Volume XXXVII No. 22 Published as a public service since 1985 Friday, June 18, 2021 Monteagle SSMF Opens on June 19 by Bailey Basham, Messenger Staff Writer Approves Beginning this weekend, music re- turns to the Mountain — and with it, Truck Stop more than 200 student musicians from around the country. Rezoning Th e season of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF) will commence Fourth Time on Saturday, June 19, with performances by Leslie Lytle by both the Cumberland Orchestra and Messenger Staff Writer the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra. Diff erent from previous years is the On June 14, the Monteagle performance schedule. Th is year, the City Council held a second public Cumberland Orchestra will perform hearing on rezoning of a 4.6-acre weekly on Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m., parcel to commercial to accom- followed by the Sewanee Symphony on modate a proposed 20-acre travel Sunday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. center. Following the hearing, “Th e change in schedule was something I had been thinking about three of five Monteagle council for a while based on the level of musicians we now have coming to members indicated construction SSMF. Th ose marathon Sunday concerts were getting to be too much of a truck stop on the property was for both our faculty, students and patrons. Having the Cumberland not their “fi rst choice.” On second Orchestra present their own concert on Friday night also gives that Wu Fei reading, the council, nonetheless, orchestra their own identity — they are no longer sort of the opening voted unanimously to approve the act for the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra concerts,” said executive and Wu Fei in Concert ordinance 12-21 to rezone. artistic director John Kilkenny. Th e council previously held a Th e Sewanee Chinese Language Camp would like to extend an in- In addition to the change in schedule, this year’s festival performances vitation to the Sewanee community to join Nashville-based artist Wu public hearing and approved the were organized around a theme — one that will be particularly meaning- rezoning on fi rst and second read- Fei for an evening of music and conversation. Wu Fei is a genre-bending ful to the student musicians, faculty, staff and Mountain residents alike. composer, guzheng virtuoso, and vocalist originally from Beijing. She is ing, but city attorney Sam Elliot “Th is year, our theme is ‘Welcome Home,’ as there are so many explained the city decided to repeat a renowned master of the guzheng, the 21-string Chinese zither, and has people that attend festival performances who consider Sewanee home. performed at venues as diverse as Beijing’s Forbidden City, Shanghai’s the process due to a “technical So many of our participants make lifelong connections at the festival, defect.” Procedural errors have Expo 2010, New York’s MoMA, Vossa Jazz in Norway, and the Europalia and this theme is a way to honor our being able to come back together,” Festival in Belgium. plagued the proposed construction he said. “After such a diffi cult year, we cannot think of a better way to by RBT Enterprises for over a year. Th e Wu Fei concert will take place at 7 p.m., today (Friday), June 18, welcome everyone back.” in St. Luke’s Chapel. To reserve a ticket email <mtmurphy@sewanee. Th e developers purchased the prop- Welcoming folks back to the Mountain, Assistant Conductor of the erty as zoned C-3, but the zoning edu>. Tickets are $20 and any remaining tickets will be made available Memphis Symphony Orchestra Kalena Bovell will lead the Sewanee at the door. was ruled invalid due to a meeting Symphony Orchestra through a repertoire peppered with Dvorak, notice mistake (see Messenger Nov. Coleridge Taylor, Walker and Schuman. Following Bovell’s Sewanee 4, 2020). Th e council approved the debut, JoAnn Falletta, Robert Moody, Janna Hymes and Chris Cicconi fi rst reading of ordinance 12-21 at will conduct throughout the season. the May 24 meeting. “Th is is Kalena’s fi rst time in Sewanee, and we are thrilled to welcome (Continued on page 6) her to the Sewanee Summer Music Festival family,” Kilkenny said. “Nothing beats a live, in-person performance, both for our students and the wider community. Th e arts truly have the power to create com- munity. Th ey bring people together in a way that nothing else can do. FC Schools Music unites us in a common purpose and cause, and to be back this season is such a delight.” Staffi ng Tickets for in-person and streaming performances are on sale now. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit <https://ssmf.sewanee. Shortage edu/>. Worries Th e Underground Railroad by Leslie Lytle Messenger Staff Writer Lecture Featured at MSSA “This is a bigger concern to Spencer Crew, acting director of the National Museum of African me than anything,” said Human American History and Culture, will present a lecture at 8:15 p.m., on Resources Supervisor Linda Fos- Th ursday, June 24, in the Auditorium at the Monteagle Sunday School Men of Soul will perform at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 3, at Angel Park. ter, alerting the Franklin County Assembly. Crew has worked in public history institutions for more than School Board to a staffi ng shortage 25 years. He served as president of the National Underground Railroad at the June 14 school board meet- Freedom Center for six years and worked at the National Museum of Street Dance and Splish ing. Th e board also took up several American History, Smithsonian Institution for 20 years. Nine of those policy issues. years he served as the director of NMAH. Splash Bash Foster listed openings for two His most important exhibition was the ground-breaking “Field assistant principals, two guidance to Factory: Afro-American Migration 1915–1940” which generated Kick off the Maskerade Fourth of July activities with a Street Dance counselors, two art teachers, one a national discussion about migration, race, and the role of historical and Splish Splash Bash on Saturday, July 3, in downtown Sewanee. Th e regular teacher at Sewanee El- exhibitions. He also co-curated “Th e American Presidency A Glorious family friendly fun will begin at 5:30 p.m. with kid’s games, water slides ementary, two custodial positions, Burden,” which is one of the Smithsonian’s most popular exhibitions. and plenty of food vendors at Angel Park. Th e Street Dance will start at and four or fi ve special education Th e National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has gained rec- 7 p.m., featuring live music by Men of Soul. teachers. “We lost three teachers to ognition for the quality of its presentations and focus on race, interracial Th e members of the band have been playing together for more than Tullahoma last year,” Foster said. cooperation, and issues of contemporary slavery. Th e topic of his lecture 20 years. Th e band’s blend of vintage R&B, Motown, blues and classic Th e 2021–22 budget calls for a is the Underground Railroad. rock will keep everyone moving the entire night. 2.5 percent cost of living wage in- Jeremy Hultin, associate professor of Biblical languages at Union Sewanee native Towson Engsberg, C’84, is on drums. He has also crease for all school system employ- Th eological Seminary, New York, is the 2021 Jervis Bible Week scholar played with Tommy Crain of Charlie Daniels fame, as well as Jimmy ees. Certifi ed teachers also receive on Rediscovering. Hultin will present lectures in the Auditorium at Hall, Johnny Neel, Tommy Talton and Bonnie Bramlett. step increases for years of service 10:45 a.m., Tuesday through Friday, June 22-25, on the Gospel of Luke: Th is free event is hosted by the Sewanee Business Alliance. University and degree advancement. Foster Historical Investigations and Contemporary Applications. Avenue will be closed off from the highway to Regions Bank for this event. explained, with the step increases, Entertainment in week three includes a performance at 8:15 p.m., all certifi ed teachers will receive at Tuesday, June 22, in the Auditorium, by the a cappella ensemble, Mi- least a 3.5 percent wage increase, P.O. Box 296 ContraFa, singing a program of lively music from across the centuries Sewanee, TN 37375 while those with more than 20 with a focus on popular arrangements and classics. Th e Bea Troxel Trio years of experience will receive a from Nashville will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 25, in the Audi- 4.5 percent increase, a hiring perk torium. Troxel’s voice has been called “a balm for our age of distraction.” Foster incorporated into the budget Th e community is welcome to attend lectures and performances this year. “Th is is a major plus for throughout the summer and may fi nd a schedule at <www.mssa1882. us right now,” Foster said. Director org>. of Schools Stanley Bean said the Th e Assembly is a Chautauqua organization founded in 1882 to county finance committee had be a welcoming community of Christian faith where people gather to passed the budget on fi rst reading. engage in spiritual growth and renewal, lifelong inquiry and learning, recreational and cultural enrichment, while being good stewards of our (Continued on page 7) natural resources and our Assembly heritage. 2 • Friday, June 18, 2021 • Th e Sewanee Mountain MESSENGER Donate to the Local, Fresh Register for Hospitality Food at Area the Fourth of Shop Markets July Parade Published as a public service to the community since 1985, this newspaper Th e Hospitality Shop accepts Th e Sewanee Gardeners’ Mar- The Sewanee Fourth of July is printed on Fridays, 46 times a year.