‘Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story’ wins state award

Tennessee History Book Award for 2025 will be presented to Co-authors Mary Ellen Pethel and Don Cusic won the Tennessee History Book Award for 2025 for their book Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story, published by the University of Tennessee Press.

The award is given annually by the Tennessee Historical Society and the Tennessee Historical Commission.

Two other books were finalists for the prize: Tennessee Samplers: Female Education and Domestic Arts 1800-1900 by Jennifer C. Core and Janet S. Hasson (UT Press) and Andrew Jackson: Old Hickory in Christian America by Jonathan M. Atkins (Oxford University Press).

The judges described Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story as the definitive biography of a Tennessee icon which captures the reader’s attention with engaging prose and beautiful images. Pearl’s success as a woman in a male-dominated world shows how she navigated the bounds of gender, culture and class in Tennessee.

Pearl, whose real name was Sarah Cannon, came from the rural town of Centerville. As a comic performer and media favorite, she rose to the top of the country music business despite never having a hit song. The book pays particular attention to Pearl’s impact on the social and political culture of the American country music industry.

The winning co-authors are both professors at Belmont University. Dr. Don Cusic is Belmont’s professor of music business and the Curb Professor of music industry history. Dr. Mary Ellen Pethel is an associate professor of history. Her biography of basketball coach Pat Summitt won the Tennessee History Book Award in 2022.

UT offers ‘PLAY’ programs for teacher licensure

If you’ve thought of becoming a teacher or if you are a teacher who wants certification in special education or mathematics, Knox County Schools and the University of Tennessee have a program for you.

The Job-Embedded Licensure Program is a post-grad pathway designed for individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree and want to pursue a career in teaching. This program helps meet licensure requirements and can lead to a master’s degree in teacher education.

As a Job-Embedded candidate, you’ll be hired as a Teacher of Record in a partnering school while completing coursework and licensure requirements. The program is flexible, with 100% of courses offered online at times that work around your schedule. Most candidates complete the program in about two years. Licensure can be issued at the start of the program, as long as you meet the required qualifications and are enrolled in coursework.

Program areas of the Job-Embedded Program are offered in these subjects and grade levels:

  • Agriculture Education, 6-12
  • Art, K-12
  • American Sign Language PreK-12
  • Deaf Education PreK-12
  • Elementary Education, K-5
  • English, 6-12
  • English as a Second Language, PreK-12
  • School Librarian, Library Information Specialist, PreK-12
  • Mathematics, 6-12
  • Middle Grades Mathematics, 6-8 or 6-10
  • Middle Grades Science, 6-8
  • Science (biology, physics, chemistry, earth science), 6-12
  • Social Science Education (history, geography, government, economics), 6-12
  • Social Science Education (psychology & sociology), 9-12
  • Special Education: Interventionist K-8; Interventionist, 6-12; Comprehensive K-12
  • World Language (Spanish, French, Latin, German, Russian), 6-12
  • School Counselor, PreK-12 (Contact counadmit@utk.edu for application and program requirements)

UT-PLAYS is a non-credit program leading to licensure/ endorsements for:

  • Special Education Comprehensive K-12
  • SPED Interventionist K-8
  • SPED Interventionist 6-12
  • Mathematics 6-8 or
  • Mathematics 6-12

UT-PLAYS programs are designed for working educators, focusing on teacher licensure. All learning will take place online, asynchronously via Canvas Catalog at a time that works for you. Learn more here.

PLAYS means Personal Learning at Your Speed. Cool, huh?

Student on the BOE

The Knox County Board of Education is now accepting applications for a Student Representative for the 2026–27 school year! This is a great opportunity for a rising senior to gain leadership experience and represent student voices across KCS. Learn more and apply here.

In Memoriam

Mary Ann Musick

Mary Ann Musick, a gifted artist and art teacher, taught at Beaumont Magnet Elementary School in Knox County for 30 years. She was the first, and for many years the only, elementary art teacher in KCS. She died on March 5, 2026, at age 77.

Ms. Musick was a native of Bristol, Tennessee, who graduated from Tennessee High School and East Tennessee State University. She later earned a master’s degree in art education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her full obituary is here.

She maintained her sense of humor until the very end, requesting actors be hired to attend her funeral to wail and cry and cause a scene. The family invites wailing strangers, friends and colleagues to attend her funeral mass which will be held at St. Anne Catholic Church in Bristol, Virginia, on Saturday, March 21, at 1:30 p.m. Visitation will begin at the church at 1 p.m. Upon Mary’s request, a lively Irish wake will follow at 3:30 p.m. at The Bristol Hotel.

Wanda Lacy with awards

Wanda Napier Lacy was an outstanding educator in Knox County Schools. She passed away peacefully on March 8, 2026, at age 76.

She is best known as a 20-year math teacher at Farragut High School where she taught AP calculus and served as math department chair. Over 98 percent of her AP calculus students received college credit. One student wrote that she “brought her soul and tireless conviction to sharpen every student’s mind.”

Her bachelor’s and master’s degrees are from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She was Tennessee Teacher of the Year, 2013-14 and received other honors. A memorial mass will be held today (03/18/26) at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville, Tennessee. Receiving of friends will be in the Cathedral Hall from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Her full obituary is here.

Notes & Quotes

Gresham Middle School is seeking support for treats for students after completion of the state testing. Here’s a link.

Bobcat Bash, Central High School, Thursday, April 2, 5-7 p.m. Car show, vendors, food trucks and more. Info: Cassidy Taylor at 865-689-1400 ext. 71915 or email cassidy.taylor@knoxschools.org.

Oak Ridge Schools will host a districtwide Job Fair on Wednesday, April 1, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the School Administration Building, 304 New York Avenue, Oak Ridge. Info: www.ortn.edu/.

Quote: “And I hope life will treat you kind / And I hope that you have all that you ever dreamed of / Oh, I do wish you joy and I wish you happiness / But above all this I wish you love.” – Dolly Parton wrote the song ‘I Will Always Love You’ as a heartfelt farewell to her mentor and duet partner Porter Wagoner when she decided to pursue a solo career. They cried, they hugged and three years later he sued her for $3 million.

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