NEWS & FEATURE
Why Johnny STILL can't read?
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH AND BEERSHEBA SPRINGS BY RIDLEY WILLS II Sewanee’s early history is inextricably interwoven with that of Beersheba. The famous pre-Civil War watering hole was the scene of two meetings of the University of the South Board of Trustees. Col. John Armfield, of Beersheba, gave the first two Sewanee chancellors, Bishops James Harvey Otey of Tennessee and Leonidas Polk of Louisiana summer homes in Beersheba. The charter of the
university was granted by the State of Tennessee in January 1858. The next year, plans were laid in Beersheba for the laying of the cornerstone at Sewanee in October 1860. A summer resident of Beersheba, Judge Oliver J. Morgan, of Carroll Parrish, Louisiana, made the final gift needed to complete the university endowment. In appreciation for his support, Morgan’s Steep on the west brow in Sewanee
is named for him. Along the same brow are Otey’s Prospect, Polk’s Lookout and Armfield’s Bluff. For many years, the home altar that had been in Polk’s Beersheba cottage was housed at different spots in Beersheba, including the Howell Cottage and the Northern Store. It finally found a permanent home in All Saints Chapel in Sewanee.
NEWS BRIEFS Nashville Homeless Connect launches pilot program On Dec. 15, new nonprofit Nashville Homeless Connect launched its 90-day pilot program that will provide free rides to those who need them. Through March 15, 2021 two 16-passenger wheelchair accessible vans will travel along a fixed route of 19 stops from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. every day. Organizations and individuals can reserve spots, though it’s not a requirement, by calling (615)991-1190 or visiting nashvillehomelessconnect.org. The stops are as follows: 1. Centerstone @ Metro Center 2. Downtown Clinic 3. Greyhound Bus Station Nashville 4. Howard Office Building Nashville 5. Jefferson St. Bridge/2nd Ave Underpass 6. Municipal Auditorium 7. Nashville Metropolitan Courthouse 8. Nashville MTA Music City Central 9. Nashville Rescue Mission 10. Nashville VA Medical Center 11. Operation Stand Down Nashville 12. Rescue Mission Women’s Shelter 13. Room In the End Nashville
14. Salvation Army @ Dickerson Road 15. Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle TN 16. Social Security Office @ Metro Center 17. The Contributor 18. The Fairgrounds Nashville 19. Kroger 8th Ave & Walmart/ Powell Ave TN data shows families with children are struggling through the pandemic Tennessee has shown improvement in access to health care, but is falling short on economic security and mental health, a report says. A 50-state report of recent household data called Kids, Families and COVID-19: Pandemic Pain Points and a Roadmap for Recovery was developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth also released The State of The Child 2020: COVID-19 Edition, which took a deep dive into the state-level data, Tennessee’s response to the pandemic, and how to support child well-being moving forward.
More than half of households with children in Tennessee have lost income since March 13, 2020. The Hispanic community in Tennessee has been disproportionately impacted with 69 percent of households reporting income loss. Nearly one in four households with children reported being likely or very likely to face eviction or foreclosure within the next two months. Similarly, 23 percent reported having little or no confidence in paying their November rent or mortgage payment on time. At the end of the summer over half (56 percent) of Tennessee’s young adults ages 1824 reported feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge most days and 42 percent reported feeling down, depressed or helpless. These were the second-highest percentages in the nation during that time period for both indicators. “Tennessee’s children have faced remarkable challenges throughout this pandemic. It is our responsibility to ensure they are prioritized and supported throughout our recovery efforts,” said Richard Kennedy, executive director of Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, Tennessee’s member of the KIDS COUNT network.
December 23, 2020 - January 6, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5
3 out of 4 children in Tennessee cannot read at grade level. Find out why at N2Reading. com or check out N2Reading on Facebook.
