance, they notify the Sewanee Police Department.
“The Sewanee Police Department dispatches GEMS first on all calls,” said Sewanee Police Chief Marie Eldridge. “SEMS is paged as secondary service for on-campus emergencies. Both services work together while responding to calls.”

The SEMS ambulance is a Basic Life Support (BLS) unit. The GEMS ambulance is an Advanced Life Support (ALS) unit with more sophisticated medical technology and a paramedic on board.

“We have a responsibility to send the service that can offer the highest level of care, and that is the ALS unit,” Eldridge said.

Provost John Swallow agreed, stressing the importance of “making sure patients receive the best level of care available.”

Eldridge heads up the SEMS. According to her, there are no plans to replace the aging SEMS ambulance.

The decision to modify the role of student EMTs was the recommendation of a committee chaired by retired professor of mathematics Laurence Alvarez. The committee included community members with EMT backgrounds and former student Taylor Stavely, C’13, who served as SEMS director.
The committee formed to address concerns regarding changes made by the State of Tennessee for certification of ambulance EMTs, which will require student EMTs to commit to 400 hours of coursework, twice the number of hours previously necessary for certification.

The current SEMS director, Seth Burns, C’15, said all 12 student EMTs participated in a bridge course to acquire the necessary advanced EMT certification. For incoming students, the advanced certification will take three semesters to complete instead of two, Burns said. He does not expect the increased courseload to deter prospective student EMTs.

Burns worries, however, about the consequences of integrating SEMS into GEMS.
“The way things are moving could end student involvement,” he said.

At the present, on-call student EMTs are paged in class and return to class after responding to a call. The SEMS ambulance is docked on central campus at the police station, and students can be on the road in two minutes after being paged.

Under the new system, on-call student EMTs will be required to be on site at the Mabel Ward building, forcing students to “remove themselves from other activities,” Burns said; he said he could probably only commit to one weekend a month. With the new certification requirements and new University policy, new enrollees in the SEMS program will encounter both greatly increased training time and greatly increased barriers to active participation.

“We’re one of the few collegiate EMSs in the country that run a full ambulance service,” Burns said. “We provide a very vital and important service to the community, and we would like to see that continue. It’s the essence of community involvement.”

University Expects High-Level Care

The University of the South and Grundy EMS have formed a new partnership that will assure that Sewanee residents will receive the highest level of emergency medical care locally available, and that Sewanee undergraduates will be able to train to deliver, and participate in delivering, that standard of care.

Months in the making, work on the partnership began following a report from the Committee on Emergency Medical Service, which was appointed by University Provost John Swallow.


The committee was chaired by Laurence Alvarez and included members Ronnie Hoosier (Sewanee resident and member of the Sewanee Fire Department), Dennis Meeks (Sewanee resident), Taylor Stavely (former Sewanee student EMS director and current medical student), and Adam Tucker (Sewanee resident and former EMT). The committee recognized that the State of Tennessee has mandated a higher level of initial training for EMTs, which will require a greater commitment of student time in order to participate.

The committee determined that “having an ambulance service that provides the benefit of Advanced Life Support (ALS) rather than Basic Life Support (BLS) is a desirable goal… The ability of ALS to provide medical treatment that cannot be provided by BLS at the site and in transit could be critical in the case where transit to the hospital takes a substantial amount of time, as would be the experience and training of the paramedics who must travel with the ALS ambulance.”

The committee also desired to involve students in the delivery of this care as much as possible, and affirmed that “the experience Sewanee EMT students have is so valuable that we think any arrangement for EMS in the area should utilize their training and participation and preserve this service opportunity for students in the future.”

The University agreed, and remains committed to enabling students to participate in the service. With the committee’s goals in mind, the University and Grundy EMS have developed a partnership to achieve both purposes.

The University and Grundy EMS will share in the renovation of a portion of the Mabel Ward building near Southern Tennessee Medical Center/Emerald-Hodgson Hospital, enabling professional personnel and students to be jointly stationed at the ambulance departure site. From that location, Grundy EMS and Sewanee students will be able to deliver Advanced Life Support care to students, faculty, staff and residents of Sewanee and its environs.

“This remarkable partnership,” said Swallow, “demonstrates how, by working together with local communities and organizations, we can accomplish far more than we could by ourselves. The University thanks Sewanee Chief of Police Marie Eldridge and Grundy Emergency Medical Service Director Don Hutchinson for working closely together on this strong partnership to maintain medical care, and medical education, at the highest levels.”

Community Chest Update

The 2014–15 Sewanee Community Chest fund drive is underway. Approximately $48,000 has been raised to date; this year’s goal is $101,000. This year’s fund drive organizers, Marilyn and Tom Phelps, hope to complete the campaign by February 2015.

Since 1908, the Sewanee Community Chest has kept this community strong and vital. Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association, the Community Chest raises money for local charitable organizations that work to educate and nurture children, aid the community, and improve the quality of life. In setting the goal for the Community Chest, the Sewanee Civic Association board and membership approved funding for 27 organizations and initiatives in Sewanee and surrounding communities, assuming the goal is met. 


The Sewanee Community Chest is a 501(c)(3) organization, and donations are tax deductible. To make a donation or for more information, go to <sewaneecivic.wordpress.com>.

Operation Noel: Providing Bountiful Holidays for Families

In just a few weeks, it will be Christmas. While many are already planning ahead about the gifts to buy or the food to eat, there are those not so fortunate. In our area, there are children who may not get presents and families that may not have an abundant holiday meal.

Each year the Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) in conjunction with FROST (the department’s Fund Raising Operational Support Team) organizes the purchasing and distribution of food and toys for these families. All items are delivered the morning of Dec. 23 by the SVFD and FROST.

But this important program cannot happen without help from the community. Please consider making a donation of money, nonperishable food items or new toys to Operation Noel this year and give back to the community this Christmas season. 

Every family needs to fill out a new application, even if they have received from Operation Noel before. An application ensures that organizers have all the pertinent information so they can provide for everyone in need. Families eligible for Operation Noel must live in the following communities: Sewanee, Midway, Jump Off and Sherwood Road to the top of Sherwood Mountain, (but not into Sherwood). The deadline for returning applications is Friday, Dec. 12. The form is on page 3 of this week’s Messenger and will be in the next three issues.


To make a donation of money, nonperishable food items or new toys, please take items to Fire Chief David Green’s office, located in the Fire/EMS building or to Print Services in Van Ness Hall. For more information call 598-3400 and leave a message.
Homeless Now Have Advocates, Shelter

by Casey Willis, Messenger Intern

Most of us are fortunate to have never been without a home for an extended period of time. Someone who has not been in that situation can only imagine the life-altering effects it can have. Franklin County and the surrounding areas have a large number of people who have experienced homelessness.

About three years ago, a small group of people set up shop in the Franklin County Courthouse with a mission to “provide both individuals and families with transitional housing while networking with other agencies to obtain permanent housing.” Known as the Almost Home Transitional Housing Program, this nonprofit organization has no paid staff, with 100 percent of workers volunteering without pay.

In 2014, Almost Home already has received more than 1,000 calls for assistance.

Betty Pinkerton, a board member of Almost Home, said during an interview, “We just want to help people who find themselves unable to provide shelter for themselves and/or their families. We are just now beginning to recover from some very difficult economic times, and folks are finding it harder to afford what they need.”

The search for places to live for homeless people is the major focus of Almost Home. They do so by meeting with families by appointment, as well as by responding to emergency situations. They also help by looking beyond a place to live: helping people find employment and developing the necessary skills to sustain homes and jobs, as well as provide assistance for substance and alcohol abuse patients.


Almost Home recently purchased a duplex as a temporary housing option for families in the area. This facility broadens the group’s ability to assist families locally, while still being able to offer aid to individuals and families stretching out to Chattanooga and Nashville. The high volume of calls for help in 2014 has surprised everyone.

“It is overwhelming the number of homeless individuals and families in Franklin County who are trying to find jobs and provide for themselves and their families but do not have the resources to even get started,” said County Mayor Richard Stewart.

“Almost Home and the homeless shelter being constructed will help those people, and that is remarkable,” he said.

This program, Stewart said, “is an invaluable asset to our community and the proof is not only in the numbers but also their mission. The organization assisted approximately 591 homeless individuals last year and provided 723 critical needs services, including emergency motel stays, utility assistance to prevent homelessness and food to feed the hungry due to extreme cold weather resulting in higher-than- average utility bills. Not only does Almost Home provide these services; their ultimate goal is to successfully place people in full-time employment and in permanent housing through skills training.”

According to the Franklin County Community Assessment, housing ranked second on the list of top community needs in Franklin County in 2012, following only the mental health and substance abuse category.

Being a not-for-profit organization, Almost Home raises its support from individual donors, churches, the Franklin County United Way and the Chattanooga Homeless Coalition. Almost Home also holds special events to raise money and awareness of the issue of being homeless.

A benefit concert featuring local talent, as well as country music star Jimmy Wayne, will be on Saturday, Nov. 22 at North Middle School in Decherd. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the entertainment begins at 7 p.m. Concessions will be available, and a silent auction will be held. General admission tickets are $10 per person; floor seats are $20.

The work done by Almost Home Transitional Housing has lessened the number of homeless citizens in Franklin County and the surrounding areas, as well as increased the number of the employed. With Almost Home continuing to grow, citizens in unfortunate situations can be confident that they will have a place to turn for assistance.

For more information, contact Pinkerton by email to <pinkerbee@gmail.com> or <almost.home.thp@gmail.com>, or go to the Almost Home website <almosthomethp.org>. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 906, Winchester, TN 37398.

Monday, November 17, 2014

DREMC Calls for Reduced Electricity Use on Nov. 18 and Nov. 19 mornings

A blast of frigid weather over the next two days brings with it projected high demand for electricity. Duck River Electric Membership Corp. (DREMC) will activate its 
Beat the Peak™ program on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings between the hours of 6 a.m and 8 a.m.

Temperature and load forecasts show that a system peak will occur one of the two mornings, when thermometers could register in the low 20s and upper teens. Beat the Peak email alerts and radio ads encourage co-op members to conserve electricity during the projected peak hours when demand is expected to be the highest.

“A degree one way or another will determine whether the peak happens Tuesday or Wednesday,” said Director of Member Services Steve Oden. “So we are asking our Beat the Peak participants and all members to take some simple steps aimed at reducing power demand and helping us avoid peak penalties that can reach $9.50 per kilowatt-hour.”

The price of wholesale electricity from the Tennessee Valley Authority can become very expensive during a peak demand period. DREMC launched the voluntary Beat the Peak program in 2013 to enlist the membership’s help in controlling demand and stabilizing the cost of energy. Almost 14,000 members receive email and text alerts when load peaks are projected.

Over the next two mornings during the two-hour alert periods, co-op members are asked to:

Dial down the heat
If you normally set the thermostat at 68 degrees, turn it back to 65 before the peak event. Also, make sure your heating system’s filter is clean. Filters clogged with dust and debris can cause your system to operate inefficiently, wasting energy.
Fireplace dampers should be closed so heated air inside the home doesn’t go up the chimney.  Turn off portable electric space heaters. These units can use a lot of power. Keep outside doors closed and curtains pulled shut over windows.

Delay use of appliances
Postpone certain household chores that involve major appliances such as washing machines, clothes dryers and dishwashers. Wait until after the peak period before doing laundry or washing the dirty pots and pans. Electric water heaters use a lot of power. Avoid taking showers and baths when a peak alert has been issued.
Cooking on the electric stove or oven also can increase household demand.
Remember all the ways that electricity is used around your home for entertainment, communications, grooming – and the recharging of batteries. Make an effort to shift demand to non-peak times.

Flip light switches
Turn off lights in rooms that are not occupied or being used. Because lighting is responsible for about 11 percent of a household’s energy bill, it is a wise conservation practice to flip the switch, especially when peak demand looms. And if you haven’t installed energy-saving compact fluorescent light (CFL) or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, this would be a great way to help.

If you haven’t signed up to receive Beat the Peak emails or texts, you can do so by going to www.dremc.com.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Franklin County Schools Get Report Card : Tucker Calls Results “Disconcerting”

by Kevin Cummings,  Messenger Staff Writer


Franklin, Grundy, Marion and Coffee counties all spend about the same amount of money on public education, but there are differences in the outcomes. On the state’s annual “report card” for schools, the Tennessee Department of Education gave Franklin County schools a grade of “A” in social studies and “Bs” in math, reading/language arts and science. The rating is based on a three-year average of TCAP scores for grades 3–8. The state’s scale for an “A” is between 55 and 99 percent and for a “B” it is from 50 to 54 percent.

Grundy County earned the lowest grades in the area, with “Cs” in three subjects and a “B” in math. Marion and Coffee posted marks similar to Franklin County. 

Adam Tucker, a member of the Franklin County Board of Education, said he is concerned that Franklin County is below Tennessee averages in state-mandated test scores and student growth/improvement.

“While some of this may be due to the district’s implementation of certain curricular requirements earlier than other districts across the state, this fact is still disconcerting,” Tucker said.

Rebecca Sharber, director of Franklin County schools, gave a presentation on the state’s report card at the school board meeting on Nov. 10. She said in an interview on Nov. 11 that she was pleased that “we are holding our own” in academic achievement, but is also concerned with academic growth. “We’re not as good as we want to be, but people are working hard,” she said.

The report card also measures improvement on TCAP scores from previous years. In this area for grades 4–8, the state awarded Franklin County “Ds” in science, reading/language arts and social studies. The state gave a “B” in math, which was the only subject that reflected a slight increase in the report.

The other three counties posted better grades for improvement, with Coffee County earning the top score with a “C” in reading, a “B” in science and “As” in social studies and math.


The state did not award letter grades at the high school level, but a comparison of graduation rates shows Franklin County at 89.1 percent for 2014. Both Coffee and Grundy counties had slightly higher graduation rates than Franklin County. Marion County had the lowest rate of the four, at 84 percent. 

In a comparison of the average composite ACT scores for the last three years, Franklin County scored an 18.6, with Marion and Coffee slightly higher. Grundy County’s average ACT score was 17.6.

“Ultimately, the report card presentation addressed how students are performing on the various state-mandated assessments,” Tucker said. “It did not address the more important questions of why these scores are what they are and what interventions are needed to improve student performance on these tests and, more importantly, overall student learning.”

Tucker asked Sharber to make a presentation at the Dec. 8 school board meeting to look at what district administrators and teachers are doing with the report card data to improve learning and achievement.

Last school year Franklin County schools spent an average of $9,030 per pupil, with 31.3 percent of that amount from local funding, 57.4 percent from the state, and 11.3 percent was federal money. In 2012–13, Franklin County spent $8,891 per student. The state average for 2013–14 was $9,346, according to the report card.

Grundy County averaged $9,280 per pupil, Coffee County spent $9,160 per student, and Marion County spent $8,687 per pupil. The state’s school report card is available at <www.tn.gov/education/data/report_card/>.

Otey Parish Dedicates Parish House & Claiborne Portrait

Otey Memorial Parish will celebrate the renovated Claiborne Parish House at 11 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 15. The Rt. Rev. John Bauerschmidt, Bishop of Tennessee, will conduct a dedication and consecration service. A light brunch will follow in the new St. Mark’s Hall of the parish house.

A new portrait of the Rev. William Sterling Claiborne will be dedicated at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the Claiborne Hall. This portrait by Claude Buckley, C’81, will be hung in the entrance hall of the building. A reception will follow the dedication. STHP members John Bratton and David Bowman will be on hand to answer questions about Claiborne.

Otey’s rector in the early 20th century, Claiborne initiated or promoted many local institutions: the parish, St. Andrew’s and St. Mary’s schools to educate the local population, and the first infirmary/hospital. 

Claiborne’s ministry and vision continue. The building houses many community services and ministries. 

St. Mark’s Hall, the largest room in the building, honors the 1968 merger of the St. Mark’s and Otey congregations into Tennessee’s first fully integrated Episcopal Church. Bauerschmidt will consecrate a new small chapel in Claiborne as St. Paul’s-on-the-Mountain. In choosing this name, Otey seeks to honor and remember its precursor church. 


Also in the building are Sewanee Children’s Center, the Community Action Committee, meeting rooms and gathering spaces.

CAC: Changing Lives One Stitch at a Time

by Gabriella Valentine C’17, Special to the Messenger


The Community Action Committee began a new program in October in Sherwood. A new quilting group is now meeting once a week in the Sherwood Community Center. The group is taught by Louise Garner, a lifelong resident of the community and avid quilter. For almost her whole life Garner has been making quilts entirely by hand. 

One of the goals of the group is to foster a sense of accomplishment in women. The first quilt made from the group’s efforts will be sold and its proceeds given to the CAC. After that, all of the profits will be given to the women who worked on the quilts. 

The quilting group meets at 8 a.m., Wednesdays, in the Sherwood Community Center. To learn more about the program contact the CAC at 598-5927. 

CAC is located behind Otey Parish in the new Claiborne Parish House. Along with giving weekly grocery bags and the new quilting group, the CAC has started two new programs this year. The CAC offers small garden containers and has given away chicken coops to members of the greater Sewanee community.


The CAC will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Dec. 14. Watch for more details about plans for the event.

Town Hall Meeting on Healthcare

National Rural Health Day is Nov. 20. To celebrate the occasion, there will be a town hall meeting on healthcare at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Sewanee Community Center. The event will include a discussion of Medicaid benefits and eligibility, followed by a reception with the panelists. 

Representatives from the Tennessee Justice Center, the Tennessee State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) office and Folks at Home will participate. Assistance enrolling in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) state insurance exchange will also be offered.

The meeting is sponsored by the students in a University course on medical ethics taught by Jim Peterman, professor of philosophy and director of community engagement.

During the meeting there will be discussion of the possible Medicaid expansion in Tennessee. The federal government has funded an expansion of this program, which provides healthcare for families and individuals with limited resources. Federal funds cover the full cost of the expansion until 2017; in 2020, the state must pick up the balance. Tennessee, with 118,000 uninsured residents, has not agreed to accept the Medicaid expansion offer.


The Sewanee Community Center is located at 39 Ball Park Rd., behind the Sewanee Market.

Four Hands, Two Feet

Organist Robert Delcamp and pianist Bernadette Lo will perform at 4:45 p.m., Friday, Nov. 21, in St Luke’s Chapel. This is a unique opportunity to hear an unusual repertoire written for two instruments whose timbres are both contrasting and complimentary.

The program includes “Sinfonia Op. 42” by Marcel Dupré, “Colloque No. 2” by Jean Guillou, “Hymne Op. 78” by Joseph Jongen and the “Concerto for Piano and Organ” by Flor Peeters.
Delcamp is a professor of music and University organist at the University. He also directs the University Choir. Under his direction the Choir has made eight recordings and 11 tours of England, including residencies at York Minster, Wells, Salisbury, and Canterbury cathedrals, as well as the American Cathedral in Paris.


Lo is a visiting assistant professor of music at Sewanee. She joined the department in 2011. She also serves on the faculty for Viola Winter Intensive. Lo is a much sought-after collaborative pianist, with extensive experience in both vocal and instrumental music.

Nutcracker Arrives in Sewanee

The AYB-Sewanee Dance Conservatory and Alabama Youth Ballet Theatre of Huntsville will be performing the fourth annual presentation of the traditional classic holiday treat “The Nutcracker” at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, in Guerry Auditorium. The program is directed by David Herriott. 

There are 36 dancers in the cast from Sewanee, Monteagle and Winchester, with about 70 more coming from Huntsville. 

Returning to the cast as Mother and Father Stahlbaum are Lisa and Eric Hartman with their daughter, Sophia, dancing the Animated Doll and son, Harrison, as the Animated Soldier. 

Clara will be Verena Pate in the afternoon, and McKynze Gilliam in the evening. Two instructors at the Sewanee Dance Conservatory will perform the Sugar Plum Fairy solo: Elizabeth Layman for the matinee and Claire Hill for the evening. 

The costumes and scenery are provided by Alabama Youth Ballet Theatre. 

Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for children, students and seniors.


To preorder tickets for will-call pickup, email <wigginscreek@yahoo.com> or ask a cast member. Advance tickets are available for purchase from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., today (Friday), Nov. 14, at Guerry Auditorium. Tickets will also be sold at the door one hour before each performance. More information is available at <http://life.sewanee.edu/engage/nutcracker>.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

2014 General Election Results

Tennessee voters approved all four amendments to the state constitution on Nov. 4 in the general election. In Franklin County, all four amendments were overwhelmingly supported. In the Sewanee precinct, voters rejected Amendment 1 about abortion and Amendment 3 about a state income tax. The local results, however, had no impact on the statewide outcomes.

Bill Haslam (R) was re-elected as governor. Lamar Alexander (R) will return to the U.S. Senate for his third term representing the state.

Scott DesJarlais (R) defeated Lenda Sherrell (D) of Monteagle in the race for the 4th Congressional District seat of the U.S. House of Representatives; DesJarlais will return to the House for his third term. David Alexander (R) will return to the Tennessee House of Representatives for the 39th District.

Turnout at the Sewanee precinct was 44.6 percent, with 841 voters. In the county, turnout was 36.6 percent; there were 9,980 voters.

In local elections, the only contested race for Sewanee Community Council was in District 3. The new representatives for this area will be Annie Armour and Pixie Dozier. Armour received 62 votes; and Dozier, 55 votes. Paul Evans received 41 votes.

In Monteagle, voters approved the sale of wine in grocery stores. Voters in Tullahoma voted in support of a similar measure.


For the full Franklin County precinct reports, go to <www.franklincotn.us/election_results>.

Hastings Mobile Seeks New Home

Artist Jack Hastings is remembered for his extraordinary sculptures, paintings and drawings, much of it in public spaces. But now, his partner, Arlyn Ende, must find a new home for one of Hastings’ largest creations: a 40-foot by 25-foot mobile, “Homage to Calder,” which presently hangs in the TVA southeast headquarters in Chattanooga.

“This is a unique opportunity to have a major work of art by a local artist with a national reputation,” Ende said. The piece is available because TVA is renovating the building; as part of this process, TVA is returning major artworks to the artists it commissioned 30 years ago. 

The mobile was constructed at Hastings’ and Ende’s studio in Bradyville, Tenn., where they lived until they moved to Sewanee in 1994. The piece is made of airframe aluminum and painted with permanent acrylic colors. He named this monumental artwork “Homage to Calder” in honor of the sculptor-engineer who in 1932 created hanging sculptures of discrete movable parts powered by the wind, which Marcel Duchamps christened mobiles.


Ende recalled the creative process: “If you had gone looking for Jack 30 years ago at his studio and farm in Bradyville, you’d have crossed a creek, climbed a hill and found him back behind his studio intensely absorbed in an aerodynamic exercise that was somewhere between physics and aesthetics. He would have been at the controls of his antique Oliver tractor, hoisting with slow, deliberate precision a 30-foot-long rod, higher and higher, as he calculated and calibrated its swing and balance with a bright orange spiral icon dangling from its end. He’d pause, break concentration, and invite you into his large workroom to show you a scale model of the work-in-progress and explain what was up.” Ende recalls the process of getting the enormous piece installed in the new building.

“One night just prior to the official opening of the new TVA building, Jack and I drove to Chattanooga to deliver and install the mobile,” she said. “Our truck was filled to capacity with the carefully identified parts Jack had tested so precisely, and with tools and backup parts ‘just in case.’ 
“His well-thought-out plan was in place to finally assemble the sculpture in its entirety for the first time. A crew had already attached the master cable to the solar glass ceiling high in the five-story atrium and were there waiting for the main event to begin. 

“Jack laid out the rods, fittings, and colorfully painted aluminum icons systematically on the floor. The cable was lowered. From a balcony four stories up,” Ende said, “Jack called out instructions to the crew below to attach, and very slowly, very gently hoist the rods and icons from the floor in the proper order.”

As the piece was installed, she said, “I remember the magical, jaw-dropping suspense as we saw the air itself take shape around each moving arm and attenuated icon as it glided upward and outward to the ephemeral airspace. 

“There was a breathtaking silence when the last fitting was tightened and the crew drew back. I sensed and shared the pride, gratitude and relief that filled Jack as his ‘Homage to Calder’ was released, finally on its own.”

Hastings, who died in 2013, has two mobiles installed at the Nashville International Airport, as well as public art across the U.S., including pieces in Tennessee, as well as in Germany.

For information about being considered to receive this large and precious piece of art, contact Hastings’ art trustee, Susan Tinney, at <susan@tinneycontemporary.com>