I have a favorite quilt that I have used for the past 40 years.  It is worn and frayed in a number of places, but it is still my favorite.  It is much heavier than most quilts because a dense material was placed between the quilt face and the backing.  This quilt has kept me warm for the last four decades and has protected me from the cold.  I specifically remember the quilt during college.  My roommate and I lived in a mobile home but could not afford heat, so the temperature hovered just a little bit above freezing to protect the water pipes.  I remember waking up many mornings where moisture from my breath had frozen on the wall above my bed.  However, that quilt kept me warm!

The quilt is also my favorite because my mother, grandmother, and aunts made it.   I remember us sitting on the floor and watching them quilt. They had a large frame suspended from the ceiling, and they would sit around the frame and sew the quilt together.  I remember my mother asking me what type of quilt I wanted.  I wanted a heavy quilt to keep me warm.  I do remember them complaining a little because it was difficult hand stitching the facing to the backing because of the material in between. 

There is an unexplainable comfortable and joy in knowing that two generations of the most important people in your life had a hand in making you something you will use over the course of your lifetime.  Someone once told me that anyone can buy you something but only those who truly love you will make you something.  The commitment level can be low if only money is exchanged. However, you have to deeply care about someone before you will sacrifice time to make them something. I suspect the warmth of that quilt may originate more from the love placed in it than the actual weight.

It is concerning to me that we many of us do not appreciate and value history.  It seems that we live in a throw-away society, and there is little sentimental attachment to things.  We do not take the time to appreciate where things in our life originated, so this probably devalues that item.  Most would see my old ragged quilt as something that should have been discarded many years ago, but the history of it makes it invaluable to me. 

At our last board meeting, the Hamblen County Genealogical Society presented the school board with a book celebrating the 150th anniversary of Hamblen County.  It is a fascinating book, and I encourage Hamblen County residents to purchase a copy.  The book contains oral histories of our families and many interesting facts about our county.  I especially enjoyed reviewing the history of the schools. 

According to the book, schools existed in Hamblen County prior to the county’s formation, but the first superintendent of schools (1873) was Captain James Trent, a Union Civil War veteran.  Miss Ida Johnson (1899) was the first female superintendent of schools.   In 1913, residents had to pay a fine of $5 if their child did not report to school.  In 1917, the school board required all teachers to have at least a high-school education before being employed.  In 1919, schools had to close because of the influenza pandemic.  Somehow that sounds familiar! 

In 1923, individuals had to pay a $2 poll tax to vote and the money went to fund the schools.  In 1924, the school ran out of money and teachers could not be paid until all residents paid their taxes.  In 1930, the superintendent pleaded with residents to pay their taxes so schools could stay open.  In 1931, the new school for African Americans was named after Judson S. Hill.  In 1932, the school ran out of money again and all schools (expect the high schools) were closed.  That same year, the school board decreed that all teachers must prove they have paid their taxes to remain employed.  In 1937, school board members became elected instead of being appointed by the county commission.

The book also contains a number of other interesting and important facts.  For example, the county was named after Hezekiah Hamblen.  He actually lived in Hawkins County, but a grandson (who eventually became a senator) was given the honor of naming the newly formed county, and he wanted to honor his grandfather.  The book also talked about the various leaders who created our early industries and who built our economic base we enjoy today.  As I read these articles, I could not help but think of the debt we owe to these pioneers.  We take for granted all the things they created through their hard work and dedication.   We do not take the time to think that someone built our schools, our fire departments, libraries, roads, industries, airports, etc.  These things simply did not materialize but were created from the hard work of countless people whom we have forgotten.  Our county and city rests upon the foundation that our forefathers built, but we have little knowledge of who they were.  We seldom take the time to reflect on their sacrifice and what they did to make life better for us. 

After this reflection, my next thought focused on our individual actions now.  How will future generations look back on us and evaluate our contribution to our community?  Will our names be listed in the future with those who moved this county forward, those who prevented progress, or will our names even be remembered?  All of us have the opportunity, and probably the responsibility, to ensure we are in that group who are remembered as making a positive difference. 

Please review the following information and contact us if you have any questions or concerns.  Also, please remember to email Mrs. Webb (webbk@hcboe.net) if you have other questions you would like us to address in future articles. 

1.         We have seen another reduction in our COVID numbers this week.  This week, we had approximately 25 active cases.   For a comparison, last week we had 31 cases. Of these active cases, 20 are students and 5 are staff.  At the end of February, we will make two significant changes to our protocols if our numbers remain low. 

First, beginning March 1, we will not post our COVID numbers on the school website.  Very few individuals view these numbers, and it takes a considerable amount of time to record and post this information.  Parents interested in reviewing these numbers can visit the state website, and the numbers will be posted weekly.  Second, we will no longer require family members to be quarantined from school if someone in the home has tested positive.  Those individuals must be symptom free and should take precautions to remain isolated from the rest of the family.   Beginning March 1, students and staff can come to school if they are symptom free and have taken precautions to remain separated from the infected family member.    

2.         We have been COVID testing students for the past three weeks, and it continues to go well.  We have tested nearly 110 students, and only 23 have tested positive.  We will continue the testing until we are past this last surge.

3.         At this point, we have 5 stock-piled days remaining for inclement weather.  Typically, we have our worst weather in January and February.  The forecast looks positive for the next few days which should allow us to make it through the rest of this month.  There is always the possibility of some snow or heavy rains in March, but we should be okay. We will utilize February 25 as a staff development day for our staff.  We lost one of our staff development days in January, and this one will provide staff with an opportunity to collaborate and plan.   Schools will be closed, and students will not report to school on February 25.  ESP will be open for parents at Hillcrest Elementary needing this service.    

4.         The Board of Education stated at its last meeting there would be an opportunity for the community/staff/parents to provide feedback on what they would like to see in the next superintendent.  The board will announce a timeline for the selection of a new superintendent and dates for this feedback opportunity soon.  I will remain in this position throughout the remainder of this school year.  My last day will be June 30, 2022, and I am committed to be fully invested until that last day. 

5.         The school district has a long-term goal of placing a school resource/school security officer in each school.  Currently, we have two school resource officers at each high school and two officers who divide their time among the four middle schools.  Both the county and city have experienced difficulty in recruiting officers for the force, and they are not fully staffed.  We have decided to move forward with a new program to produce school security officers.  These individuals will be employed by the school district, but they will attend the same trainings as new recruits and will work closely with local law enforcement.  Our security officers will graduate from the police academy and will attend additional school resource officer training.  We will advertise for these positions soon.   

I once heard that most people want to leave a legacy of good works, but they are unwilling to live a life which would actually support that legacy. All of us have an opportunity to leave this community a little better than what it is.  Actually, we all should consider this as a responsibility and not simply an opportunity.   Sometimes, we do this by accomplishing great things such as building a school, starting a church, serving in public office, or starting a revolution.  Other times, we may do the small things such as being a good friend, helping with a program serving the needy, serving in our church, or simply making a quilt which will connect with someone you love for the rest of their life.  God did not give any one everything, but he gave everyone something.  Perhaps our mission in life is to discover what we have been given and share that talent with the world.  Perhaps we should use the rest of our life to discover what has been given to us and share our gifts with others.   It may be small, but it can be incredibly important to others.  Do this, not to have your name recorded in a book or for any type of fame, but simply because it may be why we were placed here.  Thanks for your attention to this article and remember, School Matters