DISCOVER
Hawkins County
inside:
everything you need to know to discover Hawkins County
www.discoverhawkinscounty.com | 2011
2 discover hawkins county
discover hawkins county 3
Visit us in Mt. Carmel and Rogersville Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency.
4 discover hawkins county
CONTENTS | 2011
DISCOVER
Hawkins County EDITORIAL
INSIDE THIS EDITION
Jesse Lindsey Editor & Publisher Joel Spears Features Editor Bill Grubb News Editor Emily Robertson Staff Writer Jim Beller Sports Editor Randy Ball Photographer news@therogersvillereview.com
ADVERTISING Abby Swearingen Marketing Consultant Buffy Torres
9
making music Mandolin players from all over the country depend on one man from Church Hill for the best quality music.
a world of knowledge How one teacher dedicated an entire career to furthering her student’s education.
45
Marketing Consultant Heather Hawkins Marketing Consultant
DISTRIBUTION
41
an original beauty Although the Burdette’s have lived all over the country, they chose a unique local place to call home.
a family affair Like father, like son and daughter and another son... Read about a family who has excelled in local athletics.
64 Read how a couple in their 70’s continue to make homemade goods for the community they love.
49
Pat Smith Circulation Manager Discover Hawkins County is published annually by Hawkins County Publishers, Inc. P.O. Box 100 Rogersville, TN 37857 www.discoverhawkinscounty.com (423)272-7422 Advertising rates and information available upon request.
on the cover Photo by Sharon Thames photography, “Addie peeking through McKinney’s cemetery in downtown Rogersville.”
6 discover hawkins county
from the editor & publisher
W
elcome to Hawkins County. Whether you’ve lived here all your life, or are a transient like myself, each day presents the opportunity to discover more about one of the most beautiful places to live in East Tennessee, the place we call home. A short drive on any country road will make it obvious to anyone why someone might consider making Hawkins County home. Nestled away far enough from larger cities like Kingsport and Johnson City, Hawkins County is fixed with some of the grandest mountain and scenic views around. With an abundant amount of rivers and streams dangled in between the county lines, the county is the perfect place for the outdoorsman offering year round opportunities. But Hawkins County is about much more than the scenery. Instead, it’s the people who make it such a special place. Consider Mrs. Sarah Arnold who is profiled on pages 40-43. She’s dedicated her entire career toward education and as a result has been awarded the Teacher of the Year Award. Then there is Jim and Mary Christian, both over the age of 70, who continue Jesse Lindsey to make homemade goods for hundreds of people. Profiled on pages 54-56, their homemade goods are in demand year after year. These two stories are a perfect example of the hard work that’s commonplace for folks who call Hawkins County home. Another aspect of this community that makes it special are the different types of people who live here and share a variety of talents. Think about Mr. Audey Ratliff, pages 9-11, who is called upon from some of the biggest names in the bluegrass and country music for his hand made mandolins. If living in a beautiful place surrounded by great people isn’t enough to draw someone to Hawkins County, then the abundance of happenings throughout the year surely will. From the larger events like Heritage Days and the Rogersville Fourth of July Celebration to smaller community events like Archie Campbell Days and the Church Hill Celebration, there is most certainly something for everyone. Although there’s a common misconception that rural communities don’t offer things to do for the family, that’s just not the case in Hawkins County. So again, welcome to the inaugural edition of Discover Hawkins County. We hope you’ll enjoy this edition and take our advice, Discover Hawkins County – either for the first time or all over again.
discover hawkins county 7
BUILDING FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS ONE MEMBER AT A TIME
Visit our Newest Location myacfcu.org
1-800-378-3778
Serving Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia for 79 Years Federally Insured by NCUA
1206 West Main Street • Rogersville, TN 37857
8 discover hawkins county
discover hawkins county 9
making music Mandolin players from all over the country depend on one man in Church Hill for the best quality music.
10 discover hawkins county
story and photography by Joel Spears
T
he smell of fresh sawdust filled Audey Ratliff’s workshop in Church Hill as he sat among a collection of planing and fretting tools, clamps and other implements of his trade. Ratliff is a luthier, perhaps better-known as a mandolin maker. Self-taught, he worked thoughtfully on his latest project, a mandolin designed for a musician in Switzerland, as he discussed how he became one of Tennessee’s foremost full-time luthiers. “My dad Tom’s hobby was playing the dobro,” he said. “So, I grew up around music and learned to play the guitar when I was about 15 years old.” With bluegrass in his blood, Audey said he also took an interest in mandolin playing, but as a left-handed musician he had a difficult start. “If you’ve ever looked at a mandolin, it’s definitely a righthanded instrument,” he said, breaking from work to pull a pouch of cigarette tobacco from his shirt pocket. Rather than having his left-handed teenage son learn to become a right-handed picker, Tom asked renowned
Virginia musician and luthier Wayne Henderson to make Audey a mandolin he could play with ease. “He made me one that was left-handed,” Audey recalled. “When I saw the process, I took an interest in making mandolins myself,” he said as he sprinkled tobacco on a rolling paper. Not long after he learned to play his custom mandolin, Audey bought a how-to book and began making the instruments from the comfort of a spare bedroom. “I decided to try it, sold one, built another one, then pretty soon started to think, ‘Maybe I can just do it for a living,’” Audey said. Thirty years later, he spends his weekdays in a converted gas station making mandolins for musicians big and small all over the country. Music is a big part of Ratliff’s life. Even when he isn’t making instruments, he’s somewhere playing one or teaching others how. Having toured with music legend Ralph Stanley and performed at locations throughout the U.S. and in England, Audey is currently a member of the band Tennessee Skyline. During his career he has also been a full-time music teacher and, now, as a luthier he still manages to teach two days a week. From see MUSIC page 11
discover hawkins county 11 MUSIC continued from page 10
the comfort of his shop he instructs people with a passion for music on how to play the mandolin, guitar and banjo. “I’d say I’ve had 700 students in my lifetime,” he said. “And one of the most rewarding parts of teaching somebody how to play is when you watch them practice for so long and then, the light bulb clicks. They can feel the music. If you teach them what sounds right, they learn to like the way it sounds. That’s where your musicians come from: those who can’t quit hitting the instrument because they like the way it sounds.” That simple satisfaction, and love for playing the instrument has taken Audey’s creations to concert halls around the world, and you won’t hear him complaining about any of the work. “It has its ups and downs, but I don’t dread coming to work everyday,” he said taking a patient draw off the freshly-rolled cigarette. “The most satisfying part is when you put the strings on and hear the instrument play for the first time. Then, somebody who bought it might call and tell you how much they enjoy it. Especially after they’ve had it a couple years. “You know ...,” he said with a pause, “... that’s rewarding.”
Hanging on the walls of Ratliff’s workshop are the results of hours upon hours of precision and detail.
12 discover hawkins county
discover hawkins county 13
where to find cool stuff
14 discover hawkins county
The Local Artist Gallery
Folk art is a staple of Appalachian culture and Rogersville Local Artist Gallery is a place where Appalachian artists of all mediums can display their best work. Nestled in downtown Historic Rogersville, the gallery has one of the area’s widest varieties of art styles on display anywhere in the county. glass jewelry
Handmade, contemporary art glass jewelry is a specialty of duo Jami and Jeremy Fore. Each piece, such as these pendants are unique and filled with different mediums to create art within art.
Woodrite Broom Squire
Sassafrass is the wood of choice for these handmade pieces by Keith Bowman, also known as The Woodrite Broom Squire. Bowman also made these “cake testers” of broom straws to make sure those favorite recipes are ready to take from the oven.
“Glass Menagerie”
Photos by Joel Spears
Stony Point Baskets Patsy Mauk of Stony Point Baskets in Surgoinsville created these handwoven creations, including an egg basket that beckons back to an earlier time of farming and gathering in the Appalachian Mountains and their valleys.
“Creation in Beads and Beyond” by artist Melissa Sadek of Sneedville used precious stones nestled inside a handpainted gourd to create what Sadek has aptly titled “Glass Menagerie.”
discover hawkins county 15
16 discover hawkins county
what to eat ’s n n I s g n i r p S e Hal rn e v a T s ’ y e n n i McK ato
Green red Fried e tt a -B ra Tempu e Martini & Key Lim
Tom
red and toes, batte a m to n e rass Dairy e gre cludes thre idalia onions, Sweetg in h is d is Th tte. with V n vinaigre garnished oked baco ern food, sm fried, then th d u n a ality so u q e id blue cheese v ro to p the South. Ellis works ht here in y g s ri m m m Ji o f fr e Ch nts body love ng ingredie s and every we use e ti ra to a o m rp o to c in green ia and r y eats fried riginally from Georg “Everybod , GA for ou o m il a said. “I homasv le T is s ll in E se y ” , u ir n t a o a D c th ba Grass ennessee om Sweet aurant in T st re cheeses fr ly n o e are the ucts.” for recipes. W their prod ugh Friday ro th y a sd e Tu sday ern is open dinner Tue v r a T fo ’s d y n e a n . p.m ’s is the McKin McKinney a.m. until 2 . 1 1 .m p m 8 o fr to .m. oduces lunch y, from 5 p ty and intr a n u rd o tu C a s S in h k ngs Inn aw throug tavern in H s each year. Hale Spri e ic rv se ll f events time only fu all types o enus four r m fo l a le n b a so il a dings. re ava new se hes to wed to c ’s Tavern a y n e lu n g in in K c and M to work log on y reunions, all (423) 272-5171 or from famil c n o formati .com. For more in www.halespringsinn
Photos by Randy Ball, information by Emily Robertson
what to eat
discover hawkins county 17
Café Jubilee Mexican M
adness
wer of atures a to fe e é tr n e od. A This colorful fo d n a s u io c deli s, with e and chip c u tt le f o bed ken or f beef, chic ddar o e ic o h c a che pped with veggies, to lsa and sa , r cream u so , se e e ch s. more chip nique,” in meth g u so r e ff o e “W ef Barry e Head Ch e il b Ju fé a C riginally . “I’m not o id sa a g n e a unique Reit , so I bring a re a e th food.” from nt take on and differe hursday e is open T e il b Ju fé a C .m. to 3 onday 11 a M h 8 g u ro th ours until dditional h a h t a it d w ., te p.m loca days and is p.m. on Fri oop in L y e ll Va 573 Carters informa. For more le il v rs e g o 88. R 23) 345-00 tion, call (4
Photos by Randy Ball, information by Emily Robertson
story and photography by Joel Spears
18 discover hawkins county
what to eat
discover hawkins county 19
tery
Amis Mill Ea Apple Miss Ann’s
Photos by Randy Ball
Salad
ens, mixed gre sh e fr s e d inclu pieces and This salad ies, walnut rr e e b n ra c homemad dried s tossed in g d e n p ri p n to io n d red o rette an ig a in v ic r this am apple bals The idea fo . s. ip h c le p ap Owner D.P with dried ery close to wife. v e m a c d is sala bs heart, h “Jake” Jaco on of variti a il p is a com d la n and sa is h “T ife has eate w y m t a th e one ous salads “She was th t . id sa s b o c pu d that we enjoyed,” Ja ly requeste g n ro st t ” . a th menu this on the d
Chef’s Sala
y ham, tures hone a fe d la a S oiled The Chef’s y bacon, b sp ri c , y e rk d onion, smoked tu umbers, re c u c s, e to a cheeses eggs, tom terey jack n o M d n a d turkey cheddar The smoke e and s. n e re g f on a bed o oked on-sit salad is sm e th in d well as use is salad, as used in th aurant. s at the rest day, exsandwiche v open e ery 9 p.m is ry te a E Amis Mill 11 a.m. to esday from n d e Hollow in W t p e c West Bear 7 2 1 d te a . and is loc Rogersville (423) 272all c , n o ti a form m For more in to www.amismill.co n o g lo 7040 or
Photos by Randy Ball
where to go
20 discover hawkins county
Allandale Mansion
Photos by Randy Ball
where to go
where am I? If you know where this is located, you could win $25. Email your answer to news@discoverhawkinscounty. com .
Photos by Randy Ball
discover hawkins county 21
22 discover hawkins county 22 discover hawkins county
discover hawkins county 23
24 discover hawkins county
1159 Rogersville Review_PR.indd 1
8/22/11 1:36 PM
where to go
discover hawkins county 25
New Canton Plantation
Photos by Randy Ball
26 discover hawkins county
where am I?
where to go One of the first lodges of Free and Accepted Masons in Tennessee was organized in Rogersville on December 14, 1805. It is known as the Overton Lodge
discover hawkins county 27
Masonic Temple
Photos by Randy Ball
Overton Lodge, circa 1805
28 discover hawkins county
where to go
Bulls Gap United Methodist Church
Photos by Randy Ball
If you know where this is, you could win $25. Email your answer to news@discoverhawkinscounty.com .
what to do
discover hawkins county 29
mark your calendar! Hawkins County has a lot of fun on tap Information by Joel Spears
F
estivals are big business for the local economy and Rogersville’s Heritage Days celebration is no exception. Held annually on the second weekend in October, Heritage Days exhibits the best of East Tennessee arts and crafts, alongside historical reenactments, music, food, and fun for all ages. Organized by the Rogersville Heritage Association, Heritage Days has grown to attract crowds in excess of 30,000 for a three-day weekend. Beginning on Friday, food vendors set up their stations in preparation for the Main Street Cruise-In On the Square, sponsored by Rogersville Main Street Association, as well as the annual Crusie-In Chili Cookoff. Once these events get underway and the aroma of homemade chili and other indulgent delicacies fill the Town Square, it’s time for the annual Heritage Days Children’s Parade.
r e b o Oct
3 1 , 12 4 &1
The Heritage Days Children’s Parade gives parents and their kids a prime opportunity to get involved in the county’s local color, dressing as a favorite historical character, or person from Hawkins County’s long history. Bringing up the end of the parade, rows and rows of classic cars make their way down Main Street for the October cruise-in. Visitors who stay for this event can get an up close look at vintage, pre-1980s automobiles, often decked out appropriately for the fun, fall atmosphere that surrounds Heritage Days. On Saturday and Sunday various exhibits, live music, plenty of food, demonstrations on the Square, a Civil War camp reenactment, dozens of vendors from throughout the region selling handmade crafts, and even an old-time tractor parade are the talk to the town. The Heritage Days Art Show is also a favorite, where local artists can enter for prizes while they display every kind of talent for the public eye, from painting to sculpting and needlework to carving. The Heritage Days Quilt Show offers a popular exhibit among quilting enthusiasts or those who simply love the colors and patterns of Appalachian quilt work. This juried exhibit features some of the area’s finest examples
see WHAT TO DO page 31
30 discover hawkins county
what to do
Photos by Randy Ball Photos by Sheldon Livesay and Joel Spears
what to do
discover hawkins county 31 WHAT TO DO continued from page 29
Heritage Days
of quilts, many from the county’s own quilters.
Whatever your tastes, from dusk on Friday until it’s time for evening church services on Sunday, Heritage Days has something for everybody. It is an event any festivalgoer who lives in or plans to visit Hawkins County won’t want to miss. For more information about Heritage Days, visit www. rogersvilleheritage.org, or call (423) 272-1961. In addition to Rogersville Heritage Days there are a variety of other seasonal festivals, parades and gatherings offered to the public. Many of those are listed are on the following pages. For a complete list call Rogersville / Hawkins County Chamber of Commerce at (423) 272-2186 or East Hawkins County Chamber of Commerce at (423) 357-6365, or 357-8019. You may also visit them on the Web at rogersvillechamber.us or www.ehcchamber.org. Photos by Joel Spears and Sheldon Livesay
where to go
32 discover hawkins county
Cruise in to Hawkins County M
ain Street Cruise-In On the Square is held on the first Friday of each month from May through October in Downtown Historic Rogersville. Here, visitors have an opportunity to spend time with friends and neighbors as they stroll the historic district to view pre-1980s automobiles, listen to live music and enjoy special cruise-in menus at downtown restaurants. Merchants in the downtown area are also open late during each cruise-in.
S
urgoinsville Cruise-In is also held on the first Friday of each month beginning in May and lasting through October. Those who love classic cars are welcomed to gather on Main Street in Surgoinsville for a fun evening of fellowship and entertainment.
Photos by Randy Ball
WHAT TO DO continued from page 29
discover hawkins county 33
34 discover hawkins county
what to do
discover hawkins county 35
fun, food and fireworks
R
ogersville 4th of July Celebration, which hosts an estimated 30,000 people annually at Rogersville City Park in July, is free to the public. Organized by a team of volunteers, the event offers food vendors, entertainment for children and a full day of music on the main stage. Previous headline entertainers at this Independence Day party have included The Band Perry, John Michael Montgomery, Diamond Rio, and Aaron Tippin to name a few. One of the defining moments of the 4th of July Celebration is a large fireworks display, synchronized to music that is broadcasted throughout the park and via local radio station, WRGS.
The Band Perry performed at the 2011 celebration.
y l u J
4
File photo
36 discover hawkins county
more events in hawkins county D
uring the month of April, get ready for a Taste of Rogersville as local eateries bring out their best samples for the public to enjoy. For a low cost, visitors can purchase tickets to sample a selection of foods from each restaurant on hand while they enjoy live music and other entertainment in Downtown Rogersville.
T
runk or Treat will get any ghoul in a spooky mood when the Rogersville Main Street Program gears up for this annual favorite. Held annually on Halloween, October 31, in the Downtown Rogersville Historic District, Trunk or Treat is billed as a safe place for children to trick or treat and make sure they leave happy with plenty of sweets. Businesses and individuals participate in this event by registering, then bringing their spookily-decorated vehicle downtown with a candy-filled trunk full of treats. In addition there is music, lights, decorated shop windows, and a movie.
Photo by Randy Ball
what to do
what to do
V
eterans Day on the Town Square is held each November 11 in on the Rogersville Town Square at the corner of Main and Depot Streets. Organized by the county’s veterans service office, the events plays host to a children’s choir, the ringing of the bells on the eleventh hour, and the recognition of veterans from all wars. Local color guard members and American Legion Auxiliaries also participate in a wreath laying event and salute on the courthouse lawn. Call (423) 272-5077 for more details.
C
hristmas Parades are one way to get into the holi day spirit when it’s time to deck the halls.
R
ogersville Christmas Parade, held on the first Saturday in December, is an evening event held along with the lighting of the town Christmas tree and other special events downtown. For more information, call the Rogersville / Hawkins County Chamber of Commerce office at (423) 272-2186.
A
lso on the first Saturday in December is the Church Hill Christmas Parade. Making its way for two miles down Main Boulevard, the parade offers plenty of candy and goodies for children along the route and ends with a special visit to the residents of Church Hill Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. For more information about this event, contact city hall at (423) 357-6161.
O
n the first Sunday in December, don’t miss out on the annual Bulls Gap Christmas Parade, held in the Hawkins County hometown of country comedian and former star of the television show Hee Haw. Also, don’t forget to bring the Christmas season into “The Gap” with the town’s annual tree lighting ceremony on Saturday before the parade. Call the town hall at (423) 235-5216 for more information. The following week, on the second Saturday in December, take a trip to central Hawkins County for the Surgoinsville Christmas Parade, presented by Surgoinsville Volunteer Fire Department. Enjoy the sounds of local school marching bands as they make their way down Old Stage Road and Main Street for a festive time. Call Surgoinsville Town Hall at (423) 345-2213 for more information. Also on the second Saturday, Mount Carmel Christmas Parade gets moving with a variety of floats, classic cars and, as with all the county’s parades, a special visit from Santa at the conclusion. For more information about the Mount
discover hawkins county 37 Carmel parade, call the town hall at (423) 357-7311. For more information about additional Christmas festivities in Hawkins County, call the city halls of each community, or the Rogersville / Hawkins County Chamber of Commerce at (423) 272-2186.
A
rchie Campbell Labor Day Celebration is held annually on Labor Day weekend in Bulls Gap to celebrate the town’s native son, comedian and former television star the late Archie Campbell. During this three-day festival vendors set up their wares in Downtown Bulls Gap while live music plays on the main stage and the aromas of food fills the air. During the weekend a 5K race is also held, along with a car show, a street dance and more. The Archie Campbell Homeplace Museum and the Bulls Gap Railroad Museum are also open free to the public during Labor Day weekend.
D
uring the Easter season, put on your Easter bonnet and don’t forget the frills as Mooresburg Easter Parade hops into Hawkins County’s westernmost community. Sponsored by Mooresburg Fire Department and Mooresburg Community Center the Easter Parade gives locals and visitors alike an opportunity to make colorful hats, dress the part, or create a colorful Easter float and participate in this one-of-a-kind parade through the neighborhood.
S
urgoinsville Riverfront Festival is held each year in September to celebrate the community, as well as the Holston River Valley where the town has been nestled for more than 170 years. Riverfront begins on Friday with a parade, free food and live music. It continues on Saturday, all day, with games, a fishing tournament, a horseshoe pitching tournament, craft vendors, live music, cake walks, and more. The event concludes with a fireworks display. The week prior to Riverfront, a treasure hunt is also held with a chance for cash prizes each day.
C
hurch Hill Community Celebration is held each August to help visitors beat the heat for a few hours of fun, free food, live entertainment, and children’s activities. The Community Celebration, a block party-style event, is organized by local churches and sponsored by area organizations and businesses, as well as the City of Church Hill in an effort to give back to the people they serve. In addition to these free offerings, another plus is a free Children’s Health Fair during the event where parents can bring their children in for a variety of health screenings such as eyes, ears and more.
what to do
38 discover hawkins county
I
n September the annual Church Hill Trout Derby is held at Jaycees Park in the northern end of the city and plays host to more than 200 children and their parents who come to catch fish and, hopefully, win some prizes. Alexander Creek, which runs through the park, is stocked with fish on the evening before the derby by members of the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. Then, on Saturday morning, children can fish to their heart’s content and have a chance to win everything from cash prizes and a trophy to a bicycle, fishing equipment and more.
M
ount Carmel Block Party, held each year in July, is one of East Hawkins County’s largest events and is sponsored by the local Merchants Association. The block party offers food, live entertainment, ringside seats to a wrestling match, a car and motorcycle show, a magic show, karaoke, a children’s carnival, games, rides and more.
Block Parties and Parades
Photos by Joel Spears
discover hawkins county 39
40 discover hawkins county
discover hawkins county 41
a world of knowledge How one teacher dedicated an entire career to furthering her students education.
42 discover hawkins county
Photos by Randy Ball , story by Emily Robertson “Mrs. Arnold!” A young man with rimmed glasses, raises his hand with wiggly, anxious fingers pointed in the direction of his teacher, Mrs. Sarah Arnold, to gain her attention. The students inside Arnold’s brightly colored, busy first grade classroom at Mount Carmel Elementary School, rang out almost in chorus as they requested the attention of their teacher. The students buzz around the classroom as they work on an art project, resembling the busy movement of their class mascot, “Arnold’s Ants.” And Arnold, who seems like a tireless movement of energy segues from table to table, helping students complete their work, encouraging them with reassuring smiles. “Oh, that looks lovely… That looks
great… what a good job you did,” Arnold offers to each student as they look up at her for approval. It’s just another typical afternoon for Sarah Arnold. She could easily be considered a veteran teacher, with 39 years under her belt, teaching in places like Florida, The Phillippines, Rhode Island and Hawkins County, to name a few. Still, she approaches each day with the excitement of a teacher stepping into the classroom for the first time, ready to help students achieve their best, while also pushing herself to learn more. “I met my husband, a Church Hill guy, just out of high school,” Arnold said. “He got a job with Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS) and we started traveling.”
Arnold, like many young women in the 1960s found herself alone after her husband went to the Vietnam War. She decided though, that she would make the most of her time by turning her focus on creating her own career. “I came back to Hawkins County and he went to Vietnam,” Arnold said. “His family is from the McPheeter’s Bend area, so I was living there and attending ETSU. I decided to go into education because we had a child at the time and I find the developmental progress of children and how the brain works just totally amazing.” When Sarah’s husband returned, their moving started again and she had the opportunity to graduated from college in Florida and head into several see TEACHER page 43
discover hawkins county 43 TEACHER continued from page 42
different classrooms. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work everywhere we have moved,” Arnold said. “And then we landed back in Hawkins County again 13 years ago.” Arnold first started with Hawkins County Schools by substitute teaching in long-term positions, then transitioned to home-bound teaching, and worked as a resource teacher at Church Hill Middle School, before taking a teaching
position at Mount Carmel Elementary School. “The staff development programs that this county does are phenomenal,” Arnold said with a smile. “I’ve learned so much here in the last 12 years, and that is one of the reasons I’m still here. I enjoy it so much. It’s the new techniques and new strategies, and even though it’s hard, it’s exciting to come in the classroom and teach the kids all these new things.” Bobby Wines, principal at Mount Carmel Elementary, believes that Ar-
nold’s experience throughout her career has helped her become the teacher she is today. “You cannot place a dollar amount on experience, and that value increases drastically if it is good experience,” Wines said. “Mrs. Arnold has been fortunate to have been exposed to numerous academic settings throughout her travels with her husband. Good teachers have many things in their “tool box” and I think the experiences have prepared Mrs. Arnold to adapt to any given circumstance and student.” That sentiment is reflected by her son, Lance Arnold, a teacher himself at Volunteer High School in Church Hill. “Being the wife of an NCIS agent probably had the most influence toward her personality in becoming a teacher who is able to relate and communicate with every person in the community,” Lance said. “Her life experiences from traveling and witnessing various cultures throughout the world helps her create interesting activities that she can use in the classroom.” And after four decades of experience in ages from kindergarten through college, and after receiving a master’s degree herself, Arnold realized that she belonged in first grade. “I love this age because you see a tremendous amount of growth from when you get them to when they leave,” Arnold said. “And it isn’t just the academics and curriculum, but they are becoming responsible for what they have to do. At this age, they love school and it is still exciting for them.” This philosophy on learning and teaching helped Arnold win teacher of
the year for all elementary and middle schools in the Hawkins County system, but Arnold is quick to offer the praise to those around her. “I was floored by the award,” Arnold said. “It was very humbling experience for me because you know, we work together as a team, a first grade team. So I feel like they all deserve it, not just one person.” “I feel like I’m a better teacher today than when I first started,” Arnold said. “And I truly don’t want to get out of teaching because I know I’m a better teacher.” And her love of learning and see others succeed is one of the biggest reasons her son followed in her footsteps with a career in education. “She gave, and still gives, her time, money, health, and in the end, many thanks and praises to everyone around her,” Lance said. “She has never asked to be recognized, but everyone knows she is in the elite class for her profession.” And her students seem to agree, as they file out of the classroom after the last bell, many can’t leave the classroom without throwing their arms around Arnold for a hug. “Bye, Mrs. Arnold… see you tomorrow,” one student chimes. “Have a good night, see you tomorrow,” Arnold responds, with a smile and a wave.
44 discover hawkins county
discover hawkins county 45
an original beauty
Although the Burdettes have lived all over the country, they choose a unique local place to call home
46 discover hawkins county
Photos by Randy Ball and Emily Robertson, story by Emily Robertson
A
fter traveling the world and living in several differ- ent cities across the United States, Dick and Janelle Burdette decided to make one Hawkins County town the place where they would finally retire, but it was the house they chose to live in that made the decision to move that much easier. You can feel the history as you walk in the door to the Burdette’s home. The house dates back to around 1875 and Janelle, or Jill as some know her, has memories of growing up there, after her parents bought the home in the 1940s. “The house was home to my great-grandfather, grandfather and my parents before we acquired it,” Janelle said. “The hand-dug well in the front yard supplied water to early local residents.” Rogersville, with it’s familiar surroundings, small-town charm and southern hospitality drew the Burdette’s to put down roots in the hills of Tennessee. “We loved Rogersville since we had always came here to visit family,” Janelle said. “And it was great coming to a town we knew, with people we knew living here. I was so pleased that Dick, being from New York, was willing to come here. Being near water was important to him, since he grew up on Long Island, but I guess he came here enough, it became home to him too.” And the choice to live in Janelle’s childhood home was an easy one for Dick.
“I grew up in a house that was built around 1907, so
I appreciate the heritage of an older home,” Dick said. “The idea of having a house you grew up in as part of your family was great. Frankly, when we had the opportunity to come down here, I was thrilled.” When the Burdette’s decided to move into the home though, Janelle did have a bit of hesitancy about making any changes to the home. “We loved it the way it was,” Janelle said. “And my mother was so talented at decorating, I figured if she had wanted to put a door in a certain spot, she would have. I trusted and admired what she had done, so when we did finally decide to make some changes, I tried to consider what she would have done, if she had the opportunity to make some updates.” Before the Burdette’s moved in, they made several changes to the home to remove a separate apartment to the side of the home, and extended the home out from the original dining room. They also added several different living spaces, and a new master suite. “One side of the house is all brand new,” Dick said. “We told the architect that we didn’t want the new part to look just glued on, because we had seen historical home renovations that looked stuck on. But we wanted to respect the beauty of the original structure, and I think the architect did a marvelous job.” The new addition included skylights in the largest sitting area, providing additional light and openness to the room. The Burdettes also took the opportunity during renovation to upgrade all the windows to new standards see HOME page 43
HOME continued from page 46
discover hawkins county 47
older homes. And when it came to decorating their newly renovated home, Dick left all the details up to Janelle, who had experience in decorating from past work, as well as the task of putting together their homes as they moved throughout the last several decades for Dick’s job with a world-wide airline. After growing up with a father who owned a retail hardware store in Church Hill, Janelle went on to work in several different retail settings, many times handling displays for stores, which gave her a knack for putting everything to use when decorating her own home. “It was almost like my jobs just fell into place for something I loved, and I didn’t even know that job existed,” Janelle said. “I didn’t go to school for doing displays particularly, but it was something I loved, and I guess that translated into my home as well.” From using antiques, to small momentos of trips or different places they have lived as accent pieces in their home, Janelle believes that you cannot categorize her decorating style because she uses a little bit of everything. Janelle also believes that it doesn’t have to be expensive to decorate, it might just take a little more creativity. From using old pictures, to little bits of metal that a family friend had brought Janelle, she tries to incorporate all different kinds of pieces into the décor of their home, because that was her philosophy from very early on. “We started out with furniture when we first got married from Dick’s grandfather,” Janelle said. “Because I had grown up with my mother enjoying antiques, I was thrilled. And slowly over time, we’ve added things along the way.” Now, after living in Rogersville for nearly four years, the Burdette’s are happy with the space that they have to enjoy and entertain visitors, because above all, it’s home. “Every place we have lived, we have always considered it home,” Dick said. “Home was always where we lived. Jill’s ability to take things we have and do something with them, always made it home. And all of our friends always enjoyed coming to visit, it was always a welcoming place where we were. And now we are here, and this is home.”
48 discover hawkins county
a family affair
discover hawkins county 49
Like father, like son, and daughter, and another son...
Photos by Randy Ball and Jim Beller, story by Jim Beller
50 discover hawkins county
A
n unpaid Cherokee High School assistant foot ball coach for nearly 10 years, Stacy Ryans uses every chance he has to share that message with his students and his own children. “Being able to talk to young men is the most important thing I do,” he says. “Every day I tell them, ‘You need to go to college. If you don’t go to college, you need to go into the military.’ When I’m coaching these kids, I tell them ‘I don’t care what you did in middle school or grade school. We want A’s.” Ryans acknowledges he didn’t always make the most of his time and himself. “I grew up with a single parent. My mom worked two jobs. I’m the youngest of five. I was fortunate enough not to get in trouble. I’m not going to say I didn’t do stuff that could have gotten me in trouble. I didn’t drink and party a lot,” he says. “I was just lazy. Everybody I went to school with knows how I was. I might show up to school, I might not.” A football star for Mike Sivert and basketball standout for Darrell Price, Ryans wasn’t able to capitalize on those talents because his excellence wasn’t matched in the classroom. A 1989 Cherokee graduate, Stacy says, “Recruiters told me, ‘Your grades aren’t good enough. We’re not interested.” Still, he earned a football scholarship to CarsonNewman. But bad habits followed him and he was soon out of school. “I just wasn’t responsible. I played for a semester but didn’t go to class.” Ryans realized he needed to make some changes in his life, so he joined the Marine Corps in 1992. “I knew for six years I was going to get a paycheck and teach myself to get out of bed,” he says. He got a little help with that. “When someone comes in, drops a trash can lid on the floor and yells to get out of bed at five in the morning, you get a different outlook on things,” Ryans said. “I was a changed person. I wish I had gone to Marine Corps boot camp right after high school and then gone to Carson-Newman. I think it would be good for all kids to do that. The biggest thing I got out of it was see RYANS page 51
Call to schedule your unit check up today!
CUSTOM
discover hawkins county 51
RYANS continued from page 50
there are consequences for my actions. If I worked harder, I made more money. If I worked less, I made less money.” Newly-wed to 1987 Cherokee graduate Jessica Wright and with young son Alex to feed, Ryans needed money. The couple spent five years in Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville , N.C. Ryans spent his final year of service in Okinawa, Japan while Jessica went to work for Rogersville city attorney Bill Phillips’ office, where she still works. After his enlistment, Stacy came back home and got a job with Holston Electric, with whom he is still a lineman. Stacy has stressed the lessons he learned with the couple’s three children. Alex, 24, played football at Cherokee then followed his father’s footsteps and joined the Marines. A fishing and car enthusiast, Alex now works for his uncle, a pool contractor, in Knoxville . He is married to Amanda (Sullivan) Ryans and they are raising their 6 month old son, Aiden. Daughter Casey became the second all-time leading scorer for Cherokee’s girls basketball team while she earned straight A’s and a basketball scholarship to Morehead State . Youngest son Ty is a junior quarterback for the Chiefs. Last year as a sophomore, Ty set school records passing for 1,894 passing yards and is attracting the attention of Division 1 football programs. However, it’s their accomplishments in the classroom that really pleases Stacy and Jessica. “So far, Casey’s a 4.0 student, so is Ty,” Stacy said. “My kids don’t have jobs. Their jobs are their school work and their athletics. As long as they can do that, I’m happy. Casey’s already paid me back. She got a scholarship.” There’s a good chance Ty will follow suit. College football programs like 6-foot-4 quarterbacks with great field vision and strong, accurate arms. He has received feeler letters from UCLA, Oregon and Stanford. He also put 20 pounds on his slender frame last summer and is up to 180 pounds, with an ultimate goal of 200 for his senior year. “He is a pretty good talent,” says Sivert, in his 29 th year as Chiefs football coach. “He is always gauging things and paying attention. He doesn’t get rattled. He is really laid back. He is not a pressure guy at all.” One of the keys to Ty’s success has been his propensity to share the ball. “Just spread the ball, hit as many receivers as you can,” Ty says, “not just focus on one, but have multiple threats.” That comfort level in his teammates stems from playing multiple sports with them for several years.“I’ve grown up with them all my life,” Ty says. Also an outstanding outside shooter, Ty and those longtime teammates led the Chiefs to one of the best years in school history last season, 23-9 – not that you could ever tell by looking at him on the court. “My nephew-in-law Dustin Hayes once told me, ‘I can walk into a basketball gym or go to a football game and not even look at the scoreboard. I keep my eyes on Ty and not even know what the score is and I wouldn’t be able to tell if we were winning or losing,’ ”Stacy says. “At see RYANS page 56
52 discover hawkins county
skelton racing series
what to do
discover hawkins county 53
7KH 6KHSKHUG¶V &HQWHU 2I 2QH $FFRUG 0LQLVWU\
2YHU YROXQWHHUV VHUYHG SHRSOH ZLWK JRRGV DQG VHUYLFHV YDOXHG DW LQ :HEVLWH ZZZ RIRQHDFFRUG RUJ /RRN :KDW :H &DUU\ 3UH 2ZQHG &ORWKLQJ 3UH 2ZQHG )XUQLWXUH 3UH 2ZQHG $SSOLDQFHV 3UH 2ZQHG +RXVHZDUHV 3UH 2ZQHG .QLFN .QDFNV 1HZ )XUQLWXUH 1HZ *LIW ,WHPV
1HZ DQG 8VHG )XUQLWXUH
&ORWKLQJ
*LIWV
6XSSRUWLQJ WKH 6KHSKHUG¶V &HQWHU VXSSRUWV WKH IROORZLQJ SURJUDPV
7KH 6KHSKHUG¶V &HQWHU
(DVW 0DLQ 5RJHUVYLOOH 71 +HDGTXDUWHUV IRU
2I 2QH $FFRUG 0LQLVWU\
0DQ\ 3URJUDPV 6HUYLQJ +DZNLQV &RXQW\ %XW $OO $UH 'RQH %\ 9ROXQWHHUV
(PHUJHQF\ )RRG $VVLVWDQFH
2I 2QH $FFRUG 0LQLVWU\ LV D KRPH PLVVLRQV RUJDQL]DWLRQ WKURXJK ZKLFK FKXUFK YROXQ WHHUV FDQ VHUYH RXU FRPPX QLW\ LQ SURJUDPV OLNH WKH (PHUJHQF\ )RRG 3URJUDP )DPLOLHV ZKR ILQG WKHPVHOYHV ZLWKRXW IRRG FDQ FRPH WR RQH RI WKH WZR +DZNLQV &RXQW\ IRRG SDQWU\¶V RU RQH LQ 6QHHGYLOOH IRU (PHU JHQF\ $VVLVWDQFH )RRG LV GLVWULEXWHG WKUHH GD\V D ZHHN IURP DP SP DQG LQ 5RJHUVYLOOH DOVR RQ 7XHV QLJKW 7KH PLQLVWU\ GLVWULEXWHG OEV IRRG ODVW \HDU WR SHRSOH 7KLV WUDQV ODWHG WR WUDFWRU WUDLOHU ORDGV RI JURFHULHV 3DUWQHUVKLS (IIRUW 7KH IRRG SURJUDP KDV EHFRPH D WRWDO FRP PXQLW\ SURMHFW 6SHFLDO WKDQNV JRHV WR RXU %R\ 6FRXWV DQG WKH 3RVWDO /HWWHU &DUULHUV ZKR GLYHUW IRRG GULYHV KHUH DQG WR )RRG &LW\ 6XSHU GROODU )RRG /LRQ 6DYH $ /RWV DQG :DOPDUW JURFHU\ VWRUHV ZKR GRQDWH ORFDOO\ 6FKRROV FOXEV DQG FKXUFKHV GR VSHFLDO IRRG GULYHV WKURXJKRXW WKH \HDU DQG D KRVW RI VRPH YROXQWHHUV JLYH RI WKHLU WLPH WR LQ WHUYLHZ DQG JLYH RXW IRRG ER[HV 6RPH \RXWK JURXSV ORYH WR GR IXQGUDLVHUV WKDW EHQHILW WKH IRRG SURJUDP %\ GRLQJ WKLQJV OLNH FDU ZDVKHV RU EDNH VDOHs PRQH\ LV UDLVHG WKDW JRHV EDFN LQWR WKH IRRG SURJUDP (YHU\ GROODU JRHV GLUHFWO\ WRZDUGV IRRG 2FWREHU LV +DZNLQV &RXQW\ +XQJHU 0RQWK &DOO WR VHH KRZ \RX FDQ KHOS
7KH /XQFKER[
,Q D QHZ LQQRYDWLYH DSSURDFK WR IHHGLQJ NLGV GDLO\ LQ WKH VXPPHU 2I 2QH $FFRUG KDV
GHYHORSHG D 0RELOH &DIH WHULD WR GH OLYHU PHDOV WR ORZ LQFRPH KRXVLQJ GLV WULFWV PRELOH KRPH SDUNV WKH %R\V DQG *LUOV &OXE DQG &LW\ 6ZLPPLQJ SRRO IRU FKLOGUHQ 9ROXQWHHUV DUH QHHGHG WKURXJKRXW WKH VXP PHU
1HLJKERUO\ 0HDOV 3URJUDP
)LYH PHDOV HDFK ZHHN DUH GHOLYHUHG WR 6HQLRUV LQ WKH 5RJHUVYLOOH DUHD 0RUH YROXQ WHHUV DUH DOZD\V QHHGHG WR GHOLYHU PHDOV PHDOV ZHUH GHOLYHUHG LQ
:LQWHU &RDW *LYH D :D\
$QRWKHU YDOXDEOH VHUYLFH WR RXU FRPPXQLW\ LV JLYLQJ DZD\ ZLQWHU FRDWV 7KH 6KHSKHUG¶V &HQWHU JLYHV XS WR FRDWV SHU SHUVRQ SHU \HDU WR VWUXJJOLQJ IDPLOLHV 7KH /LRQV DQG /HR &OXEV SDUWQHU ZLWK 22$ WR FROOHFW FRDWV HDFK \HDU FRDWV ZHUH JLYHQ DZD\ LQ LQ 6QHHGYLOOH DQG 5RJHUVYLOOH
)UHH 0HGLFDO &OLQLF
7KHUH LV D IUHH PHGLFDO FOLQLF QRZ RSHUDW
LQJ LQ WKH &KXUFK +LOO 6KRSSLQJ &HQWHU 6HYHUDO GRFWRUV DQG QXUVHV DUH JLYLQJ WKHLU WLPH WR PDNH D GUHDP FRPH WUXH IRU + D Z N L Q V &RXQW\ RIILFH YLVLWV ZHUH UHFRUGHG IUHH SUHVFULSWLRQV JLYHQ DQG ODEV GRQH 7KH IUHH FOLQLF RSHUDWHV WKH QG UG DQG WK 7XHVGD\ RI HDFK PRQWK DQG Thursdays IRU GLDEHWHV VFUHHQLQJV 7KH )UHH &OLQLF IRFXV¶ LV WR SURYLGH KHOS WR WKRVH ZLWKRXW LQVXUDQFH DQG ZLWKRXW MREV <RX FDQ FDOO DKHDG IURP SP RQ FOLQLF QLJKWV IRU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ 0RUH KHDOWK FDUH SURIHVVLRQDOV DUH QHHGHG WR H[SDQG KRXUV DQG WLPHV WKH FOLQLF LV RSHQ
&KULVWPDV IRU WKH &KLOGUHQ
$QRWKHU JRDO IRU 2I 2QH $FFRUG LV WR KHOS LQVXUH HYHU\ FKLOG LQ RXU FRXQW\ JHWV &KULVW PDV DQG HYHU\ IDPLO\ KDV D JRRG &KULVWPDV 'LQQHU 3DWV\ +XUG 'LUHFWRU DQG D KRVW RI Y R O X Q W H H U V ZRUN 6HSWHP EHU WKURXJK 'HFHPEHU WR GR IRXU WKLQJV $SSOLFDWLRQV ZLOO EH RXW E\ WKH ODWWHU SDUW RI 6HSWHPEHU $OO DSSOLFDQWV KDYH WR EH LQ WHUYLHZHG &DOO IRU DQ DSSRLQW PHQW 3DWV\ ZRUNV ZLWK HYHU\ DJHQF\ DQG FKXUFK WKDW DOUHDG\ GRHV D &KULVWPDV SUR JUDP WR SUHYHQW GXSOLFDWLRQ ,I \RX GR D SURJUDP± SOHDVH WDON ZLWK 3DWV\ WR LQVXUH \RXU QDPHV DUH QRW GXSOLFDWHG RQ VHYHUDO OLVWV %XVLQHVVHV RU FKXUFKHV DUH HQFRXUDJHG WR WDNH QDPHV SURYLGH D SDUW\ DQG SXUFKDVH JLIWV IRU WKH FKLOGUHQ \RX WDNH &DOO 3DWV\ IRU QDPHV &KULVWPDV IRU WKH &KLOGUHQ SURYLGHV IRU HDFK UHPDLQLQJ IDPLO\ DQG FKLOG FKLOGUHQ ZHUH VFUHHQHG ODVW \HDU DQG IDPLOLHV ZHUH SURYLGHG KROLGD\ PHDOV
+HOS 6SRQVRU &KLOGUHQ
<RX FDQ SDUWLFLSDWH E\ KHOSLQJ XV VSRQVRU FKLOGUHQ DW SHU FKLOG (DFK FKLOG ZLOO UHFHLYH FORWKHV DV ZHOO DV D WR\ LWHP <RX FDQ KHOS SODQ RU SURYLGH D SODFH IRU D SDUW\ 'RQDWLRQV DUH WDNHQ WR LQVXUH DOO FKLO GUHQ DUH SURYLGHG IRU DQG HDFK IDPLO\ ZLOO KDYH D &KULVWPDV IRRG EDVNHW WR SUHSDUH D ZRQGHUIXO KROLGD\ PHDO
)UHH &RPSXWHU /DE
$ )UHH &RPSXWHU ODE LV DYDLODEOH DW 7KH 6KHSKHUG¶V &HQWHU GXULQJ VWRUH KRXUV 7KHUH DUH FRPSXWHUV DYDLODEOH DQG ZL IL LV DYDLO DEOH IRU \RXU ODSWRSV
)UHH &RPPXQLW\ 5RRP )RU 3DUWLHV RU 0HHWLQJV
54 discover hawkins county
discover hawkins county 55
56 discover hawkins county RYANS continued from page 51
quarterback camp, they had these wristbands that said ’68 and breezy.’ As soon as I saw them I had to get one for Ty because he’s 68 and breezy. Nothing ever really bothers him a whole lot.” “He’s a pleasure to coach,” says Cherokee basketball coach Jeremy Parrott. “He’s the type of kid you can count on to do what needs to be done. He has a good work ethic. He’s a good kid.”Casey may be a little more fire to Ty’s ice, but shares the same coachable trait. “Casey Ryans is a great individual, a hard worker. I enjoyed coaching her,” said Mitzi Price, who coached Ryans’ first two seasons at CHS. “She’ll do well. She will adjust well to college life. She has been a great benefit to the high school here, even when she came in as a freshman. She comes from a great family. She is a very loyal individual, a really good young lady. ”Donnie Anderson, who coached Ryans her junior year had similar praise. “When other kids in the summertime are off doing other things,
she played basketball just about yearround,”he said. “She’s a good kid, doesn’t get into any trouble, no office trips, nothing like that. She’s very coachable.” “We’re proud of her,” said Kayla Ormsbee, a former CHS standout herself and Casey’s coach her senior season. “I hope she goes on and becomes a very successful player at Morehead. She’s very coachable. She’s always there ready to play. She’s been like that since her freshman year.” Not surprisingly, basketball practice has begun at Morehead State and Casey has already cracked the starting rotation. Always with a bright smile and cheerful attitude, Casey has been looking forward to this moment since signing with Morehead State last fall. “I’m excited. I think we’re going to do really well. Our chemistry is great. I think that if we all play together then it’s going to be pretty good,” Casey says. Stacy credits Jessica for their children’s positive attitudes and success
to date. “Honestly how my kids act is more to her credit. She’s a great mother. I’m fortunate to have met her when I did. She’s not a crack-the-whip mother or wife. She’ll talk to you and talk to them,” Stacy said. Those talks have had an impact. “One day a week, we try to have a family night,” Stacy says. “We’ll just get in the living room and ask: What are your goals? What are you trying to accomplish? Just talk. Sometimes we’ll cut up and have a good old time. We just want to make sure they realize we’re interested in what they want – not so much that you’re going to do what we want you to do. “I try to be a dad to my kids the way I would have wanted – hard but yet also fair. That’s what we’ve done as parents,” he says. In that regard, most would say Jessica and Stacy have earned straight A’s.
discover hawkins county 57
a mayor for life
Mayor Jim Sells has been in charge of the town of Rogersville since he won the bid in 1977.
Photos by Randy Ball and Bill Grubb, story by Bill Grubb
58 discover hawkins county
I
t was June of 1977 and “Fun with Dick and Jane,” starring Jane Fonda and George Segal, and the Chuck Norris masterpiece “Breaker! Breaker!” were playing at the Roxy. Ronnie Milsap’s “It Was Almost Like a Song” and Kenny Rogers’ “Lucille” were among the most requested songs being broadcast over the air waves on WRGS. Ball Brothers Furniture, located on East Main Street, had an Early American sofa and love seat set on sale for $299. You could pick up a copy of the Rogersville Review, published every Thursday, for a mere 15 cents. June 1977 was also the last time James Lee Sells was not the mayor of Rogersville. In fact, the 66-year-old Sells has been calling city meetings to order and presiding over city business for more than half of his life. Another way to look at the accomplishment, six men have held the office of President of the United States — Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barak Obama — while Sells has held office of mayor. Born in 1945, the Sells family moved from North Carolina to Rogersville in the late 1950s. The mayor’s father, the late V. M. Sells, was employed by the Tennessee Valley Authority while his late mother, Dorotha Barnes Sells, eventually retired after more than 35 years of service with BellSouth. “I wasn’t born here, but Rogersville is definitely my home,” Sells said. A graduate of the now non-existent Rogersville High School, Sells married the former Margaret Price, whose family owned the Colboch-Price Funeral Home. Among his brothers-in-law, also marrying sisters from the Price family, are former Hawkins County Executive Doug Price and Larry Elkins, general manager of Holston Electric Cooperative and Chairman of the Hawkins County Industrial Board. Rounding out his family are daughter Leigh Sells McNeil and son James Sells and several grandchildren. Like his mother he retired from BellSouth, holding several positions. In addition to serving as mayor, Sells keeps busy assisting at Christian-Sells Funeral Home, owned in part by his son, and working on his golf game. His involvement with city politics started in 1971. While working for the telephone company he made his first foray into the political arena, running for a seat on the Rogersville city council. The mayor said that concerns over the way the city conducted business were the catalyst for getting involved in politics. “I just felt like there were some areas where I could make a difference. I saw some things that just didn’t make sense, tearing out and replacing sidewalks that weren’t in that bad of shape, that kind of thing,” Sells said. Sells was victorious in a race that featured 10 see MAYOR page 59
discover hawkins county 59
MAYOR continued from page 58
candidates and claimed one of six seats as an alderman. Although he was the last of the winning candidates. “The first time I ever ran I didn’t win by that many votes. It definitely wasn’t a landslide,” he jokes. During his terms as alderman Sells served as chairman of the Finance and Street Light committees and had served as the BMA representative on the Planning Commission for four years. After serving on the city council for six years, representing three two-year terms, Sells ran for an open seat as mayor when incumbent Mayor Clyde Willis opted not to seek re-election. His opponent was a former, Mayor Charles (Chuck) Dennis, who had held the top post in the city form 1973 to 1975. When the last vote was cast and the votes tallied Sells was the victor, 617 votes to 452 for Dennis. “I will be a mayor for all the people, not jus a select few,” Sells was quoted as saying in an interview after the election. The next two elections, in June 1979
and June 1981, were repeats of the first one. Sells versus Dennis, a race that also repeated itself in 1989. Not only were the opponents the same, but so was the outcome — with Sells handily winning
“The first time I ever ran I didn’t win by that many votes. It wasn’t a landslide...” - Rogersville Mayor Jim Sells re-election each time. The 1985 race featured three candidates for mayor, Sells, Alderman Guy M. Trent and political newcomer David Gibbs. The 2005 election also featured an alderman, Dr. Blaine Jones. Most recently, in the June 2009 race, Sells defeated political newcomer Sean Gregory. While anytime a candidate has an opponent they usually do not rest until the last vote is counted, sometimes the
race is a foregone conclusion. In the June 1983 election Sells ran without any opposition, an enviable position that repeated itself in 1987, 1993, 1997 and 2001. The mayor interprets getting elected and re-elected each time his name has been on the ballot as a vote of confidence in his leadership. “I think this shows the voters are pleased with the work we are doing and they are confident the city is moving in the right direction,” he added. As for the next city election, to be held in June of 2013, Sells is already thinking about putting his name on the ballot again. “I have really enjoyed serving as mayor and I think I have made a difference in the town,” he said. “I know it is still some time away and things could change but right now I don’t know of any reason why I won’t give it another try.”
60 discover hawkins county
INTRODUCING
Dual-core power at 4G LTE speed
29999
$
DROID Bionic by Motorola: $299.99 2-yr price. With new 2-yr activation & data pak req'd.
droiddoes.com/bionic 4106 Hwy 66 Rogersville, TN 37857 • 423-272-9001
171 Court Street • Suite B Sneedville, TN 37869 • 423-733-1115
Activation fee/line: $35. IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Subject to Cust Agmt, Calling Plan, rebate form & credit approval. Up to $175 early termination fee ($350 for advanced devices) & add'l charges apply to device capabilities. Offers & coverage, varying by svc, not available everywhere; see vzw.com. While supplies last. Limited time offer. Rebate debit card takes up to 6 wks & expires in 12 months. All company names, trademarks, logos and copyrights not the property of Verizon Wireless are the property of their respective owners. DROID is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and its related companies. Used under license. 4G LTE is available in 117 markets and 98 airports in the U.S.; coverage maps at vzw.com. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. © 2011 Verizon Wireless.
0911-E0167
discover hawkins county 61
what to do
62 discover hawkins county
Young Bluegrass Musician’s Contest T
The Ball Sisters Band and the Rogersville Heritage Association will host the eighth annual East Tennessee Young Bluegrass Musician’s Contest on February 25, 2012 at Hawkins Elementary School in Rogersville; time TBA, watch for this information in The Rogersville Review or the RHA website at www.rogersvilleheritage.org. Contestants 18 and younger will compete in fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocal categories. Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded. The Best Overall Performer will receive additional
cash and prizes. Competition will be held for three age groups: Fiddle: Six and under, seven through twelve and thirteen through eighteen Guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocal – age twelve and under; Guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocal – age thirteen through eighteen Entry fee for contestants is $1.00 per category per participant. Each contestant may perform either one or two songs in the competition. Instructors are encouraged to accompany their students. General admission for the event is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students;
children under 6 years of age are free. The event is a fundraiser for the Rogersville Heritage Association’s Heritage Lites Leadership Program Scholarship Fund. Come join us for this family friendly evening of youth bluegrass entertainment. For more information call Randy or Donna Ball at (423) 272-6139, ballrn@ charter.net, or see the website: www. rogersvillefiddle.com Rogersville Heritage Association: Angie Proffitt (423) 272-1961 email: aproffitt@rogersvilleheritage.org
discover hawkins county 63
64 discover hawkins county
making molasses
77-year-old Jim Christian and wife Mary, age 78, have made homemade goods for the community they love for more than 40 years.
Photos and story by Joel Spears
discover hawkins county 65
“T
he hard work’s in the fields,” Mary Christian said as she patiently spent the final minutes of her work day stirring a huge, boiling tray of sugary, sweet molasses. She and her husband Jim had been working in the shed near their home off Burem Road in Rogersville since 5 o’clock that morning, and it was going on 4 p.m. Raising a long, metal ladle from the soupy foam to carefully watch how easily the liquid rolled back into the tray, Mary said, “It has to look like a hair. If it don’t break, it’s done.” There were a few more minutes to wait while the rising steam fogged up her glasses. “It looks like muddy water to start with,” Jim added, staring at the mixture through a billowing wall of vapor. His gaze showed years of attention spent perfecting the consistency of this favorite sweet that he and his wife have made together for more than 40 years. With Jim at age 77 and Mary at 78, the couple has been married 58 years, and they’ve developed a knack for making homemade goods along the way. Everything from fresh molasses to homemade apple butter, pear butter, jellies, and jams fill a specially-constructed barn near their house. “We’ve made 400 and some pints of apple butter this year,” Mary said, still stirring. The Christians make molasses from sugar cane grown in a nearby field, the place where Mary said the real hard work comes in. Up before dawn, she and her husband work to harvest the tall cane stalks before taking them to a grinder located a few yards uphill from the shed where they boil down the juice to make molasses. Jim said they have to extract 100 gallons of juice from the cane before they can even begin to boil the rest. “This will make us about 10 gallons of molasses, but to get them right it’s got to be pure and clean,” Mary commented. Jim said that juicing the cane takes around two hours, then another hour to get the liquid hot enough to boil. Using 12 natural gas burners instead of the hot coals that were used in bygone days, he said the process of waiting for the molasses to cook up just right takes five or six hours. As the mixture started to boil more furiously, like a geyser ready to explode through the murky water, Jim said it was almost time to turn off the burners. “That’s what they call tater hillin,’ he said observing the boiling tray. “That rolling means it’s about done.” Satisfied with her day of patient stirring while also keeping a keen eye on Jim’s work, Mary said, “I think it’s a pretty color.” “It looks like it’s going to be good,” she added. “When it cools it’ll thicken up some, but I don’t want it so thick I have to pull it out of the jar. And I don’t want it so thin you have to pour it out either.”
see MOLASSES page 66
66 discover hawkins county MOLASSES continued from page 65
Jim spooned just enough molasses from the ladle for a taste, kneading it carefully between his fingers to see if the consistency was hair-like. “It’s done,” he said pulling at the sugar with his thumb and forefinger. Once the burners were off and the liquid had started to cool, Jim and Mary worked quickly to get the scalding hot molasses into buckets. “We can’t put it in jars until the next day,” Mary said. “We have to let it cool and set up some first.” As he pulled one end of the long tray up by a chain and pulley, Jim carefully sent all the molasses rolling to the other side where a spigot was located. Mary waited at the other end with a bucket covered in cheesecloth, placed beneath the spout, and began to fill it carefully. While she waited, Mary and Jim both took scrapers and made sure every trickle of molasses was put to good use. Once several buckets were full, there was even time for a taste or two. “Old folks used to sop a piece of cane in the molasses when it was done cooking and eat it that way,” Jim said. “It was good. Some people would rather have it like that.” Thinking back on the number of seasons they’ve worked together making homemade goods for themselves and their neighbors, Jim said, “We do this because we have so many customers that depend on us year after year. It doesn’t make us a lot of money, but there aren’t a lot of people who do it anymore. Most of the old folks are gone.” Mary added simply, “It’s something you don’t forget,” as she and Jim finished cleaning up their work to begin another day in the fields, cutting more cane.
discover hawkins county 67
HARTNESSBRIAN@HOTMAIL.COM SPECIALISTS IN: LIFE, BURIAL ANNUITIES, HEALTH MEDICARE ADVANTAGE MEDICARE RX DRUG PLANS MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS
4017 HWY 66 - SUITE 10 ROGERSVILLE, TN 37857 CELLULAR (423) 754-4343 FAX (423) 921-0004 OFFICE (423) 921-0003
68 discover hawkins county
M & M Insurance Inc. Pamela C. Davis, CIC HOME ~ AUTO ~ BOAT ~ MOTORCYCLE
SPECIALIZING IN CHURCH INSURANCE! P.O. Box 1425, Main Street Mount Carmel, Tennessee 37645 Email: mail@mandminsuranceagency.com
423-357-3646 1-800-671-3646 Fax 423-357-4637
discover hawkins county 69
BUY
ROGERSVILLE REVIEW PHOTOS ONLINE! Visit our Gallery on the therogersvillereview.mycapture.com
Sharits Real Estate & Insurance 205 E. Washington St., Rogersville, TN 37857
423-272-5050 www.sharits.com
* Real Estate * Property Management * Home & Auto Insurance * Health & Life Insurance
70 discover hawkins county
Index of Advertisers
A & G Flooring Sales & Installation - 68 All About Weight Loss - 55 Allendale Mansion - 20 Allied Waste - 63 Amis Mills Eatery - 19 Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union - 7 ASI Automotive Scientific Inc. - 44 AT & T-24 Bailey’s Metalwork’s - 21 Baldor - 8 Bargain Barn Tire Shop - 15 Bob Quillen Realtors & Auction - 68 Bob’s Tire Center - 15 Broome Funeral Home - 43 Brown’s Custom Fencing and Construction - 54 Café Jubilee -17 Campbell’s Hometown Pharmacy - 63 CASA - 20 Christian Sells Funeral Home - 48 Citizens Bank of East Tennessee - 13 Clayton Homes of Rutledge - 48 Colboch Price Funeral Home - 55 Colonial Mini Storage - 67 Comfort Inn & Suites - 7 Custom Heating & Air Conditioning LLC. - 50 David Britton, D.D.S. - 67 Davis Bros. Roofing & Sheet Metal Fabricators, Inc. - 44 Dent Worx - 63 East Tenn Pest Control - 4 East Tennessee Printing - 68 Eastman Credit Union - 3 Eldridge Auto Sales & Body Shop - 22 Family Auto Sales - 69 Family Dental Center TriCities, P.C. - 23 Frost Concrete, LLC - 67 General Shale Brick - 25 GiGi’s - 28 Givens Nelson Realty, Inc. - 4 Grayson Subaru - 71 Hagood Eye Care - 55 Hale Spring Inn’s McKinney’s Tavern - 16 Hartness Insurance Agency - 67 Hawkins County Bonding Co. - 68 Hawkins County Circuit Court Clerk - 60 Hawkins County Farm Bureau - 55 Hawkins County Gas Utility - 2 Hawkins County Industrial Development Board - 26 Hawkins County Republican Party - 39 Henard Lumber - 67 Home Place B & B and Lattice Room Restaurant - 69 Hotwired - 69 In Shape Weight Loss Clinic, LLC - 15 Investment Rental Properties - 67 Jewel Palace - 13
Johnson Funeral Home - 47 Judge James “Jay” Taylor - 39 Judge Samuel Powel Law Office - 23 Landings on Silverlake - 4 Law Office of Jefferson Fairchild - 8 Line – X Protective Coatings - 54 Local Artist Gallery - 14 Local Heating & Cooling - 18 Lorraine Brewer’s Jubilee Gallery - 21 Lowell B. Bean Road Superintendent - 68 M & M Insurance Inc. - 68 Mark A. Skelton Attorney At Law - 22 Marketplace - 67 Martin’s Greenhouses & Nursery - 69 Medical Center Pharmacy - 4 Miss Bea’s Perks and Pies - 25 Morristown Ford - 26 Mounts Mechanical Contractors - 48 Oakes Salvaged Freight - 13 Old Stage Printing - 68 Otis Home Center - 72 Pepsi - 69 Professional Hearing Aid Center - 69 Quality Inn & Suites - 44 Quality Storage Barns - 63 Rogersville Main Street - 33 Rogersville Produce - 22 Rogersville Villas - 18 Rogersville/Hawkins County Chamber of Commerce - 34 Roma Pizza & Subs - 60 Rowena’s on Main - 28 Rural Health Services Consortium, Inc. - 17 S & J Fresh Produce - 24 S & S Doors - 15 Sharits Real Estates & Insurance - 69 Short Mountain Silica and Trucking Company - 54 Signature Healthcare - 62 Silver Lake Outlet, Inc. - 24 Skelton Law Racing - 52 Sunny Side Yarns On Depot - 39 Sweet Tooth Café - 42 Tennessee National Guard - 68 Tennessee Technology Center - 48 Terry’s Carpet - 39 The Medicine Shoppe - 67 The Shed Lot - 39 The Shepherd’s Center – Of One Accord Ministries - 53 Town of Rogersville - 60 Tusculum College - 40 United Country Real Estate - 12 U-Save Pharmacy - 8 UT Home Care & Hospice of Rogersville - 54 Verizon - 60 Yankee’s Bee Line - 44
discover hawkins county 71
72 discover hawkins county