Shopper Blog: Roberta Houston, who draped many beautiful interiors, retires at 80
BEARDEN
Roberta Houston, who draped many beautiful interiors, retires at 80
John Shearer, Shopper News
A window into Roberta Houston’s life over the last few decades can be revealed simply by looking at the interior windows of numerous homes from Sequoyah Hills to Farragut. Or more specifically, what is covering them.
The longtime local maker of custom drapery has enjoyed a long and rewarding career working with local designers, retail stores and even for herself, she said. But she had her last curtain call recently, as she has decided to retire.
“In December I turned 80 and decided it was time,” she said in a phone interview from her Lenoir City home, where she has lived in recent years after formerly living in Crestwood Hills. “It’s been very interesting meeting people. There are so many nice people.”
Houston said her interest in the work began when she was young.
“I started out at 14 or 15 helping Mother,” she said of growing up in the Greeneville and Limestone areas. “She was a dressmaker and did drapes on the side.”
As Houston grew older and began working for herself, she continued in the crafts, but eventually gravitated to working strictly with custom drapes. “I was a dressmaker for a while, but I didn’t enjoy dressmaking,” she said. “I would have something ready, and they (the clients) wouldn’t show up.”
Houston realized that someone either has the skill or passion for dressmaking or custom drapery making, but usually not both. She knew she liked making drapes much better, and that began a lengthy career that included working in various realms of the cottage-like industry.
For a period, she worked for herself using sample books and waiting on customers to call before she would make the drapes and then install them at night with the help of her husband, Lewis. Later she got into installing them in the daytime.
She also worked with such businesses as Woodruff Century House at Kingston Pike and Wellington Drive in the 1970s, and Law’s Interior in Maryville in the 1980s as drapery coordinator. In more recent years, she worked out of her home helping such designers as Todd Richeson in Bearden.
“He would send me a sketch and measurements,” she said of the latter working arrangement. “I would say how much is needed and he would ship me the fabrics and I would let him know when I was finished.”
She called Richeson a talented interior designer who has also done homes in such places as North Carolina and Florida.
Houston in her earlier days of installation work went to such areas as Key West and Connecticut. And with those and all the local homes, she realized only half the work was sometimes done when it came time for installation.
“One time I had to custom make two window rods for bay windows,” she said, adding that her philosophy was always to figure out a way to make the draperies fit so they would not have to be returned to the shop. “And we (she and a helper) didn’t mess up the walls.”
Such times were fun admiring the finished product. But in many cases when she did not install, the moment they left her shop was the last time she had an opportunity to admire her handiwork. Some of her work has appeared in trade magazines over the years, she said, although she did not get a credit line.
But the various realms of the work have all still been very rewarding, except for maybe the time she was up in Virginia and her truck engine caught fire and she had to be towed back home, she said with a laugh.
Regarding what makes a good custom drapery maker, she said a key is having good basic training, which she said she thankfully received from her mother, who was a perfectionist about her work. Houston also said having natural talent is important.
And being good at math is also another important skill in determining measurements for installation, she added.
One number that was important to her was three — the number of children she helped raise and whom she did not have to put in daycare when they were young because she could work from home.
Houston added that having her own workshop in recent years did create one problem, though. “If you are home, you think you should be working. It was hard to separate business from down time.”
But she is proud overall of the work that has gone from her home to the residences of other people.
“It’s been interesting,” she said. “We’ve done some beautiful homes.”
KARNS
Tune Up, The Manly Salon comes to Karns
Nancy Anderson, Shopper News
Tune Up, The Manly Salon is unlike any other barbershop. The shop is much like a mechanic’s garage. It has a garage floor and garage “bays” complete with tools.
The lobby features a full bar offering soda to liquor for those waiting their turn for a full course of pampering. If a drink doesn’t hit the spot, there are games such as sand shuffleboard and cornhole to keep clients occupied.
Once in the chair, clients get a shampoo, scalp massage, haircut and hot towel for an average price of $30.
“We’re unlike anything you’ve ever seen. We’re not a chop shop. Men and boys can come in and get the full pampered experience,” said co-owner Janette Saroka. “We don’t want it to be a chore to come get your hair cut. We want it to be an experience and we want regulars to keep coming back. It feels like ‘Cheers’ the TV show in here sometimes.”
The shop offers manicures and a 45-minute pedicure treatment in the Man Cave.
“What happens in the Man Cave stays in the man cave,” laughed Saroka. “Just kidding, the Man Cave is very special. We do a 45-minute treatment getting those toes clean. They get a calf and foot massage while they play video games.”
The walls are decorated like a well-loved garage complete with memorabilia, pinup girls and military flags. Most of it has a story to tell.
A Ford Fairlane grille and a set of antlers were donated by clients. Saroka spent months scouring East Tennessee for interesting things to hang on the walls. She started with her own garage.
“The boys really make the shop their own,” said Saroka. “That grille and those antlers come with a story the client loves to tell. Other things come from garage sales, antique stores, thrift stores.
“Then there’s stuff that comes from our family. I like to have a little bit of our family in each salon. I have a Webelos Arrow of Light logo in honor of my son in the Man Cave.
“We have pinup girls and all kinds of things that give it a garage feel.”
The salon offers VIP plans. The basic plan offers unlimited haircuts, beard trims, facial waxing, shoulder massages, and one manicure and one pedicure a month.
“The VIP plans are great! Not only do they get unlimited services, they get their own nameplate displayed on their choice of liquor or beer or soda on the famous Tune Up VIP wall.”
Saroka and her husband, Frank, now own four Tune Up, The Manly Salon locations in Lenoir City, Hardin Valley, Karns, and Alcoa.
The Karns shop is at 6734 Malone Creek Drive in the Grassy Creek Shopping Center. It is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday.
Info: Call 865-321-9220 or find Tune Up, The Manly Salon on Facebook.
POWELL
Custom buttercream cakes — talk about stress relief!
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Fresh out of college in upstate New York with a history degree in hand, Amelia Jacobs had a decision to make.
Her dream was to serve as a curator at a museum. A couple internships gave her a taste of what that life was like.
“I decided to take a year off (of school) and work,” she said.
To go the museum route, she would need a master’s degree. In the meantime, she got a job in the bakery department of a grocery store.
Funny how life can work out.
“I really enjoyed baking, and desserts are my favorite food group,” Jacobs said. “It had always been a hobby. It was a stress reliever in college.”
Armed with that knowledge and passion, Jacobs came up with a plan to one day become a professional baker. She saved up some money, then in 2017 followed her brother out of the snow belt to East Tennessee. She moved with her boyfriend to the Powell area.
At Butter Me Up, taste is the focus
Jacobs continued to work and save. Finally, last October, the 29-year-old took the plunge. She opened Butter Me Up Bakery, an online company that focuses on made-to-order cakes.
“My main concept is to get back to basics; get back to taste,” she said. “So many cakes these days are beautiful, but that’s more of the appeal. I prefer to focus on taste.”
That’s not to say Jacobs’ presentation is going to be lacking. She pointed to a free-hand drawing of Spider-Man that she did lately that made the grade.
“I’ve always been a pretty good doodler,” she said.
In the four months of her business’ operation, she has tweaked production a bit. Along with cakes, Jacobs has added macarons to the list of popular items. She said it’s about a 50-50 split for special events.
“When someone’s ordering for a bridal shower, they’ll order two dozen cupcakes and two dozen macarons,” she said. “It’s something different.”
Not exactly a piece of cake
That one pivotal day hasn’t — officially — come yet: When Jacobs is asked to create a wedding cake.
“When it was still a hobby, I baked one,” she said. “That’s the cake that is the center of all the photos. There’s some pressure that goes with that. I didn’t realize how much until I did it for the first time. Being a professional baker will add to it.”
That day’s coming. Jacobs has had rave reviews from her clients, so it’s just a matter of time before it happens.
Jacobs works out of a 12-foot by 12-foot addition to her house that is designated completely for baking.
There’s a large work bench, oven, small refrigerator and freezer. Baking day for the week’s orders — she can handle 15-20 a week — is one day.
Face-to-face is great
“My favorite things are the decoration and the pickup,” Jacobs said. “I love to see the reaction of people. I also like to go to markets, show some examples of my work and interact with people face-to-face. Getting to know people is important.”
Jacobs has already put in a lot of hours growing her business. Social media and word of mouth have been instrumental in generating clients. In the spring, she’s hoping to offer baking or decorating classes.
For more information or to contact Jacobs, go to her Facebook site @ButterMeUpTN, email at buttermeupbakerytn@gmail.com, or call 865-722-2467.
NORTH KNOXVILLE
GO! presents centuries of Appalachian history in dance
Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News
This Saturday and Sunday, some of the area’s finest young dancers will be showcased when GO! Contemporary Dance Works presents a full-length contemporary ballet, “In the Shadows of Pine Mountain: the Scots-Irish exodus from Ulster to the hills of Appalachia,” at the Bijou Theatre.
It’s the second time around for the popular original theater piece; the first was presented 2016 and got “such positive feedback,” says Lisa Hall McKee, artistic director for GO! Contemporary Dance Works. After all, many East Tennesseans have Scots-Irish heritage.
McKee says she was originally going to do a full-length ballet celebrating the culture of Appalachia, but “people were saying, ‘the Scots-Irish, the Scots-Irish.’” She was amazed and enthralled by the joys, hardships and complexities she uncovered during her research into the lives of the people who left their homeland.
“If that doesn’t scream, ‘make a ballet about this,’ I don’t know what does!”
Each section of the ballet has program notes, detailing the history involved.
The ballet begins in the 15th century on the Plantation of Ulster, a province of Ireland that included settlers from southern Scotland and northern England. Blending Irish and Scottish dance with ballet and contemporary, GO! intertwines generations with visually stunning Irish and Scottish scenes in act one, and life in Appalachia after the Scots-Irish exodus in act two, covering the raging and turbulent history of Appalachia.
Known for its powerful, innovative style, GO!'s original and diverse choreography crosses genres of dance to take its audience on this historical and enchanting journey.
“I love anything historical when I work with young dancers. I say, ‘these people were your age when they were going through all this — everywhere they looked was famine and devastation.’”
The show even addresses the meth and opioid crises in Appalachia, with music performed by a cappella voices. “These people are all so founded in their faith and their culture, and over the centuries the world just sneaks into their world. Meth is the moonshine of the 21st century, and you can see how one went to another.”
The Knoxville Jug Stompers will play live music pre-show and at intermission. McKee says this will “make everybody feel encouraged and happy, and get them in the mood for the show.
“I think it’s a great time for this community to come out and see history, versus just watching it on a screen. It’s a whole different experience live, and there is something for everyone. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will think. But mostly our audience will leave understanding this aspect of Appalachian origin and history. Don’t let the youthfulness of the cast fool you, because it’s powerful.”
“In the Shadows of Pine Mountain: the Scots-Irish exodus from Ulster to the hills of Appalachia” will be presented at 2 and 7: 30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12; and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13, at the Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street.
The performances are brought to the community by support from Garza Law Firm, Regeneron, A.D.S. Phoenix, Result Stack, Munitions Management Group, Rob Quillin with Kennerly Montgomery Attorneys, and STUDIO ARTS for Dancers. Tickets may be purchased at gocontemporarydance.com or by calling 865-539-2475.
WORDS OF FAITH
We can dissect the Trinity all day; it comes down to love
John Tirro, Shopper News
Let’s talk about the Trinity. That’s an easy topic. Actually, as far as I’ve been able to see, nearly any way you try to simplify the mystery of God, whether with three-leaf clovers or water-ice-steam or any other three things that are kind of one thing, you end up falling into one or another heresy. So I’m going to try not to do that.
That said, try as I may, I may fail. If this goes off orthodoxy rails, I strongly suggest that we all affirm that God is three persons in one substance and work more on loving God and each other as Jesus has loved us, rather than on trying to be right in our theology or relationships.
Anyhoo, here goes. One central belief of the church is that God is Love (1 John 4:8), and that this is true, even before there’s anyone but God to love. In fact, God’s love is so overflowing, God’s love creates a beloved, just for the goodness of having someone else to love. So that’s where we all come from.
But before creation, what would it mean that God is love, if God is all there is to love? I’m confident that there’s a fourth-to-sixth century theologian or two out there that said this better, but I missed that class, so I’m going to take a flying leap at it.
If God is love, and before creation God is the only one, then God loves God, Love loves Love. God is the giver and the receiver and the giving of love.
In creation, God is the speaker, the speaking, and the spoken of love. The Spirit or Breath of God hovers over the void, God speaks, “Let there be light,” and poof! There’s light. Light is spoken into being (Genesis 1:1-3).
Later, at Jesus’s baptism, the Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from heaven speaks, “This is my beloved Son!” God is the speaker, the speaking, and the spoken Word of God (Matthew 3:16-17).
So here’s why I wanted to talk about that.
First, I find it beautiful. My words, as all words about God, fall short of describing God’s glory, but they’re a gesture, a movement, a speaking of love of God.
Given that our breath or spirit is God’s to begin with (Genesis 2:7), it may be that at least some of the time, God is in our speaking, especially when we speak love about God, who is love. So that’s lovely, if also somewhat confusing.
But the other thing. It’s good to recognize the value of three.
A lot of times we get locked into two. There’s your opinion and my opinion, and we’re opposed. Or your well being and my well being, and they’re opposed.
When actually, there’s you and there’s me, and we have our opinions and our well being, and if we love, a third possibility, a relationship, arises from the two.
John Tirro is pastor of music and campus ministry at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Info: sjlcknox.org.
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NORTH KNOXVILLE
Vote for young talent in Black History contest
Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News
This month, art lovers have a chance to view — and judge — some top-notch creations by young artists online.
Voting is now open in UScellular’s Seventh Annual Black History Month Art Contest with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Ocoee Region.
This year’s contest features artworks in recognition of influential Black icons in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), including historical figures, world leaders, scientists and educators.
Candice Champion, HR Talent Brand Specialist at UScellular, says that Black leaders and innovators in STEM are less well known than those in other fields; hence the encouragement to include them in the contest.
“This is the first year there’s a focus on STEM. In the past you could do any Black icon in any field. We typically would get some of the civil rights leaders but there isn’t a huge focus on STEM. That’s why this year we wanted to incorporate that piece. Older adults know about a few, but the kids have to do a little more digging.”
Champion says that by being encouraged to reach a little further for the subjects of their art pieces, the kids are also strengthening their research skills.
“It starts at home. You can buy different books. There is more of a push now for representation — to go beyond your civil rights leaders and to show all the influence of other Black icons. So I think it’s more in the forefront now.
"Introducing this in the classroom is ideal — that’s where the majority of kids will get their knowledge. And we love our partnership with the BCG — they help them research for the contest. All those areas are great places to start.”
Ten finalists were chosen by representatives from the BGC and local UScellular leaders based on creativity, quality, interpretation, clarity of theme and overall impression.
Voting will remain open until Feb. 28, and anyone 18 or older can vote for their favorite. The finalists’ artwork is also digitally displayed in select stores.
The top three vote-getters will be announced in March, and prizes include gift cards in the following amounts:
$250, first place
$150, second place
$100, third place
“Movies like ‘Hidden Figures’ help us realize: You’re not taught about those ladies. That opened up a window. Who was behind the scenes?” says Champion. “We really have to teach these kids the influence that these Black icons have had on society.”
To vote, visit newsroom.uscellular.com/2022-uscellular-black-history-month-art-contest-voting-begins.
SOUTH KNOXVILLE
Live wedding portraits capture memories, entertain guests
Ali James, Shopper News
Heather Wolfe started creating collaged pet portraits in 2012, and one of the highlights was painting the portrait of The Westminster Dog Show’s Best in Show 2016 winner.
“In 2017 I painted all of the pets for one of my clients,” said Wolfe. “I had painted her kids’ pets; she had exhausted them all. There were no more pet portraits to give.”
Then, her client’s son was getting married in Chattanooga and asked Wolfe to paint a live wedding portrait. “I didn’t know what that meant or what equipment was needed,” said Wolfe, who had a permanent studio with all of her supplies at her fingertips.
From blank canvas as it happens
“The whole thing is about time: The guests see the painting go from a blank canvas,” said Wolfe. “It has to be developed and entertaining. I paint live for four to six hours until it is 80% finished, then I do the last 15-20% of details in my studio.”
Wolfe starts mapping out the scenery and painting preliminary details on the canvas before the ceremony. “Then I add the bride and groom, the parents, the bridesmaids, everybody — or just the bride and groom,” she said.
The bride and groom get to paint their dress or suit with Wolfe’s careful guidance.
“It’s a really special moment that the videographer captures, and it makes the cutest photos,” she said.
Wolfe holds a consultation with the bride and groom three weeks before the big day, sketching out the idea and layout for approval before the ceremony.
“The couples pick the moment — it might be their first kiss — and I wait until that sweet spot,” said Wolfe. “I snap photos and shoot video so I can freeze the frame; the moment happens way too fast.”
The portrait options are extensive; horizontal or vertical, zoomed in or out. The composition and layout can be romantic, traditional and formal, or candid. “I don’t want anything undecided or to interrupt the couple with questions; I want to hit the ground running,” she said.
Dealing with wind, rain, heat ... and theft
It was not just the portability of Wolfe’s studio; she also has to consider the elements. “Wind, sun or rain changes the chemistry of how things do or don’t dry,” said Wolfe. “It was a learning curve, and when it is hot and sunny, acrylic dries so fast you have to use an additive to slow down the drying.”
If it rains or there is a water feature at the venue, Wolfe scoops some up and mixes it into her paints. “I’ve even gone up to a rain puddle and put that in my paint bucket, and that water is in the portrait forever,” she said.
Wolfe consolidated her portrait business and rebranded from Collage-a-Pet to HeatherWolfeArt.com to include her booming, live wedding portraits business.
Portraits range in size from 18x24 up to 30x40 and the turnaround time depends on whether the wedding is during the peak seasons of April and May or September and October.
“At one point I had been to 10 weddings, and it took a couple of months to get the painting back,” Wolfe said.
Post-pandemic trends point to one of the busiest years for weddings in decades. “It is the busiest season for planning, and I am pretty booked up for 2022 and scheduling into 2023,” she said.
Looking back, Wolfe says she is her hardest critic and runs into the craziest stuff working at weddings and events.
Like the time the bridesmaids’ dresses were stolen on the day of the wedding and had to be replaced, or when Wolfe arrived at a Smoky Mountains wedding and forgot her easel containing paints and brushes in Knoxville.
“Problem solving is a huge part,” said Wolfe, who belongs to an online community for live wedding portrait painters to trade tips and tricks.
“No wedding or painting is the same. I am constantly thinking new. Everything is custom,” she said.
Watch Heather Wolfe in action here https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdk8kjSK/
HALLS
Halls man, 92, picks up a pencil and a new hobby
Ali James, Shopper News
It is never too late to learn a new skill or pick up a hobby, and 92-year-old Gene Money has put that theory to the test.
When Money’s wife, Virginia, was hospitalized for eight weeks with a broken leg and he could not visit, he grew bored. “I was tired of watching television and reading and was looking for something to draw,” he said.
“My son Dale is a professional artist and in the advertising business. I saw him drawing and I was just looking for something to draw. I’ve been at it for about a year now.”
Money draws portraits on paper plates. “I find photos and pictures in newspapers and magazines,” he said. “Sometimes I freestyle, but I usually go by pictures.”
Half of Money’s portraits are on display in the Fountain City Library lobby, and there are plenty more at home.
“It is ‘fun’ art. I don’t claim to be a professional; all I need is a pencil and paper plates,” he said. “I like to draw in the afternoons and evenings. I move very slowly in the mornings, so I do better in the afternoons.
“Parkinson’s creeps up on you,” said Money. “I was at my mother’s funeral in 2009 and my niece is an MD; she noticed my gait and asked if I had been checked for Parkinson’s.”
Money used a cane, then a walker and now alternates between his walker and wheelchair. “Instead of getting better it keeps on getting worse,” he said.
According to Money, drawing is good therapy he would recommend to others with Parkinson’s, and the paper plates are easier to hold while drawing.
“You want a good pencil and eraser; I erase everything I draw at least once,” he said. “I have a hard time getting the mouth right.” His son, Dale, said that Parkinson’s affects one side of his father’s body more than the other and gives his paper plate portraits a raw and innocent look.
“Mine is amateur art, fun art,” said Gene Money, who keeps plenty of plates and pencils stored in his walker. “If you take it too seriously, it takes some of the fun out of it. This way, if I mess it up, I can just throw paper plates in the trash.”
Money calls it ‘art with a smile’. “Both drawing and writing are something that can be done by yourself and doesn’t take much experience,” he said. “It is important to have people around to encourage you.”
After retiring from ConAgra, Money continued playing tennis, walked a lot, bowled on a team with his wife and was on the Habitat for Humanity board. “I was kind of restless after I retired and wanted to work at the farmer’s co-op one day a week to keep in touch with the customers and farmers,” he said.
Money is a proud author of three books: “A Fresh Look at Biblical Events”; “Thinking About Life” and “The First Liar Doesn’t Have a Chance.” Another happy pastime is writing to his granddaughters, who regularly send him letters, asking him how to entertain themselves.
In recent years, Money and his wife downsized from their large family property in McMinnville and returned to Knoxville for health reasons. They have three children, four grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. The family is scattered across Tennessee but reunites every year in October to make apple butter.
“My grandparents did it, then my mom and dad, and when they passed away we started doing it,” said Virginia Money. “It is kind of our family reunion.”
KARNS
Center Faith Church supports small-but-mighty food pantry
Nancy Anderson, Shopper News
“We just saw a need in the neighborhood and decided as a church how we can help,” said Pastor Barry Mayfield of the food pantry at Center Faith Church on 7003 Wright Road in Karns.
Shelves of canned food and freezers filled with meat neatly line the tiny 16-foot-by-12-foot room.
The food pantry started two years ago and was fully supported by the church for the first eight months.
“Our people and people in the neighborhood supplied the food for the first eight months. Then more and more people started coming to get food. We needed more help. We joined Second Harvest and we’ve been growing ever since,” said Mayfield.
The food pantry is open every other week. Last week, 17 families signed up for food.
“People sign up online by Wednesday afternoon letting us know how many is in the family and what allergies they might have. We try to customize each box for the family,” said food pantry coordinator Suzanne Hawley.
It’s a study in logistics that’s not always smooth sailing.
Hawley ordered food from Second Harvest, but somehow the order got lost. When she and a volunteer presented to get their food, there was hardly anything left. Second Harvest was able to fill the order with what they could, but there was no produce to be had.
Mayfield made a run to Aldi’s to buy bread, milk and eggs.
“We wanted to make sure to offer bread, milk and eggs. There’s so much you can do with just those three things. Of course each box will have meat and canned veggies, too,” said Hawley.
Last year, the pantry served nearly 600 people in 218 households.
It’s a labor of love for the small church. The volunteer list grew to nearly 25. It takes only one or two volunteers at a time to service the pantry and hand out food, but many church members want to help.
Many church members donate money directly to the food pantry. Mayfield makes sure there’s enough money from the church budget to help out. People from the neighborhood still donate food directly to the pantry.
Hawley said the future of the pantry is bright. They are prepared for growth.
“We have 17 families this week, which is a lot for us; but we’ve got it covered. We pull together as a church family and make sure people who need food get food. They just need to register, which is easy to do, and live within five miles of the church."
Info: To sign up for the food pantry, visit www.centerfaith.com.
SOUTH KNOXVILLE
Student Council has heart for service
Ali James, Shopper News
Second through fifth grade students work hard to earn their position on South Knoxville Elementary School’s student council every year.
“They are elected by their peers,” said principal Tanna Nicely. “They submit an application, give a speech, get teacher recommendations and make posters. It is a really sweet process.”
Student council members are sworn in at Blount Mansion in the fall and sign an oath using a quill pen, next to the desk where William Blount drafted the Tennessee State Constitution.
The hard work does not stop there. Before they have accomplished a monthly project, students are busy dreaming up the next and are eager to pitch their ideas to Nicely.
“They are not shy about coming to me on a Friday to remind me about filling our school’s blessing box,” said Nicely. “The other week they came to me on the Wednesday before it snowed to make sure it was filled early. It really blesses me to see those in need utilizing the blessing box.”
Fourth grader India Matthews is in her third year on the student council. “I gave my speech about what we could do to change or help our school,” she said. “We only have one flower bed so I have asked if we can put in a second one near the soccer field, but not too close that the flowers get trampled.”
Joseph Jordan is also in fourth grade and enjoys filling and organizing the blessing box. “Every time we do it is half empty again and we put cans on the bottom shelf and grains and cereal on the top,” he said.
Student council completed a soft toy drive in January. “It is a great time to do it just after Christmas when children have gotten new toys,” said Nicely.
“This is our fourth time and usually we fill two boxes, but this year, we filled four. The toys are given to Judge Irwin to hand out to children who might be frightened or anxious in Juvenile Court.”
Student council meets once or twice a month on Friday mornings depending on how busy they are, and they are ready to launch a food drive for February. “It makes me feel proud and happy to be a part of the student council,” India said.
“They are very proactive,” said Nicely. “India came to me and said she wanted to make to-go bags to hand out to people in need. They might fill a gallon sized bag with a blanket, a bus ticket, gloves, some money and a note of encouragement. I have one in my car right now just in case.”
Joseph said he would like to go on a hike with other student council members at Ijams and pick up trash along the way.
Members pitched the idea of covering bus stops to local representative Tommy Smith, when he visited the school. “It may take a while, but they would like to put a cover over the bus stops in case it rains and maybe put in a free library nearby,” Nicely said. “They have spoken to Mayor Kincannon about it, and it is on the city’s agenda.”
Joseph was also hand selected to participate in the Iron Man Club. “We pick up trash around the playground and trim trees once a week from 4-5 p.m.,” he said.
School Resource Officer Doug Grimm was inspired to start the club almost five years ago. “I saw a need. We hand selected the kids, not necessarily the kids who need it; it’s the students that we see leadership qualities in,” he said. “It is about honor, integrity and respect. It is not a Bible class in any way, but it is inspired by Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens the face of his neighbor.””
Officer Grimm said that once an Iron Man, they are always an Iron Man. As students move up a grade level they mentor the younger students. Currently there are five members from second through to fifth grade.
In addition to cleaning up trash and participating in other community service projects, the members saw a need to pave next to the drop-off line. “It had become a mud pit, so they spent a year adding a French drain and putting in paving stones,” said Officer Grimm. “They also present the flag at school events and take their roles very seriously.”
OPINION
Lessons in literature aren't comfortable
Leslie Snow, Shopper News
I wasn’t there when it happened, but I still remember the story. It brought me to tears and kept me awake at night the way nightmares sometimes do. And it stayed with me for years, popping into my head during times of stress.
Maybe it upset me so much at the time because I had to explain it to my teenage daughter. I had to find the words to make sense of something I found incomprehensible.
Jordan was in eighth grade when the middle school band took a trip to Washington, D.C. The group toured all the traditional monuments, including the Holocaust Memorial Museum. During the visit, one of the girls Jordan knew left the Holocaust Museum in tears.
Her friends assumed the girl was crying over the murder of millions of innocent people. They assumed she was crying over photos of the emaciated victims, the sight of the train cars used to transport Jews to concentration camps, or the room filled with the shoes of the dead.
But when her companions approached the girl to offer comfort, she looked up through her tears and said, “It’s just so sad knowing 6 million people went to Hell.”
That was what the young girl took away from the Holocaust memorial. Six million people went to Hell. And it broke my heart.
I thought of that long-ago story last week when I learned that McMinn County schools had removed the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel “Maus” from the eighth-grade curriculum. Ironically, they made the announcement the day before Holocaust Remembrance Day. But I’m guessing they didn’t know that fact.
The schoolboard voted unanimously to remove “Maus” from the curriculum because it contains eight curse words and a small drawing of a nude woman, not a graphic sexual picture, but a drawing depicting the death of the author’s mother by suicide.
The board explained its actions by saying: "One of the most important roles of an elected board of education is to reflect the values of the community it serves. The McMinn County Board of Education voted to remove the graphic novel 'Maus' from McMinn County Schools because of its unnecessary use of profanity and nudity and its depiction of violence and suicide.”
I agree with the board that suicide is upsetting. And I suppose curse words can be shocking to teenagers who don’t watch television or ride the school bus.
But we don’t need to protect students from uncomfortable feelings. It’s OK for them to be upset and shocked by the mass extermination of millions of people. And how can you teach about the Holocaust without depicting violence?
Students need to learn and understand history, not be protected from it. And as a former English teacher, I know firsthand that the lessons of literature come from the uncomfortable parts. That’s where the real learning and emotional growth takes place. It’s where students learn empathy and compassion.
But what I really find disturbing, what I’m struggling to understand, is how someone could read “Maus” and think the upsetting part of the book is the swearing. How can someone go to the Holocaust Museum and come away believing the real tragedy is that six million people went to Hell. It doesn’t make sense to me.
And despite what the McMinn County School Board says, I don’t think their actions reflect the values of our community. I want to believe we’re better than that.
But at least now I finally understand that old saying, “Some people can’t see the forest for the trees.”
Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com
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