Winter 2017 the Magazine Scott Ledbetter’S Lone Oaks Farm
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SEEDING THE FUTURE THE MAGAZINE OF MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL l WINTER 2017 THE MAGAZINE SCOTT LEDBETTER’S LONE OAKS FARM MUS TODAY FULFILLS NEW PURPOSE The sun sets over the Mississippi River, framed by the 100-year-old Harahan Bridge. Residents from the Mid-South and visitors from around the world now have a new vantage point for enjoying sunsets and river views – the Big River Crossing pedestrian/bicycle bridge – which opened October 22. The new attraction has proven quite popular; by December more than 66,000 walkers and bikers had crossed. At nearly a mile in length, it is the longest public pedestrian bridge across the Mississippi River. Read more about how alumni helped bring the project to fruition on page 5. 2 l MUS TODAY WINTER 2017 1 Photo courtesy Big River Crossing MUS TODAY THE MAGAZINE OF MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL l WINTER 2017 FEATURED THIS ISSUE 5 12 20 5 Alumni Involvement Brings Big River Crossing to Life 12 Lone Oaks Farm Anchors Future Plans for UT 19 Covers: Oliver Luckett Examines Social Media in Debut Book 20 Teaching Sustainable Farming in Indonesia 22 From the Archives: Alumni Serve During Mexican Revolution 24 Jim Burnett Honored for 25 Years Coaching Owls 30 Newest Portrait Installation: Terry Shelton musowls.org/media Memphis University School IN EVERY ISSUE ON THE COVER Founded 1893 28 Student Lauds After spending almost 20 years HEADMASTER creating a working cattle and Ellis L. Haguewood 30 Faculty News hay farm that also served as 35 Board News inspirational rustic retreat in BOARD OF TRUSTEES Hardeman County, Scott Ledbetter Samuel N. Graham II ’80, Chairman 38 Alumni News ’60 and his wife decided to sell their Glenn A. Crosby II ’77, Vice Chairman D. Stephen Morrow ’71, Treasurer 1,600-acre Lone Oaks Farm to the 42 Class News James F. Burnett ’83, Secretary University of Tennessee. Now under 50 Milestones R. Louis Adams ’70 the direction of Dr. Ben West and R. Earl Blankenship 55 We Saw You the UT Institute of Agriculture, Lone Suki S. Carson Oaks is poised to become a national model for agricultural Edward J. Dobbs ’89 Gifts in Memory and Honor William B. Dunavant III ’78 61 education with plans in development for a new 4-H and Robert M. Fockler ’77 66 The Last Word conference center facility. Photo by Karen Pulfer Focht P. Trowbridge Gillespie, Jr. ’65 J. Brett Grinder ’91 Mark J. Halperin ’67 Director of Advancement Managing Editor Joseph R. Hyde III ’61 E. Carl Krausnick, Jr. ’79 Perry Dement Marci Woodmansee Robert E. Loeb ’73 [email protected] [email protected] Johnny B. Moore, Jr. Richard C. Moore, Jr. ’63 Director of Alumni and Inside MUS Managing Editor Joseph M. Morrison ’78 Parent Programs Rebecca Greer William E. Orgel ’81 Ann Laughlin Wiley T. Robinson ’75 [email protected] Creative Director Chris R. Sanders Frederick C. Schaeffer, Jr. ’88 LeeAnn Christopherson Owen B. Tabor, Jr. ’85 Editor Philip S. Wunderlich ’90 Liz Copeland [email protected] 34 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE BOARD Harry E. Sayle IV ’92, President Jason J. Fair ’89, President-elect Derek M. Clenin ’03 Contributors John T. Crews, Jr. ’84 Donald D. Drinkard, Jr. ’98 Christopher Blank, News Director at WKNO-FM in Memphis and Freelance Arts Writer David J. Frazier ’01 Andrew E. Garrett ’03 Greg Cravens, Illustrator based in Memphis Paul T. Gillespie III ’01 J. Wesley Grace ’86 Brandon Dill, Freelance Photographer based in Memphis J. Walker Hays IV ’84 Karen Pulfer Focht, Freelance Photographer based in Memphis Albert E. Laughlin III ’94 Andrew A. McArtor, Sr. ’86 Dr. John E. Harkins, MUS Archivist and Historian R. Allen McCool, Jr. ’77 William M. McDonald, Jr. ’97 Norman Thompson, MUS Instructor in English Kelly L. McGuire ’70 J. Worth Morgan ’05 Malcolm Wood ’08, Director of Sustainability, Sumba Hospitality Foundation Michael N. Murphy, Jr. ’03 Robert B. Preston ’78 James A. Robinson, Jr. ’68 Matthew J. Saenger ’98 MISSION STATEMENT Scott S. Sherman ’89 Memphis University School is a college-preparatory school dedicated to academic excellence, cultivation Edward L. Simpson ’85 of service and leadership, and the development of well-rounded young men of strong moral character, Joseph L. Steffner, Jr. ’09 consistent with the school’s Christian tradition. John D. Stewart ’78 Charles W. Summers III ’94 © 2017 Memphis University School. All rights reserved. The name, seal, and logos of Memphis John M. Summers ’05 University School, as well as MUS Today, Inside MUS, The MUSe, The Owl’s Hoot, The Owl, and Beg Alexander W. Wellford III ’89 To Differ, are registered marks of Memphis University School and use in any manner is prohibited Brandon L. Westbrook ’92 unless prior written approval is obtained from Memphis University School. Henry Wetter III ’70 Andrew D. Wright ’86 FROM THE EDITOR Connections in All Directions Walking the Big River Crossing on a high- More than 270 alumni recently joined together definition fall day, connections come to mind. The to honor their legendary football coach in a monu- 4,827-foot pedestrian pathway over the Mississippi mental way. Now Jake Rudolph, clipboard in hand, on the Harahan Bridge connects the bluffs guarding is memorialized in a bronze statue at Jacob Courtnay Memphis to the soybean fields fringing West Rudolph Plaza in front of Stokes Stadium (page 40). Memphis, AR. A broader project encompassing In 25 years as the volunteer Lower School infrastructure in both cities, the Main Street to Main football coach, Jim Burnett ’83 connected with about Street Multi-Modal Connector Project, drives home 1,000 boys, teaching them not only to play the game the point. And the Big River Strategic Initiative, a but also to live life with character and heart. Many collection of projects “to activate and celebrate the of his former athletes were present at the Football Mississippi River and its surrounding landscape,” Banquet in December as their coach, who recently aims to expand a levee trail system and create the retired from his gridiron duties, received an honorary Delta Regional River Park on the Arkansas side. varsity letter (page 24). The people bringing these plans to fruition A number of Faculty Emeritus Terry Shelton’s include many with connections to MUS. (See story former students attended the October unveiling of next page). their English teacher’s portrait for the Dining Hall Since the days when school co-founder (page 30). Shelton, who often connected with boys via J.W.S. Rhea wrote letters to graduates – including his red-penned remarks on their papers – received Sgt. Lee V. Harris 1916 on duty guarding the praise for holding his students to a lofty standard of U.S.-Mexican border (page 22) – individuals and excellence that remains with them to this day. families in the MUS community have been making Walking from the Memphis side of the Big River connections – and making a difference. Crossing, where Henry Turley’s ’59 South Junction Scott Ledbetter ’60 and his wife, Kathy, spent Apartments project has spurred interest in South nearly two decades collecting 27 parcels of land in End development, to the Arkansas side, where Bert Hardeman County to create their 1,600-acre cattle Robinson ’90 envisions outdoor concerts, festivals, operation and family retreat, Lone Oaks Farm. In picnics, and bike races on land now hosting soybean December 2015, motivated by their desire for more cultivation, connections – and lofty standards of Tennesseans to connect with their pastoral getaway, excellence – come to mind. they sold the property to the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture for a 4-H, youth education, and conference center (page 12). A connection Malcolm Wood ’08 made at his job in Jackson Hole, WY, led him to the island of Sumba in LIZ COPELAND Indonesia, where he teaches organic farming tech- DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS niques to students as part of the Sumba Hospitality [email protected] Foundation program (page 20). Opposite page: From left, Doug Carpenter ’82, Paul Morris ’92, and Dow McVean ’92 played important roles in the opening of the Big River Crossing, the new pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the Mississippi River. A River Runs Through It BY MARCI WOODMANSEE Photo by Brandon Dill Alumni play essential roles in bringing Big River Crossing to life nion Pacific’s antique locomotive Charlie’s son, Dow McVean ’92, who for the creation of a regional river park. It’s No. 844 billowed steam across a carried the flag and served as the daily ar- all part of a grander plan for Mississippi cloudless blue sky as it crossed the ticulation of his father’s vision throughout River-area activation called the Big River Harahan Bridge and slowed to a the project, agrees with that description. Strategic Initiative. Ustop for the opening of the Big River Cross- “I’ve been caught up in that tornado for a In celebration of these Mid-South de- ing – a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge over few decades now!” he says. velopments, we highlight Owl contributions the Mississippi River – on October 22. Paul Morris ’92 was indispensible in to the cause. A large assembly of train buffs had the implementation of Charlie McVean’s gathered alongside local dignitaries, rail- vision, including helping secure a grant for PAUL MORRIS ’92 road executives, government officials, and Big River Crossing as the centerpiece for Paul Morris admits he was just lis- other excited Memphians to celebrate the the Main Street to Main Street Multi-Modal tening politely to Charlie McVean and a breathtaking new attraction. In the mid- Connector Project he directs. fellow visionary, attorney Charlie Newman, dle of it all was a contingent of elated Owl Developing a compelling brand identity explain their “crazy idea” of building a mile- alumni, whose involvement in the whole for promoting and publicizing the bridge long bike trail more than 100 feet above the undertaking was critical to its completion.