Paul McCartney Live In Nashville, July 26!

The rumor that Paul McCartney's 2010 concert tour would include a stop in Music City has confidently circulated among Nashville's most knowledgeable Beatles fans for more than a year. Seems they knew what they were talking (or whispering) about, because today it was confirmed that Paul McCartney will appear at the Bridgestone Arena (Sommet Center) on Monday July 26. Tickets will go on sale on June 7.

I appreciate my buddy Chip, a Beatles fan extraordinaire, for letting me know about this Mc- concert. I am glad I didn't sleep through his announcement.

The July concert will be McCartney's first public Nashville performance.

Don't you just love it when a good rumor turns out to be true?

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, May 22, 2010

The President announces that the independent commission he created for the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling will be chaired by former Florida Governor and Senator Bob Graham and former EPA Administrator Bill Reilly. He promises accountability not just for BP, but for those in government who bore responsibility.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Weekly Address
Washington, DC

One month ago this week, BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded off Louisiana’s coast, killing 11 people and rupturing an underwater pipe. The resulting oil spill has not only dealt an economic blow to Americans across the Gulf Coast, it also represents an environmental disaster.

In response, we are drawing on America’s best minds and using the world’s best technology to stop the leak. We’ve deployed over 1,100 vessels, about 24,000 personnel, and more than 2 million total feet of boom to help contain it. And we’re doing all we can to assist struggling fishermen, and the small businesses and communities that depend on them.

Folks on the Gulf Coast – and across America – are rightly demanding swift action to clean up BP’s mess and end this ordeal. But they’re also demanding to know how this happened in the first place, and how we can make sure it never happens again. That’s what I’d like to spend a few minutes talking with you about.

First and foremost, what led to this disaster was a breakdown of responsibility on the part of BP and perhaps others, including Transocean and Halliburton. And we will continue to hold the relevant companies accountable not only for being forthcoming and transparent about the facts surrounding the leak, but for shutting it down, repairing the damage it does, and repaying Americans who’ve suffered a financial loss.

But even as we continue to hold BP accountable, we also need to hold Washington accountable. Now, this catastrophe is unprecedented in its nature, and it presents a host of new challenges we are working to address. But the question is what lessons we can learn from this disaster to make sure it never happens again.

If the laws on our books are inadequate to prevent such an oil spill, or if we didn’t enforce those laws – I want to know it. I want to know what worked and what didn’t work in our response to the disaster, and where oversight of the oil and gas industry broke down. We know, for example, that a cozy relationship between oil and gas companies and agencies that regulate them has long been a source of concern.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has taken steps to address this problem; steps that build on reforms he has been implementing since he took office. But we need to do a lot more to protect the health and safety of our people; to safeguard the quality of our air and water; and to preserve the natural beauty and bounty of America.

In recent weeks, we’ve taken a number of immediate measures to prevent another spill. We’ve ordered inspections of all deepwater operations in the Gulf of Mexico. We’ve announced that no permits for drilling new wells will go forward until the 30-day safety and environmental review I requested is complete. And I’ve called on Congress to pass a bill that would provide critical funds and tools to respond to this spill and better prepare us to confront any future spills.

But we also need to take a comprehensive look at how the oil and gas industry operates and how we regulate them. That is why, on Friday, I signed an executive order establishing the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. While there are a number of ongoing investigations, including an independent review by the National Academy of Engineering, the purpose of this Commission is to consider both the root causes of the disaster and offer options on what safety and environmental precautions we need to take to prevent a similar disaster from happening again. This Commission, I’d note, is similar to one proposed by Congresswoman Capps and Senator Whitehouse.

I’ve asked Democrat Bob Graham and Republican Bill Reilly to co-chair this Commission. Bob served two terms as Florida’s governor, and represented Florida as a United States Senator for almost two decades. During that time, he earned a reputation as a champion of the environment, leading the most extensive environmental protection effort in the state’s history.

Bill Reilly is chairman emeritus of the board of the World Wildlife Fund, and he is also deeply knowledgeable about the oil and gas industry. During the presidency of George H.W. Bush, Bill was Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and his tenure encompassed the Exxon Valdez disaster.

I can’t think of two people who will bring greater experience or better judgment to the task at hand. In the days to come, I’ll appoint 5 other distinguished Americans – including scientists, engineers, and environmental advocates – to join them on the Commission. And I’m directing them to report back in 6 months with recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling.

One of the reasons I ran for President was to put America on the path to energy independence, and I have not wavered from that commitment. To achieve that goal, we must pursue clean energy and energy efficiency, and we’ve taken significant steps to do so. And we must also pursue domestic sources of oil and gas. Because it represents 30 percent of our oil production, the Gulf of Mexico can play an important part in securing our energy future. But we can only pursue offshore oil drilling if we have assurances that a disaster like the BP oil spill will not happen again. This Commission will, I hope, help provide those assurances so we can continue to seek a secure energy future for the United States of America.

Thanks so much.

Saddle Up!

Having grown up in the saddle and with a driving force to serve and broaden the horizons of challenged children, Saddle Up! co-founder Alton Kelley worked with Nancy Wennberg, Charles Crafton and Lynne Evans to establish one of the nation's first recreational therapeutic horseback riding programs. Designed specifically for children and in compliance with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) Saddle Up! was founded in 1989 to provide services to local disabled children and youths. With a stable of twenty specially trained horses, Saddle Up! served one hundred and eighty seven challenged riders last year, providing them the opportunity to grow and develop through recreational activities with horses.

Accepting of devices and equipment and forgiving of inexperienced or unbalances riders, the program's therapy horses are all obedient to both voice and leg signals and are comfortable with a variety of handlers and experiences. The abilities of each individual child is the focus of all that happens at Saddle Up! but it is the power of the horse, whose movements, emotional connections and spirit, that forms the foundation of the program.

In November of 2009 the relationship, that rider Andrew W had formed with his horse Elvis, brought national attention to Saddle Up! Recipient of the prestigious NARHA Independent Youth Equestrian Of The Year Award, Andrew W was recognized not only for the special relationship he had with his horse , but also for representing the power of equestrian assisted activities to improve lives.

Almost exclusively relying on donations and grants to cover their direct program cost, Saddle Up! operates with a full-time staff of eight, a part-time staff that averages twenty and close to three hundred volunteers who all work to serve the program's young riders. Co-founder and regular volunteer Alton Kelly, spoke for both the staff and volunteers when he stated that working with the children at Saddle Up! is a fulfilling and inspiring experience.

Saddle Up! is located at 1549 Old Hillsboro Road, Franklin. To learn more about Saddle Up! or to inquire about volunteer opportunities please call 794-1150 or visit their web site at http://www.saddleupnashville.org/

I Didn't Want To Write This

For more than three weeks the spirit of compassion and concern has prevailed throughout this city. Neighbors are reaching out as strangers work together to help others reclaim their lives and restore their homes. Shortly after arriving in Nashville, one FEMA official expressed that she was impressed by the magnitude of work being done by local volunteers, stating that she has never visited a city that was so stricken, yet required so little outside help.

With an estimated ratio of four volunteers to every one victim remaining on the scene and with food and shelter readily available to displaced home owners and renters, I was disturbed by the public complaints of one local individual, who after claiming to have lost everything to the flood (including a home,) lashed out out at the community with a forceful negativity that threatened to diminish the tales of survival and gratitude expressed by other flood victims.

Armed with facts that will hold up in any court of law, it is with regret that I must state that the stories being circulated by this person are untrue. The claim to being homeless could very well be true, but the alleged homelessness was not a result of the flood or it's aftermath.

This individual was my friend for more than two decades, and at times was a dear companion and trusted confidante, so it is out of consideration for all the tragedies and good times that we once shared that I am withholding the name of my former friend. However, it is my respect for Jack and Sue Spence who truly lost everything, and my concern for my buddy Chris Lambos who lost a lot, and the sorrow I feel over the death of Joe and Bessie Formossa, that compels me to expose this fraud.

In the days following the flood I was an eyewitness to the strength of character and dignity shown by dozens of displaced residents from the Nations, an impoverished neighborhood hit hard by the disaster. Their losses are so real and their desire to overcome and rebuild is so strong,that it is impossible for me to stay quiet and allow someone, especially someone that I know, to falsely and publicly represent their cause.

In closing I would like to say this to my ex-friend: in the aftermath of Katrina it was reported that certain unethical people received money and aid from FEMA and other organizations by fraudulently claiming to be hurricane victims. Later many of those false claims were revealed and the claimants are paying dearly for their actions. I am confident that you are not as foolish as they were.

Bellevue Groups Displaced By Flood Announce New Meeting Places

Listed among Bellevue's most seriously damaged commercial buildings, Shoney's Restaurant on Highway 70 South has been closed to the public since flood waters overtook it on May 1st. A popular and consistent meeting place for numerous church based, civic, political and private groups the restaurant's temporary closure has displaced these groups, forcing them to either find alternate meeting locations, or cease meeting until the restaurant reopens.

The Bellevue Exchange Club is now meeting at Tee's Fireside Cafe on Tuesday mornings.

The Edwin Warner Model Aviators will meet at the park Pavilion near the flying field on the second Tuesday of each month.

The status of the Bellevue Of Church Christ Thursday breakfast meeting is yet to be determined. Pastor Steve Blackman will notify members when a decision regarding the group's new meeting place is reached.

Group coordinator Betty Hood will soon announce where the Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club will hold their June meeting.

We were unable to confirm where the River Plantation Alley Kats, Bellevue's United Methodist Veterans Group, The Barbi Club or The Kingston Springs Seniors plan to hold their future meetings. According to the official Shoney's Facebook page the company is planning on reopening their restaurant on Highway 70 South very soon and representatives of the Edwin Warner Model Aviators, the Bellevue Church Of Christ and the Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club, all stated that their groups will resume meeting at Shoney's once the store is reopened.

President Kennedy, Vanderbilt University May 18, 1963

Courtesy, JFK Library And Archives



In a spirited and eloquent speech before an estimated crowd of 30,000 people in the stadium at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee on May 18, 1963, President Kennedy reminded his listeners that it falls to the educated man to assume the greater obligations of citizenship—for the pursuit of learning, to serve the public and to uphold the law.



President John Kennedy
Dudley Field
Vanderbilt University
Nashville Tennessee
May 18, 1963

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENSHIP


President John F. Kennedy
Nashville, Tennessee
May 18, 1963

Mr. Chancellor, Mr. Vanderbilt, Senator Kefauver, Senator Gore, Congressman Fulton, Congressman Evins, Congressman Bass, Congressman Everett, Tom Murray, distinguished guests, members of the judiciary, the Army Corps of Engineers of the Tennessee Valley:

I first of all want to express my warm appreciation to the Governor and to the Mayor of this State and city and to the people for a very generous welcome, and particularly to all those young men and women who lined the street and played music for us as we drove into this stadium. We are glad they are here with us, and we feel the musical future of this city and State is assured.

Many things bring us together today. We are saluting the 90th anniversary of Vanderbilt University, which has grown from a small Tennessee university and institution to one of our Nation's greatest, with 7 different colleges, and with more than half of its 4200 students from outside of the State of Tennessee.

And we are saluting the 30th anniversary of the Tennessee Valley Authority, which transformed a parched, depressed, and floodravaged region into a fertile, productive center of industry, science, and agriculture.

We are saluting--by initiating construction of a dam in his name--a great Tennessee statesman, Cordell Hull, the father of reciprocal trade, the grandfather of the United Nations, the Secretary of State who presided over the transformation of this Nation from a life of isolation and almost indifference to a state of responsible world leadership.

And finally, we are saluting--by the recognition of a forthcoming dam in his name-J. Percy Priest, a former colleague of mine in the House of Representatives, who represented this district, this State, and this Nation in the Congress for 16 turbulent years--years which witnessed the crumbling of empires, the splitting of the atom, the conquest of one threat to freedom, and the emergence of still another.

If there is one unchanging theme that runs throughout these separate stories, it is that everything changes but change itself. We live in an age of movement and change, both evolutionary and revolutionary, both good and evil--and in such an age a university has a special obligation to hold fast to the best of the past and move fast to the best of the future.

Nearly 100 years ago Prince Bismarck said that one-third of the students of German universities broke down from overwork, another third broke down from dissipation, and the other third ruled Germany. I do not know which third of the student body of Vanderbilt is here today, but I am confident we are talking to the future rulers of Tennessee and America in the spirit of this university.

The essence of Vanderbilt is still learning, the essence of its outlook is still liberty, and liberty and learning will be and must be the touchstones of Vanderbilt University and of any free university in this country or the world. I say two touchstones, yet they are almost inseparable, inseparable if not indistinguishable, for liberty without learning is always in peril, and learning without liberty is always in vain.

This State, this city, this campus, have stood long for both human rights and human enlightenment--and let that forever be true. This Nation is now engaged in a continuing debate about the rights of a portion of its citizens. That will go on, and those rights will expand until the standard first forged by the Nation's founders has been reached, and all Americans enjoy equal opportunity and liberty under law.

But this Nation was not founded solely on the principle of citizens' rights. Equally important, though too often not discussed, is the citizen's responsibility. For our privileges can be no greater than our obligations. The protection of our rights can endure no longer than the performance of our responsibilities. Each can be neglected only at the peril of the other. I speak to you today, therefore, not of your rights as Americans, but of your responsibilities. They are many in number and different in nature. They do not rest with equal weight upon the shoulders of all. Equality of opportunity does not mean equality of responsibility. All Americans must be responsible citizens, but some must be more responsible than others, by virtue of their public or their private position, their role in the family or community, their prospects for the future, or their legacy from the past.

Increased responsibility goes with increased ability, for "of those to whom much is given, much is required."

Commodore Vanderbilt recognized this responsibility and his recognition made possible the establishment of a great institution of learning for which he will be long remembered after his steamboats and railroads have been forgotten. I speak in particular, therefore, of the responsibility of the educated citizen, including the students, the faculty, and the alumni of this great institution. The creation and maintenance of Vanderbilt University, like that of all great universities, has required considerable effort and expenditure, and I cannot believe that all of this was undertaken merely to give this school's graduates an economic advantage in the life struggle. "Every man sent out from a university," said Professor Woodrow Wilson, "Every man sent out from a university should be a man of his Nation, as well as a man of his time."

You have responsibilities, in short, to use your talents for the benefit of the society which helped develop those talents. You must decide, as Goethe put it, whether you will be an anvil or a hammer, whether you will give to the world in which you were reared and educated the broadest possible benefits of that education. Of the many special obligations incumbent upon an educated citizen, I would cite three as outstanding: your obligation to the pursuit of learning, your obligation to serve the public, your obligation to uphold the law.

If the pursuit of learning is not defended by the educated citizen, it will not be defended at all. For there will always be those who scoff at intellectuals, who cry out against research, who seek to limit our educational system. Modern cynics and skeptics see no more reason for landing a man on the moon, which we shall do, than the cynics and skeptics of half a millennium ago saw for the discovery of this country. They see no harm in paying those to whom they entrust the minds of their children a smaller wage than is paid to those to whom they entrust the care of their plumbing.

But the educated citizen knows how much more there is to know. He knows that "knowledge is power," more so today than ever before. He knows that only an educated and informed people will be a free people, that the ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all, and that if we can, as Jefferson put it, "enlighten the people generally ... tyranny and the oppressions of mind and body will vanish, like evil spirits at the dawn of day." And, therefore, the educated citizen has a special obligation to encourage the pursuit of learning, to promote exploration of the unknown, to preserve the freedom of inquiry, to support the advancement of research, and to assist at every level of government the improvement of education for all Americans, from grade school to graduate school.

Secondly, the educated citizen has an obligation to serve the public. He may be a precinct worker or President. He may give his talents at the courthouse, the State house, the White House. He may be a civil servant or a Senator, a candidate or a campaign worker, a winner or a loser. But he must be a participant and not a spectator.

"At the Olympic games," Aristotle wrote, "it is not the finest and strongest men who are crowned, but they who enter the lists-for out of these the prize-men are elected. So, too, in life, of the honorable and the good, it is they who act who rightly win the prizes."

I urge all of you today, especially those who are students, to act, to enter the lists of public service and rightly win or lose the prize. For we can have only one form of aristocracy in this country, as Jefferson wrote long ago in rejecting John Adams' suggestion of an artificial aristocracy of wealth and birth. It is, he wrote, the natural aristocracy of character and talent, and the best form of government, he added, was that which selected these men for positions of responsibility.

I would hope that all educated citizens would fulfill this obligation--in politics, in Government, here in Nashville, here in this State, in the Peace Corps, in the Foreign Service, in the Government Service, in the Tennessee Valley, in the world. You will find the pressures greater than the pay. You may endure more public attacks than support. But you will have the unequaled satisfaction of knowing that your character and talent are contributing to the direction and success of this free society.

Third, and finally, the educated citizen has an obligation to uphold the law. This is the obligation of every citizen in a free and peaceful society--but the educated citizen has a special responsibility by the virtue of his greater understanding. For whether he has ever studied history or current events, ethics or civics, the rules of a profession or the tools of a trade, he knows that only a respect for the law makes it possible for free men to dwell together in peace and progress.

He knows that law is the adhesive force in the cement of society, creating order out of chaos and coherence in place of anarchy. He knows that for one man to defy a law or court order he does not like is to invite others to defy those which they do not like, leading to a breakdown of all justice and all order. He knows, too, that every fellowman is entitled to be regarded with decency and treated with dignity. Any educated citizen who seeks to subvert the law, to suppress freedom, or to subject other human beings to acts that are less than human, degrades his heritage, ignores his learning, and betrays his obligation.

Certain other societies may respect the rule of force--we respect the rule of law.

The Nation, indeed the whole world, has watched recent events in the United States with alarm and dismay. No one can deny the complexity of the problems involved in assuring to all of our citizens their full rights as Americans. But no one can gainsay the fact that the determination to secure these rights is in the highest traditions of American freedom.

In these moments of tragic disorder, a special burden rests on the educated men and women of our country to reject the temptations of prejudice and violence, and to reaffirm the values of freedom and law on which our free society depends.

When Bishop McTyeire, 90 years ago, proposed it to Commodore Vanderbilt, he said, "Commodore, our country has been torn to pieces by a civil war .... We want to repair this damage." And Commodore Vanderbilt reportedly replied, "I want to unite this country, and all sections of it, so that all our people will be one." His response, his recognition of his obligation and opportunity gave Vanderbilt University not only an endowment but also a mission. Now, 90 years later, in a time of tension, it is more important than ever to unite this country and strengthen these ties so that all of our people will be one.

Ninety years from now I have no doubt that Vanderbilt University will still be fulfilling this mission. It will still uphold learning, encourage public service, and teach respect for the law. It will neither turn its back on proven wisdom or turn its face from newborn challenge. It will still pass on to the youth of our land the full meaning of their rights and their responsibilities. And it will still be teaching the truth--the truth that makes us free and will keep us free.

Thank you.

Go here to hear the speech titled "The Responsibilities Of Citizenship" delivered by President Kennedy at Nashville's Vanderbilt University on May 18, 1963.

To read more about President John F Kennedy and Vanderbilt University go here.

Known As The State's Attic, The Tennessee State Library And Archives Holds Hidden Treasure Waiting To Be Discovered

Unlike many states, the official state library and permanent repository for Tennessee's archived original documents and materials, are all housed in one building. Often referred to as the "The State's Attic" the Tennessee State Library and Archives serves the State's Legislature and state agencies as well as scholars, lawyers, researchers and genealogists and all members of the general public.

A non-lending library located in the facility's Tennessee Room, the bound books and periodicals that make up the State Library's catalog cover a broad spectrum of subjects and interest. First housed inside the State Capitol building, the State Library was established in 1854, with Return Johnathon Mieggs serving as Tennessee's first State Librarian. Today the library holds a rich and varied collection of books by Tennessee authors as well as volumes of historic city directories, published Supreme Court cases,and the Journals of Tennessee's Constitutional Conventions. Also on the library shelves are more than ten thousand books relating to Tennessee's culture, natural resources, geography, music, art, industry and history.

In addition to permenant state records , papers from all of Tennessee's governors as well as the Tennessee Historical Society's collections are held in the archives and manuscripts holding stacks. Dating back as far as the 1790's, historic materials such as maps, land grants, letters, post cards, journals, broadsides, and photos are accessible to State Archives visitors.

It is believed that around 1955, Tennessee became the first state to record meetings of the State's General Assembly and those audio recordings are available to the public in the Legislative History Area. Micro-filmed copies of all Tennessee's historic and current newspapers in addition to filmed copies of many archived original documents, vital records, and personal and official papers, are accessible to State Library and Archives visitors.

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is located in Nashville at 403 7th Avenue North. The Tennessee State Library is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00-6:00. The Manuscripts Services area is open Monday through Friday 8:00-4:30 and on Saturday's by appointment. For more information on the Tennessee State Library and Archives please visit www.tennessee.gov/tsla/

My friend David Ewing is a superb researcher and talented writer. I admire his ability to bring various and seemingly unrelated historical facts together, offering readers insight based on his unique perspective of his subject. The following article written by David was published in yesterday's Sunday edition of the Tennessean.
We appreciate you David!



When James Robert­son and John Donel­son trav­eled to Mid­dle Ten­nessee and founded what is today Nashville in 1779, they selected a choice spot on the bend of the Cum­ber­land for their new set­tle­ment. The first com­mer­cial and res­i­den­tial build­ings of Nashville were built in the area of the long, pow­er­ful river.

Before this month, Nashville saw nine other major floods since the days of Robert­son and Donel­son, when the Cum­ber­land reached more than 52 feet or higher. The great­est started on Christ­mas Day 1926. That week, Nashville had 8.39 inches of rain, with another 2 inches in the few days after Christ­mas. The rain pushed the Cum­ber­land River to 56.2 feet — the high­est on record — which is 4 feet over the crest of the Cum­ber­land this month.

In 1926 older cit­i­zens still remem­bered the last time Nashville had a big flood, in Jan­u­ary 1882. This flood brought great human suf­fer­ing to the river city, which was still scarred from the Civil War.

By David Ewing

In the 1880s Nashville was a mill and man­u­fac­tur­ing town, and many of these busi­nesses were on the east bank of the Cum­ber­land River, on First and Sec­ond avenues off of Broad­way and in the Sul­phur Dell area, which is where Bicen­ten­nial Mall now stands. The 1882 flood caused almost 30 homes to float down the river, and even more were top­pled. Wood and logs by the thou­sands floated away from lum­ber­yards, and one of the city’s largest employ­ers, Ten­nessee Iron Works, was almost com­pletely sub­merged. Hun­dreds of peo­ple were cast out of work and had no money, food or place to live.

As the water rose and dis­placed peo­ple and busi­nesses, then as now, cit­i­zens were uni­fied in help­ing those in need. The Daily Amer­i­can news­pa­per said it was “one proud reflec­tion about the flood is that the human­ity of Nashville rises with the tide of mis­for­tune and the brisk ener­gies of our towns­men in the work of relief sec­onded by the active and sub­stan­tial aid of all classes of the community.”

The Women’s Relief Fund imme­di­ately started to raise money for vic­tims and make sure they had proper shel­ter, food and clothes. Shel­ters were estab­lished and food and funds were quickly dis­trib­uted. One man who was one of 500 peo­ple wait­ing in line for assis­tance said he had “five mouths to feed and not a bite in the house.” The trea­surer of The Women’s Relief Fund, Fan­nie Bat­tle, acknowl­edged the efforts of every­one that donated but pleaded with cit­i­zens to con­tinue to give toward the effort, and money con­tin­ued to pour in from local busi­nesses, churches and citizens.

10,000 peo­ple displaced

Dur­ing the 1926 flood, water made its way to build­ings on Fifth Avenue down­town. First and Sec­ond avenues were hit hard­est, and water almost reached the sec­ond floor of many build­ings. The Amer­i­can Stream and Feed Build­ing on Sec­ond Avenue col­lapsed after the water rose, and its owner, for­mer Nashville Mayor William Gup­ton, esti­mated he lost $50,000 in the value of the build­ing and another $20,000 in stock that was inside. When the build­ing col­lapsed, hun­dreds of bags of feed and seed floated down Sec­ond Avenue. At another nearby build­ing, Reeves & Com­pany Pro­duce, the water caused all of the chick­ens to drown, but the ducks escaped and were seen swim­ming away down the street.

Most mer­chants did not carry flood insur­ance. A lead­ing Nashville mer­chant, Robert Orr, said at the time, “So far as I know, not a penny of flood insur­ance is car­ried here.”

Nashville Mayor Hilary Howse, who pre­vi­ously had oper­ated a fur­ni­ture store on Lower Broad­way that was also flooded, ordered all city trucks to be under the direc­tion of the police chief. City work­ers were sent to res­cue those stranded and to notify peo­ple of the ris­ing water and tell them to imme­di­ately leave their homes.

The 1926 flood drove almost 10,000 peo­ple from their homes, mainly in the East Nashville and Jef­fer­son Street areas. The Nashville Real Estate Board quickly pro­vided a list of vacant homes where peo­ple could stay. The areas hard­est hit by the 2010 flood — Belle­vue, Bor­deaux, Anti­och and Donel­son — were not heav­ily pop­u­lated in 1926 and were mainly farmland.

WLAC which had just started broad­cast­ing in Nashville the month before the 1926 flood, imme­di­ately sus­pended reg­u­lar pro­gram­ming to alert Nashvil­lians of the ris­ing waters. When con­di­tions started to worsen and peo­ple had to leave their homes, the sta­tion asked for help and money.

Fifty indi­vid­u­als and busi­nesses offered vacant rooms or homes and $50,000 was quickly raised due to the non­stop efforts of the radio station.

Blues singer Bessie Smith, a Ten­nessee native, wrote a song called “Back­wa­ter Blues” that was recorded Feb. 17, 1927, just six weeks after the flood. It became a huge hit when other parts of the South flooded later that year.

Mayor Howse had a quick response to the flood. Even though 10,000 peo­ple were dis­placed out of a pop­u­la­tion of about 150,000, the news­pa­pers reported that there was no loss of life. The Nashville Ban­ner edi­to­ri­al­ized that “the peo­ple of Nashville will respond speed­ily and gen­er­ously” and “that Nashville always takes care of its own.”

Nashville’s local sup­port of the flood vic­tims was so over­whelm­ing that Howse turned down fed­eral finan­cial sup­port offered from Wash­ing­ton and from the national Red Cross.

Every­one wants to com­pare this recent flood to pre­vi­ous ones in Nashville. Clearly the $1.56 bil­lion in dam­ages out­weighs the $5 mil­lion cost of the 1926 flood or the $50,000 cost of the 1882 flood. The recent flood caused more prop­erty dam­age and greater loss of life than the pre­vi­ous big floods, but Nashville’s response to these dis­as­ters keeps get­ting better.

This month proved that cit­i­zens’ aid and com­pas­sion to their city, friends, neigh­bors and strangers has never been bet­ter. Nashville does take care of its own.

To My Readers

Sadly neglected for more than a month, Nashville Past And Present is now active. Contracted to write a series of articles for a large regional project I remained focused on that task throughout the month of April. Further delayed by flood related issues I failed to report on many of the interesting events that I attended during that time. In the spirit of trying to restore order to my life and to bring Nashville Past And Present up to date, I will now attempt to render a brief description of some of the notable local events that I should have covered in April and early May.

I appreciate my readers and want to thank you all for continuing to visit Nashville Past And Present.

Sincerely,
Betsy Thorpe

The futuristic "Urban Species" by Korean artist U-Ram Choe remained on display at the Frist Center through last Saturday. Feeding the imagination, Choe's set of mechanical sculptures were displayed complete with the written history of how each of these new species evolved and adapted to our future urban world. It was the most interesting and intriguing exhibit of modern art I have ever viewed.



Opening the Nashville Film Festival the British made feature film "Nowhere Boy," is a coming of age story. Focusing on the angst of adolescence, this excellent film introduces John Lennon as a troubled 15 year old living in the British working class city of Liverpool. Following his evolution from an aimless teenager to a locally successful Teddy Boy musician, "Nowhere Boy" concludes with Lennon and his band headed to Hamburg. With the word Beatle omitted from the movie's dialogue, director Sam Taylor-Wood, adeptly utilized the early life of John Lennon to present an ageless and universal tale of transition and growth. With an audience largely comprised of self proclaimed Beatle's experts and historians it was inevitable that following the film's opening, criticism of minute points of accuracy would erupt throughout the theatre's lobby, however the majority of the movie goers enjoyed the showing and agreed that "Nowhere Boy" is an exceptional and excellent film.




The Nashville Film Festivals screening of the controversial documentary "Southern Belles" attracted a large audience, many dressed in period costume. Offering a rare inside look into Columbia Tennessee's 1861 Athenaeum Girls’ School , a week long summer camp where young girls are taught the customs and etiquette of the antebellum South , this documentary produced by Nashville's Kathy Conkwright and Mary Makley drew strong reacations from the audience. Following the film's local premier, many attendees expressed delight in the movie, while others noted a specific outrage brought on by the documentary's opening antebellum commentary supporting the institution of slavery. Also vocal was an elite group of viewers, who by relating their superior sense of tolerant amusement, acknowledged that their presumed knowledge of Southern culture and mores had been artfully confirmed.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama May 15, 2010

Weekly Address: Wall Street Reform & Main Street

The President explains how Wall Street Reform will not only end bailouts and bring accountability for big banks, but empower consumers, shareholders and community banks.




In his weekly address, President Barack Obama discussed how reforming Wall Street will strengthen Main Street. The reform bill moving through Congress will empower and protect American families with the strongest consumer financial protections in history, level the playing field for community banks by making sure all lenders are subject to tough oversight, and strengthen small businesses by curbing excessive risk taking on Wall Street, which will help protect credit for our small businesses. As the economy recovers in the short term, we need to build a new foundation for growth and prosperity for the long term. This bill helps to do just that.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Weekly Address
Washington, DC

On Thursday, I paid a visit to a small business in Buffalo, New York, a town that’s been hard hit in recent decades. I heard from folks about the struggles they’ve been facing for longer than they care to remember. And I talked with them about what my administration is doing to help our families, our small businesses, and our economy rebound from this recession.

Jumpstarting job creation in the private sector and fostering a climate that encourages businesses to hire again is vitally important – and I’ll continue working hard to make sure that happens. But my responsibility as President isn’t just to help our economy rebound from this recession – it’s to make sure an economic crisis like the one that helped trigger this recession never happens again.

That’s what Wall Street reform will help us do. In recent weeks, there’s been a lot of back and forth about the reform bill currently making its way through Congress. There’s been a lot of discussion about technical aspects of the bill, and a lot of heated – and frankly, sometimes misleading – rhetoric coming from opponents of reform.

All of this has helped obscure what reform would actually mean for you, the American people. So, I just wanted to take a few minutes to talk about why every American has a stake in Wall Street reform.

First and foremost, you have a stake in it if you’ve ever been treated unfairly by a credit card company, misled by pages and pages of fine print, or ended up paying fees and penalties you’d never heard of before. And you have a stake in it if you’ve ever tried to take out a home loan, a car loan, or a student loan, and been targeted by the predatory practices of unscrupulous lenders.

The Wall Street reform bill in Congress represents the strongest consumer financial protections in history. You’ll be empowered with the clear and concise information you need to make the choices that are best for you. We’ll help stop predatory practices, and curb unscrupulous lenders, helping secure your family’s financial future.

That’s why families have a stake in it. And our community banks also have a stake in reform. These are banks we count on to provide the capital that lets our small businesses hire and grow.

The way the system is currently set up, these banks are at a disadvantage because while they are often playing by the rules, many of their less scrupulous competitors are not. So, what reform will do is help level the playing field by making sure all our lenders – not just community banks – are subject to tough oversight. That’s good news for our community banks, which is why we’ve received letters from some of these banks in support of reform.

What’s true for our community banks is also true for small businessmen and women like the ones I met in Buffalo. These small businesses were some of the worst victims of the excessive risk-taking on Wall Street that led to this crisis. Their credit dried up. They had to let people go. Some even shut their doors altogether. And unless we put in place real safeguards, we could see it happen all over again.

That’s why Wall Street reform is so important. With reform, we’ll make our financial system more transparent by bringing the kinds of complex, backroom deals that helped trigger this crisis into the light of day. We’ll prevent banks from taking on so much risk that they could collapse and threaten our whole economy. And we’ll give shareholders more of a say on pay to help change the perverse incentives that encouraged reckless risk-taking in the first place. Put simply, Wall Street reform will bring greater security to folks on Main Street.

The stories I heard in Buffalo this week were a reminder that, despite the progress we’ve made, we need to keep working hard, so we can build on that progress and rebound from this recession in the short-term. But even as we do, we also need to lay a new foundation for growth and shared prosperity over the long-term.

Next week, we have a chance to help lay a cornerstone in that foundation. The reform bill being debated in the Senate will not solve every problem in our financial system – no bill could. But what this strong bill will do is important, and I urge the Senate to pass it as soon as possible, so we can secure America’s economic future in the 21st century.

Volunteer Spirit Of Nashville Is Evident In Disaster

Volunteers Serve A Hot Meal Provided By Wendell Smith's To Flood Victims At St. Luke's Y.E.S Center

The overriding story that emerged in the aftermath of last week's devastating flood, was of the volunteer spirit that swept across the city like a cloud of hope. Reporting on the generous outpouring of service and donations offered by both local individuals and corporations, Nashville attorney, David Ewing stated that "We are lucky to live in a town with great people and businesses who care about our community and its citizens." Sue Spence of Bellevue who lost everything she owned in the disaster said "it's not what I lost that I want to talk about, I want to talk about the people, not just friends and my church, but strangers too. You might expect help from your family, but so many people offered to do whatever was needed, I've never seen anything like it."

More than two hundred homes were damaged or destroyed when the flood waters overtook West Nashville's Nations neighborhood, leaving hundreds of local residents without cooking facilities and sanitation. Responding to the community's need for hot meals, Wendell Smith's worked with Saint Luke's Community House, and the West Nashville branch of Youth Encouragement Services to provide lunch and dinner for flood victims all last week.

Following a visit to Saint Luke's on Thursday, Metro Councilman Jason Holleman said "The organized effort to address the needs of flood victims has been impressive, but what has been even more impressive is the way that area non-profits, like St. Luke's Community House, have risen to the occasion to be a real force in responding to the needs on the ground." Throughout Holleman's visit numerous donations of food and cleaning supplies were delivered to the center and he later stated that "This disaster has demonstrated that we, in Tennessee, continue to deserve the title of "The Volunteer State. The dedication that people in this community have shown to their friends, to their neighbors, and to complete strangers has been inspiring."

It is unknown the long term affect the flood will have on the city's commerce and industry or how it will impact the future of the individual victims who all suffered great personal loss, but the disaster's lasting legacy of community service and compassion is already established and will be long remembered. And for that we can all take pride.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, May 8, 2010

Weekly Address: Health Reform Starts to Kick In
The President goes through the benefits in health insurance reform that are already kicking in for young adults, retirees, and families, and says more benefits are coming down the pike.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, May 1st 2010

As the President beats back lobbyists seeking to weaken Wall Street Reform, he talks about an even broader threat that would vastly expand the influence of massive industries and their lobbyists in Washington. A recent Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates for corporations, including foreign corporations, to spend endless money on political ads that would give them even more power at the expense of American families – the President pledges to fight for reforms to stem that influence.



WASHINGTON – In the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling, which gives special interests, corporations – and potentially foreign nationals – the power to spend unlimited money to influence the outcome of elections, President Barack Obama called on Congress to enact reforms to limit this power and protect the integrity of our democracy. With these reforms, campaign committees will have to reveal who is funding them, and their leaders or financers will have to claim responsibility for their ads. Also, the reforms will restrict foreign corporations and foreign nationals from spending money in American elections. These reforms will help ensure the government works for the American people, not the special interests.


Remarks of President Barack Obama
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Weekly Address
Washington, DC

Over the past few weeks, as we’ve debated reforms to hold Wall Street accountable and protect consumers and small businesses in our financial system, we’ve come face-to-face with the great power of special interests in the workings of our democracy. Of course, this isn’t a surprise. Every time a major issue arises, we’ve come to expect that an army of lobbyists will descend on Capitol Hill in the hopes of tilting the laws in their favor.

That’s one of the reasons I ran for President: because I believe so strongly that the voices of ordinary Americans were being drowned out by the clamor of a privileged few in Washington. And that’s why, since the day I took office, my administration has been taking steps to reform the system. Recently, however, the Supreme Court issued a decision that overturned decades of law and precedent – dealing a huge blow to our efforts to rein in this undue influence. In short, this decision gives corporations and other special interests the power to spend unlimited amounts of money – literally millions of dollars – to affect elections throughout our country. This, in turn, will multiply their influence over decision-making in our government.

In the starkest terms, members will know – when pressured by lobbyists – that if they dare to oppose that lobbyist’s client, they could face an onslaught of negative advertisements in the run up to their next election. And corporations will be allowed to run these ads without ever having to tell voters exactly who is paying for them. At a time when the American people are already being overpowered in Washington by these forces, this will be a new and even more powerful weapon that the special interests will wield.

In fact, it’s exactly this kind of vast power that led a great Republican President – Teddy Roosevelt – to tackle this issue a century ago. He warned of the dangers of limitless corporate spending in our political system. He actually called it “one of the principal sources of corruption in our political affairs.” And he proposed strict limits on corporate influence in elections. “Every special interest is entitled to justice,” he said. “but not one is entitled to a vote in Congress, to a voice on the bench, or to representation in any public office.”

In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling, we face a similar challenge. That’s why it’s so important that Congress consider new reforms to prevent corporations and other special interests from gaining even more clout in Washington. And almost all of these reforms are designed to bring new transparency to campaign spending. They are based on the principle espoused by former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis – that sunlight is the best disinfectant.

Shadowy campaign committees would have to reveal who’s funding their activities to the American people. And when corporations and other special interests take to the airwaves, whoever is running and funding the ad would have to appear in the advertisement and claim responsibility for it – like a company’s CEO or an organization’s biggest contributor. This will mean citizens can evaluate the claims in these ads with information about an organization’s real motives.

We know how important this is. We’ve all seen groups with benign-seeming names sponsoring television commercials that make accusations and assertions designed to influence the public debate and sway voters’ minds. Now, of course every organization has every right in this country to make their voices heard. But the American people also have the right to know when some group like “Citizens for a Better Future” is actually funded entirely by “Corporations for Weaker Oversight.”

In addition, these reforms would address another troubling aspect of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Under the bill Congress will consider, we’ll make sure that foreign corporations and foreign nationals are restricted from spending money to influence American elections, just as they were in the past – even through U.S. subsidiaries. And we’d keep large contractors that receive taxpayer funds from interfering in our elections as well, to avoid the appearance of corruption and the possible misuse of tax dollars.

Now, we can expect that these proposed changes will be met with heavy resistance from the special interests and their supporters in Congress. But I’m calling on leaders in both parties to resist these pressures. For what we are facing is no less than a potential corporate takeover of our elections. And what is at stake is no less than the integrity of our democracy. This shouldn’t be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. This is an issue that goes to whether or not we will have a government that works for ordinary Americans – a government of, by, and for the people. That’s why these reforms are so important. And that’s why I’m going to fight to see them passed into law.

Thanks so much.

Words From My Friend Geneologist and Bellevue Exchange Member, Bob Allen

For many years, this Shoney's located on Highway 70 South was home to the Bellevue Exchange Club
Photo courtesy Chip Curley, Mary 3, 2010

Middle Tennessee History & Genealogy Enthusiasts,

Bellevue Recovery and Cleanup

Wow! At 6 am last Saturday when the Bellevue Exchange Club and Bellevue Chamber of Commerce were poised to begin their 3rd Annual Cleanup Day we had no idea that the day’s washout and cancellation of events and activities would lead to Bellevue’s most massive rescue, recovery, and cleanup in history. Bellevue (and all of middle Tennessee) has been beaten and battered by mother nature and the Floods of 2010 will be remembered like the Blizzard of 1951 as the weather story of the century. Our children and grandchildren will be telling flood stories to their children and grandchildren for many years to come. Now that we are entering the Cleanup Phase we are gaining national recognition for volunteerism and showing our best side and the outpouring of support from everyone is astounding and to be commended. We will ultimately be fine and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by the floods and storms.

…What we know from Mayor Dean’s office and our Bellevue leaders:

1) Nashville and surrounding areas are under a mandatory water conservation plan where we are all being asked to only use half the water we would normally use.

2) Businesses and residences may amass trash piles for “curb side” pick up by separating trash into three (3) different sections … a) consumer goods (i.e., metal appliances), b) demolition and construction waste, and c) vegetation waste (i.e., brush, limbs, etc.)

3) The owners of the Bellevue Center Mall will be opening up the old Dillard’s area as a drop-off and pick-up location for clothes and supplies. The location will also have large roll-off trash bins.

4) There is going to be a Bellevue community meeting in the auditorium of Bellevue Middle School at 7 am on Thursday, May 6th with more information.

5) A number of organizations in the Bellevue community are reaching out to those in need and … you may call me at 218-4580 or email me at rvallen@comcast.net representing the Bellevue Exchange Club or Tonya Robbins at 662-2737 or email info@thebellevuechamber.com representing the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce.

6) AT&T authorities are working diligently to replace the Bellevue phone transmission equipment that was destroyed and, hopefully, phone service to the Bellevue area will be restored by the weekend. Cell phone service is still sketchy and is gradually being improved. NES officials have indicated that all power to Bellevue residents should be restored within the week or so.

7) The Bellevue Baptist Church on Hwy 70 is offering 3-day food packages and other critical items.

8) An information center is being set up at the Bellevue Community Center on Collice Jeanne Road (between Red Caboose Park and the Fire Station) and will be in operation from noon to 8 pm.

Saint Lukes Community House And Y.E.S. Serving Displaced West Nashville Residents, Volunteers Needed

The St. Luke Youth Encouragement Services Center is partnering with St. Luke's Community Center in efforts to provide relief to the many families that are suffering from the flood damage in West Nashville. Plans are being made on an ongoing basis to respond to the many needs.

Meals Served: Beginning tonight, Tuesday May 4th through Sunday, May 5th the Y.E.S Center will be the host site for meals for an estimated 300-800 people. I am asking each Board member and staff to contact their churches, work places and other contacts in an appeal to enlist volunteers to serve and clean-up during these meal times. Contact David Estes at (615) 587-6282 mobile with your volunteer information in order for him to coordinate with the St. Luke's Community Staff.
- Serving slots needed: Volunteers are needed at the Center from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm for lunch and 5:00 to 8pm for dinner. The most needed time will be the supper meal times. Tues 4th - Dinner; Wed 5th - Lunch & Dinner; Thur 6th - Lunch & Dinner; Fri 7th - Lunch & Dinner; Sat 8th - Lunch & Dinner; Sun 9th - Lunch & Dinner.
- Food & Snacks: Along with food (pre-cooked, ready to serve) snack bars, etc. are needed. Also, they will provide breakfast items during the supper serving (bananas, cereal bars, etc.)

Community involvement: If you have contacts with local restaurants or other food suppliers who can "sponsor" a meal or provide food items for the families please enlist their help now.

Shower Times: Y.E.S. will also make the showers at the Center available before and after the feeding times for families. Towels, toiletry items (toilet paper, soap, shampoo, tooth brushes/paste, etc.) are needed.

Other items needed: Cleaning supplies, bottled water, Walmart/Target, restaurant or other gift cards, diapers/pull-ups and wipes for babies

In addition to the above, the Red Cross, counseling help, and the Health Department will be involved in the efforts.