“This guy was a real force in the early days of Hollywood, transitioning
Cumberland construction creates headaches for Strip businesses
from silent
>>See page 4
Looking at a small town through a big lens >>See page 6-7
films to talkies.” —Tom Cervone • Photo Courtesy of Clarence Brown Theatre
The legacy of Clarence Brown Liv McConnell
Special Projects Editor
Richmond thrilled at chance to represent his hometown at UT >>See page 12
Volume 128 Issue 66
Greta Garbo called him her personal favorite. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Thomas Edison considered him a friend. His films have received international recognition, both at festivals and private showings. As one of the oldest League of Resident Theatres’ affiliates in the nation, the prominence of UT’s theatre company is widely known and celebrated. What fewer Knoxvillians remember is the elusive man behind the theater, the acclaimed
Old Hollywood director Clarence Brown himself. “I don’t think to this very day people in this community know who Clarence Brown was, other than that it’s a theater on the campus of the University of Tennessee,” Tom Cervone, UT’s Professional MBA managing director, said. “Until we start telling tales of his success in Hollywood, that is. This guy was a real force in the early days of Hollywood, transitioning from silent films to talkies.” But before he was a historically significant director, Brown was a bright kid growing up in Knoxville. When he was 10 years old, his family moved to Knoxville where his father became superinten-
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dent at Brookside Mills. Brown attended the old Knoxville High School and was known for being a proficient orator. “He was a short, sweet little guy and they called him ‘Shorty’ or something like that,” said Charlie Brakebill, a 90-year-old retired director of development at UT. “He was brighter than most; he wouldn’t say that, but you can conclude.” Brown graduated high school and came to UT with special permission at age 15. In 1910, he graduated just before his 20th birthday with degrees in both electrical and mechanical engineering before moving to Birmingham, Alabama, to accept a job at a car dealership. See CLARENCE BROWN on Page 11
Thursday, April 23, 2015
2
INSHORT
The Daily Beacon • Thursday, April 23, 2015
Clean-water advocate takes Earth Day swim Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A clean-water advocate took an Earth Day swim Wednesday in New York City’s polluted Gowanus Canal, a federal Superfund site. “I’m going in!” yelled Christopher Swain, 47, wearing a yellow-and-black protective suit and a green swim cap as he crossed a railing into the water near a sewage discharge point around 2 p.m. in Brooklyn. A sign warns people to stay out of the water. He was accompanied by a woman in a kayak, paddling a few feet away from him. “It’s not safe to swim in here,” he said afterward, stating the obvious. The canal water “tasted like mud, poop, ground up grass, detergent, gasoline.” He didn’t swallow, and he gargled with hydrogen peroxide. Police stood watch but did not intervene. Swain got out about a half-hour later. He said the weather forecast cut his swim in half, but
he promised to return another time. “I’ve patiently waited for this to be cleaned up,” the Boston-area resident said. “It’s crazy that the most polluted waterway in the United States of America is in the United States of America’s greatest city, New York.” The Gowanus Canal is known as one of the most polluted bodies of water in the United States. The 19th-century canal was once a major transportation route. By law, it’s being cleaned up to the tune of half a billion dollars. Cleanup efforts are slated for completion in 2022. Much of the costs will be footed by the companies that caused the contamination or their successors. The federal Environmental Protection Agency says contaminates include PCBs, which were banned in the U.S. in 1979. The canal runs over 1½ miles through a narrow industrial zone near some of Brooklyn’s wealthiest neighborhoods. Swain estimated that he swam about two-thirds of a mile on Wednesday.
Former SEC commissioner Roy Kramer watches the football players practice on April 21. Taylor Gash • The Daily Beacon
THE DAILY BEACON STAFF EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Claire Dodson Managing Editor: Hanna Lustig Chief Copy Editor: Emilee Lamb, Cortney Roark News Editor: Hayley Brundige Asst. News Editor: Bradi Musil Special Projects Editor: Liv McConnell Sports Editor: Jonathan Toye Asst. Sports Editor: Taylor White Arts & Culture Editor: Jenna Butz Online Editor: Kevin Ridder Asst. Online Editor: Cara Sanders Photo Editor: Hannah Cather, Esther Choo Design Editor: Katrina Roberts, Lauren Ratliff Social Media Editor: Alexandra Chiasson Copy Editors: Jordan Achs, Tanner Hancock, Alexis Lawrence, Hannah Moulton, Faith Schweikert Editorial Production: Eric Gibson, Reid Hartsell, Justin Keyes, Teron Nunley, Steven Woods Training Editor: R.J. Vogt
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Around Rocky Top
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CAMPUSNEWS
Thursday, April 23, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
3
As bird flu spreads, USDA UT ROTC honors the fallen, equips the living starts on potential vaccine Chris Salvemini Staff Writer
Members of ROTC marched for those who lost their lives in combat and for those who are training to face it on April 11. The Mountain Man Memorial March takes “honor through action” to heart, giving participants a choice to march or to run. People who choose to run can choose either the half marathon, a full marathon or a 10km dash. Marchers choose between the half and full marathon, but carry with them rucksacks of heavy equipment. The march began in remembrance of Lieutenant Frank B. Walkup, a UT graduate who was killed in action when an explosive device detonated by his vehicle in Iraq in 2007. After hearing the news, local cadets began searching for a way to honor him and his family. At the first anniversary of his death, Walkup’s former friends found a way and met in Gatlinburg to begin a 26.2 mile march loaded with 35-pound rucksacks. At the end of the march, his mother was given a gold star flag. “It’s a way to show that they also served their country; they lost the person who they supported in the battle,” Peggy Fults, freshman ROTC member, said. Since then, it has become a way not only to remember Walkup, but as a way of remembering all those who have lost their lives in combat and showing gratitude towards the families who lost someone dear. Money is raised for “gold star families” during the event for scholarships and funding for the UT Army and Air Force ROTCs. “Just being there, marching in honor of someone, it’s a really humbling experience,” said Marley Mitchell, public affairs liaison for the Air Force ROTC.
ROTC is one of the oldest programs at the university. Since an Infantry Company was first introduced in 1884, the program has evolved into a course in its own right. Members select ROTC elective courses during the academic year, and first-year students are given the relatively easy classes to decide if they want to continue to pursue a military career. If students decide to continue the course, they are given significantly more extensive and strenuous classes. Most courses cover subjects such as military history, but secondyear students also begin a class similar to basic training in the military. For the Air Force ROTC, this can be done over the summer at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Over the course of about a month, ROTC members experience the rigid discipline of actual basic training to prepare them for future military careers. From early morning wake up calls and days spent in strenuous activity with shouting drill sergeants, Maxwell Air Force Base -Marley Mitchell commits itself to authenticity for its students. “It’s terrifying, but you get used to it,” Mitchell said. “You get off the bus and all these people are screaming at you. They make it this heightened, stressful situation just to see how you react … It’s one interesting, hardcore learning experience.” From its academic rigor to the physical preparation as well as the social and cultural creeds it instills, ROTC acts as a launching pad for students considering going into the military. “With more training through ROTC, I’ll be more prepared for a leadership position,” Fults said. “If you really try, then you’ll do really great.”
“You get off the bus and all these people are screaming at you. They make it this heightened, stressful situation just to see how you react … It’s one interesting, hardcore learning experience.”
Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working on a vaccine to counter a deadly strain of bird flu, as losses to poultry producers mount. A pure “seed strain” would target the H5N2 virus — which has already cost Midwest turkey and chicken producers over 7 million birds since early March — as well as some other highly pathogenic viruses in the H5 family that have been detected in other parts of North America. If the USDA decides the vaccine is necessary to stop avian influenza, it will provide that seed strain to drug manufacturers. The process, though, is fraught with questions about which birds would get the vaccine, how it might affect exports and whether it would be effective against the rapidly spreading strain. WHY PRODUCERS WANT A VACCINE USDA officials say the H5N2 virus could be a problem for the poultry industry for several
years. And they say the virus could reappear this fall when the wild waterfowl that are believed to carry it fly south for the winter. Another concern is that it could spread to big poultry-producing states in the East. While government agencies and producers would much rather see tight biosecurity and other current strategies succeed, they want to have another tool available, said Dr. T.J. Myers, an associate deputy administrator for veterinary services with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. WHERE THE VACCINE STANDS The USDA’s Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Georgia, is developing the seed strain, which is essentially a pure virus sample that could be the foundation for producing an effective vaccine. The center’s director, Dr. David Swayne, said it has already gone through a couple of rounds of lab testing, and that animal experiments will begin in early May to determine whether it’s an effective strain to use. If those tests are successful and the USDA decides to put a vaccine into production, it would turn to the private sector to make it.
4
The Daily Beacon • Thursday, April 23, 2015
CAMPUSNEWS
‘A crucial time’ for Strip businesses Cumberland avenue project causes stress on owners Tanner Hancock Copy Editor
Streets lined with trees, pedestrians walking on broad sidewalks and businesses thriving — these are just some of the improvements the Cumberland Avenue Corridor Project promises to bring to Knoxville’s busy “Strip” by 2017. But for now, the rows of traffic lined between Alcoa Highway and 22nd Street reveal that the dream of the Cumberland Avenue Project is far from a reality, especially for the businesses situated near the construction. Matt Lovern, general manager of Cookout on Cumberland Avenue, said he has noticed a significant drop in business since construction began April 6. “As far as the construction goes, it’s just kind of killing our daytime business,” said Lovern, noting that most commuters seem to be avoiding construction around Cumberland Avenue in order to stay out of traffic. While student patrons have continued to support Cookout during the corridor’s transition phase, Lovern said he fears the closing of 22nd Street for construction will significantly hurt his business, as the road offers the only access to Cookout’s parking lot and drive through. “This is a crucial time for us using our patio, so when people don’t want to be out there … there’s really not much we can do,” Lovern said. The first phase of the project’s construction is scheduled to last until June 6, with KUB utility work focusing on the installation of water, waste water and natural gas utilities during that time. By December 2015, the second phase of the construction will focus on areas between 22nd and 17th Street, with completion dates currently set for Aug. 31, 2017. In the meantime, restaurants like Cookout can expect further traffic jams and road closures, including a six-week closure from June to July of all eastbound traffic between University Commons and West Volunteer Boulevard. Anne Wallace, project manager for the Cumberland Avenue Project, has repeatedly defended the construction process. During a City Council Meeting in late March, Wallace acknowledged that while “competing interests” might lead to some tension during the construction phase, the final project would ultimately offer a “solution for a corridor that is currently not working well.” For some, like the general manager of Sunspot, Mark Hawkins, optimism for the future of Cumberland Avenue businesses remains
Construction occurring on Cumberland. Photos by Tanner Hancock • The Daily Beacon
strong. While Sunspot is situated directly across the street from utilities work near 22nd Avenue, Hawkins believes business will improve as people’s familiarity with the construction increases. “I think it was a little harder at first, but then I think people are figuring it out now and dealing with it better,” Hawkins said. “I think it’s unfortunate that we have to go through growing pains, but in the long run, this is going to be best for everybody. “A Cumberland Avenue that’s more pedestrian friendly is the ultimate goal here.”
CAMPUSNEWS
Thursday, April 23, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
5
Around Rocky Top
Freshman pianist Wesley Carroll won the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Best of Show Award for Music in this year’s EUReCA, an exhibition and performance event for students. He performed Scherzo No. 2 Opus 31 in B flat minor by Frederic Chopin. Esther Choo • The Daily Beacon
Ambassador analyzes Libyan turmoil, US interactions Altaf Nanavati Staff Writer
U.S. Ambassador to Libya Deborah Jones visited campus Tuesday to discuss the events following the Libyan Revolution and current U.S. relations with Libya as part of the Ashe Distinguished Lecture Series. Jones began by providing a brief history of the events leading up to the revolution and following the establishment of a congress in Libya. In February of 2011, rebel forces captured Libya’s former controversial dictator Muammar Gaddafi in the nation’s capital of Tripoli, putting an end to his nearly 42-year reign of power. The National Transitional Council of Libya subsequently decided to use military force to eliminate Gaddafi, leading to his death at the Battle of Sirte in 2011. Jones pointed out that the country did not have a stable government to survive the aftermath of the war. Since it is the wealthiest oil producer in Africa, she said the United States had falsely assumed that Libya would have the resources to experience a smooth transition towards democracy. “In the absence of any kind of resilience or government structure, the company has collapsed,” Jones said. “If you put a wealthy orphan in a bad neighborhood without a trust fund manager, things are going to get very sour very fast.” After the revolution, one of the main issues
was to determine how to dismantle the militia that had replaced the government. Jones said that before the revolution, Libya’s military group consisted of approximately 40,000 troops. After the war, however, that number had increased to 160,000. Jones said the issue was not that people had opposing beliefs, but that Libyans, along with the rest of the world, did not understand the problems they were going to face after the country’s civil war was over. “Various troops were undermining each other and we got caught up in the endorphins of revolution,” Jones said. “There was a reluctance to see that things were shambolic politically and our security levels were not high at all.” Christopher Stevens, ambassador to Libya in 2012, visited the mission facility located in Benghazi, Libya, in September 2012. On Sep. 11, 2012, the facility was attacked by a group of Islamic militants, and Stevens, along with U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith, were moved to a safe haven. However, Stevens and Smith were both killed due to extensive amounts of smoke inhalation from the attack. The U.S began to take stronger security measures as President Obama ordered military forces to be sent to Libya. Afterwards, Jones replaced Stevens as ambassador and continued the work that needed to be done on the diplomatic side. “I was very excited that we had another opportunity to continue the work that we had started,” Jones said.
During her first six months in Libya, Jones passed many agreements, including a cleanup of the weaponized chemicals left by Gaddafi and a joint agreement to pursue investigations in Benghazi. Still, Jones said she and her fellow diplomats’ strategies were not appreciated by all Libyans. “Everything that we were trying to do was being undermined by various factions within the government,” Jones said. Though Khalifa Haftar, a former general in the Gaddafi army, was welcomed in Libya as a leader in 2014, the people of Tripoli saw his emergence as a coup against the Libyan government. Because of the danger of residing in Libya during a time of controversy, the U.S. withdrew from the country during the end of July 2014. The diplomatic group assisting Libya is currently structuring agreements with several nearby nations like Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, to bring a government of national unity in Libya. “This is a hugely damaged society,” Jones said. “However, it is not hopeless and we have to keep pushing forward and keep trying.” Dylan Guthrie, sophomore in political science, said he believes the lecture offered him a unique perspective that he would not have gotten from anywhere else. “When you watch CNN you don’t really get the background information to fully understand the situation,” Guthrie said. “I think Ambassador Jones really showed us what the current situation is and the events that lead up to where we are now.”
6
The Daily Beacon • Thursday, April 23, 2015
EYESONLA
Photo by Brit
Photo by Em
Photo by Abby Patterson
Photo by Tia
AFOLLETTE
The Daily Beacon • Thursday, April 23, 2015
ttany Mannis
milee Lamb
ara Holt
Photo by Keaton Murphy
EYESonLAFOLLETTE Every year since 1993, a group of young photographers have made the trek north to the small town of LaFollette, Tennessee, with batteries charged, memory cards prepped and a goal in mind — to capture the character of a sleepy little town in the valley. Led by Professor Rob Heller, the advanced photojournalism class descended Friday on LaFollette once again. These images capture the families, friendships and lives of those who call the small town home. Photo by Rebecca Rummage
Photo by Katrina Roberts
Photo by Jocie Hofstra
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PUZZLES&GAMES
Thursday, April 23, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
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Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz
dadoodlydude• Adam Hatch
Cartoons of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
ACROSS 1 Actor David of “Dark Shadows” 6 Move slowly 10 Get stuck 13 Millennium starter 14 Ward of “CSI: NY” 15 Laundry detergent with Oxi Booster 16 Brand of colorful footwear 17 Used up, with “out” 18 Showed cowardice, say 19 First word of many bumper stickers 20 Where to watch some boxing matches 21 Deep red 22 Alternatively 24 Republic founded in 1836 26 Comics character who once solved a sudoku 27 Paperwork? 30 “Alice in Wonderland” director, 2010 34 Yusuf ___ a.k.a. Cat Stevens
35 “Dragonwyck” author Seton 36 What no two people can do? 38 Prefix with -graph 39 ___ nova 41 Indian chief called King Philip 43 Drive crazy 45 Yves’s yesterday 46 West African capital 47 Prohibited 51 Train parts 53 Some convention organizers: Abbr. 55 Stick by the front door, say 56 “So that’s it!” 57 Offended 58 Hebrew letters on dreidels 59 ___ name 60 Nestlé chocolate bar since 1988 61 Chief belief 62 Soprano Sumac 63 Matured 64 ___ fee DOWN
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1 Winter Olympics host after Vancouver 2 Successor company to Northern Natural Gas 3 Musicians Russell and Redbone 4 Encyclopedia volume on education reform? 5 Drapers’ units: Abbr. 6 “Well, well, well,” to a Brit 7 Encyclopedia volume on poverty? 8 Quick 9 Swindled 10 It would be “a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord,” to Isaiah
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40 Mandela’s political party, for short 42 Bugs might be seen in one 44 Kitchen tool 48 Title ship in a W.W. II film 49 Hidden 50 They sometimes come in batteries 51 “Got that” 52 Word of pardon 54 White sheet 57 Decline in prices 58 Country singer Phillips
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VIEWPOINTS
The Daily Beacon • Thursday, April 23, 2015
Your mom goes to college Alexandra Chiasson Stained and Confused
I was pretty pleased with myself when I started writing this thing called “Stained and Confused,” this column I pull out of my ass each week. I was pleased to discover I could make smart people laugh and pleased to realize I frequently offend the sensibilities of STEM majors, Republicans and old people. Yes, I learned a lot very quickly when I started writing for The Daily Beacon, namely how not to behave when I’m actually employed someday soon. I started balls out, ready to assert my prowess as well-polished troll. As a result, I had a disciplinary meeting not 24 hours after my first column ran because of a social media policy violation. “I didn’t expect you to argue with us,” Editor-in-Chief Claire Dodson said of the meeting at a later date. And I told Director of Student Media Rachel
“I don’t have a Chinese Internet boyfriend anymore like I did when I was a freshman, but he’s on a long list of ex-lovers who will probably tell you I’m insane.”
McClelland (a fairly important person who gets paid by the university to advise students like me), I thought her suggestions to improve my writing
were “repulsive.” She was a remarkably good sport about the matter and helpfully pointed out that I should probably listen to her if I ever want to keep a job. I also learned what people don’t want to read about in a newspaper. The list includes ecofeminism (sadly, this is the subject of my thesis and even Microsoft Word doesn’t believe it’s a real thing), Ebola and my personal anecdotes. The last of these is the most difficult to concede, clearly. I’m still learning what people do like to read about and what they think is funny. I think this list includes football, sorority girls, poop or some combination of all of three, but I’m basing this entirely on my own success navigating these topics. In spite of all the things I’ve learned this year, as I write a “Stained and Confused” column for the last time I’m feeling pretty confused indeed. And my shirt has a literal stain on it, which is really just the icing on the cake. Or the mustard on the tank top, if you will. How can this be my last column, these days at this university my last, with me so thoroughly unprepared for life after college? I thought I could swerve around the bittersweet moments of nostalgia people told me would creep up on me at the strangest times, but I had one of those moments looking out of a McClung Tower 12th floor window after ending my tenure as English Honor Society president. The view is pretty great up there, and I looked out and thought, “How did I go a whole year without making a ‘your mom’ joke in one of my columns?” In that moment, I learned it is possible to be simultaneously proud of and disappointed in your own behavior. The other thought I had looking out from atop that enormous brick phallus was that I might consider growing up a little more. I started my senior year with an intolerable swagger: I entered every classroom with a toss of the hair, I rolled my eyes at freshmen and I violated social media policies. By the time the spring semester rolled around, I was just scared and pretending not to be. Frequently stained, always confused. In my first column, I admitted fear constipates me. Well, I’ve been constipated for months now, and I’m desperate to let go. The source of my fear is difficult to gauge. Although my near-future is still pretty foggy, I’m not too worried about finding a job. I remain calm by way of some astoundingly blind optimism in this department. I think it’s the growing up part that makes me anxious. When I try to reflect on my college career
and how I’ve changed, I really don’t feel all that different. I’m not convinced that I’ve grown up at all.
“There’s always a chance to avoid a train wreck by ending with a bang. That is, like I did with your mom last night.”
I still wait until the last minute (or later) to do everything. I still repetitively hit the snooze button like it’s a piñata. I don’t have a Chinese Internet boyfriend anymore like I did when I was a freshman, but he’s on a long list of ex-lovers who will probably tell you I’m insane. Perhaps I thought senior year would install a switch in my brain, whereby I could transition from college student to young professional with seamless ease. I definitely thought I’d suddenly become a morning person, which is hilarious. I’ve spent most of this semester wishing I had just a few extra months, a few more columns. I’m probably not prepared for post-grad life. But then again, are any of my fellow seniors? Maybe growing up is just realizing that time doesn’t stop for anyone, even if they still struggle with daily flossing and could probably use some more time to figure that out before entering the real world. But graduation is coming whether I want it to or not, and if writing “Stained and Confused” has taught me nothing else, it’s that there’s always a chance to avoid a train wreck by ending with a bang. That is, like I did with your mom last night. Alexandra Chiasson is a senior in English. She can be reached at achiasso@vols.utk.edu.
Columns of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
ARTS&CULTURE
Thursday, April 23, 2015 • The Daily Beacon
CLARENCE BROWN continued from Page 1 It was in this unlikely setting that Brown’s attention turned toward movies. A lunch break spent at a nearby nickelodeon sparked a life-long passion Cervone called “an obsession.” “He was fascinated by the automobile industry but got sidetracked because he was so enamored with this new art form, and then because of his mechanical prowess he was able to put together a newfangled camera,” he said.
“He put his finger up and said, ‘Young man, I’ve been out here this long and I haven’t taken a drink of alcohol during that time, so I don’t guess I’m going to start tonight.’” -Charlie Brakebill Suddenly, Clarence Brown the Car Mechanic was no more. In his place, Clarence Brown the Aspiring Filmmaker bolted for New Jersey, then known as the “East Coast Hollywood,” and studied for a time under the director Maurice Tourneur. He took a brief hiatus to enlist in the Army Air Corps during World War I before heading for California. “(A director) got ill and so Clarence ended up finishing the film ‘The Last of the Mohicans,’ which then became his first film,” Cervone said. “The rest, as they say, is history.” Brown spent time at both Universal and MGM Studios, going on to make more than 50 films. He was nominated for an Academy Award six times, although he never won (he’s tied with Alfred Hitchcock in this category). His films featured some of Old Hollywood’s most beloved talent, including Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Rudolph Valentino, Gregory Peck, Jean Harlow and Mickey Rooney. He directed Joan Crawford six times and Garbo, who was to remain a lifelong friend, seven. By 1967, Brown was a multimillionaire living with his wife, Marion, on a California ranch when his alma mater made an unexpected reappearance in his life. Seeking funding for the construction of a new theater, then-UT President Andy Holt
Clarence Brown and Greta Garbo during “Conquest” in 1937. • Photo Courtesy of Listal made arrangements for Boling, Brakebill and him to meet with Brown in California. But there was one problem. “Dr. Holt didn’t want to be hosting anything where alcohol was served, that was his philosophy,” Brakebill said. “I went to Ed Boling and I said, ‘Ed, I don’t know much about Hollywood, but every actor or actress I’ve seen has got a cigarette in one hand and an alcoholic drink in the other.’” Afraid Brown “might have a heart attack if he didn’t have a drink before dinner,” Brakebill and Boling convinced Holt to approve the purchase of bourbon, scotch and gin for the meeting, and the group set off for the Century Plaza Hotel in Hollywood. The plan backfired, though, when Brown turned down Brakebill’s offer of a drink. “He put his finger up and said, ‘Young man, I’ve been out here this long and I haven’t taken a drink of alcohol during that time, so I don’t guess I’m going to start tonight,’” Brakebill
recalled. Despite this initial faux pas, the dinner went well enough that Holt called Brown a month later and asked for the $500,000 needed for the planning and building of a theater at UT. “Clarence was real nice and said, ‘Well, let me talk to my financial advisors. Marion and I will talk about this,’” Brakebill said. “He didn’t say no, he didn’t say yes.” After a week, Holt received a letter from Brown saying he had spoken with his advisors and chose not to commit any money at the present time. “So we thought, ‘Okay, we tried,’” Brakebill said. “I carried proposals from New York to L.A. and back. I didn’t think we were ever going to get a theater built.” But not long after, Holt received a second letter from Brown — his wife had convinced him. “It was a $50,000 check and a commitment
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to give the $500,000 to start building the Clarence Brown Theatre,” Brakebill said, smiling. “Marion had said to him, ‘You ought to go ahead and do that in memory of your mother and father, because being in Knoxville and you having the chance to go to the university meant a lot to them.’” In the following years, Brown was highly involved with the theater’s construction, making several trips to Knoxville and sending architects to Princeton and UCLA for inspiration. UT administrators, like Brakebill and his wife, Joyce, “treated the Browns like family,” something Brakebill said the Hollywood couple appreciated immensely. “Joe Johnson had a dinner at his new house, and the Johnsons didn’t even have all their furniture there yet. But they had the Browns and a half-dozen theatre students over,” Brakebill said. “Clarence Brown sat down on the floor in the living room with those students and poured his heart out. They just sat there and had a ball. That was a breakthrough, in my opinion.” The Clarence Brown Theatre for the Performing Arts was formally dedicated in November of 1970, with the Browns and many Hollywood figures in appearance. Several times, Brown called the occasion “one of the greatest moments of my life.” “Marion said that Clarence’s involvement with the theater, with the students and getting reacquainted with some of the old-timers in East Tennessee — all of that was like a second life to him,” Brakebill said. “Now, when you had a life involving that many major films, you’d think he had already a pretty important life.” For the next nearly 20 years, Brown continued to make donations to the theatre company and funded a few scholarships. But it wasn’t until after his death in 1987 that the full extent of his generosity was revealed. “I was just coming out of graduate school and being hired by the theatre department in 1993 when (Brown’s) will was probated,” Cervone said. “We found out that the Clarence Brown Theatre was on the receiving end of $12 million, the largest single gift to any academic department at that time. It kind of rocked the world for us.” Cervone said the resulting endowment still has a positive impact on the theatre, and the university as whole, today. “Without the endowment, I don’t know candidly how the theatre would really function at the level they do at this point,” he said. “That money allows our students to have precisely what Clarence Brown envisioned: the opportunity to work side-by-side with professional actors, designers and directors.” Today, Brown’s life of accomplishments and generosity has lent the university a legacy of success, Brakebill said. “It’s a big piece of history, and it all started right here in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee.”
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Thursday, April 23, 2015
FOOTBALL
SOFTBALL
Lady Vols hope to continue Richmond hopes to set new precedent for Memphis players momentum at No. 5 Alabama Megan Roberts Contributor
Drew Richmond will spend the next few years playing football for his home state. Soon to be Memphis University School alumnus, Richmond will be one of the few Memphis natives on the Vols’ roster in recent years. Coach Butch Jones continually emphasizes winning the battles instate in recruiting, and he accomplished that with Richmond’s, the No. 1 football player in the state of Tennessee for the class of 2015, according to Rivals.com. “I’m definitely going to help recruit other guys from Memphis,” Richmond said. “For me, I came to Tennessee because I didn’t feel like a loner even though I’m one of the only football players from Memphis. So many people I have relationships with from home affected my decision. It feels like home to me.” Richmond’s high school teammate and friend, MaLeik Gatewood, committed to the Vols as a preferred walk-on a few weeks ago. Richmond said he is excited and fortunate to continue his football career with a former teammate right there with him. “It’s gonna be fun to play with a friend — my childhood best friend,” Richmond said. “We’ll have each other’s backs, and it’ll be good to play with each other and push each other to be the best we can be.” To the surprise of some, Richmond has not always played football. He said that growing up, baseball was his sport. He then started playing golf, but the golf clubs became too small for him to use. He transitioned into basketball and eventually started playing football and decided to stick with it. Richmond’s football career began in middle school. He ended his high school career as a
top-100 offensive tackle in the 2015 class. He’s a five-star offensive lineman who will likely make an impact on the offensive line, which has lacked depth in the past few years. Richmond is close to former Vol, Antonio Drew Richmond Richardson, but said he didn’t feel pressured into committing to Tennessee. “Tiny and I have a really good relationship,” he said. “He didn’t really persuade me; he always encouraged me to follow my heart.” Richmond could’ve gone to any school in the nation, but it was Ole Miss and Tennessee that fought for him until the end. After months of being committed to Ole Miss, Richmond decommitted just days before National Signing Day. Tennessee fans went crazy over the news of Richmond’s decommittment. Although Tennessee had all of the momentum going into National Signing Day, Richmond’s final decision was kept a secret until he faxed his letter of intent to the school of his choice. “I waited to send my fax, because I didn’t want all of the negative attention that comes along with switching schools,” Richmond said. Richmond is relieved to be finished with the recruiting process. He said he enjoyed the relationships he made and the places he visited, but he’s excited for his future and he’s ready to get to Knoxville. “I can’t wait to be around the guys who I’ve formed relationships with,” Richmond said. “I can’t wait to play some ball and get us back to the top.”
Trenton Duffer
Staff Writer (@trenton_duffer)
It will be a rivalry renewed this weekend when the No. 11 Lady Vols (35-11, 11-7 SEC) make the trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to take on the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide in another three-game SEC series. This will be the first time since 2013 that these teams have met on the diamond. The Lady Vols took four of five against the Tide in 2013, including a two-game sweep of Alabama in the NCAA Super Regionals. “Any win this time of the year is huge, and we’re going to finish our season playing two quality opponents in Alabama and Kentucky,” co-head coach Karen Weekly said. “(Alabama is) a great team, ranked really high and always a tough place to play.” While the Tide rolled to a 2-1 series win over Auburn the past weekend, the Lady Vols enjoyed a three-game road sweep of Mississippi State in Starkville, Mississippi. Tennessee broke a few milestones while playing against the Bulldogs, including Ralph Weekly’s 1200th career victory and smacking the 86th team home run of the season, shattering the previous record of 81 set in 2014. However, Weekly knows that her team can’t hold on to past glories if it’s going to get past the rolling Crimson Tide. “What we’ve done in the past doesn’t play much of any factor in the series. It’s really about what we do down there,” Weekly continued. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to hit a few balls out of the park because that’s how we’ve won games to date.” Weekly’s statement proves true, as the Lady Vols have smacked 86 home runs as
a team this year, which is a program record and the fourth-highest total in the nation. 33 of those 82 homers have been in SEC play, which is also first in the conference. Tennessee has five players who have hit 10 or more long balls this year: Taylor Koenig (14), Annie Aldrete (12), Megan Geer (11), Meghan Gregg (10) and Scarlet McSwain (10). “It really makes me feeling good going into the Alabama series knowing my pitching selection has been really good,” said Geer, who crushed the team’s record-breaking 82nd homer in the final game against the Bulldogs. “Hopefully, I can carry that over (from Mississippi State) and keep the hits coming.” The Crimson Tide (36-10, 12-6 SEC) have one of the best pitching staffs in the SEC in its arsenal. Sophomore Sydney Littlejohn, freshman Alexis Osorio and senior Leslie Jury all anchor the mound, tossing a 295:110 strike-walk ratio and toss a combined ERA of 1.87. In SEC play, the trio is just as dangerous, tossing an SEC-low 2.26 ERA this year in conference play. “(Osorio) has great movement on the ball … but what I see is her composure,” Weekly said. “She goes down into Auburn and faces a bases loaded situation in the first and then strikes out three to get out of a tough jam … Alabama’s a great team. They’re a wellcoached team, and, year in and year out, they put a great product on the field.” The first game against the Tide will take place on Thursday at 8 p.m. The game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN. The remaining two games will be broadcast on the SEC Network +. The second game of the series will take place Friday at 7:30 p.m., and the series will conclude Saturday at 3 p.m.