Memories of the KHS Fire

By Elijah Cunningham, Taylor Hatley, Storm McLaughlin

In 1938, after a devastating fire that destroyed the building before it, the first high school in the Karns community was built with great hopes and effort. An election was held at that time that changed the name from Beaver Ridge, the name of the school before it, to Karns, setting in motion the development of education, friendship, and many warm memories to come. For 40 years, the building thrived and held many students and staff; but, as fate would have it, the school would eventually share a similar story to the location it replaced.

 

March 10, 1978 marks the day of the first fire that would leave its devastating impact on the high school. After a student’s attempt to level the school, students lost two classrooms and the study hall; however, these losses were temporary and were expected to be resolved soon. All of that changed on March 15, 1978, when a far more catastrophic event took place that the Karns community will never forget. The same student returned and made his second attempt to destroy the school, and as everyone at that time would discover, he would greatly succeed. The flames devoured the cafeteria, social studies department, and numerous classrooms. Additionally, many memories were lost that cannot be physically recovered. A great part of Karns High School was gone, and it would never return to how it used to be.

The fire began later in the day at 9:06 PM; according to a source who experienced the fire and its aftermath and who wishes to remain anonymous, “There was a basketball tournament going on, and that was in the gym. And it was a lot like a junior pro basketball, you know, the little guys, little kids. And so they had to come out onto the floor and stop the games and evacuate.” The evacuation process was rather tranquil, and everyone in the building evacuated with little rush; those who were in the building had yet to understand what was going on. After exiting, however, they were met with a terrible and shocking truth: Karns High School was burning down. The fire department, which was opened that same year, arrived as quickly as they could to put out the fire; but, despite their eventual success, a large and valuable part of the high school was gone.

The witness remembers, “Of course the community at the time was more rural than it is now, so it was a close-knit community anyway; and that night […] the fire department, people were helping with what they could; […] they’re trying to get stuff out of the building because they didn’t know how much of it would go down. So you had some teachers that had shown up, trying to get some stuff out of classrooms, and the main office, and especially in the guidance area because the guidance was right there where it was burning, but they couldn’t get into that. You could get into the main office and get some stuff out.” Amidst all of the devastation taking place, however, good news emerged: everyone got out safely.

 

After the horrific flames were finally extinguished, life inevitably continued on, and students would soon resume their education. However, with the leveled classrooms and cafeteria, it would not play out as it used to.

 

In regards to lunch, the system underwent various changes, all of which could not have been done without the community coming together. “Everyone would bring their lunch, and, for awhile, there was a place […] just right down from the high school, it’s called Earl’s, and he made these great hotdogs, so he started selling hotdogs, and they’d bring hotdogs in; and, after awhile, the cafeteria started setting up in the hallway and sold sandwiches and stuff like that. But we were without a cafeteria for a long time. And then, the next school year, they would make the lunch at the elementary school and bring it over.”

 

As for education, the school made use of what they had left. “They turned the gym into classrooms, and it was nice; you’d go over to the football field and maybe have a class over there.” Students would still attend school regularly, and lessons would resume as usual.

The fate of the building after the fire would consist of a long and arduous journey. Four days after the school’s demise, members of the Karns community came together to clean up the debris. In addition to donating their time and energy, some people brought tons of food and the work session took on the mood of a family reunion. Mr. Lyon expressed his appreciation in a speech on March 21st of the same year, saying, “We all owe our gratitude to these people, not only for reclaiming our school, but for demonstrating what great things can be accomplished when friends work together. We’ve been hurt. But we will endure all these things and we will pull through because we’re a family.” The community loved the school dearly. They did all they could to feel comfort for their memories that were taken.

 

The fire and the destruction that accompanied it left lasting effects that the school itself never fully recovered from; although repairs were made, the main building was eventually taken down before a full recovery could take place, and the construction of the new school began. Set to reopen early 1981, the budget for the construction was set at $8.5 million, and was, at the time, the country’s most expensive school. It was to take up 200,393 square feet and was meant to house up to 1,800 students. Compared to the old building of 3 floors, the new building only consists of two floors.

Despite the unfortunate efforts to tear down the past and the future, Karns High School, as well as the Karns community, remain strong today. Although changes have occurred, the community will never forget how things were; and, most importantly, they will never give up on what they have now.

Halftime Underdogs

By: Rebecca Veach, Madison Thornhill, and Kirsten Benesh

        Originating with a mere 46 members and expanding to an astounding 187 involved today, the Karns High School Marching Band has developed into one of the most popular programs at Karns High. The program is currently under the direction of Mr. James Crawford. Mr. Jim Rector, a former KHS Band Director, worked with the band for over twelve years. He instituted the standards, values, and traditions that the KHS band still upholds today, ideas he gained from his former band director, Mr. Jack Thomas. These three influential men are the foundation of the Karns High School Band we know and love today.

    When Jim Rector was a senior, in 1969, he had been in the band program for several years. “I went to high school here; I was in the band program from age 10,” he recalls.  The band at the time had about 114 members, thanks to Jack Thomas, who as stated by Jim Rector, “is the man who really kinda revived the program.” Mr. Rector looked back fondly on his memories as a former clarinet player. From 1965 to 1969, the band grew from 30 to 100 members. Mr. Rector remembers when they attended the Sugar Bowl Parade in New Orleans, stating, “We didn’t stay in a hotel. We stayed at a naval base, and there were no showers. They took us to the YMCA to take a shower.” It was a fun time for the band students because they got to spend some time together in an unconventional setting.

         The 1970s and early 1980s were led by director Jack Thomas who called the band the “Karns Cavaliers” and included many innovative elements that have become part of KHS Band legend. These include a famous cadence and exciting halftime shows that included special effects such as the time a gun was fired at the end of a performance of “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” Thomas helped to establish the band as a major draw for Karns students. 

The Karns Cavaliers

Director Jack Thomas

In 1991 , Jim Rector rejoined the KHS Band, this time as director. It was not a smooth transition. Rector instituted many changes, and some students balked at these. The famous drum cadence was the first thing to go. Former band member Dale Jeffries states, “The cadence we did was so legendary and cool that most everyone in the band learned how to play the cadence during band and we even stayed after school to learn these beats outside with the drummers teaching us. I want to say we protested and even became depressed and against being in band anymore as I quit my senior year after marching season.” Some students were also upset by his throwing away some old trophies. Still, many students understood that some changes were necessary. Former band member James Heaton remembers, “It was a different time. Mr.Rector needed to start his own legacy.” This launched Jim Rector into his many years as the KHS band director. He instilled rigorous discipline and work ethic in his many students. 

Director Jim Rector

         In the fall of 1993, freshman James Arnold Crawford Jr. began his high school band experience. “Being in Mr. Rector’s band and being your guys’ band director opened so many doors for me in my life. From musical experience to world travel, there are so many things I’ve been able to do because of my start in the Karns High School Band,” Crawford explains about his beloved years, “I went to London with the band. It was cool. I had fun.” Band kick-started his love for music and helped him find his lifelong career. Mr. Crawford played tenor drums his four years of marching band, along with other instruments he played for concert band or simply for fun. Along with finding his passion, he found a lifetime best friend, Mr. Rhett Butler.  The two friends became section leaders for the drum line their senior year and eventually became some of Mr. Rector’s favorite students due to their dedication to the program. After the two graduated, they both went to The University of Tennessee Knoxville, where they were on the drum line for The Pride of the Southland Marching Band, furthering their love for music. After his time in the Pride at UT, Crawford went on to many jobs; most notably, a contractor for four years. But during this five year break, he realized his real calling and became assistant band director at Karns High School in the fall of 2011. After a few years as assistant band director, he became full band director in 2016 and has been inspiring more students than ever to become a part of the band. 

Current band director Mr. Crawford as a student

          Now in 2019, the Karns Band has grown to almost 200 students. It continues to grow every year and with 37 seniors leaving the program this year, there are an estimated 60 eighth graders joining the band next year. About half of the seniors have spent all four years of high school in band, and have gained countless memories and friendships from the program. Band is such an important part in a lot of students’ high school careers. Color Guard Captain, Rebecca Veach, says about her experience in band, “It has been the best part of high school. I can’t think of anything that has made me happier than performing on a football field with my friends.” Assistant Drum Major, Emma Boice, feels that it was a vital part of her experience here and will never forget the memories she made. Last but not least, Breton Stanley, the Karns Band Captain, believes, “You won’t find another group like this. Not just in the building, but anywhere.” The Karns Band has been an influential part of many students’ lives and has guided them to excel in life.

KHS Band today

Overall, the Karns Band is a significant part of the school, and has helped create lifelong memories and friendships. Without the influence from hard working directors and members, the Karns High School Band would not be where it is today. The band owes their large numbers, popularity, and success to the foundational leaders of the Karns High Band.

Joe Lones and the Blue Bridge

By Austin Zettle and Haley Jansson

The blue pedestrian bridge over Oak Ridge Highway is a Karns landmark. It is often used to give directions – “Turn left right after you go under the bridge…” It celebrates our birthdays with banners that say “Lordy, Lordy, ______ is 40!” For many children, it serves as a safe passage between the elementary and middle schools. To some, it is an eyesore. But the history of the bridge, and how it came to rest in Karns, is a story of how a community came together after tragedy.

The story begins on the morning of April 8, 1976.  Ten-year-old Joe Walker Lones was up bright and early to get ready for another day in the 5^th grade at Karns Elementary. His birthday was in two days, and he was undoubtedly excited about the prospect. April mornings were still a bit chilly, but the sky was clear, meaning Joe’s walk to Karns Elementary should have been an easy one. On that day, however, as Joe was crossing Oak Ridge Highway, he was fatally struck by a passing vehicle.

Joe’s mother, Hilda Lones, worked for Karns Middle School in the cafeteria at the time. To this day, she remembers how considerate the kids were to her after the tragic incident

Joe Lones

occurred, saying that many of them collected their lunch money together and donated it to her as a gift. Joe was remembered as a kid of wonder. His sister, Traci Lones Seffernick, was only three years old at the time of the accident, and was unfortunately left an only child after her big brother passed. What she remembers most about Joe was that he loved tickling, and was a loving and unbelievably sweet boy. She recalls a moment that plays like a movie in her memory: “Joe used to play baseball at Ball Camp and in the middle of the game Joe rode his bicycle into the outfield. He really was a young man with a sweet side.” He and his family were active members of the Ball Camp Baptist Church, and his body was laid to rest there. Although tragedy struck the Lones family, it brought them and the community even closer together as the citizens of Karns came together to comfort the heartbroken family and to mourn the passing of their bright son.

But the community members knew that supporting the family was not enough. Something needed to be done to make sure that this kind of tragedy did not happen

Wendell Cowden

again. You see, this was not the first time a young student was killed on Oak Ridge Highway. Sixteen years earlier, another boy, fifteen-year-old Wendell Cowden, had been hit by a car after departing a bus. A solution was needed to ensure the safety of schoolchildren. Starting shortly after Lones’ death, community members began working tirelessly to convince Knox County to put up a pedestrian bridge. Costs were a concern. One contractor estimated that a new structure would cost $170,000. Another issue was land rights. There were several families involved in disputes in securing a location for the bridge. Beyond that, TDOT discouraged the project saying that traffic counts on Oak Ridge Highway were not high enough to merit the installation. Still, the community was undaunted, presenting a petition signed by almost a thousand Karns residents. Five years later, in September of 1981, they succeeded. The county agreed to move an older pedestrian bridge that had once stood over I-40 in a section called “Malfunction Junction.” TDOT absorbed the expenses, and land was donated by John C. Cobb. In addition, the community received crossing guards and flashing school zone signs to ensure the safety of all pedestrians. On October 7, 1981, the Lones-Cobb Bridge was officially dedicated. About fifty people were in attendance, including the Lones family.

For Hilda and Tracy Lones, the existence of the bridge is “thrilling and also bittersweet”. They know that the tragic passing of their bright, loved, and caring boy has resulted in hundreds of students being able to travel safely to school. They still live in the Karns community, and Hilda continued to work for Knox County Schools for thirty years. In spite of a rededication of the bridge five years ago, many current community residents are unaware of its origins. The blue bridge is known as a Karns landmark, but it should also be viewed as a monument to the persistence of a community and a sweet ten-year-old boy.

 

One Man Puts His Stamp on a Community

By Trinity Eddington, Tori Rasmussen, and Mary Roark

If you drive down Oak Ridge Highway through our little community, you will pass Karns Elementary School. And if you happen to be there in the mid-afternoon, you will be greeted by the sight of young children enjoying a break from learning on the swings and the monkey-bars. And if you happen to let your eyes drift from the kids, you might notice a weather-beaten, wooden sign that says, “Ben Burnette Playground.” And you might wonder, as we did, who the “Ben Burnette” is and why this place of joy was named for him. And if you read on, you will find the answer. 

Carrying an old cardboard box full of memories and a framed picture of Karns Elementary School, the “larger-than-life” former Karns Primary/Elementary principal, Mr. Ben Burnette, greeted us. Through an hour of lively and interesting conversation, we were pleasantly surprised to discover a deeper insight into his impact on the Karns community.

Born in Alabama in 1936 but raised in Fountain City, Burnette’s presence has been felt in Knoxville since “the get go.” After graduating from Central High School in 1954 and Carson Newman in 1959, he joined the Tennessee Air National Guard to “dodge the draft” so he could “choose what [he] wanted to do.” The result was a teaching career beginning at Shannondale in 1960. Two years later, the Guard was called into active duty due to the Berlin Wall Crisis which put being a teacher on pause. When he returned, he taught and principled at a number of schools, including Powell, before reaching Karns Primary. 

Appointed in 1981, Burnette began his thirteen-year-long position as principal at Karns Primary. He instituted many changes and innovations that helped to bring KES into the forefront of education at the time. Burnette helped write educational software for primary school students. These programs included lessons on “clock arithmetic, the alphabet, number, and color word.” This innovation was of great significance to Burnette because of its abnormality at the time. He explains, “We had a computer in every classroom… long before most schools had computers, and that was because of my pushing for that.” 

Adding on to his agenda, Burnette found time to reward the students for good and improving grades. Former student and current Karns High journalism teacher, Mrs. Rachel Monday, remembers, “We always looked forward to the end of the grading period because if you got first or second honors then he would take you to Hardees and buy you a cookie, and if you were really lucky, he might pick you to ride in his Corvette to Hardees and then you were big stuff.” He also worked to include parents and other community members through new ideas. For example, he created an original pamphlet that “no other community has ever published” to promote the Karns area and its schools. He also held an annual “Grandparents’ Day” celebration to honor the impression of those relationships in students’ lives. Burnette’s influence was felt in a variety of memorable ways.

One of the major stages of Burnette’s career was in the joining of Karns Primary and Intermediate schools. Production on a brand new building began in the fall of 1990 and included many changes for the students. Unknown to many, sewage problems caused “you know what” to flood the new Primary commons, aka “the pit,” which led to another relocation for the first and second graders. Burnette recalls, “We were so crowded by the time they completed our part of the building,” but he ultimately believes the end result to be a “blessing.” 

Burnette has a framed photo of the elementary that he intends to donate to the school.

 

What many people might not know is that there was little funding in the budget for a playground for the new school. Burnette knew the importance of having such an area, so as he did with so many other things, he got creative. “We got the PTA to sponsor purchasing some equipment for it,” Burnette explained. In addition, the school held a major fundraiser in which the students would collect pennies to contribute. Monday recalls, “Each classroom had one of those giant plastic water-bottles, and families would save up all of their pennies, and we would bring them in envelopes or ziplock bags. There were competitions to see which classes could bring in the most pennies for the playground.” The playground offered the children an outlet for amusement and distraction that previously was not present. Since Burnette played such a prominent role in the project, it was dedicated in his name as the “Ben Burnette Playground.”

Burnette revisiting his beloved playground twenty-five years into his retirement.

With thirteen years of memories at Karns, Burnette decided it was time for retirement in 1994. “I was just ready to retire. I had been at it 34 years,” he describes. Being that his wife was also retired, they began traveling out of country. “I have been to Ireland twice… Egypt once… …Russia twice [and] South America a couple times,” he elaborates. He has also maintained a good relationship with former students through vacations and reunions. Kristine Berrier, a previous student and teacher under him, recalls, “He, and his sweet late wife Martha, have attended both of my children’s birthday parties, as well as spent time with us at Christmas.” Burnette had such an impact on Berrier that she named her son after him and describes him as being “a precious friend” and says she is “truly blessed to have known him.” 

 

Out of all his accomplishments, Burnette believes that reading to the first graders was “probably the most significant thing [he] did.” He describes, “I would go into the classroom in the beginning of the school year and talk to first graders about the importance of reading in their [lives] and really encourage them to work hard and tell them that I would be in to see them in the spring and listen to them read.” After hearing their improvement, he would give them a “stamp of approval” and “tell them how proud [he] was.” Despite the pressures of being a principal, Burnette made sure to devote time to listen to over 150 first graders.

When asked if he would have chosen another career if he had the opportunity to do it over, Burnette replied, “No. Money isn’t everything.” He became a teacher because of his “love for children” which helped him become a “better person.” 

“I had a lot of good children at Karns,” -Burnette

Special thanks to Mr. Burnette, Mrs Monday, and Mrs Berrier for their contributions and time.

Karns’ Very Own Superman

By Harrison Garrett, Alizabeth Hutchison, Mekenzie Kuhn, & Kylee Scarbrough

The R.T. Everette Sports Complex, September 2019

It’s a crisp fall night in the middle of October as you head into the football stadium at Karns High School when you look up and see “R.T. Everette” plastered on the side of the stadium. As students we had always wondered who R.T. Everette was and what he had done to deserve his name on the side of the announcer’s booth. After asking around, we quickly found out that he left a larger-than-life impression on the Karns community. 

Principal, father, teacher, husband, and all star athlete, Tommy Everette was an all around “Superman”. He started his journey attending Gibbs High School where he excelled in basketball as a 6’8’’ center, and was able to receive a scholarship to Carson Newman University to play the sport he loved. While at Carson Newman he was on the “Team of the Century” and was considered an All-American. Once his time at Carson Newman was over, he was offered a position on an NBA team, but declined it to focus on a career in education. After deciding to stay in the Gibbs community he took on a job at the high school due to his love for math and his desire to coach. Following his passion for education, he was asked to be the first ever principal intern by Carter High School. Everette then eagerly accepted a position as Gibbs High School’s principal. Fortunately for the Karns community, Mr. Everette took over as the principal of Karns High School in 1980 when the school was rebuilt in a new location, the same grounds it stands on today. His time spent in our closely knit town left such an impact that since the year 2000, his name has sat proudly on the sports complex at the high school. 

From the early 1980s until his retirement in 2000, Tommy Everette worked tirelessly to make Karns High School into a better, more advanced, and happier place for students and staff. He started the first block schedule in Knox County as well as the first Freshman Academy, and he was the man to bring computers into Karns High, ensuring that the school was rather advanced for its time. Speaking with Mr. Everette’s wife, Carolyn Everette, made it clear just how much he cared about Karns as we learned that he not only spent plenty of extra time at the school, but he even took out a personal loan at one point to fund a project for the school. Mrs. Everette said that only his family truly knew the full extent of how hard he worked to improve Karns High School, especially with the sports complex. She informed us that he loved sports and just wanted students to be able to have the same experience that he had during his high school years because it is what allowed him to get his college education. Karns High was his “home away from home” as his wife called it; he loved the kids and the time that he spent there. After getting over the initial intimidation the students felt due to Mr. Everette’s size, the feeling was mutual. Mr. Bradley Corum, the current principal of Karns High School, who taught under Mr. Everette at KHS, commented on his intimidating size saying, “He was the only person I’ve ever seen in a school, that if he opened your door, he had to lower his head to walk in and he took the entire door frame.”

To Corum, Mr. Everette was a family friend, a boss, and a role model. Mr. Corum says he had “known Mr. Everette all my life” and in the spring of  1997 he hired Mr. Corum as a long-term substitute. The next fall Mr. Corum was hired as a social studies teacher at Karns High and eventually made his way to principal of Karns High after working at several other Knox County Schools. One thing Mr.Corum says he models after Mr. Everette is that, “Whatever decision you make, you make a decision for what is best for the most… The most may not always include you, but the decision has to be made what is best for the most.” Another maxim Corum learned from Everette was, “Never let an F be the first time a parent has ever heard from you.” He explains that the parents want to hear positive feedback about their children, not just complaints. Mr.Corum elaborated Mr. Everette’s view on professionalism by saying, “I will never forget he told another employee one time, ‘How do you expect me to take you seriously when all you do is wear blue jeans everyday.’” Mr. Corum remarks, “He wasn’t talking to me but it sure left an impression on me, note to self, I’m not wearing blue jeans.” As Mr. Corum says, Mr. Everette was one of those people that one always wants to emulate. 

Among others who were hired by Mr. Everette was Coach Phillip Beeler, a social studies teacher at Karns High School, who tells us that Mr. Everette was an astounding principal who held the interests of his teachers and students close to heart and that “Karns grew tremendously under his leadership.” Coach Beeler informed us that Mr. Everette introduced the use of computers in the school by approaching Knox County with, “If you’ll buy half, I’ll buy the other half,” further proving his dedication to education. When asked why he thinks the sports complex at the school was named after Mr. Everette, Mr. Beeler replied, “He cared about the community and the students. He was definitely a people person… He was a super man.” Coach Beeler added to this saying Mr. Everette “had a servant heart.” It is obvious that Mr. Beeler and all who knew him admired Mr. Everette tremendously. Lee Henson, the current basketball coach and a previous student under Mr. Everette, said that although he was a stern man and “…all it took was one time and you wouldn’t want to mess around again,” he was also considerate and understanding. Overall, Mr. Everette was a tender-hearted, selfless, “super man” who had an extremely positive effect on the Karns community and Karns High School during his years as a principal.

The memory of Mr. Everette still lives on in many ways around the Karns community; From the way Karns High School is taught, to the school vision statement, “Be responsible, be respectful, and be receptive,” to the Karns High School Sports Complex, our community and school is filled with people who preserve Mr. Everette’s astounding impact. Every time the Karns community fills the stadium to watch the Beavers play under the brilliant stadium lights, R.T. Everette’s legacy lives on forever.

History in Motion: The Karns Community Club

By Lauren Kelly and Grace Powers

Nestled under the bright blue footbridge sits the Karns Community Center. This building, once home to the library, isn’t much to behold. Most people driving down Oak Ridge Highway never even notice it. Still, once a month, this quaint little building lights up with laughter. On the first Tuesday of each month, at seven o’clock (or whenever they get around to it) the Karns Community Club holds their monthly meeting.

 

The Karns Community Club is an organization determined to stay on the forefront of local goings-on, and does so with cheer and determination. Members meet monthly to discuss local developments and news, community service opportunities, and upkeep of public grounds and property. The club is in charge of the Karns Community Center as well as the Youth Center, and works to maintain other public areas such as the playground. The Karns Community Club also keeps up with new developments in the greater Knox County area and stays up-to-date with issues that affect the community and its residents.

Members of the Karns Community Club know the ins-and-outs of the community – sometimes before everyone else does. They discuss local news and developments such as new businesses, buildings, and neighborhood blocks. The meetings are productive, but laughter is certainly in no short supply. Any stranger passing by could see that the members are close friends with each other, and have been for years.

While younger members are always welcome and are crucial to keeping the club going strong for years, the current members aren’t slowing down. On the agenda were efforts to care for the building grounds, community cleanup efforts, and collaborative activities with the Little League as well as the Lions Club. The group works hard to keep public grounds clean, well-kept, and beautiful.

Though the club does important work for the community, the members don’t take themselves too seriously. If someone shows up late for the meeting, them they are greeted with good-natured smiles rather than disapproving glares. New members are always welcome and are never turned away or left to sit in the shadows. Members of the club are united by an unconditional love for this little community they call home, and if at the end of the day another person is proud to be a part of Karns, then it is a day well-done.

The Karns Community Club isn’t the only community organization that calls this building home. The Karns Community Club also hosts monthly meetings for the Karns Business Association and the Lions Club. The building is home to many past and present clubs, and is also available to rent for private events, with proceeds going to benefit the Community Club’s activities.

Those involved in the Karns Community Club want everyone to know that if you live in Karns, then you are a member! Anyone is welcome and encouraged to attend monthly meetings to learn more about community activities and even help make your vision for the future a reality. In a world where global issues are constantly pouring in at our fingertips, the Karns Community Club is an opportunity to step aside and focus on our own corner of the world. After all, there are always hedges that need to be trimmed.

For more information about Karns Community Club activities and meetings, visit http://www.karnscommunityclub.org/.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

What Puts the Community in the Karns Community Fair

By Macy Alred and Hailie Ford

At some point in your life, granted that you are one to ponder or to wonder, you might begin to ask questions.

Right now, however, I would actually like to draw up a rather specific inquiry: What, do you think, makes a community?

To describe a community is to discuss the unique culture that holds it together. Without culture, one that is special to the area and that represents its values and goals, a community is really only a bunch of houses built near one another and a set of people to go with them. However, and to our great fortune, there are many people to thank, those mentioned in previous articles written by my peers and those to be mentioned in the future, for the fact that Karns isn’t just that at all. It’s not just a town, it’s a community, and this next piece of the puzzle to complete the tapestry of its soul is my own to mention and bind onto internet history: The Karns Community Fair.

Provided that you are able, think back to something that you’re proud of, that you worked hard on, be it a large event or an article for a class, and from that memory you may be able to picture the passionate air my teammate and I were greeted with when we were given the opportunity to hear Mrs. Cassie Kiestler, the organizer for the fair in the past five years, talk about the project.

Mrs. Kiestler, being a Karns native in every sense of the term, naturally would be inclined to be passionate about the affairs of the town and, by extension, the fair. The job fell into her hands after the previous organizer dropped out due to the negative response he received after making changes to the parade route: “There was a gentleman six years ago that had run the fair and… folks were really giving him a hard time on Facebook, imagine that, social media trolls, and um, I kinda stepped up and told him, “If you need help, if you’ve got questions…” because, you know, I’ve been in the community for a very long time and I’ve basically attended every fair since like, 1975…. because I’m old…  “I’m willing to help you out.” And he… was just kinda like, “here, you take it, you run with it, see if you can do something…” So… because I opened up my mouth to start with and to defend him, I ended up with it as my baby.”

Aside from the obvious and intent care that goes into raising this fair, it is also comparable to a baby in the sense that it takes nine months out of the year to produce. Mrs. Kiestler works alongside other volunteers at monthly meetings every month out of the year minus August, which is the month after the fair, as well as November and December, due to holidays.

Before I inform you of the result of this planning, such as the myriad of activities that come your way upon attending such an event, I must first delve a tad into the history of The Karns Fair, which is a course of action that need not surprise any observant person browsing a page titled Karns Oral History.

Since its birth in 1954, the fair has undergone somewhat of a very miniature industrial revolution, mirroring that of its mother town, in the sense that it has drifted from its roots in farming into a modernized version of its previous self, but it was originally started by the community club as a means to celebrate agriculture. Back in the day, it featured mostly activities that seemed to cater to farmers and agriculture enthusiasts.

When asked to compare the fair of the mid-’70s to its modern evolution, Mrs. Kiestler described it as “kind of a different animal.” She told us, “There were less vendors and more agricultural stuff. … there we categories for people to do stuff like place settings and things like that. There were competitive exhibits and needlepoint and things of tobacco and bails of hay that were judged against other farmers in the community that we just don’t have anymore… So now we do stuff like canned goods and knitting and crochet and needlepoint and photography. Some mixed media stuff, mostly vegetables. The vegetables have actually had a resurgence lately because a lot of people have started to do small gardens, and so that’s coming back, which I love.”

Though the past is so often looked at through the romantic lenses of rose-colored glasses, she said that she also is a fan of what the fair has going on now.

As promised, I’ll now showcase what kind of things have been brought about in recent fairs past and what brand of things you might be able to look forward to this July 20th. There is a beauty pageant (which has, with most things, been modernized, as it now has shifted focus from outer beauty to inner) along with a country store that sells baked goods taken in by people, a car show, and plenty of activities for children, which are only several of the things the fair hosts. The parade has stayed mostly consistent with tradition, stretching from the local Ingles to the high school, but in her five years of organizing the fair, Mrs. Kiestler has made inclusion somewhat of a focal point of the event; there is a diverse array of food vendors and trucks that sometimes range from tacos to sushi bowls, and any time a tent is set up catering to one side of the political spectrum, there is another offering the opposite side.

Its longevity could perhaps be attributed to the familial, homey sense it brings its guests. For many, returning to it each year has been a way of returning to their hometown even long after moving away, and, in its 65 years, rain has only afflicted the fair once, and it’s a pretty thought that even the clouds smile down at this community homecoming that has been such a staple in this town, though its infinitely more likely that such weather could be attributed to the drought season that is July.

Above all, the Karns Fair is all about bringing together the people of this town. In Mrs. Kiestler’s words, “It seems like a sense of community and accomplishment and stuff that I would like to showcase as part of our community. We do great things here. Might just be growing a really awesome tomato, or needle pointing the coolest thing ever, but I want to showcase our people, and the things that they do, and I think that’s one of the best ways to do that,” and that is exactly why the fair is a fabulous example of what makes a community.

This year’s Karns Community Fair will take place on Saturday, July 20th on the Karns High School campus.

Senioritis

By Cobi Genna and Brittney Sims

As the year comes to a close, the seniors in Mrs. Monday’s third period class are in full panic mode as we try to finish up our stories for the Karns Oral History blog. Like many others in our class, senioritis is in full swing, and just as our teacher predicted we put off this very article to the absolute last minute. This is not the story we originally planned, but our graduation is in T-12 days and we wanted to write about something we can all relate to: the struggles of senior year. Part of this article was done selfishly to get some advice and moral support from our KHS family, but the information we received will help any rising senior or student in general. Even after deciding on this story we put it off for another two weeks and last Friday ran around the school like chickens with our heads cut off trying to decide who to interview. Finally we came to the conclusion, who better to interview than the senior class of 2019 and the teachers who taught them for the past four years? Needless to say, even after getting our interviews, we have still put this off to the very last minute…

 

Interviewees:

Mrs. Kimberly Jenkins

Mrs. Rachel Monday

Mrs. Hannah Smith

Josh McClure:Class of 2019 VP of Deca, Treasurer of Math Honors Society, KHS Most Outgoing

Andrew Faulkenberry: Class of 2019, Prom King, Mr. KHS, President of Deca, VP of National Honors Society, 2019 Class speaker

Lee Pinkston: Class of 2019 KHS Most Musical, Grace Moore Scholarship Winner, President of KHS Ensemble Choir

 

Q: When did you graduate?

Jenkins: 1993

Monday: 2001

Smith: 1995

 

Q: What was your favorite part of senior year?

Jenkins: Going to all the football games, my friends and I didn’t miss a single game!

Monday: Finally being treated like an adult.

Lee: The final show of the musical.

 

Q: What was the saddest part of senior year?

Andrew: Leaving all my friends and growing apart.

Lee: Not going to see all the people anymore.

Josh: Seeing all my friends graduate.

 

Q: Did you experience “Senioritis”?

Jenkins: I was not allowed to, my parents… just no.

Monday: I had scholarships to work on.

Smith: Yes.

Andrew: Yes.

Lee: Yes.

Josh: Yes.

 

Q: Are you excited about graduating?

Andrew: Yes, I want to figure out what I want to do.

Lee: Yes, I want to work towards becoming a vocal performer.

Josh: Yes, I can’t wait to experience college!

 

Q: Do you/ Do you think you’ll miss High School?

Smith: Sometimes.

Lee: Without a doubt.

Josh: Of course!

 

Q: Do you have any advice or a message to the class of 2019?

Jenkins: Since i have taught them since 7th graders I am very proud of them and I wish them the best; I feel like they’re my children.

Monday: For those going to college, enjoy it. College will be the best time of your life.

Smith: Show up to your classes and pay attention, it will make things a lot easier.

 

Q: What’s your advice for the Class of 2020

Andrew: Come to school.

Lee: Everything is fine.

Josh: Don’t take things too seriously, and take advice of people you trust and that have been in a situation similar to yours.

 

As we finish up, it’s hard to believe this year and this project has come to an end along with our time here at Karns. In a very real way, as we’ve spent these past 9 months recording Karns History, we’ve been creating our own and will continue to create our own history as we journey out into the real world. We are so thankful for the support from our teachers, peers, and everyone in the community who took the time out of their days to let us interview them and share their stories along with all of you who read and shared our articles. We hope that you all will continue supporting the Karns Oral History blog for the years surpassing us.

 

In starting this project we took a vow to share the history of Karns and in going forward we will continue this and vow to add to that history ourselves.

 

Signing off for the last time,

the Seniors of the Karns Oral History Society,

 

Brittney Sims,

Cobi Genna,

Josh McClure,

Joe Mcdonald,

Faith Sullivan,

Alise Ndacayisaba

Grace Powers,

Hannah Claflin,

Rebecca Raney,

and Lauren Kelly

Bloomin’ Strong – The Century-Old Karns Daffodils

By Hannah Claflin, Destiny Collins, and Rebecca Raney

If you’ve ever been to the Karns area in early spring, you’ve likely noticed the bold blossoms by the Methodist church along Byington – Beaver Ridge Road. Although you may think those buds were planted by some random green-thumb, it was actually one Nellie Garrison, a Karns High School principal from the 1920’s.

Nellie J. Garrison was born March 26th, 1889. She worked as a principal at Karns High School around the 1920’s-1940’s, but during the summer months, she’d sell at the market to supplement her income. Around the 1920’s, she planted the first bulbs. In spring, she’d harvest the blooms to sell. Apparently, they were a big hit, and she continued the odd-job through the years. Those same bulbs are still there today – nearly 100 years later – and they’ve spread!

There is precious little known about Miss Nellie J. Garrison, and even fewer sources to be consulted on her and others from her time (Most of our research came from local historian Mark Cawood’s records and one particularly helpful yearbook). We can, however, with certainty say that the buds she planted have endured and become a beautiful symbol of tenacity and strength for the Karns community.

Miss Nellie J. Garrison with the caption, “Nothing is more profitable than ideas”, courtesy of the KHS 1944 Yearbook and KHS Librarian Yanina Zinchenko.

Calvin ‘Cylk’ Cozart: A Journey to Success

By Julianna Friel and Brianna Knight

Cylk Cozart is a person who many people have seen on television and movie screens, but in the 1960s, he was a young boy with big dreams named Calvin living in the Karns community. Cylk started by telling us where his life started; “I was adopted to a family in Karns. My mom was 16, and she could not keep me the way she was living her lifestyle. Mr. and Mrs. Goss took me in, and I didn’t have to change my name or anything because they made sure I knew who my mother and father was. By the time I got to Karns, I was a 3rd grader; it was an all-black school called Solway. There were probably 20-25 kids because that was when everything was so separated. It was blacks are here, whites are there for whatever reason, and at that time we didn’t realize that was something that was wrong, it was just school; I mean, you didn’t see anybody else.” Cylk did follow his dreams, despite the hardships. As he grew up, Cylk found a huge influence in pop culture. Cylk said: “ I used to watch television until it was time to go to bed; I would watch anything. I loved the old TV shows, I would picture myself in the scenario and I would act out the scenes. I wouldn’t do it in front of anybody, I would just do it because I liked doing it. I didn’t know I was bad or good or indifferent. It was a release.” He had some trouble breaking into the business when he was young. It was brought to our attention that the staff of the theater department would not let Cylk audition for a play; “they always said the same thing: ‘there are no characters for people of your kind.’” However, he became a successful entrepreneur, actor, and director.

Cylk went on to talk about his years at high school; sophomore year in particular. “By the time I was a sophomore, a few basketball players befriended me, Steve Perryman and Steve Heptinstall; when the KKK murdered my dog,

Cylk with his dog, King

Steve Heptinstall’s father said, ‘Stay with us; let the KKK come over here. It’d be the fourth of July if they come over here.’” Both Steve Heptinstall and Steve Perryman kept their doors open for Cylk to have a safe place away from all the threats.

 

Along the course of the interview, we noticed that sports seemed to have a huge impact on Cylk’s life. Cylk did not want to say any names, but it was brought to our attention that even in 1971 things still were highly unfair. “The coach literally said to me: ‘Cozart, you get the idea of playing quarterback out of your head. Ain’t nobody gonna play a colored quarterback; y’all ain’t got the brains.’” However, that year, the University of Tennessee hired an African-American quarterback. “His name was Condredge Holloway Jr.; I met him at UT for an all-sports camp when I was 13.” Cylk got the chance to go back to see Condredge with the escort of Gus Manning, the athletic director. Cylk expressed his shock to us about finding out that a black man would be the new quarterback, and how that made him feel due to what was previously said to him by his coach. The athletic director, Gus Manning, said to Cylk basically that color has nothing to do with anything in one’s ability to play sports. “You need to be around some positive people there, son; that’s got nothing to do with it.” After the meeting, Cylk was back with high school football. He told us how the last game was a success; he actually got to take action in the game―he scored two touchdowns and the coach made the quarterback pitch it to Cylk for him to throw.

Being that Cylk had just played the last game of the football season, that meant that basketball season was starting up. “That Saturday,” Cylk started, “I walked from the football locker room across the street to the basketball gym. The coach and the assistant coach met me in there…” The coach told Cylk that they needed to have a little talk. The coach stated: “We decided that you’re not gonna play here your senior year.” The coaches decided that he was not going to be playing because it was rumored that Cylk was dating a white girl; he was not. He questioned the coaches, but what good was that going to do? Cylk went on to say, “That was the year; that was the year we were probably gonna win state. We had a really good team.” The coach went on to explain by saying, “We’re gonna go downstairs in the locker room; the team is waiting on us, and we’re gonna take a vote. If one player doesn’t want you to play, you’re not playing.” Cylk felt confident about what “the guys” would say; they had all, for the most part, become really good friends. There were two freshmen on the team at this point; the coach only acknowledged the freshmen knowing they would be least likely to say yes. The coach told Cylk to go wait outside, so outside he went. A few minutes later, the coach let Cylk back in, and when he came back in he saw how his friends were standing: “A couple of my friends were like this…” Cylk motioned that they were standing with their arms crossed, faces mad. He automatically knew something was up; the coach read “yes, yes, yes…”. The fourth one was ‘no’. Cylk continued: “it was one person. And I know who it is. I didn’t know then, but I knew a little later: it was a freshman.” Cylk expressed to us that telling his family that he was not going to play was the hardest part. He left Karns the last part of his senior year to go play, and finish his high school education, at Loudon. Cylk ended up getting a scholarship while playing with Loudon.

Once Cylk graduated from high school, he went to Montreat college through his scholarship. Montreat was a four year college; however, afterwards he attended King college.

Cylk signing to King College

 

 

 

After Cylk finished college he went on to play in the NBA summer leagues; however, he got hurt during tryouts and could not finish through to the NBA. Instead, he went to Miami, Florida, and started his modeling career.

Cylk’s modeling shoot in Miami

That was when Cylk joined the entertainment business from a professional point of view. The first job that was offered to Cylk, as an actor, was for a role as a baseball player; luckily, Cylk knew quite a bit about the sport, for it was just another one of the many things at which he was talented. If he had not have been in Miami at the time, he probably would not have been fortunate to have gotten the call about the part of “Alvin ‘Wallstreet’ Chandler.” Cylk said, “I always played baseball when I was a kid, but I got hurt when I was twelve years old batting, playing against older guys, and that’s why I hated baseball ever since; UNTIL THIS MOVIE CAME UP!!” The movie was called Blue Skies Again. “After that, I knew I needed to be in Hollywood at one point, but everybody said ‘If you can make it in New York, you can make is anywhere’; so, I met a photographer, Michael Paris, who was a great photographer. We just hit it off, we played basketball a little bit before he left Miami― he was just there looking at models in different agencies.” Cylk’s portfolio got to Michael, and they had an instant connection: basketball. “He actually stayed over for a few more days in Miami, and he said, ‘when you come to New York you can stay with me.’” About two months later when Cylk left Miami for New York, he took Michael up on his offer; Cylk remembers, as he showed up on his doorstep, Michael saying: “Come on in.” He stayed with him for a few months, sleeping on the couch. Cylk ended up joining a modeling agency in New York, and he also picked up an audition for The Cosby Show; it was between Cylk and the guy that ended up getting the part. Cylk stated: “After that, I just stayed in New York for two years, went to Europe, still did major commercials,  went to France and all over Paris. I came back and I wanted to go to Hollywood, so I just took off to L.A.” Cylk told us that once he got to California he just went straight to Hollywood and rented a room in the Holiday Inn for a few months: “I paid from $300-$400 a month. I made friends with the drivers and the people who worked there, so they answered my phone like I had an office for two months. I paid the doorman. I had a room for meetings, and that’s kinda how I got started.”  

 

To finish off our interview with Cylk, we decided to ask him about some of his favorite memories from sets; he had a lot to tell us. Cylk told us about White Men Can’t Jump.

Cylk on set with Woody for “White Men Can’t Jump”

Cylk started, “Woody Harrelson always liked to bet on the shot. So we were all messin’ with him; the others players were like ‘c’mon Woody, let’s take some of that Cheers money you got’ and Woody would bet like 100 dollars that he would make the shot and he would lose….” Right away in this particular memory, we noticed that there were a lot of fun times on set, whether it was jokes, mess ups, or just plain improv― like in this case. Cylk continued, “When we were doing my scene, where I make him shoot the hook shot to get on Jeopardy and I say ‘if you make it from there I’ll let your girl on the lot’, so that whole day we were betting on Woody whether he would hit the shot or not; he didn’t know. When it came time for him to shoot it, I made up basically that last part of that scene,” The guys all made Woody shoot from a ways out, and with the little chance that he would actually make, they were betting high. Woody said back to the guys “What, do you want me to punt it up there!?” Cylk and the guys just replied with, “Yeah, and a hook shot.” They were betting 100 dollars a shot, and he missed nine of them, so the bets just kept building up. “Right before he took the tenth shot, I went up to Woody and said, ‘this is $1000 on this shot if you make, but you ain’t gonna hit it’ and then he hit it. I had to pay him $1000, and he only hit on the last one.” The last shot that Cylk remembers is actually the scene that was used, and it was entirely improv. Little did the viewers know, and Woody too, that there was a bet going on behind the camera.

 

Along the way, Cylk has met multiple people, exchanged journeys, and gained and shared knowledge.

Cylk along side Matthew Perry

Cylk along side Julia Roberts

When you are in the entertainment business, it is really easy to meet lifelong friends and mentors. One friendship in particular for Cylk is Morris Chestnut. We got the chance to talk to Morris and get his perspective as to who Cylk is as a person. He replied to us saying, “He has been one of the nicest and most genuine people I have ever met in this industry. He always spreads positivity and always has a smile on his face. He is someone that I trust. A lot of people come and go in Hollywood, but you are quickly able to identify good and bad people, especially in this industry. I think it speaks a lot of volume to the type of person he is because it is so rare to find someone like him in this industry.” One of the last things Cylk said to us before we concluded the interview was, “All these people I have met over the years, not just actors but people who work on the sets, seems to come in either through basketball or already in the business; so now I want to come back and help Knoxville― so that’s why I’m bringing movies here. And I wanted to start with Karns.” Along the way Cylk has learned, taught, and realized that talent is not about race, but what kind of person you are and what kind of ability you have. Cylk has come back to Karns, Knoxville and started a production company to help kids develop what talent they have inside of them. He hopes to help kids discover what the truth behind talent is and what it is on the inside, not the outside, that matters.