October 2015 - The South Roanoke Circle

centered
on
community.
family.
you.
october 2015
Pearl Snaps and Family Ties: Meet Corey Hunley
By Brent Stevens
Neighborhood musician Corey Hunley has a kind of uniform for he used to spend countless hours in his teen years skateboarding
performances: boots, jeans, and embroidered shirts with pearl snap with his longtime friend Matt Powell. But when Matt stopped
buttons. He explains, “I won’t play in shorts even in 100 degrees skateboarding and began playing the guitar, Corey found himself
because I want to look different from the people watching me.” alone. The friendship’s salvation came in the form of a guitar
He puts this same kind of energy and attention to detail into his borrowed from a friend of Corey’s father. At first, however, the music
music; and clearly, it’s
was less than stellar, as
paid off. Over the years
Corey relates, “My first
he’s shared the stage
song was ‘Knocking on
with the notable likes
Heaven’s Door.’ I know
of Darrell Scott, Colbie
I sounded like crap. But
Caillat, Uncle Kracker,
my dad, steady as a rock,
Will Hoge, and Christina
would say, ‘Sounds good
Perri. What Corey wants
son.’”
for these efforts is simple:
Spurned on by such
“I want people to listen
encouragement,
Corey
for a second.“
started playing bars at
Over
the
years,
age 18, many of which
Corey
has
grown
were, as he describes,
comfortable with the fact
“Little more than a singlethat his music isn’t for
wide converted into a
everyone: “I’m good at
bar, with the floor falling
what I do, and I’m okay
in and speakers soaked
with people not liking my
with smoke and beer.“
music.” Still, people who
He has vivid memories of
come to his shows for the
playing covers of grunge
wrong reasons get under
bands like Pearl Jam and
his skin at times: “Why
Alice in Chains with his
Corey
Hunley
plays
for
appreciative
fans
at
a
local
show.
would people pay twenty
first band, Load, on a flat
bucks cover and talk with
bed in a huge, Franklin
their friends? If you want a gathering spot, go to a bar.“ In typical County field party: “People still come up to me and play ‘remember
fashion, Corey expresses this frustration in his songs, as these lyrics when?’ about that night.” The venues improved, forming a veritable
from “Puppet on a String” demonstrate: “Here they come waltzing road map to the last twenty years of the music scene: Corned Beef
in pointing the finger at me/They pay the cover charge to be a part and Company, Wards Rock Café, The Iroquois, The Cornerstone,
of the scene/You wear your momma’s pearls, drive your daddy’s The Crystal Spring Deli, The Bridge Club, Victory Stadium, and
SUV/And I bet my bottom dollar that you’re getting your drinks for practically every college within a three-hour radius.
free.”
Corey now works at one of the premiere suppliers of this
But Corey finds ways to feed off even the most distracted scene, Kelley’s Music, where he has a long history: “I got a gift
audiences: “If there are a hundred people at a show and only a few certificate for a free lesson at Kelley’s. I think I quit halfway through;
are listening, I totally block out the folks that aren’t.” Appreciative I got intimidated.” He got better and kept frequenting Kelley’s and
audiences are one of many reasons that Corey is a huge fan of eventually the owner, Ron Montgomery, hired him to teach lessons.
his hometown Rocky Mount’s musical Mecca, The Harvester, which But there were other barriers to overcome after he was hired: “I had
he calls “. . . a listening room. The lights go down and a mood no equipment. I was waiting tables at Hurley’s, driving back and
descends. Everybody claps after every song. All eyes are focused forth from Franklin County every day. Ron saw I was frazzled and
on stage.”
— Continued on page 10
Corey’s musical origins lie a few yards from The Harvester where
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She Said...
Lillian King Meidlinger
editor, right brain
[email protected]
761.0728
Lisa Boschen Bowers
advertising executive, left brain
[email protected]
353.2380
Amy Takacs, Creative Outlet
graphic designer
[email protected]
Johnny Meidlinger
internet kung fu
Jill Hufnagel & Brent Stevens
founders, creative consultants
The South Roanoke Circle
2517 S. Jefferson Street
Roanoke VA 24014
540.353.2380
southroanokecircle.com
Our intent is to provide a
neighborhood publication
that celebrates community
and fosters connection
among neighbors. In so doing,
we seek to strengthen the
neighborhood bond, to encourage our children to share their
voices, and to nurture a future of
collective growth. Finally, we wish
to share in the discovery of the
people and places that make this
neighborhood thrive.
Growing up, I pretty much avoided the outdoors like the plague. While my sister and her
friend Jason created a world of their own in the pines at the edge of our neighborhood, I was
content reading about wooded areas–hello, Laura Ingalls Wilder–and writing about them from
afar: namely my own climate-controlled, bug-free room. It was there that I penned such poetic
delights as “The Old Oak Tree” and a brief series about a family of rambunctious squirrels.
Don’t ask. I was ten and limited to what I could see from my bedroom window or out on our
tiny back patio.
Given those prissy roots, it has been nothing short of a revelation for me and my family
that in my adulthood, I’ve inched ever closer to being, dare I say it: “outdoorsy.” Not full-on
outdoorsy. More: I hike a lot, I can kayak without capsizing, I love to trek through a creek, I
willingly hold toads. That level of wilderness enthusiast. Camping was the natural next step,
which I had done maybe three times in the last five years, and primarily in response to some
perceived maternal duty. But last weekend, all of that changed.
I opted, admittedly at my sister’s prompting, to sleep under the Milky Way for a full
weekend. (Count ‘em: two nights, people). We packed up our families: two husbands, five
kids, five dogs, and headed to the woods. And you know what? I am now a camper. While
I’m not precisely sure how it happened, I will attempt to recreate the bright spots leading up
to this proclamation:
1) Amazing weather: low 80s by day, low 60s at night. Need I say more?
2) A hammock is a wonder–magical, even–in its ability to rock and lull you into letting
go of everything dragging you down and instead position you to take in what
matters: the clouds, the sky, that leafy branch.
3) There’s something so right about a crew of kids wading through the creek and
building a fire, free of the lure of screens and front doors in need of closing.
4) Watching a pack of dogs tearing through the woods always does my heart good.
5) Cooking everything over the fire makes for round-the-clock deliciousness: eggs &
bacon, grilled cheese, chocolate chip & marshmallow-stuffed bananas. . .
6) A bath in the creek is incredibly refreshing; makes water pressure a non-issue.
7) Everything feels special and real and nostalgic in the glow of lantern-light.
8) There’s no cup of coffee better than the first one around the morning campfire, with
the fog still low across the ground.
9) The stars are a wonder, a reminder that ours is a planet and we’re all tiny tents
pitched on it.
10) Most importantly: my sister was right about the outdoors. So glad I finally
listened up!
So maybe I’m wearing that outdoorsy badge for real now. Though I still love a swanky
hotel. . . and waxing poetic about the pastoral. Clearly! — JH
~
The South Roanoke Circle is
a community paper written by
an array of voices. Articles
represent the thoughts and
opinions of the authors who write
them. We welcome submissions
and ideas for articles; please
e-mail the editor at lillian@
southroanokecircle.com.
We reserve the right to refuse
publication of any material we
deem unsuitable for this venue
and/or our readership.
Idyllic camping
experience photos
courtesy of Jill Hufnagel
copyright 2015
The South Roanoke Circle, LLC
all rights reserved.
2
It started with a small spot, itchy,
like a rash. It was an irritation but
soon began to spread and then
appeared on different areas–
under arms, on the neck and
abdomen. It burned and after it
spread to the scalp it was as if the
head was on fire. At two o’clock
in the morning, you don’t know
what to do nor do you really know
why it is happening. The itching,
the spreading and swelling hives
Fins and Feathers:
are not the only concern; soon,
your throat starts to close and it
an Alpha Gal Tale
is getting harder to breathe. You
think “Benadryl” and take a couple
by David Lake
and wait. If you’re lucky, it may
stop, but for me it didn’t. So I took
a couple more and waited–not
patiently, but waited nonetheless–I
had no choice. I jumped in the
shower and alternated hot and
cold. Couldn’t sit and couldn’t
stand–had to move. After quite a time, it started to subside.
I tried to think. What out of the ordinary had I eaten? Is anyone
else in the family affected? I looked for signs of insect or spider bites,
but found none. Weird…unusual…but it was over, so I dismissed it.
Fast forward a month–again the misery hit about the same time
in the morning. A month later, the episode occurred once more. I
ended up in the ER one night because the Benadryl would not abate
the symptoms and I was in labored breathing.
Hello, again. It’s been a while since my last Cook’s Nook and
I’m writing to let you know that “alpha-gal allergy” is what I learned
I have after a visit to the allergist. This is a severe reaction to the
consumption of mammalian meat products as a result of a tick bite.
In the south, as a result of the bite of the Lonestar tick, alpha-gal
allergy rates are 32% higher than elsewhere, according to a 2012
article in Healthy Living by Amanda Chan. These allergies are not
typical in humans, but do occur in other mammals. When a tick
bites one of the allergic animals, the alpha-gal remains with the tick
until it bites someone like me, the bite then transfers alpha-gal to the
human.
Once infected, after a 4-8 hour delayed response, one’s reaction
can include all of the symptoms described above, plus intestinal
distress, and can be fatal if left untreated because of anaphylaxis. If
you experience these symptoms, go get checked.
Now the “fins and feathers” part. As you know, I love to cook and
love to eat, and embrace a variety of foods. Since the onset of my
alpha-gal allergy, I no longer can eat any products of four-legged
mammals–no beef, pork, lamb, dairy products such as milk, cheese,
Cook’s
Nook
yogurt, and no ice cream! However, if the food comes from something
with fins or has feathers, I’m OK. Talk about a dramatic shift in one’s
diet. The good news is that I’m symptom free, have lost weight, and
have lower cholesterol. I’ve had to be a bit more creative with what
I eat so my palate is satisfied, but it is all OK except for the extra
watchful eye when we are dining out. It is surprising how much dairy
is out there.
So here is a way to take turkey burgers to a tasty level that my
family really likes. Many have asked for the recipe, so here goes:
Terrific Turkey Burgers (makes 6)
Ingredients:
1 cored and quartered juicy apple
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1/4 of a large sweet onion
2 T. shredded coconut
2 eggs
2 heels from a loaf of whole wheat bread
1 cup of quinoa and kale salad or 1 cup of cooked brown or
white rice mixed with some parsley or chopped herbs
1 lb. ground turkey (you get juicier burgers if you do not
use all white meat)
In a food processor, grind the first seven ingredients to a
coarse (not liquefied) consistency.
In a large bowl, use a spatula to mix the processed items with
the quinoa/kale or rice, and the turkey. Let the mixture sit for
about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375.
Use the mixture to make patties about 3/4 - 1 inch thick. Pan
fry on each side for about 2 minutes in an iron skillet, then
place the skillet in a preheated oven for about 15 more minutes
(finishing it off in the oven keeps them moist).
These are juicy and delicious!
I’ve played with turkey and chicken burgers, even with salmon
and shrimp and made burgers with lots of fun ingredients. For
example, I regularly use homemade salsa, or a store-bought peach
or mango salsa that I mix into the meat. My family also enjoys black
or red beans and sometimes I leave out the meat and make them into
veggie or bean burgers by using more beans. Ground mushrooms
can be substituted for breadcrumbs for an earthier taste.
The key is to add interesting flavors to liven up a sometimes
boring tasting meat. We look forward to healthier burger nights
each week, and I hope you do, too.
David is a SoRo resident of 14 years who loves to cook and
works in the Development Office and coaches football at North Cross
School. His wife, Sallie, their two girls, and their Goldendoodle
enjoy being part of the South Roanoke community and all it offers.
First Presbyterian Church, here in South Roanoke, has
been sponsoring the “Trick-or-Treat So Others Can Eat”
food drive for 18 years and will conduct the food drive
in October again this year. This event collects food
to stock the shelves of the Presbyterian Community
Center (PCC) in Southeast Roanoke. The PCC food
bank serves hundreds of low-income families each
month, and they can really use help again this year.
Trick-or-Treat So Others Can Eat
The food collected goes a long way in helping the
PCC provide help to families in need through the busy
Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. This year, the
church will distribute grocery bags to homes in the
South Roanoke neighborhood on Sunday, October 18th.
Bags filled with food can be placed in a visible location
the following Sunday, October 25th, and they will be
picked up in the early afternoon for delivery to the
PCC. This food drive has been a long-standing tradition
and First Presbyterian is grateful to the South Roanoke
neighborhood for their generous donations of food.
3
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showing academic excellence or by
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the achievement gap. In November,
Crystal Spring Elementary will be
honored during a special recognition
ceremony in Washington, D.C. Go
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5
Pa and Cla
Dr. Courtney’Cner
by Courtney Wiegard
When Was Your Cat’s Last Check Up?
Since most of my articles have dealt with the canine-side of my
profession, I feel as if I am leaving out some pretty important critters.
Our persnickety feline companions need attention too! Recent studies
have shown there are actually more kitties in our American homes
than dogs, yet we see far fewer cats in our offices than ever before.
According to a 2013 study by Bayer Health and the
American Association of Feline
Practitioners, 52% of cats in
American households have not
been to the veterinarian for
wellness exams and preventative
vaccinations in over a year. It
was also found that less than
half as many cats than dogs
have been in for annual exams.
What the study discovered is that
most feline owners do not make
the trek to the veterinary clinic
because they perceive this to be
an unpleasant experience for
them and their kitty. A staggering
38% of their humans feel stress
themselves at the thought of
shoving Whiskers into that tiny
plastic box, having them yowl all the way down the road, sitting
in the crowded waiting area full of huge barking dogs, only to get
stuck with needles. I completely understand the reasoning for the
resistance. It doesn’t sound very fun for anyone involved. Now, how
6
can we tackle all of the excuses for why you haven’t brought your
kitty to the veterinary clinic? After all, cats are NOT small dogs.
They are incredibly particular when it comes to smells, sights, and
touch.
Excuse One: Barking dogs frighten my sweet feline. I suggest
finding a feline-only practice or a “feline-friendly” practice that
is certified by the American
Association of Feline Practitioners.
These practices follow strict
guidelines for proper handling of
cats using “fear-free” techniques
that use the least amount of
restraint as possible. “Felinefriendly” practices have separate
areas in their waiting rooms for
cats only. Most examination
rooms will have pheromone
diffusers that emit sweet scents
into the air that have a calming
effect. Towels, blankets or mats
will be placed on examination
tables so their special paws don’t
have to touch the cold, sterile
stainless steel. The veterinary staff
may offer bribes to their cat patients in the form of special treats and
catnip. If your carrier has a removable top, the veterinarian may
perform their entire physical exam while the cat stays secure and
snug inside.
Excuse Two: My cat runs and hides when it sees that plastic
carrier. You can desensitize your kitty to that carrier by using catnip,
special treats, and pheromones. Leave it out with the door open for
several days prior to your visit. Withhold food the morning of your
visit and place their food inside the carrier just prior to departure.
There are also several varieties of carriers now that may suit your
kitty’s needs. Hard plastic with snap tops, soft canvas like a duffle
bag, and even larger “cat condo” carriers that allow your kitty to
feel less claustrophobic.
Excuse Three: My indoor cat is not exposed to other cats and
therefore is healthy. It is true that inside-only cats are less exposed
to communicable diseases than outside cats. However, inside cats
are still exposed to fleas and ticks and need parasite protection
year round. They are also susceptible to mosquito bites meaning
that like dogs, they are at risk for heartworm disease. All companion
animals are required by law to have a current rabies vaccination.
They should also stay current on their upper respiratory and viral
vaccines. Cats are amazingly stealthy about hiding illness. It is all
the more important that your veterinarian perform a yearly physical
exam to ensure your cat stays healthy.
Excuse Four: My cat adopted me and I consider him a low-cost
companion. Even if Frisky appeared in your yard and made his
way into your house, he is still your responsibility. Indoor/outdoor
or primarily outdoor cats run a higher risk of contracting diseases
such as Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. It
is even more important that those who roam receive wellness care
and prevention such as flea, tick, and heartworm prevention; regular
deworming; and current vaccinations.
While kitties can be finicky, aloof, and temperamental, we
humans seem to adore them nonetheless. We know there are more
felines in your homes than canines so please don’t forget that they
need veterinary preventative care as well. We will do our best to
ensure your precious kitty has the least stressful and most enjoyable
experience during their visit to the veterinary clinic.
Courtney has been a veterinarian at Vinton Veterinary Hospital
since 2005. She lives in the neighborhood with her husband,
Spencer; two daughters, Elliott and Brynne; three dogs, Milla,
Spanky, and Annie; and two kitties, Bailey and Dewars.
Education Matters
by Dr. Christian Proctor
The Core of Our Curricula
What should be left up to local jurisdictions, the individual
states, or the Federal Government to decide? That’s a pretty broad
question so let’s narrow it down a bit and focus on my particular
area of interest and expertise: education. Let’s narrow it even
further and focus on “Common Core.” Why? Because education is
a national, regional, and a local issue that has been a contentious
one for local, state, and national governments.
What is “Common Core?” Common Core is the product of
a bipartisan group of governors representing 48 states plus the
District of Columbia. Common Core is a logical extension of the
call for higher standards that goes back to the Reagan Department
of Education. Those of you old enough remember how we were “A
Nation at Risk” placed in peril by an educational system that was
failing our students. From this national concern came federal attempts
to create a national curriculum. The Clinton administration tried
and failed in the nineties to create a voluntary national curriculum.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB), a bipartisan effort to require all states
to create statewide curriculum and mandated high stakes testing,
became law early in the Bush administration. Fourteen years later,
NCLB has not produced the hoped-for results; our international test
scores continue to lag behind the rest of the industrialized world.
Locally, NCLB produced what we refer to as the Standards of
Learning (SOL). The SOL is essentially a criterion-referenced test,
a fancy way of saying a test that measures the degree to which
a student has learned the standards of learning as defined by the
Commonwealth. Unfortunately, even though states continue to
see gains on their high stakes tests, there does not seem to be
commensurate improvement on international comparisons. We are
left to wonder if our state curricula are rigorous enough or if our
assessment instruments accurately measure student achievement.
The Common Core is intended by its supporters to provide a
common curriculum for all states that choose to adopt it (currently
40 states), as well as to create testing that is more consistent across
states. Similar to the intent of No Child Left Behind, the hope is
that a more aggressive curriculum would produce more rigorous
testing, thus producing students that would show gains not only
at the state level but also on international comparisons. All good
stuff… Right?
Problems have arisen when the Common Core has been put into
practice. It is difficult to achieve unanimity of opinion as to what
should actually become part of a national curriculum. Issues such
as American exceptionalism, the role of religion in public schools,
and whether Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World is
cause for celebration or angst have all been raised. And that is just
the history portion of the curriculum. What about global warming,
human reproduction, and evolution in the science curriculum?
Perhaps you’ve seen cartoons poking fun at the new Common Core
math?
You see, as Americans, we have a long history of the Federal
Government encouraging and supporting education yet leaving
curriculum up to the States. The Tenth Amendment of our Constitution
says that any powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution are reserved to the States. And education is not
delegated to the United States. We have always believed that
education is best left up to the state as the state is best positioned
to determine what is appropriate for its students to learn. So why is
there support for a national curriculum like the Common Core?
Of course, there is another side to this issue.
For almost 60 years, the Federal Government has had an active
role in education at the state level beginning with the National
Defense Education Act, a landmark piece of Cold War legislation
passed in 1958. The assumption of this act was that it was
a national security interest to the United States that our schools
produce scientists able to compete with the Russians. The Civil
Rights movement of the 60’s and Women’s Rights legislation of the
70’s only increased the role of the Federal Government to the point
that federal spending on education amounts to 4% of our federal
budget.
You see, as Americans, we have a strong recent history of
federal assistance to education. And it is easily argued that our
lack of competitiveness in international measures of academic
achievement is evidence that our nation is at risk of losing its
standing as the dominant economic power in the world. As such,
the Common Core plays a critical role in our country’s efforts to
improve our standing in the world’s economy. This makes it difficult
to argue against a national curriculum, as it is critical to the
economic security of the United States.
Do we rely on the Tenth Amendment for guidance or do we
recognize that the Constitution could not have imagined the
competitive nature of a world economy based on information and
creativity? Politics will enter into this debate in the upcoming months
because this will be a topic that will be addressed. No issue is clear
cut, certainly not the Common Core.
But remember, an election season is an excellent time to teach
your children by examining major issues from more than one
perspective. Teach them how to understand an issue from multiple
sides; they will be all the better for it.
Dr. Christian Proctor has been Headmaster of North Cross
School for three years and has over 23 years of experience in
education. His time in the field has been marked by creativity,
innovation, and school growth. A native of Chapel Hill, NC, Dr.
Proctor and his wife, Ellie, have two children; Katherine, a college
senior, and Andrew, a college freshman.
7
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8
Pumpkin Patch Time! Cassidy Wilson:
Where: South Roanoke United Methodist
Church, 2330 S. Jefferson Street
Duration of sale: 11:30 AM ‘til 7:00 PM every
day from October 6-30
Proceeds from the pumpkin patch support
both the Navajo Indian reservation from
which they are purchased and various church
programs.
National and State Advocate for the
Muscular Dystrophy Association
By Jeannie Wilson
Cassidy Wilson of South
Roanoke, along with other
members of the Muscular
Dystrophy Association, was
recently in Washington, D.C.
to meet with Congressman
Goodlatte and other legislators
to advocate for increased
funding from The National
Institute of Health to benefit
Cassidy Wilson, Virginia’s Goodwill
clinical trials studies.
Ambassador for the MDA, meets
Cassidy, a junior at Patrick with Congressman Bob Goodlatte
Henry High School, was in Washington, D.C.
Photo courtesy of Jeannie Wilson
diagnosed with Hereditary
Sensory Neuropathy, a type of muscular dystrophy, in 2004. He is
currently the state of Virginia’s Goodwill Ambassador for MDA, has
been actively involved with The Muscular Dystrophy Association for
over ten years, and has helped raise over $30,000 that has gone
toward research to help find a cure for muscular dystrophy and related
neuromuscular diseases.
And Don’t Forget Our Haunted House!
When: Halloween night, 6:30 PM ‘til 8:30 PM
Where: 24th Street entry of South Roanoke
United Methodist Church
Cost: $5 or $4 if you bring a can of food
BEHIND THE CURTAIN
How Medical Students Learn to Be Doctors
MINI MEDICAL SCHOOL
f
FALL 2015
October 13, 20, and 27 and November 3, 2015
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. ~ doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke
$20 total for four evenings of instruction
Registration required: tinyurl.com/vtcbehindcurtain
Ask any neighborhood kid, this is one of
the scariest haunted houses you’ll find.
Proceeds from the haunted house go to the
Youth Service Fund, a unique ministry that
is funded, designed, and directed entirely
by, with, and for youth.
What goes on behind the Hokie stone walls and sleek glass exterior of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of
Medicine? Now is your chance to find out. Our Mini Medical School will explore how we create exceptional
physicians. That’s four years of medical school condensed into four nights! Participants will learn about our
innovative problem-based curriculum, try out basic clinical skills and diagnostics, explore the concept of
translational research, and witness a clinical simulation involving a team of health care professionals.
medicine.vtc.vt.edu/events
DOGS... DOGS... DOGS...
RUN. LEARN. STAY.
DAYCARE
TR A I N I N G
BOARDING
WITH PICKUP
PRIVATE & GROUP
Owner on-site
site
www.thebiggerbrain.com
(540) 915-8066
The Bigger Brain LLC
9
City of Roanoke
— Continued from front cover
offered me a full-time job in both sales and giving lessons.”
Another obstacle was the partying. When asked about his
band’s musical rituals in those days, he candidly replies, “Our ritual
was getting hammered. Musicians often convince themselves that
they sound better after a few drinks, and I was no exception. In my
head I was killing it, but in reality I was slurring it.” Corey has solid
evidence: “I have the tapes from those days. Not good.“
Corey’s sense of professionalism is one of the qualities that
helped him turn the corner: “These guys are paying me; I’m an
employee. The cook can’t get hammered when he makes burgers.”
But not-so-subtle pressure to drink came from well-meaning fans: “At
the end of a set, I’d look down and there would be all these shots
under my chair. When I didn’t drink, I would ask the bartender to
give me a water with cranberry juice, so I’d look the part.”
But Corey gives the bulk of the credit for his success to his family.
He calls his mother the spiritual constant in his life. Many of his best
songs come from moments thinking about them. His song “Last Day”
was born in the shower and reminds him to appreciate the people
in his life. “Get Away From My Past” is a lyrical promise to his wife
Shelly to “put this bottle down” in order to be there to see his “flesh
and blood walking around” for many years to come.
The story of Corey and Shelly’s relationship, not surprisingly,
centers around music: “We had a guitar at Kelley’s which I fell in
love with around the time I first started dating Shelly, a Guild D40;
and I thought, if that guitar is here Monday, I’m going to buy it. On
Monday it was gone. I mourned a bit until Christmas morning, when
I opened up a big box from Shelly and there it was. I asked her
to marry me that following April.” And Shelly continues to inspire
him: “It’s amazing to me that Shelly not only recognizes what music
means to me, but also encourages it.”
If you’d like further insight into Corey’s process, or just want
to hear some really good music, be sure to check him out in the
inaugural workshop of a series entitled “Songwriters in the Round”
coming later this October, venue TBA.
Trash & Recycling
Collection Schedule
Starting this month, the city will provide
weekly collection of trash, bulk, and brush
on your normal collection day. Single
Stream Recycling collection will be every
other week, also on you normal collection
day. Depending on where you live, your
residence will be on an A Week schedule
or a B Week schedule for recycling. South
Roanoke is on the B Week schedule; this
means the first week to put out the new
recycling carts is October 11.
October 4: trash, bulk, brush
October 11: all recycling PLUS trash,
bulk, brush
October 18: trash, bulk, brush
October 25: all recycling PLUS trash,
bulk, brush
November 1: trash, bulk, brush
10
N e i g h b o r h o o d N o sta l g i a
Remembering Virginia College Part 3 of 3
by Nelson Harris
A front-page headline in the Roanoke Times on June 5, 1927,
confirmed what had been rumored for some months, that being the
pending sale of Virginia College. A new corporation, headed by
Dr. Charles Smith, president of Roanoke College, would acquire
the campus on July 15th. Other than Smith, all others associated
with the corporation were kept anonymous and the sale price was
undisclosed. Aside from assuring the community that the new owners
were local businessmen, Smith declared that the new corporation
would be only supervisory and that his role was not in conflict with
his position at Roanoke College. With this sale, the college facility
would no longer be under the control of the Harris family, namely
the daughters of the college’s founder, Dr. William A. Harris.
Smith also shared news of the appointment of Mrs. Julia Abbott
as the new administrative head of the institution and that the school
would continue to function as an all-female junior college. In his
statement regarding all of these matters, Smith said, “Some months
ago it became apparent to the owners of Virginia College that on
account of increased responsibilities it would become necessary for
them to relinquish the ownership and management of the college…
Both from an economic and from an educational standpoint, its
discontinuance would be unthinkable.” The new ownership group
was to be called the Virginia College Corporation. Unfortunately,
the assurances of Smith and the efforts of local business leaders to
keep Virginia College operating would be short-lived.
The national economic collapse of 1929 claimed Virginia
College as a victim. With the crash of the stock market, many
students were called home by their parents who were no longer
able to afford tuition. Former students of that period later recalled
that some of their classmates went home immediately, while others
finished the fall semester but failed to return after the Christmas
holidays, instead sending for their belongings. With a significantly
diminished enrollment, Virginia College closed its doors in January
1930.
The campus of Virginia College remained closed for several
months before it was purchased later that year. Colonel Otey
Crawford Hulvey announced his intent to purchase the property
from the Virginia College Corporation and convert it to a boys’
military academy. The colonel shared his vision for a school that
would accommodate 250 young men and would be known as
“Harris Military Academy” in honor of Virginia College’s founder.
Born in Staunton, Virginia, Hulvey had a long history with
military academies in Virginia and throughout the south. He had
been educated at Staunton Military Academy, Augusta Military
Academy, and the University of Virginia. He was a former
commandant of the cadets at Kentucky Military Academy, president
of Hay Long College in Tennessee, founder of the Tennessee Military
Institute in Sweetwater, and president of the Columbia Tennessee
Military Academy from 1915 until 1919. He had also served in
advisory capacities with military academies in Florida and Illinois.
Col. Hulvey planned an aggressive campaign of marketing and
enrollment for the 1930-1931 academic session. “Harris Military
Institute will be a non-sectarian school. Its curriculum will include
all grades from the seventh through the high school and in the
future it is the purpose of the management to add two years junior
college work.” Faculty members would be graduates from Virginia
colleges and universities and the War Department was to be asked
to provide a commandant for the cadets. “Colonel Hulvey will carry
out the same policy here as in his former schools as to advertising,
both local and national. The national advertising will include such
magazines as Saturday Evening Post, Literary Digest, Cosmopolitan,
American Magazine and Redbook. Papers throughout the state will
also carry advertisements.”
The acquisition of the Virginia College property by Hulvey was
greeted with enthusiasm by local business leaders. The Chamber
of Commerce helped to promote Hulvey’s interest in locating to
Roanoke and breathing new life into the college’s campus. Gertrude
Boatwright, the last surviving member of the Harris family, also
expressed her public support.
For all of the fanfare, publicity, and Hulvey’s vast experience
with successful military academies, Harris Military Institute remained
open for only three academic sessions (1930-33), largely another
victim of the Great Depression. During those three years, many
efforts were made to create a successful boys’ school on the South
Roanoke campus. The Institute even discarded its military component
in a futile attempt to boost enrollment. Col. Hulvey stepped down
as president and relinquished the leadership to J.M. Lockman. The
academy failed to attract a sufficient number of local boys to its
campus and economic times created a scarcity of non-local boarding
students. A projected enrollment of only forty students for the coming
session that fall was too low to justify continuing. In August 1933, its
permanent closure was publicly announced. Fortunately, the school
closed debt free.
In 1934, the campus was leased by the Federal Emergency
Relief Administration for the purpose of a “re-educational school
for unemployed women.” Hundreds of women applied for sixty
admissions. The school lasted one year and closed.
In September 1936, Frank Graves purchased the property with
the intent of converting the college into apartments. His plans were
scuttled by the Roanoke City Board of Zoning Appeals who denied
his request for a conversion permit. In July 1937, some 2,000
volumes, representing the remainder of Virginia College’s library,
were purchased by the town of Salem for its public library located
in Younger Park.
Finally, by January 1939, the college was razed, its campus
was subdivided into residential lots (known as “College Park” on
plot maps), and it was no more. Much of the Peakwood area, with
its grand homes, sits on the site of the former campus.
Nelson Harris is a former mayor of Roanoke and an author of
several books on our region’s history. He is currently working on a
history of the Roanoke Valley in the 1940s.
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11
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