 April 99 News Archives Welcome to Tennessee Online's News Archives Just Click the Headline of interest to go to the story. Maryville High School meets to discuss same issue Clarksville recovering from tornadoes Vandals destroy historic cemetery Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association Crafters/Artists being sought for annual Rugby Silver Festival Shiloh to hold Living History Demonstration Alabama Trail association working to Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs controversy in Tennessee 
Nashville-A battle is brewing in the
Capitol over whether or not the Tennessee Division of the Sons of
Confederate Veterans should have their own license plate. The state
legislature is scheduled to decide the issue this year. The special
vanity plate is available to any organization that has at least 500
members who will purchase it. The extra $25 collected goes back to
the state and the organization. The bill passed the Tennessee Department
of Transportation committee unanimously, but immediately caused controversy
among some members of the Tennessee Black Caucus, who immediately
hit the airwaves protesting the plate’s passage. Last year the Legislature
approved the special vanity plates for the United Daughters of the
Confederacy and the Tennessee Historical Commission, which both featured
similar Confederate symbols. “This is a first class civics lesson on American Politics in the 1990s,” said Tennessee High School history teacher and S.C.V. member Dean Schneitman. “everywhere this argument over the Confederate flag has been given, it has been defeated. It seems odd that this would all of a sudden this would become an issue when a Black member of the legislature started seeking a post on the T.V.A. Board. The people backing this measure have no knowledge of history and dismiss the efforts of Blacks who fought for the Confederacy.” In North Carolina and Virginia, the S.C.V. has successfully sued and overturned verdicts aimed at banning their licenses plates. After knowledge of the bill became public, Black Tennessee representatives went on talk shows in Nashville, Memphis, and other cities pushing to stop the legislature from approving the measure. As expected the activists are trying to enlist the support of the NAACP in the cause. Many political activists are watching the issue and say they will support the S.C.V.’s efforts. “I have never understood how and organization like the NAACP that proclaims itself to be the guardian of cultural diversity will spend so much of its time and resources trying to destroy the symbols of another culture,” said Tennessee Conservative Union Chairman Lloyd Daugherty. “This has become so predictable over the years that I am surprised it still works for them. I guarantee you if the roles were reversed, we would have the Supreme Court and Federal government on us so quick we wouldn’t know what to do next.” Not all black Tennesseans are supporting the measure. Former Tennessee Professor Milton Dantel says he has supported the NAACP in the past, but draws the line when they star attacking Southern culture. “I am reminded of the story of the Gettysburg reunion,” said Dantel. “All black veterans of the war were invited to it and, when blacks showed up wearing Confederate uniforms who had fought in the war, they were told there was no room and had to sleep in a barn. The whites who had fought for the South took them into their homes and held their own reunion. Why black activists continue to foster this myth that the Confederacy was a ‘Whites-Only’ Club is beyond me. I have problems with them fighting symbols of southern culture for the same reason I do them signing on to the gun manufacturers law suit. It insinuates that black Americans can’t handle basic Constitutional freedoms. It hurts us more than it ever helped.” The issue is expected to be resolved before this session of the legislature is finished. meets to discuss same issue Blount County-About the same time this issue was underway in Nashville and West Tennessee, a similar complaint was filed with the Office of Civil Rights about East Tennessee’s Maryville High School. A black physician, who lives in a nearby school district, allegedly attended an event at the high school and became angry when he saw students waving the Confederate Flag. He told the OCR quote: “I felt like I walked into a Klan rally.” The Maryville “Rebels”, who won the state football championship this past season have had the name since the 1930s. A special meeting was scheduled by the Blount County School Board to discuss it on March 23. While many had wanted to speak at the public forum, the board limited it to only alumni, residents of the school district, and the individual who brought the complaint. Montgomery County-The City of Clarksville has begun the massive cleanup of the historic downtown section that was destroyed when a tornado ripped through the city. There was a proposal on the table to create a non-profit agency that would be responsible for the efforts, but the measure was killed by the council amid thundering applause. Residents were concerned that the non-profit agency would start playing with property values and were opposed to the idea. They will continue moving forward with rebuilding the historic district on their own terms and hope to have things resolved quickly. Memphis-A man attending a World War II military antique show in Memphis was appalled by a flag in the show and summoned Memphis police to the scene to express his outrage. When the police arrived, the man allegedly told them he wanted a flag taken down in the convention center. The police dutifully searched the convention center and returned to the individual where they informed him they had not seen a Confederate Flag anywhere in the building. Appearing agitated, the man walked police back into the convention center and pointed to a German NAZI flag and state it was the one he wanted removed. The vendor, who was a well known antique dealer, informed the officers that the flag was an original German battleflag captured by American troops and was a historical relic that wasn’t about to come down as he was trying to sell it. When the man wouldn’t desist from demanding it be removed, police had no other option but to take him into custody and charge him with disturbing the peace. Graysville-Two men have been arrested for desecrating a grave site in Rhea County. The Lone Mountain Cemetery was vandalized and weathered stones scattered throughout the grounds. One of the subjects arrested by the Rhea County Sheriff’s Office was a juvenile. “We don’t know how many were involved in the incident,” said Sheriff Leon Sneed, “but we have made two arrests.” The suspects names were not released. The cemetery is located about 30 miles north of Chattanooga and is listed in the National register of Historic Places. At least 115 of its monuments were turned over and ten completely destroyed. to hold open meetings Nashville-The Tennessee Historical Commission is urging citizens to attend one of four public meetings to kick off the creation of a statewide civil War Preservation Plan. In addition, the recently designated Tennessee Civil War heritage Area will be discussed. The new federal Initiative will help preserve and interpret the state’s Civil War legacy. Congress has authorized the possibility for funding up to $1 million a year for the next ten years for this project. The meetings will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the following locations.
The TCWPA is now organizing as a way to help cities and communities capitalize on the growing number of heritage oriented travelers. Last year Heritage oriented tourism was recognized as one of the state’s most overlooked industries. Anyone with questions or extra directions can call the Historical Commission at (615) 532-1550. Everyone is encouraged to attend.
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Rugby-Area craftsmen and visual
artists are invited to apply for space at the 25th annual festival
of British and Appalachian culture set for May 22 and 23. The festival
booth fee is $25 for each 12x12 space. Entries are juried through
photographs and slides which must accompany an application form.
The annual event is one of the biggest in the historic village and
draws people from across America. 
Savannah-Shiloh National Military
Park is scheduled to hold a living history demonstration on the
battle’s anniversary April 10-11. On hand will be numerous War Between
the States’ reenactors. Admission is $2 for adults, $4per family,
children under 6 are free. For more information, you can contact
the park at (901) 689-5275. 
Sevier County-Representatives of
the American Legion, the Marine Corps League, and other veterans
organizations were on hand when World War I veteran Charlie Clabo
was honored by Sevier County and the State of Tennessee in March
for his service aboard a Prisoner of War transport ship in France.
Mr. Clabo, who now resides in Fort Sanders Nursing home in Sevierville
, was the latest surviving veteran of the war to be honored. Fred
Tucker, Director of Tennessee Veterans Affairs Office, bestowed
the Certificate of Appreciation recognizing Clabo as the County’s
oldest living veteran and also a special proclamation from the Governor
making Mr. Clabo a Colonel of the State of Tennessee.