East High's Academic Performance Measurements Are "daunting, downright scary" New Executive Principal Says She Looks Past the Numbers     Exclusive by The East High Alumni Page April 7, 2017 - "Of course, right now, when I look at the data, when I look at the numbers, it's daunting, downright scary. But those numbers aren't people. So I put the numbers to the side then I just look at the people, " says East High's Executive Principal Lischa Barrett ('91), now Lischa Brooks. East High's overall academic performance has been dismal for many years. A succession of principals, eight in the past 21 years, have not been able to substantially raise the levels. For the past school year, 2015-2016, the average composite ACT score at East was 15.7. (For those who are more familiar with the ACT before 1989 when it changed, the 15.7 score is roughly equivalent to a composite ACT score on the old test of 12. ) That's up about a half point from the previous year. The graduation rate was cited at 76.1%, a seven point increase from the 2014-2015 rate. The East High Alumni Page has focused on the ACT scores as the one consistent and comparable measure of academic performance for many years and believes it to be the best measurement available. Barrett was appointed Executive Principal February 20 to lead East High into its transition into an admission-by-application-only optional (magnet) school using the transportation industry as a focus for a science, technology, engineering, and math oriented curriculum, or T-STEM for short. The conversion will take place over the next four years, with the ninth graders starting in August, 2017, being the first group of all optional students. Barrett was principal at the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy (STEAM is STEM with arts included), a middle school at what was once known as Fairview Junior High. Although she will be the top administrator at East High, her executive principal role also leaves her as the top administrator at Maxine Smith. Both schools will also have interim principals overseeing day to day operations. "I'm over at the school [East High] almost every day and I look at the kids and that's what it's about, it's about children. And while the data is scary, while the numbers, we could talk about the graduation rate, the literacy and the math, that doesn't tell the picture," according to Barrett.                                     The Shelby County School system, of which East High is now a part, often describes itself as "data driven." School districts across the nation are looking at measurements in efforts to determine what is working in the classroom. If Barrett puts the numbers aside and looks at people, what does she see? When I was talking to two young ladies [at East High] yesterday, they don't know who I am. They don't even know why I was in the building but we had a very good conversation. Those experiences are what make me forget about the data and just see the children as children... And so when I look at things that to me are daunting or that are scary, I have to remind myself that those are people that live there, that attend that school. So who am I just to stand back and say, oh, that's scary what they have to deal with. That is their life. They wake up, they go to school there and if I don't embrace that with my whole heart and see them as more than a number then I'll stay in that place of fear and I refuse to because when I see them I see children. Yeah, it is, so that's when I go walk the halls and see children – it kind of reminds me of why I came into this business in the first place. Despite her relating to the children as people instead of numbers, Barrett admits, "There's a lot of work to be done but I can't forget we're talking about people and we're talking about a community." The new leader at East High hopes to take a broader approach to education than just East High and Maxine Smith STEAM Academy. Barrett says she has a four pronged plan to reach out beyond the school, a plan she said she would reveal at a later date. "The plight of East High is larger than what is in those four walls. Right? The plight of East is about our community... I think the work that needs to be done is work that has to occur outside the four walls. I have sort of, and I'll discuss it later, a plan to look at what those scaffolding things should look like, you know, within the community because we can't do it by ourselves. I can have all the ideas in the world, but there is some work that has to be done but I don't think it belongs to us as educators alone." East High has not been isolated and alone in its efforts in recent years. For almost a decade and a half the Peer Power Foundation, originally known as The Greater East High Foundation, has held after school tutoring sessions and other academic enrichment opportunities for students without cost to them. Alumnus Chas McVean ('61) was the impetus and, for the most part, the money behind that effort, which continues to this day. Christ United Methodist Church has been involved in supporting and encouraging athletics at East. Despite these efforts, the academic achievement for the East High student body as a whole has not made significant progress, according to ACT scores. Barrett believes that additional outside involvement will help turn the tide. "Over the past few years there have definitely been organizations like Peer Power and First Baptist Broad and I mean various organizations that have just poured in resources and people into that school and will continue to do so. And I think us continuing to work together and maybe looking at some other areas, maybe bringing in industry which is really exciting about T-STEM, is that right now we have almost 20 different companies that are going to come along side the work that's being done there right now." It might be noted that at an open house at East High in January and at a few other occasions the number of outside entities promising support for East High STEM was touted as being 25. It is not known whether the lower number now being used repeatedly by various sources represents an actual pull back by some outfits or, probably more likely, a more realistic assessment of what kind of support an entity is likely to give. With the broader approach, Barrett emphatically proclaims, "I believe in wrap around services!" Wraparound services are generally thought of as comprehensive plans that address multiple life situations across home, school, and community, including living environment; basic needs; safety; and social, emotional, educational, spiritual, and cultural needs (Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports, 2017). It often includes things such as primary health, mental health, and dental care, family engagement, including adult education,  preschool learning, academic enrichment, expanded after school learning time or summer programming, mentoring, and post secondary education and career options awareness (National Education Association, date unknown). Barrett thinks the wider scope of services should extend beyond the East High families. " I believe reaching to the middle schools that should feed East. In the plan there won't be a per se feeder but I definitely believe in wrap around services for those potential feeders. So I think we'll still be able to tap into the community... I want to look at the students that could be here, the students that could benefit from all the industry partners that are coming along side saying, you know what, at the end of your high school career we're going to have people that are going to work with you and get you ready to get industry certified. And I think that is going to be a huge lift for the entire community." Barrett's philosophy appears to mean she's going to be concerned and involved not only with her primary responsibilities as executive principal of East High and Maxine Smith STEM Academy but for many other students and families. "So if I just concentrate on the students that automatically come in [to East High] because of the entrance requirements, I've missed it. If I don't go in and say, you know what, if we don't do something, we can't get these kids in, you know, and they would benefit from these industry partners that want students to come out of high school with industry certification, that want kids to come out of high school an go into two year institutions with industry certifications, or in my case, graduate from East High School ready for the certified nurse's assistant exam, and go on to Ivy League schools – that's the East I went to." Speaking about the education provided during his era, a top performing graduate of East High of the 1960s decade once said, "everyone who graduated from East High got a good education." Although a step up is provided by the T-STEM optional program's entrance requirements, including scores at or above the 50th percentile on accepted reading and math tests and a 3.0 grade point average, Barrett envisions an East High where everyone, not just the highest in academic performance, get a good education. "I have to be sensitive to what's happening in schools around the community, getting those students prepared, so, yeah, when it's time to look at that 50th percentile: that they're read. But at the same time the rigor is going to be such that students that are in the 99th percentile are going to be able to soar... There will be a lift there for everyone." The new executive principal has laid out an extensive picture of her work: directly overseeing East High School and the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy, helping guide other middle schools in preparing students for East, incorporating the support of industries and other entities that wish to contribute in some way to the new program, figuring out how to address the needs outside of the "four walls" that will foster a successful educational institution, and supporting wraparound services not only for students at her two schools but also other middle schools. "If I only concentrate on the students that would automatically come there because they already have the 50 percentile, and I ignore the ones that, you know, with some support could be in that group, then I've done a disservice for the entire community." The transition of East High School from a mainly traditional neighborhood school to an optional only T-STEM institution has begun with curriculum planning, setting admission requirements, the appointment of an executive principal, and requiring that all who wish to teach at East High to apply, or reapply, to do so. It gets real in exactly four months, on August 7, 2017, when school opens with the ninth grade at East High consisting entirely of T-STEM optional students. East High's Executive Principal To Divide Time Between East and Smith STEAM Academy Exclusive by The East High Alumni Page     March 19, 2017 - Lischa Barrett ('91), now Lischa Brooks, was appointed Executive Principal of East High School February 20. In announcing the new leadership role it was explained by Shelby County Schools that "Brooks will be supported by Dr. Marilyn Hilliard [current principal] at East High, while Assistant Principal Keith Booker will serve as Interim Principal at Maxine Smith for the remaining of this school year."     What was not clear was that Barrett would be executive principal of both East and the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy, for which she was the founding principal and was still in that role when SCS superintendent Dorsey Hopson placed her over East High, too. Maxine Smith is a grade six through eight fully optional middle school where academic achievement has impressed the school district. It is located in the building which once was Fairview Junior High. STEAM is like STEM but adds the A for arts.     When Hopson asked if she would be interested in leading East High into its transition to an all-optional, enrollment-by-application-only, T-STEM (Transportation oriented focus on science, technology, engineering and math) school, Barrett says, "my first thought was yeah, and then my first-and-a-half thought was, what about STEAM? "     "So when he asked me, I said what about STEAM, and he said "oh no, see you're thinking small," as Barrett reflects on the moment. She asked what he was thinking, and he said a six through twelve [grade] continuum and recalls the idea Hopson presented. The unique thing about the way he envisions this is that as executive principal I would still have a role in both schools and so that this would end up being, maybe, a six through twelve continuum... I would still have a principal here at Maxine Smith and a principal at East High School and we all sort of work together with me as executive principal to move forward, to move this whole idea of STEM education forward and looking at it as a six through twelve continuum.     What does that mean for East High as it begins its transition beginning, for students, in August with the new school year and completing the change over in 2020? "My primary focus right now is to get the T-STEM academy up and running and to build a really solid faculty that's committed to children and that believes, you know, in STEM education... and to make sure they have all the support that they need," says Barrett. She continues, "And then to build a culture where students are valued, that they are challenged, that they really feel inspired to think out of the box and that we are preparing them, you know, to once again strengthen our city."     Nevertheless, Barrett now has responsibility for both schools. "I believe you can have someone who kind of embraces the middle school and high school piece and sees that there should be more of a bridge there. That's the vision he [Hopson] had for it and I'm just trying to run with it." she says.     During a four year transition, there will be both traditional students at East, today's ninth graders will be given the chance to graduate at East through the traditional curriculum, and T-STEM or Engineering. Barrett, therefore, has responsibility not only for Maxine Smith STEAM Academy and East High's T-STEM program, but also East High's traditional curriculum students.     "Of course I'm split. I'm here, I'm there... When you look at next school year, I've thought of a lot of different models: I've thought of three-two, two-three, half morning, half afternoon, half afternoon, half morn, I've thought of a lot of different things. I think my personality probably lends itself to be, like, being here, there, and everywhere.     Barrett says she does not yet know exactly how the administrative functions at East will be structured after the end of this school year. She says there will be a discussion then about the leadership personnel. "I will say it's going to take a lot of people. It's going to be more than one person. It definitely won't be about me. It's going to require different leadership positions in order to make that happen and what that looks like I dare not tell my superintendent. So, we'll see."     "Let me tell you what the superintendent said and so what he said is what I do. He said my job number one is to get T-STEM up and running and the day to day operations of Maxine Smith and of East High School are going to rest with the interim principals of those respective programs... Coming soon: an important report on how Executive Principal Lischa Barrett Brooks sees East High now and her approach to the school. [Editor's note: The East High Alumni Page has a long standing policy to refer to alumni by the names by which they were known at East. In the case of Lischa Barrett this causes a dilemma. She is now connected to East not only as a former student and graduate of the school but also as its executive principal under her married name of Lischa Brooks. The East High Alumni Page is choosing to follow its policy in most references. No disrespect is intended.] Getting to Know East High's New Executive Principal Who is Lischa Barrett Brooks and what was her path to her new job at East? Exclusive by The East High Alumni Page     March 12, 2017 - Lischa Barrett ('91 and Faculty), now Lischa Brooks, thought she was going to be a medical doctor. One of her majors in college was pre-med but she eventually pursued another career. Now she is being called upon to heal an ailing East High School.     Barrett was asked to lead East High as it transitions from an under enrolled and under performing traditional high school with one optional (magnet) program to a fully optional-only, admission-by-qualifying-application, transportation oriented science, technology, engineering, and math (T-STEM) focused high school.     It will not be the first time Barrett is heavily involved with East High. She attended the school from seventh grade through graduation in 1991. Years later as she worked in educational administration, East was in the school district's region she helped guide.     Growing up in the city as a native Memphian, Barrett says she did not live in the East High attendance zone but was attracted to the school because of its health sciences optional school program. She was heavily involved in the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) club, the Honor Society, the student council, and was a cheerleader. She attended a summer program in the northeast between her freshman and sophomore years and found New England to be to her liking. As an upper classman at East, Barrett joined the Memphis Challenge program, an endeavor which describes itself as one that "coaches high-achieving, under represented students, through leadership and professional development, preparing them to become future Memphis leaders" and was an early graduate of that program. Speaking about Memphis Challenge, Barrett says "what they wanted was for students actually, for college, to leave Memphis... but then come right back to plug into the Memphis economy and help build the city ..." She took to the program's ideals. "When I left for college I always had in my heart to come back to Memphis."     Memphis Challenge, by the way, began as a pilot program in 1989 at East High as the idea of Memphian Pitt Hyde.     Dartmouth College successfully recruited her. She majored in the classics, emphasis on Latin, and in pre-med.     After college she returned to Memphis and took a job with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center as a senior research lab assistant. One of the duties in that position was to work with high school students involved in a UTHSC summer program. Barrett says one of her UTHSC colleagues who observed her interaction with the high school students told her, "you really have a knack for teaching, you're really good with kids." Barrett says she thought "yeah, I like it, this is kind of my wheelhouse, I'm enjoying what I'm doing." The associate asked her if she ever thought about teaching. Barrett's response, "it's like no, I'm going to med school." She admits, however, that exchange planted a seed.     At the time, her high school principal at East High, Ronnie Bynum, was principal at Central High School. She had kept in contact with him since her time at East. She went to see him and told him about the teaching conversation and that she liked to teach. Barrett recalls that Bynum, said, "of course you do, I saw that in you a long time ago, you're a natural teacher."     Barrett recalled, "[I]t was a pivotal time in my life. I was a year out of college and I wasn't really enjoying the medical field that much... decided I did not like hospitals... I really began to have some conversations with myself about what am I passionate about... and it's teaching."     She went back to Bynum and said, "I want to teach," and he hired her. She taught Latin, "her first love," in traditional, honors, and AP (Advanced Placement) classes for eight years at Central High.     While she was at Central, Barrett worked on a couple of projects involving computer integration in the classroom including the VRoma Project at Rhodes College which explored the teaching of classic languages with the use of computer technology (see http://www.vroma.org/project.html). "That opened my eyes to really what technology integration looked like... I then became more interested in the technology piece."     That interest lead Barrett to leave Central High to become a technology coordinator at Ridgeway Middle School.     "I then made the leap over to the dark side and became an administrator," as an assistant principal at Ridgeway High. Barrett was among those helping to write the application to make Ridgeway High School the first in the then Memphis City School system to offer the International Baccalaureate program. (Memphis City Schools were merged into the county school system in 2013. Germantown High School, a county public school, had joined the International Baccalaureate association earlier the same year, 2008.)     "[I] just really started to think about technology and thinking out of the box, about education and where we're headed and are we really preparing our students for tomorrow." "I really missed working with kids."     After leaving Ridgeway High, Barrett began working at the "district level," for about five years with other regional staff helping principals at 18 to 19 schools to do teacher observations, professional development, technology development, "the whole gamut, whatever the school needed..." She says she liked administration "but I really missed working with kids."     "The opportunity came for STEAM [The Maxine Smith STEAM Academy, a grade six through eight school] and I thought it was the perfect integration of my experiences. With STEAM you have the science, the technology, the engineering, arts and math. You have all of those concepts sort of fused into one class which is the STEM class which all of our students take and then you have the students also being taught their other content areas from, I guess, a STEM focus. So, if you're in social studies, you're still learning about China but you're looking at China as far as what it looked like as far as some of the inventions that they did... That is what is really nice about this school." Barrett, as the founding principal of the Maxine Smith STEM Academy went on to say that "we built it together and we're definitely having fun over here."     Being successful is often part of having fun on one's job and if so, Barrett probably was having fun. The Maxine Smith STEAM Academy is one of the top performing middle schools in the state.     But something new was about to happen. "I was minding my own business when I got a phone call from the Superintendent [Dorsey Hopson] about an opportunity I could not pass up. And that I was even honored that he would ask that I would consider leading the charge for the [East High] T-STEM academy, which is an awesome, awesome opportunity for any school leader to be a part of that." Barrett's immediate thought was positive but she says, "honestly, until he asked me then I'd never thought about it," even though she sat on the panel interviewing candidates for the East High T-STEM principal position.     The T-STEM program is obviously highly involved with modern technology. The East High Alumni Page asked Barrett about her initial interest in technology because it would seem the transition from Latin to computer technology would be unusual. "It is very unusual. I would say my interest in technology comes from my initial interest in science," she said. That interest combined with her "first love" of Latin. I think my interest in science is what kind of fueled me to think about language a little differently. So that the project I participated in [VRoma] as a Latin teacher was teaching Latin teachers how to really make Latin something students see as relevant... what the program really wanted to get at was what technology integration would look like in education and Latin was the vehicle through which we explored that. And so as part of the VRoma project for about a year and a half I had so many different opportunities, so many different ways to explore technology and to see what that looked like. I think we were the initial people that started this whole idea of a blended learning classroom... where students would come in and have assignments on the computer... this whole idea of using the Internet in assisting in teaching about Latin. The resources we had at the time were very limited. I mean, we had the text book but it's not like you had the Latin Magazine so the students had to go out and sort of, in order to make Latin something they could relate to, they had to do a lot of research. And so technology integration, I think, was key in that.     The use of computers was not new to Barrett. She grew up with a computer in her home and she, along with all the other students at Dartmouth, were required to have one. "So technology has always been part of my educational experience and it has always been an expectation that I would use it and that I would make it a part of what I did... Because I had some exposure to technology I saw how it could really transform a classroom. And at the time I was one of the few teachers that wanted to use technology..."     Another side of Barrett is one that might not be in the public view save for the fact she's written a book about the topic. "One of the things I'm really passionate about, and you know when I say this people look at me like 'what?' is prayer. I spend time praying every morning and throughout the day... I think we all have challenges in life and I try to make my first response to be to step away and pray... So that's where my heart is. Even more so, I believe it is my responsibility to pray for others. The book is about the connection that we all have to one another and the responsibility we have for one another to pray for one another" and a "daily fellowship with God."     She says she prays for "our country, for our world, for our city leaders, for my teachers, for my students, for whatever community I'm working in", and if she sees something disturbing in the media she says she tries to say a prayer right then.     The book is entitled The Prayer Manifesto for the Globally Conscious: How to Develop a Heart to Pray for Others (iUniverse, 2013).     There are a couple of more things in Barrett's background that connects her to East High beyond being an alumnus and having worked with the school when she was in the district's regional office. Her brother and five cousins are alumni of the school. As if that's not enough of a connection, she is married to her high school sweetheart, Brandon Brooks ('90), a 1990 graduate of East High.     Barrett says, "I'm glad to be back. I don't think I ever left. East has always been in my heart. I still have my cheerleading uniform, you know." In a forthcoming article, The East High Alumni Page reveals more details about the role Barrett will play as the Executive Principal of East High School. [Editor's note: The East High Alumni Page has a long standing policy to refer to alumni by the names by which they were known at East. In the case of Lischa Barrett this causes a dilemma. She is now connected to East not only as a former student and graduate of the school but also as its executive principal under her married name of Lischa Brooks. The East High Alumni Page is choosing to follow its policy in most references. No disrespect is intended.] New East High Executive Principal Did Not Apply For Job School will have a "fresh start," with all teachers having to apply for positions at East Exclusive by The East High Alumni Page     February 28, 2017 - Lischa Barrett Brooks ('91) was in her third year as founding principal of the Maxine Smith STEM Academy at what used to be known as Fairview Junior High/Middle School. Under her leadership, the STEAM curriculum, and a partnership with Christian Brothers University, test scores became among the highest in the district for a middle school. The Memphis Business Journal called it the best middle school in west Tennessee.     In December, Shelby County Schools put out a job announcement for a principal for East High with STEM experience to lead it into the transition to an all optional (magnet) school focused on Transportation oriented Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (T-STEM). According to information from the school district, Ms. Brooks did not apply for the position. Apparently she had a good thing going at the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy and presumably she saw no reason to leave that school.     In early February, the school system began interviewing applicants from what it characterized as a nationwide search. At some point within a couple of weeks of the initiation of interviews, however, it appears to have occurred to Superintendent Dorsey Hopson that he had someone already employed by the school system that was a good fit for the job. Although she did not apply, he selected Ms. Brooks to orchestrate East High's transition from a traditional neighborhood school to an admission-by-application-only STEM optional school. She had played a similar role at Smith STEAM, albeit with middle school students rather than high schoolers and as a total transition rather than a year by year approach. The school with younger children flourished and Brooks' reputation among district administrators likewise shined. Furthermore, parents of students at the Smith middle school knew her and what her school had accomplished and therefore if she were at East they would be more likely to seriously consider applying to send their children to East High's T-STEM program when they were ready for high school.     So, looking for an experienced and successful STEM school leader, Hopson reached down and asked Brooks to become executive principal of East High. Usually principals take over a school during the summer so as to be on board and functioning with the beginning of a new school year. In this case, however, much is to be done. The T-STEM curriculum at East is still being developed. While East had a small Engineering optional program, most STEM faculty needs to be selected. Since the intent is not only to make East High's focus to be on STEM but also to be an academic center of excellence, the decision has been made to refresh the entire faculty. Any teacher wishing to work at East High next school year must apply to do so, even if they are working there now. According to Shelby County School practices, the principal selects the teachers. With curriculum and staff to be decided, the new STEM principal needed to start work immediately, therefore, Brooks' assumed the new role as executive principal of East High upon her selection on February 20.     The "fresh start" of faculty at a school is one of several practices Shelby County Schools has used with its "innovation zone" (iZone) schools. Those are selected schools that have been in the lowest five percent of academic achievement according to state reports. iZone schools have been targeted by the school district for extra efforts to improve the children's accomplishments. The iZone methodology has been cited as making significant academic progress at those targeted schools. One of the elements used in iZone schools is that the principal is empowered "to pick every single staff member."     Another step in iZone schools is to add an extra hour to the school day. That is also planned for the T-STEM program at East High.     Dr. Marilyn Hilliard, appointed interim principal of East High in 2015 and in her second year at the school, will continue as interim principal, reporting to Brooks. It is likely that Brooks will have her hands full for the next few months developing the T-STEM program and recruiting faculty and students. Hilliard's role is likely to continue functioning as the day to day principal of East, coordinating as needed with Brooks, at least for the remainder of this school year. Since for the 2017-2018 school year only the ninth grade at East will be T-STEM students, either an assistant principal or a principal serving under the executive principal may continue to concentrate on the traditional curriculum students until they phase out with graduation in 2020. As the new optional program gets established, the executive principal will probably become increasingly involved in the overall administration of the school.     During this second week as East's executive principal, Brooks will not be at the school. She will be out of town picking up ideas about successful STEM high schools in Murfreesboro, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Atlanta. In mid week, she and Linda Sklar, Shelby County Schools Director of Advanced Academics and Optional Schools, will be in Knoxville to visit the L&N STEM Academy. L&N opened as a magnet school in 2011. It graduated its first class in 2014 and in the same year was ranked by the state as being in the top five percent of public schools in academic achievement.     The East High Alumni Page will continue to bring you details of the transition of East High into a T-STEM optional school as well as other school news of interest to alumni. There is a web page devoted entirely to East STEM news. Executive Principal Named for East High to Lead School into T-STEM Program by The East High Alumni Page     February 24, 2017- Lischa T. Barrett Brooks ('91) is the new "executive principal" of East High School, having been appointed to lead the 68 year old school into a new era as a T-STEM (Transportation oriented Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) optional only (magnet) school. The appointment was made February 20 and was effective immediately.     Ms. Brooks, known then by her maden name Lischa Barrett, is a 1991 graduate of East High School.     Immediately prior to her appointment to the East High assignment the 44-year old was principal of the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy, an optional only middle school (grades 6-8) at what used to be known as Fairview Junior High. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. The Smith STEAM Academy is seen as a likely feeder of students into the East High School T-STEM program.     Ms. Brooks is a graduate of Dartmouth College and began her teaching career with Latin classes at Central High School in Memphis. She then became a technology coordinator at Ridgeway Middle School while also teaching computer technology. She moved into administrative work as assistant principal of Ridgeway High School where she was instrumental in the development of the successful application for Ridgeway to become part of the International Baccalaureate Organization. She has also served as a regional coordinator in the northeast region of Memphis City Schools and as the GEAR UP Coordinator (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs).     The East High T-STEM program begins for students in August with all the ninth grade members being admitted to either the T-STEM or the pre-existing Engineering optional programs. About 125 students are expected in that class. The tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades will continue with a traditional curriculum for the 2017-2018 school year. For 2018-2019, both the ninth and tenth grades will be all optional students, the following year will add the eleventh grade. Next year's ninth graders will become the first twelfth graders in the T-STEM program and will be graduated in 2021.     Ms. Brooks is author of the book The Prayer Manifesto for the Globally Conscious: How to Develop a Heart to Pray for Others (iUniverse, 2013).     Dr. Marilyn Hilliard, East High's interim principal will continue in that role, reporting to the executive principal. An interim principal has been named for the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy to take over the duties Ms. Brooks vacates there.     East High will also undergo a restart for all faculty members. For the 2017-2018 school year all faculty positions are open and will require teachers, including those currently at East, to apply for a teaching position there.     You can see a Shelby County Schools produced video of Ms. Brooks talking about her new role at East High on YouTube.     The East High Alumni Page will continue to bring you details of the East High transition to a T-STEM optional school as well as other news of importance to alumni. Read all our significant East High STEM stories on our East STEM page. If you wish to read the credential news media coverage of this appointment you may do so at: Chalkbeat Feb. 24, 2017,   The Commercial Appeal  Feb. 28, 2017,  Memphis Daily News, Feb. 28, 2017 First Glance at East High STEM Program! by The East High Alumni Page     January 19, 2017 - While indicating plans are still flexible, Shelby County Schools (SCS) has revealed the most about the forthcoming T-STEM (Transportation oriented Science, Technical, Engineering, Math) optional school to which East High is to be transitioned beginning with the fall semester this year.     An open house for parents and others interested in the East High T-STEM optional school was held January 18. Guests were ushered through three technical laboratory classrooms to meet teachers and hear brief explanations of the programs. An additional presentation gave an overview of the initial curriculum "pathways," admission requirements, and other aspects of the program.     The transition of East High into an entirely optional T-STEM school is set to begin in August with the ninth grade and will advance a grade each year. SCS says they expect to have about 125 freshman enrolled next year, possibly with 100 in the T-STEM program and 25 in the existing engineering optional program. Saying the building has plenty of room, Brett Lawson, SCS Instructional Leadership Director, says that if there is a groundswell and 300 qualified students apply to the T-STEM program's first year program it will expand to accommodate them. Those in grades ten through 12 will continue the traditional course of studies but administrators say their programs will also be enhanced.     The classes for the initial ninth grade T-STEM group will be held in the newer buildings at East High, originally constructed as a Vo-Tech and the original optional school center. According to administrators, essentially there will be two schools at East, the T-STEM program in the newer buildings and the traditional students in the original East High building, each with its own principal. The newer facility also has its own kitchen but it appears undecided whether T-STEM students will have lunch there or in the main lunchroom in the main building. T-STEM students may also use the auditorium and gym in the main structure. As grades are added to the T-STEM program it will expand into the larger building. Even though the older building was constructed in 1947-1948, Lawson praised the "beautiful" building saying the T-STEM program looked forward to expanding into it.     The school system is soliciting ideas from parents as to what should be included in the curriculum. The initial classes will offer three T-STEM pathways of study. "Project Lead the Way," a broad spectrum engineering course which all T-STEM students are anticipated to take, Aviation, and Distribution and Logistics.     The T-STEM program has a mandatory eighth class period. During their ninth grade year, a T-STEM student could take two T-STEM classes as well as the other general education required and optional classes. In addition, SCS offers a virtual STEM academy for any qualified SCS student in the county in which a East High T-STEM student could enroll, giving them a ninth class each day. The virtual STEM laboratory is already located at East High. A number of courses will offer dual enrollment in which a student gets college credit upon successful completion as well as the high school credit. Lawson said it is possible an East T-STEM student could graduate from the school with 22 high school STEM credits. "If only half of them are dual enrollments, you'd walk away with 33 college credits before you graduate, plus an industry certification or two or three or four."     It was emphasized several times that even though the new program at East is transportation oriented, that is not all for which the curriculum prepares a graduate. Transportation may be the example often used, but the knowledge and skills taught apply broadly to STEM careers. Even beyond that, the critical thinking needed to complete the T-STEM course work is beneficial for students pursuing other less technical work, from being attorneys to teachers.     SCS says industry and organizations are excited about the East T-STEM program and have made commitments to participate in one way or another. Earlier, SCS cited 25 such partners but at the open house and in other recent documents about 15 are being listed. Cummins Diesel will work with the school to provide diesel engine technology studies, FedEx provides flight simulators for the aviation curriculum and University of Memphis teachers are participating.     Acceptance into the East High T-STEM program requires an applying student score at or above the 50 percentile on the reading and math subtests of the NWEA Map, a TCAP End of Course Test, or another nationally normed assessment, including the PSAT, SAT, or ACT. The test must have been taken no more than one year prior to the application for admission to the East T-STEM program. On the reading and math subtests, scores may be from a single administration of the test or multiple instances, which according to Lawson can be merged into a "super score." Applicants must have, and students in the East T-STEM program must maintain, a GPA of 3.0 or above and no semester or end of course grade lower than a C. They must have an attendance record with no more than 15 absences or instances of tardiness to school or class and conduct grades must be satisfactory or above. An interview with the student is required for admission. Lawson says the interview is mostly to determine that the student is interested in the program, not only a parent. Parents or guardians, as well as students, will need to sign an agreement that they understand the expectations of the program and are committed to maintaining them.     Applications to the East High T-STEM optional school will be accepted beginning January 27, 2017, however, an applicant may reserve a virtual place in line by obtaining a bar code beginning January 23. A portion of the application process is outlined here.     Expectatons of the STEM matter to come before the board of Education at its January, 2017 meetings are outlined here.     See additional stories below on East High STEM and also on our Today's East High page. East High STEM Plan Next Steps January 12, 2017 - The East High Alumni Page has spoken with the administration of Shelby County Schools about the status of the East High STEM proposal.     The SCS administration expects to implement the plan effective with the start of the 2017-2018 school year barring unexpected opposition. It is believed that the members of the Board of Education support the plan. While there may be some opposition by those who currently live in the East High attendance zone, since they or their children might have to attend another school, the administration does not expect any such opposition to derail the proposal.        The plan is expected to be discussed at the January 24, 2017, Board of Education Work Session which begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Coe building Auditorium, 160 South Hollywood Street, Memphis. No votes are taken and members of the public are not permitted to speak to the board at the Work Session.     The administration does not plan to bring up the East STEM proposal at the Board of Education "business meeting" which begins at 5:30 p.m.  January 31. The administration believes, as most observers do, that the proposal to transition East High into a STEM optional school does not require a vote of the board. Votes of the board are taken at the business meeting sessions and the public is also allowed a limited opportunity to speak to the board members during the business meeting. Members of the public wishing to speak at the business meeting must sign up before the meeting begins. A sign up sheet is available from about 5 to 5:30 p.m.     The administration does not propose to change the name of East High, at least initially. There has been some discussion among board members previously about altering the name if the STEM proposal is implemented.     As reported elsewhere on these pages, the East High STEM proposal calls for the transition to occur year by year, grade by grade, beginning with the ninth grade in 2017. The administration foresees the probability of East having two principals during the transition phase, one for the STEM students and one for the traditional students. In an earlier post here, it was disclosed a job opportunity posting has been issued by the school district for a principal of East High to oversee the school as "a local, regional, and national model focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math in Transportation Based Careers (T-STEM)." Also previously reported here, the district has published an estimate that there will be 100 seats available for students in the ninth grade STEM program at East beginning with the fall semester, 2017.     For more background, follow the links in the above story and those below to additional links to some of the previously published stories. "Transforming East High School into one of the most high performing high schools" Handful Hear a Few New Details About East STEM proposal Decision on "Hyper Underperforming" East High School Needed Soon - Transition would mean many changes Done deal? - Plan east transition to all optional stem school called official Report: "It's official. Big changes coming to historic Memphis East High School" January 7, 2017 Chalkbeat, an on-line education news resource, reported "East High School, open since 1948 and one of the city's most iconic schools, is officially on the list of optional programs being promoted this month as the district prepares to receive applications beginning on Jan. 27." Read the Chalkbeat article   Handful Hear a Few New Details About East STEM proposal All commenting spoke in support by The East High Alumni Page       November 22, 2016 - There was a decidedly different atmosphere at the "info session" about the proposal to make East High an optional only STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) high school at a very poorly attended public meeting at First Baptist Church Broad November 22. There was nary a negative opinion of the plan to convert East into a high achievement STEM school, very much unlike a similar session held at East October 17 where the vast majority of perhaps 50 members of the general public made up of mostly alumni, parents, guardians, and East teachers had aggressive questions and outright opposition to the idea.      A handful of East alumni, including Mea King, a 1997 East graduate and now an award winning teacher at East, made rather long comments in favor of the STEM proposal.      About the only hint of opposition came from three or four alumni who expressed concern about the possibility the name of the school might be changed. Dr. Hedi Ramirez, Chief Academic Officer of Shelby County Schools fielded the question with a somewhat ambiguous answer about wanted to preserve the historic significance of the school and its name and then suggesting about three names that included the word "east" in them but were not precisely "East High School."      Mr. Brett Lawson an SCS Instructional Leadership Director, who coaches principals at eleven high schools including East, gave a slide presentation but as both he and Ramirez warned, there was not much new revealed that had not been made public at the October meeting or at a school board Academic Performance Committee meeting held late last month.      New elements in the proposal not expressed in meetings for the general public before were the suggestions that students living in within a two mile radius of East would get a "priority" in the admission process and that there would be a mandatory after-school class for the STEM students followed by a voluntary attendance class which they would be encouraged to attend. It was pointed out that the iZone schools in the SCS system, which special intervention underway and are reportedly making significant progress in helping students close an grade level-achievement gap, have an extra hour of class every day.      Other aspects of the proposed admission requirements were quite similar to those expressed before including successful applicants being in the 50th percentile on approved reading and math assessments, a grade point average of at least 3.0 with no grade lower than a C, and no bad conduct grades.      Students in what is now the East High attendance zone would be assigned to either Douglass or Melrose High Schools, both iZone schools starting with the rising ninth graders for the 2017-2018 school year. For each of the next 3 years one additional grade would be added to the STEM curriculum while those currently in the traditional curriculum would be allowed to continue at East in that study regime until they graduate, assuming they graduate on time.      This was the fourth meeting for people not affiliated with the school system could attend. In addition to this meeting and the October 17 meeting, there was the afore mentioned Academic Performance Committee meeting and last night, November 21, there was a meeting for parents and students for those pupils in the East attendance zone who would be ninth graders next year. That meeting, too, did not draw a large crowd. An SCS representative said about eight to ten parents and three students attended.      Several people mentioned that one reason so few attended tonight's event at the church was that the East High boys basketball team was playing a game in the MLK Tournament at the same time. East has been pre-season ranked as being the number three boys high school basketball team in the nation.       At least two of the meeting attendees mentioned, without criticizing the choice, that the people at the basketball game should have been at the information meeting about East High's future.      About a dozen people who were not employees of Shelby County Schools were scattered about the church's chapel. Six of those were University of Memphis students who were billed as STEM ambassadors speaking in favor of a STEM education, particularly as it applied to transportation. Their attendance was apparently arranged by another "public" attendee and presenter, Dr. Stephanie Ivey, an associate professor of civil engineering and Director of the Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute at the university. Her comments gave strong support of STEM education and the opportunities it opens for students. The university is one of more than two dozen entities pledging to support in one way or another an East High STEM curriculum.      If one subtracts the U of M people and the SCS administrative staff from the total, one could count the members of the general public attending in the middle single digits, most being East alumni.      At an information meeting at East High held October 17 attracted about 60 people total, perhaps 25 East alumni and 20 teachers from the school. Most of the rest were either East students or SCS employees. As we have reported, the tone of that meeting was quite resistant to the STEM proposal.      In her comments, Rameriz again cited the risk to East saying, "[I]f we don't do something with East High School someone will do something to East High School." It has been noted previously East has about 522 students in a building with a capacity of about 1,500 and it is currently in the fourth percentile of schools statewide academically. That means more than 95% of the public schools in the state rank higher. She said the idea is to offer East STEM students a high quality Dual Enrollment (college and high school at the same time) and/or college credit courses.      Among the attendees was school board member Teresa Jones in whose voting district East is located. She said that while she was open to being convinced otherwise from the start she has been in favor of the proposal to make East a STEM optional school.      The Board of Education is expected to discuss the proposal for an East STEM optional (magnet) school at its November 29 meeting and perhaps discuss and vote on the proposal at a December 6 meeting at which a limited time is allowed for public comments to be made to the board. The school administration has, however, says it will also be presenting proposals to close two other elementary schools at the same meetings. School closures often bring crowds of parents, students and teachers from the affected schools and that can reduce even further the time each member of the public gets to speak. Both board meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Coe building auditorium at SCS, 160 South Hollywood Street (see map).      In addition, SCS announced a few other relevant dates: January 8, 2017, a SCS optional school\program fair at the University of Memphis, January 18, 2017, an public open house at East High School, and, January 27, 2017, optional school\program application acceptance opens at 6:30 a.m.      Look for further details on the January 18 East High open house in the coming days. Decision on "Hyper Underperforming" East High School Needed Soon Transition would mean many changes by The East High Alumni Page [Editor's note: a preliminary decision on East High STEM may come in late November and early December, 2016. See our Today's East High page for details.       October 27, 2016 - Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dorsey Hopson says a decision from the school board on whether to proceed with his proposal to transition East High into a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) focused optional school needs to be made within "the next month or so." He says the administration needs that lead time to set up the curriculum and choose a school principal and staff, as well as determine a different school assignment for rising 9th graders who will remain in traditional studies but live in the current East attendance zone.       Hopson first suggested the transition a year ago which would have taken place this school year, but questions from board members and an unsettled situation over closing of other schools led him to delay the proposal for a year. The idea includes a lot of the STEM curriculum involving the transportation industry, so much so that the school system has called it a T-STEM school proposal, the "T" standing for transportation. However, the top academic department official said that the transportation aspect could be over played in the discussion but that transportation is a major employer in Memphis with many career opportunities.       At an Academic Performance Committee meeting of the Board of Education attended by board members Miska Clay-Bibbs, Teresa Jones, Mike Kernell, and Chris Caldwell October 25, Hopson and SCS Chief Academic Officer Hedi Ramirez outlined the proposal for the transition of East High to a STEM school with about the same information presented to parents, teachers, and the public at a meeting at East High October 17. It calls for a year-by-year transition with the ninth grade to be all STEM students in 2017-2018, progressing by one grade each year until 2020-2021 when the entire 9-12 grade structure would be fully STEM.       Hopson said it would be "too much to do it well" to change all grades four grades to the STEM curriculum in one year. The year -by-year transition would also allow all those students currently enrolled at East to continue in traditional classes until they graduated from East, presuming they were promoted to the next grade each year.       As The East High Alumni Page reported earlier, East is now in the lowest four percent of all schools in the state in academic performance. Attendance is down to about 522 pupils while another 245 who live in the East attendance zone go to other SCS or SCS Charter schools. The administration says the current capacity of East is 1,364. The engineering optional program which once thrived at East has less than 40 students enrolled in it. Ramirez described East at "hyper underperforming."       Weighing in on the side to make East a STEM school in addition to the poor academics and low enrollment is the report that 21 entities have pledge to support the East STEM school in one way or another, including the University of Memphis and FedEx. The potential partners are said to be "really excited" about the possibilities if East is transitioned into the optional school and, the school administration says, many have agreed to support those in the traditional curriculum during the year-by-year transition. The physical condition and location of the East High School building are attributes favorable to maintaining it as a viable school.       As has been said repeatedly, and reported previously here, the poor academic performance of East combined with the low attendance makes East a target for closing or for take over by the state's Achievement School District (ASD). The ASD does not plan to acquire any schools next year because of the changing of the state assessment tools. The ASD is likely to be back to taking over poor performing schools for the 2018-2019 school year. Memphis has already been the locale where the ASD has taken over the vast majority of schools and the number of SCS schools in the lowest five percent of academic performance continues to make it a target rich environment.      Arguments against making East a fully STEM school include those often expressed by attendees at the October 17 meeting at East. Of the sixty or so alumni, teachers, parents, and members of the public that attended that meeting, there was strong sentiment for keeping East a neighborhood school for all children in the attendance zone. Parents and other guardians just want their children to be able to walk to school. A related concern was that neighborhood children who might want to attend an East STEM school would not qualify to attend. Alumni, particularly from the 1990s and early 2000s it seems, believed the school was a good school when they attended and thought it could be restored just by raising the standards while keeping it a traditional school. Many at the meeting said enrollment was down because Career and Technology Courses (CTE), previously known as vo-tech, had been cut. They said attendance would rebound if more CTE courses were brought back to East.       A successful STEM school in the SCS system is Maxine Smith STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Academy, a middle school which is in the building previously known as Fairview Junior High. Those middle schoolers could continue their STEAM/STEM studies at an optional high school devoted to that curriculum. It was said, however, however, that when speaking with parents of Maxine Smith STEAM Academy students they expressed concerns about safety issues at East High. It was also noted that Maxine Smith has less than 150 enrolled it its six through eighth grades and not all of them would choose to attend East even if it were a STEM school. Ramirez said that a freshman STEM class at East would expect to have between 100-120 children.       It was revealed at the October 25th meeting that there could be two principals at East if the STEM proposal is implemented, one for the pupils in the traditional curriculum and another for those in STEM.       Hopson also indicated an interest in having higher admission standards for an East STEM school than were included in the failed federal grant application and mentioned at the October 17 meeting. He said there was a thought that to push for a higher performance STEM school those seeking admission might be required to have a grade point average higher than 3.0 and to take an admissions test. Some other SCS optional programs have admissions testing, including the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy. With a GPA requirement of "3.2 or 3.5 then, I think, the opportunity for long term rigor and high performance is probably even greater," Hopson added. It was made known that the earlier mentioned admission criteria with no admissions test and a GPA of 3.0 was related to the competitive federal grant application and since SCS did not get that grant it was free to improve the requirements. Ramirez did say that hiking the GPA requirement or requiring admission testing would probably make it "not worth the time to reapply" for another federal magnet school grant as those grants favor a more open admission policy.       The superintendent said the easiest way to transition East would be to close it as a traditional school and then reopen it as a fully STEM school but because of tradition and allowing current students to finish at their school, the grade by grade transition would be preferable. He said there was plenty of space to, in essence, be running two schools within the building.       It might be noted that for the years prior to the 1972-1973 school year, East did run two, perhaps three, schools in the same building: East Elementary, East Junior High, and East High. The elementary had a separate principal while the junior high and high school were served by the same principal.       The recent reputation of East was mentioned in connection with drawing students to an East STEM school. It was said that just changing the curriculum and calling it STEM would not necessarily attract students, that the reworked school would need to be well marketed to parents in Shelby County. Bibbs, the committee chairperson, said she thought the name would also need to be changed both because of the lingering reputation of recent years and to differentiate the traditional classes from the STEM classes during the transition period, but she added the new name should incorporate the word "East" in it.       East athletics were mentioned as a positive attraction for students and both the administration proposal and at least three board members at the Academic Performance Committee meeting expressed a desire to continue the "championship" tradition of athletic programs at East. It was suggested that some athletes who excel academically are going to schools outside the district or private schools because there were too few choices of high schools in SCS with good athletic programs and high academic achievement. Kernell said careers now call for teamwork and that is a valuable lesson sports can teach.       Jones asked about the possibility of ASD taking over East after the transition began but before improved academic results starting showing in the annual statistics. She suggested the administration talk with the ASD to get some assurance that would not happen and that there would be some number of years for the turnaround to take effect. Hopson indicated he "couldn't imagine" the ASD not giving some leeway but that he would talk with the ASD about it.       Jones told the superintendent she and the board needed a time line giving the "ideal" dates for each step to happen. Hopson appeared to agree and said the most immediate need was planning the assignment of next year's ninth graders to another school. Ramirez added that the brochures for optional school programs for next year go to the printer in December.       Jones, the immediate past chairperson of the school board, said she might like to see both a traditional school and the STEM optional school in the building if funding and other factors would allow. Furthermore, she said she would prefer the vision be broader than a transportation STEM to increase its appeal. Hopson said STEM was the headline feature, suggesting the studies would entail a considerably wider focus than just STEM for transportation.       Kernell called an East High STEM school a "beautiful thing we could point to for ourselves and for the rest of the world."       In her Academic Performance Committee report at the school board "business meeting" later October 25, Bibbs mentioned that the group had discussed the East High STEM proposal but did not go into any detail. Two East alumni and two East seniors spoke to the board during the public comment period. Their main point seemed to be a desire to be fully informed and the opinions of alumni and students be included in the decision making process.       The Shelby County Board of Education's next scheduled meeting is a "work session" (no votes, no public comment, but open for public observation) November 29. The next scheduled business meeting (with votes and public comments) is December 6. Various board committees may meet before those dates and a special called meeting could also occur if needed. Board policy requires at least 24 hours notice of any board meeting be posted and placed on the SCS web site. Committee meetings require a five day notice unless an emergency situation exists. The Board of Education's section of the SCS web site can be found at http://www.scsk12.org/board/. Read an additional story on the October 25, 2016, Academic Performance Committee meeting in Chalkbeat. Initial Public Meeting on Future of East High School As a STEM Optional School Parents and Public Question the Proposal by The East High Alumni Page      October 17, 2016 - The top academic officers of the Shelby County School system along with the Board of Education member in whose district East High sits tonight met with about 60 people comprising a few current East High students, a contingent of perhaps 25 alumni of the school, about a dozen East teachers, the remainder were parents and guardians of current students, and a few concerned members of the larger Memphis community. It appeared the largest group were alumni.      East High's future is in question because it is in the bottom five percent in academic performance of schools in the state. With the decline in enrollment (currently at 522), and the low academic rating, East is open to be taken over by the state's Achievement School District or, as SCS administrators have said, on a trend that could lead to a closing of the school.      After introductory remarks from East Principal Marilyn Hilliard, Superintendent Dorsey Hopson, and Board Member Teresa Jones, SCS Chief Academic Officer Hedi Ramirez conducted a presentation outlining some ideas the district administration has about transforming East High.      As was reported here a year ago, the administration's initial proposal is to make East High a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) optional school. In particular a T-STEM school, with the first T standing for a focus on how STEM applies to transportation. Ramirez noted that Memphis is a transportation hub with thousands employed in the industry. While emphasizing that the purpose was to inform and get ideas from the public, the initial proposal called for all ninth grade students in the 2017-2018 school year to be STEM students, admitted to the program upon application and meeting the requirements of no more than 15 combined tardies and absences from school during a year, a grade point average of 3.0, and no N (needs improvement) or U (unsatisfactory) in conduct, and participating in an application interview. Current East pupils in grades 10-12 would continue their traditional curriculum during that first year of the STEM program. The second year grade ten would be added as exclusively STEM, the third year grade eleven, and finally in school year 2020-2021 all four high school grades would be STEM.      The presentation was interrupted with a few questions and after trying to answer one or two administrators asked the group to let the presentation continue and save questions for discussion in small groups that would assemble in a few minutes. It was clear from the initial questions, however, that the proposal was meeting some resistance.      In the small group this writer attended, there seemed to be little support for the T-STEM program. Instead, those speaking mostly advocated for maintaining the neighborhood school, more diverse courses, more tutors, and more career technology education (CTE) classes (what used to be called vo-tech).      In answering the question if East were to transition to STEM, would the small group prefer year-by-year transition or to make the change all at once and rezone all traditional curriculum students to another school the first year, the small group overwhelmingly indicated a year-by-year transition. That may not mean, however, that they like the idea of a STEM optional school at all.      After the breakout sessions, there were reports on some of the ideas that came from each group. Some of the summary comments: Group 1: bring back the great things East High has had going for it in the past (in this case it appeared the past was defined at 5-10-20 years ago) if the choice is between converting to STEM all at one time or transition grade year by grade year, a transition was overwhelmingly desired for traditional curriculum students remaining at the school, the group wanted great teachers, a dedicated counselor, dual enrollment classes, and stepped up tutoring "some reluctance" for real high admission standards suggestion to "recombine some middle school populations" to increase the feeder pattern into East High so as to increase enrollment get community support to rebrand the school to restore its reputation a current teacher expressed the opinion that things had turned around in the past couple of years and that things would continue to get better; Group 2: want East to be back as the esteemed East it was once before bring back CTE (vo-tech) opportunities for students to engage in athletics – that in the past students came to East because of the successful athletic opportunities continue Peer Power (paid peer tutoring) want students grades 10-12 the option to stay at East through the 12th grade questions about how students at middle school or at Lester would be supported to attend the T-STEM program at East Melrose and East students should not be brought together there should be an optional program, a CTE (vo-tech) STEM program, and a traditional program at East that students should not have to leave East to get a quality education support for elementary and middle schools that will feed into the program mostly the big idea is support for a quality program at East without students having to leave, enhance what's already here; Group 3: could there be someone in the community to act as a liaison between the board of education and the community to provide input on the next phase of planning the question does it have to be an exclusive optional school or could it be both optional and traditional school combined; Group 4: on curriculum and instructional practices our group had a focus on vocational offerings: mechanics, early childhood, liberal arts, performing arts, with opportunity for real world experience peer to peer learning is important (probably referring to the Peer2Peer tutoring program) in regards to STEM, make sure the program is sustainable over time and that the morale within the program is upheld in the past vocational students and optional students didn't mix, if it goes through a combined STEM and traditional curriculum transition, students ought to have the opportunity to do both, academic and vocational and have some input on what their schedule is going to look like if the transitional approach to STEM is used, provide enrichment programs, guest speakers and alums who are very wealthy would be perfect for that.      Following the small group summaries, there were a few additional questions from the audience.      One questioner wanted to know why SCS was pursuing the T-STEM idea since it was rejected for the federal grant. Ramirez said that while the federal government chose not to provide the grant it was not because of the T-STEM focus. In fact, she said SCS got very high marks on the plan design. But she pointed out that the grant application was very competitive and despite losing out on the funds it also was a learning process which could lead to other outside grant applications. She further indicated the existence of the application allowed SCS to go to potential partners in the business community to get their support.      It might be mentioned here SCS says numerous businesses are excited about the T-STEM proposal and have indications they would like to partner with the school system in implementing it.      Another question was about permitting the students of East High a voice in the process. Ramirez said that was a good idea.      SCS administrators and board members repeatedly said that no final decision has been made about the direction East High will go and that additional opportunities for the public to provide opinions will be offered. [See also the October 18, 2016, Chalkbeat (webnews) story about this event. Mid-South Memories: East alumni among those rallying for Eisenhower from The Commercial Appeal October 11, 2016 - Sue Tushingham ('55) pictured far left, Vivian Garland ('54), second from left, and Butch Bassett (class association undetermined), second from right, were among the young women in support of Dwight D. Eisenhower's bid for a second term as president. Newspaper caption: October 10, 1956 - Their political persuasion as obvious as their personal charm, these half dozen young ladies greeted Memphis voters on October 10, 1956, attracted by the Eisenhower Bandwagon as it rolled through town. From left, they are Miss Sue Tushingham of 3587 Mimosa, Miss Vivian Garland of 3195 North Waynoka Circle, Miss Marilyn Marsh of Germantown, Miss Nicky Hurdle of Quincy, Illinois, Miss Butch Bassett of 3209 Cowden and Miss Margaret Marsh of Germantown. (Photo: Barney Sellers/The Commercial Appeal files)   Possible future direction of East High discussed at School Board Superintendent cites 40% drop in enrollment since 2011by The East High Alumni Page September 15, 2015 - Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dorsey Hopson tonight asked the county board of education if it endorsed staff exploring the possibility of East High becoming a "STEAM academy." He said the proposal was for a "high quality" option with a rigorous, college-ready core academic program. While the board members had a lot of questions during the 22 minute discussion, it indicated the administration should proceed with its examination of the possibility. STEAM stands for a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. The idea also provided for an increased focus on career and technical education (CTE) in parallel with the STEAM curriculum. There is already a CTE center on the East campus that is part of the school. CTE generally focuses more on hands on learning, what once was called vocational classes, where STEAM is more traditionally academically oriented but obviously with considerable technical and laboratory elements included. Hopson cited the reason for the district administration's consideration of changes at East included the drop in enrollment from about 900 in 2011 to 550 this school year and calling buildings underutilized facilities. He also noted a decline in Tennessee Value Added Assessment System scores of its students over the past year. The East High Alumni Page reported in late July that Hopson was considering changing the focus of East to a STEM school. A STEM school is similar to a STEAM school but without the additional focus on the arts. Hopson said there were numerous options the district's administration had and would continue to consider. Among the variations if the school were to become a STEAM academy would be whether that would be all it would include in the academic curriculum or whether it might be a "school within a school" that would have another group of students following the regular high school curriculum. He said the building could easily hold two "schools." Responding to a question from a board member he said the school's capacity was about 1,200. In decades past, East has had enrollments greater than 1,500 when it was a grade 1-12 school. Since then, however, the annex, a classroom add on with nine classrooms, has been demolished and some other classroom space has been converted to other uses, for example, a health clinic for students and staff exists at East. School board chairlady Teresa Jones, appearing to particularly speak to the decline in enrollment, said, "[I]t is a concern to me and I think to parents to bring it back to the level it was." Board members told Hopson that there were many questions that needed to be answered in the coming months. Among them, where are the students living that attend East now, what do parents of East students think about the idea, how would those who live in the East attendance zone that thought they would be assigned to East feel if they were no longer assigned to East should it become exclusively a STEAM and CTE school. For three decades East has been an optional school for engineering and health sciences while also maintaining the general curriculum but enrollment in the optional programs has been very low in recent years. Optional schools may be exclusive to the focused line of study or may also have a general student population. Optional schools are open to any student in the county who wishes to pursue the area of focused study as long as there is room in those classes and, in some cases, the student must qualify academically for the optional programs. On a small scale, East currently could be considered a school within a school since it has both general education and optional program students in the building. The superintendent further outlined his proposal pointing out it would provide a STEM focused high school for students "city wide" and create the next level of STEM education for students currently enrolled in the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy, a middle school previously known as Fairview. It is unclear if the presentation was intentionally referencing STEM in some places and STEAM in others. East currently houses the laboratory for a virtual STEM academy. Students enrolled at any district school can take STEM classes either at their school or on-line, and with appropriate grades, can get practical experience in the advanced STEM laboratory at East. Hopson acknowledged the evaluation of the idea was just in its "embryonic stage" but with the board's approval the next couple of months would be used to refine the idea resulting in a more concrete plan with answers to many of the questions the board members had. At this point, making East a STEAM academy is just an idea and if it even comes to fruition the school might also continue to have students enrolled in the regular curriculum. Hopson said he did not want the headlines to misinform people that there was a proposal to close East High and totally repurpose it. What the final recommendation might be is still undetermined and any proposals would be not only presented to the board members for evaluation but also to the community. The board members gave Hopson the green light to continue exploring the possibility of making East a STEAM academy.   Dr. Marilyn Hilliard is East's New Principal for 2015-2016 School Year by The East High Alumni Page August 8, 2015 - (For more on this change of leadership and possible change in direction for East High, see the additional story below.) Dr. Marilyn Hilliard (Principal) has been named interim principal for East High School for the 2015-2016 school year. As The East High Alumni Page earlier reported, in addition to the new principal, Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dorsey Hopson is considering a nationwise search for a permanent principal and the possibility of making East fully a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math focused) school. Hilliard comes to East after serving two years as assistant principal at Southwind High School. Prior to that role she was among faculty in Memphis schools for ten years, including three years at City University Boys Preparatory charter school where she was campus president. Prior to her public school work, Hilliard worked as a Training and Development Specialist for Memphis Light, Gas, and Water Division. The new principal at East has her doctorate in education. She attended Northside High School in Memphis and the University of Mississippi. [The East High Alumni Page hopes to have more details and an interview with Dr. Hilliard soon.]   East to Get New Principal for 2015-2016 School Year East alumnus Eric Harris leaving after five years at helm New direction for school considered by The East High Alumni Page July 30, 2015 - Eric Harris' ('91 and principal 2010-2015) five year tenure as principal of East High School has come to an end. Superintendent Dorsey Hopson has appointed an interim principal whose name has not been publicly announced to guide the institution through the 2015-2016 school year. Hopson said he is considering a national search for a principal and perhaps making East fully a STEM school, which means one that is highly focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Acknowledging East's academic "rich history," Hopson indicated something needed to be done to lift the school's performance. The interim principal graduated from another Memphis high school and has worked in the Memphis and Shelby county school systems for several years, including as an assistant principal. Harris is an East High alumnus, having attended the school for six years and graduating in 1991. He had long aspired to be principal of the school, having told his mother when he was in elementary school he wanted to be principal of East High one day. When he got the job, he said it was a wish come true. East High has become a difficult school to lift to higher academic performance. "My biggest challenge is getting the academics where it should be here," said Harris in 2010 after accepting the appointment to East. According to the state's web site, the composite ACT for 2010, the school year immediately preceding Harris' becoming principal, was 16.2 (equivalent to about a 12.2 in pre-1989 ACT scoring). The 2015 ACT scores are not yet available but the 2014 composite ACT score at East was 15.5. (These ACT scores vary slightly from those originally released with the state report card on schools but are those that are now posted on the state's web site). Harris remembers East from his student days there as having about 50% of the 1,800 students enrolled in the optional programs. He was in the engineering optional program. At that time, East hosted grades six through twelve. When Harris took over East only had grades nine through twelve and the enrollment was about 1,000 and has declined slightly. Despite his efforts to increase enrollment and boost the optional programs, participation in the optional programs has remained quite low, according to Linda N. Sklar, Director of Optional Schools and Advanced Academics for Shelby County Schools. In addition to the Shelby County School employees efforts to improve academics at East, the Peer Power Foundation (formerly The Greater East High Foundation) has provided free tutoring for East students for more than a decade, paying qualified advanced students to tutor pupils that needed or wanted help. Those getting toutored are typically less than ten percent of the student body. Despite its no-cost-to-the-student or his/her family and rewards to students attending and improving their grades, the academic performance overall has changed little because so few participated. Grade point averages of those who did take advantage of the tutoring program were generally well above average, according to the Foundation's reports. Charles McVean (East '61), who created the foundation and has largely funded it with hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps more, has announced that instead of tutoring after school the program will be integrated into regular classes for the 2015-2016 school year. It is hoped that will overcome the participation problem and lift academic performance of many more pupils. Mr. Harris became the sixth principal at East High to serve five years or longer. The new interim principal will be East's 15th principal in its 67 year history. Classes for the 2015-2016 school year begin August 10. When the name is publicly released, The East High Alumni Page will have more about the new principal. You may see a report on East High's 2015 academic measurements on our "Today's East High" page. Tommie Henderson ('91 and Faculty 1998-2003) Appeals to School Board to Keep Charter School Open Dramatic vote allows charter school to stay open by The East High Alumni Page July 29, 2015 - Tommie Henderson ('91 and Faculty), executive director of the charter school New Consortium of Law and Business (NCLB), appeared before the Shelby County Board of Education July 28 to ask that it not approve a recommendation from the county school district's superintendent Dorsey Hopson to revoke the charter school's authorization. The board voted to delay any consideration of closing the school until its regular timetable for considering closings, which is in the first quarter of the calendar year, giving the New Consortium of Law and Business the green light to start classes for the new school year in a few weeks. While charter schools have a great amount of autonomy in operation, they are part of the public school system in Tennessee and the local school board is empowered to authorize charter schools and to revoke any of those it has chartered for cause. In a presentation by Shelby County Schools Chief Innovation Officer, Brad Leon, the district outlined numerous alleged violations of the charter contract between NCLB and the school district as well as violations of state education laws and regulations, particularly in regards to financial statements. There were also allegations by the district administration of violations of federal regulations regarding student Individualized Education Program for Special Education students. During the period for public comments which was limited to three minutes for each speaker, Henderson admitted NCLB made some mistakes. He said missing a payroll and missing payments to the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System were both associated with a cash flow problem resulting from a faulty financial forecast. Henderson seemed to take issue with the district's characterization that enrolling employees in an insurance plan other than that offered by the school district was "illegal," and said at one point the charter school was not permitted to enroll its employees in the district's insurance program. The Commercial Appeal reported that after the board vote Henderson said some of the allegations cited by the district administration he was hearing for the first time and could not verify whether they had occurred or not. The district's administration countered Henderson's comments saying that charter schools have always been allowed to enroll employees in the district's insurance program. Board member Chris Caldwell said financial issues are not new to the NCLB and have plagued it for years. He said an auditor's finding indicated a significant problem with financial reports and that it would not be a surprise if there was a lack of trust in the charter's financial reports. "My gut just tells me this is not best for kids to keep the school open," said District Superintendent Dorsey Hopson. About eight parents or guardians of children enrolled or planning to enroll at NCLB spoke during the public comments period. One had complaints about the school but the others praised the charter school and asked that it be allowed to continue operation. NCLB serves about 160 students with a faculty of approximately 26. The board debated the recommendation to close the charter school and various motions for an hour and a half. Many school board members said their main concern with the recommendation to close the school was timing, that two weeks before classes begin would be chaotic for parents and students if NCLB were closed. The discussion ended in a dramatic manner in which three members of the nine member board passed when their name was called to announce their vote. Then, as those who passed were given the opportunity to cast a vote, the tally was four to four with only the decision of Miska Clay-Bibbs remaining. After pausing before speaking, Bibbs voted for the motion to delay consideration of the charter revocation until the regular period for considering school closings. The vote cleared the way for Henderson's school to open for the new school year's classes in about two weeks. From the archives: Even the FBI couldn't find the killer By Daily News Library, Northwest Florida Daily News, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida Jun 25, 2013 On a hot June afternoon in 1975, with the summer tourist season in full swing, someone attacked a bikini-clad young woman on the beach a scant 500 yards west of Okaloosa Island's biggest condominium. [Editiors note: This story was published April 20, 1983 as a part of a 12-part cold case series written by Staff Writer Tom Conner. Today marks the anniversary of Lynn Pyeatt's murder in 1975, which remains unsolved.] FORT WALTON BEACH -- On a hot June afternoon in 1975, with the summer tourist season in full swing, someone attacked a bikini-clad young woman on the beach a scant 500 yards west of Okaloosa Island's biggest condominium. The pretty vacationer was left dead - or near death - close to the surf. Thirty minutes later, a young man strolling along the beach mistook her for a nude sunbather until he noticed she was not breathing. The victim was Lynn Elizabeth Pyeatt [associated with the Class of '74], the third 19-year-old woman slain in Okaloosa County within 27 months. Her murderer remains at large. Until her death on June 25, Pyeatt had led an enviable life. She came from a well-to-do family and attended a good college, but on that Wednesday she was "in the wrong place at the wrong time," says local FBI agent Mike Dill. "Her murder was one of happenstance." Pyeatt was the daughter of Wayne Pyeatt, a prominent civic and social leader who was then chairman of the board of the National Bank of Commerce in Memphis, Tenn. She had been a cheerleader and an honor student in high school, and had just completed her freshman year at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., where she was studying architecture. In early June she and a friend, Marian Dickerson, left home to vacation in El Matador Condominiums, where Dickerson's father owned a unit. They had been in Okaloosa County about two weeks on the day of the murder. On that day, Pyeatt and a group of friends pitched an umbrella on the beach in front of El Matador. About 3:45 p.m. Pyeatt decided to take a walk along the shore. She went alone and headed west, toward the Eglin Air Force Base reservation. "You must remember this was 1975 and the contour of the beach was different then than it is now," Dill says. "The hurricane (Frederic in 1979) altered the beach, but back in 1975 you could look east to west and soon lose visibility." The contour of the beach served Pyeatt's killer well. She was attacked just a quarter of a mile west of the friends she had left sitting under the umbrella. Her companions saw nothing. Exactly what happened is unclear, but 1st Judicial Circuit Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Edmund Kielman has tried to untangle the string of events. "I felt that perhaps somebody came up to her and she told him to get lost," he says. "Then, maybe after she had turned her back on him, he attacked her." She was hit repeatedly on the head and suffered "several deep scalp hemorrhages that must have rendered her at least semi-unconscious if not unconscious," Kielman told the Daily news after the autopsy. "She was knocked out much like a boxer in the ring." Then, he thinks, she fell or was pushed into the Gulf and inhaled a good deal of water. The killer dragged Pyeatt onto shore and tied her hands behind her back with a nylon cord "to preclude active resistance should she regain consciousness," he says, reading from his autopsy report. The cord scratched her wrists, but not seriously enough to suggest Pyeatt put up a fight after being bound. "It appears the assailant then attempted to sexually assault the victim, not realizing she was already dead or very close to death," Kiel-man says. The killer bit Pyeatt's right breast, Kielman thinks, when "abandoned any further action because he realized she was dead or he thought he saw someone coming." Kielman placed the time of death at 4 p.m., just 15 minutes after Pyeatt had left her friends. She apparently lay on the beach for about 30 minutes before Paul Michael Quinn, an 18-year-old from Smyrna, Tenn., found her body. Kielman says Quinn told him he walked past her "and couldn't believe what he saw. He thought she was alive. He looked back and saw that her chest was not rising and falling, so he returned to her." She was lying near the water's edge, both top and bottom of her bikini missing. A gold earring was pierced through her right ear, but the left one was missing. A gold ring was on her left-hand ring finger. Quinn untied Pyeatt's hands to get a better grasp and dragged her up onto a ledge of sand, according to Dill. "She had faulty breathing and was foaming at the mouth when I found her," Quinn told the Daily News. "I started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and stuff would come out of her mouth. I put my arms around her and squeezed and more stuff would come out of her mouth." Quinn spent what he judged to be half an hour tying to revive Pyeatt, stopping occasionally to try to summon help. From his position up on the beach, he could see the red-roofed El Matador and sunbathers basking on the sand. They were oblivious to Quinn's frantic efforts. "I was afraid to stop," Quinn said. "I was afraid she would die. I'd never run across a dead person before and I didn't know how to tell. So I kept on trying to save her." He removed a blue shirt he was wearing and put it on Pyeatt's body. He grabbed seaweed from the sand and placed it atop her. "He had just taken some Boy Scout courses and was trying to keep her warm," Dill says, explaining Quinn's actions. "He was afraid she might be in shock." All the while Quinn was thinking Pyeatt would recover and "I'd have to walk her down the beach to where other people were." He eventually was aided by a jogger who approached from the east. Quinn explained what was happening and the jogger ran to the condominium and called for an ambulance. When authorities arrived, Pyeatt was dead. The incident occurred on government land, the concurrent jurisdiction of federal and county authorities, so the FBI led the investigation with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Department assisting. Dill says lawmen did recover some physical evidence, "but I can't talk about it" because the case could end up in court someday. It is known that authorities recovered the nylon cord used to bind Pyeatt's hands and the top and bottom of her bathing suit. A man and a woman strolling the beach found her bikini bottom in the surf about 200 yards from the spot where her body was found. "We saw them (the bottom) in the water's edge and went out to get them," the unidentified man said at the time. "Once we saw what they were we just tossed them up on the beach for the owner to come back and claim them. We didn't know then that the owner wouldn't be back." Lawmen also found footprints in the sand. "A variety of naked footprints are present between the body and the wave-washed beach; also noted are two sets of grooves at right angles to the beach line suggesting that a body had been dragged in that direction, toes down," Kiel-man wrote in his report. Dill says the investigation was launched largely on information supplied by Quinn, Marian Dickerson and Pyeatt's other friends. Also, he said, a public request for anyone who may have seen someone in that area of the beach generated a large response. "The general public is very good about coming forth with information," he says. "They would call us and say, 'How about looking into so-and-so. He's known to hang out on the beach.' Then we'd start checking him out, finding out his background and his general description." One person who came forward was another vacationing woman. She said that on June 14 a man had run up to her and grabbed the top of her swimsuit. She was not hurt and the man did not carry the assault any further. The sheriff's department looked for a connection between that incident and Pyeatt's murder, because they occurred just 11 days apart on the beach east of El Matador. No link was found, says Sgt. George French. Quinn was never a suspect, he adds. "We interviewed him and found out what he was doing out there. We talked to him several times and were convinced his story was accurate and that he was not involved." Agents talked to people staying in the El Matador's beachfront units to determine whether they had seen Pyeatt being attacked. No one had. Next, the FBI "tried to find out who was on that beach. It was a laborious task," Dill says, "because of the number of tourists. We tried to run down what they had seen and what they were doing. "We received all sorts of information about suspects and people who might know something, but we never had enough evidence to present to a grand jury." Authorities developed "several" firm suspects, all of whom were local people, he says. Some of the suspects were given polygraph tests during which they were caught lying, but their lies could not be tied in with the murder, Dill says. Off and on during the next six years, lawmen continued to develop suspects. No charges were ever filed, and the case was taken off the FBI's active list in 1981 when a suspect last came under scrutiny. Now, nearly eight years after the murder, Dill can still pinpoint the spot where the pretty teenager was killed. Walk west along the shore past El Matador, he says, and when you look to your right and see a telephone pole with no wires attached to it - "it seems to have no purpose for being there," he says - you're standing on the approximate spot of the murder. That spot is still familiar to Quinn, the young man who found Pyeatt and tried to save her. Contacted at his home in Smyrna, he says he has not heard from the FBI in years. Nonetheless, he says he has been asked to refrain from talking about the case with anyone other than lawmen. Dill says he knew soon after the investigation began that the Pyeatt case would be tough to crack. "Most homicides are family-related or there's some kind of connection between the killer and the victim," he explains. Buy Lynn Pyeatt probably was killed by someone she had never met. When that's the case, he says, you'd better find the killer soon or the search will get more and more difficult as time slips by. [Editor's note: see also a 1975 story about this murder.] Love of trickery, showmanship unites diverse members of Memphis magician's club Lesley Young, The Commercial Appeal, May 16, 2013    Tim Grant claims to have only one bad habit: magic tricks.    "I have enough instructional DVDs, books and tricks to last a lifetime," said the local medical sales representative.    Luckily for Grant, 34, he has a group with which to share his obsession: the Society of Memphis Magicians.    The 70-plus-year-old club is linked to a larger network of similar organizations, or rings, called the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Memphis is Ring 16.    "That means we were one of the first ones," said member and professional magician Jeffrey Day. "There are over 400 around the world."    The local club, which meets the first Tuesday of every month at the Memphis Botanic Garden, counts "several dozen" members from all walks of life.    "We have young people, middle-age, black, white, Asian, women, doctors, dentists, judges ..., all with the common bond of magic," said local lawyer and businessman Mike Speros ['67], 64. "The people in the club are so varied, we might never run across each other otherwise."    Speros, like many of his clubmates, started young but fell out of the magic of magic when he entered his teen years, with the occasional dallying while raising children.    Eventually, his grown children would rekindle his love of the craft by a simple gesture.    "One year about 14 or 15 years ago, my children could not figure out what to get me for Christmas," Speros said. "They went to the Fun Shop and found a book on card magic with a few other tricks. I opened it up and said, "What's this?' They said, "Remember when we were little and you would do magic tricks for us? That was fun, and you need a hobby.' I decided to get good at it."    Speros joined the club, found a mentor in late local lawyer and magician Jim Surprise, and worked on his repertoire.    Grant found magic after seeing a show at age 9.    When his parents allowed him one stop of his choice on their visit to Washington, he chose Al's Magic Shop.    "They gave me a AAA guide book and said I could pick one thing out of the book," Grant said. "I looked at every page and saw Al's Magic Shop and said, "I want to go there.'"    He grew out of his hobby during his teen years, but had his memory triggered while visiting nieces and nephews in Georgia and attending a magic show with them.    "That was the spark that reignited me to say, "I want to check it out again and learn more about it,'" Grant said.    Four years later and magic is his "favorite thing to do now," with a weekly gig from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Friday at the Trolley Stop Market    "You have to practice every day," Grant said. "There's a famous saying, "Magic should look natural.'"    Grant's secret to perfection is taking video of himself.    "You have to rehearse not just the moves, but what you say," he said. "You rehearse the scripts and the choreography. I video myself multiple times until it looks good."    Grant's two favorite tricks include the traditional cups-and-balls, with the balls vanishing and reappearing, and one in which rabbits multiply and appear in the audience participant's hands.     "They have a crowd-pleasing effect," he said. "I like to get a good reaction of laughs and surprises."    For Day, who has worked as a professional magician around the country for years, the reaction is what keeps a magician in the game.    "You have to make the spectator believe it, and you do that by believing it yourself, said Day, 52. "When it happens, you get goose pimples."    "The best reaction I ever got was when a woman turned her card over and it was her card, the hair on her arms raised up," Speros said. "Neither one of us said anything, but we looked at each other and knew. That's better than a room full of people applauding."    The group members' specialties are as varied as their backgrounds, with coin experts, card experts, parlor magicians and mentalists.    The variety of crafts in one club benefits everyone, no matter his or her specialty.    "Everybody has different skills sets, and we all learn from each other," Day said.    Club members often invite more well-known performers to give presentations and lectures during the meetings, and they give one another feedback about their routines.    "It's the toughest audience you can find, because everyone in the room already knows what you're doing, but it's really helpful and it's always fun," Day said.    Ring 16 welcomes new members and guests to meetings. The annual membership fee is $15, and it costs $20 to attend lectures presented by out-of-town performers.    "Magic fundamentally brings people together," Day said.    "I look at it as a performance art form, as a way of expressing myself," Grant said, "and I get to do something nice for other people and hopefully give them an experience they'll remember the rest of their lives."    It certainly had that effect on Day.    "I remember when I started back in school. I was very shy and not popular," Day said. "Once I learned a coin trick, suddenly I was the only kid in school who could do this one thing nobody else could do. Suddenly, I had self-esteem. That has helped me my entire life."    For more information about the Society of Memphis Magicians, visit ring16.org. A video of Mike Speros performing a magic trick can be viewed on youtube.com. MCS Decides Not To Transfer Teacher after Students Protest Daniel Hight, WREG, October 26, 2012 (Memphis) Students at East High School say one of their teachers has made a lasting impact on their lives and they were not going to let administrators transfer her to another school without a fight. Nearly 100 students gathered in the hallway, refusing to go to class, standing up for Ms. Hightower [Faculty], a teacher they love. "We're tired of seeing teachers that we care so deeply about and that care about us, going away," said Javian Tunstall. The latest was their health and science teacher, who was being transferred to another high school after working 27 years at East High. "Thats the problem," said Devin Payne, a senior. "We've waited too long. We've been passive for too long and if we didn't come out today, who knows who is next." Payne said students decided to protest when the principal failed to give answers to their questions. "We've tried talking to him but he told us there is nothing he can do, so we are trying to reach out to his bosses and get them to try to stop this," said Payne. Memphis City Schools did listen and decided not to transfer Ms. Hightower, for now. MCS told us the teacher will get to finish the rest of the school year and then will likely be transferred. They say this will create better programs for both high schools. [Editor's note: the story and video may still be available at WREG's web site. Nashville coach says former Mississippi State booster gave money to recruit Pat Forde, Yahoo! Sports, Sep 12, 2012 A now-disassociated Mississippi State booster allegedly made cash payments to a recruit and arranged for complimentary lodging and meals for the recruit's seven-on-seven coach, Yahoo! Sports has learned. In an interview with Y! Sports, Nashville-based seven-on-seven coach Byron De'Vinner – recipient of the lodging and meals – explained in detail how former Mississippi State booster Robert Denton Herring broke multiple NCAA rules in 2011 and '12 in an effort to land Memphis East High School defensive back Will Redmond. De'Vinner said he also told his story to NCAA enforcement representatives, who have been investigating the allegations jointly with Mississippi State's compliance department over the course of several months. In July the school sent Herring, who lives in Roswell, Ga., a letter informing him that he had been disassociated from the athletic program for "impermissible contact" with a recruit. In August, Bulldogs assistant coach Angelo Mirando resigned for what the school termed "unforeseen personal issues," but sources told Y! Sports that his resignation was because of the NCAA inquiry. De'Vinner said Mirando introduced Redmond to Herring, but that the coach and booster both wanted De'Vinner "to take the fall" for their relationship. Vanessa Brown, Redmond's mother, declined comment to Yahoo! Sports Wednesday morning. Attempts to reach Herring and Mirando were unsuccessful. Herring has not cooperated with investigators from both the NCAA and Mississippi State. Redmond was a four-star recruit according to Rivals.com and reportedly had offers from Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt, among others. He signed with Mississippi State last February and is currently a freshman on the team. He has not yet played in a college game. Redmond has been interviewed by the NCAA, according to De'Vinner, and there have been multiple media reports that the NCAA interviewed his coach at Memphis East, Marcus Wimberly. De'Vinner said another Memphis product, defensive back Sheldon Dawson of Ridgeway High School, also was interviewed recently by the NCAA about his recruitment by Mississippi State. Multiple media outlets have reported that as well. Dawson is a freshman at Georgia and has seen limited action this season. He did not return calls and messages Tuesday. A source with knowledge of the investigation said the NCAA contacted nearly a dozen players who were recruited by Mississippi State. De'Vinner said he believes Mirando was the only Mississippi State staff member who knew "Denton" Herring was committing recruiting violations. "I don't think there were no other coaches in the know, but Denton was dealing with a lot of players over there," De'Vinner said. "Will was the one caught up, but he was dealing with a lot of players." De'Vinner provided Yahoo! Sports with hotel bills and other documentation to back up his claims of violations. Under NCAA rules, benefits to a third party associated with a prospect are impermissible from any representative of a university. That includes boosters, and Herring – a season-ticket holder prior to being disassociated – fits the definition of a booster. Because of the ongoing NCAA investigation into Memphis-area prospects – including Auburn signee Jovon Robinson, who was declared ineligible earlier this summer by the NCAA after it discovered the player's high school transcript had been changed – De'Vinner has become the focus of fan interest across the region. He said he came forward to Yahoo! Sports to make public what information he's provided to the NCAA in the hopes of clearing his name. He said he's been accused on fan message boards and in other outlets of being a "bag man" who was selling access to recruits who had played on his seven-on-seven team. Best of the best: Memphis teachers honored for achievements By Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal, September 11, 2012 The billboard with the close-up of Meah King ['97 and Faculty] at Central and East Parkway is a symbol of the East High teacher's rewarding year. First she received the $25,000 Milken Award for excellence. The billboard went up this summer. Then Tuesday, she and 133 other "irreplaceable" city school teachers received the Prestige Award, the homegrown honor Memphis City Schools dreamed up to highlight its finest teachers. "I'm excited and elated," she said. "I feel like I'm basically a representative for all the educators who do what I do every day. "We wear all the different hats it takes for those students to be successful. I am a representative for the teachers whose names aren't called. It's a joint effort." One by one, the district honored 134 Prestige winners in a ceremony Tuesday at the Memphis Botanic Garden. They were chosen by their peers as the best example of what a teacher should be. More than 4,000 teachers voted. "These are our irreplaceables," Supt. Kriner Cash said. "If you lose one of these teachers, it takes eleven replacements to get back to par." In the new school achievement parlance, these are also the teachers capable of getting two years' growth in student learning every year. They also scored at the top of the teacher evaluation profiles last year, earning the highest scores for how they make lessons leap to life. Each received a $100 prize plus the applause of their peers. The city schools created the recognition as part of its work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to reward excellent teachers. The public side of the work started going up on the teacher billboards around town more than a year ago. "Unless you are in the school every day, teachers are a monolithic group. You don't know who's who," Cash said. "I wanted them to come down and be human and real to everybody. "These are the rock stars in our profession. Everyone knew we had good teachers. We have never really recognized them in such a citywide way." For King, an English teacher, the billboard means strangers now recognize her. "From where I come from, it was indeed an honor," said King, a 1997 graduate of East. "My family treats me like a celebrity. It's awesome. It brings out the kid in me a little. "I've heard from old friends from elementary school all the way to former parents and students who told me my work wasn't in vain. It's a big encouragement. And my students say my eyes follow them." The evening had a sad note. One of the honorees, Hawkins Mill Elementary teacher Kellee Davis, 29, died of bone cancer in May after the votes were in. At home somewhere in Memphis was Cameron Stevens, 9, battling the same cancer and sorry he was too sick to attend the event. Davis had reached out to his family via Facebook when she heard he was sick. "She came to visit him in the hospital and told him exactly what the disease was," said his mother Ashley Stevens, a high school friend of Davis'. "She showed him her scar. She told him she lost her hair and that he would too. She told him to stay in physical therapy," Stevens said. "Then she said, 'One thing I want you to know is to never say you are sick. Never let cancer take over you,' she told him. "I can count on one hand the number of times he's said he was sick since he was diagnosed last January. When he says he's not doing well, I know it's serious." Spinning us around, especially at 45 RPM by The East High Alumni Page August 17, 2012    East High opened and began graduating students when our society was beginning big changes in many ways. One was the influence and wide distribution of music of all types, but, of course, a big change was rock 'n' roll. Memphis was the center of that change for many reasons, it was the birthplace of rock 'n' roll. It was a major distribution point for the new 45 RPM record format. The key player in that record distribution was the father of several East alumni.    America's Distribution Center was a catch phrase not long ago describing Memphis and it is true enough these days. With FedEx flying packages all over the world, the third largest rail center in the United States, fourth largest inland port, and the third largest trucking corridor, Memphis is the distribution center. As Kevin Kane of the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau says, even as far back as the 1950s Memphis was a major distribution center, and that was especially true for recordings of music. It included music of many a genré, but since this was the location of the beginning of rock 'n' roll, music that spun traditional societal values around at least as fast as the 45 RPM record, rock was a big part of what was sent to the rest of the nation from Memphis.    Robert "Buster" Williams owned Plastic Products Company which formed the disks and pressed the recordings into the records, especially 45 RPM records. He also owned Williams Distributors that controlled thousands of juke boxes, and Music Sales, which distributed the records. Utilizing passenger airline flights, Plastic Products got new records out to DJs and record stores over night. Sun, Chess, Stax, MGM, and Atlantic Records and a number of smaller labels used and benefited from Plastic Products, which quickly became the third largest independent record pressing firm in the nation.    This morning, August 17, a historical marker was unveiled at the historical site of Plastic Products, 1746 Chelsea Avenue, in Memphis. Pictured participants in the unveiling included his children Richard Williams (associated with the Class of '63) in the sports coat on the far left, Sue Zan Williams (associated with the Class of '70) wearing a red blouse, and Lynn Williams ('68) in the blue and white blouse in the center of the photo.    Also in attendance was East's Jake Schorr (associated with the Class of '61), who played on the factory floor in his childhood. Several noteable Memphis muscians along with other dignataries attended. Despite the drizzly day, a good crowd came to see the quanset huts where the records were pressed and witness the unveiling of yet another reminder that Memphis is the birthplace of rock 'n' roll and home of the blues. August 2, 2012 Kemmons Wilson opened the first Holiday Inn, his children cut the ribbon at the ceremony. On August 1, they recreated that scene 60 years to the day at another Memphis area Holiday Inn to commemorate the anniversary of one of the most famous motel chains. Attempting to dress similarly as they did 60-years ago, in both pictures are Spence Wilson ('60), Bob Wilson ('62), Kem Wilson Jr. ('64), Betty Wilson ('66), and Carole Wilson('67). The Commercial Appeal, August 2 API Photographers has provided the right image for 65 years API evolves with times, offering wide range of photographic services By Jonathan Devin, The Commercial Appeal July 9, 2012. Bill Carrier ['68] is the owner and director of photography of API Photographers. Carrier has worked on major films and television shows including "The Firm," "Cybil" and "Hustle and Flow." Bill Carrier's office walls are covered with hundreds of photographs, but he's not in a single one of them. From behind the camera, Carrier and his family grew a thriving business in photography and film frame by frame for the better part of a century. Now API Photographers is part of a new movement to keep the corporate filming industry local. "There's been everything in here from two camels, to four cars, to the 'Hustle & Flow' set," said Carrier, owner and director of photography for API, referring to the 4,000-square-foot sound stage inside his building near the airport. The sound stage was added on in 1984. The cinder block walls are filled with sand for soundproofing, and a 120 x 16 foot hard cyc wall and a catwalk wrap around the room. Thirty-two feet of that are painted green so that imagery can be added in on top of it. For several weeks the stage was the home of Djay, the fiction hero of Craig Brewer's Oscar-winning feature "Hustle & Flow." Djay's homemade recording studio was built and filmed on Carrier's sound stage. "Our facility was perfect for that $3 million production because they could come in and shoot all they needed (for those scenes) on the stage and everything else was shot on location," said Carrier. Carrier's father, Bill Carrier Jr., now deceased, started the company in 1947. A returning World War II veteran, he opened his shop originally at Main and Monroe, where film processing was a big part of the business. Later the company relocated to a site on Overton Square, and later still on South Cooper. In 1970, the company moved to its current location off East Brooks at Interstate 55, behind the Smith & Nephew campus. Carrier's wife, Tess, does the marketing and casting for the company, and their daughter, Morgan Bailey, does graphic design. They have one other employee. The main lobby, which still has a touch of 1970s décor, also served as a lawyer's office in "Hustle & Flow" and an upstairs office was used to film a radio station scene. In addition to renting out the sound stage and another large photography studio, API rents film equipment, produces corporate films, and does still photography. Carrier said he prefers being behind the camera to the day-to-day paperwork of running a business and handles most of the still photography himself. The Wonders Series hired Carrier to shoot stills of all of its exhibitions over the years, which in some cases involved weeks of international travel. Shooting aerials, Carrier said, is his favorite. "We find more and more clients that want us to shoot the video and then they'll want stills at the same time," said Carrier. Lately, shooting for corporate clients has been the lion's share of the business, and about 60 percent of that comes from out-of-town clients like Kroger, which hired API to do a short informational film about new technology. The challenge, though, has been attracting local clients. Corporations in Memphis, said Carrier, will sometimes bring in out-of-town film crews rather than hiring locals who do the same work. In that case it's usually because the client is already connected with an agency that uses its own crews, but sometimes, it's simply due to lack of awareness. Carrier is on the board of the Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission, which is beginning a campaign to encourage local hiring of film crews. Called "Hire Local, Shoot Local," a DVD produced for the campaign introduces corporations to film resources in Memphis. "I know of at least one nationally-based Memphis corporation which uses an out-of-state advertising agency for its national commercials," said Linn Sitler, film commissioner. "Their decision-makers are already tied into other nonlocal production companies. "It's an awareness issue which needs to be addressed with some Memphis corporations and even some Memphis advertising agencies." And it's having an immediate effect. Carrier said that a number of talented makeup artists, set builders, and lighting designers have left Memphis in recent years for states where the work is more plentiful. "There's still a lot of business in the state of Tennessee, so if you get in to the right person you might be able to bring some of that home," said Carrier. Bartlett Area Chamber names new director of economic development The Commercial Appeal, July 9, 2012 Phil Johnson ['68], a veteran economic development profession, is the new director of economic development for the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce. In 1990, Johnson was appointed the first director of the Tennessee International Trade Center. He developed the statewide program to help Tennessee companies export products and services worldwide. He joined the economic development office the Greater Memphis Chamber in 1998, and was later appointed its vice president of economic development. "Phil comes to the chamber with ambition and drive to grow the prosperity of Bartlett and the surrounding area," Bartlett Mayor A. Keith McDonald said. "Phil has a strong network in this community and has been in the economic development business for years," said John Threadgill, president of the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce. "He will be able to hit the ground running and will start delivering tangible results in job creation and capital investment immediately." With bicycle and pedestrian bridge, Main Street riding Harahan's coat tails By Wayne Risher, The Commercial Appeal June 26, 2012 The tantalizing prospect of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge linking two states and cities did the heavy lifting for an elusive face-lift of Main Street's dog-eared infrastructure. A planned $29.8 million project connecting Downtown to West Memphis's Broadway will contribute $10.7 million and possibly more toward fixing the Main Street Trolley mall and making pedestrian-friendly connections to it, officials said Monday. Downtown boosters credited private sector involvement, spearheaded by bicycling trail advocate Charles McVean ['61], with helping this project succeed where a previous grant application had failed. "Downtown Memphis is getting a lot of money. I don't think a lot of people know that," Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, told a crowd that gathered to celebrate the city's winning of a $14.9 million federal TIGER IV (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant. The Main Street to Main Street Multi-Modal Connector Project will focus first on building the bicycle/pedestrian boardwalk alongside the Harahan Bridge. The bridge project is estimated to cost about $10.7 million and is scheduled to be completed by early 2014. Main Street Memphis' share of the grant would include about $5.3 million for the Main Street Mall and an equal amount for an overhaul of Main Street as far north as Henry Avenue and as far south as Carolina Avenue. Carolina would be improved from Main west to Channel 3 Drive to make the connection to the Harahan Bridge. The Main Street projects and connection of the bridge to Broadway are targeted for completion by early 2015. "The reason we won out is because we had a private-public partnership to work together," said Downtown Memphis Commission president and CEO Paul Morris. Morris loves the idea of seeing the Memphis skyline from the bicycle/pedestrian trail, but said, "What I'm especially excited about is the improvements and maintenance on the Main Street Mall." Downtown Memphis boosters have been looking for ways to comprehensively upgrade streets, sidewalks and related infrastructure for more than a decade. The commission applied for a $16 million grant two years ago but the application wasn't funded. Commission senior vice president of planning and development Andy Kitsinger and urban planner Lorie Chapman worked on the grant for the city, and the private sector, led by McVean, hired HDR Engineering to write the project application. McVean used the podium to advocate for complementary projects: a major riverfront park three to five miles down river from Memphis on the Arkansas side, and a bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Loosahatchie River north of Downtown. Memphis gets grant to build pathway across Harahan Bridge By Tom Charlier, The Commercial Appeal June 19, 2012 The federal government will provide a key piece of the funding needed to build a bicycle-pedestrian pathway across the Harahan Bridge over the Mississippi River, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced today. The city of Memphis was awarded a $14.94 million Transportation Improvement Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant that will go toward a $30 million public-private project called Main Street to Main Street. It includes improvements to the Main Street corridor in Memphis and trail connections linking Harahan Bridge with downtown West Memphis. Proponents of the Harahan Bridge bike-pedestrian pathway, led by businessman Charles McVean ['61], say the route will provide majestic views of the river, spurring tourism and economic development, as well as adding an iconic feature to the area's burgeoning network of trails stretching east to Shelby Farms Park and beyond. The grant is "one of the biggest things that has ever happened to Memphis," McVean said in a statement. Mayor A C Wharton called the project "an absolutely critical asset in the continuing revitalization of the core of our city connecting the south part of Downtown to the north and Shelby Farms to West Memphis." The pathway, expected to cost about $11 million, will be built on the north side of the 96-year-old railroad bridge along a cantilevered structure that formerly carried lanes for motor vehicles. A recent report recommeded a 12-foot-wide path made of lightweight aluminum planking. Other parts of the project include improvements and repairs to the Main Street Trolley, the Central Station rail and bus terminal, and connections linking Harahan with Broadway Boulevard in West Memphis. The project has received support from local and state officials on both sides of the river. Local governments and private sources are expected to provide the remaining $15 million or so needed for the Main Steet to Main Street project, officials say. Battle of Memphis destroyed Confederate river navy but spared city By Michael Lollar, The Commercial Appeal Tuesday, June 5, 2012 [Excerpt] "The brief battle early in the war actually helped the city survive, says Shelby County historian Ed Williams ['61]. 'The capture probably saved Memphis from a lot of destruction. The last few cities the Yankees captured they pretty much burned to the ground -- Atlanta; Columbia, South Carolina; and Richmond. Memphis became a center for troop disbursements and a shipping center for supplies.'" Read more... East Alumnus on Winning BBQ Team WHBQ-TV, May 14, 2012 Bill Carrier ('68) was a member of one of the BBQ teams at Memphis in May in the early days of the festival.Bill Carrier ('68) was interviewed in a May 14 TV news story about the origin and development of the Memphis in may world Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. WHBQ-TV. NSU triplets graduating today have great chemistry Denise Watson The Virginian-Pilot, May 5, 2012 NORFOLK No, they don't read each others' minds. No, if one gets hurt, the others don't feel it. But triplets Bre' Andria, Cre' Andria, and Dre' Andria Thompson are identical in more than looks. They will be among nearly 900 graduating today from Norfolk State University, and all three have earned chemistry degrees, magna cum laude. The triplets, top-notch students most of their lives, came to NSU from Memphis, Tenn., as scholars in the Dozoretz National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Sciences program. The Thompson women - whose first names appropriately rhyme with "three" - are the first triplets to graduate from the program in its more than 25-year history. The 22-year-olds have become accustomed to making memorable marks most of their lives. They said they pushed one another because they all wanted to see the others succeed. "We've always had a constructive competitiveness between us," Cre' said. Or maybe it was Bre'. "It keeps us motivated," said Cre' or, um, Dre'. The sisters have always been inseparable. In their early school years, teachers had the girls wear name tags around their necks to identify them or put them in assigned seats to keep the names straight. The triplets said their mom added another layer of intrigue by making them dress identically until they were 13. "It stopped us from squabbling about clothes," Cre' said. The girls studied together, prayed together, ran track together, played on the middle and high school basketball teams together - the triplets believe that one was wrongfully whistled for a foul during a game. Two of them unintentionally confused competitors when they ran on the same relay team. The triplets graduated in the top 10 of their East High School class: Bre' ranked third, Dre' fourth and Cre' seventh. They received scholarship offers, together, from other universities but liked NSU's science program and the family feel. "Being far from home, you have the brothers and sisters of DNIMAS," said Bre', referring to the math and science program. "It's become family." Despite many similarities, they are different. Bre' - the oldest by a minute to Cre', who is one minute older than Dre' - is the mother of the bunch, more serious. She's also the shortest at 4-foot-10. "I like to have fun, but I will handle my business first," she said. Cre', at an even 5 feet, is the one everyone calls "feisty," the more outspoken one. Dre', at 4-foot-11, is the most laid-back of the three. "Once you get to know us, we have very different personalities," they said. (But they didn't say it in unison.) As they graduate, they are looking toward different futures. Bre' and Cre' are chemistry pre-med majors, and Bre' is applying to medical school. Cre' is applying to dental school and plans to one day become an orthodontist or deal with cosmetic dentistry. Dre' plans to study toxicology and could see a future in forensics or developing cosmetics. Of course, they are applying for programs at several of the same schools, such as the University of Louisville, and could see living more individual lives. But not too much. Said Dre' - or was it Bre'? - "I don't think we'll ever separate, at least too far. I get sad just thinking about it." Denise Watson Batts,757-446-2546,denise.batts@pilotonline.com From Memphis to Norfolk The Thompson triplets, top-notch students most of their lives, came to Norfolk State from Memphis, Tenn., as scholars in the Dozoretz National Institute for Mathematics and Applied Sciences program . Bre', right, is applying to medical school; Cre', center, is applying to dental school, and Dre', left, plans to study toxicology. They are applying for programs at several of the same schools, such as the University of Louisville, but could see living more individual lives. today's graduations Norfolk State University 9:30 a.m., Price Stadium Old Dominion University 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Constant Center Regent University 9:30 a.m., Library Plaza Mid-South Memories The Commercial Appeal, April 9, 2012 PHOTO BY THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL FILES Junior League members visit hospital The Professional Group of the Junior League entertained paraplegics at Kennedy Veterans Hospital on April 8, 1952. In the audience was Victor Kemp, son of Mrs. T.L.Kemp of Cleveland, Miss., and on stage was Miss Beverly Morgan of 18 S. Rembert, a member of the cast of "The Pirate's Den," presented by Delta Alpha Delta Sorority. Between them is Mrs. Inez Rosamond, chairman of the Professional Group. PHOTO BY THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL FILES Junior League members visit hospital The Professional Group of the Junior League entertained paraplegics at Kennedy Veterans Hospital on April 8, 1952. In the audience was Victor Kemp, son of Mrs. T.L.Kemp of Cleveland, Miss., and on stage was Miss Beverly Morgan of 18 S. Rembert, a member of the cast of "The Pirate's Den," presented by Delta Alpha Delta Sorority. Between them is Mrs. Inez Rosamond [Faculty 1948-1955], chairman of the Professional Group. Miss Inez Rosamond (Faculty 1948-1955) was pictured in the newspaper in 1952 as chairman of The Professional Group of the Junior League when they entertained at Kennedy Veterans Hospital. Miss Rosamond, who later became Mrs. Boone while at East, was among the celebrated original faculty members at East High and taught Spanish there until 1955. The photo was published again April 9, 2012, in the Mid-South Memories column. The Commercial Appeal. Plough Foundation awards Memphis grant to help adults finish college degrees by Linda A. Moore, The Commercial Appeal Mar 30, 2012    The Plough Foundation, working with Leadership Memphis and the city of Memphis, announced Thursday a $1.743 million grant to help raise the college attainment levels of about 200,000 Greater Memphis adults who didn't finish their post-secondary education.    The grant to the newly created Graduate Memphis program will fund the College Resource Center, which will open July 1 at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library and will provide customized counseling and assistance.    "This is just another symbol that not only is our city growing in terms of factories and parks -- that we're growing intellectually," said Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, who thanked the Plough Foundation for its "important gift."    Interested adults will be able to access the center at the library, at its still-unbuilt website or through a toll-free number.    They will be assigned a counselor who will help guide them through the process of re-entering school, selecting classes or locating financial assistance, if necessary, said Fred Turverey, director of the Memphis Talent Dividend and Graduate Memphis.    That counselor will stay with that student until graduation, he said.    One of only a handful of such programs in the country, Graduate Memphis is modeled after Graduate Philadelphia, a program that has a 94 percent success rate for its participants who have either graduated or are still in school, Turverey said.    To achieve its goal, Graduate Memphis will also work with institutions of higher education to create partnerships with corporations to encourage employees to complete their degrees, said Diane Rudner ['68], chairwoman of the Plough Foundation board.    Additional funding from local and national sources will also need to be brought onboard, she said.    "It's not a small project. Our goals are ambitious," Rudner said. "But the success of each individual will have an immediate and measurable impact on the future of this community."    People drop out of college for various reasons -- finances, children or jobs, Turverey said. And even if they want to return to school, life often gets in the way.     "We're not going to say it's easy. And it's not just show up and get your degree. You've got to commit to the work," Turverey said. "One of the things we can do is help them get the right major in the right school, at the right time of day."    A more educated workforce is an economic benefit for the city. According to the Talent Dividend, a 1 percent gain in college-educated residents over five years, about 8,000 people, will produce $1 billion annually in economic impact.    A better-educated community also raises the level of conversation, Wharton said.    "The more educated workforce we have, the greater tolerance and respect for diversity we have," he said. "Things that are going on now, people are able to discuss them in much more conversant terms as opposed to resorting to less peaceful means of airing their differences. So the benefits are just innumerable that we will get from this." One city, two worlds: Stories from both sides of the debate in Memphis over Muslims in America Is Islam a religion of peace or a totalitarian ideology? Do Muslims in America want to assimilate or dominate? Depends who you ask. by David Waters, The Commercial Appeal Mar 18, 2012 [Excerpt]     Rashad Sharif likes to catch his fellow Memphians and Muslims off guard by repeating his favorite Southern Arabic greeting: "Assalamu alaikum, y'all."    The Arabic part means "Peace be with you," which Sharif used to say to his fellow Christians every Sunday when he was an Episcopal altar boy. The Southern part is becoming more and more familiar to his fellow Muslims in Memphis, most of whom are immigrants from the Middle East, South Asia and Africa.    The phrase usually elicits a laugh from the audience, which for Sharif is a sign that Memphis and Islam are getting better acquainted.    Sharif, who grew up in Memphis, converted to Islam in the mid-1970s. Muslims then were a curiosity to most Americans. Since 9/11, they have become a concern.    "Millions of Americans watched this horrifying sudden death that seemed to come from nowhere," said Sharif, a Memphis City Schools teacher and imam of Shelby County's oldest mosque, Masjid Al-Mu'minum in South Memphis. "It was visual and visceral and it was connected to Muslims who acted in secret and with deceit. You can't blame people for being concerned."    Those concerns seem to have grown, especially among conservative Christians, since the 2008 presidential election of Barack Obama, a liberal Christian with Muslim family roots.    These are stories from both sides of the debate.     MASON EZZELL ['62]:'You can't have too much security.'    Mason Ezzell II joined the all-volunteer Tennessee State Guard several years ago. He was 61 years old.    "I am such a patriot, but the regular Guard doesn't want old guys like me," said Ezzell, now 68, a State Guard recruiter and former Air Force pilot who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross during the Vietnam War.    "I'm just concerned about the security of our community. As we say in the Boy Scouts, 'Be prepared.' "    For the past year, Ezzell, an Eagle Scout who delivered Meals on Wheels with Jane, his wife of 46 years, has been working to prepare people for what he believes is a major threat to our security: radical Islam.    "I don't live, eat and breathe this stuff, but I am concerned about Islam," said Ezzell, who leads the Memphis chapter of ACT! for America, a grassroots, anti-Islam organization that claims more than 150,000 members in 650 chapters across the country.    "If it's such a peaceful religion, why is there so much violence associated with it?"    Ezzell grew up in Memphis. He went to St. John Episcopal Church and East High School. His father, a Navy commander who ran unsuccessfully for the city school board in the late 1950s, died the year before Mason graduated.    After serving five years in the Air Force, Ezzell returned to Memphis and started a business in his garage, laminating restaurant menus. Today, Lamination Service Inc. is multimillion-dollar business based in Bartlett, run by Mason III, the youngest of Ezzell's three children.    "My dad is a pretty passionate guy," said Mason III. "Whether it's family, business or politics, he gets intensely involved in the things he cares about."    Ezzell is intensely involved in ACT! for America and its local efforts to raise awareness about radical Islam.    It was Muslims who attacked his country and killed thousands of innocent people on a sunny September morning in 2001.    It is Muslims overseas who subjugate women, inhibit free speech, and take to the streets to condemn satiric cartoons but not suicide bombers.    "Why should we tolerate them when they don't seem to tolerate us?" Ezzell said. "How can we extend civil liberties to people who ultimately want to restrict or destroy civil liberties?"    Ezzell's company recently installed its badge management security software with the U.S. Congress and the Capitol Police. Ezzell also is a member of Infragard, a public-private cybersecurity partnership with the FBI.    "You can't have too much security," Ezzell said. "Not in this world." The full article may be read at http://www.commercialappeal.com/lifestyle/one-city-two-worlds-stories-in-memphis-muslims East High squeaks by Blackman to reach prep AAA semifinals by John Varlas, The Commercial Appeal Mar 16, 2012    East 57, Blackman 56    MURFREESBORO — Thursday's BlueCross boys AAA quarterfinal game between East and Murfreesboro Blackman started at 10 a.m. But the Mustangs hit the snooze button and didn't get their wake-up call until halftime.    The Mustangs turned things around after a lackluster first half and then looked on as Blackman's Darius Thompson missed a potential game-winning shot in the final seconds. The result was a thrilling 57-56 victory that puts East (21-9) in the semifinals.    Today at 3:15 p.m. at the Murphy Center, the Mustangs — who are bidding to win their first state championship since 1996 — will face Johnson City Science Hill.    "I think we started out slow because it was a morning game," said Mustangs standout Nick King. "We're not used to being up (and playing) that early. But we realized at halftime that it was either win or go home."    Said Mustangs coach Sam Bachelor, "We tried to get in a couple of morning practices to get their bodies used to playing in the morning. At halftime, we just had to put it in perspective. If we lost we were going home and it was going to be a long trip home."    Instead, the Mustangs will be sticking around at least another day, thanks in large part to King. The 6-8 junior made 10-of-14 shots from the floor to finish with 22 points to go along with eight rebounds and three steals.    King was East's only real offense in the first half, which ended with them trailing 31-23. In the first two quarters, the Mustangs managed to shoot 32.3 percent from the floor (10-of-31).    The got back into the game with defense. Bachelor gave much of the credit to reserve point guard Jalen Selmon, who combined with Alex Anderson to form a small but speedy backcourt that harassed the Blaze (26-4) into several third-quarter turnovers.    "That's what we call Jalen, the game-changer," said Bachelor. "We went to the full-court press and Jalen is just super quick."    Selmon, who finished with four points and four steals, helped fuel an 11-0 run in the third quarter that helped East take its first lead of the game at 41-39 on King's lay-up.    "We had 18 turnovers which I think in that kind of game is not too bad," said Blaze coach Barry Wortman. "During that stretch, it was a combination of King on the o-glass and them being able to turn us over a few times."    East never trailed after that point. But the Mustangs never could get any breathing room either as Blackman — fueled on by a huge student section that filled up four sections of the Murphy Center — stayed within striking range.    Matthew Butler hit a pair of free throws to put East ahead 57-54 with 48 seconds to go but Quindell Cousin (team-high 17 points) scored inside for the Blaze and drew the foul. He missed a free throw that could have tied the game and Butler missed the front end of a one-and-one on the other end, setting the stage for the final possession.    Blackman got the ball to Thompson, a talented guard who is drawing recruiting interest from schools like Middle Tennessee and Belmont., but his deep 3-pointer from the corner missed and there was a wild scramble on the floor for the rebound before East gained possession as the buzzer sounded.    "We've been in so many buzzer-beater games this year," said East freshman K.J. Lawson, who scored nine points. "If he had made it, it would have felt like death. It's better to lose by 10 points than to lose on a buzzer-beater." Job fair targets candidates with military background by Wayne Risher The Commercial Appeal Mar 9, 2012    Army Reservist Josh Alley [Faculty] joined the ranks of the unemployed when his unit returned stateside from Afghanistan in December.    At a job fair targeting Guardsmen, reservists and veterans Thursday in Millington, Alley's hot-off-the-press résumé gave a civilian spin on his role with the 655th Transportation Company.    A company commander in the military, Alley translated that into experience as a transportation manager, responsible for directing a 169-person organization that helped supply U.S. forces in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011.    Alley, 30, was among a couple hundred veterans taking part in a program to boost job-readiness and connect job-seekers with 35-40 Greater Memphis employers. The three-day program was organized by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).    Veterans of U.S. military service since Sept. 11, 2001, are disproportionately represented in jobless numbers that have stayed high since the recession threw millions out of work.    Tennessee National Guard officials organized the job assistance programs after finding that as many as 25 percent of younger veterans were jobless after returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Tennessee ESGR executive director Marvin Wells.    Alley, a University of Memphis graduate, taught English on contract at East High School for a year before deployment. He said the training "really showed me how to take my military experience and translate it into civilian terms. I basically spent all night last night changing my résumé."    He was networking and picking up job leads. "They have some transportation and logistics stuff here, and that's exactly what I'm looking for."    Employers at the fair included FedEx, Cummins Mid-South, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Electrolux and Great American Steamboat Company.    Dudley Langston, president of Mr. Pride Car Wash, hoped to fill two or three managerial positions and replenish his pool of hourly workers.    "We think there's a lot of transfer from the military to what we do," Langston said. "We've really been trying to key in on the military for the last two or three years."    Vicki Czyrnik, apprenticeship coordinator with Mid-South Independent Electrical Contractors Inc., was pitching work-study programs with electrical and voice, data and video contractors.    "Our contractors like hiring a guy from the military," said Czyrnik. "They're disciplined. They're used to hitting a time clock and being on time. They accept instruction well."    Sgt. Brandon Bush, 25, a National Guardsman with the 1175th Transportation Company, said he has a job with a security firm, but "I'm hoping to use this event to find a better job, possibly a more stable job, something I can retire from."    Event organizers also promoted an Internet-based resource with a similar mission: It's Hero 2 Hired, at www.h2h.jobs, where a veteran can plug in résumé information and find available jobs. Derailment wrecks East Memphis roads WMC-TV, March 6, 2012    For many drivers like Joe Jefferson (associated with the Class of '68), railroad crossings along Poplar Avenue in East Memphis are still causing headaches.    "It just shakes the heck out of the car when you go over them."    Norfolk Southern has spent weeks making repairs after a train derailment mangled signs, scattered debris, and severely damaged the tracks.    While a spokesperson says repairs are complete - officials are still investigating to find out what caused the accident.    Tuesday, the intersection of Southern Avenue and Patterson was closed and traffic was re-routed so routine maintenance could be done on the rails.    Crews told us they had to replace cross ties under the tracks, and that the work is not associated with the derailment.    However, down the street at Poplar and Mendenhall some drivers are still not taking any chances.    Many of them are afraid they'll damage their cars going over the tracks.    "The tracks are sticking up higher than the asphalt and you have a very rough ride over the tracks," said Jefferson.    A situation that left drivers like Jefferson wondering when there will be some relief as they continue to pay the price with traffic delays and rugged crossings.    "If that's the finished job, they need to come back and do it a little better because it's no where close to being as smooth as it was before the train derailment."  Watch the video  Mid-South memories: March 2, 2012 The Commercial Appeal, March 2, 2012 PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS. SUE TACKETT Tommy Tackett (center) was elected junior class president for the 1951-52 school year at East High School. Other officers elected are sergeant-at-arms Robert Burleigh, secretary Sarah Hornsby, vice president Harriet Mathewes and treasurer Dana Curtis.new student leaders elected March 2 25 years ago: 1987 LOS ANGELES -- Cybill Shepherd, star of ABC's Moonlighting, married Dr. Bruce Oppenheim yesterday in a traditional Oriental ceremony at her San Fernando Valley home, her publicist said. Ms. Shepherd, 37, who is expecting twins in October, wore an orange, white and gold antique Japanese kimono with white silk pajamas underneath, Sheryl Kagan said. Dr. Oppenheim, 38, a chiropractor, wore a black silk kimono with black silk pajamas underneath. Ms. Shepherd is a native Memphian and a graduate of East High School. MCS virtual tech class offering 2 key languages By Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal January 23, 2012    Chinese and Japanese will be required in the virtual science and engineering program Memphis City Schools is launching next month.    "These are important languages in the field, and it's critical you have some understanding of them," Deputy Supt. Irving Hamer told students and parents at a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) orientation last week.    People sat up in their seats. Others nodded their satisfaction, including Betsy Friedman, a Memphis mother so excited about the chances for her son, her arm darted in the air several times with questions.    Starting Feb. 1, about 70 MCS ninth-graders will start the four-year program by taking principles of engineering in a virtual classroom they will access through district-assigned logins.    If they earn a B+ or better, they will be admitted to the virtual STEM school, assigned a Samsung Series 7 Slate -- priced at $1,047 on Amazon.com -- and be headed to a $700,000 physics lab under construction at East High.    "Some will take the rest of the semester, some will finish over the weekend. There is no time period," Hamer said.    "We want everyone to take their time, do the work and do it as well as they can so they can continue in the program."    The lab, expected to open in March, will be directed by six teachers, four of them new hires with lengthy bios in applied math, electrical and chemical engineering.    "The reason I applied is I smelled that MCS was being really innovative and really concerned about keeping track," said Simon Singh, an electrical engineer with a background in molecular biology.    Singh is moving here from Atlanta. "At end of he day, I want to be able to say I did something important," he said.    After two courses, students will be allowed to choose one of four engineering tracks to pursue, including civil engineering and biomedical-chemical engineering.    There is no cost to parents. The program is part of state effort to pump up STEM education through $14 million in Race to the Top funds.    Two high schools, one in Nashville and the other in Knoxville, have been awarded $1.85 million to get started.    The city schools project is expected to dovetail with a STEM proposal submitted by the University of Memphis for another $1.85 million investment on the campus here.    If the university project is funded in early March, Memphis will have in excess of a $3.2 million investment in STEM, including $1.5 million the unified school board budgeted in December for the MCS startup.    "STEM education is very important in the country," said Kelli Gauthier, spokeswoman for the state Department of Education.    "We have reached the point where we don't have enough STEM graduates and people willing to teach high-quality STEM classes to keep up with demand."    Memphis high school students will have the option of pursuing four-year STEM studies, including internships and job shadowing with local companies.    The grades they earn through the virtual classroom will appear on their report cards and transcripts, like any course.    The difference is, the work likely will have to be sandwiched in during free time at school or in the evenings at home.    "It won't be exactly fun, but it's good," said David Shelton, a Ridgeway High student.    "I think the virtual school is a great idea. You can't go to two schools at the same time."    The city schools got approval for the investment from the state, including permission to spend $458,000 in Race to the Top funds on STEM curriculum provided by the National STEM Academy.    "This was a huge, heavy lift," Hamer said. "The hard part was getting people to accept that we have a student body and a parent body that wanted to do this."    The online offerings were supposed to start in January. MCS delayed it to iron out details, which does not faze parent Friedman.    "I'm not concerned at all. You want it to be ready." Lesson in fitness: Younger pupils join the action for Healthy Kids and Teens By Melody Gordon, The Commercial Appeal January 20, 2012    When trainers with the Healthy Kids and Teens program took over the East High School gymnasium Thursday morning, controlled chaos ensued.    On one side of the gym, students from Fox Meadows Elementary School made faces and squirmed as they passed around a lifelike replica of five pounds of fat. On the other side, Memphis Academy of Health Science students danced their way through a group exercise.    "It kind of surprised me with how fun it was," said Kierra Norfleet, an 18-year-old 12th-grader from East High School.    About 200 students representing 10 city and county schools participated in the Healthy Kids and Teens program kickoff event. The program combines exercise with education and equips a wide swath of Shelby County youths with easy-to-understand information about proper nutrition.    Clintonia Simmons, the president and CEO of Healthy Kids and Teens, wants to instill children with healthy habits earlier in life.    "We try to make it as simple as possible. There's just so much confusing information out there," said Simmons. "We don't necessarily have them counting calories, but we want them to be aware of how that all works in their bodies and why they continue to gain weight when they want to lose."    This is the first time elementary schools have been included in the program. Simmons believes a lack of education is a root cause of childhood obesity.    Disease prevention is also a large part of the Healthy Kids and Teens program and was explained with a colorful car analogy.    "You can treat your body one of two ways," said East High School principal Eric Harris. "You can treat your body as if it's a Corvette, a Bentley or a Mercedes. Take really good care of it, put good stuff in it, make sure it runs forever, keep it clean. Or you could treat it like it's a Pinto."    Brian Dobbins, the executive director of the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan's western region, engaged the students by making the topic of lifelong health more personal. When Dobbins asked how many students had diabetic family members or family members with heart diseases, almost half raised their hands.    "Just because you have family members that have it, doesn't mean that you have to have it, too," said Dobbins.    Gloria Askew, a representative with the mayor's office, encouraged students to become "ambassadors" for health and to use city resources like community centers and public parks to help achieve their health goals.    Over two semesters last year, students in the program lost more than 450 pounds combined.    The average weight loss per student was 3 pounds, "which doesn't sound like a whole lot, but it is," said Simmons.    "Even though we measure it out -- we've got to have some way to measure what we're doing -- I don't focus on that with the kids. I don't want them to think, 'I failed because I didn't lose weight.' It's about changing your lifestyle."    East High School cheerleader and 12th-grader Jamie Bell wants to stick with the 12-week program, calling it "fun and interesting."    "I learned about new things, like calories, that I didn't know before," said Bell.    Participating schools for this 12-week session include Airways Middle, Caldwell Elementary, Craigmont Middle, East High, Fox Meadows Elementary, Memphis Academy of Health Science, Millington Middle, Southwind Elementary, Southwind High and Ridgeway Middle.    For more information on Healthy Kids and Teens, visit HealthyKidsandTeens.com. ================ Memphis Botanic Garden looks into permanent stage for year-round activities By Thomas Bailey Jr., The Commercial Appeal January 7, 2012    Memphis Botanic Garden has been studying the feasibility of building a permanent, outdoor performing arts area.    The 16-acre plan would include a permanent stage for the popular Live at the Garden summer concert series, a building to replace the concerts' Encore VIP tent, and improvements to the adjacent Audubon Lake waterfront that include a boardwalk and new pavilion, executive director Jim Duncan [Faculty 1966-70] said.    Fittingly, the project would incorporate plants as part of the experience for concert-goers, he said.    "The concept is to create a large-scale garden room," said Barry Yoakum, principal at archimania. The architectural firm has been hired to develop conceptual plans to present to the board.    "The experience of the Live at the Garden for concert-goers will be heightened through a more organic architecture, while setting the stage for a unique, year-round garden experience of both performance and nonperformance-based activities," Yoakum said.    Duncan declined to reveal details until after the board sees the proposals.    Memphis Botanic Garden is owned by the city of Memphis, but has been operated by a foundation since 1969. Through the membership of about 3,500 families, revenue-producing events like the concert series, and facility rentals, the Botanic Garden generates 88 percent of its budget, Duncan said. The rest comes from the city.    The 96-acre site at 750 Cherry Road in East Memphis hosted 189 weddings last year, a farmer's market, plant sales and other events.    If the nonprofit organization goes ahead with the performing arts project, it will mount a fundraising campaign to pay for it.    In years past, Live at the Garden's rented, temporary stage has faced due north. The permanent stage would move about 40 yards west and face northeast for better sight lines, Duncan said.    The new building would serve as the permanent space where Encore VIP concert-goers dine. But the structure also would provide another facility on the grounds that the public could rent for special events, Duncan said.    The project would not require rearrangement of the tables assigned to concert-goers, he said. Overton Park Conservancy receives $1.5 million pledge Plough Foundation funds to aid efforts By Tom Charlier The Commercial Appeal December 16, 2011    Barely a week after receiving approval to manage one of the city's premiere recreational facilities, the Overton Park Conservancy announced Thursday it received a pledge of $1.5 million to help pay for operations and improvements at the park in Midtown Memphis.    The gift from Memphis-based Plough Foundation represents the largest yet for the conservancy, the private, non-profit group that hopes to raise $6 million for Overton during the next five years.    In a statement, Plough chairman Diane Rudner ['68] said the board and staff agreed to the grant to "help ensure that Overton Park continues to be one of the most valued assets in our community."    The pledge came nine days after the City Council unanimously approved a management agreement turning over much of the 342-acre park to the conservancy. The group evolved from a committee that was formed earlier this year to deal with what members described as Overton's decline in recent years.    While the park remains Memphis property and the city will continue to contribute funding, the new arrangement allows the conservancy to raise money from private sources to pay for improvements the city's Division of Park Services might not be able to afford.    The conservancy has outlined a number of planned improvement projects, including the removal of invasive plants from the old-growth forest, the rebuilding of a playground and the construction of a dog park.    But acting executive director George Cates said Thursday there is no specific project targeted for the Plough money.    "It'll go into operations and the capital program," he said. Message of Hope Chamber luncheon highlights city's 'medical miracles' By Andy Meek The Memphis Daily News December 15, 2011    Bruce Hopkins [associated with the Class of '68], First Tennessee Bank's president of banking for West Tennessee, couldn't attend last year's Greater Memphis Chamber annual chairman's luncheon.    And at this year's celebratory bash held at The Peabody hotel, attended by hundreds of area business and civic leaders, the banking executive shared from the main stage the reason he couldn't make it in 2010.    It was a deeply personal story about a life-threatening medical crisis he faced. An eye checkup had revealed a dangerous and extremely rare kind of tumor, and though friends encouraged Hopkins to seek treatment out of town at world-class centers, the First Tennessee executive thought he had what he needed here.    The retelling of his story was purposeful. It fit the luncheon's theme this year of believing in the city's miracles – specifically, its medical miracles.    Hopkins noted that his company's slogan is "Powering Your Dreams."    "And 12 months ago, that became much more than a slogan for me," he said. "My dream was hoping for a medical miracle."    He got one. Within two weeks of surgery – as the audience learned thanks to a video that featured interviews with Hopkins' doctors – he was back at the office.    "You're in the best hands (here) you could be in anywhere in the world," Hopkins said.    The chamber's annual event is meant to celebrate its accomplishments over the past year. And 2011 brought plenty to tout, with a string of economic development wins including announcements of new investment in Memphis by companies like Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. and City Brewing Co.    This year's luncheon, though, brought a more personal and emotional touch. It was about health care in the city, and how that's entwined with the health of the city.    Kenneth Robinson, public health policy adviser in Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell's office, said that one in every seven jobs in Memphis is in the biosciences.    Steve Bares, president and executive director of the Memphis Bioworks Foundation, said more than 50,000 people work in the bioscience industry in Memphis.    A handful of medical organizations, like University of Tennessee Health Science Center, are celebrating major milestones and anniversaries. UTHSC turned 100 years old in 2011.    That theme was woven throughout the luncheon, down to the food on the tables.    Appropriately, The Peabody's executive culinary team prepared healthy meals for appetizers, the main course and dessert.    Staffers from Le Bonheur Children's Hospital wrote and choreographed a music video shown at the event. The video showed the staff singing and performing its own version of Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind."    But rather than the song's catchy hook of, "Now you're in New York. These streets will make you feel brand new…" the staff sang "Now you're at Le Bonheur/we'll fix you and make you brand new/our hearts will inspire you."    Amid the commemoration of other medical advances, jobs, breakthroughs and personal stories like Hopkins', the chamber introduced its new chairman of the board – Larry Cox, president and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority.    Cox assumes the chairmanship Jan. 1.    Cox told the crowd the chamber is gearing up for a busy 2012. He said the chamber's economic development team is working 21 projects at the moment that have the potential to bring 7,000 new jobs to the city.    That's why John Moore, the chamber's president and CEO, said "I always love this annual event. It gets me charged up again for next year to go out with the team."    A video showing the year's highlights was put together with a creative touch. It showed the performance a few weeks ago of local band FreeSol on "The Late Show with David Letterman."    Interspersed throughout the performance were video clips of local highlights from the year, culminating with Letterman's thanks to the band and his apparent interest in coming to Memphis: "Don't be surprised if you see us down there taking care of business."    Chamber staff thought ahead to make sure and have boxes of tissue on each table. Because the event wrapped up with a performance by country band Alabama's lead singer Randy Owen and five children from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.    Owen, a longtime St. Jude supporter, led the patients in a performance of "Angels Among Us." Each time the chorus came around, he handed the mike to the children, all of whom were gathered in a semicircle on stage and singing loudly, five pint-sized testaments to miracles that happen every day at St. Jude and across Memphis. ================= Editorial: Good teaching is her ministry More than a paycheck: As East High English teacher Meah King has shown, the best teachers see their jobs as more than a paycheck. December 5, 2011, The Commercial Appeal    What makes a great teacher?    Meah King put her finger on it when she said that for her teaching is a "ministry."    During a ceremony Thursday at East High School, where she teaches 10th-grade English, King was surprised to learn she was the reason for the celebration.    With state Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman on hand, it was announced that she had won a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award. The honor comes with a $25,000 check for King.    She joins a long list of Greater Memphis educators whose dedication to the teaching profession and their students has landed them the award over the last decade.    In the world of education reform, a lot of teachers feel like they are under siege. Tougher student academic proficiency benchmarks, new teacher evaluation processes that hold teachers more accountable for meeting those benchmarks and tougher requirements to gain tenure are in play.    Memphis City Schools, aided by a $90 million Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant, has embarked on a Teacher Effectiveness Initiative to get better teachers in the classrooms.    The teachers' angst is understandable. But the truth is that good teachers drive student academic achievement. The drive must be there even when too many students, once they leave the classroom, are dealing with uninvolved parents, medical issues and the challenges in life that poverty places before them daily.    King is right. Teaching isn't just a way to draw a paycheck. It isn't a profession where its practitioners can remain static or reluctant to embrace new ideas.    King, a 1997 graduate of East, knows that. It explains why her "ministry" garnered her a host of other major teaching honors over her 10-year career.    She was in the spotlight Thursday, but there are scores of other great teachers out there who are making a positive impact on students as well.    Unfortunately, there also are some who aren't getting the job done. For their sake, and that of their students, local and state education officials must continue to develop programs to help those teachers become more effective in the classroom. East High School teacher wins Milken national educator award, $25,000 December 1, 2011, The Commercial Appeal    The band played, the cheerleaders danced and East High School English teacher Meah King ['97 and Faculty] fell into the arms of a colleague after learning she'd won a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.    It's an honor that comes with a check for $25,000. And it's for her, not the school.    King, a teacher for 10 years, was surprised on Thursday during a pep rally that was attended by her parents, local school officials and Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman.    "I'm very excited and grateful and thankful to God for all these blessings," King said.    She doesn't know yet what she'll do with the windfall.    "It's just what the doctor ordered," King said. "I'll pay my tithes and offering first and then I'll think about the rest."    "I think Miss King really exemplifies what we're doing across the state to find educators who reach their kids and help them learn and achieve," Huffman said. "It's such an honor for me to be a part of this. I'm so proud of Miss King, I'm so proud of this high school and I'm proud of Memphis."    Teachers cannot be nominated for a Milken award, which has been likened to an Academy Award, said Dr. Jane Foley, Milken senior vice president.    Each participating state's department of education puts together a panel to recommend candidates based on criteria that include student results and the teacher's impact on students, colleagues and the community.    "Research and our own personal experience tell us that the single most important education element determining how much you will learn in school is the quality of the teacher in your classroom," Foley told the East students.    King, 32, teaches 10th-grade English. She is a 1997 graduate of East and has earned a bachelor's degree in English and a master's in instruction and curriculum from the University of Memphis.    For her, teaching is a "ministry."    She started as a teenager teaching preschool after school and during the summer.    In addition to her daily responsibilities, she is a staff member with Peer Power, an after-school peer tutoring and mentoring service that helps about 1,000 students a day.    The Milken award comes to King following other accolades. In 2008, she was named outstanding educator of the year by the Memphis Alliance of Black School Educators.    In 2009 she received an outstanding alumni award from U of M.    And last month she took top honors for high school English teachers in the first My Favorite Educator Golden Apple Awards at MCS. Students nominate their teachers for that award.    "She always tries to motivate everybody. She cares about the students," said Charles Reese, 15.    "She gives us life experiences, she relates to us. She loves young people. She's very committed," said Marquita Shaw, 16.    "She's a parent at times and she doesn't even have kids," said Jalon Netters-Lofton, 15.    The 10th-graders are now studying poetry with King and have poems to read and a list of questions to answer.    So on Thursday, along with the tears, the hugs and the words of appreciation, King remained a teacher in charge.    "Even though we're not in class," she told the assembly, "to those in the 10th grade, the work is still due." Milken Foundation honors Memphis high school teacher View the video December 1, 2011, WMC-TV By Jerica Phillips MEMPHIS, TN -    (WMC-TV) - An English teacher at East High School in Memphis received a $25,000 check Thursday from the Milken Family Foundation's National Educator Awards.    Meah King received the award during a surprise assembly at the school.    "I was told to just get the kids excited and take them through a few chants, and I was just excited about that, not knowing it was all for me," she said.    The Milken Family Foundation Award was first presented in 1987 and is designed to provide public recognition and a financial reward to teachers, principals and other educators who have a proven record of excellence in education.    "We look at the whole country and determine who we believe represent the top 1 percent of the entire profession, and that's why we're here at East High School for Meah King," the Foundation's Dr. Jane Foley said.    "I never knew anyone was paying attention because I always thought that this was a ministry and not a profession," King said.    A current student, Jalon Netters, described King as special.    "She has a connection," Netters said. "She's committed to what she's doing, and at the same time she's a friend to us and connects with us in a way that no other teacher can."    "The personal relationships she forges, allows both adults and students to not only discover their hidden talents, but grow into and accept their responsibilities," King's principal Eric Harris added.    Also in attendance were King's parents, Herbert and Joyce, whom she credits for fostering her love for education.    "If the award had not come, you would still see her putting forth 150 percent," they said.    King has been teaching for ten years, and often serves as a mentor to new teachers and underprivileged students at East High school.    King is allowed to spend the $25,000 in any way she chooses, but many of her students believe she'll find someway to put it back in her classroom. News stories about Miah King receiving the Milken Family Foundation's National Educator Award were also aired on WREG-TV and WHBQ-TV, but those stories are no longer accessable. Anfernee Hardaway visit to Lester Middle School fuels pride in Binghamton By Sara Patterson, The Commercial Appeal November 27, 2011    In what felt like a 20-year time warp Saturday, former NBA star Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway took on former foes from East High School, just as he had during his days at Treadwell.    "This is my community that I grew up in," he said. "Any time I can be a part of it, I'm going to be."    Despite the light and friendly atmosphere, old rivalries resurfaced during the informal, loosely refereed game that featured a live deejay.    "I expected it," Hardaway said. "These guys all played against or with each other (in high school)."    Playing with Hardaway for team "Lester" was Corey Bolton ['94], a 1994 East High alumnus who now lives in Little Rock.    Bolton said basketball got him to college. And college helped him become a small business owner.    Event organizer Tarrik Mabon ['03] said the game's purpose, besides fundraising, was to showcase alumni success.    "We got out, and we came back to give back," he said.    Mabon and his brother Chanduleon Mabon [class year undetermined], both graduated from East and went on to college at Morehouse in Atlanta.    Mabon organized the first charity game last year to raise money for 12-year-old twins who lost their mother, his friend Kena "Shea" Blakney ['94], earlier that year.    The game's success prompted him to broaden his outreach for the second, and about 1,500 people packed into the gymnasium Saturday. Kim Dixon ['97], a 2007 East High graduate who also attended Lester Middle, said she almost cried when she walked in and saw renovations to the facility.    "There weren't even bleachers when I went to school here," she said. "It makes me so happy to come back and see improvement. Very proud." Overton Square businesses cheer Loeb's emphasis on arts and entertainment By Thomas Bailey Jr., The Commercial Appeal September 7, 2011    Grocery shoppers don't pick up some milk and ground beef, then decide to stroll, catch a play, or sit down at a restaurant.    Which is why Playhouse on the Square is so happy redevelopment of a large chunk of Overton Square now will be based on arts and entertainment instead of a grocery.    "An upscale grocery in the square? It quite frankly is not going to enhance an entertainment district," said Jackie Nichols, executive producer of Playhouse on the Square and its neighboring, sister theater, Circuit Playhouse.    A spot check of businesses in and around Overton Square shows others in the district are either thrilled about the change in redevelopment plans or at least happy long-vacant buildings will have new life of any sort breathed into them.    Most people going to a grocery are on a schedule and wanting to get in and get out, said Taylor Berger, who with his partners in March opened a YoLo frozen yogurt shop across Cooper from the planned development.    "We thrive where people are relaxing and eating, not where they are on a schedule," Berger said.    The Overton Square YoLo is "far and away our best performing store," said Berger, whose company has 10 shops.    "Even imagining it could be better (in an arts and entertainment district) is great."    "... From what I've seen, the reason why it's so popular is just the pent-up demand for entertainment," Berger said. "YoLo for a lot of people has become that, a gathering place.    "... I think entertainment and food is exactly what Midtown and Memphis want."    Loeb Properties in May persuaded the City Council to fund most of a $6 million parking structure/floodwater detention facility in Overton Square.    In return, Loeb would revitalize the five acres on the southwest corner of Madison and Cooper with new retail anchored by a grocery store.    But last month Robert Loeb confirmed the grocery store is no longer in the plans, replaced by an arts and entertainment theme and boutique retail.    He plans to unveil details and artist renderings at a public meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 12 at Playhouse on the Square.    The Square is almost a theater district already, with three live theaters -- Playhouse, Circuit and TheatreWorks -- and a movie theater, Malco's Studio on the Square.    From what he knows of Loeb's new plans, Nichols said more live, performing arts could be bound for Overton Square.    "I don't know what they are. I know there's been a number of different organizations that have been approached in the city," Nichols said.    The synergy of an entertainment district could help all its businesses, indicated Jimmy Tashie ['66], executive vice president of Malco, which built Studio on the Square 10 years ago.    "You don't want to be an island unto yourself," Tashie said. "When you walk out the front door, you want to see some activity."    Tashie doesn't have a strong opinion about a grocery versus arts and entertainment district, in part because the movie theater is "product driven." If someone wants to see a "Harry Potter" movie, they'll come see it whether there's a grocery or arts gallery across the street.    But Malco built in the Square a decade ago because "by and large, it's an area that we felt strongly it needed some entertainment."    "We're patiently waiting for something good to happen" with the Square, he said. "Whether it's a grocery or just shops, as long as it's done in a neighborhood-friendly manner."    Malco is pleased with the amount of business it does in the Square.    "You always wish you could do more business, but we're not going anywhere," Tashie said. "We'll be there for a long, long time, and hopefully we'll see a renaissance in that area."    The restaurant/bar Boscos Squared sits directly across Madison from the empty southside buildings. John Kinzel, one of Boscos owners, said, "Anything that is going to bring more people into the area is a good thing for all the businesses."    While it didn't matter to Kinzel whether Loeb put a grocery or arts and entertainment across the street, he said an arts and entertainment theme would be a good fit with Boscos.    One of just two businesses that have remained open in the cluster of buildings to be redeveloped is Golden India restaurant.    The empty neighboring spaces have created a strain that Golden India has been able to endure.    "It's hard," owner Satina Singh said. "I don't like that empty," he added while pointing east to adjacent, vacant space.    He also doesn't care much what form the redevelopment takes, just as long as it draws people.    "Whatever business is good," he said. "Empty not good." Longtime Rhodes president Bill Troutt keeps inspiring Cultivates relationships with students, community By Richard Morgan, The Commercial Appeal September 4, 2011 Excerpt from a newspaper article about the Rhodes College president Bill Troutt. "He likes students," said Spence Wilson ['60], the hotelier who has served as a Rhodes trustee for 40 years, including an eponymous, endowed humanities chair that debuted this year. The two are friends, with the occasional duck-hunting trip to Arkansas. "He likes to be around smartness and brightness and capability and responsibility," he added." Schnucks to leave Memphis; sells most grocery stores, gas stations to Kroger Employees can interview for jobs with new owner By James Dowd, The Commercial Appeal September 2, 2011    After nearly a decade in Memphis, Schnucks has left the building.    Or buildings.    Ending weeks of speculation, company officials confirmed today that the St. Louis-based chain's area footprint will be resold under the Kroger brand.    Terms of the deal were not disclosed.    "This was a difficult decision, but as a company of 15,000 teammates, we have an obligation to look to the future. Unfortunately, that means making tough decisions in order to keep our company strong and to continue serving customers and providing careers down the road," said Scott Schnuck, chairman and CEO.    "While it saddens me to announce our departure from the Mid-South, I can honestly say that I believe our presence here has had a positive affect on the market. Over the years, Schnucks invested heavily in our stores and in our teammates and stirred local competition to step up their games in terms of food expertise and service. Customers across the region will benefit from that work even after we've moved on."    Officials with the Memphis-based Kroger Delta Division announced that eight area Schnucks stores will be converted to Kroger sites during the next few weeks.    As part of the deal Kroger also purchased the Collierville Schnucks at 275 New Byhalia, but it is near a recently renovated Kroger and so company officials have opted to close the store. Plans are to lease it to another retailer.    Three other Schnucks stores that are in leased properties will also close.    "For over 60 years, Kroger has proudly served the Memphis community," said Mark Prestidge, Kroger Delta Division president. "Kroger has demonstrated its commitment to the Memphis area by investing over $70 million on remodels, expansions and fuel centers over the last five years. We continue to focus on upgrading our store base in an effort to provide our customers the best shopping experience possible. With this acquisition, we are pleased to be able to provide more convenient locations for our customers to shop at in the Memphis area."    Kroger counts 37 stores in the Memphis area and this deal will boost that number to 43. Two of the stores will replace smaller Kroger stores.    "We plan to convert these stores and re-open within two weeks after they close. Our primary goal is to minimize the inconvenience to our customers as we transition the stores to Kroger," Prestidge said. "While the acquired stores will be temporarily closed during the conversion process, the pharmacies and in-store banks will be accessible and remain open to customers during regular business hours."    Pharmacy customers at the Schnucks stores that are set for permanent closure will be able to fill prescriptions at the nearest Kroger.    The overlapping of Kroger stores that the purchase seems to create in several areas had Art Seessel ['56] confused.    He was CEO of the Seessel's grocery stores until they were sold in 1997, and remains the landlord for the Schnucks buildings on Perkins in East Memphis and on Union in Midtown.    Kroger just spent millions of dollars renovating its Mendenhall store in East Memphis, which is close to the two Schnucks stores it just bought on Perkins and Truse Parkway.    "I don't understand the deal," Seessel said. "There's so much duplication."    He figures Kroger must be planning more moves to consolidate.    The purchase also seems to create geographic overlap for existing Kroger stores in Bartlett and Germantown, said Danny Buring, managing principal of The Shopping Center Group.    "I think there will be an opportunity for another major player to step in," Buring said.    But Kroger has a history of being aggressive in the Memphis market, he added.    "The grocery market has been pulled from both ends," Buring said. "From the low end with expansion of Aldi and Save-A-Lot and on the higher end with Fresh Market and Whole Foods. But Kroger has always maintained its dominance here. While they don't have the market share they had 15 years ago, I can't imagine there's a whole lot of other markets where they have this kind of dominance."    Last year, Kroger announced plans for a $20 million construction project near its Poplar and Highland location, resulting in a new 87,000-square-foot grocery situated just west of its current site at 3444 Plaza Ave. But the project has yet to begin because tenants remain at the site where Kroger plans to raze existing structures and build from the ground up.    The project is expected to take up to a year to complete and calls for a new grocery that will be about 30,000 square feet larger than the Kroger currently at the site.    Thirty associates will be added, increasing its employee count to 200. The new property will feature a bistro and onsite chef, sushi station, fresh soup-and-salad bar, doughnut shop and expanded deli, meat and seafood departments.    And in addition to increasing its organic and bulk items, the store will offer more personal care products and maintain its drive-through pharmacy.    That project is still on the table, said Joe Bell, local manager of marketing and public affairs for Kroger's Delta Division, and should get under way in the coming weeks.    Plans for the Schnucks remodels will begin on Sept. 13 with four stores, which will be closed and stocked with Kroger signage and products. Those stores will re-open by Sept. 24 and the following week the remaining Schnucks stores will be closed and repurposed.    Full-scale renovations will be performed on each of the stores during the next three years.    Schnucks has 1,193 employees in the Memphis market and those workers will be allowed to interview for similar positions at the rebranded Kroger stores, Bell said. A Kroger job fair for current Schnucks employees will be held next week.    Schnucks has 10 stores and six Schnucks Express fuel and convenience centers in Shelby County, and two grocery stores and two fuel/convenience stations in DeSoto County.    The company counts 106 stores in seven states: Tennessee, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin. The Mid-South region is the family-owned company's second-largest market.    In contrast, Cincinnati-based Kroger operates 109 stores and 68 fuel centers in five states under the Kroger banner in West Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, southern Missouri, and southwest Kentucky. And there are more than 3,000 Memphis-area employees in Kroger's Delta Division, excluding those in its distribution center.    In total, the company counts 2,449 grocery retail stores in 31 states under nearly two dozen banners.    In addition, Kroger operates 1,966 pharmacies; 1,035 supermarket fuel centers; 785 convenience stores under five banners in 18 states; 359 jewelry stores in 36 states under such names as Barclay Jewelers, Fred Meyer Jewelers, and Littman Jewelers; and 40 food processing or manufacturing facilities.    A little over a year ago, Schnucks leaders cited an oversaturated market and an underperforming economy as reasons behind shuttering the store at 1150 N. Germantown Pkwy. Schnucks had bought the 68,000-square-foot Cordova site — which originally opened in 1999 — when it acquired Seessel's in 2002.    The grocery closed on Aug. 28, 2010, but the nearby Schnucks Express gas station and convenience store at 1210 N. Germantown Pkwy. remained open.    Rumors of a Schnucks exit strategy intensified last month when the company abruptly halted its "Pump Up the Savings" customer card and fuel rewards program.    The company became involved in the fuel business when it entered the Mid-South market in 2002, eventually opening eight fuel centers in the Memphis area in what became its largest fuel rewards market.    The Schnucks exit is the latest chapter in the story of what was originally a locally owned establishment known as Seessel's.    Founded by Henry Seessel in 1858, the Seessel's stores remained family-owned until 1987 when Seessel's great-great-grandsons, Art and Jerry Seessel, sold the then-10-store chain to American Banaco Inc., a French holding company.    The following year the Seessel family bought the stores back, but within a few years they were up for sale again.    In 1996, Fleming Companies, an Oklahoma City-based grocery wholesaler and Seessel's minority shareholder, claimed the right of first refusal on any sale and challenged the attempt by Birmingham-based Bruno's Supermarkets Inc. to buy the stores.    Originally, Fleming planned to buy the stores and resell to Schnucks.    But a federal judge ruled in favor of Bruno's, which had acquired the stores and in 1998 the Boise, Idaho-based Albertson's bought the Seessel's stores for $88 million. Four years later, Schnucks acquired the company.    At the time of the deal, Albertson's was the No. 2 store in the area with about 15 percent of the Memphis market share, well behind Kroger with 39 percent, but slightly ahead of Wal-Mart, which had more than 11 percent.    Wal-Mart launched its Supercenter concept in 1988, entering the grocery store industry by offering items at significantly discounted prices. Today there are more than 2,900 of the stores across the country. And its Wal-Mart Market concept, which began in 1998 with groceries, pharmaceuticals, and general merchandise, today counts 183 stores nationwide.    "When we came into the Mid-South market in 2002 we felt it was a unique opportunity and we hoped to get a strong foothold there and maintain a strong presence in Memphis," said Lori Willis, director of communications for Schnuck Markets Inc. "Unfortunately, the Mid-South competitive landscape changed dramatically and there has been fierce competition from non-traditional grocery stores. We ultimately were forced to make the difficult decision to leave this market, which has treated us so warmly."    In addition to the Schnucks stores, the Tom Thumb subsidiary of Kroger is purchasing seven convenience stores in the Memphis area that are owned by Schnuck Markets. The sites will operate under the banner name Kwik Shop.    "We are pleased to enter this important market with our Kwik Shop convenience store banner," said Van Tarver, vice president of convenience stores for Kroger. "We will strive to operate stores staffed with great people who want to make your shopping experience as efficient and enjoyable as possible."    Tom Thumb Food Stores is a convenience store division of The Kroger Co. and operates 116 stores in Florida and Alabama. Tennessee Brewery has intoxicating beauty, sobering challenges for developers By Sara Patterson, The Commercial Appeal August 28, 2011    After a decade of digging, he stumbled on it in a dusty attic.    The long-lost recipe to a forgotten beer: the Goldcrest 51.    "It was a step-by-step description -- what to do, how to do it, when to do it," said Kenn Flemmons, author and collector of all things old brew. His book "The Finest Beer You Ever Tasted" chronicles the rise and fall of the century-old brand, once one of the most popular lagers in the Mid-South.    "Goldcrest has more hops than what you find in regular beer today, more malt," he said. "It's heavier, with a fuller body, but still very clear and a light drinker. ... It's a nice blend, and a middle point between craft brews people like that are very hoppy, thick, chewy, and the commercial pilsners that you find on the shelf."    Having never sampled the original, the 55-year-old Arkansan relied on the recipe, his research and taste buds older than his own to re-create it. When he felt he had made a close-enough facsimile, he brought it to Memphis for the Cooper-Young Regional Beerfest last year, and the tap quickly ran dry.    Yet the towering brewery at 495 Tennessee St. that birthed the Goldcrest brand in 1906 may never see the same resurrection.    Beer runs through the veins of Jake Schorr III [associated with the Class of '61]. The local bar owner's great-grandfather founded the Tennessee Brewery in 1885 with Caspar Koehler and Peter Saussenthaler. Schorr's father, Jacob Jr., was brewmaster until the company's demise in 1954.    On a tour of the brewery one recent morning, Schorr's eyes drank in the surroundings. He had last visited the building about 20 years ago.    He looked past the decomposing dead cat near the old boiler room, the heavy lines of graffiti throughout the 67,000-square-foot interior and the dozens of trashed bottles.    He filled the empty space instead with childhood memories -- the smell of hops wafting through the air, the sound of sifted grains, the sight of bubbling wort in the 250-barrel brew kettle.    "I was a curious kid," he said. "I'm a curious old man."    Schorr, 69, was always fascinated with the mechanics of the brewery and he helps explain some of the architectural oddities of the place -- the mismatched floors, 18-foot-high ceilings and open courtyard that halves the complex.    Before the age of electricity, grains and hops were lifted to the highest area of the building using a system of steam-powered pulleys. Gravity then took care of the downward distribution.    Horse-drawn wagons would pull into the 5,300-square-foot courtyard to deliver supplies and transport beer to local saloons -- before trucks expanded distribution across the region.    The brewery produced more than a million barrels of beer in its nearly 70-year production span.    In 1948, at the height of its success, the brewery distributed more than 200,000 barrels. (A current Memphis brewing company, Ghost River, makes about 2,500 barrels a year to service around 100 bars in the area.)    Though it weathered Prohibition and World War II, the Tennessee Brewery struggled with the advent of national television advertising that squashed regional brands in favor of beers such as Budweiser. When the brewery sold the last of its lagers and ales, the workmen simply walked away from their stations, leaving behind equipment and filing cabinets brimming with business records. Jacob Schorr Jr. locked the doors.    The scrap-metal company A. Karchmer & Son moved in to sell off the valuables, but the reams of information remained untouched until Kenn Flemmons' obsession took a literary turn in the 1990s.    "There are two candidates right now, but I can't elaborate," said James Rasberry, the Realtor representing the property.    Rasberry said he's kissed many a frog in the search for a development prince. In the last 10 years, two major plans have fallen through -- one by a local arts group in 2003 to convert the building into affordable workspace for artists and another in 2006 for a $50 million condominium project.    The cost of restoring the building, alone, has been estimated at nearly $12 million.    "So many people are seduced by the beauty of the building, they overlook the difficulty a project of that magnitude" represents, Rasberry said. "Part of my job is tempering the zeal of would-be suitors."    "They say you aren't supposed to buy property for emotional reasons, but that's exactly what I did," said Norman. "I fell in love."    Norman's optimism about future uses for the building has faded, but he still holds out hope a creative developer will buy in to bring the building back to the public.    The building has other fans, too, including the Downtown Memphis Commission, which has it near the top of its priority list for redevelopment. The brewery is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.    "Such a storied history, such an iconic property -- it attracts interest by itself," said Andy Kitsinger, DMC vice president of planning and development. "It's the last building in that area to be redeveloped because it's the toughest, but it has so much mystery and nostalgia attached, it creates an emotional connection with people."    Kitsinger suggested a return to brewmaking as a good use for the building, coupled with conversion of the open, four-story atrium into a museum and tourist attraction where visitors could sample beer.    Nicky Newburger, whose family owned the scrap-metal business inside the brewery until its 1981 relocation, was one of the biggest advocates for the art space project several years ago and stays current on happenings there. She helped facilitate some of the private parties, theatrical performances and film projects that have taken place inside the building in the last couple of decades. She said out-of-towners are still drawn to the site despite its dilapidation.    "I recently did a photo shoot there with a couple from Chicago," said Newburger. "They found the brewery online and got married in the building -- just the two of them and a minister by the minute."    If only a developer would be so quick to seal the deal, she mused. Briefly Mentioned The following East alumni were mentioned or quoted briefly in the media. Because the reference was so limited, the full stories are not included here, however for a time the articles are available at the links provided. East High Coach Marcus Wimberly ('92 and Faculty) participated in the NFL summit last month, selected because of his being a former NFL player. The Commercial Appeal, Aug. 12, 2011. Erica Davis ('97) is quoted in a newspaper article about the looming combination of Memphis City and Shelby County school systems and its effect on the classroom. ""And regardless of whether my badge says MCS or SCS, it doesn't matter. We are still going to learn biology in this room today." The Commercial Appeal, Aug. 7, 2011. East High Coach Marcus Wimberly ('92 and Faculty) is briefly quoted in a newspaper article about East football players Will Redmond committing to Mississippi State and Latarius Brady committing to Arkansas State. The Commercial Appeal, Aug. 1, 2011. The Federation of Earth Science Information Partners has established an award to recognize outstanding service to the Earth science information community. The award was named after and first given to Martha Maiden ('68) in 2009. Maiden is the NASA Program Executive for Earth Data Systems. [Editor's note: delayed report just coming to our attention] John Reed ('69) is briefly quoted in a newspaper article about the closing of Tennessee Merchandise Market, a Hickory Hill area flea market that opened to great fanfare earlier this year. The Commercial Appeal, July 19, 2011. Attorney Doug Douglass ('68) is quoted in a newspaper article regarding the bankruptcy case of his client, Nelson, Inc. in Memphis. The Commercial Appeal, July 13, 2011. Cybill Shepherd ('68) is mentioned in a newspaper article as having named two the Memphis zoo's hippopotamuses 22 years ago. The Commercial Appeal, July 8, 2011. Bruce Hopkins (associated with the Class of '68) quoted in newspaper article about banks becoming more customer focused in their business model. The Commercial Appeal, July 7, 2011. Andrew Bobowski (Faculty), who taught at East High as a Teach for America teacher previously, will head a new college-prep middle school that is part of the Kipp Memphis charter schools. The Commercial Appeal, July 6, 2011. Eugene "Doug" Douglass ('68) is briefly quoted in a newspaper article as an attorney for developer Rusty Hyneman in Hyneman's bankruptcy case. The Commercial Appeal, July 3, 2011. There is a newspaper article about the Comcast Firecracker 5K race, which, "has been held in honor of" the late Libby Wilson ('69). The Commercial Appeal, June 27, 2011. A newspaper article features the high ranking of East High's basketball player Nick King, with a quotes from East coach Cheyenne Gibson (Faculty). The Commercial Appeal, June 24, 2011. Jimmy Jalenak ('57), chief administrative officer of the Memphis Zoo, is quoted in a May 29, 2011, newspapaer article about improving Overton Park in Memphis. The Commercial Appeal. Bill Carrier ('68) is briefly quoted about the Memphis in May barbecue contest being held away from the Mississippi River due to flooding in a May 13, 2011, article in The Commercial Appeal. He can also be seen in a 2009 video talking about his team's cooking method on youtube.com. Bill West ('65), founder of West Clinic has been given the Carnival Memphis President's Award, according to a mention in The Commercial Appeal, May 12, 2011. Chas McVean ('61) was honored April 30 as a 2011 inductee into the Memphis City Schools Hall of Fame. Wilson Air Center again receives citations for excellence in corporate aviation. Bob Wilson ('62) is the air center founder and president. The Commercial Appeal, May 5, 2011. Bruce Hopkins (associated with the Class of '68) has been named First Tennessee Bank's president of banking for West Tennessee. Hopkins attended East Junior High in the 7th and 8th grades. He has been with First Tennessee since 1985 and will continue to oversee the bank's private client, trust and wealth management services in Memphis. The Commercial Appeal, April, 29, 2011. East High Coach Marcus Wimberly ('92 and Faculty) discusses running back Brian Kimbrow upcoming senior season and the college recruitment process in an Apr. 17, 2011, article in The Commercial Appeal. Memphis City Schools to dissolve, East to become Shelby County School editor, The East High Alumni Page August 8, 2011    Federal District Court for the Western District ot Tennessee Monday, Aug. 8 released its declaratory judgement in the case regarding the surrender of the Memphis City Schools charter. Effective with the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year Memphis City Schools will no longer exist, the schools previously in the Memphis system will be governed by the Shelby County Schools. East High will then be a county school. Kent State athlete indicted for assault By Dave O'Brien, The Record-Courier, Ravenna, Ohio July 31, 2011    A Portage County grand jury recently indicted a member of the Kent State University men's basketball team on a charge he allegedly broke into an ex-girlfriend's Franklin Township apartment earlier this month and assaulted her in an argument over money.    Jarekious D. Bradley ['10], 20, of Memphis, Tenn., was indicted July 21 on one count of aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony, for the July 13 incident at an apartment on Ashton Lane in the Campus Pointe apartment complex on S.R. 59.    Bradley, who according to his attorney is living on campus this summer, remains free on bond pending a trial in October in Common Pleas Judge John Enlow's courtroom.    Bradley has been ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.    According to the Portage County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a 911 call the morning of the incident saying Bradley had entered the victim's apartment without permission.    Bradley allegedly demanded money he believed the victim owed him and attempted to take it from her purse, the sheriff's office said.    When she tried to stop Bradley, he allegedly shoved her to the ground. Others who were in the apartment at the time then gave Bradley money and he left, according to the report.    Bradley has been suspended indefinitely from the basketball team pending the outcome of his case, according to KSU Athletics.    A shooting guard from Memphis East High School, Bradley entered KSU in August 2010. An additional story about this incident is bleow. 'Edu-tainer' Ekpe performs lessons for children By Henry Bailey, The Commercial Appeal Posted July 29, 2011    "If you haven't had your exercise, get it while you can," a colorfully clad Ekpe [Peter Lee ('75)] "the Edu-tainer" exhorted parents, grandparents and children from infant to 11 at the Hernando Public Library.    "That's it. That's it. How low can you go? Keep flapping those wings!"    Against a map backdrop of "One World, Many Stories," Ekpe (pronounced ECK-pay) spun, strummed, blew and drummed tales and music with an African flavor and universal messages: health, love of learning, reading and respect for self and others.    His name tag lists a last name of Abioto, but just call him Ekpe. In African lore, "Ekpe" is a mysterious spirit believed to live in the forest and to preside at ceremonies. This Ekpe lives in Memphis and for 30 years has specialized in motivational music and cultural diversity programs for children.    With his soft voice and traditional instruments including the djimbe drum, kalimba hand piano, agogo bell and shakere bead-draped gourd, Ekpe is rounding out the First Regional Library series of summer reading time special events.    After this week's morning performance, it was on to Sardis; on Saturday at 4 p.m., he'll be at the Como library in Panola County.    "We have reading every Wednesday, but starting next month I'll lose my school-age kids," said Denise McOwen, youth specialist at the Hernando library.    Ekpe's story had started with kids bringing a lunch of carrots, broccoli -- "little trees" -- and other veggies only to be bamboozled by a clever bird. By now, things had morphed into a counting lesson and a "funky chicken" tribute to Rufus Thomas.    Hailey Gullick, 8, of Southaven, was flapping with the best of them. And flipping over the lessons along with her preschooler cousin, Madison Arnold, 4.    "What did we learn from that bird?" asked Ekpe. "Don't talk to strangers. You've got to be safe in this world today."    Ekpe sang "I Am a Genius," the title tune from his motivational CD: "I am a genius/I will learn everything my teacher teaches me. ... You are a genius/You can learn everything that your teacher teaches you."    To this, Hailey, a fourth-grader at Southaven Intermediate, revealed: "I've got two brothers and I'm smarter than them. I'm a straight-A student."    She's been "waiting and waiting and waiting" to go back to school. "I can't wait to go back because I have a real cute blue backpack that will last at least two years or more."    Says Ekpe later: "I use music as a metaphor for life to teach positive messages -- about school, about life. Children are attracted through the music, and I have a little fun in the meantime. That doesn't hurt at all."    But it can be bit of a challenge for a mom, pop or grandma -- or librarian.    "I had a little one who climbed in my arms when we started the 'funky chicken,'" McOwen said. "So I did the 'funky legs' under the table."    --------------------    MUSICAL JOURNEY    A Memphis native, Ekpe "the Edu-tainer" also achieved in school. In an earlier life, as button-downed Peter Lee, he was selected as "Mr. East High School" by his Class of 1975.    "Can you believe that?" he says.    At Shelby State Community College, now Southwest Tennessee Community College, he absorbed music, theater and drama, and later studied African music with master drummer Souleymane Diop of Senegal.    As a member of the Arista recording group Galaxy, he toured Canada, Germany and Japan. In 1992, as Ekpe, he played at the burial ceremony for "Roots" author Alex Haley in Henning, Tenn. He most recently recorded with saxophonist Kirk Whalum on the soundtrack for a documentary about HIV/AIDS in Africa and on his latest CD.    For more information on Ekpe and his music, e-mail or go online at ekpemusic.com. McVean wants cyclist/pedestrian path over the Mississippi By James Dowd, The Commercial Appeal July 22, 2011    If we build it, they will come, Charles McVean ['61] promises local leaders when pitching a field of beams proposal to construct a bicycle-pedestrian route over the Mississippi River.    Promoting a plan to rebrand Memphis as the cycling capital of the world, McVean envisions thousands of tourists pedaling alongside throngs of walkers on a rebuilt boardwalk on the Harahan railroad bridge.    Such was his message on Thursday, when McVean, chairman and CEO of Memphis-headquartered McVean Trading & Investments and a driving force behind the bridge project, was keynote speaker at a forum sponsored by the Society of Entrepreneurs.    "If we could get our business leaders and government officials together on this and spend a few million dollars, this city could become the preeminent destination for cyclists from around the world," McVean said.    "The Harahan Bridge boardwalk could be the centerpiece of a biking trail that begins in New Orleans and goes up to St. Louis. This project could change the entire image of Memphis."    Built in 1916, the Harahan Bridge had a roadway that carried cars and trucks until 1949, when the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge opened. Union Pacific owns the railroad portion of the bridge, but Memphis and Crittenden County purchased the vehicle lanes in 1917. The supports, which need to be reinforced, are still in place, but the roadbed isn't.    McVean said the upfront cost of the project would be a few million dollars that could be significantly underwritten by grants, but he'd like to see business leaders embrace the project and provide additional funding. The economic impact, he argued, would be lasting.    "If our city and the Mid-South could get together on this project, the financial benefits of increased tourism would be substantial and sustainable," McVean said.    In addition, he advocates connecting the bridge boardwalk to the Bluffwalk in Downtown Memphis, the Shelby Farms Greenline and a trail along Mississippi River levees from Louisiana to Missouri.    "This is the kind of forward thinking that appeals to young creatives and offers a solid plan for recreational pursuits that would attract and retain talent here," said Brad Silver, CEO of Memphis biomarker startup Computable Genomix. "I enjoy being outdoors a lot and so do many of my friends and a bridge trail would be a brilliant amenity."    SOE executive director Pearson Crutcher agreed.    "The bridge could increase our existing tourism base and attract thousands of people here every year," Crutcher said. "It's an entrepreneurial idea that has the potential to transform Downtown and benefit our entire community." KSU athlete charged with felony for break-in By Dave O'Brien and Thomas Gallick, The Record-Courier, Ravenna, Ohio July 15, 2011    A Kent State University basketball player has been charged with breaking into an ex-girlfriend's Franklin Township apartment on Wednesday morning, assaulting her and damaging her property.    Jarekious D. Bradley ['10], 20, of Memphis, Tenn. — a redshirt freshman guard on the Golden Flashes men's team — is charged with one count each of aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony, and criminal damaging, a second-degree misdemeanor, for the incident that took place in an apartment in the 1800 block of Ashton Lane in the Campus Pointe apartment complex on S.R. 59 in Franklin Township.    According to the Portage County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a 911 call Wednesday morning saying Bradley had entered the alleged victim's apartment without permission. Once inside the apartment, Bradley allegedly demanded money he believed the victim owed him and attempted to take it from her purse, the sheriff's office said.    When the alleged victim tried to stop Bradley, he allegedly shoved her to the ground, injuring her, and damaged her debit card by bending it in half, according to the sheriff's office. Others who were in the apartment at the time then gave Bradley money and he left the apartment.    Deputies later made contact with Bradley, who was arrested and questioned. He has been cooperating with sheriff's detectives investigating the incident, according to the sheriff's office.    Arraigned Thursday in Portage County Municipal Court in Ravenna via video from the Portage County jail, Bradley was ordered held on 10 percent of $25,000 bond, plus a $175,000 signature bond, by Acting Judge Marvin Shapiro, sitting in for Judge Mark Fankhauser.    Assistant Portage County Prosecutor Tim Piero had asked Shapiro to set bond at 10 percent of $200,000 bond because the charges give Bradley "significant incentive ... to flee the jurisdiction."    Defense attorney Errol Can, representing Bradley, countered by saying that Bradley has no criminal history, lives on campus in Kent and will be under the supervision of the KSU athletic department pending trial.    "I don't think he's any threat to flee the jurisdiction," Can said.    Requesting that Shapiro at least place Bradley on electronically-monitored house arrest pending trial, Piero told the judge that the case "arises out of passion," and "those kinds of situations can go awry."    Additionally, KSU athletics officials "are not law enforcement. They are not accustomed to tracking and monitoring" people accused of crimes, he argued.    "He would be under strict supervision of the athletic department," Can replied. "They actually do a very good job with that."    Shapiro denied Piero's request, though he did order Bradley to have no contact with the alleged victim or her residence.    A preliminary hearing on the felony charge is set for 9:15 a.m. July 22 in Fankhauser's courtroom.    In a statement, Alan Ashby, KSU assistant athletic director, said the department was informed of Bradley's arrest Wednesday.    "The off-the-court conduct of our student-athletes is something we take very seriously, and therefore we are suspending Bradley indefinitely from all team-related activities pending the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings." Ashby said. "We will reevaluate his status at the conclusion of those proceedings."    Bradley, a shooting guard from Memphis East High School, was admitted to KSU in August 2010 on a scholarship. Bradley was a non-qualifier, meaning he paid his own tuition and expenses for the 2010-11 school year, while earning eligibility.    He was supposed to begin playing for KSU this upcoming school year. Bartlett site chosen for 1st SCS charter school By Sherri Drake Silence, The Commercial Appeal May 26, 2011    A nonprofit organization authorized by the state to open Shelby County Schools' first charter school plans for it to be in Bartlett.    Tommie Henderson ['91 and Faculty 1998-2003], executive director of Smart Schools Inc., said his organization signed a 10-year lease Wednesday for a 9,300-square-foot building on Stage Road at Elmore Park Road. The building used to be occupied by FedEx Kinko's and AT&T.    The group agreed to pay about $121,000 annually in rent for the first five years and about $139,000 per year for the remaining five years.    "The renovations that we need to do are very minor," Henderson said. "... (We) should be in the space as early as late July."    Smart Schools plans to open the New Consortium of Law and Business to about 35 seventh-graders in the county district this fall and add another grade next year.    The official application process doesn't start until June 1, but the organization has already received more applications than spots available, Henderson said.    "Parents are very interested," he said. "It's been parents of all walks, from every type of community inside of Shelby County."    Shelby County Schools twice rejected the application from Smart Schools. Following an appeal filed by Smart Schools, the state Board of Education voted in January to require the district to approve the request.    Charter schools are taxpayer-funded public schools that are "chartered" by nonprofit organizations and operate outside of the control of local school boards.    With approval from Memphis City Schools, Henderson opened a similar law and business charter school Downtown last year. He also started the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering in MCS.    Henderson said the group plans to submit a proposed contract to the suburban district this week.    County school board chairman David Pickler said the contract would be negotiated by Supt. John Aitken and SCS attorney Valerie Speakman.    "At this point, the board has already reluctantly approved the agreement with them," Pickler said. " ... Our objective now is to ensure that this school meets the standards of Shelby County." Top prep prospect Brian Kimbrow of East High School ready to pick college Kimbrow expected to make choice Friday By John Varlas, The Commercial Appeal June 29, 2011    Decision day is just around the corner for the top-rated high school football prospect in the Shelby-Metro area.    East High coach Marcus Wimberley ['92 and Faculty] confirmed to The Commercial Appeal that star running back Brian Kimbrow will likely announce his college choice on Friday.    Kimbrow is scheduled to make his choice known at the D1 Training Facility in Franklin, Tenn.    "He's on his way up there now," Wimberley said late Tuesday afternoon.    Kimbrow, who is ranked tops in Memphis according to rivals.com, is the No. 2 all-purpose running back prospect in the Class of 2012.    He has offers from at least 24 schools, but Kimbrow said he would select from a list of finalists that includes Tennessee, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati and Notre Dame.    "I'm just looking for somewhere that's comfortable for me," Kimbrow said. "Someplace that's a good fit."    The 5-9, 165-pound Kimbrow ran for 1,557 yards (7.7 per carry) and scored 15 touchdowns for a Mustangs team that went 4-7 and lost to Ridgeway in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs in 2010.    Blazing speed is Kimbrow's calling card; he has been clocked at 4.28 in the 40-yard dash on several occasions.    Kimbrow's teammate, Will Redmond, is drawing a ton of recruiting interest too, but Wimberley said a decision doesn't appear to be imminent.    "The earliest he might make a decision is late summer," Wimberley said. "He hasn't taken any trips yet ... Will is taking things a little slower."    The 6-0, 179-pound dual-threat quarterback, who will be in his first season at East after transferring from Manassas, is also being recruited as a defensive back. He's rated 30th nationally among athletes according to rivals.com and is the fourth-rated prospect in the Shelby-Metro area.    Among the schools that have offered are North Carolina, Clemson, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Memphis. Wimberley added that Redmond picked up an offer from Miami on Monday. [The East High Alumni Page editor's note: Kimbrow committed to attend Vanderbilt University and Redmond chose Mississippi State University.] Staying busy, getting involved help seniors maintain health, happiness By Kathy K. Martin / Special to The Commercial Appeal May 19, 2011 [Excerpts}    ... Jerrold Graber ['57], 72, feels the same way. "I wouldn't even want to consider retirement," said the former securities broker and longtime volunteer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis. "I think it's important to be around younger people...:    Graber graduated from East High School in 1957 and went on to Princeton University, where he received his bachelor's degree in history. He returned to Memphis and worked for a family business before joining the securities industry in 1967. His career as a Memphis financial consultant spanned more than 40 years before he retired from that in 2007.    His interest in serving the community began in 1963, when he became a member of the Phoenix Club, a volunteer group for people age 35 and younger who support the Boys & Girls Clubs. His involvement grew from there, and he went on to serve as board member and president of the Boys & Girls Clubs.    He serves as a member of the organization's advisory board, chairman of the planned giving committee, a member of the investment committee and a trustee of the Boys Club Foundation.    "Being involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs surrounds me with other volunteers of high ability and energy and the rewards of seeing 96 percent of last year's senior club members graduate is great payback," said Graber, who was recently presented with the national organization's National Medallion award given to no more than seven people each year. "We're filling a great need with a great service."    His strong interest in civic groups also led him to volunteer over the years for Jewish Family Service, the Jewish Home and Rehabilitation Center and the Mental Health Association, and he was president of each group... For a time the full artilce is available free from The Commercial Appeal Taco Bell Tuesday Club: Old friends swap reminiscences, tall tales at weekly gathering By Richard J. Alley, The Commercial Appeal April 14, 2011    If you have stopped for lunch at the Taco Bell at Estate and Poplar in East Memphis recently, odds are you've encountered a group of raucous, overgrown boys eating and reminiscing.    What you have wandered into is the Taco Bell Tuesday Club. The club started eight months ago and now includes about 60 members, including quite a few characters.    The club started eight months ago and now includes about 60 members, including quite a few characters.    "We were always sitting in here on Tuesdays, and it started out as a joke, 'Hey, why don't we start a club?'" said 60-year-old Stanley Rogers ['69].    That was eight months ago, and the five founding members -- Ernie Vescovo, a broker with First Horizon; Ronny Birmann, a retired traveling salesman; Ernie Barrasso, a retired casino executive and disco owner; Bud Cowgill, owner of Cabinet Services, and Rogers, who works in IT -- have grown into a roster numbering more than 60.    The average age is about 65 (the oldest member, at 85, is Albert Caccamisi), and the parameters of the club are loosely defined, though members do have identification badges on lanyards and matching baseball caps with the bold letters "TBC" (Taco Bell Club) and a likeness of a taco embossed across the front.    It's difficult to discern a leader of this party. Indeed, walking among them, the ringmaster of this circus seems to change from conversation to conversation, from colorful anecdote to anecdote.    There is no telling what the common thread is here, but there are friendships that span half a century. How each is connected, though, is a puzzle in itself, which they are all too happy to put together; whether through high schools, lineage, neighborhoods, work or, more than likely, Elvis Presley.    Many of them grew up with "The King" of rock and roll and knew him personally.    "If Elvis was alive, he'd be sitting right over there," Harold Boone, 70, said pointing to an adjacent booth.    Duke Brando, by far the youngest member at 34, says it's this knowledge that's a draw for him.    "I'm just thankful to be able to know these guys because I'm the biggest Elvis fan there is, and these guys knew him as a person," Brando said.    While every member may have a claim to Elvis, Gene Mason, onetime club owner and manager for the Bar-Kays and other Stax artists, also admitted, "We just come down here to see who can tell the biggest lie."    In their golden years, their interests have turned to reminiscing. They are served tall tales and history with chalupas and nachos, washing them down with iced tea and memories. Their stories take them from Memphis to Hollywood and up to New York, and an auteur would do well to sit down with them over tacos to glean a story line or study a plot twist. There is certainly no shortage of characters.    In the mix are investment brokers, club owners, police officers, a produce peddler, firefighters, security professional, casino executive and at least one bodyguard, almost all with "retired" behind their names.    "There are no strangers in here," said Mason.    Though the discussion tends to revolve around who they've known and who may be sick or hospitalized at the moment, it inevitably returns to the old days.    "Back then, some Catholic schools had a dance every night; it was a place for us to go every night," said Fred Fredrick, 71, son-in-law of Stax co-founder Estelle Axton who regaled with the story of his first date with his wife, a double date with Elvis and Priscilla.    Neighborhoods and schools are paramount in the group, a way to connect the dots. In that Taco Bell, the high schools represented include Catholic, South Side, Humes, Holy Names and Christian Brothers.    On a recent Tuesday, they passed around an 8-by-10 photo of the group with member Larry Godwin ("His grandmother came over from Italy with my mother," Mason said) in uniform shortly after announcing his retirement as police director for Memphis.    Other notable members include former mayor and sheriff Bill Morris and legendary street brawler George Tiller, Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk Jimmy Moore, restaurateur Silky Sullivan and former Chicago Bear Bob Lyles.    "We're trying not to let it fade away," Sullivan said.    Rogers added, "It's a great town, and it's guys like this that keep the history alive." Memphis basketball report: East star savors run to NCAA championship By Marlon W. Morgan, The Commercial Appeal April 8, 2011    One of the reasons Adrienne Pratcher ['09] chose to attend Texas A&M is because she felt like the women's basketball program could do some amazing things under coach Gary Blair.    But when the final horn sounded and the Aggies had defeated Notre Dame on Tuesday night, 76-70, to claim their first NCAA national championship, the sophomore point guard from East High was left stunned.    "I was shocked and excited at the same time," Pratcher said, "because I never thought I would be in that situation, on a team that won a national championship."    Pratcher was a backup point guard to Associated Press honorable mention All-American Sydney Colson. She played in 34 games, averaging 2.4 points and 1.0 rebounds for the 33-5 Aggies.    She enjoyed the NCAA Tournament ride that saw Texas A&M knock off Big 12 rival Baylor, a No. 1 seed that beat the Aggies three times this season, in the Elite Eight, then follow that with a thrilling win over Stanford, another No. 1 seed, in the Final Four semifinal game.    Pratcher's playing time diminished as Texas A&M advanced in the tournament. She played a total of five minutes at the Final Four, where her only disappointment was committing four turnovers.    "I don't think it was so much me being nervous," she said. "I think it was me mentally probably not being ready to play. It was just me going out there and being nonchalant with the ball. The turnovers were very crucial. They were basically things that should never happen."    Still, all was forgotten when the Aggies cut down the nets at Conseco Fieldhouse, then returned Wednesday to College Station, Texas, where thousands of fans filled Reed Arena to greet the champions.    "It was a great experience," Pratcher said. "It made me realize how the people at this university feel about sports, how they feel about us as people, it was awesome. We had a great crowd. Afterwards, we got to sign autographs and mingle with the kids, so it was cool."    Pratcher, who was the class valedictorian at East in 2009, looks forward to returning to Memphis later this spring to share her experience with family and friends. She's also already looking forward to next season, when she's expected to replace Colson at point guard.    "I think this offseason I need to work on being a team leader, getting players together and working out," she said. "I need to work on my mid-range jumper and getting everything down pat so I can be ready for next season." There is also on-line for an undertemined period of time a televsion news report about the same story: WREG. 233 graduate in Class of 2011 Writen by: editor The East High Alumni Page May 22, 2011        Two hundred thirty-three students met the requirements for graduation from East High School and participated in graduation exercises Sunday, May 22, 2011, according to school principal Eric Harris ('91 and current Faculty).    The sixty-first commencement of East High School took place in the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Memphis.     Chas McVean ('61), the graduation speaker, told the seniors just before they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, that for those going ton to college, the next six months may be the most important time of their lives. For those not planning to enter a 4 or 2 year college, McVean suggested that what ever field of work they enter to do their very best every day. Saying that this is a great country, McVean told them if they do that, someone will notice. As an example of what can be accomplished, he cited a new company he has established to manufacturer and sell electric bicycles. McVean said he paid a search firm $50,000 to find the person in the United States of America who knew the most about building bicycles. After about a 6 month search, the firm came back with a name and McVean said let's get him to Memphis and hire him. First, though, the search firm wanted McVean to know one thing about the individual, he never attended one day of college. McVean said his response was, "get him to Memphis and let's hire him."     McVean also noted there have been changes at East High since he graduated in 1961 but he said the colors that matter are red and gray, not the color of one's skin. East High was once an all white high school in the segregated Memphis City School system. Today, nearly all the students are African American.     Memphis City Schools superintendent Kriner Cash released the diplomas to the students and congratulated each as they walked back to their seats.     Sometimes, not all the graduation candidates that participate in commencement actually graduate at that time, as all the elements that go into the final grades may not have been received. Nevertheless, seniors were offered $2.3-million dollars in scholarships this year, according to school counselor LaTanya Pratcher.     Principal Eric Harris concluded the remarks at the graduation by addressing "the Class of 2011 one last time:"    No matter what has been said about you, no matter what has been done to you, positive or negative, beginning tomorrow, none of that will matter. Whether you have overcome serious adversity, or worked hard to be at the top of your class, none of that will matter tomorrow. Because tomorrow begins your life, and you have the choice to follow a worn path or begin a new one.    To borrow from the book of Lamentations:    "I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.    I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.    Yet this is the moment I call to mind and therefore I will have hope"    As I close my charge to you, 2011, remember that whatever it is you chose to do beginning tomorrow, always remember East High School is now your alma mater, and you are the sixty-first class to have that honor.    As a fellow alum I truly wish you all the best there is.     Before the final procession, the Class of 2011 rose and along with the Chorus, accompanied by the East band, sang the first verse of the East High School Alma Mater. Tennessee governor talks with educators at East High meeting The Commercial Appeal April 7, 2011 [Excerpts]    Memphis teachers tell Governor Haslam their fears about new evaluation process    Gov. Bill Haslam got thoughtful advice from school insiders over eggs and toast Thursday about engaging parents and freeing teachers from numbing loads of paperwork...    Haslam made several appearances Thursday, including at Margolin Hebrew Academy and a groundbreaking in Millington for the three-mile Veterans Parkway, a $19 million project to link Paul Barret Parkway with U.S. 51 on the north.    He started the day at East with Kevin Huffman -- his newly installed commissioner of education -- telling about 40 city and county educators he wanted to know what they tell their best friends about work.    "That's what we are here to talk about, the things you think we should know..." Consignment shop in Cooper-Young fills high-end niche By Lesley Young, The Commercial Appeal March 30, 2011    Elayne Perry's ['94] first fling with fashion happened around the time she started applying makeup in high school.    "I liked to match my lipsticks. I remember this one outfit. I wore orange lipstick, carried an orange purse, wore an orange short set and orange Esprit sandals. I thought I was the cutest thing," she said.    "I looked like a little pumpkin."    Though her unique style earned her a nomination for "best dressed" at East High School, these days the 35-year-old native Memphian has traded her fondness for conformity in for name brands such as Vera Wang and Trina Turk.    Keeping up with the latest spreads in Vogue magazine has had its consequences for the clotheshorse.    "I am a total shopaholic. I buy so many different things," she said. "My mom gets onto me. She'll say, 'You have a $600 bag. Are you serious, Elayne?'"    Perry decided to combine her weakness for a good wardrobe with her dream to have her own business and open a high-end consignment shop in the Cooper-Young area.    "I think fashion says a lot about you," she said. "It can boost your self-esteem, and you don't have to spend $700 on an outfit to look good."    This Saturday, Perry will presents her collection of high-end habiliments at the grand opening of Charm Boutique, 2296 Young.    "It's going to be a ball. I'll have desserts and champagne, and I'll be giving out gift cards to the first 20 folks who come in," Perry said.    So far Perry has acquired more than 300 items, including garments, accessories and shoes, boasting such illustrious labels as Gucci and BCBG, some of them from her own closet.    "A lot of garments still have the tag on them," she said. "I also try to find out what the celebrities are wearing and look for that. I know a lot of people are wearing Tory Burch. I don't have any of hers, so I definitely want it."    She has a list of 10 consigners, drawing both locally and from out of town, and maintains strict guidelines for what she will accept.    "Consigners come in by appointment only. The clothes have to be in good to excellent condition, pressed and clean, and in season and up to date," she said. "I don't want it to become or be perceived as a thrift store."    Consigners will receive 40 percent of sales, and if an item doesn't sell within 90 days, they have the option to either pick it up or donate it to charity.    Opening her own business hasn't been a smooth ride for Perry, who will run the business from her home in Houston, Texas.    She was poised to open her doors last October, but a mechanical fire put a hole in her ceiling and destroyed all of her equipment.    "It was so heartbreaking," she said. "My feelings were so hurt."    Over the winter, while a construction crew gutted and restored the space, Perry continued to meet with consigners at local eateries and her mother's house, determined not to fold.    "It's amazing they were willing to trust me and drop off these really nice items just meeting me at a deli or at the Clark Tower," she said.    "This is something I am passionate about. I love dressing up. It's natural to me. It's something that's just in me." Careful management lets Hope House expand help to city's most vulnerable kids By Jonathan Devin, The Commercial Appeal March 26, 2011    Hope House is emerging from a nationwide slump in charitable giving with the realization that raising funds after the recession means getting the lead out.    For Memphis' only early childhood education center for preschoolers with HIV, exterior renovations, tree care and lead abatement are all i's to be dotted and t's to be crossed when preparing to compete for grants.    "We've talked about buying just one modern building, but part of the charm for our children is that we have houses," said Dr. Betty Dupont, executive director, referring to the three turn-of-the-century houses on South Idlewild in Midtown where Hope House is located. "In poverty, mostly what children have is institutional settings."    At Hope House, about two dozen children affected by HIV/AIDS prepare for kindergarten with lessons and directed play designed to alleviate the stress of home life and poverty.    For example, Hope House has a play therapy room where two social workers play with children such as a boy who watched his mother being murdered. In therapy, the boy buried a hand-sized coffin in a sandbox.    Dupont knew that change was in the air in 2008 when the recession hit and purposefully did not fill staff positions that became vacant through natural attrition. In the fall, though, she hopes to add one, possibly two new teacher positions, and to do so, she had to do some house cleaning.    The Plough Foundation and Assisi Foundation agreed to provide funding for major renovations but were concerned about the organization performing at capacity, so the Plough Foundation challenged Hope House with a matching grant of $250,000 and two years to raise the match.    "I wanted to grow our endowment to $1 million so we could use the income to cover two additional classrooms," Dupont said.    Plough and Assisi money paid for siding and new roofs on all three houses and pruning of several century-old oak trees on the property that had become a safety concern.    Hope House's accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children required lead abatement of all interior walls, which will begin this summer after the program's graduation.    "They have to take out all of the walls right after graduation," said Kevin Dean, Hope House's director of development. "First, all of us will be moving everything out of the middle house and into PODS. All of the kids' programs will move to the house at 27 S. Idlewild, and then again to 23 S. Idlewild."    The work will take most of the summer and will cost about $50,000 for each house. Proceeds from special events like a 5K run in March and a golf tournament in April, as well as gifts from other groups such as Carnival Memphis, will help them reach their match.    If that sounds like a lot of work to keep the agency in good shape for future fundraising, it may well pay off in the end.    Diane Rudner ['68], board chairman of the Plough Foundation, said scrutiny of grant applications is at an all-time high and relationships are more important than ever.    For example, Rudner said that it is much harder to award grants for endowments these days because the income from interest is not as certain as it used to be. Also, foundations are looking closely at whether it makes more sense to buy a new building than to repair an old one.    Hope House was an exception in both of those cases.    "Hope House is very different because we've known the organization a long time," said Rudner, noting that the Plough Foundation was an original contributor to Hope House when it was founded by the Junior League 15 years ago.    Agencies, she said, need to prove financial health and not ask for money to repay existing debt, and they need to demonstrate that they have cut as many expenses, including staff, as possible.    Most important, Rudner said, agencies must not duplicate other programs.    If the numbers line up for Hope House the way Dupont expects them to, the agency should be able to raise its capacity to 40 children within the next couple of years. A Bridge to Cross Harahan at center of ambitious pedestrian, cycling plan By Bill Dries, The Daily News March 28, 2011    Martyrs Park sits atop the Chickasaw Bluff and overlooks the Mississippi River, its lone modern sculpture a memorial to victims of the 19th century Yellow Fever epidemics that devastated Memphis from the 1850s through the 1870s.    Nearby on the bluff is the First Unitarian Church of the River, whose modern open space facing the river is the perfect companion to the sculpture. A rail line passes the church en route to the 94-year-old Harahan Bridge, whose stark metal work and an ornate wrought iron rail clearly come from an earlier era.    The church's open space and adjacent park offer a view of the river and a trio of bridges, including the Harahan, but this spot has never reached the same popularity for strolling and viewing as Tom Lee Park or Greenbelt Park on Mud Island.    That is already changing. With the first weekend of spring-like weather just ahead of the season's arrival by the calendar, the area, bordered by tall grass where the bluff begins its rapid drop to a rising river, bristled with bicyclists and walkers and river watchers.    The oldest of the three bridges, the Frisco Bridge, was once the only bridge across the Mississippi River south of St. Louis. The three bridges still handle cars, trucks and rail traffic. And under an ambitious plan, one of the old "wagon ways" on the Harahan may again be opened to pedestrians and bicyclists as a boardwalk that links a system of trails on both sides of the river.    Memphis commodities broker Charles McVean ['61] is lending important connections to the effort and is as relentless in his pursuit as the trains that cross the bridge daily. McVean's goal is to have people walking and bicycling across the Harahan in 18 months at a cost he estimates at "several million dollars."    "This is big," he said. "We're going to go across that bridge."    Terry Eastin, executive director of the Mississippi River Trail Inc., has watched the recent trail fever in Memphis from Fayetteville, Ark., with growing interest. Eastin's group has set a goal of 3,000 miles of bike-friendly roads and pathways connecting 10 states – and the Bluff City has been a cornerstone of that ideal.    "It's fun to watch Memphis come alive," she said. "It's such a change from when I started this job in 2005. It's as though the entire culture of the city has undergone this wonderful transformation."    She has met with McVean about the Harahan project, something she endorses for many of the same reasons McVean does.    "We place a pretty darn high priority on that bridge," she said. "Right now with no bridge crossing at all in Memphis, it's hard for us to be able to direct riders to go that way. You just can't cross the river unless you have a car or rent a taxi or have some other vehicle to take you across. This bridge will change all of that."    McVean also said the bridge crossing is bigger than just the view of the Mississippi River. He hopes the bridge can be the start of a link to a 120-mile riverside levee bike path being planned between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.    "The trade balance of any political entity is very important to its economic vitality," he said as he talked of the international biking community coming to Memphis to ride a regional trail system along the Mississippi River. "This project could drive a powerful swing in our region's net balance of trade and tourism."    The venture also becomes more complex on the Arkansas side of the boardwalk.    Crittenden County elected leaders, including Arkansas state representative and former West Memphis mayor Keith Ingram, were among those in the group that went to Omaha, Neb., in February to meet with executives from Union Pacific Corp. – the railroad that owns and operates Harahan – about access to the bridge.    They are already working toward a levee park that could include trails along river levees in Arkansas. It's also a goal of some trail advocates in North Mississippi.    Those advocates have talked of the ease of maintaining the levee tops with asphalt trails and pathways for bicyclists. But the levees weren't built as roads; they were built as flood control projects and the boards that administer them have, in some cases, been concerned about what public access might mean. For now the levees are a politically sensitive topic that few want to comment about on the record.    Despite the political roadblocks that remain, McVean has brought the same energy and high level connections to the Harahan effort that he has brought to other ventures, including a bid to race hackney ponies with electronically controlled jockeys and his efforts to promote his alma mater East High School.    McVean founded the Greater East High Foundation in 2004. Its goal was to pay upperclassmen at the school $10 an hour to tutor underclassmen. McVean put some of his own money into the venture and helped get others to contribute.    When McVean put a political fundraiser in Omaha on his busy 2008 calendar, he took a University of Memphis student with him and the two got face time with then-President George W. Bush to talk about the program. Bush himself got the group in touch with John Bailey, a domestic counsel at the U.S. Department of Education.    That Omaha event was a fundraiser for the successful U.S. Senate campaign of Mike Johanns, the former governor of Nebraska, who is a personal friend of McVean's.    Johanns was instrumental in getting the Memphis delegation in front of Union Pacific CEO James Young earlier this year to make its Harahan Bridge proposal.    The project is near and dear to McVean for other reasons as well. He is developing and marketing an aerobic cruiser hybrid bicycle and is just as avid about bicycling as an international tourism draw. His new venture, Cruiser's High Point Hub, is a lifestyle center for bicycle enthusiasts about to open near the Shelby Farms Greenline.    "The enemies of bicycling are automobiles, hills, winds and altitude," he said. "But if we control the automobiles, our flat temperate zone, low wind, is an ideal place for bicycling."    The bridge, which has two rail lines and originally had wagon ways on both of its sides, was built after the Frisco Bridge but before the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge (also known as the Interstate 55 or "old" bridge), the two spans that parallel the Harahan.    The bridge was designed by Ralph Modjeski, co founder of the Modjeski and Masters bridge engineering firm of Mechanicsburg, Penn., now being used by Union Pacific in its study of how a bridge boardwalk might be designed.    Union Pacific officials could not be reached by press time for comment on the bridge project, but the Memphis delegates returned from Omaha in February saying Young told them the railroad would work to make it happen.    For now, the project involves the Memphis group and the railroad assessing whether the steel framework that once held the wooden wagon way can support a boardwalk with pedestrian and bicycle traffic.    "It's counterintuitive, but a crowd of people out there to watch fireworks could put more weight on it than cars and trucks," McVean said of a very preliminary study he's had in consulting with engineers.    "There's no doubt that our group will end up retaining a structural engineering company to interface with the railroad's engineering consultants and move forward to put a plan together," McVean said.    The city's engineer is also consulting with Union Pacific executives on the bridge, which McVean described as "overbuilt."    "Back in those days if you wanted to be the greatest bridge builder you didn't want bridge failure," he said. "There was only one way to be sure and that was to overbuild."    Access directly to the bridge is still difficult and limited because of railroad security needs. The rail line that runs directly by the Church of the River has a chain link fence on both sides.    It once didn't, and the area was the scene of several protests in the 1980s and 1990s by groups calling attention to trains they said were hauling nuclear weapons and waste through the city. Access would change with plans to restore the wagon way on the north side of the Harahan. By choosing that side, the Memphis group avoids any rail crossings that might add safety concerns. The north side of the bridge also offers an unblocked view of the Mississippi River and the city skyline.    But McVean's aspirations don't end there – he wants to connect the city's burgeoning network of bike and walking paths.    That's why McVean also is pursuing a link from the Harahan to the Shelby Farms Greenline, the wildly popular and busy rail-to-trail project whose western terminus is at Tillman and Walnut Grove Road. Lately, McVean has thought of Holmes Road, further east, as a connecting point for the trail to Downtown and the river.    "I'm all in favor of Tillman," McVean said. "But there remains the fact of that dangerous intersection at Tillman and Sam Cooper. Holmes has got an underpass under Sam Cooper."    McVean originally wondered aloud about a bicycle path along the tree-lined median of North Parkway. But since then, the city of Memphis has begun exploring bicycle lanes in both directions on the parkway itself.    "However we do it," McVean said, "I think that we've got to have the vision to recognize that we've got to have a first-class route to get from Shelby Farms to the bridge." The final mile: Memphian laces up running shoes for last time By Mike Mueller, Memphis Magazine March 14, 2011    As 75-year-old Mike Cody ['54] ran on the track at Rhodes College on Sunday afternoon, his college coach Freeman Marr, 86, watched his former star's final race from the stands.    On doctor's orders, Cody was running what would be the final mile of a remarkable, nearly lifelong running career.    "Hey, Coach! What a lead!" Cody shouted to Marr as he distanced himself from four longtime friends accompanying him.    Cody finished in 8:52, ending a career that began on the Rhodes (then Southwestern at Memphis) campus. He logged more than 80,000 miles.    "Shut the book at 80,345," a beaming Cody said as he took his shoes off.    Cody didn't log his miles for the first 20 years of his career and credited himself only an average of 1,000 miles per year during that time.    A Memphis native, local lawyer and former state Attorney General, U.S. Attorney, Memphis City Council member and mayoral candidate, Cody ran competitively since his junior year at East High School in 1953.    East High didn't have a track, so Cody would practice at Southwestern, which he would later attend on scholarship.    Marr, track coach at Southwestern during Cody's final three years at the school, recalled some of his star's accomplishments as he watched him circle the track for the final time.    He said at one meet, Cody ran the mile, the quarter-mile, the half-mile, the 2-mile and the anchor leg in the mile relay and won them all.    "He did an unbelievable, unthinkable thing," said Marr.    For Cody, running has been a "positive addiction" since he outran his father in a race to a pier in Pensacola, Fla., as a kid.    While he argued cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, running is what cleared his head, he said.    Cody's decision to hang up his shoes came after "a most peculiar injury," he said.    The mileage on Cody's feet has worn away his heel pads, leaving no cushion between skin and bone. Cody said after about 40 minutes of running, his feet are "on fire."    A doctor and friend of Cody's told him if he doesn't stop running, he won't be able to walk without pain.    "That's the issue with 80,000 miles, they don't give you any retreads," he said. "I hope to live a number of more years and I hope not to be all crippled up."    For Cody's wife, Suzi, watching her husband run for the final time was difficult.    "It was emotional for me. I can't believe it was his last," she said. "Ever since I've known him he's been running. It's a reality that hasn't quite sunk in yet."    Cody plans to replace running with other forms of exercise. But he knows he'll miss running, he said, especially "in beautiful places on beautiful days."    "There will be days when I look out the window and it'll be hard not to put on the shoes to get back in that old feeling." Battering Ram The Tragedy of Busing Revisited John Branston, Memphis Magazine March, 2011    [Memphis Magazine] Editor's note: Fifty years ago this coming October, the Memphis City Schools system was desegregated by 13 first-graders chosen, with considerable difficulty, by leaders of the NAACP. At first the process was slow; ten years later, the federal courts speeded things up by approving forced busing to achieve integration.    By 1974, more than 30,000 students had left the Memphis public schools, and Memphis had the largest private-school system in the country. Busing was a life-changing and city-transforming experience. The people who remember the early 1970s — black and white, parent and student, teacher and administrator — still say that.    Today, in the spring of 2011, we are at another key moment in our educational history. Barring intervention by the courts or state legislature, Memphis voters will likely decide on March 8th whether to surrender the Memphis City Schools charter and transfer control to Shelby County Schools, effectively merging the two systems.    This story is built around an earlier one, originally published in the December 1995 issue of this magazine. John Branston, the author, updated and included that article in his 2004 book, Rowdy Memphis: The South Unscripted. Our thought is that publishing a revised version at this time will provide historical perspective as Memphians try to make up their minds how to vote, and, if the referendum passes, a new system is invented.    Many of the principal figures Branston interviewed in 1995 are no longer alive, including federal judge Robert McRae, who presided over Memphis desegregation cases for 20 years, and MCS attorney Louis Lucas, who argued the case for busing as a desegregation tool; McRae died in 2004, Lucas in 2005. But other key players are still active in public life, and while many are retired, most are following recent events with keen interest. Their observations are included here, along with those of others who well remember the tumultuous years of 1973 and 1974 that tore Memphis apart.    So as this city and this county begin the process of reinvention that might possibly create a unified school system of 150,000 students — roughly the same size MCS was in 1970 — we look back, but we also look forward. Another era of change has begun.    On a Memphis summer morning in 1971, seventeen years after the highest court in the land outlawed segregation, the mayor of Memphis, Henry Loeb, pulled up to the intersection of Poplar and Third, glanced out his window, and saw the familiar face of U.S. District Judge Robert S. McRae.    Loeb, who was on the passenger side next to his plainclothes policeman driver, rolled down the window, looked at McRae, and hollered, "Hey, you son-of-a-bitch, quit integratin' those schools," then grinned his famous grin and sped away.    The mayor pretty much expressed the sentiments of the majority of his white constituents at that time. But Judge McRae wasn't about to quit "integratin'" those schools. In fact, he had only just begun.    The next year, McRae ordered desegregation Plan A to bus 13,789 students. A year later, he followed it up with Plan Z, which called for the busing of nearly 40,000 students. Those students and their schools would knock down the legal walls of segregation. Or the legal walls, at least.    The issue of busing would dominate the political and social life of this city during the 1970s, and well into the next decade. Busing was not unique to Memphis, of course. In city after city in both the North and South, federal courts called upon local school boards to use their public school systems as battering rams for integration.    With an evident eye to the future, the courts' chosen method involved children. Other approaches that might have focused upon adults — for example, the use of property-tax rebates to encourage integrated neighborhoods — were put aside. As a result, the American dream of the melting pot and equal opportunity was set against the American dream of choosing a home and raising a family in a nice neighborhood with good schools.    It was no contest. Tens of thousands of white Memphians, some racist, many not, fled the city for points north, south, and east. Looking back, it is difficult to imagine anything that the most powerful pro-suburban real estate developers and politicians in town could have concocted that would have done more to accelerate urban sprawl and the growth of Shelby County, and contributed more to the decline of the city of Memphis and its public schools.    Plan Z failed for a lot of reasons, but perhaps the main one is that, in a democracy, people cannot be denied the right to vote with their feet. And Memphis and Shelby County, with its peculiar geography, two-headed government, separate school systems, and powerful churches, gave them options ranging from private schools to county schools to Mississippi schools just minutes away.    One of the most prophetic statements in the massive court record of Northcross v. Memphis Board of Education, the original Memphis schools desegregation case, was made by Federal Appeals Court Judge Paul C. Weick. In 1972, the appeals court upheld Memphis' first court-ordered busing plan, called Plan A, on a 2-1 vote. Weick dissented.    "The average American couple who are raising their children scrape and save money to buy a home in a nice residential neighborhood near a public school," he wrote. "One can imagine their frustration when they find their plans have been destroyed by the judgment of federal courts. . . . The burden of eliminating all the ills of society should not be placed on public school systems and innocent school children."    Busing didn't create the suburbs, of course, but it certainly accelerated a process that was already well under way. In the two previous decades (1950-1970), the white population of Memphis had decreased by 2 percent while the black population had increased 2 percent, according to census reports. That decline of the white population would have been even greater had it not been for the annexation of parts of East Memphis, Frayser, Parkway Village, and Oakhaven during that time. And busing came at a time when developers were building suburban office complexes, and when governments were building the roads to get people to the far reaches of Shelby County. Busing gave thousands of white Memphians one more reason to use them.    What was lost in the process, more than anything else, was something best described as "connectedness," for want of a better word. Connectedness is the difference between a geographic area and a neighborhood, between school attendance and school spirit, and between a group of people and a caring community. Memphis still hurts for connectedness, and busing is partly to blame.    In its follow-up to the 1954 Brown V. Topeka Board of Education decision, the Supreme Court said schools must be integrated with "all deliberate speed." In Memphis and the states of the Deep South, "all deliberate speed" meant very slow. In 1960, there still were no black students in mixed schools in Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana.    In 1958, 8-year-old Gerald E. Young tried to enroll at all-white Vollentine Elementary in Memphis but was turned away by the attendance officer, the superintendent, and finally the school board.    In 1960, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit, Northcross v. Memphis Board of Education. Dr. T. W. Northcross was a Memphis dentist whose daughter Deborah was 8 years old. He was on the executive committee of the NAACP and an independent businessman who could handle reprisals better than others. At the time, there were 53,142 white children and 42,061 black children in the system, all attending segregated schools.    "You have to remember where we were coming from," says former Memphis NAACP Executive Secretary Maxine Smith. "In the years after Brown, absolutely nothing was done here to integrate our schools. They started building all-black schools like Carver and Lester near white neighborhoods just to keep [blacks] out of schools like Southside and East. It was shameful."    Maxine Smith helped persuade parents to let their children be used as pioneers when desegregation began in 1961. "I bet we went to 200 homes trying to get volunteers," says Smith. "It was difficult to persuade the mothers that this was good for their kids."    Compounding the problem, classes had already started when integration began that October, and students were enrolled in neighborhood schools with their friends. And in the cruelest stroke of all, the desegregation plan called for integrating one grade at a time, starting with the first grade.    The 13 students whose parents eventually agreed to participate were assigned to four schools, with no more than four black students at any one school. Dwania Kyles said classmates asked to see her tail "because black people were supposed to have tails." Michael Willis, who later changed his name to Menelik Fombi, was called "rich nigger" because he came to school in his parents' Cadillac. Deep down inside, he admitted years later, he wished he had not gone through it. For E.C. Marcel Freeman, the desegregation experience was not as traumatic.    Now E.C. Fentress, she was one of four black students assigned to Rozelle Elementary School.    "That opportunity to learn what other students were learning was magnificent," she says. "I can only guess that my experiences were different because I was quiet. I kind of stayed to myself."    Deborah Northcross, namesake of the Memphis lawsuit, graduated from an integrated Central High School in 1969 and went to college at Mount Holyoke. She is grateful to Central for giving her a good education, newer textbooks than the ones used by her friends at all-black schools, and a heavier homework load. But she feels whites then and now often get the wrong message.    "Desegregation gave whites the impression we wanted to be with them," she says. "That was not the point. It was a matter of school choice and educational equity."    The 12 years that Fombi, Kyles, Northcross, and Freeman spent in the Memphis public schools from 1961 to 1973 spanned the major milestones of both desegregation and re-segregation. The grade-a-year plan held for five years as the pace of integration increased all across the country. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1965. In 1966 the Memphis city schools faculty was integrated, and all 12 grades were integrated, often with only token numbers. By 1969, for example, East High School still had 1,866 white students and only 19 blacks. Nearby Lester Junior High and High School were all black.    Desegregation began in earnest in 1971, with the Supreme Court's decision approving busing as a means of desegregation. Student enrollment reached an all-time high of 148,015 in 1970-71, making the Memphis City Schools system the tenth largest in the country. By 1973, all deliberate speed had become full speed ahead, thanks to Desegregation Plans A and Z and Judge McRae.    In retirement, two decades later, McRae isolated himself in a carrel at the University of Memphis library and prepared a nine-part oral history for the Mississippi Valley Collection. He was surrounded by newspaper clippings, court documents, boxes full of old hate mail, and a score of yellow legal pads in which he wrote notes in longhand. His famous red judicial robe was replaced by casual clothes and an ever-present Greek fisherman's cap.    Did it work, a visitor asked?    "Yes it worked," he said. "People are going to debate that because they disagree on what the purpose was, but yes, it worked. The plan was to get rid of the biracial school system. It did. It wasn't part of the plan to run the whites off. They just left."    That they did. After Plan A ordered the busing of 13,789 students in 1973, approximately 8,000 white students left the system. A federal appeals court ruled that busing was "but a first step." Plan Z called for busing 39,904 students, although only 28,000 actually participated. Another 20,000 white students left the system. Within a year, Memphis had the largest private (and segregated) school system in the country.    Said McRae in 1995: "I tried to stop with Plan A but the appeals court wouldn't allow that. I was disappointed in the reaction to Plan Z. But I had to keep a stiff upper lip because this [reaction] was an act of defiance. Still I was disappointed that we hadn't come up with something that worked.    "No, I wouldn't do it any other way. I am convinced there was nobody who could have settled this the way the parties were opposed. Somewhere along the line I became convinced that it was morally right to desegregate the schools."    It is often overlooked that for a variety of reasons Plan Z was not popular with many blacks either. The NAACP wanted 60,000 not 40,000 students bused and sued to overrule Plan Z, which it called "a grotesque distortion of the law." A total of 26 inner-city schools were never integrated because, take your pick, there were not enough white students to go around or because the architects of desegregation believed white students would refuse to attend them. Black parents complained to civil rights lawyers that marijuana and LSD were far more common at white schools like East than at black schools. Others were worried to the point of tears at putting their children on buses.    "Judge McRae was as easy on the school system as he could possibly have been," says O.Z. Stephens, a former city schools official who helped devise the desegregation plan. "Plan A might have held the white population but we would not have had integration. It was something that had to be tried. We would not have had any rest in this city until it was tried. Plus, the Constitution said we had to." So O.Z. Stephens wrote Plan Z.    The title was McRae's idea. After Plan A, he didn't want to deal with a succession of Plans B, C, and D etc. So he dubbed the first acceptable plan Plan Z in hopes that it would be the terminal plan. For the most part, it was.    "Inasmuch as my middle initial was Z, I got tagged with it," says Stephens. "My identification with Plan Z killed me professionally in the school system."    Still, he called McRae a profile in courage who could easily have ruled in favor of the school board, let the appellate court overrule him, and let them take the heat. Stephens' unsung hero of school desegregation is John P. Freeman, superintendent of Memphis schools in the busing years.    "He was a big, tough, salty South Memphis railroader and product of the school system. He had been a navigator on a B-17 bomber in World War II and could be unbelievably profane but he had a big heart. He was the one who went head to head with Mayor Wyeth Chandler over all the impediments. When the bus drivers threatened to walk out, he railed at them, 'you blankety-blanks will blankety-blank pick up those little kids.' And they did."    There was at least one partial success story which has survived. Optional schools are magnet schools or schools within schools for college-bound students or students with a special interest in theater or some other area. These are open to students from outside their attendance zone and include some of the few racially balanced schools in the city. Started in 1975, optional schools like Grahamwood Elementary and White Station High School had a distillation effect that concentrated a high percentage of high achievers while gutting other schools of their best and brightest, both black and white.    By the mid-Nineties, the effect was obvious on teachers like Karen Champion at Central High School, a 1967 graduate of Hamilton High School.    "Our games were packed when I was at Hamilton," she says. "Now unless the team is great it's difficult to get fans. When kids don't live in the neighborhood and can't walk to games, there is not as much loyalty to the school."    Memphis attorney Louis Lucas was one of the legal masterminds of school desegregation, working with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Lucas believed systematic segregation did not go away after Jim Crow laws were struck down. It continued because of neighborhood patterns influenced by bankers and realtors and school attendance zones drawn for years by a whites-only board of education.    Several years after the great busing experiment, Lucas moved to Germantown. His daughters attended Shelby County schools that were overwhelmingly white. "My kids went to county schools because that is where we lived when we had children. We didn't move out there for the schools."    For whatever reasons, thousands of families moved to the suburbs after busing. In 2011, white flight and black flight from the inner city is very much an ongoing process. Memphis City Schools enrollment of 103,593 includes 92,157 blacks, 1,438 Asians, 7,067 Hispanics, and 7,655 whites. The number of whites would be even lower had the system not absorbed former county schools in annexation areas. Put another way, the chances are better than 90 percent that a black or Hispanic student attends a high school that is 99 percent or 100 percent minority and more than 90 percent economically disadvantaged. Only two city high schools, White Station and Cordova, come close to matching the city demographics as a whole.    The Shelby County school system has 47,342 students including 25,244 whites, 18,226 blacks, 2,340 Asians, and 2,233 Hispanics. As Memphis demolished its housing projects, subsidized housing was dispersed, with a heavy concentration in Hickory Hill, and other annexation areas. When pending Memphis annexations are completed, 12 schools operated now by Shelby County Schools are scheduled to become Memphis schools.    Nine of those 12 schools are majority-black. In all, these 12 schools have 7,656 black students, or more than 40 percent of the black students in the county system. One of them, Southwind High School, has 1,764 students but only 18 of them are white, a ratio quite similar in reverse to East High School in 1969.    The Southwind anomaly was noted by U.S. District Judge Bernice Donald in her 2007 review of the county schools' compliance with federal desegregation orders. She ordered the county system to redistrict to achieve better racial balance, but a federal appeals court overruled her in 2009.    In a line of reasoning that was ironically opposite the federal court's affirmation of busing in 1972, this appeals court said the school district has no duty to remedy imbalance caused by demographic factors, annexation, and "voluntary housing choices made by the public."    The idea of surrendering the Memphis City Schools charter and merging the school systems is not new. Maxine Smith recalls an effort in 1976 that failed by a narrow vote on the school board when she was a member. Smith is a supporter of the referendum. At a rally earlier this year, she predicted that it would pass. "They know we are right and they know we are going to win."    Julian Bolton, a Memphis attorney and former member of the Shelby County Commission, was involved in another merger effort in 1990.    The commission was redistricting to increase black representation. Suburban interests countered with a threat to secede and create a new county, Nashoba County. The underlying reason was fear of school system consolidation.    Bolton vividly recalls a meeting at Bartlett High School in a gymnasium packed with more than 3,000 people. He was the only county official to speak, and he did not mince words. "I said that county commissioners swore an oath to Shelby County and could be removed from office for violating their oath," Bolton said. "They were booing me, and a sheriff's deputy rushed me out of the auditorium."    Two years later, newly elected Memphis mayor Willie Herenton picked up the cause, suggesting in an interview with The New York Times that Memphis could surrender its charter and thereby consolidate with Shelby County. A task force concluded that would be difficult, at best, and nothing came of it.    "I did not want Memphis to become another Detroit," Herenton says now. "I saw that white flight left cities black and poor."    During his four and one-half terms as mayor, Herenton supported several attempts to revamp the school systems by committee, but although the intentions were always admirable, the results were negligible. The failure of those efforts convinced many of the current charter surrender activists that negotiations with county school board members and suburban mayors were futile.    O.Z. Stephens retired from Memphis City Schools in 1984 after 30 years. He lives in Bartlett. In a recent interview, he said he would vote against the merger if he lived in Memphis. He believes a 150,000-student system is too big. And he predicts another round of white flight if the merger passes.    "Then they will start tinkering," he said. "I can just hear some of the thoughts. 'We've been talking about closing 50 schools. We've got all these portable classrooms in Bartlett and Germantown. We don't need to build any more schools out there. Let's bring them here.' I guarantee some talk like that is going to emerge. The minute it does, bye-bye."    Virginia Burnette was the mother of four school-age daughters when busing began. She and her husband, a Methodist minister, decided it was their Christian duty to make the best of what was, she says "the most tumultuous time of my life."    Her youngest daughter went to Dunbar Elementary in south Memphis with about 40 other white children. Virginia went to class with her for a few weeks and was PTA president. It was a hard year, but she remembers humorous moments too. Someone asked if her daughter was "bright," meaning light-skinned. "I said, yes, she is very smart."    One day Virginia read the class a poem by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, namesake of the school. Doing her best to speak in dialect and explain that "black" was not a literal color but more akin to chocolate, she asked, "What do you call me?"    A little boy piped up, "We call you a honky."    Ridgeway was the Burnettes' brand-new neighborhood school, but their oldest daughter was bused to Melrose. As she boarded the bus for the first day, she assured her mother everything would be fine. There was a bomb scare that afternoon.    "That was the biggest single witness we ever participated in because we gave our children to Memphis City Schools," said Burnette. "It was your Christian discipleship that was at stake. We thought we were doing the right thing and I think we were. Our children did not suffer." All of Burnette's daughters went to college and had professional careers. Now living in Cordova, Burnette said she would vote for the referendum.    At 79 years old, Joe Clayton is the white-haired eminence of the Shelby County Schools Board of Education. When he retires next year, his career will have spanned three generations and three school systems — Memphis, Shelby County, and Briarcrest Christian Schools, where he was principal of the high school from 1974 to 1996. Like Virginia Burnette, he says 1974 was a test of his Christian faith.    "In the spring of 1974 I was principal at Overton High School when we graduated 600 students, the largest senior class in the history of Memphis City Schools. Briarcrest had opened an elementary school in 1973 and wanted to start a high school. When I was contacted by the board, I did a lot of praying because I had been in public education for so long, but God had other plans for my life. My life plan was to spend the next 22 years of my life bringing Briarcrest into existence.    "It blows my mind even today. We opened with 963 students, and 103 of those were seniors, which meant they had left another school. By the second year we were accredited. That school was a miracle school. It just took off and never looked back."    The school's first location was on Sweetbriar in East Memphis. It has moved further east as its enrollment has grown. The movie The Blind Side is based on the life of Briarcrest student Michael Oher and the Tuohy family.    Clayton sees similarities between then and now. "When I went to Overton in 1974 busing had just started. It was a fear thing. You were busing kids out of Overton to Hamilton. Parents were not going to let that happen. I don't see the fear factor in this now. I think people are concerned about taking a large system of 100,000 students and 105 failing schools and merging with a school system of 48,000 students and five failing schools. The big concern is who is going to be in charge and why are we doing this. Why are we taking a good school system and merging it with one that on paper looks like it is having troubles?"    Clayton ended the interview with the Bible passage "all things are possible with God" from the Book of Matthew. "To put this thing together by man is going to be impossible, but if this is God's plan we can make it work." Young artists put best work forward under gaze of judges and peer pressure By Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal March 3, 2011    A funny thing happens in the course of learning to critique peers' work in the Advanced Placement Studio Art class at East High.    With the path wide open to blurt out insults, no one does.    "I was nervous," said Jaylyn Johnson, 17, a senior. "But we've gone through so many critiques that I know they won't tell me something that would hurt."    Dominique Wein is more practical: "You have to have a reason for what you are saying; it's not just 'you took my milk at lunch.'"    The intensity is heating up now as AP Studio Art classes in high schools across the city drill down to the final portfolios due for judging in Cincinnati in early May.    Each student must present 24 canvasses, a blend of work showing the breadth of their skill -- pen and ink to pastel -- plus canvasses in their concentration subject.    The work will be judged or "read" by 136 AP Art teachers from around the country.    "It's one of the most amazing things I have ever seen," said Wendy Free, director of fine arts curriculum and content development at the College Board in New York, which oversees Advanced Placement courses.    "You'll see over 40,000 portfolios from AP classes around the world laid out before your eyes. It's like the future of artwork laid out before you."    If the just-completed Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards are representative, Memphis students are on their way.    Of the 200 student pieces of art selected from 1,600 regionally to hang in the Memphis Brooks Museum, Memphis city students earned 31 gold keys, qualifying them to compete at the national Scholastic event in New York this month.    Of the 19 high school winners, 11 are enrolled in AP Studio Art courses across the city, including Terrello Lane, 18, salutatorian at East.    His AP class, taught by Dorothy Northern [Faculty], also includes valedictorian Wein; No. 3 Erika Olveral and No. 4 Johnson.    "We enroll because this class has a reputation for excellence," Johnson said.    In a time when AP test grades are slipping nationally, Northern continues to have East's highest AP scores, including a perfect 5 last year.    While she takes credit for some of it, she's quick to say art has a way of combining brain hemispheres.    "If you get the two sides of the brain to cooperate, you can do a better job."    Her teacher colleagues at East say her students look at problems differently and as a result are better critical thinkers. "They also say that my kids are very good at critique in other subjects," Northern said.    They get a lot of practice. Northern schedules critiques once a month, insisting that it's easier to hear the criticism in a group than it is to be home alone when a poor portfolio grade comes in the summer.    "I think that would be horrible when nobody had indicated there might be something wrong," she said.    So the discussions are frank, including assessments of where students think they are stumped, where they have triumphed and what they admire in their colleagues' work.    "My biggest challenge is my background," admits Marquis Stewart, 16, standing before his self-portraits and peers.    "Do you feel you have a solid idea or are you struggling to make something?" Northern asks. "Maybe put it aside for awhile," she advises.    Wein is next, standing beside four urban landscapes. "I don't like this one," she says, pointing to streetscape. "I want to make the colors more intense, but I haven't done it yet."    "You handled pointillism really well," Northern says. "I would like to see you go really big. I have some big canvasses in the closet," her way of pushing students to stretch.    Kathy Dumlao, associate curator of education at the Brooks, sees the strides.    "The other night, we had an opening for a contemporary artist while the Scholastic exhibit was still on view. The security officers enjoyed watching the visitors get so excited about the student work." Theories hit dead end on how world-famous Beale Street got its name By Michael Lollar, The Commercial Appeal February 28, 2011    The Pantaze Drug Store was an anchor on one corner of Beale Street. With its soda counter, it gave a family atmosphere to a place also known for saloons, gambling dens, pawn shops, theaters and houses of prostitution.    With a name made famous by W.C. Handy's "Beale Street Blues" in 1916, the spot attracted Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald to town and was a regular gig for the likes of Riley "Blues Boy" King and Bobby "Blue" Bland.    Their names would become household names, and Beale Street would become the best-known street in Memphis and one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state. But its beginnings are as murky as the business and politics of early Memphis.    While other early streets were named for presidents, politicians and heroes, no one is sure how Beale got its name.    It's a name that first showed up on a city map in 1841 as "Beal," without the eventual "e" at the end, says Wayne Dowdy, manager of the history department at the Memphis Public Library. The man credited with naming the street was wealthy developer and entrepreneur Robert Topp, but the person he named it for has eluded historians ever since.    "It's wild. It's kind of crazy," says Beale Street developer John Elkington, who spent six months researching the street for his 2008 book, "Beale Street: Resurrecting The Home Of The Blues." "There was a rumor that it was named by Andrew Jackson for a lieutenant, a sharpshooter, in the Battle of New Orleans."    That 1815 battle was the final battle of the War of 1812 and would have meant a long memory -- 26 years -- for anyone choosing him as a namesake for a Memphis street that didn't show up on a map until 1841.    Charles Crawford, a history professor at the University of Memphis, says the name remained on maps and on the tongues of Memphians until the street was among the most famous in the nation, along with Bourbon and Basin streets in New Orleans, State Street in Chicago and Broadway in New York.    "By the time people got around to asking obvious questions about the name, the records were gone," he said.    Crawford has directed dozens of student theses involving Memphis history.    "I've always said, 'If you hear anything about the origins of the name Beale Street let me know.' No one ever has," he said.    While various theories have come and gone, Shelby County historian and former county commissioner Ed Williams ['52] has his own. McCall was on the 1841 map as the street immediately north of Beale. (It is now Peabody Place.) It was named for a staff member of Edmund Pendleton Gaines, commander of the southwest United States (including Memphis) before the Civil War, says Williams.    "McCall was a major on Gaines' staff, and I think Beale was probably also named for a staff member (of Gaines)," he said, although there is no specific person whose name has surfaced to prove the theory.    Williams dismisses other popular theories. One held that Beale was named for a Gen. Edward Beale, who became famous in 1848 or early 1849 for bringing back samples to the East from the first gold nuggets discovered at Sutter's Mill, Calif., that helped set off the California gold rush. A San Francisco street was named for him, but, by then, "Beal Street" already was on the map in Memphis.    Williams used the same historical reasoning to dismiss a popular myth about another well-known Memphis street. The theory held that Union Avenue was named to signify the "union" of incorporated South Memphis with Memphis in 1850, but Union Avenue was on city maps as early as 1827. It also is on the 1841 map, and Williams says the name Union simply "was a popular word in the American vocabulary at the time." It followed the naming of other streets for U.S. presidents.    "There had only been five presidents and they ran out of names, so they named the next street Union," he said.    Former Streetscapes reporter Ann Meeks, who wrote the column in The Commercial Appeal for 14 years, researched all of the theories about the Beale name in a frustrating effort to solve the mystery.    "I would love to know the answer, and I just knew I'd be able to determine it," she said.    Instead, Beale became the single exception to her sleuthing.    "I can't think of another one" that led to a complete dead end, she said.    Williams suggests the spelling of the name, either Beal or Beale, may not be significant, saying, "Historians frequently find variations of spellings because a mapmaker makes a mistake."    Bill Day, heir to the historic Hunt-Phelan Home at 555 Beale, contributes another theory. His relatives, the Phelan family, were related to the Beale family of the documentary film "Grey Gardens." Charles Beale, born in Chattanooga, later became an Alabama Supreme Court justice. In 1917, he married Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' aunt, Edith Ewing Bouvier. After a divorce, she was given the couple's 28-room summer home, Grey Gardens, in East Hampton, N.Y.    Day's uncle, Stephen Phelan, told him the Beale family connection led to the naming of the street, although the early maps, mistakenly or not, were spelled differently.    Another longtime Beale tenant, Elliott Schwab, owner of the legendary general merchandise store A. Schwab that was listed for sale last week, says he has always heard that Beale "was named for a general. I don't think he was even tied to Memphis."    Either way, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau president Kevin Kane says Beale, though shrouded in a certain mystery, is "world famous."    "It is what Bourbon Street is to New Orleans, and it is synonymous with the city's entertainment and culture," he said, adding that state tourism figures indicate the street draws up to 4.2 million people a year. He says that translates to about 2 million visitors (not counting locals) a year. "It generates about $50 to $60 million a year in revenue."    It is the mystery of the street that attracts historian John Harkins, president of the West Tennessee Historical Society: "As a species, we're too focused on knowing the answers to everything. We have a precision that takes some of the grace out of life." CBHS Hall of Fame inducts 10 By John Morris, Special to My Life, The Commercial Appeal February 27, 2011 [Excerpts]    The Christian Brothers High School Hall of Fame inducted 10 new members in ceremonies on the CBHS campus Jan. 30.    Candidates are chosen by the Hall of Fame membership on the basis of personal accomplishments, civic and public contributions and support of or involvement with activities of interest to the school. CBHS graduates must have graduated a minimum of 20 years prior to selection.    The CBHS Hall of Fame was established in 1968. Since then, 485 men, living and deceased, have been inducted into the group (386 of whom are CBHS grads) by their peers.    Joseph "J.G." Griesbeck, Jr. (Faculty 1964-1972) (CBHS '35), was at the time of his death on Oct. 12, 2010, the last living teacher from the Adams campus. A member of five generations of Griesbecks who graduated from CBHS, J.G. Griesbeck served for nearly 30 years as an educator with the Memphis City School system, including principal at Guthrie School, Fairview Junior High, and East High School. His father, Joseph Sr., brother Charles, stepson Roy Henderson and 13 nephews are graduates of CBHS. He is the fourth member of the Griesbeck family to be inducted into the CBHS Hall of Fame. A. Schwab for sale, signaling possible end for Memphis store on Beale Street By Wayne Risher, The Commercial Appeal February 25, 2011    Besides the Internet, where else can you buy fake samurai swords, suits of armor, cowboy hats, cast-iron cookware, voodoo dolls, love potions and mojo bags?    But unless there's some magic to make time stand still, the legendary A. Schwab dry goods store on Beale Street may fade into history.    Descendants of Abraham Schwab, a haberdasher who founded the store in 1876, have listed it for sale with commercial real estate broker Slovis & Associates.    "It's sort of the next generation is not interested," said Sam Braslow ['73], a schoolteacher who owns the Le Sel Corp. with his brother Marvin Braslow and cousins Elliott Schwab and Mike Weis. "There's a reason businesses like ours don't exist anymore."    Store manager Elliott Schwab, 49, has mixed feelings about selling out after 32 years walking the ancient wood-planked aisles.    "I don't want to go along with it; I'm kind of going along with it," said Schwab, wearing flannel shirt, jeans and an A. Schwab ballcap.    "With the economy, and the headaches of having to do everything, it has just kind of gotten to me. I'm tired of it," Schwab said.    He added, "If I were in a position to keep it open, I think I would. I enjoy coming down here."    Family members signed papers to put it on the market three weeks ago.    Commercial Realtor Adam Slovis said an asking price hasn't been set and will likely be determined by give-and-take of offers and development plans from potential buyers.    The buildings, connected on the interior, cover nearly 20,000 square feet, according to the Shelby County Assessor of Property, which has them appraised at $426,000.    Slovis said it's hard to set a value, because of the historic nature of the brand, lack of comparable sales and the location in the state's top tourist destination.    "This truly has the old adage of location, location, location. It is smack dab in the middle of Beale Street between Silky O'Sullivan's and B.B. King's Blues Club."    Because it was a going business when the City of Memphis bought up Beale Street to create an entertainment district in the 1970s and 1980s, "It is the only property on Beale Street the city doesn't own," Slovis said.    "It's just time" for the owners to sell, Slovis added. "They would love to see a part of the history remain in whatever happens."    "I think my mother realized at some point it's going to have to end," said Sam Braslow, 56, a teacher at Houston High School. His mother, the late Eleanor Schwab Braslow, was a granddaughter of Abraham Schwab. She died in 2005.    Customers browsed in the store Friday, pausing over unusual items and snapping photos of each other trying on feathered hats.    Dustin and Megan Doherty of Tahlequah, Okla., with 2-year-old son Jonah in tow, were enticed by a storefront armor display.    "It looks interesting," said Dustin. "We just came from Tater Red's, so this is pretty mild," he added.    Jonathan Dreifus, visiting from Portland, Maine, grew up in Memphis and was on Beale Street showing his children around Schwab's. The Dreifuses and Schwabs are connected somewhere on their family trees. "I hope it stays like it is."    Joseph Braslow, Sam's son and a fifth-generation family storekeeper, said Memphis-themed postcards, Elvis Presley items, old-fashioned candies displayed general store style, and "the mojo-voodoo stuff" are among best sellers. Younger customers favor the armor: breastplates, helmets, knives, swords, axes.    "This store is kind of random, but it works."    Elliott said, "We've always been almost a bizarre mix of merchandise, so that's what we keep doing. We'll buy something and if it sells, we'll buy more of it. If it doesn't, we won't get it again."    Best-sellers vary from day to day and sometimes surprise even a veteran like Elliott Schwab.    "These old ladies came in, and they went crazy for these knit caps. They bought all we had, four to six dozen. We had had them for a few years. They had this old-style look to them."    Over in the incense, curios, oils and lode-stones department, one could find jinx removing candles, $6, mojo bags for purposes ranging from "attraction" to "gamblers" to "strong love," $10, and a John the Conqueror Voodoo Doll, $5.    Buyer beware, though. "The articles in this department are sold without any claims or pretense of any natural or super-natural powers, affects or revelations. Signed, A. Schwab." Society of Entrepreneurs: Robert Wilson builds on his family's legacy of innovation By James Dowd, The Commercial Appeal February 18, 2011    This is the last in a four-part series on the 2011 Society of Entrepreneurs inductees, who will be honored during a black-tie gala April 9.    Growing up as the son of the man who transformed the hospitality industry, young Robert A. "Bob" Wilson ['62] learned plenty about customer service early on.    And to this day he credits his dad, Holiday Inn founder Kemmons Wilson, with instilling in him a sense of civic pride and the drive to be the best in every pursuit.    As founder and president of Memphis-based Wilson Air Center, Wilson is nationally renowned and his company is consistently ranked as the top fixed-base operator in the country.    He also serves as vice president of his family's Kemmons Wilson Companies, where he focuses on hotel construction, warehousing and time-share operations.    In recognition of his innovations in the hospitality and aviation industries, Wilson is being honored by the Society of Entrepreneurs. He will be formally inducted into the organization April 9.    "Pop said we had a family business, and so I never really thought about doing anything else. It was always my desire to grow this venture and see it thrive in different areas," Wilson said. "I love this city, I love this area, and it's been great for my family. I never wanted to work anywhere else."    After graduating from East High School, Wilson headed to Dallas to attend Southern Methodist University. While there, he studied business and finance, and after graduation returned to Memphis to work for his father.    Working primarily in construction, he took jobs as a roofer, electrician and framer on hotel projects in such far-flung sites as Monaco, Nigeria and Panama.    Along the way, he joined the Tennessee Air National Guard and entered the pilot training program. A lifelong aviation lover, Wilson had earned his pilot's license at 16 and described the Guard program as "a paid vacation."    It was that passion for flying that later led him to establish Wilson Air Center at the Memphis International Airport in 1996.    "It's sort of like a big service station for airplanes, but with amenities for the customer to make the experience as positive as possible," Wilson said. "Our policy is to never say 'no' to a customer and to treat them right so that they'll keep coming back."    The center has been rated as the top FBO in Aviation International News and received the Operational Excellence Award by AIG Aviation Insurance in 2002.    Since its early days in Memphis, the company has grown to include more than 200 employees and expanded to markets in Houston and Charlotte, N.C.    "I've known Bob for a long time and admired his ventures into all types of aviation," said Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority president Larry Cox. "He revolutionized the FBO business with his attention to detail and focus on customer service. I'm a pilot myself and I've been in many airports, but his operation exceeds any I've ever seen."    Wilson has been honored by numerous aviation organizations and was inducted into the Memphis Aviation Legends Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2006, he was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame.    "Memphis is rich in aviation history, and Bob Wilson has carved out a special place for himself through his leadership and innovation in establishing Wilson Air Center here," said Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority chairman Arnold Perl. "The model he founded here has been replicated across the country, which points to Memphis as a center of aviation innovation." For markets and his city, commodities trader Charles McVean looks ahead By James Dowd, The Commercial Appeal February 17, 2011    With keen insight and unwavering determination, Charles McVean ['61] remains focused on the future, whether he's trading commodities or envisioning a healthier landscape for the city.    As chairman and CEO of Memphis-headquartered McVean Trading & Investments, he oversees a company that manages accounts for more than 6,000 clients worldwide. And as the innovator behind the Aerobic Cruiser Hybrid Cycle, McVean promotes state-of-the-art lithium battery-powered bicycles and touts the recently opened Shelby Farms Greenline as an attraction that could help Memphis leapfrog other cities as a tourist destination.    "There's a growing desire to promote more environmentally friendly products, and the potential is here for unparalleled recreation and exercise along the Greenline," McVean said. "I believe we're in a position to define our destiny and create something special."    For his varied contributions, McVean is being honored by the Society of Entrepreneurs. He will be formally inducted into the organization April 9.    A native Memphian, McVean graduated from East High School and later studied philosophy and economics at Vanderbilt University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1965.    After graduation, he accepted a job as a trader in the grain industry and subsequently worked with Cook Industries in Memphis and later in New York with the Louis Dreyfus Corp.    McVean moved back to Memphis in 1974, taking a job with brokerage firm Refco, where he focused on cattle trading and eventually became a principal. As a futures trader, he relied on advice that still guides him today.    "My grandfather was an old cattle trader, and he used to say that at the end of the day, if you're going to be in a business like this, you have to know where legitimate business ends and where gambling begins," McVean said. "I've based my career on knowing the difference between the two and making the right decisions for my clients."    In 1986, McVean branched out and established McVean Trading & Investments, which today counts 80 employees and concentrates on livestock, grains and oilseeds, and global macroeconomics.    "Memphis has a terrific commodities history and Charles is a leader in that area," said David Waddell, president and CEO of Waddell & Associates. "He's got a tremendous business mind and has inspired countless others, encouraging them to create an even more robust community of entrepreneurship in Memphis."    One way McVean does that is through education.    In 2004 he founded the Peer Power Foundation, which helps guide disadvantaged students toward academic success. The program is active in nearly a dozen schools, employing more than 150 high school and college students to tutor and mentor more than 1,000 younger students every day.    In part because of that initiative, in 2007 McVean was named Humanitarian of the Year by the Memphis City Council for his efforts to improve public education.    "Through his work with clients, his presence in the community and his advocacy for students, Charles exemplifies a positive role model in our community," said Pearson Crutcher, executive director of the SOE. "He's a wonderful example for all of us." Increase in Advance Placement failure rate 'troubling' Tennessee's Advanced Placement exam failure rate inches up to 48 percent By Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal February 14, 2011    While the number of public school students taking Advanced Placement courses nearly doubled last decade, the number who fail in AP classes also is up, a sign school leaders are relying too heavily on AP to increase course rigor.    In its annual report this week, the College Board praised its AP program "as one of the great American education success stories of the last 56 years." The board cited the growing percentage of minority high school students who successfully complete the courses designed to reflect college-level work, and the correlation between AP and college success.    But in Tennessee and around the nation, an increasing number of students are not doing well enough in the classes to get college credit for their work.    Last year, of all the seniors who took at least one AP course in high school, 41 percent -- about two in five -- did not pass the exam, up slightly from 40 percent in 2009 nationwide.    In Tennessee, failure rates inched up to 48 percent last year compared to 47.2 in 2009. Since 2001, the number getting a score of 3 or better on the 5-point grading scale dropped 7 percentage points.    A 3 is considered a college grade of B or C. A score of 1 corresponds to a grade of D or F.    In Memphis, 40 percent of public school seniors passed with a 3 or more in 2009. In 2010, the percentage dropped to 33.    In Shelby County Schools, 61 percent of the 2,466 students who tested in 2010 scored a 3 or higher. That's only a slight drop from 2009, when 62 percent of the 2,240 who tested scored a 3 or higher.    AP is a program of the College Board, designed to improve student access and readiness for college. The board also administers standardized entrance exams such as the PSAT and SAT.    As the nation hurries to improve the math and science skills of its workforce, the haste is reflected in AP chemistry, environmental science, calculus, computer science and biology scores. More than a third of AP test-takers in those subjects earned a score of only 1 last year.    While only one fifth scored that low on the physics exam, nearly 20 percent got a 2, which means half of the physics enrollees did not do well enough to get college credit for their AP work or post a significant return on taxpayers' investment in teachers and lab equipment.    The College Board made specific reference to the scores this week, calling them a "troubling and emerging trend.    "Thirty percent of U.S. high schools are rushing AP students into AP biology and chemistry without having them take prerequisites first," said Trevor Packer, AP vice president.    AP courses are designed to follow traditional subject courses, preferably work at the honors level.    "The heart of the matter, success in AP is much more dependent on the years leading up to AP than what can happen in one year," Packer said.    When school leaders focus on "an array of educational improvements, AP becomes an outcome rather an a result."    Between 2008 and 2010, MCS added 60 AP sections, beefing up offerings in schools like Hamilton and East where there had been few choices. Across the city, the city school district added German language, human geography, art history and environmental science for a total of 27 AP classes.    Since 2008, the number of students enrolling and taking the final AP exam in Memphis increased 19 percent.    "Increased access makes a difference," said John Barker, the district's chief of research and evaluation.    "Research shows that even if you are not successful in the exam, participation in AP prepares you for success in college."    But growing fast has unintended consequences, including a thin pool of qualified teachers. If one of those teachers leaves unexpectedly, administrators may have no choice but to cut courses, even at under-served schools.    Westwood High, for instance, dropped AP English language and composition, and English literature and composition this year when the teacher who taught both transferred, erasing with one move the school's entire gain in access.    The city schools have also had to train dozens of teachers for the increased course rigor. Not only is it expensive (an in-town, College Board-certified class for 25 teachers costs Memphis City Schools $11,500; the cost jumps to $1,500 to $2,000 per teacher if they have to go out of town to do the work), but new teachers usually don't get high test scores from their students immediately.    "It takes an AP teacher about three years for their students to score 3 or above," says Linda Sklar, head of the AP program at MCS.    Memphis also requires each student to take the exam, not the case everywhere.    "In some districts, if they have children they don't think are going to do well, they may discourage them from taking the test.    "We're saying, if you want students to make commitment, then we want true commitment, that you are going to work to the highest level," Sklar said. State education board orders Shelby County Schools to OK charter school application By Sherri Drake Silence, The Commercial Appeal January 28, 2011    Shelby County Schools, which has long fended off charter schools, has been ordered by the state to approve a charter school application twice rejected by the district.     The state Board of Education voted unanimously Friday to require that SCS approve a request from Smart Schools Inc. to open a New Consortium of Law and Business charter school in the suburban school system.    The charter school would be the first in SCS.    "I feel like the dog that's caught the mail truck," Tommie Henderson ['91 and Faculty 1998-2003], executive director of Smart Schools, said Friday. "... All we are waiting on is for the Shelby County Schools board to move forward with this decision, so that we can get rolling."    The action is unrelated to the controversial effort to surrender the charter for Memphis City Schools, which would result in the merger of the two systems.    Smart Schools plans to open its school to about 35 seventh-graders this fall and add another grade and 60 more students next year. A location for the school hasn't been determined.    The school would be open to county students who failed the reading or math portion of the state's achievement tests or to those who attended charter schools before joining the county system.    Smart Schools Inc. filed an appeal with the state after being denied by SCS. District officials gave the group's initial application a score of 54.5 points out of 100. They gave a revised request a score of 71.    SCS board chairman David Pickler said Friday that he's "deeply disappointed" with the state board's decision, but said the vote is final and the district can't appeal. The board will vote to approve the application at its February business meeting.    "The application had issues, but that is now a moot point," Pickler said. "Now, we need to move forward to ensure that this school is as successful as any other school in Shelby County."    At a business meeting in 2009, Pickler said district leaders would be more open to charter schools if they thought they'd better serve students. Former SCS superintendent Bobby Webb, who played a major role in putting up legislative roadblocks for charter schools in the county, called them a "fad" at that time.    Charter schools are taxpayer-funded public schools that are "chartered" by nonprofit organizations and operate outside of the control of local school boards.    After an appeal hearing this week, Gary Nixon, executive director of the Tennessee Board of Education, recommended that the state board remand the decision by SCS. Nixon said SCS had acted "contrary to the best interests of the pupils, the school district and the community."    Since 2003, the state board has heard 26 charter school cases and remanded only a handful.    With approval from Memphis City Schools, Henderson opened a similar law and business charter school Downtown last year. He also started the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering in MCS. State may force school approval Charter may open in Shelby County By Sherri Drake, Sherri Drake Silence, The Commercial Appeal January 28, 2011    Shelby County Schools may be required by the state board of education to approve a charter school application that the district has emphatically rejected.    The suburban district, which has no charter schools, twice denied an application from Smart Schools Inc. to open a New Consortium of Law and Business for middle schoolers in county schools.    Gary Nixon, executive director of the Tennessee State Board of Education, recommended Thursday that the full board vote today to remand the decision by SCS and instruct the district to approve the charter school.    The decision by SCS to deny the application was "contrary to the best interests of the pupils, the school district and the community," Nixon said in the recommendation.    The state board's attorney said today's vote will be final. SCS can't appeal the decision.    Smart Schools' executive director Tommie Henderson ['91 and Faculty 1998-2003], who made his case before Nixon at an appeal hearing Monday, said his organization feels "vindicated" by the recommendation.    "This is huge," Henderson said of Nixon's recommendation Thursday. "We're very happy about the decision."    With approval from Memphis City Schools, Henderson opened a similar charter school Downtown last year. He also started the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering in MCS.    SCS officials gave Smart Schools' initial application a score of 54.5 points out of 100. They gave a revised application a score of 71.    Nixon said SCS officials used an outdated version of the review guide for charter school applications and didn't explain why denying the application was the right move.    "Instead, SCS seemed focused on complimenting its current schools for the programs they already offer."    Since 2003, the state board has heard 26 charter school cases and remanded only a handful. State hears appeal of Shelby County Schools 2-time application refusal By Sherri Drake Silence, The Commercial Appeal January 25, 2011    A local educator whose application to open the first charter school in Shelby County Schools has been twice denied by the district made his case to state education officials in an appeal hearing Monday.    Tommie Henderson ['91 and Faculty 1998-2003], executive director of Smart Schools Inc., argued that leaders of the suburban district didn't use the correct scoring system when evaluating his organization's application to open a New Consortium of Law and Business charter school. And, he said, they didn't reveal what score is required for approval or what process they use to make their decision.    "Due to this, our organization has truly been shooting in the dark as it relates to the district's charter school application process," Henderson said at the appeal hearing before Gary Nixon, executive director of the Tennessee state Board of Education.    Shelby school officials rejected Smart Schools' application in November, giving it a score of 54.5 points out of 100. The organization submitted a revised application to SCS and was rejected again with a score of 71.    In August, with approval from Memphis City Schools, Smart Schools opened a similar law and business charter school Downtown that serves about 35 seventh-graders.    Henderson, who also started the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering charter school in MCS, said the proposed school would provide innovative instruction and help struggling students.    "Shelby County Schools does use numerous interventions," Henderson said. "And we consider ourselves to be just one more intervention they can use."    Charter schools are taxpayer-funded public schools that are "chartered" by nonprofit organizations and operate outside of the control of local school boards. Shelby school leaders were long opposed to the nontraditional public schools, but now say they're open to them.    County school officials said they did use the right scoring system and that the application had many flaws, including an unclear instructional strategy. They said the proposed courses are already offered by the district and the application didn't include a location for the school.    Margaret Gilmore, who oversees instructional programs for SCS, highlighted several intervention programs the district uses to assist a growing population of economically disadvantaged students. And, she said, county schools continue to perform at a high-academic level even as standards increase.    "Shelby County Schools stands steadfastly behind the decision to deny this application and preserve the rich tradition of educating all 47,000-plus (SCS) students and acting in the best interest of all stakeholders," she said.    Nixon will make a recommendation to the state board of education, which will likely vote on the appeal Friday, said Rich Haglund, the state board's attorney. If the state board reverses the decision by SCS, the district will be required to approve Henderson's application.    Haglund said, since 2003, the state board has heard 26 charter school cases and reversed only a handful. Span plan: Group works to open Harahan Bridge boardwalk By Tom Charlier, The Commercial Appeal January 24, 2011    Melton Holt looks forward to the day he'll be able to drive down to the Mississippi River, get out of his car and stroll or ride a bicycle on a boardwalk over the river while enjoying stunning vistas of Downtown Memphis.    "The view is a beautiful view, and I think it would really be an attraction," said Holt, who serves as county judge, or executive, for Crittenden County.    If a Memphis group is correct, the day for which Holt and others are waiting may not be far off. It appears increasingly likely, they say, that a bike and pedestrian boardwalk can be built on portions of the 95-year-old Harahan Bridge, a still-active rail span.    The Greater Memphis Greenline, a nonprofit group that champions trails for recreation and transportation, has enlisted support for the project from local governments on both sides of the river, along with a host of other groups.    Working with local officials, they've identified several grant programs that could cover much of the project's cost.    What's more, they say they've found documentation that the Harahan's cantilevered "carriage-ways," on which the boardwalk would be built, are owned by the city of Memphis and Crittenden County -- not Union Pacific Railroad, which owns and operates the rail portion of the nearly 5,000-foot-long span.    Within the next two weeks, a local delegation is expected to travel to Omaha, Neb., to meet with Union Pacific president and chairman James R. Young in an effort to secure the railroad's cooperation.    "We've got a lot of the right players on board," said Syd Lerner, executive director of the greenline group. "... We feel like it is the right time for this."    The Harahan boardwalk is the highest-profile project of several new bike-pedestrian trails sought by the group in the aftermath of the opening last fall of the Shelby Farms Greenline.    The nearly seven-mile-long trail from Shelby Farms to Binghamton has attracted heavier-than-expected crowds, with up to 400 bicyclists and pedestrians per hour counted passing some locations on weekends.    In addition to the recreation and transportation benefits associated with other trails, the Harahan project could be a significant tourist attraction, Lerner said.    "People all over the world know us for Elvis, barbecue, the Blues and the Mississippi River," he said.    The northernmost of three bridges crossing the river south of Downtown, the Harahan span was built with roadways extending outward from either side of the main span to carry carriages, wagons and motor vehicles.    In 1917, a year after the bridge was completed, a railroad company that owned the span before Union Pacific sold the roadways to Memphis and Crittenden County, according to property records found by the greenline group.    The roadways accommodated highway lanes until the nearby Memphis & Arkansas Bridge opened in 1949. The road surfaces were later dismantled and removed, but the structural steel framing of the road beds remains.    Greenline members say the boardwalk would be built only on the north side of the bridge, which faces Downtown.    It could be connected to the Downtown Bluffwalk, which ends within a few hundred yards north of the Harahan span, as well as roads on the Arkansas side.    The surface that would be used -- whether it's wood or some other material -- hasn't been determined. Neither has the cost, although Lerner estimated it would be in the "low to median seven digits."    Kyle Wagenschutz, the bikeway/pedestrian coordinator for the city of Memphis, said there are "at least a half-dozen" grant programs supporting multi-use trails such as the one sought on the bridge. He expresses optimism that the boardwalk can be built.    "I wasn't 100 percent sold on the project until I went out there and inspected it," he said.    Although Union Pacific doesn't own the former roadways, the railroad's cooperation would be helpful for the project, Wagenschutz said.    Holt, the Crittenden County judge, is among the local officials who have written to the railroad on behalf of the effort.    Union Pacific officials haven't stated their position yet.    "We are reviewing the request and analyzing how the bridge structure and the current rail operations could impact public safety," said railroad spokeswoman Raquel Espinoza.    Lerner said state transportation agencies would have to be involved in the project, as would the federal Department of Homeland Security, which monitors threats to potential terrorist targets, such as major bridges.    The likely timetable for getting the boardwalk built is "measured in years, not decades," Lerner said.    Charles McVean ['61], a Memphis businessman and the principal in a company that makes plug-in electric moped bikes, said the Harahan boardwalk could be a link on a larger trail along the Mississippi and help define the Memphis area as a prime destination for bicyclists.    McVean, who is working with the greenline group, foresees no major hurdles.    "I think somebody has got to come up with a surprise for this not to happen in the foreseeable future," he said. Rape Charge Dropped Against Former East High Students By Omari Fleming, WREG January 18, 2011    FAST FACTS: Rape Charges Dropped Against Three Former East High Teens Teens Say Accuser Was Willing Participant They Say They've Learned Valuable Lesson From The Experience    (Memphis, 01/17/2011) Brian Bland and Demarious Moore were all smiles reciting their new mantra.    "Minor setback for a major comeback," they said in unison.    The two teens are talking about the fact that court records show on Friday the Shelby County District Attorneys office dropped aggravated rape charges against them and another teenager involved in the alleged rape.    In March of last year, the former Eat High School students' lives were forever changed.    They spent a week behind bars after being charged with raping a fellow female schoolmate, off campus.    The 17-year-old girl admitted she willingly left school with the three boys and consensually had sex with Demarious.    She told police when she urged him to stop, he "slapped her in the face..."    That's when she says the two other teens "came into the room and forced her to have oral sex."    Demarious says he had an ongoing relationship with the girl and never hit her.    "She was like who's going first. She told him why don't you got first since he's new. Because she's never performed on him," explained Demarious.    Demarious and Brian were kicked out of East High and lost their jobs after the allegations.    A month later they were allowed to enroll in an alternative school.    Both earned their diplomas.    Despite missing a month of school because of the rape charge, both teens say they've learned a valuable lesson.    "Sit back and think about everything before you do and everything will come out better." For an unknown period of time, you may also watch a video of this report from WREG TV. Chemistry between trainer, client important for achieving goals By Gee Sharp, Memphis Commercial Appeal January 3, 2011    A client's trust in a personal trainer can help the trainer construct a workout that is precisely suited to the client's goals.    Llana Smith Rada, 58, owner of Broadway Travel in West Memphis, has been working out with personal fitness trainer Dion Welling for 16 years. She says the success of her fitness program is due in large part to her relationship with Welling.    "Dion can read me like a book," Rada said. "If I'm having a bad day, he will figure that out and adjust our workout to fit what's going on.    "I truly feel the relationship you have with your trainer is of utmost importance. You have to trust each other and respect each other."    Welling, 43, who trains out of the Racquet Club of Memphis, has been in the business as long as Rada has been his client. He says the relationship he has with his clients plays a large role in their exercise experience.     "I have to be able to quickly pick up on (the clients') mood or mindset as soon as I greet them. Sometimes they might have had a bad or stressful day. I need to adjust their program to fit their mindset at the time," he said.     "Personalities are important. I have had clients who felt as if our personalities didn't click, and so they have moved on to another trainer, or I have helped them find a trainer that might work well for their personality. As a trainer, I can't take that personally; after all, it isn't about the trainer, it's about the client and helping him obtain his fitness goals."    Welling said over the years he has learned the art of building trust with his clients. He said trainers should never treat their clients merely as a source of income. "To quote (motivational speaker) Zig Ziglar: 'If you help other people get what they want, then you will get what you want.'"    Trainer Adria "AD" Davis, 30, who has been at Germantown Athletic Club for 10 years, views her job as a journey with her clients.    "When a client has a goal to reach, I am responsible for getting them there, and we are working together as a team," Davis said.    "Over time, I begin to know my clients' bodies and what their bodies have been through, as well as what the client himself has been through. There is a lot of emotion that goes into a workout. Knowing my clients as well as I do allows me to cater to them specifically."    Dee Dee Dunehew, 42, of Piperton has been training with Davis since 2006.    "For me, chemistry with my trainer is what makes it work," Dunehew said. "I initially set out to train with AD for two weeks, but once I got started, I was hooked. ... Within the first year of working with AD, I lost 25 pounds, and my whole outlook on life improved, physically and mentally. AD's attitude is contagious. She pushes without being pushy."    Many find inspiration in the relationship they have with their trainer.    Russell Lindsey Jones, 24, a Memphis native now living in Knoxville, spent her high school years training with Marcus Santi, who had been hired as a sprint coach by Hutchison School.    "We had fun working hard, but we knew when Marcus meant business," Jones said. "Marcus always started us with a message and had a talk with us after the workout.    "He would write us inspirational messages that were personal to each of us and our individual journeys. I still have some of those today, and they help me continue my drive for a healthy, happy life."    Santi, who has been training since 1996 and uses a private gym, private homes and the great outdoors, said his clients range from professional athletes to weekend warriors and soccer moms.    "Some like super-aggressive workouts and like the challenge of knowing one is coming," he said. "Others will get intimidated by a super-big challenge if they know it is coming. Either way, I want to help them overcome obstacles in their lives, whether I have to sneak in the challenge or make it known from the onset."    Santi believes clients rise to a challenge if they trust their trainer. "I believe in an acronym I saw once: 'T.E.A.M: Together Everyone Achieves More.'"    Mary Frances Vookles Pitts ['59], 70, a residential real estate agent, said she was immediately comfortable with her trainer, Gaye Keller, and the environment at Healthy Habits in East Memphis, where Keller trains clients.    "It was friendly and cheerful, and I hardly noticed when I began working my muscles in never-before-known ways," she said. "Gaye has an easy manner, and the hard work is always punctuated by laughter (and a few screams). That is important to me."    Pitts had surgery that left her with a titanium rod in her spine, four fused vertebrae and two fake discs. "Gaye was with me every step of the way," she said. "She prepared me for the surgery by strengthening my core muscles, and after the surgery, she took over where the physical therapist left off. When people ask me about my fabulous recovery and obvious improved fitness, I credit Gaye."    Keller, 56, with 16 years of personal-training experience, said that some of her clients have become close friends over the years. "I enjoy getting to know my clients and finding out about their lives," she said. "That part is important because it helps me design a fitness program that is best for them and their goals."    Said another Keller client, Pat Bernatsky, 59, of Germantown, "Because I trust Gaye, I also trust her judgment. I've left her (workouts) sore, but never injured. I don't even have to think about the workout; I just try to relax and follow the program." Charter school group denied by Shelby County appeals to state By Sherri Drake Silence, Memphis Commercial Appeal December 30, 2010    Proponents of the third charter-school application denied by Shelby County Schools have filed an appeal with the state Education Department.    Tommie Henderson ['91 and Faculty 1998-2003], executive director of Smart Schools Inc., said his organization wants to open a New Consortium of Law and Business charter school in Shelby County to focus on preparing students for careers in those fields of study.    In August, Smart Schools opened a similar charter school with the same name Downtown, with approval from Memphis City Schools. It serves about 35 seventh-graders.    Shelby school officials rejected Smart Schools' application in November, giving it a score of 54.5 points out of 100. The organization filed an appeal with the suburban district and was rejected again earlier this month.    This is the third charter school to be proposed and the third to be denied in the county system.    On Dec. 23, Smart Schools mailed an appeal to the state. The group expects to have an appeals hearing with state officials in January.    "We understand (Shelby County Schools') initial concerns about charter schools," Henderson said. "Charter schools are about supporting a district. Our intention is to not be adversarial in any way."    Charter schools are taxpayer-funded public schools that are "chartered" by nonprofit organizations and operate outside of the control of local school boards. Shelby school leaders have long been opposed to the nontraditional public schools.    When denying the initial proposal from Smart Schools in November, Shelby school officials said the application didn't have a clear instructional strategy, that proposed courses already are offered in the county system and that the discipline plan doesn't comply with state law.    "This application fell well short of excellence," school chairman David Pickler said at that time.    Earlier this month, Supt. John Aitken advised the board to deny an updated and improved application by Smart Schools, saying his staff is concerned with the financial stability of the group and that SCS already offers the proposed courses.    "We do intend to propose courses that are quite different than what the county is offering," Henderson said. "(In SCS), you don't have those classes immersed or collaborating with each other. What we offer that is different is a focused curriculum."    Henderson said he hopes to open the school in fall 2011 and to educate only seventh-graders the first year. His organization would open the school to students in grades 6 and 8 the following year and add a grade of high school each year after that.    Students in the Shelby County and Memphis city law and business consortium would collaborate with one another. And they'd be mentored by professionals in business and law.    Henderson said he and his board are looking for a location in the county that has a need for such a school.    Members of the Smart Schools board are originally from the Shelby County area. Three of the board members, including Henderson, graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.    Henderson founded and served as principal of the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering, a charter school in the Memphis system. Photo of former East principal and brief quote in newspaper by By Richard Morgan, Memphis Commercial Appeal December 10, 2010 [Excerpts from the article]    The nation's high school counselor of the year is Randy McPherson, a 15-year veteran of Trezevant Career and Technology Center, where students from five high schools in northwest Memphis spend half of every school day learning skills such as cooking, cosmetology, health care and forensics.    The award, which comes with a trip to Washington in February for a black-tie gala and meetings with Congress, is doled out by the American School Counselor Association, which has 28,000 members nationally.    McPherson was nominated by Betty Russell, a now-retired teaching colleague.    Memphis City Schools was notified of the award a few weeks ago, but kept it secret for a surprise party for McPherson on Wednesday.    It's fitting that McPherson, 55, is getting rewarded for helping students with the woes of young employment. He went through a lot of that himself.    As a youngster in farmland near Henderson, Tenn., when he was too small to lift bales of hay, his job was to straighten out loaded bales.    "I was the gofer's gofer," he recalled.    Desperate, he headed into a new job field called computing. He and some friends drove to Memphis and signed up for community college classes. They jammed into a duplex and he paid bills by being a stockboy at TG&Y (Toys, Goods & Yarn).    He pursued multiple degrees in education at what was then Memphis State University, all the way up to a Ph.D...    "Memphis' school system is data-driven. And he always has the right data," said McPherson's principal, Milton Burchfield II [East Faculty 1997-2001]. State flower a favorite for Collierville gardener Memphis Commercial Appeal November 11, 2010    When asked what is his favorite flower, Van Smith ['65] of Collierville is quick to answer.    "The iris, the state's flower," Smith said.    Smith, who has been gardening for more than 40 years, is a member of the West Tennessee Iris Society where he is the club's treasurer.    Every year, the club holds its annual iris contest where Smith shows off his award-winning flowers.    Aside from gardening, Smith also is a avid golfer and spends several days a week on the golf course.    "I play golf an average of three times a week," he said. "It raises your blood pressure."    Are you with a gardening club? If so, which one? Smith is a member of the West Tennessee Iris Society. There is a Club Garden on West Street at the railroad tracks in Germantown.    Smith is the club's treasurer. He also is the landscaping chairman for the Village of Bailey Station.    How long have you been interested in gardening? Forty-five years.    Average amount of time involved with gardening: On the average, Smith says he spends about eight hours a week gardening.    How'd you get your green thumb? "From my parents, who even with a small city lot, always had at least a few tomato plants."    Current or most recent gardening project: "I just completed a Arkansas field stone extension to a water drain off area just in case it ever rains."    Favorite gardening project: "When I bought my present house there was a eroding area on the side from the rush of water coming off neighbors yard. I built an Arkansas field stone creek like drainage area about 30 feet by 5 feet long to carry runoff water down the creek to the woods. Sometimes when we have heavy rains I go out with an umbrella and watch the water rush down just like a small river."    What are your favorite gardening experiences? My favorite gardening experience would be related to...growing and showing irises.    What type of gardening project would you like to try in the future? "I have run out of space for new projects. All I can do is improve on what I already have."    What advice would you give to someone interested in gardening? "If planting a tree, shrub or flower and watching it develop into something appealing to the eye doesn't turn you on, you're in the wrong business. I spend at least an hour a week in a meditation area in the woods beside my house looking around and absorbing natures wonders. It also lowers your blood pressure." Alumnus notes history of the Fairgrounds at unveiling of historical marker The East High Alumni Page November 1, 2010    The Fairgounds, Libertyland, and the Zippin Pippin roller coaster were remembered at a ceremony today unveiling a historical marker near the former site of those attractions.    Ed Williams ('52), Shelby County Historian, joined other dignitaries including the Memphis Mayor and members of Remember Libertyland, formerly Save Libertyland, gathered to at least preserve the memory of the decades of festival-like attractions which once stood at what was then the Fairgrounds.    Mayor A C Wharton said great cities are not made by what's going forward, but remembering what is in the past. He said he preferred to see Libertyland not as something lost but as something that was part of the transformation into something new at the site.    Williams briefly told those attending about the history of the Fairgrounds and the Mid-South Fair, which he said were part of a nearly 200 year history of amusement parks in Memphis.    Libertyland, the 1976 transformation of the amusement park at the Fairgrounds, closed in 2005. The Pippin, which in later years was known as the Zippin Pippin, was dismantled and parts are now being reconstructed at a Green Bay, Wisconsin, amusement park. The Mid-South Fair's lease was not renewed and it moved to Mississippi after the 2008 festival. You may read more about the Fairgrounds and Libertyland at the Landmark and Legend web site. Inspired Instruction School signals new direction for practical education by Susan Agee, Special to The Daily News The Daily News October 25, 2010    The New Consortium of Law and Business could be a sign of a new wave of education in Memphis.    The recently opened charter school takes its students through a curriculum grounded in the realities of the world of business and law. While its location – 110 N. Court St. in the mixed-used CA2 building in Downtown's Court Square – is unusual, the school's mission is deliberate in that it places students right in the midst of the world they are learning about.    Each day starts with a classroom forum of current events and relevant topics. Classes follow, either in pairs or small groups. Business leaders and lawyers from the area visit regularly to give students a "real world" perspective on their studies.    "One of our major units is about the judicial process," said principal Elana Ragsdale. "We plan to have legal professionals come in to discuss their role in the legal system so that the students are exposed to the variety of options in the field as well as obtain a realistic understanding and identification of the judiciary process."    Students at the New Consortium of Law and Business charter school hang out in a locker and cafeteria area inside the school.    "The students were ecstatic about what they saw: from the U.S. Supreme Court to the U.S. Capitol to the Smithsonian," said Ragsdale. "It was a trip that I am certain they will remember for the rest of their lives; they truly were inspired."    The school's founder, Tommie Henderson ['91 and Faculty 1998-2003], has done this before. He was a cofounder of the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering in 2003 and began a wave of charter school startups. His interest in education was accidental; while waiting to enter a masters program at the University of Tennessee, Henderson was invited back to East High, his alma mater, to teach in the engineering program that he had been a part of.    Henderson had since earned a degree in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and hadn't planned on teaching. East's principal Milton Burchfield [Faculty 1997-2001] asked him to fill in while Burchfield searched for a full-time replacement.    "He never found a new engineering teacher," said Henderson, laughing. "But he didn't have to, because once I got into education, I was hooked."    While teaching at East, Henderson found the motivation that propelled him toward the goal of starting a charter school.    He coached five students through the process of preparing for and taking an advanced placement physics test. They all passed, the first African-American young men to do so in Tennessee. Their success led to other students feeling they could do it too, and Henderson had 20 who were willing to try. Then his program was cut.    "If you're in a traditional school system and they are pulling back the great exploration for learning, there's got to be a better way," said Henderson.    He went so far as to write a curriculum for the school he wanted to start, even though he didn't know how he was going to start it. Then he met a reporter who heard about Henderson's desire to start a school and connected him with the Memphis Bioworks Foundation. The organization wanted to sponsor such a school, so they teamed with Henderson in founding MASE.    The Tennessee charter school admission requirements state that applicants be those in a "high priority" school, those who have received failing TCAP scores or those who qualify for free or reduced price lunches. When asked how he could take these students and turn them into students who excel, Henderson said that they didn't teach the students a new way of studying.    "We taught them a new way of being," he said. "For many of these students there was an acceptance of mediocrity; an acceptance of their 'station in life.' We changed the entire mindset, not just of how to study, but of wanting to study."    The plan is working at New Consortium.    "All of our goals and objectives are falling into place," said Ragsdale. "The students are still very much intrigued by their opportunities here. We expect much more success in the near future." Former executive overcame bad grades, dyslexia because he had something to prove By James Dowd Memphis Commercial Appeal October 17, 2010    Trumpeting a message of triumph over adversity and promoting family over finance, author Tommy Spaulding was in Memphis recently as part of a 75-city book tour to discuss his New York Times bestseller, "It's Not Just Who You Know."    Spaulding was keynote presenter at the second in a speakers series launched by Kem Wilson Jr. ['64] to inspire local business leaders to strengthen their personal and professional lives. Tommy Spaulding, best-selling author, entrepreneur and business coach, enjoys a few laughs with Willie Baldwin (left) and Roy 'Soup' Campbell during a recent speaker series.    More than 200 attended the invitation-only event, which was held at the Holiday Inn at the University of Memphis.    Spaulding, who is dyslexic, rose to prominence as a top sales exec for IBM and later as president of Up With People. But after years of drawing an impressive salary and traveling the world over, he left his high-powered executive lifestyle and founded a nonprofit leadership organization dedicated to helping young people reach their potential.    On his stopover in Memphis, Spaulding challenged listeners to strive for success instead of succumbing to insecurity.    "I used to think dyslexia was a scar, but now I see it as a gift because it caused me to overcompensate in other areas to make people see that they were wrong about me," Spaulding said. "I wasn't a good student, so I went out of my way to excel in other ways. I didn't give up and I tried harder because I wanted to prove to the world that I wasn't stupid."    For Spaulding, not giving up meant taking classes every year during summer school to boost his grade-point average, committing to marathon study sessions during college, and maintaining a sense of optimism after applying to and being rejected by more than three dozen law schools.    "He's a great example of the power of determination and drive," said Wilson, executive vice president of Kemmons Wilson Companies. "Everybody has a story and Tommy's is a particularly inspiring one. By telling it, he's changing the world."    Persistence and a can-do attitude helped Spaulding win a Rotary scholarship, he said, that paid for graduate school and enabled him to earn an M.B.A. despite a less than stellar academic career.    "I convinced the scholarship committee that I could overcome bad grades and achieve something and I kept my word," Spaulding said. "I had to prove that I deserved the scholarship and that they made the right choice."    Eventually Spaulding made good on his promise and achieved considerable success as as corporate executive. But a growing desire to create a more lasting impact in his community led him to walk away from his career and use his own money to establish a nonprofit organization to help others develop leadership skills.    "If I'm able to make a difference, I hope it's by inspiring people to have the courage to love one another and build relationships and strive for the best," Spaulding said. "The opportunities are out there, it's just up to us to be tenacious about pursuing them."    Spaulding's message is one that people of all ages can learn from, said University of Memphis president Shirley Raines.    "He worked hard in the face of academic challenges and achieved substantial success, but there's more to it than that," Raines said. "He also knew that his family loved and supported him and that provided a solid foundation for what came later. All of us should be positive influences like that on the lives of others." Life on Adams: George Griesbeck George Griesbeck: Alum, Teacher, Friend Purple & Gold, the official alumni magazine of Christian Brothers High School. Fall, 2010    As a student, George Griesbeck [Faculty 1964-1972] made good grades. He came to CBC from Immaculate Conception Grade School, operated by the Sisters of Mercy. He recalls fondly Sister Martina, "who could run a school with a long handled bell and keep things in order." The upper stories of the building had just become Catholic High School, a co-ed high school that would later become an all-boy school and move to McLean Street. The girls would remain at Immaculate Conception under that name; today it is the last of the parish high schools in the state. [Read the entire article] [The East High Alumni Page Editor's note: Mr. J.G. Griesbeck, principal of East High School 1964-1972, died shortly after the article was published in the Purple & Gold. An obituary is available. Mr. Griesbeck came to East as principal after East's first principal was killed in a traffic crash in the summer of 1964. It is often said that a person does not wish to follow a legend in a job, but that's the situation in which Mr. Griesbeck found himself. J.P. Snider was highly respected, his name spoken in revered tones in many homes of students of his at East. Mr. Griesbeck continued the high academic and citizenship standards at East.]   In brief: Top U.S. historian at MUS tonight Memphis Commercial Appeal October 11, 2010    Columbia University professor Kenneth T. Jackson [associated with the Class of '57], one of the nation's pre-eminent historians and an alumnus of Memphis City Schools and the University of Memphis, will speak at 7 p.m. today at the meeting of the West Tennessee Historical Society at Memphis University School's Wunderlich Auditorium.    At Columbia, Jackson is the director of the Herbert H. Lehman Center for the Study of American History and the Jacques Barzun Professor of History and Social Sciences. Jackson's seminal book, "Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States," is considered one of the most important works of history in the latter decades of the 20th century.    Reprinted 29 times in paperback and five times in hardcover, "Crabgrass Frontier" was the first full-scale history of the development of American suburbia and has been described as an often critical examination of "how 'the good life' in America came to be equated with the a home of one's own surrounded by a grassy yard and located far from the urban workplace."    Among Jackson's other major works are: "Robert Moses and the Modern City: The Transformation of New York," "The Dictionary of American Biography," "Scribner's Encyclopedia of American Lives," "Silent Cities: the Evolution of the American Cemetery," "The Ku Klux Klan in the City," "American Vistas," "Empire City: New York Through the Centuries," and the "Encyclopedia of New York City" (seventh edition due in 2010). Documentary parallels issues at East High By Amy Barnette Memphis Commercial Appeal October 11, 2010    When more than 100 Memphians gathered Sunday at East High School to watch the Indie Memphis Freedom Series' presentation of "Heart of Stone," a documentary that examines how a principal and alumni of a troubled New Jersey high school sought to improve life for its students, the parallels to local concerns were clearly observed.    Eric Harris ['91 and Faculty], principal (and alumnus) of East, said the film pointed out some of the issues he faces in making sure teenagers, whose minds and viewpoints are still being shaped, have positive role models in their lives.    "(It) really reminded me a lot of East High School -- not totally, not even mostly, but the demographic shift that occurred, the student body as a whole, some of the perceptions that they had," he said.    But East's challenges are not as daunting as those portrayed in the documentary.    Though Weequahic High School in Newark, N.J., was one of the nation's top schools through the 1950s, racial conflict and economic downturn took their toll. When the school's primarily Jewish alumni from its heyday decided to give back to their school, they worked alongside principal Ron Stone to encourage students, setting up scholarship funds and backing trips to Europe.    In Memphis, that partnership between alumni and administration can be found in the Greater East High Foundation and its offshoot, the dynamic, youth-led Peer Power program.    Hosted by Bridges and the Memphis Jewish Federation, the community-minded event Sunday afternoon featured small-group discussions after the film. Student tutors from Peer Power guided the conversation to discover what participants thought could be learned from Newark's example and how it might be applied to Memphis schools.    Anna Ham, who teaches math at Craigmont High School through the Teach for America program, said she thought that Craigmont and East both dealt with the consequences of suburbanization, just as Weequahic did.    "I've heard stories about how Craigmont was once one of the best schools in the country, and everyone wanted to send their kids there, as well as East, but I feel like with sprawl and white flight, schools have gotten into disarray," she said.    Writer Michelle Malsbury said that community involvement was what helped the New Jersey students, and that same principle could be applied locally.    "They saw all their mentors, all their alum in essence become their role models, and it helped them see that if they just worked hard, they could also achieve the same things," she said.    The Freedom Series ties film to the community. Each event is hosted by a different group and ends with an open discussion.    Director Robin Salant said the series has been extremely successful. Each community featured has asked to be involved again next year, and other groups are clamoring to be included as well.    "We've made sure (the screenings) have been kept free so we can have economic diversity," she said. "We want this to inspire everyone."    Next up for the Freedom Series is "The Life & Times of Rosie the Riveter," showing at the National Civil Rights Museum at 6 p.m. Thursday. The film and discussion will focus on fair wages for women in the workplace, Salant said. Online maps show Memphis' makeup by ethnicity Race still dividing line for city By Richard Morgan Memphis Commercial Appeal October 10, 2010    The South is pretty big on euphemisms, bless its heart.    So maybe it was fitting that it took a computer programmer in San Francisco to shake things up. Because when Memphians talk about "tensions" or "divisions" or even "issues," we are often really talking about race and, by extension, racism.    In September, Eric Fischer, 37, posted a series of images to his Flickr account. Inspired by a racial mapping of Chicago last year on a website, RadicalCartography.net, Fischer took 2000 Census data and color-coded dozens of U.S. cities by race of residents. Blacks were blue, whites were red, Latinos were orange and Asians were green. The images went viral online.    "I was shocked," Fischer said. "I thought things were better than this. Whatever city, whatever part of the country, there is still such division."    Chiefly a black-and-white split, the maps evoke that stark, bitter presidential election in 2000 when "Red America" and "Blue America" became household terms.    The map of Memphis shows a ring of whites -- in Germantown, Bartlett, Collierville, Millington, Horn Lake -- surrounding a black city core. There are isles of whites both literal (Mud Island) and metaphoric (Central Gardens, Cooper-Young, the Poplar corridor). The two most-integrated neighborhoods are Raleigh-Frayser and Hickory Hill.    There is almost no orange on the map.    A small but noticeable green blob, at the so-called "Little Vietnam" area around Cleveland and Jefferson, is an Asian oasis.    For Asians and Latinos, government surveys routinely point to underreporting of population due to obstacles including language barriers and immigration concerns.    "It's not surprising," said Mayor A C Wharton, who is black and campaigned on a post-racial slogan of "One Memphis." "But I'm not concerned with racial divisions. My job is to look at quality of life, regardless of these splits."    That approach could sound like the "separate but equal" doctrine of Jim Crow, but Wharton, who lives in the center of the city, at Carnes and East Parkway South in an area he calls "West Orange Mound," quickly clarified:    "Separate is inherently unequal. To the degree that we have division because of poverty or outright racism, it saddens me. We have to work on that.    "But if these are divisions of choice, we have to accept that. You can't mandate polka dots."    "We tried that and it made things worse," said Ed Williams ['52], Shelby County historian. "Before 1960, Memphis City Schools were superior to Shelby County schools," he said, "but then (desegregation) busing ruined that."    U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., is the only white member of the U.S. House of Representatives to represent a majority-minority district. Cohen grew up in 1950s Memphis, left in 1961 and returned in 1967 to an apartment building on Walnut Grove with, he recalled, only one black family.    Looking at the race-data map, he called Uptown "promising" and Mud Island "integrated," adding that there are now "respectable specks of blue" on Walnut Grove.    "There's progress and lack of progress," he said, saying concerts and schools and restaurants in Memphis are still sometimes effectively all-white or all-black, and repeating the common quip that noon on Sunday is the most segregated moment of the week. "There are a lot of bad memories. And it'll take time to erase them from our collective consciousness. They don't facilitate progress, but they should breed understanding."    Former Memphis NAACP executive secretary Maxine Smith, who was turned away from the old Memphis State University because of her race in 1957, this year received an honorary doctorate of letters from what is now the University of Memphis.    "Desegregation doesn't make us love each other, but it brings us closer so that we can understand each other," she said. "You can't understand someone you never see. Our goal is not for everyone to have a black neighbor and a white neighbor, but just equal opportunity, equal access."    She laughed. "Used to be, our barriers were legal. We took care of those. Now there are these more pernicious economic barriers. We'll get them with enough time and hard work."    Bill Patton, author of "A Guide to Historic Downtown Memphis," moved here from Washington in 2006 and runs Backbeat Tours, which focus on Memphis music.    "It's the locals, the folks from East Memphis who never come Downtown, who get blown away by our tours," he said.    "I personally don't like thinking of white history or black history. The story of Memphis is a shared history," Patton said.    "There's so much for everyone here: food, music. It's not like the Otis Redding folks hate Johnny Cash or Elvis. Or vice versa. Memphians all secretly love Memphis. But Memphians are in many ways their own worst enemies."    Racial tension is nothing new to Memphis, home of the National Civil Rights Museum. The discussion has timeless sentiments, such as the one quoted by Martin Luther King Jr. in a 1959 speech he gave in Hawaii, two years before President Barack Obama was born there: "Lord, we ain't what we want to be. We ain't what we ought to be. We ain't what we gonna be. But thank God we ain't what we was." A Tale of Sorts After 32 years, library volunteer still reading, sorting, and selling. by Halley Johnson The Memphis Flyer October 7, 2010    When Sherman Dixon ['60] was in college, there was a moment when he thought he might like to be a writer.     "I mentioned it to a teacher of mine who had read some of my themes, and she said, 'You know, Sherman, some people are born to be writers and some are born to be readers.'" Remembering this, Dixon laughs. "Point well taken."     Indeed. Dixon has been an avid Friends of the Library volunteer for 32 years, sorting — and reading — the library's donated books.    A graduate of East High and the University of Memphis, Dixon is a retired postmaster who began his career as a buyer for Sears. But it wasn't until his late 30s when he stumbled across his first Friends book sale that he found a passion for volunteering.    "I used to haunt bookstores," he says. "I just like looking at old, used books."    There's a lot of looking involved. In the Benjamin Hooks Central Library basement where donated books are housed, there are more than 60,000 volumes at any given time. The rest are in the library's bookstore, Second Editions, or waiting to be priced and posted on Amazon.com.    Dixon is part of a team of dedicated volunteers who each manage a different part of the process, though all do quite a bit of sorting. The volunteers — among them, retired teachers, a retired doctor, a zoo employee, and another retired postmaster — have widespread interests. Dixon's English degree means that he oversees the sorting of the literature books, as well as presiding over the art and religion sections.    "We're such a small group, but we have every section covered," Dixon says.    When Dixon started volunteering, the library occupied the corner of Peabody and McLean, and the Friends averaged $12,000 from two annual booksales. Now, in the massive Poplar Avenue building, they've expanded to three annual sales and year-round book sales through Second Editions and Amazon — bringing in at least $185,000 this year.    Many books sell for less than a dollar in the sales or in the bookstore, though rare books bring much better returns on the Amazon site. The most valuable books, Dixon says, are the ones that go straight into the library.    "We call those 'cost avoidance' donations," he says, noting that saving the library money on buying books is as good as bringing in extra revenue. The Friends do their fair share of donating as well, letting nonprofits peruse the leftover books from the annual sales, taking whatever they can use.    "I've probably touched a million books in the last 30 years," Dixon says, "but I still get excited when I find something valuable."    Visit the Friends of the Library's Amazon site at www.amazon.com/shops/memfolbooks1 Cruisin': Electric bicycle combines aerobic exercise, transportation By Wayne Risher Memphis Commercial Appeal October 6, 2010    The leader of the pack is a 67-year-old millionaire who wears a warm-up suit and a smile as broad as a kid with a new toy.    Charles McVean ['61] gestures toward a fleet of funny-looking electric bicycles parked nearby and tells his entourage "OK everybody. Let's cruise."    And away goes The Mild Bunch, nine laid-back riders gliding silently down High Point Terrace to East Memphis' new railbed-turned-trail, the Shelby Farms Greenline.    At the head of the column rides McVean, financial whiz and principal in Aerobic Cruiser Hybrid Cycle LLC, a maker of plug-in electric moped bicycles.    The founder and president of McVean Trading and Investments LLC launched development of the Aerobic Cruiser four years ago in hopes of blending fun, exercise and profit.    To hear him tell it, the long, low-slung bicycle with a battery-powered motor between the driver's legs is a cure to what ails Memphis and America.    He believes it can help fight climate change, the obesity epidemic, the foreign trade deficit and a diminished manufacturing base.    McVean's company is assembling the Aerobic Cruiser in Memphis, albeit from mostly foreign-made parts.    "One of our objectives is to be a microcosm of the rebirth of manufacturing in the United States of America," he said.    It's developing a bicycle lifestyle center a few blocks north of the Greenline, in the neighborhood shopping strip where McVean rode his bike as a kid.    Cruiser's Lifestyle Center, 485 High Point Terrace at Philwood, will contain a bicycle service center, Cruiser showroom, convenience store, restaurant and public restrooms. First will come restrooms, opening in November, to provide pit stops for Greenline users.    Thinking big is old hat for McVean. In the 1980s he dropped millions on a proposal for indoor racing featuring hackney ponies ridden by robot jockeys. Six years ago he started the Peer Power Foundation at his alma mater, East High School. It cultivates high achievers to boost performance of their lagging peers.    McVean said he's invested "several million dollars" so far to create his own spin on the electric bicycle, a low-impact conveyance that sells tens of millions of units a year worldwide, primarily in Asia and Europe. His design combines pedal power with electric power so riders can go faster or further, climb hills or take a breather without stopping.    "It has not caught on yet in the USA because nobody has built the right machine," McVean said. "I think this is it."    "It's fun. It's exercise. But most of all, it's serious transportation," he added.    McVean has 12 to 15 people carrying out his vision, which sees Aerobic Cruisers dovetailing with efforts to make Memphis a bicycle haven.    McVean said the ultimate would be a bicycle lane atop the Mississippi River levee from Walls, Miss., to Vicksburg, with a high-speed ferry filling the gap between Walls and Downtown.    Employed by his venture are bicycle mechanics, competitive cyclists and business, retail and restaurant types.    McVean punctuated their cruise from High Point to the Shelby Farms visitor center with comments on marketing, economics and recent articles about the electric vehicle market.    "The Cruiser is a very unique project that's exciting to be a part of," said Jeremy Reese, who started working for McVean four years ago.    The Aerobic Cruiser is pricey: $5,000 for a deluxe model with well-padded semi-recumbent seat and shock-absorbing frame. The top-of-the-line can go 75 to 100 miles on a charge.    McVean's company has built 20 prototypes, outfitted with high-efficiency lithium iron phosphate batteries.    A lower-line model, the Commuter, will sell for less than $2,000. A three-wheeler also will be offered.    Kyle Wagenschutz, bike and pedestrian coordinator for city and county governments, said the Cruiser suits people who want both exercise and transportation out of a bike, but maybe need help covering longer distances.    McVean's plan for the High Point Terrace center is an example of economic activity spurred by the new Greenline, Wagenschutz said.    The trail's opening has been eagerly anticipated by the bicycling public, said Daniel Duckworth, general manager of Midtown Bikes on South Main.    "September was my best month all year," Duckworth said. "In my conversations with customers, it's obvious, whether they're buying new or dragging in something old to refurbish, generally most people have a high interest in utilizing that great asset we now possess."    As for the Aerobic Cruiser, Duckworth said, "The only segment that product will reach is well-to-do boomers."    Duckworth said purists, which covers most bike shop owners , "tend to have a general disdain for the electric bicycle. I embrace it."    He sells a plug-in electric unit for about $1,500 and can put an electric motor on a conventional bike for about $1,000. "Once people hear that price, they shy away."    McVean said he regrets initial prices are so high, due to the cost of batteries and components, but he expects costs to drop as production ramps up. "I hate telling the postman I don't have anything for him," he said.    He plans to target upscale retirement communities such as Johns Island, Fla., and Bay Harbor, Mich. It was on an annual visit to Bay Harbor that he got the idea for the cruiser, after seeing a man drive a plug-in electric car to and from a fitness center workout.    McVean views Memphis as a test market. "We're going to come in here and see if the concept has traction. If it does, we're going national fast." The Commercial Appeal also has a video interview with Chas McVean which was still available at last check. See the video: Aerobic Cruiser. Letter: Fire crew shows government works Letter to the Editor Memphis Commercial Appeal October 5, 2010    Just as I, a 94-year-old retiree from the faculty of East High School, was about to reluctantly buy into the current disillusionment with the operation of our city and its services, I have had an experience which has restored my confidence in our city government. My frenzied call to 911 last week promptly brought a fire engine and crew from Station 13 to my home. Three young firemen, led by fireman Mike McGee, not only quickly located and removed the cause of alarm, but did so with remarkable efficiency, while at the same time calming me with their reassuring words. Their concern for my welfare and peace of mind was touching and greatly appreciated.    Congratulations to our Fire Director Alvin Benson on the hiring and training of such an exemplary crew of city employees.    Frances F. Marks [Faculty 1963-1973] Charter school operators want fairer funding, board independent of Memphis City Schools By Jane Roberts Memphis Commercial Appeal October 3, 2010    Steve Bares minces no words when it comes to what it's like to run a charter school under Memphis City Schools.    He says MCS officials withhold money, obfuscate on issues and so effectively control who gets approved -- and who doesn't -- that charter operators are effectively silenced.    "When charter school principals got together and realized our kids were getting deep-fat-fried funnel cakes and sugar for breakfast," Bares said, "no one said anything.    "To be blunt, we are in a very awkward position. If you argue, you get threatened."    As chairman of the Tennessee Charter Schools Association, he's pushing for creation of an independent board to oversee the state's charter schools, including how they are approved and funded.    Of the 40 states with charter laws, 21 have some kind of statewide authorizing body. In most cases, it is the state board of education.    Bares' biggest beef is that MCS does not fairly fund charter schools.    The city of Memphis has 22 charter schools, including seven that are new this fall. Together, they educate more than 5,000 children, or about 5 percent of the city schools' student population.    The charter schools got none of the $90 million grant awarded to Memphis City Schools last November by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.    They saw little, if any, of the $57 million -- about $670 per Title I student -- that MCS received in federal Race to the Top dollars this summer.    The district has not decided whether it will share the roughly $200 per student it received this fall in a $23 million stimulus project to save teacher jobs.    "Here's Congress saying this is additional support for public schools nationwide. But if you are going to a charter school, you don't count," said Matt Throckmorton, executive director of the state charter association.    MCS has heard the argument many times. It says it allocates funds and services based on the same formula used for its schools.    Tennessee law says local school districts must pass 100 percent of the state and local per-pupil funding on to the charters.    The law is murkier on the allocation of federal money.    Last year, the district received $10,394 for every child in Memphis City Schools.    It passed $7,630, or 73.4 percent, to the charters, excluding money for capital projects, as defined in state code.    Metro Nashville Public Schools received $10,495 per student and passed $8,090, or 77 percent, to the charters.    The difference fuels the argument that MCS withholds too much money on one hand and charges the charters for services the federal government pays the school district to provide, including lunches, bus transportation and special education services.    Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering, the largest charter in Memphis, stopped buying school lunches from MCS this fall, saying it could provide better-quality food on its own and shave $100,000 a year off expenses.    Bares, who is chairman of the board of directors at Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering, says MCS pockets the profit and keeps "a separate P & L" (profit and loss statement) charters are not allowed to see.    Not every charter operator is as vocal, but when pressed, most say they wish MCS distributed funds, particularly federal dollars, more evenly and that they had a voice in how funding decisions are made.    For instance, charter leaders whose schools received computers and professional development training this summer through funding from MCS said they didn't realize it was a trade-off for thousands in stimulus dollars.    "We essentially have two professional development programs going on, funded by two different sources," said Tommie Henderson ['91 and Faculty 1998-2003], head of New Consortium of Law and Business charter school.    "But we've found ways to make it work," he said, adding that MCS is "transparent and open" about funding.    "It definitely means we understand why they are spending the way they are, but does it mean we are always happy? No."    Rev. Anthony Anderson, who runs Memphis Business Academy in a converted Kmart in Frayser, says funding is a loaded issue.    "I was disappointed that there weren't as much stimulus funds passed down for facilities, especially," he said.    Memphis Business Academy, with one of the lowest per-pupil costs in the city, bought the vacant store in foreclosure for $986,000 last year.    It borrowed $1.9 million and invested $400,000 of its own money to cover renovations.    If it were a traditional MCS school with 250 students, it would receive roughly $691,000 a year for capital expenses.    Instead, charter schools get $600,000 in start-up funds over the first three years to cover facility costs.    "Most will go to curriculum, textbooks and desks," said Throckmorton.    "Some of that money -- $20,000 to $30,000 -- may be used to cover remodeling. There are so many other expenses in opening up a school."    Anderson says it's not enough to cover school buses, lunches and capital costs, "but it's legal. It's a state and legislative issue."    Bares says the community, and specifically Supt. Kriner Cash, should do more than cling to the law when the issue is a matter of integrity.    "These are all public school kids. Where is the leadership? This is an opportunity to say are we going to be an organization that is in for reform or not? Are we leading by integrity or not?"    State Rep. Harry Brooks, R-Knoxville, chairman of the House Education Committee, says the funding argument comes up "in spurts" when charters are struggling with cash-flow problems.    "I think there is need for clarification on the funding language," he said, adding that even legislators tend to see charters as separate from public schools.    "What has to come across is these are not private institutions."    Greg Richmond, chief executive of the National Alliance of Charter School Authorizers, says it's easy for charters and school districts to come to blows when they compete for the same students and dollars.    When the school districts are also in charge of overseeing the charters they approve, the water can get even bloodier.    "School districts exist to directly run schools; most are not structured to oversee autonomous schools they don't run," Richmond said.    "Many superintendents would rather focus on running their own schools; that's why statewide authorities can make some sense."    The issue cooled this summer when charter operators say Cash struck a conciliatory tone by delaying a plan to withhold 3 percent of the charters' funding as an administrative fee, saying he wanted to hear from them first and was open to compromise.    "I want to forge a different conversation here in Memphis with the charters," Cash said last week. "I want us to be more we, not us versus they .... and I am going to take leadership in that regard. We will continue to find good common ground so that all children in Memphis can have good schools."    The goodwill evaporated when the district told Throckmorton that unless the service fee is agreed on, MCS could no longer afford to pay charters in 10 equal installments, and instead would pass the money on as it is received.    The district says it has discussed the possibility with the charters since the City Council withheld funding from MCS in 2008.    "The reason for the conversations was due to cash-flow implications to the district," said Pam Anstey, MCS chief financial officer.    "MCS could be forced to have these conversations again."    If the change happened now, charter schools say they would receive less than half of what they are expecting between now and late winter.    "It would bleed our charter schools dry," Throckmorton said.    He's wants an independent board for other reasons, including that it would make charters possible in cities where they are now politically unpalatable, including Knoxville.    "Three out of four charter applications are rejected in Tennessee now. And in some places, it's four out of four," he said.    A statewide authorizer gives the power to start charters to a group beyond the local school board.    "We think school districts should have the power to authorize, but then there should be another authorizer in the state," said Richmond, so charter operators have another option if their application is rejected by the school board.    Over six years, a handful of states have created statewide independent authorizers, including Colorado, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Idaho.    "It's definitely a discussion that is happening in more state legislatures now," Richmond said.    Cary Booker, co-founder of Omni Schools, says he "would be inclined to take a very close look and consider it.    "I'd want to lay the plans next to each other and compare them."    But Anderson would rather be aligned with MCS, saying he's not sure a new organization would commit to serving the neediest students, as Tennessee law now dictates.    He's also not sure another group could pay retirement benefits to teachers and staff and provide the service he gets from MCS.    "I'm fortunate that I can get $4 million to run our school, and for the most part, break it down the way I want. That's the most benefit to our kids." TV Program: Ophra September 30, 2010 Cybill Shepherd ('68) appeared on the Sept. 30 Oprah Winfrey show along with several other beautiful models and movie stars discussing how they dealt with their beauty as young women and how they've handled aging. Memphis Memories By Staff, The Commercial Appeal September 18, 2010    [The following was republished on September 18, 2010, in the Memphis/Mid-South Memories item in The Commercial Appeal, originally published September, 1951.] Yellow fever left mark on Memphis; historians disagree on impact Yellow fever left mark on Memphis; historians disagree on impact By Michael Lollar Memphis Commercial Appeal Posted September 11, 2010    It began in the filthiest part of the filthiest city in America and turned into a plague of Biblical proportions.    "You can't take the kind of hit Memphis took and believe that it didn't matter," says historian Dr. John Harkins, referring to the 1878 yellow fever epidemic.    Harkins, who taught at the University of Memphis and Memphis University School, encounters a chorus of dissenting historians when he argues the city might have become "the premier city of the South" if not for the 1878 epidemic.    It killed then faded away with the first frost of 1878. People had no idea what caused it, but it took more lives than the Chicago fire, the San Francisco earthquake and the Johnstown flood combined, says author Molly Caldwell Crosby, who wrote "The American Plague" with Memphis as the focus of the country's search for the cause of plagues like those that came to Memphis seven times between 1828 and 1878. It would be 22 years after the 1878 epidemic before the cause was traced to a virus transmitted by mosquitoes.    This weekend, dubbed Martyrs Weekend, recognizes victims of that deadliest outbreak in 1878 and the people who came to their aid, often dying in the process. Twelve Catholic nuns, 9 priests, 4 Episcopalian nuns and 10 Protestant ministers died. Survivors had to face the city's bankruptcy, the loss of its charter and an image that Harkins says steered immigrants away from Memphis for years.    Many of the immigrants who had helped the city to grow are in what Elmwood Cemetery's assistant director Jody Schmidt calls a "trench grave," holding 1,500 caskets placed side by side and end to end. Another 1,000 marked graves are scattered through the cemetery. They made up less than half the city's victims. The population had been roughly 50,000 before about 30,000 fled at the start of the epidemic on Aug. 5, 1878. Of the 19,000 who stayed in Memphis, 17,000 came down with yellow fever, and 5,150 died.    Memphis had been a magnet for German and Irish settlers looking for jobs along the heavily traveled river. "I think there's a chance Memphis might have rivaled Atlanta if it had continued to attract a cosmopolitan mix of people. Memphis became more provincial," says Harkins.    What visitors found at the start of 1878 was a city growing in spite of itself. There was no city sewer system. Water was collected in cisterns, and maimed animals were left rotting in Downtown streets made of ill-advised cypress paving blocks that rotted and caved in, creating chasms that broke the legs of horses and mules.    It was as if the Medieval Era had been dropped onto the Mississippi River bluffs. People were proud of their sweet-smelling magnolias and roses, but the city was also a pestilence-ridden rathole. It stunk so bad people knew they were nearing the city when they came within five miles of it. "Cologne, that European city of a thousand disgusting smells, backs down before Memphis," wrote a visitor from North Carolina in 1867.    Memphis was designated the nation's most unhealthy city with the U.S. surgeon general referring to sanitary conditions here as "shameful and a disgrace."    Shelby County historian Ed Williams ['52]agrees with Harkins up to a point about those who fled. "The German element of the population prior to the epidemic was substantial and included a lot of merchants and business people who were middle- and upper-middle-class." Many of them fled to St. Louis and Cincinnati, he says.    But Williams also agrees with University of Memphis Bureau of Business and Economic Research director John Gnuschke that the effect of any wholesale migration in 1878 would "largely have dissipated" over a few decades.    If the epidemic forever scarred Memphis, Gnuschke says, historians would have to explain why the Chicago fire or the San Francisco earthquake didn't forever hamper the growth of those cities.    Memphis began to recover quickly after 1878. Its artesian water supply was discovered and turned into one of the purest water supplies in the nation in the 1880s. Its charter was restored. Its sanitation and sewer systems became models for other cities. Between 1900 and 1950, Memphis almost quadrupled from 102,350 to 396,000 residents.    Historian Dr. Robert Sigafoos, retired from the University of Memphis, says many of those who left the city returned soon after 1878.    But a major difference in Memphis and other cities in the South, he says, is that "Memphis has always had an underclass of rather sizable proportions." Its burgeoning population in the early 1900s was primarily from surrounding rural areas. Many had been sharecroppers. While Memphis focused on cotton, St. Louis focused on manufacturing and Atlanta got a head start on Memphis as a rail hub.    It's largely a speculative issue from a historical standpoint, Harkins agrees. But for those who argue the city's 1878 descent was an aberration and that Memphis returned to an unaltered course, he says, "I tend to disagree." Area executives are urged to follow a 'family first' business plan By James Dowd Memphis Commercial Appeal September 10, 2010    Joking that he was in the presence of "every outlaw in Memphis," Kem Wilson Jr. ['64] on Thursday joined about 150 relatives, friends and business executives to celebrate what he considers the most important thing in the world.    Family.    Wilson, executive vice president of Kemmons Wilson Companies, hosted a luncheon at the Holiday Inn at the University of Memphis featuring Louis Upkins Jr., author of "Treat Me Like A Customer: Using Lessons from Work to Succeed in Life.    The invitation-only event was designed to inspire area leaders to focus as much attention on their home lives as on their corporate careers, Wilson said.    "Everyone at this event knows what it takes to be successful in the business world, but sometimes we need to be reminded to take that acumen and use it to enrich our families," Wilson said. "Family is the most important legacy."    Through personal anecdotes and observations, Upkins advised business executives how to use professional expertise to succeed in personal relationships.    Of primary importance, he said, is respecting loved ones as much as clients.    "All of us understand what it means to value, respect and even lose a customer, whether you're working at Mapco or running the White House," Upkins said. "The tragedy occurs when you spend so much time on your business that your family life fails. You can build a political career, fail and start over, or build a business, fail and start over, but you can't always start over if you fail with your family."    Upkins practices what he preaches, devoting most of his time these days to spreading the family-first message.    After publishing his book earlier this year, Upkins stepped back from his global branding agency -- which has included such clients as Bono, Whitney Houston and Oprah Winfrey -- to addressing business audiences and faith communities.    Among his suggestions for building stronger familial relationships: Turn off mobile devices when spending time with loved ones, take note of what they are saying and respond.    In other words, treat family members like A-list clients.    "When you're with your family, really be with them. Remember that it's OK to let your phone go to voice mail sometimes," he said.    "As a community, the fabric of family is the most important, and to wear it loosely is a dishonor."    Duncan Williams, president of local investment banking firm Duncan-Williams, plans to take the advice to heart and hopes others do, too.    "I've got three young children and I'm trying to aggressively grow my company, and I appreciate hearing such a successful executive encourage us to make family a priority," Williams said. "It helps us redefine what constitutes success." Family of Kemmons Wilson marks 50 years of philanthropy in city he loved By James Dowd Memphis Commercial Appeal August 31, 2010    A half-century ago, Memphian Kemmons Wilson's Holiday Inn enterprise was flourishing with an average of one new property opening every week.    Leveraging the company's national success to benefit his local community, the entrepreneur -- along with his wife, Dorothy, and his mother, Ruby -- created a philanthropic arm of the business solely dedicated to charitable giving.    In the decades since, the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation has awarded about $20 million to more than 450 organizations in the Greater Memphis community.    Today, on the foundation's golden anniversary, family members are excited about continuing that tradition for the next 50 years and beyond.    "Everything we do continues the legacy of giving established by our parents," said Spence Wilson ['60], president of Kemmons Wilson Companies and a member of the foundation's board of trustees. "That tradition connects us as a family and in broader sense it connects us to this community that we all love."    The foundation awards grants to a variety of institutions, said Lauren Young, the organizations's executive director. The five grant categories are: Advancement of Education; Community Outreach; Enrichment of Youth; Faith-Based Ministries; and Health and Research.    Recipients have included the Memphis Pink Palace Museum, the Memphis Zoo, the Salvation Army, Streets Ministries and Youth Villages.    "Kemmons and Dorothy were active and faithful members of this congregation and the family has been extravagantly generous to worthy causes in Memphis," said Dr. Maxie Dunnam, interim senior pastor at Christ United Methodist Church. "They're involved in so many areas."    In addition to its financial contributions, the family-run foundation sponsors regular meetings for staffers to assess pressing needs of the community and offers employees paid time off to volunteer at nonprofit organizations.    Jim Boyd, president of Bridges, praised the foundation's focus.    "They're constantly looking for ways to build up this community and they've been generous supporters of Bridges," Boyd said. "The family's heart is evident throughout the foundation, not just in their financial contributions, but also in their commitment to creating a better environment for all Memphians."    And that's an integral part of the foundation's mission, said Bob Wilson ['62], executive vice president Kemmons Wilson Companies and a member of the board of trustees.    "Dollars are important, but money isn't everything. We also strive to be actively engaged in and positively affect our community," he said. "Our parents encouraged us to give of ourselves and we continue that tradition today."    Kem Wilson Jr. ['64], executive vice president of Kemmons Wilson Companies and a member of the board of trustees, agreed.    "I learned a long time ago that you can't just write a check and expect things to improve. It works better if you get involved and work for positive change," he said. "Because of our parents we've been very fortunate and our family is committed to helping others succeed, too."    Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation    Established: Aug. 31, 1960, as the Kemmons, Ruby and Dorothy Wilson Foundation; renamed the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation in 2003    Board of trustees: Betty [Wilson '66] Moore, Carole [Wilson '67] West, Bob Wilson ['62], Kem Wilson Jr.['64], Spence Wilson ['60]    Impact: Donations and grants of about $20 million to more than 450 organizations    Online: kwilson.com/wilsonfoundation.php Business leaders discuss local role in future of the Memphis Redbirds By Marlon W. Morgan Memphis Commercial Appeal August 31, 2010    Spence Wilson Sr. ['60], president of Memphis-based Kemmons Wilson Inc., said he would ideally love to see the Memphis Redbirds sold to a group of local investors.    That's why about 10 local businessmen, including Wilson, have been gathering facts about what it might take to purchase the team from the Memphis Redbirds Foundation, which owns the Redbirds and AutoZone Park.    But Wilson is quick to point out that Kemmons Wilson Inc. is not leading any such pursuit of the team.    "We happened to have a meeting in our office and we're just kind of learning and trying to figure out what's really taking place and what the opportunities might be," Wilson said. "Obviously, we, like all Memphians, would love to see some stability take place with the team and the stadium. If there's something we can do to help in that regard that makes sense, we'll probably hold our hand up and be willing to participate. We're not going to lead any effort. We'll be a small player."    Wilson said there is also an outside party that has talked with the group of Memphians, whom he declined to identify. They are currently in a fact-finding mode.    John Pontius, treasurer of the Redbirds Foundation, said he was aware of such talks, but confirmed that the foundation has not been approached with any bids.    "I had a conversation with Spence about (the meeting)," Pontius said. "I asked him if I could answer any questions for him and he didn't (respond). That's really all I know. To my knowledge, none of the groups are advanced enough to make a bid."    The Redbirds have had about a half-dozen groups express interest in buying the team over the last two years, Pontius said, including the St. Louis Cardinals, who began talks in 2008 but withdrew when the economy entered a recession.    No one has come close to making a bid on the team. But when that time comes, Pontius believes one or more local groups will likely be part of the deal.    "I would think most anybody who would buy a minor league baseball team would want some local representation," Pontius said. "Minor league baseball is a very local activity. It's very much part of the local fabric. Most everybody wants somebody that lives here as part of their group.    "There's no question I'd love to have local ownership. The Redbirds have approached professional sports unlike any other. It's very much a civic endeavor. Having a local partner who understands the value of that is very important."    Since defaulting on a $1.625 million bond payment in March 2009, the foundation has entered into an agreement with its bondholders this year that will allow it to make bond payments of just over $1million this year.    That has allowed the club to not only remain current with this year's bills but also to pay off some of its previous debt in hopes of making the club more attractive to suitors.    Earlier this summer, Pontius predicted the club will owe about $2 million, mostly to its top 10 vendors, down from $2.5 million a year ago. Two Memphis City Schools principals indicted, accused of not reporting assault By Jane Roberts Memphis Commercial Appeal Posted August 20, 2010    The East High principal who was suspended with pay last spring after nearly 600 laptops went missing is now assistant principal at Cypress Middle School.    Fred Curry [Faculty 2005-2010] was suspended after an internal audit showed the laptops were missing, hundreds of dollars could not be accounted for in a school candy sale and a teacher expense account was overdrawn by $1,225.    District spokeswoman Staci Franklin said she could not comment on personnel issues. In an e-mail about the missing money, she said, "I'm familiar with the computer situation but not any missing money."    The audit was released to the public June 22 through Franklin's office.    In Curry's comments in the audit, he said one student was charged for stealing 200 computers April 22.    Franklin did not know if any additional students had been charged. She said it was her understanding "that those students who were responsible are going through their due process in the legal system."    She referred to the statement Supt. Kriner Cash made when the audit was released.    Cash listed a series of changes he was making at East, including removing Curry and making security and safety assessments.    "It is important that parents and community members know that the well-being, academic achievement and safety of our students are always priority one, and I will continue to hold all staff to the highest standard in educating our students."    When he announced new principals in June, Cash said Curry "was not on my radar. I don't know where he is; he's not on my screen."    Curry had been principal at East since 2005, the school's fourth principal in five years.    Tuesday, several parents and school volunteers supported his work. "A huge ovation at graduation occurred when one of the students quoted Mr. Curry's motto, 'Failure is not an option,' " parent Jill Piper wrote in an e-mail. "Because our son had such a positive experience at East High, we were distressed that MCS chose to put (Curry) on administrative leave," she said.    "If a bunch of knuckleheads decide to ditch out one of East High's 28 doors with a cartload of laptops, that is not Fred Curry's fault."    Eric Harris, former assistant principal at White Station High, was moved to the East High principal's job.    On Friday, Harris was indicted by a Shelby County grand jury for failing to report a student assault last fall at White Station.    "Mr. Harris is an alumni of East and he certainly has shown that he was the right selection," said Bill Sehnert, director of Peer Power, the tutoring program businessman Charles McVean started six years ago at East.    "Being a principal is like being a pitcher. I may strike out the first batter, but I need to get 26 more outs. And I need my team to support me with some hits and runs," Sehnert said. Two Memphis City Schools principals indicted, accused of not reporting assault By Jane Roberts Memphis Commercial Appeal Posted August 20, 2010    Two city schools principals were indicted Friday by a Shelby County grand jury for failing to report a student assault last fall at White Station High School.    David Mansfield, White Station principal, and Eric Harris [Faculty], now principal at East High, failed to report an incident that allegedly left a 17-year-old student bleeding on the floor after being beaten by several students, according to an affidavit.    Harris was an assistant principal at White Station when the incident occurred last September.    "I would like to make it clear that both principals have my full support, and they will remain in their respective positions as they go through their due process," Memphis City Schools Supt. Kriner Cash said in a statement.    "These administrators deserve the opportunity to have this matter heard in court, and I ask that the community reserve judgment until that process has been completed."    The mood at White Station Friday was somber as word traveled among pockets of angry students and parents who believe the two are being made an example due to White Station's high visibility.    "Mr. Mansfield and Mr. Harris are men of extraordinary character and deeply committed to the education of their students," said parent Susan Edleman.    The crime is a Class A misdemeanor. If convicted, Mansfield and Harris face a maximum fine of $2,500.    Last fall, the girl's mother told police her daughter had been beaten and kicked by a male and four female students inside the school shortly after the day was over.    The mother said the girl's knees were scraped and bruised from being dragged and that she had contusions on her chest and back from being kicked.    One of the students was charged and found not guilty in Juvenile Court.    "There are two reasons for this," said Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons. "There was contradictory testimony as to who was the primary aggressor in the fight." Some evidence suggested the victim was the aggressor, he said.    "Two, because of the failure to report, there was no crime scene evidence. This incident occurred on a Friday. The Police Department was not able to conduct their investigation until the next Monday. By that time any blood or other evidence had been cleaned up."    Gibbons said the not-guilty verdict in Juvenile Court had no bearing on the case involving the principals.    "Which of the students was primarily responsible for the altercation and whether or not they should have been charged has absolutely nothing to do with the responsibility for the school officials for properly reporting this."    The girl's parents reported the incident to police Friday night.    School footage of White Station's homecoming game that night shows her in uniform, performing with the band's flag carriers during halftime.    In the spring of 2009 -- after a school administrator had been charged with erasing sexual content from a student's cell phone and several alleged school-related rapes were not reported -- Gibbons said he would not tolerate school officials investigating incidents on their own and/or destroying evidence.    At Cash's request, a letter Gibbons wrote on April 23, 2009, was sent to faculty and staff to clarify the law on reporting issues.    The principals waived their Juvenile Court hearing, pleaded not guilty and asked to have their cases transferred to Criminal Court.    With no prior criminal record, both are eligible for diversion, a special form of probation in which their records would be cleared, likely in a year, if they meet certain conditions, Gibbons said. North Panola student search investigated Parent says procedure was improperly done By Ron Maxey Memphis Commercial Appeal August 21, 2010    North Panola School District officials are investigating a search of students at North Panola High School to ensure proper procedure was followed.    Oscar Love [Faculty, 2001-2002], conservator for the district, said there's no question some students at the school were searched on Wednesday.    "The question is how it was conducted," said Love, who is overseeing the district while it is under state control because of low test scores.    Love is a former principal at Raleigh Egypt High School, East High School and Trezevant Vocational Technical Center in the Memphis school system.    A parent of one of the students involved said her son, a junior, and other students -- she wasn't sure how many -- were searched after a police K-9 unit dog picked up a scent on a backpack as part of a routine search.    "The boys were taken into the boys' restroom and the girls were taken into the girls' restroom, and the principal had them take their shoes off and put their hands on their heads," said Linda Hall of Sardis. "Then they were told to drop their pants and they were patted down."    Love would not characterize the search as a strip search or comment on whether proper district policies were followed until the district completes an investigation into exactly how the search was conducted. He also would not comment on whether a particular incident prompted the search or what agencies were involved.    "We want to make sure it's a safe environment for learning, so yes, there was a search," Love said. "We won't know more until an investigation determines details of what happened."    Hall said she filed a report with the Sardis Police Department. Chief Marcel Jojola confirmed that his department took a statement from Hall, but said that because Sardis police do not provide security at the school, which is in Sardis, he did not know any more about the situation than what Hall said in her statement.    "She was agitated and upset," Jojola said of Hall. "Due to the fact that we have received information, we took a report and an investigator will check to see if anything is wrong."    A spokesman for the Panola County Sheriff's Department said the department's in-house attorney is conducting an investigation and had no further comment.    Hall said she has four children in the school and will keep them at home until the situation involving her 17-year-old son is resolved to her satisfaction.    "It was the first time something like this has occurred," she said. "I think it was handled wrong all the way around." Teach for America ratchets up numbers in Memphis City Schools By Michael Sheffield, Memphis Business Journal August 22, 2010    More Teach for America Inc. teachers will be working in Memphis City Schools this fall than have ever worked in the city, progress that has a special meaning for Barbara Hyde, president of the Hyde Family Foundations. Hyde played an integral role in bringing the organization to Memphis in 2006.    Teach for America, which recruits top college graduates for two-year commitments to teach in inner city schools, has placed slightly more than 300 teachers in Memphis with a retention rate of more than 40 percent since it added the city to its ranks in 2006.    This fall, the organization will bring 100 teachers to MCS, with plans to triple its total number of teachers by 2013, according to Irving Hamer, MCS deputy superintendent. Hamer says MCS wants to tap into the "terrific and robust network" Teach for America provides, especially in the areas of math, science and second languages. Plus, he says the teachers tend to be placed in high schools, which are more difficult hires.    "They have math teachers that would have a higher degree of math knowledge because they've majored in math in college," Hamer says. "That's particularly useful in high school where they have to focus on that."    Public education has long been an albatross for economic development officials trying to sell companies on moving to Memphis. Teach for America and other new initiatives, including large grants that have been awarded in recent months, have many Memphians optimistic that MCS could turn the corner in becoming a better educational system.    Athena Turner, Teach for America's executive director in Memphis, says the organization brought in 49 new teachers in 2009 and the increase in numbers for 2010 puts Memphis in the middle of Teach for America cities in terms of size. Larger areas like Dallas began with 100 teachers, while Nashville started with 60 teachers.    "What the district realized was it would take an effort from everyone to really effect change in the district and they could maximize us in their work to achieve that goal, if they really wanted to," Turner says.    Hyde says when the foundation first approached Teach for America about coming to Memphis, it had to sell MCS as a viable option. Since MCS has received $90 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that will be used to study teacher retention and effectiveness and $70 million from the federal Race to the Top program in the last year, perception has changed dramatically.    "When we first spoke to (Teach for America founder) Wendy Kopp, she said they only came to cities where they felt the conditions for success existed and at the time they weren't convinced those conditions existed in Memphis," Hyde says. "Since then, Tennessee has emerged as a state on the forefront of education reform. Having them come to Memphis was a sign we were ready to move in a more progressive direction."    For Ashley Foxx, a Memphis native and Teach for America corps member who will teach at Memphis College Prep, teaching in Memphis would be the beginning of a career she hopes extends either into starting a local charter school or working in educational policy.    She heard about and became interested in Teach for America while in graduate school at Columbia University. Two of her classmates started schools in Connecticut and New York. She decided doing the same in her hometown would be the best move.    "I wanted to come back to make the city better," Foxx says. "The best way to do that is to invest in the children who are here and will be the next leaders."    Hyde says the transition of Teach for America teachers from the classroom to administrative positions helps spread a wealth of skills at a variety of different levels instead of taking resources from one place to another. As more teachers come into the fold, there's no reason why they can't do both.    However, the organization isn't the only source of effective teachers. MCS, she says, does a good job of hiring teachers through traditional means, but organizations like Teach for America and New Leaders for New Schools or The New Teacher Project should be seen as ways to reinforce what the district is doing.    "It's all about supporting the best, most talented people that are already teaching and bringing more talent into the district at every level," she says.    Having taught in Kenya for a year after she graduated from college, Hyde has used that experience as a starting point for her advocacy of public school education, but says all Memphians have a "moral obligation" to find ways to provide opportunities for young people in the city. She cites several different ways of involvement, from mentoring or tutoring students or sponsoring a Teach for America teacher to simply getting involved and being informed on school board races.    "Memphis is at a watershed moment that it has never had to create fundamental, transformational change," she says. "We have a chance to not just play around the edges, but to change education for generations. Every one of us needs to find a way to help make it happen." Ex-Vol gets crash course in NFL defensive line play Memphis Commercial Appeal August 4, 2010    FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Dan Williams ['05] passed the conditioning test, gasping his way through the drills at the 7,000-foot elevation of the Arizona Cardinals' training camp on Tuesday.    Now, the first-round draft pick will try to beat out 36-year-old Bryan Robinson for the nose tackle position. Robinson, Arizona's starter for the past two seasons, has vowed to help the youngster all he can.    No one helped him when he broke in, Robinson said, and he promised that would not be the case if the roles were reversed.    "I just remembered that if I ever got in that position, I would never not try to help a rookie succeed," Robinson said. "In the case of Dan, he's going to be here regardless of whether I help him or not. ... The more he knows, if he knows what I know, it gives us a better chance to win. I'm a team player."    Williams, the 26th draft pick overall out of Tennessee and a former star at East High, said Robinson's help since minicamp "is a huge advantage for myself."    "The guy has been in uniform for a long time and has done his job well for a long time," Williams said at a news conference. "I really think it's big toward my development. He's been very willing, showing me the playbook, showing me different techniques. For everything he's been showing me, I've been very thankful. But he also tells me 'I'm not giving you nothing.'"    Williams said he stayed in shape by working out at local fitness club, doing the workouts that Arizona strength and conditioning coach John Lott had provided.    "I was just waiting for that call telling me to come back out here to Arizona," he said. "I just watched what I ate and didn't eat anything after 6 o'clock. My biggest thing was eating late at night. So I just stayed away from the table. If I felt hungry, I just went to sleep."    Coach Ken Whisenhunt said the stocky Williams weighed in at 325 pounds, a few pounds under what he had been in the summer workouts.    Williams played in a 4-3 defensive system in college. He will be between Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell in a 3-4 set with the Cardinals. The nose tackle gets little glory but fills a significant role in freeing linebackers to make the big plays.    "I know this," Whisenhunt said. "Those linebackers love it when they have a big nose tackle in front of them because it makes their job easier to not only see the play but it usually causes the offense to use up two blockers, which allows them more freedom to make plays."    Players to fill that role are "few and far between," Whisenhunt said. From 'little brother' to lifelong friend: Duo to co-host Sportsball 2010 By Michael Lollar, Memphis Commercial Appeal July 30, 2010    His mentor is technically a "Big Brother," but William Terrell once invited him to his elementary school Father's Day program.    It was one of the "proudest moments" of attorney Richard Glassman's ['64] life. Fourteen years since they met through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Memphis, Terrell, 23, and Glassman, 63, have become the longest-lasting match in a program that has taken them through two graduations -- with one more to go.    Glassman once had to fire Terrell as a runner at his law firm. The attorney calls that moment one of the few "bumps and hard spots" of watching a little brother grow from a 10-year-old boy to a 23-year-old law student.    William, who shortened his name to "Will" while an undergraduate at the University of Memphis, is set to enter law school Aug. 15. The U of M has been part of the pair's bond from the beginning. Both are diehard fans of Tigers basketball.    On Saturday, they'll serve as co-hosts of SportsBall 2010, the biggest annual fundraiser for the organization that brought them together.    "This is the first time a 'big' and a 'little' have served as co-chairmen of the SportsBall," said Adrienne Bailey, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Memphis.    Matches between bigs and littles "age out" when the little reaches 17. On average, a match lasts two years. For Glassman and Terrell, it didn't end.    "I've never considered it a father-son relationship. Will and I are friends. We go to a lot of ballgames together, eat a lot of popcorn," said Glassman.    He doesn't have to go far to watch his "little" grow up. Will moved into the Glassman family's Germantown home a little more than a year ago, after the youngest of the Glassman's four daughters left for college.    Inevitably, the family is asked about parallels to the Hollywood story of Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, Memphians who invited hard-luck student Michael Oher into their home and eventually adopted the NFL-bound football star.    Terrell was not an athlete, nor was he a hard-luck case. He was an honor student at White Station High School, earning a full scholarship to U of M.    "I've always been in Will's life. He's always had a solid home," said Will's mother, Vera Terrell, a journalism graduate who worked as a communications manager for the FBI, then for FedEx. She now is working on an MBA degree online.    After a divorce, she signed Will up for Big Brothers Big Sisters when he was 10 because he was growing up in a family with a sister, two step-sisters, a grandmother and two aunts.    "He was around women all the time," she said.    At about the same time, Glassman complained one night about "crime and youth. My wife said, 'Why don't you do something instead of complaining?'"    Will remained with his own family, only moving in with the Glassman family about a year ago after his roommate got married.    For the Glassmans, it was great timing.    "My wife, who had done almost a full-time job raising our girls was suddenly relieved of her position. She needed somebody to mother," says Glassman.    Susan Lawless-Glassman, had grown up in a family of eight children and welcomed the prospect of another young person in the house.    "Having kids around is great," she said, especially one who "loves to eat anything."    Glassman and Terrell are among about 65 percent of Big Brothers Big Sisters who are racial cross-matches. There are 127 black males on the waiting list now, along with 37 black females, an Asian male and two multiracial males.    The cross-racial match was never a problem, says Will, who became especially close to the Glassman's youngest daughter, Zoe, three years younger than Will.    "I always introduced him as my big brother," says Zoe. "People just looked a little bit confused," she says.    Will invited friends to the Glassman home to play video games, watch TV and hang out.    "It was a little weird at first. Friends would say, 'How did you know this guy?' But they never felt uncomfortable here," he says.    "I think the most looks we got was the day I took him to get a haircut off of Vollintine," says Glassman. "I don't think they had seen a white person in there for a long time."    Will was fired by Glassman for jeopardizing a legal case by failing to deliver time-sensitive documents on time. It was a lasting lesson in responsibility, they say.    In a speech prepared for the SportsBall, Will tries to sum up his experience: "Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Memphis Inc. is grounded in the willingness of families and volunteers ... to travel outside of the traditional family structures to try and give children the best possible opportunities to succeed in life. The Big and Little have to be willing to be open-minded and perhaps travel outside of their comfort zone in order to make the relationship successful." Downtown charter school to focus on law, business By Wayne Risher, Memphis Commercial Appeal July 20, 2010    Charter school founder Tommie Henderson ['91 and Faculty 1998-2003] and developers of Court Square Center met over lunch last summer at a Downtown awards program that honored them as visionaries.    Henderson started the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering, a highly successful charter school where test scores and graduation skyrocketed.    The developers saved a chunk of Downtown skyline by renovating Lincoln-American Tower and the Lowenstein Building and raising the new CA2 building from the ashes of a devastating fire.    A year after their meeting at a Center City Commission luncheon, Henderson and the developers have a new vision.    It's a potentially innovative charter school led by Henderson, the New Consortium of Law and Business, in commercial space developed by partners Yorke Lawson, John Basek and Willie Chandler.    The school is on track to open Aug. 7 on the ground floor of the CA2 building, 110 N. Court, with 30-35 seventh-grade students. As it grows by one grade per year, it will occupy Lincoln-American Tower's third floor as well.    The school will immerse students in legal and business communities.    "I immediately knew Downtown was the place to do it," Henderson said.    Lawson called the school a "perfect dovetail" with federal tax credits that helped finance Court Square Center.    It represents "what the mission of the New Market Tax Credit program is all about, which is community development," he said. The credits are aimed at stimulating economic development in depressed census tracts.    Henderson said all of the students registered qualify for free and reduced-price school lunches.    "It's a great example of a good project," said city director of Housing and Community Development Robert Lipscomb, who kept the redevelopment on track at City Hall.    "Tommie Henderson has a track record, and at that location, it's going to be a perfect fit and an opportunity for the students to be right where the action happens," said Center City Commission president and CEO Paul Morris.    The school is seeking a $5,000 office incentive grant from the Center City Development Corp. on Wednesday.    Henderson nurtured MASE from a startup in 2003 to an 89-senior class with a 100 percent graduation rate in 2009. He left to pursue an MBA from the University of Memphis and, starting this fall, a doctorate in educational leadership from Harvard.    Henderson's nonprofit Smart Schools Inc. and Court Square Partners LLC are finalizing a lease of 4,700 feet on CA2's ground floor. It will have an amphitheater-style courtroom for mock trials and discussions, a cafe and lounge where students can mix and mingle and a board room where students will run businesses.    Students will get laptops with wireless Internet access for classroom and home use. Curriculum and textbooks will be online.    Henderson envisions the school growing to about 200 students. The high school experience will include internships, shadowing of professionals in business and legal communities and real student-run businesses.    For starters, seventh-graders will run mock restaurants online, read novels and enact courtroom scenes and hear from a procession of speakers: breakfasts with business executives and lunches with lawyers.    "Unlike a lot of models, where you call yourself something but you never actually do that thing, we're going to be doing it from Day One," Henderson said. Preservation effort leads to history honor Students inspired by teacher at East High By Emily Greenberg, Memphis Commercial Appeal July 15, 2010    For Mark Scott [Faculty], history is not about decades or centuries.    "For me, it's not a time period. It's a place," said Scott, a history teacher at East High School.    Recently, Scott was named Tennessee's 2010 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year for helping his students preserve one such "place": a one-room segregated schoolhouse which stood until the 1960s on Presidents Island.    The schoolhouse, which was primarily used to educate the children of sharecroppers, was built in 1921 and relocated to Presidents Island from its original location. More recently, the schoolhouse was displayed at the Mid-South Fairgrounds, where it faced possible demolition.    As part of the preservation project, students wrote letters to community leaders, conducted research at the Memphis library and compiled oral histories. They held meetings with public and private organizations. Some students built a scale model of the schoolhouse. Others started a blog and wrote a skit.    Eventually, the students hope to relocate the schoolhouse to East High School and turn it into a museum. With help from East High School alumni, they also hope to build an amphitheater for lectures. Together, the museum and amphitheater will educate the community about the evolution of equality in education, said Scott, who hopes the schoolhouse will serve as a "point of reference" for the city's progress.    "I think our community would be well-served (seeing) the juxtaposition of the one-room schoolhouse in front of East High School," said Scott.    As for his students, he hopes they will make connections between history and their own personal identities -- as he did when he first began his history studies.    Originally, Scott became interested in history while researching his family tree. He says teaching was a natural fit and he began his career in 1987.    Scott has taught at Memphis City Schools since 1990 and at East High School for the past 13 years. Currently, he is the chairman of East High School's social studies department and teaches honors and Advanced Placement U.S. History. In addition to American history, Scott also teaches Facing History and Ourselves classes and was honored with Facing History's 2010 Margot Stern Strom Teaching Award.    As the state Preserve America History Teacher, Scott will receive a certificate of recognition and a $1,000 award. The East High School library will also receive an archive of classroom resources presented in Scott's name.    This fall, Scott will represent Tennessee in the National History Teacher of the Year competition. Although the competition offers a $10,000 prize, Scott won't have much time to think about it. In August, he and his students will resume work on the preservation project. Peer Power Foundation puts high achievers to work tutoring their classmates By Wayne Risher, Memphis Commercial Appeal July 13, 2010    Sixty students from five inner-city schools are the newest foot soldiers in businessman Charles McVean's ['61] fight against school failure.    They've enlisted with the Peer Power Foundation, which trains and pays high-achieving students to serve as tutors for their classmates.    After intensive academic and leadership training, which began Monday at the University of Memphis, they'll join 100 other high school and college students earning $10 to $12 an hour as tutors in the Peer Power program.    McVean, an East High graduate who made a fortune trading commodities and futures, started the program at his alma mater six years ago.    He was not on hand for an opening session at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis, but program veterans quoted McVean liberally.    "The world is competitive," said Cortney Richardson ['07], 20, a U of M senior majoring in organizational leadership, who started tutoring as a sophomore at East. "Mr. McVean wanted to bring that competition into academics.    "We knew our school needed help. We asked what we could do. They made it clear how much power the upper end of the inner-city youth had to help the others. That upper end has made a change not only at East High but at other schools in the city."    Peer Power Foundation director Bill Sehnert said the program gives incentive for bright students to achieve mastery of subject areas and share it with others.    "It makes more sense for them to work as tutors than to go to work at a burger place," Sehnert said.    A fringe benefit is typically higher scores on college entrance tests, which translates into larger scholarship awards. Tutors have increased ACT scores 15-20 percent, Sehnert said.    After beginning at East, it has spread to Whitehaven, Northside, Westwood and, new for the 2010-11 school year, Manassas High. It has been picked up in the Mississippi communities of Shelby and Como.    Officials from Pontotoc-based Three Rivers Planning and Development District attended Monday's event to evaluate Peer Power's applicability to grooming a skilled work force.    "The idea of using your peers to help tutor our students and to pay the tutors for that service is just a very exciting concept to me and one that I believe will bring additional success to our students in North Mississippi," said Three Rivers official Bill Renick.    Sehnert said the program reaches about a dozen schools including middle schools, and has another half-dozen waiting for expansion, when funds can be found.    Manassas junior Will Redmond, 16, is glad a teacher recommended him for Peer Power.    "It's a good way for me to help others and get better as a student myself," he said. "We need more tutors at Manassas."    Whitehaven High principal Vincent Hunter said Peer Power has clearly made a difference. Scores on standardized math and writing tests have increased significantly.    "The data speaks for itself," said Hunter. "It was utilizing the resources we had in our building: the children who were already excelling." Steve Stern at Burke's Books By Peggy Burch on July 9, 2010, "The Shelf Life" blog, Memphis Commercial Appeal July 9, 2010    Critics have lavished exuberant praise on the work of Memphis-reared fiction writer Steve Stern ['65]. Still, his book sales have always been modest.    An editor at The New York Times described the Stern phenomenon in 2005, under the headline "He's a Literary Darling Looking for Dear Readers." Stern's spectacular novel "The Angel of Forgetfulness" had just been released when Peter Edidin wrote: "He has received critical praise in the places that matter, won his share of prizes and is devoted to his work. ... But he remains largely unknown to readers at a time when even the most gifted writer, if he does not sell well, may have difficulty finding a publisher for his next book."    The highly regarded but under- appreciated literary hero returns to his hometown this week for an appearance at Burke's Book Store from 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 13. He'll read from and sign his latest book, "The Frozen Rabbi" (Algonquin, $24.95).    The San Francisco Chronicle began its review of "Frozen Rabbi" this way: "It has become something of a literary tradition, when reviewing a new book by Steve Stern, to mention that he is not as popular as he ought to be. Back in 1987 Gordon Lish, the renowned editor and literary kingmaker, was already calling Stern 'far and away the greatest of our unrecognized writers.' "    Unfortunately, Stern said by phone from his home in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he teaches creative writing at Skidmore College, "unrecognized writer" still sort of describes his situation, though he has received O. Henry Awards, a Guggenheim Fellowship and the National Jewish Book Award along the way. He compares himself to the Kevin Costner character in the movie "Bull Durham," a great player pitcher unaccountably stuck for eternity in the minor leagues.    "I get really, really tired of the reviews that start 'much neglected, possibly this book will bring him the attention...'    "It's never gonna happen. My expectations have always been very minimal; I'm just pleased to be acknowledged."    His cheerful pessimism bleeds into all areas of his life. He recently had a hip replacement, about which he said: "I've gone from a walker to crutches to a cane to Walter Brennan in three weeks." He shares homes in upstate New York and Brooklyn with his "spousal equivalent," the comic artist Sabrina Jones. The relationship has what he calls "a hitch," one that some might consider a blessing. Jones's family is French, and she inherited a house in the countryside there. "I have such a low beauty threshold," Stern says of his trouble adapting to visiting France.    Though he moved to Saratoga Springs in 1987, his stories still have Memphis settings. Stern himself grew up near East High, but he found his writerly bearings in The Pinch -- the neighborhood on North Main Street that formed an East European Jewish ghetto in the late 19th century -- which he discovered while he was working at the Center for Southern Folklore in the early 1980s. "I did an endless series of interviews with old survivors of the North Main Street neighborhoods, and it began to reassemble itself in my mind." He agonized in advance about his homecoming this week: "I don't handle these things well. I see people I haven't seen in years. It's overwhelming. I like to think most of them have forgotten me." Elizabeth Anne Brown marks 50 years of teaching young performers By Jonathan Devin, Memphis Commercial Appeal July 9, 2010    The name of Elizabeth Anne Brown's [class association undetermined] Performing Arts of Germantown is readily recognized by a half-century's worth of young dancers and vocalists, even if it confuses delivery drivers.    For one, the programs for Brown's 50th anniversary celebration show in June were sent four blocks down Exeter Road to the similarly named Germantown Performing Arts Centre (GPAC).    "We get along great (with GPAC), but some of my parents have mailed their tuition checks to them and then GPAC will call and say 'we've got a check for you,'" said Brown, who is sole owner of the studio.    Another time, Brown arrived to find that a plumber, whom she hadn't called, had just repaired a toilet that wasn't broken.    "Then one day I came to work and there were 50 eight-foot tall ficus trees everywhere," Brown said. "My doors were open, and men were bringing them in. They said, 'We're delivering the trees you ordered.'" Brown hated to tell them that they would have to load all the trees back in their truck.    Despite the confusion with GPAC, Brown's name comes with a long legacy of keeping things in step.    Brown started teaching dance, mostly tap and jazz, 50 years ago at the age of 18, when she was a senior at East High School.    "Back then you went to a small town to open your dance studio before you moved to the big city," Brown said.    She and a friend, Karen Dover, who still teaches with her today, drove Brown's 1958 Impala convertible to a rented skating rink in Senatobia every Saturday at 6 a.m. They taught about 30 students from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. before returning to Memphis.    A year later, she moved her operation to New Albany, Miss., catching the Greyhound bus from Lamar Avenue for a two-hour ride each way. In 1963, she opened her first Memphis studio in a house in Raleigh in which the one-car garage served as her main ballroom.    Now her 2,400 square-foot studio in Germantown has two ballrooms and a voice studio, enough space for about 200 students, mostly between the ages of 3 and 16. She has been there since 1981.    Students pay $70 per month for one-hour classes each week, or $65 per private lesson. Extra workshops in acting and other forms of dance, such as hip-hop, are offered on weekends.    If it sounds unusual to offer both dance and voice to the same students, Brown said that was a throwback to her dreams of auditioning on Broadway, where performers must be able to sing and dance.    Brown went to New York City at age 17 to audition for the Broadway production of "Sweet Charity," but was cut during the ballet portion of the audition.    "That got me on the road to realizing how important ballet is," Brown said. "Now at my studio, whether you're doing tap, ballet or jazz, you're wearing a black leotard, pink tights, and hair slicked back in a bun -- and it's been that way since 1960."    In 1980, she joined forces with vocal instructor David Francis, after numerous meetings at various local talent competitions.    "The winners at the competitions were either David's vocalists or my dancers, so we just got to talking," Brown said.    Francis moved to Los Angeles 10 years later, but voice is still taught at Performing Arts, by Cindy Barrett.    "The thing that drew me to Elizabeth was her attention to detail and technique and the quality of her performers, year in, year out," said Debbie Branan, a volunteer organizer of the Mid-South Fair's Youth Talent Contest, whose daughter, Whitney, started taking lessons from Brown at age 2. "Her studio seemed to fit the niche for my child."    Branan said she too met Brown after several years of watching Brown's students win awards in the Youth Talent Contest.    Brown herself took the stage at the June 16 anniversary celebration, performing alongside her daughter, Misty.    She has no plans to retire.    "What would I do?" said Brown. "Sit at home and plant flowers? Not me." If anyone can identify the correct East High graduating class with which Ms. Brown was associated and the name by which she was known at East, please send that information to editor@EastHigh.org Food Bank leader Sanford retiring after 2 decades feeding area's needs By Barbara Bradley, Memphis Commercial Appeal June 29, 2010    Susan Sanford, president and CEO of the Mid-South Food Bank, will retire at the end of this year after almost 20 years at the helm. She will be succeeded by Estella Mayhue-Greer, senior vice president and chief operating officer, who has been with the Food Bank for 14 years. Susan Sanford will retire at the end of the year after nearly 20 years as leader of the Mid-South Food Bank she has helped expand.    Sanford will serve as a Food Bank consultant for two years after she retires, and then perhaps consult for other nonprofits and businesses and serve on civic committees. "I'm not a good sitter-downer," she said.    To many, Sanford, 65, is the Food Bank, said board member Carol Prentiss. Chairman Gwendolyn Tucker called her "a great leader both at the Food Bank and in the community."    "When I was first there, it was a folksy catch-as-catch-can organization," said board member Clifford Lynch, president of the logistics consulting firm C.F. Lynch & Associates. "But she has given it professionalism and structure that has really helped us do well. One thing she insisted on was letting the donor base know what's happened to its money."    Since Sanford joined the Food Bank in September 1991, it has doubled its food distribution to 10 million pounds. The agency now serves 31 counties in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas and feeds an estimated 186,500 different people annually.    Few realize, Sanford said, how strictly the Food Bank monitors use by its partner agencies of scarce resources. Sanford recruited professionals for the staff, and board members who could supply missing expertise, including media executives who did much to raise the agency's profile.    She brought in new corporate sponsors and motivated others.    Dick Tillman, then-president of Kroger Delta Marketing Area, was accustomed to people asking him for things. Sanford went to him and asked what he expected of her. "Kroger really stepped up in a big way," she said.    Programs added during her tenure were Kids Cafe, where boys and girls get hot meals and a nutrition lesson twice a week in a restaurant-like setting, and Food for Kids BackPack Program that sends kids home for the weekend with food they can fix themselves.    Last year the Food Bank began picking up perishable foods nearing expiration dates in a refrigerated truck and started the Mobile Pantry that delivers food to rural pantries too small to stock large amounts and distributes it directly to qualified recipients.    Sanford is a founding member of the Safety Net Collaborative, a group of eight essential services organizations in Memphis. She is a past president of the Memphis Rotary Club, a former chairwoman of the board of directors of United Way of Greater Memphis, and a recipient of the 2009 Legends Award from the Women's Foundation.    She feels confident about the nonprofit's future: "We are finishing a strategic plan that makes me feel so comfortable." About Mayhue-Greer, she said: "I told the board I've mentored this brilliant woman for 15 years, and you can't do better."    Looking back over her career, Sanford noted she is often touched by notes people send with their contributions. "I feel the generosity in the Mid-South poignantly, and I feel fortunate." [This photograph has been cropped and otherwise adjusted from the originally published photo.] Memphis Commercial Appeal June 10, 2010 The Tennessee Jewelers Association sponsored the 2010 Jewelers Open Golf Tournament, which raised $500 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. There were 12 Memphis area jewelers that participated in the golf tournament at the Cherokee Golf Course. Those in attendance were Bill Russell (front row, left), Frank O'Connor, and Jim Gordon; Bob Richards (back row, left), James Gattas, Anthony Richards, Sonny Pike, Elmer Holder, Randolph Reeves, Peter Poole, Van Smith ['65] and Cope Williams ['65]. The Tennessee Jewelers Association is a state-wide organization dedicated to the maintenance of professional standards, professional ethics and education in the jewelry profession. East High students plan restoration of one-room schoolhouse By Jane Roberts, Memphis Commercial Appeal April 30, 2010    About 6,500 community volunteers showed up at city schools Thursday, pen in hand, ready to grade student artwork, engineering projects, computer programming and sophisticated themes. East High School seniors Devin Mcbe, 18, (left) and Shakila Boyd, 17, explain the layout for the future site of the restored one-room schoolhouse once at Presidents Island that will be moved to the East High campus.    At East High School, they nearly dropped their score pads over work to move and restore the one-room segregated schoolhouse that in 1964 -- a decade after Brown v. the Topeka Board of Education integrated public education -- was still serving African-American students on Presidents Island.    "I was so impressed. I was just blown away," said Donna McCraw, juror in the fourth districtwide student exhibit.    "I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I don't think the students have the life history to realize what an impact their work is going to have.    "Years down the road, they are going to be able to say they did that," she said.    The exhibit's image was retooled this spring with the pro bono help of Clear Channel and Red Deluxe, which created the name ThinkShow! and produced and placed billboards to tell the story.    District officials say the campaign attracted 500 new judges.    "We had a lot more professional people sign up this time. I think Stinson Liles with Red Deluxe has really helped us a lot," said Judy Jackson, director of project-based learning.    If plans go well, the city of Memphis this summer will move the one-room schoolhouse to East, and build a foundation under it to shore up the dreams students are sketching out, blogging about and acting out in skits.    "We hope to one day have an amphitheater outside the museum for lectures and programs," said Daphanie Johnson, 17.    "This project means a lot to me. I'm grateful for what I have. I think a lot of students might look at this and say they don't care because this old building doesn't mean anything to them.    "But it helps me see how far we've come."    At schools across the city, teachers and jurors said the work was more sophisticated than when the show started in 2008.    "In real life, you're not often given a simple task like adding up a column of numbers," said Sam Shaw, principal at Berclair Elementary.    "If you're buying a car, you have to consider economics, aesthetics and practicality and make a judgment about style. That is the real world."     For East history teacher Mark Scott [Faculty], the school house lodged in his brain back in 2008 when Memphis Heritage used a picture of the school in its calendar.    The idea crystalized when Scott found June West, head of Memphis Heritage.    "This is a once in history thing as far as I am concerned," she said.    The school, long displayed at the Mid-South Fairgrounds, lost its home when the fair moved.    "Not only are we looking at preserving one of the only artifacts left, but we're also educating the youth of the city of the importance of historic preservation."    The building "is on wheels, ready to move," she said.    Most of what the students know about it -- the last one-room schoolhouse in the county -- comes from a 1964 news clipping they found in the Memphis Room at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library.    "These pictures will help us restore it," said Jaylyn Johnson, 17, tapping the clipping showing African-American children in the school with no electricity or plumbing.    "This has helped me realize how bad it was. Even though the government said it was illegal, black people were still left without equal facilities." Read a summary of the student proposal written by the students themselves. Princiapl Fred Curry suspended, then removed from East High [The following is compilation of news stories regarding the suspension, then removal, of Mr. Fred Curry as principal of East High School. These are in reverse chronological order, most recent first.] A copy of the City Schools internal audit of East High School for the majority of the 2009-2010 school year is available. June 23, 2010 - A newspaper article Wednesday, June 23 reports on the audit of former East High Principal Fred Curry's (Faculty 2005-2010) administration. "East High School principal replaced for lack of control; student funds, laptops missing" can be read in The Commercial Appeal. [Editor's note: Monday night Memphis City Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash told The East High Alumni Page the report was "available," but declined to otherwise comment on it. Tuesday, an e-mail was sent to the e-mail address linked on the City Schools web site as being the director of Communications requesting a copy or access to the report. The link and the listed address were not the same. The City Schools e-mail system reported that the linked e-mail address was not in their system.] May 15, 2010, The East High Alumni Page - Mr. Harry Durham is serving as interim principal at East during the paid suspension of Mr. Fred Curry while the school system conducts an audit/investigation into issues at East High. Mr. Durham, a city school principal, also served as interim principal at East 2002-2003 after another principal was removed from the position. April 28, 2010 - Television news report: Audit of principal Fred Curry's administration at East High completed: WHBQ-TV April 19, 2010 - Television news report: suspended principal Fred Curry says he's proud of East High: WREG-TV April 19, 2010 - Television news report: superintendent is reported to be "very worried about the culture and safety" of students at East High: WREG-TV April 16, 2010 - East High Principal Fred Curry was suspended with pay Thursday, April 15, by the Memphis City Schools superintendent pending an internal investigation by the school system. East has recently been in the news when about 10 girls got into a fight in a hallway requiring the use of pepper spray by security personnel to bring things under control and after a girl and several boys left campus during the school day, with 3 boys eventually being charged with rape. Principal Curry had brought considerable stability to the position of East High principal, serving in that position since 2005. Prior to that, East had been plagued with turnover at the top spot for several years, with two principals being removed for financial irregularities, one asking to be reassigned after faculty and parents resistance to his management style, and a retired principal serving most of a school year before a permanent principal was assigned. Source: The Commercial Appeal, The East High Alumni Page '91 Grad is new East High principal at East High The East High Alumni Page June 21, 2010 Eric Harris ('91 and Faculty), a 1991 graduate of East High School, has been appointed principal of his alma mater. Mr. Harris comes to East after serving as 11th grade principal at Memphis City Schools best academic performing high school, White Station. Harris and White Station principal David Mansfield face misdemeanor charges November 3 in Shelby County Juvenile Court for allegedly failing to report to police an on-campus attack upon a student at White Station last September which resulted in injury. State law requires such reporting. Mr. Harris replaces 5-year East principal Fred Curry (Faculty 2005-2010). Jason Smith: East's Brian Kimbrow turns up heat Junior RB runs 4.28 at combine By Jason Smith, The Commercial Appeal June 4, 2010    As he's traveled from one scouting combine to another this spring, East High rising junior running back Brian Kimbrow has made a habit of calling his Mustangs head coach, Marcus Wimberly ['92 and Faculty], and reporting his performances in the 40-yard dash.    "He calls me every time from every camp if I'm not there," Wimberly said.    So it wasn't unusual that Wimberly received a call Saturday from the 5-9, 165-pound Kimbrow, who had just been clocked at a ridiculous 4.28 seconds in the 40 at the Byron De'Vinner Elite Prospect Combine at Crump Stadium.    "We knew he was 4.3-fast," Wimberly said. "I didn't realize he was 4.28-fast."    Kimbrow, who averaged an area-best 9.9 yards per carry on 85 rushing attempts as a sophomore, has also been clocked at 4.31, 4.35 and 4.37 this spring.    "Quite a few (programs) have been inquiring about him," Wimberly said. "They want to see him at their camps so they can further evaluate him. But it's clear to them that he has plenty of speed."    In April, following a standout performance in the BadgerSports Elite 7-on-7 passing camp in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Kimbrow was one of five underclassmen named to Scout.com's Tuscaloosa Fab Five. Rivals.com also selected Kimbrow as one of the camp's top performers.    On Saturday, Kimbrow's 4.28 40 at the De'Vinner Combine was apparently enough to convince the remaining prospects not to run.    "No, sir. Nobody else ran after I did," Kimbrow said. "I saw it coming, though, because I've been clocking low 4.3s, like 4.31s and 4.30s, all spring. Coach Wimberly has worked me hard to better myself." Obama is lightning rod for hatred Letters to the Editor, The Commercial Appeal June 3, 2010     It's hard to believe that you printed the June 1 letter "Engineer has a cheap idea." I have lived in Memphis all my life. Not since I was the fat Jewish girl at East High (the country club high school) have I seen such blatant hatred as I have seen since Barack Obama became our president.    This country was founded on religious and political freedom. All of us do not have to be the same color and the same religion to have rights. If these same people would try to befriend even one person who was different, this city might have fewer problems. It has to start somewhere.     I hope the letter writer never needs a policeman, firefighter, doctor or nurse. They might not be someone she would want to touch her.    Helen Tower    Memphis [A Helen Levy, now Helen Tower, is a member of the Class of '62.] Awards honor 5 Memphians with diverse backgrounds Each has worked to help community By Linda A. Moore, The Commercial Appeal Posted May 27, 2010    The tie that binds five Memphians being honored by Diversity Memphis is their commitment to the community.    At 7 p.m. today, those Memphians will be recognized during the fifth annual Humanitarian Awards Dinner at the Esplanade Banquet and Conference Center, 901 Cordova Station.    Founded in 2005, Diversity Memphis is a human relations organization that brings together and promotes tolerance and respect for people from all walks of life.    "These individuals reflect the diversity of our community and challenge all of us to do more," said Herb Wells, board chairman.    The recipients are:    W.J. Michael Cody ['54] is an attorney and a former Tennessee state attorney general. He is a partner with Burch, Porter & Johnson, where he has spent most of his career. He is listed with Mid-South Super Lawyers as one of Tennessee's Top 100 attorneys.    His community involvement includes work with Rhodes College, the Memphis YMCA and the National Civil Rights Museum... Memphis Memories By Staff, The Commercial Appeal May 27, 2010    [The following was republished on May 27, 2010, in the Memphis/Mid-South Memories item in The Commercial Appeal, originally published May 27 1953. "East High School representatives gather for photo: Elected as officers of the East High School student body in May 1953 are Donna Hurt (front row, left) , commissioner of activities; Suellyn Scott, junior high girls vice president; Nina Braswell, commissioner-at-large; and Mary W. Glass, senior high girls vice president. Other officers include Mike Cady (back row, left), senior high boys vice president; Gerrald Graber, junior high boys vice president; David Johnson, commissioner of traffic; Robert Bessire, president; and Reed Knight, commissioner of sanitation." Memphis Memories By Staff, The Commercial Appeal May 23, 2010    [The following was republished on May 23, 2010, in the Memphis/Mid-South Memories item in The Commercial Appeal, originally published May 23, 1987. "East High Alum get their fill of Krystal burgers Mary Moorman and other Krystal employees serve burgers and fries to about 250 East High School alumni at a parking lot picnic on May 23, 1987. The group downed 650 Krystals and 250 orders of fries at a gathering of the class of 1967 at their favorite hangout on Poplar, across from the school." Needed: A cap for grad spending Senior costs too high, judge warns board By Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal May 20, 2010    Spring is not a pleasant time for Probate Court Judge Robert Benham, whose job includes approving expenses of minors in guardianships.    One of his most vexing problems is "senior expenses," a laundry list that includes luncheons, class trips, "lock-ins," caps, gowns, rings and hundreds of dollars in clothing, souvenirs and food.    "I've been seeing it for years, but it's getting to be more and more money," Benham told the Memphis Board of Education on Monday, handing over papers outlining $3,489 in graduation expenses for one student at Hamilton High, which he said is typical of what he sees in Probate Court.    "This is a lot of money that could be used to go to college," Benham said, asking the board to make a policy decision on what is "reasonable" and asking whether anyone is monitoring people "attempting to sell goods to these seniors."    Memphis City Schools says to expect no change in policy after wrapping up its own research on senior costs.    "I don't know why (Benham) is requesting a policy change," said Deputy Supt. Irving Hamer.    "That is not the right request," he said, adding that he has no intention of recommending a change to the board.    Senior dues range from $65 at White Station High to $350 at Wooddale High and cover events, consumables, souvenirs and parties, depending on what the senior class officers decide.    At some schools, prom is optional. That's the case at White Station, which suits Elizabeth Bailey fine.    "If you don't want to go to prom, you don't have to pay for it," she said.    She sees no way for the board to hold the line on discretionary spending.    "What are you going to do, say you can't have a limousine or your prom dress has to be cheap?" she asked "It's not going to work."    Phillip Piper ['10], a senior at East High, felt no pressure to spend more than the $400 he said his family shelled out for cap and gown, graduation costs and Advanced Placement test fees.    "I didn't feel the need to go on a senior trip," he said.    Ditto on the prom, "and I don't see myself needing a ring after high school."    At Hamilton, $175 in senior dues does not cover prom ($50), senior lock-in ($45) or the senior luncheon ($45), ostensibly allowing families to tailor their senior's experience based on budget and personal preference, Hamer said.    A minor whose expenses Benham is responsible for overseeing spent $400 for a senior trip to Florida, $613 for senior photos, $446 for a class ring, $1,500 for incidental travel expenses, plus fees for a luncheon, picnic, cap and gown, medallion and trip to Nashville.    Benham says he is put in the position of having to be "the ogre."    "What happens is that I disappoint these children," he said. "I don't allow the encroachments. I deny, even though their friends get to do these things."    He wants the school board to create a list of sanctioned vendors catering to senior activities.    "We all know there is a lot of easy money to be made in this town and in any community," he said. "It's not the way you need to start someone out by having a lot of peer pressure when you are 17 and 18." Germantown man to head rail passengers association By Bartholomew Sullivan, The Commercial Appeal May 18, 2010    WASHINGTON -- The country needs a good railroad running regularly between Chicago and Florida through Nashville and Chattanooga, the newly elected, Memphis-based president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers said Monday.    William B. Strong ['61] of Germantown, the Tennessee delegate to the association that he's been a member of before there was an Amtrak, was elected to a two-year term, the association announced in a statement Monday.    "I'm going to do everything I can to get more and better passenger service for Tennessee," he said when reached Monday to ask how he'll use his new bully pulpit.    Strong said he hopes to see not high-speed but higher-speed train service in the Midwest, where The Floridian used to travel from Chicago to Florida before it was killed by the Carter administration in 1979. Right now, to go from Chicago to Florida by train, passengers have to go through Washington.    A graduate of East High School and Vanderbilt University with a degree in mechanical engineering, the 67-year-old Memphis native has been active as a passenger advocate since 1968. He is a vice president of Tencarva Machinery selling industrial equipment like pumps and air compressors, he said.    He said that, being based in Memphis, he doesn't travel by rail "excessively," simply because it's not convenient. He said he averages about 3,000 miles by rail a year.    The association is the only one of its kind advocating the interests of the rail passengers. Class of 2010 graduates by The East High Alumni Page, May 15, 2010    Two hundred fifty-one students were presented as candidates for graduation at the 60th Commencement Exercises of East High School Saturday, May 15, 2010. The East High Concert Band under the direction of Ollie Liddell, Director of Bands, played the traditional Pomp and Circumstance in the Cannon Performing Arts Center in downtown Memphis as the candidates marched in, lead by school and school system officials who would share the dias with the graduates.    Thirty students received Tennessee Hope Lottery "academic" scholarships, with another 18 receiving other, more traditional, academic scholarships to colleges and universities. Note was made at the ceremonies of one student, Dariouis D. Hankins, who has been offered a full four year scholarship at Mississippi Valley University. Give that special notice, it might be assumed that scholarship offer was the only "full ride" offer made to the graduating seniors. Hankins also had other scholarship offers a paragraph long. Two students have been offered music (choral) scholarships or grants, one of which also received academic award offers. Eight students have received athletic scholarship offers. It was announced that more than 2 million dollars in scholarships were awarded, however, that number almost surely is the cumulative value of all the offers rather than representing actual funds that will be made available to the graduates. For example, if competing colleges offer the same student scholarships, only the school to which the student goes actually gives that student the money or services.    There was no keynote speaker at this year's ceremonies. Other than brief comments, the only speeches given were by Student Council President David Ross, Valedictorian Brandy Maclin, and Salutatorian Tevin McInnis.    Interestingly, suspended principal Fred Curry was saluted about 4 times in the student's comments, while Board of Education Commissioner Jeff Warren also credited Curry with the success of the Class of 2010. Curry was suspended with pay a month ago by schools superintendent Kriner Cash after a fight in a school hallway which allegedly involved a "girl gang." A few parents complained that their complaints about security for their children at school were not being well received. There have also been other troubling incidents this year on campus or by pupils who left campus during the school day. According to one school staff member helping organize the graduation exercises, Curry was not in attendance at the commencement. It has been reported that the investigation/audit has been completed for nearly two weeks but the school system has refused to release any information saying that the school board needs to approve the findings before they are made public.    Harry Durham, a retired city school principal who has served several times as an interim principal at city schools after his retirement, is again acting as interim principal at East. He filled that same role for the entire 2002-2003 school year when another East principal was removed from that position.    As the morning ceremonies drew to a close, the East High Concert Choir, directed by faculty member Jeffery Murdock, and the band performed the school's Alma Mater. The printed program gave appropriate credit for the words of the Alma Mater to Shirley Wilkes of the East High Class of 1951. The new alumni of East High then marched out of the auditorium once again to Pomp and Circumstance. Letters: The MCS dike needs rebuilding Letter to the Editor, The Commercial Appeal May 23, 2010    In response to your May 13 editorial "This is no time for pessimism": As a lifelong Memphian, and as someone who loves Memphis for what it is, and can be, nothing in Memphis is dearer to my heart than Memphis City Schools. As a 1972 graduate of East High and as a parent who has raised three children in the MCS system, I have witnessed the 25-year decline that now leaves the district on the edge of hopelessness.    The debate in the press over Supt. Kriner Cash's "police force," or the debate over a $250,000 federal grant to stimulate reading once a week during the summer (May 12 article) only serves to provide the "perception" that something -- anything -- is being done to reverse the decline. These types of measures are too little, too late.    Until the discussion is open, frank and brutally honest, the district will continue to decline. I'm not sure how much further it can go before it becomes beyond rehabilitation. The core issues are: the attitude of parents of MCS children, insufficient capital to fund a year-round program, the lack of political will to fight the inevitable pushback from parents, and the lack of support from the broader Memphis community for higher taxes to support this effort.    The depth of the decline requires "outside the box" thinking, which naturally scares parents who are resistant to change, and going to a 12-month program will meet a lot of resistance. I would suggest that the federal government, which has no problem finding billions of dollars for almost any special-interest group, could belly up to the bar and fund a long-term experiment in turning around one of the most depressed school systems in the nation. There is no way increased local taxes can fund this type of gargantuan effort.    No matter how loud the rhetoric or how creative the slogans, our propensity for "fingers in the dike" solutions will not stem the flow. We need to rebuild the dike from the ground up.    Shep Fargotstein    Memphis All decked out: Buntyn Presbyterian preparing for 100-year anniversary celebration By Pat Hickman, Special to My Life, The Commercial Appeal May 8, 2010    What do you do when company is coming? You spruce up the place and try to put your best foot forward.    That's what members of Buntyn Presbyterian Church, 561 S. Prescott, have been doing for weeks in preparation for the church's 100-year anniversary celebration. The celebration actually began with a birthday party that served as a gathering for past and present church members, as well as some of the neighbors in the Buntyn community. There was also a special worship service on May 2 in recognition of the milestone anniversary.    Next, there will be two organ concerts, given by former Buntyn organists; the first on May 15 at 3 p.m. featuring Dr. Angela Saunders, from Memphis, and the second one on June 13 at 3 p.m. featuring Scot Stout, from Seattle, Washington.    Additionally, the Rev. Dr. Louis B. Weeks ['59], former President of Union Presbyterian Seminary, will preach at 3 p.m. on May 16 at Buntyn to celebrate the beginning of the church's next 100 years.    Dr. Weeks was active in youth activities at Buntyn, where his family worked and worshipped. He graduated from East High School, where he served as Student Council President and won football honors. He has written broadly in church history, ethics, administration, pastoral care, and ministry. His books include "All For God's Glory: Redeeming Church Scutwork" (2008), "The Presbyterian Presence: Bible Words That Shape a Faith" (1992), and his articles regularly appear on the website for "Resourcing American Christianity, Faith, and Leadership."    The church's current pastor, Rev. Maggie Jorgensen, said, "The church's commitment to service in the Memphis community in the next 100 years drives this celebration. The Buntyn congregation feels blessed to have a large building which we share with the Fresh Wind Christian Center Church and The Dwelling Place Church -- two other churches which are listening for direction in God's world. Church Women United, Meditation Fellowship, Wings Gymnastics, Shoaf's Loaf, and the East Buntyn Neighborhood Association also work here."    Another community aspect of the church is the Buntyn Preschool, which has been nurturing children for more than 60 years. And over the years Buntyn Church served Orange Mound Day Care, Parkway Gardens Presbyterian Church, Lester School summer program, Youth Fellowship for Downs Syndrome and Beltline Teen and Enrichment Centers.    For more information, call 458-8271.    Pat Hickman is an elder of Buntyn Presbyterian Church. East High students plan restoration of one-room schoolhouse by Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal April 30, 2010    About 6,500 community volunteers showed up at city schools Thursday, pen in hand, ready to grade student artwork, engineering projects, computer programming and sophisticated themes.    At East High School, they nearly dropped their score pads over work to move and restore the one-room segregated schoolhouse that in 1964 -- a decade after Brown v. the Topeka Board of Education integrated public education -- was still serving African-American students on Presidents Island.    "I was so impressed. I was just blown away," said Donna McCraw, juror in the fourth districtwide student exhibit.    "I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I don't think the students have the life history to realize what an impact their work is going to have.    "Years down the road, they are going to be able to say they did that," she said.    The exhibit's image was retooled this spring with the pro bono help of Clear Channel and Red Deluxe, which created the name ThinkShow! and produced and placed billboards to tell the story.    District officials say the campaign attracted 500 new judges.    "We had a lot more professional people sign up this time. I think Stinson Liles with Red Deluxe has really helped us a lot," said Judy Jackson, director of project-based learning.    If plans go well, the city of Memphis this summer will move the one-room schoolhouse to East, and build a foundation under it to shore up the dreams students are sketching out, blogging about and acting out in skits.    "We hope to one day have an amphitheater outside the museum for lectures and programs," said Daphanie Johnson, 17.    "This project means a lot to me. I'm grateful for what I have. I think a lot of students might look at this and say they don't care because this old building doesn't mean anything to them.    "But it helps me see how far we've come."    At schools across the city, teachers and jurors said the work was more sophisticated than when the show started in 2008.    "In real life, you're not often given a simple task like adding up a column of numbers," said Sam Shaw, principal at Berclair Elementary.    "If you're buying a car, you have to consider economics, aesthetics and practicality and make a judgment about style. That is the real world."    For East history teacher Mark Scott, the school house lodged in his brain back in 2008 when Memphis Heritage used a picture of the school in its calendar.    The idea crystalized when Scott found June West, head of Memphis Heritage.    "This is a once in history thing as far as I am concerned," she said.    The school, long displayed at the Mid-South Fairgrounds, lost its home when the fair moved.    "Not only are we looking at preserving one of the only artifacts left, but we're also educating the youth of the city of the importance of historic preservation."    The building "is on wheels, ready to move," she said.    Most of what the students know about it -- the last one-room schoolhouse in the county -- comes from a 1964 news clipping they found in the Memphis Room at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library.    "These pictures will help us restore it," said Jaylyn Johnson, 17, tapping the clipping showing African-American children in the school with no electricity or plumbing.    "This has helped me realize how bad it was. Even though the government said it was illegal, black people were still left without equal facilities."     -- Jane Roberts: 529-2512    Know anyone from Presidents Island school? East students would like to find alumni from the one-room school, Lizzie Louise Munn, Roy James Munn or George Gary Munn. Call 416-6160. See additional story immediately below. A summary of the proposal to move a one-room schoolhouse to the East High campus by By Nicholas Shanks, Jhmarkus Simpson, Tiara Austin, and Dominique Wein (East High School Students) The Keystone, March/April 2010 (Memphis Heritage, Inc.) Article used with permission. March/April 2010    Walking through the Mid-South Fairgrounds you may come across a small unimpressive shack. The little red structure, built from clapboard, is probably no larger than the size of modern classroom. However, this shack may not be as unimpressive as you think. In 1896 the Supreme Court decided on the separate but equal mandate in the landmark case of Plessy vs. Ferguson. From this decision many schools for African American children were established in the South such as this one room school house located at the fairgrounds. This school was originally founded in 1921 and rebuilt on Presidents Island in 1952; it was the last operating one room school house within the Memphis City limits up until the 1960s. Unfortunately, the Presidents Island School House, a symbol of the importance of education for the beginning of the twentieth century, is in danger of being destroyed.    We, the students of East High School, would like to save the Presidents Island School House by relocating the building to East High School's campus and preserving its structural integrity. To our student body, the school house represents the evolution of equality as we examine how Memphis City Schools have evolved over time. Saving this historical site is important because it reminds us of the past in Memphis and Shelby County. It shows us how citizens have worked together to overcome adversity. Through the preservation and restoration of this landmark, each generation can show their children how education has changed and how it continues to enrich the community. Memphians passing by our school will be able see the vast contrast between the one room school house and East High School's large and architecturally striking building. The exposure to the history of Memphis' educational development and its current benefits encourages us to take every advantage of what we have today. The Presidents Island School House is also a symbol of the sharecropping practices that were once dominant in the South, representing the importance of education to those who were economically oppressed.    This project is also important to East because it is being studentled. Our student body realizes that no matter what color or nationality we are, we all must fight for what we believe in; we believe that this one room school house is a significant symbol of progress. To facilitate this project we have created student sub-committees and divided the task into manageable parts. We sought guidance from various stakeholders by conducting a steering committee meeting this past Friday, February 26, 2010. Our AP history teacher and mentor, Mr. Scott, along with various other stakeholders were especially excited about getting our project off the ground. If the school house is relocated to East High, we hope to turn it into a museum with an attached amphitheatre for lectures. This structure and the attached amenities would enlighten the youth of Memphis about our history and transformation.     The little red school house in front of East High School will illustrate the comparison of an actual school from the past to a Memphis City School that we love and are proud of today. This tiny room with its humble beginnings could spark an enormous interest in a better future for education in Memphis as we seek to unite the Greater Mid-South. The one room schoolhouse. The following photograph is not part of The Keystone's article: Urgent: East High Principal Suspended April 16, 2010    URGENT - East High School Principal Fred Curry was suspended with pay Thursday, April 15, 2010, by the superindent of Memphis City Schools while an internal investigation ordered by the superintendent, Kriner Cash, is conducted. The school system gave no reason for the inquiry. East has been in the news recently as a group of about 10 girls got into a fight in a school hallway requiring security personnel to use pepper spray to break up the scuffle. A few weeks earlier, a girl and a few boys left school during the academic day. Reportedly the girl and one of the boys were having consensual sex when it went bad. Three boys were subsequently charged with rape. It is not know if these events are the reason for the suspension. Updates on news of the school are typically posted on our Daily Update and Portal page first. Please refer to that page for the latest updates. Sweet magnolias East High science class plants 26 By Janie Hopkins, Special to My Life, The Commercial Appeal Posted to the newspaper's website April 8, 2010    More than thirty students from Nicholas Getschman's [Faculty] AP environmental science class at East High School joined members of the Memphis Garden Club, a member of the Garden Club of America, to plant 26 magnolia trees around their school's campus.    As part of the Garden Club of America Centennial Tree Project, 26 magnolias were propagated by Dale Skaggs, director of horticulture at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, and repotted last spring by the garden club members. The three deciduous types -- Dr. Merrill, Waterlily, and Galaxy -- were tagged and remained in their pots in the woods at the Dixon over the summer and fall.    The Peer Power Foundation, a tutoring program started by East High graduate Charles McVean ['61] that trains upperclassmen and college students to tutor underclassmen in math, English and science, was contacted to get permission to plant these trees. Julie Smith, a landscape architect and member of the Memphis Garden Club, chose specific spots to help screen out the views of neighboring shopping centers.    Peer Power Foundation director Bill Sehnert, Dixon horticulture staff member Amy Berthouex and members of the Memphis Garden Club led by Margaret Atkinson and the students from East High School worked hard toward improving the campus.    The full day of digging and planting was rewarded with lunch provided by the Peer Power Foundation. The science class will continue to care for these trees by fertilizing and watering them throughout the year. A sign will be placed on site to recognize the efforts and document the event.    Janie Hopkins handles public relations for the Memphis Garden Club. Judge upholds newspaper columnist Maruca's right to shift to competing journal By Daniel Connolly, The Commercial Appeal April 2, 2010    When the columnist and advertising rep known as Maruca switched from one local Hispanic newspaper to another, the first newspaper sued, since she had signed documents saying that she wouldn't work for a competitor for a year.    But Maruca — real name Maria Guevara — recently won a favorable ruling in Shelby County Chancery Court, her attorney said.    Chancellor Walter Evans hasn't filed a written order yet, but he said in court that the employee can continue working for the other newspaper, according to lawyer Ralph Noyes ['68].    "I feel very pleased, because they wanted to leave me without work for a time," said Guevara, 32.    Guevara gave birth to a boy last week and is working from home now. But she said she's eager to write more of her columns, which touch on topics ranging from domestic violence to bosses who don't pay workers wages. Most are prompted by calls from readers.    "If I don't do this, it's like I'm letting the people down, you know?"    The conflict reflects the ongoing competition for audience and advertising dollars in the local Spanish-language media, despite a slow economy that's cut into the earnings of many Hispanic immigrants.    This case involved the bilingual weekly La Prensa Latina.    Publisher Sidney Mendelson ['68] declined to comment in detail.    "The judge made his decision and that's what we go by," he said. "That's really it."    According to court records, Guevara joined La Prensa Latina as an independent contractor in May 2008, producing a column called "Maruca's balcony" and also contacting customers to sell ads. She started working full-time in November of that year, and her duties included acting as master of ceremonies at some events.    Guevara says she was such a well-known figure that the newspaper used her image on a billboard.    She left in December and began writing a similar column for a different newspaper, called El Grafico. She's now also involved in ad sales and management.    La Prensa Latina filed suit in February, arguing that Guevara should be banned from working for El Grafico because this violated her noncompete agreement and because she was using trade secrets to entice customers of La Prensa Latina to do business with El Grafico.    La Prensa Latina asked for a restraining order to make Guevara stop working for El Grafico or any other print media, as well as to allow recovery for financial damages.    But in a hearing, Guevara's lawyer, Noyes, pointed to a Tennessee Supreme Court case that says non-compete agreements are enforceable only if the employee has received a great deal of specialized training and inside knowledge.    He successfully argued that Guevara hadn't received these things. Letter to the editor: "Children are our future" The Commercial Appeal, March 25, 2010    On March 16, I rode the 50 Poplar bus to the Midtown Driver's License Service Center to transact some business. I took the 50 Poplar bus to return home. This bus stopped in front of East High School, where a horde of students filled the bus to capacity, some standing.    Most of these young people were not wearing the school-mandated uniform; most had cell phones and were using them; several had iPods and were bopping to the music; many were talking loudly and cursing profusely. Most important, very few carried books or backpacks.    Myriad thoughts crowded my mind: Neighborhood schools should never have been abandoned; walking home by your neighbors to your house has merit. Do not parents ask their children where their books are in the evening? Do not principals strictly enforce the city schools' dress code? Is it not school policy that no cell phones and such be allowed on school grounds?    Behavior of some students is a direct reflection of the home and other behavior is induced by peer pressure; still, was I about to shush them and ask that the loudness, cursing and pushing, etc., stop? No. Was I chicken? Maybe.    President Barack Obama, Bill Cosby, Benjamin Jealous (NAACP), Spike Lee (recently in the city to speak at the University of Memphis) and others are desperately trying to reach out to our youth and show them another path. However, it is going to take everybody to find the solution to our errant youth. America's future progress and success as a country greatly depend on our youth of today. Who has the answer or answers? I await.    Sharon E. Dobbins    Memphis Teacher at East High in Memphis busted on drug charges By Lawrence Buser The Commercial Appeal March 25, 2010    Two formerly married Memphis City Schools teachers have been suspended without pay after they were busted on separate drug charges this week.    Emily Tubb [Faculty, listed as Emily Magill on the East High web site], 33, who also is known as Emily Magill, was indicted earlier this month on federal drug charges.    She is accused of possessing with intent to distribute Adderall, alprazolam and heroin.    Adderall is an amphetamine commonly used for attention deficit disorders. Alprazolam, also known as Xanax, is used to treat disorders including anxiety and depression.    No other details were included in the indictment and there is no allegation that she was trafficking in drugs on school grounds.    Federal prosecutor Greg Gilluly asked for a detention hearing for Monday.    Tubb, who is in the English department at East High School, is being held in federal custody without bond because she was found in two meth houses this week, including the Southaven home of her former husband, Mark Magill.    He was arrested Monday evening after police were called to a disturbance at his home on Northfield Drive where there was a reported altercation with his former wife, according to Southaven Deputy Police Chief Steve Pirtle.    He said Magill, 42, a physical education teacher at Fairley Elementary, was charged with domestic violence, simple assault and manufacturing a controlled substance, methamphetamine.    Magill also was charged with kidnapping for allegedly taking the couple's two children to another location, which he refused to reveal to investigators, Pirtle said.    Magill is being held on $125,000 bond in the DeSoto County Jail in Hernando.    Reporter Yolanda Jones contributed to this story. Memphis teacher with drug charges to remain in custody By Lawrence Buser The Commercial Appeal March 29, 2010    A Memphis City Schools teacher will remain in federal custody for at least a few more days while her attorney tries to find a secure drug-treatment facility for her before addressing criminal drug charges.    Emily Tubb, 33, of Southaven, who is in the English department at East High School, was indicted last week for alleged possession with intent to distribute Adderall, alprazolam and heroin.    Tubb, whose married name was Magill, made a brief appearance Monday before U.S. Magistrate Charmiane Claxton, who told attorneys to return Thursday with more information on a drug treatment facility.    Asst. Federal Defender Mary Catherine Jermann, did not ask for a bond, but instead had suggested several possible inpatient facilities to address her client's drug addiction.    Federal prosecutor Greg Gilluly, however, argued that a more secure facility is needed because Tubb had made statements that she might harm herself.    "She could leave these facilities and she's a danger to herself because she has no control over her drug problem," Gilluly told the court. "She needs to get help, but at a place where she would be locked down and not have the ability to walk away."    Tubb, who was shackled and wore yellow prison garb, is being held without bond at a federal detention facility in Mason, Tenn. She made no statements in the hearing.    Last week her former husband, Michael Magill, a physical education teacher at Fairley Elementary, was arrested following a domestic disturbance at his home in Southaven, which was reported by Tubb.    Magill, 42, was charged with domestic violence, simple assault and manufacturing methamphetamine.    He is being held on $125,000 bond in the DeSoto County Jail in Hernando.    He also was charged with kidnapping for allegedly taking the couple's two children to another location, which he refused to reveal to investigators.    Magill and Tubb have been suspended without pay by Memphis City Schools. 'Warm, fuzzy' relaunch for Holiday Inn brand By Wayne Risher The Commercial Appeal March 24, 2010    The late lodging industry pioneer Kemmons Wilson would have felt right at home in a hotel room made of plastic key cards.    Fittingly, the kitschy creation of card-stacking artist Bryan Berg has found a permanent home in a Holiday Inn in Wilson's hometown.     InterContinental Hotels Group commissioned Berg to build a Holiday Inn room out of key cards to promote the brand's global relaunch.    After appearances in New York, Washington, New Mexico and on , the 2-ton exhibit was trucked to Memphis and set up at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn.    The exhibit, which took four months and 200,000 cards to build, features a reception desk, a bed, a comforter, a sofa, an armoire, lamps, tables, a toilet and a shower curtain, all covered with key cards.    It's on display through Easter on the University of Memphis campus as part of Kemmons Wilson Week. It will eventually become decor for the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality and Resort Management.    "This is sort of a nice way to kick it off," said Kemmons "Kem" Wilson Jr. ('64), the founder's son, as he viewed the display with his son, McLean. Kemmons Wilson opened the first Holiday Inn in 1952 and sold the chain 20 years ago.    The family business holdings include the University of Memphis Holiday Inn and a new Holiday Inn near Wolfchase Galleria; they are also developing a Holiday Inn Express in Jackson, Tenn. The 92-room Jackson hotel will be built near Pringles Park off Interstate 40.    InterContinental embarked in 2007 on a $1 billion effort to revitalize the brand with new signs, furnishings, bedding and amenities.    "This is a huge effort on their part," said Kem Wilson. "They could either have let the brand fall away or they could welcome it, and they welcomed it. They found it had a feel-good, warm and fuzzy feeling" for customers.    Kevin Kowalski, senior vice president, global brand management, for Holiday Inn, said the company had redone 2,050 hotels and was on pace to finish all 3,300-plus by year's end.    "We've found the relaunched hotels perform 3-7 percent better and are up 2-6 points in market share," Kowalski said. "We're moving the needle."    McLean Wilson said Wolfchase, which opened last July, attracted an unheard-of 25 walk-up customers one night last week. "We would attribute a lot of that to having a new sign and a new hotel. People driving down the interstate take that as a sign of rejuvenation."    Sarah-Ann Soffer, a Holiday Inn spokeswoman, said the relaunch affects 11 Memphis-area hotels and two that are projected to open by 2011.    Kowalski said corporate support for the U of M hospitality program is a natural. Angela Brav, chief operating officer for IHG Americas, will be Kemmons Wilson Week Distinguished Speaker at 1 p.m. today.    "Kemmons Wilson made a very strong value for traveling families," Kowalski said. "We're not doing radical, crazy things. We talked to customers, tried to figure out what made the most value for them, and incorporated them in the hotels."    They left the crazy stuff to Berg, whose playing card creations include the Capitol, the Empire State Building and most recently, China's Venetian Macao resort hotel.    "We thought it would be kind of a neat idea to work with him to build a hotel out of key cards," Kowalski said.    Debra Burns, director of development for the hospitality school, talked IHG executives into donating the exhibit to the school after she and the Wilsons saw it in Washington.    "This is the appropriate place to come to: Memphis, the birthplace of Holiday Inn," Burns said. "If not for the Wilson family, none of this would be here." Director of Bands calls for on-campus music building The East High Alumni Page March 17, 2010    Calling the existing facilities for the East High Band and Choir "inadequate," Mr. Ollie Liddell (Faculty), the Director of Bands at the school, wants a new building added to campus to house those activities. He says every city school in Memphis has adequate music facilities for their bands except for East. He and the Band Booster Club are working on plans for a new building and he has written this open letter seeking support. March 17, 2010 I am very proud of the students and the direction the program is going. However, we need support. After several discussions with the Band Booster Club, we are trying to come up with a plan of action to get a Music Building built on campus--possibly in the space left by the demolished annex building. This building would be built according to MENC Opportunity-to-learn Standards (www.menc.org) It would have sufficient space for a Choir, Band, and Orchestra Rooms as well as sufficient storage area, small ensemble rehearsal space, and offices. Both the choir and "band" rooms are inadequate. The Orchestra rehearses in the choir room. They need their own space. The choir room is band. However, the band room is riddiculous. It is very, very small, the ceiling is too low, there is no adequate storage area, no practice rooms, and no acoustical treatments what-so-ever. With the size of the band growing each year, it will soon (maybe next year) be too small to accommodate the band at all. The low ceilings and lack of acoustical treatments make hearing the music correctly impossible. So much so, we had afterschool rehearsals in the Auditorium so I could hear what is being played. The auditorium isn't readily available. The lack of storage space makes things worse. Furthermore, EVERY high school in MCS has an adequate band room except East. I find this unacceptable. I would appreciate any help or advice to this end. Please call. Musically Yours, Ollie Liddell Director of Bands East High School 3206 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38118 901-416-6160 School 901-416-6161 Fax Truant pupils, victim, accused, involved in off campus rape [multiple stories] Memphis police arrest three suspects in sexual assault of East High student By Jody Callahan, The Commercial Appeal commercialappeal.com, March 10, 2010    Memphis police have arrested three suspects in the apparent sexual assault of a 17-year-old East High student Tuesday.    The incident happened around 11:30 a.m. near the school at 3206 Poplar, police said.    A 17-year-old girl told police that she was taken to a nearby location and sexually assaulted by at least five males.    The incident allegedly took place at a vacant house in the 200 block of Red Oak, not far from the school. The victim was then taken back to school. She told police that four of the suspects are East High students. The fifth suspect remains unknown.    Two of the suspects in custody are 18, while the third is 16. No charges have been filed yet.    Memphis police spokesman Karen Rudolph said the girl willingly left school with one of the boys, one of the 18-year-olds in custody. At that point, the other four were either in the car with the suspect who called the victim, or were waiting at the vacant house. In either case, the victim wasn't expecting the other four to be there, Rudolph said.    Rudolph added that they know the name of the fourth suspect, the other East student. They don't have an identity on the fifth suspect, though. Charges are expected to be filed Thursday morning. Three teens charged in rape of 17-year-old East High student By Jody Callahan, The Commercial Appeal commercialappeal.com, March 11, 2010    Three teenagers were charged Thursday in the rape of a 17-year-old East High student Tuesday morning.    DeMarious Moore, 18, Brian Bland, 18, and Martavious Humphries, 16, are facing charges of aggravated rape.    Bland and Moore are being held at 201 Poplar, while Humphries is confined to Juvenile Court.    The incident began at about 11 a.m. Tuesday, as the victim willingly left East High with the three teens, also students at East.    They took her to an abandoned house at 278 Red Oak, a little over a mile away. There, according to police, the victim had consensual sex with Moore.    Then things spiraled out of control.    During sex, Moore slapped the victim in the face, police said. She told him to stop, but he continued, investigators said.    At that point, police said, Bland and Humphries entered the room and forced the victim into additional sex acts.    Two others were named by the victim but didn't take part, said police, who would not reveal whether the other two were at the scene of the assault.    "Through a thorough investigation, we found that these three suspects will be charged with aggravated rape. That's it," Memphis police spokesman Karen Rudolph said.    Neither Bland nor Moore has any prior serious charges on their records, Juvenile Court spokesman Barry Mitchell said. Moore has a few traffic citations and a curfew violation.    Humphries, however, was arrested in December 2008 on a felony drug charge, Mitchell said. He was placed in custody of the Youth Services Bureau, which oversees home confinement. He was released in April 2009.    It is uncertain how four students could leave a school campus so easily during the middle of the day.    Memphis City Schools spokesman Quintin Taylor wouldn't discuss how the students were able to leave East High School. Television Reports For an undetermined amount of time, television news stories on this topic may be available for viewing. If they are still available, you may see them at WREG-TV, WMC-TV, and WMC-TV Society of Entrepreneurs will honor Spence Wilson as a 'master' By James Dowd, The Commercial Appeal March 3, 2010    To hear Spence Wilson tell it, the work he does is simply part of carrying on the family tradition.    But what a tradition it is.    As president of Kemmons Wilson Companies -- established by and named after his late father, who also founded Holiday Inns -- Wilson oversees an expansive operation that has included investments in more than 400 different ventures.    Now, after more than four decades of business ingenuity, the native Memphian who grew up on Galloway and graduated from East High School is being recognized for his efforts by the Society of Entrepreneurs    "He's earned it, and I understand just how much he deserves it because he and I are a lot alike, we're both SOB's -- sons of bosses," said friend Bob Buckman, retired CEO of Buckman Laboratories. "It can't always have been easy for him, but Spence has done well and he's a wonderful guy."    Wilson will be honored as a "Master Entrepreneur" at the organization's annual gala on April 10. His selection was announced at the organization's new-member reception on Tuesday.    "I'm honored and humbled because this isn't just about me. I owe everything to my family,"    Wilson said. "They've been very understanding about the risks and the sacrifices I made and about the time I had to spend away from them. It wasn't easy, but made it through, and any success I have is owed to them."    The oldest of five children, Wilson was the first in his family to attend college, and after graduating from Vanderbilt University he joined the Tennessee Air National Guard. After the service he enrolled in Harvard Business School; when he finished, he moved back to Memphis, where he has spent the bulk of his career.    "My dad had it in the back of his mind that I'd come back here and join his company, and ultimately that's what I did," Wilson said. "I worked with him for a while at Holiday Inns, but eventually transferred to Kemmons Wilson Inc. and that's where I stayed."    During his 40 years as an entrepreneur, Wilson has been involved in a number of projects to broaden the company's holdings, including office building construction and development, injection molding businesses and even a tortilla manufacturing company.    Perhaps the most successful has been Orange Lake Resorts in Orlando, Fla., which today features 2,500 timeshare villas on more than 1,400 acres. The property counts some 140,000 owners and hosts more than 12,000 guests each week.    "My dad was a serial entrepreneur and I have some of that DNA. I'm very curious about how things work and I love to see a deal go through," Wilson said. "We've built a great brand, and it's fun for me to continue to take it to higher levels."    Despite his success, Wilson is determined to remain grounded in his hometown and serve as a mentor for future generations of entrepreneurs.    His lengthy list of community involvement includes working with Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South, Rhodes College and Youth Villages, and it's his commitment to giving back to the community that most impresses many of his fellow business leaders.    "He's a consummate entrepreneur and has done a great job of continuing the substantial legacy of the Wilson family," said Gwin Scott, president of EmergeMemphis. "He charted his own path in numerous endeavors, and what's equally impressive is his longstanding sense of altruism for this community."    Larry Colbert, senior vice president at Junior Achievement, agreed.    "He's been phenomenally supportive of our organization for years, and I can't think of anyone more deserving of this honor," Colbert said. "He really cares about the community and continues in the spirit of his father in doing everything he can to make our city stronger." Grizzlies and the Mid-South McDonald's Co-Op salute Black History Month from www.nba.com February, 2010    In honor of Black History Month, the Memphis Grizzlies and McDonald's are recognizing basketball stars that honed their skills in Memphis and shared their talents with the world during Grizzlies home games played in February 2010. Here are the players who were honored: ...    Cedric Henderson ['93] – Feb. 9 vs. Hawks    Henderson is a product of East High School where he became a McDonald's High School All-American. A standout at The University of Memphis, Henderson is the only player in Memphis history to rank in the top ten in all-time scoring, steals and blocks. He was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1997 draft and spent five years in the NBA. After playing in the NBA he went on to play in Greece, Ukraine and Dubai. Since coming back to Memphis, Henderson has supported his hometown by hosting the SportsBall, a benefit to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Memphis. He currently assists the middle school girls' and varsity boys' basketball teams' coaching staffs at Harding Academy.     Memphis Memories By Staff, The Commercial Appeal February 23, 2010    [The following was republished on Feb. 23, 2010 in the Memphis/Mid-South Memories item in The Commercial Appeal, originally published Feb. 23, 1958.    The All-Memphis junior high basketball team for 1955 has players from five schools. Considered tops among the youngsters are Richard Howell (11), Bellevue; Robert Randolph (25), Treadwell; Lee Welch ['58] (12), East; J. W. Adams (22), South Side; and Bobby Wiginton (8), Humes. People Cybill Shepherd - Supermodel By Vance Lauderdale, www.memphisflyer.com February 12, 2010    Most people these days probably think of Cybill Shepherd ['68] as mainly a TV and movie actress. And who can blame them, after some really fine roles in the movie The Last Picture Show and then on television with Moonlighting (with Bruce Willis, back when he had hair) and later, Cybill.    Others may know her for her singing, or maybe her political activism, or maybe because she kept a home in the South Bluffs for years and years.    But many people, it seems, have quite possibly forgotten that this East High School graduate was, by any definition of the word, a Supermodel. She got her start by winning the "Miss Teen Memphis" contest in 1966, which launched an extraordinarily successful modeling career. In fact, in the late 1960s, it was hard to pick up a teen or fashion magazine without finding Cybill on the cover or featured inside.    While rooting through the Lauderdale Library one lonely Saturday night, I turned up a collection of Glamour magazines (as shown here) from 1969, 1970, and 1971 with Cybill on the cover. Not only was she a fetching cover model, but rumor has it that director Peter Bogdanovich spotted one of these Glamours while standing in line at a Hollywood supermarket and decided, right then and there, that the then-unknown girl would be perfect as Jacy in The Last Picture Show.    (Other stories claim that his wife actually came up with the idea. If that's so, she probably came to regret it, since Peter and Cybill started, uh, "dating" after the movie came out.)    The rest, as they say, is history. But here are some other Cybill-adorned Glamours for you to admire. Advanced Placement courses see increase in enrollment By Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal February 12, 2010    For students taking Advanced Placement environmental science at East High School, no class has ever consumed so much mental and emotional energy.    The 90-minute lecture-lab meets daily instead of on alternating days like other courses. Since every lecture generates about an hour of homework and all AP students at East must attend two hours of tutoring each week, registering for an AP course means at least 15 hours per week.    "You have to be on your study game," said Terrello Lane, a junior also taking AP art this year. "I'm taking AP classes because colleges want to know if you're taking a challenging load."    Lane is determined to go to college and confident that his AP scores will get him noticed and give him credit for two college-level courses.    He is among a widening group of students enrolling in AP classes, according to the College Board's annual analysis, released this week. It shows that enrollment in the decade has doubled to 800,000 students.    But with the "democratization" of AP classes, tens of thousands of students are also failing while simultaneously financially taxing their school districts because the AP's lab-intensive courses are also among the most expensive schools offer.    Last spring, 60 percent of AP seniors in Memphis City Schools did not score high enough to get college credit for their work. Nearly 55 percent scored under par in 2008.    The financial burden will bear down this year when a $1.6 million grant that has covered most of the district's AP costs since 2006 runs out.    "Our scores are very much in line with the national 60/40 attainment rate," said Linda Sklar, head of optional schools for MCS, who cautions against using "pass/fail terminology."    "The score simply represents whether a college will award that student credit," she said. "It does not mean failure."    Because high schools have their own standards for grading, it's very possible, Sklar said, that a student earning a "1" would get high school credit for the class.    AP exams are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. A score of "3," which translates into a grade of "B-" or "C," is accepted by 80 percent of U.S. colleges and universities. A score of "5" would translate into a grade of "A."    According to a USA Today article last week, more than two in five students -- 41.5 percent -- earned a score of "1" or "2," an increase from 36.5 percent in 1999.    In the South, nearly half of all those tested -- 48.4 percent -- earned a "1" or "2," up 7 percentage points from a decade ago and statistically significant from the rest of the country.    AP classes have been offered since 1955. But about a decade ago, states and high school leaders started easing restrictions on who could enroll, part of a strategy to improve the number of college-ready students.    MCS Supt. Kriner Cash added 40 more AP sections this year, including three at East High, where all 33 students who applied for the AP environmental science class were admitted.    Teacher Nicholas Getschman (Faculty) admits that the class is larger than optimal, "but we didn't want to discourage anyone in the first year."    While several students are struggling, he is convinced that their chances for success in college and life are better even if they don't do well on the final exam.    "They're getting exposure to college-level work," Getschman said. "I have a student who may not pass, but she's worked hard and has really grown. It's easy to see." My Words: Pardon my French! But we need it By Michele Mallory (Faculty), Special to The Commercial Appeal February 7, 2010    I was mistaken for a French woman once. I was on a scholarship in Normandy studying the Second World War, and some friends and I had taken a weekend jaunt down to the wine country of the Loire Valley.    After a long day touring, I decided to run into a cave de dégustation (a wine cellar) on my own to purchase some wine to take home to my parents. After some polite conversation, the viticulteur (wine maker) asked me what region I was from. Region?    "Non, non, je suis américaine," I said. The temperature in the cave dropped five degrees in an instant. Ah, the French and their love of Americans.    Still, as a lifelong Francophile, I was much chagrined to hear the news that my alma mater is "phasing out" French as a foreign language offering to make room for Mandarin Chinese.    From a purely economic perspective, I suppose I understand.    Mandarin Chinese has about 800 million native speakers, with French falling far behind with only 90 million. I understand the need to change with the times; to teach marketable skills. After all, parents who fork over $15,000 for tuition each year need to get their money's worth. But, to quote my epicurean mother-in-law, "how will they ever learn to read a menu?"    French is so tied to the English language that by not studying it, these next generations will miss out on one of the building blocks that make us who we are as Americans.    Does the Battle of Hastings in 1066 ring any bells? When William the Duke of Normandy conquered England, our language changed forever. Without this infusion of the French, and thereby Latin, language into our own, we'd sound almost German right about now.    Studying French allows us to truly understand words like "fraternity," "equality" and "liberty." Or more useful to our American plight these days, "mortgage" (mort = death, gage = pledge).    I'm curious to see how the Mandarin will take off. For one, there is absolutely no common etymology between Chinese and English. Get out those flashcards! Also, Mandarin is a language of intonation. The French student's struggle with pronouncing nasal vowels pales against the Mandarin student's struggle to convey the difference between the spoken ma (mother), má (hemp), ma (horse) and mà (scold). Good luck with that. I'll stick with my pain au chocolat, s'il vous plaît.    And about that Franco-American hatred; it makes a good joke, but it's far from true. Anyone who loves to say that the French hate Americans has never been to Normandy.    Visit the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach of D-Day. Go now before our greatest generation is no more. You will see nothing but thankfulness, honor and sincere tribute paid to the Americans who died for that country.    And the conversation with the viticulteur I mentioned earlier? It turned out, his response to my being American was halting, but out of shock, not disrespect, that an American had taken the time to learn the French language so well. He asked me to stay and have a glass of wine with him, as my friends in the car honked for me to hurry up. Rude Americans. Vive la France!    Michele Mallory lives in East Memphis and is a wife and mother to two boys. She has a degree in communications from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with French as a second major. She teaches French at East High School. Weapon and drug arrests at East High 4 arrested at East High: 2 for marijuana, 2 for gun possession By Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal January 26, 2010    4 arrested at East High: 2 for marijuana, 2 for gun possession    Four juveniles were arrested this afternoon at East High School after two threw a gun on school property while being pursued by police.    The incident started when officers were questioning two other students on campus about drug use. They were arrested for possession of marijuana.    In the process, the officers noticed two students acting suspiciously, according to district spokesman Quintin Taylor.    "The students took off running and tossed a weapon," he said. The two were also arrested. Those two students, both 16, were charged with carrying a weapon on school property and possession of handgun by juvenile.    The incidents happened around 2 p.m.    Taylor said the school's metal detectors had been used today.    "East is not one of our high-incidence schools; we do random metal detection at (those) schools," Taylor said.    School officials were tipped about the marijuana through Trust Pays, a confidential hotline that allows students or members of the public to call in tips.    If the tip pans out, the caller is eligible for a cash reward. Guns at Memphis city schools ring alarm bells MCS, police stepping up screening, patrols By Jane Roberts, The Commercial Appeal January 28, 2010    Supt. Kriner Cash and Police Director Larry Godwin put out a community "all-call" Wednesday after five gun incidents were reported in or near city schools over nine days.    "We have doubled up our effort -- redoubled our efforts -- on security screening each morning," said a grim-faced Cash.    "We must continue to ensure -- not only in the morning but randomly during the day -- that we are checking all entrances and exits. ... Students can be very, very creative if they want to get weapons in schools."    Godwin said he's ordered more patrols at hot points.    "We're going to do it in a covert way; we're going to do it in an overt way, but we are going to address this problem. We will make those arrests and do the things we have to for those violent individuals who are disrupting the good students of Memphis City Schools."    Tuesday, two students were charged at East High School with possession of a handgun. It was loaded.    Eight hours later, a male leaving a ball game at Kirby High was shot walking away from the school by someone he had argued with earlier.    Monday, as school was getting out at Vance Middle, a police officer ordered a 14-year-old to drop his weapon after a parent tipped off authorities. It also was loaded.    The story was similar at Hamilton High on Jan. 19, when a 16-year-old was taken into custody.    To date, 10 guns have been found in city schools this year -- six of them loaded. At this time last year, six guns had been confiscated; three were loaded.    Godwin is working with Juvenile Court prosecutors to trace the source of the guns, "ultimately interrupting the source," he said.    He's also buying gunshot-recognition cameras to place around schools.    "Once a weapon is fired, we will have a recording; we'll have information," he said.    Principals at several large high schools say it's impossible to run 1,000-plus students through scanning devices, including X-ray equipment, and get them to class on time.    "There will be disciplinary action for any further breaches of the procedures we require," Cash said. He has assigned members of his "top teams" to do spot checks.    Metal detectors were used Tuesday at East. Cash didn't know the specifics of how the gun got in school but said he doubts the principal did anything wrong.    Weapons in city schools tend to be found at the end of the day, leading authorities to suspect they are being smuggled in through propped-open doors before school dismisses, partly because students are worried about walking home.    "When you look at the data and go to the root cause of why students bring weapons to school, they tell us they feel safe in school," Cash said.    The walk home is another story, particularly for known gang members walking through rival territory.    Because about a third of students in Memphis change schools once a year, Cash says, "when they leave to go to a new community, they feel threatened. That is no excuse for bringing guns to school."    According to MCS policy, principals are expected to conduct checks by metal detector at least nine times a year in most middle and high schools. In the 14 schools with the most crime, the checks are supposed to happen daily.    A memo to district principals Wednesday from Cash's chief of operations, Roderick Richmond, said daily scanning logs now will be mandatory in every school. Football remains in news in off season By Phil Stukenborg, The Commercial Appeal Posted January 15, 2010    [Excerpt] ...    East High senior defensive tackle Brandon Ivory is scheduled to make an official visit to the UofM this weekend, but it's not to make a decision about his college future. That decision has been made.    Ivory, 6-4 and 330 pounds, will play for first-year Tigers coach Larry Porter, according to Ivory's high school coach, Marcus Wimberly ('92). Wimberly said Ivory also considered the University of Miami, Wimberly's alma mater. National Signing Day is Feb. 3.    Wimberly called Ivory, who played defensive tackle and offensive guard for East, a natural leader. And he said Ivory was an assignment nightmare for opposing offensive linemen.    "He was one of our captains," Wimberly said. "If we needed a stop and the (football) was going up the middle, he made the play nine times out of 10. He gave people fits, especially centers."    Ivory started each of his four seasons at East, where Wimberly took over four years ago. Ivory played primarily on offense as a freshman and grew into a two-way performer, gradually becoming a dominant defensive tackle.    "He really came on last year," Wimberly said. "He worked hard in the weight room and he understands the game, especially at this level. He still has a lot of work to do, but he also has a lot of potential."    Wimberly said Ivory "sparked a lot of interest" by finishing with six tackles for loss in last month's AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game at Memphis University School.    "That got a lot of attention, but he's been doing it all year," Wimberly said. "And he's done it against some good teams, teams like Olive Branch, MUS, Whitehaven, White Station ... he didn't do it all against cupcakes."    Ivory is the third Memphis-area commitment, joining Horn Lake receiver Bakari Trotter and Houston High receiver Jerry Anderson. He said the hiring of Porter played a part in his decision.    "First of all, I like coach Porter and I think he is going to change the program around," Ivory said. Two arrested, another sought after high-speed chase in Bartlett By By Clay Bailey, The Commercial Appeal January 8, 2010    A witness gave Bartlett police dispatchers a move-by-move account of three people breaking into a house on Guffin around lunchtime Friday -- providing officers with an edge on capturing the trio.    But it took a high-speed car chase through the suburb's northwestern quadrant, foot pursuits, a pair of wrecked cars and at least one shotgun blast from police before two of the suspects, a man and a woman, were captured in Memphis.    One of the suspects is the son of the owner of the home that was burglarized.    The crime unfolded over the police radio after the witness, watching nearby, called police to report the break-in at 5195 Guffin shortly before noon.    "If (the witness) wouldn't have called when they did, there's a good chance (the suspects) wouldn't have been caught," said Insp. Jeff Cox, head of the department's investigative division.    Police said the witness told them a woman was driving a gray Mitsubishi through the neighborhood while two men went into the house.    The men would put the goods in the car, then the woman would drive around again while the intruders returned to the residence.    When police pulled into the neighborhood, the suspects fled in the Mitsubishi, starting a chase.    The pursuit went along various streets in the suburb's northwest corner and carried into Raleigh. Insp. Steve Todd thought he was about to stop them at one point, but the driver tried to ram his unmarked car.    One person jumped from the Mitsubishi on August Moon, sending part of the pursuing officers on foot after him.    He was still at large Friday evening.    Meanwhile, the car with the other two people continued to flee -- followed by police -- eventually ending up on Bruton Place near Old Brownsville.    At one point, an officer fired his shotgun at the vehicle. A hole was visible above the left tail light. That part of the case is still under review, Cox said.    The suspects were trapped in the cove on Bruton Place. When they headed out of the dead end, the car slammed into one of the pursuing Bartlett squad cars in the curve of Bruton Avenue and Bruton Place.    The suspects' car banged into the curb and ended up in a yard.    The suspects fled from the scene, but were caught a short time later, according to Lt. Rory Mack, Bartlett police spokesman.    Tremaine Artry ('09), 18, identified by police as the son of the homeowner, is charged with aggravated burglary, evading and resisting arrest, reckless endangerment and four counts of aggravated assault.    Bridget Jones, 21, faces the same charges except resisting arrest.    Both were being held without bond. Television news stories are also available from WMC-TV and WPTY-TV. The television stations are not likely to provide those stories and clips permanently,so if you find they are no longer available, please notify editor@EastHigh.org. Ole Miss' Cassius Vaughn grows into CB role NFL looming as senior closes career By Scott Cacciola, The Commercial Appeal December 31, 2009    DALLAS -- Cassius Vaughn ('06) can remember meeting with three friends that day, all Memphis-area products who, like him, were bound for Ole Miss. He convened with Greg Hardy, Cecil Frison and LaDerrick Vaughn at one of Downtown's finer dining establishments -- "Hooters," Cassius Vaughn said -- for a signing day party in February 2006. They signed their letters of intent, and the future was theirs.    "It was an exciting moment," Vaughn said.    In some ways, it feels like yesterday. In other ways, it feels like a lifetime ago. Because as quickly as the past four years have evaporated, Vaughn also knows he has changed a great deal. He has one game left in his college career, a meeting with No. 21 Oklahoma State on Saturday in the 74th AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium, but he has little time for nostalgia. He already finds himself looking ahead once more.    "I'm out the door on my way to another chapter in my life, and it all catches up with you real fast," said Vaughn, a senior cornerback and former standout at East High. "But for a lot of the seniors, this game is like an audition. We're going to play hard."    An audition for the NFL: It has come to this for Vaughn, who has transformed himself from a raw talent into one of the more reliable cornerbacks in the Southeastern Conference. Tied for seventh in the league with 11 passes defended, including two interceptions, Vaughn is a major reason Ole Miss (8-4, 4-4) is ranked 15th in the country in pass defense, limiting opponents to 179 yards per game.    Playing cornerback tends to be a thankless job, but Vaughn -- recruited by most schools out of high school as a running back -- has embraced his role. He enjoys being out there on the island, matching up against top-flight receivers, man-to-man without a safety net.    "Cassius is a big-time competitor," said senior cornerback Marshay Green. "Anytime people like playing defense, you know it's going to be fun."    Vaughn showed up at Ole Miss with extraordinary speed. According to Green, Vaughn is capable of running the 40-yard dash in just over 4.3 seconds -- a time that would seem sure to pique the interest of NFL scouts. But as a freshman and sophomore, he was extremely raw. In high school, he could rely on his athleticism to compensate for mistakes or slight hesitations. Not in the SEC. He needed to hone his instincts, and he had to learn how to anticipate.    "The one thing about this league is that if you don't have a pre-snap plan for what you think they might do, you're not going to make the play," cornerbacks coach Chris Vaughn said. "Because these teams are too good at throwing and catching."    He made several plays this season that he probably would not have made earlier in his career. Chris Vaughn recalled two examples in particular. Against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 19, he went up with two hands -- a subtle but important detail -- to intercept an errant pass. And early in the second half against Tennessee on Nov. 14, Vaughn anticipated a screen pass across the middle that he deflected.    "I just got way more confident with this coaching staff," Cassius Vaughn said. "Just really understanding how to play defense, knowing what to do, being able to play fast. You come here wanting to practice and wanting to get better because you know you have lots of support."    No one besides his coaches and perhaps his teammates would remember those moments, but the significance was not lost on those who had invested in him. It was rewarding for Chris Vaughn, because all the pieces were beginning to fit. And while it might sound clichéd, Cassius' potential remains largely untapped.    "He's going to test well," Chris Vaughn said of the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine. "The big thing is, there's got to be a team out there that feels he brings something to the table and that he's nowhere near done with his development as far as where he can go. A team has to believe in him."    Vaughn will turn his full attention next week to preparing for the combine, though he will miss his friends -- especially his daily games of "Madden NFL" with teammates. He has more responsibilities now, including a 1-year-old son, Cassius Vaughn II, who won the Grizzlies' baby crawl contest during halftime of their game against the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 18.    Asked if his son is a cornerback in the making, Vaughn said: "Well, he's just trying to walk now."    As his father knows, there is plenty of time to grow. A new year, new hope for Memphis Letters to the Editor, The Commercial Appeal December 31, 2009    It seems like 100 years ago that I had the great privilege of living in Memphis and teaching in the junior high part of East High School; actually, it was around 1962-65. We lived on Charleswood, about 10 miles from the river.    Those were three wonderful years -- the unbeatable park and zoo, where you could wander all day and never see everything; attending high school and college sporting events; the superb medical care at Methodist Hospital; the joy of driving Downtown for many cultural events, one of the greatest of which was the Front Street Theater.    I had no contact with Memphis until a few years ago when we attended some wonderful exhibits at Cook Convention Center, combined with visiting our money in Tunica. This newspaper was always a great read, but these later years your news has been sad for a person who dearly loves this beautiful city of the old and the new South -- the crime, the social ills, the politics, the weaknesses of the public schools.    I hope and pray that some of the optimistic items I've read the last couple of weeks are the light at the end of the gloomy tunnel for this city -- the Gates grant, the new city politicos, a Downtown park, renovation rather than destruction of some of the priceless buildings like The Washburn, mentioned in your Dec. 30 article "Views to history."    The Dec. 25 Viewpoint guest column by Pat Halloran of the Orpheum prompted this letter; it was full of such optimism and hope.    Memphians, do not let this wonderful city become another run-down, has-been grande dame. Love it and protect it.    Marty Henry (Faculty)    Malvern, Ark. [If anyone can adise the subjects Ms. Henry taught, the specific years she was at East Junior High, and her name then, if different, please send that information to editor@EastHigh.org.] Post-Christmas sales lure shoppers back into stores By By Ryan PoeThe Commercial Appeal December 27, 2009 [Excerpts]    Shoppers swamped Memphis-area retailers Saturday to take advantage of after-Christmas sales, spend their gift cards or return presents, capping a holiday season that showed signs of a slight improvement over last year's dismal sales figures.    "People were just piling in today," said Lisa Ortasic-Hayes ['74], owner of one of the Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown that sells fashionable maternity clothes.    Ortasic-Hayes, who operates the shop with help from her daughter, said she kept Haute Mama open an extra hour because of the heavy flow of customers. "I had about 16 people in at one time, and this is a small store."     ... Shelby Middle School gets $600,000 grant to continue Peer Power tutoring By Richard J. AlleyThe Commercial Appeal December 19, 2009    Memphis businessman Charles McVean ['61] is well-versed in the art of speculation, and his recognition of the opportunities to invest in young students is paying dividends.    The latest investment is Shelby Middle School and its North Bolivar School district in Shelby, Miss., which has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Education Department.    The grant was awarded to the school to continue its yearlong work with Peer Power Foundation, McVean's tutoring initiative aimed at students in grades 7-12.    Prompting the Education Department grant was the surge in state math exam scores among seventh-graders at Shelby Middle.    "This kind of financial support will mean that we can touch the lives of so many more students," said Rives Neblett, the Shelby businessman who funded the program through a nonprofit group.    McVean, a 1961 graduate of East High School, has made a career in the futures and trading markets of New York and Chicago, becoming a nationally recognized authority on beef cattle along the way.    In 1986, he founded McVean Trading & Investments, a Memphis-based global organization that manages investments for more than 5,000 clients.    He is also a philosopher who sees a troubled future for Memphis unless someone takes action.    "There is an over-investment in private colleges and universities relative to efforts to improve primary and secondary education for underprivileged kids," he said.    His private, nonprofit Peer Power began in 2004 with the Greater East High Foundation in 2004, which uses high-performing high school and college students to tutor underperforming students.    "One of our main goals is to give constant encouragement and constant praise," said Meah King ['97 and Faculty], tenth-grade English teacher and faculty sponsor for Peer Power at East.    But the program's rewards are tangible, as well.    "Peer Power also gives monetary incentives," King said. "We try to exhaust all possibilities."    The program's effectiveness at East is measurable: King said they awarded several thousand dollars for attendance and report card grades after the first nine weeks of this school year. East now boasts a 70 percent passing rate, versus a 75 percent failure rate in 2002.    "We're teaching them that life is a competitive sport," she said. "You're not just competing among each other, but you're competing worldwide. You have to be the best to be successful."    James Griffin, principal of the Grizzlies Academy, a nontraditional school within the Memphis City Schools system that accepts students who are one to two years behind, praises the program.    "Students see they have a model of what they want to become," Griffin said. "The methods come not just from me and my staff, but their peers as well. They can explain something in a totally different way. It's relationship building."    Other Memphis schools involved in the program include Whitehaven High School and Lester Elementary.    The key to the program is giving students the individual attention they need.    Collapsing the student-teacher ratio is the only way to focus more attention on the student.    "The only answer for East High School was to implement the dynamics of the one-room schoolhouse on a large scale by using the top end of the older kids on a professional basis to teach the younger kids, thereby collapsing the student-to- teacher ratio from 28 to 1 to 2 to 1," McVean said. "Through this process, we identified the most underutilized asset in our society today: the top end of these underprivileged kids."    Third-year University of Memphis student Cortney Richardson, a 2007 East High graduate and Peer Power tutor, said he admires McVean's effort to give back to the community.    "A lot of what he does goes unnoticed, but he is a wonderful philanthropist and so genuine, and that's one of the most important things," Richardson said. "He makes a lot of things seem attainable." Planned Parenthood clinic move criticized Lieutenant governor calls for Senate hearing By Lindsay MelvinThe Commercial Appeal December 18, 2009    Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey is criticizing a state agency for allowing a clinic that provides abortions to locate near Memphis Catholic High School.    In a mass-distributed letter on Thursday, the Republican lawmaker from Blountville bashed the Health Services and Development Agency, which grants certificates of need to health care facilities.    "It is shocking that the HSDA would do something so stupid and insensitive," said Ramsey, who is running for governor in next year's elections.    On Wednesday, the HSDA voted to grant Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region permission to relocate less than a mile from its current Union Avenue office to 1750 Madison.    The new location, about two-tenths of a mile from Catholic High, has been the focus of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, which has been trying to block the move.    The 54-year-old lieutenant governor, with a history as an abortion opponent, is demanding the agency apologize and revoke its vote.    Further, he intends to bring the 10-person volunteer board before the Senate Government Operations Committee in January to determine how it reached its decision.    "It's just common sense, if you don't want something next door to you, you should have a say," he said.    The certificate of need passed with four for the relocation of Planned Parenthood and two against. Remaining board members were either absent or abstained.    Agency board member and Memphis physician Dr. Charles Handorf ['69] said the board focuses on whether a proposal contributes to orderly development of health care, whether it's economically feasible, and whether there is a need.    "We're not a zoning body. We're not the morality police. We're not judging right from wrong. That's not the role of this body," he said.    As customary, Handorf recused himself from the vote because the project was based in his hometown.    This will be the first time the agency will report to the operations committee to dissect one particular project, a state official said. Flinn considers run for Tanner vacancy By Alex DoniachThe Commercial Appeal December 12, 2009    Republican Shelby County Commissioner George [Sonny] Flinn [associated with the Class of '61] -- a prospective candidate for county mayor -- is considering a run for the 8th Congressional District.    A week after the surprise retirement announcement of longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn, Flinn said he may seek the seat that includes parts of Memphis and Shelby County. He won't announce until January.    "I'm weighing the support and actually just what can be done," said Flinn, 66, a two-term commissioner and radiologist who runs a group of clinics as well as Flinn Broadcasting Co., a group of radio stations.    Tanner announced last week that he won't seek re-election to the office he's held for 11 terms, creating a wide-open race that's drawn interest from a flurry of Democrats and Republicans across the state.    The 19-county district includes Frayser and Raleigh in Memphis, Millington and northwest Shelby County, and stretches through Jackson to Clarksville.    Although Democrats have long held the seat, National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Andy Sere said the district has become increasingly conservative and overwhelmingly voted Republican in the 2008 presidential election.    "We're actually favored to take it," Sere said of the 2010 congressional race.    But Sere said if Flinn runs, he'll have to catch up to Republican challengers Stephen Fincher, a Crockett County farmer and gospel singer, and network systems engineer Donn Janes of Brighton, who both announced their candidacies this summer.    Convincing voters in this mostly rural district could be another challenge for Flinn, who divides his time between four homes in Shelby County and Washington, D.C., only one of which is in District 8.    Flinn, whose commission district encompasses mostly the suburbs and East Memphis, said he doesn't have a primary residence -- "it depends on the week" -- but that constituents in the 8th Congressional District have urged him to run.    Yet Flinn said he still hasn't ruled out a run for county mayor in 2010. In 2002, he spent $1 million of his own money in an unsuccessful campaign against A C Wharton for county mayor.    "That's my other decision -- where I can serve the best," Flinn said. "As county mayor or as a congressman from the 8th District?"    So far only Democrats Deidre Malone, a commissioner, and Harold Byrd, Bank of Bartlett president, have announced bids for the county mayor's seat. No other Republican has indicated a strong interest in running. Shaw Joins Glankler Brown, Has High Goals for Future Practice REBEKAH HEARN | The Daily News Thursday, December 10, 2009    Miska L. Shaw ['00] has joined Glankler Brown PLLC as an associate. Shaw practices in civil litigation, including family, personal injury, employment and business law.    She received her bachelor's degree in applied economics management from Cornell University and her master of public administration degree from the University of Memphis. Shaw earned her law degree from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, where she was a member of the Dispute Resolution Society and received the Excellence in Oral Advocacy Award.    During law school, Shaw also spent a semester studying international law in the Netherlands.    She is a member of the Memphis, Tennessee, American and National bar associations, the University of Memphis Alumni Association and serves on the Memphis PREP Alumni Committee.    Q: In law school, you were active in the Dispute Resolution Society. Is this related to arbitration/mediation? Are you interested in becoming a certified mediator?    A: Yes, the mission of the Dispute Resolution Society is to promote law student awareness and training in the areas of mediation and arbitration. While in law school, I obtained certification as a mediator according to the requirements of the state of Missouri. I have observed several hours of very experienced mediators wrangling with contentious parties.    I also undertook an intensive study of community-based mediation in Nepal. The Nepalis have adapted our Western model of mediation to address their cultural beliefs and the lack of suitable government courts to handle personal disputes. Most of their mediators are just ordinary people, not lawyers.    I will eventually obtain mediator certification in Tennessee. However, I am more focused on gaining trial experience right now. I think one of the most beneficial qualities for an attorney mediator is to have tons of courtroom experience under your belt, so that the disputing parties have faith in what you tell them. At Glankler Brown, I have some of the best trial attorneys as my mentors, so I am definitely on the right track.    Q: How did you get the opportunity to study in the Netherlands during law school? Did you focus on any particular aspects of international law at the University of Utrecht?    A: I was chosen to participate in an exchange program arranged by my law school. I have always been interested in comparing our American legal system with that of other countries. My studies in the Netherlands focused on human rights, juvenile law and Dutch law. One area of international law that I intend to incorporate into my practice is international adoption. I am looking for supervised pro bono cases to work on so that I can develop my expertise in this area.    Q: Why did you choose to pursue a master's degree in public administration? Has that degree helped you in the law?    A: I chose the MPA program at the University of Memphis because I was considering a career in either the government or nonprofit sector. There may come a time when I decide to pursue a career in public service. But for now, the degree is quite helpful in my private practice. Glankler Brown serves clients that are government agencies, as well as clients seeking our guidance to ensure compliance with governmental regulations. My public administration background helps me to understand the political and legal environments in which these clients operate, so that we, as a firm, can closely tailor our legal services to match their needs.    : As a recipient of Washington University School of Law's Excellence in Oral Advocacy Award, what do you think is one of the most important aspects of oral arguments?    A: Making sure that what you say is factually and legally correct is one of the most important aspects of a good oral argument. This requires meticulous research and preparation and, of course, high ethical standards. You never want to lose the trust of your audience.    Q: What brought you back here after law school?    A: I was born and raised in Memphis. I received a great education from East High School, which is a Memphis City School. I went away to upstate New York for college and to St. Louis for law school. I was drawn back here by the down-to-earth people, the Southern culture, the cost of living, and most importantly, the fact that a majority of my family members live here.    Q: If you were not a lawyer, what would be your second career choice?    A: If I were independently wealthy, I would travel all over the world helping refugees and poor people obtain human rights like education, clean drinking water, the right to vote, freedom from oppression, etc. If I should win the Powerball jackpot, I will definitely pursue this dream. In the meantime, I fulfill my humanitarian duty by volunteering with local charities, including (providing) pro bono legal representation. Out-of-towner returns to express heartfelt gratitude for men who saved his life 'What words do you use to thank somebody who saved your life?' Hank Dudding, The Commercial Appeal November 7, 2009        Jim Munn, center, of California suffered a heart attack during a recent trip to Memphis. Only by the fast work of paramedics, Shawn Nichols, (left foreground), James Burford, (in blue shirt) and Doug Harrifeld, at right, with the Memphis Fire Department was Munn able to survive his heart attack and return to thank the people that saved his life. Nichols and Harrifield are holding their children, Brook Nichols and Hunter Harrifeld.    If Jim Munn could remember Aug. 19, he'd tell you he was on his way to see a fancy golf course when he dropped dead.    He'd tell you how his friend of 55 years, Herschel Worthy, noticed they'd just driven past the police and fire training academies near U.S. 51.    And he'd tell you how Worthy flagged down three never-say-die firefighters who helped save his life.    Munn, 70, of Upland, Calif., came back to Memphis on Friday to thank his heroes, Memphis Fire Department driver James Burford and paramedics Doug Harrifeld and Shawn Nichols.    "What words do you use to thank somebody who saved your life?" Munn asked, wiping away a tear. "There's not any. It's just handshakes and hugs."    Munn and Worthy had spare time in August when they drove up for a look at the recently renovated, upscale Mirimichi golf course near Millington.    But on the way, Worthy saw something was wrong with his friend.    "I touched him, and he fell over against the door," Worthy said.    Worthy wheeled around and pulled onto O.K. Robertson Road, flagging down Burford, Harrifeld and Nichols, who were headed to lunch after training at the academy.    They put him in an ambulance, but Munn was in full cardiac arrest.    "In full arrest, they usually don't make it," Nichols said.    Burford performed CPR — "I pumped that chest hard" — while the paramedics administered drugs and shocked Munn at least six times with a defibrillator.    Then they rushed him to Methodist University Hospital, which they knew had an "ice suit," an experimental device that cools heart patients' bodies for treatment.    Despite their efforts, they were pretty sure he wasn't going to make it, and they often never find out how their patients do because of confidentiality laws.    But Munn, now with a small automatic defibrillator implanted in his chest, was determined that they know their long shot paid off.    He traveled from California for a gathering the fire department hosted Friday for him and the firefighters.    "I told him, 'When I saw you, you didn't look that tall or this good,' " Burford joked.    Munn knows he wouldn't be alive without the firefighters' determination not to let him go.    "Had they not done all the things they did, I would have been dead on arrival," said Munn, whose only lingering side-effect is a 10-day gap in his memory and a sore chest from Burford's vigorous CPR.    "Every time I breathe and it hurts, I say, 'Thank you,'" he said. WHBQ-TV also did a story on Jim Munn's return to Memphis to thank paramedics. It can be viewed from the www.myfoxmemphis.com website. [Editor's note: viewers: please let us know when this video clip is no longer available from the WHBQ-TV website so we can make other arrangements. Contact editor@EastHigh.org.] Mid-South Memories The Commercial Appeal files, The Commercial Appeal October 9, 2009    Crowning glory before film, TV fame Cybill Shepherd ['68] (center), a senior at East High School, was named Miss Teenage Memphis on Oct 9, 1966. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Shepherd of 3420 Highland Park Place. She will compete in the Miss Teenage America Pageant in Dallas on Nov. 5. Top prize in the national contest is a $10,000 college scholarship. Debbie Salter (left) of Savannah, Tenn., was second alternate and Marcia Swett of 3561 Rhodes was first alternate. Urban Land Institute will use greenways to start connecting region's dots By Tom Bailey Jr., The Commercial Appeal September 23, 2009    Improving regional dialogue on important issues is the most pressing of seven new initiatives recently established by the Urban Land Institute Memphis, the new chairman says.    "Right now, regional topics don't get the focus they deserve," said Russell 'Rusty' Bloodworth (associated with the Class of '63), who chairs the five-year-old Mid-South chapter. Russell Bloodworth is the new chairman of Urban Land Institute Memphis, which promotes "responsible" use of land. Sustainability, connectivity and more green space, exemplified by Schilling Farms in Collierville (backdrop), are some of the institute's concerns.    The overarching goal of the institute is to promote the "responsible" use of land and to help create sustainable, thriving communities.    Bloodworth, executive vice president of Boyle Investment Co., set six other initiatives: promoting economic sustainability; visioning the future; promoting environmental sustainability; supporting great neighborhoods; supporting great government and infrastructure; and helping create great places.    The chapter was founded in 2004 and counts a membership of 140, consisting of individuals, organizations and public agencies. Its territory encompasses North Mississippi, West Tennessee and eastern Arkansas.    The institute will begin promoting regionalism in earnest with "Greenways for the Mid-South Region: Connect the Dots," a workshop in early November that will focus on the Mid-South's rivers and greenways.    The goal is to help establish a system of connecting trails, greenways and "blueways" along such regional rivers as the Wolf, Hatchie, Coldwater, Loosahatchie, Nonconnah, St. Francis and, of course, the Mississippi.    Creating hundreds of miles of greenways will make the area a more appealing place to live and help preserve open space and habitat for animals, officials say.    And Bloodworth believes rivers and greenways offer the best chance for improving regional dialogue. Once communication has been established, the topics can shift to other, more complicated issues.    Founded in 1936, the Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit research and education organization that promotes the "responsible" use of land, and it counts more than 40,000 members in 80 counties.    Officers of Urban Land Institute    Chairman: Rusty Bloodworth (Boyle Investment Co)    Assistant chairman: G. Dan Poag ('59) (Poag & McEwen Lifestyle Centers)    Treasurer: Earl Williams Jr. (Loeb Properties)    Immediate past chairman: Frank Ricks (Looney Ricks Kiss Architects)    Membership vice chairman: Michael Oakes (Shelby County government)    Sponsorship vice chairman: Mark Halperin (Boyle Investment)    Programs vice chairman: Robert Fogelman II (Fogelman Investment Co.)    Communications vice chairman: Chris Brown (Coleman Etter Fontaine-Commercial)    Young Leaders Group co-chairmen: Donald Drinkard Jr. (CB Richard Ellis) and Thomas A. Pacello Jr. (Shelby County) Hometown heroes Soldiers earn accolades Special to My Life, The Commercial Appeal September 11, 2009    Army Sgt. Deneva L. [Sledge ('96)] Payne has been named Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter for the 261st Signal Brigade.    Selection was based on the individual's exemplary duty performance, job knowledge, leadership qualities, teamwork, significant self-improvement, personal achievements, notable accomplishments, and community service and support.    Her knowledge and dedication were exemplary in winning the award and was decorated with the Army Commendation Medal for her distinguished acts of heroism, meritorious achievement or meritorious service.    Payne is a dining facility sergeant supervisor serving with the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, assigned to Headquarters and Support Company, I Corps at Camp Victory, Iraq. The sergeant has served in the military for five years.     Payne is a 1996 graduate of East High School. She is the daughter of Dorothy M. Graham and Edward Sledge, both of Memphis.    ... U of M alumni to honor accomplishments of five By Fariss Adams Ivey, Special to My Life, The Commercial Appeal September 9, 2009     The University of Memphis College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Chapter will celebrate the achievements of five individuals at its annual awards dinner Oct. 1 at The Racquet Club of Memphis.    Dr. Thomas Appleton ('67), James Morse and Keith Prewitt will be honored as Outstanding Alumni; Meah King ['97 and Faculty] will recognized as Outstanding Young Alumna;...    Appleton, who earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1971, is professor of history and associate director of the Center for Kentucky History and Politics at Eastern Kentucky University...    King, who earned a 2002 B.A. and a 2005 Master of Arts, is an English teacher at East High School. The East High Alumni Page Editor's Commentary: This is more like it: multiple alumni receiving recognition. Music festivals keep downtown Memphis hopping from trolley tracks to riverfront By Linda Moore, The Commercial Appeal September 6, 2009    After 35 years in the North, James and Margie Bailey figured it was time to return to the South.    And there was no better Southern homecoming for the Baileys than a visit to the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival, one of two musical events Downtown on Saturday. Pedro Valenzuela (left) and Domingo Montes from Los Cantadores delight the crowd Saturday at the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival. The event continues on multiple stages from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today along Main Street.     "We're just loving it," said James Bailey, formerly of Ann Arbor, Mich., now of Horn Lake, after listening to guitarist David Bowen's rendition of Rev. Al Green's "Let's Stay Together."    The free, family-friendly festival is sponsored by the Center for Southern Folklore and celebrates the South in its musical and cultural glory.    Performers are asked to give "their best 45 minutes" in genres that include blues, rockabilly, jazz, gospel, bluegrass, funk, rock and mariachi, said Judy Peiser ['63], executive director of the center.    Others dance, from African to belly, give cooking demonstrations, make pottery or sell original art.    "The festival gets to the soul of Memphis," Peiser said. "I think it's the most diverse event in the city."    And it makes a statement about what is right about this region, she said.    It's an event the world should see, said Johnny Sandberg, who since 2001 has led a tour group from Sweden to Memphis solely to attend the festival.    Sandberg, with Memphis Travel in Herrljunga, Sweden, has brought as many as 40 people in years past. But with the tough economy, there are 20 in this year's group.    "People from other countries would be very interested," Sandberg said. "This festival represents so much good music and so many different styles of music."    The festival, on Main from Peabody Place to Gayoso, continues today from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.    Meanwhile on Saturday, music from Spiritual Excitement at the 35th Annual Stone Soul Picnic had colorful umbrellas bobbing when they led a chant that went, "Ain't no party like a holy ghost party 'cause a holy ghost party don't stop."    The men's group was part of a daylong lineup of gospel acts at Tom Lee Park.    With temperatures heating up after last week's cool start, Terri Taylor, her parents, relatives and friends made themselves as comfortable as possible, planting a tent, unfolding chairs and bringing water, snacks and a barbecue grill.    "There are about 15 or 20 of us," Taylor said.    Most are members of her father's church, Abundant Life Deliverance in North Memphis, and they come to the picnic every year to enjoy Christian music and fellowship.    "I think this is a phenomenal event for the people of Memphis," Taylor said. Malco Paradiso theater tightens security; vows better crowd control By Jody Callahan , The Commercial Appeal September 4, 2009    If you're under 18 and want to see an R-rated movie at the Paradiso at night, even if mom is with you, tough luck.    In response to a disturbing crowd scene in the parking lot of the East Memphis theater Saturday night that led to nine arrests, Malco officials announced the policy change at a town-hall meeting at Clark Tower on Thursday: No one under 18 gets to see an R-rated movie after 6 p.m., even if accompanied by an adult.    For now, the policy applies seven days a week, but only at the Paradiso. Malco vice president Jimmy Tashie said the theater would also use its security guards to prevent teens from hanging out in front of the theater.    This was all sparked by Saturday's disturbance, which began a little after 11 p.m.    A promotional flier from a local deejay encouraged kids to see two R-rated movies that opened that weekend, "The Final Destination" and "Halloween 2."    Many of the youngsters were underage and were turned away but had nowhere to go after their parents dropped them off.     That led to hundreds of them milling about in the parking lot, leading to at least one fight, grainy videos of which showed up on YouTube.     At Thursday night's meeting, Tashie repeatedly referenced the importance of the Paradiso to the locally owned company.    "As our flagship, this theater means more to us than anyone in this room can imagine," Tashie told the 100 or so people gathered Thursday for the meeting. "Our interest is so great that we can't afford to have the kind of incident we had Saturday night."    That underscored Malco's concern over whether the fallout from the fight or other bad behavior could affect business at the theater.    It's generally believed that similarly unruly behavior led in part to the demise of Downtown's Muvico 22, which gained a reputation for disruptive patrons.    "I don't think that'll happen here," Tashie said. "Hopefully, the measures we've taken will bring some Memphians back."    Memphis police will have their "Skycop" camera system at the theater this weekend, Director Larry Godwin said.    "We're going to take some precautions to make citizens feel better this weekend," he said.    The Paradiso wasn't the only Malco theater affected by bad behavior Saturday.    At the Raleigh Springs Mall location, police arrested a 17-year-old boy who fired a shot in the parking lot after people left a movie at about midnight. No one was hurt.    At the Majestic in the Riverdale area, 30 police cars responded to a crowd of as many as 1,000 youngsters, issuing between 30 and 35 juvenile summonses.    And while nothing happened at the DeSoto Cinema 16 in Southaven that night, officials are concerned about the generally large crowds that gather there.    Southaven Mayor Greg Davis said the Board of Aldermen is working on a loitering ordinance to try to reduce crowds.    Godwin defended the security at the Paradiso last Saturday night and questioned how much of the blame should rest on parents.    "I think we've all got to take some responsibility. We didn't drop my kids off like that," he said. "When they went to a movie, they were old enough to go. We instructed them on what they were supposed to do." Television news coverage of response to Paradiso parking lot fight September 3, 2009    At least 3 television stations had news coverage of Jimmy Tashie ('66) talking about Malco's response to fight in parking lot. Additional newspaper stories are also posted here, dated September 1, 3, an 4, 2009.   See video of the television news stories: WMC-DT WHBQ-DT WREG (video not available) Town hall meeting tonight will discuss disruptive behavior in East Memphis By Hank Dudding, The Commercial Appeal September 3, 2009    Memphis city officials and police will hold a town hall meeting tonight to address concerns about disruptive behavior at East Memphis entertainment venues.    Officials plan to announce new measures to keep residents safe, according to a press release from City Council member Kemp Conrad.    The release didn't disclose what the measures were.    The town hall meeting and press conference will be held at 6 p.m. at the Tower Room atop Clark Tower at 5100 Poplar.    Conrad, Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery, MPD Deputy Chief Toney Armstrong and Col. Jeff Clark of Tillman Station will be in attendance.    The conference follows an incident at the Malco Paradiso on Saturday night, when hundreds of teenagers gathered in the theater's parking lot.    Several fights broke out, and 10 people ranging in age from 12 to 18 were detained, police said.    Nearly two dozen Memphis police cars responded, and officers blocked the exits to the parking lot while the crowd was dispersed.    Earlier this week, Malco executive vice president Jimmy Tashie blamed part of the problem on parents dropping off teens who were too young to see the scream movies "The Final Destination" and "Halloween 2."    Tashie said Malco is determined to protect movie-goers and the theater's reputation.    "We're going to make sure we maintain a safe, friendly environment, and that's on everyone's mind right now," he said Tuesday.    Three initiatives to enhance the East Memphis entertainment area will also be announced at the meeting, according to the release.    All residents are invited to attend. Hhgregg Inc. to fill Circuit City void in example of big-box, anchor trend By Don Wade, The Commercial Appeal September 2, 2009 [Excerpts]        ...    "This is exactly the trend with big boxes and medium-size and large anchors," said John Reed ['69] of The Shopping Center Group. "We're working with Panera Bread, and when Atlanta Bread Company had difficulty, they jumped in. They're opening a store in Germantown next week that was a former Atlanta Bread Company"    ...    "I'm working with a national retailer now that has told me to perch on several intersections like a vulture and wait for Brand X to go out of business," Reed said.    ... Poice to increase patrols around Paradiso theater in East Memphis By Hank Dudding, The Commercial Appeal September 1, 2009    Shantique Brady saw the potential for trouble in the way parents offload teens outside the Malco Paradiso on weekend nights.    "It's like we're at a parade of minivans, with kids coming out of every door," said Brady, who manages the Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor nearby.     The gathering of youths reached critical mass Saturday night when brawls broke out among hundreds of people gathered in the theater's parking lot at 584 S. Mendenhall.    Memphis police detained 10 people ranging in age from 12 to 18 for disorderly conduct, issuing misdemeanor citations to some and taking others to Juvenile Court.    "I wish there was a camera so everyone could see how chaotic it was," said Brady, 29, who closed her store early that night. "It was really crazy."    Nearly two dozen Memphis police cars responded to the scene. Officers blocked cars from entering the parking lot while vehicles inside were allowed to leave.    The department plans to increase patrols around the theater this weekend, said spokeswoman Karen Rudolph, who encouraged citizens to call police if they see problems.    "We're hoping it was a one-time thing, and we're not going to have to deal with it again," she said.    Malco executive vice president Jimmy Tashie blamed the chaos on underage kids who were dropped off for the R-rated scream flicks "The Final Destination" and "Halloween 2."    When the teens were turned away, they had no place to go but the parking lot, he said.    "We're going to let parents know that they can't drop their kids off ... and expect them to go into an R-rated movie," he said. The Paradiso's Web site now includes an advisory warning parents that minors will not be admitted to R-rated films.    Will Duren, 30, manager of a nearby restaurant, said he noticed the weekend crowds have grown since school started.    "It's not a problem in the summer," he said. "Since schools let back in, it's been, 'Boom!' crazy on Friday and Saturday nights."    News about the scene Saturday night spread by e-mail and word of mouth, kindling fears that the theater could be headed for the same fate as Muvico's closed, 22-screen Peabody Place theater, which acquired a reputation for disorder.    "We're very sensitive to the e-mails and the phone calls," Tashie said. "This is our flagship theater, and we're not going to see it go down."    As noon approached Tuesday, Brady gazed through the Ben & Jerry's window toward the empty Paradiso parking lot.    "You look at it now, and it's like the calm before the storm," she said. "You can't imagine how many people were out here." Presbyterian Day School unveils colorful early childhood addition By Jane Roberts, Memphis Commercial Appeal Friday, August 28, 2009    Presbyterian Day School throws open the doors today on the boy-friendly, $20 million Norma T. Wilson Early Childhood Center.    The colors are bold (the staff affectionately calls the color scheme "Skittles on steroids") in the 76,000-square-foot addition funded largely by school trustee C. Kemmons Wilson Jr. ['64], an alumnus of the school, and his wife, Norma.    Her portrait in the foyer is oil, not pastel, in keeping with the hearty boys-school atmosphere.    "We have boy-friendly classrooms with lots of room for hands-on work and movement," said headmaster Lee Burns, who revels in a world where learning tends toward the visual and the most convincing characters in literature are heroes and adventurers.    "Around here, we like girls just fine, but we love boys," he said while giving a tour of the expansive construction project, completed in the middle of an economic meltdown.    "We started in better times," said honorary building chairman Bruce Campbell. "But I wish we had started a little earlier."    The wing for 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds has 12 Internet-connected classrooms -- each with its own SMART Board -- a gym, climbing wall and quick access to the playground where equipment is sized to age.    There's unstructured play time each day -- outside if it's 32 degrees or warmer -- an intentional tribute to large-muscle movement.    Boys learn to "settle their own disputes" on the playground, said Debbie Isom, head of the school's early childhood education. "Most children's time is so supervised, they always have adults around to run interference."    The planning for the center began seven years ago and construction took 10 months.    "The boys loved it," Burns said. "We had 150 to 170 workers here on a daily basis."    The school, which has about 630 boys in prekindergarten through sixth grade, is one of several Memphis independent schools adding space for the youngest learners.    Grace St. Luke's Episcopal School added classrooms this summer. The first opened this month for the school's fourth section of prekindergarten. Section five will open next year, said headmaster Tom Beazley.    "It is a little unusual to be expanding now," he said. "All I can say is that our parents do not see an independent school education as a luxury."    Along with the Wilsons, about 200 Memphis donors have pledged gifts to the new wing at Presbyterian Day School, which Wilson decided early in the process to dedicate to his wife.    He ticked off a list of the reasons why in the dedication Aug. 18, including that she tucked notes in their five children's lunches and made dinner every night for the family.    "The little things that he remembered about when we were raising our children were very touching," Norma Wilson said. "Men see more than we wives realize."    She has taught swimming lessons for 45 years in the family pool, she said, and knows a few things about lifetime skills.    "This little early childhood building is where it all starts. It wouldn't have meant as much to me if I had my name on a gym."    Presbyterian Day School    Established: 1949 by Second Presbyterian Church    Enrollment: 637    Tuition: $14,000    Scholarships: 15 percent of student body    Address: 4025 Poplar    Grand opening: 8:30 a.m. today Principal invites alumni to health clinics grand opening The East High Alumni Page Wednesday, August 19, 2009    East High Principal Fred Curry invites alumni to the grand opening celebration for four city wide school based health clinics Tuesday, August 25, 11am - 1pm. The Northeast Regional Health Clinic is located inside East High School and opened this summer.    The clinic is located in a remodeled area of the school on the lowest floor in the southwest corner of the building, an area that was used for art classes in years past. Nurse practitioners from Memphis Health Clinic staff the clinics, which have several examination rooms, a waiting area, and a conference room.    The establishment of the clinics was made possible, in part, by a $600,000 donation from the Plough Foundation to cover the cost of construction and equipment. "We try to tackle the root problems of this city," said Diane Rudner ['68], Plough Foundation chairwoman.    In addition to the clinic at East High, three others have been established at Northside, Sheffield, and Westwood High Schools. Sources: The East High Alumni Page, Memphis City Schools, The Commercial Appeal       Former Manufacturing CEO Takes Over Executive Networking, Mentoring Group ERIC SMITH | The Daily News Friday, August 14, 2009    After 30 years at AZO, a global manufacturing company whose North American headquarters is in Memphis, Bob Moore ['73] decided it was time to try a new challenge.    In December 2007, he sold his ownership stake in AZO, where he served as president and CEO, and spent the next few months on a "decompression" sabbatical, which included a cross-country road trip, to mull his next move.    During his travels, Moore recollected his final six years at AZO and the affiliation he had forged with TEC (The Executive Committee), an organized peer group of corporate chief executives who met in a confidential setting to discuss various business and personal issues.    No longer employed at his company, Moore had to leave the group, whose name had become Vistage International Inc. He figured he would just start a new business, but his Vistage mentor, Ken Edmundson, advised him to consider becoming a Vistage chair, which manages the CEO group.    Ultimately, Moore decided it might be wiser to head down the Vistage path rather than the entrepreneurial one.    "I was reading the tea leaves of the economy, thinking 2008 was not going to be a good year to start a new company or to buy an existing one," Moore said. "I came back to Memphis after the road trip, called Ken and said, 'OK, I'm interested.' "    Select group    Moore went through an extensive interview process and was chosen last fall to be the chair of Memphis' lone Vistage group. The group, formed in November, consists of 10 area corporate executives and business owners.    Because of confidentiality, Moore was not able to disclose their names and companies, but those 10 members' companies employ 800 people in the Memphis area and have combined revenues of $171 million, according to Vistage data.    Moore said he gets to spend his days working with "10 of the brightest, sharpest CEOs." The group meets the second Thursday of each month, and sessions involve everything from high-profile speakers to brainstorms where members help each other with problems ranging from how to handle layoffs to how to manage company growth.    "I don't solve any issues for them," Moore said. "I just ask a bunch of questions and then help them facilitate within the group meetings."    Moore also conducts confidential one-on-one sessions with each member of the group, all of whom have access to extensive Web articles and resources through Vistage, plus networking opportunities with the organization's 15,000 other members.    Moore said he has one particular line he likes to uses when describing Vistage to potential members.    "It's one day a month that you spend working on your business, not in your business," he said. "CEOs and business owners can relate to that. They can relate to the opportunity to get away. Sometimes getting away from the office and thinking strategically and thinking long-term – especially if you have a peer group with no vested interest, no agendas on their part to influence your decision one way or the other – you can't beat that."    A taste of freedom    When Moore began approaching people last fall about joining his group, he cited the abysmal economic climate as a reason. The way he saw it, there was no better time than a recession to team with Vistage and other executives in the same boat.    "If you're having to do layoffs and cutbacks and find cost savings, what a great way to figure out the best way to do it," Moore said.    The fee to join Vistage is $1,100 a month, or $13,200 for a year, but Moore said the price is well worth it for the great advice that can be obtained from like-minded executives.    For example, it was Moore's Vistage peers who helped him decide to sell his 50 percent share of AZO, a company whose other executive half was based in Germany.    "My group helped me go through the thought process of ending a 30-year partnership with my German partners, which was a difficult but necessary decision for me to make," Moore said. "I knew what the right thing to do was, but it sure was great to get the feedback from 16 or 17 other guys that said, 'Yeah, based on what we know, that's the right thing for you to do.'"    Moore, 53, who grew up on Poplar Avenue and graduated from East High School and the University of Memphis, plans to do this new gig for a while. He hopes to form a second group and someday find another chair for even more Vistage groups in the area.    Though he loved his business and the time he spent there, the freedom and flexibility of his new schedule makes him realize how happy he is to have 30 years of boardrooms and airplanes and executive reports in his rearview mirror.    "I almost feel guilty for getting paid doing this," Moore said with a laugh. "This is the most enjoyable thing I've ever done." Town hall tension: Meeting turns ugly over health care By Linda Moore, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, August 8, 2009    Hundreds of people crowded into the BRIDGES building in Downtown Memphis on Saturday for a congressional town hall meeting that quickly deviated into a raucous shouting free-for-all, requiring extra law enforcement officers to watch over the scene.    The meeting, hosted by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, was scheduled to address constituents' concerns about Social Security and veterans' benefits, but the real topic of the day was health care reform legislation being crafted by Congress.    Most people in the crowd of close to 500 were in loud opposition, although Cohen supporters held their own, waving signs that read "Health Care Now."    And as one heckler yelled, another shouted back, "Shut up! I want to hear my congressman. You shut your mouth!"    Within 15 minutes of the start of the event, a nearly nose-to-nose confrontation between individuals with opposing views became so heated they had to be separated as Shelby County sheriff's deputies and Memphis police officers called for reinforcements. No arrests were made.    With town hall meetings greeted with similar protests across the nation, Cohen was prepared.    "This is America, this is Memphis, Tennessee. Take two aspirin and come back in the morning," he yelled over out over the room.    Cohen invited area physicians to share their opinions on health care reform.    Dr. Neal Beckford was roundly booed when he said 50 million people were without health insurance.    However, he pointed out that as a society Americans need to decide what they want.    "And when we've decided what we want and how much it cost, we then need collectively to decide what we are willing to pay," he said.    Cardiologist Dr. James Klemis believes that ethically the poor must be taken care of. But this bill is being rushed and is too similar to Canada's and Britain's socialized medicine, he said.    "The problem is, government can't be the solution. It's got to be within the community," Klemis said.    Dr. Laura Bishop shared her disdain for insurance companies but is no fan of Washington's plan.    "Government getting involved in deciding what health care you are receiving is not the way to go," Bishop said.    Honesty, said Dr. Autry Parker, must be part of the conversation on health care reform.    "This issue will not be solved by people shouting, it will not be solved by people telling lies over and over again," Parker said. "Yes, I have read it and I do not agree with everything in it, but there is absolutely nothing in the bill that is going to euthanize grandma."    One of the signs waved by a plan opponent said "Don't tell my gigi how to die," referring to allegations that the bill would allow senior citizens to be euthanized, something the nonpartisan group FactCheck.org said is false. Cohen also denied that the bill would pay for abortions -- another claim made by opponents.    Roger Fakes ['56], 70, said he sat quitely during most of the meeting, but Cohen's insistence that citizens would be able to keep their private health care drove him to his feet.    He argued that changes to private insurance would force citizens into the government plan.    "There are some of us old gray-haired folks that don't want the government involved in any of our business," he said.    The nearly all-white audience was not a snapshot of the mostly African-American 9th District that Cohen represents.    One of those who came from outside the district was Mark Mullis, 67, of Olive Branch, who was treated for cancer two years ago. He's afraid of what the plan will do to his insurance coverage, a combination of Medicare and retiree benefits.    "I know some people think a 25-year-old has a whole lot more to give. Maybe I've got seven or eight more years. To me all life is precious no matter what age," Mullis said.    Also from outside the district was bill supporter John Miles, 21, of Tupelo, Miss., who debated with opponents during the meeting.    "The purpose of this is to ask questions and receive answers. These people had all the answers," Miles said. "It's frustrating. It seemed that side in particular was doing a lot of yelling and screaming and booing. I just felt like yelling back."    Cohen is also proposing an amendment to the bill that would create a national pilot program on infant mortality, an issue of grave concern in Memphis, where infant-mortality rates are like those of a Third World country, he said.    Despite the boos, jeers and general disorder Saturday, Cohen said that after 33 years in public service he wasn't rattled.    "I expected it to be a lot worse," Cohen said. Wolfchase Holiday Inn reflects modern 'relaunch' of chain's brand By Tom Bailey Jr., Memphis Commercial Appeal Friday, July 31, 2009    The Wilson family will ceremonially open an updated version of Holiday Inn on Saturday, exactly 57 years after their patriarch unveiled the original.    "We are going to get as many Wilsons as we can" for Saturday's ribbon cutting at 11 a.m., Kemmons 'Kem' Wilson Jr. ['64] said of the grand opening of Holiday Inn & Suites -- Wolfchase.    He and his four siblings cut the ribbon on Aug. 1, 1952, for their dad's first Holiday Inn on Summer.    Now, Wilson, 62, and his son, McLean Wilson, 31, have built a 133-room hotel at 2751 New Brunswick Road near Wolfchase Galleria.    Kemmons Wilson, who was Kem's father and McLean's grandfather, died in 2003.    He is credited with reinventing the lodging business by building a chain of hotels with standards on which travelers could count no matter where they were.    Holiday Inns, now one of seven hotel brands owned by InterContinental Hotel Group, is primarily a franchised business.    Individuals or companies own one or more hotels in the system. The corporation provides the reservation service, quality standards, inspections and marketing support.    Kem and McLean, through their Wilson Hotel Management Company, also own a Holiday Inn in Jackson, Tenn., two Holiday Inns in Huntsville, Ala., manage the Holiday Inn at the University of Memphis, and will soon build a Holiday Inn Express in Jackson.    The full-service hotel that ceremonially opens on Saturday -- it actually opened June 9 -- features updates that reflect the "relaunch" of the Holiday Inn brand in 2007.    Following a 2005 survey of 18,000 consumers, Holiday Inns modernized its iconic sign, (green for Holiday Inn and blue for Holiday Inn Express), lit the exteriors in blue or green light, installed new soundtracks for the lobby, put in scent machines with customized aromas, gave the lobby a cleaner, less- cluttered look, hung new art behind the lobby desk, put all-white bedding in the rooms, labeled pillows as firm or soft, erected shower curtains that let in more light, and provided more towels and other amenities.    Holiday Inns started renovating its brand almost 10 years ago, said John Merkin, senior vice president for brand management.    "We took up this work in 2000 on what is a modern Holiday Inn hotel going to look like," he said.    The project is one-third completed. About 300 hotels are new like the Wilsons', another 700 have been renovated, and another 2,000 are to be refurbished by the end of next year, Merkin said.    About 1,000 old hotels have been removed from the system.    "Over the past five or six years the Wilson family has appreciated the way we were revitalizing the brand," Merkin said. "Our system and brand are becoming younger."    The investment is already paying off.    The hotels that have been renovated or built to newer standards produce 6 percent more revenue per available room, Merkin said.    Kemmons Wilson Jr. appreciates that Holiday Inns has recommitted to the brand his father founded.    "We have had a new excitement about Holiday Inns," he said. "That's primarily driven by the InterContinental Hotel Group, who has had the wisdom and foresight to promote this iconic name of Holiday Inn.    "They found that right under our noses we have a great brand. It's got warm and fuzzy feelings to most everyone. We just needed to put capital behind this brand and to bring it back to the prominence it had."    McLean Wilson appreciates the legacy his grandfather created.    "As a third-generation Wilson working in the hotel world now, it's really neat to think about the fact I'm doing work that 57 years earlier my grandfather was doing with Holiday Inn." [Editor's note: Kem Wilson and his siblings all are East High alumni.] Storm causes tree damage on campus The East High Alumni Page Thursday, July 30, 2009    Severe storms in and around the Memphis area spawned numerous tornado warnings this evening and caused minor damage to the East High campus. The most significant immediately apparent damage at East was a tree on the northwest section of the campus which had blown over into Walnut Grove Road. It either laned on or in front of a car, which police say had to be towed from the scene. However, no injuries are being reported from the storms area wide.    Other trees on the campus also had branch damage but it was relatively minor, with only one or two limbs of significant size having been blown down. A soccer goal was partially collapsed but it is unknown if that was due to the storm or had occurred at another time.    No damage was noticeable to the buildings on campus, other than a portable restroom was tipped over near the Career and Technology Center.         She's Still Here, Up for Anything By MARGY ROCHLIN, The New York Times July 23, 2009    THE first time Cybill Shepherd ['68] appeared on a talk show was on "The Tonight Show" back in 1968. At the time she was a radiant 18-year-old from Memphis with a confrontational gaze who owned the title Model of the Year. "I could barely say a word," she said. "All I could do was say 'Yes' and look terrified."    Forty-one years later Ms. Shepherd now looks at the untold hours she has logged talking about herself on camera as not unlike time spent on a different kind of couch. "Before I ever did psychotherapy or analysis I did interviews and talk shows, which are a kind of therapy," she said. "I mean, you're talking about yourself, and it does bring about some possibilities of thinking about who you are and where you are in your life."    Occasionally she would play with the format: On "Late Night With David Letterman," she once strolled onstage wearing a bath towel. Sometimes the format would play with her, as when she was promoting her 1971 feature-film debut as the self-possessed small-town enchantress in "The Last Picture Show."    "On all these talk shows I just seemed like I was a nattering airhead, just nattering on and blond," said Ms. Shepherd, who also heard that her persona so irked the director Elaine May that it nearly cost her a key role in "The Heartbreak Kid." "Looking back I can see why she didn't want to cast me. But I'm different now. I finally have become just more of who I am."     So who is Ms. Shepherd? At 59 she has become the actress who is up for almost anything. She has done guest spots on popular television shows like "Psych," "Criminal Minds" and "Samantha Who?" On Showtime's defunct lesbian drama, "The L Word," she had a recurring role as a university vice chancellor who started out severe, then ran hilariously amok the minute she discovered her attraction to other women. And she has just signed to a recurring role on the new ABC series "Eastwick" (based on the movie and novel "The Witches of Eastwick"), in which she will play a former witch who has become a reclusive cat lady.    "Years ago one of my mentors, Orson Welles, told me, 'A career is made not by what you do but by what you don't do,' " she said. "But so much about these past few years has been about saying yes, and it's really paid off."    Lead roles are part of the mix. In "Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith," which has its premiere on the Hallmark Channel next Saturday, Ms. Shepherd plays a middle-aged housewife, Alice Washington, who returns to Smith College to get her diploma, find herself and forget that her dweeby dentist husband has left her for a younger woman. "Mrs. Washington" is the kind of television movie for which you can predict most of the plot twists, including the dazzling makeover Ms. Shepherd's dowdy character will receive. But no one can say that Ms. Shepherd doesn't bring a certain been-there authority to the role.    Like Alice, she attended college when she was young but dropped out before graduating. Like Alice, she's been married and divorced (Ms. Shepherd twice). Like Alice, Ms. Shepherd, who has three grown children, knows what it's like to walk around a spacious house once noisy with offspring and wonder how to beat back the silence.    "I was in such denial at first. I said, 'Empty nest? No problem. I just won't go home,' " said Ms. Shepherd, whose tenure on "The L Word" required commuting between Los Angeles and Vancouver. "But when it did hit me, oh my God. It was just that howling-at-the-moon time. It's still very, very important for me to go into their rooms at a certain time at night and close the shutters and turn on a night light."    But on this afternoon Ms. Shepherd's tall, floppy-haired son Zack, 21, was home, back for the summer. Stretched out on the living room sofa in Ms. Shepherd's hilltop house with its expansive views of the San Fernando Valley, he read the newspaper and listened in as his barefoot mother, dressed in loose black pants and a billowy turquoise print blouse, told show business stories. At unpredictable moments she would slip into a honey-dipped Southern drawl. This, according to Jane Lynch, Ms. Shepherd's good friend and her "L Word" co-star, was a sign that she was relaxed.    "The more comfortable she is, the more her Tennessee comes out," explained Ms. Lynch, who portrayed Ms. Shepherd's lawyer girlfriend on the series and recalled that the biggest hurdle when they filmed their love scene — Ms. Shepherd's first with a woman — was Ms. Shepherd's surplus of enthusiasm.    "She was very 'I can do this! I can do this!' She'd kiss me in the middle of a sentence," Ms. Lynch said with a laugh. "I had to say to her, 'Um, I kind of got to get the line out first.' She kind of went into overkill."    Young Hollywood could learn a thing or two about resiliency from Ms. Shepherd. Just as people began to know her name, she was labeled a home wrecker, as her on-set affair with Peter Bogdanovich, her director on "The Last Picture Show," broke up his marriage. When he cast her at the center of two follow-up movies that flopped both critically and at the box office — an adaptation of Henry James's "Daisy Miller" and the musical "At Long Last Love" — people said her career was over. Then, a year later, she landed a role as a poised political aide in Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver."    Another lull followed, forcing her to take movie and television scraps, like a small part on "Fantasy Island." In the mid-1980s, however, she emerged victorious as the fast-talking model turned private eye Maddie Hayes on the hit ABC series "Moonlighting." Four years later the dream soured again, when "Moonlighting" ended amid reports of unmanageable backstage infighting between her and her co-star, Bruce Willis. She rebounded in the mid-1990s as the wisecracking actress at the center of the CBS sitcom "Cybill," but now finds herself playing, for the most part, secondary roles.    The woman who survived such tumult seems philosophical about her place in Hollywood. "One of the things that really changed for me in my life is that I've learned how to be a guest star," she said. "It's like, 'Oh, yeah. I remember being the lead on a show and the guest stars having to be the last person shot.' Do you understand what I'm saying? This has been a real learning curve, a growing-up process. But I'm happy to have a job."    When she's not working she studies with acting and vocal coaches. "It's my continuing education, what I consider to be a kind of master class situation," said Ms. Shepherd, who grew up singing in a church choir, started taking voice lessons at 16 and has recorded 11 albums.    In her mind age has presented her with opportunities that were once out of reach. "What I'm trying to say about being beautiful," she said, "is that there's an element of it that can cause you to be emotionally underdeveloped. People do things for you, doors will open because you're beautiful. It was like I took off on this airplane in 1968 and just flew into world fame. There were a lot of times in between where I just didn't get a chance to grow and learn."     A version of this article appeared in print on July 26, 2009, on page AR18 of the New York edition Editor's note: several additional articles about Cybill Shephered are included on this page. Eyes, imaginations cast to moon in '69 on historic day Memphians reflect on the night man made that iconic footprint By Cindy Wolff, Memphis Commercial Appeal Sunday, July 19, 2009    It was 9:56 p.m., just about bedtime for 9-year-old Memphian Skip Howard.    Kids had bedtimes in 1969, even in the summer. But they stayed up late on special days, and July 20 was one...    Apollo 11 landed on the moon at 3:15 p.m. But it was more than six hours later before astronaut Neil Armstrong took a step onto the surface. People ate dinner on TV trays and watched, afraid to miss the historic moment...    Here are two other memories e-mailed by our readers:...    "I was 13 and had faithfully followed all the media coverage leading up to the moon launch, even making a scrapbook from Life magazine photos and constructing a cardboard miniature Lunar Excursion Module. (My favorite astronaut was Mike Collins, who I thought was "dreamy!") On the day of the launch, my father got out his trusty reel-to-reel recorder and taped the TV broadcast. We all teared up along with Walter Cronkite as the rocket left the launching pad. Although landing day, July 20, was supposed to be the first day of our vacation trip to Illinois, we waited until midnight to depart, so we could watch Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon. Now, whenever we watch our home movies of that 1969 vacation, we are reminded of the national excitement that the moon landing generated. Interspersed with shots of my sister and me swimming, Abraham Lincoln's tomb, and roadside picnics are motel marquees with messages like, 'Congratulations Apollo 11!' and restaurant signs advertising 'moon pancakes.' I still have the scrapbook (although it's falling apart now), The Commercial Appeal with the headline, 'WE MADE IT,' and the home movies. Unfortunately, the LEM model apparently lifted off to the trash at some point during the last 40 years."    -- Joy [Tiffin] Sutherland ['74], Collierville Guest column: My Thoughts: Summertime opens road to follow your dreams By William K. Richardson [class year unverified], Special to The Commercial Appeal Sunday, July 12, 2009    The late playwright Lorraine Hansberry once wrote that "it has taken me a good number of years to come to any measure of respect for summer," and added, "For the longest of time I simply thought summer was a mistake."    Her first impressions of summer were shaped by the long and often steamy days of her youth in the 1940s on Chicago's South Side. So hot were the nights, in that era of no air conditioning, that her father would sometimes pack up the entire family and go to the local park, where all would sleep on the cool grass.    As I was born in June, I guess it is only natural that I take exception with the late writer's initial take on summer; it is my favorite time of the year. I love the summer for the obvious reasons: the warm temperatures, the longer days, the leisurely pace, the scant clothing. (And lest anyone accuse me of lechery, let me clarify that a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and flip-flops are my own standard attire in the summer, though I must admit pretty women in shorts are an added perk.)    While January 1 signals the day to start anew or to turn over a new leaf, I have always believed it is the summer that presents endless opportunity and hope. Summer, to me, is a form of "rebirth." As a high school English teacher and coach, I find that summer not only offers me time to recharge for the new school year, but it also provides the time to do many things I don't have the time to pursue during the school term: catch up on my reading, take in the latest movies, get to the gym often, travel the country. The extra hours of light during the summer day give everyone the opportunity to dedicate more of their day to leisurely activities of their choice: beautifying the homestead, enjoying a long weekend with family and friends, fishing in an out-of-the-way spot, or simply lounging by a pool.    My favorite summer was the year I turned 18, the summer of 1979. To this day, I vividly remember those hot days in a summer school classroom repeating a semester of senior English (dreadful) and those cool nights in my '65 Chevy in pursuit of a pretty, blue-eyed brunette (not the least bit dreadful).    It sometimes feels as though I never left that era. I am (ironically) a high school English teacher, for whom brunettes are still a bit of a weakness.    I also remember the optimism of that first summer after high school; it was palpable. All I could think of was the future, which for the 18-year-old me, extended no further than the next week. A brand-new graduate of East High School, I was ready to conquer the world, as long as I could do such beginning at noon each day. Youthful optimism, as in my case, is sometimes wasted on the young.    Summer is, in the words of Hansberry, "life at the apex." I have tried to live each summer that way. Every June presents another chance to "re-do" the summer of 1979. I've been chasing 18 since I was 18. Just like a dog chasing its own tail, I've come close, but have yet to capture it fully. Yet it is the chase that is most enjoyable.    In summers past, I've gone back to school to finish my master's degree. I've spent time on the beaches on both coasts. I've hiked the Rockies in Colorado. I've traversed the streets of Manhattan. I've written and edited a book I hope to get published. One summer, I boxed professionally to pay the rent. I already have plans for a trip to Europe next summer.    During the summer months, anything is possible -- with a notable exception or two. My bald head will never again have a full growth of hair, even if June were year-round. And I will never again be 18, no matter how hard I try, which I will continue to do.    I am fast at work again this summer at another fruitless attempt to reach back to a time long gone, and it couldn't be more enjoyable. Never has a dog had so much fun chasing its tail.    William K. Richardson teaches ninth-grade English at Millington High School, where he also coaches the wrestling team. Contact him at Coachwkr@gmail.com. Camp lets teens try advanced learning program By Jane Roberts, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, July 11, 2009    If din is to ruckus like will is to learning, the hoots, hollers and full-body tackles Friday were nearly redemptive.    Besides, who wants to shush students thrilled beyond reason to be calculating the molecular weight of copper sulfate or defining imagery's place in literature?    The first session of the week-long Summer Scholars Camp for Advanced Placement Students wrapped up Friday in a Knowledge Bowl of sorts at the University of Memphis, feeling and sounding more like a football game as teams channeled their wits, then ran pell-mell to the front of the room to turn in their answers.     AP teachers from across the city kept a safe distance but couldn't help marveling at the spectacle.    "Seventy percent of these kids will have no trouble in AP chemistry. That is much higher than I would have expected," said Eddie Chevis [Faculty], AP chemistry teacher at East High School and one of handful of city school staffers putting in extra time this summer to give students from disadvantaged high schools a pre-taste of AP.    As camp den mother, Sandra Lewis shepherded 65 first-time AP students through a smorgasbord of camp offerings -- calculus to literature -- giving them a feel of what's available and a chance to meet kids from across the city on the same path.    She will do it again July 20-24.    "The first day, we wrote an essay," said Tacorria Dunlap, 15, registered for AP pre-calculus and English at Northside High and freely admitting she didn't expect to dig in so quickly.    "We had to write on a mortally ambitious character. None of us knew what that meant."    She quickly chose Macbeth, remembering she knew plenty about his dark side after watching her brother act the lead in Shakespeare's play.    Student after student told similar stories, including Reginald Johnson Jr., 17, registered for four AP classes at Booker T. Washington, knowing full well it means no social life.    "I want to better myself. Life is going to be hard anyway, so I want to take the big stuff before I get to college," he said thoughtfully.    "If I pass these, the credits count for college."    In 2007-08, the district offered 151 AP courses. Last year, the number jumped to 167. Figures are not available for the 2009-10 year, according to the district, but Supt. Kriner Cash has said he wants at least eight AP courses per high school, starting immediately, and has budgeted $1.7 million this year to accomplish the goal.    The mistake some people make, according to Chevis, is thinking that AP is only for gifted children.    The campers "are average students in Memphis City Schools who really believe in themselves and who get support at home. They are interested in succeeding."    With one AP course under their belts, African-American students are 21 percent more likely to graduate from college than students who didn't take AP courses, according to the College Board, the New York-based nonprofit that monitors AP instruction and oversees college entrance exams.    "Students know these are challenging courses. They have to prepare themselves differently than the way they prepare for other classes," said Lewis, coordinator of a $1.8 million federal grant to improve AP quality and quantity in city schools.    But in Tennessee, where African-Americans make up 21.3 percent of high school student bodies, only 7.9 percent take AP courses.    "The end product is not necessarily the test," Lewis said. "The end product is developing habits of the mind." More than $296 million in federal funds begins flow into 9th District By Alex Doniach (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, July 11, 2009    [Excerpt]    When Judy Peiser ['63] set out to create a digital archive from decades of Southern art, music and film, she didn't realize how much time it would require.    "A lot of hours are spent making it look easy," said Peiser, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Southern Folklore in Downtown Memphis.    So when Peiser found out about U.S. stimulus money available for the arts, she applied and was recently awarded a $50,000 boost from the National Endowment for the Arts.    With donations down in a national recession, Peiser said this much-needed stimulus money will help her retain a staff of six.    The grant is among a growing list of awards from the $787 billion U.S. stimulus package slated to flow into Shelby County, according to information released this week by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis Software designer says hometown's 'authenticity' has no peer By John Schranck / Special to The Commercial Appeal Saturday, June 27, 2009    Although he has lived a variety of places, Memphis has always been home for Meka Egwuekwe [associated with the Class of '91].    He grew up in South Memphis near Lamar and South Parkway, and attended Memphis City Schools through ninth grade.    It was in ninth grade that Egwuekwe won a scholarship to the prestigious Philips Academy in Andover, Mass. From there he went to Morehouse College in Atlanta to study computer science, and interned at NASA.    Upon his graduation from Morehouse, Egwuekwe headed to Duke University, where he earned his master's degree in computer science in 1996.    After Duke, Egwuekwe returned to Atlanta to begin his career working for Hewlett-Packard. A few years later, during the dot-com boom, Egwuekwe left HP to join a startup company called Online Insight.    In 2001, after the birth of his oldest daughter, Egwuekwe decided to come back to his hometown.    "I'd always felt like a Memphian at heart, even living in Atlanta," he said. "I'd read (The Commercial Appeal) online to stay connected to the community."    Egwuekwe now works as senior software architect for Memphis-based Lokion Interactive. A boutique software agency, Lokion "runs the gamut in terms of what we can do. We create digital experiences that help companies generate brand awareness, customer loyalty, and growth."    As a Leadership Academy Fellow, Egwuekwe worked with his classmates on a Community Action Project to bolster the marketing and public relations of Memphis Athletic Ministries.    "It was an A-to-Z marketing project," Egwuekwe says. "We did everything, from making things like brochures to designing digital billboards to getting new logos to overhauling the Web site."    He adds, "It's great to be part of an established ministry that's making a difference in kids' lives."    Ministry is no small part of Egwuekwe's life. He is chairman of the Trustee Board, the college tour director, the math tutor, the webmaster, a chorister, the Bible study teacher and, along with his wife, the youth director at Castalia Baptist Church.    Egwuekwe is also active with the Nigerian Family and Friends of Memphis and serves as its treasurer.    Egwuekwe has lately become a regular contributor on MemphisConnect.com, a site launched this spring by The Leadership Academy where "diverse Memphians discuss ... what inspires them to make Memphis home."    "I love the history of the city, I love the culture, the music of the city, I love the authenticity of Memphis. That's not something you see everywhere. I've lived in seven different cities, and this is hands-down the most authentic place I've ever lived. I love the entrepreneurial spirit here.    "Given all that, there is no legitimate foundation for an inferiority complex. When I hear people saying negative things about Memphis, I can point them to (MemphisConnect.com) and say, 'Look, this is the Memphis I know. This is the real Memphis.'" Computer repair program puts eager students to work for schools By Jane Roberts, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, June 20, 2009    Memphis City Schools is offering the basics of computer repair this summer, hoping to turn some of its most sophisticated tech heads into day savers.    The school district is paying students $7.25 an hour to complete the 240-hour class, hoping to put them to work as PC troubleshooters in a district with 30,000 computers. The plan gives new meaning to the term "crash course." DeVionne Coffee (left) and Bettie Mays identify computer parts on Friday as part of a summer institute on information technology.    For 115 students -- mostly seniors -- the deal was too sweet to pass up. They get an air-conditioned summer job that can continue when school starts and a chance to learn a skill they're pretty sure they'll use the rest of their lives.    "In due time, I'll learn all this," says JaQuisha Gray, 17, looking at into an open hard drive for the first time in her life and getting comfortable with the components.    "I just found out that this is the motherboard," she said, beaming a smile befitting the co-captain of the Booker T. Washington cheerleading squad.    The city schools have computer technicians, but with the volume of desktop and handheld models, each is responsible for maintaining 750 to 800 computers, plus software installations.    If one goes down in a classroom that may have only a handful to start with, learning for a significant portion of students slows to a crawl.    "You can see how this is going to help us," said Curtis Timmons, city schools chief technology officer. "We are trying to expand our tech support by using the students.    "If I've got a tech in one school, and I get another call for help from a school nearby but the tech can't leave, one of the students could assist and at a very good price," he said.    The funding -- $155,000 for student pay and $65,000 for teacher summer salaries -- is part of workforce development stimulus money funneled to the states. In Memphis, it is administered by the city's Workforce Investment Network.    "This gives them the chance to be the big man on campus," said Michael Toney, former systems analyst for the IRS and lead teacher in the program at East High School.    The program is also offered this summer at Messick and through career and technology programs at Trezevant, Sheffield and Southwest high schools.    "When people say 'My system is down or not working,' it's usually something minor," Toney said, ticking off a list of situations he's been called to repair while someone surely sat by red-faced -- an unplugged mouse here, a misplaced taskbar there, or the ubiquitous forgotten password.    Actually, the summer class is an intense version of the computer hardware and software course taught all year in the district's career and technology centers, and the students earn credit toward graduation.    But to get on the payroll, they must pass tests of their "inside-the-box" skills, plus communication and work readiness skills, such as how to dress for work, Toney says.    The wrinkles in the program were ironed out in districts like Chicago and New York, where students have been covering tech assignments for years.    "We went to Chicago Public Schools this winter to see how it worked," Timmons said. "Students told us that it helped them be more engaged in their schoolwork," he said.    In Memphis, service calls will be made mostly by students enrolled in work-based learning programs, a block of time reserved for paid internships at the end of the day. East alum endures long power outage after storm June 18, 2009    Gayle Kemp ('67) was interviewed by WHBQ-TV about the power outage still affecting her home after thunderstorms caused moved through the city June 12, 2009. The 80 mile per hour winds downed trees across the Memphis area leaving 7,000 customers without electricty. It took nearly a week for all customers' power to be restored. East alumnus Gayle Kemp, who still lives near the school, was one of those waiting days for the utility company to get the power back on at her home. The video is available.     'Renaissance man' opened window to black Memphis Southern Folklore Web site showcases treasure trove of minister's work By John Beifuss, Memphis Commercial Appeal Wednesday, June 17, 2009    The most significant filmmaker in this city's history might be a man who never worked with movie studios or stars.    He was inspired by the Bible and the black neighborhoods of Memphis, not by fictional screenplays or the glitter of Hollywood.    "He was a one-man CNN of the community," said Dr. Beverly Bond of the University of Memphis, speaking about the subject of "Taylor Made: The Life and Work of the Rev. L.O. Taylor," a new "online exhibit" that can be found on the recently launched Web site of the Center for Southern Folklore at southernfolklore.com.    From the 1920s to the early 1960s, Rev. Lonzie Odie Taylor -- a self-taught "Renaissance man," according to Bond -- documented African-American neighborhood life through some 7,000 photographs, close to 100 audio disc recordings and 15 hours of film footage -- short, silent movies of baptisms, beauty colleges and barnstorming "Negro" airmen, among other subjects.    An artist of limited means but limitless curiosity and ingenuity, Taylor (1899-1977) began many of his films with hand-lettered credits and title cards that demonstrate he was aware of the potential importance of his work. His 1940 film of a Manassas Street "baptising" opens with the legend: "Another Taylor-Made Picture -- Bringing You News & Historical Records -- Photographed & Produced by Rev. L.O. Taylor."    Sometimes, Taylor organized screenings in church basements, and charged 15 cents admission to give people their first opportunity to see themselves on film. Of course, in the current online exhibit, Taylor's work can be seen free of charge, by those with access to a computer.    Curated by center executive director Judy Peiser ['63] and produced by Center Web development director Elisa Blatteis, the exhibit includes three "galleries" focusing on Taylor's photographs; clips from his films; and his life and career. (He produced his work out of a home studio.)    "It's a major treasure trove of African-American history," Peiser said of Taylor's voluminous archives, which had been stored in boxes in the attic of the pastor's North Memphis home until being donated to the center more than 30 years ago by Taylor's widow, the late Blanche Taylor.    The collection is "unlike any that I have seen in a folklore archive, including the massive archive of the Library of Congress," said Michael Taft, head of the library's American Folklife Center archive in Washington. "Its value lies in the fact that Rev. Taylor was an insider to his community... He was both an artist and an ethnographer."    Located at 119 S. Main, the Center for Southern Folklore -- a 37-year-old non-profit organization that showcases and celebrates the culture of the South -- is too small to display much of Taylor's work in its physical space. The Center's Web site was launched in August, as "our media station -- our portal for people to learn about our region," Peiser said.    The Taylor exhibit, which debuted last week, will remain online for about six months.    Taylor's work provides an intimate look at everyday life in black Memphis in the pre-Civil Rights era, without, for the most part, the technical polish or emphasis on celebrity found in some of the most famous work of other notable local African-American photographers, including Ernest Withers and the Hooks Brothers. His subjects included barbers, mechanics, ushers, soldiers on leave and little girls at the piano.    Pastor of Olivet Baptist Church from 1931 to 1955, Taylor lives on not just in his documentary art but in the work of the many pastors he mentored through the decades. "What distinguishes him is his perspective as a minister," Peiser said. "He really cared about people."    Thanks to corporate and government grants and donations, the Center was able to begin making digital copies of Taylor's work in 2003, to preserve it for posterity as well as to make it accessible online.    Some of Taylor's photographs were included in a 2006 exhibit at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, and in 1989 native Memphis filmmaker Lynne Sachs produced a half-hour documentary titled "Sermons and Sacred Pictures: The Life and Work of Reverend L.O. Taylor."    "His films give people an opportunity to open a window on black Memphis," said Bond, director of African and African American Studies at the U of M, who is writing a biography of Taylor. Taking stock: Cattle producers adapt to shrinking economy, rising costs, aging owners By Karen Ott Meyer, Special to The Commercial Appeal Sunday, June 7, 2009    If the U.S. cattle industry faced challenges before the fallout of 2008, the recent economic slide has pounded producers, revealing the cracks in an agricultural model that drives beef production in this country.    "More dollars have been lost in the cattle-feeding industry in the last 12 months than during any other year in history," Charles McVean ['61], founder and president of McVean Trading & Investments, said this spring.    Located in Memphis, the commodity futures brokerage firm specializes in grain and livestock research and analysis, conducting field studies with producers, elevators and agronomists across the country.    While herd reduction is at historic levels, McVean maintains even the number of remaining herds is questionable.    "The USDA can't count the number of cows in any reasonable, scientific way," McVean said. "The government applies a static model used for crop production to a migratory animal like the cow."    With four employees who travel the country specifically to gather field data and conduct inventories, McVean is confident he sees the real picture.    "We conclude there aren't as many cattle out there as the USDA says there are," McVean said.    According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture agricultural census report, the United States had 1,018,359 cattle farms in 2002. That number dropped to 963,669 by 2007. However, the USDA reported a total cattle increase from 95,497,994 to 96,347,858.    McVean said the number of cows raised in the future will be only what the land can support; the industrial commodity model, based on fossil fuel, won't any longer, he said.    "Production is going to drop," he said.    Europe, Canada, Brazil and Argentina are all either liquidating herds or have inventories at an all-time low, McVean says, although Australia and New Zealand are maintaining current herd numbers.    Other factors affecting the industry are conversion of agricultural land to residential or recreational uses, and the aging of the cattleman. The average age of the cattle producer now is over 60.    Droughts in the U.S. have also been affecting herd numbers.    The summer of 2008 dealt two final blows to many operations. Corn prices hit record highs -- jumping from $2 a bushel to over $7 a bushel -- at the same time fuel prices spiked.    "The producer was trapped between a weak economy and strong corn prices," McVean said.    "We've seen a lot of our members exit the industry," said Sammy Blossom, executive vice president of the Mississippi Cattlemen's Association. "Some due to age," he adds.    But economic factors caused a lot of red ink in the industry.    He estimates his 3,100 members closely reflect the state averages, with herd sizes at less than 50 head.    From a socio-economic perspective, owning cattle for some families hasn't always been tied to profitability.    "Low-income families have always treated cattle like a savings account," Blossom said. "It's completely liquid and provided some security for tough times."    Blossom does see a bright spot in branded beef programs such as Certified Angus Beef or Laura's Lean Beef, which fetch producers a premium price.    He said using technology, such as ultrasound to determine marbling, gives producers an edge.    McVean agrees: "Those efficient producers who can make it through will make money in the long run."    Sale barn owners Bobby and Hays Lipscomb of Lipscomb Brothers Livestock Market in Como, Miss., have persevered by cutting expenses and handling the work themselves. This year, the sale barn celebrates its 50th year in business.    "Since 1996, the numbers have gone down," Bobby Lipscomb said. But he's optimistic, pointing out that the market is cyclical.    "Folks are going to eat beef," he said.    Will Harris, a fifth-generation cattleman at his family's White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Ga., converted to grass feeding his stock when he tired of what he considered industry excesses. An active board member of the American Grassfed Association, Harris finished construction on a $2.2 million processing facility at White Oaks in 2008, right before the economy collapsed.    How is the operation faring today?    "To be sure, our operation continues to be a high-risk venture, and we're just reaching a break-even point," Harris said. "We have to a great extent cut ourselves off from the industrial model and we're not tied to the vagrancies of the system.    "We'll either make it or not make it."    Six area producers raise beef under contract for White Oak Pastures, which serves a niche population of sophisticated consumers who are willing to pay higher prices for the assurance that their meat is grass fed rather than grain fed. Harris said his customer base represents less than 1 percent of the population.    "I believe that the current system that serves 90 percent of the population has a lot of problems, chiefly that it was a system developed in the 1950s and is based on cheap fossil fuel and government-subsidized feed," Harris said. "What we don't have (now) is cheap fossil fuel or grain."    Harris thinks the beef industry's current model is held together only by existing infrastructure.    "At one point, the textile industry in this country remained only because we had infrastructure," he said. "When that was finally exported overseas, the industry vanished."    Harris said a side benefit to his operation is that it creates rural jobs.    "I own about 1,000 acres and lease another 1,000 and employ 17 people, including skilled meat cutters and master's-level individuals," he said. "I have a friend with a much larger operation who employs three people."    Despite the existing challenges, Blossom believes one final factor could cause more damage.    "The worst thing right now would be for the consumer to lose confidence in the product," he said.    Causes of Herd Reduction    Rolling droughts    Increasing cost of feed, hay, fertilizer and fuel    Advanced age of cattle producer    Vast tracts of land being converted to recreational uses or real estate There are additional stories about Mr. McVean below. 100% graduating: Charter school grants diplomas to entire senior class By Sara Patterson, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, May 30, 2009    As each of the 89 seniors from the state's first charter school rehearsed accepting a diploma from their principal, ear-splitting cheers from their classmates filled the auditorium.    "OK, now we've got all the screams out of your system, because you can't do that Sunday," principal Tommie Henderson ['91 and faculty '98-02] told the lively seniors at Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering. "You've got to let everyone else cheer for you."    Family members won't just be cheering for the graduates in The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, but for the charter school's first graduating class, students who have been together since starting the seventh grade in 2003.    A framed picture of each one hangs on the "Founder's Wall" in the auditorium, and that's all that will remain of the class of 2009, because 100 percent of the students are graduating.    "They've proven there's no excuse. Every child can learn," said State Rep. Beth Harwell, R-Nashville. "We have a responsibility to give our children the best education we can, and that's what this public charter school has done."    Harwell has vowed to resurrect a bill she sponsored in the legislature that would ease the restrictions on charter schools and nearly double the number of children in Memphis who are eligible.    In Tennessee, which has the strictest standards in the country, a student must be failing or come from a failing school to be eligible.    "The success at MASE emphasizes how important it is for more children to be able to attend charters," Harwell said. "Some students need a different learning environment than the traditional school."    Memphis City Schools' graduation rate is less than 70 percent, and the average ACT score is 17.7. Students at MASE average 21.5 on the ACT, said Henderson.    "Clearly, charter schools in this state are succeeding," said Matt Throckmorton, executive director of the Tennessee Charter School Association.    "In America, we're getting away from the old paradigms of education. Charters have different focuses so children who go there want to be there. It's where they thrive."    For MASE salutatorian Michael Harding Jr., leaving his Raleigh neighborhood school helped him see what he wanted to pursue in college.    "My mom wanted me to go here, and I trusted her," he said.    The 17-year-old came to MASE as a seventh-grader in 2003 from Keystone Elementary. He will graduate with a 4.9 grade point average and plans to attend Christian Brothers University.    Deutria Williams, 18, said MASE changed her behavior.    "If I didn't go here I'd be a wild girl," she said.    Chelsea Bailey said the same thing.    "At Snowden (Elementary) we'd get paddled and go back to class," she said. "Here, you would get suspended, and I got tired of flunking."    Bailey, 18, plans to major in environmental science at the University of North Alabama.    So far, 63 of the 89 graduates, roughly 70 percent, have applied for college.    Tyra Hall, 19, will be first of her family to go.    "My mom, she cries a lot because she is so proud," said Hall. "I've been waiting on this day all year."    For principal and founder Henderson, it's also time to move on. He is leaving to pursue his doctorate. He said he never thought he'd last to see this class graduate.    "They were the toughest group of young people," he said, laughing. "It's so great to look at them now. I expect them to lead Memphis in 10 years, to come back and give back."    When Henderson walks out with his class, former dean of admissions at Boston-based Clark University, Harold Wingood, will step in. Wingood's expertise in college admissions will help future MASE graduates transition to college, Henderson said.    Since 2003, science teacher Michael Masters has watched the school change.    "We all feel a real connection with this class. When they came in, we didn't have the perfect setup, and they didn't have another class to look up to," he said. "They helped make the school what it is today."    Measuring Success    The charter school outpaces city and state averages:    ACT Scores    MASE (2009): 21.5    MCS (2008): 17.7    State (2008): 20.7    Graduation rate (%)    MASE (2009): 100    MCS (2008): 66.9    State (2008): 82.2 There are additional stories below about Mr. Henderson, a 1991 East High graduate and a faculty member at East 1998-2002. Frayser shooting claims East High pupil    Brandon Harris, last enrolled as an East High School pupil, was stabbed to death in the Frayser community on Sunday, June 21, 2009. Police have charged Markeith Miller, 16, with the voluntary manslaughter and say an ongoing feud lead to the fight.    It is unclear if Harris was attending East High during the summer term.    Visitation will be from 10-11:55 a.m., with service to follow at 12 noon, Monday, June 29, 2009 at Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Chelsea Avenue, Memphis.    Source: The Commercial Appeal East High Band Resumes Competition May 18, 2009 The East High Alumni Page    East High Band Director Ollie Liddell reports the East High Band participated in the West Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association's Concert Festival this year. He was told by former Band Director Joseph "Buddy" Morton (Faculty 1964-72) it was the first time East had participated since the early. The band received good ratings for its concert performance and superior ratings in sight-reading. One East student was selected to the All-West Tennessee Honor Band, which reportedly is also another first in at least 25 years.    Mr. Liddell says he has "big plans for the Band at East" and that he wants to build the program to compete with the likes of Overton High School, which is an optional school for the performing arts. He admits it will take time and a lot of effort, but says "it can and will be done!" Editor's note: Mr. Liddell's profile is scheduled to be posted with the next batch of updates near the end of the month. Nearly 200 seniors presented for graduation May 16, 2009 The East High Alumni Page    It was the 59th time for an East High School commencement exercise, as important to the nearly 200 students presented for graduation today as it was for the first graduating class in 1951, though it is possible at the time of graduation not all of those participating realized the significance.    Hundreds of family members and friends of the seniors all but filled The Cannon Center in downtown Memphis, a facility that replaced Ellis auditorium where many other East classes were graduated. The East High Band and vocal Ensemble provided the music. The center table was stacked with diploma folders.    Despite Principal Fred Curry starting the event by telling the crowd it was a solemn occasion it is not likely too many people heard him. It was a raucous group, not only shouting the names of family members and friends among the seniors but talking among themselves throughout the ceremony. About the only speakers or singers heard clearly were those that vocalized too loudly and too close to the microphone to the extent the volume in the auditorium was painful and probably damaging to listener's hearing. As bad as not being able to hear the speakers and singers over the conversation in the audience, the overly loud volume was worse. Police or security officers stood near the front doors of the auditorium but the vocal disorder of the audience did not invoke their intervention.    Regardless of these setbacks, the notes of Pomp and Circumstance played by the East High Band did not fail to thrill those who understood the significance of the day for those who were marching onto the stage and the East High School legacy they inherit.    The keynote speaker for the afternoon was Rev. Keith Norman of First Baptist Church, of, as he said, "Binghampton, Tennessee." He likened the name cards each senior carried to an airline stand-by ticket which they were about to trade in for a guaranteed ticket for a flight which was about to begin. He urged the graduates not to settle for a flight that was just good, but to persevere through the storms that would surely come to make the flight, and themselves beyond good, to make their trip through life great.    Sadly, many onlookers mocked and laughed at one of the faculty members making a presentation because of her distinctive and slightly unusual pronunciation. Furthermore, it was quite unfortunate that the closing remarks by Mr. Curry were virtually impossible to hear above the continuous boisterous behavior of the audience. However a few of his words as he recited the poem Invictus were audible, especially as members of the newly graduated class joined him in something that must be taught for inspiration at the school.    The graduating seniors were more settled than the crowd during the graduation exercises, though some did stand briefly or wave their hands when others were at the podium. One might assume that behavior, which was not apparent last year, was encouraged by the audience's rowdiness. As one would expect, a few did a some jive steps or other demonstration as their name was called and they walked to to receive their diploma folder.    It was announced from the podium that 198 students were being presented for graduation consideration, though the program listed 196. Regardless of the number, some may not receive a diploma based on work completed as of today. Not all test results are available at the time of graduation ceremonies so it is possible that some that walked across the stage will have to do additional work if they want to receive a high school diploma. A little more than $1.2-million in scholarship and award offers were made to members of the Class of 2009. Sixty-two seniors have been offered the financial help for college, by far most qualifying for a Tennessee Educational Lottery Scholarship Award. It appears 7 students are receiving scholarships based on excelling in academics alone, 5 are receiving music/band scholarships, 3 are getting choral scholarships, two get full 4 year college rides courtesy of R.O.T.C. programs, and three appear to be receiving athletic scholarships.    While the atmosphere could have been far more respectful of the graduates, faculty and guest speakers, the significance of earning a high school diploma, especially an East High School diploma, is not diminished.    Surely it is hoped that the members of the Class of 2009 will go forth with civility, worthy values, family, academic and career success, and always adhere to the one word on the East High School crest: "Honor."    Follow up - May 26, 2009: As a point of comparison, White Station High School, which includes an optional college preparatory school program, reports scholarship offers of $25.8 million. Among Memphis City Schools, other top schools on the scholarship offers list are: Ridgeway $14 million; Whitehaven $13.7 million; Cordova $12.8 million; Central: $11 million.    The Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Award appears to require minimum 21 ACT (Composite)/980 SAT (Math + Critical Reading ONLY) score on a national test date or a final cumulative 3.0 GPA for entering freshmen graduating from an eligible high school.    The "excelling in academics alone" category cited above was determined by noting those students listed in the graduation program who appeared to be listed as receiving scholarship offers in addtion to or seperate from Tennessee Educational Lottery Scholarships. Other academic scholarship offers may differentiate execellence in academics from simple, though worthy, good performance in academics. Editorial: Support your school! Please consider attending East High functions and don't hesitate to tell administrators & faculty you expect East to be the top school again soon. Sweet sounds in an unusually beautiful setting May 6, 2009 The East High Alumni Page     More than 30 East High students, along with faculty director Jeffrey Murdock and accompanist Dr. Leo Davis, presented a Spring Choral Concert and Piano Recital Tuesday, May 5, 2009.    In an unusual and beautiful setting, the concert was held in the main foyer of the school. The performers were up the steps in front of the auditorium while the audience was seated directly in the foyer between the school office on one side and the cafeteria on the other. It is said that Mr. Murdock likes the acoustics, which supply considerable reverberation. Certainly the visual aspects of the foyer of East High School must rate among the most impressive in the nation for a public high school.    The Concert Choir, consisting of about 27 students, sang beautifully. If you like choir music, you would appreciate the accomplished singers and talented voices.    Most of the seven giving a piano recital were first year piano students, according to faculty member Jeffery Murdock. Given that limited exposure to formal piano training, Murdock was impressed with their performances. As one would expect from students at that level, however, there were occasional unplanned pauses in piano pieces while the student set their hands right for the next cord or an occasional note hit on a key adjacent to and in addition to the one intended. Despite the difficulties of first year pianists performing in front of an audience, each appeared to successfully complete their musical selection, a significant goal under the circumstances.    The concert started a few minutes late and was over about 25 minutes after the first note. Approximately 50 people were in the audience, a number principal Fred Curry said he believed was the largest turn out in recent years for the spring and fall concerts by the group.    You may hear a brief, casually recorded audio clip of the Concert Choir. Editorial: Support your school! This and similar events, often free and open to the public, are great ways for alumni to show current East students and faculty we care about East High and expect great things from it. Please consider attending East High functions and don't hesitate to tell administrators & faculty you expect East to be the top school again soon. East's 1st Annual Silent Auction & Dinner May 1, 2009 The East High Alumni Page    East High School held its first annual Silent Auction and Dinner tonight with an estimated 100 attendees enjoying the elegant ambiance of the foyer of the school. Auction items included a wide screen television, art work, sports memorabilia from recent teams, Persian rugs and many other items. Guests were greeted by the student leaders at the door and serenaded by the Chamber Singers during a meet and greet session at which cider and cheese were available. Much of the bidding on the auction items occurred during this time before the dinner. A free dinner was served in the cafeteria, the wait staff were East student leaders. Dinner music was provided by student cellists. After dinner, people lingered and visited as auction winners picked up their prizes.    We believe in full disclosure. This writer attended the auction and dinner and enjoyed meeting and visiting with other guests, faculty, staff, and alumni. It was a fun evening and it is hoped next year's event can be organized earlier and more advance notice will allow more alumni to attend. In the neighborhood: Old rail line to become paved trail April 24, 2009    The old CSX railroad right-of-way, which, in the East High area, runs along and north of Walnut Grove Rd., Waynoka Ave., N. Waynoka Cir., Del Glade Dr., Aurora Cir., Rosedale Dr., Hilldale Ave., and Princeton Ave., will be converted into a paved walking and bicycle trail by the end of the year. It will extend from the Union Avenue viaduct to Shelby Farms park (the former Penal Farm). Shelby County government agreed to purchase the 7.04 mile corridor with $4.775 million given for the purchase by the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy to cover the purchase, design, and bridge improvement. The Conservancy rasied the money through private fundraising activities. An additional $1.5 million for construction of the trail will come from a federal surface transportation grant and local "matching" funds of $375,000. (primary Source: The Commercial Appeal, March 22, 2009, March 31, 2009) Photo: CSX right-of-way near Highland Street, looking west, taken April 24, 2009, K.L. Welch East alum honored as Emissaries of Memphis Music In brief... By Staff , Memphis Commercial Appeal Thursday, March 26, 2009    The Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission will hold a luncheon today from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Tower Room Restaurant in Clark Tower to honor 11 women as "Emissaries of Memphis Music." Honorees include ... Judy Peiser ['63], executive director of the Center for Southern Folklore TV report: Alumnus likes her ice cream From: WMC-TV A video of this story is available from wmctv.com Turner to stop making ice cream at Covington plant March 23, 2009 05:24 PM    COVINGTON, TN (WMC-TV) - Turner Dairy's will stop making ice cream at the company's Covington plant, officials said Monday.    When it comes to ice cream, Turner Dairy has lots of loyal customers.    "I am a big fan of the Turner chain, and I would buy their products," supermarket shopper Mara [Fulghum] Sprott ['66] said Monday.    That's why news Turner will stop manufacturing ice cream its Covington plant after 60 years has some customers concerned.    Turner President Steve Turner said ice cream once made at the plant will now be manufactured at the company's Springfield Missouri facility. The move will also mean the permanent elimination of 20 jobs.    Turner said a decrease in the demand for ice cream, and the loss of several major customers, led the company to make the decision.    Meanwhile, Sprott said she would stick with their favorite ice cream company.    "That's good you will still be able to buy it," she said.    While the Covington plant will stop making ice cream, it will continue to function as a distribution site for Turner, as well as the company's maintenance and truck facility. Memphis Memories Memphis Commercial Appeal Friday, March 20, 2009 Barney Sellers/The Commercial Appeal files Sounding a musical note at his wedding reception at the University Club on April 12, 1969 is Charles Kemmons Wilson Jr. ['64], who was locked in a chain adorned with bells after the wedding in Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church. His bride is the former Norma Caruthers Thompson, daughter of Mrs. Norman Thompson of 4150 Kriter Lane and the late Mr. Thompson. Mr. Wilson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kemmons Wilson of 3615 South Galloway Drive. Third man pleads guilty in 2005 robberies Spree ranged from Oak Court Mall to G'town By Lawrence Buser, Memphis Commercial Appeal Friday, March 20, 2009    A third former East High student involved in a robbery spree two years ago was sentenced to three years' probation Thursday in Criminal Court.    Won Colby Pierce, 20, the driver, pleaded guilty Thursday to three robbery-related charges. He was convicted last August of another robbery-related charge. He is now a college student in Kentucky.    The incidents occurred Feb. 14, 2007, when Pierce and three other students skipped school. They told officers that they wanted to buy shoes and robbery seemed like the best avenue after seeing a man withdrawing money from an ATM at Poplar Plaza.    They followed the man to Germantown, where they lost him. They then picked out their first victim, a man beaten in the parking lot of the Germantown Village Square at 7730 Poplar.    Pierce and three fellow classmates were also charged with robbing a Germantown High School teacher outside the school; knocking down and stealing the handbag of a 70-year-old woman who was walking with the aid of a cane at Hickory Ridge Mall; and robbing a woman in a parking lot at Oak Court Mall.    Earlier this week, co-defendant Preston Williams, 19, pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated robbery in the Oak Court Mall case and was sentenced to three years probation.    Tommy Brown, 18, pleaded guilty to counts that include aggravated robbery in the teacher case and attempted aggravated robbery in the Oak Court Mall case. He was sentenced to 7.2 years in prison, but will be eligible for parole after serving 20 percent of his sentence, or 1.4 years.    Williams and Brown also are now college students.    A fourth defendant, Deandre Clark, 19, whose case is pending, has been arrested on separate charges of aggravated burglary and theft over $1,000. Judge James Beasley Jr. revoked his bond and set his case for next week. Two enter guilty pleas to robbery charges By Lawrence Buser, Memphis Commercial Appeal Tuesday, March 17, 2009    Two East High School students who cut class and went on a random crime spree two years ago pleaded guilty to robbery-related charges Monday.    The pleas by Preston Williams and Tommy Brown and a guilty verdict last summer against classmate Won Colby Pierce leaves defendant Deandre Clark with the only pending cases.    They were accused of beating a man in the parking lot of the Germantown Village Square at 7730 Poplar; robbing a Germantown High School teacher outside the school; knocking down and stealing the handbag of a 70-year-old woman who was walking with the aid of a cane at Hickory Ridge Mall; and robbing a woman in a parking lot at Oak Court Mall.    On Monday, Williams, 19, pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated robbery in the Oak Court Mall case and was sentenced to three years' probation.    Brown, 18, pleaded guilty to counts including aggravated robbery in the teacher case and attempted aggravated robbery in the Oak Court Mall case.    He was sentenced to 7.2 years, but will be eligible for parole after serving 20 percent of his sentence or about 1.4 years. He is scheduled to go into custody June 2.    Williams and Brown are both college students now, said state prosecutor Michael McCusker.    Pierce, 20, who was convicted last August of helping to commit aggravated robbery in the Oak Court Mall case, is expected to be sentenced this month in Criminal Court by Judge James Beasley Jr. Sons of Holiday Inn founder given trip down memory plane By Wayne Risher, Memphis Commercial Appeal Tuesday, March 10, 2009    The spitting image of Kemmons Wilson's first airplane is dredging up fond memories for the late Memphis business legend's family.    The Aeronca C-3, affectionately dubbed the Flying Bathtub, was a gift from a family friend to the Holiday Inn founder's sons Spence ['60], Bob ['62] and Kemmons Jr. ['64]    Tracy Forrest, who has built homes in Wilson's Orange Lake development near Orlando since the 1980s, found the plane in storage in south Georgia and had it restored. He brought it to Wilson Air Center at Memphis International Airport last Christmas and surprised the Wilson sons.    Bob Wilson ['62], president of the fixed-based operator and co-owner of Kemmons Wilson Companies, said, "We had no idea about it. They walk us in and show us the airplane, which was really just an unbelievable gift, really unique. You couldn't have asked for a more surprised three guys and a more grateful three guys."    The Wilsons grew up hearing stories about the plane their father owned with a friend. It figured prominently in their father's courtship of wife-to-be Dorothy.    "Often on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, Kemmons would take Dorothy on a flight to a small town in the area. Dorothy would sell tickets for $1 to anyone who wanted to take a flight in the plane," Wilson's 1996 autobiography said.    Forrest heard about the Aeronca when he and Bob Wilson were touring an aviation museum. "Seeing the look on Bob's face telling me the story, it was a very special story."    "That was Kemmons' first aviation experience, which laid the groundwork for a lot of his life: being a pilot in World War II, the use of aviation to further his business," Forrest added. "That thought always stayed with me."    Kemmons Wilson died in 2003 at 90.    Aeronautical Corporation of America made 425 C-3s in Ohio in the 1930s. It was easy to fly and maintain, said Jim Thompson of Roberts, Ill., president of the National Aeronca Association. "It was the right plane at the right time. Lots of people learned on it. That was the thing of it, it wasn't a big old heavy biplane of the day."    Thompson said the Aeronca C-2 and C-3 are popular display items in vintage aviation museums. "People who know anything about them would love to see them again, and they're just nice to look at."    Forrest pored over aviation records for several years in a vain attempt to track down Wilson's old plane.    A friend in the Smithsonian Institution's archives eventually traced the full registration history.    Forrest found the same model and had it refurbished. "We did it with the original colors, the original equipment, pretty much the way the airplane would have been when Kemmons owned the airplane," Forrest said.    The fabric-covered body is sky blue with yellow wings and yellow trim accents. It has a single wooden propeller and the original N number of Wilson's plane.    The Wilsons wanted to display it in the lobby of Wilson Air, but there was a problem.    "I hate we didn't have a big enough place in the air center to hang that thing. It's about two feet too big," Wilson said.    Dave Ivey, vice president of Wilson Air Center, said the hangar nearest to the terminal was being modified so the Aeronca could be placed in a harness and hung from a structural steel beam.    Wilson said, "We're putting it there to keep it out of the way until we figure out where to put it. We'll find somewhere much more positive, where everybody can see it."    The plane is for display only, because its two-cylinder, 36-horsepower engine has a weak cylinder.    It won't be taking anyone for $1 rides. Teacher touts Latin to aid vocabulary, critical thinking By Jonathan Devin Special to The Commercial Appeal Wednesday, March 4, 2009    Like many high school students of Latin, Dawn LaFon ['73] was forced to take the subject by her mother, but the language of Cicero and Virgil quickly became her life's passion.    "My mother said I could stop after one year, but I had to take it," said LaFon, 52, one of two Latin teachers at White Station High School. "And I fussed and fumed. Then I got in there and I really liked it. It's like a big jigsaw puzzle."    Studying Latin is popular with students who hope to enter medical professions, since 95 percent of medical terminology comes from Latin. LaFon recommends it for developing vocabulary and critical thinking skills as well.    She teaches five classes each day, including Latin I, III, IV and Advanced Placement (AP) Latin for grades 9 through 12.    "At White Station we work very hard and we do deserve our reputation for excellence," said LaFon, a Memphis native who has taught at the school for 20 years.    In her efforts to relate Latin to her students' lives, LaFon has rewritten songs with Latin pronouns ("I don't know where I come up with these things," she laughed), employed the letters of Cicero for discussions on career choices, and drawn connections between ancient and current events.    "When 9/11 happened, we talked about how Pompey had to clear the Mediterranean of pirates," said LaFon. "I told them that terrorism isn't anything new, (that) this was the terrorism of their time, and we'll always get through it."    During her first year at White Station, LaFon got a chance to submit questions for the AP Latin Exam.    Then, "about five years ago, I got a call out of the blue, and they asked me to be on the exam development committee."    Only two other high school Latin teachers in the United States are on the committee, which writes and grades the AP Latin exam. Students who pass it receive college credit.    "It's a year-round process," LaFon said. "In the fall, we write the rough drafts of new questions and meet to finalize those drafts. In the spring, we work on the multiple-choice part of the exam. In the summer, we gather together in some location and grade the exams."    LaFon knows of at least two former students who went on to become Latin teachers, but said even the ones who didn't found Latin useful in college and beyond.    One college-bound student, Derion Givens, wrote in a letter to LaFon, "As I sit through any lecture on the Latin language or Roman history, I will think back to 'bo, bis, bit, the Spartans really hit; bismus, bitis, bunt, Spartani magni sunt!"    Another former student, Darrell Kiedo, now a comedian living in Los Angeles, visited LaFon last year and showed her his recently published novel titled "The Black Actor's Guide to Not Working in Hollywood," published by Xlibris.    In it, a high school Latin teacher inspires a boy to leave gang life. Kiedo told LaFon that the teacher in the novel was based on her.    "I told him that if it's made into a movie, Teri Hatcher is the only choice possible to play me," said LaFon.    As for the rumor that Latin as a language is dead? LaFon weighed in: "It's not dead. It's just evolved."    Name: Dawn LaFon    Profession: Latin teacher at White Station High School    Age: 52    Education: Graduated from East High School; B.A. in education, the University of Memphis; M.A. in Latin, the University of Washington.    Family: Lives with Peaches the poodle, and cats Teddy and Daphne. LaFon is the first cousin of former vice president Al Gore.     Favorite Quote: "Docendo discere," which means "One learns by teaching." On February 18, 2008 The Commercial Appeal Memphis Memories section republished a photo from 1951 that included some East alumni (then students).      Performers take stageThe Beethoven Club Junior operetta, "The Riddle of Isis," is presented in February 1951 at Memphis Little Theatre. Top roles are played by James Crow (seated) of Messick and Theresa Steuterman (left) of Bellevue, Bill Biggs Jr. ['52] of East High, Mary Ann Hunter of Snowden, George Hearn Jr. of Central, Jackie Alper ['53] of East High, Jane Smalley of Fairview and Margaret Rose CaPece of St. Agnes. A trailblazer and a role model Letters to the Editor, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, February 7, 2009    I didn't know Eleanor Gandy was such a trailblazer as a member of the Memphis State 8 (Feb. 4 article); maybe it was because she was too busy encouraging me and her other students to blaze our own trails.    For Ms. Gandy it was about her students, not about her. I graduated from East High School in 1974, and she was not only a teacher of mine during that time, she was a mentor and a friend. She encouraged diverse thought and acceptance of other cultures, people, their histories and ideas.    I was fortunate to have had great teachers and mentors while at East, such as Douglas Wilkins, Hubbard Alexander and Sonny Scruggs, to name a few, and Eleanor Gandy is one of the people whose influence is still with me today.    Frank McLallen ['74]    Cordova [See the story on Eleanor Gandy immediately below.] Memphis State Eight: College was path to a better life She viewed education as best way to change family cycle of poverty By Linda Moore, Memphis Commercial Appeal Wednesday, February 4, 2009    Editor's note: Second in a series    It was all a joke for Eleanor Gandy [Facutly 1971-1977] when she volunteered to take the admissions test for Memphis State University.    It was the late 1950s. Her family couldn't afford college, and Memphis State didn't admit African-Americans.    "I was kidding, and I said I'd do it," Gandy, 68, recalled.    But the 1958 Douglass High School honors graduate did well.    On Sept. 18, 1959, she was one of eight African-American students to integrate MSU, a group now known as the Memphis State Eight.    Integration didn't happen without a struggle, and it was a year from when they were accepted until they were allowed to start classes. Many spent that year at other colleges.    Not Gandy.    "We were really poor. I knew we really couldn't afford college," she said. "I got a little scholarship from LeMoyne (College) but it wasn't enough."    This was her only chance.    "What we were trying to do was get a good job, something more than cleaning somebody's house," said Gandy, one of 15 children.    That first year, the NAACP gave scholarships to the eight. The Hyde Park-Hollywood Civic League bought Gandy's books. Her mother gave her a "shiny silver dollar" every day.    Fortunately for Gandy, the NAACP and the civic league continued with those arrangements.    She graduated from Memphis State in 1963 with a degree in French and minors in history and psychology. She earned a master's in education in 1966 and is now retired from Memphis City Schools. She taught French for 22 years.    Gandy believes greater than her personal accomplishment is the impact that being first has had on the educational dynamics of her family.    "It made my family evolve," Gandy said.    Most finished high school and a few went North for better jobs, she said.    But today her nieces and nephews know they can go to college, and they know they can go wherever they want.    "The joy is in the evolution of the family. My brother went back, got a degree in accounting after he had a family and a job," Gandy said. "He wanted to do that after he saw it could be done. That's the joy with me that the family has risen above where we were." [The East High Alumni Page Editor's note: Ms. Gandy was a faculty member at East 1971-1977, teaching French, world history, and spelling.] Secondary helps Ole Miss halt Texas Tech at Cotton Bowl By Marlon W. Morgan, Memphis Commercial Friday, January 2, [Excerpt]    DALLAS — Graham Harrell. Michael Crabtree.    Michael Crabtree. Graham Harrell.    For a month now, all Ole Miss cornerbacks Marshay Green and Cassius Vaughn ['06] heard about is how the Texas Tech quarterback-wide receiver duo was going to torch the Rebels secondary. To be honest, they could care less if they never hear those names again. Ole Miss quartberback Jevan Snead celebrates with fans after beating Texas Tech 47-34 Friday.    That pre-game talk actually caused Green and Vaughn to take that torch and light a fire under them. The two took turns not only holding Crabtree to just four catches for 30 yards, but they kept the entire Red Raiders receiving corps from running roughshod through the Rebels defense.    Thanks to Green, Vaughn, and the usually stout Ole Miss front seven, the 20th-ranked Rebels were able to come away with a convincing 47-34 victory over seventh-ranked Texas Tech Friday afternoon in front of an AT&T Cotton Bowl record crowd of 88,175.    ''They say he's the best receiver in the game,'' said Vaughn, a junior from East High School. ''Why wouldn't you (consider covering him a challenge)? He's won the (Biletnikoff) receiver award two years in a row. Harrell is just awesome. They're great players.    ''But the challenge was what are you going to do today? Not in the past. It wasn't about the past, it was about now. We stepped up today, the whole secondary and the whole team.''    With the game tied at 21 in the second quarter, Vaughn intercepted a Graham pass and returned it 13 yards to set up a 27-yard Joshua Shene field goal that put Ole Miss ahead, 24-21.    With the Rebels (9-4) clinging to that lead to start the third quarter, Green picked off Harrell on the Red Raiders opening drive, returning it 65 yards for a touchdown and a 31-21 lead. Both players also added three tackles. Coaches offer a 'fair' deal to football recruiters By Jason Smith, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, November 22, 2008 [Excerpt]    East High football coach Marcus Wimberly ['92 and Faculty) was sitting in front of a projector and DVD burner at Memphis University School, distributing highlight reels of his players in action to any college coach who came within three feet of his science-fair-like set-up.    "We've got to get them in school," Wimberly said, sounding desperate. "That's the whole purpose of them playing high school football."    Wimberly was one of more than three dozen high school football coaches who participated this week in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Game's first "recruiting fair" at MUS.    The event, which drew about 30 college coaches Wednesday evening, was intended to familiarize college coaches with some of the area's top uncommitted talent... Crime uptick alarms citizens East Memphis burglaries rise 90% over year ago By Cindy Wolff, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, November 22, 2008    Burglars stole an air conditioner, a computer, televisions, cuff links, even a kitchen sink on Friday, all before noon.    Memphis police are dealing with a blast of thievery that's hitting homes citywide, the worst of which is in East Memphis, where the number of burglaries so far this month have nearly doubled from the same period last year.    In the Tillman Station precinct, which includes High Point Terrace, Kingsbury, Berclair, Grahamwood, Normandy and other East Memphis neighborhoods, there have been 118 burglaries so far this month, a 90 percent increase over the same period in 2007, when 62 homes were broken into.    Authorities blame a variety of factors, including unemployment, the economy and repeat offenders who spend little time in jail for their crimes.    Memphis City Council members and police officials met Monday night at the Links at Galloway golf course with about 200 area residents to discuss burglaries.    East Memphian Joe Evangelisti attended that meeting. On Tuesday, he went to the council meeting to ask members to relax residency hiring restrictions. They didn't.    On Wednesday, burglars scaled an 8-foot fence, cut his phone line and ransacked his house while an alarm blared.    "I'm angry," said Evangelisti. "I've lived here 51 years, my whole life, and I feel like the welfare of the citizenry is being compromised by city officials. There aren't enough patrol cars in my neighborhood."    Eight precincts showed an increase in burglary this month. Ridgeway, which includes Hickory Hill, showed a 4 percent drop.    So far this year, home burglary is up about 13 percent across the city compared with last year. Police spokeswoman Detective Monique Martin said that from Jan. 1 through Thursday, Memphians reported 10,437 burglaries compared with 9,260 for the same period a year ago.    She said commanders identify hotspots, beef up patrols, look for patterns and meet with citizens to talk about trends. But, she said, the problem is beyond basic police work.    "We lock up the same burglary suspects over and over, and they are let out because our laws are weak," Martin said.     Residential burglary is a Class C felony, which carries a penalty of 3-15 years and a fine of up to $10,000. But with some exceptions for extremely violent crimes, prisoners are eligible for parole after serving one year.    "We have people who have committed more than 100 burglaries out there," said University of Memphis criminologist Dr. Richard Janikowski.    "Sometimes they get out for time served, which is the time from when they are arrested and go to trial. They look at it as the cost of doing business."    Like other U.S. cities, Memphis is facing a tough economy, which might explain some of the uptick, Janikowski said.    The unemployment rate hit a 21-year high in Tennessee at 7.1 percent in September. The rate in the Memphis metro area was 7.3 percent.    But in addition to a strong unemployment rate, Memphis also has a high rate of unemployed men between age 19 and 30 who are not trying to look for jobs, a category called "non-labor force participation."    Susan [Welting] Pohlman ['68] said her neighborhood near Avon and Normandy is being rocked with burglaries just about every day.    "They're mostly kicking in doors, taking big screen TVs, laptops, Xboxes," said Pohlman, who sends out e-mails for her Avon/Normandy Neighborhood Watch.    "We're all watching now," Pohlman said. "We're looking at people we don't recognize, at cars that slow down a lot, at people walking around we don't recognize."    The Real Time Crime Center, which operates CyberWatch, a crime report notification for Memphians, introduced a blog for High Point Terrace residents this week.    It connects citizens instantly with police officers and commanders who monitor the blog to hasten communication between the public and law enforcement. Munford head football coach out By Jason Smith, Memphis Commercial Appeal Thursday, November 20, 2008    Munford High principal Darry Marshall said Thursday evening he has relieved Cougars head football coach Wayne Randall [East Faculty 1994-2006] of his coaching duties because of "philosophical differences" between the two.    Marshall would not go into specifics but said Randall's dismissal had nothing to do with the recent resignation of former Munford assistant football coach Mike Norwood, whom Randall brought with him from East when he was hired at Munford in 2006.    Norwood resigned Tuesday after Munford school officials discovered he had sent text messages to an 18-year-old female student at Brighton High.    "I don't want people to think this had anything to do with (Norwood's resignation)," Marshall said. "This was a decision I'd made several weeks ago, and I had to let Wayne know (Wednesday) so he could go ahead and try to start finding himself another position somewhere."    Marshall said Randall would continue to teach at Munford through the school year.    "I respect Wayne very much, and basically what we have here is a difference of opinion on the direction we need to be going," Marshall said. "Wayne's a great coach and a great friend of mine. I've always respected him. It's just that we basically have a lot different philosophies."    Randall, who could not be reached for comment, was 17-16 in three seasons at Munford, which finished 2-8 this season. He guided the Cougars to playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007. Munford High School coach resigns over text messages to student By Tom Bailey Jr., Memphis Commercial Appeal Tuesday, November 18, 2008    A Munford High assistant football coach resigned Tuesday over text messages sent to an 18-year-old female student at Brighton High.    Mike Norwood [former East Faculty], who also taught science, had been suspended since Friday and turned in his resignation Tuesday, Tipton County Schools Supt. Tim Fite confirmed.    "Right now we don't know a lot. Don't know if it was profane or vulgar. He just said it was probably inappropriate for a teacher to say," Fite said.    No improper physical contact has been alleged, he said.    The Brighton High student had a boyfriend on the Munford team. Norwood started text-messaging her to communicate with his player, Fite said.    The school system found out about alleged, inappropriate messages after a friend of the girl's informed a Brighton teacher.    School officials interviewed the coach and the female student.    The school system also is trying to get access to the text messages.    "After five days they pretty well delete those things," Fite said. "It'll probably take us a few weeks to see."    But Norwood acknowledged to school officials the texts were "not something a teacher ought to say," Fite said.    "We got a low tolerance on that, anything inappropriate," Fite said.    Norwood, who Fite said is about 40 years old, was in his third year at Munford High. Locators can help find the missing Device tracks when person is lost or wanders By Cindy Wolff, Memphis Commercial Appeal Monday, November 17, 2008 [Excerpt]    It took only 2 minutes to find a missing Alzheimer's patient last week in Towanda, Pa., and 47 minutes last month for a person in Norfolk, Va.    They were both wearing a bracelet that operates on radio telemetry, which helps track someone who wanders.     Two Memphis doctors who do research with Alzheimer's patients want to bring Project Lifesaver to Memphis.    Dr. Linda Nichols ['68], a University of Tennessee Health Science Center professor and Memphis Veterans Medical Center researcher, and her colleague, Dr. Jennifer Martindale-Adams, believe the device may have helped on May 5. That's when 86-year-old Elizabeth Ferguson, who suffered from slight dementia, drove away from her Berclair home headed to a doctor's appointment and vanished. ... East fails to sustain overall progress according to standardized test results by Ken Welch, The East High Alumni Page Tuesday, November 11, 2008    East High, mired in low academic performance, measured as an average across its entire student population, did not show much progress from the previous year according to the 2008 Report Card on Schools released by the Tennessee Department of Education on November 10.    As a result of the scores on standardized testing and other criteria, East failed to meet the "No Child Left Behind" benchmark for Annual Yearly Progress (AYP).    The AYP failures for 2008 occurred in two categories. The school's pupils scored worse than last year in the "reading/language plus writing" testing by 2 percentage points with 87% of the students achieving proficient or advanced status. Statewide 93% made the grade, which also is the state's goal for this year. The school also fell far short of the state's 90% goal for the graduation rate with East graduating only 69% in 2007. The state's report card uses the previous year's graduation rate. It should be noted that the 2008 graduation rate for East was 72.73%. The state average graduation rate in 2008 was 82%.    Another figure disappointing those hoping for significant improvement at the school was the ACT score. For those at East taking the ACT in the 2007-2008 school year, the average composite score was 15.8, a full point lower than the year before. As a college entry evaluation test, pupils are not required to take the ACT, therefore, the score may not accurately reflect the academic level of the student body. Likewise, some colleges, sometimes those with higher admission requirements, prefer the competing SAT exam, so pupils might take that instead of the ACT. SAT scores are not included in the report card issued by the state. If higher achieving students took only the SAT, then the ACT score reported could be below the academic level of the student body. On the other hand, pupils with a poor academic record might not consider college an option and not take the ACT test, skewing the reported ACT score higher than if all students took it. The ACT test, depending on whether the writing test was included, cost either $30 or $44.50 during the 2007-2008 school year. While there were fee waivers for economically disadvantaged pupils, the waiver required an application and funds had to remain available. If any of the 85% of East students classified as economically disadvantaged did not take the test for financial reasons, that also could skew the results. Regardless of the potential for the ACT score not to reflect the academic level of the entire student body, it is an important marker that allows comparison among schools nationwide, among those gaining admission to college, and allows for compairson of scores from various years (but see the ACT Concordance when comparing scores before and after 1989).    There was at least one brighter spot on the state's evaluation of East this year. The percentage of pupils achieving a designated level of proficient or advanced in the math testing improved by 8% over the 2007 figures. The two year average of the math scores showed a 13% improvement over the previous average. Despite this advancement, East's math score for 2008 is 9 percentage points below the average of all participating high schools in Tennessee and 5 percentage points below the state's target score for this year. Private schools are not required to participate in the NCLB assessments but all public schools participate.    While it cannot be conclusively demonstrated by the aggregate scores released by the state Department of Education in its report card on schools, it is entirely possible East's improvement in math scores is directly related to The Greater East High Foundation's tutoring program at the school which has been focusing on mathematics since it began in 2005. The Foundation offers pupils after-school tutoring 4 days a week and on Saturdays and also offers a summer program.    Despite the failure to meet the AYP requirements, the school did move from the high priority "state/LEA reconstitution plan 1 - improving" category to the "target"school category, a single step up in the state's intervention categories. That change results from East achieving Annual Yearly Progress last year. Despite East's previous history of being in more serious intervention categories, last year's progress served to reset the evaluation so that this year's failure to meet the AYP requirements is counted as a first year failure. With a first year failure, the school is placed in the "target" category and is offered technical assistance from the state in an effort to keep it from slipping down into the high priority category. In 2006 and 2007, East had been in the high priority "reconstitution" category in which the state intervened in the running of the school, though such intervention appeared rather limited since East had already changed pincipals and had taken other steps in an attempt to address the academic issues.    The cohort dropout rate at East, meaning those starting the 9th grade who didn't continue through the 12th grade was 26.7% in 2008. That's a 4.8% increase from 2007 and 11% above that for 2006.    There were 293 suspensions or expulsions from East during the 2007-2008 school year. The percentage of students suspended was 31.1 and the percentage expelled was 0.2.    The 2008 state report card on schools, for the most part, reports on the status of the school for the 2007-2008 school year.    The number of pupils at East on October 1, 2007 was 895, of which 685 were categorized as being economically disadvantaged. African-Americans made up 98.6 of the student body, 0.2% were Asian or from the Pacific Islands, 0.3% were Hispanic, and 0.9% were white. There were 487 girls and 454 boys enrolled. During the 2007-2008 school year East hosted grades 8 through 12. Because of a change in the way the number of students is reported, some demographic data in the state's 2008 report card does not match/relate to the number of students listed as being enrolled on the count date of October 1, 2007.    One other broad category reported by the state in its report card on schools is "academic growth." It "measures student progress within a grade and subject and for high school a prediction formula is used based on a student's previous academic performance for ACT, Gateways and End of Course assessments and Writing." Based on the test results and the formula, East High grades 9-12 scored above the predicted result of their progress in Biology I and English I. They were below the prediction in U.S. History, and there was no detectable difference between their predicted progress and their scores in other curriculum areas tested. The ACT predictions showed that the test takers were below the expectations in the composite and science/reasoning scores with no difference detected in the other categories.    The acting principal of East High, substituting while the principal is out on leave due to heath reasons, did not return a call requesting comment.    The state's report card on East High is available at www.EastHigh.org/report-card-2008.html. Any alumnus with the knowledge and skills to further analyze the state's data for posting on this web site is invited to contact the editor. East High players back coach's prediction Wimberly: Hard work key to postseason return By By Jason Smith, Memphis Commercial Appeal Friday, November 7, 2008    This time last year, East High football coach Marcus Wimberly ['92 and Faculty] was already looking ahead to the 2008 season.    His Mustangs had finished 2-8 in 2007 in his second year on the job and Wimberly, a former East standout who went on to star at the University of Miami, had no intentions of watching his alma mater plod through another losing season. Mark WeberThe Commercial Appeal East's Demario Vester brings down Tromarcus Toney of Melrose in last week's victory, which clinched the Region 8-4A title for the Mustangs.    Mark WeberThe Commercial Appeal East's Demario Vester brings down Tromarcus Toney of Melrose in last week's victory, which clinched the Region 8-4A title for the Mustangs.    "We expected this. We put the work in, and I said, 'Don't be surprised if we go from 2-8 to 8-2.' I said that before the year started," said Wimberly, whose Mustangs managed to make his prediction a reality this season.     East (8-2) earned its first outright region title since 2000 with its 30-25 road win at Region 8-4A foe Melrose last week. It was the Mustangs' sixth straight victory overall.    Tonight, for the first time since 2005, East will host a first-round playoff game when fourth-seeded Hardin County (7-3), led by standout senior quarterback Will Gilchrist, invades Fairgrounds Stadium.    "They're a hard-nosed team. They're pretty balanced," Wimberly said. "It's not just (Gilchrist). They've got two guys who have rushed for over 700 yards."    Wimberly credits East's six-game turnaround this season to its offseason work in the weight room and the emergence of several team leaders.    He's also had a direct hand in the turnaround himself, having applied for and receiving a grant from the NFL to improve the school's weight room.    "This time last year, we were preparing for this year," said Wimberly, a former fifth-round NFL draft pick. "We were getting our new weight room in, and I think that's been one of the biggest differences between last year and this year, because we were physically weak.    "As an overall team, there's a lot more discipline in place. These are pretty much my guys, the class that came in with me, and they came in under different guidelines."    The return of senior linebacker Mark Guyton from a season-ending injury in 2007 and the improved play of junior quarterback Jaszy Parker (1,566 total yards, 22 TDs) have also been major factors in East's resurgence.    "(Guyton) has made a big difference. He's made us tougher at the linebacker spot, which we really needed," Wimberly said.    "(Parker) is improving each and every week. He had to learn last year. We threw him in the fire and it was kind of rough on him. But he's stepped it up this year tremendously." The Commercial Appeal, November 5, 2008: The East High School Class of 1956 meets for lunch at the Racquet Club on the fourth Thursday of every month. The Mustang group includes Dale Turner Lowery (seated, left) of Germantown, Marti McDonald Kruchton of Germantown, Bonnie Thomas Seitz and Raymond Young; Ray Henley (standing, left), Marcia Scarborough Dunlap of Germantown, Buddy Shindler of Germantown, Lee 'Dickie' Cardwell of Germantown, Pat Black of Germantown and Gail Valvik Bruce. Class members interested in attending should call 683-2276 for information. Man held in '06 slaying He's brother of suspect already charged in killing of ex-East High football star By By Hank Dudding, Memphis Commercial Appeal Tuesday, October 28, 2008    A second brother has been charged with first-degree murder in the 2006 death of a former East High football star.    Damon Davis, 23, was charged last week with killing Arthur Sallis [associated with the Class of '01], 22, during a robbery Jan. 26, 2006, at Sallis' home at 5445 Flowering Peach in Hickory Hill. Davis' brother, Ronnie Davis, 25, was charged in September.    Sallis led East to a state football championship as a junior in 1999, rushing for 1,406 yards.    He was shot at least twice in the chest during a struggle after three men robbed him at his home. Police are still trying to develop a case against a third suspect.    The men took money and Sallis' 2000 Chevrolet Suburban, which was stripped and burned in Byhalia, Miss., according to a police affidavit.    Damon Davis was taken into custody Oct. 19 after a domestic incident at an apartment at 3184 Steele.    He is accused of attacking ex-girlfriend Erica Jackson, beating her with his hands and fists before she grabbed a knife and cut him, according to an affidavit.    Damon Davis is charged with aggravated burglary and domestic assault in that case.    He was arraigned on the murder charge Monday. An obituary and an additional newspaper article about the death of Mr. Sallis are available. Retired organist built bombers, taught music By Nevin Batiwalla, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, September 27, 2008    From the age of 20, Rosa "Rose" Gillespie, the grande dame of local organists, dedicated her life to teaching music.    In churches and schools, she had a way of inspiring her pupils.     "She had an almost magical gift to bring out in people what they did not think they could do," said Amy Lindeman, 38, who called Ms. Gillespie her "surrogate grandmother."    Ms. Gillespie died Wednesday from complications of bone cancer at a Memphis nursing home. She was 89.    Born in the small town of Stamps, Ark., Ms. Gillespie was raised by a single mom during the Depression. Those tough years, where she bounced between 22 houses, helped mold her can-do spirit, Lindeman said.    "She was completely self-made, and she used that to help other people make it on their own," Lindeman said.    Ms. Gillespie received master's degrees in English and psychology from Memphis State University.    She instructed for 35 years in Memphis schools, at Fairview Junior High and then later at East High, where she taught a pretty teen named Cybill Shepherd. Despite her best efforts, she never could convince the budding celebrity to join the school's chorus.    "I knew if I could get Cybill to join then everyone else would want to join," Ms. Gillespie told The Commercial Appeal in 2006. "But she said she just couldn't because she was too busy with cheerleading."    During World War II, Ms. Gillespie rode a motorcycle to get to her job as an aircraft riveter at the Fisher Aircraft factory. Working the late shift building B-52 bombers with a hardscrabble group of women, Lindeman said, Ms. Gillespie "learned a bunch of new words she had never heard before." On Sundays, she'd finish up early, head home for a quick change, and then dash off to church to play the organ.    She also pitched for the Humko professional softball team.    In 1949, she played her first church service at First Baptist Church. She served as minister of music at McLemore Christian and spent 35 years at Central Christian Church.    She never married. Her only children were her pets and students.    "Someone told me once that when he died he wanted to come back as one of her dogs, because that was the best life he could imagine," Lindeman said.    In 2006, after 35 years as organist and choir director at Central Christian Church, the 86-year-old retired to enjoy a view from the pew.    "There comes a time when you know it's right to step aside and this is that time. I have no regrets and I've loved it all," she said.    Services will be at 11 a.m. today at Central Christian Church. Forest Hill Funeral Home has charge.    The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Memphis and Shelby County Humane Society. A standard obituary is also available as is a news story about when she retired as a church organist in 2006. On September 11, 2008 The Commercial Appeal Memphis Memories section republished a photo of the Memphis State Tiger football offense, which inlcuded Larry Wright (Faculty, 1959), shown on left side of backfield, and Bobby Brooks (Faculty, approx. 1960-66), pictured in the center of the backfield. The photo was first published September 11, 1955. 1959 East coach still coaching Larry Wright coaches with son at Briarcrest Christian School September 5, 2008    Larry Wright (Faculty, 1959), former track and football coach at East High, was featured in a television story about his coaching with his son. Produced by WPTY-TV. The video is available. Larry Wright was also mentioned in a June 18, 2009 article that profiled his son, Major Wright, the head football coach at Briarcrest Christian School, when his son named his father as "the person I most admire."     Perfect fits: DT Williams, LB Wilson sized up right for Vols defense By Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal Monday, September 1, 2008    Dan Williams ['05] was told he was too big. Ellix Wilson was viewed as too small.    Williams listened to nutritionists, Wilson listened to his heart.    The result is that a rarity should occur at 7 p.m. CDT today in Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. -- two Memphis high school products starting on defense for Tennessee against UCLA in the 2008 season opener.    Williams, a former East High star, will likely open at tackle, where he started 10 games last year.    "I've worked harder this offseason than I've ever worked before," said Williams, a junior, whose only weakness seems to be a fondness for his mother's chicken casserole.    Wilson, a former Melrose standout, is the starting middle linebacker as a fifth-year senior. It's a spot he first stepped into last January in the Outback Bowl when Jerod Mayo was hurt.    "I've been around here for five years, so everybody knows what I've got," Wilson said. "I hadn't had a lot of chances to get out there and do it, and now I will get those chances."    When Williams arrived in Knoxville as a true freshman in July 2005, the Vols' coaching staff wasn't happy with what they saw. ... or rather, what they couldn't miss.    It was Williams, reporting at 6-3, 360 pounds.    What happened to the more svelte DT that Tennessee had signed?    "I guess I took advantage more than I should of all the free food you got on official recruiting visits," Williams said with a laugh. "Then after I graduated, I just got lax working out. All I did was eat pizza and play PlayStation.    "I guess I wanted to relax before I went to college, because I knew college and college football would be an all-year thing. I guess I relaxed too much. I showed up in Knoxville still thinking I was about 320 until Coach told me to hop on the scale."    And when Williams did, Fulmer gave him an ultimatum. Drop weight or welcome to the offensive line.    "I thought Dan would be an offensive lineman," Fulmer said. "I didn't know if he would have the quickness and the speed or dedication to be a defensive tackle in this league."    Williams proved Fulmer wrong, much to Fulmer's delight.    "I really wanted to show the coaches I was committed," Williams said. "Coach Fulmer gave me a very small window like until the next spring to lose about 50 pounds. I did that."    As Williams lost weight, his strength increased and his speed returned. Last year, he stepped solidly into the Vols' DT rotation. After making a career-high six tackles in an early season game vs. Southern Mississippi, he also felt for his mental fog in learning the college game finally burned off.    "It was one of my better games," said Williams, who now weighs 308. "I felt for the first time I could be a factor in helping my team win. My mind now understands there's no way I'll ever go back to being that heavy."    Vols' defensive tackle Dan Brooks said Williams' diet discipline has spread to his football.    "Dan is not a flashy guy, but he's there every snap, because he was Mr. Reliable this past spring," Brooks said. "He's such a nice guy that sometimes I have to tell him he needs to play with an attitude. He started to that some last year." ... August 29, 2008, The Commercial Appeal publishes this photo of Bonnie Williams, Joanie Williams, Patsy Williams, and Debbie Williams in it's Memphis Memories column. Class associations of the girls is undetermined though it probably is or is near the classes of '62, '64, '65 and '72 respectively. The photo was first published in the newspaper August 29, 1960. Tiger offensive lineman happy to be back home Malcom Rawls didn't fit in at Knoxville, but will start vs. Rebels By Dan Wolken, Memphis Commercial Appeal Monday, August 25, 2008    Malcom Rawls ['05] always heard that college was supposed to be the best time of his life. But when the East High product arrived at the University of Tennessee in 2005, he could tell immediately that something was wrong.    "I realized early that I didn't really like it," Rawls said. "I was in Knoxville, and I wasn't happy."    One of the top offensive linemen to come out of this area along with Ole Miss' Michael Oher, Rawls knew something had to change. But he also knew that doing what was in his heart -- transferring to the University of Memphis -- would likely begin a long climb back into the spotlight.    On Saturday, Rawls will complete the journey when he starts for the Tigers at right guard against Ole Miss.    "It's good to come back home and be a part of it," Rawls, now a junior, said. "I get to represent Memphis, and that's a big deal to me."    Much has changed for Rawls since he chose Tennessee over Memphis and a number of other Southeastern Conference schools three years ago.    Once focused on engineering as his major, he's now studying Spanish. Once a can't-miss prospect, he's now fighting to establish himself as a legitimate college player. But coach Tommy West believes one thing hasn't changed: The talent that was so evident to recruiters from some of the top programs in the country.    "Malcom has a lot of ability, a lot of God-given talent," West said. "The thing that's holding him back right now is a conditioning level. He's got to get his conditioning to a level where he can play at a pace for a period of time. If he does that, he can be an outstanding player. Right now he can play three or four plays as good as anybody, but he gets tired after that."    Memphis, however, will be as patient as possible with Rawls' conditioning because his potential to make an impact is so promising. Listed at 6-foot-5, 315 pounds, Rawls fits perfectly into West's desire to get bigger on the offensive line in recent years. But West also wants to play an up-tempo game on offense, which could test Rawls' staying power.    As a backup last season, Rawls was on the field for 56 snaps against Rice as a replacement for the injured Dominik Riley but played sporadically in the other eight games he participated in.    "It's just keeping him fresh. (If he's tired), we'll put somebody else in," West said. "I think mentally he's fine with our system."    Rawls' mental strength has always been one of his biggest attributes. He turned down opportunities in high school to play at prestigious prep schools in the Northeast and was recruited by most of the academically elite Division 1 football powers.    During the recruiting process, in fact, Rawls said his top two choices were Notre Dame and Stanford. But as fate would have it, the coaches at both schools -- Tyrone Willingham and Buddy Teevens, respectively -- were fired before signing day. So when Rawls settled on Tennessee, it was not based on enthusiasm as much as process of elimination.    "I just never liked Knoxville," he said. "It was a difficult adjustment, not liking the city. Coming out of high school my major was civil engineering, and I jumped right into some difficult classes, physics, calculus and trying to learn the playbook. It was a difficult adjustment."    Rawls commiserated often during his redshirt year with defensive tackle Dan Williams, his friend and former teammate at East, who was also struggling to adjust. While Williams stuck it out at Tennessee and has had a successful career, Rawls decided to come home.    Though it's taken three years to become a Division 1 starter, Rawls said it's been worth the wait.    "I tell people every time I can that I love it here," he said. "I just have to work hard and continue to go over plays, talk to offensive line coach (Rick) Mallory. If you listen to the coaches, they have so much experience they'll prepare you. Everything they ask, I try to do it to the best of my ability. That's the best way to get on the field here." The Commercial Appeal Memphis Memories Friday, August 22, 2008 [Editor's note: this photo of Jo Learned ('61) appeared in the "Memphis Memories" section of The Commercial Appeal on August 22, 2008, after having first being published in 1953.] From The Commercial Appeal, August 21, 2008 - East alumni Tyrone Johnson (class year undetermined) and T.J. Pointer (class year undetermined) move into residence hall at the University of Memphis. Cash Wants to Enlist Paid Tutors From Student Ranks ANDY MEEK | The Daily News August 13, 2008    As part of the sweeping overhaul he envisions bringing to Memphis City Schools, new district superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash wants to enlist students to work for the school system as tutors.    "What if instead of working for Back Yard Burger … for $6 an hour, work for me. Work for city schools," Cash said last week to about 250 members of the Memphis Rotary Club.    His idea to tap students to work as tutors is only one component of Cash's transformative plan for a school system that has about 113,000 students and is beset by a mix of academic and operational challenges.    But as he spoke to the Rotarians, one person listening in the crowd no doubt felt a measure of satisfaction when he heard Cash mention the tutors.    Bill Sehnert, director of a nearly five-year-old academic foundation begun at East High School, was in the crowd and caught up with Cash after his remarks. Sehnert helps lead an army of tutors – albeit a private army – at East that already is putting into practice the very idea Cash floated to the audience.    Capitalism in action    Started as the Greater East High Foundation in 2004, the basic idea is that academically strong upperclassmen at the school can get paid $10 an hour to tutor their fellow students. One measure of the program's success is the number of local school officials eager to replicate it at their own institutions.    Versions of the program are up and running in at least five Memphis area schools, including East, Whitehaven High School, Westwood High School, Douglass High School and Lester Middle School.    "It's the same tune we've been singing for five years," Sehnert said about Cash's idea.    Commodities trader and East alumnus Charles McVean ['61] provided the financial backing and operational framework that gave birth to the academic program at East. He tapped his eighth grade teacher, Margaret Taylor, to become the foundation's director emeritus.    The program is one example of how, as the performance of and funding for local schools has lagged in recent years, successful business professionals like McVean are seizing the moment to preach education reform in a way school bureaucracies can't always do. And while he didn't allude to it in his remarks at the Rotary Club, Cash has taken notice of the program at East.    MCS administrators have asked for details of the program to share with the new superintendent.    "At Rotary, I said we need to sit down and talk about it, and he said he'd like to," Sehnert said. "So we're trying to schedule a meeting to talk about it.    "Our programs actually dovetail. They shouldn't compete. We can't compete with our customer. We will work hand in glove with Dr. Cash in any way that he sees we can be an asset to the community."    The trappings of a movement    The East High foundation is catching fire even beyond the boundaries of Shelby County.    McVean has friends and business associates in Mississippi, and schools there in places such as Bolivar County have shown an interest in adapting the foundation's operation for their own use.    A burgeoning component of the program at East also calls for tapping college-age tutors to come back and train struggling high school students. The foundation's leadership sees that as another way to motivate children – by showing them what they eventually can become.    Another Memphis businessman, meanwhile, has plunged headlong into the same effort McVean is pursuing. But local venture capitalist Bob Compton is doing so on a much larger stage.    Taken together, the separate efforts reflect a spirit apparently building among local business leaders to do what the public sector can't when it comes to education reform.    Compton spent half a million dollars of his own money to produce "Two Million Minutes," a documentary that compares how a group of students in India, China and the U.S. choose to spend their high school years.    The title comes from the period of time between the first day of classes for a high school freshman and graduation day. That four-year period equates to roughly 2 million minutes.    Fallacy or fact?    One of the themes of Compton's project is that American students are being far outpaced by their counterparts in other areas of the world when it comes to excelling in studies that lead to degrees in highly sought-after jobs.    "And since I spent the last 20 years creating and building new technology companies, I happen to know that what creates companies and what creates jobs are products and technologies that are invented by scientists and engineers," Compton said.    In June, Compton debated Washington Post education columnist Jay Mathews on the CNBC program "Street Signs." Probably the only thing Compton and Mathews agreed on is that their spirited debate is crucial to fixing the country's woes in the field of education.    "Don't ever go on CNBC to debate Bob Compton, one of America's most energetic prophets of doom, without careful preparation and a willingness to be rude," Mathews said in a column he wrote – only slightly tongue in cheek – after the broadcast.    Speaking with The Daily News by phone, the veteran education reporter for The Post elaborated on the two men's differences.    "He and I generally agree that American high schools need to get much better, more rigorous and need to challenge kids in a way they're not doing now. I think we're absolutely on the same wavelength there," Mathews said. "But this scare tactic that we've got to fix our schools or we're going to become the Third World of the world is false.    "It's pretty clear that if you look at how our kids are doing in school, they're way ahead of the education kids are getting in most other countries."    A different emphasis entirely    From Compton's point of view, the divide he highlights in the movie reflects shortcomings in the way U.S. schools educate children compared to the way schools in India and China pursue the same thing.    "Indians and Chinese (people) pursue academic and intellectual training the way Americans pursue sports – with passion, rigor and intensity," Compton said.    Compton, who's currently in Beijing to watch the Olympics, enlisted a filmmaking team that includes veterans of the "Frontline" series on PBS to help him create the documentary. The places where he's screened the film include Harvard, Stanford University and the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado in July.    The latter event was sponsored by Intel Corp. and during a question and answer session after his film was shown, Compton said he was excited to spot a few rows back from the stage New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman. Friedman's widely acclaimed book "The World is Flat" is what inspired Compton to go to India in 2005, a trip from which the idea for the movie was born.    Prominently displayed on the Web site for the movie – www.2mminutes.com – is a quote from Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates that reads: "Two Million Minutes casts a bright spotlight on a crisis in this country." A similar thought is reflected in a speech to the nation's governors in 2005, during which Gates described America's high schools as obsolete.    Movers and shakers are paying attention to the point of the film. Compton had a private meeting about the movie in February with presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Compton caught up with McCain's opponent, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., back in November.    In addition, Compton is screening the film during the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis next month. He also hopes to be able to take his film to the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this month. East High removed from State's "high priorty" list of troubled schools Memphis City Schools gets mixed report card District improves, but some schools still lag By Dakarai I. Aarons , Memphis Commercial Appeal Monday, July 28, 2008    The news on No Child Left Behind for Memphis City Schools is a mixed bag of results, according to information released Monday by the Tennessee Department of Education.    While the district returned to good standing under No Child Left Behind, the number of individual schools in good standing decreased from 128 to 119.    In the good news category, the number of schools on the state's "high priority" list dropped by 11, including six schools that had long languished on the list of schools eligible for state takeover.    Memphis has 30 schools -- down from 41 the year before -- on the "high priority" list, which tracks schools that failed to meet federal benchmarks two years in a row. Twenty of those schools, however, improved in several categories, including 12 of the 15 schools that were eligible for state takeover last year.    The results released Monday show how close -- or far -- students are from meeting standards for reading and math proficiency, attendance and graduation rates.    Schools must meet benchmarks in 37 categories or use some other method approved by the state to be considered in good standing.    "The students, parents, teachers, and staff in schools that performed admirably, as well as those schools that continue to show improvement, are to be commended and should be encouraged by these results," said Supt. Kriner Cash in a prepared statement. Cash and board members are in Park City, Utah, at a reform governance retreat.    Not all the news was good for Memphis schools, however.    Memphis schools on the state's less-urgent "target" list, which places schools on watch for narrowly missing benchmarks in the first year, increased to 34 from 16 last year.    The number of target schools increased statewide as the federal benchmarks went up from 79 to 86 percent proficiency in math and 83 to 89 percent proficiency in reading and language arts.    That tripped up a number of schools in Greater Memphis. Shelby County's Woodstock Middle and Tipton County's Covington High also landed on the target list.    A number of Memphis schools used the "safe harbor" provision to meet the mark, which gives schools credit for making a 10 percent reduction in students who tested below proficient the year before and meeting either the attendance or graduation rate target, depending on grade level.    The number of schools that used "safe harbor," along with details on how individual schools fared on the state's exams, will likely be released by the state in November.    State officials had high praise for the work done in improving schools that had been on the state's failing list for years, such as Treadwell Elementary, Airways Middle, Vance Middle and East High.    "They are to be congratulated for what they've done," said Connie Smith, executive director of innovation, improvement, and accountability for the state department of education.    Smith said she was "particularly proud" of Vance, which had been on the list longer than any of the other schools.    Smith credited the work done by former Supt. Carol Johnson's "fresh start" plan for the improvements in many schools.    In those schools, which included Vance and Airways, principals and entire staffs were changed in an effort to boost student achievement.    But the work remains unfinished. Hamilton High, for example, is in the state's worst-performing category under NCLB.    Many staff were replaced there last year and Cash recently moved Michael Bates, credited with turning around Humes Middle School, into the principal's position at Hamilton.    The No Child Left Behind List    These 56 Memphis-area schools remain on the state's No Child Left Behind list, either as "target" or "high priority" schools.    Target schools    The first year a school does not meet federal standards, it is given a warning. There are no sanctions for "target schools," which have another year to demonstrate progress.    Alcy Elementary    Alton Elementary    Coleman Elementary    Corning Elementary    Covington High (Tipton County Schools)    Downtown Elementary    East High*    Egypt Elementary    Evans Elementary    Fairley Elementary    Fairview Middle    Georgia Ave. Elementary    Getwell Elementary    Graves Elementary    Guthrie Elementary    Hamilton Middle    Hanley Elementary    Hawkins Mill Elementary    Hillcrest High    Holmes Road Elementary    Kate Bond Elementary    Lakeview Elementary    Lester Elementary    Lucie E. Campbell Elementary    Magnolia Elementary    Mitchell High    Raineshaven Elementary    Raleigh-Egypt High    River City High    Ross Elementary    Shannon Elementary    South Park Elementary    Vollentine Elementary    Westhaven Elementary    Woodstock Middle (Shelby County Schools)    High priority    A "high priority" school has missed the same benchmark at least two years in a row. Sanctions in this area can lead up to becoming a school eligible for state takeover.    A. Maceo Walker Middle    Booker T. Washington High    Carver High    Cherokee Elementary    Chickasaw Middle    Cordova Middle    Corry Middle    Craigmont High    Cypress Middle    Dunbar Elementary    Fairley High    Frayser High    Geeter Middle    Georgian Hills Elementary    Grizzlies Academy    Hamilton High    Kingsbury High    Kirby High    Manassas High    Northside High    Oakhaven Middle    Oakhaven High    Pyramid Academy**    Raleigh-Egypt Middle    Sheffield High    Treadwell Middle    Trezevant High    Wells Station Elementary    Wooddale High    Wooddale Middle    *Moved up from the "high priority" list    **not a traditional school; most students attend for only part of the school year East High English teacher named Educator of the Year by Memphis Alliance of Black School Educators 'I guess it was God's calling for me to be an educator' By Linda Moore, Memphis Commercial Appeal Saturday, July 5, 2008    Meah King's ['97, Faculty 2002- ] success as a teacher can be measured in many ways, by the number of students who adore her or the lists of administrators who admire her methods. Or there are simply the raw numbers.    This past school year, 99 percent of the 10th grade English teacher's students passed the state mandated language exam. Over the past five years, the East High teacher's average is about 97 percent.    For that achievement, along with her activities outside the classroom, King has been named the outstanding educator of the year by the Memphis Alliance of Black School Educators.    "I see results," said King. "The students are successful regardless of their so-called disabilities and the things that go on at home. We don't let that be an obstacle."    Although still a young teacher, King, 29, is a standout, said Janice Tankson, treasurer of the alliance and an assistant principal at East, noting that most of King's students are not taking honors English.    "She's setting those high expectations and the kids are reaching those expectations," Tankson said. "That speaks volumes to us that she's working with those students to be the best they can be."    East High principal Frederick W. Curry described King as a phenomenal teacher, one of the best he's ever seen.    "She believes her success is tied to their success," he said.    King begins every class with a chest-thumping chant of "I can do anything," he said.    "It's a chant the kids have bought into," said Curry, who is considering taking it school-wide.    Former students say King is not your average teacher.    "She makes learning fun," said Alexandria Jones, 18, who will be a freshman at Baptist College of Health Sciences this fall.    King kept them motivated, kept them reading and had them write at least one essay a week to prepare for the exams.    "I can't even remember a dull moment in her class," Jones said. "And in 10th grade I had her for sixth period. By the end of the day, after lunch, everyone was ready to go home. But not in her class."    King also gives of her time and talent away from school, said Jeff Akins, the alliance's president-elect.    "Not only is she an excellent teacher in the classroom, making sure all her students excel in what they're trying to learn, but she also gives of herself in the community when school day is over," Akins said.    She is one of the youth advisers for Youth Eager to Serve (YES), a mentoring organization at her church, Lord's Tabernacle Holiness Church, for children 7-17.    King is the faculty sponsor for Peer Power, a student-to-student tutoring program funded by the Greater East High Foundation.    "She loves them and they know it," said Margaret Taylor, retired principal of Grahamwood Elementary School and director emeritus for the foundation.    And King teaches adult General Equivalency Diploma classes and ACT prep classes for high school students.    King first began working with children at church where at 16 she taught pre-school after school and during the summer.    She graduated from East in 1997, and earned an undergraduate degree in English literature and master's in instruction and curriculum at the University of Memphis.    King has been at East for six years.    "I guess it was God's calling for me to be an educator," King said. "I know it's my calling because once my day is complete I have peace when I go home." Mitchell Hires New Basketball Coach Reported by: Jamie Griffin WPTY-TV July 4, 2008 [The video of this story may be still be available at WPTY-TV]    Sorrell Valentine ('93 and Faculty) spent his fourth of July watching basketball. "I couldn't find anyone who barbecued," said Valentine. Truth be told, Valentine is just a basketball junkie. "I would do this for free," he said of coaching high school basketball. "If I wasn't coaching high school I would be (volunteering) at AAU basketball or working with kids anyway."    Fortunately for Valentine, he will be allowed to continue to do what he loves to do and get paid at the same time. Mitchell hired Valentine to replace Jerry Johnson, who recently left to coach at Wooddale High.    Valentine, a graduate of East High School in Memphis, will take over the Tigers after one season at Treadwell where his team finished 13-15 this past season with a lost in the regionals to Mitchell, who went on to play in the Division I AA State Finals. U.S. Border Patrol Recruiting Minorities in Memphis Reported by: Joyce Peterson WPTY-TV July 1, 2008 [The video of this story may be still be available at WPTY-TV]    Memphis, TN - Mention a job that pays 70-grand a year, with no college degree or high school diploma needed and 21 year-old Courtney Moore ['05] is all ears. He graduated from East High in 2005, but with spiraling tuition costs making college next to impossible, Courtney's looking at every opportunity.    "Sounds like a good idea," says Moore. "I'm really thinking about joining the border patrol myself."    The U.S. Border Patrol is actively recruiting African-Americans right now. Of the 16,500 agents currently on staff, only about 1-percent are Black. The federal government's Minority Recruitment Strike Team is targeting cities throughout the Southeastern United States, including Memphis.    Agents are telling young people like Courtney this is their chance to do something that pays well and provides a service to their country.    "What they'll be doing," says Agent Michael E. Douglas, "is protecting the nation from terrorists and drug smugglers. And they'll be making life better for those who are here in this country as citizens."    To become a border patrol agent, you have to study the law, learn self-defense tactics, take aggressive driving lessons and go through firearms training. And you have to be willing to relocate to the Southwest. Border patrol agents live in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.    Applicants also need to be able to speak Spanish. Those who can't, will undergo an intensive 8-week language course at the agency's training academy in New Mexico.    "Recruits are going to have to put in some effort," says Agent Douglas. "They're going to have to put everything they have into it, whether it be academics or the physical abilities. They're going to be taken to their limits."    Courtney Moore, and his mother Paulette, both agree that a little hard work is worth it in order to get a big payoff.    "He's an adult," says Paulette. "He has no family as far as a wife or children. This would be a good opportunity for Courtney."    "It's not about the money," says Courtney, "because everyone needs money. It's about me doing something. I understand it's a dangerous job. But I'm willing. I'm willing!"    Agent Douglas says 175 Memphians filled out applications during two previous recruiting trips to the Bluff City. Douglas and his team will be back in town on July 25th. How we met: Separate ways lead back to 'the one' By Anita Houk, Memphis Commercial Appeal Sunday, June 29, 2008    They were kids when they met.    "We were between 7 and 10," declares LaLita Washington Bivins, 31. "He tries to say we were older, that he was not playing with G.I. Joe then. We met as kids at summer camp at Goodwill Homes."    As predicted, Lonnie Bivins (class year undetermined), also 31, says they met as teenagers.    "The meeting," he says, "was quite interesting, quite unexpected for me." It was at a party with a mutual friend the summer they were rising seniors -- he at East High, she at Whitehaven High. "From that point on, we talked quite often. We dated for a year-and-a-half, two years."    He's a jokester. She's reserved. But they made it mesh -- for a while.    Then she went off to Austin Peay State University, and he attended University of Memphis. Before long, "She went her way, I went my way," says Lonnie.    LaLita became a Memphis City Schools teacher. Lonnie moved to Houston, Texas.    "I'm a contractor at NASA," he says by phone from Houston, "at the facility where they do the astronaut training."    Working underwater can simulate working in space, as a recent PBS documentary featuring Lonnie's unit illustrates. " 'Good Morning America' was here seven or eight months ago and did a live show. 'Armageddon' and 'Space Cowboys' are part of the movies filmed here."    Oddly enough, he was in Memphis when he dove into this line of work.    "I was in welding school at William R. Moore (School of Technology), and I was reading a book about underwater welding. I'd never heard of it. A couple of weeks later, about 3 o'clock in the morning, this commercial came on with this guy underwater welding. There was a school down here (in Houston) that offered it. I moved down here the next month, finished school, got a job and been here ever since.    "But now," he states emphatically, "it's time to come home."    Since he left Memphis, he and LaLita each married; each had a daughter. Hers, Lauryn, is 10 and lives with LaLita in Memphis; his, Arianna, is 7 and lives with her mom in Houston.    "When we were married, we weren't in contact," Lonnie says. "But I would always see her mother when I was in town and she would see my mother ... That's how we knew what was going on in each other's lives."    When they discovered they were both divorced, the terrain changed. He was already planning to return to Memphis, making inroads to a new career here. Then last summer he was invited to a cousin's wedding.    "When I came home for the wedding, I called (LaLita)." She invited him to speak to her business students at Trezevant Career & Technology Center. "So I did. Then we went out July 20 of last year. Not even a year later, we're married."    May 10, in the Japanese Garden at Bartlett City Hall.    "It's crazy," LaLita says, "because we dated on and off over the years. Recently when we got back together, we said, 'OK, this is it.' So we planned the wedding and we thought he'd be in Memphis before now, but hopefully he'll be here by October.    "He is the one for me -- that's something I always knew, but we had to grow up, jump the hurdles," she says. "He's smart, giving, loves baseball. He reminds me of my dad. He's a 'pretty boy' but doesn't mind getting dirty. He can figure anything out."    Well, almost anything. Lonnie has been known to ask for help: "When you ask God for certain things, and God puts the thing in your face that you asked for, you can't do nothing but say thank you," he declares.    "I asked for the chance with specifically her." In Brief: Jury convicts Memphis man in 16-year-old's murder From The Commercial Appeal, June 21, 2008    A jury on Friday convicted a Memphis man of felony murder and robbery involving the 2004 shooting death of a high school student whose burning body was found near a bike path near McLean and Chelsea in North Memphis.    Gerraldo White, 19, will be automatically sentenced to life in prison by Criminal Court Judge John Colton Jr.    State prosecutor Glen Baity said White and two other men abducted DeAngelo Shaw on the night of May 26, 2008, and took him to the bike path, where he was robbed of drugs and money and then shot.    They carried him to a grassy area nearby, shot him again and then doused him with gasoline and set him on fire.    Police said Shaw, a 16-year-old student at East High School, had run away from home five days earlier and had been reported missing.    Joshua Taylor, 19, also was charged in the murder. His case is pending.    -- Lawrence Buser After the glory days pass by, the lessons instilled by 'Coach' continue By Cathryn Stout, Memphis Commercial Appeal Monday, June 16, 2008    The kitchen lights are not as grand as the stadium lights he once knew.    But Jack Turner never needed bright lights to shine. Seventy-seven years old and several years retired from coaching, the gridiron giant radiates leadership as he sits at his Raleigh home crunching tacos with his former players...    An administrator's offer of autonomy recently lured a local hardwood legend out of retirement.    For 21 years, Reginald Mosby [Faculty 1986-2007] was synonymous with the East High School boy's basketball program. After taking a sabbatical in 2007, he'll be coaching basketball next year, under the leadership of principal Dr. Lowell Winston at Northside High School.    "Northside is really blessed to find a coach of this caliber to coach our kids," said Winston.    Aside from adding a sixth state championship ring to his collection, Mosby has a more pressing goal.    "To keep those guys off the street," he said of his future players.    "It's a vacuum for the type of guys that I coached with and against," he said. "And the kids feel it. They don't feel like they have to give back because they don't see their coaches give back."    Part of his job as a coach, explained Mosby, is teaching about life beyond basketball.    So he talks to his boys about dating women with values. He forces them to make eye contact when they speak. He reminds them to shine their shoes before job interviews. He even finds jobs for some of them.    In the 1970s, Mosby coached during the school year and ran the Lester community center pool in the summertime. Daniel Young was one of the high school players he trained as a lifeguard. Now 44, Young has worked his way up to aquatics manager at the same pool.    Raised without his father in the home, Young is not sure where he would be without Mosby's guiding hand.    "Probably be in jail. Probably have about three or four babies. Ain't no telling what would have went on," said Young. "It's just a blessing that he was in my life."    Whether for future or former players, Mosby feels an obligation to offer tough love and unwavering encouragement to the athletes who cross his path, as his grandparents and mother, Lillie Mosby Simmons, did for him.    "I wasn't privy to being raised by my father," said Mosby, father of two. "I had to scratch my way up, so if I can give somebody else a leg up, I want to."    At a recent basketball camp at Northside, Mosby scanned the gym of kids until his eyes landed on a middle-schooler about to make a free throw. Before the youngster could release the ball, Mosby put his hands on the child's shoulders, straightens them up and whispered to him.    Even though the shot missed the basket, the boy looked up at Mosby and smiled. Northside turns to veteran coaching duo By Jason Smith, Memphis Commercial Appeal Thursday, June 5, 2008    Northside athletic director Donald Holmes said this week the school has hired a pair of former East High head coaches to resurrect the Cougars' floundering football and boys basketball programs.     Holmes said legendary former East boys basketball coach Reginald Mosby has agreed to replace longtime Northside boys basketball coach Curtis Bivins, who was 202-228 in 15 seasons with the Cougars.    Also, former East boys track and field coach Gary DeBerry is set to replace former Northside football coach Cleodis Weaver, whose Cougar football teams have dropped 30 consecutive games going back to the 2004 season.    "Both of them (Mosby and DeBerry) have kind of got winning in their system," Holmes said.    Mosby, who was unavailable for comment, is Shelby-Metro's seventh-winningest boys basketball coach of all time with 500 victories. He takes over a Northside program that won just three games last season.    "I called him, and he let me know (he would take the job) after he had sat down and thought about it for awhile," Holmes said. "His experience will be a plus for the program."    DeBerry, who had also been an assistant football coach and assistant girls basketball coach at East, said he hopes to restore some tradition to a Cougar football program that hasn't qualified for the playoffs since 1991.    "It's a big challenge, but we're going to take it a little at a time and get the guys over here back in the frame of mind of winning," DeBerry said.    "In the 1970s and '80s, they had a winning tradition over here with guys like Willie Fry (a first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers) and Mike Hegman (Dallas Cowboys), and we're trying to get it back to that same status. Don't call Margaret Taylor retired From "The Columns: Alumni Reviews," The University of Memphis Magazine, Spring, 2008 by Gabrielle Maxey    Margaret Taylor [Faculty 1955-69] ended her 41-year career as a teacher and principal in the Memphis City Schools in 1995, but she's hardly retired. At age 90, she works full time for a mentoring program at East High School designed to generate excitement for learning and give students the necessary tools to graduate and pursue meaningful careers.    Taylor (BS '63, MA '66) retired from Grahamwood Elementary School 12 years ago after serving as principal from 1972-96. She quickly returned to school, serving as substitute principal for six years and supervisor of student teachers at the University of Memphis for four years.    Under her direction, Grahamwood was designated a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and was named one of the 10 best schools in the state. Grahamwood was so popular during that time that parents would camp out overnight at the Board of Education just to get to their children spots at the school.    Taylor prefers to share the accolades she earned as an educator. "We had the best faculty, good kids, good, supportive parents, and the Board of Education supported us," says the lively nonagenarian who wears her hair in a sensible gray bun. Taylor has won a string of personal honors as well. She was named Educator of the Year by the University of Memphis Society and Memphis' Outstanding Senior Citizen by the Downtown Kiwanis Club.    Taylor was tapped for the Peer Power program by businessman and benefactor Charles McVean ['61], who established the Greater East Foundation in 2004. McVean, a 1961 East High graduate and former student of Taylor's, donated $1 million to the school to pay for extra support teachers, building improvements and payments to students who make good grades and who tutor other students. Under the pay-for-performance plan, students make $10 an hour for tutoring math, English and science. The students who attend tutoring sessions, called "scholars," can earn incentives for good grades.    Tutoring is done for an hour after school Monday through Thursday and three hours on Saturday. East added an eighth period at the end of the day, with only tutoring allowed during that time. Athletics, cheerleading, choir and other activities must wait until after tutoring.    There are 35 to 40 tutors at East, upperclassmen recruited from the ranks of honor students. They tutor about 100 scholars. Tutors train three days a week for around an hour and a half and teach six to eight hours a week. Tutors are paid for the time they train as well as their teaching. "The tutors benefit by the additional training in communication, academic skills and leadership," says foundation director Bill Sehnert. "They work nine to 12 hours a week, so they don't need to get a job outside of school."    Scholars and tutors also have a chance to win cash and other prizes in weekly and six-week grading period team competitions. Teams earn points based on quizzes, tests, attendance, and class and conduct grades.    Many students in Memphis City Schools are classified as economically disadvantaged, says Sehnert. A large number come from single-parent homes, which generally have lower incomes than two-parent families. The way to break the cycle of poverty, says Sehnert, is education. "We want the students to see the connection between hard work, good grades and rewards for performance," he says. "We take kids and advance them a little every day. We make incremental advances. We try to improve not only their grades, but their conduct."    The results have been impressive since the program was launched three years ago. Of students who attended tutoring last year, 100 percent passed their algebra Gateway exam, compared to 72 percent schoolwide. Of seventh and eighth-graders who were tutored, 100 percent passed the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) test last year, with 51 percent scoring advanced in math. In addition, all of the tutors went on to attend four-year colleges.    The Peer Power model was created so that other schools can adopt it. The program already is in place at Whitehaven High School. "Margaret Taylor is blessed and also a blessing by being productive in a vital field into her 90s," says Anne Freeman, who established the program at Whitehaven with her husband, Dr. Jerre Freeman. "She has a ready and contagious laugh, a face full of life and a quick wit. I've seen her laughing at a joke while some friends decades younger are still scratching their heads."    McVean has similar praise. " 'Lady Margaret' taught me eighth-grade math at East High School in 1956 through '57," he says. "She is every bit as sharp now as she was more than 50 years ago. Margaret makes a huge contribution to our program at East and is an inspiration to me each and every day. She is a wonderful living example of what the Greatest Generation was all about."    Taylor is usually at East by 8 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays. "Sometimes I stay until 4:30, 5, sometimes 7," she says. Taylor takes Fridays off since there is tutoring on Saturdays. She reserves some Fridays for trips to casinos in Tunica. ("I take $50 with me. When I spend what I took, I'm done," she explains.) Taylor also has been active in Leadership Memphis, the Kiwanis Club, the Germantown Education Commission, the Memphis Symphony League and Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.    How does she manage when many others her age have retired? "I keep on keeping on," says Taylor. "It keeps me involved. It's a challenge. I like to see kids learning."    Tutors and scholars at East begin each learning session by saying a creed which begins "I want to be somebody some day." Most would agree that Margaret Taylor is someone indeed. Alumni reaching back to help students at former school Assisting with tutoring, mentoring, keeping history alive From The Commercial Appeal, March 19, 2008 Alumni reaching back to help students at former school Assisting with tutoring, mentoring, keeping history alive By Lindsay Moore Monday, May 19, 2008    Mattie Brown Guy never attended the new, modern Manassas High School.    But she walks the halls as if it were her own.    Students in the cafeteria shout greetings and make room for her at a table.    Guy, class of '54, is a fixture among the alumni who are at Manassas every Tuesday. She never misses a program or sporting event, and students say she doesn't sugarcoat the truth.    High school administrators say they need more like her.    With schools feeling pressured from the outside and the inside, alumni can be a valuable resource, administrators say, providing financial assistance, tutoring and mentoring, while also helping to instill a sense of history, school spirit and pride in today's students.    "If we don't help them, who will help them?" asks Guy, surrounded in the Alumni Room at Manassas by decades-old memorabilia.    It was the alumni who bolstered the students after a shooting there last October.    "They let it be known it was an accident and our school is not bad," said DeMarcus Douglas, 17, who graduated on Saturday. "They stood behind us."    East High model    Many see the Greater East High Foundation as a model of how alumni can help.    The foundation, which has received national recognition, was created by Charles McVean, class of '61. Among it's many functions, the foundation pays students to tutor others after school.    "We have identified the most underutilized resource in our city today, the top performing students at these inner city high schools," said McVean, chairman and CEO of McVean Trading and Investments.    Known at East as "Charlie Mustang," a nod to the school's mascot, McVean has funded lunch for 200 during parents' meetings and routinely supplies outside speakers to inspire the students. Recently, visitors from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange exposed students to a new world of possibilities.    East principal Fred Curry is the first to credit McVean's involvement at East for bolstering test scores and school pride.    "He has the right idea in terms of trying to get pride back in school and in terms of getting alumni back in these schools and to assist schools," Curry said.    McVean's idea is also being used at Whitehaven High School, where Dr. Jerre Freeman sponsors the Greater Whitehaven High Foundation.    Dr. Vincent Hunter, principal and member of the class of '82, has proof the program works.    "Our scores went from 68 percent to 85 percent proficiency in one year."    Some hard to reach    As accepting as some students are of the alumni, in many schools there is a large part of the student body -- teens dealing with bad grades, crime-ridden neighborhoods, uninvolved parents or gang recruitment -- who past graduates don't reach.    "What we have to do is figure out a way to turn these kinds around who are headed in the wrong direction," says McVean.    He's planning a tutoring program for the students who are not college-bound.    The Greater East foundation plans to train 50 tutors at the University of Memphis this summer. If Memphis City Schools gives its approval, the foundation will pay them to work with students.    While intervention might work, others say programs need to bring in some younger alumni to make an impact on students who are harder to reach.    At Manassas, most active former students graduated in the '40s, '50s and early '60s, said Nadie Kinnard, president of the Manassas Alumni Association.    She said the students "think we think everything they do is wrong," said Kinnard, class of '65. "They need somebody that understands their language, why they do what they do."    Manassas alumni have raised money and maintained a college scholarship program but have been unable to establish a formalized mentor program, Kinnard said. Money always helps, but it's not the only answer.    "You've got to have some people power," Kinnard said. "Younger people can relate to these students better than I can."    -- Linda A. Moore: 529-2702    School Volunteers    Adult volunteers at Memphis City Schools must submit to a background check and meet other criteria.    To learn more, call 416-7600 or go online to mcsk12.net and click on Volunteer Services at the bottom of the site index list to the right of the page.    [A photo which accompanied this story is not included here.] East alumnus, first woman on MUS board, ends term MUS Today - The Magazine of Memphis University School March 2008 [posted November 12, 2008]    At the February Board of Trustees meeting, it was announced that Susan [Bach ('67)] Faber, Jim Varner '73, and Kent Wunderlich '66 were rotating off the board after 52 years of collective experience. They were thanked and recognized as trustees who love this school and have served unselfishly. Each will become a member of the Honorary Board.    Susan Faber    Susan Faber, the school's first female trustee, joined the MUS board in 1998. In her decade on the board, Faber served on the Education Committee and was co-chair of the Doors to New Opportunities Special Gifts Committee. Perhaps her most significant contribution as a board member was being co-chair of the Strategic Plan 2004-05 (which also included her being co-chair of the Strategic Plan Ad Hoc Committee on Process). Academic Dean Rick Broer, who was co-chair of the strategic planning process with her, recounts, "Susan Faber was a terrific trustee to work with. It is easy to see that she loves MUS and always has tried to keep the school's best interest uppermost in her mind. As co-chair of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, she was a great leader. She worked hard and kept the group organized and focused, yet she made the work interesting and fun. I think of her as a quiet but extremely effective trustee."    Faber and her husband, Butch [Faber ('67)] , were founding members of the Thorn Society and are currently members of the Thorn Society Headmaster's Circle. They are the parents of sons, Michael '96 and Robert '98, and daughter, Carey. Faber is a graduate of East High School and Indiana University. East High Foundation Gains Admin Friend ANDY MEEK | The Daily News Monday, April 21, 2008    President George W. Bush did not forget about his impromptu encounter late last year with a Memphis businessman and a University of Memphis student.    The two Memphians had crossed paths with the president in December at a political fundraiser in Omaha, Neb. Local commodities trader Charles McVean ['61] and U of M student Cortney Richardson flew to the event and approached Bush with the goal of selling him on the strengths of an emerging academic foundation at East High School.    McVean, an East alum, started the foundation in 2004 with the basic idea that upperclassmen at the school would be paid $10 an hour to tutor their fellow students. Richardson is involved with the program as a tutor.    During their encounter with Bush in Omaha, where the president had traveled to support the U.S. Senate candidacy of former Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns, the president told his personal assistant to give the pair from Memphis a business card. A packet of material describing the East High program was then forwarded to the White House.    Bush eventually asked John Bailey, a domestic counsel affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education, to get back in touch with the backers of the local program known as the Greater East High Foundation. That's what led to a 45-minute conference call last week involving McVean, foundation director Bill Sehnert and Bailey as the representative of the education department.    Taking the next step    Bailey, impressed with the pitch he was given, at one point asked the East High officials, "What can we do to help?"    "Charlie said, 'Well, what you can do to help is we believe that a proliferation of these types of private foundations that are privately funded around the country could receive grants from the government or from other private foundations that would pay for performance,'" Sehnert recalled. "And (Bailey) thought that was a good idea.    "They liked the idea of each foundation basically working with one or two schools, because that way the money goes more to the tutors and to the students in incentives rather than to a large organization."    Bailey already had read up on the program before last week's phone call. But he also requested more written information on things such as the program's intent to hire additional tutors and the impact of those additions.    That supportive nod from the nation's capital, meanwhile, joins encouragement from the public and private sectors around the country for the local academic program. After a recent visit to Bolivar County, Miss., for example, one of McVean's friends in the area decided to help launch a version of the academic tutoring program there.    At the program's three-year anniversary celebration last year, a panoply of notable guest speakers was brought in to praise the effort. Among those people was Clear Channel Communications co-founder and Texas billionaire Red McCombs.    Creating masters    And the East High program, which started out as a way McVean figured he could give back to his alma mater and have his money put to productive use, is growing. New college-age tutors will be added to the program's lineup for the next school year.    "We're going to hire 25 college tutors for next year," Sehnert said. "And we're going to try to use those tutors during the day. They will be math, science and engineering students, so they will have the subject content knowledge.    "One of the problems in our schools is that we give kids many, many different choices, so they become masters of nothing. And then when they graduate, if they do graduate from high school, they're not really very well-versed in math or very well-versed in science or very well-versed in English."    Interest in the program is blossoming in other corners. Backers of the foundation have met with officials at Douglass High School in Memphis with the hope of starting a version of the program there. At the moment, East High foundation supporters closer to home are especially eager to bolster the program's lineup of tutors.    "That," Sehnert said, "will be a walking demonstration to kids that they can succeed." How we met: Couple 'In the Right Time' for love Professionals find vision and fulfill their destinies By Anita Houk Special to The Commercial Appeal Sunday, April 6, 2008    "Ricky's vision," his bride, Gwendolyn, explains, "is to help people be their very best, and that's right in line with my vision as well: helping people understand how to get to the next level toward their purpose, their destiny."    Who knew, they marvel, that when she attended and he emceed a 2006 Habitat for Humanity Women Build fund-raiser that they were fulfilling their destinies to build their lives together?    "The theme of our wedding," Ricky L. Tucker ['75] inserts, "was 'In the Right Time.'"    And so it was that in the right time a mutual friend introduced them.    "I was the manager of diversity and inclusion at International Paper," says Gwen J. Nicholson Tucker. "He told me about being an executive coach, and I thought, wow, this might be an opportunity to understand better what he does in terms of coaching, about young professionals moving up in the organization, and specifically African-American males and what skills and tools they need to move up in corporate America.    "That was Sept. 7, 2006, we met. We exchanged business cards."    A few contacts later, Gwen invited Ricky, who owns Rix International, to her office to discuss his proposal to work with IP employees. At that first meeting, he had made an impression.    "Ricky said that as he was building the executive coaching business, that it was developing his character. I don't hear many people talk about developing their character. People talk about what they do, but not about evolving in their character. So that was something that really stood out to me."    They talked business -- "I felt that I was getting grilled!" he admits -- and at some point he volunteered his professional package for auction at her church fund-raiser. And then ....    "I went to this one appointment so that I could secure the business (with IP)," Ricky says, "but between the time I went there and the time I left, it was decided."    "...We couldn't pursue the business part of the equation," says Gwen.    They were discussing assessment tools and personality profiles. He knew his. He asked about hers. At first she recoiled, but then took the risk. "I'd never shared anything of that magnitude," she admits.    He realized the import. "I definitely don't mix business with pleasure," Ricky says, "and I don't take advantage of people. I think I said something to her like, 'I don't have mine but my kimono is open, so if there's anything you want to ask me, you can.' "    "As I think about it," Gwen continues, "there were certain gates of trust that had to be passed through, and that was me taking a risk to trust him. It was a risk that I took. I found out it was (trust) well-placed. I think this must have been the second or third time that we had met."    They had learned about each other quickly. He's from Memphis, graduated from East High, University of Tennessee-Knoxville and has worked toward a master's degree. He's 51, divorced, has lived in Indiana and visited South Africa.    "My prayer was to grow to an international business" and return to South Africa and do good, he says. But then: "When there were straight-line winds in Memphis, my cousin was in an accident and in a coma; he passed away. He had two children. Now, when my mom passed away, his mom had stood in the gap, she was there for me; so I said, I have to come here for him."    That was 2002, two years after Gwen had moved from her home state of Florida to Memphis for her job at International Paper. While she wasn't looking for a husband, "I'd really been praying for a long time to be married to the right man, the husband that God had prepared for me," says Gwen, 48. "One of the things I've longed for is for the man I'm to marry to ask for my hand in marriage, regardless of how old I am. And he did that."    They met in September; he proposed in November. He met her family and friends and passed all their tests. She was delighted: "I didn't wait this long to get married to get it wrong!"    They married April 28, 2007, at The Life Church of Memphis. She has joined Ricky at Rix International, and they do business as a team.    "I had this vision in my mind that I would probably die alone and lonely," Ricky says. But instead, he found "my soulmate."    "He calls me My Joy," says Gwen, beaming. "My middle name is Joy, but he says My Joy." Alumnus featured in column: "80 percent of poor Americans work" The road from government aid to self-sufficiency often not a smooth one By Wendi C. Thomas The Commercial Appeal Sunday, March 30, 2008    Poverty in Memphis looks a lot like Taurus Green.    In fact, 80 percent of the poor people here are single moms and their children.    Green, 30, is raising her three daughters in a drafty duplex in Parkway Village.    She dropped out of South Side High School in the 12th grade, but earned a GED from a program she later found out wasn't certified. She can't afford a car, so her world is limited to where she can get rides or where the bus goes.    Best-case scenario: She earns $800 a month cleaning houses. That's $9,600 a year, which puts her at less than half of the federal poverty level for a family of four -- $21,200.    But you can't raise a family on $800 a month, so Green receives government assistance. There's about $400 a month in food stamps for her girls, 22-month-old Makayla, 7-year-old Jada and 13-year-old Candace. Section 8 pays for her apartment and part of her staggering utility bill.    Overweight, Green vows that this month is the month her diet and exercise program will begin in earnest. She takes a handful of pills daily for high blood pressure and diabetes.    And for many people, including most who have never been poor, that's all they need to know about Green and her family.    The thinking goes like this: Green made poor choices and now, she's paying for them. No, correction, taxpayers are paying for Green's poor choices.    For those whose safety nets have safety nets, it can be difficult to muster any compassion for Green.    After all, no one made her get pregnant. No one made her drop out of high school. No one made her have three children, all by different fathers, only one of whom is involved in his daughter's life.    But Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were he alive today, might see Green's fate a bit differently. He would have less judgment for how Green got where she is. He would want to know how America planned to help Green and the other 35 million Americans who live in poverty.    When King was assassinated, he was in the midst of planning a Poor People's Campaign, an effort that was unpopular even among his civil-rights compatriots. The campaign, which culminated posthumously with a monthlong settlement camp of poor Americans on the National Mall in Washington, demanded that the government provide more jobs with a decent wage, better unemployment insurance and higher-quality public education to prepare children for the workforce.    "Instead of spending $35 billion every year to fight an unjust, ill-considered war in Vietnam and $20billion to put a man on the moon, we need to put God's children on their own two feet," King said on March 18, 1968, in speech to striking Memphis sanitation workers.    But to be fair, poverty 40 years ago didn't look like poverty today. Then, poverty was starvation, homes with rodent and insect infestation but no heating or indoor plumbing.    And that's not to say that there aren't poor people in America living in such situations. But Green and her family do have food, shelter and clothing. There is just little room in her budget for extras and certainly no money for emergencies.    Even the $6 it cost for her daughter Jada's field trip to Pink Palace is a strain.    A former resident of the Dixie Homes housing project, she moved into her duplex in July and has received job training through Memphis Hope. For her perfect attendance and stellar performance in a job-training class, she got a computer, which she used to make fliers for the residential-cleaning business she hopes to start.    The computer is now unusable, felled by a virus and Green isn't sure how to fix it.    Besides, a computer isn't a necessity. What she needed more than a computer was new shoes. Hers had holes in them, and she suspects walking to and from the bus stop with wet feet is probably what made her sick with the flu.    So when she got her tax refund, it was quickly spent -- on shoes for her and clothes and shoes for her children. On buying the dryer she'd been renting. On a working TV. Life insurance policies for her children. Stocking up on canned goods. And paying all her bills, including an overdue $500 utility bill, through April.    Like 80 percent of poor Americans, Green works. She has a few regular clients, but if they go on vacation or just don't need her that week, she doesn't get paid.    In late March, she had $2.41 in her checking account and $14 in her savings account.    She used to get $142 each month in cash assistance, but last month, she turned that down. The check came with strings -- including a requirement to spend 30 hours each week either at work, school or in volunteer service, but volunteering just a few blocks away at her daughter's school didn't count.    Green knows her time on welfare is running out. The 1996 Welfare Reform Act limits benefits to 60 months over a lifetime, with some exceptions for aid to children.    Green estimates she may have two years of that five years left.    "That's one of the reasons I gave the check up. ... I wanted to see if I could do it myself."    * * *    That's a myth about the poor -- that they don't want better for themselves. That they don't want to work, that they're lazy.    "Sure, that group is there," says Doug Imig, professor at the University of Memphis and fellow at the Urban Child Institute. But that group gets magnified well beyond its size, and examples of fraud are held up as the norm rather than the exception.    More importantly, says Imig, "We need to pause and realize we hold completely contradictory attitudes" about poor people.    On one hand, Imig says, we believe poor people are a crafty bunch, adept at scamming the system so they can collect a check. But at the same time, we believe that they must be dumb, because otherwise, they'd figure out a way to escape poverty.    But moving from poverty to self-sufficiency is rarely a smooth transition free from setbacks.    Imig has his urban-policy students meet in the Walgreen's lot at Poplar and Cleveland.    The students are to pretend as if they have a baby in arms and just 20 minutes to find dinner before catching the next bus home.    Will they try to cross Poplar to go to Kroger -- and if so, will they spend part of that 20 minutes sorting through the produce for the most healthful food available? Or will they pick up a quart of milk at Walgreen's? Or will they stay on the same side of the street and grab some fast food from McDonald's?    "It's hard to be poor and this is a city that's hard to be poor in," unlike other cities that have efficient mass transportation, Imig says.    Many Americans earning a middle-class income are still just a paycheck or two away from poverty, and but for the safety nets they have -- families with financial resources, property that can be pawned, even the smallest of nest eggs -- they, too, might find themselves in need of welfare.    Welfare, Imig says, can be likened to a hospital room with two beds.    "In one bed, there's someone who stays for just six months. And the other bed, a new patient comes every day," says Imig, who has a "Poverty Sucks" sticker on his office printer.    "Yes, both beds are occupied all the time, but 98 percent of the use is short-term."    The new patient would be Lashadran Nelson [class year undetermined], who is well on her way to moving off government assistance.    Nelson, 21, had graduated from East High by the time she had Aniyah, who turned 2 in January. Aniyah's father, his family and Nelson's mother and grandmother were there with cameras when Aniyah, dressed like a little angel, won a fashion show at her Binghamton day care center.    Welfare reform forced Nelson, and thousands of other Memphis mothers who receive government assistance, into a workforce-readiness program at BRIDGES.    Nelson came to the Downtown center last July with a bad attitude, a pierced eyebrow and yellow hair she later dyed hot red. Her clothes were better suited for a night club than an office.    But that was before she was taught what it'd take to succeed in a professional environment, lessons her mother, who is an IT coordinator for BRIDGES' workforce-development arm, had tried to teach her but Nelson wouldn't listen.    "My attitude has really improved," says a poised Nelson over dinner, her brown hair braided neatly.    But, Nelson admits, "It took someone else to tell me."    That someone else was Pam McCoy. Dr. McCoy, director of supportive services for BRIDGES' Work Bridge program, who is proud to tell you she went from a GED to a Ph.D.    McCoy, 51, dropped out of high school and had her first child at 15. She married her daughter's father, but was separated just a few years later and divorced in eight years.    Unmarried, she relied on the government for help, following in the single-motherhood path traveled by her mother and her grandmother.    But then she got a break, a break that makes the difference between failure and success: Patient teachers and a devoted financial-aid counselor at what was then Shelby State Community College.    Her first day at junior college in 1977, she showed up wearing a halter top and too-tight jeans, sporting red hair and a gold tooth right in front.    "With the attitude I had, the first week, I ended up cussing out the dean of students," probably over her financial aid, she assumes.    "My mindset was, 'You owe me something.'"    The kindness of her teachers softened her spirit. After she got her degree in counseling at Shelby State, she was hired as an academic adviser. And she had her gold tooth replaced with a natural-colored one.    In 1991, she got her bachelor's degree in human relations from Western Illinois. She moved to Tulsa, Okla., and earned her master's degree in counseling from Oral Roberts University in 1996. Her Ph.D. came from Jacksonville Theological Seminary in 2003.    When McCoy -- affectionately called "Madear" by younger BRIDGES clients and staffers -- talks to recalcitrant mothers uninterested in the training program, she does so with the special insight of having been where they are now.    "You're setting yourself up for defeat," she tells them, when they come in with pierced lips and unusual hair colors. Society will judge them on their appearances -- that's reality, so deal with it.    Yes, it's hard to be a single mother navigating an often-unfriendly system, when you're so easily knocked off course by a sick child or a late bus.    "Sometimes we beat ourselves down and we refuse to come up and come out of that," McCoy says.    But, McCoy says, "Once we change our thinking, we can change our life."    For Nelson, her thinking changed when Aniyah was born. "When you have a child, it's not about you no more."    After her classes at BRIDGES were over, she was hired there part-time, and in that job, she and another BRIDGES graduate transformed the transportation-payment system from a daily time-sucker to an orderly process that happens just once a week. Her initiative -- seeing and solving a problem -- impressed McCoy and others. And last month, BRIDGES hired Nelson full-time.    When the new BRIDGES workforce classes begin on Mondays, it's Nelson who gives a pep talk to the women, most of whom are as reluctant to be there as she was.    "You can't look and them and say, 'They're not going to do anything' because I had that same expression on my face."    Still, the transition hasn't been easy. In her first few weeks as a full-time employee, in her first professional job, she sneaked into a bathroom stall to cry.    Nelson was overwhelmed by all the work, she explained when her mom saw her tear-stained face.    But she was also crying for joy.    "I am so proud of myself." Back in the saddle Stable operators treat horses like athletes From The Commercial Appeal, March 13, 2008 Back in the saddle Stable operators treat horses like athletes By Chris Van Tuyl Thursday, March 13, 2008    Trey Lawson has an accounting degree from Ole Miss, but the 26-year-old's office setting isn't typical. On any given day, he can stomp around 65 acres.    Lawson has returned home to Olive Branch to work with his parents, Wes [Lawson ('68)] and Rose Marie [Manning ('73)] Lawson, at Oak View Stables, an equestrian training center that has been operating in the Mid-South since Oct. 1, 1977.    "Ole Miss treated me well, but I was ready to come back to work and play with the horses a little bit," Trey said.    "It's an addiction in the blood. When you grow up with it, it's hard to move away from it. You're stuck with it one way or another."    For Trey, it's a good kind of "stuck." He's surrounded by beginner, intermediate and advanced riders every week.    "We take them as early as about 5 or 6 and work 'em on up as far as they want to go," he said. "We've got people that are happy to sit there and walk around in circles, and we've got people who are ready to gallop at the next big jump in front of them."    Oak View opened its doors in Germantown but moved to 13600 Looney Road in Olive Branch a little over a decade later.    "It's been a beautiful life in DeSoto County," Rose Marie said. "I love it."    The horses certainly aren't complaining.    "Everybody is checked on everyday," said Trey, "most of the time more than once. They have blankets that come on and off with the weather. They have their own medications, their own speciality diets, their own particular brand of hay -- it just depends.    "They're professional athletes and we treat them as such. A lot of times, as a professional, we all wish we could be as well-treated as our horses."    In the next couple of months, it will be prime time for shows and summer camps at Oak View. The next Hunter/Jumper Show is scheduled for May 31, while four sessions of camps begin June2. That means plenty of excitement -- even for Wes.    "I rode horses as a kid," he said, "but I think my wife married me because I knew how to operate a shovel."    On a serious note, Wes is the chief groundskeeper, yet his feet aren't always on the ground.    "He very much appreciates any hauling jobs he can get," Trey said. "He'd take horses all the way to Canada and back if need be."    For more information on Oak View Stables, visit the Web site oakviewstables.net or call (662) 895-4544. Don't judge East by actions of a few From Letters to the editor, The Commercial Appeal, March 3, 2008 Don't judge East by actions of a few    It is quite unfair to categorize the East High student body as uncivilized because of the actions of a few students, as the writer of a Feb. 28 letter to the editor did [see below]. He is obviously basing his opinion on mere observations and not facts. I'm sure if he truly paid attention, he would see that it is the same students who cut across his yard each day, not the entire student body.    I am a proud 2003 graduate of East High, and I recently received a B.S. degree from Middle Tennessee State University. I also have classmates who have gone on to graduate from institutions such as Morehouse University, Clark-Atlanta University, Dartmouth University and MIT, just to name a few. Several people who are employed in the medical field in Memphis are products of East's optional Health Sciences program and the Health Occupations Students of America program the school provides. I believe we are very productive, civilized citizens of Memphis.    Although I do believe that some people need to better their parenting skills, you can't expect the school to pick up where parents leave off. That's what a community is for, or at least that was the original idea. If the writer is so concerned about the behavior of these students, who apparently reside in his community, maybe he should mentor them instead of criticizing them.    Kearea Ellis    Memphis East students are uncivilized From Letters to the editor, The Commercial Appeal, February 28, 2008 East students are uncivilized Thursday, February 28, 2008    The author of your Feb. 21 letter "High expectations are the answer," [see letter below] East High School principal Frederick W. Curry, would do well to observe the behavior of some of the East pupils when they leave school at the end of the day.    If indeed he thinks these pupils conduct themselves as members of a civilized community, he is sadly mistaken. I live in close proximity to East, and I see and hear the way those so-called students behave.     Fist fights, yelling obscenities at each other, walking across people's yards -- these are the order of the day. Shirts are hanging out of trousers, which are worn to the point of hardly covering body parts that civilized society expects to be covered.    These students Curry seems to be proud of have picked flowers from my garden and thrown stones at my dog. The blame for this behavior obviously falls on the parent/parents. Since they have failed, we hope the school will pick up where society has not.    The letter also stated that each East staff member is asked to mentor one student. Unless the ratio of staff to student is one for one, then I believe the majority of these students do not experience this encouragement.    The community judges East by the observed behavior of its students. While success may be observed inside East, it certainly is not displayed in the neighborhood in which these students live.    Finally, I would like to share this thought: "Self praise is no recommendation."    John Nicholas    Memphis High expectations are the answer From Letters to the editor, The Commercial Appeal, February 21, 2008 High expectations are the answer Thursday, February 21, 2008    I applaud Mayor Willie Herenton for his leadership and concern for our plight as educators (Feb. 14 article, "Beefing up school safety"). Metal detectors and more police reinforcement seem to be the way of large urban school districts. These strategies will definitely quell the violence. But is this what we really need in our schools?    It has been my experience, as a principal, assistant principal, teacher and football coach, that high expectations and character education for all students make schools safe. Students rise or fall to expectations set for them.    We do not have a Memphis Police Department officer assigned to our school. Instead, my staff members are asked to mentor one student. We believe high expectations are taught through good teacher-student relationships. At East High School, we expect our students to conduct themselves as members of a civilized community.    When I arrived at East there was much chaos with an officer assigned to our school. Some students who have succumbed to a lifestyle of gang violence may see it as a "badge of honor" to be arrested or to challenge police authority. It has continued to be my observation that corporal punishment and a stronger Memphis police presence in the school lower expectation. This is evidenced at East High School, as we have experienced decreased numbers of Memphis police calls and discipline referrals over a three-year period with no police presence and no corporal punishment.    We have maintained high expectations for our entire student body, and they do a great job of governing themselves accordingly.    I also believe children must be taught how to behave. We have found that teaching them to "use your inside voice, tuck in your shirt, and walk to the right of the hall," are important elements of behavior for children.    Methods we use to teach good character and behavior include requiring our students to learn the school creed and school poem, "Invictus." We also enlighten our students school-wide through announcing daily character words, having character assemblies, and showing great movies like "Akeelah and the Bee."    Older students at East mentor and tutor younger students after school through our "Peer Power" program. We use "Trust Pays" as a tool for students to take ownership of their school. They are rewarded when they report instances of crime and graffiti to trusted adults.    I am convinced that high expectation and good character translate into a safe environment. I am proud to report that these things work for us at East High School, and can work at all high schools.    Frederick W. Curry    Principal, East High School    Memphis Alumnus opens new store From The Commercial Appeal, February 2, 2008 Vineyard vines spreads to Memphis Clothing fashion shop opens at Regalia site By David Flaum Saturday, February 2, 2008    Almost as quietly as vines grow, vineyard vines, the retailer of bright-colored, preppy fashion, opened its first Memphis store Friday.    The joint venture with Oak Hall, which has sold vineyard vines goods for several years, is next to the Oak Hall store in Regalia Center.    "We've been working on this for three months and it all came together this week," said Bill Levy, co-owner of Oak Hall...    The Oak Hall and vineyard vines folks hope to use the grand opening event to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a charity Oak Hall has long supported, Levy said. Pediatric oncology is also an interest of the vineyard vines leaders, he said.    The store may set aside a percentage of sales revenue for grand-opening week for St. Jude and try to give St. Jude patients gifts -- hats or shirts -- from the store, he said.    In addition, the owners will look into creating a vineyard vines product line from which profits would go to St. Jude, Levy said. Peer Power program at East High appeals to entrepreneurial spirit of student tutors From The Memphis Business Journal, January 18, 2008, posted January 31, 2008 Memphis Business Journal - by Karen Ott Mayer Friday, January 18, 2008    Peer Power represents the best marriage of business and education.    When local businessman and founder of the Greater East High Foundation, Charles McVean ['61], formed the foundation for the express purpose of funneling private funds into a single public school, he stepped into uncharted territory.    What he believed, however, was that by tying simple business principles to an incentive-based tutoring program, educational performance just might improve.    "We are students of global economics," says McVean, who has personally invested $2 million in foundation programs over the past three years. "Unless we can impact the next generation of kids, America doesn't have a chance to continue being a world leader."    More importantly, Peer Power recognizes an untapped resource within East High School: "The most underutilized resource is the top-end kids in inner city schools," he says.    Peer Power treats top-notch students as employees, effectively making their tutoring role also their first job where they are paid at least $10/hour to tutor.    This past year, the program's third year, 250 students participated. Tutoring happens four days during the week and for at least three hours on Saturday.    Besides collapsing the teacher ratio from 25:1 to 2:1, Peer Power seeks to change culture.    "We recognize that the strongest influence on a 7th grade child is a high school student," McVean says. "They look up to them for good or bad. By making this program the desired, elite activity, we can do things like replace gang activity with a competitive team identity. And as business people, we know people respond to monetary incentives."    And it's working.    In 2006, 97% of those tutored (called scholars) passed the Tennessee standardized Algebra I Gateway exam, compared to only 52% of the untutored. In 2007, that number jumped again, with 100% of scholars passing the exam.    Alyssa Carter, now a sophomore at the University of Memphis, became a Peer Power tutor in 2005, helping tutor football scholars in math.    "I think the most surprising thing I've seen is how motivated kids are," Carter says. "They can relate to someone their own age."    Students like Carter submit to a formal hiring process.    "Tutors participate in 80 to 100 hours of paid training during the summer," says William Sehnert, foundation director. "Before that, we ask for a faculty recommendation and students must display honor conduct and be involved in the school as a whole."    Another important feature of Peer Power is the team approach. Scholars are broken into teams and compete through quizzes, attendance and conduct.    "Every six weeks, teams are eligible for monetary incentives of $75 and $100," Sehnert says.    Perhaps the most exciting part of Peer Power for McVean and his team is that the program can be easily duplicated, and his primary objective is to see it replicated nationwide. In the past year, it has been replicated with success at Whitehaven High School where the program is funded by Jerre Freeman.    "It is management intensive and takes qualified, motivated people to support it, but with the support of the school administrations and strong discipline, anyone can have results comparable to our success," McVean says.    An early challenge McVean encountered at East High was the lack of discipline: "When we went into the school three years ago, it was bad. You couldn't hear over the noise in the halls."    McVean says that the support of East High principal Fred Curry and the administration has been essential.    "Teachers in public schools often get too much blame for education problems," he says. "They signed up to teach, not raise kids. What we've got is a broader societal problem stemming from the failure of the traditional family unit."    In this light, McVean explains that tutors accept an even greater role.    "Tutors are qualified to help in the teaching of intangibles, acting almost like surrogate parents to the younger kids," he says.    Greater East High Foundation    Chairman: Charles D. McVean    Address: 850 Ridge Lake Blvd., Suite 1    Phone: (901) 761-8400    Web site: www.easthighfoundation.org Memphian set for Tennis Hall induction From The Commercial Appeal, January 15, 2008, posted January 16, 2008 By Phil Stukenborg Tuesday, January 15, 2008    She had been invited by friends last summer to The Racquet Club to play tennis, the sport that has been her calling card and companion for more than 55 years, when Bonnie Dondeville Farley was hit, not with an errant forehand, but unexpected news. Bonnie Dondeville Farley, well known for her competitive play, has earned her spot in the USTA Southern Section Tennessee Tennis Association Hall of Fame.    The invitation to play tennis was a ruse. A party celebrating her entry into the USTA Southern Section Tennessee Tennis Association Hall of Fame was not.    A lifelong Memphian known by the local tennis community for her fierce competitive nature, her blistering forehands -- righthanded and lefthanded -- and her deep love of the game, Farley, 63, will be inducted into the hall during ceremonies held Jan. 26 in Cool Springs, Tenn., a Nashville suburb.    Also inducted will be Knoxville native Ben Testerman, a former Top 20 player in the world and a one-time Australian Open quarterfinalist, and Chattanooga's Sue Bartlett, a former All-American at UT-Chattanooga and a longtime high school coach.    "I'm so proud, it's really neat, it's really cool," Farley said. "I'm probably going to be boo-hooing because my mom and dad won't be there to see me inducted, and they sacrificed so much for me to play tennis."    Farley said her tennis-playing parents, Clem and Jean, introduced her to the game when she was 5, taking her with them when they'd play matches at old Beauregard Tennis Center. Using a cut-down racquet, she'd hit balls off the backboard on Court No. 18.    "I'd hit against the wall with one hand, change hands, and hit with the other hand," she said.    The practice developed two strong forehands, allowing her to avoid using a backhand stroke. By the time she was 12, Farley was playing -- and winning -- local tournaments for 15-year-olds and competing deep into the draw in older age brackets.    "That whole first summer I competed, I didn't know how to keep score," she said. "All I could do was run over to the ball and dink it back."    She quickly progressed, learning more about the game than keeping the score. By 1959, when she was 14, Farley competed in national tournaments in Philadelphia and Chicago and earned a No. 1 ranking in the South in the 15-and-under division. In 1960, she was ranked 15th in the nation in the 15s.    As an amateur, she dominated the women's open division in Tennessee. From 1962, when she graduated from East High, through 1974, she was ranked No. 1 in the division on six occasions.    While her success as a junior generated headlines, Farley garnered extensive publicity in the early 1960s when, as a student at then-Memphis State University, she tried out for, and made, the men's tennis team. Few college athletics programs offered women's tennis, so Farley played her way onto the Tiger team at the No. 5 singles position. In 1963, she won the singles title at her position while competing in the Tennessee Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships at Sewanee.    An excellent doubles player, she and Ken Lewis formed the No. 1 doubles team at Memphis for two years and went undefeated.    Despite the attention her college career brought, Farley admits she wasn't trying to be a pioneer or make a statement for the women's game.    "There's no doubt in my mind the best women aren't going to come close to competing against the men," she said. "But that was a two-year fun thing. Then I had to get serious about getting my degree."    Farley taught children with special needs in the Memphis City Schools system for 42 years, retiring last May after spending the last 26 of those years at Egypt Elementary. She played tennis competitively and taught the sport until 1983 when her son, John, was born.    It was during those local events that her legend as an intense competitor grew. Former Tiger men's player Phil Chamberlain, a member of Memphis' team in the mid-1970s, often drew Farley and her partner in local mixed doubles events. He called her "intimidating."    "If she had a good partner, she'd win with whoever she was playing with," Chamberlain said. "She was a dominating player and a great competitor. And her ground game was awesome."    Chamberlain said Farley's unique two-forehand ground game made it difficult to choose how to serve to her.    "I remember thinking, 'Where do I serve it? Out wide or to her body?"' said Chamberlain, who is tournament director of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships and Cellular South Cup, the annual pro tennis stop at The Racquet Club. "I've never seen someone who had two forehands before or since Bonnie."    During her dominating run in the women's Open division in the state from 1962-74, Farley was ranked No. 1 in doubles three times and No. 2 twice, including once with her mother, Jean.    "She was dynamic," said Charlotte Peterson, who played and coached women's tennis at Memphis. "And those were heavy, devastating forehands she hit. If you tried to make her decide which forehand to hit by hitting it down the middle, it didn't matter. The ball she hit was so 'heavy,' it was like hitting a rock."    Peterson also played in tournaments where her doubles team often drew Farley's.    "Her first shot was always at the net person, especially in mixed doubles," Peterson said. "She was so competitive. And she didn't like to lose. She was fun to play against, but she was scary to play against, too."    As intense and competitive as she was, she also showed a compassionate side on the courts. Although she taught lessons at several country clubs and tennis centers through the years, she often gave lessons for free on the Memphis Park Commission's public courts. Her skill level allowed her to be placed in exhibition matches against some of the sport's legendary players, including Pancho Segura and Tony Trabert.    Tommy Buford, a longtime tennis teacher in the Memphis area and a former director of the pro tournament at The Racquet Club, said, like several others who saw Farley play as a junior, that she could have competed at a higher level. Farley said, "a lot of things held me back, one was a lack of funds; I couldn't even afford a tennis lesson."    She said she doesn't regret what some regard as a missed opportunity.    "It's a shame she didn't have a chance to expand her skills outside of the Mid-South area," said Buford, who lives outside of Boise, Idaho.    Farley will add the Tennessee Tennis Hall of Fame honor to several others she has received, including an induction into the University of Memphis' M Club Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Memphis Amateur Hall of Fame in 1982.    "Had she been in the right place, she could have played on the pro circuit," Peterson said. "My hat's off to her for getting in the Hall of Fame." The Value of Good Grades Schools offer Happy Meals and cash to improve scores The following excerpt is from U.S. News & World Report, January 3, 2008. By Eddy Ramírez    Facing mounting pressure to raise students' scores on standardized tests, schools are prodding kids to work harder by offering them clear-cut incentives. Happy Meals are at the low end of the scale. With the help of businesses, schools are also giving away cars, iPods, coveted seats to basketball games, and—in a growing number of cases—cold, hard cash. The appeal of such programs is obvious, but the consequences of tying grades to goods are still uncertain.    ...    Even if rewards don't lead to individual achievement on a test, they could have a meaningful effect in the school. Rather than give money to his college alma mater, Charles McVean ['61], a businessman and philanthropist, started a peer tutoring program at East High School in Memphis, where he was once a student. The program pays higher-achieving students $10 an hour to tutor struggling classmates and divides them into teams. During the course of the year, students bond and compete. The team that posts the highest math scores wins the top cash prize of $100. McVean calls the combination of peer tutoring, competition, and cash incentives a recipe for "nothing less than magic." See the full article at U.S. News & World Report. Presidential Approval East High tutoring program receives supportive nod from Bush From The Daily News, December 11, 2007 ANDY MEEK | The Daily News    President George W. Bush flew to Nebraska last week to attend a political fundraiser. University of Memphis student Cortney Richardson ['07] flew to the same event, albeit for a different reason.    Richardson, accompanied by wealthy Memphis commodities trader Charles McVean ['61], hoped to score some face time with the president and bend his ear about an emerging academic foundation at East High School. The U of M freshman got his wish, and then some.    Bush was in Omaha to support the U.S. Senate candidacy of former Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns. Richardson and McVean showed up on behalf of the Greater East High Foundation, a peer-tutoring program launched with funding by McVean, a 1961 East High graduate.    A few weeks before the Nebraska event, the East High program celebrated its third birthday with an event at the school that included a panoply of notable guest speakers. Among those brought in to extol the program's virtues was Clear Channel Communications co-founder and Texas billionaire Red McCombs. Johanns was there, too.    The month before that saw Lamar Alexander, a former U.S. Secretary of Education and one of Tennessee's current Republican U.S. senators, show up to applaud the work at East, which uses academically strong students to tutor their struggling peers.    Hopes for the road    Fresh off all that attention for the fledgling program, McVean and his protégé took their effort on the road.    "Actually, we were in line to take a picture (at the fundraiser), and we had some documents about the program we wanted the president to see and take with him so that he could read on the plane back home," Richardson said.    They were told they wouldn't be able to give anything to the president, however, so McVean and Richardson quickly improvised. McVean let the young East High alumnus make the pitch himself.    "I just went up and told him, 'I'm Cortney Richardson from the Greater East High Foundation of Memphis, Tenn.,' and 'This is an exceptional program,'" said Richardson, recalling his pitch to Bush. "And I told him, 'Sen. Lamar Alexander and Red McCombs from San Antonio think so, too.'    "Then he interjected, 'You mean Big Red McCombs from San Antonio, Texas?' And we said, 'Yes, sir.' And we told him Red McCombs said this tutoring program concept is the most significant advancement in education in the last 100 years. (Bush) said right then and there, 'It's a deal.' And he told his personal assistant to give us a business card."    Proof is in the results    McVean founded the program in 2004. The basic idea is that East High upperclassmen are paid $10 an hour to tutor their fellow students.    As a measure of the program's success, in the last school year 100 percent of the seventh- and eighth-grade students who receive the tutoring at East passed the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) tests.    Bush promised he would read everything that Richardson and McVean forward to Jared Weinstein, the president's personal assistant. The president also gave Richardson a pointer about his salesmanship.    After Richardson made his initial pitch, Bush gave him Weinstein's card, then said: "C'mon, let's take this picture."    Richardson tried to get in another plug for the program at East and share a few statistics related to it.    "But he stopped me and said, 'There's one thing you need to know as a salesman. Once the deal is closed, stop selling,'" Richardson recalled.    Following that brief encounter, McVean held court last week in the school library at East. Voice booming, arms outstretched, he predicted to a small group of teachers and participants in the foundation that Bush ultimately would pay a visit to the school.    Then the transformative program would be on everybody's map, impossible to ignore.    "We've spent a couple of years trying to create a model that could be replicated elsewhere," said Bill Sehnert, the foundation's director. "Cortney's an example of that model. And if we can create a couple hundred Cortneys and get other schools to create a couple hundred Cortneys, then the future for Memphis gets a lot brighter." Farmer's Market open house draws crafters, sellers for last hurrah From The Commercial AppealDecember 2, 2007, posted December 20, 2007 By Pamela Perkins Sunday, December 2, 2007 [Editor's note: this story has edited to condense it from the original]        ... other customers got to come back to the Farmer's Market one last time this year for its open house Saturday...    "This is kind of our last hurrah before the Christmas shopping season is over," said Farmer's Market manager Mark Hoggard.    Usually open only May through October, nearly 30 vendors of arts and crafts, jewelry, woodwork, Christmas decor, pies and pastries and other delicacies and knickknacks came back for the open house. Hoggard hopes to make it a major annual event.    "We had a small one last year, but it wasn't quite this magnitude," he said.    He said it was designed to showcase vendors who don't just sell the traditional farmer's market produce.    "Through the course of the summer you had people coming in that are buying fruits and vegetables and flowers that are available that time of year. Crafts vendors sometimes don't get the full impact of it. Their season is more or less when people are buying gifts during the holidays," Hoggard said.    The open house also probably helps the business stand out among the growing number of farmer's markets in the Mid-South...    Locally, Arlington started one this year and the Memphis Farmer's Market downtown opened last year. Organizers of both markets have said they wanted to bring their communities together while giving them an economic boost.    "A lot of little communities have it ... for little, small farmers, which is great. Somebody has a backyard garden and has a few tomatoes, a few extra heads of lettuce or cabbage and wants a place to market them," Hoggard said.    "Everybody thinks it's just the way to go. It's great for a community."    Hoggard also said if the newer farmer's markets have hurt his business, he hasn't noticed.    Neither has Eric Matheson ['58] of Germantown, who sells Jerry's Deep Fried Peanuts just about every day during Farmer's Market season.    "There's so much customer loyalty. ... It's unreal," Matheson said. "I get almost 30 to 40 percent in repeat business. And I've made a lot of friends." November, 2007 - Chas McVean ('61) and Courtney Richardson ('07) were interviewed on WREG-TV (Memphis) morning program November 21, 2007, discussing The Greater East High Foundation's peer tutoring program. The video can be seen on youtube.com Pep Rally for Alumnus McVean and Peer Tutoring Program The East High Alumni Page, November 28, 2007    The Greater East High Foundation held what amounted to a pep rally for hundreds of spectators the evening of November 20, 2007, in the auditorium of East High School.    The program was billed in various ways, depending on the source of the information. The Greater East High Foundation called it "A Birthday Celebration of Accomplishments," the school announced the event as the "McVean Auditorium Dedication Ceremony," and The Commercial Appeal called it "a ceremony Tuesday to commemorate the school's 60th anniversary and the role the Greater East High Foundation has played in boosting student performance." The event was about as focused as the decision on what to call it.    Starting fifteen minutes late and going 30 minutes beyond the advertised time, the program mostly featured politicians, friends, and associates of Charlie McVean ('61) trading accolades with McVean about each other.    A former faculty member of East, Mrs. Margaret Taylor, was celebrated for her many years of educating the children of Memphis, first as a teacher at East High, then as an award winning principal at Grahamwood Elementary School. For the past three years she has been very involved with The Greater East High Foundation's efforts at East, first serving as its director and now as director emeritus. Mrs Taylor turned 90 years old late this month. Dr. Shirley Raines, President of the University of Memphis presented Mrs.Taylor with a certificate of appreciation for her service in education and City Councilman Jack Sammons gave her a key to the city. In response to the accolades, Mrs. Taylor said, "I think for the first time in my life I'm speechless. All I can say is I'll get even with you!" She went on to say, "Thank you for all your good thoughts. I'll try to live up to them. Thank you."    Some of the compliments seemed overly exaggerated. Mr. Red McCombs of Texas, a wealthy businessman who made a fortune with major league sports teams, a major broadcasting chain, and car dealerships, and who has donated millions to the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and to the University of Texas-Austin, alluded to Mr. McVean's inspired peer tutoring program at East as being one of the greatest innovations in education in the past 100 years. Peer tutoring may be a winning strategy for secondary school education, however, it was already an established program at several schools nationwide, most notably perhaps, through the Breakthrough Collaborative, before Mr. McVean began The Greater East High Foundation.    Dr. Carolyn Farb, a Houston, Texas, based fund raiser for charities, deviated from the ad-lib nature of the comments making a prepared speech.    According to Mr. McVean, both Dr. Farb and Mr. McCombs are associates and/or friend of his who he persuaded to join him specifically for this event.    There were brief moments of substance during the evening's comments. Mr. McVean called on the "rank and file of the middle business leaders" to get involved in programs such as his Greater East High Foundation. Mr. Jerry Freeman who has adapted the peer tutoring program at East for Whitehaven High School and Whitehaven High principal Dr. Vincent Hunter spoke of major gains in academic testing results after just one year of the program at that school.    There was a brief discussion of a chart displayed on stage showing that of those students to receive peer tutoring through The Greater East High Foundation's program at East, 51 percent graded "advanced" on state standardized testing of mathematics. Several other charts indicating academic improvement by pupils participating in the program were displayed outside the auditorium doors and in handouts for attendees to review. (see charts below)    Not to miss the apparent point of the night, councilman Sammons announced that the City Council had designated Poplar Avenue from Lafayette Street to Holmes Street "Charlie McVean Parkway" and that signs announcing that would be posted along that stretch of highway that fronts the East High School property.    Finally, near the end of the program, East principal Fred Curry was able to quickly announce the East High auditorium was being named in honor of Charles McVean, a fact already reported here several months ago when the city school board approved the naming. [If you attended the above event, The East High Alumni Page would like to know. Send us a message at editor@EastHigh.org Resources: Visit The Greater East High Foundation web site See the charts:   Good news at MCS From The Commercial Appeal Editorial page, November 23, 2007, posted November 25, 2007 Friday, November 23, 2007    If Memphis City Schools is the hopeless case it's portrayed as by some critics, how does East High senior Alexandria Jones manage a 4.883 grade point average while taking calculus through dual enrollment at Southwest Tennessee Community College and tutoring an East High freshman?    Why were last year's seniors throughout the MCS system offered 3,436 scholarships, only 189 of which were for athletics, worth $97,353,806?    The reason is that MCS has the resources to help students perform academically and even excel if they're motivated to do well.    While management problems in the district and a grand jury investigation of school building contracts dominate the headlines, there are good teachers and administrators quietly and effectively carrying out the district's educational mission.    And there are students like Jones, who manages to keep her grades up, take a college-level class and help freshman Jerica Falls in her studies, earning $10 an hour in a Greater East High Foundation tutoring program.    Greater East High Foundation is the creation of businessman and East alum Charles McVean ['61], who has a desire to see the school recapture some of the glory of its earlier years.    It's the kind of program that can provide the motivation and the role models to help students excel no matter what their socioeconomic status may be.    Help like that isn't available at every one of the district's schools, but it sets an example that alumni and support groups throughout the system should try to follow. Students reap benefits of peer tutoring TCAP scores soar thanks to East High Foundation program From The Commercial Appeal, November 18, 2007, posted November 20, 2007 By Dakarai I. Aarons Sunday, November 18, 2007    The way Jerica Falls and Alexandria Jones talk, you'd think they'd grown up together as sisters.    The two East High School students have formed a tight bond in the months they've spent together in the Greater East High Foundation's tutoring program, often finishing each other's sentences.    Jones, a senior with a 4.883 GPA, spends her afternoons helping Falls, a freshman, with her geometry homework.    She is taking calculus through dual enrollment at Southwest Tennessee Community College.    Jones said she's also seen a benefit from participating as a tutor.    "Being a tutor has taught me how to analyze a problem," she said. "That has helped me with my communication skills and people skills."    And Falls says learning from a peer is sometimes less intimidating than working with a teacher one-on-one after school.    "To have someone your own age who knows the subject, it helps you form a relationship with them."    And the personalized attention is also a plus, she said.    "In a classroom, the teacher has 20 or 30 other students to think about," Falls said.    Founded in 2004 by businessman and East alum Charles McVean ['61], the foundation aims to help return the school that has seen many transitions in the past decade back to its former glory.    Nearly 120 students participate in the foundation's program, which works with students for an hour after school Monday through Thursday and three hours on Saturday mornings.    Students receive tutoring from upperclassmen in mastering their math, science and writing skills. The tutors are paid $10 an hour.    The foundation's work will be celebrated at a Tuesday night ceremony in the school's auditorium.    Legendary Memphis educator Margaret Taylor [Faculty], who will turn 90 later this month, plays a key part role in the foundation's work, spending countless hours each day mentoring and tutoring students.    The student-to-student tutoring has paid off.    In the 2005-06 school year, 97 percent of the foundation's seventh- and eighth-graders passed the state's Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests. Last school year, 100 percent of students passed, said Bill Sehnert, the foundation's director.    In a study released earlier this year by the University of Memphis' Center for Research in Educational Policy, researchers found that students in the scholars tutoring program scored "significantly higher" than their peers at the school.    Sehnert said he is proud of the results, but those test scores are just the beginning.    The foundation's hope is to make sure these students advance through school and do well enough on the ACT college entrance exam that they can attend the nation's top colleges and universities on scholarship.    Along the way, students learn the benefit of giving back to their community and can help create a vibrant workforce for Memphis, Sehnert said.    At the end of the year, they can look and say, 'I've helped my fellow kids.'" he said.    East High Celebration    What: East High School is having a ceremony Tuesday to commemorate the school's 60th anniversary and the role the Greater East High Foundation has played in boosting student performance.    Who: Speakers include philanthropist Carolyn Farb of Houston, Texas, who has raised more than $35 million for hundreds of charitable causes and Clear Channel Communications co-founder Red McCombs.    When: The celebration will take place Tuesday from 5 to 6 p.m.    Where: It will be held in the East High auditorium, 3206 Poplar. Alumnus expresses views on annexation From The Commercial Appeal, October 26, 2007, posted November 1, 2007 Compiled by Raina Hanna Desoto Appeal, October 26, 2007     How do you feel about the city of Olive Branch's plans to annex the land east of the city to the Marshall County line? [italics theirs]    Well, I don't suppose we have any choice about it happening. I really wish they would let the residents vote on it. They didn't ask or get our opinion, but I guess we'll have to accept it.    Wes Lawson ['68]    DeSoto County    "My Two Cents" takes the pulse of the DeSoto County community on topics in the news.... Alumnus album features songs about Mid-South murders posted October 16, 2007    Bob Frank ('62) is featured in an article in the October issue of Memphis Magazine about his colaboration with another Memphian in producing an album with songs about legendary or actual murders having occurred in the Mid-South. There is also a web site for the album and the artists. Aim high, honors students are told Alexander cites work of East High Foundation From The Commercial Appeal, Tuesday, October 16, 2007 By Dakarai I. Aarons October 16, 2007    Sen. Lamar Alexander told East High School honors students Monday not to let challenges like poverty get in the way of their goals.    "Aim for the top," Alexander said. "There's more room there."    Tennessee's senior senator was on hand for a ceremony naming the school auditorium for businessman Charles McVean ('61), who founded the Greater East High Foundation.    Alexander said there is support on Capitol Hill for giving more flexibility to teachers in helping students succeed.    He cited the Greater East High Foundation's work in mentoring students as an example of local-based solutions that help schools succeed.    "Back in Washington, I think we need to make sure we give schools and states the flexibility they need to use models like this program and the work of Charles McVean to improve the rest of our nation's schools," said Alexander, a former U.S. secretary of education.    Alexander, who sits on the Senate's Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions, said the No Child Left Behind law has been good for the country, but could use some work, as it undergoes reauthorization.    The current rules heavily penalize schools that narrowly miss the benchmarks, placing them on the same level as schools that are consistently underperforming, Alexander said.    In a few weeks, he will introduce a bill that creates a pilot program that would allow 12 states to create their own method for calculating Adequate Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind, with permission of the U.S. Department of Education.    The states would have to keep the same standards, but would have more flexibility in determining whether students and schools have met those standards.    States would also be given more leeway in how to spend education dollars.    "We ought to catch people doing things right rather than wrong," he said. "In No Child Left Behind, it seems like we give only C's and F's." Former East Student Asks Mayoral Candidates Question    From WMC-TV Mayoral Election debate, September 21, 2007 John Reed (associated with the Class of '69) was one of the members of the public chosen to ask the Memphis mayoral candidates a question during WMC-TV's candidate debate airing Friday, September 21, 2007. He asked, I was wondering if there's one thing ... that inspired you to want to run for mayor."    The debate telecast can be viewed on the Internet by pointing your browser to www.midsouthvotes.com and selecting to view the "Memphis Mayoral Debate (Part 1)." Reed appears in the clip entitled "Memphis Mayoral Debate (Part 2)," which has to be selected separately. Family marks 90 years From The Commercial Appeal " My Life" section September 16, 2007 By Mary Mitchell Special to My Life Sunday, September 16, 2007    Winnie Allbright [Faculty]* recently celebrated her 90th birthday. She was feted by family on a railroad car in Collierville. Family came from Los Angeles, Atlanta, Gatlinburg, Mississippi and Memphis. Food and celebration were the order of the night.    Winnie has three nieces; Mary Mitchell and Martha Gandy of Memphis, and Charlene Stinson of Gatlinburg. Winnie has been a second mother and best friend to all her nieces, as well as her great-nieces and nephews. Her family feels that she's "the greatest" and that she has been a wonderful influence to all of them through the years.    Winnie was born in Arkansas and raised in Harrisburg. She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in education and began teaching at Oak Ridge, Tenn., during WWII. After college, she married Paul H. Allbright. He was sent to Pearl Harbor and was there on the day of the bombing.    In addition to her teaching, Winnie has enjoyed being active in community service. She served as president of the American Association of the University Women in Memphis and was honored by the AAUW with a Grant Fellowship Award. She also enjoyed being a docent for the Wonder Series.    Winnie's hobbies include pickling, cooking, traveling and educational tours. She is a member of Kingsway Christian Church.    Mary Mitchell is a niece of Winnie Allbright. *See Mrs.Allbright's page in the Elementary section. Harvey Goldner Remembered From KPLU, September 10, 2007 Daysha Eaton    SEATTLE, WA (2007-09-10) Earlier this year, Seattle lost a man who became known as the Bard of Belltown. Harvey Goldner ['60] was a regular at poetry readings across the city, where he became a mentor to many. After years of chain-smoking, Goldner died this summer at age 65. A memorial for him brought Seattle's poetry community together. KPLU'S Daysha Eaton has more. (5:00) [The story can be heard at this KPLU link.]. A printed obituary for Harvey Goldner is available. East principal, coach smooth over concerns From The Commercial Appeal, September 4, 2007 By Jason Smith Tuesday, September 4, 2007    While most of you were barbecuing and spending your Labor Day relaxing, I arrived at work Monday afternoon to find several urgent phone messages alerting me that Fred Curry, the principal at East, had fired his head football coach and his staff following the Mustangs' 12-6 loss to Wooddale last Friday.    The rumor had also reached the high school sports message boards. On CoachT.com, a post titled "Memphis East, Principal fires entire football staff -- new direction again?" also claimed that Curry dismissed the entire Mustang coaching staff sometime after Friday's loss.    Keep in mind, this is the same Fred Curry who dumped former Mustang coach Wayne Randall following the 2005 season for no reason other than "as a new principal, I want to take the football program in another direction."    But Curry said Monday that contrary to rumor, he has not fired second-year head coach Marcus Wimberly, whom Curry described Monday as "a good influence and a great guy."    Curry did confirm, however, that he met Monday morning with Wimberly and members of the Mustang booster club to discuss what he called "some concerns" he had about the program.    "I met with the coaches this morning and I met with parents. We kind of ironed out those concerns, so he's still my coach," Curry said.    "It had nothing to do with winning, because as you know, I would've kept my last coach if everything had to do with winning. ... I just thought that we needed to get on the same page in terms of what kind of young men we want to produce."    Also reached Monday, Wimberly, an East graduate whose Mustangs have gone a combined 6-7 since his hiring last year, said Curry's concerns were "smoothed over" during Monday's meeting.    "That's what he conveyed to the parents and myself, that it wasn't about wins and losses," said Wimberly, whose Mustangs (0-2) travel to face 12th-ranked Fairley on Friday. "Like I tell everybody, I have a young football team, and in the years to come, I think we're gonna be pretty good. I think we're gonna end up being pretty good this year.    We're going in the right direction. Everything's been smoothed over, so we're all right." Outdoor warning siren on the roof of East High School one of the oldest          In an article published in the "My Life" section of The Commercial Appeal September 1, 2007 (or possibly August 25, 2007, the newspaper gives both dates) focusing on the career of an employee of the Memphis/Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, a photo of the siren atop East High School and a cutline (caption) was included: Officer Thompson checking the Biersach & Niedermayer outdoor warning siren on the roof of East High School. It is one of the oldest sirens in Shelby County, powered by electricity now but originally operated by a gasoline engine. Recent articles in the "Memphis Memories" column of The Commercial Appeal have included the following: In the August 18, 2007 Memphis Memories features a photo of Mac Holladay ('63). The August 25, 2007 Memphis Memories also carried an article from 1982 about Jake Schorr ('58): August 25 25 years ago: 1982 Jake Schorr and Shawnee Cavnar have expanded their carriage business in the shadow of downtown Memphis. They're restoring several 1890s-vintage horse-drawn carriages salvaged from an old barn near Jackson, Tenn. When finished, the enclosed carriages will be used by River City Carriage Tours for cozy wintertime tours of downtown Memphis and others will be sold to collectors. Schorr, a woodworking hobbyist who does most of the restoration, says the restored carriages are worth about $5,000. The August 25, 2007 Memphis Memories featured a picture of former East High faculty member and head football coach Bobby Brooks (faculty approximately 1960-1966) when he was a student athlete at Memphis State College. No verdict again in 2001 killing From The Commercial Appeal, August 21, 2007 Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Greater Memphis    For a second time this summer, a jury could not reach a verdict in a murder trial involving a shooting outside 150 Peabody Place.    John Edward McClee, who is now 25, was charged with killing Tedrick C. Dawson ['93], 26, on Aug. 26, 2001, outside of Jillian's.    Dawson was shot once in the shoulder and twice in the back, while a friend, Romond Arnold, was shot in the buttocks, police said.    McClee did not deny the 1:50 a.m. shooting, but said he acted in self-defense.    A Criminal Court jury deliberated more than 10 hours Friday before announcing it was deadlocked on the second degree murder charge.    McClee was convicted on three lesser charges, however, including reckless endangerment, possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of a weapon.    The case is set for a status report next month.    -- Lawrence Buser A previous story about Mr. Dawson's death is below. Laptop computers to be supplied to East pupils and teachers    August 21, 2007 - East High is among 16 Memphis high schools in which an "Interactive ACT-Designed Laptop Learning System" will be implemented, according the the Memphis City Schools system.    The Epic Learning System, developed by the academic standardized test firm ACT, provides the laptop computers loaded with Math, Science, English and Social Studies courses. The school system claims the pupils will be able to submit assignments and quizzes online to be graded automatically and placed in the teacher's grade book, allowing students and their parents to receive immediate feedback.    "We believe that this supplemental curriculum and instructional support program will enhance the positive academic programs already in place that are designed to accelerate achievement and directly impact student performance on the ACT," said Dr. Alfred Hall, Chief Academic Officer for Memphis City Schools.    The laptop computers should be in place at the schools in September.    There is a web site with more information about the Epic Learning System at http://www.epiclearningsystem.com/aboutEpic.asp    Source: Memphis City Schools 2007 ACT scores may show small improvement    August 19, 2007 - The academic testing service ACT has released the composite ACT scores for graduating high school seniors and it appears to show a very slight improvement in the level of accomplishment at East High.    The average composite ACT score for the East High Class of 2007 was 16.8, according to an August 19 article in The Commercial Appeal. State data shows the "three year average" ACT composite scores for East pupils at 16.7 for 2005 and 2006. However, the numbers may not be comperable since one is based on a "three year average" and may include all pupils who took the test and the 2007 figure purports to show the composite score of graduating seniors.    The 2007 graduating seniors average composite score average for all city schools was 17.7, the average for all Shelby County schools was 21.7. The Tennessee average for the Class of 2007 was 20.7 and the national average was 21.2. White Station High and Houston High had the highest local public school averages with seniors at both instutitions averaging a composite score of 23.6.    There have been other indications of some improvement at East High. While the state has involved itself with the running of East due to inadaequate progress over recent years, it did classify the school as "State/LEA Reconstitution Plan 1 - Improving" in July. The East High Alumni Page had earlier reported that the results of the Gateway exams showed significantly higher scores which met the level required by the state to be categorized as satisfactory performance. The results of other standardized tests have yet to be released to the public.    Please also see the reports below: "State recognizes improvement at East," and "Could these numbers represent the much needed turnaround?"    Sources: The Commercial Appeal, Tennessee Department of Education, ACT, Inc., The East High Alumni Page Race led to firing, alleges ex-coach From The Commercial Appeal, August 10, 2007 By David Healy August 10, 2007    Wayne Randall was a successful head football coach at East High School before leaving 17 months ago.    A lawsuit filed by the coach earlier this year, claiming racial discrimination, may shed some light on why he is now coaching Munford High.    In his lawsuit Randall contends that East principal Fred Curry fired the coach because Randall is white.    The lawsuit states Curry, "created an atmosphere of racial animosity and let it be known that he wanted a black football head coach. Although Mr. Randall produced a winning team that won a state championship, Mr. Curry never gave a reason for his dismissal."    Numerous attempts to reach Curry were unsuccessful.    In the defendants' answer to the complaint, attorney Michael R. Marshall, who is out of town, wrote that "the defendants had legitimate nondiscriminatory reasons for relieving Mr. Randall as football coach at East High School."    Curry gave little reason for Randall's firing.    In a March 21, 2006, story in The Commercial Appeal, Curry would only say, "I can't tell you another reason other than as a new principal, I want to take the football program in another direction."    The lawsuit names Memphis City School board members and former Supt. Carol Johnson as co-defendants.    Efforts to reach school board officials regarding the lawsuit and Randall's claims were unsuccessful.    Randall, who also declined comment on advice of his attorney, became head coach at Munford a month after his dismissal at East.    Randall seeks $500,000 for mental and emotional distress from his termination, and another $100,000 in punitive damages against Curry individually.    Randall's attorney, Richard B. Fields, filed the lawsuit March 9 in Shelby County Circuit Court.    "We have a great case. There was no reason for him to be fired," Fields said. "Coach Randall's teams did extremely well and he was universally loved by the parents and the students at the school. He was one of the most outstanding coaches in the history of Memphis football. The principal simply didn't want him to coach anymore because he was white."    Fields said it may be two years before the case is finally decided.    In his 12 seasons at East, Randall led the Mustangs to nine straight playoff appearances and won the 1999 Class 4-A state championship. He had a record of 100-42, and over the last eight years averaged 10 wins a season.    Last year, Randall led Munford to an 8-4 record and the District 7-4A championship. Munford won just two games the season before Randall's arrival. State recognizes improvement at East August 6, 2007 The latest State evaluation of East High School, released Aug. 6, 2007, puts East in the category of "State/LEA Reconstitution Plan 1 - Improving." For the previous school year (2005-2006), it was listed simply as State/LEA Reconstitution Plan. The "improving" aspect may reflect better TCAP results anticipated after scores on Gateway exams were higher. See our related stories below: "Could these numbers represent the much needed turnaround?" and "State intervenes in running East High School - details now available." State intervenes in running East High School - details now available by Ken Welch, editor, The East High Alumni Page August 2, 2007 [updated 4:05 pm CDT with comment from Principal Curry]    The State of Tennessee Department of Education intervention into the running of East High school calls for changes in the guidance office but endorses the leadership of top administration at the school.    See the directives    Since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind and other monitoring methods early in this decade, East High has performed poorly. The State put the school "on notice" that it needed to improve during the 2001-2002 school year. Each year thereafter the school has received some classification indicating significant improvement was needed. On July 31, the State announced its direct intervention in the troubled schools, its most forceful step yet. It has classified East as being in the State/LEA Reconstitution Plan category.    In its directive to the school system, the Department of Education says it found East's principal for the past 2 years, Fred Curry, to apparently be "an effective administrator who communicates high expectations to both staff and students." The report says Mr. Curry is well respected by the faculty and has 2 educational facilitators who also seem to be effective. This endorsement of the school's leadership is in contrast to some other of the schools in which the State is ordering the administration be changed.    After the directive was issued, Mr. Curry said, "My vision of East High is to not only raise the academic rigor to where it was [decades ago]..., rather to raise it to a level where our kids can compete academically with the Japanese, Indians(India) and the rest of the global community."    The primary personnel directive given by the state for East High is that it orders the reconsideration of the removal of one "effective" guidance counselor and the retention of one "ineffective" counselor. The report indicates the retained counselor was kept on the school's staff due to seniority and tenure issues. The report also calls for the school system to ensure that the school has a "highly effective" attendance clerk to address student attendance and participation rates.    Beyond those personnel considerations, the orders from the State for East High generally are of a supporting and monitoring nature. It calls for an incentive plan, including bonuses, for attracting and keeping qualified administrators and teachers who meet performance benchmarks for student proficiency. It also directs that the school to be afforded the necessary resources for behavioral and family specialists.    The State is requiring the school system to provide special oversight and support to East and the other school in which it is taking direct action. It also is requiring a number of reporting actions such as a response within 10 days of how it will implement the orders it has been given and to show cause if it fails to follow staffing recommendations made by the principal or the special personnel assigned to oversee the school's rehabilitation.    The Department of Education says the current $12.8 million renovation must be completed by the time students are to resume classes on August 13 and that some stolen technology equipment be replaced in the same time frame. (See our report on the renovation in a August 1, 2007 edition of the Mustang Roundup - Alumni Edition.    You can see all the directives ordered by the State Department of Education by clicking/selecting this link.    It should be noted that East no longer has a middle school component. The seventh grade was removed from the school for the 2006-2007 school year and with the opening of classes August 13, East becomes a pure high school with only grades 9 through 12.    The State is expected to release its latest "report card" on the evaluation of East and other schools within the next several days.    For more information about the academic performance at East, you may review the Today's East High section of The East High Alumni Page and the story below about the improvement on some standardized tests. Mustang Roundup — Alumni Edition: Photo tour of $11.5 million renovation as construction rushes toward completion Biggest visual change in decades underway at East High Click here to go to the August, 2007 edition of the Mustang Roundup — Alumni Edition. State intervenes in running East High School August 1, 2007    A day after the announcement, details as to how the Tennessee Department of Education intervening in the running of East High and 16 other Memphis schools remain hard to come by. [see above update] As reported yesterday, the Department of Education is intervening in the running of East High School and 16 other city schools after years of unsatisfactory performance.    Memphis City Schools did finallly post some general information on its web site about the state's intervention. Out of the $42,040,000 in additional state revenue (BEP 2.0) going to the Memphis City Schools district, $9.7 million will be used for intensive improvements in teaching and learning in a core group of Memphis City Schools currently on the state's probationary list of "striving schools." The remainder of the funds will be used across the district for additional teaching and teacher support and enhanced academic and student support programs. Governor Phil Bredesen has mandated that the school district adopt and implement a stringent action plan for schools that still remain on the state-identified probationary list. Each of the Memphis schools in the core group will receive academic support tailored to its particular needs. In addition, the probationary or "striving" schools will have longer school hours beginning with the start of the 2007-08 school year. The plan for these "striving schools" is modeled after Douglas Reeves' STAR Model for Success, and other strategies successfully implemented in the Miami-Dade and New York City Public Schools. Schools will be provided with ongoing professional development for their teachers, more visible tracking of student progress, additional staff and greater collaboration between school staff, parents and students. The plan also provides district-level accountability and support, such as content-area specialists to work with school-based literacy and mathematics coaches and an academic superintendent to directly supervise the principals in the core group of schools. The anticipated group of schools to receive this support are: Airways Middle, Carver High, Cypress Middle, East High, Fairley High, Frayser High, Geeter Middle, Hamilton High, Kingsbury Middle/High, Sherwood Middle, Treadwell Elementary, Treadwell High, Vance Middle, and Westside Middle. The school day at those schools for the 2007-08 school year will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m. This change adds 30 minutes to each school day, for the equivalent of approximately 14 additional days of instruction each year. In addition to a longer school day at these schools, other changes for the "striving schools" are: * Graduation coaches will be hired for high schools, based on a state recommendation to increase graduation rates. The coaches will provide intensive support of schools and students. * Additional staff will be hired for the probationary schools, including literacy and mathematics coaches to help monitor and improve teaching and learning. * Based on the need of the individual school, an additional parent/family or behavior specialist will be allocated to the school. * Based on the school's need, an additional school counselor or social worker will be allocated. * Performance-based incentives for principals, teachers, and staff will be offered. Slightly more than $14 million of the funding will be used across the district to hire additional teachers and staff to support schools with high percentages of Special Education students, additional mathematics teachers and tutors to lower the student-teacher ratio in secondary schools, additional support for English as a Second Language teachers, for ongoing, comprehensive school-based professional development for teachers, and an additional allocation for supplies and materials for every teacher in the Memphis school district ($200 per teacher, double the amount teachers received previously). The changes will be in place for the 2007-08 school year. Memphis City Schools will work collaboratively with the state to successfully implement the measures.    Neither the Tennessee Department of Education nor East High Principal have yet responded to requests from The East High Alumni Page for more informaton.    As indicated in the story below, East Principal Fred Curry had hoped improving test scores would keep the state from taking immediate action. To what extent the improved scores, if they hold true for all the standardized tests, may mitigate the state's intervention in the oversight of East High remains to be seen.    More details here as they become available. Special Report: Could these numbers represent the much needed turnaround? Indications are of academic improvement at East High A special report from The East High Alumni Page July 13, 2007    The top administrator at East High School is smiling these days. After years of academic and disciplinary difficulties, there is hope a new trend is beginning. Although some of the aggregate standardized test scores for the 2006-2007 school year have not been released to the public yet, those that have seem to indicate a considerable improvement. "I'm amazed and pleased," said second year principal Fred Curry as he discussed the "quick" turnaround he's seen since coming to the school.    With some data to indicate improvement and optimism by East's principal, for some the dismay about the school's performance may now replaced by questions. Has East High turned the corner? Could East High be headed in the right direction with enough momentum to establish an ongoing trend leading to it regaining the academic status it once had?    Pupils who entered the ninth grade in 2001-2002 must obtain a score indicating "Proficient" or "Advanced" on each of the Gateway examinations in three subject areas - mathematics, science and language arts - in order to earn a high school diploma. Mr. Curry says the Gateway results for East for the 2006-2007 year were up significantly. The school's percentages of students taking the Algebra I Gateway exam this year getting proficient or advanced scores was 77% compared to 52% the previous year. In English II, essentially 10th grade English, 91% attained the proficient or better categories. In 2005-2006 the figure was 85%. The Gateway results for Biology were 91%, an increase of 9 percentage points over last year's scores. All of this year's Gateway scores are above those the state requires as satisfactory performance.    After more than two decades as one of the premier academic public schools in Memphis and the region, the problems were first noted in the 1970s. East High becomes a school administrators considered as a school in trouble. At that point, a public acknowledgment of the problem was that many in the school's attendance district were choosing not to go to East. By the 1990s and 2000s, as standardized testing scores were mandated to be made public, the highly questionable academic performance of the school's students became apparent. Average ACT composite scores had plummeted to the low 16s. As a comparison, White Station High School's 2005 composite ACT score was 23.2. ACT possible scores range from 1 to 36. The University of Memphis requires a 19 on the enhanced ACT for admission without a student being required to take special remedial courses. Since the federal government got highly involved in academic accountability in the past few years, East was characterized as deficient in meeting No Child Left Behind requirements. It was assigned the status of "restructuring 2" by the state in 2005, meaning significant changes in the school were required. Options included conversion to a charter school, replacing existing staff, taking over management or contracting with a university to take over management.    Principal Curry has made changes. A number of faculty members, including coaches, have left the school, more advanced placement (AP) classes have been offered, and he has continued the work with The Greater East High Foundation, which had begun to organized peer-to-peer student tutoring and classes the year before Mr. Curry was transferred to East, and with other individuals and organizations offering help to the school. It takes two years of satisfactory performance for a school to get off the "target list" of troubled schools. The tale is not yet told as the full assessment for this year has not been released and it will take likely take years of improvements to bring East High into academic repute. The alumni of East High will be watching closely and with great hope. Critic back at Malco job -- temporarily Chain now requires 'confidentiality agreement' From The Commercial Appeal, June 19, 2007 By John Beifuss June 19, 2007    It was more like compromise time than clobberin' time when projectionist Jesse Morrison and Malco senior vice president Jimmy Tashie ('66) met Monday morning to resolve Morrison's suspension for writing an unauthorized early review of "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."    The outcome: Morrison is back at his 30-hour-a-week, $7-an-hour job at Malco's Ridgeway Four for the next two weeks, after which he'll leave to pursue other opportunities.    What's more significant is that as a result of the Morrison incident, Malco projectionists and other employees who see advance screenings of films will be required to sign a "confidentiality agreement" stating they will not write about the movie in advance of its opening date.    Other movie chains may follow suit, Tashie said. "There's heightened security now, there's no doubt about it," he said.    Morrison, 29, became something of an Internet celebrity after he was suspended June 11 for posting a week-early pan of "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" on the popular Web site, Ain't It Cool News (aintitcool.com).    Morrison -- who also writes reviews for his own site, Memflixbeyond.com -- blasted "Silver Surfer" after seeing the film when he projected it at a private "trade screening" for Malco officials and other local movie exhibitors.    Angry representatives of 20th Century Fox, the studio that produced "Silver Surfer," contacted Malco to complain, and Tashie suspended Morrison for what he called a breach of trust.    The disciplinary action generated nationwide debate about freedom of speech, job responsibility and the Internet's impact on movie publicity.    Many members of the online community accused Fox and Malco of violating Morrison's free speech and punishing him for not liking the movie.    The story was picked up nationally, with The Hollywood Reporter writing that the incident "might mark the first time someone working in the entertainment industry has lost a job for voicing an early opinion online."    Monday, Tashie lifted Morrison's suspension, but with the stipulation that the projectionist would no longer work advance screenings. Morrison decided to return to work but gave two weeks' notice.    "The national exposure ... put a strain on the employee-employer relationship," Morrison wrote Monday on his Web site. "I don't believe it is a reparable situation. I feel it's better to just move on."    The brouhaha didn't hurt "Surfer" at the box office, where it was No. 1 this past weekend, earning more than $57 million. Longtime East coach moves on From The Commercial Appeal, June 7, 2007 Jason Smith June 7, 2007    After 21 years, the hardest part of leaving East High was packing up his white van with more than two decades worth of memories as the Lady Mustangs' track and field coach.    "It hurt me," longtime East coach Danny Joe Young remembers of last Thursday, his final day at East. "All the kids had gone home, and I had one girl that came up there Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and helped me real hard, crating stuff up and boxing stuff up and loading stuff up.    "It hurts, but they understand. They understand it wasn't my doing and that I'm not walking out on them just because we've had a couple bad years here lately. This was probably one of the best and most memorable teams I've ever had because everything that came out of my mouth, these kids listened to."    One of several longtime East coaches to have recently been "surplussed" (let go), Young, 56, who guided the Lady Mustangs to seven track and field state titles since joining East in 1985, is set to become the new girls cross-country and track and field head coach at Melrose.    "It was just like the sky opened up," Young said this week. "(Melrose principal LaVaughn) Bridges opened his arms up and said, 'Mr. Young, I've been watching you for 20 years and I've seen what you've done at East High School -- not just win, but how you handle your kids and how you teach life skills.' He said, 'I want you on my team. My kids deserve that. They haven't had it in years.'    "I mean, what can you say? He wanted me, and he wanted me for the right reasons."    Young said he harbors no ill will toward East principal Fred Curry, who, since his hiring at East in 2005, has also let go longtime Mustang football coach Wayne Randall, legendary Mustang basketball coach Reginald Mosby and Mosby's longtime assistant, Willie Turner.    "I'm a very loyal person when it comes to Mr. Curry," said Young, who also led the Lady Mustangs to three state runnerup finishes (from 2002-04) and 18 city championships. "From an education standpoint, I am very loyal to him, his ideas and what he's trying to do. I understand he's trying to raise the test scores at East and I applaud him for that.    "But I'm looking forward to going to Melrose. There has been a tradition at Melrose in girls track. Sheila Echols (a 1988 Olympic gold medalist) came from there, and also Rochelle Stevens (a 1996 Olympic gold medalist). Even before that, (three-time Best of the Preps girls cross-country winner) Tania Wells came through there. She holds the state record in the 800-meter run. So there's a tradition to a point, and I don't know why (Bridges) just hasn't been able to get the kind of coach he needed to continue that. But I do believe things happen for a reason."    ... Former Tiger Gibson following Mosby at East From The Commercial Appeal, May 12, 2007 Jason Smith May 12, 2007    Cheyenne Gibson calls them huge shoes to fill, those of former East High basketball coach Reginald Mosby, and he's right.    With 500 career victories and five state-title rings, Mosby has left behind a legacy of success at East, where Gibson, the former Memphis State basketball standout and Sheffield High head coach, has been hired as the Mustangs' new head basketball coach.    "I think it's a better situation than where I was," said Gibson, who compiled a 118-70 record in six seasons at Sheffield, but was let go by Sheffield principal Jimmy Holland following a 19-10 campaign this season.    "I sat down with the (East) principal (Fred Curry) and Mosby (on Thursday), and we just talked about some things. I told (Curry) I was going to take (the job), and Mosby said that it couldn't have gone to a better guy."    Mosby told The Commercial Appeal in February he was considering stepping down following his 21st year as East's head coach.    "Those are some big shoes to step into," said Gibson, who played against Mosby's East teams during his days as a high school standout at Westwood. "He's so well respected. He's done a great job."    ... How we Met    Mail call: packet of love for Ensign Terrell 'When he was gone overseas this past year, he got a letter every day' From The Commercial Appeal, May 6, 2007 Anita Houk May 6, 2007    The officer in soon-to-be Navy Ensign Jason Terrell knew he had to do what he had to do.    The gentleman in him knew he had to come clean about it with Kamilah Averyhart.    The question: When?    He chose the February night in 2005 they went to the Orpheum to see the Alvin Ailey dancers.    "I got accepted into Officer Candidate School with the Navy," he announced to her before the show.    "Congratulations. So you're going to be in Millington?"    "No," he said. "I'm going to be in OCS in Florida for three months, then six months in Georgia and then overseas."    Kamilah was distraught. She didn't want to see the dancers. She didn't want to talk about his news. She wanted to cry. "At intermission I said, 'Why didn't you tell me about it before?' He said, 'I tried to tell you but I was scared you were going to dump me.'"    He explains: "We had a conversation once about the military, and I asked her would you ever date somebody that was in the Navy? And she says, 'No!' So I just kept it to myself."    After all, they'd met in marketing class in fall 2003, working on master's degrees at Webster University (Millington campus). Jason was a Memphis Catholic High and University of Memphis grad (2002, management information systems) and worked in marketing at FedEx.    "He sat across from me every week," says Kamilah, who graduated from East High and UT-Chattanooga (2001, finance and marketing). She's a community development analyst for Memphis' Division of Housing and Community Development.    "There was some other guy who was always talking, just rambling on, and every time he would talk we would look at each other and go (roll our eyes)," she says.    Next class: economics. "In econ, (Jason) beat me on a quiz. No one had ever beat me on a quiz before. After he didn't come to our first study session I saw him and said, 'You think you're too smart to come to the study session?' And so he showed up for the next one.    "By the time we got to finance (class), he said he was going to ask me out, but ..."    "I was watching her!" he interjects. "I remember the first time I saw her in marketing. I just said to myself, 'Wow! That's the woman I'm going to marry.'"    Kamilah was watching him, too. "Then, he was always showing off his arms. Huge arms. He always had on these shirts that would hug his arms. I'd actually check 'em out and then look the other way and keep doing my work."    Then one evening when he took his sister to Isaac Hayes' club for her birthday, Jason saw Kamilah there alone. When the Prince song "Adore" was played, they danced.    Days later, he was gloating that he got tickets to a Prince concert -- and would she take notes for him in class that night.    "It was probably three hours before the concert and finally I called her and said, 'Would you like to go to the Prince concert with me?' She actually goes to Oak Court Mall and buys a completely new outfit."    "I had to get something purple!" she protests.    "That," says Jason, 28, "is when we really officially had our first date, the Prince concert."    "So we had known each other about seven months before our first date," says Kamilah, 27.    By then, Jason knew that if she said she didn't want a military man, "I'm not going to tell her I'm even thinking about becoming an officer in the Navy. I didn't tell her until I thought she could be The One."    Or rather, until she knew he was The One.    "I guess I was a little iffy on the long-distance thing," she admits. "But as soon as you gave me your address, I mailed your first package. And every day that he was gone, I had written him a letter."    When he came home last spring, they married April 22, 2006 at St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. Four days later he departed for Diego Garcia, a tiny atoll of a military base 7 degrees south of the equator in the heart of the Indian Ocean.    "When he was gone overseas this past year, he got a letter every day," she says.    "When mail call came," he says, "I was always expecting a box full of letters."    "And Oreo cookies," she adds.    "Because I love Oreo cookies," he says smiling.    Tuesday, they're off together to San Diego to live, as he's been assigned to the USS Nimitz. But before they go, they want to recount how an early family tradition came to be.    It was Jason's birthday, Jan. 5, 2006, and he was ready to propose. He asked her mom for Kamilah's hand, then went to pick up Kamilah for what she thought was his birthday dinner at Ronnie Grisanti & Sons on Poplar. When Jason arrived, Kamilah was just putting on her shoes. He dove right in.    "Do you love me?" he asked.    "Yes."    "How much?"    "Very much," she said.    "Well, HOW much?"    "Priceless," she responded.    At that, he fell to his knee and asked, "Will you marry me?"    It's a moment to hold dear.    "Every now and then we conjure it up," he says. "We say, 'How much do you love me?'    " 'Priceless.' " Bartlett personnel chief Hilbun praised at retirement ... again From The Commercial Appeal, April 5, 2007 By Shannon Massey Special to Bartlett-Cordova Appeal April 5, 2007    Between the plaques and gifts, Bartlett's personnel director fought back tears at his retirement party as three of the city's mayors praised Larry Hilbun's ['52] sense of duty and his integrity at City Hall on Tuesday night.    "Get us legal and keep us legal," former mayor Bobby Flaherty says he told Hilbun when he was hired 12 years ago. "We looked for a good man, and we found him."    When Hilbun was hired by Bartlett he was 60, and had already retired once as personnel director for Shelby County after serving more than 16 years. Before that, he was director of employee relations for Cook Industries Inc. for 13 years.    Before he came to Bartlett, the city never had a personnel director. Each individual department handled its own human resources issues.    "The best part of my job with the city of Bartlett is the quality of the people that I have had the pleasure to work with from the personnel staff to the managers and supervisors and the many fine employees," Hilbun said. "I have had the opportunity to serve three outstanding mayors, all dedicated and competent men who work hard to do what is best for the citizens of Bartlett." When Hilbun arrived in Bartlett, the city had 262 full-time employees; today there are more than 500.    "You really have cost the city a lot of money," joked Mayor Keith McDonald, who presented Hilbun a plaque and the key to the city. Richard Stokes of the Tennessee Personnel Management Association also presented Hilbun with a plaque. In 2004, Hilbun was the first recipient of the state's Outstanding Human Resource Professional award.    Former mayor Ken Fulmar said Hilbun made an impression on him early on. "He was so honest, we really appreciated his honesty."    Since Hilbun also had a hand in bringing the local Bartlett-area Lifeblood to the area, Jason Sykes of Lifeblood presented Hilbun with the Community Partner Award.    "Several years ago, Bartlett was using about 8,000 units of blood a year but only receiving about 1,800 units in donations from its residents," Sykes said. "Now, through Mr. Hilbun's vision and a strategic five-year plan, Bartlett is the only self-sufficient suburb in Shelby County."    "It took only three years to reach that goal under Hilbun's leadership," Sykes said, adding that Hilbun will continue to serve as chairman the Bartlett-area Lifeblood facility.    Hilbun grew up in the Binghamton neighborhood of Memphis and never lived away from there until he joined the Army. He was in the second graduating class of East High School in 1952 and a graduate of the University of Memphis, where he was named Mr. Memphis State in 1956. He earned this title on the same day his future wife, Peggy Duke, was crowned Miss May Queen.    Hilbun officially retired from the city of Bartlett on Friday, the same day he and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.    The city's new personnel director, Peter Voss, thanked Hilbun for being a mentor. "Mayor Flaherty told me some good advice. He said, 'Get to know Larry.' And I did." Retired educator answers call, goes back to school 'Lady Margaret' is heart, soul of East High Foundation From The Commercial Appeal, March 27, 2007 By Dakarai I. Aarons March 27, 2007    Margaret Taylor retired once.    Twelve years ago, at age 77, she packed up the pictures on the desk where she sat for 24 years as principal at Grahamwood Elementary School.    She boxed up teacher-of-the-year awards and the countless notes she'd received over her more than 40 years as an educator.    She left the school and headed to a life where she didn't have to compete with the rising of the sun each morning.    That lasted three months.    She hadn't even figured out what her first retirement project would be before she found herself back in the classroom, supervising student teachers.    And when a former student came calling, Taylor was once again in the bustling hallways of East High School, where her teaching career began in 1955.    Her silver hair in a sleek bun, she's walking through its grand halls from 7:30 to 4:30 each day in her role as the heart and soul of the Greater East High Foundation.    "I'm the only one who's here all day," she says with a wry laugh. "I wanted to be busy busy."    Founded in 2004 by businessman and East alum Charles McVean, the foundation aims to help return the school that has seen many transitions in the past decade back to its former glory.    "(He) wanted to bring academic achievement back up to a level where they could be proud of it, so he drafted me to help," she said.    And how could Taylor say no? She's had a soft spot for McVean since he was a student in her eighth-grade math class.    Her title is director emeritus, but Taylor's true role is den mother, providing invaluable advice, said Bill Sehnert, the foundation's director.    "She's our methodologist," he said. "She knows more than anyone else."    Taylor shrugs off such a notion.    "It's just a challenge and it keeps me busy."    Taylor has dusted off those skills, showing the adult staffers and upperclassmen tutors alike how to help young students grasp the complexities of algebraic concepts.    The witty octogenarian known as "Lady Margaret" spends her days in East's algebra classes, observing teachers and looking for lessons that cause students the most difficulty.    The foundation's scholars program works with students for an hour after school daily and three hours on Saturdays.    Eighth- and ninth-grade students receive tutoring from upperclassmen in mastering their math science and writing skills. The tutors are paid $10 an hour.    The focus is on producing quality high school graduates who can go on to successful post-secondary lives, Sehnert said.    The foundation's work is proving effective, according to an analysis done by the University of Memphis. It found that students in the scholars program were significantly more likely to pass the state's TCAP tests than their peers.    On a recent afternoon, Sehnert and a group of East teachers walk around helping the student tutors who are quizzing students on equation solving.    Taylor floats from table to table, greeting students and encouraging them as they race each other to find the answers first.    To see her energy, you'd never guess she'd turned down school district staffers when they first asked her to teach.    Back then, Taylor was 38 and didn't have a college degree, having spent her adult life rearing two kids and working in her father's grocery store.    But it didn't take long for her to see it was where she belonged. And more than 50 years later, she couldn't imagine being anywhere else.    "I got caught up in it and loved it so much," she said. Culture of Corruption Ex-cop wore badge of evil culture of corruption 'No regard for rules' From The Commercial Appeal, March 26, 2007 By Marc Perrusquia March 26, 2007    Terrance Harris [class year undetermined] lived very well for a police officer on a $48,000-a-year salary.    He built a large home overlooking a golf course and had a stable of expensive cars. He owned a fast-food restaurant and bragged of running another.    If his bosses at the Memphis Police Department ever questioned how a uniformed patrolman could afford such expensive toys or how he managed bank deposits of $43,000 a month -- cash with "an odd odor," tellers said -- there's no record of it in his personnel file.    But then, few supervisors dared to lean too hard on Harris, a large man with a menacing temper.    Hired in 1997 despite arrests for theft and criminal trespass, Harris befriended rappers and drug dealers, and seemed untouchable as he skated through one misconduct charge after another until federal authorities arrested him last year on drug conspiracy charges.    Harris, 32, pleaded guilty last fall to aiding a drug cartel, and with that admission joined a growing gallery of MPD rogues: He's one of 23 cops busted since 2004, lifting Memphis into unenviable company with cities such as New Orleans and Los Angeles that are wrestling with rampant police corruption.    "We no longer have Officer Collig on the beat like in the old Hardy Boys movies, where he was the honest, caring protective cop," said Leslie Ballin, a prominent Memphis defense lawyer who deals regularly with MPD officers.    "Now there's very little difference from the ones who are locked up and the ones who are doing the locking up."    MPD employees have been charged with stealing huge sums of cash and drugs from the evidence room, providing protection to criminals, running drugs, even planting evidence on innocent drivers during traffic stops. Even the brass have gotten involved: Two commanders took diversion and are on probation for fixing a traffic accident.    The story of Terrance Lashun Harris is more than one police officer's personal tragedy. It's an anatomy of the department's insidious corruption.    Personnel files for Harris and others reveal some common threads, including a failure by the department to detect hidden character flaws during the hiring process and a lack of supervision of troubled officers once they are turned loose on the streets.    Unlike many police agencies, MPD doesn't administer lie detector tests to recruits. And for years, the department allowed many people with arrest histories onto the force -- often a predictor of trouble.    Until recently, MPD didn't attempt to predict problems by tracking disciplinary patterns among its 2,018 uniformed patrol officers.    Police Director Larry Godwin, the city's sixth police director in 12 years, says he's working to correct those mistakes.    "Godwin is exhibiting the first real leadership of the police department since I left," said former director E. Winslow "Buddy" Chapman, who ran the department from 1976 to 1983 and is now executive director of CrimeStoppers of Memphis and Shelby County.    Nonetheless, supervision still seems lacking, Chapman said, particularly when one considers officers such as the convicted Harris, whose ill-gotten wealth included two fast-food restaurants.    "Wouldn't it seem logical that his supervisor would have been aware that he owned two Dixie Queens?"    It was a cold, drizzly day last winter when Harris pulled into the lot across from East Towne Shopping Center and parked.    He was meeting a new acquaintance, a drug smuggler from Texas, he was told.    Harris didn't know it, but the smuggler, already convicted of dealing in cocaine, was working for the FBI. He approached Harris with a proposition: Help him move shipments up from Texas, and both would profit handsomely.    "Let's go. What you waitin' on?" the impatient cop told his new companion on a surveillance recording.    "I'm ready to rock and roll with it, man."    The officer vowed there would be no trouble from his colleagues in law enforcement.    "If they were stopped, Harris would simply have to show his police credentials, and in any event the drugs would be in a hidden compartment in the vehicle," read an FBI affidavit unveiled in court.    Harris performed as promised over the next several weeks, investing cash in the venture and riding along on a dope delivery up Interstate 40 into rural West Tennessee.    It was clear to the FBI agents involved in the sting that Harris had done this sort of thing before.    In fact, the investigation found he'd been doing it right under the noses of his MPD employers. Though suspicions led the department to eventually refer him to Operation Tarnished Blue -- an FBI-led sting to nab corrupt cops -- Harris had been going strong for some time.    In retrospect, the signs were everywhere. In 2003, six years after he joined the force, Harris somehow came up with $360,000 to open a Dixie Queen franchise. Then another. He was driving a new Hummer, a Mercedes and a two-year-old Corvette and bragged of holding interests in a nightclub.    His personnel file bulged with disciplinary complaints. Yet, the department was ill-equipped to do much about him.    "I feel officer Harris has proven that he has no regard for the rules and regulations of the department and will continue to be an embarrassment to the Memphis Police Department," chief Mike Dodd wrote in 1999 in firing Harris -- a termination later overturned by the Civil Service Commission.    Harris and his attorney, Dewun Settle, declined requests for an interview for this story.    Perhaps there were no absolute signs when he was hired in 1997 that Harris would become a dirty cop.    But there were plenty of concerns -- issues seemingly overlooked when police brass gave him his commission.    Harris had been arrested twice before joining the force. As a 15-year-old, Harris was taken into custody for stealing a Nintendo game from a local Sears store. Juvenile Court records show he was counseled and released. As an adult in 1993, Harris was arrested on suspicion of aggravated criminal trespass, but the charge was dismissed.    His record was minor yet it was exactly the sort of thing many police agencies want to know about their recruits.    "In the police business, you are really looking for reasons not to hire people," said Tom Long, chief of police in Southaven. That department, like many others, subjects recruits to polygraph testing aimed at learning if they've ever stolen anything, used drugs or done other things that may affect their ability as cops.    MPD gives recruits a battery of psychological tests, yet hasn't administered lie detector tests in years, said Insp. Matt McCann, who oversees the Training Academy. He said he got a polygraph when he was hired in 1974, but neither he nor several recent directors could tell The Commercial Appeal when the practice was discontinued.    "The importance of that is to establish character," Long said. "You should be able to stand up to that."    In his job application, Harris also made it clear he wasn't the long-suffering type when it came to performing a job he didn't like. In his job history, he listed employment as a $7.50-an-hour warehouse worker -- a job he quit after the first day.    "I didn't want to waste anyone's time," Harris wrote. "I left because after one day it wasn't for me."    As a teen, Harris stayed with an aunt in North Memphis' rough-and-tumble Howell Street Apartments, estranged from his mother and incarcerated father. One of his peers went to prison for murder and another for robbery, yet Harris stayed in school, playing football at East High. As a senior defensive lineman, Harris, already 6-2 and over 200 pounds, was called into a meeting by assistant coach Wayne Randall, who asked if he was ready to get serious.    "I want to play, I want to contribute this year. I will do whatever it takes to get out there on that field," Randall recalled Harris telling him. "There was a commitment there his senior year that we didn't find there previously. And he did an outstanding job for us."    After high school, Harris joined the Navy, serving two years in Jacksonville. With his military service, Harris was waived from an MPD standard requiring two years of college. At 23, Harris got a badge and a gun, and was turned loose in South Memphis.    Harris was fired two years into his new career. The statement of charges cited a number of reasons -- sleeping on the job; harassing and flirting with a nurse; displaying obscene pictures at work.    By then, Harris had already been written up and disciplined at least eight other times.    He'd been admonished for defying security at a concert in Atlanta by taking a gun into an auditorium. He'd been suspended 10 days for allegedly stealing a drunken-driving suspect's cell phone.    When complaints began to pour in about his work in the police holding area at The Med, police brass had seen enough and terminated him in November 1999.    But four months later, the city Civil Service Commission reversed the termination and ordered a 30-day suspension instead. Ruling that Harris had been treated unfairly, the commission unanimously found that another officer with a similar record had only been suspended, ruling that discipline must be meted out equally.    "Those are tough decisions," said City Councilman Dedrick Brittenum, who chaired the commission when it reversed Harris' termination. Police once had the power to fire officers on a case-by-case basis, but a lawsuit around that time required police brass to consider how it had treated peers, Brittenum said.    Veteran police administrators such as Melvin Burgess, who served as MPD director until his 1994 retirement, say latitude is needed in dismissing unfit cops because of the danger they pose to the public.    "If you believe you can salvage a person you try to do it," Burgess said.    But when it's clear a cop is unfit, supervisors need the authority to cut him loose, he said.    Reinstated, Harris became a holy terror.    Over nearly nine years on the force he was written up on conduct violations 35 times -- four times a year on average -- for everything from crashing vehicles to cursing out fellow cops and citizens to mishandling evidence.    He grew ferocious and seemingly unaccountable, yet each time he wriggled off with reprimands or minor suspensions.    When a passing supervisor questioned why he was in a parking lot speaking with an unidentified man wearing a bandana on his head, Harris became irate.    According to a report of the Dec. 9, 2001, incident, Harris shouted a derogatory term at the supervisor and accused her of "racial profiling and disrespecting" him. He followed her into the Southeast Precinct station and began pounding his fists on a captain's desk and yelling he "was not going to be treated this way."    Weeks later in a written response to disciplinary charges, Harris claimed he was in the parking lot with his son and a law-abiding friend.    Harris exhibited "outrageous behavior," wrote the supervisor, Lt. Stephanie Hanscom, who pressed an insubordination charge against him. Curiously, when the disciplinary hearing rolled around, Hanscom didn't remember it like that anymore.    "Lt. Hanscom states now that the statement of charges was not accurate," wrote Maj. Larry R. Young, dismissing the charge.    The following July, Harris again skated in and out of trouble, this time over the disappearance of cocaine from a crime scene.    Responding to shots fired at the Greenbrook Apartments in East Memphis, Harris and a partner soon veered from the scene of the shooting and focused their attention on the complainant who reported it.    Obtaining a pass key from the manager, Harris entered the apartment over the objections of the complainant's girlfriend, and began rifling through drawers, according to an official report of the July 16, 2002, incident.    Harris and a partner tagged a gun, drug scales and other evidence -- but not a bag of cocaine said to be at the scene.    Harris and his partner told investigators they only found drug residue. Yet the " complainant advised that he had 10 grams of cocaine." Other officers, too, said they saw "what appeared to be about an ounce of cocaine in the cellophane bag."    A hearing officer found several problems with Harris' performance that day. For starters, he'd had no probable cause to search the apartment in the first place. And Harris made several inconsistent statements to investigators. Nonetheless, police brass let him go with a three-day suspension.    "I feel that this will be sufficient to remind officer Harris to be more careful in the future," Maj. D.W. Cooper wrote.    Even before the ink dried on Cooper's September 2003 written decision, Harris found even deeper trouble.    That January, he and an associate bought a vacant piece of commercial property for $150,000 on Winchester Road in Hickory Hill. The pair sank more money into the site -- another $191,000 -- to build a restaurant and obtain a Dixie Queen franchise. The food stand opened in 2004 and is worth $360,400, property records show.    That and other financial details led agents to conclude Harris "appears to be laundering significant amounts of illegal income," according to an FBI affidavit.    Following a tip about suspicious cash deposits, federal agents determined Harris was depositing $15,000 a week into an account at the Bank of Bartlett.    In all, investigators identified $835,422 deposited into the account from March 2004 through September 2005 -- $43,969 a month. "The deposits were all of small denomination bills, and some of the bills have had an odd odor," an FBI affidavit said. "Harris usually went to a particular teller for the deposits, and when he dealt with other tellers he objected if the tellers requested identification."    Harris' partner in the venture was a medical doctor, Larry Walker, who told a reporter he never knew Harris was in the drug trade and suspects he was set up by authorities.    "People get set up with this sort of thing all the time," Walker said. He said he met Harris through mutual friends and believed he was in the recording business -- something Harris told others.    Harris' facade began to crack on Aug. 23, 2005, when he was pulled over while off duty and caught riding with a thug. The driver, Calvin B. Glenith, had a long rap sheet of felonies -- robbery, theft and gun possession among them.    At first, Harris tried tried to talk his way out, then became "verbally beligerent," alleging he was a victim of oppression.    "I hope I stop you in a traffic stop!" Harris yelled at an officer.    Exactly how the incident affected the federal investigation is unclear, yet by January 2006, the FBI dispatched a confidential informant to sting Harris. Wired with a recording device, the informant paid Harris to escort him on a cocaine delivery to a town near Jackson, Tenn.    Harris was just part of a long, endemic problem of poor supervision at MPD, said former director Chapman. Wayward officers seldom got the attention or discipline they needed, he said, likening management's outlook to a kind of connivance.    "Don't ask too many questions. Don't get into it too deep." Mosby's influence surpasses wins From The Commercial Appeal, February 23, 2007 February 23, 2007    To the hundreds of boys he helped become men, East boys basketball coach Reginald Mosby will always be more than "Coach."    He's been a father, a mentor and an inspirator, and they have cherished him for it.    "Strip me of any material things that I've acquired or been awarded, and the one thing I know is that I am a man because of what Reginald Mosby taught me day-in and day-out," former East High and University of Memphis basketball standout Billy Smith said of Mosby, who after reaching the 500-win mark for his career is contemplating retirement.    "I'm going to try to sum this up, but it's hard to condense when somebody has done as much as he has in the neighborhood and for young people. Coach is one of the people who molded me into who I am today. To see things for what they are, and if things are bad, to make them better.    "Before he taught me basketball, it was all about being a young man and being a gentleman. He's a teacher-slash-coach-slash-father. ... He's what society is missing now as far as grooming young people to be productive citizens in the community."    On Feb. 13, in the Mustangs' final regular-season game, Mosby picked up his 500th career victory -- a 48-41 district win over Melrose -- without much fanfare.    There was no celebration. Just a few handshakes and pats on the back for a man who's spent nearly half of his life mentoring youths raised in the same Binghampton neighborhood he was from.    "The thing I've always felt like was I had a calling to stay in my area here at East and in this neighborhood," said Mosby, who's been a part of five state-championship basketball teams at East going back to his days as an assistant under former Mustang coach Robert Manning. "Just like how proud the people are to come from Orange Mound, I'm just as proud to come from Binghampton.    "If people only knew that the little money we get for coaching is nothing. When you touch these young guys and see them keep straight, and then they come back, it gives me complete reverence. I thought that some of the them would come back and get on my butt for running them so much, but they always come back and say, 'Coach, thank you.'"    Mosby, who recently wrapped up his 21st year as East's head basketball coach, is not in the best of health, and refuses to discuss the issue in detail other than to say "I've got to step back and look at some things."    Yet even while dealing with his own health concerns, he's still "Coach," even to former players like Andre Laird, whose older brother Eric Laird, a former standout at East and Ole Miss (1982-85), died Feb. 15 of congestive heart failure, just two days after Mosby earned his 500th victory.    Eric Laird helped East earn the school's first basketball state title in 1979.    "When they were playing for us here, I took them under my wing and right now, (Andre) is disoriented," Mosby said. "I'm trying to help him through this thing."    Andre, who also starred at East and later played at Ole Miss, said Thursday he's called on Mosby often since graduating from East in 1983.    "I wasn't able to celebrate his 500 wins with him because my mother was ill at the same time my brother was passing away," Andre said. "I was like, Coach what am I going to do?'    "I mean, I had to be totally strong for my mother, so the first person I called was Coach, and he said to leave it in the Lord's hands. He said everything would be all right. ... Coach hasn't been there just for me. He's been there for all East High products." Poag's retail taste shaped shopping revolution Creator of Saddle Creek lifestyle center was 'way ahead of curve' From The Commercial Appeal, February 21, 2007 By Amos Maki February 21, 2007    Editor's note:    This is the first in a series of four profiles of this year's Society of Entrepreneurs inductees, who will be officially inducted into the organization April 21 at the University of Memphis.    G. Dan Poag Jr. ['59]    Chief executive officer, Poag &McEwen Lifestyle Centers    Age: 65    Hometown: Memphis    Education: Princeton University, Class of 1963.    Hobbies: Memphis Grizzlies games, travel and his four grandchildren.    Community involvement: Poag is chair-elect of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra's board of directors. He also serves on the executive committee of the Urban Land Institute's Memphis District Council.    On the Internet: pm-lifestyle.com.    G. Dan Poag Jr. didn't set out to start a retail revolution, he simply wanted to design and develop a high-end retail center that appealed to him and the way he liked to shop.    That meant no mall crowds or long walks to the stores he wanted to frequent. Poag also wanted great landscaping and architectural touches to set his centers apart and to keep the customers in the shopping center.    The result was the Shops at Saddle Creek, the Germantown lifestyle center that opened in 1987 and is still considered one of the area's premier shopping destinations.    "We were just building a center that appealed to us," said Poag, chief executive officer of Poag & McEwen Lifestyle Centers. "There were really just a few tenants in the malls we were interested in, so we thought, 'what if we took those few tenants and put them in a format we liked?'"    That format, so new in the mall-dominated 1980s, is now the nation's fastest-growing retail format.    In 2002, there were only 30 lifestyle centers in existence. The International Council of Shopping Centers says more than 50 lifestyle centers will open this year, joining 150 existing centers.    Industry observers credit Poag, and longtime partner Terry McEwen, with starting the trend.    "Most people in the industry credit them with creating the lifestyle center concept," said Malachy Kavanagh, spokesman for the ICSC. "They were way ahead of the curve."    For his vision and determination to build a better mousetrap, or in this case, retail concept, Poag, 65, will be inducted this April into the Society of Entrepreneurs.    Although lifestyles centers are all the rage in the retail world today, the story was quite different 20 years ago.    For one thing, massive suburban malls, complete with department store anchors, had dominated the retail scene for decades.    Movies and pop songs -- and the social lives of millions of American teenagers -- revolved around the monolithic, windowless malls.    Lenders weren't accustomed to financing large, uncovered shopping centers with no department store anchors. When lenders asked Poag which department store he had lined up as an anchor tenant, he said there wasn't one. When they asked who his main anchor would be, Poag told them the individual stores and retailers would be the anchors.    A few people told Poag he was crazy.    "When we tried to arrange financing, I heard it many, many times," he said.    But overcoming adversity in the business world was nothing new for Poag, who graduated from East High School before attending Princeton.    In fact, his first foray into retail could have ended in disaster, but Poag's ingenuity and determination, hallmarks of his career, turned it into a winner.    After beginning his real estate career in the apartment business, Poag had the opportunity in the early 1980s to buy the Knickerbocker building on Poplar, just east of Perkins.    The retail and office portions were leased by Casual Corner, and Poag signed a contract to purchase the building. However, Casual Corner decided to leave the property while Poag was under contract.    It could have been a crushing blow, but Poag renegotiated the purchase price and was able to re-lease the building at four times the rate of the previous tenant.    "Dan is very bright," McEwen said. "He's able to look at things with a clear head and not let emotion cloud the issue."    Poag's son, Josh Poag, said the company's one major defeat, a rejection by Germantown for an early Saddle Creek expansion, may have been his dad's finest moment.    The first phase of Saddle Creek was wildly successful and Poag & McEwen wanted to expand on the site that is now home to Memphis Pizza Cafe.    Neighbors who had caught wind of the possible expansion contacted Poag and told him they would support the project if Poag built them a new pool and made a $50,000 donation to the neighborhood association.    "My dad just said no because he has always taught us you never do anything like that that crosses ethical lines," Josh Poag said. "Once you cross those lines, people own you. And not only do they own you, you ruin your reputation, and that's all you've got in this business."    The neighborhood showed up en masse to a city meeting and the project was defeated.    "It was the only time in our 25-year history as a company that we got a negative vote on anything we were working on," Josh Poag said. "We don't have a perfect record, but that's because my dad stood by his morals and ethics." Mid-South Memories On January 11, 2007, The Commercial Appeal, published a photo of East High School during a snow day in 1962. See the image. Ex-anchor admits sexual abuse Meroney to serve 18 months at home From The Commercial Appeal, November 17, 2006 By Bartholomew Sullivan November 17, 2006    Former Fox 13 anchorman Ron Meroney ['54] pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse in Maryland Thursday and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but the judge suspended all but 18 months.    Those months will be served with electronic monitoring when he returns to his Shelby County home in Arlington.    Meroney, 70, a minister and former host of Fox's "Good Morning, Memphis" show, had been indicted on a charge of statutory rape last December stemming from an incident in 1974.    In court in Salisbury, Md., on Thursday, he was ordered to register as a child sex offender and was told to have no unsupervised contact with minor children and to enroll in a state-approved sex offender program.    Meroney came to Fox 13 in December 1995 after running a radio station near St. Petersburg, Fla., that played pop-style Christian music. In the late 1950s, he replaced well-known TV personality Wink Martindale on Channel 13's "Top Ten Dance Party."    In a dramatic courtroom statement, one of his victims, abused at age 4 and now an adult, described Meroney as an alligator in a swamp who snatches "unsuspecting children."    "He takes us to the murky bottom where there is no light and no hope. He stole the natural sparkle from our eyes and left them dull," said the woman. The newspaper is not identifying her because she is a victim of sexual abuse. "He took our spontaneous bursts of giggles and laughter and replaced them with silence..."    "He has left a wide path of destruction, of broken spirits," she continued. "Spiritual murder is what I call it. And to compound it, he portrayed and continues to portray himself as a righteous Christian."    Wicomico County Circuit Judge W. Newton Jackson III sentenced Meroney to 15 years but suspended all but 18 months, which will be served inside his home in Shelby County and coordinated with local law enforcement.    In his own statement in court, Meroney addressed both the victim and her brother. "I want to apologize to you for sexually abusing you when you were little. It was wrong of me and I know it has caused pain in your life. I ask you to forgive me."    The woman's nearly four-page, single-spaced typewritten statement was faxed to The Commercial Appeal by Asst. State Atty. Elizabeth Ireland, who prosecuted the case. In it, the woman said that she and her other siblings, both boys and girls, had been fondled by Meroney when they were pre-pubescent.    The Wicomico County charges relate to events that occurred in 1974, but Meroney faced similar charges, also in Maryland, 10 years later.    According to court records in Towson, Md., near Baltimore, seven criminal charges were filed against Meroney in July 1984 that included child sexual abuse, assault and rape.    All were dismissed a month later with the exception of a charge of third-degree sexual offense in which he was given probation before judgment, a resolution in which a defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty but with the final judgment technically suspended. Rivalry's real, so let's manage it From The Commercial Appeal, November 12, 2006 By Anthony 'Tony' Valentine Special to Viewpoints November 12, 2006 Photo Photos by Karen Pulfer Focht The Commercial Appeal    Anthony Valentine: "The rules are simple. When you go to someone else's neighborhood, you should respect their neighborhood as much as you would respect your own. . . . But, if you come looking for trouble or trying to start something, you will find what you are looking for."    I don't know how it all started, but the point is, it's real.    A rival is defined as a person or thing that can equal or surpass another in some way. Rivalry, then, is the condition of being a rival.    As a student at East High School, one of the very first things I became acclimated to was the "Rival Feud" between Binghamton and Orange Mound. It was not until we played Melrose in 2001, my seventh-grade year, that I was even aware of a problem with the neighborhoods.    I have been able to discern that the perpetuation of the rivalry is deeply based in beliefs and opinions about the opposing neighborhoods. The rivalry seems to center on the sports teams that represent local high schools in the areas.    Problems arise due to a lack of healthy sportsmanship and competition, particularly from the fans and some other students. Unfortunately, the school gets the negative attention from the media and other communities when actually it is only an innocent bystander.    I am now a graduating senior and I have watched the feud grow more violent over the last few years.    As far as the day to day, there really is no direct effect that can be seen. The rules are simple. When you go to someone else's neighborhood, you should respect their neighborhood as much as you would respect your own. For example, if you come to Binghamton and just chill, then there is not a problem.    But, if you come looking for trouble or trying to start something, you will find what you are looking for. Also, each neighborhood seems to have an "all for one, one for all" philosophy.    People in the neighborhoods are very closely knit and many believe that sticking together is the best chance at survival for all. Many Binghamton residents think that if a person, especially one from Orange Mound, has a problem with them, then it is a problem for the entire neighborhood.    In today's society, this attitude is somewhat out of place and has been the cause of many avoidable deaths and brutal beatings because of things being so out of hand. Just this summer, an eighth-grade student, Melissa Robinson, was senselessly killed stemming from an argument between young ladies from Binghamton and Orange Mound.    Concern primarily centers on the sporting events held at the respective schools. There is definitely a lack of, or low participation in, nighttime social events (games, dances, etc.) in these areas because of fears about violence.    Do I see a resolution? Some may think this is a bit extreme, but you could compare the feud between Binghamton and Orange Mound to the generations-long feud between the Capulets and the Montagues (in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet").    Like crime or racism, this feud will never be completely eradicated. It is going to take strong leadership from people very closely connected to each neighborhood before any type of agreement can be reached.    How the neighbors perceive a person is critical and is definitely something to consider if you have already made a name for yourself in the neighborhood. You certainly would not want to appear to be an outcast or viewed as a "traitor."    As a proud product of Binghamton, I only hope that each individual person involved will step up and take responsibility for their choice of actions.    Rivalry has its place, so it is up to the communities to end the violence now. Anthony 'Tony' Valentine, who lives in Binghamton, is a senior at East High School. Freshman tackles the odds Rebels' Vaughn makes strides for playing time From The Commercial Appeal, November 10, 2006 By Scott Cacciola November 10, 2006    OXFORD, Miss. -- Cassius Vaughn ['06] realized he would have to make the most of his brief moments on the field. After all, most true freshmen in the Southeastern Conference are limited to honing their play in practice, staying patient as they try to climb the depth chart.    Vaughn, a freshman cornerback who starred at East High, knew that when he first stepped foot on campus last summer. But he also understood that the Rebels were young, that he would have opportunities to make an impact.    "I wanted to come in and make a statement," Vaughn said. "And I feel like I kind of made a statement on special teams."    Vaughn blocked a punt against Georgia on Sept. 30. The next week against Vanderbilt, he topped himself by actually tackling the punter for a 13-yard loss, and the Rebels went on to score a touchdown. Coach Ed Orgeron said he could sense Vaughn's track background when he made those plays.    "He has a tremendous start," Orgeron said. "The thing we like about him is his speed."    For many of the Rebels (3-7, 1-5 SEC), the season has, in fact, been a blur. They are enjoying their lone open week of the season before they play at No. 12 LSU (7-2, 3-2) on Nov. 18, and defensive backs coach Chris Rippon said the break would be invaluable for his young players.    For 10 straight weeks, Rippon said, they have been subjected to a constant stream of information. Every week, there are new schemes and new personnel to study, and there has been little time to focus on technique. But having a mini-vacation to rest and recharge, Rippon said, should benefit the team's young players, who have been on overload since the preseason. That group includes Vaughn.    "There are glimpses of his skills that reaffirm that he is going to be a good player," Rippon said. "There's also evidence that the speed of the game, the technique issues that you have to have to be successful against these people aren't developed enough.    "He has those physical skills, he has great speed, he has real good hips, he accelerates out of cuts, he has excellent hands. So all of those things are good. It's just working on different techniques and consistency. It's a mark of a freshman."    Vaughn, a standout running back and sprinter in high school, said he chose Ole Miss over schools such as LSU and Alabama because of his relationship with his position coach. Rippon, he said, convinced him he could grow to be a good cornerback -- and, considering Ole Miss' overall youth, there was the added benefit of potentially playing early at an SEC school.    "If it weren't for Coach Rip, I don't think I would have wound up here," Vaughn said. "But I am here, and it's a blessing."    Like the rest of his teammates, Vaughn said he feels disappointed in the Rebels' record. A break here or there, he said, and things would be different.    "If it all came down to almost winning, we'd be up there with them," he said. "But we know with the young talent we have this year and the experience we're going to have next year, it's going to be like, man, you better watch out for Ole Miss. We're coming together as a unit."    After playing special teams almost exclusively, Vaughn got several snaps at cornerback in Ole Miss' 23-17 loss to Auburn on Oct. 28. He looked a step behind at times, Rippon said, and that was no surprise.    "He's going to make some young mistakes," Rippon said, "and primarily the hardest thing these kids have to do is have the ability to focus on each play, one at a time. Cornerbacks need a short memory. Things happen quickly. As soon as one play breaks, he's gotta get rid of that. And I think he understands that."    Vaughn said he expects there to be plenty of competition for a starting role on next year's team.    "You'll always have to beat someone out for a spot," he said "I'll be a sophomore next year, I'll have a little more confidence, and I really want to be considered a lockdown corner for us. I just have to continue to work hard." A sky king In Air Guard, business aviation, Bob Wilson ['62] has hit heights From The Commercial Appeal, November 8, 2006 By Jane Roberts November 8, 2006    For years and years, Bob Wilson lived a double life, managing the affairs of the Kemmons Wilson Cos. while the sun was out, then stealing away to fly nighttime missions for the Tennessee Air National Guard.    Saturday, he will join the state's heroes of flight -- including astronaut Margaret Rhea Seddon, FedEx Corp. founder Frederick W. Smith and Walter Beech, the brilliant tinkerer from Pulaski who ultimately founded the Beech Aircraft Corp. -- as members of the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame.    Wilson, 62, got there by dint of his ambition, serving 28 years -- the maximum allowed -- for a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.    "The difference was, I could work all day, leave my office and fly a local training mission. I'd be in a whole other world. I always loved it and came away really refreshed," Wilson said.    Wilson signed on with the Air National Guard in 1966. By 1969, he was carrying cargo to war zones in Vietnam, fending off shots that downed many U.S. planes.    While the TV ads say National Guard duty takes two days month, Wilson often flew once a week, delivering outsize equipment, paratroopers or cargo needed in war and peacetime operations on four or five continents.    "Many months, I would end up being gone 10 to 14 days. Often on very secret stuff," Wilson said, chuckling that he flew Delta Force missions "before I even knew what the Delta Force was." (Formed shortly after Vietnam, the unit's primary task revolved around counterterrorism, although it is capable of many mission profiles.)    In the 1980s, Wilson, son of Holiday Inn founder Kemmons Wilson, went to work to get safety equipment installed on the C-130 that ultimately made it much safer for low-visibility landings.    The trouble was, the military had few C-130s at the time and didn't feel like investing more in them.    "Bob talked to a lot of folks in Washington. He is a very respected businessman. When Bob speaks, a lot of folks listen," said Maj. Gen. Russ Cotney, commander of the nearly 3,700 Air Guardsman in the Tennessee Air National Guard.    When the hall of fame nominations came around this year, Cotney made his first, choosing to honor Wilson.    "Bob Wilson taught me a lot. I picked up a lot of good flying habits from him. He's the kind of person you want to follow just to see what he does in difficult situations."    Wilson got his first taste of the great blue yonder as a kid, sitting in his father's lap in the cockpit.    At 15, he had his student pilot's license.    "On my 16th birthday, I got my pilot's license, then I went and got my driver's license."    The Air Guard gave him a chance to fly with the country's great pilots, he said, "from airline people down to the farmers that flew with us."    He would trade nothing for it, saying simply that he'd hate to think he spent his life without it.    "Bob is an easy guy to fly with, and a great guy to be around," said Col. Harry Montgomery, head of the 164th Airlift Wing. "He didn't need to spend any time in the Guard, let alone 28 years. He's a great patriot for doing it."    Wilson's own theory is that that the country would be a better place if military service were not voluntary.    "I'm one that thinks the draft was a good deal; it would change a lot of attitudes if everyone would serve a year or two," he said.    When Wilson retired from the Guard in 1996, he was operations group commander for the Memphis-based 164th Airlift Wing, and he was also starting up Wilson Air Center, the fixed-base operator with its signature canopy at 2930 Winchester.    For seven years since, the readers of Aviation International News have ranked it the best FBO in the country, heaping praise on the staff for efficiency and service that mean a pilot 10 minutes away can have pizza, barbecue, even caviar waiting when the plane lands.    Everyone on the staff calls it the Wilson way.    "We do not say 'no' to customers," said Dave Ivey, manager.    "That was the creed in the hospitality industry. You exceed customer expectations." -------------------- Hall of Fame Induction When: 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation, Sevierville Other inductees: James W. Campbell, posthumously, created the FAA's Flight Instructor Refresher courses, still used today. John Ellington, longtime commercial airline pilot and executive from Murfreesboro. Dr. Charles Smith was both a physician and pilot for American Airlines. simultaneously. Today, he practices medicine as an FAA medical examiner in Nashville. Alumnus promotes products on morning talk shows October 17, 2006 Class of '68 alumnus Eric "Ricky" Witherspoon was on television morning shows in Memphis on October 17 promoting his Wacky's products. You can watch the 10 minute clip at YouTube.com. East drops 7th grade, 8th grade goes next year September 2, 2006    East High School took another step with the beginning of this school year to becoming a high school only institution. The school no longer has a 7th grade. Most pupils who would have attended 7th grade at East were assigned to the grade at Lester, which has been an elementary school but is transitioning to a middle school.    For the 2007-2008 school year, East will give up the 8th grade to Lester, making East the 9-12 grade school recommended in the proposed Master Plan for city schools.    This is the first adjustment in grades at East since the elementary was removed in 1972. At that time, many East elementary pupils were assigned to Lester, while Lester's junior high pupils were assigned to East in a grade swap called pairing.    East began as a 10 grade school when it opened in September, 1948. It added the 11th grade the next year and the 12 grade in 1950. The first class was graduated in the spring of 1951.    Source: The East High Alumni Page East gets failing grade in No Child Left Behind assessment August 16, 2006    East High has again failed to meet the Annual Yearly Progress requirement of the No Child Left Behind act.1 According to the Tennessee Department of Education, East High is assigned the 2006-2007 status of "State/LEA Reconstitution Plan.2" (LEA = Local Education Agency).    Tennessee lists the following actions as its response to a school being put on the status of "State/LEA Reconstitution Plan3"  Prompt Notification of Affected Teachers & Parents Technical Assistance Implement Alternative Governance Reopen as public charter school Replace all or most of relevant school staff Contract with a private management company State takeover Any other major restructuring Notes: 1.  High Priority Schools, 2006-2007, Tennessee Department of Education, http://www.tennessee.gov/education/nclb/ayp/doc/2006%20High%20Priority%20Schools.pdf. 2. U.S. Department of Education, Facts and Terms Every Parent Should Know About NCLB, http://www.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/parents/parentfacts.html. 3 Source: Tennessee Department of Education, Consolidated State Application,  Accountability Workbook, Revised June 27, 2006  (http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/stateplans03/tncsa.pdf)    Sources: Tennessee Department of Education, Memphis City Schools, United States Department of Education East High Teachers Canvass Neighborhood for Students From WREG Posted by Stephanie Scurlock East High Teachers Canvass Neighborhood for Students 8/12/2006    MEMPHIS,TN-Class starts Monday for students in Memphis city and DeSoto county schools. This weekend teachers at East High hit the streets to talk to parents about their expectations.    Step by step the faculty at East High hopes to make a difference in the lives of their students. They started this weekend meeting with potential parents. Teachers split up into 5 teams. They visited almost every section of the neighborhood. "We're a family friendly school and the only way we can educate the students of binghamton is that we work together,"said Fred Curry, East High School Principal.    The teachers are walking the Binghamton neighborhood in order to bridge the gap between the school and the community. They believe in order to have a successful school year the two have to go hand in hand. Building that line of communication starts with everyday conversations. What follows is a recipe for success.    East High teachers want the focus fixed on education. They believe in it so much they're willing to walk these streets on a hot summer day. "Our motto is failure is not an option. We're going to get in those kids faces and let them know you're going to set a plan. You're going to follow that plan and you are going to be successful,"Curry said. He says if the school is successful then so is the community. Some attorneys back off black mold lawsuit From WMC-TV, July 25, 2006 By Kontji Anthony [The video of this story may still be available from WMC-TV]    Almost five years after the discovery and cleanup of black mold at East High School, attorneys behind a class action lawsuit want off the case.     This week, 15 Memphis City School parents and students got a letter from attorneys asking the courts to be cut from the case. Parents claim they're being dropped cold with just three months to regroup.    Zorina Bowen says she doesn't know where to turn after attorneys mailed her this letter saying they want off the case.    "It's been a mess ever since we started this thing back in 2001," she said.    The former PTA president says black mold discovered at East High School gave her daughter, Jessica, asthma.    "When I'd walk up the stairs to class, I would notice I'd get short of breath and I stayed out a lot during my seventh and eighth grade year," said the former East High School student.    Jessica says she never had asthma before then and gave up ice skating because of it. She's one of several students at East High who say mold made them sick.    "I think they're gonna have a very, very difficult time showing that any of the mold that was in east high school had anything to do with the problems that some of these folks complained about," said Memphis City Schools Attorney, Mike Marshall. He says plaintiffs have until October to make their case. "The court has set a deadline that if they can't prove their case or at least bring forth evidence to show that there's reason to go forward, then those cases are gonna be dismissed," he said.    The attorneys dropping the lawsuit say the parents have a good case against Memphis City Schools and their former cleanup company Aramark-ServiceMaster, but they don't have the money to prove the case.    "I believe they actually took the case under false pretenses because they led us to believe that they had the resources to fight it and we find out later that they don't," Bowen said.    Attorneys say they did everything they could to move the case forward. Now plaintiffs say they're back to square-one. Parents and students are now looking for new legal counsel. Helping kids Golden's goal Former standout player relies on knowledge From The Commercial Appeal, June 29, 2006 By Jason Smith June 29, 2006     LaMarcus Golden (class year undetermined) has yet to take a seat on the bench behind him, even with his 8-and-under Amateur Athletic Union basketball team now trailing by 20 points late in the first quarter.    No, Golden, the former Treadwell High and University of Tennessee basketball standout, is smiling and dishing out praise, content that his Memphis Mustangs, playing in this week's AAU 8-and-under national tournament in Memphis, are giving it their all.    "To me, it's just like raising my own kids or kids around me in my neighborhood," said Golden, now a 32-year-old father of three and current point guard for the World Basketball Association's North Mississippi Tornadoes.    "It's not who wins or who loses. I mean, that's what you want to do in the long run -- is win.    "But we're trying to teach them how to work hard, and that they'll be rewarded for working hard ... We want them to experience something different, and if I can inspire three of these kids, or just one, to do better than what I've done, to me that's an accomplishment."    On Wednesday at Sheffield High, Golden's Mustangs, based out of Lester Community Center in Binghamton, were overwhelmed on the court by a North Carolina squad that led, 22-2, after a quarter and, 31-6, by halftime.    Yet there were Golden and his assistant coach, Desmond Merriweather, still teaching and encouraging their overmatched team in an eventual 51-14 blowout loss.    "(Golden) took me out for no reason," complained star player Jalen Winston upon being pulled in the first quarter.    "Calm down," explained Merriweather. "You've got two fouls already. You'll foul out!"    Just two days earlier on Monday, Golden and Merriweather had been driving the Mustangs back to Binghamton from their tourney opener at Sheffield when they learned of the shooting of 13-year-old Melissa Robinson, who died Tuesday after being shot in the head Monday in a Binghamton park.    Like the kids they're coaching this week, Golden and Merriweather grew up in Binghamton and North Memphis.    "We want to send our condolences out to Melissa Robertson's family," said Merriweather, a 32-year-old East High graduate. "That's why we're getting these kids out here, because tragic things like that happen in our neighborhood.    "We want to give them an opportunity to see something besides all that. Where we're from, you've got to give kids opportunities to see better things."    Added Golden, whose team was supplied its white, away jerseys Wednesday by current Treadwell basketball coach Richard Cummings: "Desmond and I have both been in North Memphis and Binghamton all of our lives, and we're just trying to help the kids who haven't been able to do anything like this."    The AAU's 8-and-under national tournament continues today through Sunday at Sheffield High and Hickory Ridge Middle School. The championship game is set for Sunday at 1:45 p.m. at Sheffield.    The AAU's 13-and-under Division 1 and 2 national tournaments also continue in Memphis through Sunday, with the Division 1 championship game set for Sunday at 3:10 p.m. at Wooddale High.    The 13-and-under Division 2 championship game will be played Sunday at 1:45 p.m. at Ridgeway High. East student fatally shot in Binghampton park - Obituary    Thirteen year old Melissa Robinson, who would have been an 8th grader at East High School this autumn, was shot during a gang related confrontation at Howze Park near Mimosa and Tillman Streets in Memphis June 26. Police Lt. Toney Armstrong said the girl was involved in the argument but it was uncertain whether she was a gang member. A 19 year old woman and others in the car from where the shots came were arrested within minutes. Source: The Commercial Appeal    MELISSA NICOLE ROBINSON, 13 year old daughter of Carol Robinson and Milton Ellis, Sr. of Memphis, died June 27, 2006 at the Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 30 at N.H. Owens Funeral Home. Service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 1 at Greater Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with burial in Galilee Memorial Gardens. She was a student at East High School. She also leaves three sisters, Michelle Robinson, Nathalie Ellis and Marquita Ellis; two brothers, Milton Ellis, Jr. and Milton Ellis. The king's prerogative The crown came off, but the Crown & Sceptre Ball went on in celebration of Carnival Memphis' 75th year From The Commercial Appeal, June 6, 2006 Donahue/Party Line Michael Donahue June 6, 2006    Shortly after being introduced as 2006 King of Carnival Memphis at the Crown & Sceptre Ball, Giles Coors (associated with the class of '74) said he was going to remove his crown: ". . . if my royal subjects will allow me. 'Cause it's hurting my head."    Giles and Carnival Memphis Queen Katie Brindell kicked off their reign of Carnival festivities and charitable visits during Carnival Week at the ball Friday night at the Hilton Memphis. Carnival Memphis, known as the "Party With a Purpose," is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.    Giles removed his crown, but this year the princesses of the Royal Court revived an old Carnival tradition of wearing tiaras with their evening gowns. Their escorts revived another tradition: They wore white gloves with their white tie and tails.    Carnival Memphis began as Cotton Carnival in 1931 as "a celebration of our community," said Carnival president Neely Mallory.    Since it began its Children's Charity Initiative in 1999, Carnival has raised $600,000. The Grand Krewe of Ennead, which already raised almost $40,000 this year, is the No. 1 fund-raising Carnival krewe of 2006, followed by the grand krewes of Luxor and Osiris. A total of $125,000 has been raised by the grand krewes and Carnival Memphis for charities this year. Ed Galfsky, Carnival Memphis executive director, described the krewes as "the heartbeat of the Carnival celebration."    This week, the Carnival king and queen, the Royal Court, the Royal Pages and the Loyal Order of Scarabs -- young men whose duty is to protect the queen --will visit the krewe clubrooms at night. During the day, royalty and their entourage will visit hospitals and nursing homes.    Also taking part activities are the men in green who wear masks with snouts and ride around in a green truck -- the members of the Secret Order of Boll Weevils, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.    "This has been my dream since my dad was king and sister was queen," Queen Katie told the audience. Her father, Charlie Brindell, was Carnival King in 1993, and her sister, Jennifer Brindell Pembroke, was Carnival Queen in 2001. "My sister is giving me tips on how to be a good queen."    King Giles Coors    King Giles Augustus Coors III and his wife, Suzette Turner Coors, who was Carnival queen in 1984, have two children -- George Russell Coors II, 15, and Suzette Randolph Coors, 13.    Giles is senior vice president of Stephens Inc., a privately held, full-service investment banking firm based in Little Rock, with offices in the United States and London. Giles was 2000 Carnival Memphis president. His sister, Mignon Coors Canale, was Carnival queen in 1985. Their father, Giles 'Bull' Coors, served as the 41st king of Carnival in 1972.    Giles, whose mother is the late artist Sophie Coors, attended East High School and graduated from The Darlington School in Rome, Ga. He majored in banking/finance at University of Mississippi and graduated with a business administration degree. He attended the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and completed the Stephens University master's program at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, N.C.    Queen Katie Brindell    Carnival Memphis Queen Katherine 'Katie' Conner Brindell, the daughter of Ronell and Charlie Brindell, is a junior at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, majoring in advertising and public relations. She is assistant pledge educator in her sorority, Pi Beta Phi.    Katie volunteers at the Fort Worth Women's Shelter and at Cook's Children's Medical Center. She also is an active member of the Reformed University Fellowship at TCU. She attended The Darlington School in Rome, Ga., where she received the John Glenn Award for Achievement and a special award from the Rome Rotary Club. East Career and Technology Center Becomes Separate School June 5, 2006    The East Career and Technology Center (CTC) became a separate school on the East High campus earlier this year, according to East High principal Fred Curry.    It was noted here in January that Charles Green had been appointed principal of the East CTC (see earlier story).    The East CTC started as East Vo-Tech when a separate building was constructed behind the school, north of the faculty parking lot in 1976. In 1984, another additional building was added to the campus, immediately west of the Vo-Tech building and connected to it. The 1984 building held computer, engineering and health science classrooms and laboratories and was the focus of the school's new optional program in those areas.    It is reported that both of the newer buildings are now part of the East CTC and the academic optional school programs at East High have been moved into the main school building.    Source: The East High Alumni Page East student's death gives life to organ recipients From The Commercial Appeal, May 17 2006 By Zack McMillin May 17, 2006    Inside the mother's purse, next to a photo sleeve filled with pictures of her children, rested a small roll of toilet paper.    Monica Walker knew her daughter's name would be called often at East High's Senior Day on Tuesday. She knew she would be asked to walk to the stage at the school's new auditorium, knew she would smile some and cry some, too.    A sinus infection had stripped her voice bare, but she knew she would be asked to talk about how her 17-year-old daughter, LaMetra, had become what the Mid-South Transplant Foundation calls a hero.    Her daughter should have been there Tuesday, in one of the smart white dresses, swaggering down the auditorium aisles with the rest of East's Class of 2006, joining in the choreographed hugfest, lifting a joyful noise into the whirlwind of exuberance.    She should be preparing for boot camp -- though her parents tried to talk her out of it, the National Guard was paying her money on top of the scholarship she had earned to attend UT-Knoxville.    She had just gotten the $3,000 signing bonus, and had already talked about shopping for new dresses when she returned from spring break with her grandmother in Martin, Tenn.    She never made it to Martin. Around 10 a.m. on March 17, a hit-and-run accident triggered by two other cars forced her Toyota Camry onto the median on U.S. 51 near Atoka, flipping it over and over.    Donald and Monica Walker found out a few hours later and rushed to The Med. Monica, a nurse at Methodist-University, said she knew as soon as she saw the chaplain.    Very early the next morning, she began having conversations with another man whose job is to help guide grieving loved ones -- Brent Manseau, a transplant coordinator for the Mid-South Transplant Foundation.    "She was so, so strong," Brent recalled Tuesday, after he'd told the overflow crowd of the lives LeMetra's organs had saved.    Her heart was given to a 59-year-old man.    Her kidney to a 51-year-old father married for 30 years.    Her other kidney to a 32-year-old woman in Tennessee on the waiting list for four years.    Her lungs to a 15-year-old in Oklahoma with Cystic Fibrosis.    Anyone who knew LaMetra well had heard her talk about her desire to be an organ donor. She had responded after a presentation by the Foundation in Sharon Hightower's class.    Every day, according to the Foundation, 18 people die waiting on an organ transplant, and 40-45 percent of families opt not to have their loved one's organs harvested.    "She always said that," said Krystal Jeffries, her best friend since sixth grade at Colonial Middle. "She said if she died, she wanted to help somebody else."    LaMetra's was the second funeral for the Class of 2006. Jessica Sisson was killed last summer, an innocent bystander to a gang feud in Raleigh.    East gave each girl's parents the red cap and gown they would have worn to graduation. The art department painted portraits. The National Guard presented the Walkers with LeMetra's orders and an American flag.    Monica reached for that roll of paper often, but she also snapped pictures and laughed with her husband and hugged.    "I was happy for the ones that were able to be here," Monica said, "but I was just sitting back wishing LaMetra was able to be here as well."    Monica has tried to explain to her youngest children, 8-year-old LeMoyne and 7-year-old LaTosha, about their sister's organ donation. She pulls out a medical book and points to the parts of the body.    "Sometimes they'll just say, 'She has given a part of her body to someone else,' and that makes me think they understand," Monica said. "But they don't elaborate."    To 7-year-old LaTosha, the most obvious reality is that her big sister, who would make funnel cakes for her every Saturday morning, is gone.    Every day, she writes letters that say, "I miss my big sister."    On Mother's Day, LaTosha made Monica a card, with LaMetra's name written inside a heart.    "I miss you," the little sister wrote. "Love, LaTosha." See an additonal story below. Students and family remember kind spirit of organ donor From WMC-TV, posted May 17, 2006 May 16, 2006    She should have been graduating with East High School's class of 2006.    Two months ago, LaMetra Walker died in a car wreck near Atoka. But the Walker family's tragedy was a blessing to four others. LaMetra's organs saved four lives. Four strangers are using her heart, lungs, and both kidneys.    At an event in LaMatra's honor East High School Tuesday, Monica Walker, her mother, said the donation shows LaMetra's kind spirit.    "She was a special child," Monica Walker said. "She loved everybody. She loved helping everybody."    LaMetra Walker had talked to her parents about being an organ donor. When she was in that fatal wreck, Monica Walker knew what her daughter wanted to do.    LaMetra's classmates celebrated that generosity at their awards ceremony, with artwork, flowers and an eternal flame, all given to her parents.    "It makes me feel like she's still here," Monica Walker said. "Not with me, but with others, so she's bringing life for everyone else to survive."    Walker said her daughter was still touching lives, even in death. Handorf to lead state doctors From The Commercial Appeal, May 6, 2006 Pathologist once saved Captain Kangaroo By Mary Powers May 6, 2006    A Memphis pathologist who once saved Captain Kangaroo's life is scheduled to become the Tennessee Medical Association's 152nd president Sunday.    Dr. Charles Handorf ('69) is set to be installed during its annual meeting this weekend in Nashville.    Even as he prepared to lead the 7,000-member organization, Handorf acknowledged he might always be best remembered for coming to the aid of Bob Keeshan when the longtime children's TV host collapsed in the Toronto airport. It was 1981 when Handorf performed CPR on Keeshan for 45 minutes. Keeshan died in 2004 at age 76.    As TMA president, Handorf's focus will likely be on medical liability reform and Gov. Phil Bredesen's new proposal for expanding coverage of the uninsured.    Dr. Phyllis Miller, a Chattanooga obstetrician and outgoing TMA president, said Handorf's humor and intelligence will be an asset. "He has a charisma about him," she said. "Sometimes meetings can get pretty dull and boring. He always injects some humor."    Bredesen's Cover Tennessee plan is designed to expand health insurance coverage in the next three years to include about 185,000 of the state's estimated 700,000 uninsured residents.    With many Cover Tennessee details undetermined, Handorf said physicians want to play a role in shaping the plan. "We all understand we have limited resources," he said, adding that doctors are looking for fair pay, understandable rules and transparency.    Handorf said TMA's campaign to revamp the state's medical malpractice statutes has been under way for several years.    In March, a bill backed by TMA and nearly 50 other groups failed to attract the necessary votes and died in a state House subcommittee. "We have more work to do. We won't go away on this," Handorf said.    It would cap noneconomic damages at $250,000, limit attorneys fees and require that a malpractice claim either state a specific allegation of negligence as well as the expert expected to testify or post a $10,000 bond the person filing suit could lose if the case is dismissed.    The American Medical Association is also pushing a national cap of $250,000 on damages designed to compensate patients for pain and suffering. In February, the AMA listed Tennessee as one of 20 states where access to health care is being jeopardized by the medical liability climate.    The changes are designed to slow malpractice insurance premium increases. Handorf cited California, which overhauled its system in 1975, as a state where the approach has worked.    California medical malpractice premiums rose 282 percent between 1976 and 2003. In comparison, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners reported premiums nationally rose 920 percent nationally during that period and 335 percent in Tennessee. Since then, Tennessee rates rose slightly more than 4 percent.    Without change, Handorf predicted it would be harder for Tennessee residents, particularly in smaller communities, to find specialists like neurosurgeons, obstetricians or orthopedic surgeons.    He argued it also harms both patients and doctors.    "If the system is supposed to provide recompense for injured patients, it doesn't do that very well," he said.    "It is personal when you are told you've done something to a patient," Handorf said, who's been named in four lawsuits. All were dismissed. "It is also very expensive to defend yourself."    But he said the alternatives proposed so far, including nonbinding arbitration, are flawed because they might still end in a courtroom.    "An open approach is a good approach, but how do you put it into practice? I have a lot of faith in the public to be reasonable, but the unreasonable (patients) can ruin your life."    --------------------    Dr. Charles R. Handorf    Education: He earned a bachelor's degree from Rice University, a doctorate in medicinal chemistry and medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.    Professional: He is a board certified pathologist and president of Duckworth Pathology Group. He is also professor and chairman of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center's department of pathology and laboratory medicine.    Community volunteer: Opera Memphis, St. John's United Methodist Church and the Boy Scouts of America.    Personal: He is 55 and married with two children. Shots Fired At East Memphis High School From WREG-TV, posted May 10, 2006    Memphis, TN-- An investigation is underway by Memphis Police after shots ring out Friday night [May 5, 2006] outside an East Memphis High School. It happened as students left East High School Friday night after a dance. Police say 2 men were injured in the shooting. Detective Byron Braxton with the Memphis Police Department says, "Sometime during the argument someone in one of the groups pulled a hand gun and started firing." No one involved in the shooting was a student. In fact, Memphis Police say they were adults at East High, picking up students from the dance. Two people were sent to the hospital. One was treated and released at Methodist, the other who suffered a gunshot wound to his lower back is still recovering at the Regional Medical Center. Police are not sure at this point if either is a suspect or victim. Detective Braxton says, "The charges can range depending on circumstances, it could range from assault to reckless endangerment -- if robbery was a motive, aggravated robbery, it depends on what the evidence shows." TV anchor charged in child statutory rape From The Commercial Appeal, May 3, 2006 By Lawrence Buser May 3, 2006    "Good Morning Memphis" anchor Ron Meroney was arrested this afternoon on a warrant from Maryland charging him with statutory rape of a child under 14, authorities said.    Meroney, 69, was arrested without incident at his home by agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation shortly before 4 p.m., according to spokesman Jennifer Johnson.    He was taken to the Shelby County Jail and will appear in General Sessions Criminal Court as early as Thursday to face extradition.    Meroney was indicted in December by a grand jury in Wicomico County in southeastern Maryland where the county seat is Salisbury.    The indictment was sealed, according to the arrest warrant, and prosecutors there could not be reached late today.    According to a FOX 13 Web site, Meroney's career has spanned five decades. He has been in Memphis since at least 1998. In the late 1950s, he replaced TV legend Wink Martindale on Channel 13's "Top Ten Dance Party." He has since worked in a number of markets throughout the country in both radio and television.    Meroney lived in Maryland from 1972-85 and also has lived in Florida, according to an online public records data base. Additional stories on this subject are below. Charges against Fox anchor date from 1974 From The Commercial Appeal, May 5, 2006 By Lawrence Buser May 5, 2006    Fox 13 anchor Ron Meroney was released Thursday on $50,000 bond after his arrest on statutory rape charges filed against him in Maryland.    The indictment stems from an alleged incident with a child under age 14 more than 30 years ago, according to authorities in Wicomico County, where Meroney faced similar charges in 1984.    Meroney, 69, made a brief appearance in General Sessions Criminal Court and will return to court May 16. In the meantime, he may surrender to Maryland authorities, seek a bond there and begin his defense.    "Ron denies the charges and is anxious to go up there (to Maryland) to retain a lawyer and fight the charges," said his local attorney Mark Mesler, who described his client's mood as "upbeat." "He's trying to make his arrangements."    Meroney, host of "Good Morning Memphis," is accused of having sex with a child under 14 between June and October of 1974. Maryland authorities would not comment on why the charges were filed only now.    Despite the long passage of time involved, the Wicomico County Child Advocacy Center "thoroughly investigated the case," said Maryland State Police Cpl. Ryan Pradon of Salisbury, the seat of Wicomico County.    Statutory rape carries up to 20 years in prison.    WHBQ-TV Fox 13 General Manager John Koski said the station became aware of Meroney's indictment when he was arrested Wednesday. He said Ernie Freeman began substituting for Meroney Thursday, but otherwise declined to discuss his status.    It's not the first time Meroney has had legal troubles in Maryland, where he lived and worked from 1972 to 1985.    According to court records in Towson, which is near Baltimore, seven criminal charges were filed against Meroney in July 1984 that included child sexual abuse, assault and rape.    All were dismissed a month later with the exception of a charge of third-degree sexual offense in which he was given probation before judgment, a resolution in which a defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty but with the final judgment technically suspended. The case can be expunged after a specified period of good behavior.    Third-degree sexual offense involves someone at least age 21 who engages in a sexual act with someone age 14 or 15.    Meroney has been at Fox 13 since December 1995 after running a radio station near St. Petersburg, Fla., that played pop-style Christian music. In the late 1950s, he replaced well-known TV personality Wink Martindale on Channel 13's "Top Ten Dance Party." Additional stories on this subject are below. Letter alleges greater claims against Meroney From www.wmctv.com May 12, 2006 08:53 AM    The Memphis newsman charged with raping a child is facing even harsher allegations by his accuser. Now, he awaits a trial date in Maryland.    The mystery surrounding this charge is no clearer today than it was a week ago. But this letter, which led to Meroney's arraignment here, makes much stronger allegations than even the grand jury in Baltimore.    The letter, obtained by Action News Five, alerted Governor Bredesen to Meroney's presence in Memphis. Written by a woman who calls him her quote "uncle," Meroney's accuser says, this man has many victims, including my five brothers and sisters," and "please do what you can to expedite his extradition and to protect the children of Memphis."    "I am sure he is heavily involved in his Church as he was while he was molesting all of us. Please warn the people of his church," the letter continues.    At Meroney's church, the pastor expressed support for Meroney and his family. And - according to the general manager at FOX 13 - Meroney is still on staff, although the company will not discuss details of the charge against him.    An internet search pulled up this blog, purportedly written by a Fox13 employee who called Meroney "kind, generous, and professional" and "one of the elder statesmen in the newsroom."    The employee wrote, "this morning I looked over at his desk, where pictures of his smiling family are proudly displayed. I can't even imagine what they're going through."    Again, Meroney only faces one charge of statutory rape in Maryland. To our knowledge he has not been charged for the incidents mentioned in that letter. We tried to reach Meroney and his lawyer for comment, but were unable to do so. Additional stories on this subject are below. Meroney's lawyer questions prosecution From www.wmctv.com May 12, 2006 05:43 PM Meroney Investigation: Darrell Phillips    Meroney's lawyers are talking to prosecutors in Maryland today, trying to figure out exactly how serious they are about going to trial before Meroney heads back to the state to surrender himself.    Memphis TV news anchor Ron Meroney's lawyers say that until an angry accuser sent her warning letter to Governor Phil Bredesen, it wasn't clear that Maryland prosecutors had any interest in extraditing or trying him on the three-decade old rape charge.    "One of the things that I think the lawyer up there was going to try to find out was... Does Maryland really want to prosecute this case?" said Mark Mesler by phone.    "I'll tell you that when we first heard there may be allegations like this, one of the things we were advised is Maryland was not going to extradite him."    So Meroney waited, knowing - Mesler says - that to return to Maryland meant he would have to surrender himself over to authorities instantly. Maryland prosecutors tell us Meroney still has not turned himself in and that they are working on a Governor's warrant in the event that extradition proceedings begin and Meroney resists. Meroney's lawyer tells us that won't happen. And the lawyer takes offense to the letter, written by Meroney's accuser, making allegations that "this man has many victims, including my five brothers and sisters."    "You would assume that the authorities would have contacted these other alleged victims because I am certain that she would have brought their names up to them when this investigation started and I am assuming that they wanted no part of coming forward if anything in fact happened," says Mesler.    Ron Meroney - he says - adamantly denies all of the charges. We've been emailing with the Maryland prosecutor who is bringing these charges. When asked about Mark Mesler's claim, that it wasn't clear that they were necessarily interested in moving forward with Meroney's extradition, Wicomaco County D.A. Davis Ruark wrote that he won't engage in a public dialogue over this. An additonal story on this subject is below. Legal experts comment on Meroney case From www.wmctv.com May 12, 2006 09:41 PM Meroney Grand Jury: Jason Miles    Ron Meroney's accuser came forward more than 30 years after she says she was raped as a child. A Maryland grand jury's decision to indict made Meroney the top story.    "And they didn't hear from Ron, any other information, just what she had to say," says his attorney Mark Mesler.    Defense attorney Leslie Ballin says one side of the story is often all a grand jury gets.    "The prosecution presents a witness, more times than not a police officer, who simply reads off a report," says Ballin.    Ballin believes an indictment is merely a prosecutor's rubber stamp.    "It's often been said that a prosecutor could indict a ham sandwich if they wanted to," says Ballin.    "An indictment only comes after a good deal of work," says Larry Parrish.    Parrish is a former federal prosecutor. He says evidence was always solid before he sought an indictment.    "Well over 95% of the people who are indicted are convicted by a trial jury," says Parrish.    But Ballin believes the indictment itself means nothing.    "It puts that person on notice of what they're accused of--it carries no weight whatsoever," says Ballin.    "You ask these same defense lawyers--how many of these indicted people are you able to get acquitted?" asks Parrish.    Regardless, Ron Meroney's reputation may have already suffered.    Meanwhile, Meroney is still in Memphis. Prosecutors in Maryland tell Action News 5 he hasn't surrendered himself to their custody yet. His lawyer, Mark Mesler, says the legal parties are still trying to determine what bond might be available for Meroney. East aide takes reins; Cordova, Melrose search From The Commercial Appeal, May 3, 2006 By Jason Smith May 3, 2006    It was new Munford head football coach Wayne Randall's voice that answered the football office phone at East High on Tuesday.    That's because East's new head football coach, former Mustang and University of Miami (Fla.) standout Marcus Wimberly ['92], still has some things left on his to-do list following his recent hiring by East principal Fred Curry, including recording a new voice message.    "I'm very excited," said Wimberly, 31, a fifth-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1997 following standout careers at East and Miami. "It's something I've been looking forward to for a long time, and everybody up here (at East) knows that because it's my alma mater."    Wimberly's hiring at East and Randall's at Munford are just the first of several prep football coaching changes set for 2006.    After three years at Cordova, Lynord Crutchfield has stepped down as the Wolves' head football coach to become the new head football coach at Tunica (Miss.) Rosa Fort High School.    Crutchfield, 34, whose Cordova football program was rocked this season by the arrest, suspension and eventual return to the field of star player Jocques Crawford, went a combined 14-19 in three seasons at Cordova, though he guided the Wolves to three consecutive Class 5A playoff berths.    "It was an opportunity to coach in a town where there's only one high school. They've got athletes, and they're looking for somebody to build a program down there," said Crutchfield, a former running back at the University of Memphis.    "It was a tough decision because I had no problem at Cordova at all. The kids and the community, they've been great to me. But I want to coach at the next level, and this will give me an opportunity to make myself more marketable. If I can go down here and get this program going, I think it'll get me more exposure."    Crutchfield's principal at Cordova, Dr. Larry McGhee, has been hired as an assistant football coach at Briarcrest Christian, where he will serve under second-year head coach Joe Hamstra.    Other than one year he spent as an assistant football coach at Cordova in 1997, McGhee, a former University of Memphis starting offensive guard in the late '60s, hasn't coached since the late '80s, when he left Bartlett to go into school administration.    "It's been a while," McGhee said. "I just don't want to get to the point when I'm all through with education, sitting on the porch rocking, and I say, 'I wish I would've coached more.'    "It kind of gets the blood stirring again. ... I've already laid in bed at night thinking about what I need to do as far as drills and everything else. I'm trying to get back into it."    At Melrose, principal LaVaughn Bridges has begun the search to replace Chester Flowers Jr., who stepped down last month after just one year on the job to pursue other interests.    Melrose athletic director Robert Newman said it will take a special coach to handle the pressures of coaching in Orange Mound, the community that called for Flowers' head this season when he benched junior quarterback Courtney Madison in favor of senior Monte Wilson.    "It's a pressure cooker," Newman said. "I don't think, other than probably (two-time defending Class 4A state champion) Maryville, that anybody has performed any better than Melrose in the last five years."    Wimberly -- who had served as an assistant under Randall for the last four years at East and as a graduate of the school is extremely familiar with the Melrose-East rivalry in Region 8-4A -- had a message Tuesday for the Golden Wildcats and their next head coach.    "Bring 'em on," he said. Memphis City School Board focuses on No Child Left Behind scores From wmctv.com April 17, 2006 09:50 PM    Memphis School Leaders are well aware of a provision in the No Child Left Behind Act that lets them exclude yearly progress scores from students that come from small racial groups.    Memphis School Board Member Tomeka Hart says there's good reason for that.    Hart says, "In some schools if there are three of a group, those three are really not representative enough to be able to determine how the entire group will do."    In Tennessee, if a school has less than 45 students from a particular racial background those scores can be dropped.    Superintendent Carol Johnson thinks that's an acceptable number but might not go any higher.    Memphis City School superintendent Dr. Carol Johnson says, "We would be concerned that it would allow schools to leave out a sizeable population of a sub-group so that you would not know who was achieving and who might not be."    Bellevue Junior High in Memphis dropped scores from 20 Asian students, 12 Hispanics, 1 Native American and 4 white students.    Unlike many other districts, Memphis drops a lot of white student scores due to school make-up.    Johnson continues, "That probably works against us in terms AYP because not being able to count those students if they're making adequate yearly progress."    The Associated Press found East High dropped the scores of 20 white students, 6 Asians and 4 Hispanics. ... Letter: Storm scene at East High was shocking From The Commercial Appeal, April 14, 2006 Letter to the Editor    In response to the April 12 letter from Michael Kyle, principal of Ridgeway High School, I was pleased to hear that the personnel there handled the April 7 early closing situation calmly and professionally.    However, I take issue with his assurance that this was the case for all schools. As a friend and I were driving down Poplar past East High School that afternoon, with warning sirens blaring, the staff at East High were leading the students out onto the grounds, apparently to the buses and for parents to pick up. We were, to put it mildly, shocked.    Apparently, East High School doesn't adhere to Kyle's policy: "Early dismissal does not mean students must leave immediately or be put out of the building." If tornado warning sirens do not warrant keeping the students inside, it's hard to envision a situation in which they would be kept inside for safety's sake.    Deborah K. Green    Germantown Student obituary: Lametr'a S. Walker From The Commercial Appeal, March 24, 2006    LAMETR'A S. WALKER, 17, of Memphis, daughter of Donald and Monica Walker, died in a tragic accident, March 17, 2006. She was a senior at East High School, a student of high achievement with a GPA of 4.0, ranked 14 of 255 of her class, received a scholarshop to attend UTK to study Veterinary Medicine/Wildlife and Fisheries and enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard. Graveside service will be at Memorial Park Cemetery East, with full military honors, at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 25. A Memorial service will be held to celebrate her life at Midtown Church of Christ, 1930 Union Avenue, Saturday, March 25 at 1 p.m. with family and community fellowship afterwards. She is survived by a brother and sister, LeMoyne and LaTosha. Christian Funeral Directors 901-358-0062 East High principal fires Randall as coach From The Commercial Appeal, March 21, 2006 Reason behind dismissal as football leader is a mystery By Jason Smith March 21, 2006    Wayne Randall was fired as East High football coach by first-year East principal Fred Curry, and Randall says he still doesn't know why.    Randall, who over the past 12 seasons guided East to a Class 4A state championship (1999), a state runner-up finish (2000) and three state semifinal appearances, was informed via letter on March 10 he'd been removed as East's head football coach. Curry did not explain the reasoning for the firing in the letter.    "Thank you for your many years of service to East High School," Curry's letter stated. "After consideration and discussion, I have decided to make a change in football leadership. This change is effective Monday, March 26, 2006.    "Again, thank you for your years of service to East High School."    Randall said he later met with Curry, but came away with no reason for the firing.    Reached Monday, Curry declined to expound on his reasoning, other than to say, "I just decided to make a move as the new principal, a move in the coaching staff.    "I can't tell you another reason other than as a new principal, I want to take the football program in another direction. That's all."    Memphis City Schools spokesman Vince McCaskill affirmed Monday a principal does not "need any specific reason" to remove coaching duties from an employee.    "In this particular case, Mr. Curry, being that he is the new principal, felt that he wanted to go in a different direction with the coach," McCaskill said.    Curry -- who last August stripped Randall of his athletic director duties in a letter similar to his March 10 letter -- informed East football assistants Keith Setler, Michael Norwood and Marcus Wimberly of Randall's firing in a March 10 meeting in his office.    "After (Curry) was done speaking with us, I just simply asked if there was anything specific coach Randall had done, and he told me, 'No, it was a personal matter. We'll leave it at that,'" Setler said Monday.    "To this day, we still haven't heard anything, and for it to come down like this, the timing is terrible. You have a program that just had a great year and is poised to do something even better next year. ... But like he said, it's (Curry's) prerogative. As a staff, we're pretty insignificant in the decision-making."    Norwood said he was speechless during the meeting.    "Personally, I felt uncomfortable with the way the whole thing was handled, so I didn't have anything to say," Norwood said Monday. "I left a great situation at Kingsbury to come and work with coach Randall and do what we could to make the East High football program what it is and to continue it. To be moved out so arbitrarily and to lose the opportunity we came to East to achieve for personal reasons, it's a shame."    Randall, a former Tennessee Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year who's averaged 10 wins per season over the past eight years and led the Mustangs to nine consecutive playoff appearances, said Monday he remains shocked by his dismissal, though he continues to teach physical wellness at the school.    "When I was hired in 1994 by Mr. Ronnie Bynum, I was instructed to, quote, 'Build me a championship football program,' and over the next 11 years, I think we did that," said Randall, whose Mustangs finished 10-2 last season.    "Right now, I'm an unemployed football coach. This has been my life for 31 years, teaching and coaching youngsters. That's what I do, and that's what I want to continue to do." Update: [posted April 28, 2006] - Former East High head football coach Wayne Randall, who was removed from his football coaching duties last month, will leave East High to become head football coach at Munford High School (Munford, TN). Randall continued to say that he was given no reason for his removal at East High other than it was "the principal's prerogative."    Source: The Commercial Appeal, April 26, 2006 Elderly woman killed in house fire From The Commercial Appeal, January 25, 2006 Back of home gutted in Highpoint Terrace By Chris Conley February 27, 2006    An elderly Highpoint Terrace woman was killed by a fire in her home Saturday night, despite Memphis firefighters' efforts to pull her in time from her burning building.    The woman, identified as Joyce Ferguson by neighbors, and believed to be about 70 years old, was found unconscious by a rescue crew in her home at 3593 Aurora Circle.    She was rushed to Baptist Hospital East, but later died.    When firefighters first arrived about 9:40 p.m., smoke and fire were rolling from the rear of the one-story, brick building.    Neighbors told them that Ferguson might be trapped inside, and the rescue team went in to get her.    They found her unconscious in the bathroom.    Fire investigators were trying to determine the cause and origin point of the fire, Chief Fire Marshal Ronald Brown said Sunday. Damage was put at about $40,000.    Most damage was to the rear of the home, where a back bedroom was gutted. Two sleeper couches that had been badly burned were lying in her backyard.    Ferguson lived alone in the home with her four dogs, neighbors said. It was not clear whether the dogs were injured.    Neighbor Frances Harry described Ferguson as reclusive. "But if you got to know her, you liked her," she said. An obituary is available. Holt: Lower taxes and a better quality of life in DeSoto From The Commercial Appeal, February 5, 2006 By Bill Holt Special to Viewpoints February 5, 2006    Bill Holt, an Olive Branch resident who co-owns a business in Memphis, sent this letter:    I lived in Memphis all my life. I was educated at a Memphis public school (East High School, '68 ), and got my degree from Memphis State University ('73 ). I am a co-owner of an automotive service business that has proudly been serving the Memphis area for 41 years, without concern as to a customer's race, education level or political affiliation.    As a homeowner in Memphis, I saw property taxes rise to absurd levels and city services decline to levels that are almost undetectable.    As a business owner, I have seen the decline of my customer base, the introduction of a myriad of regressive taxes, whose only purpose is to raise money for programs or causes that are dubious at best, and the collapse of the city's infrastructure. Crime is rampant, city schools are churning out uneducated children into an environment in which they have no chance of becoming productive members of society, and the pool of available workers is among the worst in the country.    Three years ago, I started the search for a new home. I looked at homes in many areas and finally found a home in DeSoto County that was perfect for me. The decision to move there took a lot of soul-searching, and I took a lot of kidding from my friends because I have told more than one Mississippi redneck joke in my life.    I have been pleasantly surprised and thrilled at what I have experienced since then. When I applied for a Mississippi driver's license, I was, literally, the only person there. It took all of 15 minutes and was a very pleasant experience. I went to the electric company to make my security deposit and was greeted in a friendly fashion without any waiting in line. Their attitude was positive, friendly and customer-oriented. When I registered at the tax assessor's office, they were gracious and accommodating and welcomed me to Mississippi.    I knew when I moved that my taxes would be less, but I had no idea the difference would be as great as it is. If my home were located in Memphis, my annual property taxes would be about $5,000 more than in DeSoto County. I feel that this money is safer in my pocket than in Mayor Willie Herenton's. I am confident that my Mississippi tax dollars are spent more wisely and efficiently than they would be in Memphis/Shelby County.    I take great exception to anyone stating that I do not care about Memphis. I still have a business in the city and pay substantial property taxes on our family business property. I go to Beale Street, FedExForum, local restaurants, movies and other businesses.    I pay taxes at all of those places. Because I lay my head down to sleep in Mississippi, I have no vote on how my Memphis property and sales taxes are spent. That is taxation without representation, and if my public school education serves me, a revolutionary war was fought over that issue.    But this is more than just a tax issue. It is about quality of life, peace of mind, a much lower crime rate, a completely different outlook on life, and feeling like you are getting what you pay for with your tax dollars. I am proud to be a DeSoto County resident, and urge others to consider moving to a place where elected officials do not father out-of-wedlock children, manufacture crack cocaine, take money under the table from a developer and allow the dead to vote. Bill Holt Olive Branch, Miss. East High shooting victim discharged from hospital From: WMC-TV Jan 29, 2006 [original news article posted Jan. 27, postings revised Jan. 28, 29, and 30, 2006]    Students, adults and school officials are speaking out about violence that erupted after an East High basketball game last night.    Police say gunfire erupted twice as people left the East versus Melrose game.    The first time shots were fired, police arrested a 17-year-old East High student. The second time, an East High student was shot in the arm and that suspect got away.    The victim, Alvin Wilkerson, is home from the hospital tonight, but police are still looking for the person who shot him.    Action News 5 spoke to a number of people today - from a school board member to the district's PTA president and a student at East High School. Most of them feel that security was not the problem last night.    People that we talked to felt that these were a couple of rogue shooters in a large crowd and that nothing could have stopped them from acting criminally.    However, that's not to say that there's no call for action.    PTA President Annabel Turner said that she'd like to see something done about loiterers at school sponsored events.    School Board member Jeff Warren says the solution has to start with what we're teaching our children and that society as a whole needs to invest more in education.    "If we want our kids to have something other than gunplay and feeling like they have to go out and be gangsters, we're going to have to give them another alternative and we have to do that through our education," said Warren.    The student who was arrested faces a handful of charges - reckless endangerment, carrying a weapon on school property and evading arrest.    Police are still looking for the person that shot Wilkerson. Call Crime Stoppers at 528-CASH if you have any information. Check brings smiles to PTA From The Commercial Appeal, The East Memphis Appeal January 26, 2006 By Wanza Barrett [Wanza Gooch Barrett '61] Special to East Memphis Appeal January 26, 2006    Who says money can't buy happiness?    The teachers, staff and PTA members at Lynn Fanning Elementary in Meridianville, Ala., wore big smiles as my sister Beth Gooch ['75] presented the school's PTA with a check for $4,000.    The check was a gift from the Scripps Howard Foundation.    The Scripps Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Scripps Howard company, owner of the HG-TV network and dozens of newspapers and television stations around the country including The Commercial Appeal.    Beth, who lives in East Memphis, is a longtime employee of The Commercial Appeal. She and four other Scripps employees around the country were chosen for the Scripps Foundation's William R. Burleigh Award for Distinguished Community Service.    Each of the Burleigh Award recipients were allowed to designate $5,000 to the charities of her choice.    She was chosen because of all the volunteer community service work she has done for years. She was nominated for the award by a fellow East Memphian Barbara Bradley.    Beth was allowed to designate $5,000 to the charities of her choice. She chose the Lynn Fanning Elementary PTA as well as Union Avenue Baptist Church because she said both nonprofit organizations are fine examples of community spirit.    The gift to the PTA was given in honor of our other sister, Nancy [Gooch] Luke ['66], who has been a teacher at the school for 22 years.    I am very proud of Nancy, who is a National Board certified teacher, and Beth. We grew up in East Memphis and are all graduates of East High School. Bullets down football hero From The Commercial Appeal, January 25, 2006 Arthur Sallis helped take East High to state By Sherri Drake January 25, 2006    Coach Wayne Randall [Faculty] last saw his former star fullback in the fall, when he came to East High to talk to players about working hard on the football field and staying out of trouble.    Arthur Sallis [associated with the class of '01], who helped take East to the state championships in 1999 and 2000, could've played in college, but troubles with the law pulled him away.    Monday night, 22-year-old Sallis was shot to death in his dining room.    His death is heartbreaking for those who knew everything he could've been.    "If you knew this kid, he really was a pretty dadgum good kid," Randall said Tuesday. "You couldn't help but like him."    Life wasn't easy for Sallis. Everybody at school knew it. He didn't really have a place to live and "lived by his wits" to survive, Randall said.    East High coaches and teachers tried to help. They got him after-school jobs at places like McDonald's.    He gained a reputation as a tough opponent on the field. He rushed for 1,406 yards his junior year and 1,248 his senior year.    Sallis spoke to The Commercial Appeal in 1999, with visions of state in sight.    "When I'm dreaming, I'm suiting up and going on the field," he told a reporter. "It's like there's no stopping me. It's like I can't go down."    His senior year, he got offers from the University of Mississippi and University of Kentucky.    But his grades were too low and when his last season ended, he dropped out of school.    Between 2000 and 2004, he was arrested more than a dozen times for charges ranging from driving without a license to possessing marijuana, property theft and aggravated burglary.    Within months of leaving high school, he was shot while trying to stop a car thief.    Randall visited him at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis.    "I was holding his hand and he said, 'If God gets me out of this, coach, I'm never going to be out on the street again.'"    About 11 p.m. Monday, three armed men came in Sallis' home in the 5400 block of Flowering Peach and ordered him and another man to the floor.    The gunmen, who "sounded young," wanted money and "other items," according to Memphis police reports.    Sallis was shot several times when he grabbed and wrestled one of the robbers. He died in his dining room.    Police say the men drove off in Sallis' 2000 GMC Suburban with Tennessee tags and 22-inch chrome wheels.    Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 528-CASH.    Randall said he'll always remember Sallis' "big infectious smile and that laugh that came from deep within his stomach."    "He was a ferocious competitor and a kid who got caught up in the struggle of the streets." An obituary is available. There is an additional story dated October 28, 2008 above. Proposed master plan calls for East conversion to grade 9-12 [posted January 20, 2006]    East High would be converted from grades 7 through 12 to grades 9 through 12 under a Five-Year Facilities Master Plan released January 19. However, as best this web publication can determine based on the web presentation of the plan, the timetable for that conversion is not listed within the implementation schedule. At this point, the Master Plan is just a proposal and has not been adopted by the school board.    While East is now 7-12, many alumni remember East opened with grades 1-10 in 1948, adding the 11th grade in 1949, and the 12th in 1950. For several years until about 1956, East also housed a kindergarten, so quite a few students attended "East High" from kindergarten through 12th grade.    Source: Memphis City Schools, The East High Alumni Page Update: June 5, 2006 - It appears the 5 year Master Plan is on track for final consideration and possible adoption by the school board during the autumn of 2006. Alumnus makes political voice known From The Commercial Appeal, January 19, 2006 posted January 20, 2006 About 50 say Herenton should go A ballot would need tens of thousands more By Jody Callahan January 19, 2006    Eddie Neal voted for Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton four times, but now says enough is enough.    Neal was one of about 50 people who gathered at an East Memphis Marriott Wednesday night to discuss plans to force a recall of Herenton, who has been in office for 14 years and is halfway through his fourth term.    The group, organized by Memphian Thaddeus Matthews, needs to get about 70,000 signatures on a petition to place a recall measure on the ballot.    "I tell you what did it for me -- any time the mayor can say to people that pay his salary, that we can leave Memphis if we don't like where the city's going," said Neal, a 60-year-old masonry contractor who lives in the Bethel Grove neighborhood.    "I want to put my name on the petition to show my grandchildren and others that there's something you can do about a predicament."    Others there clearly felt the same way.    Camellia Rodney, a 56-year-old nurse manager, moved to Memphis from Brooklyn about 20 years ago. She voted for Herenton twice, but now wants him gone.    "There has to be an end to it. Everyone who has loved Memphis like I've loved Memphis is moving out. The money is leaving. He's just running it down to the ground," she said. "Getting that young girl pregnant (was the last straw). For the leader of our community to do (that) and to laugh about it. He's in over his head."    Added Ralph Noyes ['68], who voted for Herenton once: "He needs to be replaced. We need a new mayor. We need a regime change."    The mayor's spokeswoman Gale Jones Carson said Herenton had no comment on the meeting. Earlier, Herenton labeled Matthews a "societal misfit" and described the recall efforts as "nonsense."    Matthews held the floor during most of the meeting, explaining the recall process and asking for volunteers to head committees. Those committees expect to begin collecting signatures by mid-March, after the petition has been approved by the Election Commission.    Matthews said they hope to to have all the necessary signatures by June 1. He also hinted at a plan, which he declined to explain, to collect 30,000 of those in one day.    The group plans to meet again Feb. 21, possibly at the same Marriott, 2625 Thousand Oaks at American Way.    Matthews, owner of an auto repossession company and a former talk radio personality, said he was pleased with the turnout, which included about a dozen black people.    "I was expecting about what we got," said Matthews, who paid $400 for the room and security, although a hat labeled "Recall Willie" was passed at the meeting to offset that.    "To see people of mixed races from all over the city to come, that's exactly what we need. We got 50 people on a night that there are some (basketball) games going on." Pioneering educators raise the bar at East High From The Commercial Appeal, January 11, 2006 New program aims for brighter future at school By Ruma Banerji Kumar January 11, 2006    When Paul Adams thwarted the closing in 1978 of a Catholic high school in Chicago, he didn't know he'd become an icon.    Over the next 25 years, he would show Chicago -- and then a nation -- that a school serving black children from mostly impoverished homes in a blighted neighborhood could succeed.    He set expectations for advanced math and science classes, expectations for college, expectations for futures in medicine, business and engineering.    At Providence-St. Mel, those expectations have meant that every senior graduates. Every one of them goes on to college. And more than half go to Ivy League and Tier 1 universities.    Tuesday, Adams walked the halls of East High in Memphis, offering advice on how some of Providence-St. Mel's magic might rub off on the embattled city school. East has had a tumultuous decade with a revolving door of principals, concerns about safety and persistently low scores, particularly in math.    But a new program that offers intensive tutoring and remediation work to help pull up students in the bottom 20 percent at East is hoping to change the school's future.    The program, founded by businessman and East alum Charles McVean, started in December 2004 with a goal to raise $3 million and provide peer tutors to help 100 seventh-graders and 50 eighth-graders.    On Tuesday, Adams and Providence-St. Mel's principal, Jeanette DiBella, observed classes with seventh-graders who started this fall nearly two years behind. They walked from the screeching chaos of hallways, to the quiet of classrooms where talk centered around fractions and prime factors.    "The difference between what I see in the hallways, and in these classrooms, is like night and day," Adams said. "There's something clicking in these kids' heads."    Adams and DiBella watched students like seventh-grader Tequila White shuffle up to a chalkboard to solve a problem that would have stumped her just two weeks ago.    "There's huge potential with this program," DiBella said. "But the key is to set high expectations for these students."    At Providence-St. Mel, DiBella says her mantra is: "The psychology of the school has to be more enticing than the psychology of the streets."    The work at Providence-St. Mel is gaining more attention as momentum builds around the nation for high school reform.    President Bush has proposed nearly $1.5 billion for a new initiative to ensure high school students graduate with the skills they need to succeed in college or the workforce.    And a $1.2 billion commitment by software giant Bill Gates to high school reform has also propelled the movement. Gates has led an effort for smaller, more rigorous high schools to erase an achievement gap where "wealthy white kids are taught Algebra II while low-income minority kids are taught to balance a checkbook."    East High, with help from Adams and DiBella, is trying to capitalize on that energy and renewed focus on high schools.    East High principal Fred Curry puts it this way: "We're planting the seeds in these students now. We may not see the fruit for years. But it'll happen. The important thing is that we're doing something." East High Celebrates Success Model for Nation's Inner-City Schools From Memphis City Schools, January 9, 2006 By Shawn Pachucki, PachuckiShawn@mcsk12.net     Memphis, Tenn. — Nearly 30 years ago, a man stood in the slums of Chicago, staring at an abandoned building, and he had visions of great success and achievement for inner-city youth. Today, Dr. Paul Adams III is known throughout the country as one of the most influential figures in the shaping of today's public school system. The East High School Foundation (sic) has invited the public to celebrate his accomplishments during a special reception Tuesday, January 10.    Dr. Adams' journey began in the days of the civil rights movement, when he walked with Andrew Young and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. With no work in the South, Dr. Adams traveled to Chicago in 1978, where he purchased a closed Catholic school – known today as the Providence St. Mel School (PSM) – and began his model for success in inner-city schools. He felt that inner-city youth could excel in the classroom if provided with the right environment, so he solicited the support of parents, educators and the business community, who helped his school attract hundreds of students and achieve incredible graduation and college-placement standards.    Today, more than 700 students are enrolled at PSM. Last year, 100 percent of the school's seniors graduated, 100 percent were accepted to college, and nearly 60 percent went to a Tier 1 college or university. The school's keys to success include a disciplined learning environment, accountable teachers and high expectations for all students.    PSM's groundbreaking methods serve as a national example for attracting and retaining business and philanthropic support for inner-city schools. The U.S. Department of Education declared PSM a model for all urban schools. The Chicago Public Schools System (CPS) is currently negotiating to officially adopt the PSM model, and PSM Principal Jeanette DiBella is in discussions to take over five other urban schools as a demonstration project.    Dr. Adams and Principal DiBella will tour East High School Tuesday. They'll visit a Multi-Age Exploratory Class and critique the after-school program. A reception and discussion forum will follow from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. at the East High School Library, 3206 Poplar Ave. Refreshments will be provided.    For more information, contact East High School at 416-6160 or visit www.EastFoundation.org.(sic)[correct address: www.EastHighFoundation.org]    To learn more about the Providence St. Mel School in Chicago, visit www.psm.12.il.us. Charles Green takes over East High School's Career and Technology Center. From The Commercial Appeal, January 10, 2006    The Memphis city school district rang in the new year with a number of administrative staff changes.    The shakeups are part of the district's efforts to gain "better alignment and coherence" throughout the administration.    Sometimes those changes took the form of promotions and new positions.     During Monday night's board meeting, Supt. Carol Johnson announced such promotions...    Former Frayser High School principal Charles Green will now head East High School's Career and Technology Center." Longtime music leader ready for breather From The Commercial Appeal, January 1, 2006 Central Christian Church's organist/choir director retires By James Dowd January 1, 2006    Back in 1936 when Rose Gillespie [Faculty, approximately 1966-1977] first started learning to play the organ, King Edward VIII was planning to abdicate the British throne in order to wed an American divorcee and across the pond Franklin Delano Roosevelt was on his way to winning his second term as president.    Much has changed since then, including Gillespie's reputation as a musician, which has grown through the years.    But now the grande dame of local organists is preparing to step away from it all. After 35 years as organist and choir director at Central Christian Church in Midtown, the 86-year-old is ready to retire. Her last regular service is today.    "I'll still be available to fill in if someone needs an organist, but I won't be working all the time anymore," said Gillespie. "There comes a time when you know it's right to step aside and this is that time. I have no regrets and I've loved it all."    Gillespie has led an extraordinarily interesting life, said longtime friend and Central choir member Sarah Jane Smith.    For example, Gillespie rode a motorcycle to get to her late-shift job as an aircraft riveter during World War II. On weekends she'd finish up early Sunday, do a quick change at home and then dash off to church to play the organ.    "There's not much she hasn't done, it's really amazing when I think of it," Smith said.    And she's met some interesting folks along the way.    Gillespie met W.C. Handy in a music store once when she went in to buy a copy of "Memphis Blues" and the composer heard her ask for the sheet music. Handy offered to buy it for her, but she settled for an autograph instead.    "I was so in awe and I told him I could buy it myself, but I certainly was happy when he agreed to sign it," Gillespie recalled. "To meet the man who wrote what I considered one of the most compelling pieces of American music was an incredible experience."    The Stamps, Ark., native graduated from the former Memphis State University and taught in her home state and in Mississippi until legendary Memphis politico and family friend E.H. 'Boss' Crump helped her land a teaching job in Memphis.    Gillespie worked at Fairview Junior High and later East High, where she counted among her students a pretty teen named Cybill Shepherd. But despite her best sales pitch, she couldn't convince the budding celebrity to join the East High School chorus.    "She was such a sweet girl and so popular and all the kids wanted to hang around her, so I knew if I could get Cybill to join then everyone else would want to join," Gillespie said. "But she said she just couldn't because she was too busy with cheerleading."    Throughout her teaching career, Gillespie worked as a musician at several congregations, including Temple Baptist and Central, as well as McLemore Christian Church where in 1959 she met a young pastor named Charles Woodall.    The two worked five years together there and later when Woodall became pastor at Central he was reunited with his former music director.    "I've always had a strong appreciation for Rose, she's been a source of strength and inspiration for generations of people," Woodall said. "When she retires from Central it'll be the end of an era."    Central's pianist Amy Lindeman will also leave her post when her mentor retires. She's stepping down to focus on her impending motherhood, but she knows things won't be the same without the one she calls her surrogate grandmother.    "She's an amazing woman and I can't even imagine church without her up there playing week after week," Lindeman said.    The church will host a reception for Gillespie today after the morning worship service and the Memphis Chapter of the American Guild of Organists will dedicate its recital at 4 p.m. on Jan. 29 at Idlewild Presbyterian Church to her.    As for Gillespie, she doesn't plan to rest on her laurels. She'll serve as substitute organist, but she's looking forward to visiting lots of different churches and enjoying music from a different perspective: The pew.    "There are so many wonderful churches here and I'm looking forward to going to them and experiencing worship on a different level," Gillespie said. "I think I'll enjoy being in the congregation and letting somebody else be in charge of the music." Charity Bowl to benefit paralyzed East player From The Commercial Appeal, December 13, 2005 By Jason Smith December 13, 2005     The letter, from Sigma Nu fraternity at Ole Miss, was dated Dec. 1, and in it were the words East High football coach Wayne Randall had hoped might come.     "This spring, the 18th annual Charity Bowl will be played to benefit (East High senior) Chris Morris," wrote Charity Bowl chairman Stephen Ratterman, referring to Sigma Nu's March 31 charity game at Ole Miss' Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. "... Our goal this year is to honor (former Ole Miss defensive back) Chucky (Mullins) once again by helping someone in a similar fight."     Morris, a special teams player for the Mustangs, continues to recover from a severe neck injury he suffered after colliding with a teammate in East's Sept. 23 regular-season victory over Millington at Melrose Stadium.     Paralyzed by the accident, Morris has had surgery to repair his spine and has since regained some mobility in his hands and arms.     Mullins' football career was cut short when he was paralyzed after making a tackle during a game against Vanderbilt in 1989. He died two years later in 1991.     "The Ole Miss family responded to (Mullins') tragedy with unprecedented generosity and admiration," Ratterman wrote. "That same year, in Lauderdale, Miss., a young man named Allen Moore was also paralyzed in a high school football game with eerily similar injuries to that which Chucky suffered. The difference, though, was that Allen didn't have the same financial support or publicity from his small high school that Chucky did from (Ole Miss).     "The result of the ironic timing of these two tragic injuries was the Charity Bowl."     Since 1989, Ratterman said the Charity Bowl has raised over $850,000 for high school student-athletes who have suffered injuries similar to those of Mullins and Moore.     "The insurance provided high school football players (by the Memphis Interscholastic Athletic Association and Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association) covers the cost associated with surgery and rehabilitation," Ratterman said. "However, the expenses to care for Chris, transport Chris, feed and clothe Chris and support Chris are not covered."     Randall was able to send a tape of Morris' accident to the Charity Bowl committee since the game was broadcast by TV Time Warner as its game of the week.     "I'd gotten a call from an Ole Miss alumni, Bill Courtney, who is a volunteer coach over at Manassas," Randall said. "He came by and visited with me and let me know that they'd done this in the past and asked me if it was something we'd be interested in pursuing.     "Obviously it was, and what I was able to do was get the Time Warner (replay of the game). That was one of the things we were fortunate in, was that that ballgame was broadcast by Time Warner. They'd stayed with us the entire time, from the time (Morris) went down all the way through the waiting on the ambulance and the paramedics checking him out. ... I put a tape together just on that part of the game. It was about a 45-minute tape."     Randall said Morris remains in good spirits despite his condition. He added, however, that Morris' mother has taken a two-month leave of absence from her job to help her son through his rehabilitation.     "When you're talking about a couple of months, it creates a hardship," he said. "You get behind in bills and everything. So this is something that definitely will be beneficial."     Randall said those wishing to make personal donations may do so by sending them to the Charity Bowl Committee in care of Sigma Nu Fraternity, P.O. Box 8258, University, Miss., 38677. Information on the Charity Bowl: Full padded football game between the Sigma Nu Fraternity and Kappa Alpha Order, refereed by NFL referees. Cheerleading competition before the game and crowning of Charity Bowl Queen at halftime. Over $850,000 raised the past 16 years. Date: Friday March 31st, 2006 Time: 5:30 PM Location: Vaught Hemingway Stadium, University of Mississippi Sponsored by: Sigma Nu Fraternity Tickets or Fees: $5 at the Gate East High gets "my favorite education" honor From The Commercial Appeal, East Memphis Appeal Edition, December 11, 2005 Business achievements December 11, 2005    In recognition of American Education Week, the Memphis Education Association and MetLife Resources conducted an activity for students in grades K-12 called "My Favorite Education." Students were asked to submit nominations of an educator who demonstrates qualities that make public school educators special. Recipients were honored by Memphis Board of Education.    East Memphis educators honored included ... Sharron Hightower, optional health science program teacher at East High School. East High specialist shows study From The Commercial Appeal, November 27, 2005 East High specialist shows study November 27, 2005     Hundreds of teachers, technology coordinators, administrators, library information specialists, and education industry representatives from all over the Mid-South were invited to gather at Memphis City Schools' Teaching and Learning Academy for the 11th annual Technology Conference.    Sherry Macken, head library information specialist at East Middle/High School, was selected to present. Macken is a graduate student at the University of Memphis, pursuing an EdD in leadership and policy studies.    Macken presented a study she conducted to explore possible links between mid-to-high capacity computer and Internet availability with student achievement and school district success. A copy of Macken's paper can be requested by e-mail at mackens@mcsk12.net Three to enter county Alumni Hall From The Commercial Appeal, October 16, 2005 G'town educator Taylor cited for ongoing service By Randy Baker Special to Germantown Appeal October 16, 2005    Three distinguished Memphis-area residents will be inducted into the Shelby County Schools Alumni Hall of Fame on Thursday in ceremonies at the University of Memphis.    The new inductees are retired Memphis City Schools educator Margaret Gordon Taylor [East Faculty 1955-69] of Germantown; James Kenneth Glass, president and CEO of First Horizon National Corp.; and Dr. Clennon Saulsberry, senior minister at New Nonconnah Missionary Baptist Church.    Tickets for the annual Shelby County Schools Alumni Hall of Fame are $35 each, or $350 for a table of 10, and may be purchased by calling 321-2594 or by sending a check to the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation at 160 S. Hollywood, Room 210, Memphis, Tenn., 38112-4801. The event begins with a 6:30 p.m. reception followed by the 7 p.m. dinner and program.    "Each of the three 2005 honorees is a graduate of a Shelby County Schools high school who has distinguished himself or herself both professionally and in service to their communities," noted Jerry Dodds, vice president of Brother International Corporation and chairman of the Shelby County Schools Education Foundation, which is co-sponsor of the event with the Shelby County Schools Board of Education. "    We are fortunate to have men and women like Ken Glass, Clennon Saulsberry and Margaret Taylor among us."    Dodds said that the honorees were chosen by a joint school board-foundation board committee from nominations submitted by the general public. Criteria for nomination was that each nominee must be a graduate of a school that was in the Shelby County Schools district at the time of graduation, that he or she have been out of high school for at least 10 years, and that he or she have made outstanding contributions to the community and/or the profession of which they are a part.    Germantown's Margaret Taylor is a 1935 graduate of Messick High School.    She was an educator for 33 years but remains as active today as before her retirement.    She serves as director emeritus for the Greater East High Foundation and remains active in a large number of community organizations -- including Leadership Memphis, Kiwanis, the Germantown Education Commission, the Symphony League, and the Brooks Museum. Vaughn leads tough East Mustang lineup From The Commercial Appeal, August 25, 2005 By Steve O'Dell August 25, 2005    "Cassius is the man to watch next year," said 2004 East High grad, all-state lineman, and UT Vol Dan Williams last spring.    That hasn't changed.    Senior running back Cassius Vaughn is still the man. A major college prospect, Vaughn (6-1, 185) is one of the top ground gainers returning. Last year he rushed for 1,272 yards and tallied 12 TDs. He sat out the MIAA jamboree with any injury, but said he would be ready for the season opener.    Vaughn isn't the only weapon in coach Wayne Randall's arsenal. East lost Williams and fellow lineman and UT Vol Malcolm Rawls to graduation, but the skill positions are deep. Senior Cameron Boga (5-11, 175) can play either running back or quarterback and sees time at both. Boga averaged over 10 yards a carry last year, racking up 715 yards on just 68 rushes. Junior Brandon Small (5-8, 165) will see a majority of the snaps at QB for the Mustangs.    With the loss of Williams and Rawls, the offensive and defensive lines will be hurt, but another Williams (no relation to Dan) has stepped up. Vaughn says senior Derrick Williams (5-9, 240) will be the leader. Among teammates in the trenches will be senior Terry Glenn (6-0, 225) and junior Van Taylor (6-3, 270).    East has as tough a defense as anyone in the city, but a lot of kids will be playing both sides of the ball. Williams, Glenn, and Taylor will be joined by junior Austin Taylor (6-3, 220) on the defensive line.    Linebacking duties are solid with seniors Chris Morris (6-0, 185) and Denirio Watkins (5-10, 180) joined by junior Won-Colby Pierce (5-10, 180).    The defensive backfield will hold the key to the defense. Small and Boga will be the leaders. Small had six interceptions last year. Seniors Joshua Nash (5-11, 168) and Dareon Prewitt (6-0, 165) will see a lot of action if offenses shy away from No. 1 (Small) and No. 2 (Boga). East HIgh's 2005 Football Schedule: Aug. 26 / Wooddale at Halle / 7 p.m. Sept. 3 / Melrose at Fairgrounds / 7 p.m Sett. 9 / Craigmont at Raleigh-Egypt / 7 p.m Sept. 16 / Fairley at J.P. Freeman / 7 p.m Sept. 23 / Millington at Melrose / 7 p.m Sept. 30 / Northside at Washington / 7 p.m Oct. 7 / at Jackson North Side / 7 p.m Oct. 14 / Kingsbury at Fairgrounds / 7 p.m Oct. 20 / Mitchell at Whitehaven / 7 p.m Oct. 28 / Raleigh-Egypt at Melrose / 7 p.m    Source: The Commercial Appeal Germantown alums join former classmates for East '55 reunion From The Commercial Appeal, Germantown Appeal section, August 18, 2005 By Sara Chumney Special to Germantown Appeal August 18, 2005    The East High School class of 1955 celebrated its 50th reunion this summer.    More than 100 classmates and guests from 12 states returned to Memphis for the first reunion since 1975.    Germantown residents and East graduates were Gordon Buckingham, Diane Dickens Lewis, Sid Feuerstein, Carol Ann Greaves Rockett, David Hale, James Holmes, Carolyn Jones Williams, Tim Malkin, Jane Maury Lovitt and Lynn Tyus.    Allan Ledbetter and I worked for a year to locate classmates, and only six members of the class were not found. Some of the members of the class attended East High in sixth grade when it first opened in 1948.    The classmates met for the Friday night event at Jeanne and Henry Varnell's home overlooking the Mississippi River for barbecue and enjoyed the magnificent view of the sun setting over the river as they visited together and renewed their friendships.    Saturday morning was a golf game at Galloway golf course, and East High School was opened for a classmate tour of their alma mater. Colorful maroon-and-gray posters were displayed on school library tables with school history memorabilia, pictures and seven Mustang Roundup school newspapers from the senior year.    A competitive school fun quiz was provided for the "Smartest in the Class Award." Renewing fond memories for the classmates were a guided tour to view classrooms, the old gym locker room, school trophies, the nurse's room where one classmate met her husband, the cafeteria that was used recently in a movie, and a peep through the auditorium doors (that is under renovation) to see where they were the first class to graduate on the auditorium stage 50 years ago.    As one Mustang toured the school she recalled all the lost words of the original East High School Fight Song of the 1950s. At the end of the tour the group stepped out to see a classmate's restored 1955 Bel Air convertible.    On Saturday evening, the University of Memphis Holiday Inn ballroom was the scene of the Reunion Dinner Dance. Red roses and miniature toy Mustangs decorated the dinner tables. Banners and posters lined the walls, while side tables displaying pendants, teacher and students pictures. A special poster recognized the 25 deceased class members with individual photos.    The dinner event began with a program featuring a DVD presentation titled "Memphis Memories 1954-55" shown on a large screen. Many forgotten images of Memphis in 1955 and classmates' pictures were viewed as they listened to the music they all remembered. The production was enthusiastically received and shown again during dinner.    The 1955 faculty members were invited for the event. Special recognition and gifts were presented for the three 1955 faculty members present: George Toney (band teacher), Lilburne Vollmer (secretarial science teacher), and Katherine Hinds Smythe (English teacher). The East High Foundation founder, Charles McVean, presented a framed No. 43 football jersey for retirement to classmate Jim Butler, who was All-Memphis fullback in 1955.    Tim Malkin of Germantown announced humorous award certificates for classmates and John Vookles presented each classmate with a photograph of the Mustangs' favorite Town & Country Drive In. Rene Koopman's Trio provided live dance music for the remainder of the evening.    Jack Rice hosted a lovely brunch Sunday at The Woodlands clubhouse for the classmates and guests before their departure from Memphis. Many class members suggested another reunion in five years.    Sara Chumney was vice chairman and secretary of the East High class of 1955 50th Reunion Planning Committee. Oprah's challenge From The Commercial Appeal, August 14, 2005 Book club readers delve into Faulkner: History in terms of race and gender, and laced with fantastic language By Fredric Koeppel August 14, 2005 [Excerpt] ...    All this is free, and Oprah's Book Club, said Ubersox, now has more than 640,000 registered members.    The seasoned Faulkner scholars for this summer's session, each responsible for one book, are Thadious Davis, English professor at the University of Pennsylvania ("The Sound and the Fury"); Robert W. Hamblin, professor of English and director of the Center for Faulkner Studies at Southeast Missouri State University ("As I Lay Dying"); and Arnold Weinstein ['58], the professor of comparative literature at Brown University ("Light in August").    Weinstein, who is orginally from Memphis -- East High School, class of 1958 -- talked about his participation on Orpah's Book Club in a telephone interview from Block Island (off Rhode Island), where he is vacationing and checking e-mail for questions funneled through the Oprah's Book Club Web site.    "I was thrilled to be asked to participate in the book club," said Weinstein. "Oprah is a great cultural force. With her magic wand she has put Faulkner on people's agenda, and they may discover something and keep reading. That's really important to me."    Weinstein called Winfrey's selection of Faulkner "heroic. First, Faulkner is thought, wrongly, to be esoteric and unreadable. And second, it's a remarkably bold choice because of his treatment of race. It says a lot to me about her integrity and courage."    He's fielded such questions from Oprah's readers of "Light in August" as "Why are Faulkner's women loose and the men extremist?"    "The audience is pretty much a neophyte audience, and I'm not surprised that they're confused," Weinstein said. "I've had some good questions about race. Race becomes problematic in 'Light in August,' which is filled with questions of identity. It's as if Faulkner is actually trying to imagine what it's like to be black."    Weinstein began teaching Faulkner's work at Brown in 1968. He discovered that in the Northeast students had a difficult time reading Faulkner.    "They think seeing history in terms of race and gender is crazy. So I'm used to trying to interpret Faulkner's words and make them approachable to readers. These are meat and potatoes issues. They're not exotic or extraordinary, as they seem to my students. It's become a mission to me to help people understand this. That's why I'm excited about what Oprah's doing." Achievements From The Commercial Appeal August 11, 2005    Dominique McCraven ['05] of East Memphis has accepted Maryville College's Honors Scholarship. She will be attending this fall and plans to major in business administration.    McCraven, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell, is a 2005 graduate of East High School.     East Apparently fails to meet No Child Left Behind progress requirement August 2, 2005 - East High school has been classified in "restructuring 2 alternative governance" status after apparently failing to make "annual yearly progress" to improve academics. Published guidelines indicate that a school in such a status faces possible significant changes in administration and/or faculty, takeover by the state, or other major changes. Such a designation comes after several years of deficient results on standardized tests. The 2005 findings cite a lack of proficiency in writing and language arts by 7th and 8th graders. Grades 9 through 12 appear to have received a satisfactory annual yearly progress report.    While the editor of The East High Alumni Page is unqualified to interpret the consequences East my face, inquires of school administration have been made. Clarifications will be published here.    Read more on our Today's East High School pages.    Sources: Tennessee Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education. East Student Caught in Crossfire, Killed From WMC-TV, July 14, 2005, 2005 Police charge juvenile in double homicide     Memphis Police have charged a 16-year-old in the early-morning murders of a brother and sister, but are still looking for other suspects.    Friends and family say that Jessica Sisson and her brother David McVay were innocent bystanders in a shootout that took place on a Raleigh.    Sisson recently completed her junior year in high school. But the 17-year-old from Raleigh won't be returning to the halls of East High this fall as planned.    Early Thursday morning, Sisson and her brother were murdered in cold blood. Friends say Sisson and 21-year-old David McVay were caught in the crossfire of a shooting on Longmont Drive just before 1 a.m., Thursday morning.    By the time longtime friend Gregory Ward reached the corner, Sisson and McVay were lying on the ground.    "Blood everywhere and I came back up in the cove because I ain't never saw nothing like that before, so it kind of spooked me out," said Ward.    Witnesses say at least five people were firing weapons, a result of an argument they'd had earlier in the day. Police have charged Rapheal Love, 16, with first degree murder.    Grief stricken family members offered few details about the crime. They only said that Sisson lived in Kalamath Cove about a block from where she was shot and her brother lived elsewhere. By midday they had placed flowers on a pool of blood at the crime scene, a horrifying reminder of a deadly day.    In the past month, there has been one other murder within a one mile radius of this recent case. Also, police have investigated nine burglaries, two vehicle thefts and have made two drug busts.    If you have any information that could help police track down the tother suspects in this morning's deadly shootings call Crime Stoppers at 528-CASH. From The Commercial Appeal, July 20, 2005: JESSICA NICOLE SISSON, 17, of Memphis, TN, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, July 14, 2005 at the Memphis Regional Medical Center. She was an honor Student at East High School and a member of World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church. She is survived by a special Aunt, Mary Barnes, Mother, Rosie Mary Lester-Townsel, Father, Darryl Sisson of Chicago, IL, one brother, Jason De'Andre Lester, one sister, Kimberly Antionette Lester, grandmothers, Leeana Barnes and Ruthie Mae Lester all of Memphis, TN, grandfather, Lawrence Cox of Milwaukee, WI, two nieces, one nephew, a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who will forever remember this loving caring "Black Pearl", Jessica. Visitations will be Friday, July 22, 2005, from 6:00-8:00 p.m in the Chapel of M.J. Edwards Funeral Home, 1165 Airways Blvd. Services will be Saturday, July 23, 2005, 11:00 a.m. at World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church, 6655 Winchester, Memphis, TN. Interment following at Memphis Memory Gardens, Raleigh-LaGrange Rd., Memphis, TN. East alumnus victim of carjack murder From The Commercial Appeal, July 5, 2005, 2005 OnStar policy criticized Slaying victim's family wants rules changed By Aimee Edmondson July 5, 2005    There's got to be a better way Big Brother can help catch bad guys.    Nicole Houston believes this as she mourns the death of her brother, Fredrick Houston ('88), who was murdered during a carjacking Friday night.    The killer or killers got away as police dickered with OnStar operators who weren't authorized to track the vehicle with its global positioning system satellites without the owner's permission or a court order.    On Friday night, Fredrick was moving gear from his Terminix truck to his own Chevy Tahoe, which was fresh from the mechanic's garage.    His 12-year-old daughter, China, and her Aunt Nicole left him in her Whitehaven driveway to go to grandmother's house.    About two hours later China and Nicole found him lying on the driveway, shot in the head. The Tahoe was gone.    China threw herself on top of his body, crying, "Dad, please wake up!"    Memphis Police responded to the 11 p.m. call from 1797 Goodhaven in less than three minutes.    Nicole knew Fredrick had factory-installed OnStar that could find the truck fast.    But police ran head-on into the company's privacy policy that prohibited OnStar operators from tracking the truck without Fredrick's OK or a court order.    OnStar eventually agreed to search for the vehicle after detectives promised to get the court order as soon as they could.    Police found the abandoned Tahoe nearby at 3596 Winbranch in the early morning hours, several hours after the body was discovered.    Nicole Houston was furious.    "I felt like OnStar was wrong. Now we've got a full-blown murderer on the loose."    OnStar spokesman Jim Schell said the company's policy was designed to protect subscribers' privacy.    "I'm very sorry to hear a subscriber was shot and killed," Schell said. "It's a tragic situation."    Schell said he was not aware of any plans to change the policy. Also, he knows of no waiver or agreement that subscribers could sign to authorize operators to track their cars at some future time without their permission.    Memphis homicide Lt. Toney Armstrong figures there's got to be a way to make the system work faster.    "OnStar could contact our communications bureau and verify that we are working a homicide and the owner of the vehicle was the victim of the homicide," Armstrong said Monday.    General Motors is the parent company of the Detroit-based OnStar, one of several brands of GPS vehicle tracking services. The company says it has 3 million subscribers. Fees start at $16.95 a month.    Services include roadside assistance and remote door unlock.    OnStar reports that it tracks an average of 400 subscriber-reported stolen vehicles a month nationwide.    Armstrong said Memphis police work with OnStar regularly and that the company has helped them find stolen cars and arrest the thieves.    "I don't want it to seem like we are trashing their system," he said. "It's a wonderful system."    Both Houston and Armstrong would like to see OnStar change its policy.    They want OnStar to offer subscribers the option of giving their authorization code to a family member. Or maybe they could sign a waiver that releases OnStar from any liability if police suspect they are the victim of a crime and somehow are unreachable, Armstrong offered.    Fredrick Houston was an East High graduate who went by the nickname "Mooney."    "He worked from sunup to sundown," Nicole Houston said. "He was a very good man." An obituary is available. East High helper asks for time to turn things around From The Commercial Appeal, May 25, 2005 East High helper asks for time to turn things around By Lela Garlington May 25, 2005    Six months ago, commodities trader Charles D. McVean announced a plan to raise $3 million to help his alma mater, East High.    Now, McVean says he's decided to delay asking others for money until proving the model devised by him and his group works.    "My philosophy is there will be mistakes made getting it started," said McVean, who graduated in 1961. "We want to make the mistakes with our own money. Once we believe we have established systems and protocol, we will scale up our operation and begin to use other people's money. This semester we paid the price. This fall marks the real kickoff."    McVean, 62, announced in November that he was forming a group of local business leaders, the Greater East High Foundation, to help make improvements at the embattled school. Those improvements have begun.    McVean estimates he spent about $200,000 this semester, wiring the library for 20 computers, hiring 47 students as tutors at $10 an hour, paying for 200 honor roll students to see the Grizzlies play, paying for a trip to Chicago to see how one school there works and other expenses.    Slowly but surely, he hopes the plan will take root and lead to improvements that will justify seeking other financial support.    For the past decade or so, test scores at East have been on a downward spiral. Unless scores improve, the grades 7-12 school is in danger of being taken over by the state.    This fall, East will greet its seventh principal in 10 years.    "There's no overnight miracles under anybody's watch," McVean said.    However, he wants to see if intense extra help at a critical time can make the difference.    "What we want to do is focus on the seventh and eighth grades," he said. "Our goal is to get these kids academically ready for high school. We're going to bring a lot more teaching power to the process."    Organizers plan to use one of the upstairs wings at East High to essentially create a school within a school, with two security guards.    One of the daily class periods will focus on enrichment, re-enforcement and re-teaching any items the children may have missed in elementary school. At the end of the school day four days a week, older students and adult tutors will work with the students who stay after school on English, math and science for another hour. Each Friday, they will have speakers, activities and other opportunities to learn.    McVean is modeling his concept on a former parochial school in Chicago, Providence-St. Mel School.    "We have a working relationship with the school directors," he said. "They will be our mentors."    The school is now a successful independent K-12 college prep school.    "Some kids need remediation. Some need reinforcement. Others just need to be taught," said Wade Pepper, one of the adult mentors and East's biology teacher.    Pepper hopes the added tutoring, and extra help, helps.    "It has to work if it's going to turn this school around," Pepper said.    With the new fall schedule, Pepper added, "We want to rescue as many kids as we can in the junior high area." East High students share knowledge Students at Lester get lessons from the big kids at ECTC From The Commercial Appeal, May 5, 2005 By Deborah C. Young, Special to East Memphis Appeal May 5, 2005    Students from East Career and Technology Center (ECTC) are going back to elementary school -- and loving every minute of it.    Last fall, students at ECTC were given the opportunity to participate in a service learning grant coordinated through the special projects division of Memphis City Schools.    East students brainstormed about the types of community service work that would be of interest to them.    Overall, working with younger children seemed to be a common denominator.    Because many Lester Elementary students eventually "feed" into East Middle and High School, and because they are on the state's low-performing list, it seemed a natural choice to conduct the service learning project at Lester.    Business and Information Technology students decided they would like to teach keyboarding skills to kindergarten and first-grade students.    Doug Cannon's electricity class came up with the idea of incorporating fundamentals of electricity into the science classes of sixth-grade students at Lester. East students have shown Lester students how to construct and wire table lamps. These lamps will be donated to a home for the elderly in the East community.    Grant coordinator at East Debbie Young worked with Lester kindergarten teacher Nancy Freeman to arrange days and times for the East students to come work with Lester students.    East students have spent five hours per day twice a week during April to work with the students at Lester. East students found that teaching keyboarding also reviewed the Lester students on reading, math and language arts skills -- areas that many Lester students find challenging.    The entire project has been a success, according to teachers at both schools.    East students have written in their reflections of this project that it made them appreciate the influence they have on these young students.    East students Rochell Jones, Jamie Kirkwood, Jay Ferguson and Britney Guy all said it was hard work teaching young people all day, and they now have a new appreciation for their teachers.    Sheneca Richardson reflected: "It takes a great deal of patience, but the look in the students' eyes when they realize they learned something new makes it all worthwhile."    In the written reflections that the East students asked their younger peers to write, Lester kindergarten student Japerria wrote that she learned to type with her new friend. New principal for East High named     May 5, 2005 - Memphis City Schools has announced the Board of Education approved Cordova High School assistant principal Freddie Curry the next permanent principal of East High School. He will take the position in preparation for the 2005-06 school year.    The former permanent principal of East, Barbara King, was relieved of that position late in the current (2004-05) school year (see story below).    Source: The Commercial Appeal Update (posted June 30, 2005)- Immediately prior to Mr. Curry's appointment to East, he had been assistant principal at Cordova High for 7 years and one year at Kirby High in a similar position. He has a Bachelors and Master degree in education from the University of Memphis and 45 post Masters hours in Administration and Supervision from Trevecca Nazarene College. Money unaccounted for at East, principal removed    May 2, 2005 (updated May 3, 20050 - For the second time in 8 years, East High is the apparent source for a financial scandal resulting the in removal of the principal.    An audit reportedly revealed East High is $32,873 in debt and that deposits and expenditures have not been properly documented. The school's athletic fund is said to be overdrawn by $5,941.95.    Barbara King has been removed as East's principal because of the findings of the audit and will be reassigned to another position within the school system, according to a school system spokesman.    Memphis City Schools officials say there does not appear to be any criminal intent connected with the financial irregularities and that "there was no money stolen."    However, a vocational secretary reportedly received $650 from a cosmetology teacher but there are no records of the disposition of that money. The secretary resigned just days after the completion of the audit by contacting the school system's human resources department but without notifying the administration at East. The school district is attempting to learn from the secretary what happened to the money.    Barbara King became East's principal just two years ago, being hired after serving as one of several "house" principals in the Allen, Texas, school district.    King was the fifth principal East High has had in the past 10 years.    The Memphis Board of Education has chosen Freddie Curry to be principal at East beginning with the next regular school term. Currie currently is assistant principal at Cordova High.    This is the second time in recent years East High has been the center of apparent financial mismanagement. In 1997, the school was found to be about $100,000 in debt. Principal Lowell Winston was suspended and then reassigned another job with the city school system. He later returned to California where he had a long career in education, then came back to Memphis to head a charter school.    Source: WMC-TV, The Commercial Appeal, and The East High Alumni Page East High was first Memphis City High School integrated    April 22, 2005 - East High was permanently integrated in the autumn of 1966 when 3 black students enrolled. However, East High actually was the first Memphis City High School to be integrated years earlier. It happened during the summer term in 1962. Rashad Sharif (class year association undetermined) apparently attended East that summer, becoming the first black student to break the segregation barrier at a city high school. [Note: this report is corrected to indicate East was the first high school integrated in Memphis City Schools but that integration had begun at the elementary level months earlier.]    See the story below about Mrs. Speight.    Source: Memphis Heritage, Inc., The Commercial Appeal Update: July 12, 2023 - Rashad Sharif has contacted The East High Alumni Page to provide the following additional information. "As to the desegregation in the summer of 1962, there were actually three (3) of us African Americans at East: Myself – My name at that time was William Oscar Speight, III (later changed to Rashad Sharif) Robert Davidson – Son of the owners of Davidson’s Grill Lynda Johnson – Daughter of Dr. & Mrs. H. H. Johnson." Mrs. Speight took parental lead in desegregation in '62 An educated woman, she set example for son From The Commercial Appeal, April 22, 2005 By Stephen D. Price April 22, 2005    When Jewel E. Speight called her son in 1962 and told him to register for summer classes at East High School, it was the beginning of an active civil rights career for her.    The act was part of one of the first efforts that led to the desegregation of the Memphis City Schools.    "She told me this was important and that I need to have good behavior and good grades," said her son, Rashad Sharif.    Mrs. Speight died April 13 at Methodist University Hospital of respiratory failure. She was 83.    She was among a group of black parents in 1960 who filed suit in federal court, a case known as Northcross v. Board of Education, to force the desegregation of city schools.    Mrs. Speight accompanied her son when he went to register at East High. The principal offered to give them a tour and show him all the exits in the school.    "So if things turned bad, I could cut and run," Sharif said. "I declined the tour. The way my mother raised me, I had no intention of running."    Mrs. Speight also participated on the Panel of American Women, which held interracial dialogues to decrease tensions after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.    "It was important to her to represent the race," Sharif said.    Sharif described his mother as a cultivator. "She constantly grilled me on proper speech," he said.    She served as executive director of the YWCA Sarah Brown Branch during the 1980s.    Mrs. Speight, who spoke both French and Spanish, graduated with honors from Booker T. Washington High School and received a bachelor's degree from LeMoyne College.    She traveled often, visiting Cuba, Italy, Greece, Ethiopia, India and Russia.    Mrs. Speight was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, The Links, Bluff City Medical Auxiliary and the NAACP.    The widow of Dr. William O. Speight, she also leaves five grandchildren and a great-grandchild.    Funeral services will be Saturday [April 23, 2005] at 12:30 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church with burial in Elmwood. T.H. Hayes & Sons Funeral Home has charge. [Editor's note: see story above regarding East High being the first Memphis City High school to be integrated. (This note was corrected to specify East as the first high school integrated, integration of a few elementary schools had begun months earlier.)] Childhood home of East's most famous graduate to be demolished    Update: The house was demolished on Thursday, June 12, 2005.    April 16, 2005-The house that was the home of who is perhaps the best known East High alumnus is to fall within the next few days. The house where Cybill Shepherd ("68) grew up on Highland Park Place west of Highland in Memphis is being demolished as part of the expansion of the Trezevant Manor, a continuing care retirement community.    Five houses on Highland Park west of the existing Trezevant Manor buildings are being torn down along with two on Waynoka. The retirement community plans to place additional "cottages" on the property as well as a new multi-story independent living facility (apartments) and another multi-story assisted living facility. Demolition of the houses has already begun and Shepherd's will certainly fall within the next few days. The house was also home for Terry Shepherd ("65) and Billy Shepherd ("71).    The swank and modern (late 1950's) former home of former East students Scott Strauch (associated with the class of 1970), Pam Strauch (associated with the class of "68), and Stacy Strauch (associated with the class of "71) on Waynoka is also being demolished to make way for the retirement community.    Source: The East High Alumni Page East - brief mentions A former East Memphian, Nancy Gooch Luke ['66], received National Board Certification [for teachers] last year. She is a graduate of East High School and teaches in Huntsville, Ala. -- from "Dream honor is bittersweet to teacher," in East Memphis Appeal, March 27, 2005 Shirley McRae learned a lesson she wishes newscasters had learned, too. "They use the word 'further' exclusively, apparently never having learned the distinction between 'further' and 'farther.' And they evidently never had Elizabeth Wells [Faculty, 1948-1970] for English at East High School," she wrote. -- from "Loeffel's loss at AM 990 is Bill Bennett's gain" in The Commercial Appeal, April 16, 2005 East High's beloved Bobby Young recalled From The East Memphis Appeal, April 22, 2005 April 3, 2005 Marge Anne Young wrote to East Memphis Memories about her late husband, Bobby Young:    "Bobby Young was a dedicated teacher and loved by his students. He taught chemistry, physics, and algebra at East High School during the late '60s. The East High School annual was dedicated to Bobby the last year he taught school. He left to take the position of assistant director of personnel at the Memphis Board of Education. Bobby retired in 1985 due to sickness. He died Dec. 24, 1985, due to brain cancer."    Thanks, Marge, and here is the 1967 photo of Bobby Young that ran in the East High Mustang Yearbook. Gun in pupil's pocket fires injuring him    March 30, 2005-Police and school system security personnel responded to a report of a shot fired at East High School Wednesday morning, March 30, 2005.    A 16 year old pupil at the school reportedly had a gun in his pocket at school and suffered an injury to his leg when the weapon fired inadvertently. School officials told reporters that after the boy was injured, he ran from the school and was later arrested by Memphis police a few blocks away at Finwick St. and Lombardy Ave.    While most police had left the school by noon and were on the scene of the arrest, school system security personnel remained at East High to investigate the incident and provide increased security.    Source: WMC-TV Alumnus educator gets state honors From the University of Southern Mississippi News Service March 17, 2005 SOUTHERN MISS ADMINISTRATOR SOARS TO NEW HEIGHTS Ross named Mississippi Educational Administrator of the Year By Chinika Hood    HATTIESBURG - Her colleagues call her "superwoman," but now The University of Southern Mississippi's Barbara Ross ['67] has earned a new title-Mississippi's Educational Administrator of the Year.    The Southern Miss director of Union and Students Activities was delighted last May when USM's Association of Office Professionals named her its 2004 Educational Administrator of the year. But Ross admitted she was downright stunned when she learned two weeks ago she'd beaten out the competition on the state level.    Three judges took part in the Mississippi Association of Educational Office Professional's search to find the state's best administrator. The judges, from north, central and south Mississippi, declared Ross the victor after reviewing her many accomplishments and letters from those she's inspired over the years.    "I was floored," said Ross-who has dedicated 34 years to Southern Miss. "Winning was truly an honor because I never looked at myself as being on the same level as some of the administrators who have won the award over the years." The president of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College was MAEOP's 2003 recipient.     Melissa Carpenter, Student Activities secretary for the University, said Ross' win was no surprise to her. Carpenter nominated Ross for the AOP honor, making her eligible for MAEOP's contest. Carpenter said the nomination was a way of saying "thanks" for everything Ross had done for her during the past eight years.    "She paved the way for my position," said Carpenter. "Because of her vision, we have accomplished so much."    Ross is definitely making an indelible mark on the University, where she earned her master's and bachelor's of science degrees in recreation with a minor in sociology.    A trailblazer since day one, Ross began her career as Southern Miss' assistant dean of women, next served as Greek Life Director, before becoming director of the Union and Student Activities in 1989.    Eager to do more, Ross created the Office of Community Service Learning-a command center for student volunteers and faculty needing assistance with service- learning initiatives. Continuing to fill in wherever she sees the need, Ross is chairing or serving 38 Southern Miss committees and somehow manages to find time to mentor freshmen. However, Ross' biggest feat is Southern Miss' $47 million Student Life Center-a project she's spearheaded since the first day of construction in 2002.    Ross is extremely competent, caring and professional, said computer science instructor Mary Gregg. "Her (Ross) chief concern has always been to serve this University, its students and faculty and staff to the best of her ability," she said    Ross' influence is felt beyond Southern Miss. In her spare time, she gives area high school students lessons in Leadership 101 and serves as chair on the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Board of Directors. She's also a member of the Sunshine Rotary Club.    Ross' co-workers say she is equivalent to a guardian angel. "She constantly encourages her staff to earn a degree and attend professional development workshops, and she even provides assistance for members who otherwise could not afford to attend the seminars," Carpenter said.    With the local and state wins under her belt, Ross has an opportunity to bring home the national title. In July, she will head to Tucson, Ariz. with the hope of being crowned the 2005 National Association Educational Office Professional of the Year.    While Ross' colleagues are doing everything they can to ensure she comes home a winner, Ross continues to do what she does best-help others reach their full potential.     "I just encourage people to really get involved and go over and beyond their responsibilities," said Ross, "because you never know where it can take you." Art connects the human dots of love From The Commercial Appeal, February 13, 2005 By Anita Houk February 13, 2005 Don't believe that love can walk in and take over? Read on.    Aug. 8, 1980    In late summer 1978, I was an idealistic twentysomething living in Midtown, teaching English at Chickasaw Junior High in South Memphis and playing on weekends with my friend, artist Jeanne Reynolds.    She was excitedly preparing a show for the UT Faculty Club. She said another friend, someone she knew I'd like, was to help hang her show.    The afternoon of the opening, I and a few other art aficionados arrived to help. A handsome man walked toward me, his beautiful smile shining over an amazing (and wide) burgundy, white and blue tie. When I heard his name -- Jordan Northcross -- I thought it the most beautiful I'd ever heard, and may have shared that observation with him.    We found we had graduated from the same university. He'd been an architecture student like my brother, Mikel, who died in 1976 studying in Paris.    Jordan and I grew up in East Memphis a few miles apart; we graduated the same year from rival high schools (East and White Station).    As we talked, I became elated. It was the thrill of falling in love at first sight.    We left the party separately, but I wanted to see him again -- soon. So I cleared that evening's calendar and finagled a ride to a party that night at Jeanne's downtown studio (that way I'd have to get a ride home with someone). I kept my eye on Jordan at the party. When only a few folks remained, Jordan and I finally danced. Then we all jammed into his little white convertible to go for a swim.    I loved Jordan's kind and courteous manner. For the first time, I thought of marrying and dreamed of having a family -- with him! So odd. But Jordan said it was only natural it hadn't happened before, as I hadn't met him yet.    Twenty-seven years and three beautiful children later, I am still head over heels for Jordan. As for that amazing burgundy, white and blue tie, it's safely tucked away.    -- Bettie Brashear Northcross ['68], LaGrange, Tenn. East High efforts to light up annual gala From The Commercial Appeal, February 13, 2005 Teacher, kids help Exchange Club Family Center event By Bonnie Brantley February 13, 2005    Every year, East High School art teacher Dorothy Northern and her students donate their time and talent to help the community.    And this year their dedication and hard work are for the Exchange Club Family Center, a program trying to prevent child abuse and helping children and adults through counseling and education.    Rinnie Wood, director of marketing for the family center, asked Northern if she would be interested in helping with decorations for the center's Gala and Auction on Feb. 26.    Northern agreed. Since August, seven students in Northern's art class-- April Blevins, Regina Gaddy, Shelitha Harris, Benjamin Lindsey, Mempheany Seng, Michael Shaw and LaSandria Wood -- have worked during lunch periods and after school to create tabletop canvas, centerpieces and even the invitations.    "I must credit Benjamin Lindsey. He shows up every afternoon, when I'm packing my bag to go home, and says 'are we going to stay?'" said Northern.    "This is really their work and it's all about them," she said.    The theme for the Gala is "Up, Up, and Away," but Northern did not want to do traditional hot-air balloon designs.    Instead, "I thought if you are in a hot-air balloon and travelling, you can see different parts of the world," said Northern.    With this idea, their artwork focuses on Australia, Asia, and Africa -- "because of the strong design that comes from each area."    The students know they are contributing to the community with their project.    "It's fun being able to use your talents to help other people and it's cool having someone buy your stuff (artwork)," said junior and Art Club president Michael Shaw. Their artwork will be auctioned off at the gala.    The Gala and Auction will benefit The Exchange Club Family Center.    "This is a big, big deal and will be a huge factor in our total budget," said Wood as she thanked Northern and her students Memphian boosts Houston by Tigers From The Commercial Appeal, February 6, 2005 Houston 66, U of M 53 By Zack McMillin February 6, 2005    HOUSTON -- On his first recruiting trip as coach at the University of Houston last spring, Tom Penders, a veteran of 30 college basketball seasons, saw a player he knew he wanted.    Brian Latham may have only been 6-0, 185, he may have averaged only single-digit numbers as a junior college sophomore, but Penders offered a scholarship to Latham, a product of Memphis's East High and son of a University of Memphis administrator.    "I just saw a kid who just wanted it," Penders recalled.    Before Saturday, most UofM fans had never heard of Latham    They know him now.    In a game UofM coach John Calipari said Houston won, 66-53, because it "wanted" it more, Latham made the biggest impact.    He played his usual stifling defense, picking up five steals, frustrating Memphis point guard Darius Washington (six of his team-high 12 points came in the final five minutes) and helping Houston force 26 Memphis turnovers.    He made sure a poor-rebounding Houston team stayed with the Tigers on the boards, picking up seven rebounds from the point guard spot and keeping alive balls that teammates corralled.    And, on offense, he led the Cougars with a career-high 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting, with his one 3-pointer a dagger that gave Houston an eight-point lead with 4:59 remaining.    Latham's father, Lonnie, is the Dean of Minority Affairs at the UofM and has been with the school for 20 years.    "For me, it was a win-win situation -- if Houston won, I was happy and if Memphis won, I was happy," Lonnie said after, although the beaming smiles on the faces of he and his wife, Evalena, spoke volumes.    Latham, recruited by mostly mid-major schools out of East and Midland Junior College, had 14 of his points and four of his steals in the second half, when Houston erased a 30-25 halftime deficit and took control.    With a boisterous crowd of 4,927 loading little Hofheinz Pavilion with roars, the Cougars (14-9, 5-4 Conference USA) made a 14-0 run early in the half to seize momentum and then finished the game on a 22-10 spurt.    For the Tigers, it was especially disappointing considering they held Houston's two leading scorers, guards Andre Owens and Lanny Smith, to a combined 17 points on 6-of-21 shooting.    But Latham and Ramon Dyer, a tall guard posing as Houston's power forward, stepped into the void. Dyer scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half, including all five of his 3-pointers, and grabbed 11 rebounds.    The Tigers lost despite holding Houston to 37.3 percent.    It created a somber locker room for Memphis (13-10, 6-3), which had won three in a row and four of the last five.    "We just didn't play as a team," said senior Duane Erwin, who had migraines so bad he had to take medication and almost didn't play.    Said senior Anthony Rice, the only other Tiger in double figures (12 points): "A loss is a little harder to take when you know you didn't play as hard as you could."    Latham was no less intense celebrating the final seconds of the victory, bouncing up and down and flashing the Cougar hand gesture.    It was the 1,000th win in Houston history, and Latham said he was motivated more by a talk with legendary Houston coach Guy V. Lewis on Friday than by the desire to beat his hometown team.    "When coach Lewis came and talked to us, it touched me a little more," Latham said.    Despite turning the ball over three times in the first 90 seconds of the game and scoring only once in its first nine possessions, the Tigers were able to limit Houston to one field goal in its final 13 attempts to take a 30-25 lead.    And even after Houston made its big charge to open the second half, opening a 39-32 lead, the Tigers came back to tie it and trailed by only 44-43 with 7:59 remaining.    That's when Latham took over, driving to earn free throws, setting up Dyer for a 3 and then, with 6:22 to go, getting a steal and layup to push the lead to 52-44.    His 3-pointer 1:23 later, answering old nemesis Jeremy Hunt's 3 at the other end, was most key.    "He just wanted that game," Calipari said. '93 Alumnus Murdered Second member of the Class of '93 to be homicide victim    January 26, 2005 [updated January 27, 2005] - The body of Olivia Lynn Nelson ('93) was found in the trunk of a car behind the Lincoln Holiness Church on Carlton Road in south Memphis Monday, January 24, 2005.    The car had drawn suspicion as it sat in the church parking lot Monday and when checked revealed the body of Taurus Vester, 32, in the back seat. As police investigated the first reported homicide, they found the body of Nelson in the trunk of the automobile. She had been shot. Police say Nelson was Vester's girlfriend.    According to Vester's mother, Nelson Saturday said she was pregnant. Mrs. Vester said Nelson had suffered a miscarriage earlier and guessed the couple was trying again to have a child.    According to The Commercial Appeal, January 27, 2005, a murder warrant has been issued for Orel DeJesus Chapa, 26, in connection with the slayings. The newspaper reports that police say the shootings probably were the result of a dispute over drugs but that it was unknown if the victims were the intended targets.    An obituary is available.    Nelson is the second member of the Class of '93 to be murdered. On August 26, 2001, Tederick Dawson, 26, was shot to death outside of a downtown Memphis restaurant after being involved in an argument. Police charged a 19 year old man with manslaughter for the killing. An additional story about Dawson's death is below.    Sources: WMC-TV, The Commercial Appeal, The East High Alumni Page Additional story immediately below. Additional story immeditately above. Anonymous jury finds man guilty From The Commercial Appeal, December 3, 2006 By Staff and Press Reports December 3, 2006 Criminal Court    A Memphis drug dealer alleged to be involved with a Mexican drug cartel was convicted Saturday of killing a customer and his girlfriend.    A Criminal Court jury found Alvin Malone, 27, guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in the perpetration of kidnapping and two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping.    Judge Fred Axley sentenced Malone to life in prison for each of the murder charges and ordered they be served consecutively. Malone was the first of four men charged in the slayings to be tried.    He faces an additional 15-25 years for each of the especially aggravated kidnapping charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced for those charges on Jan. 18, 2007.    The victims, Taurus Vester and Octavia Nelson ['93]*, were found on Jan. 24, 2005, shot to death inside a car parked behind a church on Carlton near Millbranch.    Someone broke into Malone's home and stole cocaine, marijuana and $70,000. He suspected the couple.    But prosecutors said someone else confessed to the burglary.    Strict security measures were employed during the trial because of reported threats. Jurors were identified in court only by number tags they wore.    -- Staff *Editor's note: it is acknowledged that a discrepancy exists between this news story and the one immediately above it as to the correct first name of Ms. Nelson. East Coach Defends East's Honor    January 27, 2005-East High football coach Wayne Randall defended East High School's honor January 26, 2005, after comments made in a federal court trial in Memphis.    Prominent Memphis businessman Logan Young is on trial in federal court accused of paying former Trezevant High football coach Lynn Lang $150,000 to make sure one of his players would go to the University of Alabama to play college football.    According to a Memphis newspaper, the defense claimed that Randall talked with Lang and "wanted to know how to get money for a football player that went to the University of Arkansas."    "You have to consider the source," Randall said. "We pride ourselves in doing everything openly and honestly at East High School. We've had a great many coaches representing a great many colleges come through here, and at no time has there been any inappropriate conduct by a college coach or myself in the recruitment of one of our athletes."    Source: The Commercial Appeal Ready to make new friends here, there, online From The Commercial Appeal,, January 6, 2005 By Steve O'Dell January 6, 2005    With the New Year comes those dreaded resolutions and the internal questions of how long will I keep them.    One of my resolutions for the new year is to discover a new friend or neighbor every week.    That shouldn't be too difficult, since I get paid to do that anyway. Right?     Just look, I found my new friends -- East High School seniors Malcolm Rawls and Dan Williams -- during a football photo shoot. The all-staters started me on my second resolution, when they told me about IDs for high schoolers.    The second resolution may be a bit harder, to engage my newfound friends in a forum about what they think about East Memphis or the city in general.    Thankfully, the powers that be have helped with the second resolution: The Commercial Appeal has an online forum for you to voice your thoughts and opinions. I read the forum daily to keep up with things.    Check out my blog at http://blog.commercialappeal.com/community/east_memphis.html or check out the East Memphis forum at http://forums.commercialappeal.com and scroll down to East Memphis.    I look forward to my resolutions of new friends and self-improvement with your help.    Happy New Year. Shane shares his struggle to succeed From The Commercial Appeal, East Memphis Appeal, December 16, 2004 By Damon Remigailo Special to East Memphis Appeal December 16, 2004    Shane Battier of the Memphis Grizzlies visited East High School to speak to the students.     Battier shared his personal story of how hard he had to work in high school and college to achieve his dreams. He shared that commitment and strong work ethic are keys to success.    Battier revealed that his pursuit of excellence on and off the court involved sacrifice and may not have always been recognized by peers as the "cool" thing.    Battier recalled many nights he spent in the gym practicing his shot while all his friends went out and had fun. The students were reminded that they must invest in their own future through dedication to academics.    Battier challenged students to achieve perfect attendance and to work hard in school. Students were promised that those who finished out the 2004 year with perfect attendance will not only be awarded in the classroom but will receive an incentive from the Grizzlies. Editorial 12/12: East gets a lift From The Commercial Appeal, December 12, 2004    Prominent alumni of Memphis's East High School are putting their money where their sentiments lie, by raising $3 million for some worthwhile upgrades of the school.    Commodities trader and East High alumnus Charles D. McVean organized the Greater East High Foundation last month with the hope of persuading about 150 individuals and local businesses to contribute.    The group has already installed computers and made plans to outfit the auditorium with audio-visual equipment. One of its most intriguing ideas is to pay students in the top 20 percent of their class to tutor the bottom 20 percent.    It seems like a good way to make academic achievement cool. You wouldn't want to encourage campus brains to write papers for bullies. But if they might inspire fellow students to perform better, the effort would be worth pursuing.    East has a proud tradition in Memphis, but it has slipped considerably in terms of academic achievement. A concerned and involved alumni may be the key to restoring the school to the prominent position it once held in Memphis and inspire graduates of other Memphis schools to follow suit. How about it, Manassas? Booker T.? A gambler sets his sights on his alma mater, and a principal meets her match. From The Memphis Flyer, December 10, 2004 [City Beat] Fire and Ice at East A gambler sets his sights on his alma mater, and a principal meets her match.    Watch out, White Station High School and Central High School. An old rival is out to "humble" you and regain its long-lost place as one of the best schools in Memphis.    The school is East High School, and the twin driving forces behind a new push to improve it are Principal Barbara King and Class of 1961 alumnus Charles McVean, a commodities trader who's as colorful as he is wealthy. This week, they launched the Greater East High Foundation with a pep rally. Their hope is that a $14 million renovation of the school funded by the Memphis Board of Education combined with an eventual $3 million in pledges from graduates and businesses will turn East around.    This is one of those fire-and-ice pairings that should be interesting to watch. King grew up in Memphis and attended city elementary schools before moving to Illinois for high school and college. She was lured back to Memphis from Texas in 2003 by new superintendent Carol Johnson to bring some stability to East, which had run through five principals in six years. King radiates clear-eyed calmness and toughness and won't let McVean or anyone else take up all the oxygen in a room.    McVean, known as "Chas" to his classmates, is a gambler/philosopher/economist/trader who made news in the 1980s when he nearly brought legalized horseracing with parimutuel betting to Memphis. During a visit to his high school alma mater last week, he readily admitted that he spent more than his share of time in the principal's office for being a bad boy. When he's determined to do something, watch out.    "Chas is on a tear," says Gene Carlisle, East High Class of 1960, who will lend his own considerable wealth and know-how as CEO of a company that owns more than 100 Wendy's franchises in the South.    "Barbara and I are 50-50 partners," says McVean. "My part of the deal is I'm always adamant but never dogmatic."    Replies King, "I think I've met my match."    He hopes the foundation will "shame Central High School into following suit." She wants to "move White Station down to second place."    That could be even harder than building FedExForum or AutoZone Park. East boasts a central location between Poplar and Walnut Grove just east of the Central Library, strong boys and girls athletic teams, an award-winning vocational-technical program, and a smattering of excellent students who earn full scholarships to four-year colleges. Overall, however, only about 25 percent of East graduates go to either a two-year or four-year college, and 80 percent of the student body is on free or reduced-price lunch. The optional program for college-bound kids has taken a hit, and the main building has fallen into such disrepair that the auditorium has been unusable for three years.    That would have been unthinkable back in McVean's day. As an all-white school drawing students from nearby Chickasaw Gardens and East Memphis, East routinely sent as many or more grads to Vanderbilt and Ivy League colleges as any school in Memphis. By 1970, East was often the focus of the busing-for-integration debate, and its student population rapidly changed over the next decade. The bottom fell out in the mid-1990s with a rash of shootings and principal turnovers.    There has been talk for years among alumni such as McVean and Spence Wilson, CEO of Kemmons Wilson Companies, about doing something, but it took the arrival of Johnson and King to get it going. The big picture includes new housing and retail along the north flank on Walnut Grove, a new feeder elementary school near Sam Cooper Boulevard, a refurbished building, and a unique operating agreement with the school board that will allow King and the foundation to cut red tape to fix the auditorium, wire the library for computers, and install a security system in the parking lot.    In addition to underwriting spirit-building dinners for students and teachers, McVean will pay student tutors $10 an hour and up to $400 a month to work with younger and underperforming students. He said the foundation will target median-level students and prepare them for jobs in, say, health care, distribution, or food service.    "Our target is to make the median graduate a person who, with one or two additional years of training, St. Jude and FedEx will fight to get their hands on," McVean says.    Carlisle, who grew up poor in Mississippi and Memphis, said annual turnover in the fast-food industry is nearly 100 percent. On the bright side, though, most of his managers are promoted from within and wind up running a $1.5 million-a-year store.    "I hire 4,000 people a year in my company," he says. "Over the 28 years I have been in business, I have watched the quality of education of these kids drop like a rock. The only way to make a difference is to put your arms around them and show them somebody cares enough to keep them in school." Anonymous donor is a champion at East High From The Commercial Appeal, December 9, 2004 Anonymous donor is a champion at East High By Stephen D. Price December 9, 2004    The man's voice sounded distant and deep from the receiver as the East High School principal spoke with him on her office phone.    He wouldn't give his name, he told principal Barbara King. And he didn't want to talk to a reporter.    But the man, who's given almost $100,000 to East High over the last four years, did have something to say.    "He said he believes in feeding the need," said King, relaying the message.    The only hints to the anonymous donor's identity are that he graduated from East High in the 1950s and attended Vanderbilt and Harvard.    "He chooses to be anonymous because he wants the students to get the attention, not him," said Patti Smith, spokeswoman for the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, the agency that handles his donations.    And the students need it.    East High, 3206 Poplar, is among the state's weakest schools, facing takeover if it doesn't improve test scores.    The school's needs are numerous -- such as its auditorium, in such bad shape students aren't allowed to use it.    In 2002, students and parents protested the school's mold problem.    And with a $168,000 school budget, and $121,000 going to buy textbooks, the school's buying power is limited.    Earlier this year the donor asked King for her short-term wish list.    "He said send me a list of what you want," she said.    So she did. Her list included $4,500 for the school's yearbook, $12,000 to pay for trips for the school's Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) class, $7,000 for athletic uniforms and $4,000 for athletic equipment.    In November, the school received a $41,000 check -- enough to cover everything King had asked for.    "A grant like this is a Godsend," King said. "The donor has been a blessing and an inspiration to our faculty and students."    The donor also paid $37,000 for the electronic sign at the front of the school that relays scrolling messages about upcoming events or games.    More of East High's needs may soon be met by a group of local business leaders and East High alumni, called the Greater East High Foundation, who are launching an ambitious effort to raise $3 million for the school.    Despite its challenges, King said there is plenty of pride at East, an optional school that focuses on health sciences and engineering.    "We want our kids to graduate and be productive citizens." Hundreds Attend Foundation Kick-off Meeting at East    December 6, 2004 - Hundreds of East alumni, friends, and some former faculty members joined East High Principal Barbara King and The Greater East High Foundation Chairman Charlie McVean for the initial public meeting of the Foundation Monday night, December 6. Both King and McVean discussed the 20/20 Vision Student to Student tutoring program. McVean announced that the tutors would be paid $10 an hour and that those being tutored who showed significant improvement would be rewarded.    McVean went on to say that the night wasn't one to pass the hat, that would come in the future. He did ask the assembled group for volunteers. An attendance list was available as people entered the door and the foundation may make contact in the near future with those who gave e-mail or mailing addresses about the volunteer opportunities.    Most details that are available about the plans are in the letter from Chairman McVean which is available at www.EastHighFoundation.org.    [Expanded photographic coverage]    Source: The East High Alumni Page Business leaders want to revive East From The Commercial Appeal, December 4, 2004 Business leaders want to revive East Alum provides push for goal of $3 million aid for school By Ruma Banerji Kumar December 4, 2004    A group of local business leaders and East High alumni are launching an ambitious effort to raise $3 million for the embattled school.    The group, formed last month by prominent commodities trader and East High alumnus Charles D. McVean, will meet Monday night at 6 in the school library to recruit more members. The group hopes to get about 150 alumni and local businesses to chip in and help East High out of an academic slump. McVean wants to restore the school's reputation as it was more than 40 years ago when he graduated.    "That was back in the stone ages," the 1961 graduate, McVean, jokes, "but East High was arguably the best public school in the city, and in the state. The records of East graduates who attended Vanderbilt are proof of that."    Much has changed since 1961.    The school is now among the weakest in the state, facing state takeover if it doesn't improve test scores.    "The thought initially was to raise money for Vanderbilt, since Mr. McVean attended the school, but Vanderbilt has a billion dollars, maybe, in its foundation," said Bill Sehnert, interim director of the group named Greater East High Foundation. "If you raise a million for Vanderbilt, they say thank you and your name goes on a wall that's about to fall over with about a hundred other names. But if you raise a million three or four for East High, you can see a real return on your investment."    The group plans to use the money to pay students in the top 20 percent of their class to tutor the bottom 20 percent of students at the school. The money also will help outfit the school's auditorium, slated for renovation soon, with top-notch audiovisual equipment.    Already, the Foundation has donated money to the school to install computers in the library. Money is also being used to motivate students and teachers: the top 225 students this semester will be honored during halftime at the Dec. 11 Grizzlies-Pistons game, and teachers and staff will get a Christmas party to boost morale.    While several city schools have business adopters who donate books, school supplies and small gift certificates, the Greater East High Foundation's efforts, should they succeed in meeting their $3 million goal, would be the most ambitious business-public school partnership locally. [See additional report below] East High teachers receive meal, appreciation From The Commercial Appeal, December 2, 2004 COMMUNITY By Damon Remigailo, Special to East Memphis Appeal    Recognizing the importance of the teachers at their neighborhood city school, Mommies with a Mission from Christ United Methodist Church partnered with Eikon Ministries to provide a Teacher's Appreciation Luncheon.    Teachers at East High School were pleasantly surprised to receive a hot meal and encouragement during their recent in-service day. Faculty arrived for a meeting and were showered with affection from Memphis parents thankful for all their hard work and sacrifice.    The faculty lounge was fully decorated in autumn festive decor as a giant banner proclaimed Christ Church's love for the teachers.    East High Principal Barbara King was excited about the event as she expressed a "need for East staff to be reminded how important they are and applauded for the difference they are making in students' lives."    The Mommies with a Mission group was thankful that they could express their appreciation to the East High employees and looked forward to events together. Academic Improvement Seen--Progress Remains Below Guidelines    November 12, 2004 - State Eduation Report Card shows East improving academic proficiency, but still not considered making adequate yearly progress. See the Report Card.    Source: Tennessee Department of Education Foundation to support East High School--Meeting planned, alumni invited    November 11, 2004 -- Alumni of East High and other interested people have announced plans to create a foundation to support the achievement of East High School students. It appears that some major business leaders who graduated from East are strongly backing the effort. A kick-off meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, December 6, 2004, at the East High School library. All East alumni who have the interest, time, and/or resources to become involved in this effort are encouraged to attend. Update 11/24/2004: Read a letter from the Foundation's Interim Chairman about its purpose and plans.    Source: The East High Alumni Page New Sign on East Campus    November 11, 2004 -- During the summer of 2004, a new message sign was added to the East High campus. As we reported at the time, it stands at the southest corner of the campus near the intersection of Poplar Avenue and Holmes Road. The sign, probably about 12 feet tall, is being used to inform the public of parent-teacher meetings, health fairs and other events.    Source: The East High Alumni Page A Woman of substance From The Commercial Appeal, October 17, 2004 'You Are My Sister' essays inspire books, publishing firm, even talk show with Boyd By John Beifuss October 17, 2004    In the back room of a small house on a modest street in Frayser, Anfra Boyd ['79] -- armed with a computer, a printer and a fax machine -- is plotting the growth of an inspirational multimedia empire.    In the past, such a project would have required investors, a sales force, maybe even corporate sponsorship. But Boyd, 43, is a self-made entrepreneur, taking advantage of the democratic, do-it-yourself possibilities of the Internet and self-publishing.    Boyd's first book, "You Are My Sister: An Inspirational Book That Promotes Sisterhood and Spiritual Growth," has sold close to 20,000 copies and is available in bookstores nationwide and online through sources such as Amazon.com, where readers testify "The book made me THINK!" and "This book has changed my life."    The book's success has led to a sequel, a Web site (youaremysister.com) and an Internet radio program, and has created a demand for Boyd as a motivational speaker for church groups, women's retreats and other events.    "Anfra has gumption," said Maxine Thompson, a Los Angeles literary agent who has befriended Boyd. "I could see Anfra being as big as Oprah in Memphis."    What makes Boyd's success-story-in-progress particularly interesting is that it was nurtured by word of mouth -- or, more precisely, the modern equivalent: word of E-mail.    In early 1998, Boyd, a lifelong Memphian, East High School graduate and single mother, was working in a Schering-Plough office while trying to interest New York agents in her dramatic, God-centered novels.    As the process dragged on, she began writing E-mails to a few friends and co-workers under the heading "You Are My Sister."    When she quit her job to pursue writing full time, she stopped writing the E-mails. But her correspondents missed their daily electronic pick-me-up.    "After I quit, a lady called me and said she had saved those E-mails and they had helped her to get out of a bad relationship," Boyd said. "Then I began getting testimonies from other women who said I inspired them.    "I didn't think anything I wrote could be that powerful."    In July 1998, she started producing the weekly E-mails again, sending them to about 20 people, who forwarded them to their friends, and so on. "By October, my mailing list was in the thousands and thousands."    Correspondents began clamoring for a book collection of the E-mails. Boyd researched the possibilities and decided to publish the book herself, with the help of a $1,400 loan from the Opportunity Banc, a sort of low-interest "bank" run by the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA).    "She had an idea, she knew where she wanted to go with it, she had done all the research, and all she needed was a hand to help her launch her business," said Carmen Mills, program manager of the Opportunity Banc.    "I learned the nuts and bolts of publishing, and how to not only publish but market, distribute and promote my own business," said Boyd.    Taking advance orders from customers, Boyd established her own company, F.I.G. Publishing, and had 500 of the $12.95 oversized paperback books printed in New Jersey. (The company acronym stands for Faith In God.)    "The books are about empowerment and spiritual growth and most of all finding your purpose," said Boyd, who uses her first name, "Anfra," as her Zane-like pen name. "I've been searching for my purpose all my life, and this is it."    The first printing sold out, so Boyd printed more -- and more. Based on this success and on the burgeoning popularity of self-help books aimed primarily at African-American women, a national distributor began carrying the book and placing it in stores.    This past summer, Boyd printed a sequel, "You Are My Sister: Words of Wisdom for Conscious Living." The $17 paperback is packaged with two compact disks of Boyd's motivational messages.    The books include such chapter titles as "There's No Right Way To Love the Wrong Man," "Addicted to Drama" and "Close Your Legs and Open Your Mind," as well as poems about God and relationships, and such workbook type features as "The Woman in the Mirror: Self-Inventory Check List" and quizzes for single and married women.    Said Boyd: "I don't write about religion, and I don't try to covert people. But I do talk about the fundamentals of God in the sense of unconditional love and spiritual growth."    Boyd's writing led to a guest appearance on the Maryland-based Harambee Radio Network, an Internet network at harambeeradio.com. Boyd was so impressive she was offered her own program, "Conscious Living," which she hosts live from 7 to 8 p.m. every Thursday. Again, thanks to modern technology, she is able to host the program and interview guests out of her home office, via the Internet and the telephone.    Her biography on the Harambee Web Site describes Boyd as: "Different. Odd. Unique. Beautiful. Unforgettable." But Boyd describes herself as "author, poet, speaker, publisher, talk show host." What makes her proud is that she earned these titles herself -- nobody hired her for any of these jobs, so nobody can fire her. (She does still work a regular job, in customer service at Carrier Mid-South, to ensure a steady income to support her 20-year-old son, Cameron Yancey, who is studying meteorology at Western Kentucky University.)    Self-publishing won't get Boyd on many best-seller lists, unless a major publisher picks up and promotes her books (as happened with Richard Paul Evans's "The Christmas Box"). But Boyd is happy because she keeps about 60 percent of the retail price of each book she sells, as compared to the small royalty percentage earned by writers under contract to publishing companies.    "People used to think that the word 'self' had a negative connotation -- that if you did something yourself, it wasn't done right," she said. "But if you do something yourself, it's empowering.    "I'm not waiting for someone to publish my book when it's convenient to them, and I'm not waiting for a publisher to write me a check. I'm making my own money. Instead of getting on someone else's program, I'm creating my own. And I have the same challenges and struggles as anyone else. There's nothing special about me except I just decided to do it." Achievements From The Commercial Appeal, October 14, 2004    Russell Preston Grigsby, a 2000 graduate of East High School, where he was voted "Most Likely To Succeed," has proved his classmates' confidence in him.    Russell, a Boy Scout under scoutmaster Ron Hardin, started working for Back Yard Burger at the Memphis Zoo when he was 16 and worked there throughout college, under the direction of Pat Booth.    In August, Russell graduated from the University of Memphis with a bachelor's in military science and a minor in finance. He received the University of Memphis President's Award, given to the most outstanding senior cadet in the Army ROTC Tiger Battalion. Russell has been commissioned second lieutenant, engineer, in the Army and assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., through March 3. Afterward he is assigned to Hawaii.    Russell's family includes a brother, Randolph Allen Grigsby, a junior at the University of Memphis, and his parents, Deborah H. Grigsby of Midtown and Randolph Preston Grigsby of Williston, S.C.    -- Deborah Grigsby Former East Student Takes Commission Seat    October 21, 2004 - Dr. George Finn, M.D., radiologist, radio stations owner, was elected yesterday to fill a vacancy on the Shelby County Commission. The Commission is the county's legislative body. Flinn was chosen by other members of the Commission to fill out the two years remaining on an unexpired term of a Commissioner who is taking a position with the county administration. Although Flinn transferred and graduated from another Memphis high school, he attended East several years in the 1950's-1960's era and lived in the East High district. He is a Republican. Paul Hunter ('95) helps kids as recreation director for kids From The Commercial Appeal, October 10, 2004 Arena football player scores with youths Paul Hunter helps kids as recreation director for kids By Donnie Snow Special to Whitehaven Appeal October 10, 2004    Five days a week, Paul Hunter walks into the metal building housing Southaven's Boys & Girls Club of America and tries to teach 75 bustling kids sportsmanship, fitness -- and not to run indoors.    It's a tossup which one may be harder, even for a semiprofessional football player.    A month ago, director Samantha Hood scored big, landing the four-year Memphis Xplorers Arena League veteran for the young club's sports and recreation director.    Hunter was "was just looking in The Commercial Appeal trying to find a part-time job," he said. "I thought, 'I always hear about The Boys & Girls Clubs, I might as well give it a try.'"    Said Hood, to Hunter's chagrin: "He's just a great big teddy bear."    To a handful of rambunctious kids at the club Thursday, Hunter delivers a common refrain.    "Fellas, fellas, fellas," he says, "Don't run." The kids hear it countless times throughout the afternoon.    Unexpectedly softspoken for a 250-pound man who stands 6-3, Hunter has a smile as constant as the kids' adrenaline.    The former East High School football stud and National Honor Society member accepted a scholarship to Mississippi State after graduating in 1995.    Hunter played four years at linebacker for Jackie Sherrill, making it to two bowls, a losing effort to Texas in the 1998 Cotton Bowl at Dallas and a Peach Bowl victory over Clemson in 1999 at Atlanta.    Hunter came home when he finished his bachelor's degree in physical education and for the last four years has played linebacker/fullback for the Xplorers.    "The kids ask me about it all the time," said Hunter.    They always ask if he's going into the NFL, he said, like former MSU teammates Fred Smoot, Eric Moulds, J.J. Johnson and Greg Favors, among others.    Dressed like a gym coach despite his short, skinny dreadlocks poking out the top of his Oakland Raiders visor, he may look unconventional for the area, but it undoubtedly works with the kids.    Hunter's making the most with a few haggard basketball goals, jump ropes and imagination -- far from the facilities he enjoyed in Starkville.    He coaches the kids through basketball or dodgeball during "sports and fitness" time. When he arrived, he tried teaching them some football, but the PE major would like to branch out to yoga or fitness drills if he had monkey bars and a set of tires.    Hunter sounds committed to putting a good program together at this, his third job. When not a rec director or obliterating opponents for the Xplorers, Hunter works the nightshift loading packages for FedEx.    He hopes he might get to a high school position, probably coaching. The Whitehaven resident, who is single, has had some experience coaching already, volunteering sparingly for youth league teams around the neighborhood.    "Anything positive for the kids," he said, "I was fortunate to have really good parents, who were really my mentors." East Teacher-Coach Suspended After Sexual Advancement Allegations By Student From The Commercial Appeal, September 24, 2004 Track coach suspended while complaint investigated By Jason Smith    East High boys track coach Gary DeBerry Thursday remained suspended indefinitely with pay as Memphis City Schools continued to investigate a complaint filed against him of sexual misconduct with a ninth-grade student.    DeBerry, also a physical science teacher at East, is alleged to have made inappropriate sexual comments and contact with a ninth-grade student who, along with her mother, filed the complaint with East High principal Barbara King on Wednesday.    "We are investigating the situation thoroughly," Memphis City Schools spokesman Vince McCaskill said Thursday.    "We take all accusations seriously, and if they are proven to be true and correct, this individual could face termination."    DeBerry did not return phone messages left at his home Thursday. King also did not return a phone message left at her home.    DeBerry's MCS personnel file, obtained Thursday by The Commercial Appeal, indicates Wednesday's complaint isn't the first of a sexual nature filed against DeBerry, who while at Hamilton in the spring of 1995 was accused by a senior student of "stating to her that he would like to have sex with her and in the process of doing this, he proceeded to put his hand up her dress," according to a MCS memo dated May 8, 1995.    Charges were filed, but later dropped when the Attorney General's office found no evidence or witnesses to corroborate the girl's story.    "Although Mr. DeBerry in the past has been involved in some coaching irregularities, at no time has there been any behavior on his part that would support a charge such as this," wrote James Morse, former coordinator of secondary personnel for Memphis City Schools. "I am recommending that Mr. DeBerry be informed of this and told that he should be extremely careful in his dealings with female students."    Later that May, DeBerry was suspended without pay for three days by former Supt. Gerry House for returning to Hamilton while still under investigation.    According to his personnel file, DeBerry has been reprimanded for several other violations, including a 1987 incident in which he was found to have falsified school records at Hamilton by using an ineligible athlete under an assumed name in a regional track meet.    DeBerry was suspended from coaching, but not teaching, but was reinstated in August of 1988.    A year later, DeBerry was accused of illegal recruiting practices at Hamilton, and was again stripped of his coaching duties while Hamilton's athletic program was placed on one year's probation.    In 1991, while at Westwood, DeBerry was suspended for his disciplining of a female basketball player in which he was alleged to have "struck her on her buttocks during a practice, causing several lacerations."    "It's very troubling," McCaskill said. "The current administration was very disappointed once they were made aware of the contents of this personnel file."    When asked how a teacher with so many apparent violations could remain in the MCS system, McCaskill replied: "We can't speak for why decisions were made 15 years ago. We weren't here in 1989. Supt. (Carol) Johnson just came on board in 2003.    "We can speak for what we can do now, and what we can do now is thoroughly investigate this current allegation with the utmost integrity." From WREG-TV, September 22, 2004: by Stephanie Scurlock    MEMPHIS,TN-Audrea Tillman wipes the tears from her daughter's eyes after picking her up from East High School. 9th grader Lakethia called her mom after she says her physical science teacher got physical with her two days in a row. She alleges the teacher who's also a coach put his hands down her pants and made sexual statements. Tillman says her daughter just revealed problems with the teacher this morning but when questioned further her daughter said since the beginning of the year, the teacher's conversations had sexual undertones.    Administrators at East High aren't commenting about the incident. The teacher is now suspended with pay until human resources for Memphis City Schools conducts an investigation. Tillman and her daughter also gave statements to Memphis Police.    Tillman says her daughter will return to East High this week but only because the teacher won't be there. In the neighborhood: Corner landmark gone    September 12, 2004 - Where Poplar Avenue Baptist church used to stand is an empty lot awaiting construction of a retail development.    Poplar Avenue Baptist bought the property in 1948 for $47,500. Earlier this year the church's dwindling congregation voted to close the church, sell the property, and donate the church's furniture and proceeds from the sale to other churches and church related charities. During the early summer weeks the church building was torn down (see photo).    Loeb Properties, Inc. now owns the 1.6 acre lot, having paid about $1.2 million for it. Announced plans call for a 15,000- to 16,000-square-foot neighborhood shopping center at that location. Independent Bank is a major tenent already signed to locate there. Developers have said they expect construction to be complete by spring, however, since it has not started yet that timetable might be questionable.    First Baptist Church was located on the southeast corner of Poplar and Holmes across from East High School. Few ambivalent in feelings about outspoken leader: [Kirk Fordice ('52)] From the The Clarion-Ledger, September 8, 2004: September 8, 2004 Few ambivalent in feelings about outspoken leader By Jerry Mitchell    Former Gov. Kirk Fordice ['52] inspired more enthusiastic fans and rabid enemies than perhaps any Mississippi governor since Theodore Bilbo.    "You either hated him or loved him," said Jack Criss, who's finishing an authorized biography on the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. "There was no ambivalence in Kirk Fordice, and there was no ambivalence in his life, so it's rather fitting."    Quail Ridge Press of Brandon plans to publish the book, Steel Will, in time to hit bookstores next summer.    Hardly anyone gave Fordice, a political novice, a shot to win in 1991, first against fellow Republican Pete Johnson and next against Democratic incumbent Gov. Ray Mabus.    But Fordice overcame the odds, and the contractor became the first businessman to occupy the governor's chair since Hugh White, a lumberman from Columbia who won in 1951.    In the years that ensued, Fordice became one of Mississippi's most popular governors in modern times and easily won a second term in 1995.    Criss said whenever he dined with Fordice across Mississippi, "it was like dining with a rock star. People black, white, old and young would come up and talk with him. I think he'll be remembered as a true man of the people."    What voters liked — and what drew the ire of some — is the governor never failed to speak his mind. "Fordice would say, 'That's a damn stupid idea,' or say, 'To hell with that' and gave specific ideas," Criss said. "It was none of this, 'Let's find common ground, let's compromise.' You have to respect someone like that, especially when there's so much flip-flopping these days."    Veteran journalist Bill Minor, whose first assignment in Mississippi was covering the 1947 funeral of the fiery, segregationist Bilbo, said he was saddened to hear of the death of Fordice, whom he said lacked the loveability of Fordice's mentor, President Ronald Reagan.    "He was a bully, no question about it," said Minor, who drew Fordice's criticism.    In 1999, a Memphis journalist snapped a photograph of Fordice returning from France with his childhood sweetheart, Ann Garber Creson.    When WLBT-Channel 3 veteran newsman Bert Case confronted Fordice about the matter, Fordice threatened to whip his "a--."    On Tuesday, Case, who has covered every governor since 1965, said he's never seen another governor with the ability to inspire the average Mississippian: "From the forks of the creek to the highest corporate offices, people agreed with him."    Case said he has a lot of respect for Fordice. "I'm very sorry I never got to reconcile our differences," he said. "He should be remembered for leaving our state with a $350 million surplus. Those are the things he ought to be remembered for rather than the silly confrontation with me."    Fordice supported tort reform, aggressive law enforcement and prison reform, increased tourism funding and set a limit on spending. A fierce opponent of what he referred to as tax-and-spend liberalism, he took frequent shots at Democratic and liberal opponents.    Jim Herring, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, said Fordice will probably be most remembered for the $350-million surplus and establishing a huge rainy day fund that Mississippi lawmakers have since raided. "I think history will smile on Gov. Fordice's tenure," he said.    Jackson businessman Billy Mounger said record numbers of Republicans in Mississippi can be traced back to Fordice. "He's the one and only governor elected to a second term," he said. "That helped that much more in building the party."    Fordice deserves the highest praise for establishing and appointing the first Gaming Commission, he said. "He put the finest people you could ever get on the commission ... and we haven't had one scintilla of crookedness."    While his Gaming Commission appointments drew praise, critics of Fordice suggested his appointment of only white men to the state College Board showed a lack of diversity.    Critics also lambasted Fordice for welfare reform, saying he was condemning some single mothers to low-wage jobs with no insurance and no future.    Leslie B. McLemore, political science professor at Jackson State University, said many liked the fact Fordice had no hidden agenda. "One thing you had to appreciate about Fordice — you always knew where he was coming from."    Even staunch political opponents found him formidable.    "When he did something stupid or illogical, it didn't mean anything to the people because it looked good. 'Teflon' fit him a lot better than Reagan," said state Sen. Johnnie Walls Jr. of Greenville, the state Democratic Party chairman a decade ago. Fordice ('52)remembered for what he said, not just what he did From the The Clarion-Ledger (website), September 7, 2004: [Editor's note: Kirk Fordice ('52), former governor of Mississippi, died September 7, 2004. As part of it's coverage, The Clarion-Ledger published the following article on its website. Please also see the accompanying story/obituary.] Fordice remembered for what he said, not just what he did The Clarion-Ledger    Gov. Kirk Fordice will be remembered for saying exactly what was on his mind. A sampling of Fordice-isms:    "I'll call out the National Guard." — Remarking in early 1992 about what he'd do if a court required Mississippi to spend more money on historically black universities.    "The United States of America is a Christian nation." —?At a Republican Governors Association meeting, November 1992.    "... fleecing the Yankees." — Speaking of Vicksburg's tourism economy, early in his administration.    "... irreconcilable differences." — Describing marital problems with his wife, Pat, in early 1993. The couple soon said they had reconciled.    "... probably the most beautiful animal God's ever made." — Describing a lesser kudu he killed on an African safari, summer 1994.    "I don't believe we need to keep running this state by Mississippi Burning and apologizing for 30 years ago!" —?During a gubernatorial debate with Democratic rival Dick Molpus at the Neshoba County Fair, August 1995.    "Flashbulb Moore." — His frequent jab at Attorney General Mike Moore.    "I have absolutely no memory." — January 1997, in response to questions about what he had been doing in Memphis before a near-fatal crash in November 1996.    ""Texas executed two in one day the other day, Arkansas has done the same thing and both of those states are continually working down their inventory on death row and ours continues to grow." — In naming a crime commission, June 1997.    "...tawdry little gambling town." — Describing his hometown of Vicksburg, in The Washington Post, 1998.    "I'll whip your ass!" — To WLBT-TV reporter Bert Case, who drove to Fordice's Madison home to ask about the governor's marital infidelity, June 1999.    "You know it was her. Did you ever doubt it?" — June 1999, acknowledging to reporters that the woman he had lunch with before his near-fatal 1996 wreck was Ann Creson of Memphis.    "Only positive Mississippi spoken here." — Slogan he posted on road signs. An obituary is available. There are other news items about Kirk Fordice below. Former East Faculty Member To Lead Botanic Garden From the Commercial Appeal, August 24, 2004: Former Nephew exec takes over Botanic Garden By Christine Arpe Gang August 24, 2004    Business executive James Duncan has been named executive director of the Memphis Botanic Garden.    Duncan, 62, was introduced to the staff of the 96-acre facility Monday. He begins working Sept. 7.    "I want to provide the leadership to build upon what is already an exciting and inviting place," Duncan said.    Duncan served as a division president for Smith & Nephew and director of sales for Bristol-Myers-Mead Johnson.    Most recently he has been general manager of Talent Force Staffing and before that, senior vice president of Master Graphics Inc.    He replaces Marilyn Ligon, who resigned in January.    "Jim brings a career's worth of management experience to the botanic garden," said Gary Wunderlich, president of the board of Memphis Botanic Garden Foundation. "The search committee recognizes that Jim is a natural leader, a team builder, a common-sense decision maker and an engaging personality."    Duncan, who started his career teaching and coaching football and basketball at East and Ridgeway High Schools, lives in Germantown with his wife of 40 years, Elizabeth Duncan. She is director of development for The Salvation Army.    The search committee picked Duncan, a native of Itta Bena, Miss., over 100 other applicants from all over the Southeast.    Bob Fouche, retired deputy director for Memphis Park Services, has been serving as interim executive director since Ligon resigned. Ligon was the third executive director at the botanic garden in less than 10 years.    Duncan said he isn't apprehensive about taking the helm of an institution that has had several changes in leadership in a short period.    "I've become good at going into places with a little instability," he said. [Editor's note: Coach Duncan, as he was known at East by many of the students, taught at East from about 1966 through about 1970. He lead classes in economics, government, and American history, and coached football and basketball.] East Remains Below Federal No Child Left Behind Benchmarks for 2004    August 12, 2004 - The achievement benchmarks set for schools by the federal "No Child Left Behind" educational initiative were not met at East High for 2004. The high school failed to meet the benchmarks in most of the main categories: math proficiency; reading, language arts, writing; and graduation rate. See the for details.    Source: Tennessee Department of Education Former East Principal Heads Up Charter School From the Commercial Appeal, August 2, 2004: Charters still face empty classes By Wayne Risher,    Lowell Winston was principal at East High School in the 1990s, but at City University of Liberal Arts he's president and campus chief executive officer.    School organizer Lemoyne Robinson is chancellor, his lead teacher serves as provost, and next year Robinson plans to add a dean of students.    The titles are collegiate by design, to help students make a smoother transition to higher education, Robinson said.    City University, which opened in July, is on a mission to provide college preparatory education to more Memphis high school students.    It's one of three new charter schools that are expanding education options in Memphis, even as organizers complain legislators haven't made it any easier to fill the classrooms.    The startup of three charter schools last year was marred by confusion over who could legally attend.    Sponsors of the privately run, publicly funded schools had high hopes for more liberal eligibility rules for the 2004-2005 school year.    But proposed changes died in the General Assembly.    "The same opponents who made the charter school laws we have on the books are still in power," said Rev. Derrick Joyce, past president of 100 Black Men of Memphis.    "It appeared the votes were not there in the K-12 subcommittee," said House Republican Leader Tre Hargett of Bartlett.    Only students from failing schools can transfer to charter schools, and their parents are less likely to take advantage.    City University had 100 students and 40 empty seats on opening day at Greater Middle Baptist Church, 4982 Knight Arnold.    In a couple months the school will move to a renovated former Presbyterian church at 4748 Winchester. It's opening with ninth graders and will add a grade a year.    Robinson, 33, was an administrator at State University of New York at Potsdam when his parents challenged him to give something back to his hometown.    A doctoral student in education, he began working on the concept three years ago through the Influence1 Foundation, the school's sponsoring nonprofit.    He developed curriculum with help from the College Board, which administers the SAT college admission exam.    He lured Winston from Fayette-Ware High School in Somerville, which the former East chief helped get off the state's failing schools list. Winston left East High in 1997 amid problems with school finances.    Winston's arrival at City University attracted former East parent James Robinson, no relation to the school chancellor.    "I think if given a chance, three years from now, this will be the premier charter school," he said. [Editor's note: please also see additional stories about Lowell Winston below. Mr. Winson is the second East faculty member to lead one of the few charter schools in Memphis. Former engineering teacher Tommie Henderson is principal of the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering. See the story below.] Bill Boyce ('67) Gets Beatles Photos Apparised From the Commercial Appeal, August 1, 2004:    "Bill and Rikki Boyce brought Bill's scrapbook of Beatles photos he took during a press conference as a student at East High School when the Beatles visited Memphis in August 1966." [Click here for the full article on the visit of television show "Antiques Roadshow" to Memphis, which should be available for a few days from the newspaper's web site. Awards for East Students, Faculty Posted August 1, 2004    The names of area middle and high school students inducted into the National Honor Roll were released by the Washington organization, which recognizes students who have achieved academic success [include]: Orterius Burnett, East High School; Brittney Canady, East High School; Bianca Gale, East High School; Ramel Quinea Gilliam, East High School; Latoria Henderson, East High School; Felicia Miles, East High School; La Darrius Spencer, East High School; Jonese Sykes, East High School; Deidre Turner, East High School; Raynika Vann, East High School; Tameka Watson, East High School; Tamisha Weathers, East High School. --Commercial Appeal, July 29, 2004    Students from East High and Hamilton High attended the national conference of Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) June 23-26 in Orlando, Fla., having advanced to national competition after winning recognition at the regional and state competitive events.    ...And students from East High also scored several awards. They took first place for their Marketing/Visibility Program, receiving the Outstanding HOSA Week Award. In addition, two East students were top 10 finalists in the competitions: Arionna Taylor was in the top 10 in the Medical Assisting Clinical category, and Lasandria Ward was in the top 10 in the Medical Laboratory Assistant category.    Receiving special recognition at the conference were Taylor, April Jones, Korron Hightower, Ward, Kharmen Gray, Amber Baxley, Brittaney Canaday and Ceantanna Harrison in the Award of Merit/American Cancer Society category and for their student portfolios.    HOSA adviser-teacher at East High is Sharron Hightower.    HOSA is a national student organization available to all secondary students who are or have been enrolled in a health science education program, as well as postsecondary/collegiate, associate, alumni and professional members.    Deborah W. Baker is communications manager in the department of communications and public affairs for Memphis City Schools. --The Commercial Appeal, July 15, 2004 The following ... students have been named to the National Honor Roll for academic achievement: ... East High School: Jeremy Todd Montgomery... --The Commercial Appeal, July 15, 2004: The 35th annual Best of the Preps Awards Ceremony honored:    Erika Palmer, East High School, Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year.    Danny Joe Young, East High School, Girls Track & Field, Coach of the Year -- The Commercial Appeal, June 24, 2004 The United States Achievement Academy recently announced that Larry McAfee Jr. has been named a United States National Award Winner in English. McAfee attends East High School and is the son of Mrs. Freddie McAfee. -- The Commercial Appeal, June 24, 2004 Seven schools win $100,000 grants From the Commercial Appeal, July 21, 2004:    Seven Memphis city schools are among 18 statewide to receive $100,000 grants to improve student achievement.    Local grant winners - East High, Fairview Junior High, Hawkins Mill Elementary, Humes Middle, Kingsbury High, Trezevant High and Vance Middle - competed for the grants.    The grants will be renewable for two years, as long as adequate federal funding is available. The schools also have to prove that student achievement has improved.    To qualify, the schools had to show 11 basic strategies they plan to use to increase test scores, including teacher training, parent involvement and strong curriculum and instruction. Life as an art Puppets, sculpture, music fill rich world From the Commercial Appeal, July 1, 2004: By Larry Rea, Special to Bartlett Appeal    Some know him for his puppet shows at the Memphis Pink Palace Museum.    Some know him as a musician who has sung and played with such legendary performers as Furry Lewis, Hammie Nixon and Sleepy John Estes.    Some know him for his art, such as the stainless steel bird sculpture he did for Cybill Shepherd or the tabletop Zen compass owned by Robin Williams or the steel-and-glass decorations that hang from the wall at the Bangkok Ally restaurant in Cordova.    There are so many facets to Jimmy Crosthwait's life it's hard to believe he's actually one person.    He's not even sure himself.    "I almost have vague memories of the Civil War," Crosthwait said, tongue-in-cheek, as he rubbed his shoulder-length hair and sipped a cold beverage with Titus, one of his three dogs, curled up at his feet. "I've always thought that if I lived before I would have looked exactly like I look now whether it was the 12th or the 16th Century."    You get the idea that Crosthwait has lived life to the fullest.    And he has.    At 58, he is easily one of Memphis's most recognizable people thanks in part to his appearance ("I like to think of myself as the last beatnik") and the countless people he has entertained either through his art or his music or his puppetry.    "I'm a lucky man," he said.    Lucky enough to be doing something he loves to do, whether it's making something out of "things" he finds or his puppetry or playing the washboard with the North Mississippi Allstars.    On a recent day Crosthwait took time to talk about his life - past, present and future.    He and his wife Ulla, who is a nurse at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, live in a multistoried home on an 8-acre, wooded lot near Arlington.    The home, which Crosthwait and his wife designed, decorated and for which they did a lot of the inside work, is also the base for his Inside and Out art studio.    Art is at the heart of Crosthwait's journey, though it was the stage where he first gained notoriety.    "I began a career - I guess you could call it - in show biz when I was 5," Crosthwait said. "It was the first year they started the Children's Theatre in Memphis."    Three years later he was in a pilot for a television series about a Memphis juvenile court judge. However, the show never was shown, he said, because the judge was implicated in a baby stealing scheme that received national headlines.    "I had to change rackets at 8 years of age," Crosthwait said with a laugh. "I think I have been in show business ever since, whether it was music, puppets or artwork. It all requires an audience."    The puppetry evolved out of Crosthwait's artwork.    Growing up in what he calls "the briar patch of Memphis," Crosthwait attended East High through the 10th grade, when he transferred to the old Tech High to take commercial art classes. He was an art major at what was then Memphis State when he learned about a puppeteer in Florida. He decided to go to Florida to learn about puppets.    Two years later (1967) he took his own puppet show to New York City, where he opened the Electric Circus, which was the first of the nation's superdisco clubs. After seven months, he was ready to come home. "By then, I'd had my fill of New York," he said.    After several years of doing puppet shows in Memphis area schools and art festivals, Crosthwait started working at the Pink Palace Museum in 1975.    For the next 23 years he did about 150 shows a year at the museum with show sizes ranging from 100 to 200 people, which means he entertained about 1 million.    And then it ended.    In 1998, he got caught in budget cuts at the museum.    "I worked for the zoo for a year or two and then it just became that I was doing more artwork and selling more art and one thing led to another and now I make more of my living from the sale of my artwork than my puppet or musical work," Crosthwait said.    One of his art pieces - a 7-foot Tambourine Totem - is being showcased at the Dixon Gallery in its "In the Mix" show that will run through July 18. The show, Crosthwait said, features musicians who "just happen to do art."    Jeniffer Church, the show's curator, said Crosthwait "just oozes creativity."    Eight other pieces of Crosthwait's work are on sale at the Bangkok Alley restaurant.    However, his most cherished art work, a giant dragonfly, hangs from the ceiling at Crosthwait's home.    "People have offered me $1,000 for it and I turned them down," he said. "I imagine I would sell it for $4,000 or $5,000 but I don't think anybody would give me that."    His art, he said, is timeless.    "I think my artwork's qualities are a bit like Oriental or Native American," Crosthwait said. "What it really has is timelessness. You couldn't tell me when this or that piece of work was done. That is a quality about my work that I like the most. In a way I guess you could say that applies to my hair, too."    You can't do a story on Crosthwait's life without mentioning his hair.    "I've had long hair since the pre-Beatle era," he said. "In fact, there's a girl who is doing her work for a master's degree that has something to do with hippies and she had been told by everyone to contact me. She seemed to think of me as the first hippie."    As for his music, Crosthwait played the washboard or sang with Jim Dickinson and the North Mississippi Allstars for years. He and Dickinson have played music together on and off since before the Beatles.    Now Dickinson's sons, Luther (singer/guitarist) and Cody (drummer), continue the tradition.    "What I really like about the North Mississippi Allstars is that they are continuing that tradition," Crosthwait said.    When asked how he would like to remembered, Crosthwait said:    "That I brought a bit of joy to people's lives. I've done that with my music, my art and my puppetry. If there's a residual effect of what it is that I do, I would hope that joy would be noticed first and foremost." This article, with pictures, is available free on the web for a limited time fromThe Commercial Appeal's web site. AARP Cover Girl: Cybill Shepherd    June 24, 2004 - The July/August issue of AARP The Magazine has a picture of Cybill Shepherd ('68) on the cover and a feature article about her inside the magazine. The cover blurb reads, "'I'm finally the woman my mother wanted me to be?'" The article is available on-line at Cybill Liberties.    AARP was formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons. City School Board Votes to Demolish Crump Stadium    June 22, 2004 - The Memphis City School board last night voted 8-1 to demolish and rebuild the 70-year-old stadium because it would serve several area schools.    East High School, along with many others, occasionally played football games at Crump stadium over the decades and other events, like the city wide JROTC review in which East High contingents participated were also held there.    Sources: The Commercial Appeal, The East High Alumni Page Professors to teach teachers on PCs From the Commercial Appeal, June 19, 2004:    Three University of Memphis professors will use a $1.6 million grant to improve computer programming classes in local public schools.    U of M computer science professor Linda Sherrell and her colleagues will train Memphis city and Shelby County teachers to find more creative, thorough ways to spark interest in computer science among high schoolers.    Training takes place at the U of M's FedEx Technology Institute Tuesday through Friday.    The National Science Foundation grant helps improve instruction in six schools this fall: Bartlett High, Collierville High, East High, Central High, Overton High and Ridgeway High.    The three-year grant will allow the professors to expand their training to four more schools over the next two years. East Student Obituary: DeAngelo Shaw From the Commercial Appeal, June 9, 2004: DeANGELO 'D'MAN' SHAW, 16, of Memphis, student at East High School, died Tuesday at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Progressive Baptist Church with burial in New Park Cemetery. R. S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home has charge. He was a former member of Greater Kerr Baptist Church. He leaves his mother and stepfather, Tammy and Reginald White; three sisters, Ja'Lissa Hoskins, Lah'Shanique Hoskins and La'Tesha Shaw, and his grandparents, Betty and Robert Shaw, all of Memphis. [See also newspaper stories below] Three Charged with Murder in Student's Death From the Commercial Appeal, June 9, 2004: Witness put cops on suspects' trail By Chris Conley June 9, 2004    A witness who saw smoke and fire rising from the burning body of DeAngelo Shaw helped lead police to the teenager's killers, according to charges filed Tuesday.    Shaw was accosted, robbed, then murdered on May 26 by two other teenagers and an adult as he walked on Edward near McLean in North Memphis, police said.    Homicide detectives filed first-degree murder charges against Quincie Washington, 27; Joshua Taylor, 15, and Gerraldo White, 15.    Shaw, who knew one of his attackers, was forced into a 1980 Oldsmobile Delta 88 about 9 that night and driven to the area of McLean and Hubert, about a block away, according to charges filed against Washington.    The report said Shaw was forced onto a bicycle path, robbed of money and drugs, then shot. The three suspects then carried Shaw's body to a grassy field near the bicycle path, shot him again, doused him with gasoline and set him on fire.    Police believe he was dead before his body was burned.    The youth's body lay in the field for three days until a man walking his dog made the discovery. Shaw's body was burned badly and he was identified through dental records.    Detectives found a witness who said he had heard several shots, then saw a teenager throwing a gas can into the field, according to the charges. The witness said he saw smoke and fire rising from the area.    One of the juveniles was questioned Saturday, police said, and implicated Washington, who was arrested Sunday. Washington admitted he was there when Shaw was killed, according to the charges.    Police said Shaw had run away from home on May 21, and was reported missing two days later. His mother told police he had run away several times.    Taylor and White have minor criminal records in Juvenile Court, as did Shaw. The two juveniles charged in his death will be held without bond for a probable cause hearing next week. Washington also is being held without bond.    Police Tuesday continued questioning possible witnesses, and said they had located a handgun believed used in the killing. [see additional story below] Body of Missing East Student Found From the Commercial Appeal, June 5, 2004: Neighbors contemplate reason in teen's slaying By Stephen D. Price June 5, 2004    Neighbors described a 16-year-old boy found burned and shot to death in the Vollintine-Evergreen neighborhood last week as quiet and one who kept to himself.    The body of DeAngelo Shaw was found Saturday in a field at McLean and Hubert, where police estimate it had been a week to 10 days.    The East High School student went missing May 21.    Shaw's brother, Justin Wilson, ran away May 23, but has since returned, said Memphis police spokesman Rhonda Lee.    His disappearance doesn't appear connected with Shaw's death, Lee said.    When Shaw's mother, Tammy White, first reported Shaw missing from their home at 456 Glankler in Bingham ton, she told police he had run away many times before and didn't suspect foul play.    She couldn't be reached Friday.    Police hadn't arrested any suspects late Friday but were tracing leads, Lee said.    Neighbors were surprised by Shaw's death.    "He would run away to his grandmother's house or some thing, but he would always come home," said next-door neighbor Donald Deaner, 35. "He didn't get into any trouble."    Deaner said his neighbor, White, is a single mother with five children.    Friend Antowan Cox, 12, said Shaw was quiet and they would sometimes go to Overton Park to play.    Deaner couldn't understand why anyone would harm Shaw.    "He couldn't have gotten robbed," Deaner said. "He didn't have any job, jewelry or money. He was a good boy." Paper route set the stage for doctor's route in life From the Commercial Appeal, March 13, 2004: By Matt Woo Special to Germantown Appeal May 13, 2004    When he was a child, waking up and working at 3 a.m. was a typical day.    He went to school like any other child did at his age. He always did his homework too, and almost made straight A's.    But being a newspaper delivery boy was something Cornell Faquin ['52] always wanted to do.    Although Faquin delivered for The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Press-Scimitar, his first opportunity was with the Press-Scimitar when he was 7.    "When I started out, my very first experience with the newspaper was on Dec. 7, 1941, when Pearl Harbor was attacked," Faquin said. "The Memphis Press-Scimitar put out an extra section, and a friend of mine had a route and they asked me to help him sell papers on the corner of Union and Belvedere.    "I was thrilled about that because you would always see in old movies kids yelling 'Extra! Extra! Read all about it.' "    And by age 11, Faquin wanted his own paper route. The paper said no at first, because of his age, but he refused to take no for an answer.    "At 11 they wouldn't give me one, so I kept begging them for a route," Faquin said. "I kept going up there and went to their meetings then finally, just before I was 12, they gave me one. And as it turned out, the route was my street."    Delivering the morning paper could be a challenge for some youngsters, but he had a system.    "I would do my homework at night and get enough sleep and go to bed when I got back."    Delivering newspapers wasn't the most glamorous job or even the best paying. Faquin made about $12 a week.    The first item he bought with his savings was a Famous James motorcycle. Later he bought his first car, a 1941 Chevrolet convertible, for about $600.    Delivering papers wasn't always an easy job, Faquin said. One time he accidentally threw a paper through a subscriber's window. Another time, the brakes on his car went out and he crashed.    Faquin continued delivering newspapers until age 20, when he enrolled in medical school at the University of Tennessee, Memphis.    After medical school, Faquin opened his own practice on Walker near the University of Memphis. Sixteen years later, he opened a new practice in Germantown. He retired in December 1994.    "I really enjoyed delivering papers and it gave me a good start in life," Faquin said. "I got to meet a lot of different people and learn how to deal with them." East High Student Activity Fund Again Showing Deficit    May 4, 2004 - WMC-TV, Memphis, last night reported that 65 of the 178 Memphis Schools audited for the 2002-2003 school year had a deficit in their student activity funds. East High School was among those with a shortage in its account of more than $31,000. While the report was not comprehensive, only one other of the schools mentioned had a deficit higher than East's. At least three city schools have assets of more than $200,000 in their student activity funds. Talk riverfront restoration to me From the Commercial Appeal, Letters to the Editor, March 11, 2004:    I love my hometown and my home in Memphis. So I studied in depth the Riverfront Development Corp.'s final draft of its plan dated Feb. 17. It is historically and esthetically inappropriate.    The area considered between Riverside Drive, Front Street, Union Avenue and Auction Avenue has never profited private investors. All Memphians are its true owners.    High-rises there would radically change the look of our city. We need restoration, not a fake lake that would alter our historic riverfront. To imitate the Promenade Plantee in Paris or the Embarcadero in San Francisco would be a mistake. We need a plan that uniquely suits our city. I beg the Riverfront Development Corp. board members, our Mayors Willie Herenton and A C Wharton, the City Council and anyone else who cares to fight for another plan that reflects the original look and feel of the bluff.    We need no lake. We need no other land bridge. We should complete the Riverwalk south to the National Ornamental Metal Museum and north to the Greenbelt Trail on Mud Island. I joined the board of the Riverfront Development Corp. to address this issue, but it has not been considered a priority.    I hope all Memphians can continue to enjoy our unique riverfront in its natural, historical and esthetic grandeur.    Cybill Shepherd ('68)    Memphis [See also the story immediately below.] Cybill condemns promenade plan RDC member has missed all meetings From the Commercial Appeal, March 5, 2004: By Tom Charlier March 5, 2004    When the Riverfront Development Corp. board approved a land-use plan for the Memphis promenade without dissent last week, its most famous member wasn't present.    But that doesn't mean Cybill Shepherd endorsed the action.    The actress and native Memphian on Thursday condemned the plan - which envisions some private development and perhaps high-rise buildings - as "historically and aesthetically inappropriate" for the four-block site atop the downtown bluff.    "What I didn't like about that was that it (the promenade) has never been used by private investors. It's always belonged to Memphians," Shepherd saidfrom her Los Angeles home.    Allowing structures as tall as 400 feet on the promenade represents "the worst idea I've ever heard," she added. "We might as well be Atlanta."    Her comments came eight days after fellow members of the RDC board voted 17-0 to adopt the plan, which would transform an area of parking garages and largely inaccessible and neglected structures into a network of walkways and open spaces lined with shops, restaurants and other developments.    The private developments would fund such projects as a two-level promenade and the relocation of parking underground. In all, the improvements could cost up to $50 million, officials say.    Shepherd, who also opposes RDC proposals for a lake and land bridge on the riverfront, said she now will focus her efforts on the City Council, which is expected to vote on the promenade plan in April.    But even if the measure passes, legal questions hover over the promenade area because the city's founders set it aside for public use.    Informed of Shepherd's concerns, RDC president Benny Lendermon noted that there are 21 voting board members. "We think every board member certainly is entitled to their opinion," he said.    Lendermon said Shepherd and other critics have had plenty of opportunity to air their concerns. The promenade plan has been the focus of recent board meetings and three public sessions since November that were attended by some 300 people.    Although she returns to Memphis five times a year and has a bluff-top home, Shepherd acknowledges she has not been able to make it to any RDC meetings in the approximately two years she's been a board member. But she has kept in contact with Lendermon and other officials.    "I guess I just kept thinking this plan would go away," Shepherd said. "I think I'm to blame - I wish I could've been more active." [Editor's note: for more information about the Riverfront Development Plan and the opposition to it, please see the web sites of Friends For Our Riverfront and Riverfront Development Corporation.] East High track athletes determined to meet goals From the Commercial Appeal, March 4, 2004: By Beth Henderson Special to Whitehaven Appeal March 4, 2004    Whitehaven resident and head coach Gary DeBerry of East High School recently held a fund-raising event to help his track and field students get to the invitationals.    "We have to be able to charter buses because of the recent accidents from riding in vans," DeBerry said. "We understand and appreciate the new laws and we also want to ensure a safe trip down and back for our students."    The team is attending the Dogwood Relays in Knoxville, the Nokia Classic in New Orleans and the Tiger Relays in Houston.    "It's expensive and we need help getting our children to and from the competitions," DeBerry said.    Brandon Henderson has been running track and participating in other sports for East for five years.    "Track is the foundation of every sport, yet it is the sport that is least recognized and generates little revenue," Henderson said.    "We have washed cars and sold raffle tickets in the past," said DeBerry. "This year, the idea of having The Market Place was created from a similar event spearheaded by Glenda Garrison of Whitehaven last fall."    Garrison not only organized, but encouraged friends in business to accompany her in purchasing booths to promote the event.    DeBerry's brother, Franklin DeBerry, donated space at Tree of Life Baptist Church, where he is pastor.    The crowds came and went but the organization did not meet its goal. They'll try it again soon.    "We hope that we can get a stadium full of people to come out and support us," DeBerry said. "But just like a true athlete, we still have heart and look forward to the next fund-raising event."    Beth Henderson is a teacher at East High School. Cybill Shepherd featured on A&E's Biography    Cybill Shepherd ('68) was featured on the television program "Biography" on the A&E cable television network on January 27, 2004. Also included were several comments from Jane Howard ('68).    The following article appeared in the Memphis paper on the day of the cablecast. Shine on, Cybill Take criticism lying down? For Shepherd, no way From the Commercial Appeal, January 27, 2004: Shine on, Cybill Take criticism lying down? For Shepherd, no way By Tom Walter January 27, 2004 What: "Biography: Cybill Shepherd" When: 7 tonight Where: A&E     Whatever you think of her - and you won't find a discouraging word about her anywhere in this program - Cybill Shepherd is show business's comeback kid.     Throughout her career, she's come back again and again after numerous people have written her off as finished.     The Memphis native first was finished at a young age, after she appeared in "At Long Last Love" in 1975, when she was 25.     She was living with director Peter Bogdanovich at the time - their affair began during filming of her first film "The Last Picture Show in 1971 - and Hollywood power types told her she never would work in that town again.     Bogdanovich says of that time that he and Shepherd were "arrogant."     Shepherd says of that time that the two of them were "obnoxious."     Arrogant and obnoxious could be career-busters for some people. But Shepherd is unusual for her comebacks - and for her candor.     "Cybill doesn't hold back anything," said Tamara Sternoff, associate producer of this "Biography." "The main thing is how open she is, she's open about everything. In her book ('Cybill Disobedience') she holds absolutely nothing back. . . . It's all out there on the table. I think that is unique for Hollywood actors these days."     Cybill wrote extensively about her prodigious sex life in the book. If it was R-rated, this biography is, at most, a PG-13. There are a couple of references that might require some explaining to the average 10-year-old, but how many 10-year-olds want to watch a biography of a woman who turns 54 next month?     But maybe they will. There's something about Shepherd. Both friend James Cass Rogers and "Last Picture Show" co-star Jeff Bridges say most men, once they meet her, fall in love with her.     (Personal note: Not true.)     Most Memphians are well-versed in all things Cybill: The self-described tomboy up to and through East High School here; her modeling career; her triumph in "The Last Picture Show" the backlash after that; the comeback with "Moonlighting" in 1984; her being written off after reports of bad behavior on the set of that series; her comeback with "Cybill," the sitcom loosely based on her life; and her most recent comeback, as Martha Stewart in last year's NBC film "Martha Inc."     Over the years, she's gotten a reputation for being "difficult," at best.     "From every person we talked to, family members, people who've worked with her over the years, most people just say she stands up for what she believes in. When people are at odds with her, it's because the show or her character isn't going in the way she believes is the right way," said Sternoff.     The documentary does not refer specifically to her love of Memphis, nor her home here, which is curious, given how she talks up the city.     "I love living on the river, I finally got my dream come true," she said in an interview last May. "I was always drawn to the river; I just love it there. I have more fun in Memphis than anyplace."     But we do get to hear her sing snippets of "Talk Memphis to Me," her paean to the city.     Ah, her singing, something she's been doing for decades, in the face of reviews that would stagger other people.     "It's just something she loves to do," Sternoff said. "She's a performer."     In fact, after her interview for this program concluded, she stood up and sang for the show's producer. There are additional articles on Cybill Shepherd in this section. UT doctor once saved Capt.'s life From the Commercial Appeal, January 24, 2004: By Lawrence Buser January 24, 2004    Dr. Charles Handorf ['69] has a long list of professional accomplishments, but to many of his friends, he'll always be the doctor who once saved Captain Kangaroo.     One old friend called Handorf on Friday to offer his condolences on Captain Kangaroo's passing, and his wife still occasionally calls him "my marsupial professor."     It was July 1981. Handorf and his wife, Miriam, had just arrived at the Toronto International Airport for a conference, when a flight attendant made an urgent plea for a doctor to help a stricken passenger.     "He was pulseless, and his respiration had stopped," recalled Handorf, who is chairman of the University of Tennessee pathology department. "One thing I know is a dead person, and he was a good candidate. He was in bad shape."     Handorf, who was in his residency then, began performing CPR chest compressions while two others took turns breathing air into the man's lungs. Miriam Handorf searched the patient's belongings for any possible medications and noticed it was Bob Keeshan.     "He was pale and blue, and he wore a toupee so nobody knew who he was," she said, adding that emergency procedures went on for some 45 minutes. "I bent down to do the breathing, but a man said, 'Let me do that.' I was willing, but someone else got to give him the kiss of life."     After Keeshan was taken to the hospital, the Handorfs heard nothing from the star's manager or agent, but the couple always felt some satisfaction when Captain Kangaroo made the news.     "Understandably, they were pretty closed-mouth about the incident and that's fine, but he's gotten 221/2 years of life after that incident," said Handorf, 53, who also is president of Duckworth Pathology Group at Methodist Hospital. "It's a testimony that everybody ought to know how to do CPR because you can make such a difference." Memphis native, U.S. envoy fights anti-Semitism From the Commercial Appeal, January 24, 2004: By Lawrence Buser January 24, 2004     A former East High School standout and career foreign service officer is linking anti-Semitism to anti-Americanism in his new role as special State Department envoy for Holocaust Issues.     Ambassador Edward B. O'Donnell Jr. ['64] was nominated by President Bush in October and recently returned from Europe and Israel on a speaking tour.     O'Donnell, 56, went from East High School to Southern Methodist University and later received a master's degree from American University.     As a foreign service officer with the U.S. State Department, he has been posted to Colombia, Paraguay, Panama, Vienna, Berlin and Frankfurt, as well as to State Department desk jobs in Washington.     In his new duties, he will make efforts to prevent anti-Semitism by educating the younger generations about the truth of the Holocaust and the importance of religious tolerance, he said in testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on European Affairs.     O'Donnell is the son of former Memphis City Schools teacher and administrator Ruth O'Donnell of Germantown and the late Edward Baxter O'Donnell.     Source: The Commercial Appeal Editor's Note: Eddie O'Donnell was selected as "Best Citizen" by his senior class at East. Outpour lifts ailing East coach On preps    January 15, 2004 - from the Commercial Appeal, January 15, 2004: By Jim Masilak    Relieved and emotionally overwhelmed after undergoing a successful quadruple heart bypass, East High football coach Wayne Randall returned home Tuesday.    Randall, 56, was admitted to the hospital Jan. 1 after experiencing chest pain. He was scheduled to undergo surgery on Jan. 3, but a citywide shortage in the blood supply meant he had to wait until Jan. 7 before undergoing the procedure to clear blocked arteries around his heart.     "They split me open like a chicken," said Randall, who is on an exercise and rehabilitation program and hopes to return to his teaching and coaching duties at East in mid-to-late February. "Now I've just got to heal up.     "I don't think I took two sick days since I've been (at East). I had about six months of sick days built up, so I'll just do what the doctor says and rehab."     While in the hospital, a stream of family members, friends and well-wishers came to visit Randall, who has compiled a record of 84-35 in 10 years at East and led the Mustangs to the 1999 Class 4A state title.     "I had 100 or something there just the first couple days," Randall said. "People sent cards and had me on prayer lists. Old players and coaches from everywhere were calling. It was really awesome. It got to the point where the nurses shut the phones off."     Randall said he also was touched by the efforts of his colleagues at East, who held blood drives and called local media to underline the need for blood.     "It was overwhelming," Randall said. "What the people at East did for me, I won't ever forget. It was really something special."     Randall said doctors determined he had experienced no lasting damage to his heart, and that he had not suffered a heart attack.     "I feel very fortunate," he said. "It really is (scary) when you're sitting there and not knowing, when you're looking at your wife and family and you don't know if you're gonna wake back up. You think of all the things you want to say; you give thought to a whole lot of things."     Of course, Randall's thoughts never strayed far from football. He expects his period of convalescence will allow him to get a head start toward next season.     "I'll have time to do some paperwork and look at a lot of tapes," said Randall, whose young Mustangs squad went 7-4 last season, losing in the first round of the 4A playoffs. Floor waits as kids drill to dunk tests    January 15, 2004 - excerpt from the Commercial Appeal, January 15, 2004:    ...At East High, one of several schools cited by the state for low academic performance, players are expected to attend an after-school ACT tutorial program every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.     "It's really working," East boys basketball coach Reginald Mosby said. "At 2:30, as soon as they're out of school and they've walked their girlfriends to their lockers or whatever, they know to turn right around on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and come straight to the library."     Mosby said the hour-long tutorial is broken down into three sections: English, science and math.     "If you were high on science and English on the ACT, then we're sending you back (to the tutorial) to maximize your effort on the math part, and vice versa," Mosby said.     "Then, after they're done with that, they can go and get dressed and get ready for me to run them."     Mosby begins to boast when talking about whether the program has helped his players so far.     "Robert Jackson, my point guard, made a 24 (on the ACT). Kevin Hughes, another guard, made a 21. Jerrell (Houston) made a 19 and Cedric Webb, my center, made a 19," Mosby said.     "Then those kids go back and help kids like Keron Jackson, whose background in math has been tough, but his English has been good. They show him pointers on how to get through this thing." Football coach undergoes heart surgery    January 7, 2004 - East High football coach Wayne Randall underwent heart bypass surgery today after becoming ill new year's day.     [January 8, 2004 update - Family members say Randall is recovering well after the surgery. Lifeblood reports 35 units of blood were donated at the East High blood drive.]     The surgery was delayed serveral days because Memphis is undergoing a serious blood shortage and many operations are being postponed until enough blood is available. A blood drive was held on the parking lot of East High School today to help obtain enough O positive blood for Randall and others. Students, faculty, and others donated blood to help the coach.     As Randall recovered after surgery, his family encouraged the community to continue donating blood to help the area overcome the shortage.     Randall, who some East pupils call a "father figure," led the East High Mustangs to the state Class 4A football championship in 1999 and coached a team in the AXA Liberty Bowl High School All-Star Football Game in December. He complied a 7 win, 4 loss season this past autumn.     Sources: WREG-TV, TSSAA, The Commercial Appeal East junior going places on field, in classroom    October 18, 2003 - from the Commercial Appeal, October 17, 2003: By Jim Masilak    On the day Charlotte Hill received her master's in operations management from the University of Arkansas, she walked into a reception for honorees on the Fayetteville campus.    She was bemused and touched by what she saw.    There were all the other graduates and their families, gathered in a circle around the huge teenager with the charismatic smile.    It was Charlotte's son, Malcom Rawls - all 6-4, 305 pounds of him.    "He was the tallest thing in the room," Hill said. "Everyone was gathered around him. I was like, 'Hey, I'm the one with the master's.' It was my day, and he stole the whole show."    It seems everyone wants a piece of Rawls, the multitalented junior from East High School whose dreams alternate between playing in the NFL and being a computer engineer.    Rawls visits the city's elementary and middle schools to extol the virtues of an East education. He has been invited to an MIT seminar. Next week, he'll have dinner with an admissions officer from New Hampshire's Phillips Exeter Academy.    That's what happens when you have a 4.6 grade-point average in an optional engineering program and can steamroll opposing linemen.    "Too many times you get that great kid who isn't doing it in the classroom," East coach Wayne Randall said. "(Malcom's) what you dream of as a coach. He's a young man we're awfully, awfully proud of."    And why not?    Rawls has received scholarship offers from at least two of the nation's premier prep schools, and he receives regular correspondence from "all the Ivy League schools and MIT."    And, during his sophomore year, both Arkansas and Mississippi State made verbal football scholarship offers.    "That's very rare," Randall said.    So it's something of a wonder Rawls has remained at East. After all, he has had plenty of chances to leave. Education first    Rawls's knack for schoolwork was obvious long before he made his first forays into organized football.    As a fifth grader living in Grenada, Miss., he was asked to skip two grades. His mother politely declined.    As a seventh-grader, he began taking high-school level courses. And, as part of Duke University's Talent Identification Program, Rawls took the ACT exam.    He scored a 22.    "They always say offensive linemen are the smartest guys on the field," says Rawls, flashing his easy smile.    But it wasn't until eighth grade that Rawls was allowed to play football.    "I was focused just on academics," said Hill, a single mother who worked a series of odd jobs, often two at a time, while going to school. "I didn't know anything about football until he started playing. I thought it was just a whim.    "But he came back and said he wanted to do it. I've gotten the hang of it now, too - except for some of the calls the referees make."    Rawls, meanwhile, showed an aptitude for football similar to that for his studies.    "He's blessed with great size, and he's an extremely hard worker," Randall said. "He's a lock for the next level, but his best football is still to come."    However, Hill notes, her son is far from perfect.    "He's still a typical young man, and it's an ongoing fight with his room," she said. "That's a battle I'm not going to win."    By his mother's estimation, Rawls has spent every summer since the sixth grade in some sort of academic program.    "Those are his breaks," Hill said. "I've always stressed reading and learning."    Last year, he attended a program at Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Mo.    "That's where he developed his charisma," Hill said. "After that, I could look at him and say, 'You've changed. You've blossomed.' " East by Northeast    Last summer, Rawls gained admission to the prestigious (MS)2, or Math and Science for Minority Students Program, at Andover, a prep school near Boston.    "It was very tough. I'd always wanted to try a prep school. It does broaden your horizons," said Rawls, who will return to Andover next summer to complete the program.    However, he had to fight some stereotypes while there.    "They saw me and said, 'Wow. How did you get in?' They looked at me and they didn't see the smart guy. They saw a big, dumb jock. Once they got to know me, they saw I was pretty smart."    Rawls also felt he had a responsibility to his school to do well at Andover.    "They say Memphis students are behind. I didn't want my performance to affect other people's chances."    While at Andover, another prep school targeted Rawls.    Phillips Exeter Academy, based in Exeter, N.H., aggressively pursued Rawls for his football and academic talent. Exeter offered a full scholarship worth some $30,000 a year.    But Rawls, who wants to play high-level football at a college with high-level academics, declined - at least for now.    Some might wonder how he could turn down a school like Exeter to remain at East.    For one thing, Randall said, Exeter wanted Rawls to repeat the 10th grade "because he came from a city system that, according to them, had problems." But doing so would have made Rawls ineligible to play football as a senior.    Then there was his mother.    "I was working two jobs at a time, and I just finished school," Hill said. "Now was the only time I'd have to spend with him before he goes on to his own life.    "He said, 'It's a good opportunity, but I'm sure of myself. I'm gonna be at the top wherever I'm at.' "    Rawls simply felt he could thrive as much at East as at Exeter.    "We still have students who can perform with any in the country," he said. "We don't have the reputation, but the talent is here."    Still, Rawls could yet end up at Andover or Exeter on a full-time basis next year. Both schools have kept up regular contact.    For now, Rawls is content going to school at East and suiting up for the Mustangs, who face Melrose on Saturday night at 7 at Fairgrounds Stadium.    Though he missed most of summer practice while at Andover, Rawls again showed his commitment to school and football upon his return to East.    "When I came back, the coaches gave me a test to see if I could remember all the plays," Rawls said.    And how did he fare?    "Oh, I aced it." Parents sue city schools, claim East mold caused son's asthma death    October 16, 2003 - from the Commercial Appeal, October 15, 2003: By Ruma Banerji Kumar    A Memphis couple avenging the loss of their 17-year-old son are suing the Memphis City Schools for not warning them of mold infestation at East High School.     Mold aggravated their son's asthma and caused his death, Donald Mister Sr. and Leslie Mister allege in a wrongful death lawsuit that seeks $250,000 in damages from Memphis City Schools.     The Misters are also seeking $4.5 million in compensation and punitive damages from ServiceMaster, the company under contract to keep East High School clean.    Their son, Donald Criss Mister, died Nov. 16 after complaining he couldn't breathe and that his sides hurt. He woke his father and stepmother at about 3 a.m., gasping for air and praying. He died at Methodist Healthcare-University Hospital later that morning.    "His death was an agonizing death," reads the lawsuit, which was filed last week. "His parents sat by and watched him die, unable to help him."    The family's attorney, Glenwood Roane, said he has advised the family not to speak to the press.     "The family is still trying very hard to cope with this and get through this," Roane said.    Memphis City Schools attorney Percy Harvey said the district will challenge the lawsuit.    "We don't think we're at fault in this situation, obviously," Harvey said.    ServiceMaster officials did not return calls for comment.    Criss Mister, diagnosed with asthma at age 2, was an ambitious and active senior at East High, involved in student government and other groups that kept him after school for hours, according to the suit.     His death last November sparked several weeks of controversy over mold and environmental concerns at the urban school district's aging schools.    Parents and students rallied in front of the school.     School board member Michael Hooks Jr. moved his office to East to assure an angry community that the 55-year-old school was safe, but demonstrations continued.    Ultimately, a study of the school's environment resulted in its gymnasium being closed.    Scientific evidence of mold's effects on asthma and whether it can lead to death is spotty and largely unconfirmed, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said Tuesday.    "We have not found any direct link to say mold has an effect on asthma," CDC spokesman Bernadette Burden said.    "There's a diversity of opinions on mold and its health effects," she said.    But the center's most recent studies, Burden says, have shown only that mold can cause symptoms like nasal stuffiness, eye irritation or wheezing - and in more severe instances, shortness of breath and fever. East student finds required tests ridiculously easy    November 16, 2003 - from the Commercial Appeal, September 11, 2003:    In my opinion: One student's view    September 21, 2003    Charlisse Brooks, 16, is an 11th grade student at East High School and a member of The Commercial Appeal's Teen Appeal staff. She is part of the first class of Tennessee public school students who are required to pass three Gateway exit exams before receiving their high school diplomas.    We asked Brooks to write about her experience taking the tests in algebra I, English II and biology, and her opinion of whether the tests are a useful tool to measure student achievement.    I found the algebra I, English II and biology Gateway tests ridiculously easy.    I took the algebra I test while I was in the 9th grade and made a 41, which was considered proficient on the test's scoring scale of "not proficient," "proficient" or "advanced." The simple questions on the test and the easy calculations it required made me feel like a genius.    In the 10th grade, I scored 42 - also proficient - on the English II exam and 44 - considered advanced - on the biology test. Those two tests were a little harder; they made me take the information I'd learned in school and apply it to different situations.    I believe tests such as the Gateway exams should be a requirement to graduate from high school. Some students are not trying to do their schoolwork and are failing. Standardized tests such as these force them to learn to study for a test and then pass it. That's not too much to ask before a student graduates from high school and goes on to college.    It's absurd that some juniors and seniors in the Memphis schools can't pass the Gateway exams. I think the reasons for that vary.    The school board and school administrators are sometimes to blame for not assuring that the content of the tests is taught consistently. Teachers may not always do their job to help students prepare for the tests, and some parents don't support their children as they should.    But when students fail the tests, it's mostly their own fault for not pushing themselves to study. They're the ones who should be making the effort to get the job done '62 Alumnus inducted into Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Fame    posted February 24, 2004- from The Commercial Appeal, September 10, 2003:    Hall of fame fund-raiser Saturday    By The Commercial Appeal    September 10, 2003    The 2003 Annual Lloyd Sowell Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at the Links at Fox Meadows on Saturday. This tournament is the major fund-raiser for the Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Fame, with funds helping defray the cost of awards, decorations, and photography at the annual banquet.    Last year's inductees were: Harold J. Swanton, basketball; Walt Exline, team sponsor; James T. 'Jimmy' Coopwood and Bill H. 'Doc' Richardson in men's fast-pitch softball; Glen W.Stewart Jr. ('62), and Francis 'Frank' Chiozza in men's slow-pitch softball; Odessa Dickens Hayes and Jimmy Wittenberg Sr., in golf; Kenny Alsup, Morris R. 'Rye' Ridblatt and C.B. 'Cob'Smith in boxing; Terry Fluker in youth team manager/coach; Lowell Bobbitt in football; Howard Moore in adult team manager/coach; Joellen Narrow Bland and Carolyn McGill Meton in women's fast-pitch softball; Dana R. 'Ricky' Robbins and Ed Williams as game officials; Merrill D. Dan and Rev. Teddy Steele in baseball; Harold C. Bottenfield (posthumously), Paul Fultz and Louise George in tennis.    For more information about the golf tournament or the Hall of Fame, contact Larry Hilbun at 382-4727. High Failure Rates at East High Middle School    August, 11, 2003 - Statistics from the 2002-03 school year show large percentages of East High's 7th and 8th graders failing to be promoted to the next grade level.    An article in The Commercial Appeal cites other Memphis schools with similar problems. The statistical review apparently is new -- education officials say they do not know how to interpret and/or properly analyze the figures.    It is suggested by others quoted in the article that the ending of social promotion has resulted in similar failure rates in other school districts. The Memphis City School system has policies to end social promotion.    Some quotes from the article: Some of the worst schools, including Treadwell and East, show more than half of their seventh-graders failed this year. As district officials struggle to make sense of what's happening in middle schools, national experts studying high failure rates in urban middle schools say Memphis is seeing the fallout from ending social promotion. The scrutiny of middle school promotion and retention started two months ago after parents at East complained that roughly half of the school's eighth- graders were failing, and that students hadn't received enough intervention to stop it.    Indeed, 91 of the school's 200 eighth-graders failed, and all but 18 of them were in summer school, trying to pass tests to be promoted to ninth grade.    The 18 must repeat the eighth grade because they failed two or more subjects.    Roughly 30 percent, or 63 of 149 East seventh-graders, also failed this year. But the numbers showed that East wasn't an outlier.    Source: The Commercial Appeal, August 11, 2003 Storm Rips East's Trees From Ground -- Damages Gym Roof    July 30, 2003 - A severe thunderstorm moved through Memphis about 7 a.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2003, ripping trees from the ground, snapping others' trunks, and damaging the newly repaired roof on the East High gymnasium. Damage was also observed to the electronic message sign in East's front yard.    The damage will cause East the loss of a number of trees that must have been approaching the age of 100 if not exceeding it. While it is difficult to tell, it appears some of the trees are likely shown in photographs during the construction of East High, in the late 1940's, as being large, mature trees.    Summer school classes were called off for at least a couple of days at East and other Memphis schools due to the damage and wide spread power outages. After the storm, an estimated 307,000 electric power customers were without service which is about three-fourths of all the customers served by the Memphis Light, Gas, and Water Division. Eight days later, tens of thousands of customers are still without electric power. The storm damaged trees, businesses, homes, and traffic lights all over the Memphis area. It is likely that the homes of several East alumni or their parents were damaged by falling trees.     Several of the very large oak trees on the front lawn of East High School were toppled over, their root systems ripped from the ground and standing 15-20 feet in diameter on the school grounds. Smaller trees were also broken. Utility poles along Poplar Avenue in front of the school were snapped in two, and electrical lines were down across the street in front of the Krystal restaurant.    The top half of one window at East was missing, apparently blown out by the storm. Across the street in the strip shopping center, several second floor windows and part of the wall were blown out, fully exposing at least one office.    The trees at East High were prominently mentioned and shown on television video in Memphis as an example of the damage the storm caused. As several reporters said at the time, it is fortunate the trees were not close to the building or much more damage to East would have occurred.    Casual observation from the ground failed to reveal the extent of the damage to the roof of the East High gymnasium. The newspaper indicated the damage was substantial. A slide show is available for a limited time of a few other pictures taken shortly after the storm.    Source: The East High Alumni Page Divorce papers filed for Fordice, second wife    from the Associated Press, June 10, 2003: JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Former Gov. Kirk Fordice is going through his second divorce in four years, records show.    A television station in Jackson obtained an 11-page divorce filing from the Madison County chancery clerk's office Monday. Fordice and his second wife, the former Ann G. Creson of Memphis, had been married since Feb. 26, 2000, a few weeks after he left office and shortly after his first divorce was completed.    Contacted by telephone Monday, an angry Fordice, 69, told an Associated Press reporter that he had just sent a television news crew away from his home.    "I just ran a scum out of my front door with no business being here," he said.    "You know and I know that's absolutely none of your business, none of AP's business, none of WLBT's business. That's the end of it. None of your business," Fordice said before hanging up.    Fordice and his first wife, Pat, had a well-publicized split that ended in a divorce that was completed after he left office. He had been photographed returning from France with Creson while he was still married. He later said Creson, a widow, had been his childhood sweetheart.    Divorce papers citing irreconcilable differences were filed Monday in Madison County Chancery Court. The papers said Kirk and Ann Fordice had been separated since November, and that he was living in Madison and she was living in Memphis.    Fordice served two terms as governor of Mississippi from 1992-2000. He was the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction.    Before he wrecked his state-leased vehicle in November 1996, Fordice had been spotted holding hands with a blonde-haired woman during lunch in Germantown. He later acknowledged she was Creson.    Divorce papers said Kirk and Ann Fordice have and will keep separate estates. There were no claims for alimony.    Kirk Fordice will keep a condominium he owns in Gulf Shores, Ala., and she will be able to use it two weeks a year. There are additional articles about Kirk Fordice below. Area high school valedictorians    from the Commercial Appeal, June 5, 2003: RICTRELL LeMOND PIRTLE EAST HIGH SCHOOL Pirtle, 18, is the son of Deborah Roberts and Rickey Pirtle of Memphis. School activities: Yearbook editor as freshman; Health Occupations Students of America - three years; National Honor Society; Biomedical Debate Team Honors: William H. Sweet Award; Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award; Volunteer Memphis Spirit of Giving Award; Taft School Summer Academy participant; Louis Bendersky Volunteer of the Year Award Extracurricular activities: United Cerebral Palsy; March of Dimes; Avon-Lennox School; Toys for Tots College/postgraduation plans: Dartmouth College, chemistry East Success Story Featured in Local Newspaper    May 25, 2003 - The Commercial Appeal, the major daily newspaper in Memphis, featured a 2003 East High graduate,Cherelle Walls, in an article today about those who succeed desipite being in low performing schools. The newspaper describes East as "one of the city's worst high schools," but points out how a motivated student can overcome such situations. The article reports that "she's proof that the big achievers aren't just in isolated, academically elite spots such as White Station High." Walls scored a 31 out of a maximum possible 36 on the SAT college entrance examination and has "been accepted at nearly every school in the Ivy League."    The article can be found at The Commercial Appeal web site.     [Editor's note: the full article will likely be posted here in the coming days.] New East Principal Named    May 24, 2003 - The Memphis City School system yesterday named Babara Galloway Hines to be the new principal of East High School effective June 23, 2003.    Hines is currently a principal with the Allen Independent School District in Allen, Texas. She has been there for two years. According to information posted on the Allen school district's web site, she previously served as principal at elementary and middle schools in Illinois.    Hines has been employed in the educational field for 28 years and before becoming an administrator taught high school english, speech, theatre and physical education. She also coached girls athletics.    Hines is believed to be the first woman ever named to be principal of the high school side of East, although when an elementary school was colocated with older students a woman was principal of that group.    Source: WMC-TV, The Commercial Appeal, Allen Independent School District web site. Majority of 8th Grade May Be Failing    May 24, 2003 - Local television news and The Commercial Appeal have reported that administrative sources at East High School have indicated that as many as 65 percent of the 8th grade class may fail. According to reports, the president of the Memphis PTA has told the school board that 125 of the 200 pupils in the 8th grade will not be promoted. The newspaper reports that a spokesperson for the school initially confirmed that 128 of the children were in jeoprady of failing but later refused to provide any guidance on the situation saying that to make such judgements would be premature until after final examinations. Published reportes indicate that school board members and parents of East pupils are seeking information but that the school has not provided any further information to them. Exit the Annex    April 12, 2003 - Fifty-two years and two weeks. Those are the numbers. The Annex at East High School stood for 52 years and took about 2 weeks to be torn down and the debris removed.     The demise of the Annex was sealed when East High underwent a health scare in late 2002 related to mold found in several parts of the building. Prior to that, there had been discussion of renovating the Annex, as well as other parts of the school. But when mold was found in the Annex, the city school system quickly made the decision not to spend money cleaning it up but to tear it down. Specialists were brought in to oversee the cleaning of other parts of the building.     The Annex was the product of East High's early success. Crowding of academically superior schools "out east" is nothing new. It happened on the day East High opened in September, 1948. If one reviews the original design capacity before the school was built one will find that the facility was to be designed for 1,500 pupils. By the time it opened, demand was so large that it was announced that it could hold 2,000. Still, there wasn't enough room for long. In 1951, the Annex was built. It contained 9 classroom and restrooms for boys and girls. It cost $91,786 to build.     The Annex has been described as a "tin roofed" structure. In reality, the roof was most likely a combination of steel, asphalt, and glass. Most rooms had large skylights but no windows. Large fans provided ventilation to the hallway. It was a hot place to attend summer school.     For much of its time in use by pupils, the Annex housed junior high classes. For those coming to East for the first time in the 7th grade, it was the first place at the school with which they became acquainted. For those who attended East Elementary (East used to be a 12 year school with the elementary classes held in the east wing of the building), the Annex was their first experience of what high school, and impending adulthood, was to be.     The Annex was closed to students in the mid 1980's. In recent years it had been used for storage and for offices for building engineers.     Then in March, 2003, the cranes and bulldozers came and a couple of weeks later an extension to the faculty parking lot was all that remained.     Many remember the Annex with criticism because it was of lesser quality than the remainder of the school building. Others remember it fondly. Many remember it both ways. Regardless of how one remembers it, the East High School Annex may be gone, but it will never be forgotten by those who attended classes there.     Source: The East High Alumni Page East Girls Track Standout Becomes College Coach    February 12, 2003 - Rena Tate ('98) has been named as the track and field assistant coach at Arkansas State University. She will focus on working with sprinters.     "I am very, very excited," said Tate. "It is my first job out of school and I have lots of ideas and visions for ASU's sprinters. I feel like a kid at Christmas. It will be exciting to switch shoes from athlete to coach."    After graduating from East, Tate attended University of Southern Mississippi and received bachelor's a degree in Coaching and Sports Administration in December 2002. She earned a letter each of her four years at USM in track and field and ran a leg on the school's 1999 4x100-meter relay school record team. Tate also competed in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and in the 4x400-meter relay.    "We are very proud to have Rena as a member of our coaching staff," said head coach Jay Flanagan. "Her background in high school and on the collegiate level is one that should allow her to utilize the information given to her."    While she was attending East, Tate finished 14th in the Boston National Scholastic Indoor Championships in 1998. Her high school personal-best time in the 100 meter race was 11.6 seconds.    Sources: Arkansas State University, University of Southern Mississippi Medical Expert Says It's Safe At East    posted December 18, 2002, from the Commercial Appeal, December 18, 2002: Forget fungus, it's safe to mold minds at East, expert says By Aimee Edmondson December 18, 2002    An environmental expert hired by Memphis City Schools is calling for East High parents to rest easy about sending their kids to the school.    Joseph Jarvis of the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno told school district leaders, East parents and local health officials Tuesday that it's safe to hold classes there.    "I would send my children to that school," Jarvis said after touring the building and reviewing new reports from an environmental company hired by the school district.    The school was turned on its ear last month when protesting students and parents marched on the grounds, demanding that school district leaders address East's mold problem. The 48-year-old building on Poplar in East Memphis is partly underground and has needed repairs for years.    Students complained of respiratory problems and concern grew after the death of a senior who had asthma.    The district has been working on the moisture problem for weeks and paid for schoolwide medical screenings.    Yet East parents called for the school to be closed for a cleanup, though initial environmental tests showed the school to be safe.    Supt. Johnnie B. Watson said he'd spend whatever was necessary to clean up the mold and ensure safety. School officials estimate that the district will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, but couldn't provide exact figures. They also haven't determined what part of the budget they'll look to cut to make up the gap.    East's problems will help the district be prepared should the mold problem come up at any of the district's other 175 schools, Watson said.    Jarvis said the term "toxic mold" doesn't apply to East, though the term has gained widespread use among the news media and East parents.    "It isn't true. 'Toxic mold' isn't the way we ought to talk about this," Jarvis said "It's extremely rare for such molds to cause serious disease."    Mold can trigger allergic reactions and headaches, but most people aren't affected by it, said Jarvis, an expert on "sick building syndrome."    And when the mold is cleaned up, Jarvis said, the symptoms go away with no long-term problems.    School maintenance crews will replace decayed wood and wipe down all surfaces over the winter break.    After hearing Jarvis's presentation, East High parent representative Zorina Bowen maintained that the district did too little, too late.    "He got here after they cleaned up for company," Bowen said. See related stories below. East High tests find little mold problem, school board is told    posted December 18, 2002, from the Commercial Appeal, December 17, 2002: East High tests find little mold problem, school board is told By Tom Charlier December 17, 2002 Although numerous moisture and ventilation problems turned up, exhaustive tests at East High School uncovered few areas where mold levels posed a significant threat, Memphis city school board members were told Monday night.    Of the 176 rooms and areas studied in the 54-year-old school, only four had contamination problems that warrant being sealed for specialized cleaning and further investigation, said Michael J. Donohoe, director of environmental services for Pickering Environmental Consultants Inc.     That work, along with less-intensive cleanup efforts recommended by Pickering, will be conducted "with dispatch" over the holiday break, Supt. Johnnie B. Watson said.     The firm's assessment represents the latest development in an issue that arose seven weeks ago when the board heard complaints from East parents about water-seepage problems and faculty members and students becoming ill.     Mold, which is pervasive in the environment, can trigger allergic reactions and a variety of respiratory problems in sensitive individuals.     The concerns at East, which were fanned by the mid-November death of a 17-year-old senior who had a history of asthma, prompted protests by students and parents and calls for the temporary closing of the facility so it could be cleaned up.     Board member Sara Lewis reported that the first lawsuits have been filed regarding the mold issue.     But Donohoe said the testing, which involved taking 412 samples, turned up no evidence that the school should be closed.     "Nothing we saw indicated the need to change the status of East High School," Donohoe said.     The one new area identified as having mold dangers and now closed - the auditorium - was the subject of some controversy at the meeting.     School board president Michael Hooks Jr., who had temporarily moved his office to East, expressed dismay that administrators previously hadn't closed the auditorium despite recommendations three weeks ago. He said the water problems there were obvious.     "There was a reluctance to close the auditorium even though water was visible literally flowing down from the ceiling to the ground and rotted wood trim," Hooks said.     Watson responded that the auditorium wasn't closed earlier because he lacked the "scientific information" on which to base that decision.     In addition to mold, the Pickering firm reported that in several classrooms, temperatures or humidity levels were outside typical "comfort zones."     In at least a few rooms, the carbon dioxide levels were too high, indicating poor ventilation, Donohoe said.    These indoor air problems aren't a serious threat, Donohoe said, but they can cause headaches, congestion and other problems. See related stories below. Environmental Firm Reports on East High Mold Problem    December 17, 2002 - A consultant reported last night to the Board of Education that a new survey of mold problems at East High found 4 rooms with mold problems significant enough to close the rooms pending cleanup. The auditorium, the weight room, the health room, and a teachers' restroom were  closed as a result. The restroom has undergone special cleaning and has been reopened. The other rooms are scheduled to undergo the special cleaning begining December 20. Source: The East High Alumni Page See related stories below. Tour of East High eases mold fears a bit    posted November 27, 2002, from the Commercial Appeal, November 26, 2002: Tour of East High eases mold fears a bit By Tom Charlier November 26, 2002    From a darkened tunnel to an upstairs classroom, teams of school officials, health experts and parents toured East High School Monday amid signs that fears about mold contamination were fading.     Absenteeism at the 1,558-student school was down significantly from last week. Only 227 students missed classes, compared with 481 six days ago.     And a contractor reported preliminary findings indicating that out of 51 classrooms checked so far, evidence of possible mold growth was seen in only four spots. Sampling of all 150-160 rooms at East is expected to be finished today, with final laboratory results ready by Dec. 13.     "We're not finding much evidence of physical mold growth," said Michael Donohoe of Pickering Environmental Consultants.     Donohoe's assessment came as representatives from a half-dozen state, federal and local agencies met with Memphis City Schools officials to discuss East's mold problem, which came to light last month when a parent complained to the school board.     The agency officials, along with parents and school officials, toured portions of East where mold and other air-quality complaints had been registered.     Although water leaks and seepage problems were seen, the officials said they found nothing to indicate the school was unsafe.     "We saw nothing that would call for an emergency," said Henry Slack, who works with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's indoor air program.     James Stephens, a parent who had helped call attention to the mold problems, said the tour left him satisfied officials are correcting the contamination.     "There's a lot of work to be done," Stephens said. "I'm convinced they're making progress and they're going to take care of it."     Donohoe said air samples will be taken in each room and tests involving petri dish cultures will be done. Also, swab samples and tape samples will be taken where possible mold growth is seen.     "The school wants to be in the position to be able to tell students and parents and faculty that every room has been checked," Donohoe said.     Mold, which is pervasive in the natural environment, can cause allergic reactions and breathing disorders when spores multiply rapidly indoors.     At East, classrooms in the west wing of the ground floor were cleaned up after mold levels far exceeding outdoor concentrations were found.     Health officials conducted medical screenings of students to check for possible mold-related ailments. More than 100 will be referred for further treatment.     A 17-year-old East senior who had a history of asthma died earlier this month, although no link to the mold has been determined.     The classrooms remain closed, as does a building annex that had been used for storage. The annex will be torn down. EPA officials and representatives from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are advising school officials on the mold issue.     Clive Brown, a medical epidemiologist with CDC, said there are no federal standards for mold concentrations because individual tolerances vary greatly.     "Even when the results are in, we may not be able to say for certain whether these molds were responsible for health problems," Brown said. See related stories below. Board members: Annnex Likely Will Have to be Demolished    November 22, 2002 - The annex of East High School will likely have to be torn down to remedy the mold problem it has, some city school board members say. The annex and several classrooms in the main building have been closed to students, staff, and faculty for several days after possibly toxic black mold was found in them. The rooms in the main part of the original building have been cleaned and tests indicate the air quality in them is acceptable. However, further tests of the whole school are being conducted starting today. School system officials say the mold has grown inside the school because of leaks and undone or incomplete maintenance.     Bids were taken for the construction of the 9-classroom Annex in 1951 as capacity at the then 3-year old school was quickly outgrown by the baby boom and the growing east Memphis area. The addition was built for under $92,000. It was closed to classes sometime in the 1984 to 1986 time period. It was rumored to be headed for demolition in the following years. Then in the mid to late 1990's there were plans to renovate it. East is scheduled for a 14-17 million dollar renovation in the next few years but it is not immediately known by The East High Alumni Page if the Annex was to be renovated during that construction project.     In recent years the Annex has been used for storage, including text book storage, and for offices for building engineers.     Now with the mold problem and state of disrepair of the Annex, board members suspect it will be targeted for destruction.    Source: WMC-TV, The East High Alumni Page See related stories below. Editorial 11/21: Shed more light, less heat, at East High    From the Commercial AppealNovember 21, 2002: IS EAST HIGH School safe for its 1,550 pupils to attend? Objective studies of air quality and other environmental conditions at the school have concluded the answer is yes. But that hasn't stopped a large contingent of East High parents and pupils, backed by several Memphis Board of Education members, from boycotting classes over reports of mold contamination in the building.     The sincerely expressed concerns of parents for the health of their children demand respect. A public consensus on the true state of East High's safety, though, will demand more light and a lot less heat. That isn't likely to occur as long as some parties to the controversy appear more intent on posturing before TV cameras than on talking to each other.     And counseling students to skip classes - at a school that remains on state-imposed probation because of low test scores and a high dropout rate - seems a strange way for adults to promote the welfare of young people. Nearly 500 East High pupils were absent on Wednesday.     District officials have acknowledged elevated levels of mold in parts of East High. After complaints emerged at a school board meeting last month, officials closed several classrooms and restricted access to an annex.     The district began medical screenings of East High students last week. Some parents have characterized the school as a "mold-infested hazard" that has made their children sick with breathing problems, skin rashes and related ailments. But a report to the district this week by an outside environmental consultant concluded the mold did not pose a general health threat.     Three East Tennessee schools have closed, at least temporarily, this year because of mold problems. Similar conditions have led to school closings and litigation in several other states. It's hard to imagine that Memphis school officials would knowingly place children in a toxic environment - if not out of altruism, then at least out of fears of legal liability.     But the weekend death of an East High student after an asthma attack heightened apprehension among parents. No link has been established between that death and conditions at the school.     At an emergency school board meeting on Wednesday, Schools Supt. Johnnie Watson and several board members appropriately appealed for calm, restraint and mutual respect in lieu of hysteria, even as the board directed Watson to accelerate the district's investigation and cleanup efforts. Board member Patrice Jordan Robinson has continued to send her son to classes at East High.     Board members Sara Lewis and Wanda Halbert, however, used the dispute as an occasion to resume their campaign against Watson. Whatever that was intended to accomplish, it won't hasten a solution to East High's problems.     In retrospect, district officials might have been more forthcoming in their response to parental concerns, even those that were seemingly overblown. As board members generally defended the superintendent, the board unanimously approved a resolution that claimed the district's handling of the matter had created a "crisis of confidence."     But the controversy still requires perspective. As nearly a third of East High's student body skipped classes on Wednesday, a statewide "report card" noted continuing academic deficiencies at the school, including poor performance on standardized tests and a dropout rate that amounts to one of every four pupils.     East High parents, and their grandstanding advocates on the school board, need to devote more attention to that school emergency. Hundreds of parents have attended meetings to decry the district's response to the mold problem. How many of them plan to show up for the school's next Parents Night? See related stories below. School Day Begins Without Protest    November 21, 2002 - Parents who last night said they would continue the protest this morning regarding their doubts of air quality safety at East High School apparently did not do so at the beginning of the school day. According to broadcast news reports, "no one showed up."    Source: WMC-TV See related stories below. Assurances Based on "Science" Fail to Satsify Parents and Students    November 20, 2002 - The Memphis School Board met at noon today for a special called meeting to discuss the problems of mold at East High School and the parent and student protests.    The School Board auditorium was nearly filled with students and parents, however, most of those in attendance appeared to be school age. At the urging of some parents, hundreds of students refused to enter the school today and remained on the school grounds as classes began in protest of what they say are health dangers caused by mold in the school.     During the meeting, which lasted a little more than one hour, Superintendent Johnnie B. Watson reported that a follow up inspection by National Econ Corporation showed that there was no poor air filtration and that mold spores were not greater in the tested areas of the building as compared to the outside air. Watson also reported that the follow up showed that "the cleanup of the original rooms has adequately addressed the air quality problem, and the remaining rooms are safe for classroom use. The superintendent also announced that a second environmental testing firm has been hired to conduct a complete test of the entire building of East High School.     Also handed out to the audience was a copy of the report, made public earlier, in which the National Econ firm had determined that on dates of testing of November 15 and 18, air samples collected in the selected areas in East High did not exhibit poor air filtration or greater mold spore presence compared with outside air. The report also indicated that rooms in which a problem was detected earlier no longer had any visible mold growth.     One Board member inquired about any need to close East High for the rest of the week. Superintendent Watson responded that based on all scientific evidence available, there was not a continuing problem with the air quality within East High. The board member, Carl Johnson, said he had a motion prepared but based on the information provided by the superintendent, he would not offer it. Several in the crowed booed.     Despite the assurances from Watson, many in the audience and some Board members appeared unconvinced of the safety of the air within East High. Board members Sara Lewis and Wanda Halbert were critical of Watson. Lewis said that she went to East High only to find a classroom considered contaminated being occupied by students and a teacher after the time the school administration said the room was not being used. Lewis went on to say that parents and children could also tell the Board that the room was still in use at that time and that someone was lying. She left little doubt that she did not believe the time line the superintendent and school staff presented which, she said, indicated the room was vacant at the time of her visit.     Parents and students seemed mostly dissatisfied. After Lewis moved to adjourn the meeting, parents began shouting wanting to know if the school would be closed tomorrow. Many stayed around for a considerable time after the meeting talking with each other, the media, and school board members. Several adults called for parents to keep their children out of East. At least one was heard to imply a threat to Superintendent Watson, saying he didn't need to resign, he needed "to come to the hood without his bodyguards."     One member of the audience called for parents to meet at the Central library, near East High, at 6 o'clock tonight to "resolve" the matter.     Source: The East High Alumni Page. Additional and extensive coverage is expected from the mass media in Memphis and for further reports on the school board meeting, interested parties are invited to give those attention. See related stories below. Mold Alarms: Protest at East, School Board Meets at Noon    November 20, 2002 - Hundreds of students led by parents refused to go to classes at East High School this morning and gathered on the grounds of the school instead.     Parents called for the protest last night at a PTSA meeting saying they feared for the health of their children who attended East because of the black mold that has been found in part of the school.     The city school board has called a special meeting for noon today to discuss the mold issues at East High.     While most of the students appeared to remain on the school grounds, at least initially, small groups wandered off campus, and some then returned, as time passed.     Five classrooms, and the annex, a storage area which also contained the offices for building engineers but has not been used for classes in many years, were found to have black mold and closed while cleaning worked to disinfect the affected areas.     A air quality study earlier in the month had shown a problem in the areas that have been closed and reported that respiratory infections and asthma might be aggrivated in sensitive individuals by presence of the mold. The rest of the school was found not to have the problem, according to the study.     A 17-year old student, Criss Mister, died early Saturday morning from an asthma attack. According to parents, he had suffered from asthma since the age of 2. His death has increased the alarm of the parents of children attending East.     Source: The East High Alumni Page See related stories below. Student Obituary (updated)    From The Commercial Appeal,November 21, 2002 DONALD CRISS MISTER Jr., 17-year-old son of Donald Criss Mister, died Saturday at Methodist Healthcare-University Hospital. Services will be at noon Saturday at Progressive Baptist Church with burial at 9 a.m. Monday in West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. N. J. Ford & Sons Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of the Healing Center and a student at East High School. He also leaves his stepmother, Leslie Mister, and a brother, Deon Mister, both of Memphis; his grandparents, Charles Jackson of Chicago, Ernest Mister and Bertha Cunningham, both of Memphis, and Ruby Sturdivant of Earle, Ark., and a stepgrandfather, Jerome Sturdivant of Earle. See related stories below. East Girls Basketball Team Talented From The Commercial Appeal, November 17, 2002 Lady Mustangs have experience East loaded with talented seniors By Brian Douglas November 17, 2002    Wanda Jones didn't know what she was seeing at the time, but she can still remember the day three years ago when she first got a look at what is now her senior class of girls basketball players at East High.     "It wasn't long ago," Jones said. "I really didn't know they would be this good or what to expect. Even when you know they're talented, you never know how hungry a group is going to be.     "These (kids) have proven to be very hungry."     Last season as juniors this class got the chance to lead the team as it chomped down on title after title. First the Lady Mustangs captured the Class AAA city championship, then went on to win the district and region tournaments.     The season ended with a loss to Lawrence County in the semifinals of the Class AAA state tournament.     All of this presents just one problem: There's not a whole lot of room for improvement, but that's exactly what will be expected of this group.     "Everyone knows us now," said senior guard Jarryn Cleaves. "They know what we're going for. Each year we've gone up a step. This year our goal is to win it all."     Three starters return as Cleaves is joined by fellow seniors Tamera Sims, who has signed with Arkansas State, and Whitney Woodard. All three are proven commodities on the court.     Sims, a guard, was a finalist for Best of the Preps player of the year last season when she averaged 13.1 points, 4.7 assists and 3.6 steals. Cleaves averaged 9.9 points, 3.9 assists and 2.8 steals at the point.     Woodard, a forward, scored 10.2 points but more importantly averaged 10.6 rebounds.     Along with a host of supporting players ready to emerge to fill in the blanks left by the graduation of Keva Robinson (11.7 points per game) and Arean Alston (10.8 rebounds), there is little reason for East not to carry high expectations.     But that doesn't make them any easier to deal with.     "Now, no matter what team we're playing, if there's just one East Lady Mustang on the floor we'll see their best," Jones said.     The days are gone when East could shock someone, or lurk in between big games on a schedule. The Lady Mustangs have become the big game on most team's schedules, and the pressure did distract the team last year during the regular season.     "I'd rather play as the last-place team," Cleaves said. "Now starting at No. 1 you've got to stay there and live up to those expectations."     Coming in, few in this class had experienced success on the level East has now achieved, and it was hard to comprehend at times.     "It's very weird," Woodard said. "We started in ninth grade as the underdogs, no one knew about us. Now we're the best team in the city. We try not to let it go to our heads."     Yet East players will also tell you this team has all it needs to get the job done, and it starts with the unity in the senior class.     "Some of us have been together at school and on summer teams for five, six years now," Woodard said. "We know where each player will be and when she'll be there, and we will use that to our advantage."     The Lady Mustangs also earned the benefits of all those tough games last season where they prospered under extreme pressure, most notably in the opening round of state against traditional powerhouse Oak Ridge.     It led Jones to make a comment following the Lawrence County loss last season on a day she can also remember quite well, only this time she knows what it's meaning will have.     "This is not the end for East," Jones said at the time. "That's for sure." Student's Death Raises More Questions About Toxic Mold    November 16, 2002 - A 17 year old senior at East High School died in the early morning hours today after an asthma attack. He was identified as Criss Mister. A television station described the Mr. Mister as having been a "model student."    News media reports are saying the student's death raises more question about the allegedly toxic black mold. Five rooms at east, in the Annex and southwest wing of the school, have been closed to students and faculty after it was announced last week that the mold had been found in the rooms.    News reports say no solid evidence has been found to relate the mold to the death of the student. WMC-TV reports an autopsy will be performed in an effort to determine what caused Mr. Mister's death and if the black mold found at East contributed to it.    WMC-TV quotes the student's parents as saying, "we don't know if him being a student at East with the mold spores that they were talking about contributed to it. We don't know." They said their son had suffered from asthma since the age of two but it was controlled with medication.    WREG-TV said that the discovery of the mold and the death are serving to expose "a cold dark corner" at East High.    A faculty member at East, Dennis DeMarco, who is also a representative of the teacher's union, was shown saying he "didn't know if they are doing enough" to address the possible health problems at East because of the mold. DeMarco reportedly says he has had a respiratory infection for three months and taught in one of the classrooms now closed because of the mold.    The television station reports an investigation is underway to determine if Mr. Mister's death was connected with the mold at the school.    Source: WREG-TV, The Commercial Appeal,WMC-TV. See additional stories below. East Teacher Chosen To Head Proposed Charter School From The Commercial Appeal, November 15, 2002 Charter science academy could be a part of medical research park By Aimee Edmondson edmondson@gomemphis.com November 15, 2002 Some of Memphis's biggest movers and shakers want a new public high school in the Medical Center area, pulling in academic big guns in science and technology from across the country.     They'd call it the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering (MASE) and open it next fall in the new research park being developed where the old Baptist Memorial Hospital used to be.     It's not yet a done deal, but the Memphis Biotech Foundation could hold one of the first permits to operate a charter school in Tennessee.     Today is the deadline to apply for charter schools opening next fall. Charters will get taxpayer money in the same per-pupil allotment as regular school districts - almost $6,000 per student - plus federal money.     Charter schools represent a big shift in how public schools can be governed, calling for more autonomy and waivers of many regulations placed on traditional public schools.     The idea is to build incubators of creativity for teaching and boosting student achievement.     In Tennessee, they can be new schools or existing ones converted to charters run by independent nonprofit operators.     Memphis City Schools officials were guessing earlier this week that they'd get as many as 10 applicants to start new schools here next fall. They weren't expecting yet any requests for conversions, which require that 60 percent of a school's faculty or parents give the OK beforehand.     Steve Bares, the Memphis Biotech Foundation's president and executive director, said the plan calls for an 850-student high school to be a key element in the city's new research park, which will be a hub of startup biotech companies on the 6.5-acre Baptist site between Union and Jefferson.     "The school is exactly what the community needs. There's nothing like it in Memphis," said Bares, a former International Paper executive who has a doctorate in chemistry.     The school would likely start in a former Baptist physicians building with about 10 classrooms of seventh-graders, phasing in a grade each year until it's a 7-12 school.     Bares, and the foundation's board of trustees, including founder and chairman J. R. 'Pitt' Hyde III, have tapped a local public school teacher to be the school's leader in their 100-plus page application.     East High School engineering teacher Tommie Henderson now wants to conduct a national search for science and technology teachers.     Henderson plans to attract them with a base salary of about $47,000. The average teacher salary in Memphis City Schools is around $41,000.     Henderson also wants to give teachers more than $10,000 a year to use for classroom instruction, plus other financial incentives for performance.     "The idea is to bring in the best people, let them make the decisions in the classroom, then hold them wholly accountable for how well they teach their students," said Henderson, eager to be free of the red tape that comes with working for a large school district.     Henderson, a 1991 East High graduate, holds chemical engineering and computer science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.     By law, charters must draw the bulk of their students from low-performing public schools in the area, or they must be geared toward special education kids.     Because of that, Memphis is poised to have a bigger number of charter schools since the district has the most state-identified low-performing schools - 46 of which are on probation, including East High.     The law allows for 10 new schools to open as charters in a single school district the first year. After that the number can jump much higher based on the number of failing schools a district has.     The state's education commissioner, Faye Taylor, put her political weight behind charters and wants to see low performers converted as soon as 2004, when the state is scheduled to take over long-time failing schools.     Henderson wants to start a year early.     He wants kids in school from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Saturdays, and wants to hold summer research institutes as part of MASE - should the school be approved.     His kids would spend part of the day in class and part learning real-world applications from experts in the research park.     "Students will be behind when they get here," said Henderson, who has spent his summers teaching at college prep powerhouse Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. "But the school will be tough enough that even the most advanced students will be challenged."     Academic performance of charter schools has been mixed, with both pro- and anti-charter sides claiming the research supports their own arguments for or against them.     About 2,700 charter schools are open in 36 states, many outperforming traditional public schools and others logging student achievement scores in the basement.     In Tennessee, charters will be granted for five-year periods, but local school boards can revoke them after year 2 for mismanagement or poor student performance.     According to the state law passed last summer, local school boards have 60 days to review and grant charters.     Interestingly, charters represent direct competition to traditional public schools, and local school boards are the grantors of that competition.     "Competition makes everybody better," Bares said. "And that has been one of the key arguments for charter schools."     If local boards say no, though, applicants can appeal in most cases to the state Board of Education in Nashville.     In Memphis, city school Supt. Johnnie B. Watson will recommend to the school board which applications get the thumbs-up. "I've accepted the fact that it's the law now," Watson said. From The Commercial Appeal, November 15, 2002 East High contaminated by mold By Tom Charlier charlier@gomemphis.com Nurses began screening students and several classrooms remained closed Thursday as officials worked to protect East High School from a contaminant normally associated with tile grout: mold.     Seventh- through ninth-graders answered queries on whether they've experienced flu-like symptoms, allergies, rashes or other problems associated with possible mold exposure. Today, 10th- through 12th-graders will be screened.     Officials don't know yet how many students and faculty members might have suffered ill effects, said Jeane Chapman, director of the division of health and social support for Memphis City Schools.     In the meantime, five classrooms remained closed pending tests to determine whether recent cleanup work has eliminated mold problems.     "We want to make sure that portion of the building is safe before we let the students back in," said Eric Thomas, safety and health officer for the school system.     The imposing 1,550-student school between Poplar and Walnut Grove just west of Holmes has been the focus of concern since late October, when a parent spoke at a Memphis school board meeting about possible environmental problems at East.     Subsequent air-sampling and surface "tape lifts" revealed excessive mold levels in three classrooms in the southwest wing of the school and in a building annex containing storage and custodial areas, Thomas said.     A report by National Econ Corp. of Memphis said the mold could cause reactions among "sensitized or allergy-prone people."     Molds usually aren't a problem unless spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Then, they can produce allergens and, in some cases, toxic substances that cause allergic reactions, asthma attacks and skin, nose, throat and lung irritation in even nonallergic people, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.     Thomas said the mold problem apparently is traceable to water seeping into the school through tunnels beneath it.     Crews have worked to eliminate the seepage and, in the contaminated areas, have removed floor and ceiling tiles, shelving, paper and other porous material on which mold can grow, Thomas said.     See related stories below. Environmental Hazard Shuts 5 Classrooms at East    November 13, 2002-It is reported today that five classrooms at East High have been closed to students and faculty because of a health hazard. According to the reports, black mold has been discovered in the classrooms. Black mold is known to cause a variety of human health problems, most similar to influenza. Cleanup of black mold typically can be very expensive.It is the first time the mold has been found in a Memphis City School, although it has been found in other schools around the country and clean up has run in the millions of dollars. Some homes which have had the problem have been abandoned and demolition has been considered the likely option because of the cost of clean up.    According to reports, an air quality study was conducted at East after complaints about illnesses. Basketball coach Reginald Mosby was the first to complain about illness possibly being caused by something at the school.    The results of the air quality study was given to the school system November 5. Today the school system notified parents of the problem and will make free medical checkups available to East students.    The school system reports that water damage which was left unrepaired was the cause of the mold.    Source: WMC-TV, The East High Alumni Page Former East Principal Finds Smooth Sailing at Different School From The Commercial Appeal, November 7, 2002 Love Connection: Despite early grumblings, Raleigh-Egypt is won over PRINCIPAL PROFILE Love: 'It's been great' By Stephen D. Price    When it was first announced that Dr. Oscar Love would be the new principal at Raleigh-Egypt High School last summer, a group of parents didn't exactly put the welcome mat out for him.     In fact, they urged City Schools Supt. Johnnie B. Watson to reconsider the appointment.     Watson didn't.     Some complained Love was known to be gruff, had improper discipline procedures and was accused of misappropriating funds while principal at East High School. The latter accusation is being investigated by Watson's office.     So how have the first three months at Raleigh-Egypt High been for Love?     "It's been great," said a smiling Love, reclining in his office chair with a small radio receiver clipped to his sports coat. "I've been well received by the community, staff and students."     No parents have come to him and complained about his administration style, for which he makes no apologies.     "I'm straightforward," said Love, 60. "I don't see that as being gruff, just honest. I expect a child to come to school on time to do their work."     Love's style is evident as he walks down the halls and eyes two boys horsing around. "OK, boys, roll on, roll on."     The Raleigh area school has 970 students.     Love, who is married to Fannye Love, decided to leave East High because of the controversy surrounding him.     "I never woke up one morning not wanting to come to East High," said Love, who has been in the Army and Air Force. "Because of the controversy, I didn't think I could be effective."     Before coming to Raleigh-Egypt, Love heard of the school's reputation for gangs, but he said he hasn't found it to be a problem.     "All schools have the wannabes," he said. "If you asked is there any students out there that call themselves Vice Lords or GD's (Gangster Disciples)? Yes. But are they gang members? I don't know. I do know there are some good students at this school."     Raleigh-Egypt High School is on the district's probation list. Love has a plan to get the school off that list.     "We have identified all of our students who are failing," said Love. "We have set up a safety net program to get them help in the afternoon, in the morning before school and on Saturdays."     Love also started a student recognition program and leadership camp at the school. "We want to groom leaders," he said.     He plans to reach out to thecommunity with a series of forums. "I want to inform parents and the community-at-large about the programs and needs at Raleigh-Egypt High School. We are trying to inundate this community with information and create opportunities for the students."     Love knows improving the school will be hard.     "I can't predict what will happen," he said. "We are not waiting for change, we're doing something. How effective it will be, I don't know." Durham's interim principal again, this time at East    From The Commercial Appeal, October 17, 2002 By Lela Garlington    Harry Durham has more juice than the Energizer Bunny when it comes to filling in as a principal for the Memphis City Schools system.    Durham, 66, is serving as East High's interim principal after the voluntary departure of principal Oscar Love. It's Durham's third such appointment since he officially retired as Fairley High's principal in 2000 for health reasons.    Previously, Durham filled in as interim principal at Lester Elementary for 4 d months in 2001 and as acting principal at LaRose Elementary for 2 d months this spring.    Now Durham is adding a sense of transition and stability at East High, which has had a series of tumultuous times over the years.    "He was definitely always well-respected as a principal," said Associate Supt. Bob Archer, who asked Durham to fill in again for the district. "At East, we needed an interim principal who was capable and well-qualified."    Archer described Durham's talents as being highly organized but not a micro-manager. "He gives people the freedom to do their job," he added.    Archer said he's not sure how long Durham will be at the school but it likely will be for the rest of the school year.    The school has 1,574 students in grades 7-12. It is a mixture of optional students taking engineering courses, traditional students taking vocational training and middle school students.    Durham, who loves to fish for crappie at Tunica Cutoff and other fishing holes, doesn't mind taking on a challenge such as East High.    He's working hard at getting the school off the state-identified low-performing list by continuing the after-school tutoring programs and keeping distractions from instruction time to a minimum.    So far, he's allowed only one in-school pep rally and the homecoming court coronation to cut into class time.    "I felt like the system needed me at East," said Durham. Before coming to East, Durham said he met and listened as parents voiced their concerns.    His ability to troubleshoot with an easygoing but no-nonsense style seems to be working.    "They know I'm firm but fair," he said. "I get onto them when they're wrong, and I praise them when they're right."    Martha Jackson likes how Durham seems to get things done when the school's Parent, Teacher, Student Association points out problems, such as when PTSA meetings or other school functions weren't being announced on the school's new marquee.    Still, Jackson would like to see a permanent replacement soon so that the teachers, staff and students aren't constantly being re-introduced to a new principal.    "My children started at East in '98 and this is the third principal. It's getting kind of old," said Jackson of the constant principal turnover.    East High senior class president Tarrik Mabon, 17, hopes the soft-spoken and accessible Durham stays for the rest of the school year. "He knows how to handle students and situations," said Mabon. "He sets a real good example."    When Durham has chastised him for being too loud in the hallways, Mabon said Durham can almost whisper his disapproval and get results. "When he says it, we listen," said Mabon.    Student Council president Jordan Robinson likes how Durham pushes academics but also urges students to attend the school's athletic events. "For me, this is the first time we ever had this much school spirit," said Robinson, 18, who transferred to East in the ninth grade and is a linebacker for the Mustangs.    Since coming to East, Durham has three goals he wants to accomplish: Work toward getting East off the state's low-performing list. Solidify the school and community by listening to the concerns of students, parents and teachers. Keep the school on a solid financial foundation.    Over the past several years, the students have been living under a cloud of financial debt that curtailed many of their activities.    East's finances were depleted when Lowell Winston arrived as principal in 1995 and spent funds on new band uniforms and other extras.    Winston was later suspended and removed as principal for mismanaging the school funds in 1997. An internal audit showed the school owed more than $100,000 but only had about $20,000 in the bank.    A number of lean years followed as Winston's successors, Milton Burchfield and Love, paid down the debt.    At the end of the 2001-2002 school year, district internal auditor Randy Streeter said East has more than enough money in its accounts to finish paying off its debts.    The school still has about $21,000 in bills to outside vendors. Once those are paid, East will have about $59,000 as a surplus.    Durham has just started two after-school tutoring programs and is tweaking the algebra program so that students will be better prepared when they take the state's achievement tests again.    So far, he's recruited a half-dozen volunteer teachers and a dozen students. He's hoping they'll be tutoring 40 students in math and language arts.    Looking at the Gateway testing results, Durham pointed out, "East was very, very close" in not being named as a low-performing school.    The school scored 3.64 on its writing assessment when the minimum acceptable score was 3. The school improved its ACT scholastic testing with a 16.5 when the minimum acceptable score was 17.    The school needed a 40 percent score on the Gateway tests but reached 35.98.    When the school held its open house, Durham said, "My faculty indicated to me that we had more parents participate than they could remember. I think we're headed in the right direction. The people in the community have total confidence in what I'm doing. I have a history of getting things done right." Publicist Disputes Tabloid Story About Cybill's Health    August 27, 2002 - On the cover of the September 3 issue of "The Star" magazine being placed on newsstands today, a headline reports, "Cybill Shepherd battles deadly cancer."    The East High Alumni Page has no independent information on this subject. However, E! Online reports that the publicist for Cybill Shepherd ('68) says that the entertainer does not and did not have cancer. "Cybill did not have melanoma. She had a benign growth in her back," publicist Heidi Schaeffer is quoted as saying.    The E! Online article may be read at www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,10428,00.html    Source:The Star, E! Online East Alumnus Marries Frugally    August 25, 2002-The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, ran a story on August 24, 2002, pointing out that a number of people appear to be falsifying a document indicating they have had pre-marital counseling in order to save $60 on their marriage fee in Tennessee. The article points out there is no penalty for doing that. The article's headline is "Fib starts marriage for some in Shelby."    "Ron Isbell ['68], 52, was married this week but didn't cotton to the higher fee.    "The law is so easy to circumvent, he said, that 'it's an absolute joke. Only some slow-minded person would ever have paid the higher fee. I'm not slow-minded. I got married. I didn't pay mine (the higher fee).'" A large photograph of Isbell and his bride appears on page one of the Metro section of the newspaper. The cutline is, "The toothless premarital counseling law is "an absolute joke." says Ron Isbell, united by Pastor Roy Sessom with Carol Manning at the Mall of Memphis's Candlelight Chapel."    Source: The Commercial Appeal Home of East Alumni in Gulf Shores Featured    The Home and Garden section of The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, June 29, 2002, featured the Gulf Shores, Alabama, home of Lundy Pridgen ('68) and Harry Wilder ('67)    The article begins, "Lundy and Harry Wilder fell in love with Italian architecture when they bicycled from Venice to Pisa a few years ago on a vacation."    It goes on to explain that when the Memphis couple decided to build their vacation home at Gulf shores, they incorporated Italian design elements into the avant-garde hurricane-resistant house.    The article has several photographs of the home, as well as a photo of the Wilder's. Pictures of the house can be seen at Lundy's web site.    Lundy Wilder is credited with helping with the design from start to finish, including designing and installing mosaic walls in the shower. Details about the mosaic tile can be found at another of Lundy's web sites.    The article begins on page F1 of the June 29,2000, Memphis newspaper and concludes on page F6.    Source: The Commercial Appeal Harry Durham listed as East's new principal    July 23, 2002 - Information on the Memphis City Schools website now lists Harry Durham as principal of East High School. Other immediately available information about Mr. Durham is limited. Mr. Durham began working with the city schools in 1968 and served as principal of Fairley High School for a long period, beginning in 1985. He apparently missed the 1998-99 school year due to illness. More information will be provided as it becomes available. East Principal Oscar Love Transferred as Unsubstantiated Complaints Fly    July 21, 2002 - July 21, 2002 - The City School System reports it cannot verify that any of the complaints against East Principal Dr. Oscar Love are true. Despite those findings, Love has asked for a transfer and been named principal of Raleigh-Egypt High School. Complaints against Love by parents and faculty included putting children in closets to discipline them and financial mismanagement. School system administrators say the investigation did not substantiate the discipline charges and that the school appears to be better financially managed than in recent years. Some say Love was simply disliked because he attempted to focus school activities on academics and tried to hold students accountable.    Prior to his assignment at East High, Dr. Love was principal of the Trezevant Career and Technology Center, which received the Memphis Education Association's School of the Year award in Love's last year there.    This latest situation is continuing evidence of a school in serious trouble. East High is already on the state's list of underperforming schools and if it does not improve could be taken over by the state in a few years. Love was the third principal East has had in the past 4 years. While East reports some impressive scholarship offers for a few top students, the overall academic evaluation is that, on average, students are not learning and applying the knowledge for which high schools exist to convey. The average ACT score at East, based on 2000-2001 school year statistics, is 17. The following is from The Commercial Appeal, July 21, 2002: Love's gone, but parents in a lather at East Disciplinarian now leading Raleigh-Egypt By Aimee Edmondson July 21, 2002    Principal Oscar Love was the hero or the enemy at East High School, depending on whom you ask.    Facing financial troubles and named to the state-identified low-performing list last summer, East needed a no-nonsense military man to help turn the school's tattered image around.    That was Memphis Supt. Johnnie B. Watson's plan when he appointed Love last August.    But when classes started, complaints about Love began rolling in. The rumble started low and has grown to a roar in recent weeks.    Angry parents demanded Love's dismissal. Stories surfaced of kids being locked in closets along with allegations that funds were misappropriated along with a host of other complaints.    School board members became embroiled in the controversy, primarily Sara Lewis, who yelled at Watson in an open meeting, insisting that parents get satisfaction amid the sea of complaints.    But after a lengthy investigation of the parents' various charges, Memphis City Schools officials say they can't find any reason to reprimand Love, much less fire him.    During the controversy, Watson stood steadfastly by Love, whom he transferred from the head job at Trezevant Career and Technology Center.    Love, 60, asked earlier this month to be transferred again, this time to Raleigh-Egypt High School where he took the helm July 15.    "Dr. Love felt like he reached a point where he couldn't be effective and turn things around if parents continued to come at him at East," Watson said.    Given the fervor to get rid of him and the lack of wrongdoing Watson's staff found, the question remains: Was Love a no-nonsense principal bent on rescuing a drowning school? Or did he mismanage East and fumble the job?    Of the complaints, perhaps the most shocking is the allegation that students who misbehaved were locked in a closet.    Investigators from the central office said they could not substantiate the allegations.    The teacher involved denied wrongdoing, and several students said the incidents never happened, according to a staff report to the school board. Students who were put in timeout were placed in the classroom's adjacent office, which has windows, investigators reported.    When East guidance counselor Marilyn Williams complained before the board that she knew the allegations were true, Watson assigned a member of his security staff to look into the matter. The investigation continues.     Early in the year, Love asked Williams to transfer from East because the school had one too many counselors after projected enrollment turned out to be too high. She remained when another counselor volunteered to leave.    Parents led by James G. Robinson also charged that Love was financially mismanaging the school. The group appeared before the board repeatedly, demanding that Love be fired.    But according to internal audit reports, the opposite is true.    Over several years, East's finances faced additional scrutiny after then-principal Lowell Winston was suspended in 1997 for mismanaging student funds after an audit revealed that the school owed $100,000 but had only about $20,000 in the bank.    The audit showed a pattern of overspending and poor record-keeping, though Winston was wildly popular with students. The school bought new band uniforms and other extras the school couldn't afford.    Questions continued under principal Milton Burchfield, financial records show. Though the situation had improved since Winston's tenure, the athletic department showed a $34,277 loss after the 2000-01 school year, Burchfield's last year at the school.    An audit this year showed that Love recouped $29,000 of that deficit in one year.    Internal auditor Waldon Gooch said in his report: "The increase in the financial position can be attributed to better controls established on school purchases made by teachers and staff."    Some Love supporters said his heart was in the right place, but his manner was sometimes too gruff and militaristic, which put some parents off and angered others.    Love makes no apologies for his style.    "I believe in order and structure and accountability," Love said. "I don't believe that's unreasonable. I believe in what I do . . . with a passion."    Love, a Vietnam veteran and former education specialist for the Navy in Millington, has a doctoral degree in education leadership from Kansas State University and joined the system as assistant principal at the Trezevant Career and Technology Center in 1995.    Because East faces state takeover if it doesn't improve, Love cut back on activities that ate into class time, including talent shows and pep rallies, making him unpopular with many students.    School board member Patrice Jordan Robinson's son attends East. And because of her position, she said she decided to remain quiet on the issue. She said last week that some parents respected the changes Love was trying to make in the school climate.    "He wanted the teachers to do their jobs," said Robinson, who is not related to James Robinson. "My observation was some of the teachers weren't being as cooperative as they should have been.    "He is more task-oriented, and the teachers wanted someone more amiable with better people skills. But just because you don't have those skills doesn't mean you aren't effective."    James Robinson's most recent complaint involved the high number of students enrolled in East's optional program that received letters telling them that they weren't eligible to return to East without a principal's conference.    "Something is wrong. So many kids are being denied an opportunity to come back," Robinson said.    The largest number are juniors, 24 of whom were approved and 22 were classified as "pending approval."    The latter either had conduct or attendance problems or grades below a "C." Since these 22 students didn't meet optional school minimum standards, the intent of the letter was to bring students and their parents in for an attention-getting conference, school officials said.    After hearing East parents complain about Love in television reports, Raleigh-Egypt parents told the board last week that they didn't want somebody else's "tainted leadership."    Coleman Garrett, whose son graduated from East, defended Love and chastised the school board for failing to support Watson's decision.    "The problem is not the principal. It's got to do with petty politics and turf wars," Garrett said. "Now Raleigh-Egypt says they don't want him over there, and they don't even know the man."    East High teacher Kristie Ruddick, who followed Love from the Career and Technology Center to East, said Love raised the standards among students and teachers at his first post.    And the Memphis Education Association, the teachers' union, named the Technology Center the MEA High School of the Year for 2000-01, Love's last year there.    Ruddick said at one point she pondered a job offer with a software company and went to Love for advice.    "I'll never forget his response," Ruddick said. "He just looked at me and said, 'Who will teach the children?' East has suffered a great loss, but Raleigh-Egypt has gained a strong leader."    Source: The Commercial Appeal, The East High Alumni Page, Tennessee Department of Education Student Obituary    From The Commercial Appeal, July 12, 2002 CHRISTINA LASHAY JOHNSON, 18, student at East High School, died Tuesday [July 9, 2002] at Methodist Healthcare-University Hospital. Services will be at noon Saturday [July 13, 2002] at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Olive Branch [Mississippi] with burial in the church cemetery. Gillespie Funeral Home of Olive Branch has charge. She leaves a son, Zion Q. Moore of Memphis; her mother, Dollie Oliver, her father, Frederick Johnson, three sisters, Jaleesa Lofton, Fredericko Johnson and Jemika Johnson, a brother, Frederick L. Johnson, and her grandparents, Jennell and Walter Oliver and Mary and Eston Johnson, all of Memphis.          Alumnus Provides for Sign    March 6, 2002, updated April 23, 2002 - An East High alumnus funded the new $37,000 electric message board on the front lawn of East High School. The donor has asked to remain anonymous. The sign features the school's name engraved above the message lights and the street address below. Installed over the winter and turned on a few weeks ago, the sign sits directly in front of the school very close to Poplar Avenue. It should be easy to read for people traveling west on Poplar. Its visibility for those headed east will depend on how much traffic there is in the westbound lanes which may block the line of sight. Initially the sign was simply displaying the time of day, however after a few weeks messages began to appear on it routinely. Owner of Bobbit-Doerr Drug Store Dies    March 6, 2002 - Dr. Clarence Aldivan Doerr, 88, of Memphis, retired pharmacist, died Monday, March 4, 2002, at Lakewood Plaza Nursing Center, North Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Doerr was owner of Bobbit-Doerr Drugs in Memphis which was located across from East High School in the 1950's, '60's, 70's and possibly later. It was one of the businesses of which most East students knew and at which many shopped. Though it would not likely qualify physically as a landmark, the Bobbit-Doerr Drug store does qualify as a memory landmark for those who attended East during its first three decades. Dr. Doerr's store was also a good patron of East High School, routinely buying ads in the Annuals and student newspaper.    Dr. Doerr's son, Steve, is a 1960 graduate of East High School.    Visitation will be from 7:00-9:00 p.m., on Wednesday, March 6, 2002, and services will be at 10:00 a.m., March 7, 2002, at Memorial Park Funeral Home, with entombment in Memorial Park Mausoleum in Memphis. East needs qualified tutors to helps students    February 3, 2002 - In a conversation recently with an East High Faculty member, the editor of The East High Alumni Page learned that East High would welcome qualified individuals to volunteer to tutor current East students. If you are interested in tutoring a Mustang, it is suggested you call the East High office and inquire if you can help. New State Report Card on East High Continues Bleak Evaluation    November 26, 2001 - The Tennessee Department of Education has issued report cards on all state school systems and individual schools. The report cards are based on standardized test scores, attendance, displine problems, and promotional rates. Despite the occasional gem in acedemic performance at East High, as reported in the story immediately below, students at the school generally perform significantly below state and national averages in most categories.    View the report by clicking here. Academic Achievers in At Risk School Demonstrate Student Dichotomy The following is from The Commercial Appeal, October 15, 2001 East's physics aces quantum-leap over 'achievement gap' By Aimee Edmondson The Commercial Appeal High school seniors Blaine Lee and Barry Vanderable sport sky-high grade-point averages and great SAT scores.    As juniors, they both passed the Advanced Placement physics exam, officially placing them with a small fraternity of the academic elite.    Blaine wants to go to Stanford University next year. Barry has his sights set on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.    And they go to a high school that's been dubbed one of the worst in the state.    Memphis's East High School was named last month to the Tennessee Department of Education's "On-Notice" list of the 98 lowest-performing schools in the state.    East and 63 other Memphis schools on the list could face a state takeover in 2004 if test scores don't improve substantially.    Yet the students in the building on Poplar Avenue in East Memphis are proving that you can't use a single brush to paint a school.    Barry and Blaine were part of a five-student group trudging quietly all of last year with teacher Tommie Henderson, working nights and weekends to prepare for the AP physics exam.    The result: All five passed.    Not something you'd expect from a low-performing school? Well, there's more.    Historically, black students in Tennessee have not fared all that well in AP physics.    Last year, 291 Tennessee students took the test. About 60 percent - or 175 - passed it.    Of that number, only 25 of the students attempting the test were black. Ten students passed it, for a 40 percent passing rate.    Five of those were the students from East, which is more than 95 percent black.    "Though it was a small class, it was the way you begin things," said Henderson, a 1991 East graduate who also has a degree from MIT.    "The first thing you need to do is have the kids believe that they can do," said Henderson, who returned to Memphis four years ago to revamp his alma mater's engineering program.    Yet Barry is afraid East's low-performing designation will serve as his scarlet letter, reducing his chances of getting into MIT.    "It just hurt to know I have to apply to all these colleges and they're thinking, 'How hard can our school really be if it's one of the worst schools in Tennessee?'|" Barry said.    Indeed, there are students across the city in the same situation.    Only six of the city's 29 high schools are not listed as low performers: Central, Craigmont, Kirby, Overton, Ridgeway and White Station.    John F. Jennings wasn't all that surprised to see so many Memphis high schools put "on notice" by the state.    The director of the Washington-based Center on Education Policy is an expert on what's called the "achievement gap." He and others study why minority children in general do not score as well as their white peers on standardized tests.    Memphis's student body is about 86 percent black. Seventy percent qualify for free or reduced-priced meals, a common indicator of poverty.    During the 1970s and '80s, minority students narrowed the achievement gap significantly. However, since 1998, the achievement gap has stayed the same for some subjects and grades and has actually widened for others.    It's not that minority students aren't improving. But they have to improve at a faster rate than others for the gap to close, Jennings pointed out.    "You are dealing with some serious social issues," Jennings said. "In Memphis you have such poverty and racial isolation. It's not easily going to get away from this problem."    In a recent report, the Center on Education Policy outlined its to-do list for educators to close the gap.    It included more teacher training, smaller class sizes, more high-quality preschool and strengthening community and parental support.    Two big items are extended learning time and more advanced classes to challenge students.    The last two make up the bulk of Henderson's formula.    Said Barry, "Everybody else was at home, and I was here doing physics."       Source:The Commercial Appeal Our Failing Schools Can anything be done? By MARY CASHIOLA, Memphis Flyer OCTOBER 10, 2001    East High School doesn't look like a school that's "failing." There are no metal detectors guarding the front doors, no broken windows, no graffiti tagging the lockers. If anything, East carries itself with the air of a private school. Classes are in session and the marble-walled halls are ghostly empty and shined to a high gloss. Seeing the high vaulted ceilings in the entry hall and the lush campus and sprawling sportsplex, one wouldn't ordinarily give a second thought to the quality of education within these walls.    But East, located between Poplar and Walnut Grove only a mile- and-a-half from the Memphis City Schools Board of Education building, is failing. It is one of 64 Memphis City Schools the Tennessee Department of Education put "On Notice" last month when it released its list of 98 low-performing schools statewide. Of Memphis schools, 23 of the low-performers were high schools, 14 were middle and junior highs, and 27 were elementary schools. If any one of these schools doesn't show enough improvement, they -- or, in a worst-case scenario, even the entire school district -- could risk being taken over by the state as early as 2004.    Last year the state named 48 elementary and middle schools statewide to a "Heads Up" list, their way of saying: We're not enforcing anything this year, but if we were, you'd be in trouble. But few expected that when high schools were added to the list this year that only a handful in the city -- Central, Craigmont, Overton, Ridgeway, Kirby, and White Station -- would avoid the state's list.    Dr. Oscar Love has been the principal at East since the beginning of the school year. "Since I've been in this system," he says, "East has always been one of the premier schools from an outsider's perspective. When I had a chance to come to East and work, I was pleased with that opportunity. I was surprised. I really didn't expect [to be listed]."    Built in 1948, East has long been a showplace for the district. These days it serves about 1,450 students; 97 percent African-American, 2 percent Asian, and 1 percent Caucasian. Sixty-three percent are on free or reduced lunch plans, indicating they are from low-income families.    Love says he would have been less surprised at the listing if he had been at East longer. Despite its stately facade, East simply doesn't have the test scores.    "It would have been my responsibility to monitor test scores and have a feel for the academic direction of the school," says Love, "and to provide support to maintain that standard, so I would have to know."    For the 1998-1999 school year students at East High had an average score of 17 on the ACT. On the school's state-issued report card for 2000, the school didn't fare much better. ACT scores were ranked as "Deficient" while SAT scores were "Below Average." On the TCAP Writing Assessment taken last February, 7 percent of 11th graders (excluding special education) scored a 5/strong. Forty-seven percent scored a 4/competent and 38 percent scored a 3/limited. No one scored a 6/excellent or a 1/deficient.    The Making of a List    "In every one of the schools on the [K-8] list, 48 to 73 percent of the kids were below average in reading, language arts, and mathematics," says Dr. Connie Smith, executive director of accountability for the state department of education. "These are significant problems."    Between issuing the "Heads Up" and the "On Notice" lists, the state board of education changed the criteria as to what qualifies as a low-performing school. This year, as last, the department of education used the schoolwide achievement averages as one of the indicators of a failing school, only they made the guidelines stricter. The department also looked at individual student test scores to see the progress being made by each school's lowest-performing students.    State board of education member Cherrie Holden says the criteria were changed in an effort to make the standards more equitable across the state. It was a similar concern that led to the initial conception of the list.    After a lawsuit was brought by smaller school districts in the state asking for a fairer funding formula, the state legislature enacted the Basic Education Program (BEP) in 1992. The law guaranteed equitable funding for both small and larger school districts and mandated smaller class sizes. The legislation obligated the state to help pay for the funding but put in place measures to require positive results.    Kathy Christie, vice president for knowledge management in the Education Commission of the States Clearinghouse, says that in the late '80s and early '90s legislators around the country decided they should handle school-system accountability because under their state departments of education very little seemed to be getting done to correct the problems.    "The big thing is now the process is public," she says. "Before, there were a number of low-performing schools that no one really knew about. You only knew when you stepped into them and saw there wasn't much going on."    Increasingly, local and state governing bodies have wanted clearer information about how their public schools were performing. In July 2000, two years before the BEP legislation required a low-performing schools list, the state of Tennessee released one.    "Based on what the commissioner's office told us," says Bob Archer, associate superintendent of school administration and student support for the Memphis City Schools, "there were continuing requests from the legislators to identify schools even though the law did not require it until the summer of 2002."    But releasing the list wasn't the only thing that got fast- tracked. So did the other steps of the process. Holden says the state board considered a four-year "On Notice" plan, but legislators thought that was too long.    Playing Catch-up    Although state and local educators have asserted that the new criteria will inevitably place more urban schools on the list, only Memphis had more than 20 schools named. Other districts weren't even close. Davidson County (Nashville) had 9; Hamilton County (Chattanooga) had 11. Some other smaller districts had one failing school.    "When we put together the different line items [of the new criteria], no one knew that was how it would end up," says Holden. A separate set of criteria with lower standards was even suggested for the Memphis district but not supported by much of the state board.    Superintendent Johnnie B. Watson explains it this way: "When we look at the demographics of the schools on the low-performing list and we look at the demographics of the schools in Shelby County, that tells the story of why we have more schools on the low-performing list."    The city schools have had a 25 to 27 percent mobility rate over the past three years, meaning that more than 1 out of 4 students changed schools at least once during the school year. About 70 percent of city school students are on free or reduced lunch plans. Over 100 of Memphis' schools are designated as Title I, a federally funded program for high poverty-level schools. Of the city's 64 failing schools, 47 are under Title I. Most of the failing schools not designated Title I are high schools.    Although board and staff members are quick to say that poverty is not an excuse, they acknowledge that it does play a part in making their jobs even harder.    Last year, in an effort to halt the problem, Archer directly supervised each of the low-performing schools. This year, since there are so many, the schools are once again reporting to one of three zone directors.    "We have a significant number of our students who come to us without the readiness skills that you would expect students to come to kindergarten with traditionally," says Archer. "We have significant numbers who come to school and don't know their colors; they don't know their numbers; some of them don't know their name." While such handicaps might not be insurmountable, it means the kindergarten teacher has to start teaching material at an earlier level and cover twice as much ground.    "When you start behind," says Archer, "you're always in a mode of trying to catch up."    Unfortunately, the problem isn't always corrected at the kindergarten level. Failing lower-level schools are feeding failing upper- level schools. For example, according to 1998-1999 feeder patterns, 60 percent of students at state-listed Fairley High School come from Geeter Middle School, 30 percent come from Lanier Junior High, and 6 percent come from Chickasaw Junior High. Each of those middle schools is also on the state list. Only 4 percent of Fairley's students come from Westwood Junior High, a school not on the list.    Following the feeder pattern further back shows that Geeter Middle School students come from four elementary schools. Of those, Fairley Elementary and Westhaven are both listed and make up 53 percent of the students at Geeter. At Lanier Junior High, 74 percent of the student body comes from failing elementary schools. At Chickasaw that figure is 56 percent.    This is not to say that the elementary schools are necessarily to blame. The feeder pattern doesn't always hold. Hamilton Middle School has five feeder elementaries; Fairview Junior High has six. None of their feeder schools is on notice, but both of the middle schools are. And Fairview Junior High feeds into Central and White Station, both non-list high schools. Hamilton Middle, on the other hand, feeds Hamilton High and Southside High, both of which are on the list. There are no simple answers. The problem is widespread, and since the more upper-level schools are on the list, students are more likely to enter a failing school as they progess through the system.    Even more disturbing is that the problem extends citywide. "It's almost an even distribution geographically," says Archer. "There's not a pocket in Midtown or a pocket in North Memphis or South Memphis where these schools are located. They're pretty evenly distributed throughout the city."    Of the seven geographic school board districts within the system, only District 2 had no schools on the list. That district, which includes Richland Elementary and Overton High, has only one Title I school, which suggests that the real problem is poverty.    At a meeting last Saturday, school board members discussed the city's culture of poverty, where parents aren't concerned with their children's education and students do not understand that learning is their responsibility.    "It starts at home," says board member Michael Hooks Jr. He tells of going to a school and seeing a parent trying to check a child out of school for a medical appointment. "The parent couldn't tell the school secretary one of the child's teacher's names," Hooks says. "Not one."    Even Watson, who holds himself as an example of someone who's overcome poverty, says, "The public school system cannot solve all the ills of society. The public school system did not create this problem. Poverty helped create this problem."    On Notice, On Probation, On Reconstitution?    When Watson addressed a group of reporters the morning the state announced its failing school list, he wouldn't say that all the schools would be off the list by 2004. What he said, instead, was that the district was optimistic that in a few years many of the schools would no longer be on the list.    With so many district schools listed and so many obstacles to overcome, it would be miraculous if all 64 Memphis schools were off the list in three years. Only six of the district's schools were removed from the 26 named last year.    The state department of education is legally bound to produce a list of low-performing schools every year before September 30th. Schools listed then have a year "On Notice" to show improvement. If they don't, they are cited as "On Probation." Schools that don't improve in two years are then supposedly subject to a state takeover.    State department of education commissioner Faye P. Taylor and state school board members have all said publicly and privately that there is little likelihood of a takeover. "Our intent is not a state takeover," says Holden. "We're taking the data saying, 'Hey, ya'll have a problem.' Each of those problems is a child."    "We're just going year to year," says Smith, of the state's accountability office. "We don't have specifics yet."    The first version of the law was so strongly worded that even a district with only one failing school would automatically get taken over by the state after the three-year probationary period. But an amendment that took effect July 1st gives the state some discretion as to what path it chooses to take with a district. It can still take over at the system level -- whether as a simple takeover or as a total reconstitution -- or it can take over an individual school. If a district takeover occurred, the state would have the right to force the district to use funding for certain things and would have control over many of the district's decisions. Total reconstitution, on the other hand, means that some, or all, of the school board and the superintendent would be removed from their positions and a state-appointed district manager put in place.    Right now, there are no plans either way. And at a recent Memphis board and staff conference on the failing schools, even board members seemed frustrated by the state's lack of a clear plan.    "Last year, I asked [then state education commissioner] Vernon Coffey to tell me what I'm not doing as a board commissioner to get our schools off this list," Hooks said. "I asked, 'What are you, as the state, going to do?' He said, 'We don't have a plan.'"    If the state is wary of taking over a system, or even a school, it might have good reason. There hasn't been much research done of the subject; what little there is is mostly anecdotal.    "You hear things like 'We like it because the atmosphere is better' or 'It's terrible,' because people resent having someone else come in and make their decisions for them," says Christie.    Proponents of state takeovers say it provides an opportunity for the state and local governments to combine resources to improve education and that it allows a competent executive staff to guide the implementation of school improvement efforts. Those who oppose state intervention say that a takeover implies that the state has the answers and that the process can produce showdowns between state and local groups that actually slow student improvement.    One of the success stories was a takeover in Logan County, West Virginia, where local officials collaborated with the state government. Students showed some improvement in test scores, and parents were in support of the process. Doubters say that such a case isn't hard evidence.    One of the problems is that there is no standard timetable for state takeovers. Many can go on for years. In California, the Compton Unified School District was taken over by the state, primarily for fiscal reasons. But once there, state legislators decided they needed to address the district's test scores as well. That was in 1993. The district only very recently regained partial control of its functions.    "That's the argument behind reconstitution," says Christie. "If you don't change the entire staffing of a dysfunctional school, you can't move ahead very quickly. On the flip side, there's the criticism which says that process doesn't move very quickly either."    An Education Commission of the States study done on the subject in July 1998 and updated in March of this year, suggests that state takeovers tend to be more effective at curing unwieldy bureaucracies than improving low test scores. Some states have seen modest improvement in student achievement after a takeover, but there can also be some chilling side effects.    "Despite these positive results," reads the study, "state takeovers have produced results to the contrary, such as the $70 million deficit incurred by the state-appointed administrators in Newark, New Jersey, and the 10-day teacher strike in Detroit, Michigan, which occurred six months after the mayor assumed control of the school district."    The Team Plan    While the threat of a state takeover doesn't seem a likely possibility anytime soon, the intent behind that threat is very real.    "We're going to be in serious trouble in about 15 years," says Memphis school board commissioner Sara Lewis. "These [students] are the people that are going to be making the decisions."    Last year, after the first group of schools was put on notice, Dr. Marieta Harris, associate superintendent of curriculum, instruction, and school effectiveness for Memphis City Schools, got together with her staff and developed a plan.    "They developed an instructional improvement initiative [III] that involved teaming groups of district-level people with a team of teachers from within each school," says Archer. In October of last year, the state sent staff members from the department of education to assist the district, and they too were incorporated into the team.    Each team member spends time in the low-performing schools, observing classes and taking down observed data. The original 26 schools will receive 20 classroom visits every six weeks; at the newly identified schools, that number is 30. During each visit, the team looks at everything from instruction to technology to the paint on the walls.    "I don't think there's a school that's been named where the people in that school haven't worked extremely hard," says Archer. "Whatever we've been doing has not been effective."    The data from the observations will then be disseminated to the principal to share with the school's staff. It's hoped that the data will help strengthen weaknesses in the schools and reinforce positive methods.    "One of the problems with this whole process ... is the limited resources. Nobody has funded additional money to deal with low- performing schools," says Archer. "Everybody has had to scramble for resources." The team members from the district were not hired especially for this project; they are people who already worked for the district and now have an added responsibility.    "The state's problem was that they developed this list of low-performing schools and identified them, and then they had to figure out how they were going to assist the districts they identified," says Archer.    What they came up with were grants where the criteria have been shifted toward low-performing schools and "Exemplary Educators" -- retired, "highly successful" educators sent into the schools to help.    "I think the Exemplary Educators were envisioned to go into the more rural school districts that maybe don't have the level of resources that we have here and actually become the reform person. They would go into a school and work with the principal and say, 'I'm going to show you how to fix this school,'" says Archer. Because Memphis already had a plan, the Exemplary Educator's role became that of a mentor or coach for some of the district's younger and more inexperienced teachers.    "When you start trying to point out why the students are not achieving at the level they're supposed to, it's a very complicated and complex question. That's one of those where if you had an answer, you could write a book, retire, forget it, and cure everything," says Archer. "The state doesn't have the silver bullet either."    But in every conversation on how to fix failing schools, there's an element of teamwork. The state is committed to working with the individual districts. The city school system is committed to working with the state. Even at East, Love says one of his goals is for the school staff to work better as a team.    "What I look for first of all," he says, "is building a team and creating team spirit."    Love might as well be speaking for the district. In the coming weeks the superintendent and his staff are hoping to unveil their plan to make the entire community part of the team.    "We can't do it by ourselves. We can't," says Archer. "I admit that up front. We need the support of the entire community to get this job done."    Memphis' Failing Schools    Airways Middle    Booker T. Washington High    Brookmeade Elementary    Carver High*    Chickasaw Junior High    Corning Elementary    Cypress Junior High    Denver Elementary    Dunbar Elementary    East High    Fairley Elementary    Fairley High    Fairview Junior High    Frayser Elementary    Frayser High*    Geeter Middle    Georgian Hills Elementary    Georgian Hills Junior High    Graceland Elementary    Hamilton High    Hamilton Middle    Hawkins Mill Elementary    Hillcrest High*    Hollywood Elementary    Humes Middle    Kingsbury High    Lanier Junior High    Larose Elementary    Lester Elementary    Levi Elementary    Lincoln Elementary    Locke Elementary    Longview Middle    Manassas High    Melrose High    Middle College High    Mitchell High    Northside High    Oakhaven High*    Orleans Elementary    Raineshaven Elementary    Raleigh Egypt High    Raleigh Egypt Middle    Riverview Middle    Shannon Elementary    Sharpe Elementary    Sheffield Elementary    Sheffield High*    Sherwood Middle    Southside High    Spring Hill Elementary    Springdale Elementary    Treadwell Elementary    Treadwell High*    Trezevant High*    Vance Middle    Westhaven Elementary    Westside High*    Westwood Elementary    Westwood High    Whitehaven High    Whitney Elementary    Winchester Elementary    Wooddale High    * denotes schools on notice at both high and junior high levels East Among Schools Unable to Schedule Classes for Students    September 26, 2001 - The Commercial Appeal revealed that East High was one of several Memphis City Schools in which students have gone weeks without being assigned a locker or been issued textbooks. The report indicates one East girl sat in the auditorium for four periods of the class day for the first few days of school because the school system could not get her schedule worked out. After she finally got her class schedule, she said it was wrong. School system administrators blamed a new computer program. However, school board members are alarmed and have asked school system administrators to report on the problems at the next regular board meeting.    Source: The Commercial Appeal East Put On Notice for poor performance    September 22, 2001 - The Tennessee Department of Education identified East High School as being among 64 other Memphis City Schools for low performing schools and has recommended that it be placed "on notice." Pending approval of the recommendation by the State Board of Education later this month, state education specialists will begin working closely with the school. East will have one year to improve or it will be placed on probation. Should East remain on probation for two years, it could be subject to state "takeover." The placement of East and 97 other schools statewide of which 64 are in Memphis, on notice results from the analysis of 3 years of data showing the schools' performance in math, language arts, reading, writing, and for high schools, the dropout rate.    More information, including excerpts from the latest state "report card" for East will be made available on this web site shortly.    Source: Tennessee Department of Education, The Commercial Appeal East 1993 Grad Shot Dead Downtown    August 28, 2001 - Tederick Dawson ('93) was shot to death early Sunday morning, August 26, 2001, outside of a downtown Memphis restaurant.    Police have charged John Edward McClee, 19, with voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), and the unlawful possession of a weapon in connection with the shooting of Dawson and of another man during the altercation. The other man was treated and released from a local hospital.    Police say two groups were standing outside of Jillian's restaurant shortly before 2 a.m. when an argument started between Dawson and a woman in the other group. Investigators say the dispute turned physical but the two were separated by others, but Dawson began arguing with another woman. Homicide detectives say when Dawson tried to choke the woman, McClee shot Dawson in the chest several times. Dawson died after being taken to the Med.    According to The Commercial Appeal, Dawson's family disputes McClee's claim of self-defense.    Tederick Dawson reportedly was president of the senior class of 1993 at East High School.    An obituary for Tederick Dawson is available. Click here to read the obituary.    Prior to his death, Tederick Dawson was a participant with our alumni page. The last profile he submitted may be read on the Class of 1993 page.    Sources: The Commercial Appeal, WREG-TV, WMC-TV, WHBQ-TV, schoolmate(s). Alumnus Leader in 5K Runs    [posted November 3, 2001] - Glen Stewart ('62) placed first in the age 55 to 59 division of the Elvis 5K Run in Memphis August 8, 2001. It was Stewart's fourth race he has entered during 2001 and the fourth first place finish in his division    Source: The East High Alumni Page New Principal Assigned to East    July 24, 2001 - A new principal has been assigned to East High School by the administration of Memphis City Schools. Dr. Oscar Love has taken over the leadership role at East from Mr. Milton Burchfield. Dr. Love was about to begin his seventh year as principal at Trezevant Career and Technology Center/Trezevant Career Academy when he got the call to come to East High. Dr. Love says that if anything of the "mystique" of East High School has been lost he wants to be part of helping to restore that. In addition, Dr. Love expressed a desire to energize alumni to again become associated with the school.    Mr. Burchfield takes over the position formerly held by Dr. Love as principal of Trezevant Vo-Tech.    Source: The East High Alumni Page East's Most Famous Alumnus    July 16, 2001 - Some alumni of East High School have gone on to be in high profile positions: professional athletes, politicians, including a governor of a southern state, business executives, writers, and actors. Perhaps our most famous alumnus, though, went into a broad range of show business. The name Cybill Shepherd ('68) is surely recognized by more people than the other high profile alumni across the nation and worldwide. It would be difficult to compete for publicity with a weekly television program titled only by one's distinctive first name (Cybill, CBS, 1995-98).    While this "In the News" section of The East High Alumni Page attempts to note events in which alumni are featured publicly, it would be impossible to list all of the publicity Shepherd has generated during the past 30 and more years. She has starred in numerous movies and on stage, appeared on the cover of many magazines, starred in television series, recorded several albums and CD's, written a book, and hosted a television talk show. It is beyond the ability of the editor to note each time Shepherd makes entertainment news, so it is hoped this entry will serve as a report on Cybill's cumulative publicity over the years.    Cybill Shepherd walked into the national spotlight when she was selected Model of the Year in 1968. Soon she added acting to her career, starring in her first movie The Last Picture Show in 1971. While her modeling and movie career continued, she hit it big in another medium, television, as co-star with Bruce Willis in Moonlighting (1985-1989). Shepherd resumed her television series work as the star and executive producer of the aforementioned Cybill.    Cybill Shepherd has won four Golden Globe awards for her work and been an Emmy nominee.    One of Shepherd's most recent highlights evokes memories of her original "cover girl" days. She and daughter Clementine appeared on the cover of McCall's magazine (March, 2001) and were the subject of a featured article.    Also in March, Shepherd was in Memphis to host events surrounding the showing of her recent film Marine Life at the Memphis International Film Festival. She was interviewed on Memphis television at that time from which the photograph on the left was obtained.    As noted previously on this page, Cybill Shepherd has a web site at www.cybill.com from which one can learn more about her current and past achievements and buy her book and recordings.    Source:Photograph: WHBQ-TV [Editor's note: Sept. 23, 2004--The website www.swinginchicks.com/cybill_shepherd.htm has an interesting biography of Cybill Shepherd.] Attempted Armed Robbery Across from East    June 8, 2001 - A customer leaving a video rental store across Poplar Avenue from East High School was accosted by armed with a pistol Monday evening, June 4, 2001. The manager of the store rushed to help the customer when he saw the criminal blocking the customer from closing the door on her automobile. The 6'1", 205 pound manager could not see that the assailant had a gun pointed at the customer and was demanding her purse and ring. The manager grabbed the robber from behind only then to discover the gun. The two struggled for a few seconds before the manager was able to take the gun away from the criminal. The robber, described as being between 16 and 19 years old, slipped out of his raincoat allowing him to get free and escape on foot.    The manager unloaded the two bullets that were in the pistol. He later said he would have handled the situation much differently if he had known the assailant had a gun.    Source The Commercial Appeal East Alumni Among Faculty Featured in Series On Memphis Schools Performance    June 3, 2001 - The Commercial Appeal is running a series of stories on the performance of Memphis City Schools. It is focusing on two schools, both in poor neighborhoods. One does well on standardized test scores, the other has done so poorly it is cited as one of the worst schools in the state and risks state takeover if improvments are not forthcoming.    One of the articles appearing in the June 3, 2001, issue of the newspaper examined the use of various methods of disipline in school. In that story, East alumnus Gary Bolton ('64) was one of the faculty highlighted. Bolton was a faculty member at East before his current assignment. The following are excerpts from that story.    Most any day, a few students get caught yelling or throwing food and find themselves in a line with their trays in front of the cafeteria's stage waiting for one lick from administrative assistant Gary Bolton.    "It's embarrassing," Constance says.    But it's necessary, insist Bolton and many Cherokee teachers.     Corporal punishment is a hotly debated issue here and across the country, but many Cherokee parents and teachers line up on the same side: paddle. Memphis City Schools allows it under specific guidelines.     While some Cherokee teachers don't need to paddle and haven't for years, it's how many others maintain control.     Bolton, whom everybody calls "Coach," carries his foot-long wooden paddle wrapped in duct tape in his back pocket and his spankings are uniform, resulting in one resounding pop. Children look like they're grimacing from dread and shame more than pain.     Many Cherokee parents adamantly tell teachers to spank their children if they misbehave.    . . .    Coach     Bolton, 54, Cherokee's chief disciplinarian, is also its hero.     Most kids don't know about the shocking accident in 1991 when a speeding van killed two students.     They'd just been dismissed for Christmas break and carried gifts and goodies from class Christmas parties when they got the OK from the crossing guard to cross the street.    Bolton pushed several kids out of the way before the van ran a red light and plowed into him.     Hailed as a hero for an act he remembers little about, he was out for months with internal injuries and broken bones. Now he stalks the halls and is the go-to guy if a teacher needs help with a discipline case.     You'd think children would despise him. Instead, they hug him in the hallways.     Children know when they are loved, teachers say.     Ask any child.     "He's our father," says Adrian with a big grin.     "He's funny. He's our daddy."     That last remark came from a second-grade girl named Justice. From The Commercial Appeal, May, 18, 2001: School videotape is alibi in robbery case Police drop charges against East student By Yolanda Jones    Charges have been dropped against an East High School student after a videotape showed he was in school at the time of an attempted robbery last month of a car rental agency.    But police said Thursday 17-year-old David Draine is still a suspect and they may refile charges against him.    Draine was captured on school cameras eating lunch at East at the same time that two men tried to rob the Avis Car rental agency on Poplar near Colonial, said his attorney, Juliet Hill-Akines.    The videotape was a key piece of evidence at a hearing Wednesday when the charges against Draine were dropped.    "He is happy to be home, and now we will see where we will go from here," said Hill-Akines.    Draine had been in custody at Juvenile Court for more than two weeks in connection with the April 30 attempted robbery. A bystander was wounded during an exchange of gunfire between a rental agency customer and the robbers.    Police assert that they had enough probable cause to charge Draine, and they said Thursday that charges may be refiled.    "We don't feel like we had the wrong person in custody," said Deputy Chief Robert Wright. "But during the hearing the evidence presented cast a doubt in the judge's mind and now we have to meet with the Attorney General's Office to see what is the next step in this case."    Terre Fratesi, lead Juvenile Court prosecutor, said, "This is an ongoing investigation and I can't comment on the evidence that has been presented because we are still investigating and charges could be refiled."    Draine and his family declined to be interviewed Thursday by The Commercial Appeal.    "They have just been through so much with all of this," said Hill-Akines. "I mean the police rushed to make a judgment and did not take their time to investigate the facts. The videotape showed this to be the case."    Hill-Akines said she and East High's assistant principal spent five hours reviewing videotape from the school's 12 surveillance cameras.    She said tapes presented in court showed Draine in the school cafeteria between 11:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. when the robbery was taking place.    After lunch, Draine left school without permission and was headed home.    Draine was arrested after a plainclothes officer spotted the stolen getaway vehicle abandoned in the driveway of a house at 3176 N. Waynoka Circle, a few hours after the robbery.    Draine was seen running from police in the area of Waynoka, which is near East High.    "He thought the police were truancy officers," Hill-Akines said. "When he was arrested, he thought he would be released and not charged because he had faith in the system."    Draine had been charged with theft of property over $1,000 and criminal attempt felony (aggravated robbery).    Police said Draine was charged because they believed he and an unidentified accomplice stole a pickup, went to the car-rental agency and attempted to rob it.    Customer Anthony Dewayne Davis pulled out a gun and fired shots at the suspects.    The robbers fled. Davis chased them. Curtiss Kraemer, 57, was injured after he was caught in the crossfire between the robbers and the car rental customer.    "We have shots from the video of Mr. Draine walking down the hall at 10:30 a.m. and in the cafeteria at 11:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. so there is no way he could've been at the car rental," Hill-Akines said. Hill-Akines said the only thing her client did wrong was skip school after lunch.    Messages left for East High School administrators Thursday were not returned. Student Obituary From The Commercial Appeal, May 16, 2001: CORY ADAMS, 17, of 1630 Ellsworth, student at East High School, died of an aneurysm Saturday at Methodist Healthcare-Central. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Greater Pleasant Hill Baptist Church on Johnson with burial in Memorial Park. N. H. Owens & Son Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of New First Baptist Church on Norman. He leaves his parents, Fannie Adams and Cecil Adams; two brothers, Cecil Bradford of Dallas and Davwante Davis of St. Louis, and his grandparents, Lenalls Neal of Memphis and Patsy Johnson of Pearl, Miss. Retired History Teacher Still Checking Spelling    April 28, 2001 - Mrs. Ruth Cobb, retired East High School history teacher, was part of the Intergenerational Spelling Bee held in Memphis April 25, 2001. Eleven teams of two, one elder and one child, teamed up for the competition. Mrs. Cobb's partner was 12-year old Telese Williams from Immaculate Conception Elementary School. They were featured in a photograph published in The Commercial Appeal April 26. The newspaper reported, "Ruth Cobb, 86, representing St. Peter Villa, seemed to never stop smiling."    Mrs. Cobb taught senior high American History at East, from about 1965 to about 1972. She was born in Ripley, Tennessee and attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and later Memphis State University. She taught in Somerville, Tennessee, before coming to Memphis. The 1971 East High yearbook, the Mustang, was dedicated to her. Children Joe Cobb ('61) and Carol Cobb ('62) graduated from East. Source: The Commercial Appeal and the 1971 East High School Mustang Editor's note: Having had the privledge of studying American History under the guidance of Mrs. Cobb in the 11th grade, this alumnus is very happy to see Mrs. Cobb active and enjoying herself these 34 years later. It also reminds one of how grateful those who have had good teachers should be. [Update: It is with sadness we report the death of Mrs. Cobb. An obituary is available. Click here to read the obituary. Student Obituary From The Commercial Appeal, April 8, 2001 JESSICAL SMITH, 17, student at East High School and an employee of Burger King, died Friday in Memphis of wounds received in a stabbing. N. J. Ford & Sons Funeral Home has charge. She was a member of Prince of Peace Baptist Church. She leaves her parents, Cheryl Mix Turner and Robert L. Hardrick; four sisters, Lillishia Mix, Ashley Mix, Ebony Kerr and Tayannia Kerr; three brothers, Matthew Turner, Deion Kerr and Robert Kerr, and a grandmother, Jessie Mix, all of Memphis. Former East Coach Ammer Televised Remembering College Basketball    Former East High faculty member Coach Oscar Ammer was featured on television newscasts March 27, 2001, recalling when the Memphis State College basketball team he was on played in the National Invitational Tournament in New York City in 1957. The occasion for the report was the University of Memphis returning to the NIT tournament in New York for the first time since Ammer's team came in second in the contest. For a limited time, you may watch & listen to the video clip of Coach Ammer by clicking here.    Coach Ammer was a faculty member at East High from about 1961 through about 1971. During his tenure at East, he taught physical education, coached basketball, baseball, and junior high football.    Source: WMC-TV Dyersburg halts East in AAA sectional By Brian Douglas The Commercial Appeal, March 4, 2001    When the spotlight got hot, so did Reginette Maddox.    Never one for stage fright, Maddox took control during the climax of the Class AAA Sectional game against East and led Dyersburg to a 59-49 victory and a berth in the Class AAA girls state tournament this week in Murfreesboro.    Maddox scored 11 points in the final quarter as the Lady Trojans (26-7) held back a vicious rally by East.    "I am an emotional player. When the crowd gets into it, so do I," said Maddox, a 5-10 junior. "When emotions are high there's going to be some drama for somebody."    If she were an actor, Maddox would only do action films. She's fast, daring and willing to shoot off the dribble, but she's almost always under control despite those things.    It was that poise that kept her calm as East (29-4) came charging back from a 42-32 deficit to start the fourth period to trail by three, 46-43, when guard Jarryn Cleaves found Tamera Sims for an open jumper at the 3:30 mark.    Cleaves kept East in striking distance for the next two minutes by connecting on two three-pointers. But that's when Maddox went off, hitting a driving layup with 52 seconds left to start a personal 8-0 run to end the game that included a 4-of-4 performance at the free-throw line.    She was equally adept on defense, helping Dyersburg hold back East leading scorer Keva Robinson, who finished with 12 points though she averages nearly 16. Robinson was unable to find many shots in the final quarter, when she was scoreless.    "(Maddox) is gifted with great athletic ability, but her work ethic has put a harness on that," said Lady Trojans coach Randy Coffan, who noted this will be the team's first trip to state in 10 seasons. "We could showcase her. Late in the game, when we were up seven, I thought about going four down and letting her take her girl one-on-one."    But he opted instead to try and melt the clock, keeping in mind it's been balance that has gotten the Lady Trojans this far.    Leading scorer Qiana Mitchell finished with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Maddox had 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Three others scored six or more points.    Coffman was also relying on his team's experience to prevail over East, a team that starts mostly sophomores and has just two seniors on the roster.    "Half our team is sophomores," said Cleaves, a sophomore who led the team with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. "That's basically what we're made of."    Cleaves said that her young team lost a little confidence in the closing moments when the lead they had worked so hard to trim started rising again.    "We started to get down," she said. "We just didn't think we could do it anymore.    "But we did get this far. At the beginning (of the season) we were so young we weren't together. Everyone wanted to shoot. But now everyone was passing, rebounding, everything. We really came together."    Coffman said he doesn't want to catch East at this point in the season next year, when the Lady Mustangs will have much more experience to draw from.    "They'll be deadly next year," he said. East won't be pushed around Girls overcome White Station By Brian Douglas The Commercial Appeal, March 2, 2001    Jarryn Cleaves was like any sophomore guard might be. Her small frame and lack of experience made her alter her shots when the contact from the defense got too rough.     East coach Wanda Jones knew the solution — beat it out of her.     Jones put her guard through rigorous practices where she had to take her shots while taking shots from Jones and a large foam-rubber pad.     "We take that pad and wear her out with it," Jones said. "She's not afraid of contact anymore."     And she wasn't afraid against one of the area's stiffest defenses on Thursday night, scoring a game-high 20 points as the Lady Mustangs defeated host White Station, 56-48, in the finals of the Region 8-AAA tournament.     The victory means East (293) will play host to Dyersburg on 7:30 Saturday night in its sectional game, while White Station (28-6) will play at Jackson North Side. Cleaves hit 6 of 11 shots and 3 of 4 three-point attempts as well as hitting 5 or 6 free throws. It was a big performance for the slightly built point guard, especially considering the Lady Spartains' empasis on defense.    "The first day I was in practice I saw it (the pad) and then coach just hit me with it," said Cleaves, laughing about her shock at the time. "She said, 'Yes, I've got to hit you with it, because they will hit you in the games, also.' "     No, the pad doesn't hurt, but it is a not-so-gentle reminder that has helped Cleaves progress in the one area in which sophomores usually lack — toughness in crunch time.     "I think I need to shoot to open the game up for everyone else," Cleaves said. "Once I started hitting, we all just settled, and everyone took good shots and no one rushed it."     It was important considering East hit just 42 percent from the field when Cleaves's stats are included in the math. The Spartans, led by Tiffani Roberson's 18 points and Tiffany McCollins's 17, never trailed by more than seven points until the final minute.     "We depend on our defense," Roberson said. "Our goal is to hold teams under 40, and we were just a little short on that tonight." East's defense made the final difference with 1:09 left in the game, forcing a turnover that resulted in Tamera Sims being fouled. Sims hit both shots for a 50-44 lead, and White Station couldn't convert at the other end. East Alumnus on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire    March 1, 2001 - East High Class of 1970 alumnus Jack Bowers continued his appearance on ABC television's hit television game show tonight in an effort to win the show's jackpot which was raised to two-million dollars for the evening.    Bowers had answered a preliminary question from a panel of prospective contestants in the last episode of the program and had answered a couple of questions successfully as he progressed up the winnings ladder.     His appearance tonight, however, was short lived. He answered a few questions correctly before being asked what the "V" stood for in the television chip known as the "V-chip." Unlike the previous answers, Bowers clearly was not confident of this one and used the studio audience polling method as a help. He said he was leaning toward the same answer that more than 50% of the studio audience chose. Though appearing still unsure, he made his final answer "viewer control." It was not the case. Host Regis Philbin identified the correct answer that the "V" in "V-chip" was an abbreviation for the word "violence."    Bowers was attempting to get the $8,000 question when he got the answer wrong. He left the show with a winning of $1,000. Germantown slips by East Treys are Red Devils' to weapon By Pavid Healy Special to The Commercial Appeal, February 28, 2001 "You got to dance with the girl you brought with you," said Germantown fourth-year coach Trey Suddarth after his boys basketballteam had just beaten East, 64-60, in the quarterfinals of the Region 8AAA tournament at White Station.     Suddarth wasn't talking about the prom, but the threepointer. The Red Devils, he said, must live and die by it if they wish to do any damage in the state playoffs.     On Tuesday night, the Red Devils, who finished fourth in the District 15-AAA tournament, made enough threes — especially in the final quarter — to upset the 16-AAA tourney champion Mustangs.     Germantown (19-11) survives to play Raleigh-Egypt in a region semifinal tonight at 6:30 with a sectional berth on the line. The Red Devils, who split with the Pharaohs, are the only team other than White Station to beat Raleigh-Egypt this season.     On Tuesday, the Red Devils made 11 of 21 three pointers in the game. They made four of these in a red-hot fourthquarter comeback that dug them out of a 14-point hole.     Two of those fourth-quarter threes were hit by junior Tony Rudzena on his only two shot attempts of the game. Rudzena's second three got the Red Devils to within one point, 60-59, with 1:43 to play.     "We just didn't give up," said Rudzena, who also had six assists for the Red Devils. "We've been hitting threes all season.     "This win feels good. We've been trying to earn respect and prove that we can play with anybody."     The other two fourth-quarter threes were hit by, Germantown's main three-point weapon this evening, junior Sam Bradley. In the game, Bradley made six of his eight three-point attempts and finished with a game-high 22 points.     Junior point guard Jerry Dover had Germantown's three other three pointers. Dover finished with 14 points.     After a brief first-quarter lead, the Red Devils trailed for the rest of the game until Bradley's two free throws gave Germantown a 61-60 lead with 1:22 left to play.     After another Red Devil made free throw, the Mustangs would have one last chance to win the game, but East junior Brian Lathum's three bounced long off the rim with 3 seconds left.     East, which hit 14 of its 28 shots in the first half, took control of the game in the second quarter by taking the ball inside against the smaller Red Devils. The Mustangs (19-11) got seven second-quarter points from senior Cameron Towles, who finished the night with 12 points on 5 of 12 shooting.     Marcus Hammond led all Mustang scorers with 14 points. Freshman Keron Jackson added 13.     The Mustangs' frustration was evident after the game. East coach Reginald Mosby and a disappointed Mustang fan needed to be restrained from each other by security and coaches of both teams. "They hope to live forever." Alumnus leads "Transhumanist" movement    Could that be East's Nancie Clark ('68) on the front of the LA Weekly magazine? No, of course not, she's Natasha Vida-More, now. The January 19-25, 2001, issue of LA Weekly featured More on the front cover with an extensive article about the Transhumanist movement. You can read the article by clicking here. More took exception to some of the reporting in the article, saying "with most articles either the pictures are good or the article is good. In this case it's a toss up." Her comments may be read if you click here. the article not only gives some hint of the pursuits with which the woman previously known as Nancie Clark is involved, it also provides some interesting insight to her lifestyle. The pictures are fun, too. Sources: LA Weekly, www.extropic-art.com. Many Memphis Athletes Scholoarship Ineligible    January 14, 2001 - Many athletes in Memphis City Schools are ineligible for big college scholarships despite their athletic skills. In an articled published in The Commercial Appeal January 14, 2001, it is revealed that only about 20 percent of the 1,600 athletes have grades and ACT scores to qualify for NCAA scholarships in the 1998-99 school year. To qualify for a NCAA scholarship at a Division 1 college, such as the universities of Memphis, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, a 2.5 grade point average and a minimum of a 17 on the ACT college entrance exam are required. "Schools all over the city are in the same situation. " East High School's Mustangs, for example, were TSSAA Class 4A champs in 1999 and runner-up in 2000 in football. But of the six NCAA Division 1 prospects on East's team, only Kyle Dickerson has qualified so far, said East coach Wayne Randall, "Once Senior year rolls around, it's too late in the game for players to start worrying about qualifying, he said. "'We try to get them to understand in the ninth grade the importance of doing well in school,' said a frustrated Randall. 'But they generally wait to get concerned their senior year.'" Recruiting hectic for high school coach by Gary Parrish The Commercial Appeal    January 7, 2001 - Amongst the jumbled documents, empty cigarette boxes and little notebooks scattered all over his desk, Wayne Randall had a piece of paper with every statistic a college coach could imagine.    He knew it was there somewehre. Now he just had to find it.    "Hold on a second. I've got it here. I just saw it," Randall, the East High football coach, mumbled to a college assistant who had called to inquire about three of his star seniors. "I've already rattled off these things so many times today you'd think I'd know them by heart."    "Just hold on for one second."    That one second turned into a few minutes, and then — after shuffling through virtually everything he had with a needle-in-a-haystack mentality — Randall finally found what he was looking for.    "OK. Here it is," he said. "Grab a pen, and I'll tell you all about them."    And what followed was a 30-minute conversation, which was followed by another and another and another.    This is what it's like this time of year for a high school coach who has a few major college prospects.    Forget about playing golf or watching TV or reading a book or spending time with the wife. For at least the next month or so, it's all about recruiting.    The previously mentioned phone call came Thursday around 1 p.m. from a West Virginia assistant, ad it was literally the 12th of its kind Randall had received since 7 a.m.    He barely had gotten settled into his office that morning before Nebraska rang, and then Penn State, Alabama, Ole Miss, Middle Tennessee State, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, Lane College, Lambuth and Carson-Newman all followed suit.    Some wanted highlight tapes. Some wanted copies of transcripts. Some just wanted to say hello, for the fifth time in five days.    And what they all wanted was to know if they had a shot at East seniors LaDarious Price, Keith Shelton and Kyle Dickerson.    And if they did, they wanted to know how they could convince them to come to their respective school.    "It's a never-ending nonstop cycle," Randall said between calls. "The phone starts ringing at 7 a.m. and it doesn't stop until I leave for the day.    "It's tiring, but it's part of the job," he added. "If you're going to be a high school coach who cares about his kids and does everything he can to help them, then this is what you do." East High pulls book with sex, profanity    From The Commercial Appeal, December 5, 2000 by Aimee Edmondson The Commercial Appeal Littered with profanity and graphic sexuality, the book Pushy by Ramona Lofton Sapphire has been pulled from an assigned reading list at East High School.     When they learned about the book's content Monday night, several Memphis school board members called for more careful screening of assigned student reading..     "I apologize," school board president Sara Lewis told a parent who complained about the book and the apparent lack of school district oversight..     Lewis had taken a moment to read excerpts provided by parent Jerri Jolet-McKinley, whose 16-year-old daughter attends East and was assigned the book in English class..     The critically acclaimed book tells the story of Precious Jones, a Harlem girl impregnated by her father and abused by her mother, who nonetheless tries to get an education..     Some educators have avoided using the book, written by an adult education teacher in Harlem, because of its coarse language and sexual content..     The incident has prompted Supt. Jonnie B. Watson to call for a closer look at school policies on assigned readings. A committee at each school must approve books before they are assigned, Watson said..     After she showed the book to East principal Milton Burchfield, he told the teacher the book was unacceptable and ordered that it not be used, Jolet-McKinley said. East Bid To Repeat Championship Falls Short    December 3, 2000 - From the front page of The Commercial Appeal, December 3, 2000: East's chance at history slips away Maryville trips up Mustangs' title hopes By Gary Parrish By Lance Murphey East High School players Keith Shelton (left) and Jeremiah Woodard console one another after losing the Class 4A state championship football game to the Maryville Rebels 33-14 Saturday in Murfreesboro MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - As the final seconds ticked off the clock and both teams made their way onto a Middle Tennessee State University football field that was quickly being covered with snow, East High quarterback LaDarius Price stood on the sideline with his head in his hands, contemplating what could have been. A chance at history. Gone. A chance at another state title. Gone. A chance at doing something that had never been done. Gone. All of it gone, seemingly as fast as it came. East ended what has been an amazing three-year run Saturday afternoon with a 33-14 loss to Maryville in the TSSAA Class 4A BlueCross Bowl before an estimated crowd of 3,000. If the Mustangs had been able to pull out a victory, they would have won their second-consecutive state championship and become the first Memphis City School to accomplish such a feat. And considering they've been playing these state title games since 1969, it would have been quite a feat, which is why Price couldn't help but think about the opportunity that he and his team were unable to seize. It hurts. It hurts a lot," whispered Price, the soft-spoken senior who's been an integral part of an East team that's won 37 games over the past three seasons while dropping only five. "We had a chance to make history and become the first-ever Memphis school to win back-to-back state titles. When I focus on that, and that we didn't get it done, it hurts." Even with all the talent that has come through the city over the past 31 years, only three Memphis Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) schools have ever won state football titles. Melrose has two (1996 and 1998), while East (1999) and Hillcrest (1985) each have one. The Shelby-Metro area as a whole isn't much better, though Christian Brothers (1977), Catholic (1982), Germantown (1983) and Memphis University School (1985) all have one apiece in their respective classifications. Evangelical Christian School has won an area-high three, the first coming in 1983 and latter two during the past couple of seasons. Covington had a chance to join that elite list Saturday afternoon, but the Chargers were beaten in the Class 3A final, 43-0, by Portland. "Somebody has to go away disappointed, and tonight it's us," said East coach Wayne Randall. "We've had our day in the sun, and I can't say the sun isn't shining on us (ight now), but it's just a little lower in the sky than high noon. We'll be fine." Minor Fire Disturbs Show-business Alumnus Household    November 28, 2000 - Update to the story below: Memphis Fire Department officials say the fire at actress Cybill Sheperd's Memphis home was caused by a starter log being used in a fireplace which was too small for the size of the log. Damages were estimated at $70,000. November 26, 2000 - A fire at the Memphis home of actress Cybill Shepherd ('68) routed her and family members from the home Saturday, November 25, 2000. Firefighters say it appears the fire started in a gas fireplace, but the cause was not immediately known. No one was injured, damage was described as minimal and was confined to a bedroom.    Ms. Shepherd maintains a home in Memphis in an area called the South Bluffs, which overlooks the Mississippi River from downtown.    Source: WMC-TV East, other City Schools, Make Poor Grades in State Evaluation    November 18, 2000 - East High School, along with many other schools in the Memphis City Schools district and the district itself, is rated below average to deficient in most categories reported by the Tennessee Department of Education in its 2000 School Report Card released in mid-November.    The state's report card is a new method of presenting evaluation data, which is designed to be easier for the public to understand than the percentile categorization used in previous years.    The report card indicates performance in the areas of reading, language arts, math, science, social studies, attendance, promotion rate, writing, and college admission test scores.    Of these areas of evaluation, East High School gets only three grades which are not below average or worse. The eleventh grade writing score is the positive highlight of the report, giving East an "above average" in that category. On the Competency Test Language Arts section, East is able to earn an "average" rating. Seventh grade writing is reported as "average."    "Below average" ratings are assigned to East for Language Arts in grades 7-8, attendance, SAT scores, and Competency Test math.    The worst evaluation category, "deficient," is often given to East in the various areas studied. Falling within the "deficient" rating for grades 7-8 are reading, math, science, social studies, and promotion rate. In grades 9 through 12, the "deficient" rating is given in ACT scores and the "both" category (apparently combining the Language Arts and Math sections) of the Competency Test.    East High School opened its doors 52 years ago. For about the first half of that time, East was considered among the top few Memphis high schools in college preparatory academics. By the late 1970's however, East was noted as being a problem school in its performance. While East reports a significant value amount of scholarships being offered to its graduates yearly, the state's report card indicates a large number of the approximately 1,550 students are not achieving even average academic success in most categories.    The data from the Tennessee Department of Education's year 2000 School Report Card for East can be viewed at www.easthigh.org/grade00.html.    Source: The East High Alumni Page New Book from East Alumnus    September 15, 2000 - Shelley Fraser Mickle ('62) has a new book in the stores. The Kids Are Gone; the Dog's Depressed & Mom's on the Loose is published by Alachua Press. The book is a collection of essays about her childhood in Arkansas and her life after childhood.    Mickle moved to Memphis from McCory, Arkansas, when she was in the seventh grade. She now lives in Florida.    Ms. Mickle has written two other books, The Queen of October and Replacing Dad. A made-for-television movie was made from Replacing Dad last year. She also is a commentator for Florida Public Radio, where many of the essays in the new book were first aired.    Source: The Commercial Appeal Former East leader still blames self Principal now in Calif. By Keona Gardner The Commercial Appeal    posted September 15, 2000 - Lowell Winston left East High School as he came - surrounded by controversy.    First, in the fall of 1995, he irked some students when he informed them that boys couldn't wear braids or earrings. For the girls, shortshorts and hats were out.     Winston wouldn't budge on the change, and the students adjusted.     In 1997, he was suspended for mismanaging student funds.    Now, nearly three years later, Winston says he has put behind him the financial mistakes that ended his tenure at East.    Today, he's principal of 2,100-student Inglewood High School in Inglewood, Calif. When left East, the enrollment was around 1,550 students.    His first feat at Inglewood was to help end two years of fighting between Hispanic and black students.    "Before I came, there were lots of fights between blacks and Hispanics, mainly during Cinco de Mayo and Black History Month," said Winston, a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis.    He created peace through a multicultural education plan that includes cultural discussions every day.    His goals are to make Inglewood a strong, comprehensive high school and to prepare all stuaents for college and the 21st Century.    He didn't get to achieve those goals at East. Despite a proud heritage, before Winston's arrival, the East High Mustangs had become a group known for their lack of school spirit.    "East was four schools, optional, non-optional, vo-tech, and middle school, in one," said Ann Lemon, a retired East votech teacher.    Lemon taught in the Memphis City Schools for more than 30 years, 17 of them at East.    "He set the tone that all teachers were equal, no matter what subject they taught," she said.    Prior to Winston, students in the optional program were advised against taking vo-tech classes, such as Lempn's typing class.    Winston revived many extra' curricular activities. He bought new uniforms for the band, cheerleaders and sports teams and robes for the choir. He also brought back the school's majorette squad.    Under his leadership, the school held dances, and students set up concession stands to replenish the spent funds.    Winston said the proceeds were going back into the student activity account.    But an audit revealed the school owed $100,000 - with only $20,000 in the bank.    Although former Supt. Gerry House found no evidence of malfeasance on Winston's part, school system investigators said the school's finances were "grossly mismanaged."     Winston was reassigned to the city schools' central office. One of the school's financial secretaries was fired; another resigned. The school's athletic director also resigned.    Winston still blames himself for the debt.    "I deeply regret what happened to the students, faculty and parents at East. I let down my family, friends, students and staff members as principal," he said.    Because he was well-liked, East students loudly protested his suspension.    They held a sit-in, a walkout and finally a march. Fifty students marched from the school at 3206 Poplar to the Board of Education at 2597 Avery. During the march, a storm blew in, but the students stayed until adults made them take cover.    The protests didn't win Winston's job back, but they left him with something he says he'll never forget.    "The student protests affected me in ways that I can't describe. That was the result of a school creating thinkers and leaders who were able to express their opinions through the democratic process," he said.    In Ininglewood, Winston is trying to create more leaders and thinkers by obtaining a $600,000 California Department of Education digital technology grant to put computers in every classroom.    He is also working to add eight Advanced Placement classes and reduce the student teacher ratio in math and English classes to 20 to 1.    In addition, Winston has made Inglewood a "college going culture" by instituting a program that lets students take classes, at El Camino and West Los Angeles community colleges for high school and college credit.    Finally, he has scrapped all remedial math courses.    "The math courses we had weren't college-acceptable and therefore weren't helping the students to succeed," he said. "They had to go."    Despite everything that happened at East, Winston enjoyed his tenure and says he's not closed to the idea of returning to Memphis.    He wants his former students to know they hold a special place in his heart. An some advice for them.    "Keep God in your don't be afraid to m takes, because without mistakes you don't learn. Remember that tough times last for a short time, but tough Mustangs last a lifetime."    Source: The Commercial Appeal, August 14, 2000 East High students learn engineering skills in PEEP    posted September 15, 2000 - Ten East High School students recently completed a six week program in which they were paid while learning engineering skills.    The PEEP (Pre-Engineering Enrichment Project) was organized by University of Memphis chemistry professor Dr. Larry Houk, who was assisted by Ranee Reagan, a teacher at Kirby Middle School. The program was funded by the city's Public Works Division.    The students participating in PEEP took work assignments at public works sites, including at maintenance facilities, with surveying crews and at the North Wastewater Treatment Plant. The students were paid a salary for their work.    Students participating were Casey Ambrose, Kimberly Brady, Skyler Burton,Renesha Griffin, Justin Jamerson, Taneshia Leavy, Tarrik Mabon, Elvin O'Neal, Mia Stephenson and Ramond Walker.    Houk also facilitated two other educational projects for area high-school students this summer.    The REAP (Radon Energy and Air Project) program gave students an opportunity to learn more about chemistry and erivironmental issues and about the production and transi mission of energy.    To be eligible for REAP, the 25 10th-graders who participated had to have good grade point averages, good conduct records, good math and science test scores, and be recommended by teachers in their home schools.    The students in REAP met for six weeks in classrooms in the university's chemistry building.    Houk was assisted in REAP by Peggy Armstrong, a chemistry teacher at Whitehaven High School, and by Anthony Brooks, a chemistry teacher a White Station High School.    The students attended class room lectures and then conducted related college-level lab experiments.    The students also went on a number of field-trips. They visited four Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division work sites tolearn about the transmission of natural gas, liquefying natural gas, the use of alternative fuels, and electricity.    The students also visited the Health Department to learn about air pollution. They took a tour of the North Wastewater Treatment Plant.    Students also performed home radon tests with kits supplied by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.    REAP is funded by the Memphis Department of Housing and Community Development.    Participants included Dimitri Alekos, a student at White Station High School; Nathaniel Draper III, Brandi Gardner, Phoeun Khan, Donald Mister, Inglish Peete and Tasha Smith, who are students at East High; Kingsbury High School student Taha Jan; and Phung Ngo, a student at Treadwell High School.    The other summer project organized by Houk was SWEEP (Solid Waste Environmental Enrichment Project). The 10 students who participated in the SWEEP program earned a stipend by visiting a number public works sites, assisted by U of M student Joel Bradley.    The students visited LG&W work sites, the Health Department, the Corps of Engineers and Browning-Ferris Industries.    The students were also given job training and counseling by representatives of the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association.    SWEEP was funded by the Memphis Department of Housing and Community Development.    Source: The Commercial Appeal, August 17, 2000 Alumnus Cybill Sheperd Promotes Book    June 18, 2000 - East High School alumnus Cybill Sheperd ('68) has been on numerous television talk shows over the past couple of months promoting her new book, Cybill Disobedience, which was published in March. A reviewer in People Magazine wrote that in the book Sheperd "delivers not only one of the most hilarious kiss-and-tell memoirs to come out of Hollywood in years but so moving account of her journey to self-discovery." If you are interested in buying the book or learning more about Cybill Sheperd, she has a web site at www.cybill.com. She is among those listed in the Memphis Board of Education's "Hall of Fame," with her picture in the auditorium of the school system administration building. Officer at East Injured - Student Arrested    March 21, 2000 - A Memphis Police officer was slightly injured yesterday when he stopped a student at East High School and the student jerked away from him.    Seventeen year old Malcom Ford was arrested a short time later in a drainage ditch a couple of blocks north of East High after fleeing from the school. Police say Partrolman Donald Garrett had stopped the suspect to question him about a strong-arm robbery last week. The officer was treated for a shoulder injury and released from a local hospital after the incident.Garrett is assigned to East as the school officer.    Source: The Commercial Appeal Donor Gives East Stock    March 18, 2000 - The East High Alumni Page has just learned that East High School was the recipient of a gift of corporate stock last year valued at $118,940. The gift was made on condition that the donor remain anonymous and that the stock be sold. During the September 13, 1999, Board of Education meeting, members voted to accept the 600 shares of MCI Worldcom, Inc. and 900 shares of Medtronic, Inc., to sell it, and designated the proceeds for East High School.    Source: The East High Alumni Page New or Expanded Gym Sought Conditions at Gym Called "Deplorable" Alumni and Others Support Improvements    March 7, 2000 - Several speakers, including at least two alumni and one current student of East, last night asked the Board of Education to please expand or replace the current gymnasium, physical education dressing rooms, and restroom facilities at East High School.    The requests came before the Board during the period for speakers to address the Board on issues that were not on the agenda for the evening's meeting.    Included among those making presentations were alumni Charles Boone ('53) and Robert Brown ('53).    The comments by Charles Boone ('53) did not specifically address the gym's expansion, but he appeared to be speaking to that issue. He said East was one of the most beautiful schools in existence, to which one board member interrupted to agree. Boone called East a "gem," and called on the Board to keep it a gem.    Robert Brown ('53) told the Board that during his years at East he got a solid, well-rounded education, something that was much needed after World War II and during the Korean conflict. He said he and the other students got that because the then-Board of Education provided facilities and excellent faculty for East. Brown said he called East "the parthenon on the hill, beautiful and gleaming." He said he had met principal Birchfield and other staff and faculty at East and "they are as inspirational, and competent, and capable as any teachers you can have anywhere." Brown said he was embarrassed as an East alumni to hear of the conditions in the East gymnasium. He said it was time for this Board to come to the aid of the school. Brown displayed his confidence by providing a shovel to principal Birchfield for a future ground-breaking for a new or expanded gym.    The current student who spoke identified himself as a student athlete at East. He took note that East's teams are highly rated and related how the gym is much too small to hold the crowds that want to see basketball games when East plays competitive teams.    In Board members' discussions of a matter not directly related to the gymnasium at East but with other construction projects pending in the school system, Commissioner Jim Brown made reference to the comments from the public seeking construction or other funding. He called the conditions described at East and another school "deplorable," and went on to describe his own experience. "Just walk into the gym at East High School. That's enough to gag a maggot, bar none."    When the initial construction of East was completed in 1948, the current gym was described as a "huge gymnasium." It has been pointed out that in those days it was common to see basketball courts as part of the stage in school auditoriums.    Talk of expanding the gymnasium has been circulated within the East administration and faculty for many months. In discussions with The East High Alumni Page last summer, a proposal to tear out the northern wall and northwestern corner of the gymnasium was mentioned. Replacing those sections would be a deeper and rounded corner and an expanded gym floor stretching to the north, increasing the seating and providing for more buffer zone between the playing court and the audience.    Source: The East High Alumni Page Alumus Gets Award for Word and Deed    February 28, 2000 - East Alumnus James B. Jalenak ('57) is a recipient of a Year 2000 Humanitarian Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice.    Jalenak is a partner with the Memphis law firm of Hanover, Jalenak and Blair. He is also a graduate of Yale University. Over the years he has been involved with the Volunteer Center, the Urban League, Memphis City Schools, and the Memphis Jewish Foundation.    The Conference for Community and Justice may be better known by alumni by its former name, The National Conference of Christians and Jews. It changed its name in 1998.    The Humanitarian Awards are given to recognize those who have, by word and deed, made a commitment to improve the community. The four recipients of this year's awards will be recognized at ceremonies at The Peabody May 4.    Source: The Commercial Appeal Fordice - Garber Creson Vows to be in Virgin Islands    February 9, 2000 - It has been reported the marriage of former Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice ('52) and Ann G. Creson [Ann Garber ('52)] will be at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on St. Thomas Island in the Virgin Islands February 26. Additional stories on the impending marriage of these two East alumni and on Mr. Fordice are below.    Source: The Commercial Appeal There are additional stories about Kirk Fordice below. Former Coach Invests in Apartments for Low Income Tenents    February 10, 2000 - Former East Coach Hubbard Alexander is joining with an associate in the National Football League to invest in new apartments in a south Memphis neighborhood.    Alexander, now the research and development assistant for the Minnesota Vikings, and Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin are putting up $1.76-million dollars to build the new apartments in an area that officials say has not seen a development like this in 30 years. The area for the new construction is described as being extremly run down and it is hoped the new apartments will serve as a pilot project to revitalize the McLemore neighborhood. Rents are expected to range in from $350 to $400 per month.    Alexander, who was at East for the approximate years of 1972-75, left Memphis to coach college football and later went to the Dallas Cowboys where he worked with Irvin as a receivers coach.    A spokesperson for Irvin and Alexander's company handling the investment says Memphis was chosen because Alexander has deep roots in the city and is very fond of it.    Source: The Commercial Appeal MAN CHARGED IN 2 FATAL SHOOTINGS IN EAST MEMPHIS From the Commercial Appeal, January 13, 2000: January 13, 2000 Author: Chris Conley    Memphis police Wednesday charged a 20-year-old man in the shooting deaths of two men inside an East Memphis apartment.    Just after 2 p.m. Sunday, Memphis police were called to 5444 Meadowlake, Apt. 3A. They found the bodies of Cedric Moering ['97], 20, and Tyler Jones, 19. Each had been shot in the head.    After interviewing witnesses, police arrested Arthur George Buford, of 3565 Tall Oaks Circle. According to police, Buford admitted killing the two men.    Wednesday, police charged him with two counts of second-degree murder. They gave no motive for the killings. An obituary is available. The following article about prominent East alumnus Kirk Fordice ('52) and classmate Ann Garber ('52) was published January 12, 2000. Wedding plans take mind off politics, Fordice says The Associated Press    JACKSON, Miss. - Outgoing Gov. Kirk Fordice conceded Tuesday that he has "mixed emotions" about leaving the governor's office after eight years, but preparing for a wedding is taking his mind off politics.     Fordice, 65, was on hand for Ronnie Musgrove's inauguration as was his estranged wife, Pat Fordice.     Fordice said he feels his achievements after eight years as Mississippi's first modern era Republican governor are not being recognized.     He said comments by detractors that the state's economic boon should not be credited to him are "baloney."     Fordice, whose divorce is expected to be final in February, said he is scheduled to marry childhood sweetheart Ann Creson [Ann Garber ('52)] on Feb. 26. He would not say where the wedding would take place. There is another story about Kirk Fordice immediately below. The following article about prominent East alumnus Kirk Fordice ('52) appeared in The Commercial Appeal January 11, 2000. Fiery Fordice leaves a near recluse His 8 years will be remembered for gaffes, lurches By Reed Branson The Commercial Appeal Jackson, Miss., Bureau    JACKSON, Miss. - Gov. Kirk Fordice's eight-year siege on Mississippi government, one that led him to both acclaim and embarrassment, ends at noon today.     Fordice touched down with the fury of a Texas twister in 1992, foreshadowing a Republican insurgency in the South, railing about the size of government and mystified by its internal politics. He went on to lurch between ideological battles and personal gaffes, decorated with only occasional policy victories.     ``I am a staunch conservative in the midst of an extremely liberal Legislature, extremely liberal press," Fordice told The Commercial Appeal last year. ``I do my thing because my internal moral compass tells me what is right, and that is what I do."     He leaves today almost a recluse, beleaguered by Republicans and Democrats alike for filing to divorce first lady Pat Fordice in order to marry a childhood sweetheart. Friend and foe alike - and there are few left in between - agree the 65-year-old chief made a difference, of some kind. And he almost certainly will benefit in history from the state's booming economy     ``He will go down for being a business governor and for creating an environment in this state, a pro-business environment that saw the greatest economic growth in the history of the state," said Jimmy Heidel, who was Fordice's director of the Department of Economic and Community Development. ``He would call corporations and talk to CEOs, and visit with them and recruit them." If many aspects of his job frustrated Fordice, Heidel said working with businesses was one task Fordice, a former CEO and engineer, relished. ``I've never seen anybody get on the phone, on a cold call, and before they got through, he knew someone they knew."     In 1991, per-capita income in Mississippi was $13,376. In 1998, the latest year for which data are available, it was $18,998, a rise of nearly 42 percent. Still last in the nation, it was still one of the most impressive growth rates.     To what degree Fordice was responsible will be debated because the regional and national economy were booming as well. Arkansas's per capita income grew by 38 percent to $20,393, and Tennessee's grew by 39 percent to $23,615. Per capita income in the United States grew by 35 percent to $26,482.     Moreover, in the time in question, a $2 billion-a-year gaming industry rose out of Delta cotton fields and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, all from a bill signed into law by Fordice's predecessor.     Although he said he opposed gambling, Fordice nevertheless urged the Gaming Commission he appointed to lay off excessive regulation and let the market work its magic.     Fordice was born and raised in Memphis. He followed his father's construction company to Vicksburg, Miss. He was a lifelong activist in the GOP. President Reagan is his hero. His inspiration for seeking the governor's office was a speech by late Republican strategist Lee Atwater, who was lamenting the state's Democratic streak that extended to the 1800s.     He was just about the only person in Mississippi who thought he would win. But such was his bravado. Running an underdog campaign from his construction company office in Vicksburg, Fordice managed to unseat incumbent Gov. Ray Mabus during the recession of 1991.     He was the first Republican since Reconstructionist Adelbert Ames, who served from 1868 to 1870. In 1995, despite a series of gaffes that would sink other politicians - indeed, perhaps because of his unapologetic brashness - his fiery style drew cheering crowds and inspired record turnouts of supporters and opponents alike.     Consider: 60,000 more Mississippians went to the polls in 1995 than in this past November's civility contest between Democrat Ronnie Musgrove and Republican Mike Parker. And he was popular, for a time, on the Republican speaking circuit, rallying delegations of disheartened loyalists at the 1992 GOP convention in Houston, Texas.     Two things are certain: He will not miss the media. The media will miss him.     While he was often contemptuous with reporters and editorial writers, he nevertheless supplied them with an unending stream of seemingly over-the-top comments and behavior. It was not uncommon for him to simply shout down and bully reporters for even innocuous questions. Most recently, he stared into a camera and threatened a Jackson reporter with his "whip your ass" comment, and lately he would walk through downtown here with a pistol on his hip.     He came into office blasting a younger generation of Democrats who had won national acclaim by acknowledging Mississippi's terrorism against civil rights workers. He plastered ``Only Positive Mississippi Spoken Here" on personal stationery and the state's highway welcome signs.     At a national conference in Washington, he told a room full of reporters that the United States was a ``Christian nation" and ignited the wrath of Jews and others. He called Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbit ``a nut."     He first tried to leave his wife in 1993, but she refused to go. The couple, at least publicly, appeared to have reconciled. But Fordice, traveling alone, nearly died in a fiery crash on Interstate 55 in November of 1996 after dining in Memphis with a woman. He denied any memory of the meeting. After he was photographed returning from France with her, Fordice later acknowledged that Memphis widow Ann G. Creson [Ann Garber ('52)] was his childhood sweetheart. He said he hopes to marry her when his divorce is final in February.     But if he was successful at attracting headlines, he often failed on public policy issues.     Fordice believed in returning the school systems to local control and giving bonuses to the teachers whose performance could be measured. His ideas frightened and, indeed, inspired other public education advocates to block his proposals and helped build momentum for record funding increases.     ``He was completely irrelevant," said Sen. Hob Bryan (D-Amory), a frequent critic and player in legislative maneuvering that often undid Fordice. ``Had he been more effective, he probably could have prevented a lot of the progress."     Musgrove last week first tried to avoid commenting on the Fordice administration but ultimately found something to praise: The governor's backing of a law that requires the Legislature to save 2 percent of tax revenues in a rainy day fund. And the two men worked together, along with House leaders, to pass a tax cut for married couples.     Otherwise, this governor rarely grasped the concept of compromise or coalition-building, often berating fellow Republicans as much as or more than Democrats, and finding himself increasingly isolated.     Fordice came into office calling for smaller government, lower taxes and less debt. But he went on to propose and sign ever-growing spending plans. He was convinced voters would embrace term limits for legislators. In November, they defeated it.     His only power lay in his veto. He exercised it more than anyone in recent history, vetoing more than 120 bills. It came to define his administration as much as anything. Fordice vetoed a one-percent sales tax, campaign finance reforms that limited party activism and the 1997 adequate education act. All were ultimately overridden.     Perhaps most annoying were the accusations that he played racial politics in nominating an all-white slate of individuals to the state's College Board and later in vetoing motor-voter legislation.     Time and again, Fordice pushed the envelope on what a chief executive could legally do, attempting to rewrite bills, seat his nominees and, most recently, keep open a private hospital in Jackson the state ordered closed. The courts undid his reach nearly every time.     Despite it all, Fordice said as recently as July that being governor was ``the greatest honor of my life."     ``There may be lot of negative things to write about. I'm the kind of person who looks at the positive," said Rep. Robert Clark (D-Lexington), who in 1968 became the first African-American elected to the Mississippi Legislature. ``You won't see folks sitting around not going to vote.     ``For the last eight years," said Clark, ``when I walked into a church, or a store or a meeting, somebody had something to say about the state's governor." There are additional stories about Kirk Fordice below. East Wins State Football Championship    December 4, 1999 - East High School is the 1999 Tennessee state Class 4A high school football champion. The Mustangs took the title today when they beat Knoxville's Central High 20-14 in a game played at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville.    Knoxville scored first with a touchdown and extra point with 3:43 remaining in the first quarter. As the first quarter ended, East completed a 52-yard pass play to score, but the point after touchdown, a run, failed. The quarter ended with Knoxville Central leading 7-6.    Knoxville Central responded to East's threat in the second period by putting together a 9 play 63 yard drive culminating in a touchdown and kicked extra point.    The Mustangs weren't about to wait to challenge Knoxville again. After Central's score, they kicked off to East. Brandon Wright took the kickoff and returned it 95 yards for an East touchdown. This time the extra points run was good. That completed the scoring for the half with the game tied 14-14.    The final score of the game came with 17 seconds left in the third quarter, and while East got the points, they didn't come without a scare. Kyle Dickerson ran the ball from the 3-yard line toward the goal line but fumbled. East's Chris Anderson recovered at the endzone, giving East the touchdown. The run for the extra point failed, but the 20 to 14 lead was to hold for the rest of the game.    East ends it's 1999 football season with a 13-win, 2-loss season record and the state Division I, Class AAAA championship.    Source: Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association Note: A reader submits the following information: "Chris Anderson was not the player that recovered the ball at the endzone, giving East the touchdown. Arthaniel Bailey, III was the young man who gave East the touchdown. Because of the wrong name listed on East's roster which was used for the games, Arthaniel Bailey was not identified correctly in the media, but was correctly identified in the newspapers." From The Commercial Appeal, October 20, 1999: The face in the back of this class of East High School sophomores isn't a student, it's engineering teacher Tommie Henderson. (Photograph by A. J. Wolfe) MIT grad builds esteem while re-engineering East's program By Aimee Edmondson The Commercial Appeal    When East High School engineering teacher Tommie Henderson approached a local computer support company about hiring some of his students as interns, he didn't get the reception he expected.    They asked him to take a battery of exams and an IQ test on the spot.    The 25-year-old teacher figured they just weren't taking him seriously because he looks like a teenager. But he took the exams, aced them, then got a job offer himself from company officials.    "I don't want a job, I want you to hire my students," Henderson said.    That's his mission these days as he works to find Memphis companies willing to help students in what East officials say is the only public high school engineering program in the South.    A 1991 East graduate who looks like he could still be in high school, Henderson graduated with honors in 1995 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.    Last year he gave up a lucrative engineering career and began working to jump-start his alma mater's foundering engineering program.    Henderson makes a little more than $30,000 a year. He could easily triple his teaching salary working as an engineer. He chose the kids instead of the money.    "It was East that made it possible for me to be where I am right now," said Henderson.    When he left MIT, Henderson went to work at Oak Ridge National Laboratories in East Tennessee, where he studied the environmental effects of pollutants. He was pondering a degree in environmental law when East principal Milton Birchfield asked him to revitalize the ailing department.    "It made good sense to bring him in to overhaul it because he went through it," Birchfield said. "We're trying to make an indelible impression on our students, and he's done a profound job of whetting their appetites for the next level."    Henderson is overhauling the curriculum, upgrading standards and requirements to make sure the engineering program keeps its honors designation.    He and Birchfield recently lobbied for and received about $75,000 to upgrade the school's engineering lab with new computers and work stations.    The work appears to be paying off.    The number of freshmen enrolling in engineering has nearly doubled since Henderson's return, from 11 last year to 21 this year. He hopes to double it again next year. The total enrollment is 56 in grades nine through 12.    "The department really seemed dead gone when I got back," Henderson said. "There was no character or pride, just `Oh, I'm here.' "    These days the students are sporting T-shirts they designed and Henderson financed that read: "There are engineers like us, then there are the rest of you."    Most of his sophomore class donned them for their routine visit to the living lab down the street, the rising Public Library and Information Center on Poplar.    Henderson is using the library's construction site to teach architectural engineering. Students see what goes into a building in real life rather than on paper alone.    "It's helping me make up my mind if I really want to do this," said sophomore Cortez Watkins, wearing a hard hat as he walked around the site with Henderson. "I want to see more about biomedical and chemical engineering, but architectural is looking pretty fun right about now."    While city engineers explained the intricacies of waterproofing the library's basement, the students listened attentively and stuck close to Henderson.    Though he looks hip with his baggy blue pants and Tommy Hilfiger tennis shoes, Henderson makes sure his students don't forget who's in charge.    "Young people, I expect you to act like you do in class," he admonished them during the field trip.    He's stern, but students know they can call him any time. Henderson handed out his home phone number and E-mail address at the beginning of the semester.    "He's not like normal teachers," said student Barry Vanderable. "At 2:15, most teachers are like, `I don't want to deal with you anymore.' "    The day of the field trip, Henderson also drove a carload of students to an MIT recruiting meeting in Nashville. He's usually at school from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., teaching and planning for his physics and four engineering classes, as well as advising the Knowledge Bowl team.    He tutors his students in classes, such as French and geometry, and checks up on them with other teachers.    "I hear you're not doing your reading," Henderson barked at Cortez as the student passed his room between classes a few days after the field trip.    "I wasn't, but I am. I promise I am," Cortez said with a grin, holding his literature book and toting his backpack.    "I'm cut from the same cloth these guys are," Henderson said. "Intelligent kids get lazy in high school if they are not challenged. I know how lazy I was."    He also knows what it's like to deal with the issues these kids have to manage. About half of East's students qualify for free and reduced lunch, a common indicator of poverty.    Henderson can relate. His mom never made more than $11,000 at her job as a presser for a Memphis dry cleaner while he was in high school.    He always felt like he had the cheapest shoes, the cheapest shirt, the cheapest jeans at East.    And although he's put his big paychecks on hold, he wants his students to have that chance.    Next month, Henderson is taking his students on a five-day, 14-college tour. The number that signed up is twice the available seats, so he may try to get another bus for next year.    Henderson promised his principal he'd stay for four years, then go for that law degree.    It will be hard to leave, he knows that already. But he reminds himself and the kids that people are like cars, they need routine maintenance.    Henderson tells his students they need routine maintenance through education.    "I'll still feel empty when it's time to go," he said.    Source: The Commercial Appeal, October 20, 1999 TEEN FOLLOWED BIG BROTHER TO THE END From The Commercial Appeal, October 4, 1999 Author: Marc Perrusquia The Commercial Appeal    As brothers, they were inseparable.    Jason Carson [associated with the class of 2001] followed his big brother Bryan everywhere, and Saturday was no exception.    Driving in separate cars, Jason tailed Bryan on a weekend trip to the University of Tennessee at Martin, where sophomore Bryan had just leased an apartment, complete with an extra room for his kid brother.    It was a big step, and the Memphis brothers were upbeat. Then the accident happened.    "Bryan looked in his rear-view mirror. Jason was smiling. Jason smiled a lot," said his mother, Gale Jones Carson.    Jason A. Carson, 17, was killed when his 1991 Eagle Premier ran off Interstate 40 in Haywood County near Brownsville.    The car, traveling east, left the roadway about 1:33 p.m. for "unknown reasons" and struck a tree, said a Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman. There was no evidence of drinking or drugs, the highway patrol reported.    No official explanation was given.    "He may have veered to avoid something," said City Councilman Myron Lowery, a family friend. Active in local politics, Gale Jones Carson is secretary of the Tennessee Democratic Party and a member of the Memphis Housing Authority board.    Jason Carson, a junior at East High School, had gone to summer school with hopes of graduating early next spring to join Bryan, 19, at UT-Martin.    "He wanted to get up there with Bryan," Ms. Carson said. "They were so very close."    Funeral services will be at noon Friday at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. Harrison's Orange Mound Funeral Home has charge.    In addition to his mother and brother, Jason Carson is survived by his father, Walter G. Carson Jr.    Ms. Carson said she hopes to set up a scholarship at UT-Martin in Jason's memory.    At East High, Jason had served on the student council and also was active at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.    "He was an excellent role model," Lowery said. "I think he would have had a great future in this city." Student Obituary From The Commercial Appeal,October 5, 1999: JASON ALAN CARSON [associated with the class of 2001], 17, of Memphis, student at East High School, died in an auto accident Saturday [October 2, 1999] in Haywood County near Brownsville, Tenn. Services will be at noon Friday [October 8, 1999] at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, where he was a member. Harrison's Funeral Home Orange Mound Chapel has charge. He was a member of East High School Student Council. He leaves his parents, Walter Gene Carson and Gale Jones Carson; his brother, Bryan Christopher Carson, and his grandparents, Walter G. Carsonand Lorean E. Jones, all of Memphis, and his great-grandfather, Charlie Jones of Zion, Ill. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, any memorials be sent to Jason A. Carson Scholarship Fund at UT-Martin. Student Obituary From The Commercial Appeal, September 1, 1999: MARIO POWERS, 13, of Memphis, student at East High Middle School, died Friday [August 27, 1999]in Memphis of an apparent homicide. Services will be at noon Wednesday [September 1, 1999] at Greater Calvary Baptist Church with burial in West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. N. H. Owens & Son Funeral Home has charge. He leaves his parents, Jacqueline Anderson and Michael Powers; three sisters, Natarsha Peete, Portia Colbert and Danyelle Powers; two brothers, Steve Nelson and Michael Powers, and his grandmother, Willie Price, all of Memphis. August News Briefs August, 1999 - East Alumnus Cedric Henderson ('93) has signed a new three year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. A Cleveland newspaper reported the team was offering $8-million and Henderson had asked for $10-million. Details of the final agreement were not released. Source: The Commercial Appeal and the Associated Press In an article about concerns for school safety, it was reported that East High is among several Memphis City Schools using surveillance cameras as a security feature. As with other schools, East also has metal detectors available for use and a city police officer assigned to work at the school. Source: The Commercial Appeal Former East High assistant principal Evelyn Mosley takes the reigns at Ross Elementary School as principal. She served one year as interim principal at Brookemeade Elementary after leaving East. Ms. Mosley has been in the education field for 27 years. Ross Elementary used to be in the Shelby County school system, but has been transferred to the Memphis City Schools as part of the city's annexation of the school's neighborhood. Source The Commercial Appeal Graduation Site To Be Demolished    July 3, 1999 - The Auditorium in downtown Memphis, known for many years as Ellis Auditorium, has been the site of many East High School graduation ceremonies. Just as the time for high school ended for many hundreds of East students there, time has come to a close for Ellis Auditorium and it's Music Hall and North Hall, too. This week, demolition of the building which served the city for nearly 75 years began to make way for a new performing arts center associated with the Cook Convention Center.    On the stage floors many a foot of East High graduates took one of the biggest steps in their lives to that point, the receiving of their East High School diploma. Pieces of the stage(s) are to be cut up and sold over the internet as memorabilia.    Source: The Commercial Appeal, WREG-TV, Memphis Cook Convention Center Note: The purposes of The East High Alumni Page are several. Reporting on private lives of alumni is not among them. However, it is our purpose to relay news of East and prominent East alumni if such stories are published or broadcast in credible fashion by legitimate media. Gov. Fordice Faces Press in Wake of Controversy    June 23, 1999 - Mississippi Governor and East High Class of 1952 alumnus Kirk Fordice answered questions for the news media for the first time since he announced earlier this month he would seek a divorce from his wife of nearly 44-years and plans to marry his East High sweetheart, Ann Garber Creson.    Fordice announced he was resigning as national co-chairman of Dan Quale's presidential campaign. He said he and Quale discussed the matter and decided it was best that he step down, partly because of the controvery over his love life. However, the governor said he would not be resigning as Mississippi's chief executive, as some have called for him to do. Fordice has about six months remaining in office and is not eligible for another term as governor.    Governor Fordice said there was no chance at reconciliation with his wife, Pat Fordice, and the only question remaining was how ugly the divorce might be. Mr. Fordice says he has pleaded with his wife for a divorce but that she has refused.    Governor Fordice rejected criticism he has been hypocritical because of his harsh comments about President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky when he, the governor, had a relationship outside of his marriage. He said family values meant a husband and wife raising and providing for a family together and that he and his wife did so. All of their children are adults now.    Governor Fordice said he still advocates family values, that he sees no contradiction in that advocacy and his situation, and that there is little comparison between his behavior and President Clinton's. Fordice said he has not lied under oath or to the public about his relationships. The govenor continued saying, "I'm not a "womanizer of much renown."    Sources: WREG-TV, AP An additional story about Kirk Fordice and Ann Garber Creson is immediately below. Politics, Divorce, and Former Junior High School Sweethearts Stir Controversy    June 10, 1999 - Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice, an East High School graduate of the Class of 1952, announced he plans to divorce his wife of 43 years and marry his junior high sweetheart.    The news was the top two stories on at least one Memphis television station's evening news the day it broke, and remained the top story the following day. News wires and newspapers in Mississippi and nearby areas gave significant placement to the story also.    The announcement indicated that when Fordice's divorce is final he will marry Ann G. Creson, a Memphis widow. Ms. Creson is the former Ann Garber, also graduated from East in 1952.    WREG television's news coverage included a live broadcast with the reporter standing in front of East High (see graphic) and the showing of Ms. Creson's picture from the 1952 Annual.    From the political perspective, the controversy rises from two issues. If he is divorced before his term ends in January, he will be the first governor in Mississippi to be divorced while in office. Additionally, Fordice was highly critical of President Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky.    Some people are calling on Fordice to resign as governor, but through a spokesman the Governor has said he has no such intentions.    It has generally been known or suspected that Fordice has been involved with a woman other than his wife. Three years ago the Governor was critically injured in a one car accident while driving from Memphis back to Jackson, Mississippi. Reports were that he had been seen earlier holding hands with a woman in a Memphis area restaurant. WREG reports it has confirmed that the woman in the restaurant with Fordice was Creson.    Governor Fordice has maintained that his private life should remain private. This week he appeared to threatened physical harm to a reporter if the reporter did not leave his private life alone.    In 1993, Fordice announced he and his wife were having irreconcilable differences. Mrs. Fordice said at the time she intended to continue service as the state's first lady unless forced out. She and Governor Fordice live in the governor's residence, though he spends weekends at his new home in a suburb.    This spring Mrs. Fordice said the Governor had purchased a $230,000 home outside of Jackson, Mississippi, and never invited her to see it. She said she knew the home was not for her.    There were indications Mrs. Fordice may not acquiesce in a divorce, at least not while her husband remains governor.    There are reports Governor Fordice has recently returned from a European vacation with Ms. Creson.    Fordice is 65 years old and prohibited by law from serving a third term as governor. He has indicated he does not intend to hold another public office after leaving the governorship. Fordice is a national co-chairman for former vice-president Dan Quale's presidential bid. The governor announced late last year that tests indicated he may be suffering a reoccurrence of cancer, although the location of the disease was not known. He had his prostate removed in 1993 for cancer. (story further below)    Mrs. Creson is the widow of Roy Franklin Creson Jr.,who died last November.    Sources: WREG-TV, Associated Press, The Daily Journal There is an additional story about Kirk Fordice below. East High's debt taught students economics By Lela Garlington, The Commercial Appeal    May 3, 1999 - Two years ago, East High School was in a jam: It had $20,000 in the bank and $112,000 in unpaid bills and had written bouncing checks.    The school system central office paid the bills, and now East is repaying the debt, which an audit at the end of the 1997-98 school year reported was still $66,000.    "In about two years, we are going to be back solvent," said principal Milton Birchfield.    Birchfield inherited the debt from principal Lowell Winston, who was suspended, then reassigned to the central office before he resigned.    "Students understand everything has to support itself," said Birchfield, who is repaying the debt with money raised from a 10 percent "surcharge" on East High fund-raisers.    With 1,300 to 1,500 students in grades 7-12, East has tackled the school's money problems in several ways. Birchfield allows only one two-week fund-raiser at a time.    "Now nobody is competing against each other," he said.    "When we have any money left, it primarily goes to our debt."    Once the East High Sportsplex is open for track meets and baseball games, Birchfield hopes to capitalize on having school clubs and organizations alternate operating a concession stand.    East High chemistry teacher Laura Coleman says the school district should simply erase the debt.    "It's unfair, I think, to make these students pay the money back," said Coleman. "The students who are there now had absolutely nothing to do with the deficit, and they're the ones who are having to suffer. If we're going to get bailed out, we need to be bailed out."    Even Birchfield wouldn't object to the debt's going away, but he's not waiting for that to happen. When he took the job, he said, "I realized my back was against the wall. You do what you have to do."    The East High audit of the 1996-97 school year revealed a pattern of overspending and poor record-keeping.    Among the findings: Money raised by some student groups was used to pay the bills of other groups who spent beyond their means. The money raided from those accounts has been restored, officials say.    The past two years have been a challenge and, at times, have cost Birchfield sleep.    "People need to know we have overcome some things, and we're moving forward," he said.    And one day, he said, the school will celebrate when the last dollar is paid back. East High Sportsplex Completed and Open (See additional story below for photographs of specific features)    April 24, 1999 - The East High Sportsplex construction is complete and the park is open for public use. While the $864,500 joint project of the Memphis Park Commission and Memphis City Schools was advertised before construction as providing four soccer fields, a softball field, a baseball diamond, a fitness trail, a 400-meter running track, and a playground, the end result appears to be considerably less. Only one soccer field is evident, and that is the same facility as the football field. There are open areas which could be used for additional soccer fields, but there is no obvious indication that is intended. The two softball/baseball fields are in the approximate position the old ball diamonds occupied, the football field and new track are also in the same place as the old ones. A playground has been added in the northwest corner of the campus, the same general area where the Park Commission used to have some recreational facilities when they maintained a summer park program on the campus in the 1960's. The fitness trail, a blacktopped path, winds its way around the western part of the campus and meanders among the trees along the northwestern section.    Construction took about eight months to complete.    No lighting was provided for the new facilities, but underground drainage was added to the western part of the campus.    The completed facilities leave almost as much green space as the campus had before the construction, alleviating some fears the esthetic appeal of the western part of the campus would be destroyed by the new park. However, a number of trees were removed near the creek on the western edge of the campus.    The East High Sportsplex is for joint use of the public and the school. The public is invited to use it when such use does not interfere with the school's use of the facilities.    Sources: The Commercial Appeal and The East High Alumni Page Student Obituary From The Commercial Appeal, April 10, 1999: THOMAS HERBERT BRANCH, 15, of Memphis, student at East High School, died of meningitis and pneumonia Thursday [April 8, 1999] at Methodist Hospital. M. J. Edwards & Sons Funeral Home has charge. He was a member of Springdale Baptist Church. He leaves his parents, Thomas H. Branch Jr. and Linnie Branch; four sisters, Sonya Branch, Linjeanna Branch, Tracey Davis and Lois Branch, all of Memphis; a brother, Darryl Branch of Chicago, and his grandparents, Thomas H. and Katie Branch, both of Chicago andArdenia Stewart of Memphis. East Selected as a New American High School    January 25, 1999 - East High School has been chosen as one of 25 schools in the nation to be a "New American High School."    New American High Schools are selected to participate in a program with the goal of fully preparing students to meet the challenges of a changing technological and global economy. These schools expose students to information about careers while adhering to challenging academic standards. They help students acquire the communications, problem-solving, computer and technical skills necessary to pursue college or other opportunities. The schools develop partnerships with the community, parents and postsecondary institutions and are expected to demonstrate sustained student academic performance.    Schools participating in this initiative have committed to monitor their academic activities in order to better gauge their improvement in a number of areas. These include raising student achievement by focusing on specifics such as curriculum, teaching methods, after-school help, accountability, and effective relationships with middle schools and postsecondary institutions.    Each school will develop a goal-oriented, three-year action plan in conjunction with Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) staff. A summer institute for school staff will provide additional support.    Gail Schwartz, director of the department's New American High Schools office said, "New American High Schools have proven themselves with high graduation rates, very few dropouts, and enviable college enrollment rates."    A $1.5 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational Education has been awarded to SREB in Atlanta for the 18-month effort to transform the 25 high schools to meet the goals of the program.    Source: United States Department of Education East Boys Return Favor -- Beat #1 Ranked Team    January 28, 1999 - After being embarrassed by being defeated 92-68 by number 1 ranked Hamilton High School, the East High boys basketball team returned the favor two nights later. Before a standing room only crowd in the East High gym, the Mustangs ended Hamilton's unbeaten streak winning by a score of 78-71. Hamilton's record drops to 19 wins and 1 loss overall, while East's stands at 18 wins and 3 losses for the season and is second in the metropolitan basketball rankings. Source: The Commercial Appeal Number 2 Meets Number 1 in Basketball    January 26, 1999 - The East High boys basketball team, ranked number 2 in the city and number 5 statewide, challenged metro number 1 Hamiton tonight at Hamilton. It was not a good night for the Mustangs, who lost the game 92-68. Hamiltion is ranked number 4 in the state Class AAA ratings. The Wildcats were never behind in the game. East coach Reginald Mosby said his team didn't play well and Hamiton played "super". He called the game a good learning experience. East best take the lesson to mind. They face Hamiton again in just two nights, this time at East. Source: WREG-TV and The Commercial Appeal Cold Closes School    December 5, 1998 - East High and four other Memphis City School closed early December 4, because of heating problems. Workers at East blamed an apparent power surge for knocking out the school's boilers. Temperatures were in the teens for overnight lows and the highs were only in the lower to mid 20's. The boilers at East were repaired, but another failure occurred December 5. Classes were not dismissed early on the second day, students were moved to warmer classrooms from the one's affected by the problem. East Raises Funds for Charity    Decebmer 12, 1998 - East High students in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club presented a $1,114 check Friday to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which helps seriously ill children realize their dreams. The students raised the money by getting donations for the Walk Against Violence.    Source: The Commercial Appeal Sportsplex Begins To Take Shape You may click on a picture in this story for a larger picture    November 28, 1998 - The East High Sportsplex on the western half of the East High campus is beginning to become recognizable as to some of its final form. After six months of work, including the installation of underground drainage, several features of the joint Park Commission and Memphis City Schools project are nearing completion.    The first element to be completed was the play area featuring a variety of slides and swings. While the foundation is a slab of concrete, a rubberized surface provides a softer landing should a child fall. The play area is in the extreme northwest corner of the campus, the one area in which several trees were left standing.    Another new feature on the campus is the fitness/walking trail, which meanders around the entire circumference of the western side of the campus. The asphalt path is shown here as it enters the grove of oak trees near the playground at the southwest corner of the campus.    The next area nearing completion is the running track. Many an East alumnus will strongly feel his/her race times would have been significantly improved if they had the opportunity to run on the modern rubberized surface instead of the old "cinder" track, which served the students for decades. The beautiful oval track is in the school color of red and has four running lanes. Impressively, it is banked on the curves.    The Sportsplex is to have a soccer field, several softball fields, and a baseball diamond. Two backstops for softball/baseball have been erected. One is at the site that always was the East High baseball diamond not too far from the west side of the school.    The East High Alumni Page will periodically provide updates on the progress of the East High Sportsplex on these pages.   Eighth-Grader Allegedly Brings Gun into School    November 18, 1998 - Shelby County Juvenile Court has decided to hold in detention an East High eighth grader after she was allegedly found to have a gun in the school. A week ago two students reported the girl had a firearm in her possession. A gun was found, the student suspended and taken into custody. The court will hold the girl in detention until her next hearing.    Source: WREG-TV Mississippi Gov. Fordice Says Cancer Back    November 12, 1998 - Prominent East High Alumnus Kirk Fordice ('52), Governor of Mississippi, told the news media that tests indicate the cancer he had treated five years ago is back.    The sixty-four year old Fordice said he thought it was his duty to report on his personal health to the people of the state while he is governor.    Fordice underwent surgery for removal of his prostate in 1993 after tests indicated it was cancerous. He has undergone routine tests over subsequent years to check for any recurrence. In his announcement, Governor Fordice said recent test results indicate he has residual cancer somewhere in his body. He plans to undergo radiation treatments.    Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer death in men but has a good rate of cure if discovered and treated early.    The Governor said that his doctor has told him that many men have experienced similar situations and lived a normal life span and that is what he and his doctor expect.    The governor was injured in a near-fatal one-car automobile accident in 1996 as he returned to Jackson from Memphis. He was hospitalized for about three weeks and took several more weeks of recovery in the Governor's mansion before resuming full time work.    Fordice's announcement about his health came during a news conference in which he presented his budget proposal, in which he suggests a ten percent tax rebate.    Source:The Commercial Appeal, WREC-TV Annex Saved from Wrecking Ball    October 31, 1998 - The Annex, an early 1950's nine classroom addition to East High School, was to have been torn down, but The East High Alumni Page has learned that a sizeable portion of the school system's 1999 renovation funds will go to convert the Annex into offices for school staff.    East was overcrowded at or soon after it opened in 1948. The first addition, even before the auditorium which had been cut from the original construction to save money, was the Annex. It was built as a permanent addition off the west wing of the main hallway. The single story structure has skylights and a metal roof. Large fans blowing air in from its hallway was the architect's alternative to windows. For most of its use as classrooms, which extended for more than 20 years, the Annex was used for junior high students. Most junior high homerooms and many classes were held there. The exact date of the closing of the Annex to students is not known to The East High Alumni Page, but some believe it to have occurred in the late 1970's or early 1980's. Upon inspection in the summer of 1998, The East High Alumni Page found the Annex in surprisingly good shape, being used as office space for the building engineers and as storage space. Several of the classrooms had stacks of textbooks in them, others were completely empty. Damage to the walls and markings on them, as well as missing and damaged ceiling tiles, indicated the Annex may not been significantly renovated since it was closed to students.    The planned major renovation of the Annex is planned for the summer of 1999. Source: The East High Alumni Page East High celebrates 50 years by Jody Callahan, The Commercial Appeal [September 10, 1998, East Memphis Neighbors section]    Milton Burchfield believes East High was opened on Sept. 3, 1948.    News clippings, however, indicate the school actually opened on Sept. 7 of that year.    But whichever date is the true opening, Burchfield and the East faculty met after school on an afternoon last week to recognize the 50th birthday of the school at 3206 Poplar.    In its 50 years, the school has produced many prominent graduates, including Cybill Shepherd (her yearbook quote: "Charms strike the sight and merits win the soul"), Mississippi Gov. Kirk Fordyce and NBA player Cedric Henderson.    "It's just a major landmark in town. For years, this was the premier school in Memphis. We would like to honor that," said guidance counselor Charlotte Sanders, who's spent the past 10 years at the school.    It was also refreshing for the East faculty to see media members asking questions about something other than financial problems at the school, which, with more than 1,600 students, is one of the largest in the city system.    Former East principal Lowell Winston was suspended last year after an audit found East High had unpaid bills totaling $112,000 with only $20,000 in the bank, although there was no indication that Winston had profited from the mismanagement.    "I came in as administrator to make sure some things that happened did not happen again," said Burchfield, who is starting his first full year at the school.    Librarian Erma Williams has worked at East for 15 years, making her one of the faculty members who has been at the school the longest.    As a librarian, Williams has an interesting perspective on the school's history.    "Most of the things in this library are the originals," Williams said, pointing toward the wooden desks and chairs that still fill the large room.    Does that include the ancient Apple IIe computer sitting on the desk, a machine that certainly looks as if it were decades old, a machine that's -- improbably -- still in use?    "The computer? No," Williams said with a chuckle. "I called one day for repairs on it and the girl said, 'What? What is that?'" East gets lift from Texas import by Kevin Gorman The Commercial Appeal September 4, 1998    The last time a Texas-bred football player arrived at Wayne Randall's doorstep, the East coach had to be convinced by the kid's mother that he would be a special player.    His name was Derrick Harmon. He became one of the top layers in Shelby-Metro and one of East's all-time greats. This time, Randall needed no convincing when a Texan arrived at East. He knew right away. On Thursday night, Randall got confirmation that his initial instincts about the kid were on the mark.    His name is Ladarius Price. And the 5-10, 175-pound sophomore fielded the opening kickoff in East's Region 8-4A opener and raced 95 yards for a touchdown. It was a play that turned out to be the difference for the Mustangs, who upset No. 5 Trezevant, 24-22, at Greenhill Stadium.    "It didn't take the village idiot to figure out that this kid is a great player," Randall said. "He's got great speed. We felt that if we can get the ball in his hands on the kickoff he could score on the first play."    Price's touchdown gave the Mustangs a 6-0 lead in the game's first 11 seconds. East (2-0,1-0) relied on its running game, rushing for 220 yards behind William Grandberry, senior fullback, and Kyle Dickerson, a sophomore tailback who scored on a 6-yard run to make it 12-0 with 7:01 left in the first quarter.    Grandberry suffered an ankle injury against Trezevant last year that forced him to miss six games, so he was looking for some payback. And he got it, rushing for a game-high 137 yards on 15 carries.    The Bears (1-1, 0-1), who knocked off Germantown last Friday, recovered in the second quarter when Leonard Burress scored on a 1-yarder, then ran for the conversion to make it 12-8 with 5:04 left in the half. Burress scored again as the clock expired on another 1-yarder three plays later to give Trezevant a 16-12 halftime lead.    East Quarterback William Webb scored on a 1-yard sneak to give the Mustangs an 18-16 lead with 6:55 left in the third quarter. The Bears would regain the lead when East, on a fourth-and-2 at its own 10, had a series of mishaps. First, Price, the punter, bobbled a low snap. He recovered and tossed a pass to receiver Jeremy Burkes for a first down, but Burkes was hit by Trezevant's Larry Lurry and fumbled at the 13.    Trezevant scored on a 2-yard run by Jordan to take a 22-18 lead with 10:05 left in the game, but Jordan's conversion run fell short.    The Mustangs drove from their own 23, handing the ball to either Grandberry or Dickerson. On fourth-and-4 at the Trezevant 15, Grandberry went up the middle on a trap for 6 yards and a first down. Five plays later, he scored the game-winner on a 1-yarder.    In other top games ... Campus Park Begins to Take Form August 30, 1998 - The East High Sportsplex, as the park on the western side of the East High campus is to be called, has been under construction for two months and finally surface work that begins to show the park's form is now underway. For the first two months most of the work has been in land preparation, especially the addition of underground drainage pipes. In the past two weeks, construction workers have begun pouring a foundation for a structure to be located in the extreme northwest section of the campus (see photo right), and poles are being erected which appear to be supports for the fencing that protects spectators from baseballs/softballs. Charges Against Alumnus Tony Harris Dismissed August 3, 1998 - An assault charge against high profile alumnus Tony Harris has been dismissed in a Knox County (Knoxville) Court. The action was taken when Shayla Green, another East alumnus who was reportedly Harris' long time girlfriend, failed to show up for the court session. Green was the alleged victim of the assault, having claimed Harris had struck her during a domestic dispute in an automobile outside a campus building May 11, 1998, at the University of Tennessee, where both were students. Harris was a standout guard on the East basketball team and as a freshman at UT during the 1988-89 season he made the All-SEC Conference Freshman team. Milton Burchfield Named Principal Summer, 1998 - East High's acting principal, Milton Burchfield, was named this summer as the regular principal of East. Burchfield assumed the principal's position last autumn when the former principal was removed from the position due to serious financial irregularities at the school. Prior to his being moved to East, Burchfield was principal at Kingsbury Vocational Technical School. West Campus Converted to Dirt and Dust    June 27, 1998 - Almost the entire western part of the East High campus is now just dirt and dust as heavy equipment has moved in force to begin construction on the new "prototype park."    The East High Alumni Page hopes to keep this page updated on the progress of the work.    Omega General Contractors Inc. is the contractor on the "East High Sportsplex" which will change the area into four soccer fields, a softball field, a baseball diamond, a fitness trail, a 400-meter running track, and a playground. The plans also call for improvements to the existing football field and other athletic facilities. As noted in an earlier story (below), a number of trees were felled to make room for the park. A number of other trees are being preserved.    Park officials say the new facilities will meet a pressing need for youth ball fields in midtown as well as provide a recreational area for students.    Yes, for those of you who have been away from Memphis for some time, the real estate industry has now designated the area in which East is as part of "midtown." Pastoral and Woodsy Campus Gives Way to Urban Park    June 17, 1998 - On June 12, 1998, earth moving equipment began clearing trees from the western most part of the East High School campus. It is the beginning of the end of a small woodsy part of the school grounds as well as the end of the pastoral setting created by the remainder of the western part of the campus.    Over the past five decades, thousands of children have played happily on the western part of the East High School campus. It was the playground for the older elementary school students for the first half of East's history. It was the site of a summer park run by the park commission for a few years in the 1960's. Football and baseball games, organized and sandlot, were played on the grounds. It has not been uncommon to see a golfer out hitting practice shots on the open spaces of the western part of the campus.    Now, in a cooperative effort, the city school system and the park commission have begun to build an urban park on that part of the campus which will host four soccer fields, a softball field, a baseball diamond, a fitness trail, a 400-meter running track, and a playground. The plans also call for improvements to the existing football field and other athletic facilities on the East grounds.    The Park Commission has called the planned facility a prototype park which may be developed at several sites in the city. Paper publishes summaries of arrests for guns on campus    The Commercial Appealon June 3, 1998, published articles about guns on high school campuses. One of the articles included summaries of the past school year's arrests for such incidents, through April 30th, at East High. The following is taken from the newspaper's account.    In September, 1997, two 10th graders were arrested in connection with the possession of a handgun and the shooting of it on a school bus. There were no injuries. The 15 year old who brought the gun was charged with possession of a prohibited handgun, which was taken under advisement. The charge may be dismissed if he stays out of trouble. A 16 year old friend who, according to reports, actually fired the gun on the bus, was found guilty of possession of a prohibited handgun and reckless endangerment and was sent to a juvenile training facility.    In October, 1997, a .25 caliber semi-automatic handgun was found in the possession of a 17 year old junior. He claimed he was having a problem with a gang regarding a girl he used to date. The case was taken under advisement. High Profile Alumnus Faces Assault Charge on Fellow Alumnus    May 11, 1998 - A high profile East alumnus, Tony Harris ('97), has been charged with simple assault in connection with an alleged assault on his girlfriend, who is also a graduate of East.    The complaint alleges that Harris and Shayla Denise Green had an argument which turned into a scuffle Monday outside a dormitory at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where they are both students. Harris is a member of the Volunteers basketball team.    Green said she only filed the charges so that a similar incident never happens to anyone else and to keep Harris away from her.    According to his attorney, Harris considered filing charges against Green, but decided not to do so.    UT basketball coach Jerry Green, when asked about the charges, said he will wait to see how the situation comes out before deciding if any action against Harris is warranted. He spoke highly of Harris' character.    Last year Harris, as a freshman at UT, averaged 14.2 points and 11.3 assists a game. At the time of his graduation from East, many considered him the best basketball player to come out of Memphis high schools since Penny Hardaway.    Source: AP 'Model' student ahead of times    Your April 16 article about honors courses in Memphis schools referred to standard and honors English, with the preferred honors activity listed as creating a Globe Theatre model instead of writing an essay. That brought back a vivid memory.    In 1954-55, I taught 10th- and 11th- grade English at East High School. There was no such thing as an honors course, bet I had many brilliant students who became Phi Beta Kappas in college and who are now leaders of our city.    Most of my students had received excellent English instruction before they reached my classes. For a special assignment we all studied and discussed Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. At the end of that study I assigned a paper of at least 250 words on various topics inspired by the play.    A young man in the class came up to my desk at the bell and said: "Miss Hinds, you know I can't write a paper. Why do I have to do this? I'm just going to pump gas for my daddy's filling station. I don't need to write essays. Please let me build a model of the Globe Theatre."    After consultation with one of my mentors on the staff and the principal, I relented. Since the student was a skilled craftsman, the model was excellent, and it stayed around the school for decades. Nevertheless, it was not an essay, and for years I felt guilty about my lapse of judgement.    Recently I learned that this student has become a successful banker and business leader in a small town in a neighboring state. I hope he has a good secretary. Katherine Hinds Smythe [Faculty, 1954-1955] Memphis From The Commercial Appeal Letters to the Editor, April 28, 1998 Former East Principal Winston To Become Principal In California    April 19, 1998 - Dr. Lowell Winston is resigning his position as a hearing officer for Memphis City Schools to become principal of Inglewood High School in California.    Winston was removed as principal of East High last autumn after an investigation revealed the school's activities budget had bills of more than $100,000 and only about $20,000 in the account. The school system concluded East's finances had been grossly mismanaged. Winston was reassigned as a hearing officer at another school system facility. One school financial secretary was fired and another resigned.    In his letter of resignation, Winston said he did not think the would be given another high school principal's job in Memphis. He indicated he had enjoyed working at East and felt he left the school in better condition than he found it when he had started the job in 1995. Winston went on to indicate that the whole story of the money situation at East was never revealed and seemed to question whether, as a consequence, he had been treated properly.    Winston came to Memphis in 1995 to take the principal's job at East after retiring from the Inglewood California school system, the same one to which he is returning. His resignation from the Memphis City Schools is effective June 1. Source: The Commercial Appeal East Teacher Says Chronic Misbehavior Is Worst Problem    March 10, 1998 - The Memphis City School Board has released it's proposed 1988-98 fiscal year budget and took questions and comments about it from the public at last night's meeting. Among those was a member of the East High Faculty.    East High chemistry teacher Laura Coleman, one of several to ask for better funding of in-school suspension programs and alternative schools, questioned district officials' contention that there is no backlog of students waiting for assignment to alternative schools.    "We don't have anybody to place because we have such low standards for who has to go," she said. Coleman added that students committing the worst offenses aren't the biggest problem plaguing teachers. The worst problem, she said, is chronic misbehavior.    "Where there is disruption, you cannot have learning," she said.     Source:The Commercial Appeal Recreational Facilities to be Built on East High Campus    The campus of East is to be the site of a major development of recreational facilities by the Memphis Park Commission and City Schools. The East High Athletic Complex will consist of four soccer fields, a softball field, a baseball diamond, a fitness trail, a 400-meter running track, and a playground. The plans also call for improvements to the existing football field and other athletic facilities on the East grounds.    Park Commission officials believe the new park will be a prototype for future developments across the city.    Source: The Commercial Appeal, Sept. 11, 1997, April 24, 1997, March 27, 1997. From The Commercial Appeal, on or about October 17, 1997 Bounced checks alerted Winston to East High trouble By Lela Garlington The Commercial Appeal    Former East High School principal Lowell Winston says he did not know his school was in financial trouble until last spring when its checks started bouncing.    He said he relied on his financial secretaries to give him an accurate picture of the school's finances, and they never alerted him to trouble. One of the secretaries was fired and the other resigned.    Winston, 58, spoke publicly this week for the first time since before his suspension last month after an internal audit at East found the school with $112,000 in unpaid bills and $20,000 in the bank.    "I take responsibility for what happened," Winston said as he sat in the law library of his attorney, A C Wharton. Still, he added, "My job is to oversee. . . . People are supposed to be professional and do their jobs. No one should try to beat the system or try to see how much they can get away with. Tell me if you have a problem. If you don't come to me, I'm assuming you're doing what you're supposed to be doing."    A four-page report prepared by personnel director Ricks Mason Jr. did not draw a conclusion about when Winston first knew about the overspending. It did say that school money was "grossly mismanaged" when he was principal, but it found no evidence Winston profited personally.    Mason was out of the office Thursday and won't be back until Tuesday. City schools spokesman Janice Crawford said Supt. Gerry House could not be reached for comment.    Winston acknowledged he was not a hands-on manager when it came to finances. He said he used the philosophy of "I do not want my boss to babysit me."    "I was not receiving any signals that they were not doing their job," said Winston.    When asked if he was a principal who couldn't say no, Winston said that wasn't the case. If the financial secretary said, " `Mrs. So-and-So doesn't have the money,' then I would say, give her back her purchase order. We did that a lot of times. The girls basketball team wanted some new uniforms but we didn't have the money. There were several field trips that were canceled because the sponsors didn't raise the money," said Winston.    Winston said he was seeing financial statements prepared by the financial secretary. And based on those statements, he thought the school had money in its student activity accounts. He said that when he realized in May that the school was deeply in trouble, he went to the district's business office and froze all requisitions.    He said he learned then that his financial secretaries had not requested reimbursements from the district for classroom instructional supplies. He also discovered that funds were being credited to the wrong accounts.    Crawford said the school board's attorney is discussing whether the central office's investigation warrants possible criminal charges through the District Attorney's Office. A personnel report indicated district officials believe a secretary may have kept $5,800 in student activity funds.    School officials also plan to try to make a claim on the missing funds through the district's bonding company. District employees are bonded for $500,000, with a $25,000 deductible.    Winston reported to work Thursday in the district's Pupil Services Division. Dr. Jim Paavola, who heads the office, said Winston will be one of 10 hearing officers who annually handle an estimated total of 12,000 student board suspensions. Winston also will be the highest paid. The top pay for the 11-month position is about $43,728. Winston is keeping his principal's salary of $70,356. Under board policy, anytime a person is moved within the school system, their pay is protected for a year after the transfer date. After that, Winston's pay will be reduced to the top scale for that position, Crawford said. From The Commercial Appeal, on or about October 15, 1997 'KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE' East High principal says bye via video By Lela Garlington The Commercial Appeal    "Life is good," former East High School principal Dr. Lowell Winston told students by videotape Tuesday, saying he loved them and exhorting them to study hard to prepare themselves for the next century.    It was Winston's first message to the students since Supt. Gerry House suspended him Sept. 4 after an internal audit revealed that East had $112,000 in unpaid bills and only about $20,000 in student activity funds.    House could have fired Winston, who is not a tenured employee and would have had no appeal to the School Board, but she reassigned him to the central office's Pupil Services Center with no change in pay - $70,356 a year.    He accepted the reassignment, but his duties are still undefined and so is the date he'll report to work.    House said she reassigned him because of his affinity for students and the lack of evidence that he benefited personally.    The school's financial problems cost at least three people their jobs - two financial secretaries and the school's former athletic director.    Memphis City School officials filmed Winston at the school's Channel 19 studios Tuesday morning. Starting at 12:30 p.m., several assemblies were held in the school's auditorium so that all students from grades seventh to 12th could view Winston's message.    In the tape, Winston did not try to defend his actions or blame others for his transfer. Only once did he mention finances.    He gave his three-minute speech in a near monotone. "Students, life is good," he said. "Sometimes we must make necessary adjustments in life in order to deal with the challenges that faces us. Mustangs, keep your eye on the prize which is study hard and be prepared academically and financially and socially for the 21st Century."    Winston urged the students to work with the school's interim principal, Milton Burchfield, who earlier had told the students, "Give me a chance to help me complete what Dr. Winston has started. Dr. Winston is one of my best friends. If you do your part, I'm going to do mine."    After meeting Burchfield after the assembly, eighth grader Portia Carr said, "He seems like a nice man, but I still want Dr. Winston back."    Others, however, felt differently.    "Looks like we have another good principal," said ninth grader Keith Shelton. "He spoke to me like a friend." Shelton, who just started at East this year, said he was more upset at the way students have been acting since Winston left.    "They were trying to take advantage of the teachers because Dr. Winston was gone," he said.    Some parents are still unhappy with the decision to move Winston from East High.    "If he's worthy of a position this should be it - East High School. I don't intend to drop it. The voice of the parents have to be important," said Barbara Wright.    Wright's daughter, Angela Wright, a senior, has been one of the leaders among the student body in last month's walk-out, protest march to the school board and sit-in on behalf of Winston.    Wright blamed those under Winston's leadership for his problems.    "People under him should have done their jobs," she said. If Winston has any faults, Wright said, "I guess it's trust. If he's guilty of anything, it's trust and love."    In spite of the school's financial problems, Wright's daughter also learned a valuable lesson. Angela Wright gave one of the financial secretaries about $1,800 in cash from a student council activity and didn't get a receipt. "I told her next time, slow down. Write out who you gave it to, the date, the time and the amount. It's called covering yourself," said Mrs. Wright.    Meanwhile the problems at East have resulted in changes in how schools will be doing business in the future.    When principals report deficits in student activity funds, they must explain in writing why they're overdrawn and how they plan to eliminate the deficit, said Waldon Gooch, director of the district's internal audits.    And when schools are audited during the school year, Gooch said school officials will be required to supply a list of any unpaid bills. East Principal Ousted October 13, 1997 - East High School Principal Lowell Winston has been removed from his position and reassigned a job at the Memphis City School's Pupil Services Center. The decision was announced late today by the school superintendent. For the past month, Winston has been suspended with pay pending the decision after an audit of school finances earlier in the year found the school had overspent and was in debt for about $98,000. There were also reports the school had issued some checks that bounced. Vendors had begun to complain to the city school administration about unpaid bills.    Winston was starting his third year as principal at East. The Memphis native had a career in public schools in California before returning to Memphis to take the East job. He made news from the beginning school day two years ago by issuing new rules outlining a dress code and other guidelines for the students and parents of students to follow. (see stories below). The students were unsure of Winston at first, some even confrontational, because of the new rules. But by the time the financial scandal erupted this year, students felt strongly enough that they rallied for him, twice skipping classes, to march outside the school once and then staging a sit-in inside the school. Winston was credited by students and parents with beginning to restore discipline and higher expectations of the students.    The superintendent today said that the investigation found no personal gain by Winston in connection with the money problem but that the financial situation at East was "not adequately managed during his tenure."    There were two financial secretaries at East when the problems were discovered. One has resigned, the other has been fired.    The principal from Kingsbury Vocational Technical School, Milton Burchfield, been named interim principal of East to serve for the remainder of the school year.    If Winston accepts his reassignment, he will continue to receive a salary of $70,356. Source: WREG-TV and The Commercial Appeal Former East Athletic Director Resigns as Teacher October 11, 1997 - Former East Athletic Director Lonnie Williams quit his teaching job. His letter of resignation does not give any reasons for his action. Williams had resigned the athletic director's job in August after it was revealed East had played an academically ineligible basketball player last season forcing the team to forfeit 11 games and two championship titles. However he had continued his teaching work in social studies and biology classes. Source: The Commercial Appeal Students Stage Sit-In -- Skip Classes Sept. 22, 1997 - Television reports describe a student protest at East High School this morning in which hundreds of students refused to attend class and staged a 3 hour sit-in in the halls of the school. The actions were said to be an expression of support for suspended principal Lowell Winston. Several students were interviewed in which they called for Winston to be returned to his job at the school.    However there were a few interviews with pupils' parents who said that the students need to be in class, not protesting and expressing dismay the students' protest has continued for 18 days.    Different newscasts reported differently as to whether the students that skipped classes would be disciplined, however one report indicated that school officials admitted any discipline would be minor.    Several students appeared before the regular school board meeting tonight, asking and demanding that principal Winston be reinstated. One student seemed to threaten the board with unknown actions saying that if Dr. Winston was not returned he would leave it to the board's imagination what might happen. Source: WPTY-TV, WREG-TV From The Commercial Appeal, page 1, September 21, 1997: Debts may be felt for years at East High By Lela Garlington The Commercial Appeal    An audit of East High School finances triggered by complaints that the school was not paying its bills reveals a pattern of overspending and poor record keeping that may still be felt when today's freshmen are seniors.    Among the findings was one that money raised by some groups of students had been used to pay the bills of other student groups who spent beyond their means.    Last June, for example, 32 East High School students attended the national conference of the Health Occupations Students of America, and brought back from California more awards and recognition than ever before. But they overspent by $3,000, and the money came out of the treasuries of one or more other groups.    As their graduation approached last year, the East senior class spent money on a prom, keepsakes, caps and gowns and yearbooks. It cost $7,100 more than the class had to spend. Money taken from other student groups made up the difference.    And last fall, after the school sold only 1,654 of 3,000 restaurant coupon books in a fund-raiser, the school gave away the unsold books to students, teachers, staff and parents. That violated policy, the audit said, because student fund-raisers can benefit only students.    The school system knew last spring that something was wrong at East, but it didn't surface until late August when school system officials confirmed that East owed thousands of dollars in unpaid bills and had bounced checks.    School system investigators began an audit that covered Jan. 19 through June 30. On July 31, the district ordered East to get approval from auditors before making any purchases or paying any bills.    In his Aug. 18 report, internal audit director Waldon Gooch wrote that some vendors called him "around May" complaining that East would not pay what it owed and they were refusing to do more business with it. "This situation was discussed with the principal and financial secretary," he wrote. "However, some of the vendors still have not been paid."    According to the audit, East ended the 1996-97 school year with $20,000 in the bank and $112,000 in unpaid bills, and had violated school board policies, accounting procedures and sound business practices.    In 24 months, the audit said, the school's balance sheet swung from $80,786.10 in the black to $86,439.91 in the red.    On Sept. 4, schools Supt. Gerry House suspended East principal Lowell Winston with pay while the system's personnel department investigated how and why East's finances got into such shape. She announced the school system would pay $98,000 of the unpaid bills and will consider paying some others.    Many teachers, parents and students leaped immediately to the defense of the popular principal, whom they credited with restoring pride and spirit to the 1,600-student Poplar Avenue school when he came there in the fall of 1995.    Several hundred people attended an assembly at the school. On another day most of the student body walked out briefly to protest the suspension. Later, at a school board meeting, a group asked House to return Winston to his job.    Winston supporters started raising money to repay the school system. Winston has proposed that East repay the system at a rate of $3,000 a month, so future East High students and their parents may be faced with raising money for several years to pay for things other students enjoyed. `We're stuck'    "Every dime I spent, every nickel I spent, went to the school," Winston told a cheering, clapping audience of students, teachers, parents and alumni at the school two days before his suspension.    He accused people he did not name of stealing records from the school and leaking information to the news media. He likened it to family members hurting each other.    He did not tell them what he had told the school system days earlier in a written response to the audit: that school finances were improperly managed during the 1996-97 school year and he would do a better job.    He has declined interviews since the Sept. 2 assembly.    The reaction at East from people willing to be identified has been overwhelmingly supportive of Winston and his desire to make East a better place, while acknowledging that things may not have been done by the numbers.    -- "If there has been any funds mismanaged, it was for the betterment of the student. I think if he's guilty of anything, it's he trusted professionals to do their jobs. And they didn't do their job." - Booster Club president Eddie Hayes, Sept. 2    -- "Maybe he did overspend the money, but he's worried about our future." -East senior Shunterance Hopson during a Sept. 5 walkout to protest Winston's suspension.    -- "Dr. Winston came in here cutting a check . . . I think it got him in trouble, but like I said, it had to be done." - Realtor Ken Tate, president of the school's Leadership Council.    It is important to note that the audit looked only at the school's handling of student activity funds, which include athletic department money. It is raised in myriad ways, including event tickets, donations and all manner of fund-raisers, from car washes to concession stand sales, and is kept in a bank account on which the school can write checks.    When Winston started his second school year as East in 1996, the school was already in the hole financially, the audit showed. An $80,000 cushion left by the previous principal, Ronnie Bynum, was gone. Its general fund was in the red by $20,000. Its athletic fund was in arrears by almost $7,000.    One account had money in it: the "restricted club and class account" in which is kept the money raised by clubs (the health occupations students, for example) and classes (the senior class, for example). Money raised by clubs and classes can be spent only by the club or class it belongs to, according to school regulations. Hence the "restricted" label.    East High had about 100 club and class accounts, but like other schools, all the money is pooled into one checking account. Each check required two signatures, usually the principal's and the financial secretary's. The school's financial secretary keeps track of the money coming and going from the accounts.    The audit found that some student groups in the restricted club and class account owe a total of $14,000 in unpaid bills, and administrators are looking at paying off that debt too.    "The $14,000 may be paid from money in the restricted account, if it's there. If it's not there, then the Memphis City Schools will pay it. We would never leave a vendor hanging out," said Dr. Dennis Hirsch, the district's associate superintendent overseeing business operations.    Hirsch said some clubs and classes may have to raise the money and replace what they spent from other accounts. "It depends on the reason as to what caused it," he said. Auditors will be trying to find out if clubs or class sponsors had good information about what was in their accounts.    Hirsch said all principals face the same problem when it comes to meeting the school's needs. "Principals have the option of going to the community and seeking benefactors, getting parental help and raising the money through fund-raisers," he said. And whatever a principal buys, "You have to buy it within your resources." Fred Dorse, a Memphis businessman and husband of City Court Judge Earnestine Hunt Dorse, has $5,125 in pledges including $500 each from the Waynoka Circle Neighborhood Watch group and the Shelby County Young Democrats. He's confident that once his debt retirement committee is up and running, East High alumni, business leaders, churches and parents can raise the money to return East to solvency.    "The debt is going to have to be retired no matter what happens to Dr. Winston," said Dorse, who lives near the school. His daughter graduated from East last year and his son is currently a junior at East and is on the school's new golf team that Winston formed. "Whether he stays or not, we're stuck with retiring that debt."    In his response to the special audit findings, Winston at first blamed the school's former principal, Ronnie Bynum, for leaving $35,000 to $40,000 in unpaid bills dating back to the 1994-95 school year. But Winston didn't back up his accusation, and an audit done after Winston arrived at East found nothing out of the ordinary.    Bynum left East on firm financial footing with funds totaling $80,786, according to the Aug. 18 audit. Sharing blame    Dorse said East High parents shoulder part of the blame for the school's overspending. It was the parents and the students who wanted a band, band uniforms and new uniforms for all the school's teams, including golf and soccer teams that were added under Winston's direction.    In his first year as principal, the basketball program alone spent $50,000 and topped the list among city high school spending for that program. The Memphis City Schools' student activity funds audit for 1995-96 school year showed East High athletics running a $33,000 deficit. Because the school had a cushion of $26,000, the department was able to end the year with a deficit of only $6,970.    Parents also backed Winston's philosophy of "one for all and all for one." For an example, Dorse said yearbooks were ordered for all the students - even for the ones who didn't pay for them. When the Senior High Honor Society wanted college sweaters with the school's letter on it, Dorse said, "Out of 49 kids, we only had 12 kids that were willing to pay the $28." Forty-nine sweaters were bought.    "We did not do our part to pay off the debt," he said. Still he defends what Winston did as being worth the cost. The means justified the end, he said, because the school's academics improved, crime was reduced and student morale climbed.    He also thinks internal auditors have some culpability for not catching the problem sooner.    Each month East, like other schools, sends the auditing division its monthly financial transactions. But school administrators say East wasn't sending auditors a complete picture of the school's finances because they didn't include information about unpaid bills, said Hirsch.    At times, the controversy at East has had racial overtones. That was the case during a Winston support rally at the school only days before his suspension.    Former East student Mia King said none of these problems surfaced under the previous principal. Bynum is white. Winston is black. "When he (Bynum) was here, he wasn't an `us.' They (district officials) wasn't messin' with `us.' I'm just tired of them messin' with `us.' "    Dorse said the reason why it's taken on a racial overtone is that the parents and students don't feel that Bynum cared about the predominantly black student population at East.    Bynum, who is now principal at Central, declined to comment about the racial overtones: "I have very fond memories of East, and I hope everything works out for the best."    Dorse said he expects Winston will be punished for his overspending, but he hopes he isn't fired. By helping retire the debt, Dorse is hoping it will help Winston keep his job. "Most educators are not financial people."    What is happening at East is similar to what happened at Colonial Junior High in 1994. Donna Essary was removed as principal after two special audits revealed the school had a $36,000 deficit and more than $13,000 missing.    It took district officials several months before a decision was reached in Essary's case. Hirsch and others have refused to say how long it will be before a decision is reached on what, if anything, will happen to Winston or others at East High. Source: The Commercial Appeal, September 21, 1997 East students rally for Winston By Lela Garlington The Commercial Appeal, September 6, 1997    Hundreds of students filed out of East High School Friday for a peaceful 35-minute protest of the suspension of their principal, Dr. Lowell Winston.    Between 80 and 90 percent of the school's 1,612 students participated in the 12:15 p.m. walkout and all returned to class, school officials said.    Winston, who makes $70,000 a year, was suspended with pay Thursday and was not at the rally. A special audit showed the school had more unpaid bills than money in its student activity coffers. The audit revealed East had about $20,000 in the bank and almost $112,000 in unpaid bills.    Supt. Dr. Gerry House has agreed to pay about $98,000 in unpaid bills as the personnel department investigates to find out how things got so out of hand and who is to blame. Other bills totaling about $14,000 that certain clubs and classes owe will be looked at individually to see if they will be paid.    Acting Principal Evelyn Mosley, who has been an assistant principal at East, said none of the students will be punished for the walkout: "We're not going to address this in a punitive way. They are showing their support to Dr. Winston. We encouraged them to not embarrass themselves or Dr. Winston."    Mosley found out about the plan and reached an agreement with the student leaders before the scheduled walkout. She said the students agreed they would only be out for 45 minutes and would return to their seventh-period class.    Students waving placards supporting their "Doc" ran toward news media cameras on the public sidewalks on the school's Poplar entrance. Later students joined together in chants, cheers and sang Lean on Me and the school song.    Many of the faculty also joined the students and helped control the crowds and ensure none of the students got too close to Poplar Avenue traffic.    "We want our principal back in school. Without Dr. Winston, there is no East. He's changed East tremendously," said senior Shunterance Hopson, who was holding a sign saying, "We want Doc."    Before Winston arrived two years ago, Hopson said there was no ROTC and no majorettes or band. "There wasn't any school spirit," she said. And Winston changed all that. "Maybe he did overspend the money, but he's worried about our future," she said.    When Winston moved to Memphis, some students were calling him Memphis's Joe Clark, the bat-wielding principal from New Jersey whose legendary exploits were chronicled in the film Lean on Me. Winston wanted boys to wear their pants at the waist and not on the hips. Male students were not to wear braids or earrings. Female students were barred from wearing short-shorts or baring their midriffs.    Despite his hard tactics, he won over most of his faculty, his students and parents. He rewarded students with free frozen yogurt in the school's cafeteria, and had dances - sometimes during the school's seventh period. He started soccer and golf teams at the school.    "The more we do our work, the more he awards us," said East High Junior Quinisia Hill. "If we be good, we get a lot of things. It's like a paycheck."    But parents and students may be feeling the pinch of not having money now. "We, as parents, are prepared to help Dr. Winston to relieve this school of its financial debt," said Ruthie Hayes, a vice president of the school's booster club and secretary of the site-based Leadership Council. Hayes was among the parents who helped with crowd control.    Clubs that have overdrawn accounts like the junior high cheerleaders who have overspent by almost $1,900 or the choir and choral whose account is overdrawn by $6,100 won't be allowed to spend any more.    "The clubs that have deficits, they cannot have activities that require money," said Memphis City Schools spokesman Janice Crawford. They will have to raise the necessary funds to pay off their existing debts before they are allowed to spend for anything else.    Crawford said teachers and staff also will have to figure out how to repay $2,800 spent on them for such items as hams for faculty and staff, pizza for secretaries, and gifts. The audit said student activity's general fund money "benefited the staff rather than the students that raised the money."    During the protest, Memphis Police squad cars blocked the school's entrance to avoid outsiders from possibly causing problems.    Ken Tate with Tate Realty is president of the school's Leadership Council. He told a Winston rally earlier this week at the school: "Dr. Winston came in here cutting a check." When asked on Friday if he thought that's why Winston is in trouble now, Tate replied, "I think it got him in trouble, but, like I said, it had to be done."    Whatever unpaid bills there are, Tate said, "I know East can raise the money from the neighborhood, the churches and business people. We just need to know what we need to do . . . I just hope the school board spanks him on the hand and punishes him, because East and Memphis City Schools don't need to lose Dr. Winston." EAST HIGH PRINCIPAL SUSPENDED AMIDST FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES September 6, 1997 - East High Principal Lowell Winston has reportedly been suspended with pay pending completion of an investigation of financial irregularities at the school. It is reported the investigation has found evidence of serious financial mismanagement at East involving bounced checks and a debt of $100,000 to vendors. Source: WMC-TV PARENTS AT MEETING SUPPORT PRINCIPAL September 2, 1997 - A meeting at East High school of concerned parents is reported to have ended with the group expressing support of East Principal Lowell Winston and criticism of the news media. Despite an audit showing a $100,000 debt and bounced checks from the school, those attending the meeting spoke highly of Winston and what he has done for the children in the past two years as principal. They said the media was to blame for the problems by publicizing the problems East has had recently with an ineligible player causing the forfeiture of numerous basketball games from last season and now the financial problems. Source: WREG-TV INVESTIGATION OF DEBT AT SCHOOL TO FIND RESPONSIBLE PARTY August 30, 1997 - Results of an investigation into nearly $100,000 in unpaid bills at East High School is being turned over to schools personnel director Ricks Mason. A decision about the responsibility is expected to follow shortly. It is anticipated that Mason will make a recommendation about the case to schools Superintendent Gerry House. School district officials declined to say how many individuals might be involved and East Principal Lowell Winston did not return a reporters calls. A spokesperson for the school system said that the decision to turn the matter over to the personnel department indicated that the findings may not be limited to procedural mistakes. The problem became known when vendors called to complain about it. District officials conducted an audit and found bounced checks and a debt of nearly $100,000. Apparently the problem involves the school activity fund, the money for which comes mostly from school fund raisers such as car washes and concession sales at athletic events. In late July, East was ordered to halt all financial transactions and to get approval from auditors before making any purchases or paying bills with money from the school's activity fund. An audit of East's finances from June 1995 until July 1996 showed no significant irregularities, according to records. Source: The Commercial Appeal SCANDAL OUSTS EAST HIGH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR August 22, 1997 - It appears East High Athletic Director Lonnie Williams may have been removed from that position after the state athletic regulatory authority forfeited 11 games and took 2 championship titles from the 1996-97 Mustang boys basketball team because an ineligible player participated in the games. David Smart, the attorney for basketball coach Reginald Mosby said it was his understanding that Williams had been relieved of his duties as athletic director. East Principal Lowell Winston would not confirm or deny the report, saying it was a personnel matter about which he could not talk. He did tell The Commercial Appeal that Williams remained a teacher at East High School. The Tennessee Secondary Scholastic Athletic Association ordered 11 of East games last season and two tournament titles because of the play of an academically ineligible student. Source:The Commercial Appeal East Made To Forfeit Games and Titles August 20, 1997 - The Tennessee Secondary Scholastic Athletic Association (TSSAA) has declared 11 basketball games from last season forfeited by East High School and has stripped East of it's two tournament titles for playing an ineligible student. The school is also being fined $250, the minimum fine allowed under the rule. The TSSAA ruled that Antonio Stevenson had failed to pass the required 5 subjects and he was ineligible in all the games he played for East after the first of the year. In addition to forfeitures, the district 16-AAA and Region 8-AAA championship titles were taken away. Before the TSSAA action, East boys had posted a 32-6 record for the 1996-97 season. Basketball Coach Reginald Mosby referred all questions to his attorney. East Principal Lowell Winston did not return a newspaper's calls. Earlier Mosby said that Stevenson had "slipped through the cracks" in the safeguards against such occurrences. He said the student had gotten an "I" in math with an understanding he would receive a passing grade if he performed extra work but that the additional work was never done. A Memphis City School spokesperson said they were pleased the TSSAA had commended East for its cooperation during the investigation which began after a series of anonymous letters which included copies of report cards were sent in. The grades included in the letters showed Stevenson had failed to pass the required 5 courses and had excessive absences. To read the letter from the TSSAA to East: click here Source: WREG-TV, The Commercial Appeal, and the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association. New Athletic Facility Proposed for Campus August 20, 1997 - The proposed East High Athletic Complex won council approval for the completion of plans and taking of bids. For an estimated $889,500, the project is to be built by the city through the Park Commission and jointly controlled by the Park Commission and Memphis City Schools. Source:The Commercial Appeal posted November, 2001, story believed to be from a Nashville, TN. newspaper, June, 1997: Christian TV executive Gary E. Hill ['68] dies at 46    By DANNY BROOKHART, Staff Writer    Gary E. Hill, 46, 2025 Woodmont Blvd., Nashville, president and chief executive officer of Odyssey, a national religious- and value-based cable network in New York, N.Y., died Monday [June 23, 1997], St. Vincent's Hospital, Manhattan, of cancer.    A memorial mass will be conducted at 9 a.m. Tuesday, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Nashville. Frankie-Campbell Funeral Home, New York, is in charge of arrangements.    A Memphis native. Hill was the son of the late Woodrow Hill and Mildred Hill Miranne, and a graduate of East High School. He attended Memphis State University and Rockhurst College in Kansas City.    Before joining Odyssey in 1996, he worked for several years at Contel Cellular Inc., where he served in various executive positions before becoming the vice president and general manager of its Southern region.    He was later named executive vice president and general manager of the Nashville-based music video network Z Music Television.    While in Nashville, he served on the boards of the Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, the Hillwood Country Club and the board of directors of the American Cancer Society.    In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, Peggy Hill; a stepfather, Wilbur Miranne, Memphis; three sons, Jonathan, Brian and Gary Hill Jr all Atlanta; and two daughters, Maureen Docker, Bowling Green, Ky., and Tiffany Antosek, Kansas City, Mo.    The family asked that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, 1315 Eighth Ave. S., Nashville 37203; Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, P.O. Box 110268 Nashville 37211; or the Pierre Toussaint Guild, c/o St. Peter's Church, 16 Barclay St., New York, N.Y. 10007-2705. [An additional obituary for Garry Hill ('68) is available on the obituary page. There are additional stories and pictures of Hll in this news section, including a story about his position with Odyssey cable television.] Teen socks teacher five times; both lose By Angie Craig The Commercial Appeal May 31, 1997    The first punch that slammed into Linda George's face was followed by four more painful blows.    "They were very calculated, deliberate punches," says George, 33, a seventh-grade science teacher assaulted in an East High hallway in April.    Her assailant, Demetrius White, 14, admits he wasn't supposed to be at the lockers at that time of the day. But he needed the science textbook near the bottom of the pile.    Now George and White both are living through an incident each wishes never had happened. Student assaults on school personnel have ranged from 10 to 36 a year since the 1989-90 school year. And while they aren't sure yet, officials say those numbers appear to be increasing.    For George and White, the incident has had disruptive repercussions.    White, who told his side of the story flanked by his mother and father, says George provoked him. He is charged with aggravated assault. George hasn't returned to East High School, or teaching, since the incident.    "The teacher come up to me and slam my hand in the lockers. She had thrown me against the lockers, so I hit her," said the five-foot, six-inch, 140-pound teenager. "Then I reared back, and I hit her again. I didn't want to hit her. But my mind just went blank."    George, who is in her fifth year at East, says the locker door brushed against White. It's the second time she's been assaulted. About two years ago, she was punched in the stomach by a student. She was a little over three months pregnant at the time.    The encounter with White left George, who spent eight years in the Army, with a bruise under her left eye, a "deep laceration" on her face, a swollen lip and a bruised jaw. In addition, she has seen an ear, nose and throat specialist.    "We are just tired of everybody verbally and physically abusing us every day and acting like it's just part of the job," said George.    "We're not a prison warden or a probation officer. What has to happen? Does one of us have to be killed?"    White's parents, Leanna and Calvin, both 36, said their son was expelled until April 1998 under the district's zero tolerance policy. He will get homebound instruction three hours per week as an instructional resource student.    Instructional resource students get special instruction because of a learning disability, said school spokesman Janice Crawford. By law, the school system must provide that instruction to a student even if he or she is expelled.    Crawford said providing White instruction at home over the next year will cost the district at least $1,695 unless space becomes available at an alternative school.    The district's alternative schools for expelled students are currently full, and in mid-May, about 250 students were on a waiting list for one of about 350 slots.    There are no records indicating White has had previous trouble.    "The teacher really had to do something for him to hit her," says his mother, Leanna.    His father, Calvin, said: "They (school officials) know it's all her fault. He don't disrespect no one." East Girls Win State Track Championship - Again May 23, 1997 - For the second year in a row and the fifth time in the past 9 years, the East High girls track team has won the state track and field meet. It was a controversial win. Going into the final event, the 1600 meter relay, East and Whites Creek were tied. But the Whites Creek team was disqualified before the race. Then Kirby, which finished first in the relay was disqualified for interference, making East the victor in the event and in the championship. Earlier in the meet, East was far behind after the field events, but the girls made up for it in the races, especially the relays. The only relay that East did not win was one in which they did not have a team. A state meet record was set by the Mustangs in the 800-meter relay with a time of 1:40.09. EAST'S HARRIS TO PLAY BASKETBALL AT TENNESSEE November 14, 1996 - East High star point guard Tony Harris, has apparently changed his mind a second time and reportedly will announce at noon tomorrow he will sign a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Tennessee. Earlier in the week, Harris said he'd decide which college to attend by Friday, then reversed himself and said he would not make a decision during this early signing period. Harris reportedly chose UT because Volunteer coach Kevin O'Neil was the only recruiter who told him he needed to improve. Some analysts believe Harris is among the top 10 basketball recruits in the nation. Source: WREG-TV and The Commercial Appeal East Student Charged with Murder    August 28, 1996 - Police have charged 16 year old Chaurice Bagley with first degree murder and especially aggravated robbery in connection with the murder and robbery of Binghampton grocery Young Chon.     More suspects are expected to be charged, according to the police.     Grocer Young Chon, 46, was shot and killed Friday during a holdup at the grocery he had owned since 1983 at Mimosa and Scott.     "My son stood at the door" as a lookout, said the suspect's mother, Melvinnie Bagley, 31. She said her son told police he accompanied two older neighbors to the sore.     "It took them so long to come out, he came in and looked in," she said. "He saw (one of the men) shoot Mr. Young in the head" as he lay on the floor.     Bagley said her son, a ninth-grade student at East High School, has been "a good child," but was influenced by older neighbors.     Meanwhile, about 50 neighborhood residents turned out at the store Monday for a memorial for Mr. Chon. Mrs. Chon said the store would reopen soon. Mr. and Mrs. Chon had a reputation of mutual appreciation with the people of the neighborhood. In announcing the store would reopen before too long, Mrs. Chon said "The community and the store, they love each other." Source: The Commercial Appeal August 27 and 28, 1996 posted November, 2001, story from Crain's New York Business, August 12, 1996: You gotta have faith and values and television CEO of interfaith channel aims to triple size, add original programs    BY ALICE LIPOWICZ    As the new head of the Faith & Values Channel, Garry E. Hill ['68] faces a challenge of biblical proportions. While Jesus determined that his mission was to cast out the money-lenders and peddlers of commerce from the temple, Mr. Hill must put out the welcome mat for them.    Judiciously, of course.    But Mr. Hill has set a tough goal for himself: to double or even triple the girth of the midsized, $20-million interfaith cable TV channel, to be renamed Odyssey next month, which reaches 26 million homes nationwide. And to accomplish this, he knows, he must solicit more dollars from advertisers and business corporations without incurring the wrath of any higher powers.    "What are we going to do for our broadcasts? Say, 'Presenting the Eucharist to you today, here's our sponsor, Nabisco crackers?' "he asks jokingly. Judeo-Christian Jeopardy    Sitting at his desk in a building owned by Trinity Church next to the American Stock Exchange, Mr. Hill, who became chief executive last month, is ready to take on the challenge. He thinks he can offer viewers and advertisers a haven of Christian and Jewish programming oriented to spiritual values and topics.    The lineup includes The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast, a cooking show with biblical themes; Inspiration, Please!, a religious game show; such movies as Sounder and sitcoms such as The Courtship of Eddie's Father. The Catholic Mass is broadcast weekday mornings without commercial interruption and remains one of the most popular programs.    "We're a place to go without seeing condoms and extramarital sex," says Mr. Hill. "There's a large group in America that doesn't want to watch Friends."    The channel was created eight years ago by the National Interfaith Cable Coalition Inc., a nonprofit group of 64 mainline denominations that retains 51% ownership, and Liberty Media Corp., a subsidiary of Denver based cable giant Tele-Communications Inc.    The station became for-profit a year ago through the creation of a new ownership subsidiary, and all profits are being funneled back into operations. Mr Hill hopes to increase viewership to 65 million U.S. households by 2000 and to boost revenues and profits correspondingly.    He also has big plans to shoot more original programming increasing the number of programs from two each week to somewhere between 12 and 15 and inviting such celebrities as actor Christopher Reeve or comedienne Brett Butler to appear on talk shows to discuss their spirituality. Mr. Hill might eventually address more volatile topics, such as abortion. He also wants to build a studio in New York; currently, he uses one owned by Trinity Church. Pinstriped proselytizer    Mr. Hill eagerly embraces his dual mission, catering to both church leaders and business people. He wears pinstriped suits and Brooks Brothers ties, like any other chief executive in lower Manhattan, but one of his first major business appointments happened to be with John Cardinal O'Connor. Those calling his office are treated to choral music instead of Muzak when they are put on hold.    First on Mr. Hill's list of things to do is a plan to demystify the stations holier-than-thou image. The channel's name change is part of this process, positioning it precariously between pure religious content and those subjects better identified as personal growth.    "We want to be a preview channel for going to church," he says. "People these days are very focused on personal growth and development."    Mr. Hill, 46, himself a Catholic, comes to the religious broadcasting banquet relatively late. He was in sales and marketing at MCI Telecommunications for 10 years, followed by seven years at Contel Cellular Inc., a cellular phone company, where he was promoted to vice president and general manager of its Southern region. His last post was as general manager of Z Music Television, a religious channel owned by Gaylord Entertainment in Nashville. "I'm basically a guy who manages rapidly growing companies," Mr. Hill says.    He hopes the Faith & Values channel soon will fit that description. But he acknowledges that there may be a tug-of-war between prophets and profits. It will be difficult to sell advertising for programming like the Catholic Mass, which is broadcast primarily for the elderly and disabled. But he's also convinced that the channel's overall demographics will prove favorable for advertisers.    "People used to associate religious programming with little old ladies," he says. "But a lot of people in their 30s and 40s are watching it now." [Garry Hill ('68) is deceased. An obituary is available.] The following is from The Commercial Appeal, June 5, 1996 East, principal are now family by Christina Connor For East High School students, lunchtime on the last day of classes for Memphis City Schools Tuesday was a final chance to take pictures of friends, sign yearbooks and flirt one more time with that cute girl from math class. Dr. Lowell Winston surveyed the social scene in the school courtyard with a smile and a sigh of relief that his first year as principal was coming to an end. It was a year marked by controversial rule changes for appearance and conduct and the tragic shooting death of a student in a parking lot behind the school. But the school also won a multitude of hard-fought triumphs, large and small. Thomas Malone II, a 17-year-old senior, put it this way: "We've been through so much this year, and it's brought us together. East is a family now." Many students, teachers and parents credit Winston with bringing them together. They weren't sure at first whether they liked him. But when they cheered him at graduation ceremonies last week, it seemed his amiable manner and sincere concern had won them over. Winston looks back on it all with this simple philosophy: "Emphasize the positive and the negatives disappear." East was not the only city school ending a year of adjustment. Throughout the school system, the changes that students, teachers and parents dealt with included: The start of periodic metal detector searches in middle, junior and senior high schools. A new zero tolerance policy and expansion of the school system's alternative programs for unruly students. Reforms of teaching techniques at 34 schools selected by the New American Schools Development Corp. Officials often brace for misbehavior on the last day of classes, but there were no unusual incidents reported Tuesday, said Larry Hill, city schools security supervisor. Extra police patrols helped, he said. At East, students took exams and said goodbye for the summer. Winston took one last opportunity to lock names and faces into his memory for next year. As he stood in the courtyard during lunch, several students shook his hand with a friendly "Hey, doc." "How are you doing?" Winston responded. "What are you doing this summer?" Relations between Winston and the students weren't always so congenial. The Memphis native and Booker T. Washington High School graduate took the principal's job at East last summer after retiring from Inglewood Unified School District in Los Angeles County, California. When the school year started, he immediately instituted changes. Rules about attendance and tardiness were tightened. Boys were banned from wearing earrings and braids. Girls were banned from wearing revealing clothes. Use of liquid correction fluid was banned because Winston said some people sniff it to get high. Students initially were upset, although many parents supported the changes. Winston said he briefly wondered why he decided to come back to Memphis. "I asked myself, 'Did I make a mistake?'" But in addition to new rules, Winston also started new activities that students welcomed. He scheduled more dances. Every six weeks, he held awards ceremonies to give prizes for academics, attendance and citizenship. The started using an in-school television network to make daily announcements about the achievements of individuals and athletic teams. "Once he stared doing for us, we started doing for him," said Marje Lambert, and 18-year-old senior. After negotiating with students, Winston relaxed some of the rules, allowing liquid correction fluid, for instance. Jason Shotwell, who was at the center of the controversy because he refused to take out his braids, graduated last week. Winston said Shotwell took out the braids two weeks before school ended. Shotwell's home phone number was unlisted. Winston said throughout the year he tried to improve communication among students, faculty, and parents with frequent newsletters and by asking their opinions. "The interest demonstrated by Dr. Winston in the students -- I haven't seen that before," said parent Eddie Hayes Jr.."There seems to be a much better working relationship between the administration and faculty. Everybody just seems to be happier. There's an air of excitement." The upward turn in school spirit suffered a setback in January, when 15-year-old Glenn Taylor Jr. was killed. But students said Winston helped them deal with the loss of their schoolmate. "He was comforting," said Meah King, a 16-year-old junior. By the end of the year, students said they appreciated the new rules and their new principal for making everyone take more pride in coming to school. Faculty members said they were looking forward to next year. "Everybody's pretty pumped up," said Melissa Burnett, a Spanish teacher and student council adviser. Winston said that was all part of his strategy. "The main thing is showing the students at East High that we care about them," Winston said. Next, he wants to strengthen the curriculum and toughen academic standards. "We have to stay focused," Winston said. "Schools must be fun, but they have to emphasize academics." March 4, 1996 - East's Tony Harris says his coach called for him to take the game winning shot but he was reacting to another Voice when he did so. With East trailing by 2 points with eight seconds left in a sub-state tournament, Harris took an off balance jump shot from three point range. The shot appeared perfect as it went through the goal to give East High (26-7) a 64 to 63 victory over Bartlett (31-4). The win grants East admission to the eight-team class AAA state tournament in Murfreesboro on March 13-16. "I was supposed to be the go-to guy," said Harris. "He (East coach Reginald Mosby) said get the ball to Tony Harris. And when I heard that, it made me think highly of myself...I've got so much confidence. That's what you've got to have. You've got to have confidence and love for the Lord...I give Him all the credit." All the credit? "I know He has confidence in me; He told me to take that shot." Souce: The Commercial Appeal East Alumni and basketball fans should take note of the name of Tony Harris. Although he is only a junior, he is being described as one of the best pure guards to ever come out of the city. February 14, 1996 - Dozens of fathers reportedly showed up at the basketball game at East High School . Their attendance was believed to be in response to the principal's call for fathers to attend the games to help control the behavior of the crowd. Principal Lowell Winston made the request after disturbances following a basketball game at East last month, including the fatal shooting of an East student in the parking lot of the school (see below). (Source: WREG-TV) February 10, 1996 - A group calling itself Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) held an organizational meeting at East High School . About 200 students and parents attended. The event was organized by an East student as a response to the fatal shooting in the school parking lot last month. The students say it is time they do something on their own to curb violent behavior. Other students from far away as Frayser and Germantown schools attended. Newspaper reports indicate the discussion centered around showing caring and love for one another as a means of making life seem more valuable to those who may not have a nurturing atmosphere at home. A Germantown High School student who works near East said, "I think students who don't feel loved and don't feel valued are probably more prone to undervalue life." Other suggestions were for more guidance counsellors, recruiting volunteer counselors, and anonymous telephone lines for students  to call when they have problems at home. Another meeting is planned for March 9th. (Source: The Commercial Appeal, February 11, 1996) February 6, 1996  - East is one of several Memphis schools getting walk-through metal detectors installed this week. The installation of these metal detectors is unrelated to last week's fatal shooting on the school grounds. The following is compiled from The Commercial Appeal, January 27 and 28, 1996 Caution: This is a story of violence. The East Junior High School basketball squad practiced Saturday. But the session was somber and brief... They were thinking about Glenn Taylor, Jr., a smooth, rangy forward on the team who was shot to death Friday night on the parking lot behind East High School... His mother said she was in the East gymnasium Friday when a young girl rushed in and shouted: "Little Glenn's been shot!" "I was looking for him," said Icy Mae Franklin... The ... shooting happened about 9:45 p.m. as a 15-year-old boy was trying to break up a fight between several women in the parking lot behind East High School after a basketball game with Central High. She said the suspects had been threatening his 20-year-old sister. When the suspects saw her and two cousins in the parking lot, a fight broke out... Police who were at the basketball game at East for security were escorting the visiting team out following the game when a scuffle broke out... While that was happening, a second fight broke out, and when police went to quell that disturbance, they heard four or five shots ring out... Police placed two women -- ages 20 and 22 -- in custody for the slaying of Glenn, a ninth-grade student, starting basketball player and member of the choir at East Junior. Student obituary: Terrence Sutherland From The Commercial Appeal, January 15, 1996 TERRENCE SUTHERLAND [associated with the Class of '97], 16, of Memphis, student at East High School, died of heart failure Saturday at Methodist Hospital North. M. J. Edwards & Sons Funeral Home has charge. He leaves his mother and father, Barbara Sutherland and Henry Sutherland; two brothers, Terrell Sutherland and Henry Sutherland Jr., all of Memphis; his grandparents, Elese Dorsey, Margie Sutherland and Shed Sutherland, and his great-grandmothers, Lucinda Randall of Camden, Miss., and Irene McMorris of Alabama. September 8, 1995 - (Quoted from The Commercial Appeal) Tough Stuff Dress code, rules shake up East High by Lela Garlington East High principal Lowell Winston's new rules that keep boys from wearing earrings and girls from baring their midriffs have gained wide support but angered some students and parents. When the 2,300 students from grades seven though 12 strolled onto the 33-acre campus on Poplar this semester, they were greeted with a three-page code of conduct contractual agreement prepared by the new principal. While many of the rules had been around, but not enforced, a few of them have students rolling their eyes in disgust. Boys can't wear braids or earrings. Girls can't wear short shorts, sandals without a back strap, high heel shoes or hats. And students are forbidden to have at school Liquid Paper correction fluid, Magic Markers or any items that might be used to deface school property. "What's next?" grumbled a girl who was wearing strapless shoes that didn't meet the new code's standards. "Uniforms?" Winston, a tall, slim man with a disarming smile, also has rules he wants parents to follow: Don't keep students home to babysit or leave town for vacation during the school year. The price of failing to follow the rules is high, including possible Saturday school, night class or detention for both students and parents. Along with the rules, Winston also is trying to revive the school's spirit. He's reinstituted pep rallies, a school band and majorettes. He wants more dances, plays and other activities. He even offered free frozen yogurt in the school cafeteria one day. And he's providing incentives. If 800 parents attend open house next week, the students will be rewarded with a dance. While some students are trying to convince Winston to ease up on a few of the rules, many parents and some students say they fully support the principal's efforts. Winston has agreed to discuss the students' concerns about the rules on Sept. 20-21 with Student Council representatives. They will select five and offer suggestions for changes. "I want to see what rules they are going to challenge," he said. "I may be flexible on some of the rules." One mother whose son was suspended for three days for wearing braids has called the administration and complained about the school's code of conduct. The matter remains unresolved at this point. At 56, Winston is returning to Memphis after living in the Los Angeles area for 31 years. He was a teacher, principal and assistant superintendent for the Compton and Inglewood, Calif., public school systems. While there, he saw how the growing gang influence within the community spread to the schools. He doesn't want to see that happen here. Winston, who grew up in La Grange and graduated from Booker T. Washington High here, is one of three new principals who were hired from outside the district this year when 25 positions opened up. His aim for the students is simple: He wants to build character, responsibility, good working and study habits among the students, including the vocational and optional students who attend classes there. "We are preparing students for the future," he said. When East High students leave the school. Winston wants them to be ready for a global job market that could leave some students behind if they dress inappropriately for an interview. "He's been in L.A. too long. He thinks if we have braids and wear earrings, we're in gangs," said junior Devin Fason Jr., 17, who was wearing two small hoop earrings. Knowing he was violating the rule, Fason added, "I'm going to wait until he says something to me." And when he does? Fason replied, "I'm going to take them off." That's what several young men are doing. Many have begun wearing their stud earrings on their shirt tails or sleeves during school. About 50 parents trying to reorganize the East High Booster Club recently backed Winston's efforts. "I love them," said Sylvia Norfleet, a 35-year-old nurse with a son in the 11th grade and a daughter in the 8th grade. "I'm just wondering where he's been. I'm all for getting the troublemakers out and the ones who want to learn in." "This is what East High needs," said Juanita Eason who has two sons at East. For the students who are upset, Eason added, "If they don't like it, they can go to another school." "They need structure. They need discipline. They need some parameters," added parent Crystal Porter. "The school has been too lax in what it allows." Student Daniel Walton can live with the new rules, especially the one that prevents girls from wearing short shorts. "It's distracting. Trust me. I know." But a few students say Winston is following in the footsteps of another principal who garnered national attention and even a movie about himself with a baseball bat and a bullhorn -- Joe Clark. "He thinks he's going to be the next Lean on Me Dr. Clark," said junior Brian Brooks. "He's a good principal; his rules are just too strict." ---------------------------------------- The Rules At East by Lela Garlington East High School students and their parents must follow a new set of rules imposed this year by the school's new principal, Dr. Lowell Winston. Rules causing the most concern among students are those focusing on hair and clothing. Any gang apparel, jewelry, hair nets or other items that suggest gang affiliation are forbidden and will be confiscated. Shoes must be worn at all times. High heel shoes, thongs, bedroom slippers, sandals without back straps are unsafe and are prohibited. Items that suggest identification with the drug culture, clothing or buttons with lewd, vulgar or suggestive statements or pictures, or racist slurs are prohibited. Spaghetti straps, see-though blouses, shorts, short tops, bare midriffs, muscle shirts and shirts without proper undergarments are not allowed as school wear. Hats, caps or bandannas are to be left at home or they will be confiscated. Pants are to be worn at the waist and not at the hips. Male students will not be permitted to wear braids and earrings. Female students will not be permitted to wear hair rollers to school. Winston also has other general rules, and even rules for parental responsibilities: No student should be kept home to babysit. Leaving town for vacation while your child's school is in session is not an acceptable excuse for absence. Dropping a student off late at school does not excuse tardiness. Classes begin at 7:30am. Students should be dropped off by 7:15am. Magic Markers, spray paints, Liquid Paper correction fluid or any items that might be used to deface school property are not to be brought to school. They will be confiscated. The penalties are stiff for those who don't follow the new rules. In addition to suspension or expulsion for such violations as fighting or bringing weapons to school, the penalties include possible Saturday school, night classes or detention. Winston also is involving parents: "Parents will be requested to attend Saturday school or night class with their son/daughter. Our school rules and procedures are designed to ensure that every student have equal access to the curriculum and leave East prepared academically for the 21st Century." East High School Lost White Status As Busing Began By Terry Keeter and Peggy McCollough [posted July 14, 2018] The Commercial Appeal Sunday, February 28, 1982      Alligators decorated chests at East High decades before they became the pet of the preppie set, but the real status symbol for those who went there in those days was the school itself.      "Everybody who was anybody went there," said Vici Lane, who taught at East from 1952 to 1960. "People transferred out of Hutchinson into East.      "We had students coming out of the windows, because it was so full. Everybody wanted their kids to go there."      It was the school designed to serve white East Memphis., filled with activities, clubs, academic scholarship and contest winners and fraternities and sororities.      This was the school built on 37 acres that was among the highest priced land the Memphis Board of Education had ever purchased when it was bought during World War II. The initial price tag – for land, building and equipment – was almost $2.5 million in 1940s dollars, and the school board kept that figure quiet until the facility was near completion.      It is the school named for the area which is, itself, the symbol of success in Memphis.      On June 3, 1948, hundreds of parents crammed th old Daughty-Robinson Drug Store, across Poplar from the new facility, to register their children for a school that didn't even have a name.      Watkins Overton, the school board president, said the pharmacy was selected because the construction work was still underway at the building. Within three years the facility would require an addition and three years after that, a 1,349-seat auditorium was built.      As construction progressed through 1947 and 1948, the school was informally known as the "poplar & Holmes School" and then the "No Name School."      On Aug. 20, 1948, Overton, who also served several terms as mayor, announced a name that had been selected for the school.      "It will be a fine name for class songs and high school cheers," Overton said, "all of which create school loyalty and school interest.      "For many years 'East High' will identify the school with the community."      If the school has continued to identify with the community, however, it is clear the community Overton had in mind no longer identifies with the school.       East Memphis has, for the most part, refused to show its white face at East High.      The school grandly sits on top of a hill at Poplar and Holmes, looking from a distance more like a small, wealthy college campus than a high school.      It is surrounded by a diversity of neighborhoods: Rich, white Chickasaw Gardens on the southwest. Poor, black Binghamton on the north. Moderate to elaborate homes in the Plaza-Scenic Gardens area, just east of the school. Walnut Grove Road, with a couple of blocks of weather-worn houses across from the school belying the wealth only a few blocks down that same street. A row of duplexes, housing both blacks and whites, on Homes along the east side of the school. And moderate homes just south of the school, leading to the wealthy homes along Central. But where East High School's heritage is apparent when you enter the front door. Marble and rich-toned wood is everywhere. The ceiling is high, the french-styled windows large, the mint-green hallways clean.       The first step through the tall doors brings a feeling of entering another era.      It is a feeling that quickly disappears.      Fashionable black students hurry down the main hallways.      A few white students whisk by. But most were whisked away by their parents years ago.      This semester, only 59 of the students are white – 20 of the 483 in junior high and 30 of the 482 in high school – leaving the student population at 94 per cent black.      Except for 12 whites bused in from the White Station area and two buses bring 110 black students from the old Messick district, most of the students walk to school.      Whatever East is, it is not a monument to successful desegregation. It is also not a monument to successful busing.      The 12 whites are from an area designed to produce about 150 senior high school students, and a like number of junior high school students, for East and Lester Junior High, when the current desegregation plan began in 1973. The two schools had been paired a year earlier and remained so until Lester was closed in 1981.            Under a new proposal now being considered by the school board, 425 whites from Craigmont – 200 in junior high and 225 in senior high – would be bused into East and a like number of blacks would be bused from the East area to Craigmont in the Raleigh area.      The busing proposal – coupled with similar plans for other Raleigh area schools – has brought a wave of protests from Raleigh parents. Many in th East area also would not welcome it with open arms.      But though students, parents, and faculty members at East may disagree on whether busing is the answer for desegregation, they all agree on one thing – that East is "a good school."      Tim Billings, a white 8th grader, said, "It's freer at East. You can go to the store (for lunch). You can go to Vo-Tech."      Billing said he is quite comfortable as a minority in the junior high program.      "It doesn't bother me. . .I went to Lester one year. I liked it. The sports were good."      Before Billings finished his thought, several of his black classmates chimed in with, "We're good friends."            Patting Billings on the back, Tony Gentry, 13, said, "We like him. He's all right. He's good at basketball and football."      Billings, who lives, at 533 North Holmes, said he likes being able to walk to school.      "I wouldn't like to go way out to Craigmont," he said, after being told many of his fellow students may be bused there.      Gentry, who lives within walking distance of the school, agreed. If the students are bused, East will "lose our most valuable players," he said.      "I don't want to go to Craigmont. It doesn't have windows . . . I like the activities (at East) – the sports games and the shows in the auditorium."      Gentry has attended Frayser Elementary and the old Lester Junior High. "I walked to Lester, too."      Billings' mother, Mrs. Betty Billings, has lived in the neighborhood for 15 years.      After having "three children in three different schools one year," she "dislikes busing."      "I think brothers and sisters should go to school together – not be separated."            Busing "hinders them from school activities," she added.      Along with the changes at East, Mrs. Billings also has seen her neighborhood change.      "There are more blacks. I've gotten some living right behind me that I would rather have there than the ones (whites) that used to be there.      "They (the blacks) are super nice. They're wonderful neighbors. I couldn't ask for any better."       Lavada Dowdy of 337 Eastview has three children attending East. She has lived in the area 12 years and has seen her children switched from East Elementary to Lester Junior High and back to East.       However, unlike Ms. Billings, she doesn't mind.       "It is not whether or not I like busing. I do want my children to be equally educated. I want them to have equal privileges . . . If it takes busing to do it, that is what I want. "      She thinks "very highly of East," but "Craigmont doesn't bother me."      Mrs. Dowdy, who graduated from Melrose High School in 1960, remembers her own city bus rides to school. "I had some white friends and we rode the bus together."            Her friends attended a different school, but "I knew that while we were in the same grade, taking the same subjects, our school books were different."       She believes the books used by whites were more advanced.      Her daughter, Vera, who is a junior at East, doesn't mind being bused.      "I believe Dr. (Willie W.) Herenton knows what he's doing. If he feels that he needs to desegregate the students then I'm all for it."      Dr. Tom Stern, president of the school board, said that he, Herenton, and other school officials have been discussing improvements at East for some time, including plans to make it an optional school with emphasis on medical services and engineering.      Of the pre-med part of the proposal, Stern said the "University of Tennessee is very interested in having such a school here."      "There's a school like it in Dallas, and it is really tremendous. And I think East is the perfect location. . .in a good section, with easy access.      "I think East has a chance to be an outstanding school – a chance to be the best school in the city, but I think other schools will be working hard to see that it isn't."      "Willie (Herenton) is committed to making this a top-notch school," Stern said. "If this proposal is approved he's going to do whatever it takes to make it work. I believe he's going to feel that this whole thing is going to hang on East."       Stern said he would continue to push to have the school board vote on the new proposal tomorrow night.      He said he was fully aware of the feeling of the Raleigh parents concerning busing.      "Whether the people will go (to East) or not, I don't know, but we certainly hope so. We're sure going to work at it.      "If I was given my choice, I don't want anyone bused. I want them to go to the neighborhood schools or the schools of their choice. But we have to act under what options we have and we don't have an alternative that would make everyone happy.      Stern said he was also aware that there are many East students who will not want to be switched to Craigmont.      "Oh, I know that. There's no reason for them to be happy. Of course, they're going to a good school, but they're leaving their neighborhood school."      He said he had not visited East recently, but felt it was a good facility and "the fact that it's predominantly black doesn't mean a thing" about whether it is a good school providing quality education.      Stern's daughter, Susan Stern, was bused to East with the first group brought in from White Station in 1973. She graduated from East in 1976.      Ms. Stern, now living in Washington, said the racial makeup of the school changed greatly while she was a student.      "It seemed about half-and-half when I first started, and I know there were lots less three years later. I would guess 65-35 black, my senior year.      "It (white enrollment) went down a lot. It never seemed like that much of a thing. I just knew it was going down. But I never felt like I was in that great a minority."      The percentage at East were actually 56-46 black in 1973-74, then 62-38 in 1974-75 and 70-30 in 1975-76.      "There were fewer kids in the white areas than in the black areas. . .and the figures the school was supposed to have were based on people there before desegregation," Ms. Stern said. "A lot of them left because they didn't want to go to school with blacks. Whites did leave the system because of that."      There were also other factors that school officials should have been able to anticipate.      Many of the white neighborhoods in the area had become older neighborhoods with older residents and fewer children. And, through the years, some of the more affluent sections, such as Chickasaw Gardens, had moved toward private education for their children.      Black neighborhoods in the area had expanded and many of the new residents were younger and had school-age children.      East had opened in 1948 with grades 10 through 10, added grade 11 the following year and by 1950 offered all 12 grades. Through the years, it was its own feeder school – moving students from first to second grade, and on through the senior year – and for many Memphis children it was th only public school they would ever know.      Under the parings, East would have only grades 4 through 6 and 10 through 12. It would no longer raise its own students through each grade.      And the junior high feeder school – Lester – was a previously all black facility that had not enjoyed funding equal to East and some of the all-white schools. It was in a black, rather than mixed, section, only a short distance from East.      So, while the first-year results of the 1972 pairings may have looked encouraging at East – with 415 whites and 405 blacks – the outlook for successful desegregation at Lester was never good.      In 1972, Lester had 500 blacks and 123 whites, meaning about 150 whites who would graduate from East the following spring would be replaced by less than 50 whites moving over from the ninth grade at Lester.      Under Plan Z, school officials assigned 313 white students to Lester in 1973, but less than half that number enrolled.      Ms. Stern was on one of the first buses to arrive at East.      Asked how she felt about being bused, she replied:      "I really had mixed emotions. In a personal way, I think it added a great deal to my personal growth. I think I benefitted from the busing. It was good for me to live in the real world, with all types of people . . . That was one of the most positive things about East.      "Some academic courses were top-notch and some weren't. It really depended on the teacher."      She said she would never have left the school because of race.      "Not because of the numbers of black or white – no, that wold not have been a consideration, the white and black would not."      Ms. Stern said there was no discipline problem at the school "any worse than any other school" but that there was also little real integration.      "In terms of the races, there was clearly a separation. It was sort of like segregation within desegregation.      "If you walked into the cafeteria, for example, there were whites at one end and the blacks at the other, with a couple of table in the middle that were mixed. But very few that were mixed."      She said she enjoyed her years at East, before attending Washington University in St. Louis.      "I was very happy there. I was very involved, had a good time and felt like it was my high school."      "I guess what we didn't see bother us . . . We just didn't see other people who were there to take our place and that was kinda disappointing. White or black, we didn't really care, but we didn't see them moving up behind us to take over," said Ms. Stern, who was active in the student council, yearbook and the school newspaper.       The courts didn't have to order Beth Gooch to East when she started high school in 1972. She had been there since she entered the first grade in 1963. She was at East when the first black enrolled in 1966, and she was there for Plan A and Plan Z.      "The biggest change was a lot of our old teachers left . . . and then our old principal left, and we got the principal from Lester. So, it wasn't just the makeup of the students, the faculty changed a lot too.      "There weren't so much problems between the kids like getting along . . . not racial problems," Miss Gooch said. "But, like when you merge any two schools, there were not the same activities.      "Those problems would have arisen if they had merged two white schools or two black schools.      "While I was there the emphasis shifted a lot from academics to athletics . . . due to (the school) administration ...      "This is just a personal grip with me., when you think about the money it takes to fund a football team and none of those kids would go on to athletics. And then think how much less it takes to fund a high school newspaper and lots of kids would go on and work on a newspaper.      "There were other areas and other things like that. They eventually quit having a Thespian Society, a Quill and Scroll, a newspaper . . . and became just real hung up on sport," Miss Gooch said. "They did do well there.      "I feel like having gone to a racially integrated school enriched my life in some ways that it couldn't have if the school had been all-white, but I feel that I missed out on some things academically.      "It seemed like we were in more of a minority than we were. Probably most of the white kids still in school were in my class, because most of the classes behind me had less and less white students.      "My second year some of them got shipped in from White Station, but most of them didn't stay very long. They couldn't hack it.      "I'd say by the time I graduated in 1975 . . . it seems like it was 75 or 80 per cent black, but I think it was probably more like 70," Miss Gooch said. The black percentage that year was actually 62.      "I'd say student activities were pretty even, like the president of my class was black, but the president of the student council was Judge (Robert) McRae's son, Tock," Miss Gooch said.      She said she felt adequately prepared for college at Memphis State University, but could not say whether East was a good school "because I went there all 12 years and don't have anything to compare it to."      But she would select East again if she had a choice.      "Yes, I would. The only change is that I think I would have just worked harder to get more out of the learning and teaching that was available.      "I had fun. But I think a lot of the blacks felt like they were kind of getting gyped [sic] out of something, because they had to change schools. We got to stay where we were."      Jacqueline Davis Tyson said you can mark her down in that category.      "I was moved from Lester, when they made Lester a junior high – moved to East for my junior and senior years." said Mrs. Tyson, who graduated in 1974.      She said it was both a big change and a big disappointment.      "Yes it was. I was just greatly disappointed because I had looked forward to graduating from Lester. I didn't like the idea of being forced to go to a school where I didn't want to go.      "As compared to Lester some of the things were better, but I think basically, I just liked Lester better. Most of my brothers and sisters had gone to Lester. East was really too large. Too many people, as far as closeness is concerned. But I'm a private sort of person which is why I feel that way.      "I was an honor student," Miss Tyson said. "I didn't have much contact with them (whites) really. I just didn't associate with any people that much.      "It may have helped other students more. I did learn a lot of things I didn't know about people – let me say, the white people. I learned a lot of things about them I didn't know. But, academically, no.      "I don't think I learned any more at East than I would have learned at Lester.      "East High was an all right school, it was just not my choice."      Theodore "Ted" Johnson Jr. Saw East from another view. He was the only black East graduate in the spring of 1971 and among the first half dozen in its history.      "I picked that school. My father at that time was at Lester (as principal of Lester Elementary) so it was a bit more convenient for me to come to that school. Indeed it was an unusual experience. But I was received pretty well.      "I didn't get ovations when I waled through the door, but then I wasn't treated very rudely," Johnson said. "I lived with the situation, I guess.      "It was a far better school than I had attended – it was far less crowded. It was a better learning atmosphere because of the crowd. At Hamilton there was something like 4,000 and East had like 1,800 in the same number of grades."      Asked if he would select East again, Johnson replied: "Probably not. I would choose a school with a better racial balance. Academically, I was prepared to come to East, so there is no reason to assume that, had I not left Hamilton, I would have been any less prepared to attend college."      He said he would "not necessarily" select a predominantly black school.      "But I'd like better odds than 1-in-800."      Johnson said the feeling of not wanting to stand out in the crowd was one of the reasons he chose LeMoyne-Owen College.      "And I certainly stood out at East."      Blanchard E. Tual was also a standout at East High. But he was there years before the first black student.      Tual, now a Memphis lawyer, was an all-city basketball player who was active on the East sports scene before he graduated in 1963 and became a nationally known swimmer at the University of Florida.      "It was the East Memphis school then. A few went to MUS (Memphis University School) and Hutchinson, but most came to East High because it offered a good education. The schools then were East, Central and White Station."      Tual said he has no illusions about his basketball honors.      "That was before blacks came in. If I was playing with the blacks, I'd have been about 20th team. And that's the truth.      "I think back, and I was prepared for college. The emphasis then at East was on college. We were amply well-prepared for college, because all the courses were oriented toward college. I'll bet 80 to 90 per cent of the students went on to college – maybe not finish, but at least started.      "Looking back at the teachers, well, when you're there, you know, you hate them all. But, looking back, I believe they were all concerned about the students and did anything they could to help us. Back then, I think the teachers intimidated the students, rather than vice versa."      Tual said he was pleased with the plans to make East a pre-medical and pre-engineering optional school.      "Now, I think it's just as important to have people who can fix your car as it is to have doctors and lawyers. But if there is an emphasis on this you may see more whites send their kids to public schools.      "I was lucky enough to walk to school. I grew up on Central, and I walked about three blocks to East every day for 12 years. I was really lucky.      "I can't imagine having any happier experience than going to East High."      There are a lot of people at East today who will quickly agree.      Many familiar with East are puzzled over the uproar Herenton's proposal created among Raleigh residents.      "A lot of the parents who are criticizing say they don't want to send their kids from Craigmont. And they don't know anything about East," said Patty Toarmina, a special education teacher at East.      "Not one parent has asked to come over," she said Wednesday.      Betty Apple, an art teacher, is a "military wife" who has taught school in other states and in Japan. She has been at East since last October.      "I like the school. There is a freer atmosphere and nice windows."      And the students?      "Kids are just kids. If you assert yourself, they will cooperate. Kids are the same everywhere."      About Herenton's proposal, she said, "When there are changes, people are going to be unhappy – when their neighborhood schools are broken up."      Although her children are grown, she said she wouldn't mind if they were bused.      She finds the students at East dedicated and cooperative. Last week, when a talent show was blasting away in the auditorium, several of her junior high school students came to class to finish painting banners for a Youth Art Month dinner.      "There are three or four children in my sixth period class" who volunteer to "stay and clean up and pick up trash" after school, she said.       Adorning the wall leading to the library is a bulletin board declaring Black History Month. The white faces of John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are mixed among notable blacks such as Crispus Attucks, Harriet Tubman and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.      The large library had few students in it because it was the lunch hour.      Shirley Barber, a soft-spoken woman who has been librarian at the school for 14 years stood behind the checkout counter.      She has seen many changes at the school.      "Of course we were grades 7 through 12. Then when Lester and East paired, we were no longer a junior and senor high school. The enrollment was cut because we lost three grades."      When the school was paired with Lester, many of the white students transferred to Central High School, she said.      She welcomed the school getting back grades 7-9 this year because it "doubled the enrollment. And of course, when the enrollment doubles it means more teachers and a second librarian."      Most of the students walk to school, she said – an idea that she likes.      "There are so many activities after school. Students who are bused can't participate in sports activities and club meetings which are held after school instead of during."      Miss Barber is pleased with the prospect of East becoming an optional school.      "Maybe then they'll (Raleigh students) be happy to come to us from Craigmont."       Tom Scruggs, an English and government teacher at East, said the plan to offer pre-health and pre-engineering courses at the school is "one of the most innovative plans in the country and many very well make East High one of the most attractive schools in town."      "It will be the school of the future."      Bill Kobeck, principal at East for two years, sat in his large office and proudly talked about the "beautiful" school. "It's a beautiful building," he said.      "Just walk and see how the kids are taken care of. I think we have something to offer."      He described the school as conventional. "We offer a regular high school program with some accelerated classes."      He said "anyone who has a youngster assigned to the school next year is most welcome to come and visit and see the program we do have.      "Given a chance, we'll provide students attending East High School with an excellent education." Cool Officers Outsmart Man [posted August 17, 2008] The Commercial Appeal Friday, April 11, 1980    A man who was upset apparently because he was refused admittance to Memphis Veterans Hospital late Wednesday returned to the hospital about an hour later and took a hospital policeman hostage for several minutes before surrendering to police.    Chief Inspector Tom Marshall, Uniform Patrol Commander, credited the coolness of Patrolmen Patricia Lovett and Georgia Gantt and hospital policeman Kathryn Malone ['68] with preventing serious injury to persons inside the hospital.    Police charged Roger Dale Hart, 30, of 579 Orchard, with assault with intent to commit murder and carrying a sawed off shotgun in connection with the incident.    Miss Malone, a former cruelty investigator for the Memphis Humane Society, said she was talking to a patient in a corridor of the hospital at 12:40 a.m. yesterday when she noticed a man whom she had seen at the hospital earlier walking toward her with a sawed off shotgun.    "He was coming toward me with this shotgun pointed toward me. I was walking with a patient. When I saw him I stopped so he wouldn't think I was going to try anything. He seemed afraid at first and told me to place my radio on the floor ..."    Police said the man told her that he had been at the Hospital earlier and that officials wouldn't admit him. He told her that he wanted to see a doctor.    Meanwhile, bystanders notified Patrolman Gantt and Lovett who were in the hospital investigating a stabbing incident, and Ms. Gantt later found the suspect.    Ms. Gantt said when she saw that he was armed she drew her pistol and ordered him to lay the shotgun on the floor. Instead, he pointed the shotgun at Miss Malone's neck and threatened to shoot her if Ms. Gantt didn't drop her gun. She backed around the corner and pretended to lay her gun down and then signaled Ms. Lovett.    Ms. Gantt and Miss Malone continued to talk to the man while Ms. Lovett circled around him.    "That shotgun was loaded and cocked," Miss Malone said. "We continued to walk toward the emergency room. He kept telling them he would shoot me, but he told me he wouldn't.    She said she was moving away from him and the police were "getting in position to shoot if they had to. I don't know if he realize this or if he just decided to give up but he asked me if I wanted the gun then handed it to me."    Police said the man had come to the hospital about 11 p.m. Wednesday to "have his stomach pumped." He was treated and sent home. He returned with a shotgun about an hour later. Ray Adams, a spokesman for the hospital, said the man was schedule to be admitted to the hospital yesterday.    Hart was being held in the City Jail last night. Gun-Toting Suspect Surrenders at Hospital [posted August 17, 2008] The Press-Scimtar April 10, 1980 By Ken Garland Press-Scimitar Staff Writer    Two women police officers and a woman security officer at the Veterans Administration Hospital at 1030 Jefferson disarmed a man who entered the hospital earlier today and held the security officer at gunpoint, police said.    The man was arrested after he voluntarily lowered a shotgun he had been pointing at the head of the security officer, Kathryn A. Malone ['68], shortly before 1 a.m. today, police said.    The man was arrested by Patrolwomen Georgia A. Gantt and Pat A. Lovett, who were attempting to talk the man into surrendering, officials said.    The 30 year old suspect, who police said had been at the hospital as a patient yesterday, is being held in City Jail today, said Lt. Jerry Webb of the General Investigation Bureau.    The incident began at 12:47 a.m. when a man walked into the emergency room area and approached security officer Malone, police said. The man pulled a sawed-off 12 gage shotgun which he had concealed and pointed it security officer Malone's head, police said.    Meanwhile, officers Gantt and Lovett were at the hospital gathering information on a stabbing victim, were approached in the emergency room area by a nurse who had seen the incident begin, said Capt. Sam Martz, headquarters watch commander.    After hearing what had happened, the two officers went looking for the security officer.    Officer Gantt said she spotted the suspect standing near the guard with his shotgun pointed toward the floor. She said she pulled her service revolver and ordered the man to drop the shotgun, police said.    At that point, the man raised the shotgun and pointed it at security officer Malone's head, Officer Gantt said. The man told Officer Gant to drop her pistol, threatening to kill the security officer if she did not, the police report said.    Officer Gantt said she pretended to drop her weapon, but stepped behind a wall and out of the line of fire. She said she found Officer Lovett and told her what was happening.    The two officers said they could see the gunman walking the security down the hallway with the gun at hear head.    Then, while Officer Lovett circled through nearby corridors to get behind the gunman and hostage, Officer Gantt began talking to the suspect, the officers said.    At that point, the suspect lowered the shotgun and handed it to the security officer, police said.    Martz said that when other officers arrived, the two women officers had the suspect in custody. Alumnus talked suspect holding gun on her to surrender [posted August 17, 2008] Ken Welch, Editor, The East High Alumni Page August 17, 2008    At the memorial service for Kathie Malone ('68) yesterday, the former Chief of Security at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Memphis provided additional details of Miss Malone's laudable actions when faced with a gunman who threatened to shoot her.    This is the story he told about the events of April 9/10, 1980.    The Emergency Room was full. A man came into the ER wanting to see a doctor, but because it was full no doctor was immediately available.    There was a long hall in the VA Hospital which monitored by a security camera. An officer in the security office monitored that camera and others. He saw Kathie walk down that hall and turn into a short connecting hall, which was not covered by security cameras.    It was then she came face to face with the man who was armed with a shotgun.    At that time, VA Hospital officers did not carry firearms. They did wear radios on their belts. Either thinking the radio was a gun or just was a threat to call for help, the armed man demanded that Kathie remove it. She took it off, put it on the floor and pushed it away from her. Facing an armed and angry man, she had the calmness of mind to push the radio away from her, right out into the hall because she knew that area was monitored by the security camera.    The officer in the security office saw the radio being pushed out into the hall and called the security chief. The chief knew something was wrong and told the duty officer to assemble the security staff and call the Memphis Police Department.    Kathie lead the armed man to a small room adjacent to the Emergency Room and began talking with him. He demanded to see a doctor. Kathy told him no, she was not going to help him see a doctor as long as he had the gun. Kathie went on to tell him if he put the gun down, she would help him to see a doctor. She talked him into putting the gun down then he was immediately subdued by other officers and taken into custody. He also was later allowed to see a doctor later.    The Chief of Security says a little while later he later asked Kathie if she had been scared. She said "no, not at the time, but now I'm about to collapse. I'm scared to death."    People who came to know Kathie later, if they learned of her actions on that day, didn't learn about the incident from her. She wasn't the type of person to publicize her extraordinary actions. East Alumnus Nurse Debra Boone Murdered Summarized from stories in The Commercial Appeal    [posted August, 2001, based on news stories of 1976-1977] - The body of nurse Debra Anne Boone ('72) was found about 2:30 a.m. in her car on a parking lot near the City of Memphis Hospital's Jefferson Pavilion by hospital security guards early Saturday morning, September 18, 1976. They were drawn to the vehicle by a small fire.    Police determined that Miss Boone had left her home about 9 p.m. and planned on visiting friends before reporting to her night shift nursing job which began at 11 p.m. Shortly before she was to begin work, she called the hospital and reported she would be late because of a flat tire on her car. Police say she was visiting friends in the medical center area and did not have a flat tire. She called again about 1 a.m. to say she would be in to work shortly. She never arrived.    The police investigation indicated Miss Boone had parked her car in front of the Jefferson Pavilion when she was approached, pushed back into the vehicle and abducted. Police say she was driven to an area north of the medical center where she was beaten and raped. The attacker or attackers then drove her car, with Miss Boone in it, to the parking lot and attempted to set it on fire by pouring gasoline on it and igniting the fuel. The fire attracted the attention of hospital security officers who found the body when they investigated.    An autopsy revealed Miss Boone died of strangulation from a belt wrapped around her neck.    Miss Boone had just received notification on Friday that she had passed the examination by the state Board of Nursing and was a registered nurse, just hours before her Saturday morning murder.    Within three days after the crime, two juveniles were charged with murder in the death of Miss Boone. Eddie James Lawson, 14, of 814 Looney and Nathaniel "Bobo" Young, 16, of 230 East Red Oak #1, were accused. Nathaniel Young was a 10th grade student at East High at the time of his arrest, though he was reported to have missed 8 of the first 17 days of school. Lawson was reported to be on probation for a previous felony. Investigators say Lawson told family members he had some knowledge of the crime and a family member notified police. When questioned, Lawson told police he had witnessed the abduction and described the assailant so that a police sketch could be made. Investigators became suspcicious when they realized Lawson was telling more than a witness should have known. Officers said he was questioned further and implicated Young. Police said both confessed to being involved with the crimes against Miss Boone. As a 14-year old, Lawson, if convicted in Juvenile Court, faced possible incarceration until his twenty-first birthday, the maximum that he could be held under Tennessee law. Nathaniel Young was tried as an adult on murder charges and faced a possible lengthy sentence but was acquitted by a criminal court jury. Police said they would not reopen the investation of the murder because they were convinced they knew all of those responsbile for the murder and had charged them with the crime.    The following account of Miss Boone's funeral is from The Commercial Appeal, September 22, 1976: Services for Miss Boone were held yesterday [September 21, 1976] at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel. About 350 persons attended the services — mostly young people. Many of those present apparently were medical students and nurses. About 100 persons had to stand during the services, lining the outside walls of the chapel and filling the foyer at its entrance. Rev. Dale Palmer, assistant pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church where Miss Boone was a member, gave the eulogy. "Debra's life touched so many, many others," he said. He said Miss Boone will be remembered for her Christian faith, her love of people and her "dedication to serving others." She was buried in Memorial Park, with about 150 persons attending services there. Many lingered at graveside well after the conclusion of services hugging each other and weeping quietly. posted August, 2001, story and picture circa 1976 from a Memphis newspaper - A grinning watermelon with black olive eyes and a pineapple for a topknot added a touch of humor to Colonial Country Club's popular seafood buffet last night. Dishing up salads are Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Glover, left, and Mr. and Mrs. Garry Hill. [Editor's note: Gary Hill ('68) died in 1997. An obituary is available.] Bruised body of young woman found nude, bound near Eglin St. Petersburg Times, Friday, June 27, 1975 FORT WALTON BEACH (UPI) — A vacationing banker's daughter, whose nude body was found on an isolated military beach, may have been sexually assaulted before she was beaten and apparently drowned., Medical Examiner Edmund Kielman said Thursday. FBI agents, who took charge of the investigation because it happened on government property, said the young woman, identified as Lynn Pyeatt, 19, of Memphis, Tenn., appears to have been murdered, but refused to elaborate. OKALOOSA COUNTY Sheriff's deputies said the body was found Wednesday afternoon on a lonely section of Eglin Air Force Base beach adjoining a Gulf-front condominium where the victim was staying with Marian Dickerson, 20, Memphis, whose family owns the vacation complex. Paul Quinn, 18, Smyrna, Tenn., another vacationer, found the body on the open beach 20 feet from the water. Her writs were tied with nylon cord. He told the FBI he did not know her or her friends. A PRELIMINARY autopsy report, Kielman said, indicates that the death was due to drowning. FBI agents said Miss Pyeatt was seen sitting with a group of friends beneath a beach umbrella, about 35 or 40 minutes before the body was found. The friends, according to the FBI, said the bikini-clad woman left them for a walk by herself along the beach. "My speculation is there was foul play and then she was drowned," said Kielman. "There was definite evidence she was hit about the skull, with bruises the size of a 25 cent piece. There were no fractures, just bruises. There were marks over the right eye, left cheek and upper eyelids. She was attacked in or near the water. There is no preliminary evidence of a struggle." MISS PYEATT WAS the daughter of Wayne Pyeatt, chairman of the board of the National Bank of Commerce in Memphis. Law officers said that Miss Pyeatt had been vacationing for two weeks in Fort Walton Beach. FBI officials said they have no suspects. Okaloosa Deputy Sheriff Hank Little said Miss Pyeatt's body was found about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and that her hands were tied behind her back. Miss Pyeatt's swimming suit was found on another section of the beach, which directly adjoins a public swimming area, said Little, the first law officer at the scene. Kielman says he located no lacerations on the writs from a nylon cord. Because no signs of abrasion exist, Kielman said, Miss Pyeatt's wrists could have been tied after she died and she may have been sexual assaulted later. Test for sexual abuse are incomplete, he said. SHE WOULD HAVE struggled if her writs were tied before she died," said Kielman. "There were no abrasions whatsoever. I would think her writs were tied after she died." Kielman said that body temperature tests indicate that Miss Pyeatt, a former high school honor student and cheerleader, died Wednesday afternoon. He said her lungs were filled with water, indicating the attack occurred in or near the ocean. Little said "quite a few" people were on the beach when the body was found but FBI officials said they have not located witnesses to the incident. Little said no fence exists between the public and military beaches and vacationers frequently sunbathe and swim on the military property. HE SAID THE body was found in an open area but away from the beach's main swimming and sunbathing section. FBI officials say they are questioning Miss Pyeatt's friends abut the incident but declined to reveal details of the inquiry. An agent described the investigation as "very sensitive." [Editor's note: see also a 2013 artcile about this muder not having been solved.] posted August, 2001, story and picture 1972 from the Memphis Press-Simitar David Mayo ['67] Coming Out With 3 New Albums     By MARY ANN LEE     Press-Scimitor Staff Writer     Come January, David Mayo will have out three new albums at once and if that isn't some kind of record in itself, it must be close.     He will be featured on his own TMI album, "Mayo": the new "Washrag" album (Washrag being the group that has the hit-ranking "Bang") and "Acrobat," which he co-produced with R. J. Williams, younger brother of Trans-Maximus president Jerry Williams.     David is one of the producers of the Washrag album, along with Steve Cropper and Ronnie Capone, and on the disc he plays keyboard and guitar.     "Acrobat" is a group from Atlanta, and it's really different-sounding, David said. "The album will have everything on it, including electric bass, congas and the Memphis Strings," he said. The latter, of course, are from the Memphis Symphony and, yes, "Acrobat" does seem "different-sounding." But interestingly -- I, for one, can hardly wait.     The album just missed being called "Mayonnoise," David said. It was a joke, but maybe it had negative connotations - who wants to deliberately label his own music "noise"? So the title is "Mayo."     All the tunes on the "Mayo" album are new. David and co-producer Steve. Cropper wrote a couple of the songs and they dug out a never-recorded tune, "Crazy Eyes," by Richie Furay of the Poco group. Furay, who lives in Boulder, Colo., gave his permission for the song to go on the album and everyone is so pleased with the result, "Crazy Eyes" may also end up as a single.     David' will be singing on "Mayo," an album which will feature neither strings nor horns, he said. Primarily he seems to think of himself as a singer, although he has so many talents, it is hard to dig in and place any definite label on him. He plays organ, guitar, bass and even a little drums - all without benefit of formal training. His mother had sung on the radio when she was a teenager, but that's about the only musical heritage in David's background. Still, the talent and the drive were there and, as he put it, "I progressed from sheer 'want.' "     In high school, 10 years ago, David began his musical career by singing with a group called The Coachmen in LittleRock. He co-wrote their hit single, "Tears ot Blue," No. I on local charts. When his family moved back to Memphis, where David had been born, he attended East High, but flew back to Arkansas every weekend to keep appearing with the Coachmen.     After they split up, David went with a Memphis group called Load of Mischief, later renamed Paris Pilot when they recorded an album at Stax with producer Don Nix. The group was a musical success, but a financial flop, and next David joined the then popular-local group-Village Sound. In July of l970, that group also divided.     Next up was an album collaboration with writer Wayrie Crook and then David was asked to join Caboose ("Black Hands, White Cotton") as lead singer. Although that group was doing well, it, too, split up. That's when David landed at Trans-Maximus and became part of still another group, Edgewater, which broke up in May.     It has been a long, busy haul over the last 10 years for a young man who is still only 24 - he has had eight singles and two albums on four different labels, graduated from East High and put in three years as a speech and drama major at Memphis State. You get the feeling that the past is only a pale prologue for a glittering future.     Likeable, easy-going, but serious about his music, David may have started something in his family. His 16-year-old brother, Doug, has taken up drums and is so good at it, David says, "He never ceases to amaze me." Doug hasn't turned pro yet, but with David in the family, it's probably only a matter of time. Meanwhile, three new albums in one month ought to be enough for any household for a while. 2 Memphis Students Are Killed in Crash    Memphis Press Scimitar, March 14, 1972:     Tennessee Highway Patrol today was still investigating an auto crash in which two Memphis students on their way home from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville were killed on rain-slick I-40 near the Gordonsville exit.    Troopers said it was still uncertain what caused Helen L. Tully ['68], 22, to lose control of her car and collide with another on the interstate, killing her and a passenger, Reid W. DuBard ['67], 23.    She was the daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Bartlett C. Tully, Jr., 2218 Kirby Road. His parents are Dr. And Mrs. Horton G. DuBard, 6460 Strathspey.    Both students were pronounced dead on arrival at Carthage, Tenn., hospital.    Trooper R. C. Overstreet of Carthage said Miss Tully's small foreign car went out of control about 4:55 p.m. yesterday, crossed a 50-foot wide median stip and collided headon with an oncoming car occupied by four persons from Hickory, N.C.    The four North Carolinians are in fair condition in Carthage hospital.    The two victims had attended East High School together. He graduated in 1967 and she in 1968. He was majoring at U.T. in business administration, with special emphasis on real estate.    Miss Tully's father is vice president of Anderson-Tully Co., lumber mill. Besides her parents she leaves two sisters, Frances, a student at University of Alabama, and Virginia, at home; a brother, Bart Tully III of the home; her grandparents, Mr. And Mrs. E.D. Bozeman of Memphis.    Mr. DuBard also leaves a sister, Carol DuBard of Memphis, and his grandparents, Mrs. Logan Reid of Knoxville and Mrs. Bruce G. DuBard of Memphis.    Both Miss Tully and Mr. DuBard were members of First Evangelical Church and very active in youth work there.    Joint services will be held at the church at 2 p.m. tomorrow with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery. Tredwell-Norris Funeral Home is in charge. Wreck Claims Lives of Two Alumni    The Commercial Appeal, March 14, 1972:   Traffic Claims 2 UT Students on Way Home    Two young Memphians, both students at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, were killed late yesterday afternoon in a two-car accident near Carthage, Tenn., while driving to Memphis for spring vacation.    They were identified as Miss Helen L. Tully ['68], 22, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Bartlett C. Tully of 2218 Kirby Road and Reid W. DuBard ['67] of 6460 Strathspey. Both were pronounced dead at a Carthage hospital.    Trooper O.C. Overstreet of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said a Volkswagen driven by Miss Tully was going west on Interstate 40, which was slick with rain. He said about two-tenths of a mile from the Carthage exit, the car crossed the median and hit an eastbound Oldsmobile in which four persons from Hickory, N.C., were riding.    The North Carolinians were not seriously injured, he said.    Tredwell-Norris Funeral Home has charge of arrangements for both victims.    Miss Tully also leaves two sisters, Miss Francis Tully, who is attending the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, and Miss Virginia Tully of the home; and her grandparents, Mr. And Mrs. E. D. Bozeman of Memphis. Her father is vice president of Anderson-Tully hardwood flooring company.    Mr. DuBard also leaves a sister, Miss Carol Dubard of Memphis, and his grandparents, Mrs. Logan G. Reid of Knoxville and Mrs. Bruce G. DuBard of Memphis. GI, Wondering 'Where All Have Failed,' Is War Victim From The Commercial Appeal, March 23, 1969       Army Pfc. Jackie Joe Webb, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Webb of 97 S. Humes, was killed Thursday [March 20, 1969] while on patrol in Vietnam.       The father, a foreman for Memphis LIght, Gas and Water Division, was notified Friday of the death of his son, who was stationed at Tien Phue with the 196th infantry.       Private Webb, who was 20, was graduated from East High School and worked at Agrico Chemical Co., until he was drafted. He entered the Army in June and left for a year's duty in Vietnam in December.        He wrote a poem while in Vientam, which he mailed home shortly before his death. In it he said the day he left for Vietname he felt more curiosity about his new life than fear.        He described Vietnam as a "land of confusion." He said the war was not "too bad," but it was not "what I thought it would be."        He ended the poem by saying he could not help wondering "where all the good men have failed."        He also leaves two brothers, the Rev. Wayne Webb of Mansfield, Tenn., and Mike Webb of the home address, and a sister, Mrs. Joyce Baker of 2362 Arlington.        Memphis Funeral Home on Union has charge. Editor's note: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall lists Mr. Webb as having been a corporal and having been killed on March 19, 1969. Wreck kills J. P. Snider, East High's Only Principal [posted April 21, 2006] From The Commercial Appeal, July 31, 1964:     Joel P. Snider of 1058 Peabody, longtime Memphis educator and the first and only principal of East High School, died at Campbell Clinic and Hospital at 7:40 last night from injuries received in a car-truck crash near Savannah, Tenn. about 3:30 p.m. He was 60.     Mr. Snider's car collided with a pickup truck eight miles west of Savannah on a rain slick highway.     He was taken to Hardin County General Hospital for emergency treatment then moved to Campbell Clinic in Memphis where he died.     State Troopers said Mr. Snider's car collided on a curve with the truck driven by Franklin Perry Hill, 38, of Olive Hill, Tenn. Mr. Hill was treated at Savannah Clinic for minor injuries.     No charges were filed pending further investigation.     Born in Hampton Roads, Va., Mr. Snider was educated at the University of Virginia where he received his bachelor's and master's degree and was chosen to Phi Beta Kappa.     He came to Memphis in 1926 and taught at Memphis University School until 1934. From 1934 to 1936 he taught at Tredwell Junior High School and from 1936-1939 at Humes High School.     IN 1939 he was named principal of Leroy Pope School where he remained until 1943. From 1943-1948 he was principal at Snowden School.     In 1948 he was named the principal of East High School when it opened. Summer classes at the school will be suspended today in Mr. Snider's memory.     Mrs. Arthur Sessel, a member of the Board of Education whose son studied under Mr. Snider said, "I'm shocked. This is certainly a tragic loss to the community."     "My son went to high school under him and I hold Mr. Snider in high professional regard as well as having a deep personal feeling for him. Excuse me, please, but I am shocked."     Morgan Christian, assistant superintendent of education of the Memphis Schools, said, "J.P. Snider was one of the leading scholars of Memphis. His contribution to the youth of Memphis has been great and his absence will be sorely felt.     Mr. Snider was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral (Episcopal).     He leaves a daughter, Mrs. Coyle Shea Jr. of 5669 Gwynne Cove; a nephew, Lester Moody, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and six grandchildren.     Services will be at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at St. Mary's Cathedral. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery with Memphis Funeral Home in charge.   Also see Mr. Snider's entry in The East High Alumni Page Hall of Honor.   Student Prankster Sought As Bomb Call Empties East By Wesley Pruden Jr.     [ [posted August 2, 2021] From The Commercial Appeal, October 25, 1958:     A student prankster is being sought as the “soft-voiced man” who emptied East High School yesterday with a telephone threat that a bomb would explode at 11:30 a.m.     Three dozen officers and firemen searched the spawling school building on Poplar and Holmes soon after the tipster called police at 10:44 a.m.     Miss Rose Parkinson, acting principal, aid the 2,250 students left the building within three minutes after police called her. She said neither teachers nor their classes knew it was anything but a routine fire drill until they guessed or were told about it at noon. Several Students Quizzed     Classes were dismissed at noon by Schools Supt. E. C. Stimbert on the advice of Police Capt. W.  W. Wilkinson, who directed the search of the building.     Officers talked with several students after the student body was dismissed but made no arrests. Captain Wilkinson said “my first reaction is that it was a prank although we don’t intend to dismiss it as a prank, if you get what I mean.”     Cheers thundered from the students, massed on the school’s spacious lawns, when Miss Parkinson dismissed them for the week end. She spoke from a sound truck. But not everyone was happy. No Week-End Homework     “I don’t care if we do get out of school,” said Eugenia Dowling of 3372 Highland Park Place, an 11th grade student. “I’m still scared something might happen to my school.”     Teachers were told to go back into the buildings for coats and other belongings. But not books.     “There will be no homework this week end,” Miss Parkinson told her students, who ranged from 6 to 17 years old. East includes all 12 grades.     Mr. Stimbert said the thoughtfulness of parents account for the lack of confusion, although premature radio broadcasts around 11 a.m. were alarming.     “I guess they trusted us to take care of their children,” he said. “We could have been swalloed up by panicky parents.”     It was a long afternoon for kitchen help. They had to dispose of kettles of spaghetti and pounds of easily spoiled food. All counted, Mr. Stimbert estimated the incident cost Memphis taxpayers “at least $2,000.”     East High’s Mustang Band played a concert at 4 p.m. for a store opening in Poplar Plaza and its junior football team played a football game. But police vetoed any activities in the building until Monday morning. September 9, 1948 - Street Crossing Deemed Danger (The Commercial Appeal) September 3, 1948 - Big Boys to Assist Younger Students at Dangerous Street Crossings (The Commercial Appeal): August 21, 1948 - Front Page News: New School Named East High School  (The Commercial Appeal): August 17, 1948 - Three Weeks Before Students Arrive School Still Has No Name June 12, 1948 - School Baord President Predicts Stop Lights for Poplar Avenue at New School (The Commercial Appeal): June 4, 1948 - Students Begin Registering to Attend New School (The Commercial Appeal) May 30,  1948 - Petitioins Call for Naming New School After William J. Prescott (The Commercial Appeal): May 29, 1948 - Naming of New School Delayed (The Commercial Appeal): May 23, 1948 - New School Opening Set For Fall (The Commercial Appeal): March 3, 1948 - City Schools Hope to Open New School at Poplar and Holmes for 1948-1949 School Year  (The Commercial Appeal): August 16, 1946 - Construction of East High School Begins - from The Commercial Appeal: [Editor's note: The school actually opened September 7, 1948. It cost $2,485,397.07.] August 28, 1945, Plans for new east Memphis high school The following excerpt is from page 13 of The Commercial Appeal, August 28, 1945: [Editor's note: The school actually opened September 7, 1948. It cost $2,485,397.07.] Most of the stories for this section originate with the major Memphis media outlets: The Commercial Appeal, Daily Memphian, WMC-TV, WREG-TV, WHBQ-TV, WPTY-TV, WLMT-TV, the Memphis Business Journal, the Memphis Daily News and WREC-AM.