This is the fifth and last of a series of articles on the history of Wood Dale School in Union County, Tennessee.
In the first article I shared information about Wood Dale School from 1900 through the depression years to 1940 as related in Our Union County Heritage: A Historical and Biographical Album of Union County—People, Places, Events by Kathleen George Graves and Winnie Palmer McDonald (© 1978 Josten’s); Ms. Bonnie Heiskell Peter’s book Union County Schoolday Memories: A Pictorial History of Union County Elementary Schools From the mid-1800’s to the 1960s (© 1999); and from available school registers on file at the Union County Board of Education.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Having tired of trying to answer that question, woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, decided to go in a different direction. Meteorology. Specifically, predicting the beginning of spring.
Do not fall for this. And if you missed Groundhog Day this year, not to worry. According to a nearby source, it’s all a hoax.

With so much national attention on voting procedures and outcomes, I felt it timely to have a conversation with Deborah Viles, Administrator of Elections for the Union County Election Commission. She shares that the turnout of this election was the biggest turnout ever recorded in Union County, Tennessee. But before we get into the nitty-gritty of election regulations and procedures, let me introduce you to the woman responsible for seeing that our electoral process is carried out appropriately, because knowing and trusting her is key to trusting the process.

Winter recreational activities can pose painful problems for the outdoor enthusiast who is not in the best condition. Preparing your body before participating in winter sports such as snowboarding, skiing or ice-skating decreases the potential for spasms, strains and sprains, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

I had intended this week to share with you more of my dental adventures. Fortunately, perhaps, that particular inspiration has now left me. Usually, I end my articles with a bit of email “wisdom”, but for this particular article I will use one to begin:

There’s nothing scarier than that split second
when you lost your balance in the shower and you think,
“They are going to find me naked.”

Word to the wise: “You just never know who is listening.”
Some of you already know this about me, but for those of you who don’t, my mother is an absolute hoot. When I was in high school, some of my friends would call and ask, “Is your mom there? I’d like to talk to her.” You know, I kinda got used to it.

With all the worrisome events that have happened recently, I would ask that you pause and think about something. When you think of beauty, I assume that like me you envision things like a colorful sunrise, waterfalls, snow draped trees, and such. But I am sitting here having a tough time verbally defining it. It's an odd thing really. It does not produce any tangible product. It can't be bought or sold, and yet all humans value it and are drawn to natural beauty. Why?

I like pork chops. I like cream style corn. Put my two "likes" together and you have this recipe. It's something different. I suppose you wouldn't think of combining those two, but this is a great dish. If you have thinner pork chops, adjust the first baking time accordingly. You know, we can get in a rut planning our weekly menu. Try something different this week. Try this recipe.

Apple butter is delicious. So is pear butter. You will agree after you taste this recipe. Pick up 3 pounds of pears at Food City and stir up a batch. Don't try to hurry it along by cooking it at a higher temperature. Grab a favorite read and sit next to the stove for the 1 3/4 hours necessary for its slow cooking. Read a bit and stir, read a bit and stir. Don't let it stick and burn. Who says you can only make preserves in the Fall. Whenever you see the necessary fruit in the produce section just pick up some and sir up a batch.

The Honorable Jared R. Effler, District Attorney General is proud of his Union County, TN roots. He is happy to say that he is a product of Union County Schools and that he’s living proof that with the building blocks of a solid education, a person can accomplish anything they set their mind to. Effler graduated from Horace Maynard High School in 1991 and went on to Lincoln Memorial University to obtain a degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Management in 1995. Although his earliest ambition was to become a veterinarian based on his love for animals, during college his career goals changed.