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- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 6 Feb 2014.
Tanner students recall days at historic school
EDITOR'S NOTE The Tanner Preservation Alliance continues its work to rescue and preserve the historic Tanner School, one of the few Rosenwald Schools remaining in America. Many students of the institution used the knowledge and wisdom gained there as springboards for success in many areas of life. Many students chose to leave Cocke County and pursue their careers elsewhere, but took with them fond memories of their days at Tanner. One of these was Carrie Dawson Caldwell, who shares her story and memories today. In observance of Black History Month, the Tanner Preservation Alliance has shared these memories with us.
My name is Carrie Dawson Caldwell, and I attended Tanner School for nine years (1956-1965). I am the daughter of Ruth Mae Osborne Dawson (deceased) and Luther James Dawson. My mother graduated from Tanner High School and my brother, James and sister, Deloris attended Tanner until the schools were integrated.Our parents purchased a farm in the Dutch Bottoms Community when I was a year old. The four most important things that our parents placed emphasis on were education, church, family and work.The principal at Tanner School was the Rev. Rakestraw. He was also the principal during the time my mom attended Tanner. My teachers in elementary school were Mrs. Nettie Sue Swagerty, Mrs. Irene Stokely, Mrs. Irene Smith, Mrs. Mae Leeper and Mrs. Jo Ann Hicks (Music). My first year of high school was the last year that I attended Tanner. My teachers were Mr. Powell, Mr. Hawes, Miss Franklin, Miss Mitchell, Mr. Harrison and Mr. Hubbard.
I was a member of the Tanner High School Chorus and we were the only out-of-state chorus invited to the Alabama State Choral Festival that year. Mr. Hubbard our choral director, was a recent graduate who attended college in Alabama. We attended choral festivals in Tennessee as well. Music has always been important to me so this was a very exciting and eventful year. I represented our school in the soloist division at the choral festivals. This was a new experience for me because I had only sung in our small church. My grandmother, Carrie Osborne, encouraged me to do this at the age of three or four.
When the schools were integrated, I attended Cocke County High School and graduated in 1968. I continued to sing in chorus, sang with a group called the Sextette and was chosen to attend the Tennessee All-State Chorus all three years that I was at Cocke County High School. My senior year of high school, the All-State Chorus Festival was scheduled to be held in Memphis but was changed to Chattanooga because of the garbage workers’ strike. I was in Chattanooga the day that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed.
During my years at Cocke County High School I had the opportunity to sing on the radio, thanks to Mrs. Bauman and on television because I was a member of the Sextette.
I attended East Tennessee State University and earned a BS in Music Education. After graduation I moved to Morganton, NC and became an elementary music teacher. Seventeen years later I received my Masters in School Counseling from Appalachian State University.
I am married to John Caldwell who is also an educator, and we have one son, Micah. John plays piano and organ and has played for various churches in the Morganton area. Micah earned a Bachelors in Voice and Piano from The University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill and in May 2013, he received his Masters in Voice and Stage Performance from New York University. He was also one of twentytwo students chosen from colleges and universities around the country to perform in a program called Broadway’s Rising Stars.
After 31 years as an educator, I retired but I continue to work parttime. I am a member of the Hickory Choral Society and that has made it possible for me to sing in various places including The National Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland, London, England, Lincoln Center and on Jan.19, 2014, Carnegie Hall.
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name: Luther G Dawson
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 22 Jun 1949
Event Place: Cocke, Tennessee, United States
Age: 33
Birth Year (Estimated): 1916
Father's Name:
Father's Titles and Terms:
Mother's Name:
Mother's Titles and Terms:
Spouse's Name: Ruth Mae Osborne
Spouse's Titles and Terms:
Spouse's Age: 26
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1923
Spouse's Father's Name:
Spouse's Father's Titles and Terms:
Spouse's Mother's Name:
Spouse's Mother's Titles and Terms:
Reference ID: 387
GS Film number: 1928652
Digital Folder Number: 004485967
Image Number: 00239
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(Age ~ 108 years)