By Ray Collet

Hello Readers...The Rockwood Library is closed this week and I am scratching for a theme. A friend of mine and a "Yonder Hollow" faithful, sent me this poem that she wrote for me the other day. Linda Lynch, who is a terrific poet and author, along with her husband Cliff, moved to Roane County from Florida, and are two great additions to our county. Linda wrote,
HOW I SPENT NEW YEARS

The chest twinges started on Saturday night, I tried to ignore them with all of my might!
But persist they did with an increasing pinch, Until I doubled into a serious clinch!
My bride insisted I go to the ER, So she quickly drove me there in our car.
They took one look and started pinching and poking, Saying I had a problem and they were not joking.
Off to Park West they sent me in a hurry, Telling me and Gennell not to worry,
They would fix me up by doing some stents...Not my idea of fun, but that's how it went.
I woke up to the strains of playing my bass, making me think,"What's that doing in this place?"
It was only "Heartland" on TV-how appropo...Hmm...HEARTland...wouldn't you know"
While my New Year's was exciting, I can't deny, I can think of better ones in years gone by
This one was hard to play the happy part, While a doctor was stuffing those stents in MY heart!
But that's exactly what was done, I'm here to say, Thankful I'm alive to celebrate this day...
My friends tell me not to eat any more pie, And I know I shouldn't, although I can't help but sigh...
But reality has caught up in the form of these stents, And I know I must use willpower and more common sense.
My resolution for the year two thousand and eight, is NO MORE STENTS as a way to celebrate!
Thanks Linda, you are a real talent.
Linda asked about some Rockwood history, and with the primaries in full swing, Mr. Harry T. Burn comes to mind. I am sure many of you remember Mr. Burn and his wife Ellen. Mrs. Burn was a teacher at Rockwood High School for many years, a lot of them as a substitute. I remember her bringing her ukulele to school and entertaining us students. Mr. Burns was the president of a local bank. Born in Niota, Tn. Nov. 12, 1895, My Burn was elected as State Representative for McMinn County. He was the youngest member of the Legislature being only 22 years of age when he was elected. The Nineteenth Amendment, (Woman Suffrage), had been passed by Congress but it had to be ratified by thirty-six of the forty-eight states before it could become a law. Thirty-five states had ratified it and in the summer of 1920, four states were asked to call special sessions and vote on the issue. Three of the states refused to call special sessions but Tennessee agreed to. This session was called to meet in August 1920.
Mr. Burn had planned to vote "nay" but a letter from his mother, Febb Ensminger Burn asking him to vote "aye" changed his mind. After much debating and arguments the vote was 48-48, his vote broke the tie. He asked to speak to the House the next day and told them he changed his vote because his mother asked him to and he had been taught that "a good boy always does what his mother asks him to do."
Mrs. J.L.Burn (Febb Ensminger) of Niota, Tennessee, had written a long letter to her son, excerpts below, and he had it in his pocket on August 18,1920:
"Dear Son, Hurry and vote for suffrage! Don't keep them in doubt! I notice some of the speeches against. They were bitter. I have been watching to see how you stood, but have not noticed anything yet. Don't forget to be a good boy and help Mrs. Catt (Carrie Chapman Catt) put the "rat" in ratification....Your mother...." It is rumored that right after the vote, he was chased through the Tennessee Legislature hall by angry anti-suffragists, and had to hide out in the attic.
Mr. Burn passed away February 19, 1977. Rockwood has sure its share of well-known and colorful citizens. Until next week, keep the emails coming......Ray