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The SewaneeMountain MESSENGER Vol. XXVII, No. 21 Friday, June 3, 2011 Fourth Bob, in Short By Avery Shackelford, Messenger Intern of July Bob Short—tennis player, fan, coach and artist—is beloved by many in Sewanee. He is the Renaissance man of the over-80 set. Bob can oft en be found Planning at the Sewanee tennis courts cheering on the University’s tennis teams with his dog, “Miss G,” by his side. He even has his own stool as a seat of honor at the indoor courts, with “Bob” inscribed in bright marker on the top. Continues Bob says his relationship with the tennis team has been rewarding, and he Volunteers Still Needed has remained friends with several players on the team throughout their time at Sewanee. Plans are moving ahead for this “Th ey don’t put me in a category as an old man who doesn’t know what he’s year’s Fourth of July celebration, ac- doing,” Bob said. “Th ey respect me and I respect them.” ccording to organizers. Lots of volun- But Bob is more than Tiger Tennis’ No. 1 fan. teers have stepped up and fi lled many “So many people here know me only through tennis. Th ey don’t know about of the key jobs. However, there are still the other careers I’ve had,” he said. “Th ey say, ‘Oh, you’re the tennis player.’ Th at places for folks who want to help. does not please me, but I don’t correct them.” Th e traditional Fourth activities— Bob, a native of Mississippi, has pursued several careers throughout his life, from the early morning fl ag-raising SAS Salutatorian Justin Th omas of Monteagle, Head of School Th e Rev. John T. including a farmer, a lawyer and a painter. through the aft ernoon parade to the Th omas and Valedictorian Soyeun Park of Seoul, South Korea. Everyone told Bob when he was young that he was going to be a farmer, just fireworks at dark—will take place Photo by Bob Hoagland as his grandfather and great-grandfather had been. “I thought that’s what I was on Monday, July 4. Th e street dance supposed to do,” he said. will be on Saturday, July 2, near the Bob enjoyed farming, but aft er having dropped out of college twice, decided Sewanee Market. On Sunday, July 3, to go back and complete his undergraduate degree at the age of 39. He fi nished the Sewanee Summer Music Festival law school when he was 43. will off er concerts at 2:30 p.m. and During college, an English professor introduced Bob to Romantic poetry. 3:30 p.m. Th e Festival Orchestra will Bob was intrigued with the Romantic philosophy and aft er college, when he have its annual free concert of patriotic began practicing law, he tried to think of a way to incorporate the philosophy music at 7 p.m. on Monday. of the Romantic poets in his daily life. “We still need road marshals, “I found that I had been living a life opposed to what I truly believed,” Bob banner carriers, wranglers at the dog said, “which is nature above everything.” show and shutt le drivers,” Bill Barton In 1976, while working as a lawyer, Bob suff ered his fi rst episode of clinical said. “We can never have too many depression. He began painting and completed two-and-a-half paintings in helpers!” 1976 and 1977. Airplane rides from the Sewanee “When I came out of depression,” Bob said, “I couldn’t hold a paintbrush.” Airport will be available for everyone In 1991, Bob had another bout of depression. Th at summer, Bob decided he (not just kids) for $10 per person, needed a respite from practicing law and came to the Mountain and to his house reports Rebecca Gibson. in the Monteagle Assembly. He took a class in philosophy and religion at the For more information or to volun- SAS Honors Graduates. Photo by Paul Ward University and began att ending services at All Saints’ Chapel. teer, contact Barton at 598-9267. On a blue-skied, sunny September morning, Bob realized that he was fi nally home. He called his law offi ce and said, “I won’t be back.” SAS Graduates 46 He began painting again through this depression, which lasted until 1994. Walter Merrill Forty-six students graduated from St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School on May First inspired to paint through Romantic poetry, Bob created scenes using 22. Full detail about all local graduates will be in next week’s Messenger. quotations from Wordsworth and Blake, writt en in bold block lett ers across at Academy of Among the highlights of the commencement weekend for the class of 2011 his paintings. Bob has also composed his own verse, inspired by his religious were the announcement of Valedictorian Soyeun Park of Seoul, South Korea, philosophy. Bob said he contemplated what he thought was true or false, and Lifelong Learning and Salutatorian Justin Th omas of Monteagle and the announcement of other tried to paint that. honors (pictured above): Seth Burns of Sewanee, best male athlete; Keeley In 1994, Bob moved from the Assembly to Sewanee. on Th ursday Stewart of Winchester, day student award and best female athlete; Bryce Taylor For Bob, art is not art unless it means something. He said the purpose of his of Winchester, Lulu Hampton Owen Service Award; Storm Hill of Hillsboro, paintings is to invoke thought. He is a unique man who believes all lives are con- Walter Merrill will be the next Bett y Guyear Condra Perseverance Award and the SMA Memorial Merit speaker at the Academy for Lifelong nected and driven by the force of energy. Whether on the tennis court, behind Award; Be-Be Webb of Memphis, boarding student award; and Ethan Burns a paintbrush or standing in a court of law, Bob Short is a force of energy “going Learning at St. Mary’s Sewanee at of Sewanee, head of school’s award. noon, Th ursday, June 9. Merrill’s talk on 85 years young” who truly invokes thought in all who know him. is titled “Sundays with Bob: Lessons Learned from a Master Teacher.” St. Andrew’s-Sewanee Welcomes Merrill is professor of surgery and chief of the division of cardiothoracic Alumni Back to the Mountain surgery at the University of Missis- sippi. He received a B.A. in English St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School of them as president and vice presi- from the University of the South and will welcome over 300 alumni and dent, and was a lead donor during the an M.D. from the Johns Hopkins guests back to campus for the annual Cornerstone Campaign. Robinson University School of Medicine. He is Alumni Weekend, celebrated this year Dining Hall is named in memory of a current member of the Board of Re- June 3–5. Murray’s brother, Michael. gents of the University of the South. Saturday’s highlight is a Cham- Distinguished alumnus Bridg- Merrill describes his talk as be- pagne Awards Brunch to honor the ers, ‘86, is most noted for his role as ing similar to the book “Tuesdays 50th classes and special award re- Johnny Burns on HBO’s “Deadwood.” with Morrie” by Mitch Albom. Like cipients, including the St. Andrew’s- Sean wrote, produced and starred in Albom, Merrill spent an extended pe- Sewanee Service Award, which will be “Paradise Falls” in 1997, which won riod of time visiting with a terminally presented to Murray Robinson. Th is best picture awards at six fi lm festi- ill former professor. year’s distinguished alumni awards vals. He is developing a feature fi lm, “The story is about illness, loss will go to actors Sean Bridgers, ’86, “Arkansas Traveler,” set in the post- of capacity and death,” Merrill said. and Elisabeth Röhm, ’91. Other events Civil War era. His most recent fi lm, “However, that is not the point at all. of the weekend include the alumni “Th e Woman,” premiered at this year’s Th e story is, at heart, about how one and family soccer game, St. Mary’s Sundance Film Festival and received chooses to live and those things that tea, and SMA march escorted by the rave reviews. one considers to be important.” Highlander Pipe and Drum Corps on Röhm, ’91, is also being honored as Reservations are not necessary Sunday morning. a distinguished alumnus; her schedule to attend the lecture. However, if Robinson, ’52, a former trustee, is is preventing her from att ending this guests would like a reservation for a being honored for his longtime sup- weekend. She has just completed sev- Bob Short box lunch for $10, please e-mail Ivee port and service. Murray served 13 eral feature fi lms, including “Abduc- Lowry at <stmaryssewanee@bell- years on the board of trustees, eight tion,” directed by John Singleton, and south.net> by today, June 3. Guests “Transit,” with Joel Silver as are also welcome to bring their own executive producer. She is lunch. most noted for her fi ve years Th e Academy for Lifelong Learn- on NBC’s “Law and Order.” ing at St. Mary’s Sewanee sponsors a In addition to acting, Röhm monthly luncheon lecture for mem- has written two novels, bers of the community interested “Nerissa” and “Desire,” and in continuing their education on a blogs on <People.com>. She variety of topics. New members are works with the Red Cross as welcome at any time; annual dues an ambassador and a trained are $10.